Both Cherelle Parker and David Oh say that some Philly schools need to be demolished
Democrat Cherelle Parker and Republican David Oh discussed public safety, taxes, and schools during a one-hour debate hosted by KYW Newsradio.
Both candidates for Philadelphia mayor believe that some public schools need to be demolished and rebuilt, indicating they support the School District of Philadelphia’s years-old assessment that some facilities are in such poor shape that rehabilitating them would too costly.
That was one major point of agreement between Democrat Cherelle Parker and Republican David Oh, who participated Thursday in the only live debate scheduled ahead of the Nov. 7 election.
In addition to schools, the candidates — both former City Council members — agreed on several major issues, including that the city’s wage tax should be reduced and that the city should not support the opening of a supervised drug consumption site.
But the candidates disagreed on approaches to public safety, including recent comments Parker made indicating she will seek support from the National Guard to address the drug crisis in Kensington. And they debated the proposed 76ers arena in Center City, with Parker telling Oh that his opposition to the project amounts to a “knee-jerk reaction.”
While Oh wanted a series of televised debates, Parker agreed only to one radio debate, hosted by KYW Newsradio, and several town hall meeting-style events. The debate was largely civil, with neither candidate taking direct shots at the other, and it was unlikely to shake up a race in which Parker is widely expected to cruise to victory thanks to Philadelphia’s overwhelmingly Democratic electorate. At one point, Oh even acknowledged that Parker was “a good candidate.”
Parker emphasized her main advantage in the race in her opening statement — “I am a proud pro-labor, pro-union Democrat,” she said — and sought to separate herself from Oh throughout the debate by pointing to her legislative accomplishments and questioning what he has done on Council.
As one of a handful of Republicans in the body, Oh has rarely had a hand in crafting major legislation, but he pointed to several wins, including a tax break for businesses that employ veterans.
Oh avoided partisan talking points and cast his candidacy as a needed change for a city beset by stagnant politics.
”It’s time for change,” he said in his opening statement.
Crumbling buildings and year-round education dominate schools talk
During a conversation about the Philadelphia School District’s aging infrastructure, both candidates said that some schools will likely need to be demolished while emphasizing the importance of community input.
“It’s essential for right-sizing our district,” Parker said. “Some buildings need to be totally demolished and schools rebuilt [into] 21st-century, modern buildings.”
Oh added that it’s a matter of equity, saying, “We need to ensure that every one of our children has an equal level of facilities, curriculum, and resources to get a good quality education.”
While it’s notable that the candidates agreed on demolition as a remediation tactic, that’s not necessarily a new assessment. The School District in 2017 released a comprehensive assessment of its facilities that concluded a third of school buildings were “outside the sustainable funding range.”
That report is now six years old, and the district is in the process of conducting a new capital assessment. But it remains the case that remediating crumbling school buildings, some of which have been closed due to toxic hazards, could cost upward of $5 billion.
The mayor does not have direct control of School District operations but does appoint members to the nine-member school board. The mayor also plays a role in proposing about half of the district’s funding, because the district relies on a mix of city and state money.
Parker also expanded on her vision for year-round school, saying that “we have to deliver public education in a different way in the city” but adding that it would not be mandatory.
Oh disagreed with the approach, saying students, teachers and parents “do need time off.”
Parker clarifies National Guard comments
During a portion of the debate in which the candidates could ask one another a question, Oh asked Parker about a recent comment she made indicating that the National Guard “will be a part of the solution” in Kensington. Oh said he’s concerned about armed, uniformed military members interacting with residents, saying guardsmen are not trained in urban policing.
But Parker said it’s “myopic” to associate the National Guard with images of soldiers carrying long guns, and she pointed out that the Guard often engages in emergency response efforts, including providing medical support, delivering food, and protecting property.
Any mobilization of the National Guard would have to be authorized by Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has not indicated whether he would support deploying the Guard to city streets.
Both rehashed their positions on the Sixers arena, taxes, and Larry Krasner
The candidates both largely rehashed their positions on major issues.
On taxes: Both said they support cutting the wage tax, but differed on how they would replace the revenue. Parker reiterated her plan to seek state approval to tax commercial property owners at a higher rate than residential by changing the “uniformity clause” of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Oh said it’s unrealistic to expect the state will approve such a change to the uniformity clause. He did not offer a specific plan to replace the revenue lost from cutting the wage tax.
On the proposed Sixers arena: While Parker has not taken a firm position, she has spoken positively about the project. She said Thursday that it makes her “stomach churn” when she sees the Sixers practice facility in Camden, saying they “belong” in Philadelphia. Oh opposes the project, saying that the Sixers have not provided “a detailed plan” and that it would lead to “the end of Chinatown.” Parker said his opposition amounts to a “knee-jerk reaction” and that the city needs to fully consider economic development proposals.
On District Attorney Larry Krasner: Oh was deeply critical of Krasner, the city’s progressive district attorney, saying the DA’s Office has not adequately prosecuted low-level crimes. He said the District Attorney’s Office’s budget “will be tight.” But Parker largely refrained from criticizing Krasner, saying: “It’s sexy for some, salacious for others, to point fingers to talk about who is not doing what, but that’s not how I’ve gotten things done in my career.”
Oh flubs on injection sites
As the broadcast was wrapping up, the candidates were asked to identify a decision that current Mayor Jim Kenney made that they disagreed with.
Parker said she was disappointed when Kenney said he will “be happy” when he is no longer mayor, a statement made to reporters after two police officers were struck by bullets during a July 4 celebration last year.
» READ MORE: Philadelphia lawmakers vote to prohibit supervised injection sites in most of the city
Oh said what he disagreed with most was that Kenney “opened a heroin injection site without the consent of the community.” But no supervised drug consumption site has ever operated in Philadelphia.
After the debate, Oh said he was referring to early 2020, when Safehouse, a nonprofit, attempted to quietly open a facility in South Philadelphia — a move Kenney supported. There was strong opposition from residents and some elected officials, and the plans were scuttled.
“It was ready for opening,” Oh said. “I would call that opening.”
Staff writers Rob Tornoe and Nick Vadala contributed to this article.