Broad Street Brief: City Leaders Push Harrisburg on School Funding Reform

City Hall

City Council Passes FY25 Budget, Nonprofit Contracting Bill

During its last regular meeting before summer recess, City Council unanimously passed the FY25 City Budget. Council also approved a bill requiring competitive bidding for City contracts with nonprofits.

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Philadelphia Leaders Push Harrisburg to Reform the PA School Funding System

Mayor Cherelle Parker, Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr., and a diverse coalition of public and charter school leaders are urging legislators in Harrisburg to pass a state budget that would reform Pennsylvania’s school funding. A bill passed by the state House on Monday would increase education funding by $864 million statewide and provide $242 million to the Philadelphia School District.

West Philly Affordable Housing: A New Budget Centerpiece

A last-minute addition to the FY25 City budget appropriates $14 million for a West Philadelphia affordable housing project. The 70-unit development in University City will replace the demolished University City Townhomes at 39th and Market Streets.

Upcoming Committee Hearings

Philadelphia City Council holds several public hearings throughout the legislative calendar year. Watch here.

• The Labor & Civil Service Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday, June 17 at 2 p.m. to hear testimony regarding the Parker Administration’s proposed return to office policy and its potential impact on the City’s workforce.

Around Town

New PPD Dispatches Imminent in Kensington

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) vowed to send 75 new academy graduates to Kensington in the next week. As part of Mayor Parker’s initiative to boost neighborhood safety, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel indicated that arrests will prominently focus on addressing “open-air drugs.”

AFSCME D.C. 33 Elects New President

Greg Boulware has been elected as president of AFSCME District Council 33, Philadelphia’s largest city workers’ union, setting the stage for upcoming contract negotiations with the Parker Administration.

“Ramayana Festival” Coming Soon to the Navy Yard

Papermoon Puppet Theater of Java and the Kalanari Theatre Movement of Bali partnered to create a street festival that will feature performances, Indonesian food, and art, commemorating a Hindu poem that originated in 200 BCE. EgoPo Classic Theater will host the event, fulfilling its decades-long promise to bring an Indonesian-inspired cross-cultural celebration to South Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Researchers Discover “Bitter Blocker”

Neurobiologist Peihua Jiang and his team at Philadelphia’s Monell Chemical Senses Center have developed a liquid nerve inhibitor that temporarily blocks all taste, potentially overcoming the long-standing issue of bitter medications deterring patients from crucial treatments.

Iconic Route 15 Trolley to Resume Operation Next Week

Several restored 1947 SEPTA trolleys will resume service on Route 15 tracks along Girard Avenue next week after an extensive four-year refurbishment process.

New Federal Staffing Rules Offer Hope for Delaware Valley Nursing Homes

Nursing homes in the Philadelphia area have expressed concern regarding employment retention rates and care quality. However, President Joe Biden’s new rules for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service offer optimism, mandating that an operator’s nurses are available every hour of every day. The new regulations, which will take effect in 2026, also promise to improve financial transparency, ensuring that nursing home owners know where their money goes.

Suburban Spotlight

Three Neighboring Counties Experience Poor Water Quality

Recent water tests indicated excessive per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester Counties. The most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations require water systems to be tested for these “forever chemicals,” which can cause negative health impacts.

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