FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    CONTACT:  David Dunphy

November 30, 2006                                                     202.256.6286

KNOX ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR PHILADELPHIA MAYOR

East Falls – Today, Democrat Tom Knox announced his candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia.  The former Deputy Mayor and successful businessman made the announcement at the Abbotsford housing project where he grew up.

“As poor as we were, as tough as it was – we still had dreams.  But I never dreamed back then I would be standing here today to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia,” Knox said.

Knox, who overcame stark poverty to become one of Philadelphia’s most successful business leaders said he was running “to take down the for sale sign at City Hall.”

Knox was joined for his announcement by a couple of old friends from the neighborhood and from elementary school including Michael Keeley, a retired fire fighter who grew up with him in Abbotsford and talked about how Tom was different than the others.

“He was driven. If one of us had a paper route, Tom had to have three,” Keeley said. “I used to say there was a different gear working in his head.  While most of us in the neighborhood were thinking about where we were going to hang out on Saturday, Tom was figuring out how to turn those small paper routes into paper stands.  While we played ball, he rummaged through the trash to find glass bottles to sell for a nickel a piece.  Even as he used cardboard to fill his own shoes, he shined more shoes than anyone.”

Mary Hart, a childhood friend who attended school with Knox from the first to the eighth grade said that because he was so poor he was voted least likely to succeed.

“Tom, when we voted you least likely to succeed, we said you’d probably grow up to be a phone repairman,” Hart explained.  “We may have been wrong about that, but we were right about one thing. You were going to be a repairman.  You are going to fix the City.”

Before his announcement, Knox attended a prayer breakfast at Sharon Baptist Church.  Following the announcement, he visited the 59th Engine with Keeley.  Later, he greeted Philadelphians at the Frankford Terminal and attended a fundraising reception at Loews in Center City.

Knox was also joined by his wife, Linda, brother, Jim and son Brandon.

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Last Updated: December 30, 2006