. . . And there’s some real
drama in the at-large race

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

The race for City Council at-large seats might seem like a free-for-all, with 12 candidates seeking seven spots.
But in reality, six of the seats are basically locked up. The five Democrats — incumbents Wilson Goode Jr., Jim Kenney, Bill Greenlee and Blondell Reynolds Brown and newcomer Bill Green — are almost certain winners because of their party’s voter-registration advantage.
In addition, Republican Councilman Frank Rizzo is an overwhelming favorite to win his fourth four-year term.
Rizzo’s recent accomplishments have included installing red-light cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard and convincing the Pennsylvania State Police to patrol some city highways to free up 75 Philadelphia police officers for crime-fighting duties. In the next term, he wants to cut taxes, seek additional education funding and provide more services so the city’s population can rebound.
"I think I have a good legislative record and a good reputation for constituent service," he said. "I think people know who works hard for them."
Rizzo’s Republican colleague, Jack Kelly, would seem to be in a strong position to earn a second at-large term. He also represented the 7th Councilmanic District from 1988-91.
In 2003, Kelly finished seventh behind the Democrats and Rizzo, outpolling eighth-place finisher Jamie McDermott by about 7,000 votes and ninth-place finisher David Oh by about 14,000 votes. Oh is running again.
In the ‘03 race, several McDermott supporters attacked Kelly’s record in newspaper advertisements and direct-mail pieces.
This year, at least so far, there hasn’t been as much bitterness.
Oh, a lawyer and ward leader from Southwest Philadelphia, has raised a lot of money and picked up endorsements from former mayoral candidate Sam Katz, multiple unions, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity.
The other Republican candidates are Phil Kerwick, a ward leader and candy factory owner from Burholme, and Patricia Mattern, a lawyer from Rittenhouse Square.
The lineup also includes the Green Party’s Jacinth Brown Roberts and Osborne Hart, of the Socialist Workers Party.
The action, though, is on the Republican side.
Kerwick, no fan of Kelly’s, would fight to keep the Boy Scouts in its longtime headquarters for a nominal fee. Council voted 16-1, with 10th district Councilman Brian O’Neill the only dissenter, to end the group’s dollar-a-year lease because the Scouts do not permit gay leaders.
In campaign speeches, Kerwick rails against one-party rule in Philadelphia.
"The Democratic Party is corrupt to its core," he said.
Mattern, a native of upstate Pennsylvania, has pledged to serve no more than two terms. If elected, she’ll be excited to serve at the same time as a new mayoral administration and work to improve government efficiency and end the pay-to-play culture.
In office, she would also focus on getting more state funding for smaller class sizes, especially in the early years. She thinks the School District of Philadelphia could use more teachers and fewer administrators.
To address crime, she wants more police walking the streets, as opposed to serving in special units, and hopes the state allows the city to set its own gun laws.
On jobs, she favors lower business taxes, reforming the Zoning Board of Adjustment and making other city departments user friendly. The city, she believes, needs a return of manufacturing jobs.
"We have to do everything we can to develop private enterprise in Philadelphia," she said. "The best antidote to crime is a good job."
Oh believes voters want a change, based on the results of the Democratic primary, when reform mayoral candidates Michael Nutter and Tom Knox took the bulk of the vote and three incumbent Council members were defeated. He is hopeful that a low turnout will bring out informed, issues-oriented voters who like his message.
On Council, he would want to make an impact by addressing broad citywide issues. He wants to increase funding to the police department to seize illegal guns and improve 911 response time, cut taxes to spur economic development and provide parents with vouchers to strengthen education choice.
"I see my role on City Council as being active," he said. "That’s what people want. I’m your man."
Kelly, of Somerton, thinks support from Republicans and Democrats will carry him to victory in what he expects to be a relatively low-turnout election.
One of the councilman’s top priorities is to lower business taxes to create jobs.
"Whenever you have prosperity, you have a great reduction in crime and drug use," he said.
Kelly also wants the city to adopt a no-kill policy for animals and supports giving more funding to the Fairmount Park Commission and arts and cultural institutions.
Last week, Council unanimously approved a Kelly-sponsored measure providing for safer, more sophisticated hearing devices to protect firefighters from loud sirens, horns and machinery. Two weeks ago, he held a hearing to make sure the city’s colleges and universities had sufficient emergency preparedness plans.
In the future, Kelly wants to bring representatives of Verizon, PECO Energy, Comcast, Philadelphia Gas Works and the Water, Revenue and Licenses and Inspections departments to the Northeast Municipal Service Center, at 9239 Roosevelt Blvd.
"We have to have an expansion of service at mini-City Hall," he said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com