Millbrook Civic Association last week hosted a candidates forum as part of its monthly meeting.
The civic association invited all candidates for mayor, City Council at large and in the 10th Councilmanic District.
Appearing at the forum were mayoral candidate David Oh, at-large candidates Jim Harrity, Jim Hasher and Drew Murray and Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th dist.).
Also addressing the crowd was Common Pleas Court Judge Anne Marie Coyle, a neighborhood resident who is up for retention in the Nov. 7 election.
Northeast Times editor Tom Waring was the moderator.
The candidates gave opening and closing statements and answered questions on topics such as crime, aging public school buildings, potholes, homeless encampments and illegal dirt bikes.
Oh, who attended the Greater Bustleton Civic League meeting before heading to Millbrook, noted Democrat Cherelle Parker’s absence.
“She believes that she has won this race,” he said.
Oh said the police department is short 1,300 officers, adding that he will hire a commissioner from Philadelphia.
O’Neill declared District Attorney Larry Krasner as “Public Enemy No. 1,” adding that he cares more about perpetrators than victims.
O’Neill also dismissed opponent Gary Masino’s claim that he could not attend the Millbrook forum because of a “scheduling conflict” by reading an email from Greater Bustleton Civic League president Jack O’Hara that said the Masino campaign – only a few hours before the Millbrook meeting – asked to be added to the Greater Bustleton agenda.
O’Neill said he has successfully fought for $4 million for police department recruiting and training, helping lead to the most recent Police Academy class made up of 93 recruits.
There are nine candidates for Council at large. Voters get five choices, and the top seven win.
Harrity, an incumbent who defeated Murray in a special election last year, and the other four Democrats are shoo-ins. Hasher and Murray are squaring off with two Working Families Party candidates for the other two seats.
The ballot will feature a ballot question, judicial retention votes and races for mayor; Council; Supreme, Superior, Commonwealth, Common Pleas and Municipal Courts; city controller; register of wills; sheriff; and city elections commissioner.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 23. You must be 18 by Nov. 7 to be able to vote.
Mail-in ballot applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 31.
To register, request a mail-in ballot or find your polling place, call 215-MU6-1590 or visit vote.phila.gov. ••
