Fernandez brings energy to race

The former City Council member brings enthusiasm to this year's mayoral race. Like many of her opponents in this year's mayoral election, Happy Fernandez is anxious to tackle issues like crime and education which continue to plague the city of Philadelphia. But with her boundless energy and enthusiasm, the former City Council member hopes to distinguish herself from the rest of the field and claim the Democratic nomination on May 18. While outgoing Mayor Ed Rendell has revived a once-ailing Philadelphia with keen fiscal sense and shrewd policy-making, an additional source of his success over the last seven years has been his role as the city's number one cheerleader and spokesperson, helping to restore a "can-do" mentality for many citizens. The 59-year-old Fernandez says she is ready to grab the baton from the outgoing mayor and keep running in stride. "[Rendell's administration] has been great for the city," Fernandez said in an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian several weeks ago. "And so I think yes, it's difficult to follow a good mayor. But in many ways it's great to have this sense of momentum and hope back alive in the city and I feel I'm the one who's best qualified to carry that positive, upbeat, energetic and forward-looking kind of leadership." Still, Fernandez has an uphill battle ahead of her. Polls have shown her consistently lagging far behind frontrunner John Street, her former colleague on City Council, and political insider Marty Weinberg, who has recently unleashed a torrent of television advertising that pushed him into second place. Describing herself as a "practical visionary," Fernandez explained that her broad view and ability to see the big picture would serve her well as Philadelphia's next mayor. "I think I follow my gut," Fernandez said. "I can look and see what needs to get done. So I know how to take big ideas and turn them into very practical results that make a difference in people's lives." In order to improve public safety -- frequently regarded as Philadelphia's most critical issue by both the electorate and the candidates -- Fernandez plans to aggressively pursue drug dealers and implement bike and foot patrols in every city neighborhood. She highlighted youth crime as an especially troubling area of public safety, but one which is preventable. "One of the best antidotes to juvenile crime is to have after-school programs in every neighborhood for children of working families? because if kids aren't kept busy, they're bound to get in trouble," Fernandez noted. "So after-school programs are a way to keep kids out of trouble to prevent crime, but also to give children in the city a chance to develop some of their talents." Quick to cite the public education background of her three sons, Fernandez calls the troubled Philadelphia public school system an "avenue and ladder for opportunity." Fernandez says she unquestionably wants to become the city's educational leader and her ideas to improve schools range from additional state funding to summer school programs. "The bottom line is, as mayor, I will take responsibility," she said. "I want to be held accountable for public schools." Fernandez said that if elected, she would propose an amendment to the city charter that would enable Philadelphia's chief executive to appoint all nine members of the school board. But primary and secondary schools are not the only components of Fernandez's educational vision. The lifelong West Philadelphia resident -- who has a Penn master's degree -- said that the University and other area colleges must play even bigger roles as the city enters the new millennium. "I've deeply invested in University City and I'm also well aware that Penn is the single largest private employer in our city," said Fernandez, who wants to use city resources to market Philadelphia as "the education center of the country." Of the six major candidates in this year's election, Fernandez is the only woman -- a fact that Fernandez said she thinks may prove to be an advantage. "I think it's a good time to be a woman in politics," Fernandez said. "Many people want a fresh approach. They're tired of the old stuff, the way it's been played." Last month, the "old stuff" reared its ugly head, as Fernandez and Weinberg clashed in a Philadelphia courtroom. Fernandez charged that Weinberg had not lived in the city for the three years required of all candidates by the city charter. The suit was dismissed a week later, and while Fernandez expressed her frustration with the decision, her campaign manager David Dougherty explained that the incident helped show a "broader distinction between the two candidates and their commitments to the city." On Tuesday, Fernandez launched a television advertising campaign that will continue until Election Day. Dougherty was optimistic that the commercials will help sustain Fernandez's current group of supporters and will ultimately attract additional undecided voters. "I think [the ads] show how well things are going and how our plan is coming together," Dougherty added.

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