Topic: Your City Defined
![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Parker_March_14_2024_Budget_Address_Photo-Credit_-Albert-Lee-2-e1713468603354-791x400.jpg)
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![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SethBluesteinVote-791x400.jpg)
Your City Defined: Philadelphia City Commissioners
The elected trio is responsible for running all elections in Philly, from registering voters to counting the votes.
By Lauren McCutcheon![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PhiladelphiaSkyline_WeFilmPhilly_04_rgb_72-1-791x400.jpg)
Your City Defined: Sunshine Act
The 1957 state law requires elected bodies to hold all meetings in public, so the public knows what their government is doing. That is … a nice idea, isn’t it?
By J.P. Romney![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Mummers_Parade_HED1-1-791x400.jpeg)
Your City Defined: The Mummers Parade
A history lesson, including some scholarly conjecture, about Philadelphia’s New Year’s Day … phenomenon
By J.P. Romney![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Tracey_Gordon_by_Jared_Piper_for_PHL_Council-791x400.jpg)
Your City Defined: Register of Wills
What a RoW does, what Orphans’ Court is, and what Tracey Gordon, currently in the role, may have done to help herself out of a job
By J.P. Romney![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/philadelphia-sheriffs-office-791x400.jpg)
Your City Defined: Sheriff’s Office
Here’s a breakdown — and a little history — about the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office
By J.P. Romney![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Home-Rule-Charter-791x400.jpg)
Your City Defined: Home Rule Charter
The City of Philadelphia's constitution is a growing framework of both commonsense and potentially outdated laws.
By Lauren McCutcheon![](https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-23-at-7.08.24-PM-791x400.png)
Your City Defined: Booing Santa Claus
It's a stain on Philly fans' reputation. But what's the real story?
By Larry Platt