The Holme Circle Civic Association last week welcomed 33 candidates and representatives of two other candidates.
Candidates were given three minutes to speak.
Here is a breakdown of who attended:
Mayor: Alan Butkovitz, a former city controller from Castor Gardens, faulted Mayor Jim Kenney for pursuing an ideological political agenda. He is concerned about Philadelphia’s rising homicide rate, noting that even crime-ridden Camden has seen a decrease in murders.
Republican mayoral candidate Billy Ciancaglini opposes Philadelphia’s sanctuary city policy. “Come here the right way,” he said, adding that he will end the policy on his first day in office. A night earlier, he attended an FOP Lodge 5 rally for Maureen Faulkner, widow of police officer Daniel Faulkner, shot to death in 1981 by Mumia Abu-Jamal.
6th Councilmanic District: Republican Pete Smith attended St. Leo, Father Judge and the Wharton School. He’s a block captain and former president of the Tacony Civic Association, supports term limits and opposes safe injection sites, the beverage tax and sanctuary cities.
Councilman Bobby Henon, the majority leader, has supported legislation to combat squatters and absentee landlords, has voted for more funding for the police and fire departments, and wants revenue-neutral property tax assessments. On May 9, at 11 a.m., he will help dedicate a portion of Holme Avenue in memory of fallen police officer Timothy Simpson.
Council at large: Addressing the crowd were Republican Councilmen David Oh and Al Taubenberger and challengers Bill Heeney, Matt Wolfe, Irina Goldstein and Drew Murray.
Democrats in attendance were challengers Vinny Black, Joe Diorio, Mark Ross and Latrice Bryant. Diorio said he would work to end the practice of mailing Philadelphia Gas Works bills to Newark, New Jersey.
Election commissioner: Chairwoman Lisa Deeley, a longtime Rhawnhurst resident now living at Bakers Bay, described herself as a “Northeast girl” who is the only citywide elected Democrat from the Northeast. She went to Resurrection of Our Lord and St. Hubert, is former president of Northeast Victim Service and is a longtime board member of Rhawnhurst Athletic Association. She approved a raise for election day poll workers.
Other Democratic candidates for commissioner who spoke were Warren Bloom and Dennis Lee. Bloom, making his third bid for commissioner, wants to pay kids age 8-18 for working at the polls.
Allison Garrett, campaign manager for Marwan Kreidie, spoke on his behalf.
Register of Wills: Democrat Jacque Whaumbush, an Abraham Lincoln graduate challenging incumbent Ron Donatucci in the primary, said Donatucci (elected in 1979) has been in office too long and still hasn’t made an impression with the public.
“You can’t point him out,” Whaumbush told the crowd.
Donatucci said his office does not have voicemail and that employees identify themselves to callers by their first name. He said the office does not have an overtime budget and is open Wednesday nights for marriage licenses. He is the only lawyer in the race.
Sheriff: Larry King and Malika Rahman, both former deputy sheriffs, stated their cases for replacing Sheriff Jewell Williams.
Municipal Court: David Conroy told the crowd he has the endorsement of the Democratic City Committee.
Common Pleas Court: Candidates who appeared were Gregory Weyer, Nicola Serianni, Chris Hall, Kendra McCrae, Terri Booker, Vicki Markovitz, Jennifer Schultz, Wendi Barish, Craig Levin, Cateria McBride and Jim Berardinelli.
Brian McCann, Republican leader of the 57th Ward, spoke for former prosecutor Beth Grossman, who is running on the GOP and Democratic tickets for Common Pleas Court. McCann asked civic members how many of them remember Grossman from her 2017 campaign for district attorney against Larry Krasner, and almost everyone raised their hand.
In other news, state Rep. Ed Neilson will sponsor a shredding event on Saturday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. Jerome School parking lot, 3031 Stamford St. Call 215-330-3714. ••
