City Council’s incumbents have held office for a number of years, but challengers are still out there. The final word on who will serve the city will come via the Nov. 6 general election.
Republican challenger Michael Seidenberg is eyeing the 1st District seat held by Frank DiCicco, a position he’s had for 11 years. William Black, who could not be reached for comment by press time, is looking to represent the 2nd District, a position filled by Democratic incumbent Anna Verna, who has served the area for more than three decades.
Democratic incumbents James Kenney and Wilson Goode Jr., as well as newcomer Republican David Oh, are running for the seven at-large seats — along with 11 other candidates.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
1st Council District
Frank DiCicco
Age: 61
History: DiCicco began his career in public service as a committeeman in 1967 followed by 14 years of service in the city’s Traffic Court. In ’86, he became a budget analyst for the Pennsylvania State Senate and four years later served as deputy director of special investigations for the city controller. He returned to Traffic Court in ’93 and ran for the 1st District City Council seat. DiCicco is the chairman of the Streets and Services Committee and is a member of eight other committees.
Full-market valuation has many residents concerned about property taxes. If elected, how would you address this issue?
When the Board of Revision of Taxes first proposed the project, I recognized the potential problems and hosted three days of public hearings to discuss the issue. Following initial hearings, I began to attend dozens of community meetings to explain and clarify the project as well as to discuss what my intentions are should the project be implemented. I also introduced several pieces of legislation that would protect my constituents from potential tax increases and have committed to reducing the property tax rate if and when the project moves forward. To date, I have successfully delayed the project until the BRT can prove its data is accurate. Finally, I have had several discussions with our state senators and representatives asking for their help in the matter.
I know if the board moves forward, the 1st District will be impacted more than any other area. South Philadelphia deserves an elected official who understands the issue and is committed to protecting his constituents. My record proves both.
Violence and the murder rate are concerns throughout the city. If elected, what would you do to curb this trend in South Philadelphia?
While I have organized several meetings with community leaders and top city officials to address these issues, I believe we still have more work to do. We need more police officers and those officers need to be on the street. I support additional surveillance cameras and will work to establish a 311 system to handle non-emergency calls. More pedestrian lighting is essential.
To stem youth crimes, we must provide more options to keep kids off the street. We need to continue to improve our recreation centers, job training and educational opportunities to provide our children alternatives. We must also make parents responsible for their children’s behavior. A juvenile, neighborhood night court requiring parents to appear before a judge and take responsibility for their child is the first step. All of those promises are easy to make, but we must find ways to pay for them in order to make them a reality.
In addition to the city cutting wasteful spending, I believe the state must begin funding our judicial district like it funds every other county’s in the state. The city spends over $100 million on the courts, when we should be spending those dollars on the city’s streets.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing South Philadelphia and how would you address it?
The largest issue is public safety, which I addressed in the previous question.
Another issue our communities are facing is the potential advent of a casino at Columbus Boulevard and Reed Street.
When Foxwoods Casino was first proposed in December 2005, I expressed my belief Columbus and Reed was the worst potential gaming location because of the severe traffic congestion the area already experiences.
Since Foxwoods won their license in December, I have fought to relocate the casino to somewhere more appropriate. While I haven’t been successful to date, I have been successful in delaying construction through numerous pieces of legislation, a lawsuit filed on behalf of City Council challenging Foxwoods’ license and the retention of an independent traffic engineer hired by Council.
My intent, however, is not delay for delay’s sake. We must prove to the casino it is in their best interest to relocate not only for the sake of our communities, but for their business.
When I am reelected, I will continue this fight and appreciate the support and the work of the residents and neighborhood groups on this issue.
Michael Seidenberg
Age: 47
History: Seidenberg has 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, including a stint managing the development of a number of medium-sized hotels that catered to extended-stay travelers. He earned a Realtor’s license in 2002 and serves as president of Moonstone Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to using arts and culture to educated children.
Full-market valuation has many residents concerned about property taxes. If elected, how would you address this issue?
I do believe a move to full valuation is necessary to bring integrity to the system. As required by the Uniformity Clause of the PA Constitution every property owner should be paying the same tax rate on the market value of their real estate, whether residential, commercial or land. Values can be determined to some degree of accuracy either by the BRT or an outside appraisal service. Establishing the proper values allows for each property owner to pay their fair share.
The hard part is determining what the tax rate should be. Given the already large overall tax burden Philadelphians carry, great care must be given to choosing the correct tax rate so as to protect those on fixed incomes and to not to kill the growth of real estate investment in the city. Some have said to achieve revenue neutrality the tax rate would need to be a little below 1 percent of market value. I believe the rate should be even lower, say 0.6 to 0.65 percent, even if it reduces the property taxes collected.
Once new values are in place, citywide reassessments should be done every four years to coincide with general elections. After the reassessment is complete, Council should be required to vote to extend the existing tax rate or change it before the new assessments can take affect.
Finally, to foster transparency, I propose all appeals be applied for in a very public manner. All neighbors should be notified an appeal is to take place and the result of the appeal should be made public on the Internet. This would certainly reduce the insider deals that have contributed to the current system being so out of whack.
Violence and the murder rate are concerns throughout the city. If elected, what would you do to curb this trend in South Philadelphia?
There are many proactive steps that can be taken to reduce crime and violence in the future. Improving schools is one. Doing so would not only raise education levels so a better future becomes possible, but also would help strengthen the neighborhoods in which they are located, creating safer environments for kids to live and play.
I would take a leadership role in promoting mentoring programs within the district. As councilman, I would be in a unique position to speak to families and kids about issues of crime and violence and through this I believe a difference can be made. By building respect and community, crime and violence can be reduced.
In the short term, it needs to be clear bad behavior will not be tolerated. Integrity must be returned to law enforcement. Those who commit crime must know they will be caught and punished. I am a supporter of enforcing nuisance laws that require people to respect the property and rights of others. If a community is committed to making a difference, it ultimately will.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing South Philadelphia and how would you address it?
Loss of confidence residents have in both the public schools and public safety. I intend on making these two issues top priorities.
More parental choice and the decentralization of the school system will help bring more rapid improvement. I also support the concept of school vouchers and the establishment of more charters to better meet the needs of our kids.
Improving the safety of our communities is the most basic function of our city government. Unfortunately, in recent years the city has let the community down. Responsible leadership is required to right the ship.
If elected, I would work with the new mayor and police department to make sure there are more police on the street. Police presence is critically necessary to building confidence in our public safety. I would also develop stronger channels of communication between community groups, police and my office. I would want the police to be aware of what the issues are in each community and how they are being handled.
It is also very important to see how our courts are helping or hindering law enforcement. I am tired of hearing how the same people are being arrested and rearrested for more and more serious crimes. The courts and prison system must be accountable for their decisions. Regardless of how effective the police are in a community, it is all for naught if the courts are too lenient. Sentences should be established based on the community’s right to security rather than the availability of prison space.
Finally, I would work to establish a crime-mapping system accessible via the Internet so the public can be more aware of the crimes occurring in their neighborhood and throughout the city, and how the cases are being adjudicated.
2nd Council District
Anna Verna
Age: 76
History: Verna is in her eighth term, where she became the first woman in Council history to achieve the presidency in 1999. She is chairwoman of the Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation, Whole Council and Rules committees.
Full-market valuation has many residents concerned about property taxes. If elected, how would you address this issue?
First, we all need to understand the BRT can enact full-market valuation without any approval by Council or the mayor. The BRT controls assessments, not Council; they are removed from direct public accountability. I suppose that is to keep politics out of it — so to speak — but elected officials are the ones who are held accountable by the public, thus we must have something to say. If necessary, Council will have to take steps to protect homeowners from inordinate increases in taxes.
I am very opposed to the implementation of full-market valuation at this time. It is a disaster in the making if not properly put into place, especially for seniors, those on fixed incomes and middle-income homeowners. Many long-time residents will be forced to move because of steep tax increases they cannot possibly afford. I will not support full-market valuation until I get much more information and can be assured it will not hurt people in the neighborhoods of Philadelphia.
Violence and the murder rate are concerns throughout the city. If elected, what would you do to curb this trend in South Philadelphia?
Realistically, no single action will solve this crisis. We need more money for tutoring programs, after-school programs and curfew centers. But money alone will not solve this crisis.
On the whole, there has been a breakdown in society. Parents must be willing to be parents. They have to be accountable and they need to make their children accountable. There are many parents who are trying their hardest to raise their children in difficult situations; I’m not referring to them. I’ll never forget the 12-year-old who was allegedly raped several years ago at a middle school. The hospital couldn’t examine her for three days — three days! — because no legal guardian could be notified. That is criminal. Parents buying guns for kids to take to school — that’s criminal. We in government have a responsibility to provide funding for appropriate recreational facilities, activities and libraries, but money alone is not going to solve this crisis.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing South Philadelphia and how would you address it?
Undoubtedly crime. Doing something about this has — and will continue to be — my top priority. It is not an easy issue to tackle. I have fought for increases in the number of police on our streets as well as more efficient deployment into areas in the greatest need. For the last two years, we have been able to increase the budget to hire 200 additional police officers. More police officers alone certainly won’t make this terrible problem disappear.
I worked successfully to establish curfew centers, the first and second of which opened in my district. I’ve fought to increase the budget of the Recreation Department to provide our young people with alternatives to violence. I’ve also worked to increase library hours and improve our education system. Providing young people with alternatives to violence and a good education will go a long way toward ending this epidemic.
From all appearances the curfew center that has been operating in Dixon House has been very successful at reducing youth violence. According to the police department, violent crimes have actually gone down significantly in Point Breeze since the same time last year and the curfew center opened last summer. I am hopeful the same thing will occur in Southwest Philadelphia where the second curfew center recently opened.
Council has consistently increased the Recreation Department’s capital and operating budgets because we understand the importance of the Recreation Department providing alternatives to our children. Regrettably, the [Street] administration has declined to spend these funds and because of the separation of powers in the Home Rule Charter, we can’t force them to. I hope the next mayor will be more interested in sustaining recreation programs and facilities.
At-Large
Wilson Goode Jr.
Age: 42
History: Southwest Philly native Goode served as an economic development administrator from 1992-99 in the positions of vice president of the Philadelphia Commercial Development Corp. and as economic development administrator for the Philadelphia Department of Commerce. Goode is serving his eighth year in Council. He is chairman of the Commerce and Economic Development Committee; and is vice chairman of both the Ethics, Labor and Civil Service and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs committees and is a member of eight other committees.
Full-market valuation has many residents concerned about property taxes. If elected, how would you address this issue?
The City should not embark upon a full-market valuation system until there is more confidence in the assessment process and other legislative measures are put into place to protect long-term homeowners, seniors and property owners as a whole.
Violence and the murder rate are concerns throughout the city. If elected, what would you do to curb this trend in South Philadelphia?
The issue of violence and the murder rate should be addressed through smarter policing and parole efforts, but also by providing ex-offenders with alternatives that increase their available economic opportunities. I support giving businesses a tax credit for hiring ex-offenders who otherwise would return to a life of crime. Public safety must be a funding priority — including the hiring of as many police and parole officers as necessary.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing South Philadelphia and how would you address it?
The issue of public education must be a priority because it is intertwined with workforce development, business attraction, public safety and every other major quality-of-life issue. I was the primary sponsor of legislation last spring which mandates that 60 percent of all property-tax revenue be dedicated to public education — an infusion of around $100 million over the next five years.
James Kenney
Age: 49
History: Kenney has held a council seat since 1992, which he joined after serving as chief of staff to Sen. Vince Fumo. Currently in his fourth term, Kenney is chairman of the Legislative Oversight Committee, the Committee of the Environment, vice chairman of the Laws and Government Committee and a member of six others.
Full-market valuation has many residents concerned about property taxes. If elected, how would you address this issue?
I am very concerned about the reassessment project. That is why I have worked with other members of Council to have the BRT delay implementation to discuss the reasons behind the reassessments and the project’s implications on residents. Implementing a property tax reassessment immediately after one, if not the largest, residential boom in the city is unfair to homeowners and irresponsible policy. While Council’s role in this project — if it is to move forward — is adjusting the tax rate accordingly, I do not support the BRT issuing reassessments.
Violence and the murder rate are concerns throughout the city. If elected, what would you do to curb this trend in South Philadelphia?
We must work with the police to deter the sale and purchase of illegal guns through undercover operations along the East Coast and throughout Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is facing a handgun epidemic that must be addressed at the root of the problem. On a more localized level, our police department must be given the monetary resources to hire more officers to patrol our neighborhoods. I strongly support significantly increasing the number of foot and bike patrols particularly in violent areas. I further support using officers-in-training for foot patrols to increase police presence. Additionally, I would support establishing an anonymous tip line to report crimes and illegal gun activity. Finally, I would urge our police department to seriously crack down on crimes such as graffiti and broken street lights, which will damage our neighborhoods and create more of an environment for crime.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing South Philadelphia and how would you address it?
Quality-of-life issues are the top concern for residents. From public safety to adequate recreational facilities to dependable trash pickup, it is imperative we focus on ensuring residents can rely on consistent city service and safety.
To improve the quality of life, I’m dedicated to bringing a 311 call center and request database to Philadelphia. 311 is a citywide system, which allows residents to place requests for city services as well as obtain information on all aspects of city government. When a request is made, it is entered into a computer tracking system and given a tracking number, allowing the resident to check on the status of their request and keeping track of each department’s request record. The system will also alert the city on ongoing problems in neighborhoods, such as continual street light outages or continual graffiti. In addition to providing residents with one central number, alleviating the hassle of locating city department numbers, 311 will alleviate the 911 system of non-emergency calls, such as noise or vehicle complaints, giving 911 more time to respond to life-threatening emergencies.
David Oh
Age: 47
History: Southwest resident Oh worked in the District Attorney’s Office, first under Ed Rendell and then Ron Castille. He joined the U.S. Army in 1988, eventually serving in the Special Forces. After Desert Storm, he returned to Philadelphia to continue his law practice, where he is president and managing attorney.
Full-market valuation has many residents concerned about property taxes. If elected, how would you address this issue?
I support full-market valuation because I believe it is the first step in fixing our antiquated tax code, because as property values increase we will be able to lower the millage. With that being said, we must make sure this is a revenue-neutral action and if Council does not mandate a revenue-neutral course, we should not carry through with it. Also we must have provisions in place to protect vulnerable citizens. I am concerned many of our seniors, who have owned their homes for 40 years, will not be able to keep them because the taxes are too high. Many new residents are starting to move south of Snyder Avenue because the neighborhoods have a true sense of community and I am concerned for the families that have owned a particular home for two or three generations. It is vitally important we eliminate outdated policies that prohibit growth; at the same time, we cannot displace the very residents that have been the fiber that has held our city together through rough periods.
Violence and the murder rate are concerns throughout the city. If elected, what would you do to curb this trend in South Philadelphia?
We have to prioritize our jail space, coordinate our law enforcement efforts, improve the morale of our police officers and start sending a strong message by looking up people who have illegal weapons and taking them to trial without bail where they would be subject to serious penalties. I’m a former prosecutor so I know what works and what doesn’t and, while the ultimate goal is to rehabilitate our citizens, those that engage in criminal activity will feel the heavy hand of the law.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing South Philadelphia and how would you address it?
The biggest issue is crime and quality of life. People are concerned for their well-being and safety and if our children have the same values our parents had. South Philadelphia has seen an increased number of assaults, burglaries, robberies and murders. This is symbolized by the behavior of our citizens, especially the younger ones. Too many young kids are hanging out in Marconi Park late at night, using foul language and being disrespectful to their elders. A friend told me last year somebody set a Dumpster on fire near Rosewood and Shunk. South Philly is known for its parking problems as well, but I think, given the choice between parking and safety, people want safety addressed more. I would like to address both and all other problems, but primarily crime would be the biggest concern.
