Heard in the Hall

City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell has decided not to seek another term as majority leader. She has asked fellow council members who planned to vote for her to support Councilwoman Marian Tasco for the leadership position.

“Instead of fighting among ourselves, we should be spending our energy fighting for the people of Philadelphia. My hope is that by withdrawing from contention, I can help mend the spilt that now divides members into factions, and we can begin the Michael Nutter administration with a unified council,” Blackwell said.

Blackwell says she is proud of her eight years as majority leader. During this time she worked closely with President Anna Verna on legislation and made sure that council was well represented at hearings, particularly on the budget.

A public school teacher before entering politics, Blackwell plans to devote more time to improving education. “Leaving the majority leader post will give me more time to focus attention on our priority interests – especially public education - in more detail because I won’t have to continue to be a kind of watchdog for council,” she said.

Blackwell also plans to spend more time on housing and neighborhood development and business and institutional development in her West Philadelphia district. She has worked extensively with the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, the Philadelphia Housing Authority, and several private developers including minority entrepreneurs to help bring new housing to formerly distressed sections of her district.

Blackwell intends to invest significant energy in the University of Pennsylvania’s Lucien E. Blackwell apprenticeship program, aimed at including neighborhood residents in all construction projects through job training. “We want to create a new program with public and private entities to create an avenue for job training and placement. Citizens Bank and Wachovia are already involved. We will also include Brandywine Corporation, Drexel University, and the Philadelphia Housing Authority. We want to do this in a way that’s never been done,” Blackwell said.

Blackwell’s withdrawal from the majority leader race virtually assures that council’s leadership in the new term will include Anna Verna as president, Marian Tasco as majority leader and Darrell Clarke as majority whip. She says she looks forward to working with them and the new mayor. “We will work with Michael Nutter in a way that we haven’t worked with him before. We’re eager to share our ideas and our commitment to enhance and improve opportunities for citizens who live and work and visit here,” said Blackwell.

Jannie Blackwell has been a member of City Council since she succeeded her late husband Lucien E. Blackwell in 1992, following his election to Congress. She also serves as a commissioner on the Philadelphia Housing Authority board of commissioners.