PHILADELPHIA, P.A. (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia voters won’t be asked to change the city charter’s resign-to-run rule after its chief sponsor decided to drop the effort.
City Councilman Isaiah Thomas was aware that it would be tough to sell a change to the rule that city officials must resign their seats before they can run for a new office. Council passed the bill to put the charter change on the May primary ballot, but voters have rejected it twice in the past.
Thomas thought he could get some support if he specified that the change would be only for those running for state or federal office and the rule would stay in place for city elections, but it did not quell all reservations.
The watchdog group, the Committee of Seventy, said it should only pass if City Council imposed term limits on itself. The Board of Ethics also warned about the pitfalls of dual campaign fundraising.
“I’m disappointed but the work continues,” said Thomas. “When we look at some of the feedback we’ve been getting, I think we might need to look at a modified version at a later date.”
Thomas also pointed to bad timing, and said there are bigger concerns about this year’s elections. He has called for hearings on election security in the event that President Donald Trump deploys ICE agents to polling places.
“There are a lot of people who believe the airport is just a trial run to put ICE agents at polls on Election Day,” said Thomas.
Thomas also introduced a new charter change bill to establish a permanent city agency focused on arts and culture.
City Council had passed a bill to put it before voters during the May primary.
