Allan Domb Wants The Mayor’s Job. Here Is Some Of His Plan
EDITORS NOTE THIS IS A PROFILE INTERVIEW ON A CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA. DELAWARE VALLEY NEWS DOES NOT ENDORSE ANY CANDIDATE FOR ANY OFFICE. WE WILL ATTEMPT TO INTERVIEW ALL CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THIS OFFICE.
by Alex Lloyd Gross
April 10, 2023
Allan Domb has a lot of money. He can just say the Hell with everything, buy an island and have people bring him what he needs. Do does not need to work. However, he wants one job and that is to be Mayor of Philadelphia. The former city councilman put his hat in the ring and seems to be able to go the distance to the primary. So why do it? “I’ve always worked, as a child, I had two paper routes, I counted and saved dimes, nickles and pennies. My family was not wealthy growing up. We used to re wash plastic spoons”, he said.
Domb started his real estate career in Philadelphia and wants to give back to the city. To hear him speak, he is not a traditional politician. He admits to being a workaholic and will not spend money frivolously. He has a business mindset. While a Philadelphian will try to put $2000.00 Taylor Swift tickets on a credit card, Domb would not. He would invest that money and spend it on something worthwhile. “That is how you build wealth” he said. Saving that $2000 and putting it towards a house builds generational wealth.
As the Mayor of Philadelphia, he knows that good paying jobs are paramount to reducing crime. “Before the pandemic, people would work for cheaper wages, not anymore. “Workers have to demand opportunity. TD Bank is now paying tellers $22.00 per hour. Prior to the pandemic they were paying about $10.00,” Domb said. While he is a huge supporter of Governor Josh Shapiro’s push to raise the minimum wage, He wants to arm school children with knowledge and work experience, before they arm themselves with guns. “Let’s teach financial literacy in schools., We can teach kids how to balance a checkbook, about how interest works, maybe how to start a business,” Domb said. “When I am mayor, we’ll teach this in rec centers and give adult education, give people the tools they need to build themselves up,” he said. He pints to the Cristo Rey School at 17th and Allegheny, which is doing fantastic with at risk kids. That school boasts a near 100 percent graduation rate.
“Right now we are not competitive as a city. With the wage and business tax, who would want to start a business here”, ? Domb asked.The suburbs have good paying jobs. “Of the top 20 employers in Philadelphia, only three are private companies. Comcast, American Airlines and Allied Universal. “We can have an elasticity study we would gain so much…”Domb said as he expounded about whet he would do if he was mayor.
Crime is at an all time high. “Go to my website votedomb.com. It’s on there,” when asked about his plan. Domb was appalled about Kensington. “I am declaring that a Public Health Emergency” he said. He would hold meetings with law enforcement weekly. he wants the homicide rate to be cut in half. When asked about District Attorney Larry Krasner, Domb responded that “You have to prosecute for retail theft. I will talk with him and if we have to involved the state or federal government, then we will do it, Only 1700 to 1800 people are violent offenders. We have to get these people off the streets and fast,”Domb continued.
Domb did vote for the soda tax but now is having second thoughts about it. “I like the idea of funding pre-k but that should be done from the general fund”. He now sees how people in the border areas bypass Philadelphia stores to do their shopping and don’t pay the tax. We should reduce it to entice a good number of those people to come back to shop in the city. “I do not think pre-k should be funded with a sin tax,” Domb said.
Domb repeats his mantra that good education is key to cutting crime. He is right when you think about it. A 19 year old with the prospect of a great job with ABC company is going to think twice about running with people to “handle business”. They are not inclined to hang with criminals, but with people that can advance their future.
The Pennsylvania Primary Election is going to be held on May 16, 2013. According to Domb, as a workaholic, he worked very hard to accomplish what he has. If he was mayor, has said that he would bring that workaholic attitude into managing Philadelphia .