The upcoming election has got everyone talking. Conversations are happening at work, school and even in the checkout line at the grocery store. In Philadelphia, the conversation doesn’t stop at the presidential race — there are a few highly coveted seats open on a local level, too. The most notable being 1st District Senator, a spot held by Vince Fumo since 1978. Since Fumo announced he would not run for re-election in March, the candidates for the seat — Democrat Larry Farnese and Republican Jack Morely — have been tirelessly campaigning.
Also in the 1st District, incumbent Democrat Robert Brady is defending his Congressional seat against newcomer Republican Mike Muhammad.
Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 4.
1st Senatorial District
Larry Farnese, 40, is a litigation and business attorney who has tried cases on the federal and state level. He volunteers with the Philadelphia Women’s Center, many Democratic political campaigns, and civic association endeavors that range from distributing meals to low-income families to maintaining green space. He serves on the boards of several organizations and is active in and a supporter of many of the district’s civic associations, including Washington West Neighborhood Watch and South Philadelphia Business Association.
Vince Fumo has held this seat for three decades. What new initiatives would you bring to the table?
The 1st Senatorial District is moving into a new generation of leadership and I believe I bring a renewed sense of visibility, accessibility and openness to the position.
I got my start visiting community groups and going door-to-door to hear the concerns of residents and I want to tackle the issues facing the 1st District in a hands-on fashion.
Unlike Sen. Fumo, who is a member of the NRA, I bring a new approach to the issues of public safety and common-sense handgun control. I support the recent unanimous passage of a strict new gun-control bill by both houses of the state legislature. Because I feel the new legislation falls short, I plan to continue the direction Pennsylvania lawmakers have taken to keep Philadelphians safe by introducing legislation requiring gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms.
I also want the Pennsylvania General Assembly to be dedicated, hard-working and transparent. I believe I can be a leader in improving ethics in Harrisburg by strengthening campaign finance laws, eliminating the influence of lobbyists and reducing the overall spending of the legislature.
How would you use your position to move toward energy independence?
I will work to implement and expand programs offering incentives to companies that want to invest in clean energy, such as wind, solar and bio-mass power generation. I will continue the fight for dedicated mass transit funding and promote car-sharing programs.
These kinds of investments ultimately pay off in cleaner air, reduced global warming and business growth in our communities.
I also want to help consumers make choices that promote energy conservation, such as the use of smart meters to reduce energy consumption during peak hours, and other state programs which promote home weatherization, energy-efficient appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs.
My plans also include ensuring more Pennsylvanians embrace recycling. It also helps grow green businesses in Philadelphia, which can lead to job creation.
What other initiatives do you have to improve quality of life?
We need to work on creating jobs, improving access to healthcare and making sure our streets are clean and safe.
I plan to work with Mayor Nutter, City Council and other legislators in creating a business recruitment and retention program that will attract and maintain businesses in the city, especially small businesses that have made many neighborhoods so vibrant.
I also want to help develop partnerships between schools and trade unions to ensure kids who are not college-bound graduate with skills that lead to good-paying jobs.
Job-readiness and training programs should also be extended to felons who have paid their debt to society and need an opportunity to become productive, working citizens. My plans also include providing tax credits to business that hire recently released felons, giving them a new start.
Additionally, small businesses deserve another chance to succeed, so I propose a plan allowing those businesses to carry over any net operating losses.
Jack Morely, 46, worked in the fire protection business, starting his own contracting company in 1991. He ran for the Senate seat in 2000 and ’04, losing both times to Fumo.
Vince Fumo has held this seat for three decades. What new initiatives would you bring to the table?
Philadelphia has less than a 30 percent conviction rate. Judges are accepting the flimsiest of excuses to dismiss criminal cases. Fifty-six percent of our criminal cases are being dismissed at the preliminary hearing stage. In other words, the bad guys are in the streets committing crime.
I will expand the use of Holmesburg Prison in Northeast Philadelphia and enter into agreement with New York to use a closed medium-security prison there. Thereafter, Philadelphia will be able to keep prisoners for the full length of their sentences, hold repeat offenders until trial and, most importantly, judges will be able to bring cases to trial because a cell will exist to house the guilty. Holding repeat offenders until trial will in and of itself reduce crime 50 percent in the first six months.
How would you use your position to move towards energy independence?
We as Americans need to respond to our energy dependence like we responded to WWII. We need a WWII-like operation with many battlefronts. T. Boone Pickens is wrong in his belief America has only 3 percent of the world’s oil and offshore drilling would take 10 years to produce oil. Many experts such as John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil Co., have publicly stated America has as much oil as the entire Middle East combined. In addition, we will have crude within seven months of drilling offshore. Drill here, drill now, pay less!
This year, the General Assembly passed a budget that included a rebate program for home owners who install solar panels. I would support this. I would add a rebate program to help citizens pay for the purchase of hybrid vehicles. We must transition more of our electricity production to nuclear and coal in the short term while continuing to develop currents, wind and solar production for the long-term answers. Nuclear power plants now have a 30-year record of relative safety.
What other initiatives do you have to improve quality of life?
I support Speaker John Perzel’s efforts to abate 100 percent of real-estate taxes associated with public education for citizens over 65 years old making less than $40,000 a year.
1st Congressional
District
Robert A. Brady, 63, was sworn into office in ’98. He is a former carpenter and was part of the leadership of the carpenters’ union. In his role as chairman of the House Administration Committee, Brady leads the oversight of federal elections, the day-to-day functions of the House of Representatives and budget authorizations for House committees’ expenses and members of Congress.
South Philly is comprised of many mom-and-pop businesses. What’s your stance on tax relief for small businesses?
I support several common-sense reforms such as: Allowing taxpayers who can prove substantial business use of electronic equipment to deduct a greater portion of the cost without having to keep detailed records; allowing a small businessperson who uses an automobile for work-related purposes over 75 percent of the time to recover the true cost of the vehicle during the five-year recovery period and to continue to adjust the price for inflation; and allow small firms to use shorter depreciation schedules in line with technological and market realities.
I also support tax breaks for entrepreneurs who provide healthcare for themselves and their employees and the Obama/Biden plan to eliminate capital-gains taxes on start-up and small businesses to encourage innovation and job creation and to provide tax credits for every American job small business creates.
What would you do to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil?
I support releasing oil from the nation’s stockpile, a move that will bring immediate relief in 10 days, forcing oil companies to actually drill on the 68 million acres they already have leased for drilling or lose their leases; ending undue speculation in the energy markets to bring down the price of a barrel of oil; increasing the amount of responsible drilling in U.S. territories; and investing in renewable energy.
What other initiatives do you have that will improve quality of life?
The Platt Bridge is no longer a safety hazard because I won $600,000 for the installation of a new bridge lighting system, as well as new aviation and navigation lighting. My action was a direct result of concerns expressed by Southwest Philadelphia residents.
In the wake of the announcement of the closing of Graduate Hospital, I immediately convened leading members of the region’s healthcare industry to find employment for the hundreds of employees being laid off.
I also was responsible for the FEMA buyout of properties in Eastwick that were damaged during Hurricane Floyd.
Jobs, housing and the concerns of senior citizens remain at the top of my agenda, but accessible constituent service is also a major focus. Because of the high percentage of Puerto Rican, Dominican and Mexican constituents in the district, my staff includes a bilingual, Spanish-speaking employee.
Mike Muhammad, 42, is a graduate of South Philadelphia High School and a lifelong Philadelphia resident. He wrote the educational book "Teaching Mathematics to Small Children" and served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for eight years.
South Philly is comprised of many mom-and-pop businesses. What’s your stance on tax relief for small businesses?
I am proposing a simplified tax form for small businesses that would allow small businesses to receive a cash tax refund with their filing annually and once every 10 years, with one year of tax exemption.
What would you do to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil?
I will give mass incentives that produce very large proportions of alternative clean energy, especially solar. Solar is the most reliable source of energy in the universe, therefore if we are serious about being economical and efficient we would utilize the sun.
What other initiatives do you have that will improve quality of life?
My No. 1 priority will be to increase each person’s income level. It’s always natural when groups of people begin to experience higher earnings, their quality of life is also improved. We are seriously due for an infusion of federal spending initiatives and Mike Muhammad will ensure the maximum citizen benefit of those dollars.
