6th Councilmanic District endorsement
for November 1, 2007 edition:


With token opposition,
it’s Krajewski in the 6th

Back in 2004, when City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski announced that she’d be retiring after her seventh four-year term, Democrats and Republicans began eyeing the 2007 race to replace her.
A fierce battle in the primary and general elections seemed certain.
In the meantime, Democrats and some Republicans who wanted Krajewski to stay and were fearful of who would succeed her began lobbying the longtime Mayfair resident to stay.
Their pleas worked, as Krajewski announced in January that she would seek an eighth term.
While the councilwoman isn’t universally loved by her fellow 6th district Democrats, none challenged her in the primary. And Republicans produced a candidate, Michael Ebsworth, who has done little, if any, campaigning.
The Times had little trouble finding the better candidate in this race and endorses Krajewski for re-election.
We’re hoping that Krajewski doesn’t regret her decision to retire and is an active, engaged councilwoman for four years. Her district has plenty of challenges and her constituents deserve a councilwoman who will give it her all and serve out the entire term.
As chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, she should work with the new mayor to add police officers to local districts. Northeast residents are tired of calling 911 for what the police department deems "low-priority" crimes and never getting a response.
Another of her top priorities should be to convince private developers who own land on the Delaware River waterfront to finally act on their ambitious plans for residential and other uses. And if those developers continue to be inactive, she should find other buyers willing to start development soon.
Krajewski has a strong record in many areas, though her opposition to aggressive wage tax cuts is disappointing, and her opposition last year to the city’s smoking ban was downright absurd and mean-spirited. She does support some of Council’s meaningless, left-wing resolutions, but she should be commended for being the only Democrat to vote for Councilman Brian O’Neill’s measure to allow police to check the immigration status of felons.
Conscientious neighbors should thank Krajewski for creating the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) and a rental housing unit within the Department of Licenses and Inspections to crack down on unkempt properties.
The councilwoman is also being proactive in using money and the resources of city agencies to strengthen commercial strips on Frankford and Torresdale avenues.
She had the foresight to bring a teen center to Disston Recreation Center and is wisely looking to expand activities for young people.
The Times is confident that Krajewski and her veteran staff have the fire in the belly to stabilize and improve the diverse neighborhoods in the district. ••

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