The silence is over in negotiations between the city of Philadelphia and two municipal unions that have operated without contracts since 2009. City Council put pressure on Mayor Nutter today to stop demanding concessions from workers and settle the contracts, fast. Read Seventy’s HOW PHILLY WORKS for the story behind this unfolding saga.
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Though budget discussion often seem to be about narrow spending anf taxing decisions--especially in an election year--they can be about a larger issue; what should government be doing to build a better future? In anticipation of Mayor Nutter's 2011 budget address to the city, the Committee of Seventy released "The Budget Address We Need to Hear." This is our vision of the new attitude that is needed to move Philadelphia forward.
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With just weeks left to work out its version of the city budget, City Council is getting serious about whether Philadelphians will have to pay more in taxes. On May 13 at noon, Council will hold a hearing on a plan to hike property taxes by as much as 9 percent. It is also considering imposing a new tax on some tobacco products.
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With just weeks left to work out its version of the city budget, City Council is getting serious about whether Philadelphians will have to pay more in taxes. On May 13 at noon, Council will hold a hearing on a plan to hike property taxes by as much as 9 percent. It is also considering imposing a new tax on some tobacco products.
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Philadelphia has it pretty bad budget-wise this year. But if it is any consolation, we’re not alone. Just about every city, county, and state government is facing budget problems brought on by the bad economy. In fact, a few places have it far worse (including talk of bankruptcy in Los Angeles and our own capital city, Harrisburg). But one thing is clear – lots of places are doing things differently than Philadelphia, where city leaders seem intent this year on raising taxes while avoiding potentially painful service cuts. We're taking a look at how other governments are handling the budget crisis and highlighting some cases where their approach is both creative and far-sighted, making changes that will have a positive effect for years to come.
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City Council has just one month to hammer out its version of the $3.9 billion budget. The decisions that Council and the mayor will make in the days ahead will determine the kind of city we live and work in far into the future. The Committee of Seventy is starting a special series of our “IN THE KNOW” feature to help Philadelphians understand the issues, the politics, and the consequences of this year’s budget process, the third year in a row with the city facing a major budget deficit. We’ll look behind the seemingly dry facts and figures of the budget to help those that live and work in the city understand how and why their tax money is being spent.
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During these lean times, most of us are figuring out what to cut from the family budget and ways to put a little more in the piggy bank. Imagine making these choices when nearly 60% of what has to go out the door is still a question mark. That’s what Philadelphia is now facing. As of publication, contracts for three of the City's biggest unions on issues including employees’ wages and benefits – which make up almost 60% of the general operating budget – are still unresolved. This Q&A explores strong connection between labor costs and the budget.
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On March 4, 2010, Mayor Michael Nutter will make his Annual Budget Address to the city. Between now and the July 1 start of Fiscal Year 2011, Mayor Nutter and City Council will have tough decisions to make. This In The Know is the first installment in a series that will highlight issues that will surface during the budget discussions.
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- Download pdf in the know philadelphia's long hot summer 2009