The Philadelphia Hall Monitor

In 2021, a rising journalist, Lawrence McGlynn, collaborated with seasoned city hall reporter Denise Clay-Murray and veteran consumer advocate Lance Haver to create The Philadelphia Hall Monitor. Fast forward two years, and with numerous impressive award nominations under our belt, we pride ourselves on being your reliable source for local government updates and unique consumer advice that you won't find elsewhere. Our dedicated reporters invest countless hours in city council meetings, sift through extensive documents, and pose challenging questions that other media outlets might miss. Our mission? To tackle Philadelphia's poverty crisis and hold accountable those who perpetuate it.

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Articles

Final Budget, HOME Bills, Ready for Final Passage – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

2 weeks ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

The Committee of the Whole, which convened Wednesday morning at 9:00 to formally release the budget bills so they could be heard by the full council, finally did so more than 24 hours later, on Thursday afternoon. The bills needed to be brought before the entire council before the end of the week so they could be passed on June 12th, the last day of the spring legislative session.
The Make America Healthy Again Report Fails to State How its Goals Will be Accomplished. – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

3 weeks ago | hallmonitor.org | Lance Haver

Photo courtesy of Sarah Stierch, via wiki commonsLast week, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report was released. The report adds to the 100-year history of the American Government trying to, and improving, the health of its Citizens. Fit into a historical context, the MAHA report is mainstream.
$800 Million Bond Bill Introduced in Council – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

3 weeks ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

Long-awaited legislation authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to issue $800 million worth of bonds to fund Mayor Parker’s HOME initiative was introduced in Philadelphia City Council last week. The bill stipulates the Redevelopment Authority will issue the bonds for the project and essentially be the conduit for all project activities under the auspices of the city.
Water Rate Board Approves Rate Hike – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lance Haver

At 10:00 a.m. last Thursday, behind a “Zoom wall” so that no one could protest, after “private” negotiations, the lawyers appointed by the Philadelphia Rate Board (Rate Board) agreed to the Philadelphia Water Department’s (PWD) demand for a $128.44 million rate increase, 97% of what PWD first requested. The combined 18% increase far exceeds inflation, making it that much harder for those who earn too much to qualify for help to keep up with the ever-rising bills. The City owns PWD.
Council Committees Hears Testimony on Bus Depots; Business Curfews – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

The Committee on Licenses and Inspections heard testimony on the following legislation:Bill No. 250292Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code (entitled “Service and Other Businesses”) to add business hour restrictions in the First, Seventh, and Eighth Councilmanic Districts, all under certain terms and conditions.
The Mendacity of SEPTA – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lance Haver

“This is not the budget we want, but the budget we must have. . . It will begin to dismantle our public Transit System”, said SEPTA acting General Manager Scott Sauer. A statement that isn’t true. The day of the hearings began with a rally outside of the SEPTA’s Center City Philadelphia Headquarters. Democratic elected officials made speeches, chanted, and bragged about all they were doing to persuade their republican counterparts to fund SEPTA.
Kensington Caucus Questions DBHIDS; Brooks and Landau Introduce Resolutions – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

The Philadelphia Kensington Caucus held a hearing “to convene and explore best practices in substance use disorder outreach and to investigate the effectiveness of current methods used by the City of Philadelphia and its partners.”Amanda David, the Interim Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS), testified that DBHIDS Homeless Outreach teams are coordinated through Project HOME’s Outreach Coordination Center (OCC).
HOME Plan Still Not Clear Enough for Council; Education Committee Rails Against Trump's Punitive DEI Policies – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

The most contentious hearing of the week was the Mayor’s Office callback for the HOME initiative. Council seemed increasingly frustrated with the Administration’s lack of key answers regarding specifics of the complicated project. The program’s $800 million price tag, which council does not find objectionable in and of itself, will be paid for by two bond issuances and will cost the city $1.5 billion in total over the course of 20 years.
Budget Hearings Continue; Lozada Introduces Amendments to Mobile Provider Bill – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

Councilmember Quetcy Lozada introduced amendments to the mobile service provider bill she introduced last fall. The legislation has faced fierce opposition from advocates who claim the new restrictions would have a negative impact on service providers’ ability to work in Kensington.
City Won't Challenge BIRT Exemption Elimination; Embraces Regressive Tax Plan – Philadelphia Hall Monitor

2 months ago | hallmonitor.org | Lance Haver

Last Thursday, Mayor Parker announced that the City would not defend the best tool the City has for helping gig workers and small and start-up businesses, the $100,000 business tax exemption, against the lawsuit filed by Alcatel Lucent, a company worth over $ 1 billion. The result will be a large tax increase for all businesses with revenues and profits below 1 million dollars annually.