Anthony Williams

Philadelphia must aggressively attract and retain businesses that provide living-wage jobs for those with barriers to employment. There are 300,000 Philadelphians with a criminal record who cannot find a job, and more than 85 percent of people with mental and intellectual disabilities are unemployed. As mayor, I will establish City Hall as a model employer for returning citizens and those with mental and intellectual disabilities, and will urge the private sector to hire them.

In order to dramatically lower the poverty rate, Philadelphia and the state must fully fund Philadelphia's public school system and prepare every child in every neighborhood for college, a career, or both. The creation of a city-owned bank that provides capital to small businesses to grow is an innovative tool to increase hiring in neighborhoods that have experienced economic stagnation for decades.

The city must also provide support for those who are eligible for it. There are 180,000 eligible people who are not enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or receiving extra cash under the earned income tax credit. I will work to improve how agencies communicate their programs and services.

One idea I support is modeled on Single Stop USA's Benefits Enrollment Network, a comprehensive database that assesses eligibility for untapped government services. Leveraging the BenePhilly centers across the city, I will explore the implementation of manned or unmanned city service kiosks in schools, libraries, and recreation centers to help citizens sign up for all benefits online.

Finally, I will expand the Mayor's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity and continue its implementation and measurement of the city's antipoverty plan, Shared Prosperity Philadelphia. The plan outlines a collective-impact approach to eliminating poverty by aligning government agencies, philanthropic institutions, and community-based organizations to address the root causes of poverty.