CITY HALL

FY24 Budget Hearings Begin

This week marked the beginning of a weeks-long series of public hearings to finalize Philadelphia’s budget for next year. Tuesday afternoon saw testimony from various department and agency heads that fall under the purview of the Office of the Mayor, during which, Councilmember Kendra Brooks criticized the proposed reduction in budget for the Department of Labor, which was created by the Kenney Administration in 2020 to create and implement citywide employment policies.

Upcoming Committee Hearings

Philadelphia City Council holds several public hearings throughout the legislative calendar. You can watch the hearings here.

• The Committee on Appropriations will be holding a public hearing today at 1 p.m. on authorizing various transfers in appropriations for FY23.
• The Committee on Licenses & Inspections will be holding a public hearing on Wednesday, April 5 at 10 a.m. on the impact of new regulations on the city’s short-term rental market.

Upcoming Budget Hearings

The full schedule of FY24 budget hearings and a link to watch them can be found here.

• Streets Department, Licenses & Inspections, Office of Public Property (Monday, April 3 at 10 a.m.)
• Prisons, Fleet Management (Monday, April 3 at 1:30 p.m.)
• Law Department, District Attorney’s Office (Tuesday, April 4 at 10 a.m.)
• Sheriff, First Judicial District (Tuesday, April 4 at 1:30 p.m.)

ELECTION UPDATE

Grid Publishes Mayoral Voters Guide Focused on Candidates’ Sustainability Records

Grid Magazine — a local publication that covers issues including climate change and social justice — recently published its mayoral voters guide, which focuses on the candidates’ policy stances on making Philadelphia nationwide leader in sustainability. The guide is part of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism’s Every Voice, Every Vote collaboration. 

A Deep Dive on Philadelphia’s Biggest Challenges, According to Philadelphians

A few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Inquirer published high-level findings from a poll it conducted to determine what locals feel are the most important issues at stake during the upcoming election. Now, the Inquirer is diving deeper into specific areas of interest, including housing security and affordability and the opioid crisis. The series is also part of the Every Voice, Every Vote collaboration.

Meet the Candidates: Helen Gym, Jeff Brown

In addition to its coverage on the issues facing the city, the Inquirer has also begun publishing a series of candidate profiles leading up to the May primary. The first profiles focus on former Councilmember At-Large Helen Gym and her history of activism — especially in the education arena — and grocer Jeff Brown and the business-sector credentials he brings to the field as the sole “anti-politician” candidate.

Young Likely to Secure District 5 Council Seat

Jeffery “Jay” Young, an attorney and former City Council staffer, will be running unopposed — making him the presumptive winner — for the District 5 seat that will be vacated by Council President Darrell Clarke upon his retirement at the end of this year.

Philadelphia Voters to Answer Four Ballot Questions in November

Voters will be asked to respond to four proposed changes to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter in November, which run the gamut from the creation of new city departments and cabinet-level positions to procedural changes to the city’s Rainy Day Fund. 

AROUND TOWN

City Issues All-Clear for Water Safety; Public Figures Weigh in on City’s Response

After several piecemeal updates from the city regarding the safety of its water following last Friday's chemical spill in Bucks County, Mayor Jim Kenney at long last announced that “the threat has passed.” However, many public figures decried the city’s response — or Mayor Kenney’s apparent lack of response — to the potential emergency, from mayoral candidates and the Editorial Board of the city’s paper of record to leadership at the Public Interest Law Center. Meanwhile, others have expressed concern regarding similar mishaps that have happened at the Bristol chemical plant over the past ten years.

Wingard Resigns As Temple President Ahead of Faculty No-Confidence Vote

Temple University President Jason Wingard has resigned the position that he has held since July 2021, according to the University’s Board. His short tenure was fraught with a weeks-long graduate student worker strike, the fatal shooting of an on-duty Temple police sergeant, and a significant fall in enrollment — all of which culminated in the University faculty union approving a vote of no confidence in President Wingard and two other key members of the administration.

PPA Has First Democratic Chair Since 2001

Following a unanimous vote by the Board of the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA), Lynette M. Brown-Sow became the first Democratic Chair in more than two decades.