In her first budget address, Mayor Cherelle Parker says she is laser-focused and unapologetic about public safety, affordable housing, and cleaning up Philadelphia with clean and green initiatives.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, in her first budget of her tenure atop the city's highest office, unveiled, what she called, the "One Philly" budget, a nearly $6.3 billion spending plan for the next year at a City Council meeting on Wednesday.
Her proposal -- which looks at the coming year and plans for five years ahead -- includes increased funding for schools, law enforcement, community initiatives as well as her own office as more municipal efforts are set to move under that umbrella, along with no increase in taxes for city residents.
“This budget comes from the ground up. It reflects the voices of the people," she said in opening her presentation on Thursday.
City officials have said that the mayor's plan was put together while also overcoming some hurdles as federal pandemic funding will expire this year and estimates for tax revenue are about $300 million less than last year.
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One thing to note, there will be no change in tax rates to fund the changes that Parker hopes to implement in the budget.
"My budget has no new taxes," Parker said to a round of applause. "No new taxes on the people of Philadelphia."
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In preparing to deliver her budget, Parker said that the goal is to focus on five pillars -- Public Safety, Clean and Green, Economic Opportunity, Housing and Education.
“The people of Philadelphia are tired of politicians getting elected and seeing good speeches," said Parker. "They want to see their tax dollars at work in their neighborhoods.”
Public Safety
For public safety, Parker said her plan is "laser focused" on the effort.
There will also be $8.5 million set aside for Philadelphia's new office for the chief public safety director.
The plan includes about $877 million in spending for law enforcement initiatives in the city. This would include new hiring for internal affairs positions, 911 dispatchers, community outreach positions and victim advocates.
Parker took a moment to remember the officers that patrolled her community as a child and said that the police were part of the community "as guardians, not warriors."
The plan includes funding for over 100 officers to do community policing, she said.
"Listen people, community policing works and it's in this budget," Mayor Parker said.
Parker also said that there were funds in her budget to afford 150 new radio patrol cars, 75 new unmarked cars, cell phone and video software, drones and upgrades to investigative equipment.
The proposal would also include a $45 million investment to create a new forensics lab for law enforcement.
"While we live in a high-tech 21st Century society, our detectives have been trying to solve crimes using dinosaur equipment," she explained. "No more. No more. No more."
Also, Parker is investing in community organizations by providing $24 million in grants to support victim services and anti-violence initiatives.
Along with this investment, Parker's plan calls for $3 million for the Citizens Police Oversight Commission, as she said her administration has "zero tolerance," for abuse of authority by law enforcement.
Yet, she noted that city officials can't just focus on law enforcement efforts to impact crime. That's why her proposal would include funding for programs intended to help keep Philadelphia's youth off the streets.
"We need youth sports and athletic associations," she said.
But, Parker said, these programs are underfunded to the point that kids are often on city street corners asking for donations to support their efforts.
“They shouldn’t have to stand on the streets with their helmets in their hands, their drums, we should be supporting them," she said.
To do that, youth sports initiatives would see an investment of $3.2 million in Parker's spending plan.
Education
Parker plans to give 56% of property tax income to school initiatives -- over the 55% that had been allocated -- as well as providing an additional $2 million into the district this upcoming year.
"The days of settling for crumbs are over," she said. "Our students deserve a full loaf, and they’ll get it."
Overall, the proposal would increase school district spending in next year's budget by an additional $24 million this year and $129 million over the next five years.
She said that the budget includes an investment in full-day and year-round schooling. Rolling out this plan would be a multi-year effort, and she expects to start a pilot effort for 20 schools by the fall.
She also said that the plan would support building trades by providing students with on-the-job training to restore and rebuild schools, build new schools and invite students into the union workforce.
Clean and Green
Along with this initiative, Parker's proposal will include the launch of a new residential neighborhood cleaning program -- along with a community appearance index to let officials know where additional city services are needed.
In concert with this effort, Parker's proposal will include a pilot program to step up trash collection to twice a week, in areas where litter concerns are most serious.
Overall, Parker said, her plan includes $36 million for clean and green initiatives citywide.
The city also plans to tow 10,000 abandoned cars and clean and seal more than 900 abandoned, blighted properties in the coming year.
She said that her plan also invests $18 million in a residential cleaning program that is designated to provide cleaning crews for every district.
It's modeled after a similar program that is already being done in Center City, she said.
“Our neighborhoods deserve the same level of care and cleanliness – don’t you agree?” Parked asked councilmembers.
In Kensington alone, Parker said she supports a Kensington Community Restoration Plan and she commended City Council's Kensington Caucus, as efforts to help transform the city's poorest neighborhood.
“I want to make Kensington a neighborhood of choice and a beacon of pride again,” she said.
Another big-ticket item in the proposal is expected to be a city match of new funding for SEPTA.
In his budget address earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro said he intends to invest in public transit throughout the state, with $161 million in new funds for SEPTA.
To provide increases to transit, the governor is asking for a match from Philadelphia and other cities. Parker's spending plan includes a $117 million match for SEPTA funding over the next five years.
Economic Opportunity
In moving to discuss the economic impacts of the budget plan, Parker first noted that she is renewing a call on state officials to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour.
She also said that her "One Philly" budget includes nearly $20 million in new operating investments and more than $130 million over the next five years.
This includes a $1 million investment into an accelerator fund to provide capital for developers from "historically disadvantages groups."
There is also a $10 million investment in the spending plan to establish, what she called a first in the nation City College for Municipal Employment at the Community College of Philadelphia.
And, for workforce development, the plan sets aside $10 million to support workforce development and apprenticeship programs led by partners including the Building Trades and other unions.
Housing
On housing, Parker said that her plan includes room for investment to create 30,000 units of housing.
Parker said that she's aiming to create high quality -- "what I call affordable luxury” -- for all city-supported housing.
Also, she said she wants to turn vacant lots and underutilized property in the city's land bank into homes and community spaces.
To do it, Parker announced she has teamed up with the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office on an effort to get tax lien sales restored. She hopes to get this done in as little as four weeks.
Following the delivery of Parker's proposal there will be a series of public hearings beginning on March 26 and continuing through May 1 to be held in City Hall in City Council's chambers.
She said that she also plans to travel the city to provide residents with budget briefings and town hall meetings.
A full hearing schedule is available on City Council's website.
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