Two Penn employees, candidates maintain their grass is Greenest

He'd give Mayor John Street a "C" for performance in office. Same goes for Eighth District Councilwoman Donna Read Miller -- strictly average.

Tom Hutt, 37, knows he can do better, and Miller may have to move over because Hutt wants to sit down -- in the Eighth District Council seat, that is.

Hutt, a member of the Green Party, is currently employed in the Space Planning and Operations Department at the School of Medicine. But he's decided it's time for a change -- one that may affect the entire city if things go his way.

In November, Hutt, who describes himself as an "anti-machine candidate," will face off against contenders from the two major parties in the race to represent Philadelphia's Eighth District. They'd better watch out because he's off to an early start. While the three Democrat contenders are squabbling in the primaries, Hutt is focusing on the real contest, "getting on board now, getting in contact with voters one-on-one."

His main concern is more funding for local public schools, which he believes can be secured through instituting a fairer tax structure in the city.

"I'm running very heavily on the issue of equitable funding for the schools and the fact that we have a fundamentally inequitable public school system," Hutt says. "It's the equivalent of segregated drinking fountains in the '50s -- it's horrendous... that it's gone on this long."

Hutt comes equipped with a financial background from working with real estate issues for many years and in his campaign -- and, he hopes, in a term in office -- he will be "zeroing in on the money issue."

Money is what churns the political butter, and while politicians are plenty willing to discuss ways to spend the dough, figuring out how to make it is another matter.

"People talk about public education in all different ways," Hutt explains. "Getting qualified teachers, reducing class size... they talk about all these things that need to be done, but nobody wants to come out and say, 'Well, we need a lot more money to do this.'"

Hutt criticizes politicians for not brainstorming more innovative solutions to financial problems.

"Nobody wants to talk about raising taxes or finding new revenue for the schools in the city," Hutt says. "They just assume that the city is so poor that we just have to go hat in hand to the state for all our money for education.... I think the city government and the City Council in particular have been especially uncreative and unwilling to find more money from the city and local sources."

The incumbent Miller, Hutt's chief opponent, has been the chairwoman of the council's Education Committee for her past two terms.

"My question for Donna Miller is... what have you been doing for eight years?'" Hutt says. "I can't think of a single accomplishment."

Hutt is also a strong advocate for supporting socially responsible community businesses rather than large corporate chains. He's also serious about staying in touch with his constituents and faithfully representing their needs.

Disillusioned with the Democratic leadership, Hutt was a founding member of Philadelphia's Green Party in May 2001, and he subsequently served as the party's chair. He's been a leading voice in causes such as protesting everything from the war on Iraq and the death penalty to SEPTA fare hikes.

"He has consistently been out there offering a real alternative to the tweedle dee and tweedle dum of the Democrats and Republicans," says Lance Haver, a fellow Green who has worked with Hutt for many years within the party.

"Tom represents the interests of regular people," Haver says. "Tom is the person who I believe most people would be looking for."

A native of West Chester, Pa., Hutt graduated with a degree in political science from West Chester University in 1989. He currently lives in West Mount Airy with his wife and two young children.

His boyish face lights up when talking about politics and the good things he'd like to do for the city. He sure has high hopes.

"I fully expect one or both of us to win," Hutt says, referring to himself and fellow Green Party candidate for the council at-large seat John Hogan.

"I have tremendous faith that Tom will go forward whether it's win, lose or draw on election day," Haver says.

Both Hutt and Haver concede that it will take an aggressive campaign and "lots of leg work," but win or lose, Hutt is just happy to be playing the game.

"I'm having a lot of fun with this campaign," he says with a grin. "I love the give-and-take of politics.... I'm just by nature a competitive person, so I'm having a lot of fun strategizing about how I'm going to win this campaign -- it's a real David-and-Goliath kind of thing."

If that's the case, Goliath ought to watch his -- or her-- back. This David doesn't believe in violence and won't use a slingshot, but he's guaranteed to have some other tricks up his sleeve.

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