Williams is the son of Hardy, a politician, and Carole, an elementary school teacher. He grew up in Philadelphia. He attended Anderson Elementary School (one block from his home, where his mother taught), Mitchell Elementary School, Conwell Middle Magnet School and Westtown School. He then earned a degree in economics fromFranklin & Marshall College. [3] He was sworn in to represent the 191st legislative district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1989.[4] In 1998, Williams' father, Pennsylvania State SenatorHardy Williams, retired hours before the deadline to file nominating petitions, allowing Anthony the opportunity to run unopposed for his father's 8th senatorial districtseat.[5] The younger Williams had already filed his nominating petitions to run for his House seat, so he remained on both ballots. He declined to take his House seat when he won both elections simultaneously

He comes to the race as the perceived front-runner, largely because he is an accomplished African American candidate running in a city with a plurality of African American voters.

Just as another candidate - James F. Kenney - has dismissed such "racial math" as outdated, so does Williams.

"I agree, voters are smarter than that," he said. "And it works both ways. I don't expect only African Americans to support me."

Rather, he has pitched himself a candidate for "one Philadelphia," and has promised to heal divisions across geographic and demographic lines. The task before him is ending a perception - a wrong one, he argues - that he is a one-issue candidate: pro-charter schools.

"Charter schools alone are not going to fix education in Philadelphia," he said. "I never say that. I never have said that. I have always been a supporter of public education."

Funding

• Five years ago, in a failed bid for governor, he benefited from $5 million in support from three Bala Cynwyd financial traders, who favor, as he does, giving students options beyond failing public schools. The enormous contribution cemented Williams' reputation more narrowly as a charter-school advocate.
• So far, the big banner across the headquarters of Ed Coryell’s Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters, among the biggest unions in Pennsylvania, overlapping into other states, has pushed State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams to the forefront. That endorsement was delivered to Williams, along with healthy checks from the Carpenters’ and Teamsters’ Unions.
• Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 19 endorsed Williams early on and this last Saturday staged a major rally for him at its spacious hall on Columbus Boulevard with over 500 members attending.
• Another major endorsement came from SEPTA’s largest union, Transport Workers Union Local 234, whose president, Willie Brown, said, “He’s a consensus-builder and problem-solver” – both attributes needed for a Mayor.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/mayor/20150306_Mayoral_candidate_Anthony_Williams_striking_many_notes_beyond_charters.html#kKYtYotqpyEepQKz.99

Issues According to his Website

• Education FundingAs mayor, Anthony will focus on securing more state funding for Philadelphia public schools by working for the enactment of a comprehensive and fair funding formula (one that takes into account our poverty rate, and special education population) so that students have the tools they need to be prepared for the global economy. He will also work to secure charter reimbursement funding to end the tension between neighborhood schools and public charters.

• Innovation & Supporting EducatorsAnthony believes we must create school environments that are safe for students and teachers alike, and attracts and retains teachers, principals, and support staff through robust professional and career development. After creating an environment for success, Anthony believes we must demand results – through longer school days, a longer school year, and by implementing evidence-based practices that improve educational experiences and outcomes for our students. He is prepared to be an ally and work in partnership with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers on these issues.

• Reducing Gun Violence Anthony is a member of the Senate’s Law and Justice Committee, and is a leader in the Senate to eliminate gun violence in our communities. He sponsored bills to require the registration of all firearms across Pennsylvania, and to expand penalties for the transportation of illegal firearms. He launched initiatives like the Gun Violence Taskforce in partnership with the District Attorney’s office to catch illegal gun dealers. Anthony will continue to sponsor and advocate on behalf of legislation and community-led initiatives that protect our neighborhoods, and families from senseless and tragic gun violence.

• Protecting Our Children Anthony’s efforts led to the Senate’s unanimous passage of his “Passing the Trash” bill, aimed at preventing school employees with a history of sexual misconduct from being retained or re-hired at other schools. Anthony also sponsored bills to expand evidence-based anti-truancy programs, and fought for increased funding for Safe Schools Grants, which help school administrators create and execute plans designed to reduce and prevent violence.
• Engaging Our Neighborhoods Anthony believes that passing legislation is but one of many tools to advance our city’s priorities. He sponsors numerous community-led initiatives to address our challenges in comprehensive ways, including his annual Summer of Peace initiative to teach children about alternatives to violence. He also launched the Violence Reduction Initiative, which focused efforts on aligning resources and efforts across education, youth development, family services, employment and ex-offender re-entry services, and public safety.

• Supporting Law Enforcement Anthony believes that the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri were a chilling moment for all Americans. He has a long history of holding Philadelphia law enforcement leadership accountable through his work with Mayor Ed Rendell and the “Gang of Five.” He supports additional training and increased resources to ensure law enforcement agencies reflect not just the community’s demographic, but also its values.

• Attracting Jobs, Reducing Poverty Anthony believes that economic development in Philadelphia must prioritize lowering the city’s poverty rate by attracting new jobs, training unemployed city residents, and attracting talented individuals and businesses from across the world. He sponsored legislation to replace Pennsylvania’s corporate income tax with a Commercial Activity Tax to create a more predictable business and investment climate. He supports Keystone Opportunity Zones and other tax incentives that leverage private investment to attract much needed economic development to blighted areas of the city.

• Job Training Anthony believes that every willing Philadelphian should have the opportunity to train, or retrain, for the jobs of the future. He supported the creation of the Diversity Apprenticeship Program, which provides access to a career in the labor trades within reach for thousands of young men and women across Philadelphia. He’ll also push for greater alignment between the city’s workforce training programs, our region’s educational institutions, and our employers.
• Investing in Philadelphia’s Small Businesses As a former small business owner, he believes that small business and entrepreneurship are important tools to reduce the city’s poverty rate. As a member of the Senate’s State Government committee, Anthony introduced bills to simplify the certification process for minority-owned businesses, and to increase state government’s procurement with those businesses. He’s hosted workshops for small business owners, including how to develop mobile applications to attract consumers and increase revenues.

As mayor, Tony will initially focus on four key areas to leverage city data: 1. Fully implement the Open Data Strategic Plan to drive culture change in agenciesToo often, program design and policy development take place without consideration for the citizen. For example, there are dozens of residential programs, and federal, state and local benefits that Philadelphians do not claim because they are not aware of them. As mayor, Tony will work with the Chief Data Officer to fully implement the Open Data Strategic Plan, and direct agencies to improve how they communicate with citizens. One idea he supports is modeled on Single Stop’s Benefits Enrollment Network. Leveraging the BenePhilly centers across the city, he will work to ensure that every Philadelphian can access the programs and services they are eligible for. 2. USE OPEN DATA TO CREATE A HUB FOR CIVIC INNOVATION AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP City government should create a public data inventory, and as mayor Tony will reauthorize the Office of New Urban Mechanics and formally partner with Philadelphia’s great civic innovators and social entrepreneurs to strategically address societal challenges locally and globally. This approach can also provide training in our public schools, and local colleges and universities that will empower citizens to create solutions to problems city government could not tackle alone. If city government can support an ecosystem that allows civic innovation to thrive, it will attract investment, unlock economic growth across the city, and fundamentally reshape the relationship between citizens and their government through direct engagement and input. 3. Use open data to develop an evidence-based approach to municipal servicesSimply put, the City of Philadelphia has limited funds to invest in its most pressing priorities. Evaluating the effectiveness of city government programs and services should be a basic rule of municipal management. City government has an obligation to invest in and expand policies and programs that are proven to work, and re-direct funding away from policies and programs that do not. As mayor, Tony will expand city agencies’ capacity for program evaluation, similar to the Philadelphia Police Department data scientists initiative, and build a data-driven culture focused on delivering a better quality of life for all Philadelphians. 4. Use open data to reinforce ethics and integrity in city governmentTransparency bridges the gap between effective open data practices and our commitments to an ethical government. As mayor, Tony will ensure that all agencies adhere to robust reporting practices. Management of services and resources should be tracked in real time, so Tony will roll out new digital tools that meet those challenges. This will necessitate continued and significant capital investments to upgrade city government’s technological capabilities. The next mayor must be positioned to lead a multibillion-dollar enterprise with over 20,000 employees. With a citizen-centered and data-driven approach to governance, Tony will change how Philadelphia does business.

[Editor’s note: These issues and others will be the focus of our Philly Tech Week Mayoral Forum April 20. RSVP for the forum and check out the responses to our mayoral questionnaire here.]

How many net new jobs will you create in your first term? How will you work with the business community to create them? Small business growth will be a top priority for a Williams Administration. My One Philadelphia vision ends the false choices between higher wages and economic growth ­ between labor and business ­ and brings us together to solve difficult challenges. Mayors do not create jobs (unless they are government jobs). Mayors foster an environment in which jobs are created in the private sector. While many other peer cities gained private sector jobs since 1970, Philadelphia joined Detroit in losing them. Philadelphia’s job loss can be tied largely to our tax structure, which punishes businesses located within city limits. According to the Kauffman Index, Philadelphia is last among the 15 largest metropolitan areas for entrepreneurial activity. This is where Philadelphia needs fundamental reform to accelerate its economic growth. Unlike others in the mayoral race, I’ve owned a small business. As a former small business owner, I will be the city’s foremost champion for small business job creation, particularly for businesses owned by women and people of color. I understand why businesses locate here, why they stay, and what will help them grow. Businesses look for a well­educated workforce, tax and regulatory stability, and manageable energy/utility costs. Businesses look for a local government and public officials that understand their challenges, and with whom they can partner to create a thriving economy that benefits everyone. In a Williams Administration, the business community will have a partner, not an adversary. While disagreement may exist on specific policies, all share the common vision of a thriving economy in every neighborhood across the city, and the region.

Specifically, how would you create efficiencies in Philadelphia’s operating budget and reform the cost structure of municipal government? A Williams Administration will re­balance city government towards providing a better quality of life to residents through a data­driven approach to municipal services, leverage municipal assets to shore up Philadelphia’s underfunded pension liabilities, and establish a commitment to reducing the significant costs of incarceration and recidivism. 2As mayor, I will lead a government committed to using a data and evidence based approach to inform decision­making. Evaluating the effectiveness of city government programs and services will continue as a basic tenet of municipal management, with tools such as PhillyStat leading the way. A Williams Administration will use data and evidence to invest in and expand policies and programs that work, and shift funding away from policies and programs that do not. I will build upon city government’s capacity for evaluation, and implement a data­driven culture focused on delivering a better quality of life, and efficient and effective services to all Philadelphians. As mayor, in partnership with City Council, I will explore leveraging municipal assets through a one­time windfall or a dedicated revenue stream earmarked towards pension liabilities. This will free up general fund revenues to spend on education, infrastructure, and other core priorities. Philadelphia’s consolidated city/county structure means that city revenues also support traditional county­level expenditures like prisons, and the judicial system. Municipal functions like trash collection, Licenses and Inspections, and parks and recreation compete against these expenditures. Since 1960, those county­level expenditures increased over 133 percent, while municipal­level functions decreased by nearly 25 percent over the same period of time. Simply put, city government must begin to shift spending from prisons to parks. The Bureau of Justice Statistics pegs the cost of recidivism in Philadelphia at $500M alone. Nearly 40 percent of inmates lack a GED or a high school diploma. As a result, returning citizens struggle to find employment after their release, increasing the likelihood of reoffending. The Community College of Philadelphia offers courses for a limited number of prisoners through its Re­Entry Support Project, and the REACH College program. As mayor, I will expand these programs to equip returning citizens with the skills and education to rejoin the workforce. In addition, providing access to quality healthcare to inmates and returning citizens will save millions of dollars each year by reducing recidivism and length of incarceration, and shift healthcare costs to the federal government which will free up funding for other priorities.

How do you view the mayor’s role in creating a well­ educated workforce? How do you specifically plan to carry out that vision? The son of a former Philadelphia public school teacher, I am running for Mayor to build a One Philadelphia vision for education ­ a city in which every family can access a quality education that prepares students from cradle to career, from child care to college. However, state government is not meeting its constitutional obligation to provide for a “thorough and efficient” system of public schools in Philadelphia. Without full and weighted funding from the state, the School District will remain in crisis. As mayor, my vision is a fully funded public school system that centers on the child and parents, focuses on educational quality and outcomes, and values public school teachers as professionals and public servants. As mayor, I’ll have limited control of Philadelphia’s public schools, but I’ll use the full power of my office to achieve this vision. 1) A Fully Funded Public School System As mayor, I’ll secure a weighted, full funding formula from the state that takes into account Philadelphia’s poverty rate, as well as public charter school reimbursement, to provide financial stability for the School District and end the tension between neighborhood schools and public charter schools. With full funding, the School District can hire back counselors, nurses, more teachers, and implement programs that support academic excellence for every child. We also have to move towards a more balanced partnership between the state and the city. In addition, to a weighted funding formula and public charter school reimbursement from the state, we’ll need to increase local revenue. As mayor, I’ll work to aggressively collect delinquent property taxes, free up dollars by shoring up the city's underfunded pension system, and implement a long­term plan to increase commercial property taxes, significantly increasing funding for public schools. 2) Improve child care quality and affordability for working families Early learning is the best investment a city can make in its youngest citizens, but less than 15% of infants and toddlers in Philadelphia receive a quality day care experience that prepares them for kindergarten. Expanding quality and affordable neighborhood­based child care facilities and pre­K will reduce poverty, make communities across Philadelphia attractive places for families to stay and grow, and ensure that children are prepared to learn. As mayor, I will support Councilman Johnson’s bill to provide a dollar­for­dollar wage tax credit to families who send their children to certified day care centers. It is estimated that a family earning $27,000 a year will save nearly $700 in wage taxes. To improve the quality of day care in Philadelphia, I will order the Department of Licenses and Inspections, and the Department of Public Health to annually inspect day care facilities that are not certified by the state, and move them towards certification. 3) Implement Early College Programs Increase educational attainment rates by implementing early college programs in public high schools to provide graduates with the skills and credentials needed for the global economy. These programs extend high school in partnership with community colleges, and four­year colleges and universities so graduates receive a high school diploma as well as two years of college credits, an industry­recognized credential, or an associate’s degree at no cost to families. Research has shown that early college programs increase graduation rates and educational attainment rates, which will reduce poverty, crime, and increase economic prosperity. 4) Expand Mayor’s Commission on Literacy Over 550,000 adults in Philadelphia are low­literate, and unable to fully participate in the local economy. As mayor, I will pursue a “two­generation” approach for children and their parents, and expand the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy’s myPLACE initiative, which is the nation’s first online, cohort­based class for reading, writing, and math for low­literate adults. Improving the reading, 5writing, and math proficiency of this population will significantly improve Philadelphia’s workforce, and prepare more residents for higher wage jobs. 5. How do you view Philadelphia’s competitive standing compared to other cities with regard to taxes, regulations and job creation? How would you improve our city’s competitiveness as Mayor? Taxes Philadelphia’s reliance on wage and business taxes is at the root cause of its tenuous economic recovery. That is why as mayor I will work with City Council to reinstate an incremental business and wage tax reduction schedule to provide for a more predictable business climate, and increase take­home pay for working Philadelphians. My long­term vision is a city government that can treat homeowners and commercial property owners differently. Pennsylvania’s uniformity clause does not allow Philadelphia to do that. In partnership with Harrisburg, I will draw upon my experience as a state legislator to lead a bipartisan effort in Harrisburg to decouple commercial and residential property tax rates, and set the commercial rate at 15% above the residential rate. This change would allow Philadelphia to reduce its wage tax to below 3 percent, and cut its Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) in half over the next decade. This shift in tax policy would put more money in the hands of working families and small businesses. The Job Growth Coalition estimates that this fundamental shift in tax policy would create 50,000 new jobs over 10 years, and secure nearly $100M in increased revenue for the City. Regulations As mayor, I will convene a task force to identify ordinances and regulations that negatively impact economic growth, and place unnecessary obstacles in front of small businesses. I’ll also prioritize how the City interacts with small businesses, and continue enhancements to the City’s business services portal so entrepreneurs can conduct all licensing and permitting online and track its status. By expanding the Office of Business Services, the Commerce Department can 6support small businesses as they navigate city government, rather than making it more difficult. Job Creation The tax restructuring plan explained above is estimated to create 50,000 jobs over 10 years. Increasing anchor institutions’ local procurement by 25 percent is estimated to create 4,000 new jobs. Energy Hub While we’ve long paid attention to our “eds and meds” for job creation, we should turn our eyes to Philadelphia’s future as an energy hub. As mayor, I will lead that effort. Production of natural gas in Pennsylvania has more than doubled since 2011, solidifying Philadelphia’s opportunity to play a vital role in its entire industrial supply chain. This includes the delivery and export of Natural Gas, growing new markets like NG vehicle fueling, and strengthening our manufacturing base through the conversion of natural gas to higher valued products, returning Philadelphia to its strong roots. Transporting the finished products such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) naturally pivots to our port. As the nation’s 5th largest city with the 28th ranked port we have opportunities for significant market gain. As mayor, I will work with PGW to diversify its natural gas portfolio to safely secure more natural gas from Pennsylvania. I also support the pursuit of public­private partnerships that expands PGW’s ability to export LNG to emerging markets. The growth potential extends outside of the Philadelphia market as PGW could utilize its LNG storage capability to export, and barge, to other ports. Under a Williams Administration, PGW will also continue to play a central role in the city’s economic development strategy by reducing energy costs for businesses seeking to expand or relocate to Philadelphia. As mayor, I’ll partner with PGW to increase Combined Heat and Power (CHP) installations 7across the City, and leverage its economic and environmental benefits to attract new businesses and create more jobs. As Philadelphia’s energy industry infrastructure grows, it will need a talented workforce to support it. As mayor, I will coordinate with the Philadelphia Energy Authority and Philadelphia Works to provide Philadelphians with the career training necessary to maximize job opportunities, and bridge the skills gap in the energy industry. This can be accomplished through partnerships with local colleges and universities, including the Community College of Philadelphia, who partnered with the state to develop the Energy Training Center. STEM programs housed in neighborhood public schools can provide an ideal platform for students and young adults alike. Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship In order to increase entrepreneurial activity and hiring, Philadelphia will need to attract more investment capital. As mayor, I will engage with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders to attract more early stage and venture capital investment to Philadelphia, and position Philadelphia as a national hub for government innovation and social entrepreneurship. Philadelphia’s challenges with poverty are also an opportunity to attract social entrepreneurs. Coupled with our city’s world­class foundations and universities, Philadelphia can attract and develop businesses and solutions that address local and global challenges. As mayor, I will reauthorize the Office of New Urban Mechanics and formally partner with Philadelphia’s great civic innovators and social entrepreneurs to strategically address societal challenges. This approach can leverage our public schools, and local colleges and universities to create solutions to problems that city government could not tackle alone. When city government can support an ecosystem that allows civic innovation and social entrepreneurship to thrive, it will attract investment, unlock economic growth across the city, and fundamentally reshape the relationship between citizens and their government through direct engagement and input.