Endorsement for May 3, 2007 edition:


Nutter is the best choice

Democrats in Philadelphia are blessed with a field of five strong and capable candidates from which to choose when they go to the polls to pick a mayor in the May 15 primary.
Four of the candidates have a number of good points that are partially outweighed by some weaknesses.
And then there’s Michael Nutter.
He has more to offer Philadelphia’s future than the other candidates, and he has no tangible negatives.
With 15 years’ experience representing a Council district that is as socioeconomically and racially diverse as Philadelphia as a whole, Mr. Nutter has a strong record of achievement, a strong sense of where and how to guide the city, and a firm grasp of the challenges that face the city.
By far, Mr. Nutter’s greatest feat — admittedly, one that his Council predecessors should have made happen when Mr. Nutter was just a twinkle in his father’s eyes — is the citywide smoking ban, which applies to 99 percent of the workplaces in Philadelphia.
The ban absolutely will save the lives of smokers and non-smokers alike, and Mr. Nutter’s persistence in guiding such a difficult and crucial piece of legislation through Council before he resigned to make the run for mayor should be duly rewarded by voters on May 15.
"I think it’s important to grow up in a smoke-free environment," he said in a meeting with the Northeast Times editorial board. "I’m the person who brought a smoke-free environment to Philadelphia."
He doesn’t rule out pushing for a ban on smoking in cars with kids — something a small town in New Jersey is trying to do and the entire nation should do sooner, rather than later — and to his credit, if push comes to shove next year and another lifesaver, the Fox Chase Cancer Center, threatens to leave the city if it is not permitted to expand into a small portion of Burholme Park, Mr. Nutter as mayor would want the esteemed facility to stay put.
Strong ethics laws that Mr. Nutter shepherded through Council will do away with the "pay to play" ways that yielded corruption convictions of a host of officials in the Street administration. When you think honor, ethics and decency, you think of Michael Nutter.
Mr. Nutter’s call for what amounts to a declaration of war on crime by establishing targeted enforcement zones in Philadelphia’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods may put civil libertarians in a tizzy, but Mr. Nutter has his pulse on a necessary component of his Safety Now plan.
While Mr. Nutter’s four main opponents (extreme long shots Queena Bass and Jesus White are also running) are impressive, none quite measures up to Mr. Nutter when it comes to independence, a record of success and a solid grasp of the future.
State Rep. Dwight Evans has a great record of accomplishment in his legislative district, most notably spearheading the revitalization of the Ogontz Avenue business district, and his status as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee could come in handy were he to become mayor. Were he to win the nomination and prevail in November, Philadelphia government would be in good hands. However, voters ought not forget that Mr. Evans voted for the illegal legislative pay raise in 2005 and now, shamefully, he blames Republicans for his vote.
Like Mr. Evans, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady seems to genuinely care about the chokehold that crime has on Philadelphia’s citizens and streets. Mr. Brady, the beefy and very personable dealmaker, has a knack for bringing people together and mediating labor disputes — he would make a terrific secretary of state or master of ceremonies at the carpenters union’s annual awards banquet. As chairman of the Democratic City Committee for 20 years, Mr. Brady knows the ins and outs of Philadelphia politics better than most people. His reasoning that he hasn’t been the prime sponsor of legislation in Congress because the House was controlled by Republicans (until January) is baloney. Charismatic politicians who squander opportunities to supplement their style with substance are not necessarily ready for the prime time of a big-city mayoralty.
Businessman Tom Knox would make a great city finance director or city controller. Ed Rendell’s dollar-a-year deputy mayor for productivity certainly knows his numbers, but with a bleak fiscal future for Philly, Mr. Knox refuses to give details on how he would address the budget-busting cost of health benefits for Philadelphia’s municipal workers. Also, Mr. Knox’s children would have every right to be angry with their father for spending a big chunk of their inheritance — $5 million and counting — on his campaign for mayor.
U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah is a crusader for the poor whose main accomplishment in Congress is the GEAR UP mentoring program, which pairs schools in low-income areas with colleges and universities. Unfortunately for the many police officers who live in Northeast Philadelphia and everybody who believes in law, order and capital punishment, Mr. Fattah thinks Mumia Abu-Jamal — the convicted cop-killer and darling of Hollywood’s bleeding-heart liberals — should get a new trial. Mr. Fattah is entitled to his opinion, but voters are entitled and obligated to factor his opinion into the equation on Election Day.
And so, which Democrat has the best credentials to go up against Republican candidate Al Taubenberger (and perhaps Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent Sam Katz) in the general election? Which Democrat is best able to confront and conquer the multitude of challenges sure to face Philadelphia next year?
Unquestionably, it’s Michael Nutter.
See for yourself: Go to www.nutter2007.com and read up on him. You’ll like what you see. ••

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