Group 8
Moderators: Carolyn T. Thompson and Brian Seymour
Note Taker: Melissa Berlin
Total points: 45

Group Description:
The group started with thirteen participants, one of whom left soon after the group began working. Based on a visual assessment, rather than asking participants to self-identify, the group demographics were: six white and seven black participants; nine women and four men. About half of our participants were over the age of fifty. One member had previously worked for city council.

The group worked relatively well together and, for the most part, heard each other’s differing opinions. The group expressed a great deal of concern regarding inefficiency in the city government and the impact budget adjustments could have on low-income Philadelphians. Some members expressed a desire to look at revenue options vs. cutting essential services.

No dissenting worksheets were completed.

Low-Hanging Fruit
Total points: 28
• #25 Wage tax hike for residents - 12 points
o Institute a progressive tax (Strong group support for this)
o Concern about the effect on small businesses
o Concern about giving the city more money since they aren’t using it efficiently
o 9 of 12 voted in favor (75%)
• #26 Wage tax hike for commuters - 5 points
o Commuters take advantage of city services. They should pay too.
o 12 of 12 voted in favor (100%)
• #20 Make the Eagles pay - 4 points
o 12 of 12 voted in favor (100%)
• #21 Parking rate increases - 2 points
o Good for the environment.
o Reduce traffic.
o 11 of 12 voted in favor (92%)
• #22 Real Estate tax increases - 5 points
o “It will keep clinics open.” (Would rather increase revenue than cut essential services.)
o Concern for seniors on fixed income.
o Should be progressive.
 Since this isn’t legal (yet), the city should give tax rebates to low income people, senior citizens and single parents.
o 12 of 12 voted in favor as long as there are exemptions in place for those who need it (100%)

(Additional items discussed for low-hanging fruit that didn’t have enough support to make the list.)
• #3 Drop Program (retirement program for city workers)
o Don’t understand the program
o Concern with abuse of the system. Know someone who dropped one day, then came back the next.
o 8 of 12 voted in favor (67%)
• #15 Streets Dept
o Communities can clean their own streets
 Some people are doing this, but it isn’t enough
o The system isn’t working anyway. We won’t even notice the difference.
o Needs more funding. Citizens shouldn’t have to clean their own streets.
o Concern with efficiency.
o 7 of 12 voted in favor (58%)
• #16 Vehicle Fleet
o Cars should be parked in city garages, not taken home and driving for personal use. It is an efficiency issue.
o City employees can take SEPTA or use personal vehicles.
o 7 of 12 voted in favor (58%)

No Ways, No Hows
Total points: 94
• #7 Housing - 7 points
o The problem is already really bad. Don’t make it worse.
o 12 of 12 voted in favor (100%)
• #13 Public Health (cuts) - 7 points
o Clinics are necessary.
o Need more health care, not less.
o Concern for seniors.
o 11 of 12 voted in favor (92%)
• #6 Free Library - 3 points
o During a recession people need more access to information.
o Schools don’t have libraries.
o Limit hours if you have do, but don’t cut them.
o 11 of 12 voted in favor (92%)
• #14 Recreation - 5 points
o Children need recreation centers.
o Seniors and volunteers also use them.
o 12 of 12 voted in favor (100%)
• #5 Fire - 20 points
o No neighborhood should be without fire protection.
o Budget has already been reduced.
o 12 of 12 voted in favor (100%)
• #11 Police - 52 points
o Crime goes up during a recession. We need the police.
o Economic issues create more crime. We should look into other ways to reduce crime.
o 9 of 12 voted in favor (75%)

(Additional items discussed for No Ways, No Hows that didn’t have enough support to make the list.)
• #10 Licenses and Inspections
o If cut they will deliver poor services.
o They are already under funded. That is why they are slow.
o They are corrupt.
o They are not effective. If we cut their budget would we even notice the difference?
o 7 of 12 voted in favor (58%)

Shared Pain
Total points: 17
• #12 Prisons at 10% - 10 points
o Discussed the impact of closing prisons on the community. Would it send a positive message? Building a prison in a community sends a negative message.
o Concern regarding cutting food. How can we cut the food of people we have already locked behind bars?
o Want to reduce the number of inmates. Many are in there for minor crimes that don’t put us at risk.
o 10 of 12 voted in favor of cuts as long as food and maintenance is not reduced (83%)
• #9 Law Dept- 2 points
o Inefficient
o If we eliminate 40 lawyers, what percent would be reducing the total number by?
o Might harm the city budget because they couldn’t protect themselves from lawsuits or go after those who owe the city money.
o 6 of 12 voted in favor (50%)
• #1 Administrative - 5 points
o Could manage with cuts.
o 9 of 12 voted in favor (75%)

(Additional items discussed for Shared Pain that didn’t have enough support to make the list.)
• #4 Fairmount Park
o It is important, but not as important as the other items.
o Reduce the budget now and increase it again with the economy improves.
o It is am important resources for the city. (Strong group support for this).
o Increases tourism.
o 2 of 12 voted in favor (17%)
• #15 Street: Sanitation Fee (trash pick-up)
o The suburbs pays, why shouldn’t the city?
o Would consider if the city brought back bulk trash collection.
o Unfairly impacts low-income houses.
o Make recycling mandatory.
o 4 of 12 voted in favor (33%)