POLS ON THE STREET: Endorsements Make 2 Philadelphia Mayoral Candidates Frontrunners

by Joe Shaheeli

Almost every organization or individual with some political clout has endorsed a candidate for Mayor. Add them up and it’s nip and tuck between Anthony Williams and Jim Kenney as to who has the stronger support. With labor split almost evenly and with Black and white leaders split as well, and Democratic City Committee smartly calling the Mayor’s race open, find a nerd someplace and get an answer as to who is the winner.

The gossip now is who will hurt whom in the race. Will Doug Oliver and Milton Street take votes from Williams? Both have come up with great ideas on what they would do as Mayor. But the lack of heavy money makes them a bit back of the two frontrunners.

Will Lynne Abraham, still in the race and busy chasing dollar bills, take votes away from Jim Kenney, especially if she is able to buy television commercials? Then there is Judge Nelson Díaz, just endorsed by legislative leaders from Puerto Rico, whose strategy has been to concentrate on the widespread Latino community of voters. Not a bad strategy if the top two fail to get sizeable votes.

ILLUSTRIOUS lineup of elected and other officials stood across from Constitution Center to endorse State Sen. Anthony Williams for Mayor. Backing him were, from left, State Reps. Jason Dawkins and Jordan Harris, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, State Sens. Shirley Kitchen and Larry Farnese, Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., Laborers’ Local 332 Business Mgr. Sam Staten, Jr., Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson.

In the words of Carpenters leader Ed Coryell, whose union held a major rally this week for Williams, “It will go down to the wire, with the individual campaign team  fielding the best ‘get out the vote’ cadre making the difference.”

Showing how far locals are spitting from their District Councils, “Laborers Local 57 has endorsed Jim Kenney for the Mayor of Philadelphia,” said Walt Higgins, business manager of Local 57. “Local 57 supports Jim because he is the only candidate with the experience to move our city forward. Twenty years in City Council gives him the experience he needs to represent the entire city. His ability to bring people together is exactly the leadership we need in City Hall.”

The local is a member of the Laborers District Council representing 5,000 members.

Strong Black leadership support came out for State Sen. Tony Williams from Councilmen Kenyatta Johnson and Curtis Jones, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, State Reps. Jason Dawkins, Jordan Harris and John Sabatina, Jr., and State Sens. Larry Farnese and Shirley Kitchen.

Díaz, hoping for a huge turnout from the Latino community,  got a big boost from government leaders in Puerto Rico. “It’s important to support candidates who have committed their lives to service,” said Gov. Alejandro García Padilla. “It’s vital that Puerto Ricans living in Philadelphia match the high voter-participation rates we have here on the island. I’m going to play my part and help educate the voters about the importance of the May primary in Philadelphia – just as I did in last year’s elections in Florida and Connecticut.”

“Nelson deserves our support because he’s been a trailblazer for our community for decades,” said Eduardo Bhatia, president of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. “We need to elect a Mayor who’s been a consistent champion of civil rights and other issues of great importance to our community and every underserved community in America.”

As For The Other Offices…?

The Democratic City Committee endorsement is worth having. It’s the dream of every candidate, no matter who they have backing them or what financial cushion they have over other candidates.  The reason is obvious. Looking at the stats over the years, party endorsements have often made the difference in close elections.

DEMOCRATIC Ward Leaders Ed “Sonny” Campbell holds down first row of ward leaders who endorsed primary Democratic candidates.

Sometimes the ward leaders do stray in large numbers from the party endorsements, hoping to get their specific candidate nominated. They did so in defeating Commission Chair Marge Tartaglione for Stephanie Singer, who has not been endorsed this time around. Ward leaders have unanimously agreed on two Commissioner candidates, Chair Anthony Clark and Lisa Deeley. Support for contenders appears lighter.

At-large Council candidates seem to always be vulnerable. But the Democratic Party’s endorsement – go check the records – guarantees a pad of 25,000 to 35,000 votes for each at-large Council candidate endorsed.  If Sherrie Cohen wins, it will not be because of her liberal base of voters, but the endorsement. She had that base before.

Chasing hard from the field of non-endorsed at-large Democratic candidates is Isaiah Thomas, who hasn’t stopped running since he lost four years ago. This past week, he received the endorsement of former Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, who said, “Thomas understands that actions speak louder than words. Philadelphia is at an important intersection. Tens of thousands of illegal, unconstitutional searches of Black and Latino males have made community relations with the Police Dept. worse than ever. Our schools are underfunded and our teachers are under assault. Many of our reliable leaders are preparing for a much-deserved retirement. We need to integrate some young, smart, courageous, youthful persons into the ranks of the city’s political leadership. Philadelphia needs Isaiah Thomas.”

God Bless GOP Icon Agnes ‘Chuckie’ Tilley​

The Council of the City of Philadelphia passed a resolution commending Agnes (“Chuckie”) Tilley for her more than 50 years of continuous dedicated service as a Republican committeewoman and Ward Leader in the Burholme section of Philadelphia and more specifically, the 1st Division of the 35^th Ward.

“WHEREAS, Chuckie has decided to retire as the Republican Ward Leader of the 35^th Ward; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie, at a young age, became involved in  the 35^th Ward Republican Executive Committee, first as a volunteer and later as the  committeeperson under the tutelage of the late former Sheriff Austin Meehan, the late City Commissioner John Kane and the late Philadelphia City Republican leader William (‘Billy’) Meehan; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie provided and continues to provide valued advice and counsel to Republican leaders; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie delivered extensive constituent service to Philadelphians far beyond simple registration of eligible voters and assisting senior citizens or absent voters vote; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie assisted her neighbors deal with the intricacies of federal, state and city government, no task was too small or too big; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie’s contributions and service went far beyond the First Division and the 35^th Ward; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie was long a valued Member of the Republican State Committee; and

“WHEREAS, Chuckie has served both as a Delegate and an Alternate Delegate to Republican National Conventions; and

“WHEREAS, we thank her husband Louis; her sons Lou, Glenn and Brian; and her daughters Linda, Ruth Ann and Maureen, for supporting her throughout her years of service.

“Therefore, By virtue of this Citation, the Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Chuckie Tilley’s years of service to the Burholme neighborhood and the City of Philadelphia.”

Councilman Brian O’Neill introduced the resolution.

FOLLOWERS of endorsed Democratic Council candidate Sherrie Cohen gathered at Black Sheep Pub in Rittenhouse Square for intimate meet-and-greet. From left are Marcus Ferreiro, Joe Sirbak, Lisa Delgado, Marcus Ianuzzi with son Mateo, Cohen and her Campaign Mgr., Malcolm Kenyatta.

Goode Authors Council Biography

LOCAL 57 leadership endorses Marnie Aument-Loughrey for an at-large Council seat in Democratic primary.

Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr. has penned an account of his time in City Council. The Councilman completed “Goode Progress” early last year and is releasing it now for the first time. This at-times-personal journal offers a unique look at the development of governing strategies by an elected leader determined to achieve equitable growth.

“Who shall be poor?” is first question newly sworn in Councilman Goode, Jr. posed to his staff at their first official meeting, 4 p.m. sharp the first Friday afternoon in January 2000. He continued, “And after our work is done, will we have changed the answer to that question?”

PPR Political Dir. Gary Broderick, a supporter of Goode, presses on the importance of the release, Goode Progress shows what government can do with the right political leadership.  For PPR blog readers, it is a rare inside look at the nuts and bolts of policy-making by an expert practitioner of economic development.

“The significance here is not just that is shares useful research documenting the economic inequality and racial disparity, but that it pairs that research with a legislative agenda to take it on.”

FORMER Phila. Mayor John F. Street endorses Isaiah Thomas for City Council at Large.

The Councilman, now seeking his 5^th term, notes in his journal, “There should be a direct connection between the political empowerment of disadvantaged people and the creation of economic opportunities for them. That’s simply what I understand as the purpose of politics.”

Do Democrats Devour Presidential Frontrunners?​

Every early poll, including the regular monthly polls by Zogby Analytics, suggests former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is the shoo-in Democratic nominee for President in 2016. Zogby Poll numbers are a little less sanguine for Clinton but still show her 32 points ahead of her nearest rivals nationally. But even now, John Zogby noted, she is only polling 45%.

No doubt she will get a big boost from her announcement and her staff promises to raise a stunning amount of money to scare any credible challengers.

7TH COUNCIL DIST. challenger Manny Morales drew many supporters to fundraiser last week. Among those attending were State Rep. Angel Cruz, Manny Morales and his wife Tisha, Carlos Matos, William Cartagena and Gerald & Marietta Sanders.

Pa. Working Families Endorses Council Candidates

The Pennsylvania Working Families board has endorsed Philadelphia City Council candidates Kenyatta Johnson, Maria Quiñones Sánchez, Curtis Jones and Cherelle Parker.

PWF Dir. Kati Sipp said, “Together with our other endorsed Philly candidates, Johnson, Quiñones Sánchez, Jones and Parker will be allies for working families on Philly City Council. They will work to increase the minimum wage, end discriminatory police policies, and restore local control of Philly’s schools.” It identifies itself as a progressive political organization.

Terry Tracy Opens Northeast Field Office

Terry Tracy, Republican candidate for City Council at Large, opened his storefront Northeast Philadelphia Field Office in Mayfair. Special guests included Melissa Murray Bailey, Republican mayoral candidate, and Annie Havey, deputy executive director of the Republican City Committee. The new office is located at 7332 Frankford Avenue.

COUNCIL-AT-LARGE candidate Tom Wyatt announced his “Bringing Jobs Back” plan, endorsed by S. Phila public-school parent Mollie Michel and businesswoman Karenina Wolff.

Singer Still Battling In Pa. Courts

 Stephanie Singer’s campaign team is in the courts, claiming, “If you just read the transcripts, Commissioner Singer is already at 1,000 signatures. Singer is currently appealing a case that left her four signatures short of 1,000 even after providing 16 affidavits of registered democrats demanding their voices be allowed to nominate a candidate.”

She is running out of time, unless the final court appeal decision comes down soon.

FORMER Bail Commissioner Timmy O’Brien, Lisa Deeley, Bob Borski, Barbara Deeley, State Rep. Mike Driscoll and SEPTA’s Fran Kelly squeezed in for this photo at Deeley’s fundraiser at Fluke’s in N.E. Phila.

Wyatt Offers Plan To Fund Schools Now

Tom Wyatt, South Philadelphia businessman, public-school parent and community activist, released a plan this week he claims would generate swift new revenue for the beleaguered School District’s budget on an ongoing basis – without seeking handouts or approvals from any other branch of government.

Wyatt’s plan, called “Bringing Jobs Back,” would phase out the Business Income Receipts Tax over three years, which he called a crushing burden on small businesses that strangles their growth. He would replace the revenue two ways: partly by incrementally raising the Gross Receipts Tax, but more by anticipating a rise in commercial property-tax revenues as profits rose and businesses flourished.

“I’m excited by Tom’s plan for ‘Bringing Jobs Back,’ The changes he proposes would allow my business to grow and provide much-needed jobs to the Latino community I am proud to serve,” said Karenina Wolff who founded the South Philly Latino Business Community. “My dream is to raise a family in Philadelphia but at this point I, like most people my age, am worried about where my kids are going to go to school.”

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