Tedi Kotori said the political system in his native Albania shaped his outlook on American government.
Kotori, now 32, and his family left the small town of Korce, Albania in 1999. He went on to attend Loesche Elementary School, Baldi Middle School and George Washington High School, ultimately graduating from Temple with a degree in economics and a master’s in business analytics.
Today, Kotori is looking to give back to a country that welcomed him and his family.
Kotori, a Bustleton resident, is running for the 172nd Legislative District seat as an independent.
“I’m independent minded,” said Kotori, registered as an independent since he was 18.
Kotori will not have to compete in the May 17 primary. He’ll need 300-plus signatures to gain a spot on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
Nonetheless, he has already started knocking on doors.
“Everybody who I’m talking to, they like that an independent is running,” he said.
The incumbent is Democratic Rep. Kevin Boyle. He faces a primary challenge from Bob Stewart, who was an aide to former state Sen. John Sabatina Jr.
The endorsed Republican candidate is former City Councilman Al Taubenberger.
Kotori, a manager in the advertising department at Amtrak, is working with Penn Solutions for his campaign. He plans to open a campaign office, and would like the chance to debate his opponents.
On the issues, he supports more affordable health care, counseling for opioid users, higher pay for Philadelphia public school teachers and a school curriculum that teaches everyday skills. He thinks the School District of Philadelphia needs more funding, and would favor entirely new campuses for aging schools, pointing to Solis-Cohen as an example.
“We can do anything we put our mind to,” he said.
More funding for extracurriculars such as sports and theater is important, he said, adding that arts should be included in classroom instruction.
“You might be preventing a Picasso from being discovered,” he said.
When Kotori attended Temple as an undergrad, he worked as a valet and barback and odd jobs such as in a scrap yard to pay for his tuition. He worked for Bank of America as he attended graduate school.
At the same time, he knows college debt can hurt young graduates as they look to buy a home and start a family, and is bad for the economy. He wants to pass a bill to ease the burden by forgiving some of the debt.
“Just don’t pay interest on the loan you take,” he said.
Kotori favors more worker protections and, if elected, would work to bring resources to the district to create jobs and build infrastructure. He’d vote for more gas and oil production to lower energy prices.
If he wins, he’ll see what is best for the district before deciding whether to caucus with either the Democrats or Republicans.
“I’ll work with everybody,” he said. ••
