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Milton Street: I'm running for mayor in 2015

T. Milton Street Sr., the 73-year-old former state legislator who served time in federal prison for unpaid taxes, says he will run for mayor in 2015.

T. Milton Street Sr., the 73-year-old former state legislator who served time in federal prison for unpaid taxes, says he will run for mayor in 2015.

Street, who took 24 percent of the vote in the 2011 Democratic primary election for mayor, announced his candidacy in a 200-word Facebook post Sunday. Street was very critical in that post of state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, who is also expected to be a candidate for mayor next year.

Street said he was "seriously considering supporting" Williams but decided he "would be a disaster for the Black Community."  Street took issue with the $5 million the trio of founders of Susquehanna International Group invested in Williams' 2011 run for governor due to his positions on charter schools and other education issues.

Street, brother of former Mayor John Street, could wind up being very good news for City Controller Alan Butkovitz, another Democrat expected to run for mayor next year.

Street, who is African-American, did better in the five predominantly African-American wards in North Philly in 2011 than he did in other parts of the city.  He could draw votes there from Williams, also an African-American, and benefit Butkovitz, who is white.

Street, who raised very little money for his 2011 race, said he hasn't spoken to any elected or Democratic Party officials about his plans.

"Why should I talk to them to be rejected?" Street asked. "I've been to prison. I owed taxes."

Street spent 26 months in federal prison and then a halfway house for not paying taxes on $3 million in income from 2002 to 2004.  Philadelphia and New Jersey also have claims against him for unpaid taxes.  In all, he owed $1,141,741 in back taxes, according to the claims filed against him.

Street says he is still paying the court-ordered $100 per month toward his original $413,704 federal tax bill.  He said he has not paid anything to Philadelphia or New Jersey.