[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6559138,"mediaKeyId","3216780-3d1ab95514dfc20af9d2772d0ce5f012","parentId",3216780,"title","East Oak Lane residents press council on library repairs, rec-center jobs, senior housing and traffic safety during FY26 budget hearing","audioSeconds",302,"startMs",4554000,"endMs",4856000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3216780-3d1ab95514dfc20af9d2772d0ce5f012&start=4554&end=4856","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3216780-3d1ab95514dfc20af9d2772d0ce5f012/thumbnail_4554000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6559138/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/East-Oak-Lane-residents-press-council-on-library-repairs-rec-center-jobs-senior-housing-and-traffic-safety-during-FY26-budget-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559138-ad5c4e156bf8031a4a92fb04d2167e4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154736&Signature=Fa9aU5Co9WKY5PMFBXdMaF06cixsQx2GFLGWmbgoJwpCkwmokJaxFgcNtbJPSsM6-2h40-Cmbf9qhHXVYs5q069MijG1tt7Px4Zw-~OmZBOavQQeq9IuV3ZoJ-jfdAg4N20-5ikU0UNfTi3U4xGLpAq0PMSdYz8654VVarokc55Wwez2zEvznq5DnqiI6arY2acmni8M6bpckhu1nArD6viccTHJOrdIJElSnItFx2V~cn-9uvbroQ~fwJsyQ2NKH9raXArMOSPw99pmbswCG4lmDEYyu6sv61pHNtpMbpHxnE8PYSEL9ipLRPdWyjt0VIBXueCq2qShFQvY4DRVbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Philadelphia City Council","date","2025-05-07T19:14:44.693Z","article","Dozens of East Oak Lane residents used a Philadelphia City Council budget hearing to press councilmembers and city staff for neighborhood-specific priorities: an immediate repair plan for the East Oak Lane library, clearer routes to local hiring on playground and rec-center rebuild contracts, more options for lower-cost single-story homes for older residents, and faster traffic-safety measures near schools.

Joseph Biman, a nearby resident and library user, said the neighborhood's Carnegie library needs an urgent roof repair and other work. \"It's only a block away. It's an historic building. It's 14 years old and it needs renovation, needs a new roof,\" he said, asking council to identify funding before the building becomes irreparable.

Council leaders acknowledged the library problem and described available assessments and intergovernmental options. Council President Kenyatta Johnson said the Free Library system would receive money to assess structural needs across branches; he added he was working with colleagues and state partners to identify funds for East Oak Lane. \"It's a priority for us,\" he said.

Residents also raised long-standing concerns about local hiring and workforce access for city-funded rebuild projects. Kenny Blair and others said many local young people have difficulty getting construction and trades jobs connected to neighborhood playground and rec-center contracts. They asked where to find training and hiring information and urged the city to publicize apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship options.

Councilmembers and staff pointed to existing materials and programs. Council staff said an apprenticeship guidebook and a repository of programs are available; the FY26 proposal includes about $10 million for workforce development initiatives. Councilmember Cindy Bass noted cost inflation on some playground rebuilds and described efforts to press project developers and project builders to recruit locally.

Several residents asked for more senior housing options that let older homeowners downsize without leaving neighborhoods. One resident requested more \"rancher\"-style single-level homes for people age 55 and older so they could sell larger houses to younger families. Council members said they were exploring zoning changes and district-based solutions to permit smaller single-story housing where land is available.

Traffic safety and school-area protections were also raised. A former block captain and others pressed for speed cushions and other traffic-calming measures near Elwood School; residents said they have requested speed bumps for years. Council members cited recent legislation to ease the process for speed cushions around schools and described a new automated camera program passed by council to catch drivers who speed during school arrival and dismissal times.

Other neighborhood topics included requests for more frequent clean-and-green crews on Roosevelt Boulevard and better channels to reach animal-control services. Councilmembers and local staff offered follow-up contacts and said district offices would coordinate on specific requests.

Why it matters: residents emphasized that large citywide budget choices must be linked to local needs: repairing community institutions, creating career paths into local construction jobs, easing housing transitions for older homeowners, and protecting children near schools.

Ending: Councilmembers asked residents to leave contact information and attend upcoming hearings; they said staff will follow up with details about library assessments, apprenticeship resources and specific cleanup and traffic-safety plans.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Your City, Your Budget - FY26 Budget Town Hall Meetings - May 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of East Oak Lane residents used a Philadelphia City Council budget hearing to press councilmembers and city staff for neighborhood-specific priorities: an immediate repair plan for the East Oak Lane Carnegie library, clearer routes to local hiring on playground and rec-center rebuild contracts, more options for lower-cost single-story homes for older residents, and faster traffic-safety measures near schools.","taxTitle","Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County , Pennsylvania","taxId",80615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6559143,"Philadelphia council members hear FY26 budget proposal that would cut some business taxes, borrow for housing and boost public safety and wellness spending",858,7000,865000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3216780-3d1ab95514dfc20af9d2772d0ce5f012&start=7&end=865","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3216780-3d1ab95514dfc20af9d2772d0ce5f012/thumbnail_7000.jpg","/articles/6559143/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Philadelphia-council-members-hear-FY26-budget-proposal-that-would-cut-some-business-taxes-borrow-for-housing-and-boost-public-safety-and-wellness-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559143-615421581a453b51b56685e89caad79d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154736&Signature=Mq~0-wT4qFPigjrE0KUwPnd0KxbNqO~jQEEyuz66Lks-Ucg~SPz3h8ku1Uo4yjVizrcOqWiZVUPE3G43yOKMzOPk7-Ao6OZkC9PSM1M0HRWfTpifqBN6YZyCWXpLUv4PTMIcmWDJ4CapY7ehdGL~9kVHBllMvLGGXM0UGCHwinZyrbpZ1uw211Phv8J-fxWwDZYe3CaewN6vUP2QhsLVTPSp3e33pZnHbrCcw1Dj6YWiFrE7ryc1sFS6k01140HywzlTjNnkGPZl1EiJYV8-Cs3kBrOfEFDGhj7m2DRiGnX4SSEHN-ocuVSmWoOUExAwtRssVPJvbG7iH5GicVXmog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Philadelphia City Council officials outlined the mayor's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at a community hearing in East Oak Lane, presenting proposals to change business and wage taxes, borrow for a large housing initiative and increase spending on public safety, neighborhood cleaning and a city-run wellness program.

Council President Kenyatta Johnson opened the meeting by framing the presentation as a starting point: \"this is only a proposal. Again, what you're gonna see on the screen and what's gonna be discussed this evening is only a proposal,\" he said, urging residents to provide feedback as council negotiates a final plan.

Helen Lawhead, the council's chief financial officer, walked through the mayor's proposal. She described two main budget categories and key revenue and spending assumptions: the city's operating budget for day-to-day services and a separate capital budget for longer-term projects. Lawhead said the proposal covers five years and includes substantial new spending: roughly $2.3 billion in new operating commitments and about $1.5 billion in capital investments over five years, with near-term additions in FY26 the administration flagged as proposals to be refined by council.

The plan would propose changes to Philadelphia's tax structure, including a phased reduction to the Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT/BERT) and cuts to the wage tax for residents and nonresidents. To soften the near-term effect on small companies, the proposal would set aside $30 million per year ($150 million over five years) as a transition fund for small businesses, Lawhead said.

Major program highlights cited by Lawhead included:

- Housing: the mayor's Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) initiative would be supported by a proposed $800 million borrowing. The administration projects $263 million in debt-service needs over five years to pay that borrowing.

- Public safety: the largest single portion of proposed new operating spending in FY26 would go to public safety. Lawhead said about $186 million of the nearly $356 million in new FY26 operating commitments would be targeted to public-safety initiatives, including a proposed $67 million five-year commitment for a new forensic science center and $25 million in FY26 for anti-violence grants.

- Clean and Green and capital projects: roughly $337 million in proposed new capital spending in FY26, with about $122 million focused on cleaning and beautification programs, and significant capital for public-safety infrastructure.

- Schools and youth programs: the mayor proposes an additional $12 million toward the school district to expand an extended-day, extended-year program from 25 to 40 schools, serving up to 9,700 students for before- and after-school care.

- Workforce and economic opportunity: the proposal includes about $10 million for workforce development tied to the City's municipal employment and apprenticeship pathways, plus funding for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and corridor studies.

- Wellness and substance-use response: Lawhead and council members described a proposed wellness program that the administration is resourcing. Councilmember Catherine Gilmore Richardson noted council acted on a mid-year transfer ordinance earlier in the week that shifts money toward the wellness effort: \"Today, we did pass our mid-year transfer ordinance... and as a part of that transfer, there was $40,000,000 for the wellness ecosystem,\" she said. Council members described a larger five-year wellness investment the administration projects as approximately $216 million in operating commitments across FY26'FY30 and additional capital funding for related facilities.

Council members and staff stressed the proposal's tentative status and the schedule for council hearings. \"City council is finishing up their hearings over the next couple weeks, to tweak this proposal and reach a final adopted budget,\" Lawhead said.

Why it matters: the mayor's draft ties large revenue changes (tax reductions for businesses and changes to wage tax policy) to major new borrowing and programmatic commitments for housing, public safety and wellness services. Council members said they will consider residents' priorities and refine the plan before adoption.

The hearing included multiple resident questions about specific line items and local impacts, from the sugar-sweetened beverage revenue that funds early-childhood programs and park rebuilds to requests for more detail on how proposed tax reductions are meant to spur job growth.

Votes at a glance: council members said the body passed a mid-year transfer ordinance earlier the same day that includes a $40 million allocation to support the wellness ecosystem; that ordinance was described by Councilmember Catherine Gilmore Richardson as having passed in the morning session.

What council and staff said next: council members asked residents to submit written testimony and said council will hold budget hearings across districts before voting on a final FY26 budget. Lawhead and other staff said the numbers on screen are administration proposals and remain subject to change through council's deliberative process.

Ending: Council members closed the hearing by thanking residents for feedback and reminding attendees that the presentation represented a draft proposal and that council would continue district-level hearings and fiscal review before adopting a final budget.","Philadelphia City Council officials outlined the mayor's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at a community hearing in East Oak Lane, presenting proposals to change business and wage taxes, borrow for a large housing initiative and increase spending on public safety, neighborhood cleaning and a city-run wellness program.","actionData","errors"]

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East Oak Lane residents press council on library repairs, rec-center jobs, senior housing and traffic safety during FY26 budget hearing

Philadelphia council members hear FY26 budget proposal that would cut some business taxes, borrow for housing and boost public safety and wellness spending