District 8 City Council candidates take on the issues, in their own words

Posted 5/11/23

Answers from Cindy Bass and Seth Anderson-Oberman

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

District 8 City Council candidates take on the issues, in their own words

Posted

 What is one life experience you think voters should know about?

Cindy Bass: My service as president of East Mt. Airy Neighbors was one of my most rewarding experiences ever. It was then and is now truly an honor to serve the people. But it wasn’t just about service, it was about learning and leadership, which doesn’t just happen. It happens by talking to neighbors, being involved and engaged in the community, knowing people by their first names, understanding what makes them tick, and knowing how to get them to engage in the community. The lessons I learned during my tenure as president of East Mt. Airy Neighbors have benefited me throughout my career.

Seth Anderson-Oberman: I’ve been a union organizer for 24 years, helping thousands of workers build power in their workplaces – for good wages, healthcare, paid time off and a voice at work. Now, I am excited to help the working people of our communities build power and win a strong voice for the things we need – deeply affordable housing, community-led development, fully-funded and resourced public schools, urgent action around climate change and a holistic public health approach to the epidemic of violence facing our city and neighborhoods.

What would be your top three policy priorities in office?

 Bass:

  1. Repairing the city's property reassessment process to prevent unexpected property tax increases so that more residents can afford to stay in their homes, thereby stabilizing neighborhoods.
  2. Implementing more effective intervention and prevention strategies to decrease gun violence, and increasing mental health and emotional supports for families suffering from the resulting trauma.
  3. Attacking trash dumping and blight by dedicating more tools to police illegal dumping. I also support the expansion of the street sweeping program, as well as all other initiatives that currently address littering and illegal dumping. 

Anderson-Oberman:

  1. First, we must preserve the racial and economic diversity of our neighborhoods. I’d use every tool available to expand deeply affordable housing and low-cost loan assistance so homeowners stay in their homes. 
  2. Fight for the public schools our children deserve – funding to renovate and green our buildings, recruit and retain teachers and staff, reduce class sizes and support more neighborhood schools that become resource hubs for the community. 
  3. A comprehensive public health approach to violent crime that addresses generations of disinvestment in poor and working-class communities by focusing on reducing poverty and expanding mental health services. 

What sets you apart from other candidates?

Bass: I'm best known for my fierce tenacity. When I believe in something that I know will benefit my constituents, and all Philadelphians, I don't back down. That's why, when my district didn’t receive its fair share of REBUILD program dollars to renovate parks, libraries and rec centers, I didn’t give up until I secured more funding and my constituents got what they deserved.

Anderson-Oberman: I wholeheartedly reject the cynical ‘pay to play’ politics that have dominated our city for far too long. I have a deep and abiding love for the working people of our district and will fight with them, and for them, for everything we deserve. I believe politics is something we do together and I know that when we stand together we can win and change lives.

How do you plan to work across ideological lines to achieve shared goals?

Bass: From the time I was elected in 2012 until my current term, I've repeatedly found common ground with colleagues with whom I have differences. I co-chaired a special committee on child separation with Councilman David Oh. We were able to lead the committee together, agree on goals, and collaborate on a report that exposed the unacceptable performance of Community Umbrella Agencies. We also proposed recommendations for improvement in an effort to protect Philadelphia's children.

I've also supported the legislation of colleagues whose ideologies were not 100 percent aligned with mine because I was able to overlook our differences and recognize their legislation's merit. Should I be fortunate enough to be able to represent the 8th District, I plan to continue my collaborative approach.

Anderson-Oberman: I have spent my career bringing people together across ideological lines to fight for the needs of working people. I know how to build effective coalitions toward achieving shared goals. This is the exact experience our district needs on council. 

Despite the city's pledge to reduce traffic deaths to zero by 2030, more than 120 people died on city streets in 2022. What will you do to reduce traffic deaths?

Bass: I would seek to install more speed cameras throughout the city and collaborate with state officials on speed-calming measures.

Anderson-Oberman: No one should have to fight tooth and nail to earn basic safety measures that could save lives, and no part of our district should experience disproportionate rates of traffic deaths or accidents. These are policy decisions.

As a community, we have to have a serious conversation about our city's car dependency problem.

With investment in alternative transportation, ranging from expanded SEPTA service, protected bike lanes, and tax credits for carpooling, we can bring down the car congestion that drives these traffic deaths.

How will your office work to accomplish place-based interventions like greening vacant lots, repairing abandoned homes, and planting street trees – which are linked to a reduction in violent crime, illegal dumping, and rates of depression – in historically-disinvested neighborhoods?

Bass: I will work with neighborhoods and community organizations to identify vacant lots and abandoned houses and provide resources to support their projects. I will collaborate with BIPOC developers on real estate projects that take a holistic approach to development by transforming underutilized land and abandoned property into assets that contribute to improved health, wellness and ownership opportunities for residents instead of displacing them. I will continue to support the Philly Tree Program. 

Anderson-Oberman: I would require the land bank to prioritize low-income and cooperatively owned developers, including land trusts, when selling city-owned property.

Many of our vacant lots are prime locations for mixed-use development, which can simultaneously intervene in our crises of housing affordability and community sustainability.

I imagine a future where every community is built on a small business infrastructure, where basic necessities like groceries and family doctor's offices, parks, and libraries are just a walk down the block. Part of building back our communities will require rebuilding our tax base without placing additional strain on homeowners; building incentives for local development will be essential to tackling all of these intersecting issues.

Philadelphia suffers from both littering and illegal dumping – and inadequate government response. What would you do to solve this issue?

Bass: I will continue to support efforts to police illegal dumping, which includes creating a task force to help with the enforcement and monitoring of cameras. I would also support the expansion of the street sweeping program, as well as all other initiatives that currently address littering and illegal dumping. 

Anderson-Oberman: Illegal dumping and littering have been a massive problem in our district for over a decade, and in some areas has worsened significantly. Our City Council office can be doing more to respond to constituent calls for trash clean-up and illegal dumping enforcement. I will actively search for innovative solutions to illegal dumping, and consider effective measures instituted across the country. 

Though I support using cameras where effective, I do not believe that cameras are a long-term solution to issues facing our neighborhoods. We need to tackle this crisis by tackling the root causes of littering while crafting policy that moves us towards a trash-free Philadelphia.

The city has struggled with staffing, which has resulted in reduced hours at libraries, pools, and recreation centers. How would you ensure consistent and convenient hours for these facilities?

Bass: As chair of Parks and Recreation, I will continue to support increased funding for libraries, pools, and recreation centers. I will work with state and federal officials to bring in new sources of public and private funding.

Anderson-Oberman: I support allocating funding to fully staff our centers of growth, rec centers, pools and libraries seven days a week. We also need funding to make much-needed repairs in these buildings, so they can be supportive and safe environments for staff and the public. 

Philly is a union town and we must be working alongside our labor unions in problem-solving staffing concerns by setting standards for wage equity, workplace safety, and health benefits. It should be a priority of our city's budget to set salaries in the social services at a premium so that these critical roles never have a shortage of qualified, passionate applicants. I will be a fierce advocate for these critical and essential measures.

How would you make sure that SEPTA rebuilds its ridership post-pandemic?

Bass: I would start by supporting increased safety measures. I would increase the cleaning of stations as well as vehicles. I would support greater train frequency and reliability of service. I would also want to explore expanding the Septa Key Advantage program, as well as fare discounts for riders through low-income reduced fare programming.

Anderson-Oberman: I fundamentally believe public transportation should be free and I will support measures that move in this direction. This includes fare capping, eliminating transfer fees, and integrating the regional rail system with bus and subway lines. 

The safety of our transit system is also a major concern. Creating a safer SEPTA system must come from increased investment in approaches to public safety that are community-rooted, non-carceral and centered on meeting residents’ basic needs. 

This could be social services for people who use SEPTA stations as shelter, and non-police crisis intervention for mental health crises, an approach that has worked in other cities. 

The housing affordability crisis hits renters harder than owners. According to some estimates, the city needs about 70,000 affordable rental units to meet demand. How will you address this shortage?

Bass: I would support and enhance the affordable housing initiatives that are already in place. That would include expanding our property tax relief programs and housing choice voucher programs. I would expand funding and income requirements for the housing trust fund. I would support the expansion of the Shallow Rent program, and remove the requirement for council approval for affordable housing that is built on any publicly owned parcel of land. 

Anderson-Oberman: First, I support defining “affordable" as no more than 40% of the current poverty level for a family of four in a given neighborhood. I will work with state and federal legislatures to modernize public housing and practices; fight for comprehensive rent and mortgage relief that addresses historic inequity; increase funding for preserving and renovating existing affordable housing to expand deeply affordable housing, fully fund legal aid to meet the Right to Counsel requirement for all evictions, expand Housing First funding for persons experiencing homelessness, invest in home repair, weatherization, and housing efficiency to improve green infrastructure and keep folks in their homes.

Record low housing supply has pushed up home prices, closing off the possibility of home ownership to many first-time homebuyers. The median home value in the Philadelphia metropolitan area has reached $320,000, increasing $100,000 from five years ago. How can we keep neighborhoods affordable and sustainable as Philadelphia sees more growth and development?

Bass: There are currently two existing city programs that should be better advertised and better utilized by City residents. 

These programs are the homestead exemption and the LOOP program. The city is also making a significant investment into the Philadelphia Housing Development Corp. (PHDC) Turn the Key Program – which I support, to assist first-time homebuyers.

I would also support increased access to free or low-cost estate planning for residents who need help with tangled titles. These are just a few concepts that will keep our neighborhoods affordable and sustainable. 

I also propose that going forward, in light of the existing housing crisis in Philadelphia, the city has a minimum advertising requirement for these programs. 

Anderson-Oberman: Rising home prices can be both a curse and a blessing. For middle and high-income households, homeownership is often a method of intergenerational wealth transfer, where homes can be sold for a profit or as low-cost housing for second-generation occupants. But low-income homeowners – many who count on leaving their homes to their children – are rapidly priced out of their own homes by rising property taxes.

We should be prepared to stand with those on low and fixed incomes and have a progressive tax not only indexed to property value but also to income. Under our district's current leadership, we have given new development – only accessible to the wealthiest among us - a free ride. But that free ride costs our community, and plays out as underfunded community centers, libraries, and social services.

Where do you stand on term limits and councilmanic prerogative?

Bass: These are both very important issues and really speak to my relationship with my constituents. If you support and follow the lead of the people, then the answer to both of these questions is that it is paramount to be directed by and responsive to those that we serve. 

Thus, regarding term limits, I support the term limits that each individual voter deems appropriate. The power always has and always should lie in the hands of the voters to determine who their representative will be and for what length of time. Anything else takes the authority away from the voters, which is unacceptable.

Regarding councilmanic prerogative, within the 8th District, we follow the lead of our constituents. It is their interest and direction that drives decisions related to councilmanic prerogative. In the 8th, this is a tool that is used to ensure control for local residents and a significant say regarding the direction and future of the community. The idea that elected officials from other parts of Philadelphia, who are not familiar with our neighborhoods, communities or even our issues should have a significant say in the direction of our community is unacceptable to our neighbors and the people who have worked to build up these blocks for generations. Maintaining councilmanic prerogative is maintaining community control.

Anderson-Oberman: I think term limits take a democratic power away from the people, though I understand why voters seek to get entrenched incumbents who work against the interests of the people out of office. This is especially true when one considers the corrupting influence of money on politics. 

Same for councilmanic prerogative. In the hands of a thoughtful council member who’s committed to reversing generations of racist and anti-working class zoning and development practices, councilmanic prerogative could be a powerful tool. It can also be used for personal gain to procure favors and kickbacks.

The best approach may be to fight for transparency, with accountability measures built in. But I would rather end councilmanic prerogative than allow its ongoing abuse. 

If re-elected/elected, what three things would you most want to accomplish in the next four years?

Bass: Once elected back to the 8th Council District, I would like to continue some of the work that I’ve started, such as fighting against nuisance businesses in many of our communities, which have a detrimental effect on the quality of life for the entire community. We started our work on “Stop and Go” businesses and other nuisance businesses in 2016 and 2017, but the fight continues. These businesses support addictive behavior with the selling of drug paraphernalia, shots of alcohol, and cans of beer. They function like illegal bars and need to be curtailed. 

Another thing that I would like to do is continue my work to eradicate illegal dumping, which is another quality of life issue. I will be a strong advocate for the Streets Department having the resources they need to pick up trash and keep our neighborhoods clean. This is extremely important to our residents and the positive perception of our city. It is also critical that we minimize the negative impact on our environment.

Finally, the biggest issue we face right now is crime and violence. People do not feel safe leaving their homes. I support providing additional resources to the Philadelphia Police Department to invest in the tools and programs that have been proven to be effective. For example, community relationship officers, updated technology, and more homicide detectives.

Anderson-Oberman:

  1. Lead the city with innovative approaches to the housing crisis that centers the most vulnerable in planning and development. 
  2. Change the city-wide discussion around safety and crime. We need a holistic and multi-layered approach to public safety that brings desperately needed resources into communities with the highest rates of crime, targets efforts at poverty reduction and treats violence as a community health crisis. 
  3. Make serious progress on low wages, poorly funded schools, and lack of access to healthcare. We must unify around the district's core priorities and build out a plan to win. 

What would you do to change the trajectory of the housing crisis in the 8th District? What agency or program would you start with and why?

Bass: Changing the trajectory of the housing crisis in our city requires an acknowledgment that we have the ultimate responsibility of providing affordable housing for residents. Requiring a developer to include affordable housing units in their project may be part of the answer, but more is needed. We need a more comprehensive strategy. We can accomplish this by using the surplus funds available at the end of our budget cycle, which have been available for the last ten years.

I will also work with the office of planning and development to put together a comprehensive strategy to address the spectrum of housing needs in the 8th District, which ranges from adequate housing for low-income residents, affordable rental housing, stabilizing home ownership, and assisting residents to age in place. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but by working through my office and the office of planning and development, we have the opportunity to create partnerships between private developers, nonprofits, public agencies, and community stakeholders to tailor the best solutions for each neighborhood.

Anderson-Oberman: The first thing I would do is engage the community around their housing experiences and seek to pull solutions from those discussions that invest community activists and leaders in the fightback process. To start, I would support immediately ending the 10-year tax abatements going to developers, which place a disproportionate tax burden on working people in our city and rob our schools of the resources they deserve. I would support the redefinition of affordable housing in our district as a result of a comprehensive housing analysis and work at the neighborhood level to identify solutions that increase the quantity of – and access to – quality, affordable and safe housing for residents. 

How do you plan to help keep longtime homeowners from being forced out of their homes?

Bass: There are currently two existing city programs that should be better advertised and utilized by City residents. These programs are the homestead exemption and the LOOP program. The city is also making a significant investment into the PHDC Turn the Key Program, which I support, to assist first-time homebuyers.

I would also support increased access to free or low-cost estate planning for residents who need help with tangled titles. These are just a few concepts that will keep our neighborhoods affordable and sustainable. I also propose that going forward, in light of the existing housing crisis in Philadelphia, the city has a minimum advertising requirement for these programs. 

Anderson-Oberman: We need to expand support for city, state and federal programs that provide assistance to homeowners who can't afford expensive repairs.

We could look at creating some targeted grants and programs for property owners who live in zip codes experiencing the highest increases to housing costs.

We could also support the creation of neighborhood-based options like worker-owned co-ops that train members of the community, including returning citizens, to do the needed home repairs in our neighborhoods at below market rate - while still paying very healthy wages.

A win-win, this would keep the work and dollars in our community and provide reliable and affordable services for property owners who struggle to afford repairs.

Do you support Good Cause and/or rent control legislation? If not, what do you offer as an alternative?

Bass: I support our current version of Good Cause evictions. I support this legislation, because at a time when rent and securing housing have both been extremely challenging, families are easily displaced, and the possibility of homelessness is a reality for many. We must do as much as possible to support those who are currently housed and avoid displacement at all costs. I do not support rent control because I know that there are hundreds of small mom-and-pop landlords in Philadelphia that cannot absorb the cost of rent control and themselves are on the margins.  

Anderson-Oberman: Yes, I believe these are important measures to protect renters. I would support legislation that targets corporate landlords and caps yearly rent increases at the rate of inflation. Coupled with building the new deeply affordable housing we need and other measures to help keep existing homeowners in their homes, we can make sure we’re growing together and building sustainable communities that remain affordable for working families. As rent control is a ways away from passing, I will initially prioritize low-hanging fruit that improves renters’ lives through some of the solutions we have broader agreement around in City Council while we do longer-term coalition building for rent stabilization legislation. 

Would you support legislation that would require affordable units in market-rate developments, with “affordable” defined as no more than 40% of the average household income in that particular ward?

Bass: The needs in our neighborhoods vary. I want to make sure that the city’s housing policies are flexible enough that they are tailored to the specific needs of a specific community to ensure that long-term residents are not displaced, have housing options, and that we are providing quality housing for our low-income families as well as our working families.

Anderson-Oberman: Absolutely! 

How will you advocate for the needs of our public schools?

Bass: I have been a vocal advocate for our schools and will continue to be. I will continue to maintain strong relationships with the families and the staff at each school in my district. Second, as has been my practice, I will continue to maintain a strong working relationship with the Central Office to stay up-to-date with the policies and to advocate for the needs of the schools in my district. It was through my communication with then superintendent, Dr. William Hite, that I was able to push for the closure of T.M. Peirce Elementary School in North Philadelphia after lead and asbestos were discovered, leading to the construction of a new school facility. Third, my colleagues and I have secured a record-setting level of city investment in our schools. I will remain an advocate for investing in counselors, nurses, clean facilities, and school safety. And finally, I will join my State colleagues in seeking to secure fair funding from Harrisburg.

Anderson-Oberman: Advocate for the full remediation of lead, asbestos and other toxins from our buildings, retrofit them to transition to fossil-free green infrastructure, support the hiring and retention of BIPOC educators, and show up in every fight for protecting our public schools in the 8th District.

I commit to working with local, state and federal officials to secure fair funding and needed resourcing for our schools, including fully-staffed libraries and recreation centers seven days a week. I also support a guaranteed living wage for every employee of my school district.

How will you support traffic calming measures?

Bass: I have already supported traffic calming measures for many years, including working closely with the Streets Department, providing additional resources of between $3 and $5 million for traffic calming measures through vehicle registration fees. I will continue to support these efforts and others by providing additional resources and seeking an increase in the city’s share of these registration fees. Furthermore, I strongly support bike lanes, delineators, striping, stop signs and traffic signals and have throughout my council tenure.

Anderson-Oberman: We need a proactive and comprehensive approach to traffic safety that aligns with the city plan to cut traffic fatalities in half by 2030. That means studying accident patterns. It means daylight intersections with bollards, posts and planters; more neighborhood slow zones around schools, parks, libraries and rec centers and responding to calls for increased road safety in all areas of the district.

It also means a network of protected bike lanes throughout the Northwest that connects parks, green spaces and commuter routes into Center City.  

Enroll all city workers in the SEPTA Key card program and reduce fares for low-income workers to boost SEPTA ridership and reduce traffic. 

What will you do to improve communication between neighbors and developers around new development in our communities?

Bass: As has been my practice, I will continue to convene meetings between the developers, RCOs, and other community stakeholders to review and evaluate proposed projects. It is often a challenging but necessary process, but as is my practice, I make sure the community’s voice is respected.

Anderson-Oberman: We have seen more than a decade of intensifying divisions in the 8th District and that has led to worsening of public health crises, and unfettered development with no meaningful community input.

Communities disintegrate when folks are priced out of their homes, when police are the only people to call when a neighbor is having a mental health crisis, and when parents have to work two or more jobs to keep a roof over their children's heads. By investing in our essential social service infrastructure, building pathways to meaningful long-term employment and prioritizing parks and recreation we can build systems of communication that improve our well-being.