Phila. inaugurates Street as new mayor

Street looks to focus on improving both education and Philly neighborhoods. ] With the start of January came a new century, a new decade, a new year. And, for Philadelphians, a new mayor. Mayor John Street was sworn into office January 3 in a lavish ceremony held at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music before an invitation-only audience of over 2,500 supporters. Former City Council President Street became the city's 122nd mayor, succeeding the popular Ed Rendell, who served the city for two terms. In his inaugural address, Street pledged to focus on issues of education, work to remove blight from area neighborhoods, maintain the city's current fiscal stability and fight crime. "If we are to achieve our goals for our economy and our neighborhoods we must begin by focusing on the quality of education in our public schools," Street proclaimed during his inaugural speech, calling 2000 the "year of the child." Consequently, Street promised to devote $250 million to restore funding to what he dubbed a "chronically underfunded school system" and double the number of undercover-narcotics officers patrolling neighborhoods. One of the first challenges Street faces is living up to his predecessor Rendell, a man labeled by Vice President Al Gore as "America's Mayor" and credited by many with revitalizing Center City and lifting Philadelphia out of economic depression. "There's no question that Rendell left [Street] big shoes to fill -- but things in Philadelphia aren't as perfect as people think," Street spokesman Ken Snyder said. According to Snyder, Street is going to work towards redeveloping Philadelphia's neighborhoods in conjunction with Center City's recent renaissance. "We're at a point -- for the first time in 20 years -- where we can finally go into neighborhoods that are on the decline or flat on their backs and make a real difference," Snyder said. Although Street's overarching focus has been on improving neighborhoods, he emphasized in his inaugural speech that this won't decrease his commitment to Center City. "We will never surrender to the false choice between improving our center area or improving our neighborhoods," Street proclaimed during his speech. "We must do both in this city." Street demonstrated his commitment to neighborhoods and other issues last Wednesday when he announced his 100-day plan, a list of 21 objectives he hopes to achieve by the end of his first 100 days in office. The plan includes introducing a neighborhood blight removal effort, working towards resolving the city's school-funding crisis, starting labor negotiations with the city's four municipal unions and holding town meetings with each of Philadelphia's 10 districts, Snyder said. The local town meeting will be held on February 9. According to Penn Public Policy and History Professor Theodore Hershberg, Street needs to be taking radical measures to make differences in Philadelphia neighborhoods and to distinguish himself from Rendell. "To continue the Rendell administration is not going to save the [city]," said Hershberg, who is also the director of the Center for Greater Philadelphia. "The question is how radical [Street] is prepared to be." Hershberg claimed the real test of Street's commitment to change will come with the forthcoming contract negotiations with the city's four municipal unions, whose contracts will be up for renegotiation this year. According to Hershberg, Street's transition into office has been eased by his familiarity with the city government. "He got off to a quick start because he spent 20 years in City Council and seven years as the council president and therefore isn't going through a lot of on-the-job training," Snyder said. Hershberg also credited Street for his intimate knowledge of current city issues. "He has forgotten more about the workings of the city than most of us know," Hershberg said. "Street probably knows what needs to be done." Rendell's administration worked hand in hand with the University -- the city's largest employer -- during his term and Snyder said the new mayor will do the same. He added that the mayor's office views Penn as "almost a full governmental partner." "I think we're off to a fabulous start," said Carol Scheman, the University's vice president for government, community and political affairs.

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