On the Undercard
Examining three interesting District City Council races
Some people like a little buildup to the main event. Well, if mudslinging, arguments and sneaky campaign maneuvers are your thing, check out the 1st, 4th and 7th City Council Districts.
DiCicco
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Anastasio
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Gaming opposition, ethics questions and pink bunny rabbits have dominated the race between incumbent Frank DiCicco and Vern Anastasio for the wide-ranging district stretching from the South Phila-delphia waterfront to Oxford Circle. It's by far the dirtiest race of the year.
Anastasio has attacked Di-Cicco on several fronts, from on-the-street talks with voters to YouTube videos of him shoveling snow from the councilman's campaign headquarters sidewalk. An Internet video of a pink bunny rabbit tries to connect the incumbent with state Sen. Vincent Fumo's indictment. Anastasio makes a cameo appearance at the end of the flick.
"That was very unprofessional," notes DiCicco, who is also baffled by Anastasio's recent claim that the first ever anti-casino meeting was held in the challenger's dining room in January 2005. "He's really grabbing for straws there."
Either way, the winner of this high-charged street fight will have two controversial casinos to deal with. At one point, it seemed as though Foxwoods and Sugarhouse's locations would go to a referendum, but the state's highest court recently stopped that. Both candidates have said they're against casinos on the waterfront, but there could be a place for them in other areas.
DiCicco's support has been bolstered lately when he took the anti-gaming lead and spearheaded City Council's vote to put casinos on a referendum. When the official vote was tallied in March, dozens of residents jumped from their seats in council chambers and cried: "We'll remember you come election day!"
DiCicco, who describes himself as "anti-the process that gave us casinos, but not anti-casino," says his campaign is based on his record. He's been in office for 12 years and touts a long list of accomplishments, like saving 11 firehouses from budget cuts and working on a compromise with the smoking ban. Even though he's a longtime Democrat, DiCicco said he was still willing to stand up to Mayor John Street on several issues.
Anastasio, an attorney who has also worked as a legislative aide in City Council (for former 1st District Councilman Joe Vignola) and a chief of staff in the state House of Representatives (Babette Josephs), is campaigning on a platform of reforming schools, property taxes and ethics laws. He said he wants to shift the tax burden "from the homeowner to the owners of large, undeveloped land," and that there should be more arts, sports and music programs in schools. If elected, he wants to pass bills "banning nepotism and moonlighting in City Council — both activities my opponent participates in."
Those frequent attacks on DiCicco have helped Anastasio rally a base, with his campaign signs decorating many a Ninth Street storefront. It's a race Anastasio planned to run in 2003 until he was knocked off the ballot for a paperwork error. This year, Anastasio unsuccessfully tried to return the favor.
McClure
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Jones
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Campbell
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Both candidates said they're running a grassroots campaign, knocking on doors and shaking hands at community forums. Anastasio is trying to battle DiCicco's name recognition with direct mail, and both boast big get-out-the-vote efforts. The only difference: DiCicco's campaign efforts have worked several times before.
City Councilwoman Carol Ann Campbell has never won a major election, and now she's found herself in a close race with two very different and popular candidates. Curtis Jones Jr. and Matt McClure are determined to topple a symbol of Philly's "Democratic machine" in a district that takes up some sections of West Philly to yuppie-filled Manayunk.
This is a significant race for 4th District residents and political watchers alike. Campbell earned her seat in City Council chambers after Michael Nutter quit to run for mayor. She won a special election after ward leaders put her on the ballot in 2006. This didn't come as a surprise: Campbell has almost unrivaled influence in gathering ward leader support for anyone from judicial candidates to mayoral hopefuls.
This election will test exactly how much influence Campbell has with actual voters.
Jones said he's appealing to people who can't seem to make ends meet. "I'm talking about the disenfranchisement of people in the American Dream," he said. Jones wants to target teens who are too smart to get involved with drugs but are not college-bound.
"We should use recreation centers as bait to get these children involved with mentors and positive role models," he added. A lifelong resident of the district, Jones worked for 15 years with the city, handling large loans and finances with the Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation and then as former Mayor Wilson Goode's finance director.
McClure's campaign has zeroed in on keeping middle-class residents in place because, as he said, "They're the backbone of Philadelphia's tax base." His plan is to focus on reducing crime in troubled areas, increase career opportunities in the school system and revamp taxes.
"That's the same thing any business looks at when they determine if they want to come here," he said.
So far, McClure, a real estate attorney at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, said he's launched a four-part direct mail campaign and has about 200 volunteers working the streets.
This is a district where issues matter just as much as name recognition. Voters kept Nutter on council for 15 years, even when he became an outspoken Street foe. And in 1999 and 2003, Sam Katz found chunks of support here. When people go to the polls, there won't be a knee-jerk button-push for the most familiar person. Voters will remember what they've been told by candidates — and whether they believe them.
That's not stopping both challengers from taking their shots at Campbell, who didn't respond to interview requests. Jones is quick to say that Campbell is a "party faithful." (Jones, mind you, is a supporter of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah.) Meanwhile, McClure tried unsuccessfully to get Campbell kicked out of the race.
In March, he filed a lawsuit that said Campbell didn't report $13,000, which her political committee supposedly dished out to pay her phone and insurance bills. A month later, McClure wrote letters to the district attorney, attorney general and the city's Board of Ethics, calling for an investigation. About the second set of allegations, stemming from $70,000 in unreported donations to her political consulting firm received in 2005, Campbell told the Daily News, "This is ridiculous. These are the same kind of things he accused me of when he tried to knock me off the ballot."
Savage
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Aument-Loughrey
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Sanchez
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Two community activists are challenging Councilman Daniel Savage, whose family has a notable political pedigree. Maria Quinones Sanchez and Marnie Aument-Loughrey both have (unsuccessful) election experience and are well-known in the diverse district that spans from North to Northeast Philly.
This became a high-profile race after former Councilman Rick Mariano was convicted on federal corruption charges. Ward leaders chose Savage, like Campbell.
Ask Savage about his brief term in office and he'll send off a rapid-fire list of initiatives and legislation he's introduced. A prime example, Savage said, was his hand in attracting BYOB/jazz house Mozaic to the 4500 block of Frankford Avenue. "I helped them in utilizing the tax abatement for that," he said, noting he's also helped improve recreation centers and wants to reduce the business privilege tax.But, he's no stranger to the political game. The candidate himself is the 23rd ward leader who supports U.S. Rep. Bob Brady; and his father, Tim Savage, is a federal judge who once led the same ward.
In the past few months, Sanchez has honed in on this history. During that time, she's become a strong candidate: Her support expands beyond the district's Latino base, picking up several endorsements (including Gov. Rendell's), campaigning door to door, and amassing about $100,000. Sanchez also boasts 20 years of community service in Latino neighborhood groups and get-out-the-vote efforts. (She lost to Mariano in 1999.)
She and Aument-Loughrey are campaigning on some of the same broad issues. Both have said they want to fight crime, improve education and renew the area for residents. "If we want to revitalize our neighborhoods, we have to assist renters to become homeowners," Sanchez said on her Web site.
Unlike the others, Aument-Loughrey said holding landlords responsible for properties has become a major issue. "There are private companies that own properties and are not taking care of them," she said. "Some owe back taxes, water and other bills, but ... the owners are still making money."
Aument-Loughrey narrowly lost a bid for state representative in 2000 against John Taylor. She claims more than 20 years of community service, and has worked with or held positions on education, business and neighborhood-related organizations. Her mother, Donna Aument, is the 33rd ward leader.
If the challengers agree on anything, it's that they both have more experience serving the district than Savage. Both have attacked his record, saying that Savage wasn't interested in constituent services until he landed a council seat.
"He's doing a job that he gets paid for now," Aument-Loughrey said. "But where as he before then? His dad got him the position, and he wants to be a councilman because his dad said he could."
Savage strongly counters, saying, "Danny Savage is someone who has earned the public trust."
Also In This Week's Cover Story Section
Can Philly Fix Itself?
Better Know an At-Large City Council Candidate
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