Philadelphia City Council approved one bill and 15 resolutions at this week’s Council session
The only bill approved was Bill #250066-A, sponsored by Councilmember Jim Harrity (At-Large) that will amending Chapter 11-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Openings and Excavations in the Streets,” to impose additional penalties on violators of underground permitting requirements
The bill will not go to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s desk to either be signed into law or vetoed.
Some of the resolutions approved this week were:
For a complete rundown of all resolutions and bills introduced or approved this week, go to City Council’s Legislative Information Center.
Minority Leader Kendra Brooks (At-Large) and Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke (At-Large), who represent the minority Working Families Party in Council, unveiled a “People’s Tax Plan” this week and introduced three bills for tax policy that is different than the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget introduced by Mayor Parker.
Among the items in the People’s Tax Plan — Increasing wage tax refunds for low-income Philadelphians; increasing the size of the City’s Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) — the so called BIRT exclusion; and creating a so-called “wealth tax” on stocks and bonds held by city residents. The People’s Tax Plan are Bills #250268, #250269, and #250270.
Brooks introduced wealth tax legislation in 2022 and it was never approved.
City Council held two days of hearings this week on Mayor Parker’s proposed $6.7 Billion Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
Council will hold more than seven weeks of public hearings on the proposed Operating and Capital Budget with Parker administration leadership to understand the mayor’s spending proposal.
All FY ‘2026 budget hearings are held before the Committee of the Whole, chaired by President Johnson. These hearings include testimony from department heads and independently elected offices to support their proposed budgets and answer questions from councilmembers.
The City’s budget is the mayoral administration’s plan for spending, adjusted as needed to obtain City Council approval and passage before the start of each fiscal year beginning on July 1.
The first day of hearings on March 25 included Parker Administration officials discussing the Mayor’s proposed Five-Year Financial Plan and the City’s proposed Capital Program.
During questioning from Councilmembers, they expressed concerns about President Donald Trump’s cuts of federal funding to cities and wondered if Mayor parker’s plans to cut wage and business taxes and borrow $800 million for her proposed housing program is the right thing to do at this time.
Among the measures the City is taking to ensure fiscal stability amid times of great uncertainty is the establishment of a $95 million reserve for federal funding. This reserve is designed to provide the City with the flexibility to respond to changes in federal policy as they arise. Additionally, the City continues to prioritize its fiscal health by making regular contributions to the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund, which is projected to reach $280 million by the end of the Proposed Five-Year Plan. The City is also forecasting a fund balance of $514 million for Fiscal Year 2026, reflecting available unspent resources in the budget.
The second day of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget hearings was on March 26 and Councilmembers heard testimony from the Finance Department, Board of Pensions, City Treasurer and Sinking Fund, Revenue Department, the Office of Property Assessment and reviewed Mayor Parker’s proposals for tax revisions for Fiscal Year 2026. The public also had the chance to give in-person public testimony at City Hall on the tax revision proposals.
During the Budget hearings, City Council also holds public comment sessions for residents to provide feedback on the proposed budget. The days for public comment at City Hall will be April 30 and May 13-14.
Before the budget is approved, City Council may adjust funding levels for departments and programs.
For the second year in a row, City Council will host Neighborhood Budget Town Halls in communities through Philadelphia to hear from citizens.
The first Neighborhood Budget Town Hall will take place on April 1, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Common Place, 5736 Chester Avenue (corner of 58th Street and Chester Avenue), in Southwest Philadelphia. The Budget Town Hall is co-sponsored by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District).
Additional Town Halls will take place throughout the months of April and May.
City Council passes legislation approving the new budget before the end of the current (Fiscal Year 2025) budget on June 30, and the mayor signs the adopted budget legislation. Fiscal Year 2026 starts on July 1.
To learn more about Mayor Parker’s budget address, Operating and Capital Budgets, proposed FY25-30 Five Year Plan and other information, visit City Council’s FY 2026 budget page. The FY 2026 Budget Hearing Schedule is subject to change so check back often for updates.
All City Council budget hearings inside City Hall will air live on Xfinity Ch. 64, Fios Channel 40, and stream at www.PHLCouncil.com/watch
Mayor Parker announced a $2 billion plan to build and preserve 30,000 homes throughout Philadelphia and she called it the largest single investment in housing in Philadelphia’s history.”
She calls the plan the Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) Initiative and it includes the creation of new programs and continuing and expanding other programs to help renters, owners and homebuyers. Her goal is to preserve 16,500 affordable units and create another 13,500 homes.
The Mayor also discussed altering current City housing programs to serve residents of middle-class neighborhoods and to have “affordable luxury” homes with high -end finishes in subsidized properties.
To fund the initiative, Parker is asking Council to approve borrowing $800 million, with $400 million in bonds to be issued in Fiscal Year 2026, which begins July 1. In her budget proposal. She wants to raise the real estate transfer tax to generate an estimated $173 million over five years to support the plan. Parker says the higher transfer tax would have a greater impact on commercial and industrial transactions than residential ones.
A part of the plan that was met with a lukewarm reception this week by Councilmembers is a proposal to bypass parts of the legislative process when selling certain publicly owned lots. All 10 District Councilmembers have a major say regarding development projects in their districts and it is known as “councilmanic prerogative.”
Parker, a former 9th District councilmember, says she is not trying to go to war with councilmanic prerogative but wants to develop a new way where properties are pre-authorized for sale to pre-approved developers for affordable housing without needing a bill to be introduced in Council for approval. She suggested starting with of 1,000 authorized lots.”
As part of the H.O.M.E. Plan, the Parker administration will be submitting legislation soon to do things like simplify the zoning code for developers, for example. No word when that legislation will be given to City Council.
For the budget portion, council will have to adopt loan authorization bills for the $800 million. Those bills have yet to be introduced. The Mayor’s proposed operating budget bills include funding for debt service of the borrowings and funding for the City’s Department of Planning and development to operationalize the plan. Council is scheduled to hold a budget hearing on the H.O.M.E. plan on April 21.
Philadelphia-native Will Smith returned to West Philadelphia this week to participate in the ceremonial street renaming of the 2000 block of North 59th Street in his honor. The street is now known as “Will Smith Way” and the sign is located at the corner of 59th and Lancaster Avenue, across the street from West Philadelphia High School, the school he attended.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (4th District) was the lead sponsor of the Will Smith Way resolution and participated in the street dedication event. He was joined at the event by Council President Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) and Councilmembers Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large), Jim Harrity (At-Large), Nina Ahmad (At-Large), Rue Landau (At-Large), Cindy Bass (8th District), Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) and Anthony Phillips (9th District).
Mayor Parker attended the event and gave Smith a Key to the City plaque and Pennsylvania State Representative Morgan Cephas, leader of the Philadelphia State House Delegation, presented a State House resolution to him.
Smith is a renowned actor, producer, and philanthropist whose career has spanned over three decades, making a significant impact on the entertainment industry and global culture as well as his charitable contributions and advocacy for social justice and equality. He spent his formative years in the Wynnefield section of West Philadelphia.
The Oscar and Grammy winner is releasing his fifth studio album this weekend, called “Based on a True Story.” This is his first music project in two decades.
King Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, paramount chief of the Abeadze Traditional Area in Ghana, was a special guest during the Special Session on Housing this week. The King is visiting the United States and Philadelphia was one of the stops on his tour.
While a precise number for the Ghanaian population in Philadelphia is difficult to pinpoint, estimates suggest there are around 2,300 Ghanaians in the city and 5,000 in the greater Philadelphia area. Ghanaian immigrants in Philadelphia, like other African immigrants, have settled in various areas, including West Philadelphia and Southwest Philadelphia.
Also attending the Special Session was the Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, who served as the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary from 2021-24 under former President Joe Biden.
Award-winning director, actor, producer, and playwright Colman Domingo visited Council this week in a private event to receive Resolution #250186, which congratulated him for his second Oscar nomination for the Best Actor in a Leading Role Award at this year’s 97th Academy Awards, for his role as John “Divine G” Whitfield in the film Sing Sing. The resolution was sponsored by Councilmember Rue Landau (At-Large).
Domingo was born in Philadelphia and raised in West Philadelphia and graduated from Overbrook High School in 1987.
Aa proud LGBTQ+ Afro-Latino Philadelphian, Domingo garnered the honor of the first Afro-Latino to be nominated in the best actor category in 2024 with his nomination for his work in the film Rustin.
Finally, Council President Johnson had the opportunity to meet with elected officials from Frankfurt, Germany this week. The elected officials included Lord Mayor Mike Josef, Deputy Mayor O’Sullivan, First Deputy Mayor Dr. Targets Eskandari-Grünberg, Deputy Mayor Eileen O’Sullivan, President of City Parliament (City Council ) Hilime Arslaner and other City Parliament members.
The City Council is Frankfurt’s highest decision-making body. The city councilors as they are called all work on an honorary basis. These councilors are elected by Frankfurt’s citizens in local elections and hold office for a period of five years. The City Council elects the members of the city’s government, the Municipal Administration, except for the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor is directly elected by the citizens of Frankfurt.
The city has a population of over 800,000 people and is the fifth-most populous city in Germany.
Frankfurt has been a Sister City with Philadelphia for 10 years. The Sister City Program is run by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, which arranged the visit to City Hall.
Tune in and listen to the next Saturdays with City Council show on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern Time for Saturdays with City Council on WURD Radio (900 AM/96.1 FM) or online at wurdradio.com
This week, the show will feature Councilmember Cindy Bass (8th District) who will be speaking with host and Council Communications Director Vincent Thompson on Mayor Parker’s proposed FY 2026 budget and housing plan and other issues.
The Saturdays with City Council shows in April will air on Saturday. April 12 and April 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern Time each day on WURD Radio.
City Council will go back to its normal schedule next week so the next Regular Stated City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 3 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time at Philadelphia City Council Chambers, Room 400 (Fourth Floor), Philadelphia City Hall.
Tune in live on March 24 and 27 by watching Xfinity Channel 64 and Fios Channel 40 if you have cable TV in Philadelphia, stream online at www.PHLCouncil.com/watch or listen to WURD Radio (900 AM/96.1 FM) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Source: phlcouncil.com…
What to KnowSusan Crawford’s win in Wisconsin is a setback for Trump and his billionaire…
A few weeks ago, we saw Browns defensive end Myles Garrett make an about face…
As Democrats celebrate a battleground-state win in the most expensive judicial campaign in U.S. history,…
A few weeks ago, we saw Browns defensive end Myles Garrett make an about face…
What to KnowSusan Crawford's win in Wisconsin is a setback for Trump and his billionaire…
Susan Crawford has won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, NBC News projects, allowing…
This website uses cookies.
