OUT & ABOUT: Kenyatta Johnson Holds His Ground

By Denise Clay

I began a two-part series on the 2nd Dist. Council contest between City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and developer Ori Feibush.

This is the only contested District Council race on the ballot for the May 19 primary and because it’s a contest between old and new for the future of a district that includes hipsters concerned about green space and bike paths and senior citizens wanting to stay in the homes they bought after World War II, everyone is watching to see what happens.

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson says his record not only speaks for itself, it speaks loudly enough to get him reelected.

Last week, we met Feibush, who believes the 2nd Dist. deserves better than it’s getting from its current Councilman.

This week, we meet the incumbent.

Kenyatta Johnson won the seat four years ago by 20 votes in another hotly contested race with real-estate entrepreneur Barbara Capozzi. Before becoming the Councilman, he represented the 186th Dist. in the State Assembly.

When I talked with Feibush last week, he said he was running against Johnson because he didn’t feel the Councilman was getting the job done.

Johnson, however, says his record not only speaks for itself, it speaks loudly enough to get him reelected.

“I have a track record of getting things done for a diverse district,” he said. “From senior-citizen issues to getting potholes filled, I pride myself on representing everyone equally in a district that stretches from Eastwick to Center City. I’m confident that the vote will reflect this record.

Among the things that Johnson cites, is the work he’s done

when it comes to affordable housing and keeping senior citizens, particularly in Point Breeze, in their homes. Ground has been broken for the Anthony Wayne senior complex and Habitat for Humanity has done extensive work in the district helping residents find affordable homes, he said.

The definition of “affordable housing” is something Johnson and Feibush see differently. While Feibush believes senior citizens won’t be impacted by development if they are given the money to maintain their homes, Johnson believes no amount of home-maintenance money will help someone if the high-end condos on either side of them have caused their taxes to become too high to pay.

“No one should be displaced from their home due to development,” Johnson said. “Income shouldn’t be able to determine whether or not you can live in a neighborhood. There has to be some kind of balance. The primary way that people are displaced from their homes is higher taxes.”

Now, because Johnson’s mentor is State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, and because Williams is known in some circles as the “Charter King” (and has the contributions from charter school groups to his mayoral campaign to prove it), you might be tempted to assume charter schools came up a lot in our conversation.

You’d be wrong.

When asked about education, Johnson talked about the importance of a fair-funding formula that would help the district’s children get the resources they need.

But as a member of a City Council that’s voted to put $300 million into the School District of Philadelphia’s coffers over the last four years, Johnson wants to make sure the money the School District does get goes toward student needs.

Like for example, libraries. Like many of us, Johnson read the Philadelphia Inquirer story, which showed that only 11 of the School District’s 280 schools had a functioning library.

“That’s totally unacceptable,” he said. “[City Council] needs to monitor the money it gives to the School District and make sure it’s spent on the children. We need to make sure that the principals and parents have the support they need.”

In the end, Johnson said, the last three and a half years have been good for the Second District under his leadership, and he believes that in a second term, things will only get better.

“I’d like to continue to advance things in the district for the residents,” he said. “Everyone wants neighborhoods that are safe, streets that are clean, and a good education for their kids.”

And that’s my introduction of the two men facing off for the privilege of representing the 2nd Dist. in City Council.

I’ll end this week’s column with this.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is one of the few city unions that has been keeping its powder dry in terms of endorsements early in the season. In fact, PFT has thrown its support behind exactly one person…

   Send article as PDF