PHILADELPHIA, PA – City Council President Darrell L. Clarke today issued the following statement in reaction to Mayor Kenney’s FY2022 City Budget proposal.
“It’s a start,” Clarke said. “My top priority and I believe the priority of my colleagues on Council is going to be investing in the people of Philadelphia. We need investments in communities and organizations focused on stopping this unacceptable wave of gun violence. We believe that investing in jobs-training and job-creation strategies are the best way to do that.”
“Whether we’re focused on a program, or on the level of taxes on individuals or businesses, the first thing we need is to examine whether the change or program under discussion leads to more opportunity and hope for the people who live here in our city.”
“We need more jobs to help lift people out of poverty, and we need job 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.”
Clarke noted that Council’s Violence Prevention and Opportunity Agenda, released earlier this week, includes plans for a new Council Special Committee to Strategize Jobs Training and Workforce Development.
“We have $1.4 Billion in Federal stimulus dollars coming to Philadelphia over the next year, thanks to the Biden-Harris administration,” Clarke noted. “It is essential that we get this massive investment right. That means looking closely at every program or investment, and being laser-focused on what each expenditure will do to create more opportunity and hope for Philadelphia residents and businesses here.”
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