Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker's $6.3 billion budget gets preliminary approval from city council
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker's $6.3 billion budget for 2025 was given preliminary approval by the city council late Wednesday night, paving the way for hundreds of millions in funding to be allocated to the mayor's top initiatives.
Parker's One Philly budget was first introduced in March. It includes nearly $2.4 billion in spending over five years on Parker's key priorities: safety, making Philadelphia "clean and green," economic opportunity, housing and education.
"I said in March, 'don't just listen to what I say, watch what we do.' I hoped we would work together with diplomacy, diligence and purpose to implement a budget for the People of Philadelphia," Mayor Parker said in a statement. "Tonight, we have shown the people we have done just that. This will be the standard operating procedure for my administration working with our partners in City Council, to serve all of Philadelphia."
Council President Kenyatta Johnson said the negotiations for the budget were smooth.
"Most members of council are in line with what we're trying to do in terms of taking the city of Philadelphia to the next level," Johnson said.
Councilmembers said barring any setbacks, they plan to approve the the city budget next Thursday at City Hall.
What's included in the One Philly budget?
In addition to funding for Parker's core initiatives, the budget will increase the Homestead Exemption from $80,000 to $100,000. According to the mayor's office, this exemption can help homeowners save on property taxes when property assessments are expected to increase.
The mayor and city council also agreed to freeze property tax increases for low-income homeowners.
"So that money will allow us to rebuild 70 units of low-income housing in University City that will last forever, it will be permanently affordable," Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said.
Funding for more police officers, violent crime prevention
The public safety priorities in Parker's budget include hiring 400 more police officers, $100 million to build a long-term care, treatment, and housing facility, and nearly $30 million in funding for grants to help reduce violent crime.
"It's just the fact that we, the men and women are valued. That policing is valued in the city of Philadelphia, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said.
"Someone's out there on the outside saying 'Look, the city's investing in policing, people are investing back in policing, I want to join that team,'" he added.
Parker previously said she also wants more officers doing community policing. Her budget funds over 100 officers doing community policing.
"You will see officers walking the beat, riding the bike in your neighborhood Philadelphia," Parker said.
Clean and green initiatives
More than $475 million will go toward Parker's projects to clean up and beautify the city's neighborhoods, including the citywide neighborhood cleaning initiative. That project began Monday in the city's Frankford, Juniata, Harrowgate, Kensington, Port Richmond and Bridesburg neighborhoods.
The money will also go toward addressing quality of life issues, according to the mayor's office, like illegal dumping and abandoned cars.
"It's those people who are in neighborhoods, sweeping and cleaning and greening and I want them to know I'm super proud of them," Parker said.
Ten million for workforce development is also in the budget.
City Council also committed a $100 million investment for the city to start work on a treatment and wellness center, which would be adjacent to the Riverside Correction Facility in Holmesburg in Northeast Philly.
"People facing substance use disorder and homelessness and mental and behavioral health problems, they haven't gotten that quality of service ever before in the history of our city," Parker said.
Hundreds of millions for the School District of Philadelphia
In FY25, the School District of Philadelphia is set to receive $24 million in investments and nearly $129 million over the five year plan.
The city also plans to provide more extended day and extended year programs in K-12 schools, and "addresses the urgent need for school facilities improvement," the mayor's office said.