By Jared Edgerton, Contributing Writer

After three and a half decades of service, Council President Anna Verna decided to retire due to increased pressure over the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP). This left a crowded field of thirteen democratic candidates vying for her position. As of two weeks ago, with the primary date approaching, the wide field has shrunk to two main contenders: Barbara Capozzi and Kenyatta Johnson.

The main issues during the primary season have been eliminating provision of the DROP program, amending the tax system and renovating abandoned properties. The candidates found common ground in their call to simplify the property tax system but are careful to emphasize that taxes will not increase quickly. State Representative Kenyatta Johnson proposed, “capping property tax increases at 10 percent of the difference between the actual and current values each year until the actual value is reached.”

Johnson, regarded as the front-runner, is hoping that his experience and involvement in South Philadelphia and Center City will be enough to carry him through the primaries. His current turf in the PA House covers 70 percent of district two, and in 2010 he won reelection with 83% of the vote.

Capozzi touts her decades of experience as a community activist and real estate developer in Philadelphia, as well an an attorney.

Although Johnson has a name recognition advantage over Capozzi, she has been able to out-raise Johnson, reporting $211 thousand in campaign contributions to Johnson’s $148 thousand. Capozzi has also secured some big endorsements from the Philadelphia Daily News and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. Johnson has received endorsements from State Representative Babette Josephs and Damon Roberts.