Bob Brady

I am the only candidate who opposes an immediate full-value reassessment of all real estate in the city. Such a reassessment would cause undue hardship to longtime residents of a community, particularly seniors who live on fixed incomes. Philadelphia should not impose a tax system that unfairly burdens a segment of people who stand as the pillars of neighborhoods. Rather, I will work to create solutions for homeowners and a fair system of property taxation that rewards longtime homeowners.

I also will create an Office of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation. This office will work to marshal the resources of our city's different housing agencies for a single purpose: improve and preserve our neighborhoods.

Housing and redevelopment efforts should not be limited to a handful of neighborhoods. Philadelphia's government must work to revive main streets and commercial corridors throughout the city.

As mayor, I will work to improve the city's Basic Systems Repair Program. Longtime homeowners should have access to resources that allow them to preserve their assets. When homes are not properly maintained, they are ultimately abandoned, accelerating urban decay. As mayor, I will work to break the cycle of urban decay and allow Philadelphians to preserve their most precious asset: their homes.

I will work to maintain a fair tax structure, so our seniors and longtime residents aren't driven from their neighborhoods just as the blocks they call home begin to come back to life.