Best of Philly

Best Public Servant

2026 Best Safety Patrol

Mayor Cherelle Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, and Chief Public Safety Director Adam Greer 

It’d be premature to stamp “Mission Accomplished” on the crime-reduction strategies of Mayor Cherelle Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, and Chief Public Safety Director Adam Greer, but it’s not too soon for a round of applause. Violent crime has plummeted across Philly in the first 36 months of this administration, most spectacularly illustrated by homicides, which have dropped to lows unseen since the 1960s. If they can sustain these numbers, don’t rule out a statue. Read More »

2026 Best Emergency Plumber

Mark Squilla

Back in April, Southwark Elementary in East Passyunk had a literal shit-show on their hands: The school’s plumbing had gotten so bad that 400 kids were forced to use just one stall. When City Councilmember Mark Squilla caught a whiff of the problem, he sent a plumber in that night to make sure the issue got fixed. Read More »

2021 Best Republican

Al Schmidt

There are 43 different animals on the World Wildlife Fund’s endangered species list. Really, it should be 44, when you count Al Schmidt (Republicanus noncorruptis), who faced death threats as he oversaw the vote count and refused to go the way of his Republican election-­board colleagues in other cities who cried fraud. Unfortunately, no conservation effort can stave off this extinction: Schmidt says he won’t run for reelection in 2023. Read More »

2020 Best Public Servant

Rachel Levine

Secretary of Health Rachel Levine saved Pennsylvania — and became an accidental icon in the process. See the full write up here. Read More »