Alan Butkovitz

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Butkovitz was born to a Jewish family{{Cite web|last= Bernstein |first=Jesse |author-link= |title= Former Controller to Challenge for Mayor |work=Jewish Exponent |publisher=Jewish Exponent|date=November 29, 2018 |url=http://jewishexponent.com/2018/11/29/former-controller-to-challenge-for-mayor/ |accessdate=}} and is a 1969 graduate of Overbrook High School in Philadelphia.{{cite web| title = Alan L. Butkovitz (Democrat)| work = Official Pennsylvania House of Representatives Profile| publisher = Pennsylvania House of Representatives| url = http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?districtnumber=174| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060110010022/http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?districtnumber=174| archivedate = 2006-01-10}} He graduated from Temple University in 1973 and earned a J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1976. In 1976 , he ran for State Representative in the 170th State House district in the Democratic primary losing to Kenneth Hager 3910 to 2151 with Venita Nagel coming in third with 1185 votes( Pennsylvania Manual volume 103 page 684 )

Butkovitz graduated from Temple University and earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Temple University School of Law.

Prior to holding elected office, Butkovitz was a Philadelphia attorney handling civil, criminal and environmental coverage cases. He was a partner of Gold, Butkovitz & Robbins P.C. In 1980, he won a first amendment case in U.S District Court Third Circuit that opened up the Mummers Parade to women, minorities, and new entrants.[http://www.seventy.org/City_Controller.aspx] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809175520/http://www.seventy.org/City_Controller.aspx|date=August 9, 2013}}

Butkovitz served 15 years representing the 174th legislative district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Butkovitz led a three-year bipartisan investigation into violence in Philadelphia public school that led to creating the Office of the Safe School Advocate, the first of its kind in the nation with the authority to fight for victims of school violence and monitor the School District of Philadelphia’s compliance with the Safe Schools Act.

During his first term, Butkovitz fought against his party's leadership to successfully repeal a tax requiring senior citizens to include social security, pensions, and veteran's benefits as taxable income.{{cite web|title=Alan Butkovitz, City Controller |work=Biography of City Controller Alan Butkovitz |publisher=City of Philadelphia |url=http://www.philadelphiacontroller.org/biography-of-city-controller-butkovitz.asp |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414232914/http://www.philadelphiacontroller.org/biography-of-city-controller-butkovitz.asp |archivedate=April 14, 2009 }} In November 2005, he was elected Philadelphia City Controller and resigned his legislative seat effective December 31, 2005.{{cite web |title = SESSION OF 2005 - 189TH OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - No. 80|work = Legislative Journal| publisher = Pennsylvania House of Representatives |date = 2005-12-20|url = http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/HJ/2005/0/20051220.pdf}}

Butkovitz won the 2005 Democratic Primary Election for Controller with 96% of the vote over John L Braxton. He went on to win the General Election, taking 72% of the vote in a three-way race.

During his 2009 re-election campaign, Butkovitz faced Braxton and Brett Mandel in the Democratic Primary and claimed victory with 42% of the vote (a 12% margin over 2nd place Braxton). He defeated Republican Al Schmidt in the General Election, taking 72% of the vote.

Butkovitz again faced two Democratic Primary opponents in 2013 - Mandel and Mark Zecca. In a primary where nearly $1 million was spent, Butkovitz was victorious and took 61% of the vote (a 30% margin over 2nd place Mandel).{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-23/news/39448239_1_city-controller-butkovitz-brett-mandel-city-controller-alan-butkovitz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610204454/http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-23/news/39448239_1_city-controller-butkovitz-brett-mandel-city-controller-alan-butkovitz |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2015 |title=City Controller Butkovitz clinches primary win by 2-to-1 margin - philly-archives |publisher=Articles.philly.com |date=2013-05-23 |accessdate=2015-10-19}} He defeated Republican Terry Tracy in the General Election by taking 82% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2013-11-07/news/43734162_1_south-philadelphia-victory-speech-second-term |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412222420/http://articles.philly.com/2013-11-07/news/43734162_1_south-philadelphia-victory-speech-second-term |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |title=Seth Williams, Alan Butkovitz cruise to victories - philly-archives |publisher=Articles.philly.com |date=2013-11-07 |accessdate=2015-10-19}}

Butkovitz ran for re-election in the 2017 primary against Rebecca Rhynhart. Butkovitz lost in an upset to reform minded Rhynhart, 58%-41%.{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/city/Rhynhart-beats-Butkovitz-in-controllers-race-upset.html |title=Rhynhart beats Butkovitz in controller's race upset|publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=2017-05-17 |access-date=2017-09-12}}

Butkovitz is Ward Leader of the 54th Ward Democratic Executive Committee.{{cite web|url=http://www.seventy.org/Downloads/2009_Citizen's_Guide.pdf |title=2009 Citizen's Guide |accessdate=2009-12-21 |last=Committee of Seventy |author-link=Committee of Seventy |date=2009-12-21 |publisher=The Committee of Seventy, Philadelphia, PA 19103 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419063456/http://seventy.org/Downloads/2009_Citizen%27s_Guide.pdf |archivedate=2009-04-19 }}

Butkovitz ran in the 2019 Democratic primary for mayor against incumbent Jim Kenney. He finished third in the race, taking 8.75%.{{cite news |url= https://whyy.org/articles/2019-pennsylvania-primary-election-results/ |title= 2019 Pennsylvania primary election results |publisher=WHYY |date=2019-05-21}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Alan Butkovitz}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090614014653/http://www.philadelphiacontroller.org/ Office of the Controller, City of Philadelphia, Controller Alan Butkovitz]
• [http://alanbutkovitz.com/ Alan Butkovitz for Philadelphia City Controller]
• {{Cite web |url=http://www.house.state.pa.us/members/districts/174/174.htm |title=Pennsylvania House of Representatives - Alan L. Butkovitz (Democrat) |access-date=June 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000309235137/http://www.house.state.pa.us/members/districts/174/174.htm |archive-date=March 9, 2000 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.pahouse.com/butkovitz/ |title=Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus - Representative Alan Butkovitz |accessdate=2009-04-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308021031/http://www.pahouse.com/Butkovitz/ |archivedate=2005-03-08 }}

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Category:Living people

Category:City controllers of Philadelphia

Category:Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Category:1952 births

Category:Temple University alumni

Category:Temple University Beasley School of Law alumni

Category:Jewish American state legislators in Pennsylvania

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly

Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States elections