Philadelphia, May 17, 2017 – Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) on Wednesday issued the following statement on the second ballot question approved by voters in the May 16th primary election:
“Yesterday, Philadelphians overwhelmingly voted to amend the Home Rule Charter and authorize a Community Reinvestment Commission that will convene leaders from the private, philanthropic, and higher education sectors to assess our greatest needs and collaborate on solutions to move our City forward, equitably. I proposed creation of this Commission because, as president of City Council, I know that teamwork is the best way to tackle significant challenges.
“Cities across the country are taking innovative approaches to solving age-old problems. For example, a dream team of public, private, and nonprofit partners in Detroit recently collaborated on a $180 million transportation project, the QLINE streetcar. Imagine what we could accomplish if we brought our largest private and philanthropic partners together to collaborate on next-level investments for SEPTA.
“We are in a time of new normals. Once-reliable support for infrastructure or public safety needs from leaders in Washington is on much shakier ground. The Community Reinvestment Commission will convene institutional leaders and challenge them to devise reinvestment strategies that leverage private, public, nonprofit, and philanthropic resources to make Philadelphia a place of opportunity for all who live and work here.”
# # #
Council President Darrell L. Clarke is serving his second term as the President of Philadelphia City Council. He represents Philadelphia’s 5th Council District. More information at phlcouncil.com/DarrellClarke
