Also on Philadelphia Ballots: Several Charter Change Questions
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In addition to choosing primary candidates for mayor and City Council, Philadelphia voters today will also find four questions on today's ballot.
- One question is whether to change the city's Home Rule Charter to create a permanent "Commission For Women," an independent panel with 27 members appointed by the mayor and City Council.
- Another question is whether to change the charter to create a permanent "Commission for Universal Pre-Kindergarten," an independent panel with 17 appointed members.
- A third question is whether to change the city's Home Rule Charter to require that all city agencies and departments create language access plans, so that lack of knowledge of English is not an impediment to obtaining city services.
- Then, voters are asked whether they will approve a non-binding referendum calling on the state legislature and governor to return control of the school district to the city.
Supporters of the questions regarding the creation of independent commissions for women and for universal pre-K say only by changing the charter can these panels be guaranteed permanence and independence.
But the election watchdog group "Committee of 70" points out that the school district control question is non-binding, making it, according to the committee, "a glorified opinion poll."
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