Steinke announces he will run for City Council

Paul Steinke, former general manager of the Reading Terminal Market, announced his bid Tuesday for an at-large City Council seat, calling himself a candidate with a track record of transforming the city for the better.

Standing in front of the wide windows of a Center City bar across from the market he oversaw for 13 years, the Democrat said his life's work has been "creating growth and producing results."

"Our city deservedly is an international destination, known for its great history. But I believe we have the opportunity to make it an even more attractive destination for what our city can yet become," he said to nearly 150 people, a large turnout for a nonincumbent announcement party.

His decision adds to the growing field vying for an at-large spot, a race that can be affected by which ones among a group of relatively unknown candidates have the money to make a name for themselves.

Steinke, 50, is well-connected, having spent seven years as finance director for the Central Philadelphia Development Corp. and four years as head of the University City District before joining the market.

On Tuesday, he said he has been passionate about exploring Philadelphia's neighborhoods since he was growing up in Burholme.

Steinke cited education funding reform as a pressing challenge. To bring jobs and economic growth, he said, he would support an overhaul of the city's tax structure, including a reduction of the business privilege and wage taxes.

If successful, Steinke would be the first openly gay elected city official. He said he hopes to receive strong support from the gay community.

Randall Miller, an expert in local politics at St. Joseph's University, said Steinke's political connections should help him raise funds.

"I'm not sure how connected he will be in terms of the public," Miller said. "But money can connect you to the public."

In at-large races, luck can't be discounted, according to Bill Green, a former at-large councilman who resigned when he was named chairman of the School Reform Commission. He said the race can come down to a candidate's randomly assigned position on the ballot.

"That's the one thing that nobody can control," Green said, "which is chance."

Steinke joins a long list of candidates hoping to unseat one of the five Democratic at-large Council members, including former Councilman Frank Rizzo; George Matysik, director of government affairs and public policy at Philabundance; Isaiah Thomas, associate dean of students at Sankofa Freedom Academy; Sherrie Cohen, a lawyer and daughter of the late Councilman David Cohen; Jenné Ayers, a law student and the daughter of former Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers; and Tom Wyatt, a lawyer and neighborhood advocate. They each hope to unseat Blondell Reynolds Brown, W. Wilson Goode Jr., William Greenlee, James Kenney, or Ed Neilson.

Vying for the two Republican seats currently held by David Oh and Dennis O'Brien are GOP ward leaders James Williams, head track coach at Cheyney University, and Matthew Wolfe, a lawyer and former deputy state attorney general.

215-854-2730 @TriciaNadolny