Four Democrats vie to run in fastest-growing council district

It ain't easy being City Councilman Frank DiCicco, the deft South Philadelphia politician retiring in January after 16 years. But four Democrats will give it a try in the May 17 primary.

Running the First District, covering parts of South Philadelphia, Center City, Old City, and the river ward neighborhoods to the north, is no simple task.

"It's probably the most complex district in the city," said DiCicco, who opened up a rush to replace him in March when he announced he would not seek reelection. "It's the district where the most development has occurred and will continue to occur."

Four candidates jumped into the breach:

Vern Anastasio, 41, of Bella Vista, a lawyer and activist who has opposed DiCicco twice before.

Joe Grace, 52, of Port Richmond, a lawyer and gun-control advocate who was spokesman for Mayor John F. Street.

Jeff Hornstein, 44, of Queen Village, historian and labor organizer.

Mark Squilla, 48, of Whitman, a systems analyst for the state and Whitman neighborhood leader.

The First has the highest property value of any Council district; it includes some of Philadelphia's wealthiest neighborhoods, such as Center City, Northern Liberties, and Bella Vista.

It is the city's fastest-growing district, having increased by 10 percent, or 15,207 residents between 2000 and 2010. It now has more than 167,000 residents and will lose territory in redistricting this year because each of the city's 10 districts contains about 150,000 people.

And it has been one of the most corrupt; a congressman, two state senators, and two city councilmen from the First District have gone to prison for corruption over the last 35 years. Among them was powerful former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, DiCicco's mentor.

The list of headaches/challenges in the First is long, and DiCicco has wrestled with each: waterfront development, Market Street blight, property assessments, casinos, zoning battles.

During a Committee of Seventy forum in April, the candidates were asked to give examples of the good and the bad of DiCicco. The answers showed many facets of the politician they want to replace.

Anastasio, 41, credited DiCicco with revitalizing East Passyunk Avenue. Anastasio once opposed the creation of a business improvement district there. Now, East Passyunk is one of the city's hottest neighborhoods, and he's a convert.

He blasts DiCicco, however, for torturing the city's antiquated zoning law to facilitate development.

DiCicco is not shy about flexing legislative muscle to force neighborhood groups and developers to negotiate.

"You have to respect the opinions of everyone, but at some point, you're an elected official and have to make a decision - you will have to lead," DiCicco said. "You can't just say no because the constituents say no; you have to find a place which meets the needs of everyone."

Recently, DiCicco and Council altered zoning to allow a hotel and nightclub at Fourth and Race Streets in Old City over residents' objections. "I will never use that practice in zoning," Anastasio said.

Squilla, 48, also chided DiCicco for "spot zoning."

"When it didn't work out, he took the legislative way out," Squilla said.

Squilla lauded DiCicco for the 10-year tax abatement on new construction that helped revitalize the district.

DiCicco has led the way on other thorny subjects, including a move to full-value property assessments.

But he has also been a leader on zoning reform, pushing for creation of the Zoning Code Commission, which is rewriting city zoning code.

That endeavor is meant to clarify the law so Council members will not be forced to legislate zoning disputes; it should effectively reduce Council members' power.

Hornstein praised DiCicco for his zoning reform work, as well as for pushing the Penn Praxis waterfront plan.

The new councilman will have the fate of the city's Delaware River waterfront in his hands as chief steward of that plan.

"This race is all about economic development, and economic development on the waterfront is about to finally wake up," Hornstein wrote in his campaign announcement.

For Hornstein, economic development does not include casinos. He opposes them in general as part of the city's failed waterfront development strategy, which he called "50 years of sheer laziness." He faults DiCicco for supporting casinos anywhere (DiCicco does not oppose gambling but he opposed sites for the SugarHouse Casino, now operating, and Foxwoods Casino, still stalled).

Grace, 52, credited DiCicco as an "active district councilperson," but faulted him for his connection to the Fumo-linked nonprofit Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods. Fumo was sent to prison for 55 months for, in part, using Citizens' Alliance to benefit himself and his allies, including DiCicco.

DiCicco was never charged, and he denied any wrongdoing.

Despite their individual criticisms, none of the candidates is running against DiCicco or his record. Grace targeted DiCicco early and often for his participation in the controversial DROP program, and it had its effect.

DiCicco, who will receive nearly $425,000 from DROP plus a $90,000 annual pension, saw that he would have a tough election and likely legal challenge, and decided to leave office at age 65, merely a youngster by Council standards.

Recognizing a certain public enthusiasm for ethics, and having been directly involved with ethics and campaign-finance legislation under Street, Grace made reform his first priority. He advocates term limits, and pledges to introduce bills to end nepotism and outside employment for Council members.

Grace united cities across Pennsylvania in support of gun-control legislation with CeaseFirePA. He said he supported closing the so-called Florida loophole on concealed-weapons permits, and sentencing reforms to reduce the number of nonviolent offenders in prison.

Hornstein, whose union work has involved organizing the working poor, especially Center City janitors, is focused on the local economy and affordable housing. He would cut the city's net-profits tax as one of the "weird" ways Philadelphia treats its businesses and residents.

Hornstein favored a proposal last year that would have increased a tax on gross receipts while cutting the net-profits tax. He would take a fraction of the city's municipal pension fund, already invested in stocks, and invest in Philadelphia businesses.

Squilla wants to create jobs through waterfront development, particularly the proposed $450 million Southport project that would upgrade Philadelphia port facilities. As president of the Whitman Council, he has been directly involved in discussions on the development, at times butting heads with the Fumo faction that now supports him.

His opponents question Squilla's independence because of his backing by establishment powers DiCicco and John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, leader of the First Ward and head of the electricians union.

"When you have a broad coalition, with people we can't even keep in the same room together, that shows who can be a real leader," Squilla said.

Squilla would cut Council members' $117,000 base salaries by 10 percent, eliminate Council's cars, and set term limits.

Anastasio's chief economic platform is the development of vacant land. Anastasio, a former lawyer for the Redevelopment Authority, would create a database for all city-owned land and sell it to developers that offer the best plan for the land, not necessarily the highest price.

Anastasio would also hold Council hearings during the summer and open constituent service offices in neighborhoods. He supports term limits and a nepotism ban.

Vern Anastasio

Age: 41

Education: La Salle University, B.A., communications; Emerson College, M.A., communications; Widener University School of Law, J.D.

Family: Married, two young children.

Occupation: Lawyer, Anastasio Law Firm.

Website: www.vernanastasio.

com.

Joe Grace

Age: 52

Education: Pennsylvania State University, B.A., journalism; James Beasley School of Law of Temple University, J.D.

Family: Married, one daughter.

Occupation: Executive director, CeaseFirePA (resigned to run).

Website: www.electjoegrace.

com.

Jeff Hornstein

Age: 44

Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, B.S., political science; Univ. of Pennsylvania, M.A., political science; Univ. of Md., Ph.D., history.

Family: Married.

Occupation: On leave as organizer for Service Employees International Union.

Website: www.jeffhornstein.

org.

Mark Squilla

Age: 48

Education: La Salle University, B.A., computer science.

Family: Married, four children.

Occupation: Systems analyst, Pennsylvania Auditor General.

Website: www.squillaforcouncil.com.

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