Neighborhood Networks
Neighborhood Networks is a culturally and racially diverse organization of Philadelphians dedicated to advancing social equality, economic justice and resource stewardship by influencing political decision-making from a grassroots level. We aim to create a powerful coalition by connecting neighbors at the division and ward levels and by forming strategic alliances with like-minded organizations throughout the City of Philadelphia and, eventually, beyond.
Our members vote on all candidate endorsements for citywide office and for districts in which they live. Endorsements recommended by a majority of our neighborhood groups are then ratified by the steering committee.
City Council Endorsements:
Marc Stier (At Large) is a founder of Neighborhood Networks, former chair of West Mount Airy Neighbors, and an innovative leader in a wide variety of progressive causes, such as increasing the minimum wage, adequate funding for SEPTA, and fair and equitable tax restructuring. He campaigns on the theme that our politics is broken and that it is in everyone's interest to make City government open, transparent, and accessible to all without regard to political connections.
Andrew Toy (At Large) has an outstanding record of advocating for the growth of the small business sector in Philadelphia, working for many years at LISC, the largest community development support organization in the country and managing the Business Services Division of the Philadelphia Commerce Department from 1986-1994. Andy insists that as we bring new business investment and jobs to Philadelphia we must be sure that no one is left behind in poverty or displaced through gentrification.
Matt Ruben (At Large) was presidentof the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association from 2002-2006, been a leader of a variety of movements for social change in Philly, working on such diverse issues as abortion rights, welfare advocacy, street vendor rights, and most recently keeping casinos out of Philadelphia. Matt's campaign is based on the idea that crime, poverty and population loss will not be solved unless we pursue an agenda of economic growth with social justice.
Blondell Reynolds-Brown (At Large) has served seven years on City Council during which time she has been Council's leading advocate for programs to protect and advance the interests of women, children and youth. Recently she created City Council's Committee on Gender Parity which will investigate and explore expanding opportunities for working women. In the last year Ms. Brown also provided strong leadership on two issues of central importance to NN and its members: recycling and media consolidation.
Bill Greenlee (At Large) is the former Chair of the Philadelphia Chapter of Americans for Democratic Action, director of constituent services for Councilman David Cohen, and a strong advocate of civil rights, labor rights, and tax equity. With an encyclopedic knowledge of the workings of city government, he intends to focus his work on maintaining and increasing the quality of city services and insuring equal access to those services for all Philadelphians.
Damon Roberts (2nd District) is the outgoing Community Outreach Director for the Philadelphia Young Democrats, the Leader of South Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks Division, a 2006 fellow in the Center for Progressive Leadership (CPL) and Chair of Philadelphia's Social Action Committee (SAC). He campaigns on his belief that public investments in economic development must yield such public benefits as good jobs, affordable housing, and childcare.
Haile Johnston (5th District) has focused on improving the environment, public health and education. With his wife, he co-founded the East Park Revitalization Alliance, a community-based nonprofit that aims to empower residents to revitalize the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia through the arts, environment and education. He believes that the city needs to approach economic development on a community basis focusing on rebuilding commercial corridors and providing incentives for locally owned enterprises.
Maria Quinones Sanchez (7th District) is a veteran community activist. Formerly on the staff of City Councilman Angel Ortiz, she later served as the first female and youngest Executive Director of ASPIRA, the largest Latino educational institution in Pennsylvania. She believes that the answer to the rampant violence that is plaguing our neighborhoods and our city is the creation of well funded and maintained recreation centers, community policing, job creation, and real educational and working opportunities for our youth.
Irv Ackelsberg (8th District) has represented individuals and groups ably and creatively for 30 years working out of the neighborhood office of Community Legal Services. Irv has represented hundreds of voters in the district in their personal problems, but he also has taken on powerful financial and political interests. He is always on the side of ordinary people and has fought - and won - battles against foreclosure sales, SEPTA fare hikes, payday lenders, fraudulent training programs and other con artists.
Common Pleas Court Endorsements:
Ellen Greene-Ceisler: In addition to experience in litigation and prosecution, Green-Ceisler spent eight years in the Integrity and Accountability Office of the Philadelphia Police Department, and more recently was hired to evaluate the disciplinary process used by the Philadelphia School District. Her investigative career indicates an ability to evaluate complicated situations thoroughly and fairly — an important quality in a judge. She has been endorsed by Philadelphia NOW, AFSCME District Council 47, and the Fraternal Order of Police, among others.
Angeles Roca: Born and raised in Philadelphia, Roca was still attending Villanova Law School when she established an externship program with the Police Barrio Relations Project, an organization dedicated to protecting and educating citizens about their civil rights. After graduation, she continued as a volunteer. She has spent her entire legal career providing basic legal services to her community as a sole practitioner specializing in family law and, despite her “lowly” practice, had the distinction of being recognized by Philadelphia Magazine in 2005 and 2006 as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star.
Linda Carpenter: Along with her legal career, Linda has been active in a number of civic groups, including the Fairmount Civic Association (of which she is currently president), the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, and the Lutheran Settlement House. She is also active on the board of Yards Brewing Company in Kensington, which her husband founded and which does philanthropic and neighborhood development work in the neighborhood. She has been endorsed by Philadelphia NOW and the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, among others.
Mike Erdos: As a law student, Mike served as an intern with the Women's Law Project, the ACLU and the Poverty Clinic at Yale Law School. Later, he won a fellowship to work for two years as an attorney at one of the country's leading reproductive rights organizations. In 1997, he joined the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, eventually becoming Assistant Chief of the Economic and Cyber Crime Unit and, later, Chief of the Public Nuisance Task Force. Although he has handled thousands of cases as a prosecutor, Mike has never lost site of the civil rights of defendants and the need for rehabilitation.
Municipal Court Endorsement:
Joyce Eubanks: Joyce has been involved in progressive politics since the 1960s and served for twenty-one years as a trial attorney for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. She has tried hundreds of cases in the city and federal district court and has taught trial skills to law students at Temple University. She also has a distinguished record of service to the community which has earned her the Cecil B. Moore Community Service Award. She has been endorsed by Philadelphia NOW, the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, and other organizations.
Sandra Mills: Mills currently works as special assistant to Henry Nicholas, president of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees (AFSCME 1199C). She has also served as Assistant Managing Director in the Goode administration, and as an aide to then Congressman William Gray III. Her background also includes long-term advocacy in community and women's issues. In addition, she is a citizen journalist who recently co-hosted a radio talk show on WURD 900AM.
City Commissioner:
B. Blair Talmadge, a native Philadelphian, has worked on many political campaigns across the country, most recently those of State Rep. Cherelle Parker and State Rep. Tony Payton Jr. His experience with the Payton campaign exposed him to the abuses of election law routinely practiced by the Philadelphia Democratic machine, abuses he plans to end as City Commissioner.
Sheriff:
Michael Untermeyer has fifteen years' experience in government service, including heading a unit in the Attorney General’s office investigating money laundering and financial crimes committed by major narcotics dealers. His criminal justice experience is appropriate for taking over an office that both deals with crime and public safety and has been tainted by financial mismanagement and cronyism.