City Hall Roll Call: March 27th, 2025
Brooks introduces "the People's Tax Plan"
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Welcome to City Hall Roll Call, a summary of City Council’s weekly Stated Meeting. Reminder, the information provided below is not an official or complete record. City Council’s official legislative database can be accessed through Legistar.
For a full play-by-play of the Council session, including speeches and public comment, be sure to follow me on Blue Sky.
Session Recap:
City Council had a busy week this week starting on Monday with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (D) unveiling her “H.O.M.E.” Housing Plan that she had teased during her March 13th budget address. The $2 billion plan is designed to help the Mayor meet her campaign promise of creating or preserving 30,000 units of housing, an ambitious goal.
Housing Opportunities Made Easy
Under the H.O.M.E. Plan, the City would take a multi-faceted approach to reach its housing goals. This approach includes:
Preservation: preserving 16,500 units of existing housing stock and making sure they remain habitable and in good repair;
Production: ensure the construction of 13,500 units of new housing across all income levels and in every neighborhood;
Stabilization: continue to invest in programs to ensure housing stability for renters and homeowners alike; and,
Incentivization: incentivize homeownership rates to support residents in building generational wealth.
The Parker plan proposes “$2 billion in public sector funding, encompassing $800 million in bonds; local, state and federal funding streams; and $1 billion in publicly owned land.” As part of the HOME Plan the City plans to issue the first $400 million in bonds as part of this upcoming Fiscal Year.
The plan also focuses on investing in existing initiatives, as well as the creation of some new programs. Programs like the city’s Eviction Diversion Program and Turn the Key will received continued and expanded support, while the newly proposed “ONE Philly Mortgage” aims “to make mortgages more widely available and less expensive.”
The Mayor’s plan also calls for a streamlined Land Bank Process “to bring more land, more quickly, to productive use for housing.” In order to accomplish this goal, the Mayor proposes “exercising the Land Bank’s priority bid option at Sheriff’s sales; a new, user-friendly website; a Land Bank Acquisition Fund; a comprehensive review of operations; and close collaboration with district council members to expedite small projects on public land.”
Budget Process Underway
Council also officially kicked off its start of the budget process, with hearings commencing on Tuesday. Here are some key take aways from this week’s budget hearings which saw the Parker Administration officials testify before Council’s Committee of the Whole.
No Real Estate Reassessment this year: Citing a back log of appeals from the last citywide reassessment, Finance Director Rob Dubow testified that the Office of Property Assessments is skipping the reassessment process this year. Your property tax liability is determined by multiplying the property tax millage rate by the value of the property. Many home owners saw their property values rise during the last reassessment, meaning higher property tax bills. This prompted a large wave of appeals.
What this means for you: With no reassessment this year and no proposed change to the city’s millage rate, most homeowners will not see a change in their property bills this year.
Property Tax Programs: If you are a homeowner, there are a number of property tax programs which you should be aware of.
The first is the Homestead Exemption which reduces a property’s assessed value by $100,000, saving most homeowners around $1,399 a year. The exemption is available to any Philadelphia homeowner living in their home. You can apply here.
The second is the Longtime Owner Occupied Property Tax Relief Program, otherwise known as “LOOP.” LOOP aims to protect longtime residents living in neighborhood with rapidly increasing property values. To see if your property is eligible for LOOP, visit this website.
Slight Improvement in Staffing Levels: The Parker Administration has also focused its efforts on recruitment to fill the 5,800 vacant positions across city government. While the city has seen an uptick in applications, the Administration testified that hiring is having trouble keeping pace with attrition, noting that the city loses about 3,000 workers per year to resignations or retirement. With the additional efforts, the city’s employee vacancy rate is down annually from 19% to 17%.
Uncertainty around Federal Funding: Administration officials testified that the only federal grant that has so far been canceled under President Trump’s Administration was a $1 million environmental justice grant for Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability. Nonetheless, Council remains concerned about the impact of potential further loss of funds on the City’s overall budget health.
Brooks Introduces “the People’s Budget”
With budget conversations front and center in Council, Councilmember Kendra Brooks (I-AL) introduced a package of bills called “the People’s Budget,” co-sponsored by Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke (I-AL). The bills are being proposed as an alternative option for Council to the business tax cuts offered by Mayor Cherelle Parker. Brooks introduced three bills as part of the package.
The first bill revives Brooks’ “Wealth Tax,” which she first proposed in 2022. The bill would impose “an annual tax [of four mills] on certain intangible personal property.” Specifically, the tax would be applied to “intangible personal property above such property valued at $100,000.” Intangible personal property is defined as “all personal property which is not in itself intrinsically valuable, but which derives its chief value from that which it represents.” Included in this definition are:
all stocks or shares of incorporated or unincorporated companies, business trusts and mutual funds;
all notes, bonds and other obligations for the payment of money, and
all comparable financial instruments, whether or not publicly traded.
The bill exempts a number of accounts and classes of individuals from the tax, including saving certificates and retirement accounts, as well as individuals eligible for tax or other financial relief at the state level.
The second bill would expand wage tax relief eligibility for low-income individuals and provide a reimbursement in the form of a grant for the PICA portion of the wage and net profits tax paid by those individuals.
The third bill aims to double a Business Income and Receipts Tax exemption that the Mayor has proposed to eliminate as the result of a court judgment declaring the existing tax structure unconstitutional.
The TL; DR on the BIRT Exemption: In order to make Philadelphia more business friendly, years ago City Council passed a law exempting the first $100,000 of profit from the city’s BIRT tax. This saved small businesses a lot of headaches, time and money from having to file. A larger company didn’t like this and sued the city saying that the exemption was unconstitutional under the locally loathed Uniformity provision of the Pennsylvania Constitution. A court issued a declaratory judgment saying that the exemption did in fact violate the PA Constitution, so the Mayor announced it had to go during her budget address.
Councilmember Brooks has been outspoken about her support for the exemption, stating, “I think the administration must continue to fight for this exemption to see it through in court before preemptively giving up.” Her legislation literally doubles down on this support by proposing an increase of the exemption from $100,000 to $200,000.
“As the leader of the minority wing in City Council and a member of the Working Families Party, I see it as my responsibility to offer a vision that puts people before profits, local businesses before multinational corporations, and ensures billionaires and corporations pay their fair share in taxes,” Brooks stated. “At a time of heightened uncertainty about inflation and federal funding, the People’s Tax Plan puts working families and small businesses first.”
It remains to be seen whether this package of bills will be referred to the Committee of the Whole with the Mayor’s budget package, or whether they will receive a separate committee assignment in the Finance Committee, which typically considers tax and revenue bills.
City Council stands adjourned until Thursday, April 3rd at 10 AM.
Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Subject Matter)
Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.
💸 Finance / Budget
Bill No. 250268, Amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code (“Business Income and Receipts Taxes”) to increase the amount of exemption from the receipts portion of the Business Income and Receipts Tax. (Brooks)
Bill No. 250269, Amending Chapter 19-1100 of The Philadelphia Code (“Personal Property Taxes”) by deleting all existing Sections and replacing them with an annual tax on certain intangible personal property. (Brooks)
Bill No. 250270, Amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," and Chapter 19-2800, entitled "Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority Tax on Wages and Net Profits," to expand eligibility for wage tax and net profits tax relief; to further reduce wage and net profits tax rates for low-income non-residents; and to provide for grants to low-income City residents in an amount equivalent to the PICA portion of wage and net profits taxes paid. (Brooks)
🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition
Resolution No. 250277, Authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2942 and 2944 W Wishart St; 3323 W Allegheny Ave; 3212 N 33rd St; and 3216 N Newkirk Street located in the 4th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. (Jones)
🚦Streets
Bill No. 250266, Regulating the direction of movement of traffic on 47th Street between Chestnut Street and Kingsessing. (Gauthier)
Bill No. 250267, Amending Section 12-701 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Designation of Bicycle Lanes,” to authorize a bicycle lane and removal of a travel lane on 47th street. (Gauthier)
Bill No. 250271, Amending The Philadelphia Code by increasing the penalties for the prohibited parking or maintaining of semitrailers and truck tractors at residential properties. (O’Neill)
Bill No. 250272: Authorizing an encroachment in the nature of planters in the vicinity of 322-40 Race St. (Squilla)
Bill No. 250273: Amending Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Traffic Code,” to revise procedures for operation of an automated vehicle noise enforcement system and creating Section 12-1138, entitled “Automated Vehicle Noise Enforcement.” (Squilla)
Bill No. 250274, Authorizing an encroachment in the nature of planters in the vicinity of 219 West Rittenhouse St, Philadelphia, PA 19144. (Bass)
Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Member)
Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.
Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-1st)
Bill No. 250272: Authorizing an encroachment in the nature of planters in the vicinity of 322-40 Race St.
Bill No. 250273: Amending Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Traffic Code,” to revise procedures for operation of an automated vehicle noise enforcement system and creating Section 12-1138, entitled “Automated Vehicle Noise Enforcement.”
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd)
Bill No. 250266: Regulating the direction of movement of traffic on 47th Street between Chestnut Street and Kingsessing.
Bill No. 250267: Amending Section 12-701 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Designation of Bicycle Lanes,” to authorize a bicycle lane and removal of a travel lane on 47th street.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
Resolution No. 250277: Authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2942 and 2944 W Wishart St; 3323 W Allegheny Ave; 3212 N 33rd St; and 3216 N Newkirk Street located in the 4th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.
Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)
Bill No. 250274: Authorizing an encroachment in the nature of planters in the vicinity of 219 West Rittenhouse St, Philadelphia, PA 19144.
Councilmember Brian O’Neill (R-10th)
Bill No. 250271: Amending The Philadelphia Code by increasing the penalties for the prohibited parking or maintaining of semitrailers and truck tractors at residential properties.
Councilmember Kendra Brooks (I-AL)
Bill No. 250268: Amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code (“Business Income and Receipts Taxes”) to increase the amount of exemption from the receipts portion of the Business Income and Receipts Tax.
Bill No. 250269: Amending Chapter 19-1100 of The Philadelphia Code (“Personal Property Taxes”) by deleting all existing Sections and replacing them with an annual tax on certain intangible personal property.
Bill No. 250270: Amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," and Chapter 19-2800, entitled "Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority Tax on Wages and Net Profits," to expand eligibility for wage tax and net profits tax relief; to further reduce wage and net profits tax rates for low-income non-residents; and to provide for grants to low-income City residents in an amount equivalent to the PICA portion of wage and net profits taxes paid.
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
🗺️ 250245 (Gauthier): Authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 708 N. Shedwick Street, 710 N. Shedwick Street, 714 N. Shedwick Street and 723 N. Shedwick Street located in the 3rd Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.
🗣️ 250255 (Landau): Condemning President Donald J. Trump and his administration for their decision to suspend income-driven student loan repayment plans and for politicizing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to target advocates working to oppose his anti-immigrant, anti-trans, anti-free speech agenda.
🏆 250275 (Phillips): Honoring March as National Reading Month and Recognizing the "Read by 4th" Initiative for Its Commitment to Early Childhood Literacy.
🏆 250276 (Phillips): Honoring and Celebrating Beyond the Bars on the Occasion of Their 10th Anniversary for Their Dedication to Empowering Philadelphia’s Youth Through Music, Leadership, and Community Engagement.
🏆 250278 (Landau): Declaring March 17, 2025, as "Bayard Rustin Day" in the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 250279 (Landau): Recognizing March 31, 2025 as Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Philadelphia, a day to celebrate and recognize the achievements and contributions of Transgender people, and to lift up the joy, light, and laughter that Transgender people experience and bring into our communities.
🏆 250280 (Young): Recognizing Sanaa Rahming, Samiyah Rahming, and Julissa Ortiz for their middle and high school girls’ wrestling accomplishments on the occasion of Women’s History Month.
🏆 250281 (Young): Honoring the Life and Legacy of former heavyweight champion “Big” George Foreman.
🏆 250282 (Young): Honoring the Life of Eusebio “Bonn” Batan, Fishtown’s “Mayor of Crease Street.”
🏆 250283 (Young): Honoring and congratulating Chef Kyle Timpson for winning Season 23 of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen.
🏆 250284 (Brooks): Recognizing March as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and honoring the work done by advocates to reduce barriers to social and civic participation experienced by people living with developmental disabilities.
🏆 250285 (Bass): Recognizing the Montreux Jazz Festival and the rich jazz history of Philadelphia and expressing the City's desire to host a world-class jazz festival in Philadelphia.
🏆 250286 (Bass): Recognizing and Celebrating Sharon A. Powell on the Occasion of Her Official Retirement.
🏆 250287 (Ahmad): Recognizing and honoring Dr. Arlene Parsons Bennett for her contributions to the City as a prominent community organizer and the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school, on the occasion of Women’s History Month.
🏆 250288 (Ahmad): Recognizing April 2025 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Celebrating the Extraordinary Efforts of WOAR - Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence.
Bills:
🚦 250066-A (Harrity): 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.
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Friday, March 28th
Committee on Public Health and Human Services, 11:30 AM - the committee will consider a bill Amending Section 9-633 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Sale of Electronic Smoking Devices and Unapproved Nicotine Delivery Products,” to update definitions and to provide for additional penalties, enforcement, and compliance options.
Monday, March 31st
Joint Committee on Licenses & Inspections and the Committee on Public Safety, 10:00 AM - the committees will hold hearings on enforcement against drug paraphernalia stores.
Tuesday, April 1st (Committee of the Whole - Budget)
Chief Administrative Office Group (10:00-12:30)
Chief Administrative Office
Office of Human Resources
Office of Innovation & Technology
Procurement
Children and Families Group (1:30-4:00)
Human Services
Mayor’s Office of Education
Wednesday, April 2nd (Committee of the Whole - Budget)
Office of Clean and Green Group (10:00-12:30)
Sanitation
Office of Clean and Green
Philadelphia Energy Authority
Transportation Group (1:30-4:00)
Streets
Water
Aviation
Friday, April 4th
Joint Committees on Education and Children & Youth, 10:00 AM - the Committee will take testimony on two resolutions exploring the creation of a School District of Philadelphia Chief of Joy and on the prevalence of the usage of exclusionary school discipline and the use of collective punishment practices in public schools across Philadelphia.
Tuesday, April 8th (Committee of the Whole - Budget)
Public Safety Group (10:00-12:30)
Police
Office of Public Safety
Public Safety Group (1:30-4:00)
Police
Office of Public Safety
Wednesday, April 9th (Committee of the Whole - Budget)
Public Safety Group Continued (10:00-12:30)
Prisons
Fire
Licenses & Inspections Quality of Life
Licenses & Inspections – Inspections, Safety, and
Compliance
Public Safety Group Continued (1:30-4:00)
Prisons
Fire
Licenses & Inspections Quality of Life
Licenses & Inspections – Inspections, Safety, and
Compliance
Monday, April 14th
Committee on Rules, 10:00 AM - the Committee will consider a number of bills repealing the zoning legislation authorizing the construction of the 76ers Arena on Market Street and a bill to change the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Federal Street, 13th Street, Wharton Street, and Broad Street.
Tuesday, April 15th (Committee of the Whole - Budget)
Planning & Development, Commerce (10:00-12:30)
Managing Directors Office General Services Group (1:30-4:00)
Fleet
Public Property
Wednesday, April 16th (Committee of the Whole - Budget)
Free Library, Parks and Recreation (10:00-12:30)
SEPTA (1:30-4:00)