In PhiladelphiaÆs mayor/city council type of city government, the mayor is a powerful figure, elected in at-large elections every four years. The current mayoral election, slated for November 4, 2003, is a rematch of the 1999 election that pitted current Democratic Mayor John Street against Republican Sam Katz; Katz lost to Street by only two percent in 1999. About 80 percent of Philadelphia voters are Democrats. In this election, Mayor StreetÆs record is a factor as well as the recurring key issues of urban blight, taxes, economic growth, and the cityÆs school system.
Mayor StreetÆs campaign is centered on his record during his term of office. The 59-year old African American Mayor was born into rural poverty in Pennsylvania and came up in what is referred to as the ôhard way.ö In spite of great poverty, he attended college as a working student, and earned his Juris Doctorate from Temple University Law School in 1975. He served clerkships, was an English teacher, a community activist, and practiced law before entering public service. He was elected to the Philadelphia City Council in 1979 and remained there until running for Mayor in 1999 (Biography www.votemayorstreet.com).
Fifty-nine year old Sam Katz has a business background rather than one of public service although as CEO of Greater Philadelphia First, a business and civic leadership organization, he has worked to transform the Philadelphia area into a knowledge-based economy. This mayoral campaign marks the third time that Katz has sought public office. A financial advisor and investor in addition to his civic commitments, Katz graduated from PhiladelphiaÆs Central High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the Johns Hopkins University, and a MasterÆs Degree in urban affairs and policy analysis from the New School University (Philadelphia student voices).
An ongoing topic of Philadelphia politics, as well as the politics of ...