Philadelphia City Council members approved various bills and resolutions during this week’s regularly stated meeting.
Among the legislation approved were:
- Resolution #240251 (sponsored by Councilmember Anthony Phillips, 9th District) that authorizes the creation of a task force to study and develop proposals, strategies, and recommendations to enhance parental/guardian engagement, oversight, accountability, and resources within the City of Philadelphia.
- Bill #240020-A (sponsored by Councilmember Cindy Bass, 8th District) that amends Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” all under certain terms and conditions. The bill would only cover the Eighth Council District.
- Bill #240015 (sponsored by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, 7th District) that adds a new Chapter 6-1600 to The Philadelphia Code, entitled “City Reports on Opioid Antidote Use,” to require certain reports from the Office of the Managing Director to Council concerning the City’s use of opioid antidote, all under certain terms and conditions.
- Bill #240017 (sponsored by Councilmember Lozada) that adds a new Chapter 10-2700 to The Philadelphia Code, entitled “City Reports on Impermissible Camping,” to require certain reports from the Office of the Managing Director to Council concerning camping activities carried out in violation of the Code and the City’s efforts to address such activities, all under certain terms and conditions.
Bills #240020-A, #240015 and #240017 now go to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker for either her signature or veto.
PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCILMEMBERS SPONSOR RESOLUTION SUPPORTING REPORDUCTIVE RIGHTS
Philadelphia City Councilmember Nina Ahmad (At-Large) introduced Resolution #240297 this week, which urges the United States (federal) government to take immediate action to protect and enshrine reproductive rights and ensure abortion access for all birthing people. The Resolution is scheduled for a final vote during the April 18 Council session.
On April 9, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that an 1864 Arizona law banning abortion from conception onward is now enforceable. If the law, which predates Arizona’s statehood by over five decades, is allowed to stand, Arizonans seeking abortions will travel to neighboring states to get the procedure.
Councilmembers Ahmad, Jamie Gauthier (3rd District), Lozada, Bass, Rue Landau (At-Large), Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large), Majority Whip Isaiah Thomas (At-Large), Jim Harrity (At-large), Nicholas O’ Rourke (At-Large) and Council President Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) participated in a press conference outside Philadelphia City Hall earlier this week denouncing Arizona’s near total abortion ban. An appeal on the Arizona Supreme Court ruling is likely.
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark decision concerning the right to an abortion in June 2022 and now states can regulate abortion as they wish.
In Pennsylvania, abortion is a safe, legal reproductive health option through the 23rd week of pregnancy.
CITY COUNCIL HELD THE FIRST OF SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD BUDGET TOWN HALLS THIS WEEK
Council President Johnson was joined by Councilmembers Mark Squilla (1st District), Jeffery Young (5th District), Lozada, Bass, Phillips, Harrity, Ahmad, Thomas and O’Rourke earlier this week at South Philadelphia High School for the first in a series of Neighborhood Budget Town Halls this month to review and provide feedback on Mayor Parker’s proposed $6.29 Billion Fiscal Year 2025 (FY ’25) budget.
During all of the Neighborhood Budget Town Halls, the public will first hear a brief FY ‘25 Budget overview from City Council’s Chief Financial Officer. After the presentation is over, members of the public can testify about what they would like to see or not see in the FY ‘25 budget. Council will hear public feedback from as many people as possible at each event.
The public must register on site to be called up to provide feedback on the budget. The public will also be able to leave written and online feedback via survey at every Town Hall.
The rest of the “Neighborhood Budget Town Halls” will be held during the following dates, locations, and times in April:
- Town Hall hosted by Councilmembers Bass and Phillips
Date: Monday, April 15th
Time: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Martin Luther King High School, 6100 Stenton Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19138. - Town Hall hosted by Coucilmember Young, Jr.
Date: Thursday, April 25th
Time:6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: John F. Street Community Center, 1100 Poplar Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123. - Town Hall hosted by Councilmember Gauthier
Date: Monday, April 29th
Time: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: West Philadelphia High School, 4901 Chestnut Street (corner of 49th and Chestnut Street), Philadelphia, PA 19139.
PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL’S FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET HEARINGS CONTINUED THIS WEEK
Council’s Committee of the Whole held its third week of hearings on the proposed FY’ 25 Budget on April 10-11. Councilmembers heard testimony this week from Police, Prisons, Fire, Licenses & Inspections–Quality of Life, Licenses & Inspections–Inspections, Safety, and Compliance, Streets, Office of Clean and Green Initiatives (including Sanitation), Fleet Management, Public Property, Philadelphia Energy Authority, Office of Sustainability, and the City Commissioners Office, which oversees elections in Philadelphia.
Additional budget hearings in Philadelphia City Council Chambers will happen on April 15-17. Council’s budget hearing schedule has been updated and the Managing Director’s Office (including the Office of Public Safety) will now testify on April 16. The Office of Property Assessment and Board of Revision Taxes will now give testimony on April 29.
The budget hearings are currently scheduled to end on May 1 and the final Fiscal Year 2025 budget must be approved by June 30. Fiscal Year ‘25 starts on July 1.
City Council will allow public comment on the City’s budget at City Hall on Wednesday, April 24 from 1:30-4 p.m. and testimony on the School District of Philadelphia’s funding request to the City will be on Wednesday, May 1 from 1:30-4 p.m.
The general public can testify in person at City Council chambers during the April 24 and May 1 budget hearings. Speakers interested in making public testimony should call 215-686-3407 or email [email protected] by 3 p.m. the day before the public hearing 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.
The public can also come to the hearing at Philadelphia City Council Chambers, Room 400 (Fourth Floor), and sign up to testify on site.
The public can also watch the City Hall budget hearings live on Xfinity Channel 64, Fios Channel 40, or online.
Check out Mayor Parker’s budget address, Operating and Capital Budgets, proposed FY ‘25-30 Five Year Plan and other information at City Council’s FY’25 Budget Center. The FY’25 Budget Hearing Schedule is subject to change so check Council’s Budget page often for updates.
THE 15 MEMBERS OF THE LATEST ITERATION OF THE PHILADELPHIA TAX COMMISSION WERE NAMED THIS WEEK
Back in late February, City Council overwhelming approved Resolution #240108, sponsored by President Johnson, to reconvene the Philadelphia Tax Reform Commission. The Commission will conduct an updated comprehensive analysis of all taxes imposed in Philadelphia, including by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and to make recommendations concerning tax reforms.
Four members each are appointed by Mayor Parker and Council President, one member appointed by City Controller Christy Brady, and the remaining members (one each) are selected by various local Chambers of Commerce in Philadelphia.
The 15 members are:
- Paul Levy, Richard Vague (Co-Chair), Jovan Goldstein, and Ryan Boyer (Council appointments).
- Matt Stitt (Co-Chair), Folasade (Sade) Olanipekun-Lewis, Jerry Sweeney, and Greg Segall (Mayor appointments).
- Allan Domb (City Controller appointment).
- Jennifer Karpchuk for The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
- Derek Green for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
- Victor Garrido for the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
- Daniel McElhatton for the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
- David Oh for the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia.
- Zach Wilcha for the Independence Business Alliance.
Under Resolution #240108, the new Tax Reform Commission does not have a specific deadline when it must report its recommendations to the Mayor and the Council.
The original Tax Reform Commission was established in 2002 via Council Resolution #020264 and Bill #020255 and the Commission consisted of community and business leaders, the various local chambers of commerce, institutions of higher education, and trade organizations. The Commission was created to recommend methods to reduce taxes for Philadelphia residents, workers, and businesses. The Commission issued its final report in 2003 and a summary of that report is available here.
It has been over 20 years since the original Tax Reform Commission issued its final report. Johnson believes a new Tax Reform Commission analysis is necessary to consider today’s socio-economic realities, including the uneven Post COVID19 Pandemic recovery among communities of color and the end of the federal COVID19 stimulus programs.
The new Tax Reform Commission will review the 2003 report, conduct any additional findings they deem necessary to determine what, if any, tax reform can be possibly implemented in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget cycle or future budget cycles, and report its recommendations to the Mayor and the Council.
This week’s episode features Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. (5th District) discussing issues impacting Philadelphia. Tune in on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Listen to the show at 900 AM/96.1 FM in Philadelphia or online here.
The next Meeting of City Council is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 10 a.m. The meeting will take place in person in Council’s Chambers on the 4th floor of Council. It will also air on Xfinity Ch. 64, Fios Channel 40, and stream at www.PHLCouncil.com/watch.
