T. Milton Street Sr. climbed atop the bed of a U-Haul pickup truck at 52nd and Market streets yesterday afternoon and formally declared himself a candidate for mayor. He framed his platform as “those who live in the penthouse [versus] those who live where we live.”
“It’s time for all of us to stand up and say we do count,” said Street, sporting a black beret, black overcoat and white sneakers. “We are going to force Michael Nutter to respond to the failures of his administration. I’m going to write him a letter challenging him to a debate, but I know he’ll refuse. You can’t defend a record of failure.”
He said he plans “zero fundraising efforts” though he’s gotten calls from potential contributors; vowed to negotiate public-employee contracts “within three to six months of being elected”; and maintained his potential base doesn’t care he has a limited agenda representing the poor and ex-offenders, who he wants to hire to patrol neighborhoods in a fashion similar to campus police.
“The people who say I can’t win are saying it because they don’t know them,” Street said. “I have the ability, and the credibility, to excite ’em.”
He said he’d welcome his brother, former Mayor John Street, in “any role he wants,” but hasn’t pressured him to get involved.
Nutter campaign’s declined to comment yesterday on Street’s launch.
