Broad Street Brief: City Council Kensington Caucus Made Official

February 8, 2024

City Hall

What Governor Shapiro’s $48.34B FY25 State Budget Means for Philadelphia

This week, Governor Josh Shapiro proposed a $48.34 billion state budget, which Mayor Parker has endorsed for its potential to address Philadelphia’s priorities. If approved, the plan would significantly boost K-12 education funding, a potential boon to Philadelphia schools, and allocate additional funding to SEPTA.

Mayor Cherelle Parker Announces More Cabinet Appointees; Splits City’s Streets, Sanitation Operations; Announces (OHS) Investigation

In the last week, Mayor Cherelle Parker announced several new additions to her cabinet, as well as the separation of the Streets and Sanitation Departments in order to tackle the city’s cleanliness in a more efficient and functions-based manner. View the full list of cabinet appointees to date here. Mayor Parker also announced an independent investigation into the Office of Homeless Services (OHS), which overspent its budget by $15 million over four years. The action is consistent with recent attempts to implement oversight measures by City Council.

City Council Kensington Caucus Made Official; Bills on Subcontractor Protections, “Tag Flippers” Introduced

A resolution establishing a new Kensington Caucus, which will work to implement Councilmember Quetcy Lozada’s (District 7) Kensington Marshall Plan, was unanimously approved by City Council to cheers from supporters. Councilmember Jim Harrity (At Large) also reintroduced legislation that would implement new protections for “displaced” subcontracted building services workers (the original bill was pocket vetoed by outgoing Mayor Jim Kenney in December), while Councilmember Mike Driscoll (District 6) introduced legislation that would ban “tag flippers,” which can hide a car’s license plate and thwart police investigations and toll booths.

Kensington’s Weekend Law Enforcement Presence Not the National Guard

Members of City Council’s new Kensington Caucus clarified that the recent increase in law enforcement presence in the neighborhood over the weekend was a special operation by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement to serve warrants, not the National Guard, an idea that had previously been floated by the Parker Administration as a potential strategy.

Election Update

Philadelphia Democrats Remove Committee Members Who Supported Non-Democrats During 2023 Elections

Philadelphia’s Democratic Party followed through on promises to remove committee members who supported non-Democrats during last year’s City Council races. Some committee members’ support of Working Families Party candidates constituted a violation of party bylaws.

Around Town

Philadelphia to Host 6 FIFA World Cup Games in 2026

Philadelphia will host five group stage and one round 16 games at Lincoln Financial Field during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including one on the nation’s 250th Independence Day. The final game will be played at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

IBX Modifies Hybrid-Work Policy, Joining Other Major Employers by Mandating Increased In-Office Attendance

Independence Blue Cross (IBX) is transitioning from a “hybrid of choice” work model to mandating its approximately 3,000 hybrid employees to work in the office three days per week starting in March and April, aiming to enhance collaboration and innovation after years of remote work prompted by the pandemic.

Dr. Bettigole to Resign as City Health Commissioner

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole announced that she will be resigning, with Deputy Health Commissioner Frank Franklin to serve as interim commissioner while the City conducts a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.

Streets Department Makes Requesting Traffic Calming Measures Easier

Philadelphia’s Streets Department is making it easier for residents to request traffic calming measures through Philly311, allowing requests to be submitted online, via the app, or by phone, with expanded eligibility criteria and a new priority scoring system.

Suburban Spotlight

A Look into Democrats Successful Efforts to Reclaim the Pennridge School Board

Vanity Fair published a detailed look into the Democratic takeover of the Pennridge School Board in Bucks County. The shift unfolded amidst Republican-driven resistance to diversity initiatives, positioning Pennridge as a test case to measure conservative influence on the political alignment of public schools.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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