September 19, 2011

NN Endorses Three Great Candidates in Fall Election

Honkala for Sheriff, Boockvar for Commonwealth Court, Bass for Council in the 8th District

Neighborhood Networks is endorsing three great candidates for election on November 8, Cheri Honkala for Sheriff, Kathy Boockvar for Commonwealth Court Judge, and Cindy Bass for Council in the 8th Councilmanic District. You'll see our reasons why by clicking on the link below.

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Cheri Honkala for Sheriff

Cheri Honkala is the one candidate on the ballot in November who reminds City voters that it’s Wall Street and the banking industry that has brought our City down, not “greedy” government workers or any other right wing whipping boy. By treating home mortgages like gambling chips, the financial sector has collapsed the national economy, destroyed the retirement funds of individuals, cities and states alike, and created the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression. Millions of jobs disappeared, and millions of families lost their homes. Millions more remain at risk of losing theirs as well. As Sheriff, Cheri plans to ride to the rescue.

Cheri’s main campaign pledge is that she will refuse to evict any family from their home due to the complicity of the judicial branch in foreclosing on their mortgage or terminating their lease. At a time like this we don’t need more families in the street. We need more programs to enable workers to find jobs, and to get them over the hump until they do. By refusing to evict, Cheri will force the system to come to grips with the real causes and cures for the crisis. Cheri, and Neighborhood Networks, recognize that the legal system will fight back against her plan. And perhaps they will succeed. But the fight itself will raise the issue of who is really to blame and where the route out truly lies. And that is how real progress begins. To help Cheri, go to her website here.

Kathryn Boockvar for Commonwealth Court

Neighborhood Networks endorsed Kathy Boockvar for Commonwealth Court in the Spring Democratic primary, and she won narrowly. An even harder campaign lies ahead in her November contest against a far right wing Republican candidate. We reiterate our enthusiastic support for Boockvar.

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court is an important intermediate appellate court with jurisdiction over the duties and powers of local government, a crucial Court to those of us concerned with Home Rule in Philadelphia. Ms. Boockvar is superbly equipped to protect Philadelphia’s interests in that Court, and more importantly, the rights of poor and working people who live here.

Ms. Boockvar is a civil rights attorney who has the ability, experience and temperament needed to sit on the Commonwealth Court. She will bring to that Court the compassion, sense of justice, integrity and competence that are vital to the success of a progressive jurist. Boockvar dedicated her law practice to low-income families struggling with unemployment and disability difficulties at two different legal services programs for the poor. Her values are our values and they desperately need representation in every sector of PA’s appellate court system. Here’s Kathryn’s website.

Cindy Bass for City Council, 8th District

When we polled our members in the 8th Councilmanic District in the Spring primary, Cindy Bass finished just behind the leader in a crowded field. Clearly our members found her well qualified, and now that she has won the primary, we warmly endorse her in the November election.

Cindy Bass has a tremendous record of community involvement that has her attuned to the needs of regular people in our District. Her background includes the following:

• Founder and honorary chair of the Northwest Fund, which provides grants to community- based organizations working to prevent crime;

• Philadelphia Chapter of NOW. Served as conference chair for the NOW Women of Color and Allies Summit;

• Former co-chairperson for the National Coalition of Black Women’s Public Policy Committee;

• Past President of East Mt. Airy Neighbors.

Cindy’s history, record, community connections and progressive ideas will make her a strong representative in the 8th District. You can find her website here.

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