Philadelphia’s primary election is less than four weeks away and it’s still completely unclear who is leading the crowded field for the Democratic nomination for mayor. KYW wants to help you get to know the candidates with our podcast, Who’s Running for Philly Mayor.
In the newest episode, KYW’s City Hall bureau chief Pat Loeb talks to grocery store magnate Jeff Brown. Here’s a preview.
LISTEN TO EPISODE 5
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jeff Brown does not have a lot of faith in Philadelphia city government.
“We keep on ending up with politicians that can’t make decisions and, you see, nothing gets resolved. I mean, this city’s the worst it’s ever been.”
Brown does not see his lack of experience in government as a deficit; quite the contrary. He dings his competitors in the mayoral race for having been legislators.
"This city’s been deteriorating for 50 years. We keep on putting the wrong person in charge. We’re putting legislators that don’t know how to do things, don’t know how to manage things," he said.
But Brown thinks he can lead Philadelphia — and get things resolved — because of his experience running a business. He’s a fourth-generation grocer, so perhaps it’s no surprise he was good at it. But he also operated as a bit of an outsider there — opening grocery stores in food deserts, hiring formerly incarcerated people.
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He said it goes back to his youth, working in his father’s West Philadelphia store, and getting to know the customers.
“They’re stuck in poverty, and they’re confronted with a lot of challenges,” he said. “And that seems like someone should … help.”
Brown says poverty alleviation would be his top goal as mayor.
“And you will see the long-term benefits — on crime, education, and many other things,” he said.
The closest Brown has come to city government is lobbying against the sweetened beverage tax. And despite the thousands of children who have gone through pre-K for free, courtesy of that tax, and a recent study showing improved maternal and infant health in pregnancy, he still thinks he was right to oppose it.
“I think the studies are not correct,” Brown said — but as mayor, he would keep the tax, at least for now, because he thinks city finances are going to take a tumble, and the revenue will be needed. Down the line, he says, he’d like to review the entire tax structure to make the city more competitive.
Listen to the full interview and more episodes of the KYW Newsradio original podcast Who's Running for Philly Mayor, in the Audacy app and wherever you get your podcasts.
LISTEN: WHO'S RUNNING FOR PHILLY MAYOR? — EPISODE 5: JEFF BROWN
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