Ask A Candidate

Bob Brady has an answer.

When are areas such as Kensington going to get some construction instead of everything being built in Northern Liberties or Fishtown? Also, when are these lots filled with trash bags and other rubbish going to be cleaned up and gates put up? Lots of [deadbeat] citizens in these formerly nice areas are costing the city millions of dollars in house taxes, water and gas bills and other taxes.

—Anonymous

Over the last decade, Center City Philadelphia has seen a resurgence in economic and residential development. In neighborhoods such as Old City and Northern Liberties, shuttered and blighted storefronts have been replaced with new businesses. On any given evening, many people can be seen strolling the sidewalks, taking in what the city has to offer.

These positive changes should not be viewed as an end, but merely a beginning. In order for Philadelphia to transform itself into a progressive epicenter of economic and cultural development, it must reform the policies and procedures surrounding development and planning. Philadelphia desperately needs a cohesive, coherent, forward-looking approach to zoning, planning and development.

Efforts at redevelopment and community revitalization must be extended into all neighborhoods. As mayor, I will develop a comprehensive plan to transform Philadelphia into a world- class city. This transformation will be achieved through strategic improvements to infrastructure and modernizing the zoning code. I will also work to extend the successful Penn Praxis planning process undertaken with regard to the Delaware waterfront to the rest of the city.

By creating clear, predictable rules for development, formulated in concert with the community, Philadelphia can extend the successes seen in Old City and Northern Liberties to all corners of the city.

If you have a question you want to ask one of our potential next mayors, send it to hickey@citypaper.net or call 215-735-8444, ext. 211. We'll publish the responses here and at www.citypaper.net.