Group Number 10
Moderators: Louise Guigliano and Adrian Sagan
Total points: 70

Group Description:
Group 10 consisted of 16 people. There were 10 females; three African Americans and seven Caucasians. Six of the participants were male; two African Americans and four Caucasian. One woman felt strongly about a specific issue and chose to momentarily leave the group to provide a two-minute video. Four people left the group at 9 p.m., 20 minutes before the group adjourned.
Group 10 entered the room ready to fully participate. Participants had initial process concerns, as members questioned why they were “boxed in” and forced to focus on the work sheet rather than using the handouts provided by groups who were at the front door of the building. The moderators fielded their concerns to the best of their ability. The group completed the following buckets: “Low Hanging Fruit,” “Shared Pains” and “No Ways, No Hows.”
There were no dissenting work sheets filed with the moderators by participants.

Low Hanging Fruit
Total points: 47 Points
• #1 Administration: 5 points
o Supported by 100% of participants.
o Support: There are too many duplicated positions. This allows for positions to be reduced.
o Support: Nonexempt staff are making too high of a salary.
o Some departments (such as the Film Department) can become privatized.
o Concern: Staff positions, prior to becoming nonexempt, were making too much money through overtime pay.
• #9 Law: 2 points
o Supported by 75% of participants.
o Support: The city already uses lawyers outside of city and county for court cases and counsel.
o Support: If city lawyers lose their jobs, they can find work in the private sector.
• #14 Recreation - 10% reduction with stipulation: 2 points
o Supported by 93% of participants.
o Stipulation: Programs cannot be cut.
o Support: There are too many employees in the Recreation Department. Positions can be cut without losing quality service and production.
o Concern: Participants have concern about lay offs and would prefer that people be reassigned.
o If programs are lost, children would not be supported.
• #15 Streets - Revenue Option 1: 2 points
o Supported by 83% of participants.
o Support: The revenue option is believed to be a low cost.
o Support: Businesses would use the cost as a tax write-off.
• # 17 Amusement: 2 points
o Received support from 100% of participants.
• #20 Eagles: 4 points
o Supported by 100% of participants.
o Utilizing the Eagles payment would save jobs.
o If the Eagles owe money, they should be forced to pay.
• #21 Parking: 2 points
o Received support from 80% of participants.
o Using parking as a revenue option was viewed as positive and negative. A reduction of visitors would reduce revenue for the city. Reducing visitors is positive because it will reduce city overcrowding.
o Using the revenue option will reduce job loss.
o A parking tax will increase the use of public transit.
• #22 Real Estate: 5 points
o Supported by 83% of participants.
o Using the revenue stream will save jobs and services.
o The group feels the fee is low, would build revenue but not be a large burden on homeowners.
• # 24 Sales: 6 points
o Supported by 87% of participants.
o Concern: Sales tax would affect low-income population the most.
• #25 Wage Tax/Resident - Revenue Option 2: 12 Points
o Supported by 92% of participants.
o Support: Would save jobs.
• #26 Wage/Commuter - a .1% Increase: 5 points
o Supported by 92% of participants.
o Support: Many people commute to the city and would bring in needed revenue.
o Concern: People and businesses would leave Philadelphia and relocate to suburbs and surrounding states.
Not Supported
• #12 Prisons - a 10% reduction: 10 points
o Supported by 43% of participants with stipulation.
• Stipulation: Vote included the stipulation that reentry services would not be affected by the cut. Value: Reentry services are important because people need to be prepared and have skills when they return to the community.
o Support: There are too many nonviolent offenders and people awaiting trial in prison.
o Philadelphia must begin looking at prison alternatives.
o Concern: Offenders who are incarcerated have a high rate of reoffending.
o Prison closures might increase the rate of crime.
• #15 Streets - Revenue Option 2, Sanitation Fee: 13 points
o Supported by 38% of participants.
o Concern: The program will be too hard to manage.
o Concern: Changing trash collection will be too confusing for citizens.
o Concern: Would increase dumping.
o Interest: Would reduce amount of trash; people would become more conscious of packaging and green options.
o Interest: Has potential to increase recycling program and use.
• #7 Housing: 7 points
o Supported by 0% of participants
o Support: It is important to maintain the current amount of shelter beds offered.
o Process concern: Confusion that two departments have been combined to create work-sheet option.

No Ways, No Hows
Total points taken off the table: 39
• #2 Courts: 10 points
o Received support from 83% of participants.
o Support: There are too many people currently awaiting trial in the jails and a reduction will slow the pace of trials.
o There was a belief that judges pay come out of the federal budget.
• #4 Fairmount Park: 2 points
o Supported by 100% of participants.
• #5 Fire: 20 points
o Supported by 83% of participants.
o Support: It is important to have active departments that are within a distance that allows Fire Stations to respond quickly.
• #13 Public Health: 7 points
o Supported by 100% of participants.
o Support: Health centers are currently overcrowded.
o Support: Many people, not only the homeless, currently don’t have health insurance.

Shared Pain
Total points: 23
• # 3 DROP Program: 4 points
o Received support from 58% of participants.
o This a very publicized program with heated public debate.
o The DROP Program is very confusing to the public.
o Employees should not get paid while receiving a pension at the same time.
o Elected officials should not be included in the program because “it was not created for them.”
• #11 Police - Reduce by 5% with stipulation: 13 points
o Supported by 91% of participants.
o Stipulation: The initiative was supported with the stipulation that higher ranking officers are reassigned to increase officers on the street.
o Support: This would be a big cut, but it is necessary to close the gap.
o Support: The Police Department is currently too top heavy with not enough officers in the streets.
• #16 Vehicle Fleet: 6 points
o Supported by 67% of participants.
o Support: City workers should utilize Philly Car Share or Zip Car.
o Concern: If the cut is included, participants are concerned top officials will still keep their cars.