An interview with
Dwight Evans

by David J. Foster

Staff Writer

In West Oak Lane, he's a local hero.

To the four-year-olds at the NIA Center day care--built through a community development corporation founded by him--he's the smiling "Mr. Evans." The children there can't tell you how, but they know he's somehow responsible for their computerized playland.

Driving back to his office in the revitalized 7100 block of Ogontz Ave., a shopper waves and shouts: "Hey, there he is!"

And Dwight Evans flashes back a toothy grin.

He's clearly at ease here, and he exudes a quiet self confidence that's built upon an impressive string of successes--most of which Evans can actually point to during a tour of the 203rd Legislative District.

Now, he's setting his sights on City Hall. Evans, 41, who ran for governor in 1994 and was a high profile chairman of the House Appropriations Committee when the Democrats were in power in Harrisburg, is running for mayor.

Northeast voters were introduced to him, so to speak, on Sept. 2, when Evans took the issues of public safety and police deployment and catapulted them onto the city's radar screen.

Linking with Northeast Republican legislators, Evans invited former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton to hearings on the staffing and deployment policies of city police.

An election year ploy, as his critics have charged? Not at all, he says. Public safety is integral to neighborhood redevelopment, Evans argues. If a neighborhood is unsafe, who would want to invest in it?

As proof he shows visitors a 1980 aerial view of the 7100 block of Ogontz Ave. It looks like Berlin after the war. Today, shops, offices, and retailers abound.

"You can't do this if people aren't safe," Evans said. Evans may be the consummate networker. By his own admission, he'll knock on just about anyone's door for help oradvice. He <enjoys> hearing other points of view.

He's sincere about reforming the police force--and the school district as well. He's politically savvy enough, too, to realize the ramifications of battling the teachers' and police union, too.

Evans' House Bill 1343 is sitting in the Urban Affairs Committee awaiting a hearing. It would restructure the school district to give each new mayor control (and accountability) over school board appointments, and establish "school choice" scholarships to low-income students in "academically distressed" schools.

Even a longtime foe like Lawncrest State Rep. Chris Wogan (R-176) admitted Evans' decision to construct school choice legislation gives the now dormant issue a major boost. If Evans can persuade a handful of inner city Democrats to join him, they conceivable could tip the balance in the State House in favor of school choice.

In an interview with the <Northeast News Gleaner> editor Don Brennan and staff writer David J. Foster, Evans spoke about all of these issues and more, including his bid to become the man who succeeds Ed Rendell.

News Gleaner: Initially, you invited Bratton, and the hearing was your show. Why did you decide to include State Reps. John Taylor (R-177) and George Kenney (R-170)?

Dwight Evans: (Republican Majority Leader) John Perzel and I were having lunch when I said that if we could do this together, Democrats and Republicans, we could make something happen. He agreed. I then asked Taylor, Kenney, and (State Rep. Anthony) Tony Williams. They all recognized that there was a problem no one was talking about.

The next step was to get everybody to the table, so we invited (City) Council, the mayor, and the police commissioner. My position was, don't leave anybody out.

But, I'll admit, I had no idea it would catch such a wave. It looks more than likely the mayor will bring in Bratton (to review the department) in some way.

But look at the other aspects. City Council just brought in Police Commissioner Richard Neal. There's much more discussion about public safety. And the press has stepped up (its coverage) of the issue.

NG: But there were so many signs the system wasn't working . . .

DE: The 911 (breakdown) only skimmed the surface. The (Eddie) Polec case should have been a message the system needed reforming. If 911 doesn't work, that's sends a (disturbing) message to the people.

NG: You spent an hour with Bratton. Have you ever spent an hour with Richard Neal?

DE: No. I called him a week before the hearing and said, `Here's an opportunity. I know you're doing the best you can, but you can do a lot better. I would like you to come to the hearing.' But he was leaving town. After the hearing, I said I wanted to meet with him. But Taylor, Kenney, myself, and Tony Williams have been meeting with the mayor. We've told him there is some role the state can play in this.

NG: What is that role?

DE: We need to look at police facilities, equipment, training, and whether we need to improve standards. Then we need to look at decentralizing to empower captains and inspectors.

Bratton said we need political will, Democrats and Republicans working together, and a system. We're building the political will.

Can we pass legislation? Yes, but that gets into the state micromanaging the city. To be blunt, we can talk about it and use (the media) to the get the message out.

NG: But the Northeast legislators were talking about this two years ago, and you (criticized) State Rep. Dennis O'Brien during a debate on TV . . .

DE: On WPVI, as I remember it. You raise a good point. I have strong philosophical positions about micromanagement. I didn't disagree with Taylor or (O'Brien's) goals, just the method to achieve it. We couldn't have (rebuilt Ogontz Ave.) without public safety. We <needed> police officers. You can't have economic growth if people don't feel safe.

NG: How do you think the people of the Northeast perceive you?

DE: I'm under no illusion that the people of the Northeast know who I am. They have sense of me--I did run for governor--and this ward (10th Ward) was in (U.S. Rep.) Bob Borski's district. For (nearly) a decade I was close to Bob. But they have no idea of the work I was doing here. I think Northeast residents will find two basic things about me: I care about schools and about public safety.