Philadelphia, March 19, 2018 – Philadelphia City Council will begin hearings on Mayor Kenney’s proposed Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Budget, FY2019 Capital Budget and Program, and FY2019-2023 Five-Year Plan on Monday, March 26, 2018.
Administration officials overseeing the Office of the Mayor, City departments, and agencies will be questioned about their operations, strategic initiatives, and performance over eight weeks of public hearings in Council Chambers. Administrative leaders of the School District of Philadelphia will also appear before Council, in what is anticipated to be the last budget cycle before the City of Philadelphia assumes direct oversight and authority of the school district and the state-controlled School Reform Commission is dissolved.
Council will deliberate the Mayor’s estimated end-of-FY2018 spending and General Fund balance, FY2019 revenue projections, and proposed spending plan, including a request for a 6 percent increase in the property tax and 8.5 percent increase in the real estate transfer tax.
“The City of Philadelphia must continue to take proactive measures to meet new challenges and prepare for the unexpected, especially given the political climate in Washington,” Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) said. “Most Philadelphians share a vision of inclusive and equitable prosperity in every neighborhood, but to realize it we need to hear from as many residents as possible. I urge every Philadelphian to claim their stake in our shared future, and to get involved and engaged in the budget hearings process.”
City departments with operating budgets greater than $5 million must appear before Council to deliver testimony and answer questions, while offices of a smaller size may be called at Council’s request. Every City department and office regardless of budget size is required to transmit testimony to Council. All documents and testimonies submitted to Council are posted on Council’s FY2019 Budget Center: phlcouncil.com/budget2019.
The public is invited to participate in the budget hearing process by attending meetings in Chambers or watching meetings live on the City of Philadelphia’s cable channels (64 on Comcast, 40 on Fios) or City Council livestream (phlcouncil.com/watch). Telecasts of City Council hearings are re-aired on government cable channels and posted on Council’s YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/FY19BudgetHrgs).
The public is invited to testify on FY2019 budget proposals on the following dates:
- Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. (all departments and programs)
- Tuesday, May 8, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. (on revenue measures/tax bills only)
- Wednesday, May 16, 2018, between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (School District of Philadelphia budget only)
Members of the public may present written testimony at any time via e-mail to [email protected]. Persons not having access to e-mail or needing further information may call 215-686-3407.
Hearing dates and times are subject to change. The public is encouraged to check the City Council Budget Center regularly for updates and to subscribe to the City Council public meetings calendar (www.tinyurl.com/phillycouncilcalendar).
