BY ERICKA CONANT ON APRIL 10, 2023.

On May 16, voters will head to the polls to cast their vote for one of 12 Philadelphia mayoral candidates, with the race for the city's next mayor still very much unpredictable.

The candidate list is crowded and the race is close, but for those looking for specific information on Latino issues before they vote - including endorsements, where they stand on key issues and more – ¡Presente! has got you covered.

But first, let’s review some important dates. The last day to register to vote is May 1, so if you haven’t gotten to that, you have about a month left to check it off your list. The last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is May 9.

The primary election is slated for May 16, after which the general election is scheduled for November 7. 

The race to succeed Jim Kenney and become the city’s 100th mayor has not advanced with a clear frontrunner. All of the candidates are Democrats, with the exception of David Oh, and several of the candidate’s key issues for Latinos overlap. Still, some candidates have presented a more detailed plan, while others have their own unique approaches.

Why is a plan for Latinos important?

Of course, all Latino voters shouldn’t be grouped together as a monolith that thinks the same on all issues, however there are some key points of legislation and initiatives that a Mayor can upload that would disproportionately impact the Latino population in Philadelphia. 

One need only to look at the zip codes and communities with the highest rates of Latino residents in Philadelphia (19133, 19134, 19124) to see the issues that are affecting these neighborhoods: High rates of gun violence, unaffordable housing, a high city wage tax, and little opportunity for business growth, to name a few. If these bigger issues are common to other underrepresented groups, there are definitely specific topics related to the Latino and immigrant communities such as keeping Philadelphia as a sanctuary city, undocumented population having access to governamental ID, and language translations services being offered in public services and in education.   

The purpose of this rundown is for Latino voters to be informed on each candidate’s stance on these issues, as it tests each candidate’s awareness of the issues that Latino candidates face on a daily basis.

Candidates are listed in no particular order.

HELEN GYM

Helen Gym, the former teacher and activist-turned city council member, is known as one of Philadelphia’s most prominent progressive voices. She was the first Asian American woman ever elected to city council in 2016, and since then she has focused on issues like housing, labor rights, and education. Since her mayoral candidacy, Gym has received the backing of a few organizations of note, particularly Make the Road Action in Pennsylvania, with whom she successfully advocated for the closing of the Berks County ICE facility, the Philadelphia teachers’ union, and Unite Here Local 274, the hospitality workers’ union.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gym moved to eliminate immigration status barriers to access vaccine clinics, relief funds, and rent assistance that helped undocumented renters. Her administration also helped to establish Philadelphia as a Sanctuary City.

Three of her major mayoral initiatives focus on safety; Safety in Every Neighborhood, which aims to have communities reclaim safety in their neighborhoods, to declare a state of emergency on gun violence, and to reduce violence with “clean and green” neighborhoods.

As Mayor, I will expand on the work I’ve done to invest in the resilience and capital of Black, Brown and immigrant families and communities and to make them and our city more powerful than we have ever been, Gym told !Presente! Media, moving on to outline specifics.

“As Mayor, I will expand on the work I’ve done to invest in the resilience and capital of Black, Brown and immigrant families and communities and to make them and our city more powerful than we have ever been,” Gym told !Presente! Media, moving on to outline specifics.

“A Gym Administration will establish one-stop neighborhood business service hubs to help businesses open and resolve conflicts, whether it’s around permitting or fees,” Gym said. She plans to ensure that city procurement contracts grow Black and Brown businesses, especially as prime contractors, and to expand capital access to double the number of new Black and Brown led and owned businesses.

Gym presented ¡Presente! Media with a detailed collection of initiatives that would touch Latino lives to at least some degree if they live in the city. Although sometimes criticized for “grandstanding” or most recently, for hypocrisy, the consideration and knowledge of the importance for a plan for a Latino agenda is there.

ALLAN DOMB

First elected to city council in 2015, Allan Domb is known for being a successful businessperson and real estate investor in Philadelphia. The developer turned Councilmember is pro-business, and his highlight reel includes being a major player in the ability for restaurants, struggling during the pandemic due to fears of eating inside and social distancing, to convert outdoor space into streeteries – This was major for many restaurants in the city, including Latino-owned restaurants.

Like Gym, the two-term elected at-Large City Councilmember has called for a state of emergency in Philadelphia – but goes further by specifically addressing the crisis in Kensington. He is the only candidate to present 10 action steps to improve community safety for neighborhoods grappling with gun violence, theft, and drugs, saying that for too long, Philadelphia’s Latino community has faced underinvestment and has been “forgotten” in City Hall.

“Philadelphia’s business ownership should more accurately reflect its population, rather than trail far behind as it does today,” Domb said. “That starts with creating educational opportunities, including the teaching of financial literacy, tech and entrepreneurship in every grade, in order to create the next generation of leaders and increasing the access to capital for new, small and minority entrepreneurs by working with banks and CDFIs.”

As he has notably done throughout his tenure as city council member, Domb has pledged to continue to donate his salary to schools as Mayor. 

Financial stability is big for Latino voters, especially first-generation immigrants, and voters whose parents are immigrants. Although lacking in cultural knowledge, activism, and major endorsements of note, Domb’s focus on improved economics and safety is a factor to consider.

CHERELLE PARKER

Former two-term City Councilmember Cherelle Parker is also in the running to become Philadelphia’s 100th mayor, and unlike Gym and Domb, her roots have been in the city since she was born. She is a former educator who later became the youngest Black woman elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where she served for ten years before representing the city’s 9th district for seven years. 

Since announcing her candidacy for Mayor, Parker has received several major organization endorsements, including SEIU Local 32BJ, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EASRCC) Union, and the Philadelphia National Organization of Women.

Although her program didn’t touch on specific plans for Latino economic betterment, she called for the need to continue to support Latino businesses, because Latinos have had the highest rate of new entrepreneurs. Historically, Parker has been an advocate for low-interest home improvement loans, and protecting neighborhoods from the effects of development and gentrification.

As for crime, Parker said that she will work to make stronger gun laws and make universal background checks a reality. Parker also leads the Neighborhood Safety and Community Policing Plan, which would add more officers on the beat who patrol neighborhoods on foot and on bicycles so that the community is familiar with them, and in turn the officers learn about the community they are stationed in. “I would work to ensure our Office of Human Relations, as well as our Department of Labor, had the staffing and resources to educate all Philadelphians about the laws on the books and to enforce said laws,” Parker told ¡Presente!

Parker assured that Philadelphia’s status as a Sanctuary City would be unchanged under her administration, and would ensure that immigrants can open and operate businesses with as little ‘red tape’ as possible. Parker supported the creation of the PHL City ID, which currently is the only ID available to undocumented immigrants. “As Mayor, I would launch a massive education campaign, working with groups like yours, to get the word out about the PHL City ID.”

REBECCAH RHYNHART

Rebeccah Rhynhart became the first woman ever elected to City Controller in Philadelphia in 2017. The position requires troubleshooting, strategizing, and an efficient mind, Which Rhynhart has demonstrated by releasing reports that detail excessive spending in the city’s police budget, and other city woes such as trash and efforts to curb gun violence. Of note, Rhynhart’s office is behind reports that most recently shed light on the police’s response to protests in 2020 – which included tear-gassing and rubber bullets on demonstrators and the city’s regrettable partnership with Philly Fighting COVID.

In a statement to ¡Presente! Media, Rhynhart’s team said her administration would prioritize building equity in economic opportunity for all residents and "minority”-owned businesses, defend immigrant communities against exploitation and discrimination, and ensure that Philadelphia and its city services are accessible for non-English speaking residents.

“The Rhynhart Administration will create economic opportunity through our commitment that 40% of city contract dollars will go to minority vendors, including Latino-owned businesses, and by establishing workforce development pathways in neighborhoods across our city to upskill our residents into family-sustaining jobs,” Rhynhart’s team wrote.

Rhynhart will maintain Philadelphia’s status as a sanctuary city and will decline to cooperate with ICE for nonviolent offenders. Further, she said “Far too many developers take advantage of undocumented workers with the threat of deportation and put them in unsafe working conditions. As a city, we will crack down on these practices and hold the developers engaging in these practices accountable.”

Former Philadelphia mayors Michael Nutter and John Street have recently endorsed Rhynhart, her only two major endorsements so far – and by predecessors of the role she wishes to take. Some have criticized her campaign for lack of legislative experience and little name recognition. However others may pause to consider her finance background and problem-solving.

DEREK GREEN

Like candidate Cherelle Parker, Derek Green has been involved in Philadelphia city politics for years. A former prosecutor, the two-term City Councilmember at-large was head of the council’s finance committee and known for reducing taxes for businesses and increasing funding for police officers.

Green has been vocal on issues that Philadelphia faces, placing poverty at the top of his list, because it trickles down to other issues like education and crime. “So many of the issues affecting our Latino neighbors are the same issues we know need addressing: public safety, economic opportunity, and quality education,” Green told ¡Presente! “But these issues are more acute within Philadelphia’s Latino community.”

Green, along with other candidates for mayor, has released plans to address Philadelphia’s gun violence epidemic, which has more severely affected Black and brown communities in the city. Green has also spoken about supporting small business owners in Philadelphia. “So much of Philadelphia’s culture is driven by Latino businesses and entrepreneurs,” Green’s team said in a statement.

Green is also a leader in the creation of the Philadelphia Public Financial Authority (PPFA), a public bank that could boost economic development for Black and Brown entrepreneurs. Outgoing mayor Jim Kenney has not taken steps to implement the new law, however it's likely that the incoming mayor will, as every Democrat running for mayor has supported the bank’s creation, either through voting or public support.

While on Council, Green advocated for immigrants’ rights. He co-sponsored legislation to discontinue mass detention and automatic deportation, and commended the City’s affirmation of its sanctuary city status.

DAVID OH

David Oh was one of the last city council members to announce their candidacy for mayor, and he is the only Republican candidate. If successful, Oh would disrupt a modern legacy of democratic mayors, and would become the first Asian American mayor of the city. As the only Republican candidate, he is all but guaranteed to make it past the May 16 primary.

In a statement to ¡Presente¡ Media, Oh said that he has 10 top areas of concern: 1. stopping violent crime and public safety concerns, 2. increasing jobs and economic opportunities, 3. improving public schools, 4. improving the quality of life, 5. reducing property taxes on low-income residents, 6. affordable housing, 7. making public transportation clean and safe, 8. improving public spaces like libraries, recreation centers, and parks, 9, fixing roads and highways, and 10. improving the access to and delivery of government services.

“For example, violent crime has not been properly addressed in the Latino community impacted by the illegal drug trade on Kensington Avenue. Latino small businesses have been unfairly targeted by the city government and little help has been provided to them,” Oh told ¡Presente¡ “Philadelphia can be a robust global economy where the business opportunities are excellent for people who speak Spanish, know the culture, and have overseas connections. Over-taxation is pushing Latino residents out of their homes in certain neighborhoods.”

As previously mentioned, financial stability is a major voting point for the Latino community. While on city council, Oh chaired the Global Opportunities and Creative Innovative Economy Committees, implying cultural knowledge and an interest in the economic well-being of diverse communities. 

JAMES “JIMMY” DELEON

Former judge James “Jimmy” DeLeon served as a municipal judge for 34 years and is involved in the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee as chair of the legal committee. This isn’t his first time running for office; his previous runs include an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2003 and a second unsuccessful bid for the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 2007.

“My administration will focus on schooling, education, job development and entrepreneurial development and support, while reducing crime through funding grassroots groups located in the Latino communities,” Deleon told !Presente! in a detailed statement. 

Deleon’s campaign is based largely on the creation of a local incident management system (LIMS), a set of procedures for judicial, Legal, and law enforcement departments to follow for anyone arrested and charged for possession of an illegal firearm. His campaign hopes that such a program would address issues that currently affect the lives of Philadelphians in hard-hit areas. 

“Such a program would address many of the violence-based events, and socioeconomic issues, that currently plague the lives of the Latino citizens of Philadelphia,” Deleon told Presente.

As for job and economic development, his administration will support the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with the necessary funds to provide ongoing support to the Latino communities.

Deleon is vying for a seat among a crowded field of Democratic candidates, but what sets him apart is this courtroom-style management, seen through his dependence on LIMS, and how it would trickle down to education and after-school programs. 

JEFF BROWN

Perhaps Allan Domb’s biggest competition, Jeff Brown is the only candidate who has never held elected office, however, he does have extensive leadership experience as the founder and former CEO of Brown’s Super Stores grocery chains. (Think ShopRite)
Did not respond to comment.

WARREN BLOOM

Warren Bloom is no stranger to elections; he’s already run for office in Philadelphia six times before. According to his website, the lifelong Philadelphian has experience as a music professional, minister, public claims adjuster, community organizer, and volunteer. He lists no legislative experience. 

Did not respond to comment.

AMEN BROWN

Currently serving as the Pennsylvania State Representative for the 19th district in West Philadelphia, Brown is the youngest candidate in the race. Considered a moderate Democrat, Brown has recently faced controversy upon a review of his financial business dealings.

Did not respond to comment.

*¡Presente! Media uses the word Latinx but respects the author’s choice to use the word Latino.  

MARIA QUINONES-SANCHEZ

Maria Quiñones-Sanchez was the only Latina candidate for mayor, she announced yesterday that she is suspending her campaign. As MQS is exiting the race, she leaves an Agenda Latina with topics related to the Latino community other candidates should consider in their plans as city officials.

Philadelphia 2023 General Election Latinx Poll

It’s POLL TIME and ¡Presente! Media wants to hear from you. In order to better address the concerns and needs of the Latinx city residents, we invite you to answer the questions in this poll. We truly value your opinion and time. Feel free to share this poll with your friends! Check out the poll here.

This article is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Lead support is provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute, Peter and Judy Leone, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Harriet and Larry Weiss, and the Wyncote Foundation, among others. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.