John White focuses on education, old-fashioned campaign values

Despite his low name recognition, former state and city official John White hopes to win his party's nod. John White is running his campaign the old-fashioned way. With low name recognition and less money than most of his rivals, the 49-year-old former Philadelphia Housing Authority director said he hopes voters will respond to the personal element he is trying to bring to the election by paying closer attention to the real problems plaguing Philadelphians --Einstead of issues like money and race that have often marred the road to City Hall. White, who has also served as a state representative, a City Council member and secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, said he believes candidates' emphasis on money and commercials has led to a drop-off in voter participation -- a trend he is trying to avoid with the use of small group gatherings and door-to-door campaigning. "The type of campaign we've been running, where we try to speak directly with voters as often as possible? we've tried to return to the more personalized way of communicating with people," White said in an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian last month. And even though he may not be able to afford a large-scale advertising blitz, he says his ideas and track record as a longtime public official should help make him successful. While the slate of candidates have taken differing stances on the best way to improve the city's fortunes, White believes that many of Philadelphia's problems stem from the troubled public education system. "I don't think that there's any issue more critical than public education," White said. "I think it is the underlying issue, it is the core issue that really supports solutions to the other issues that voters say are most important, namely crime and the economy." White explained that a solid public education system creates a competitive work force that leads to a drop in crime and an improvement in the economy. "Nothing cures crime like a job," White said. "Nothing brings economic viability and vitality to a community like a job." Believing that the next mayor must play a "more active role in education," White listed the establishment of "alternative" schools for disruptive students, reduction of class size and re-establishment of fiscal credibility and management of school districts as key aspects to target. White, who is one of three African-American candidates vying for the Democratic nomination on May 18, agreed with political analysts who have said that race could be a significant factor in this year's election. "The debate, the question is whether or not we're going to divide the African-American vote up to the point that someone who may be lesser qualified maybe lesser desired by the majority of Democratic voters is going to win and that's real concern," White said. "As a candidate, you have to rise above that." The topic of race rose to the forefront several weeks ago when a bogus World Wide Web site that claimed to be White's official campaign page was linked to an aide of fellow African-American candidate Dwight Evans. The site contained a racially inflammatory quote from a Spanish-language newspaper, which White says was taken out of context. Evans maintains that he had no prior knowledge of the Web site's creation. Although many political experts claim that outgoing Mayor Ed Rendell has failed to make a significant dent in areas like public education, White praised the two-term mayor and explained that the next leader of Philadelphia will have to build partly on Rendell's accomplishments. "You first of all have to preserve the most important legacy of the Rendell administration and that is fiscal prudence," White explained. "You have to continue to be a cheerleader for the City of Philadelphia and you have to continue to work towards improving the public image of the City of Philadelphia by attracting tourism and luring businesses into the city." But White warned of the dangers of simply trying to emulate Rendell's work. "If all you want to do [as mayor] is to maintain or to continue this legacy, I think you fall way short," White said. "We've got to find ways how to spread the prosperity that is clearly evident in Center City." Penn and Philadelphia's other higher education institutions will be critical to overall economic development, according to White. The challenge, in his view, is to make the city an attractive place for talented graduates to settle permanently. "I am committed to this City of Philadelphia and committed to making Philadelphia a good place for the students at the University of Pennsylvania and other universities to matriculate in, but also to live here, to work here and to become integral parts and contributing members of our community," White said.