POWER Kicks-off Revenue Fight and Housing Affordability Campaign.
In the first city-wide campaign since our successful fight for workers at the airport that eventually led to Philly’s $15 an hour minimum wage, POWER Philly is demanding City Council find the revenue needed for significant investment in making housing in our city more affordable.
Join us – and hundreds of other Philadelphians – on Sunday, February 1 at 3 pm at Historic Mother Bethel AME Church, where we will take our case to Council leaders.
Most basically, the campaign is about demanding that the City of Philadelphia’s City Council assure enough revenue to meet current levels of service as well as making significant new contributions towards Housing Affordability.
Last June, in some latter day “trickle down” move, the City Council voted to phase out the Business Income Tax. Over the next decade plus that will eliminate $2.8 billion dollars from the City’s coffers.
That decision was made in the face of shrinking federal financial resources. Property taxes are already rising (they are one of the drivers of the housing affordability crisis). But with less income, where else can the city seek revenue but from property taxes?
We want the City Council to figure out how they are going to replace the money they have given away to corporations, developers, businesses. Philadelphia needs a significant investment to make housing more affordable and to protect those who are vulnerable when it comes to having a place to live.
I can hear some of you already doubting that we can make a difference in the big money game of urban developers. Didn’t the Chinatown fight teach us that they are in a league of their own and don’t even need to bother with the Mayor or City Council?
You fear we can’t make a difference in our city vis a vis the developers and their monied interests? It is a big fight and a steep hill to climb. We are going to need to get thousands of Philadelphians engaged and participating in our public life.
But here’s a bit of a promise. City Council in December just bucked the Mayor when they didn’t think that her H.O.M.E. program was sufficiently tuned for the most economically vulnerable families in our city. Mayor Parker wanted more middle class people – those with 100% of average median income (AMI) to be eligible for the first year of her program.. But, headed up by Councilperson Jaimie Gauthier, and backed by Council President Kenyatta Johnson, City Council voted 16-1 to displease the Mayor and insist that the first year of her H.O.M.E. program only be eligible for families earning less than 60% of AM! (average median income for the city).
Now let’s get some ongoing revenue to make a push for affordable housing not only targeting the people who need it most, but also going far enough for long enough to make a real difference.
JOIN US ON FEBRUARY 1, TO STRENGTHEN OUR DEMAND TO CITY COUNCIL. AND TO SEE WHAT POWER PEOPLE ORGANIZED CAN HAVE.
Ask if you have any questions: Kathy, Annaka, Barbara, Howard, James, Michael.
