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CITY HALL
Property Reassessments Cause Residential Values to Skyrocket
and Commercial Values to Increase Less Dramatically
On Tuesday, the Kenney administration announced the value of the average residential
property increased 31 percent. Non-residential real estate
increased 9 percent. It is clear that the administration and City
Council have some disagreements over how to offset this drastic tax
increase on residents and how to spend the additional revenue.
New Affordable Housing Push Includes Free Land and Building
Incentives
As part of the Neighborhood Preservation Initiative (NPI), the
city will give away empty plots of land in an effort to
create 1,000 new affordable houses to be sold to first-time buyers
for less than $250,000. Councilmembers present at the
initiative’s kickoff say they expect construction on the first
houses to begin later this year, with houses being built for
several years.
Councilmember Green Introduces Second Part of “Civics
Legislative Agenda”
Last week, Councilmember Derek Green introduced the second half
of his “Civics Legislative Agenda,” a package of bills
that seeks to encourage greater civic engagement, participation
among Philadelphians and promote good government. A
continuation of a set of bills introduced earlier this year, this
latest package proposes:
- A charter change proposal that would, if
approved by voters, create a Redistricting Commission after each
federal census to solicit public input regarding the composition of
council districts, propose new district boundaries to City Council,
and produce a report regarding its decision-making process and
methods. - A bill revising and extending retaliatory
protections for individuals – or “whistleblowers” – who
file complaints with or seek advice from the Board of Ethics. - A bill recommending technical changes and
cleaning up of language related to the code’s section for
“Political Contributions and Expenditures.”
Parking Authority Retracts $10 Million Debt Claim Against
School District
The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) announced that it would cancel a request that
the School District repay them over $10 million, which the PPA
claimed was because of accounting errors on their part. The request
for repayment has become a political flashpoint since it was made
in late 2021.
Philadelphia Police Ask for $24 Million Increase in Budget
Last Tuesday, the Philadelphia Police Department requested that City Council
allocate an additional $24 million to the department. Most of this
funding would go towards payroll increases.
City Is Revising Streetery Rules That Faced Opposition from
Restaurant Industry
New regulations regarding streeteries could be
established as soon as May 12. These new regulations are
significantly less onerous than the previous iteration that faced
stiff opposition from the restaurant industry.
Suburban Spotlight: Rail Service Between Reading and
Philadelphia Could Be Restored
Commissioners in Berks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties voted
to authorize the creation of the Schuylkill River
Passenger Rail Authority, which would restore passenger rail
service between the localities.
Upcoming Hearings
Philadelphia City Council holds several hearings throughout the
legislative calendar. You can watch the hearings here.
- On Thursday, May 5, at 2:00 p.m., the Committee on Public
Safety will review issues with abandoned vehicles and illegal
dumping. - On Friday, May 6, at 10:00 a.m., the Special Committee on
Child Separation in Philadelphia will hold a hearing to
“better understand the role of community umbrella agencies
(CUA). - On Friday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m., The Committee on Public
Safety will hold a hearing on the Police Department’s
Neighborhood Services Unit, especially with regard to the
prevalence of abandoned vehicles in the city. - On Friday, May 20, at 10:00 a.m., The Committee on Rules
will hold a hearing on the Affordable Housing Preservation Overlay
District.
Budget Hearings:
- On Monday, May 9: Office of Property Assessments, Board of
Revision of Taxes - On Tuesday, May 10: Managing Director’s Office, Mayor’s
Office of Children and Families, Planning and Development - On Wednesday, May 11: Streets Department, Fire Department,
Prisons
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