PHILADELPHIA — City Council today released a Budget Hearings Schedule to consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal delivered by Mayor Kenney to Council last week. The hearings will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected more than 134,000 Philadelphians and claimed the lives of nearly 3,400 city residents.
The first budget hearing will take place on Monday, May 3, 2021 beginning at 9:30 a.m. The first day will focus on the city’s proposed Five-Year Financial and Strategic Plan, the Six-Year Capital Budget program, the Mayor’s Office, and several other funds. The budget hearings will be held remotely using Microsoft Teams. All hearings can be viewed on Xfinity Ch. 64, Fios Ch. 40 or live streamed at www.PHLCouncil.com/watch
The budget hearings are currently scheduled from May 3 through Wednesday, May 26. The exact dates and times, and subject matter for each hearing, can be found in the FY2022 Budget Schedule.
There will be a “themed day” approach to the hearings, determined by the functions of city government (e.g., Managing Director – Operations/Law; Health and Human Services/Office of Children & Families; Public Safety (Police, Fire, Prisons); Finance and Commerce; Kenney Administration/Enterprise Funds; Independently Electeds/Agencies) Responsible city officials and commissioners will be available to testify on their given hearing date via Microsoft Teams.
Because of the pandemic, public comment for the budget hearings has been adjusted to meet with social distancing recommendations from the Department of Public Health, while still allowing the public to weigh in on matters related to the budget. There are three scheduled virtual public testimony sessions. One session will be dedicated to the School District of Philadelphia, one is dedicated to tax and revenue measures, and one for general operating budget matters. The dates\times for each are in the link provided.
Speakers interested in making public testimony should call 215-686-3407 or email [email protected] by 3 pm on the day prior to the public testimony session at which they wish to speak and submit the following information:
- Full name
- Callback telephone number where you can be reached
- Identify the bill number or resolution number or numbers that will be addressed.
City Council will have all written testimony submitted by department heads, agencies, etc. available at its FY2022 Budget Center: www.phlcouncil.com/budget2022
City Council has also placed more detailed information on offering remote public comment at Stated Meetings and public testimony at public hearings on its website.
Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) welcomed the onset of the annual budget hearings – a core responsibility of City Council. He said he believed a priority of Council in the upcoming hearings will be on ensuring that city spending, investments and programs be very focused on creating employment opportunities for Philadelphians.
“My top priority and I believe the priority of my colleagues on Council is going to be investing in the people of Philadelphia,” Clarke said. “We need more jobs to help lift people out of poverty, and we need opportunities for our youth to turn them away from negative paths leading to conflict and violence. We also need more equity in these strategies, as we seek to confront and eliminate systemic racism in Philadelphia.”
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