City Council welcomed four new members to Council, as the newcomers, elected in special elections last month to fill vacancies, were sworn in before family and friends in Council Chambers at City Hall.
The four new members of Council were sworn in on Monday, November 28, 2022:
• Councilmember At Large James Harrity, 50, a resident of Kensington and former aide to State Senator Sharif Street.
• Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, 52, a resident of Northwood and former Chief of Staff to Councilmember Maria Quiñones Sánchez. Lozada will represent the 7th Council District.
• Councilmember Anthony Phillips, 33, a resident of Mt. Airy and founder of the non-profit Youth Action. Phillips was elected to represent the 9th Council District.
• Councilmember At Large Sharon Vaughn, 58, a resident of Feltonville and former Chief of Staff to Councilmember Derek Green.
The newest members of Council were elected on November 8th to fill the unexpired terms of four Councilmembers who resigned to explore runs for Mayor. They included At Large Members Derek Green and Allan Domb and District Members Cherelle L. Parker (9th) and Maria Quiñones Sánchez (7th). Each of those former members was in the audience on Monday.
Harrity, Lozada, Phillips, and Vaughn will serve out these terms until January 2024. All 17 seats in City Council will be on the Spring Primary ballot in May 2023 and then the General Election ballot in November, as members and challengers seek election to full four-year terms.
The new Councilmembers each offered remarks that highlighted their interests and desires to serve the people of Philadelphia.
Councilmember Harrity spoke about gun violence and his hope to work on positive opportunities for young people to avoid negative paths. Councilmember Vaughn, a longtime veteran of City Hall, promised to be frank and direct in seeking solutions to problems to improve the quality of life for residents.
Councilmember Lozada, who will represent areas of the city hit hardest by the opioid epidemic, promised to work tirelessly to make Kensington a safer, more vibrant place to live and work.
And Councilmember Phillips, who has worked in the non-profit sector on behalf of young people, said he sought to create a “village” to help youths in his district and citywide in the same ways that a village of supporters has brought him to City Council.
“We’re delighted to welcome Councilmembers Harrity, Lozada, Phillips, and Vaughn to City Council,” said Council President Darrell L. Clarke after Monday’s swearing-in ceremony. “We have a lot of work to do representing the people of Philadelphia. We still have far too many people living in poverty, gun violence remains at a totally unacceptable level, and many people in Philadelphia still lack access to an affordable place to live. We need all hands on deck, and we know our new members are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.”
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On Tuesday, Councilmember Helen Gym (At Large) submitted her resignation and announced her own plans to seek the mayoralty. So for now, Council stands at 16 members.
Council President Clarke offered this statement on the Councilmember’s resignation: “Councilmember Gym was a tireless champion for children and public education, and for workers’ rights to a fairer, living wage. She used her position in Council to advocate for significant protections for renters against evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. And she supported Council’s constant, ongoing efforts to fund and create more affordable housing opportunities for Philadelphians throughout our city. Her voice on behalf of those residents who traditionally lack access to power was strong and unwavering.”
