Exclusive interview with Mayoral Candidate Sam Katz

Sam Katz first introduced himself to the Russian Community in 1999 when he started a campaign to run for the City of Philadelphia Mayor. Possibly, the only thing that stood between Sam Katz and the Mayor post were the votes of the Russian Community. At least, Sam seems to think so.
When Sam Katz was running his campaign for the first time, many of us, the newly naturalized citizens, first realized that our votes counted. Our newspaper received an infinite number of calls from you, our readers, asking for assistance with registration to vote. Our volunteers helped more then 2,000 people to fill-out the voter application forms, only a small part of the Russian Community that includes over 100,000 people in Philadelphia area alone. Many of us still do not know how to exercise our rights as citizens.
This is how our conversation with Sam Katz started.

Question: Most of the Russian-speaking members of our community are not aware of the rights that are given to them as citizens, because of the language barrier and various other barriers: they did not attend schools in this country and they are not familiar with the political system. Where could the Russian-speaking citizens obtain guidance in this regard?

Sam Katz: I am supportive of the office of new Americans that neither the present Mayor nor the City Council has been really willing to support. The Office of New Americans is an agency that is advocate for newcomers to the city. It is not only an advocacy for bridging a language barrier between citizens and the city government, but also supposed to help with immigration issues; work with legislative congressional delegations, state and federal legislation. This agency will be critical to supporting what this whole country is essentially based on, and also to be engaged in trying to promote the immigration.
There are four demographic groups that that the city of Philadelphia needs to go out and track in order to grow population: existing citizens, young students, and empty nesters (people who live in suburban communities when their children are gone) and new Americans, represent the four groups. City’s ethnic diversity is a strength but only if people are given an opportunity to live the way that dignifies and is properly served. Every ethnic community faces its own issues. Among Russian citizens there are those who need help because of poverty, housing conditions aren’t always right, food and access to transportation is not good; and although the services are improving they are not good. Section 8 vouchers for Russian seniors are not a priority for Philadelphia Housing Authority. That is why I think that the Mayors Office should include the Office of new Americans and I think it will be something that would be of value to Russian citizens.

Question: Often the ethnic communities, such as ours need practical advice and information. For example our newspaper gets questions from our readers regarding joining of a political party, or the differences between the democratic and republican parties, etc. Even questions regarding formalizing a marriage in this country come up.

Kristen Mayock [Deputy Press Secretary]: we could help you out with the voting information: it is all on our website.

Sam Katz: This kind of basic services is a matter of translating to Russian, and making information available, the whole idea of city government is to serve customers, no matter what language they speak, no matter what culture or nation they come from. One of the things that I know from what is happening in the campaign is that the Russian Community has become a very important constituency for this campaign to win. I rely on the Russian voters now more then we did four years ago. Actually, I am an American in third generation with Russian descent. I did not do a very good job of communicating that to the Russian Community, so I am trying to correct that now. I am counting on strong support of the Russian Community.

Question: You have mentioned the Section 8 and the issue of elderly people: would the process be made any easier for the elderly people of foreign descent?

Sam Katz: I have made a commitment to the Russian Community that we will make changes in the Housing Program: alteration of the policy toward Section 8 vouchers, emphasis of senior housing, and make sure that people know about it. This also concerns various public assistance programs, such as medical assistance, or even help with the supplemental security income. We want to reach out to those people and help them to overcome language barriers. Right now, the Philadelphia Housing Authority is an agency that has not really given any support to the elderly people, Russian or others who need this support. In my opinion this is the right thing to do as an opposite to moving people from the low-income neighborhoods to North East through the Section 8. Part of the responsibility is not just Philadelphia Housing Authority but also individual people who are buying properties in order to turn them into Section 8 properties, which is having an impact on the quality of life in those neighborhoods. That policy has to stop. We have to end the willingness of the Housing Authority to be a partner the Real Estate Community that is undermining the quality of neighborhoods in the North East Philadelphia. There is no question that people can live in terrible conditions, which was the case and continues to be the case in “Horizon” Public Housing Projects, but we’ve got to find a way to locate those folks and to help them without being a detriment to someone else.

Question: Is that also the same for the known criminals that are being moved to the North East area?

Sam Katz: I think in some instances that decision is up to Rehab Houses and Drug Rehab Centers, these facilities have to decide where these people have to go, they have to go somewhere and hopefully are being rehabilitated in prison, although I am not confident that that’s happening. To relocate them to neighborhoods where law-abiding people are living is putting law-abiding citizens at risk and the quality of life in those neighborhoods at risk. So, that’s a complicated issue that does not let itself be solved easily. You have to look at each individual case and to figure out who is benefiting and who is getting hurt, and having to balance those interests.

Question: To stay on the same issue – quality of living in North East: it seems like North East has been bringing a lot of revenue to the City Hall and North East area itself has sort of stayed behind on the quality of roads, the street lighting, and just the basic neighborhood issues that the city might be involved in. Is North East going to get anything back? Right now the City seems to be more concerned with the downtown area, and problem areas.

Sam Katz: The quality of city services in North East Philadelphia is a source of complaint that I hear a lot, and the sense that somebody else is getting what we should be getting is a sense that everyone has in Philadelphia. I am going to be the mayor of the whole city. I don’t think that the current mayor sees himself a being the mayor of the whole city and this city includes North East Philadelphia. North East Philadelphia will hear me, see me, and get a response from me. I believe that Philadelphia can do a better job across the board and in so doing perform better in North East Philadelphia.

Question: It seems Philadelphia is getting worse. Businesses are moving out, people are moving out…

Sam Katz: Taxes in the city, regulations, licenses and inspections, health department, zoning issues make people feel like they are not welcome here, their businesses are not appreciated. The general gross tax is part of the business privilege tax causes companies to pay taxes even if they are not making any profits - there is no logic. Philadelphia does not send a message that it is in the interest of the city. This is something that will have to change. I am a businessman; I spent 30 years in business. I understand politics, I understand the city, and I understand all the pressures, but the Philadelphia City government sends a poor message to people who pay the taxes – that has to change.

Question: The Russian Community was hit the hardest during the last economic crisis because a lot of people were involved into the technology industry. Are the any continued education programs currently available?

Sam Katz: My own personal feeling is that we are under the beginning of the economic recovery and we won’t have the boom that we had five years ago – there is not enough money to through, particularly at the start-ups. But I think that corporate spending, which has been curtailed for the past several years will create a demand for technology, considering that the technologies are changing all the time. And I am hopeful that in the nearest future the people with talent and skills will find that those skills are in demand again. In the meantime, I think the best city can do is to try to create more awareness for the technologists: where their skills might go. The people might be trained for other industries. The City could let the business community know that they have access to great talent that is now unemployed because of recession.

Question: Our conversation today is focused on the Russian Community because we represent it. According to statistics every fourth person in America is from another country.

Sam Katz: Right. That is why the awareness of the programs can be made much more extensive then is presently being done. I think the current mayor’s policy is just taking care of certain public entities.

Question: What do you think about the introduction of vouchers into the educational system?

Sam Katz: I have always been a proponent of school choice, which includes vouchers and credit for charter schools, supporting non-public schools and public schools. Pennsylvania right now is not poised for passing of the voucher system. The state has a tax credit program which enables corporations to take corporate income taxes in Pennsylvania to take a tax-credit against contributions they make toward scholarship funds that can be used to send children to non-public schools. I think that program provides about 30 million dollars statewide and there are scholarship funds that have been setup throughout Philadelphia including the children scholarship fund, which has given eight or nine thousand scholarships to help. Parents could get $1,000 to $12,000 per year range to help children go to nonpublic schools. A commitment to smaller schools, new schools to promote teaching and a quick career for people to go into makes a lot of sense. Those are steps in the right direction.

Question: Are there any educational reforms that are planned?

Sam Katz: The major educational initiative that I will take is to try to bring the control over school district back to the City as soon as possible. There are things that I am going to address to make teaching more of a desirable profession, teaching in Philadelphia particularly. We need incentives for teachers who want to buy homes in the city - no interest mortgages, support with down payments. We need smaller schools, building new schools in the communities, so that the transition might help the housing community services, and the school itself becomes more of a value in the community. I support charter schools as alternatives to public schools.

Question: You represent the Republican party, and if I am not mistaken a lot of Russian immigrants consider themselves Democrats, probably because they do not know enough about the Republican Party. Do you have any suggestions in that regard?

Sam Katz: Actually, I do not represent a party; I represent the idea. I think a lot of Russian people should remember that it was under a Republican president that the communism fell. On the other hand that is not necessarily relevant to their life experiences in Philadelphia, and what they should know is that we are very, very anxious for support of this community. We will be accessible to the Russian community in Philadelphia. We will support projects and investments that are meant to make the life of Russian Philadelphians better. As far as a party, I am not carrying a brief of a party. It is about Sam Katz versus John Street.

By Lana Sych

You can find more information about Sam Katz and the Philadelphia Mayor campaign at http://www.sam2003.com