Mayoral candidates tackle tough issues in 6abc debate
WYNNEFIELD HEIGHTS (WPVI) -- For Republican Melissa Murray Baily it is an uphill struggle to try to win the mayoral race against Democrat Jim Kenney, a City Hall veteran with all the resources weighing in his favor including a 7 to 1 voter registration advantage.
During a 6abc debate, moderated by Jim Gardner, there were many questions about police-community relations and crime in the city - especially acts committed by young males caught in a cycle of poor education and poverty.
"We have too many people who feel like there is no opportunity and they need to turn to selling drugs to provide for their family, which typically leads to violence," said Bailey.
"Community policing needs to be expanded, it needs to be improved, and we need to have a better relationship between our community and our police so the people in the community trust the police and give them information to solve crime," said Kenney.
The never-ending problem of public school funding in Philadelphia was also a topic of discussion.
Schools are getting desperate because millions of dollars are bottled up in Harrisburg due to a four-month-old budget impasse between Gov. Wolf and the Republican-controlled General Assembly.
In addition, there is a constant war between the teacher's union and district officials who are consistently pushing for work rule concessions and contracting out services like school nurses and substitute teachers.
"The demonetization of teachers is disgraceful, and it's rolled out of the Republican hinterlands from Ohio and Wisconsin and other places and I think it's dead wrong," said Kenney.
"I come from a different perspective. Not about the union leaders, but about the teachers and the teachers are the ones who have been losing in this because the union leaders have been holding so steadfast," said Bailey.
Other issues taken head on include poverty, job creation, cleaner streets and the minimum wage.
The Kenney-Bailey debate will air on 6abc at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The Michael Nutter era at City Hall will end on Jan. 7, 2016, so decision time for Philadelphia voters draws near.
