PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council and the Kenney administration have made some progress as they are still negotiating next year's city budget, which takes effect July 1.
A package of tax bills appears to be the main sticking point.
Mayor Kenney proposed a $5 billion budget, balanced in part with federal funds from the American Rescue Plan.
It recommended small reductions in wage and business taxes to help rev up the post-COVID-19 economy and provide relief to workers who suffered through the pandemic.
But City Council has its own ideas.
One councilman thinks the cuts did not go far enough and has proposed larger ones.
Another faction opposes any cuts, preferring to preserve the revenue for services.
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Council members have also proposed hundreds of millions more in spending, including $100 million more for violence prevention, nearly triple what’s in the budget now.
Those familiar with the budget say there will be a lot more spending on violence prevention than the Mayor originally proposed.
People familiar with the negotiations say they’re making progress on the spending plan, but are still stalled on the taxes.
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Council has scheduled a 3 p.m. Friday session in hopes of finalizing the budget.
It has to be worked out by next Thursday, so it can get its first reading at the Council meeting and pass before Council’s summer break.
Talks went on behind the scenes as council met and passed an ATV bill that specifies that dirt bikes and dune buggies are illegal on city streets.
They also passed a bill requiring a license to operate short term rentals, like Airbnb’s, and one mandating feminine hygiene products in the restrooms at city facilities.
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