Sam Katz (Philadelphia)
Encyclopedia
Sam Katz is an American politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. He is most notable for his three unsuccessful campaigns as a member of the Republican Party
for Mayor of Philadelphia. Although he ran as a Republican, Katz is currently registered Democrat
.
in Philadelphia, Katz earned a BA in political science
from Johns Hopkins University
and an MA in urban affairs and policy analysis from The New School for Social Research. He worked for the Greater Philadelphia Partnership as a Research Analyst before co-founding Public Financial Management
, Inc., which advises local and state governments on raising capital. After leaving PFM, he worked in a number of business ventures. Between the 1999 and 2003 campaigns for mayor, he was the CEO of Greater Philadelphia First.
. He later worked on Wilson Goode's 1983 campaign for mayor, but broke with Goode in 1987 and supported former mayor Frank Rizzo
. He switched to the Republican Party (GOP) in 1990.
Katz made his first run for Mayor of Philadelphia in 1991. He ran third in the Republican primary election
behind Rizzo and Philadelphia district attorney Ron Castille. After Rizzo's death in July, Katz attempted to persuade the party to give him the nomination, but lost out to Joe Egan.
In 1994
, Katz campaigned for Governor of Pennsylvania in a primary race that featured Congressman Tom Ridge
, State Attorney General
Ernie Preate
and Mike Fisher, the 2002
Republican nominee for Governor. Even though Katz had endorsements from the Philadelphia newspapers , and State Auditor General Barbara Hafer
, Katz finished third in the four-way primary, receiving little support outside Philadelphia.
. He was selected as the candidate to run for mayor against city council president John Street
who withstood a negative advertising barrage to win a divisive Democratic primary.
Katz, running as a moderate to liberal Republican, ran on a platform of cutting the high wage taxes in the city and bringing back businesses which had fled. Street ran citing his support of the Rendell administration's policies which many had felt rescued the city from a financial crisis. With a 75% voter registration advantage for the Democratic Party, Katz faced an uphill battle.
The race turned out to be racially divisive with Street holding 94% support of the African-American majority wards and Katz boasting support from about 80% of the white-majority wards. Although both of the city's major daily newspapers, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News endorsed Katz's candidacy, in the end, Street held on to a slight 7,200-vote majority on election day.
with Street. Despite a good local economy and some success in bringing development to the city, the mayor was unpopular in many circles due to several corruption scandals which had come to light during the mayor's term. None of the scandals were attributed to the mayor personally, but investigations of many in his inner circle (including his brother Milton
) were a cause for concern for many residents. Katz's 2003 platform went back to the issue of wage and business tax cuts, but also included an anti-corruption platform to take advantage of the atmosphere in the city.
With Katz running strong, the entire election changed in October, 2003 when a sweep of the mayor's office turned up a listening device. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) admitted that they had planted the device, although the mayor, himself, was not a target of the probe. At first, it seemed that the discovery could seriously hurt Street's re-election bid. However, Street deftly turned the issue around on his opponent. The campaign attacked the FBI for targeting a black mayor in the middle of the campaign. Street was able to use the issue to tie Katz to President Bush
, who was unpopular in the city.
The move worked, bringing liberal white voters back into the Democratic camp. By election day, Street had opened up an insurmountable lead and won 58% of the vote. The race was captured in the documentary film "The Shame of a City
," directed by Tigre Hill
, which gave viewers an inside look at the campaign.
list of "Sy Snyder's Power 50" list of influential individuals in Pennsylvania politics in 2002 and 2003. The Pennsylvania Report
named him to the 2003 "The Pennsylvania Report Power 75" list of influential figures in Pennsylvania.
Katz is focusing on business ventures at this time. He formed an investment partnership to invest in China
and regularly consults firms on doing business there. In April 2007, Katz changed his party registration from Republican to independent. This set up a possible run for mayor in the fall of 2007 as an independent. However, when Michael Nutter won the Democratic nomination for mayor, Katz announced he would not run as an independent.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He is most notable for his three unsuccessful campaigns as a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
for Mayor of Philadelphia. Although he ran as a Republican, Katz is currently registered Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Personal
A 1967 graduate of Central High SchoolCentral High School (Philadelphia)
Central High School is a public secondary school in the Logan section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Central, the second-oldest continuously public high school in the United States , was founded in 1836 and is a four-year university preparatory magnet school...
in Philadelphia, Katz earned a BA in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and an MA in urban affairs and policy analysis from The New School for Social Research. He worked for the Greater Philadelphia Partnership as a Research Analyst before co-founding Public Financial Management
Public Financial Management
Public Financial Management is a Philadelphia-based public finance financial advisory firm which focuses on asset management and consulting services for municipalities, cities, schools, hospitals and other public entities...
, Inc., which advises local and state governments on raising capital. After leaving PFM, he worked in a number of business ventures. Between the 1999 and 2003 campaigns for mayor, he was the CEO of Greater Philadelphia First.
Political career
Katz began in politics as a Democrat, having worked as a campaign manager for Congressman Bill Gray and Congressman Bill GreenWilliam J. Green, III
William Joseph Green, III is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Green also served as the 94th Mayor of Philadelphia.-Youth:...
. He later worked on Wilson Goode's 1983 campaign for mayor, but broke with Goode in 1987 and supported former mayor Frank Rizzo
Frank Rizzo
Francis Lazarro "Frank" Rizzo, Sr. was an American police officer and politician. He served two terms as mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from January 1972 to January 1980; he was Police Commissioner for four years prior to that.-Police Commissioner:Rizzo joined the Philadelphia Police...
. He switched to the Republican Party (GOP) in 1990.
Katz made his first run for Mayor of Philadelphia in 1991. He ran third in the Republican primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
behind Rizzo and Philadelphia district attorney Ron Castille. After Rizzo's death in July, Katz attempted to persuade the party to give him the nomination, but lost out to Joe Egan.
In 1994
Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1994
The Pennsylvania Gubernatorial election of 1994 was held on November 8, 1994. Incumbent Democratic Governor Bob Casey, Sr. was barred from seeking a third term by the state constitution. The Republican Party nominated Congressman Tom Ridge, while the Democrats nominated Mark Singel, Casey's...
, Katz campaigned for Governor of Pennsylvania in a primary race that featured Congressman Tom Ridge
Tom Ridge
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives , the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania , Assistant to the President for Homeland Security , and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security...
, State Attorney General
Pennsylvania Attorney General
The Pennsylvania Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It became an elected office in 1980. Currently, the office is held by Linda Kelly.- Authority and Responsibilities :...
Ernie Preate
Ernie Preate
Ernest D. Preate, Jr. is a former Pennsylvania Attorney General. His term ended prematurely when he was indicted on federal charges for mail fraud for which he served a sixteen-month prison sentence in Duluth, Minnesota.-References:...
and Mike Fisher, the 2002
Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2002
The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2002 was held on November 5, 2002, and included the races for the governor and lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.-Gubernatorial Primaries:Attorney General Mike Fisher ran unopposed for the Republican nomination...
Republican nominee for Governor. Even though Katz had endorsements from the Philadelphia newspapers , and State Auditor General Barbara Hafer
Barbara Hafer
Barbara Hafer is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.-Early political career:...
, Katz finished third in the four-way primary, receiving little support outside Philadelphia.
1999
1999 was the year in which Katz emerged from the Republican field, running unopposed in the GOP primary for mayorPhiladelphia mayoral election, 1999
-Election results:-External links:*...
. He was selected as the candidate to run for mayor against city council president John Street
John F. Street
John Franklin Street was the 97th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. He was first elected to a term beginning on January 3, 2000, and was re-elected to a second term beginning in 2004...
who withstood a negative advertising barrage to win a divisive Democratic primary.
Katz, running as a moderate to liberal Republican, ran on a platform of cutting the high wage taxes in the city and bringing back businesses which had fled. Street ran citing his support of the Rendell administration's policies which many had felt rescued the city from a financial crisis. With a 75% voter registration advantage for the Democratic Party, Katz faced an uphill battle.
The race turned out to be racially divisive with Street holding 94% support of the African-American majority wards and Katz boasting support from about 80% of the white-majority wards. Although both of the city's major daily newspapers, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News endorsed Katz's candidacy, in the end, Street held on to a slight 7,200-vote majority on election day.
2003
After his close 1999 defeat, Katz was ready for a 2003 rematchPhiladelphia mayoral election, 2003
The Philadelphia mayoral election, 2003 was a contest between Democratic incumbent John F. Street and Republican businessman Sam Katz.Pennsylvania Governor and former Mayor of Philadelphia, Ed Rendell played a key role for Street by ensuring that business interests did not support Katz.-Election...
with Street. Despite a good local economy and some success in bringing development to the city, the mayor was unpopular in many circles due to several corruption scandals which had come to light during the mayor's term. None of the scandals were attributed to the mayor personally, but investigations of many in his inner circle (including his brother Milton
Milton Street
Thomas Milton Street, Sr. is an entrepreneur, former State Senator, and convicted felon from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the brother of former Philadelphia mayor John Street...
) were a cause for concern for many residents. Katz's 2003 platform went back to the issue of wage and business tax cuts, but also included an anti-corruption platform to take advantage of the atmosphere in the city.
With Katz running strong, the entire election changed in October, 2003 when a sweep of the mayor's office turned up a listening device. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) admitted that they had planted the device, although the mayor, himself, was not a target of the probe. At first, it seemed that the discovery could seriously hurt Street's re-election bid. However, Street deftly turned the issue around on his opponent. The campaign attacked the FBI for targeting a black mayor in the middle of the campaign. Street was able to use the issue to tie Katz to President Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, who was unpopular in the city.
The move worked, bringing liberal white voters back into the Democratic camp. By election day, Street had opened up an insurmountable lead and won 58% of the vote. The race was captured in the documentary film "The Shame of a City
The Shame of a City
The Shame of a City is a 2006 feature-length documentary, which premiered at the Philadelphia Film Festival,. Filmmaker Tigre Hill chronicles the 2003 Philadelphia mayoral race between Democrat incumbent mayor John Street and Republican challenger Sam Katz...
," directed by Tigre Hill
Tigre Hill
Tigre Hill is a filmmaker known for tackling controversial subjects. He is perhaps best known for his first documentary, The Shame of a City.-Background:Tigre Hill was born in Pittsburgh and raised in the western Philadelphia neighborhood of Wynnefield...
, which gave viewers an inside look at the campaign.
Post-political career
He was named to the PoliticsPAPoliticsPA
- Content :The website focuses on news aggregation, linking to major political news making headlines across the state. The editors write occasional features, like the weekly "Up & Down" scorecard and one-off lists like "Harrisburg's Smartest Staffer" and "Best Dressed Lobbyist" lists...
list of "Sy Snyder's Power 50" list of influential individuals in Pennsylvania politics in 2002 and 2003. The Pennsylvania Report
Pennsylvania Report
The Pennsylvania Report is an independent bi-weekly subscription-based political newspaper published in Pennsylvania. It is "widely read by the state's political junkies." It was founded in 1985 by David Buffington, a former public relations worker for the Pennsylvania Government.It provides...
named him to the 2003 "The Pennsylvania Report Power 75" list of influential figures in Pennsylvania.
Katz is focusing on business ventures at this time. He formed an investment partnership to invest in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and regularly consults firms on doing business there. In April 2007, Katz changed his party registration from Republican to independent. This set up a possible run for mayor in the fall of 2007 as an independent. However, when Michael Nutter won the Democratic nomination for mayor, Katz announced he would not run as an independent.