Council delays bill to fund Philly police facility repairs

An attempt to finance repairs of crumbling Philadelphia police stations has been pushed off for at least another year. 

Philadelphia City Councilman Dennis O’Brien’s bill to increase the capital funding to fix up police facilities calls for $5 million annually for the next five years beginning now.  

But during a 4-minute council hearing, an amendment pushing back the increase until next summer was approved.  

Budget Director Rebecca Rhynhart was the only person testifying.

“We appreciate and understand the desire to fund police facilities,” she said. “This bill would set the stage for discussions regarding police funding during the upcoming fiscal ’17 budget process.”

O’Brien, who said the funding is sorely needed to fix crumbling police buildings, said the city’s current budget can’t accommodate it.