Jim Kenney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Kenney
99th Mayor of Philadelphia
In office January 4, 2016 – December 31, 2023
Preceded by	Michael Nutter
Succeeded by	Cherelle Parker
Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the at-large district
In office January 6, 1992 – January 29, 2015
Preceded by	George Burrell
Personal details
Born	James Francis Kenney (1958-08-07) August 7, 1958 (age 66) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	La Salle University (BA)

James Francis Kenney (born August 7, 1958) is an American politician. He was the 99th Mayor of Philadelphia, serving from 2016 to 2024. Before becoming mayor, Jim Kenney was a member of the Philadelphia City Council for 23 years. He was first elected mayor in 2015 and then re-elected for a second term in 2019.

Growing Up in Philadelphia

Jim Kenney was born on August 7, 1958. He grew up in the Whitman neighborhood of South Philadelphia. His father was a firefighter and his mother was a homemaker.

To help their five children attend private Catholic schools, his parents worked extra jobs. Jim also worked as a newspaper deliveryman and busboy in high school. He graduated from Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in 1976. In 1980, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science from La Salle University. He was the first person in his family to graduate from college.

City Councilman Jim Kenney in 2009

Serving on Philadelphia City Council

Jim Kenney was first elected to the Philadelphia City Council in 1991 when he was 32 years old. He served on the City Council for 23 years.

During his time on the Council, Kenney was the Chairman of the Committee on Labor and Civil Service. He also held important roles as Vice-Chairman for several committees. These included the Committee on Rules, the Committee on the Environment, and the Committee on Law and Government. He was also a member of many other committees, like Public Safety and Public Health.

One of his actions on the Council was supporting a bill that changed how some minor offenses were handled. Instead of jail time, people would pay a fine. He also worked as a consultant and served on the board of Independence Blue Cross. He stopped these jobs when he became mayor in 2015.

Becoming Mayor of Philadelphia

Mayoral Elections

The previous Democratic Mayor, Michael Nutter, could not run for a third term. This was because of a rule that limits mayors to two terms. In Philadelphia, there are many more registered Democrats than Republicans. This gives Democratic candidates a big advantage in city-wide elections.

The primary elections for mayor were held on May 19, 2015. Jim Kenney won the Democratic primary election by a large amount. He received 55.83% of the votes. He defeated five other Democratic candidates. Republican Melissa Murray Bailey ran unopposed for her party's nomination. Kenney won the general election with 85.1% of the vote. He became the 99th Mayor of Philadelphia on January 4, 2016.

Kenney was re-elected for his second term as mayor in 2019. He won the Democratic primary on May 21, 2019. He defeated former City Controller Alan Butkovitz and State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams. Kenney received 67% of the votes. On November 5, 2019, he won the general election against Billy Ciancaglini with over 80% of the vote.

First Term (2016–2020)

Education and the Sugary Drinks Tax

Mayor Kenney proposed a city-wide tax on sugary drinks, often called a "soda tax." This tax would add 1.5 cents per ounce to the price of sugary drinks. The main goal was to raise money for universal pre-kindergarten programs. It also aimed to fund jobs and development projects.

The idea of a soda tax became a national topic. Some politicians, like Bernie Sanders, worried it might hurt people with lower incomes. Others, like Hillary Clinton, supported the idea. Large beverage companies and their groups, like the American Beverage Association, opposed the tax. They ran advertisements saying it would harm the poor. However, health groups like the American Heart Association supported it.

On June 16, 2016, the City Council voted 13-4 to pass the soda tax. It started in January 2017. After the tax began, some stores were accused of charging the tax on items that shouldn't have it. Some soda companies also announced job cuts, blaming the tax. The city disagreed, saying the companies were "holding hostage" jobs to fight the tax.

A study in May 2019 showed that sales of taxed drinks in Philadelphia dropped by 51% after the tax. However, sales of these drinks increased in nearby areas outside the city. The sugary drinks tax was also a topic during the 2019 mayoral election.

Local Control of Schools

In October 2017, Mayor Kenney announced a big change for Philadelphia's public schools. After 16 years of state control, the city decided to take back control. This meant the School Reform Commission, which was state-dominated, would end. The goal was for the city to fully control the Philadelphia School District by July 1, 2018.

Protecting the Environment

Mayor Kenney made a promise for Philadelphia to reduce air pollution and city-wide emissions. He started projects to improve transportation and buildings. These two areas usually cause about 80% of all city-wide emissions. Mayors have a lot of power over these areas.

Standing Up to Donald Trump

Before and after Donald Trump became President in 2016, Mayor Kenney spoke out against Trump's policies. Kenney insisted that Philadelphia would remain a sanctuary city. This meant the city would protect immigrants, even if it meant losing federal funding.

Kenney joined protests at Philadelphia International Airport after President Trump signed an order banning travel from some Muslim-majority countries. In October 2019, Kenney supported Elizabeth Warren for president. After the 2020 election, Kenney publicly urged Donald Trump to accept his loss and congratulate the winner. He said this was important for the country to move forward.

Second Term (2020–2024)

Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, Mayor Kenney declared a state of emergency in Philadelphia. This was because of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused major social and economic problems around the world. Mayor Kenney described the impact of COVID on the city as like a "nuclear bomb" because of how much it changed things.

Black Lives Matter Protests

During the summer of 2020, there were many protests in response to the murder of George Floyd. Mayor Kenney approved the use of CS gas on protestors who were blocking traffic on Interstate 676. In June 2020, Kenney also had the statue of former mayor Frank Rizzo removed from Center City.

Personal Life

Jim Kenney has two adult children, Nora and Brendan, with his former wife Maureen. They separated in 2010 and divorced in 2018.

Kenney is engaged to Letitia Santarelli. She was a successful high school basketball coach. The couple started dating in 2015. Kenney first made their relationship public when she joined him on a trip to Iceland in 2017. This trip celebrated the first direct flights between Reykjavík and Philadelphia.

Kenney also takes part in Philadelphia's annual Mummers Parade.

See also

• List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States
• List of La Salle University people