City Council
City Council’s Kendra Brooks on the Big Change She’d Like to See at City Hall
My full name is … Kendra Nicole Brooks. I was named after Angela Davis’s friend Kendra, who was mentioned in the New York Times in […]
Citywide Survey Says We Love the Fire Department, Agree to Disagree on the Water
When Mayor Jim Kenney first took office in 2016, it had been a decade since anyone in the Mayor’s Office performed a systematic survey asking […]
Exit Interview: City Council Veteran Blondell Reynolds Brown
The start of the new year was the end of an era for Blondell Reynolds Brown, who has stepped down from her City Council at-large […]
All the Drama Over the 10-Year Tax Abatement Bill, Explained
Ah, the holidays: that ever-so-busy time when we’re tasked with reflecting on the end of the year while rushing through our gift shopping, party planning […]
By Endorsing Third-Party Candidates, Philly Democrats Have Lit a Fuse Under Their Own House
Next Tuesday’s general election in Philly is shaping up to be an epic showdown between Democrats and … Democrats. They say a house divided cannot […]
Meet the Candidates Trying to Shake Up the City Council At-Large Race
The general election for City Council at-large seats is normally uneventful. Typically it goes something like this: If you’re a Democrat, you vote for five […]
Fines for Overdue Library Books Could Become a Thing of the Past in Philly
Have you ever avoided the library solely because of overdue book fees? Good news, maybe: Philly is considering doing away with library fines. The Free Library […]
When It Comes to City Contracts in Philly, White Privilege Wins
A report released on Wednesday by the City Controller’s office reveals that the Kenney administration has a double standard when it comes to penalizing government […]
Helen Gym Wants the City to Publicly Disclose All Lawsuit Settlements
Philly taxpayers pitched in a whopping $48 million to settle legal disputes against the city in the 2019 fiscal year, according to Councilmember Helen Gym’s office. The claims encompassed sidewalk […]
What’s Worse Than Jim Kenney Trying to Squelch Press Freedom? Having His Team Lie About It
Update, 9/17: In a conversation with Philadelphia magazine’s attorney this morning, city solicitor Marcel Pratt confirmed that information requests from the magazine no longer have […]
Why Philly Mag Is Fighting the Kenney Administration’s Attempt to Undermine a Free Press
These aren’t the easiest of days for the news media in the United States. Not only has the business model that’s supported journalism been disrupted […]
Meet the City Council At-Large Candidate Endorsed by Elizabeth Warren
Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren flung a surprising twist in a local race this week by endorsing at-large City Council contender Kendra Brooks — who is, notably, not […]
Philly Says It Needs More Time to Ban Cashless Stores
Leave it to Philadelphia city government to pass meaningful legislation, then fumble at the one-yard line. Back in February, City Council approved a bill that […]
A Street-by-Street Look at City Council’s Bike-Lane Bonanza
This post has been updated. With its narrow streets and menacing cars at every turn, Philly is hardly a cyclist’s paradise. But our lawmakers are at […]
You Can Personally Test Philly’s Controversial New Voting Machines
Everyone agrees that voting is important, but in true Philly fashion, the city government can’t seem to reach consensus on how we should cast our ballots — as […]