New terms officially begin for Philly controller, DA

Philadelphia’s city controller and district attorney have been sworn in for four more years on the job.

Controller Alan Butkovitz, who said he wants to encourage new jobs during his new term, is asking major Philadelphia higher education institutions and health care companies to make one-quarter of their purchases from Philadelphia companies.

“While some of these institutions have emphasized local spending, we estimate our anchor institutions on a whole are exporting over $2 billion a year to buy the goods and services they need to operate,” Butkovitz said during the swearing-in ceremonies Monday at the Academy of Music. “Our economic model suggests If we were able to shift just 25 percent of these purchases to Philadelphia vendors, we’d create more than 5,000 new jobs.”

Butkovitz says the trickle-down effect would boost the local economy.

As he begins a new term, District Attorney Seth Williams touted that the city homicide rate has not been this low in 47 years.

“There is still much work to do,” Williams said. “We have to continue our efforts to reduce gun violence. Although the murder rate is dramatically decreased, even one murder on our streets is too many.”

Over the next four years, Williams said his goal is to make people feel safe in their neighborhoods.