Philadelphia Council reacts to proposed $3.45 billion city budget

Philadelphia City Council now takes on the task of reviewing the Mayor’s nearly $3.5 billion budget. 

Councilman Darrell Clarke says he’s worried about the state funding this budget needs to stay balanced.

“The reality is within the next week we will clearly hear a message from Harrisburg about reductions on that level and they will trickle down to the city of Philadelphia,” said Clarke.

Councilman Frank Rizzo says increased spending on police and fire will disappear once the state announces its budget.

“When the governor cuts, the mayor and his team, his administration will say we would like to do these things but we can’t because of the fact that we don’t have enough money coming from Harrisburg,” said Rizzo.

Councilman Bill Green says the budget should be much smaller.

“We are standing on a burning platform, and no one is sounding the alarm,” said Green.  “The train that is Philadelphia is going to hit the wall, not this decade or next, but three or four or five from now.”