OBSCURING THE ISSUES

As I travel around the country, invariably when I tell people I'm from Philadelphia they say, "I heard your mayor is being investigated by the FBI." What's gone national has also taken our city by storm. In an unanticipated turn of events, the wire-tapping of the office of incumbent John Street has shot him into a commanding lead over challenger Sam Katz.

How can this be? Two reasons, one political and one racial. The D's have brought out their heavy hitters in defense of Street; most prominently former mayor and now Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, although even Clinton and Gore have been spotted stumping in Philly. Meanwhile, Katz is not a Bush Republican so he's gotten no love from the White House.

Racially, it seems the black vote has galvanized around Street, suspicious that the FBI investigation is racially motivated and that somehow the Republicans are involved in instigating all of this. It seems the mayor's "street cred" (no pun intended) is at an all-time high.

To be sure, politicking and race are two important issues in this campaign. After all, we're talking about a black Democrat facing off against a white Republican, in a city that is mostly black and Democrat ringed by suburbs that are mostly white and Republican. To think we could or should be oblivious to such dynamics is naive and shallow.

Nevertheless, I regret that issues aren't being talked about, at least not nearly as much as when these same two candidates faced off in 1999. That campaign was relatively smear-free and issues-oriented, with Street, the overwhelming favorite, barely edging out Katz, 49-47.

This time around, both candidates have had to fend off allegations of corruption, both have played the race card, and both are paying for their share of negative ads. Which is a shame because the issues this time around are, in my opinion, even more interesting than four years ago.

Amidst a slumping economy, Street has boldly invested in stabilizing the neighborhoods, a welcome follow-through on Rendell's focus on downtown Philadelphia. He realizes the wage tax is crippling economic development, but argues for a more gradual reduction so he can continue to fund his neighborhood initiatives. You would expect nothing less from a consummate politician and Democrat.

Katz, on the other hand, a consummate businessperson and Republican, believes that if we don't cut the wage tax severely, we will slowly kill our city; but if we are aggressive in lowering the wage tax, we can bring in the businesses, jobs, and commercial activity that Philadelphia so desperately needs for future prosperity and growth.

It is, indeed, a fascinating contrast in messages. Too bad the general public is missing out, lost as such messages are in political stargazing, federal investigations, and racially charged talk. When the winner is crowned in four days, will he even know whether he has been given a popular mandate to carry out his plans?