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Marian B. Tasco

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Marian Tasco
Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the 9th District
In office
January 4, 1988 – January 4, 2016
Preceded byJohn White
Succeeded byCherelle Parker
Personal details
Born (1937-11-26) November 26, 1937 (age 86)
Greensboro, North Carolina, US
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materTemple University

Marian Benton Tasco[1] (born November 26, 1937) is an American politician who served on the Philadelphia City Council. A member of the Democratic Party, Tasco represented Philadelphia's ninth district for twenty-eight years.

Early life and education

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Tasco was born on November 26, 1937.[2] A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Tasco graduated from James B. Dudley High School in 1956. She studied at Bennett College under a scholarship, but was forced to drop out after a few years as she could not pay tuition. She moved to live with her mother in Pennsylvania, married, and had a son, and in 1959 became a clerk for the Philadelphia Police Department. While later working for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, she took night classes at Temple University and obtained a degree in business education in 1965.[3][4] In 1969, Tasco moved from West Philadelphia to the Mount Airy neighborhood in Northwest Philadelphia.[5]

Political career

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Tasco became active in city politics in the 1970s. From 1970 to 1976, she worked for the Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition and worked with political leaders including coalition director Charles W. Bowser and State Representative William H. Gray III.[3][6] In 1975, she worked for Bowser's campaign for Philadelphia mayor.[5] In 1983, she was elected to the Philadelphia City Commissioners, which administers the city's elections, as its first African-American commissioner. Around this time, she ran for the 50th Ward Democratic Committee.[3] As a city commissioner, Tasco set policy and led voter registration and education programs in city schools. By the end of her term, she was convinced the office was obsolete and has publicly expressed these concerns through the rest of her career.[3][7]

Four years later in 1987, Tasco was elected to her seat on the Philadelphia City Council, defeating two other challengers in the Democratic primary, after incumbent Democratic councilman John F. White Jr. resigned from the council earlier in the year.[8] Upon election to the council, she assumed leadership of the 50th Ward Democratic Committee,[4] a position she holds as of 2018.[9] In the 1980s, Tasco additionally helped prepare women to run for office and worked as a consultant and trainer for the YWCA.[10][11] In 1989, she established the Black Women's Leadership Council with Emma C. Chappell and fellow city councilmember Augusta Clark, among others.[12]

As president of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO), Tasco ran workshops on the issue of predatory lending prevalent in urban black communities in the 1990s.[4] In 2001, she sponsored a bill that curbed the practice. The bill was described by The Philadelphia Inquirer as the first of its kind in the United States.[3][13][14]

Tasco has led several efforts to cut smoking in Philadelphia.[15] In early 2006, Tasco sponsored a bill that sought to ban smoking in all workplaces.[16] The council voted to pass the bill in June 2006.[17] In 2010 she sponsored a bill that increased fines on retailers who sell cigarettes to minors,[18] amidst efforts under mayor Michael Nutter to reduce city smoking rates.[19]

Tasco was enrolled in the city's controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP)[20][21] and faced public criticism for her enrollment in the program when she sought reelection for a seventh term in the council.[22] Despite legal challenges to her candidacy in 2011, a judge ultimately ruled Tasco could run despite her enrollment in the program.[23] Tasco made a one-day retirement at the end of 2011 to collect a lump sum pension payment from DROP and returned the following week to start her seventh term in the council.[24]

Tasco is a co-founder of the Northwest Coalition, an alliance of African-American politicians from Northwest Philadelphia.[22][25][26] Alongside other members of the coalition, she endorsed Jim Kenney prior to the 2015 Philadelphia mayoral election.[27]

Retirement

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Tasco retired at the end of her term in January 2016. She served a total of twenty-eight years on the council, part of which as its majority leader.[22][3] Cherelle Parker, who previously worked in the council under Tasco, was elected to fill Tasco's seat in November 2015.[28] The Inquirer, honoring Tasco at her retirement gala, stated:[29]

Mayors past, present, and future praised Tasco as a source of advice in unsure times and a force of political nature when she was sure what she wanted to accomplish.

In 2015, Tasco was honored by the Coalition of Labor Union Women.[30] In 2017, Tasco and other members of the Northwest Coalition endorsed Larry Krasner's campaign to become District Attorney of Philadelphia.[26] In 2018, as part of an annual symposium commemorating Black History Month, Senator Bob Casey Jr. recognized Tasco for "her dedication to public service and work to inspire future generations of leaders".[4][31]

Tasco endorsed the 2020 presidential campaign of Joe Biden alongside other local and state leaders.[32] Later that year, when Biden announced that Senator Kamala Harris would be his vice presidential running mate, Tasco told The Inquirer: "For us to have an African American woman be a candidate for vice president, that is just so exciting for me, having worked so long in the political arena."[33]

A street in Northwest Philadelphia was named for Tasco in 2022.[34]

Personal life

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Tasco married Thomas Earl Williams in 1982.[35] Williams worked at the Philadelphia Housing Authority. He died in 1995.[3][36] Upon sponsoring a 2010 anti-smoking bill, Tasco spoke about how heavy smoking led to his death.[37]

Tasco is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Plans for Bennett Commencement". The Tribunal Aid. May 7, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Birthday Book". Philadelphia Daily News. November 26, 2001. p. 45. Retrieved April 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Councilwoman Marian Tasco votes 64.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Terruso, Julia (January 19, 2015). "Tasco looks back as she prepares to leave City Council". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d West, Tony (February 23, 2018). "Living History: Marian Tasco Honored by Sen. Casey". Philadelphia Public Record. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Briggs, Ryan; Blumgart, Jake (May 24, 2016). "The under-the-radar power players you need to know". City & State Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  6. ^ Hepp, Christopher K.; Infield, Tom; Clark, Vernon (August 12, 2010). "Charles W. Bowser, towering political figure in Philadelphia, dies". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Vargas, Claudia (April 25, 2016). "Tasco questions need for city commissioners". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  8. ^ "9th Promises Trouble For Goode". The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 15, 1987. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  9. ^ Mazzaccaro, Pete (May 9, 2018). "In 200th District race: A clash of styles pits traditional Philly politics against bold newcomer". The Chestnut Hill Local. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Marian Tasco given Delta honor". The Philadelphia Tribune. August 19, 1994. ProQuest 533123296.
  11. ^ Phillips, Susan (November 7, 2018). "All boys' club no more: Four women to represent Pa. in Congress". WHYY-FM. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  12. ^ Russ, Valerie (March 18, 2021). "Emma C. Chappell, founder of United Bank of Philadelphia, dies at 80". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  13. ^ "Council Passes A Lending Bill In Philadelphia". The New York Times. April 6, 2001. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  14. ^ Shaffer, Gwen (April 5, 2001). "The Loan Ranger". Philadelphia City Paper. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  15. ^ Kurtz, Paul (March 15, 2012). "Philadelphia Councilwoman Hopes CDC's New Anti-Smoking Ads Will Work". CBS Philly. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  16. ^ Marrone, Ben (February 8, 2006). "Smoking ban bill rises from ashes of past tries". The Daily Pennsylvanian. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  17. ^ "Philadelphia Votes to Ban Smoking in Bars and Restaurants". Inc.com. June 19, 2006. Retrieved January 13, 2021 – via Fox News.
  18. ^ Hurdle, Jon (December 2, 2010). "Philadelphia cracks down on tobacco sales to youth". Reuters LIFE!. Philadelphia. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  19. ^ Lucey, Catherine (December 24, 2010). "A pack of initiatives to cut city smoking rates". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  20. ^ "Tasco set to lose some clout, but gain DROP dollars". WHYY-FM. December 29, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  21. ^ Tawa, Steve (December 28, 2011). "Philadelphia Councilwoman Marian Tasco Collects $478k DROP Payment". CBS Philly. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  22. ^ a b c Dunn, Mike (January 13, 2015). "Marian Tasco Announces Retirement From Philadelphia City Council". CBS Philly. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  23. ^ "DROP doesn't stop Tasco, Rizzo and Tartaglione". WHYY-FM. March 24, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  24. ^ Hill, Miriam (December 30, 2011). "Tasco to exercise controversial DROP payout". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  25. ^ Otterbein, Holly (May 18, 2017). "The Biggest Winners and Losers in Philadelphia's 2017 Primary Election". Philadelphia. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  26. ^ a b Davies, Dave (May 1, 2017). "Krasner gets a big endorsement in DA's race". WHYY-FM. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  27. ^ McQuade, Dan; Holly, Otterbein (April 26, 2016). "Dwight Evans Wins, Ends Chaka Fattah's Run in the 2nd". Philadelphia. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  28. ^ West, Tony (November 21, 2019). "Cherelle Parker: The Girl Who Found a Home in City Hall". Philadelphia Public Record. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  29. ^ Brennan, Chris (December 8, 2015). "More than 1,000 gather for gala honoring Marian Tasco". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  30. ^ Edmonds, Arlene (June 26, 2015). "Coalition of Labor Union Women seeks youth support". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  31. ^ "Ahead of Black History Month: Casey Announces Annual Honoree". U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania (Press release). Washington, D.C. February 1, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  32. ^ Terruso, Julia (March 16, 2020). "The rest of Pa.'s Democratic establishment is coming off the sidelines for Joe Biden". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  33. ^ Tamari, Jonathan; McCrystal, Laura; Collins Walsh, Sean (August 11, 2020). "Black Democrats in Pa. are 'beaming with pride' after Biden picked Kamala Harris for VP". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  34. ^ Northwest Philadelphia street named after Marian B. Tasco. CBS Philly. August 27, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ "Marian B. Tasco weds Thomas Earl Williams". The Philadelphia Tribune. January 29, 1982. ProQuest 532788051.
  36. ^ Stone, Sherry (January 17, 1995). "Thomas Earl Williams, Marian Tasco's husband, dies". The Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest 533145342.
  37. ^ Gelbart, Marcia (December 24, 2010). "Phila. antismoking bill targeting youth signed into law". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
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