Candidate:

John Street

Democrat John Street is seeking a second term. Elected mayor in 1999, Street has spent nearly 25 years in public office. Street represented the city's 5th District on City Council from 1979 to 1999, and served as Council President from 1992 to 1999. During his tenure Street assisted former Mayor Ed Rendell with correcting the city's $250 million budget deficit and in improving the employment outlook in Philadelphia. As Mayor, Street has implanted the anti-crime, anti-drug program, Operation Safe Streets and the blight-fighting Neighborhood Transformation Initiative.

Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, Street graduated from Conshohocken High School and then studied English at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. After returning to Philadelphia, Street received a JD from Temple University in 1975 and began serving clerkships with Common Pleas Court Judge Mathew W. Bullock Jr. and the Department of Justice. Street also spent time teaching English at an elementary school and practicing law privately before entering the public sphere as a community activist. The 58-year-old Mayor and his wife Naomi have four children.

Business Development

• Continue incremental wage tax cuts initiated under the Rendell administration, which will provide relief for citizens while maintaining a balanced city budget.
• Investing public dollars for construction projects ranging from a new wing at Philadelphia International Airport to two new stadiums in South Philadelphia.

• Worked with Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson to implement Operation Safe Streets, a program which increases police presence in known drug areas throughout the city.
• Created a new office of the Public Safety Secretary to centralize law enforcement authority.

• The mayor took a stand against privatization of Philadelphia's Public Schools, which he says resulted in 83-million dollars in state funding, and the hiring of Paul Vallas as CEO of the school district.
• Invested $150 million in after school programs.

• The Neighborhood Transformation Initiative has removed 175,000 abandoned cars, cleaned 32,000 vacant lots, and cleared graffiti from over 74,000 properties.
• NTI also includes plans to build 2,100 new homes and apartments and is proposing to develop 350 acres of land into commercial space around the city.