City Council
district races
For At-large races, go to the
At-large page
Job Description: City Council consists of 10 distinct elected councilmanic districts and seven elected from the city at-large. City Council is the legislative body of the city government; it enacts all ordinances. It adopts a capital program and both the operating and capital budgets. It also sets tax rates.
To serve as a member of Council, a citizen must be at least 25 years old. Of the seven at-large seats, no more than five can be from the same party.
Term: four years
Salary: Ranging from $132,791 for the president to $105,800 for members
Qualifications: We asked about the candidates’
Education
Current occupation
Qualifications for office
We also asked candidates for City Council:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia?
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority?
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia?
District 1
(vote for one in your party)
Democrats
Vernon Anastasio
Qualifications: No response received.
Answer: No response received.
Frank J. DiCicco
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1964, St. John Neumann High School
Current occupation: City councilman
Qualifications for office: First District Councilman, 11 years; awarded 2006 Man of the Year by Southeast Pennsylvania Police Chiefs Association; 2006 Politician of the Year by the Library Journal; 2006 Public Service Award by Philadelphia Preservation Alliance; 2006 Outstanding Public Official by Lambda Alpha International
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? Philadelphia’s tax structure and education system are two of the largest hindrances to job growth and retention. I have been a leader for tax reform in Council and we must continue that work. We must also address deficiencies in our schools and explore ways to attract new business.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? If residents aren’t safe, then we have failed as government. My top priority is insuring the safety of the neighborhoods I represent. From police coverage to better schools to fighting casinos to controlling development to addressing nuisance bars, I will insure my constituents are and feel safe.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I believe we need more police officers, surveillance cameras, a 311 system for non-emergency calls and more pedestrian lighting. Politicians must find a way to pay for the promises we’re making. I will work to require that the state fund our judicial district as it does for every other county.
Web site: http://www.frankdicicco.org
Republican
Michael L. Seidenberg
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1983, Cornell University, B.S. Statler School of Hotel and Restaurant Management
Current occupation: Realtor
Qualifications for office: I have more than 15 years of sales and business-management experience within the hospitality industry. I am positive, professional, and persistent.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? Business owners and entrepreneurs are keenly aware of the high costs and various other difficulties associated with doing business in the city. Philadelphia must become business-friendly to keep current businesses and attract new ones. Decreasing the costs of doing business in Philadelphia will be a top priority for me.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? My main priority will be to dedicate every penny possible to improving the education level of our residents. Philadelphia can and must become known for delivering educational excellence. I will work with public and private schools to provide quality learning opportunities to all residents, regardless of age, income, or circumstance.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I will ask questions of police leadership. If trash wasn’t being collected, those responsible would be expected to correct the problems. Police leadership must be held to the same standard. For starters, I would like to know what strategies are in place for success, and who is accountable for results.
Web site: None provided.
District 2
(vote for one in your party)
Democrats
Damon K. Roberts
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Brooklyn Technical High School, 1989; Harvard University, cum laude, 1993; Howard University School of Law, 2001
Current occupation: Damon is an attorney who has worked at the city’s Law Department.
Answer:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? I will commission a study to develop and enforce a comprehensive plan to make Philadelphia business-friendly, both for big businesses and startups, including developing a highly educated work force, zoning reform, making the Licenses and Inspections Department more convenient, and developing communication channels between city government and businesses.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? The main priorities of my first year in office will be to: a) advocate for full funding for recreational, after-school, career training, libraries and talent workshops to positively engage our youth, and b) work with the streets department and community organizations to clean our streets and address the problems of abandoned houses and vacant lots.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I plan to address holistically the root causes of our crime problem. Educationally: Increased parental involvement, truancy enforcement, curriculum overhaul, and strong leadership. Environmentally: As cleaner streets are safer, I will hold both neighborhoods and the streets department accountable. Economically: Job creation, business support and jobs for ex-offenders.
Web site: http://www.damonkroberts.com
Anna C. Verna
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Graduated, John W. Hallahan High School
Current occupation: City councilwoman - 2nd District; City Council president
Qualifications for office: Incumbent councilwoman. Public Official of the Year, Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes; Public Official of the Year, Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? Reduce the tax burden. Higher taxes equal businesses moving out of the city. Improve retention of college and university students. Only 29 percent of non-native college graduates stay here, as opposed to Boston, where 42 percent of non-natives stay after graduation. Create more vocational schools to provide the skilled work force we need.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? As a long-time advocate for public safety, recreation and education, to use my experience with the city budget and continue to fight to ensure that our police, district attorney, courts, recreation centers, health centers and libraries receive the necessary resources from city government to fully serve all citizens of Philadelphia.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? Work with the mayor, police commissioner, elected officials and local communities to improve quality of life. Ensure integrated law-enforcement efforts at all levels of government. Make certain that Philadelphia has the necessary legislative and financial resources from federal, state and local governments to stem the widespread violence on our streets.
Web site: None provided.
Republican
William Black
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
District 3
(vote for one in your party)
Democrat
Jannie L. Blackwell
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
Republican
Keith A. Hairston Sr.
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Samuel H. Daroff Elementary School, Mayer D. Sulzberger Middle School, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, Jameson School of Theology
Current occupation: Student/assistant head baker, Maria’s Primetime Bakery, Ridley Township
Qualifications for office: Election official, eight years; committeeman, one year
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? We have to develop closer and more-friendly relationships with our current business owners.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? My main priority is to work closely with the next mayor of this great city to create a safer environment for the people of our city. We have to give our young people a sense of self-worth. And when the youth of our city feel loved and needed we will be able to restore the values that we lost some time ago.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? In Philadelphia, we need tougher gun laws. Harsher gun-crime penalties. We have to find a way to make criminals think twice before committing crime. We also have to work closer with our young people. We need better after-school programs and open up some of our closed-down recreation centers. If we catch them young we can head them at the pass.
Web site: None provided.
District 4
(vote for one in your party)
Democrats
Carol Ann Campbell
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
Curtis J. Jones Jr.
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
Matthew N. McClure
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1990, La Salle College High School; 1994, Loyola College, B.A.; 1999, Villanova University School of Law, J.D.
Current occupation: Lawyer
Qualifications for office: I previously worked for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and then-Mayor Ed Rendell. As a practicing real estate lawyer, I have worked on some of the largest economic-development projects in Philadelphia.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? We need to make Philadelphia a competitive place to do business. This means reducing the overall combined tax burden, working toward a better educated and trained work force, providing sensible city planning and zoning laws, as well as providing better city services, public transportation and a truly transparent government.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? I want to focus on retaining, attracting and providing for Philadelphia’s middle-class families. As such, my main priority will be a number of proposals aimed at decreasing crime, and increasing city services and educational opportunities for families. See all of my plans at http://www.McClureForCouncil.com.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? Some things we should be doing include: putting more police on our streets and returning to community-based policing; tougher prosecution of criminals coupled with better witness protection; hiring more probation and parole officers to reduce recidivism; and introducing trade programs in high schools to provide more opportunities for our children.
Web site:
http://www.McClureForCouncil.com
Republicans
Melvin C. Johnakin
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
District 5
(vote for one in your party)
Democrats
Darrell L. Clarke
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
Haile C. Johnston
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 2004 Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, B.S.E.
Current occupation: Philadelphia Department of Public Health Environmental Interventions Coordinator (prior to candidature)
Qualifications for office: Community leader, business owner; founder neighborhood nonprofit that started after-school and summer programs, planted 300-plus trees, maintains 13-plus acres of vacant land; board member: Mural Arts Program and PhillyGreen (Pennsylvania Horticultural Society)
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? As Councilman, I will work to keep current businesses in Philadelphia and attract new ones by 1) improving education and 2) supporting real tax reform. Philadelphia’s current non-competitive tax structures are driving away jobs and people. I will continue to improve the public schools to create the educated workforce the city needs.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? My main priority will be to restore order in the city’s neighborhoods and schools. I will aim to protect students and neighborhood residents who feel they are held captive by a small number of criminals. An important element of rebuilding stable communities is protecting long-time homeowners from being forced out by rising property taxes.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? We must address crime with initiatives that will have both immediate and long-term impacts. Immediately, we need to get illegal guns off of our streets. We must also invest in people by offering educational opportunities for all — beginning with youth and extending to the incarcerated.
Web site:
http://www.johnston07.com
John J. Longacre
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Temple University, B.S., Economics and Business Management; University of Pennsylvania, Fels School of Government- (candidate)
Current occupation: Philadelphia business owner and community activist and organizer.
Qualifications for office: Founding member of the board of directors, Francisville Neighborhood Development Corporation in North Philadelphia. President, Newbold Community Development Corporation and Civic Association in South Philadelphia. Philadelphia business owner.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? The city must refine its strategies to attract and retain its own businesses. This can be accomplished by aggressive tax reform policies aimed at making Philadelphia a more business friendly environment. I will work with the new Mayor to create a department of business attraction.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? The current crime epidemic does not only affect the lives of the people involved in each individual tragedy, but also creates a national perception that Philadelphia is an unsafe place to live raise a family or start a business. Confronting the crime epidemic in Philadelphia means reversing the trend of inaction and recognizing that strong progressive leadership and accountability are key.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? Philadelphia must stop the process of reactionary crime fighting, and embrace new technologies that are working in other cities. We must lobby Harrisburg to grant Philadelphia autonomy on creating our own gun laws. Philadelphia must be committed to hiring additional police officers.
Web site: http://www.longacre07.com
District 6
(vote for one in your party)
Democrat
Joan L. Krajewski
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Little Flower High School
Current occupation: City Council - 6th Councilmanic District
Qualifications for office: Member of Philadelphia City Council for almost 28 years. Chairwoman of Committee on Appropriations, Vice-Chair of Committee on Licenses and Inspections, Public Safety and Legislative Oversight. Author of numerous pieces of legislation regarding quality-of-life issues.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? We need to expand current plans to revitalize our commercial corridors, making them more attractive to potential business owners. Also need to expand on Department of Commerce program, such as Restore Commercial Corridors and the Facade Rebate Program. More marketability of available tools; continue business-tax cuts.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? To continue to address quality-of-life issues affecting my constituents. Absentee landlords and tenants who have no consideration for other residents have been a major problem in our neighborhood. I will continue to create legislation to control these nuisances through community court and any other means necessary.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? We need to provide the younger generation with more opportunities, places to spend time besides the corner. Keep recreation centers open later; create programs and activities that will hold their interest. I believe our city needs to be given the authority from Harrisburg to effectively legislate our own gun laws.
Web site: None provided.
Republican
Michael Ebsworth
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
District 7
(vote for one in your party)
Democrats
Marnie Aument-Loughrey
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 2006 and 2007 real estate appraisal courses; 1996, Community College of Philadelphia, one semester; 1983, Little Flower High School
Current occupation: Real property assistant, Board of Revision Of Taxes, city of Philadelphia
Qualifications for office: Committee Person 20 years, I sit on the boards of 25th Dist. PDAC, Kensington; Businessman Assoc, KICA, & Franklin Towne Charter HS Home & School
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? We need to find a way to limit the taxes put on the business e.g.: real estate property, use and occupancy, business privilege, gross receipts, net profit and city wage. Then give a break if you mentor a student.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? I have three: 1. Work on a way to make schools safer and upgrade the older schools to meet with today’s technology. 2. Put money and programs into the recreation centers so that the kids are off the streets. 3. Let’s make the landlords responsible for the properties that are in our communities.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I will work with the rest of council and the mayor to make quality of life issues a priority. Will work to secure funding for head start programs. Find a way for the justice system to make the victim’s rights more important then the criminals.
Web site: http://marnieforchange.com
Maria Quinones Sanchez
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1986 Graduate, Philadelphia public school, Mastbaum High School; 1986-87 attended, Temple University; 1992 completed, masters in human services, Lincoln University
Current occupation: Former regional director, Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico. Currently, full-time candidate.
Qualifications for office: Regional Director Puerto Rican Federal Affairs Administration, 6 years; Founder, Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Coalition.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? I support: making commercial corridors pedestrian-friendly and safer with more police; insuring that Re-store Philadelphia Corridors bond funds are used wisely and leveraging private investment; incentives for new businesses in corridors and near transportation centers including tax breaks and worker training subsidies; and leveraging private sector funding for business start-ups.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? I will work to create neighborhood plans - with the Planning Commission, community groups, business leaders and educators - that include neighborhood revitalization and stabilization. I will create a crime reduction strategy that includes beat police officers, safe residential corridors, modernization of recreation centers and full funding of schools and educational partnerships.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? The answer to the violence plaguing our city is: recreation centers; community policing; jobs, education and work opportunities; more police; 311; the COMPSTAT program; SMART cameras with community approval; increased funding for town watch, exoffender and prevention programs; non-profits and faith organizations; and truancy centers with wrap around services to create Safe Havens.
Web site:http://www.maria2007.com
Daniel J. Savage
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Holy Family University, B.S. Business Administration, Cum Laude
Current occupation: Full-time City Councilperson
Qualifications for office: Full-time City Councilperson, business representative, community and political leader
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? I have a plan to responsibly reduce the tax burden. I believe that overtime the gross receipts portion of the business privilege tax should be eliminated. Additionally, I would like to simplify the L&I process to make it easier for new businesses to establish themselves here.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? My main priority is providing honest and capable representation to my constituents. Given the current situation in the city, that representation will likely focus on increasing public safety. This will be my top, but not my only priority. I will also continue my work on education and neighborhood revitalization.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I have worked extensively to increase the number of adult probation and parole officers. I also plan to hold hearings to address the mental health issues, which often lead to violence and what can be done to help those individuals. I also support adding more police to patrol our streets.
Web site:
http://www.savageforcouncil.com
Republican
Gary Grisafi
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1978, St. Martin of Tours Grade School; 1982, Cardinal Dougherty High School; 1988, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Music; 1998, Occupation Safety and Health Certificate - Construction Safety
Current occupation: Musician, Music Teacher
Qualifications for office: Educator, committeeman, community activist, family man. I love helping people and will stand up to greedy and corrupt politicians.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? I would lower the city wage tax, business privilege, net profit and gross receipt taxes. Lowering crime will create a healthy job climate and will keep businesses here. Increase a police presence and clean streets around all businesses. I will work close with all chambers and business leaders. Revitalize neighborhoods.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? I will introduce courses from grades one through twelve on crime, the dangers of having a gun, drugs, pre marital sex, self-control, peer pressure and how to respect people. I will add afterschool programs like music, art, dance, math, science and speech that would improve students’ communication skills and work ethics.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? Stiffen gun crime laws and penalties. Expose and put pressure on judges who let these criminals go. More town watch and community involvement. More and higher paying jobs. Job training and internships with businesses. More police on the streets. Education, after school programs. More parole officers. Enforce truancy and curfew.
Web site:
http://gary4council.homestead.com
District 8
(vote for one in your party)
Democrats
Irv Ackelsberg
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1972, Haverford College, B.A.; 1976, Rutgers-Camden School of Law, J.D., Magna Cum Laude.
Current occupation: Attorney
Qualifications for office: 30 years of public service as attorney with Community Legal Services, heading office within the 8th District. Named the nation’s consumer advocate of the year in 2005 by the National Consumer Law Center.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? Businesses need much the same thing from the City that residents do: decisive action to make our streets safer, to attack blight, and to educate our workforce. Particularly in the 8th District, they also need to see that the ineffectiveness and corruption that has plagued the district office for years has been replaced.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? To restore public confidence in the District Council office with an infusion of professionalism, integrity and hard work; to forge relationships with the residents, businesses, educators, police and clergy in the district that will enable us to begin rebuilding both our neighborhoods and our spirits.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I would shift more dollars into the parole/probation department, the school-based anti-violence programs and job programs. I would work with the police to find ways to support and strengthen the patrol units and to get more of our 6,000 cops on to the streets and out of special assignments. .
Web site:
http://www.irv07.com
Cindy M. Bass
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1990, Temple University, B.S., Business Administration
Current occupation: Full-time candidate for public office.
Qualifications for office: Former senior policy advisor on urban domestic policy to Congressman Chaka Fattah; special assistant to State Senator Allyson Schwartz; housing director for Mt. Airy USA.; community lender, Chestnut Hill National Bank.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? Eliminate the Business Privilege Tax, replacing it with a simplified Net Profits Tax for all businesses; tax credits for businesses involved in the creation of renewable energy technologies and businesses that hire hard to place workers.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? Crime: Better coordination between law enforcement (e.g. city, school, Transit and Housing Authority police); Environment: reduce asthma by the elimination of soot in City Diesel trucks and school busses; Housing: Increase funding of Housing Trust Fund.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? In the short term I would work for more funding to the Departments of Probation and Parole. In the longer term, we must eradicate the inequities that cause people to commit crimes. These include providing more educational opportunities and productive family-supporting career options.
Web site:
http://www.cindybass2007.com
Greg Paulmier
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Temple University, 1979-82
Current occupation: Housing Specialist
Qualifications for office: Elected four times leader of Germantown’s 12th ward; Democratic State Committee member; founding member of Habitat for Humanity; secretary, Wissahickon Boys and Girls Club, 29 years experience rehabilitating abandoned houses and returning high-quality housing units to the use of the community.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? The city must continue with its program of reducing the Wage Tax and the Business Privilege and Net Profits Taxes. At the same time we have to move to a progressive wage tax that is in line with Federal and State taxes and less of a burden to minimum wage workers.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? The residents of the Eighth District have had little or no voice in the priorities or policies of their elected representative for years. My first priority will be to reach out to people and listen to what they need from their city government. I will hold a series of ten town meetings.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? The only way to reduce violent crime in the long run is to empower the community organizations which provide an alterative to crime. Schools, churches, recreation centers, daycares, youth clubs, these places, when they are properly staffed and funded, do far more to reduce crime than the equivalent dollar’s worth of police, courts and prisons.
Web site:http://paulmierforcouncil.cjb.net
Donna Reed Miller
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
District 9
(Vote for one in your party)
Cecil A. Hankins Sr.
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Benedict College, Columbia, S.C.; Hahnemann University (Drexel) 1978 - B.S.; St. Joseph’s University 193 - M.S.; Villanova University - 2003 - Certificate Drug and Alcohol Counseling
Current occupation: Social Service Counsultant
Qualifications for office: Community Leader for over 30 years; social services provider for over 30 years; block captain for over 20 years
Answers:
Education: I will work with City Council, the mayor, and business leaders to lower and eliminate the Business Privilege Tax. Safer and clean environment will be a priority. Better-educated citizenry is of utmost importance to provide businesses with appropriate job applicants. Art and culture could be further expanded to attract and keep graduating students in the city. Nightlife similar to Chicago would improve the entertainment.
Current occupation: My first year will consist of making publicly funded systems responsive to residents. I will help residents organize eight coalitions to address concerns to me. I will require city agencies to report their achievements in the 9th District quarterly and set up a complaint hotline.
Qualifications for office: Crime will be addressed by a paradigm involving criminal justice systems, public health, behavioral health, youth delinquency prevention and employment training. Safety for women going to work is first on my list of crime prevention.
Web site: http:// www.votehankins.net
Raymond T. Jones, Jr.
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1989, B.A., Journalism
Current occupation: Consultant: Business Development
Qualifications for office: Cofounder of Men United for a Better Philadelphia; Vice Chair, Philadelphia Tax Reform Commission, 2 years; Community Coordinator, Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, 5 years; Chair, North Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, 2 years; First Runner-up Inquirer’s Citizen of the Year Award, 2006
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? I have a four-point plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia: 1) reduce crime; 2) establish inter-county partnerships with neighboring county chambers of commerce; 3) provide tax incentives for businesses; and 4) provide low interest loans to women and minority-owned businesses.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? In my first year as a member of City Council, my focus will be on reducing crime by leading an effort to overhaul the probation and parole systems.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? To reduce crime and help stop the violence I will spearhead the effort to overhaul the probation and parole systems, support increasing the number of one-stop-shops for ex-offenders, support innovative partnerships between schools and faith-based and community based organization, and help create more job opportunities.
Web site: http://www.raymondtjonesjr.com
Marian B. Tasco
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: Attended Bennett College; Temple University, B.S.; Lincoln University , Honorary Doctorate Law
Current occupation: Councilwoman, 9th District, City of Philadelphia
Qualifications for office: First African-American elected Philadelphia City Commissioner, 1983; Elected Ninth District Councilwoman, 1987; Ward Leader of the 50th Ward; Chair - City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? My plan encompasses a three-part approach which provides a safe environment, allows for continuous review of city taxes in order to provide tax relief when possible and stabilizes the City’s education system in order to provide an educated workforce, where Philadelphia residents are the first choice in employment recruitment.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? I will continue my efforts to revitalize business corridors in my district. Establishments that draw people to shop in their own communities and are welcoming to neighboring communities are key in stabilizing and strengthening the environment. My premise: the impact investing in economic development has on entire communities is astronomical.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? I will continue to support measures like Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia, which promotes changing the behavior in order to change the environment; will continue to support efforts to get the guns off of the streets, by lobbying in Harrisburg; and will support economic development efforts that create more jobs.
Web site: None Provided
Lamont Thomas
Qualifications: No response received.
Answers: No response received.
District 10
(vote for one in your party)
Democrat
Sean Patrick McAleer
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1986 George Washington High School; 1989 Community College of Philadelphia, Associates, in General Studies; 1999 Temple University, B.A. in Criminal Justice; 2005 University of Pennsylvania, Samuel Fels Institute of Government, MGA
Current occupation: School Administrator
Qualifications for office: Community Planning Liaison; Councilman-At-Large James Kenney, resigned January 2007. Philadelphia Police Advisory Council; vice-chairman 8th district., Formerly, Treasurer, 15th district.
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? Provide a safer city. Educate our workforce. Eliminate the business privilege tax, decrease the sales tax and review all other Philadelphia’s tax structures for addition modifications. Restructure the entire L&I codes, so they are current with the times. Start dredging the Delaware River immediately.
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? Create the necessary relationships with the administration, all colleagues, constituents, Business community, and the media that would allow me to network and get things done. Elevate constituent services, elevate constituent services, and elevate constituent services!
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? Hire additional police and all other emergency personnel, provide additional resources so that our employees can be more effective. In addition, create a 311 non emergency call-in system. Evaluate and create additional legislation to improve and expand all enforcement departments for the city.
Web site: http://www.mcaleer07.net
Republican
Brian J. O’Neill
Philadelphia
Qualifications:
Education: 1971, St. Joseph’s University, B.S. 1971; 1975, Widener School of Law, J.D. 1975
Current occupation: City Councilman, Attorney
Qualifications for office: City Councilman, 7th term
Answers:
1. As a member of City Council, what is your plan to keep current businesses in Philadelphia? As I have done in the past, I will continue to support economic development and job creation initiatives. I will also continue to support cuts in the wage tax and the business privilege tax (both the gross receipts and net profits portions).
2. In your first year of office as a member of City Council, what is your main priority? I will work with my colleagues in City Council and the new mayor to develop a joint strategy to improve the city, especially in the areas of public safety, ethics and economic development.
3. As a member of City Council, what would you do to address the crime epidemic in Philadelphia? The crime epidemic is primarily a violent crime epidemic involving the use of guns. I have and will continue to support gun control initiatives allowed by state law and longer mandatory prison sentences (in a state penitentiary) for crimes involving the use of firearms.
Web site: None Provided
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