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“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time – I’ve had an incredible experience with the last six-and-a-half years working in city government, and I’ve gotten some great things done, which I’m very proud of,” Andrew Stober recently revealed.
The South Philadelphian stepped down managing Mayor Michael Nutter’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU)on May 15 to begin campaigning for an independent at-large seat on City Council.
“We had about 70 people there. It was great; we did it in front of the Municipal Services building across from City Hall,” the resident of the 1400 block of South Juniper Street said of his announcement.
Seven City Council at-large seats are divided up by five aligned with the majority party (usually Democratic) and two for the minority party. And Stober plans to make history by providing an alternative to the Republican Party’s at-large candidates in November.
In a statement, the Passyunk Square dweller said that while Republicans have held those seats since the 1950s, “History is not destiny. This November, together we can make history and blaze a new political trail for others to follow. … There is no good reason that Philadelphia voters should be stuck on Election Day with only the choices offered to them by the Republican Party.”
The former MOTU staffer has a handful of accomplishments to boast: the establishment of IndeGo Bikeshare, the creation of a City Energy Office, the securing of tens of millions in competitive federal grants and boosted revenue capacity for the City with bus shelter advertising. Stober’s also committed to public schools and creatively conceiving of funding beyond quick fixes. He and his wife hope to send their two-year-old to Andrew Jackson School, 1213 S. 12th St. And he says his recent post’s focus on streets and public spaces will translate to a commitment to effectively utilizing public spaces, occupied and abandoned alike.
“Making local government work and work well isn’t about being a Democrat or a Republican; it’s about understanding your community and how government works, and those are two things that I understand very well,” Stober, who plans to be “another voice from our neighborhood in City Hall,” said.
Contact Staff Writer Bill Chenevert at bchenevert@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
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