How Does Mayor Parker Want to Spend Your Money?

In partnership with Committee of Seventy, we’ve created a visual representation of the per-resident cost in Mayor Parker’s proposed budget — and how it has changed from last year

By Nick Hand

Fun Things to Do in Philly this Week and Weekend

This week in Philly we have a street fest, live comedy, a local author, fresh theater and dance, the Penn Relays, fundraisers with fine food, and a festival of WOE! (It's better than it sounds).

By Lauren McCutcheon and Christina Griffith

Your City Defined: The City Budget

Mayor Parker kicked off budget season with her $6 billion budget proposal to City Council. Here’s what that means, and what happens now

By J.P. Romney

Ideas We Should Steal: Letting Citizens Shape Philly’s Budget

South Bend, Indiana proactively boosted resident feedback in its budget season through its 311 line and by meeting citizens where they are. Could the same efforts in Philly create a budget that reflects residents’ priorities?

By Malcolm Burnley

Investment? What Investment?

Philly is blowing its chance to use its federal rescue funds to directly address intractable problems. Will Mayor Parker’s new budget follow Governor Shapiro’s blueprint and propose an “invest and grow” plan?

By Larry Platt

Guest Commentary: We’re Already Defunding the Philly Police

Bloating pension payments contribute to our staff shortage. Here, ways to solve the issue

By Jordan McGillis

Can Cities Defy Fiscal Gravity?

As urban transit systems like SEPTA face a crisis since Covid, Drexel’s Metro Finance head looks to the innovators who are rethinking how we get around

By Bruce Katz

Building a Better Budget

Mayor Kenney has been an inveterate spender. So why doesn’t his newest budget proposal invest more in working class growth, like mayors are doing in cities from Newark to Dayton?

By Larry Platt