2022 Endorsement Questionnaire
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee.  Our mission is to achieve a more accessible, sustainable, and equitable Philadelphia for all residents through better mobility, public space, and planning policies.

The following questionnaire is a mix of yes/no questions and short answers. For yes/no questions, please use the comment box below each question if you wish to elaborate on your response.  Please refer us to any work you have done on these topics in your answers if applicable. If you have any questions or would like clarification on anything, please email us at 5thsq@5thsq.org

🡆 For 5th Square's positions, visit our Issues page:
https://www.5thsq.org/issues

🡆 To see our 2020 endorsements and questionnaire responses, visit: https://www.5thsq.org/2020_election_center_endorse

You are also invited to our Candidate Meet & Greet
on Thursday, March 10th, 2022 at 6:30 PM
at Buffalo Billiards (upstairs) - 118 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

RSVP here: https://www.5thsq.org/2022_candidates

If you would like us to include a photo with your response, please email it to us at 5thsq@5thsq.org
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Email *
What is your name as it will appear on the ballot? *
What office are you seeking? *
Candidate Introduction:
TRANSPORTATION
1 (a). Some of Philadelphia’s most dangerous streets for pedestrians and cyclists based on injury statistics are PennDOT-owned arterials, many of which are major downtown streets and commercial corridors running through densely-populated parts of Philadelphia. Would you use your position to support safer urban arterials by pushing PennDOT to adopt Vision Zero and complete streets policies?  (https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/philadelphia-traffic-fatalities-penndot-20190208.html)
Clear selection
➥ 1 (b). What types of legislative and policy changes are needed to correct this problem at PennDOT?
2 (a). Will you co-sponsor the ‘Vulnerable Road User’ Bill which increases fines for causing death, serious and bodily injury of vulnerable roadway users by careless and reckless driving?   (https://bicyclecoalition.org/vulnerable-road-user-bill-introduced-in-pa-state-house/)
Clear selection
➥ 2 (b). Parking-protected bike lanes have a row of street parking between vehicle traffic and the bike lane. These kinds of lanes are allowed now on city streets, but not state roads, which are among the busiest and most dangerous for bicyclists. Will you co-sponsor the parking protected bike lane bill? (https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/parking-protected-bike-lane-cycling-philadelphia-pennsylvania-legislation-20190430.html)
Clear selection
3 (a). State lawmakers like Nikil Saval and Brian Sims endorsed the Safer Washington Ave campaign’s demands and played a helpful role in showing support from elected leaders. Will you join these other elected officials in publicly endorsing Safer Washington Ave and future road safety campaigns?   (https://whyy.org/articles/city-facing-criticism-says-washington-ave-pivot-was-a-matter-of-equity/)
Clear selection
➥ 3 (b). How would you listen and respond to constituents who oppose road safety measures out of fears of traffic congestion and gentrification?
4. Pennsylvania passed legislation enabling automated speed enforcement on Roosevelt Blvd and highway work zones. Do you support the expansion of automated speed enforcement to School Zones and on other High Injury Network streets throughout Philadelphia? (https://whyy.org/articles/roosevelt-boulevard-speed-cameras-represent-rare-bipartisan-win/)
Clear selection
➥ 4. Comment:
5. Do you support state-enabling legislation for congestion pricing, permitting municipalities and regions to institute tolls on cars entering into the most congested areas, and using the funds for improvements to transit, and for infrastructure for walking and bicycling? (https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/congestion-pricing-new-york-philadelphia-traffic-20190402.html)
Clear selection
➥ 5. Comment:
6. Transportation is the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania. While many elected officials are relying on people adopting electric vehicles, we would like to see the commonwealth play a more active role in reducing car dependence. What do you see as the solution to combat these emissions, enhancing mobility and improving safety in your district and Pennsylvania more broadly?(https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/climate/Pages/GHG-Inventory.aspx)
7. Would you support prioritizing the East Coast Greenway multi-use trail system by accelerating the completion of gaps in its network, improving safe walking and biking connections to underserved neighborhoods, and creating a dedicated maintenance funding source to upgrade existing trails in need of repairs?   (https://www.greenway.org/faqs)
Clear selection
8 (a). State gas tax revenue has been decreasing due to improvements in fuel economy and a switch to electric vehicles. Of the options in Gov. Wolf's Transportation Revenue Options Commission Report, which recommendations do you support the most?   (https://www.penndot.pa.gov/about-us/funding/Pages/Gap.aspx)
8 (b). Should our commonwealth continue to fund highway expansion projects as a means to combat congestion?
Clear selection
9. What are some of your own ideas for enhancing mobility and improving road safety in your district and Philadelphia more broadly?
TRANSIT
10 (a). Do you support the Transit For All PA funding platform to generate $1.65 billion dollars/year to replace Act 89’s funding for transit? (https://www.transitforallpa.org/platform/)
Clear selection
10 (b). Do you support legislation enabling local governments to implement new transit funding mechanisms, while ensuring that local funds are supplemental and not used to replace a shortfall from the state? (https://www.transitforallpa.org/platform/)
Clear selection
10 (c). How would you propose raising the necessary funds for Pennsylvania’s public transit going forward?
11 (a). SEPTA is undergoing several projects to reform the way it currently operates including redesigning its bus network, improving its wayfinding, reimagining regional rail, and modernizing its trolley system. Do you support these efforts? (https://planning.septa.org/projects/)
Clear selection
➥ 11 (b). If so, how would your district benefit, and what will you do (or have done) to ensure that SEPTA can advance these changes?  If not, how should SEPTA spend its capital budget instead?
12. Do you support dedicated bus and trolley lanes and legislation enabling automated enforcement cameras to deter other vehicles from using these lanes? (https://mobilitylab.org/2018/09/17/automated-bus-lane-enforcement-is-more-effective-than-police-among-other-findings/)
Clear selection
➥ 12. Comment:
13. What are some of your own ideas for solutions to improve the quality (frequency, speed, and accessibility) of transit service in your district and Philadelphia more broadly?
LAND USE
14. The price of a typical home in Philadelphia was increasing at a faster rate than the ability of a typical Philadelphian to pay for it. Do you see a major component of this problem as constrained housing supply due to restrictive zoning laws?   (https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/housing-affordability-philadelphia-covid-20211206.html)
Clear selection
➥ 14. Comment:
15. Would you support state-based efforts to preempt local zoning and land use controls to encourage housing development particularly in affluent and transit-rich areas?(https://www.planetizen.com/definition/state-preemption)
Clear selection
➥ 15. Comment:
16. If elected, what will you do to make housing, both market-rate and subsidized, more affordable?
17 (a). An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a self-contained home with its own kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area on the same lot as the main house. They can be used to keep multi-generational families together, to give homeowners the option to rent part of their property, and to give seniors more options for aging in place. Do you see permitting ADU construction as an important element in increasing housing supply?    (https://local.aarp.org/news/adus-provide-unique-housing-solution-to-todays-challenges-pa-2021-06-17.html)
Clear selection
➥ 17 (b). What efforts will your office take to ensure seniors can age in place?
18 (a). Philadelphia is currently experiencing over 1,000 overdose deaths annually, a significant public health crisis. Do you see supervised injection sites as an important element in the battle against addiction deaths? (https://whyy.org/articles/time-for-safehouse-to-ask-forgiveness-not-permission-on-philly-supervised-injection-site-experts-say/)
Clear selection
➥ 18 (b). Why or why not?
SUSTAINABILITY
19. Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania DEP are moving to participate in a program that would limit harmful carbon pollution from power plants in Pennsylvania. This program is called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and it would have power companies pay for the pollution they generate while setting caps on future pollution. Different interest groups within the Democratic Party have taken different positions on this, with some building trades unions on one side and environmental groups on the other. If elected, would you support joining RGGI? (https://www.inquirer.com/science/pennsylvania-house-rggi-climate-change-gov-wolf-20211216.html)
Clear selection
➥ 19. Comment:
20. Tell us more about what you bring to the table as an ally for urbanist politics in Harrisburg. What makes you the right person to advance the urbanist movement’s goals politically or substantively at the state level? How would you build support for pro-urbanist policies among your colleagues from outside our region?
Come to our Candidate Meet & Greet on March 10th
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questionnaire! Our membership is excited to learn more about your candidacy and work with you to build a more sustainable and equitable city for all Philadelphians.

You are invited to our Candidate Meet & Greet
on Thursday, March 10th, 2022 at 6:30 PM
at Buffalo Billiards (upstairs) - 118 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

RSVP here: https://www.5thsq.org/2022_candidates

If you would like us to include a photo with your response, please email it to us at 5thsq@5thsq.org
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