City leaders outline 2023 goals as Mayor Kenney enters final year in office
PHILADELPHIA - Mayor Jim Kenney is pledging to tackle the city’s most daunting challenges as he enters the final year of his two terms in office.
The mayor and some of his top administrators met with reporters Wednesday to outline what he calls his "core priorities." Gun violence and strengthening public safety were main topics on his agenda, but Mayor Kenney was also pressed about a comment he made back on July 4th when he said he's had enough.
Fox 29’s Jeff Cole asked the mayor if he was concerned that the public believes he’s no longer interested in the job after he said back on July 4th, "I'll be happy when I’m not mayor and I can enjoy some stuff." Kenney said, "Not at all. We want to make sure people understand that even though this is the last year, we’re continuing to make investments as we did in the first term."
After the 516 murders in 2022 were succeeded by the slaying of three young men in Mayfair to kick-start 2023, Mayor Kenney said his top priority is "combating the scourge of gun violence." He said his administration is investing $340 million in the fight against gun violence, and he argued that over the last two years, over 12,000 guns have been recovered from the streets.
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Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw says she hopes to combat the violence by adding 150 new cops to patrol the streets while also implementing new technologies that could help investigators solve more shootings.
"Making a sustainable impact requires doubling down on our targeted efforts to reach the small percentage of individuals who are most likely to commit or become victims of gun violence," said Outlaw.
Beyond crime, the mayor says he’ll push to fix recreation centers, libraries, and playgrounds, continuing the effort known as the "Rebuild," while getting the homeless off the streets and offering safe places for kids to learn and play on weekends.
In a statement released Wednesday, State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta said, "I hope to see action in City Council on these initiatives as we continue our work at the state level with our renewed hope in a Shapiro administration and forthcoming Democratic majority in the House. Our neighborhoods, our kids, our seniors, are depending on the success of our collaborative and strategic economic and social recovery from the pandemic."
Kenney said he’ll be 65 this year and doesn’t know if he’ll run for public office again. He said he is thinking of the day when he no longer works at City Hall because he wants to do something more rewarding.
"I really would like to do something with kids because kids are very rewarding. Politics isn't all that rewarding, but children are," he said.
The mayor's four critical focus areas for 2023 are: enhancing public safety, improve quality of life, build thriving neighborhoods, and invest in Philadelphia's youth. For a complete list of the mayor's 2023 plan, go to phila.gov.