City Hall believes it has to protect its citizens from employment competition for fear that a majority of civil-service jobs would go to better-qualified nonresidents. The condescending arrogance and lack of confidence in city residents is disheartening. If the city government doesn't believe in its residents, why would businesses consider relocating to Philadelphia?
The large numbers of highly qualified city residents do not need an added advantage in the job-application process. Furthermore, Philadelphia can benefit from the contribution of nonresidents seeking to work for the city. Let's eliminate the counterproductive and parochial residency requirement and allow the best workers from throughout the region to work for one of our nation's greatest cities.
Chris Duckworth
Doylestown
Duckworth is a former city resident and former teacher at Kensington High School.
Meaning of marriage
I am near commentary writer Joan Reivich's age, and I understand where people our age are coming from in saying that gay marriage doesn't affect our lives for the most part ("Gay marriage is no threat," June 13). Gays marrying is no threat to my marriage and to those of tons of others. But that doesn't mean people aren't concerned with the thinking of those who would change the meaning of marriage to include two men or two women.
