Al Taubenberger profile

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

Al Taubenberger describes his career as one of helping people.
Taubenberger has served as a 53rd Ward committeeman, a constituent relations aide to former U.S. Rep. Charlie Dougherty, a liaison to the business community for City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski and chief of staff to Councilman Jack Kelly.
Presently, he is president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, where he assists businesses of all sizes.
Now, he’s running for mayor of Philadelphia, a job he believes fits him well because he’d be able to help a city full of people.
"What greater position to be in," he said.
Taubenberger, a 54-year-old from Fox Chase who is married with four children, is the Republican nominee. The Loney Street resident is hoping to become Philadelphia’s first mayor from the Northeast. In Tuesday’s election, he faces Democrat Michael Nutter and John Staggs, of the Socialist Workers Party.
The odds are strongly against Taubenberger, who has raised only about $77,000. Republicans are also outnumbered by 5-to-1 in registration.
In 2002 and ’04, Taubenberger competed in primary elections in the 13th Congressional District, which includes most of the Northeast and much of Montgomery County.
This year, he has campaigned throughout the city, even during the primary season, when he was unopposed. Since Labor Day, he has generally started in the morning and ended at night.
"It’s been truly fantastic," he said of the campaign experience. "I go wherever I’m invited. I’ve gone to virtually every neighborhood in the city."
As mayor, Taubenberger would give the inspector general more power to go after waste, propose dropping the requirement that city employees have to live in Philadelphia and provide greater funding for the city’s cultural office and the Fairmount Park Commission.
To cut down on violence inside schools and in the community, he would recommend teaching conflict resolution in classrooms.
The candidate favors hiring additional police officers and deploying them based on the volume of 911 emergency calls. Borrowing a line from former Mayor Frank L. Rizzo, he describes the response system as "Dial a Prayer." In many neighborhoods, especially the Northeast, residents complain that their 911 calls go unanswered because of a lack of police manpower.
In hiring new police officers, he would embrace a bill sponsored by state Rep. John Perzel that would lead to 10,000 more officers statewide, including 1,300 in Philadelphia. The state would pay for half of the cost.
"That is a great bill," he said. "It makes a lot of sense."
The new mayor will have the chance to appoint a new police commissioner, since Sylvester Johnson is retiring.
If elected, Taubenberger would ask state Superior Court Judge Seamus McCaffery to take the job. McCaffery, who is running for Supreme Court, is a Bustleton resident who served 20 years as a Philadelphia police officer and a decade as a Municipal Court judge.
"That sort of combination is impressive in my book," Taubenberger said.
Taubenberger strongly opposes the proposal for the Board of Revision of Taxes to calculate property taxes using 100 percent of the property’s value. At present, the taxes are computed using a complicated formula.
The Republican argues that the new system would be "devastating" for many homeowners and would harm the real estate market, even if Council makes a deep cut in the millage rate.
Taubenberger acknowledges that the current system is "convoluted," but he sides with City Controller Alan Butkovitz in being concerned that middle-class homeowners would be penalized.
"The bottom line is that it keeps taxes lower for the average person," he said of the present formula.
Taubenberger is most passionate about bringing jobs to Philadelphia. He would be the chief salesman and cheerleader, encouraging businesses to come to Philadelphia with lower business and wage taxes.
"I know the power of selling," said Taubenberger, who has greatly increased Chamber membership. "I like it."
As for existing businesses, he’d call or visit the owners to ask them to stay and/or expand.
"Job retention is as important as job growth," he said.
As mayor, Taubenberger would take the approach of Rudy Giuliani, the presidential candidate and former mayor of New York who spent a lot of time in neighborhoods with his top brass. In Taubenberger’s view, such an outreach would give citizens an immediate response to their concerns.
"I think it’s a great way to do things," he said.
Three days after the primary, Taubenberger and Nutter met at a restaurant in Port Richmond and pledged to run a positive campaign.
Almost six months later, they’ve kept that promise. As the favorite, Nutter does not have to go negative. As the underdog, Taubenberger has resisted efforts to play, as he terms it, "Mr. Hardball."
"You can have a campaign and discuss issues and not attack people," he said. "It doesn’t have to be personal and shouldn’t be. It should be for the betterment of the city." ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com