Recap of NEastPhilly-WHYY Democratic City Controller debate 2
Updated: 9:37 a.m. 5/8/09
By Shannon McDonald
NEastPhilly.com and WHYY partnered last night to host a debate for the city’s three Democratic candidates for city controller, Alan Butkovitz, John Braxton and Brett Mandel. The debate was moderated by WHYY’s Chris Satullo and took place in the John Perzel Community Center, where the Mayfair CDC operates. Among the hot topics were real estate taxes, department audits and the day-to-day duties of Philadelphia’s city controller. WHYY has audio and video clips from the debate, courtesy of Alan Tu.
Audience Question: How would you most effectively serve as City Controller
*Alan Butkovitz: “There has to be a sense of good faith that you’re really solving something.”
*John Braxton: “Impact is the most important. It’s not enough to audit.”
*Brett Mandel: “You have to develop a relationship that’s not a gotcha relationship.”
Tension was high at last night’s debate for the three Democratic candidates for city controller. Incumbent Alan Butkovitz joined his opponents Brett Mandel and John Braxton at a table in the front of the community room at the John Perzel Community Center in Mayfair, where insults flew back and forth and compliments were few.
On more than one occasion, moderator Chris Satullo had to reign the three men in, at one point commenting that the atmosphere had “gone from zero to nasty.”
A common theme of the night seemed to be Braxton’s and Mandel’s questioning Butkovitz on annual audits, the focus of previous debates between the men. Mayor Michael Nutter’s endorsement of incumbent Butkovitz also came up multiple times.
The two challengers took several shots at Butkovitz regarding what they considered his neglect for a major duty of the city controller position.
