Without a safe environment in which to live, nothing we do will move our city forward. People will not want to live, invest in businesses or even shop in the City, if they do not feel safe or comfortable.

I believe that we need to work on multiple fronts, both shorter term and longer term to stem the tide of violence that is particularly targeting our young citizens. In the shorter term, I would support the addition of police officers focused on getting guns off of the streets. I would also support pilot efforts to see whether concentrating police activity on proactively confiscating weapons would work in Philadelphia as it has in other cities. We should be open to using best practices from anywhere we can find them to bring Philadelphia back in line with other major cities. Other shorter-term approaches would include the increased use of security cameras tied to a quick Police response in problem areas before real trouble starts. At LISC I held a workshop in 2003 that focused on best practices in Baltimore, Wilmington and Norristown that should be used as examples of how to implement a good program. I support the continued use of a curfew for juveniles. We should also be ready to ask for help from the State or Federal government if needed in higher crime areas so that we can leverage City resources.

Other opportunities for improvement include investments in pedestrian lighting on neighborhood commercial corridors just as has worked in Center City. If it’s good for Center City it should be good enough for the neighborhoods. For the past 3 years I have been leading this effort of community groups and there now appears to be some funding coming from the latest City bond. Also, Community Development Corporations and others’ investments in eliminating blight in neighborhoods is critical. We cannot let “broken windows” tell folks that they live in a place without rules or order.

LET’S TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO REDUCING CRIME

PHIADELPHIA, March 6 -- Public Safety is the most important issue currently facing our city. People will not want to live, invest in or shop in Philadelphia if they do not feel safe. Others speak only of increasing law enforcement. However, I believe we need to work on multiple fronts – focusing on law enforcement in the short term and on education/economic development in the long term -- to stem the tide of violence that is particularly affecting our young citizens.

In the short term, I support the hiring of additional police officers, focused on getting guns off the streets. Building community development/police partnerships that will help focus efforts on addressing specific issues impacting on the community must also be part of the equation. Other shorter-term approaches I support include the increased use of security cameras tied to a quick police response in problem areas.

Opportunities for improvement in public safety should include pedestrian lighting in neighborhood commercial corridors like in Center City. If it’s good for Center City, it should be good enough for the neighborhoods. For the past three years, I have led community groups in lobbying for this initiative and there finally appears to be some funding available from the latest city bond. We should also leverage additional resources from the state and federal governments for anti-crime initiatives. Blighted neighborhoods send a signal to criminals that residents are not organized and that negative activities are tolerated. As a member of City Council, I will make sure that we fix the vacant and tax delinquent property problem in blighted neighborhoods. As an expert in this area, I addressed a major part of the problem 10 years ago when I led the effort that eliminated the one-year Right of Redemption on non-residential properties.

Moreover, I believe we must seriously address the root causes of the problem of crime – poor education and lack of economic opportunity -- in order to eradicate the problem. A majority of those committing crime in our city and many of those who are victims are dropouts and are unemployed. As the son of a retired public school teacher and parent of two children who attend Philadelphia Public Schools, I know our schools must be improved to engage students with a curriculum that prepares them to compete successfully in the 21st Century economy. Vocational technology and home economic courses like food preparation, tailoring, interior design, carpentry, automotives, printing and graphic design must be reinstated in the schools. These courses can prepare students to continue their education, get family-sustaining jobs or start a small business. Successful programs, like the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, which uses the arts to teach life skills and entrepreneurship, also must be duplicated in Philadelphia.

Bottom line -- we must provide our youth with a quality, 21st Century education and create an environment that will attract jobs and new businesses to our neighborhoods. It is a proven fact that when people are gainfully employed, crime decreases. When I am elected to City Council, I will use my 20+ years of expertise in economic/new business development and my vision for public education, to make Philadelphia a place where people want to live, work, invest in and shop. I know that with vision, a little work and cooperation, Philadelphia can become a world class city.