An openly gay lawyer will run for the office of Philadelphia city controller next year.
Michael Williams announced Dec. 5 at the Reading Terminal Market that he plans to run for the Democratic nomination for the city’s top financial post in the May 21 primaries.
Williams, 53, earned his undergraduate degree at Temple University and his law degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently chairman for the Forensic Auditing group at firm Picciotti & Schoenberg and previously worked for the City of Philadelphia’s law department as senior attorney for the Health and Human Services Unit.
He is also a board member of Mission Kids, Temple’s Ambler campus and Washington Square West Civic Association, and helped lead the NAACP’s voter-registration and voter-empowerment operations for the election.
“We registered about 2,500 people throughout the state to vote, which was the most rewarding part,” he said.
Williams said he drove more than 400 miles to help transport people to vote on Nov. 6.
“We didn’t care who they voted for, we just wanted people to vote.”
If elected, Williams would be the city’s first openly gay controller. However, his sexual orientation isn’t something he considers a qualification for the job.
“I think it is important to have good, competent people in city government and people who are committed to the city fully,” he said. “I just happen to be gay, black, Catholic and from Los Angeles. You just need candidates and people in government who want to do their jobs and who will do them well.”
However, having out candidates is a positive, he said.
“The fact that there are more LGBT community members running in Philadelphia and all over the nation is tremendous. It means that we are out there giving our service for our community.”
Williams noted that, in the past decade, various leaders and groups in the city have urged him to run for City Council.
“People might think I might be good at City Council but, by nature, I’m the nerdy accounting guy — the guy who wants to get the numbers and do the job,” he said. “I don’t want the glory. I just need to make sure the books are balanced.”
Williams said as city controller, he would maintain a proper audit schedule for the city.
“I am hard-pressed to figure out if the current controller has followed that schedule. He has a tendency to do ‘gotcha’ audits,” he said of current Controller Alan Butkovitz.
Williams said he would be committed to cutting wasteful city spending.
“The clear answer to this is just to do your job. One of my personal goals is to get the city controller’s office audited, which is a no-brainer but I am ready to find the last time that has happened.”
If elected, Williams said, he would strive to make the office more transparent.
“As city controller, you should publish your audit schedule and not sneak up on anyone. If money disappears, then you find it and work hard trying to find it. There should be no secrets on what goes on in the office.”
Over the next few months, Williams said he will be working to show city voters that his background and education make him the right person for the job.
“I am the person who will be able to do this job and work with the government and not disrupt it for my own political games,” he said.