At 9 a.m. this morning, a coalition of dozens of organizations ranging from labor groups to environmental activists will be challenging the candidates for mayor to get behind a series of environmental actions that the group calls, "affordable," "revenue-neutral" or having "an identified funding source." These actions, according to The Next Great City, represent "some immediate, doable and powerful improvements to neighborhoods" that the next mayor can accomplish "over the next four years."
Their plan is to roll out these recommendations this morning at the Atwater Kent Museum ("where history inspires the future") in the Experience Philadelphia Gallery. We at the Next Mayor Project will be seeking responses from the candidates throughout the day.
In fact, we barely had to ask Michael Nutter, who issued a statement Wednesday night saying he "strongly endorses" the Next Great City agenda, particularly recycling expansion and improving neighborhood trees (which was an issue he worked on as a city councilman.) Read his full statement.
We will post other responses as we get them here on the blog and on our site.
We'll also be at the event and will provide a firsthand account as soon as we can walk ourselves three blocks back to work.
Next Great City's main event will be on February 15th at the Academy of Natural Sciences when the candidates will be invited to participate in a public forum to share their response to NGC's recommendations as well as their own plans for good, sustainable, neighborhood-improving growth.
Now, you may be wondering, "what are these recommendations?" Check out our coverage page.
More to follow after this morning's press conference.
Comments (12)
Fattah Announces Senior Campaign Staff
Charles Hayden, Esq., will serve as the Campaign Manager. Charles grew up in the Richard Allen Homes and was in the City’s foster care system. He got to know Chaka Fattah when they were children and later worked as the Campaign Coordinator on Fattah’s 1982 campaign for the State House. Charles previously served as a Senior Counsel for the Regional office of USEPA.
Greg Naylor was tapped by Fattah to be Deputy Campaign Manager and oversee all Field Operations. Greg is a veteran of get-out-the-vote operations in Philadelphia. Greg took a leadership role in the field campaigns of Wilson Goode in ’83 and ’87, Street for Mayor in '99 and '03 and Rendell for Governor in '02 and '06. Greg first started working with Fattah in 1991.
Rebecca Kirszner will serve as Fattah's Senior Advisor, overseeing Communications, Policy, Research, and Scheduling. Previously the Communications Director in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office, Rebecca also served on the John Edwards Presidential Campaign in 2004 and has worked on Allyson Schwartz’s campaigns. Rebecca first started working with Fattah in 1995.
Solomon Jones will serve as Fattah's Communications Director. A former award winning Philadelphia Weekly columnist, Solomon is the critically acclaimed author of four novels and a short story collection. He served as the Senior Legislative Aide and Public Affairs Director for City Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr. and worked as Communications Director for Fattah’s Exploratory Committee.
Maisha Leek will serve as Finance Director. Maisha has worked for the NAACP’s Youth & College Division and EMILY’s List. She worked with Democratic congressional races in Kentucky and Connecticut, and has previously served as the Finance Director for Fattah for Congress.
Donald Redmond will serve as Field Director. Don has a long history of voter registration and outreach experience, including working as City Director for the NAACP National Voter Fund and serving as Director of Field Operations for Ed Rendell’s gubernatorial campaigns.
Micah Mahjoubian will serve as Operations Director. Micah, a veteran of Philadelphia campaigns, comes to the Fattah campaign from the Street Administration, where he was Deputy Secretary for External Affairs
Jennifer Gomez will serve as the Deputy Director of Operations. Jennifer, a standout graduate of Cheyney University, handled administrative operations on the Exploratory Committee.
David Wade will serve as Policy Advisor. David comes to the campaign from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The policy team also includes Policy Fellow Tom Cowell and Policy Consultant Candice Nhu Tran.
Dr. Eric Loeb will serve as Technology Director. Eric has worked in online politics since 1992 and helped manage the first online Presidential Campaign (Clinton/Gore). Eric was the chief software engineer for the Gore Campaign in 2000 and was the chief internet architect for the Democratic National Committee. Eric is also the Founder of www.goodworks-pac.org, an organization dedicated to community service projects.
Fattah’s Leadership Team
La-Toya Hackney, Esq will serve as Campaign Chair. Raised by a single mom, La-Toya graduated Central High School at just 16, went on to Stanford University and graduated Harvard Law School at age 23. La-Toya, 31, is a senior attorney in the marketing division of a Fortune 100 company. She also served as Chair for the Fattah for Mayor Exploratory Committee.
Herb Vederman joins Fattah's Team as Finance Chair and Senior Advisor. Herb has a long history in and out of government. Herb served under Ed Rendell in both City Hall and in the State’s Capital. He has been either a chair or co-chair of Rendell’s fundraising efforts since 1986.
Tony Podesta will serve as a Senior Advisor to Fattah. Podesta led both Bill Clinton’s and John Kerry’s campaigns in Pennsylvania and was the Chairman for Ed Rendell’s re-election campaign.
Mark Aronchick, Esq. will serve as the Policy Chair for the Campaign. Mark, a former City Solicitor and former Chair of the Board of Ethics, is a Former Chair of the Bar Association. He also served as Policy Chair for the first gubernatorial campaign of Ed Rendell.
Consultants
Fattah has brought in AKP Message & Media, led by David Axelrod and John Del Cecato; Brown Partners, led by David W. Brown; the GOTV firm LSG strategies, led by Tom Lindenfeld; and the Brilliant Corners polling firm, led by Cornell Belcher.
Counsel
Gregory Harvey, of Montgomery McCracken, will serve as the lead counsel for the Fattah Campaign and Chris Booth, of Booth & Tucker, will serve as co-counsel.
Posted by ward leaders united | January 25, 2007 9:17 AM
Michael Nutter's idea of a "Next Great City" includes interfering with free trade and commerce. He will soon file federal lawsuits against two legitimate gun dealers in the Philadelphia area. Imagine trying to turn a profit while spending thousands of dollars fighting a federal lawsuit. In typical lawyer fashion he's going to litigate these dealers out of business. As far as I know guns are still legal in Philadelphia. How can you hold a gun dealer liable for an illegal act committed by one of his customers. Next target might be your business. (Example: Suing donut shops because there's trans-fats in the icing.)
Posted by A Free Man | January 25, 2007 9:52 AM
I dont think this is the right City for pro-gun rants. I dont think Nutter is going to be able to single handedly put gun dealers out of business. Give me a break, my understanding is he is suing dealers who are irresponsible and continue to allow people who shouldnt buy guns to get their hands on them. Perhaps you should move to rural PA where you know your guns are safe.
Posted by sj | January 25, 2007 10:22 AM
What's up with this inappropriate Fattah campaign announcement in a post about improving quality of life in Philadelphia. I'd like to know if the ward leaders ever have any actual ideas about improving life in this city or if they are content to continue worshiping the chosen few in hopes that they will one day make it into the incestuous inner circle that makes up Philly's elected.
The Next Great City project is a bold attempt to get citizens to realize that while we must demand that our next mayor to think broadly about how to improve quality of life, beyond just lowering the murder rate. This is the bare minimum and not alot to ask from such a powerfull posotion. While not the most glamorus issues, better land use, improved transit, recycling, air quality, etc. is just as important to most citizens day to day experience of this city as basic safety-- and it is crucial that our Next Mayor gets this, and has the guts to talk about something besides crime. In order for Philadelphia to remain competitive we need address these issues. Next Great City is only the beginning. If a candidate can't address these basic and cost neutral reccomendation, how will they accomplish anything.
Posted by Ward Leaders- Get a Clue! | January 25, 2007 10:46 AM
to "free man"
check your facts before you rant. nutter is not a lawyer.
Posted by davekopps![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 25, 2007 12:04 PM
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