Third city budget forum draws SRO crowd in South Philly

FULL COVERAGE BELOW

St. Monica’s Catholic School, in shouting distance of the unique Girard Estates in South Philadelphia, was the scene of the third Tight Times, Tough Choices budget workshop, where a standing-room-only crowd of citizens, working in breakout groups of 20 or so, grappled with a list of potential service cuts and tax increases being considered by the Nutter Administration to close what city officials said was a $200 million budget gap for next fiscal year.

Coverage of second workshop

Coverage of first workshop

So far, over 130 citizens have given video testimony regarding the shortfall and the city’s position to date.

These 2-minute testimonials and a full report from the forums will be delivered to Mayor Nutter after the last workshop, this coming Monday in West Philadelphia.

Monday, Feb. 23
Pinn Memorial Baptist Church,
2251 N. 54th Street

It should be noted that while many citizens believe Philadelphia City Council should also be held accountable for a measure of budget cuts, at-large councilman Bill Green has been the only member of that body to attend all the forums so far. Councilman Frank Rizzo joined Green at the first workshop in the Great Northeast.

Videos shot by Charles Washington, Alan Tu and Jane Golas