Rounding out Council’s roster of 17 members are the seven at-large representatives. If the Democrats maintain their stronghold over most of City Council’s district seats — the party currently holds a 9-1 edge — five of their mates will again join them in chambers.
The remaining desks will likely be filled by two of the five Republicans on the ballot, and the passing of Thacher Longstreth means there will be at least one GOP newcomer.
The major-party candidates are joined by the Education Party’s Will Mega — a 30-year-old best known for starring on the reality television series Big Brother — and Hida Cuzco of the Socialist Workers Party.
Vote for no more than five candidates, please.
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Democrats
Blondell Reynolds Brown
Brown seeks her second term in City Council. So far, the 50-year-old Wynnefield resident has focused much of her attention on issues related to the arts and schools.
She created the Fund for Children, which collects $1 million per year from the Phillies and Eagles to support youth programs. Brown also has supported various economic initiatives, including a recent bill that would create an Economic Opportunity Task Force to increase the number of jobs for minorities, women and disabled persons on publicly funded construction projects.
David Cohen
At 88, Cohen is the oldest member of Council. He began his career in the legislature representing the Eighth District. Cohen resigned the post in 1971 to launch a failed campaign for mayor, then was elected councilman-at-large in 1979. He has held the title ever since.
The most liberal member of Council, Cohen staunchly supports labor, is an advocate for the poor and takes pride in Council’s role of controlling the city’s purse strings.
Wilson Goode Jr.
The son of the former mayor is finishing his first term. He spent most of his first four years in office tackling economic initiatives that mainly target poor neighborhoods.
Goode, 37, is the youngest member of Council.
James F. Kenney
The 44-year-old councilman is completing his fourth term in City Hall. Kenney made his political career introducing innovative legislation to address difficult issues such as economic development, domestic violence, school violence, Section 8 housing and graffiti. And during the last four years, he could usually be found on the opposite side of an issue from Mayor Street.
Kenney is the lone at-large candidate residing in South Philadelphia.
Juan F. Ramos
Ramos, 51, is seeking his first term in Council. Previously, he had served in the Street administration as the mayor’s director of Fair Labor Standards, and he has been a member of Laborers Local 332 for nearly 20 years.
His campaign platform has consisted of three main issues: job creation, education and neighborhood safety. Ramos supports the expansion of the Safe Streets program to all neighborhoods. He also believes the city’s schools need more preschool, after-school and summer school programs, and he wants to see the implementation of an insurance industry-funded drivers’ education course offered at public high schools.
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Republicans
David P. Hardy
Hardy, a Logan Square resident, is executive director and chief administrative officer of the Community Academy of Philadelphia charter school in West Kensington. He supports school choice and believes that improving the city school system should be elected officials’ number-one priority.
Jack Kelly
Kelly, a native of the Northeast, was elected to represent the Seventh District in 1987. He served four years before being defeated by Dan McElhatton. Since then, he has worked as an aide to Council presidents John Street and Anna Verna, which has led some GOPers to say he is too closely aligned with the Democrats.
Jamie McDermott
For the last nine years, McDermott has been executive director of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. Before that, he worked as an assistant district attorney for the city, from 1980-91.
His platform largely focuses on improving the quality of life in the city’s neighborhoods. He also wants to reduce crack-cocaine usage in the city and work to retain residents by improving the public schools.
McDermott, 47, lives in Chestnut Hill.
David Oh
Oh, 43, is an attorney and a former officer with the U.S. Army’s Green Berets. If elected, Oh wants to expand after-school programs, promote opportunities for small businesses and establish programs to assist artists, writers and musicians.
Frank Rizzo
Rizzo, 60, became the only incumbent Republican after Longstreth died. He took office in 1996 and has since followed in the footsteps of his late father, dedicating much of his energy to constituent services.
Prior to politics, the Chestnut Hill resident spent 32 years with PECO, working his way up the ranks from lineman to manager of public and city affairs. SPR
Your chance to change laws
Tuesday’s ballot will feature two statewide questions and seven Philadelphia charter change questions.
The first statewide question proposes an amendment to the constitutional right of a defendant to face his or her accuser. The second would enable the legislature to enact laws allowing child victims to testify in criminal proceedings through videotaped depositions or closed-circuit television.
District Attorney Lynne Abraham and her counterparts in the five-county area support the proposed amendments.
The charter change questions cover a host of issues, ranging from the awarding of city contracts to universal healthcare.
To review the ballot questions and the full general election ballot, visit the Committee of Seventy’s Web site, www.seventy.org.
