Patty-Pat Kozlowski, who is running for state representative in the 177th district, introduced herself to Northwood residents Oct. 16 during the neighborhood’s civic association meeting.
Patty-Pat Kozlowski, the Republican candidate in the 177th Legislative District, introduced herself to residents at the Oct. 16 Northwood Civic Association meeting.
Kozlowski, a Bridesburg resident, painted herself as a straight-talking candidate who plans to take a tough stance on the opioid epidemic. She said Northwood is dealing with some of the same quality-of-life issues she sees in the River Wards.
“Sitting in the back there, I thought, all you have to do is change the street names and this is my Port Richmond civic meeting,” Kozlowski said. “We have the abandoned houses. We have the boats.”
Earlier in the meeting, residents discussed abandoned properties and a boat parked on the street.
Kozlowski also addressed a controversy from June, when she was criticized by drug recovery advocates for using the word “junkie” in a Facebook post. She recounted the story, which included her chasing a drug dealer from her block with a baseball bat and calling a heroin user a “junkie.”
“My head blew off,” Kozlowski said. “I was protecting my home and my family.”
“I was very passionate about it,” she added. “I was fed up because we deserve better. I don’t like this kind of quality of life.”
Kozlowski said she has since received death threats and online harassment from people who did not like the post.
She also discussed a plan to fund drug recovery treatment with a 1 percent tax on online sports bets. Reports indicate online sports books could launch in Pennsylvania in the coming months.
Kozlowski said the opioid epidemic has led to an increase in thefts, prostitution and other crimes in the River Wards. She said she wants to help people struggling with drug problems but won’t put up with the crime and other disturbances. At one point during the meeting, Kozlowski suggested mandatory treatment for people addicted to opioids.
“You’re not going to keep robbing me,” she said. “You’re not going to keep breaking into our cars. My mom and dad are on their third patio set.”
She said she is against injection sites.
Kozlowski’s right arm was bandaged and in a sling during the meeting. Earlier this month, a dog bit her hand while she was knocking on doors in Bridesburg. She said she spent five days in the hospital
“They were afraid I was going to lose my fingers” due to an infection, Kozlowski said.
Kozlowski is running against Democratic candidate Joe Hohenstein to fill seat of state Rep. John Taylor, who is retiring.
In other news from the Oct. 16 meeting, Northwood Civic Association president Joe Krause said an abandoned house at 1301 Wakeling St. is under contract. The sale is set to be finalized next month.
Krause said he does not know who is purchasing the property, which is situated on a triangle-shaped lot near Frankford High School. It will operate either as a single-family home or maybe a doctor’s office or other small business, according to Krause.
The civic association will now turn its attention to trying to get another bank-owned property, at 1025 Harrison St., sold, Krause said.
He said keeping control of abandoned properties in the neighborhood is really one of the focuses of the civic association.
The Northwood Civic Association’s next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Simpson Recreation Center, 1010 Arrott St. ••
Jack Tomczuk can be reached at jtomczuk@newspapermediagroup.com
