Brady makes his case
for the top spot

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

The Democratic mayoral primary is less than three weeks away, and the four current and former officeholders are struggling to overcome the wealthy businessman.
Recent polls show Tom Knox in the lead, trailed by U.S. Reps. Chaka Fattah and Bob Brady, former City Councilman Michael Nutter and state Rep. Dwight Evans. Queena Bass and Jesus White, who are also running in the May 15 primary, have drawn little support.
Analysts point to Knox’s outsider image and millions of dollars spent in television advertising for transforming him from an unknown to the leading candidate to become the next mayor.
His opponents scoff at his outsider image, believing that his money is more responsible for his surge in the polls. They don’t have the personal wealth to compete and must adhere to campaign contribution limits.
"We’re under a severe handicap," Brady said. "It’s not a level playing field."
Brady visited the Times office on Friday afternoon to make the case why he should be the Democratic mayoral nominee.
If elected, he would work with Fattah and Evans to help Philadelphia. He’d consider Nutter for a post in his administration.
The candidate has little regard for Knox, who once served as a deputy mayor under Ed Rendell for $1 a year.
Brady was asked if he’d welcome Knox to serve in his administration for the same salary.
"He’d be grossly overpaid," he responded.
Brady, a former carpenter who has served for nine years in Congress, said he’s enjoyed the campaign despite the travel back and forth to Washington, D.C., and the impossible task of fitting numerous community meetings into his schedule. He’s vice chairman of the House Administration Committee and could become chairman, as chairwoman Juanita Millender-McDonald died Sunday of cancer.
On the campaign trail, he enjoys meeting people and said he gets a good reception. In office, he doesn’t plan to sit behind a desk — he’d rather meet people in person.
As chairman of the Democratic City Committee, Brady enjoys the support of almost all of the ward leaders. The only local ward leader not in his camp is state Rep. Mike McGeehan, an Evans supporter who has strained relations with some of his fellow Northeast ward leaders.
District Council 33, which represents blue-collar city workers, has yet to make an endorsement, but Brady is hopeful of gaining the backing of most of the locals.
Brady, who lives in Overbrook, is running for mayor to help people. He wants every community to think it has the best neighborhood in Philadelphia. He plans to surround himself with smart people.
"I love the city," he said.
Brady said the top issue facing the city is public safety. He was appalled that a gunman shot into a crowd at a recent memorial service for a murder victim in West Philadelphia.
It’s his vision that children are able to walk to and from school in safety and that older people will enjoy bingo night without worrying about walking home in the dark.
The son of a police officer, he wants to hire more police officers and parole and probation officers. He also estimates that another 150 to 200 police officers can be re-deployed from inside duty to the streets.
The additional manpower would include beat cops and K-9 officers and dogs. He also favors better communication among the Philadelphia, SEPTA, Philadelphia Housing Authority and local college police departments. In addition, he will support programs that mentor children of prisoners so they don’t follow their parents into a life of crime.
District Attorney Lynne Abraham, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 and the union local that represents parole and probation officers have all endorsed Brady.
As for public education, Brady thinks the mayor should have three appointments to the five-member School Reform Commission to make him more accountable. Right now, he makes just two appointments, with the other three selected by the governor.
School District of Philadelphia CEO Paul Vallas has indicated that he will be leaving, and Brady hopes the reform commission takes its time to find someone who is qualified and respected by state legislators, who fund the schools. He hopes the commission waits until after the primary to hire a CEO to give the Democratic mayoral nominee and Republican Al Taubenberger a say in the hire.
"That’s a real, real important position," he said.
On other issues, Brady sides with opponents of casinos in their neighborhoods, favors lower business taxes to bring more companies to the city and would like the city to implement weekly recycling collections. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com