The 2023 climate voter’s guide: Where do Philly mayoral candidates stand on the issues?

On climate

DeLeon told WHYY News he would reaffirm Mayor Jim Kenney’s commitment to zero-out carbon emissions in Philly by 2050. He would reduce transportation emissions — which are currently growing — through “transit-oriented development strategies,” promoting walking and cycling, continuing to shift municipal vehicles to electric, and insisting that “more efficient aircraft” be flown in and out of Philly.

DeLeon supports a ban on natural gas in new buildings.

To protect Philadelphians from climate-related hazards, DeLeon said he would consistently integrate vulnerability assessments into city plans, perform a build-out analysis to assess threats to future development, promote design standards that reduce risk, and maintain infrastructure critical to evacuation and “sustaining quality of life” during a disaster, while relying on the “best available science.”

On trash

To tackle Philly’s litter and illegal dumping problems, DeLeon said he would hire more sanitation workers, deploy more monitoring cameras, and focus on criminal prosecution of illegal dumpers. He plans to improve the city’s recycling system by securing the buy-in of collection workers and waste management operators, developing “clear, positive and targeted” communication campaigns, “maximizing” the number of accepted materials, and minimizing contamination. He says he would restore the slashed Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet to coordinate anti-waste efforts across city government.

DeLeon plans to protect polluted neighborhoods and decrease environmental health disparities by “prioritizing prevention of air pollution,” improving access to safe green space, “improving the supply of adequate social housing,” and increasing wages.

On climate

Gym told WHYY News she would keep Kenney’s commitment to zero-out carbon emissions in Philly by 2050.

Gym supports a ban on natural gas in new buildings. She says she plans to transform PGW into a “100% renewable energy utility” by 2027, “fully decarbonizing and shifting to geothermal energy and other renewable sources.”

She has been endorsed by environmental organizations including the Sierra Club Pennsylvania, Sunrise Philly, and Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

A former teacher, Gym plans to launch a 10-year effort to modernize every Philly school, which she says could include retrofits to “eliminate their carbon emissions.”

Gym says she would incentivize rooftop solar in new residential and commercial construction, encourage dense housing around transit hubs, incentivize transit ridership, improve pedestrian and bike safety, and accelerate the city’s Vision Zero plan.

To help Philadelphians adapt to climate change, Gym says she supports extending the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and banning electricity shut offs in the summer.

“Addressing the climate crisis is absolutely a racial justice and economic justice issue,” Gym wrote. “Extreme weather events and climate-related hazards are already hitting our Black, Brown, immigrant, and working class communities hardest.”

On trash

Gym promises to “clean and green” communities by increasing trash pickups, “sealing” 50% of vacant lots, and towing 10,000 abandoned cars in her first year. She says she would rely on the litter index, consider splitting the Streets Department in two, with one dedicated to sanitation, and restore the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet.

While on City Council, Gym introduced a bill that would have required the city to consider cumulative impacts of existing pollution sources when issuing new permits. It did not advance out of committee.

On climate

Rhynhart told WHYY News she would set a goal for Philly to reach 100% clean energy and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner.

She plans to accelerate the transition of the city’s vehicle fleet to zero-emission vehicles, use federal infrastructure money to build electric vehicle chargers for residents, and create a citizen complaint program to address illegal idling.

While on the Philadelphia Gas Commission, Rhynhart was the lone dissenter in a vote to approve PGW’s current CEO, over concerns about a lack of transparency and a formal search. She advocated for the sale of PGW to a private company in 2010, as then-mayor Michael Nutter’s budget director, but has said she would not try to privatize PGW now if elected mayor.

Rhynhart does not support a ban on natural gas in new buildings “at this time,” because she says it would “unjustly impact PGW ratepayers.” She says she would focus on a “just transition” for unionized PGW workers, affordable rates for residents, and transparency.

“I would work to move PGW to more sustainable energy,” she wrote. “However, this must be done strategically and over time to lessen any negative impact on workers, ratepayers, and the city’s budget.”

To boost Philadelphians’ resilience to climate change, Rhynhart says she would prioritize tree planting in “disadvantaged areas” of the city that are hottest in the summer, enforcing fees for developers who remove trees without replacing them. She also plans to help lower-income residents insulate their homes and install more efficient appliances.

Rhynhart says she would leverage federal funding to complete a levee in Eastwick to mitigate future flooding there.

On trash

As city controller, Rhynhart released a report showing disparities in the on-time trash collection rate between neighborhoods. She says as mayor, she would reestablish the Zero Waste and Litter cabinet and ensure there are consequences for illegal dumping.

“Through the use of cameras, fines and court actions, we will stop the illegal dumping in our neighborhoods,” she said.

Bloom’s campaign did not respond to WHYY News’ questions about climate and the environment.

On climate

During a mayoral forum hosted by Green Philly and Drexel’s Academy of Natural Sciences earlier this month, Bloom said he’s in the process of educating himself about environmental issues, but “solving the issues of climate change and reducing carbon footprints in Philadelphia” would be among his “top ten goals” if elected mayor.

On trash

Bloom said he would support “very stiff fines on illegal dumping.”

“This is my goal, to make Philadelphia the cleanest, greenest city in the region and in the country,” Bloom said.

Brown’s campaign did not respond to WHYY News’ questions about climate and the environment.

On trash

“While serving as State Representative, I received hundreds of complaints about illegal dumping, trash collection, unkempt vacant properties, abandoned cars and blight,” Amen Brown writes on his campaign website. “We must implement an aggressive blight removal plan and update our trash collection system. As a state elected official, I was able to collaborate with city officials to remove hundreds of abandoned vehicles. And, that work will not only continue but expand.”

Brown lists equitable funding for school building maintenance “so children do not have to learn in environmentally toxic spaces” as one of his priorities.

Brown’s campaign did not respond to WHYY News’ questions about climate and the environment.

According to his campaign website, Jeff Brown would “focus on greening the city, prioritizing tree cover and green space.”

Brown was criticized for a comment he made during a televised Fox29 debate in response to a question about environmental racism concerns surrounding the city’s waste disposal contract that sends trash to be burned in a neighboring city: “Chester is Chester.”

On trash

According to his campaign website, Brown would restore the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet, hire more Streets Department workers, “implement regular street cleaning,” increase fines for illegal dumping, and “step up enforcement.”

“A cleaner city will show Philadelphians greater respect,” he wrote. “I want to help inspire every Philadelphian to take pride in every block.”

Domb’s campaign did not respond to WHYY News’ questions about climate and the environment.

On climate

Domb would set a goal for Philly to reach net-zero emissions by “2050 or sooner,” he wrote in response to questions from Make the Road Action PA.

But he would not support a ban on natural gas in new buildings, according to his response to questions from PGW workers’ union, Local 686.

On trash

Domb plans to clean every vacant lot within his first 100 days, create a “real-time Garbage Truck Tracker,” and expand street sweeping to all neighborhoods, according to his campaign website.

Oh’s campaign did not respond to WHYY News’ questions about climate and the environment.

On trash

According to his campaign website, Oh plans to create a “Trash Force” pilot program to target areas “adversely affected by the accumulation of trash and debris” for cleanup and create new positions in the Streets Department for “the unemployed.”

Parker’s campaign did not respond to WHYY News’ questions about climate and the environment.

On trash

While on City Council last year, Cherelle Parker sponsored a bill that raised the total potential  fine for illegal dumping. She also spearheaded the Taking Care of Business Clean Corridors Program, which pays community nonprofits to clean commercial corridors in their neighborhood. As mayor, Parker promises to expand this program to reach “every corner of the city,” according to her campaign website.