City Council
Want to Reduce Political Corruption in Philly? End Councilmanic Prerogative Now.
The rule of law is to presume those who are criminally indicted innocent until proven guilty. Such a presumption should absolutely be extended to City […]
The Utterly Ridiculous History of Lawbreaking (and Allegedly Lawbreaking) Philly Politicians
‘Twas more than a century ago that muckraking investigative journalist Lincoln Steffens wrote about Philadelphia in a series of articles detailing corruption in U.S. cities. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Darrell Clarke, Gentrification Is Gentrification — Even If the Developer Is Black
“All my skinfolk ain’t kinfolk,” the legendary Black writer Zora Neale Hurston once said. This quote goes double for Black developers who profit from land […]
Thomas and Gilmore Richardson Win in Council Primary, Heralding Arrival of Next Generation
With strong performances in Tuesday’s City Council at-large primary, community advocate Isaiah Thomas, 34, and former chief of staff Katherine Gilmore Richardson, 35, are poised […]
Jamie Gauthier Defeats 27-Year Incumbent Jannie Blackwell in City Council Race
On Tuesday night, Jamie Gauthier, the former executive director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, won a highly contested Democratic primary for City Council’s District 3 […]