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Robin Tasco is one of the seven candidates running for the 8th District City Council seat. The Germantown resident describes herself as an honest, transparent, accessible and straightforward individual.
Before getting involved in politics, Tasco was the 59th Ward block captain and committee person within her community.
“Because I was a block captain, I already was concerned about my community. I was raised in a household where community service work was important. So, when I got my own home, it was important for me to give back to the community as well,” she said.
Which is why Tasco’s leadership skills and service to her community has led her to dedicate her political platform for the people of the 8th District. Tasco said she believes the people’s voices have not been heard and it is finally time for a change.
“There are many things right now that need to be done along this District because of the way everything looks. We’ve been disenfranchised for so long. This is the first time after 16 years that we are having a changing of the guards,” Tasco explained.
Current 8th District Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller has been representing the community since 1996. However, Miller is not seeking reelection.
If elected, Tasco will want to do anything in her power to get the neighborhood collectively involved.
Tasco said, “I want to have weekly news e-letters, monthly newsletters, and bi-monthly town hall meetings. It’s like what I’m doing right now. I’m trying to talk to as many people as I can.”
Although the 8th District may be large, Tasco wants to reach everyone in the community and keep them informed.
As a way for the people to get involved, Tasco hosts a weekly grassroots lecture series held at her campaign office every Thursday.
Here, the public can learn how electoral politics can be used to grow grassroots political power.
“Community reform requires community involvement,” reads the flier.
Last Thursday, the lecture series included two speakers who emphasized the significance of voting and being a part of the decision-making process.
Dr. John Churchville said, “We are talking about the importance of the community mobilizing and staying mobilized. If Robin is elected, she will want this to happen.”
In other words, Churchville stressed the community’s involvement to keep the government clean. He said, “The only way to fulfill that is for the people to be engaged, active and asking questions.”
Churchville was also one of the candidates running for the 8th District seat. However, he said he dropped out of the race due to family problems.
Yet, Churchville said he supports Tasco because she has similar objectives and goals he wants for the community.
“Robin will want people to get used to meeting often to talk about the issues, arguing about them, deciding them and having their voices heard so we can get some real representation,” Churchville said.
Attendee Eugene Davis, a resident of the Philadelphia area, said, “young people don’t understand the trials and tribulations our parents and grandparents went through to have the right to vote.”
Davis believes that people who do not vote for someone to represent them or their community cannot complain, which is why he says voting is a very important right U.S. citizens have.
However, many community members are not familiar with the political process.
Speaker and community activist Khalil Ali said, “a lot of people do not understand the function of politics and what we get out of it. People don’t understand the separation of powers and how each section of government functions.”
But, Ali hopes Tasco’s lecture series is one way to start educating the community. So, when they do vote, Ali said, “they cast a ballot that is an informed vote rather than one that is based on the best campaign commercials or vote for the person who gives out the best patronage jobs. “
Aside from emphasizing her platform for the people, Tasco said she would like to also shed light on economic development, education and crime. For more information about Robin and her campaign, visit her website.
For more information about the 8th District candidates, click on each individual candidate below.
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