The gang's all there (The Next Mayor)

Finally, all five Democratic candidates for mayor are scheduled to appear on the same stage together.

If it happens, it will be the first time that all five have appeared together at a candidate's forum. And the topic? The environment (as reflected in the Next Great City agenda released in January), no less!

It's supposed to happen Thursday night, at the Next Great City project's mayoral candidates' forum, at the Academy of Natural Sciences. That room is totally sold out, but the forum will be shown by satellite at a number of other locations (see below the jump for where you can view it).

The Green party candidate, Kerry Foster, and the Republican candidate, Al Taubenberger, are not on the agenda at this point.

The five Dems together is a milestone. Not a huge one -- yes, I do realize that all five of them had to appear together eventually. It is a mayoral race, after all.

But now we get to see what happens when they begin to interact, even given the artificial rules of a candidate's forum. Will they stay on the issues raised by the Next Great City agenda? Or will they throw mud during the environmentalists' forum? Who will surprise us with his ability to talk issues in an accessible way? Who will seem uncomfortable or remote?

Getting them together wasn't easy at all. Michael Nutter and Tom Knox were quick yeses, but the other candidates took some work. Credit for making this happen goes to the Next Great City partners, including Penn Future and the Urban Sustainability Council, plus the people working with these groups.

If they are this persistent about the Next Great City agenda, we may just end up with expanded recycling after all.

The Next Great City Mayoral Forum can also be viewed by satellite at the following neighborhood locations:

Honickman Center, 1936 N. Judson St., Philadelphia, PA 19121

Temple University, Main Campus, Tuttleman Hall Room 105, 1801 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19122

Temple University, Ambler, Learning Center Room 302, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, PA 19002

Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, 3535 N. 19th St. Philadelphia, PA 19140

Germantown Friends School, 31 W. Coulter St. Philadelphia, PA 19144 - interpreter for the hearing impaired available

Chestnut Hill College, 9601 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19118

The Enterprise Center 4548 Market St, Philadelphia PA 19138 in the Business Events Center

Holy Family University- 9801 Frankford Ave Philadelphia 19114 in the John Perzel Education Technology Center Auditorium

Annunciation High School- 1150 Wharton St, Room 17 Philadelphia 19147

Space 1026- 1026 Arch St, Philadelphia PA 19107

Comments (3)

Bryan Van Lenten:

are you kidding me?

This isn't going to be on TV?

Not WHYY?
Not CN8?
Not Drexel TV?

Is this a major city or not?

If this "Next Mayor" project thing wants to have any effect, it needs to get real.

Whats the point of even having this thing if nobodys gonna see it?

WAKE UP!

Knox gets 20% with a couple TV commercials and you guys are still not showing these forums!

Get REAL with yourselves.

Posted by Bryan Van Lenten | February 14, 2007 7:52 AM

Fine, how about putting it on youtube?

Granted thats not going to reach most of the city, but at least its out there.

Can you do that? Well, not CAN, of course you CAN. But WILL you do that?

Isn't that your responsibility after coming up with a stated goal like "an innovative, ...multimedia ...focus on the issues..."

I guess I flew off the handle a bit. But seriously, you guys now owe it to us.

MAKE IT AVAILABLE.

Posted by Bryan Van Lenten | February 14, 2007 7:56 AM

Dave

At what time does this take place? I was about to ask whether this will be available for viewing afterwards since I'm taking a night class on Thursdays.

Posted by Dave | February 14, 2007 8:02 AM

Comments (3)

Post a comment