PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After two days of intense negotiations, Philadelphia City Council and Mayor Cherelle Parker agreed on a $6.8 dollar budget, and on a series of bills that clear the way for her H.O.M.E. initiative for 30,000 units of affordable housing.
In an unusual evening session, three council committees approved the various H.O.M.E. and budget bills, and then the full council gave the necessary preliminary approval that guarantees the bills will pass in a final vote next week.
Council members had spent most of two days in a tug of war about wage and business tax reductions and the size of a bond issue for the H.O.M.E. initiative, but the final bills look a lot like what Mayor Parker proposed. She was adamant about compromises that were made.
“If anyone tells you Mayor Cherelle Parker got everything she wanted out of this budget process, I know they weren’t anywhere near it because that is in fact not the case,” said Parker.
The size of the budget did increase by about $100 million as council added some spending. They also added additional oversight to the $800 million issue, but Council President Kenyatta Johnson said council’s priorities mostly align with those of the mayor.
“The mayor’s mission of restoring and building 30,000 units is a mission we’re going to work in partnership on so, to me, it’s a great accomplishment here today,” said Johnson.
Mayor Parker also prevailed on the size and timing of the tax cuts she proposed over the efforts of council members who wanted sooner, deeper cuts.
“We got to ‘yes’ the best way we could to do the best we could in this environment to move the city of Philadelphia forward,” said Parker. “Now we have to execute.”