PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order Monday creating a transition committee and appointing a transition director to prepare the hand-off to the next mayor. He also revealed that he has already voted in the race to succeed him, though he said his vote is not an endorsement.
The hand-off is still seven months away. This is by far the earliest that any mayor has begun transition planning in memory, which plays into the narrative that Kenney is tired of his job, though Kenney denied it.
“I love the city. I want it to thrive. There’s no reason for me to be planting bombs or potholes for people. I want it to be a smooth transition.”
At times it seemed as if the point of the announcement was to remind people of his accomplishments — such as the lowest poverty rate in 15 years and a 1A bond rating.
“Since Jan. 1, we’ve redeployed 600 officers to violence hot spots, rolled out plans to invest $20 million in opioid settlement funds to address the overdose crisis, cut the ribbon on $10 million in Rebuild projects and broke ground on $30 million in upcoming projects.”
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The primary campaign has featured unrelenting criticism of him.
“It hasn’t been fun,” Kenney said.
“I tend to internalize things which I shouldn’t but some of the claims people are making are just ridiculous.”
When asked, Kenney revealed that he has voted for mayoral candidate Cherelle Parker.
“I think she has the best opportunity to move the city forward, I think she knows more than anybody else in the election about city government and, honestly, I think it’s time for a woman of color,” he said.
It sounds like an endorsement, but Kenney stressed it is just his preference.
“It was my personal choice. I’m not having a press conference and telling other people how to vote.”
In fact, he criticized other former mayors who have made endorsements — Bill Green, for Allan Domb; and Ed Rendell, John Street and Michael Nutter, for Rebecca Rhynhart.
“I don’t think it’s right for any old mayor to be endorsing anybody, to tell you the truth,” he said.
“I’m waiting to see who Rizzo and Tate are for.”
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