Opinion

Some solutions for a better, safer Philadelphia

Philadelphia mayoral hopeful Allan Domb vows to make public safety his top priority.

A pedestrian walks past bullet holes in the window of a storefront on South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 5, 2022.

A pedestrian walks past bullet holes in the window of a storefront on South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 5, 2022. Kriston Jae Bethel via Getty Images

I have lived my entire adult life in the City of Philadelphia, and I truly believe our city is the greatest in the nation. Our diverse neighborhoods, incredible institutions of higher education and small businesses make us who we are – a city of fighters and believers. But our city is facing tremendous challenges right now that threaten our futures – the greatest of which is public safety.

When Philadelphians don’t feel safe, nothing else matters. And this is the reality families sitting around their table these days are facing. People don’t feel safe on our streets. Businesses are closing early or deciding to shutter their doors altogether because they’re worried for their safety and the safety of their customers. Families are leaving at devastating rates. It’s not right, and it’s not the future Philadelphia’s children need and deserve.

That’s why public safety is my number one priority. Our current administration has failed to deliver and we need leaders who will stand up for our future and who will never give up on the fight for a better, safer tomorrow.

I grew up with my parents and brother in a small, cramped apartment. When I was 12 years old, my mother complained of no hot water for two weeks. Then the landlord evicted us and the only other two Jewish families in the building. I learned the value of hard work early on, and from a young age, I had big dreams for my future. I worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, rushing from high school wrestling practice to make my evening shift as a janitor. I also served as a paperboy, dishwasher and short-order cook. I worked my way through college and took night classes. At age 21, I moved to Philadelphia with little in my pockets but big plans. Philadelphia took a chance on me, and I worked tirelessly to establish the life my younger self dreamed of.

In the city that I love and proudly call home, I started and grew a successful business. I entered public service because I felt driven to give back and to help ensure others have access to the jobs, education and the opportunities they need to succeed. 

This city has given me everything, but unfortunately, many Philadelphians lack access to all the opportunities it has to offer. Philadelphia is the poorest big city in the country with the highest rate of children in poverty. We are staring down the highest murder rate in our history. But while the challenges we face are great, so, too, are the opportunities we have to be the city our people deserve and that we are capable of being.

Our current administration has failed to deliver and we need leaders who will stand up for our future and who will never give up on the fight for a better, safer tomorrow.
- Allan Domb

Philadelphia desperately needs new leadership. We need a leader who lives, sleeps and breathes our city – someone who recognizes our reality, and has the long-term vision to deliver a future that lives up to its promise to all. We don’t need rhetoric; we need commonsense, practical solutions. We need a problem solver. We need a leader who wants the job, and who will never stop fighting to get the job done.

I am proud of the meaningful change I worked to secure for Philadelphians during my time on City Council, tackling some of the biggest issues plaguing our city. I reduced the wage tax and business taxes to the lowest in decades. I worked tirelessly to root out tens of millions of dollars in wasteful government spending that could be better used to combat crime or invest in education. I fought to keep our local economy afloat during the pandemic through expanded outdoor dining. And I invested in our children, devoting much needed resources –  and donating my Council salary – to support education initiatives, such as giving students the tools they need to manage their finances, start a business and more. Nevertheless, there is more work to be done.

Philadelphia is a city of fighters and believers, and I am heartbroken at the reality we face today. Children are being left behind by a system that doesn’t provide the necessary tools for teachers to teach and for our students to thrive. Businesses are fighting to make payroll and keep their doors open. Philadelphians struggle to find affordable, accessible housing, instead feeling the weight of the rising cost of living while quality of life deteriorates. We need leadership with a record of bringing people together and delivering real solutions to tackle our toughest challenges.

Philadelphians deserve a better, safer tomorrow with greater opportunities than they have today – and it’s on us to create that future. Our work starts with supporting Democratic candidates this November that share a vision for our future and have a record of producing results. It continues on our streets and in our businesses, and it also means looking to 2023, a year that will have undeniable implications on our city’s future for generations to come. It means putting in the work to deliver the tomorrow we all deserve.

I learned the value of hard work in that kitchen scrubbing dishes; in that office building mopping floors – and it’s something I have taken with me throughout my life, throughout the growth of my business and my years in public service. It is my love for our city – and every community in it – that first inspired me to get into public service. It’s this same commitment to Philadelphians, dedication to our city and passion to tirelessly fight for a better, safer tomorrow that has now led me to seriously consider a run for mayor. 

Today, our city is at a crossroads. We can’t afford not to act, and just as Philadelphians will never give up on our city, neither will I. It’s time to move forward. Now, more than ever, we need to enact commonsense, practical and fiscally responsible solutions to improve the lives of all Philadelphians, prioritizing public safety in a meaningful way and delivering much needed leadership in times of crisis. Together, I know we can do it.

Allan Domb is a community and business leader who formerly served as a member of Philadelphia City Council. He is currently exploring a run for mayor.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.