Editing W Wilson Goode (section)

== Second Term and Legacy ==

Despite the MOVE catastrophe, Goode won reelection in 1987, again defeating Frank Rizzo in the Democratic primary. His second term was marked by fiscal crisis, deteriorating services, and mounting criticism. The city's budget problems, rooted in [[Deindustrialization|deindustrialization]] and declining federal aid, constrained Goode's options. Crime remained high. Schools struggled. By the end of his term, Goode's approval ratings had fallen dramatically. Term limits prevented him from running again in 1991; Democrat Ed Rendell succeeded him.<ref name="weigley"/>

Goode's post-mayoral career focused on faith-based community service. He earned a divinity degree and was ordained a minister. He led programs addressing prisoner reentry and community development, applying his administrative skills to social service rather than politics. His later work demonstrated the commitment to public service that had characterized his pre-mayoral career, even as the MOVE tragedy continued to define how he was remembered. Goode's legacy illustrates both the possibilities and the burdens that accompany being "first"—the pressure to succeed, the visibility of failure, and the symbolic weight that individual careers carry when they represent broader communities.<ref name="anderson"/>