Campaign website
derekformayor.com
What is one life experience you have that voters should know about?
Being the father of an African American son on the Autism Spectrum has been a formative experience for me and my wife. Historically, there has been a serious lack of resources and support in the Philadelphia Public Schools for autistic students. My wife and I have worked hard to provide our son the opportunities necessary for him to succeed in school and that experience has shaped my understanding of the larger inequities our children face across the city.
What would be your top three policy priorities in office?
Public safety, economic development, and education.
What sets you apart from other candidates?
I am uniquely qualified to be Mayor because of my career experiences and my service in office. As an attorney in City Council, I drafted various ordinances that became law and counseled many members of Council, City employees, and constituents with regards to what actions are necessary and proper for our City. As a former Deputy City Solicitor and District Attorney, I am intimately knowledgeable with regards to the City’s budget process and how this process can impact the operations of City departments and how the City functions and governs. As a former small business owner, I know how City ordinances, rules, and regulations can impact the growth of businesses in our City and can determine whether certain legislative initiatives are truly necessary and proper for Philadelphia. Based on these experiences, I know that a core responsibility for the Mayor is to represent the entire City and to consider how my actions impact all, not some parties or special interests, so that collectively Philadelphia can grow and prosper.
How do you plan to work across ideological lines to achieve shared goals?
Finding common ground can be accomplished by approaching every negotiation with empathy and by meeting your colleagues halfway. I have been able to do that during my time on the City Council by passing legislation like the Green Plan, which cut taxes for small businesses and residents to the lowest they’ve been in decades while increasing funding for more police officers and public safety. It’s because of my ability to get things done collaboratively that the Inquirer described me as, “[at my] best when he’s lowering the temperature in the room to bring warring sides together.”
