Council holds redistricting hearing tonight; could miss pay soon

City Council will gather for another public hearing on re-drawing Council boundaries tonight, while members face the prospect of payless paydays.

The city charter forbids council members from getting paid if they miss a September 9th redistricting deadine. 

Councilman Bill Green said members will get a paycheck this week even if they aren’t done with the redistricting plan.

“The plan is due the same day that paychecks are due, so technically we are gonig to be paid on Friday and it will be two weeks from there where we wouldn’t get paid,” Green said in an interview at yesterday’s Labor Day parade.

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Even though she makes more than $100,000 a year, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell said it would hurt to miss a paycheck.

“What am I going to do without a paycheck? I’m going to be in serious trouble, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Blackwell said. “I can’t afford to go months and months without a paycheck.”

One member of City Council who isn’t worried is Curtis Jones.

“Fortunately I have a spouse that works,” Jones said, “and I don’t mind getting an allowance.”

Tonight’s hearing on redistricting is at Gouley Auditorium at Einstein Medical Center, 5501 Old York Rd. in Philadelphia.

 

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