Philadelphia will get four new city councilmembers Monday as they are officially sworn in following this month’s special elections.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for noon on Nov. 28, 2022.
The new members take the seats of former councilmembers who left office to run for Philadelphia mayor next year, in accordance with Philadelphia’s Home Rule Charter.
The new members include two who will fill at-large seats and two who will fill district seats: Jim Harrity and Sharon Vaughn will fill Derek Green and Allan Domb’s former at-large seats.
And, two who are filling district seats: Quetcy Lozada will fill the former 7th District seat of Maria Quiñones Sanchez and Anthony Phillips will fill the former 9th District seat of Cherelle Parker.
Speaking with NBC10 sister station Telemundo62 after the election, Lozada said she will focus on building “alliances” between the community and police, especially in the Kensington neighborhood she will represent, which has been wracked for years by high crime and opioid addiction.
“Part of the job I want to do is continue the conversations with the (police) captains of that district and come to an agreement in which we don’t have to imprison (people addicted to opioids) but instead connect them to necessary resources,” she said.
Phillips, for his part, has touted his experience in youth development. He promises to provide better resources for the city’s schools and wants to increase public safety by focusing on community policing.
Harrity is the political director of the state Democratic Party. “I’m gonna go in there and fight for new schools,” Harrity told NBC10 partner KYW Newsradio.
Vaughn is Green’s former chief of staff and the leader of Philadelphia’s 42nd ward.
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