Philadelphia Parking Authority names Kenney’s labor aide as new director

The Philadelphia Parking Authority has named Mayor Jim Kenney’s top labor official as its executive director, installing a prominent Democrat to a post that has been largely helmed by Republicans since they took control of the agency in 2004.

The PPA board on Monday voted unanimously to appoint Richard Lazer, Kenney’s deputy mayor of labor, to oversee the state-controlled parking authority.

“Rich Lazer has a deep skill set and expertise in workforce management and complex negotiations,” Beth Grossman, chair of the PPA board, said in a statement. “He also has a needed familiarity with Philadelphia and our diverse stakeholders. These two factors will allow him to help the board chart a new path for the Philadelphia Parking Authority while managing our many operations and large workforce.”

The seat has sat vacant for eight months since the PPA board abruptly ousted former executive director Scott Petri in March amid a flurry of financial blunders at the agency — from a controversial debt with the school district to a misbegotten development project.

In a statement, Lazer broadly spoke to the need for the city to expand its transit options beyond private automobiles as the economy struggles to bounce back from the pandemic.

“It should be easier to park and safer to walk, bike, or travel our streets by vehicles, from cars to taxis to buses,” he said. “I understand and appreciate the complexity of our transportation system, and I know that all of these agencies must work together to benefit Philadelphians.”

Lazer’s hiring came after what the PPA described as a national search for a new leader. The agency hired a recruitment firm, which fielded 50 applicants. A dozen candidates were interviewed, the authority said in a statement.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia Parking Authority abruptly ousts executive director Scott Petri

Lazer, 37, is one of Kenney’s longtime allies and has spent more than 15 years in city government. A South Philly native, he got his start as an intern while studying at La Salle University, and later landed a job as an aide for then-Councilmember Kenney. He segued into the administration after working for his boss’ mayoral campaign in 2015.

After an unsuccessful run for congress in 2018, Lazer returned to City Hall and bolstered his reputation as the city’s top labor negotiator, brokering contracts with the city’s largest municipal unions, from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 to District Council 33. He also oversaw the implementation of the city’s permanent labor office, which enforces a growing raft of labor protections for workers within the city limits.

“During his time in our administration, he has successfully helped negotiate contracts for all of the city’s major labor unions, spearheaded the City’s first-ever and now permanent Department of Labor, and helped support the workforce during some of the biggest challenges in modern history — including a once-in-a-century global pandemic,” Kenney said in a statement.

Reached by phone, Lazer would not elaborate on his long-term vision for the parking authority, but said that he would focus on strengthening relationships with the PPA’s partners and improving the agency’s reputation.

“I think we should be strengthening their relationship with the school district, with the city, with SEPTA,” Lazer said. “If we’re all going in the same direction, it’s the city’s benefit.”

Under state law, the PPA is obliged to give the majority of its on-street parking revenue to the city each year, with the remainder going to the school district.

It was not immediately clear who would take Lazer’s role as the mayor’s top labor official. The Kenney administration said it would appoint a successor before Lazer’s last day on Nov. 30.

» READ MORE: The Philadelphia Parking Authority sank millions into a new towing headquarters. Now it’s vacant.