The Philadelphia Hall Monitor

1 week ago | hallmonitor.org | Lance Haver

The news from SEPTA’s headquarters was to be expected. For the last three years, SEPTA has threatened the riders with a doomsday budget. It’s the same this year. SEPTA says that unless it gets the money from the state, it will cut services by 45 % and raise fares by 21%, eliminate 50 bus lines, drastically reduce service on others, and end regional rail lines after 9 pm while pricing 10’s thousands of riders off the system. And then it will get worse.

2 weeks ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

The following departments testified before Philadelphia City Council’s Committee of the Whole regarding their FY 2026 budgets last week:The Philadelphia Police DepartmentWhat they do: The mission of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) is to make Philadelphia the safest big city in the nation. PPD works to achieve the Mayor’s goal of cultivating a community-centered model of public safety, where trust between law enforcement and residents is paramount.

3 weeks ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn

Budget hearings continued this week as the Philadelphia City Council Committee of the Whole heard testimony from the following departments:Chief Administrative OfficerWhat they do: “The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) works to modernize city government and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of City services.

4 weeks ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn |Son Owen

Minority Leader Kendra Brooks, in conjunction with Minority Whip Nicholas O’Rourke, introduced a package of legislation dubbed the “People’s Tax Plan,” which includes bills to establish a wealth tax, an expansion of the underutilized wage tax refund, and an increase in the Business and Receipts Tax exemption. Brooks said the plan took recommendations from both the Tax Reform Commission and the Tax Advisory Commission, convened by Council President Kenyatta Johnson earlier this year.

1 month ago | hallmonitor.org | Lawrence McGlynn |Son Owen

The Philadelphia City Council joint committee on Public Safety and Health and Human Services met Monday, March 17th to hear testimony on Resolution No. 240703, which “authorized the joint committees to investigate the effectiveness and potential expansion of mobile mental health unites administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Intelletucal Disability Services.” Councilmember Curtis Jones, chair of the Public Safety Committee, spoke about the 7 AM Monday roll call in which he...