Frank Rizzo Jr.
| Frank Rizzo Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the At-Large District | |
|
In office January 8, 1996 – January 2, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Joan Specter |
| Succeeded by | Denny O'Brien |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1943 Philadelphia, PA |
| Political party |
Democratic Party (2013-present) Independent (2011-2013) Republican (before 2011) |
Frank L. Rizzo Jr.,[1] nicknamed "Franny" (born March 5, 1943), is an American politician. He is son of former Mayor Frank Rizzo and served as a Republican member of the Philadelphia City Council for sixteen years.[2]
He was elected to a Philadelphia City Council At-Large seat in 1995. He defeated Councilwoman Joan Specter, wife of then-U.S. Senator Arlen Specter. He shares his father's support of labor and community organizations. The younger Rizzo easily won re-election as Councilman At-Large in 1999, 2003, and 2007.
In 2011, he finished seventh out of nine candidates in the Republican primary, following his participation in the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP), under which he received a lump-sum payment from his City pension while continuing to receive his salary as a member of City Council. He was not a candidate in the general election. After his defeat, he left the Republican Party and became an Independent.
In November 2013, he announced that he was joining the Democratic Party, with the anticipation of running for Mayor of Philadelphia in the 2015 election.[3] However, in a surprise announcement, he said in December 2014 that he would not do so. He is instead running for the City Council.[4]
References
- ↑ "CHIP OFF OLD MAYOR? RIZZO JR. EYEING COUNCIL BID", Philadelphia Daily News
- ↑ "Frank L. Rizzo Jr - Councilman-At-Large". City of Philadelphia official website. City Council, City of Philadelphia. 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
- ↑ "Frank Rizzo to become Democrat, may run for mayor in 2015", Philly.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
- ↑ Brennan, Chris (December 11, 2014). "Rizzo drops mayoral plans for comeback bid on Council". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 11, 2014.