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MAYOR JOHN STREET'S
BUDGET ADDRESS TO
CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2005
(as prepared for delivery)
INTRODUCTION
Good morning! Go Eagles! I'm having a great day; not as good as Sunday! While we celebrate, we must also remember our troops at home and abroad as well as the families who are victims of catastrophic acts of nature throughout the world.
President Verna, and members of Council, thank you for the opportunity to present for your consideration my proposed FY 06 operating budget; capital budget and program, as well as my proposed 5 year financial plan.
We have just celebrated another great holiday season highlighted by tree and candle lightings, a best ever Mummer's Parade and the National Holiday in commemoration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the great leaders in world history.
Thirty-seven years after his death, Dr. King's life still stands as a model for service, sacrifice and commitment. Philadelphians should be proud that we host the largest "day of service" in America to honor his memory.
The pursuit of opportunity for disadvantaged citizens largely from North Philadelphia brought me to public life more than 25 years ago, and the pursuit of a better life and opportunity for all Philadelphians inspires the commitment of this Administration to neighborhoods, children, and public education. For five years we have proudly focused our attention on these critical issues without turning our backs on the growth and development of Philadelphia's economy. Our efforts are making a profound difference in the quality of life of the people who live in our neighborhoods while simultaneously inuring to the benefit of all who work in or simply visit our City.
The proposed financial plan I present today provides the critical funding necessary to support these goals.
Our Neighborhood Transformation Initiative is producing clean, vibrant, livable neighborhoods, with a range of new housing options for students, individuals and families. Since 2001, approximately 3390 units of affordable housing and approximately 3604 units of market rate housing are completed or under construction. Unprecedented increases in property values can be seen in neighborhoods throughout the city - not just in center city. The average sales price in the city has increased by more than 20% over the last several years.
Under NTI, house collapses have been reduced from 1,040 in FY02 to 70 thus far in FY05; $15 Million or 48% of demolition contracts have been won by MBE firms and 72% of the work on demolition sites has been provided by minority workers.
I take great personal satisfaction in the number and quality of public housing units that have been completed since this administration took office and the renewed pride that is evident in tenant leaders and public housing residents. Public housing is lifting neighborhoods up! A special thanks to Carl Greene and his entire staff as well as the PHA Board of Directors for a job well done. Please stand!
Our street corners are no longer an oasis for drug dealers and buyers, and "Public Safety is still a priority in this government.
After school programs keep young people off the streets and out of harms way and our Social Services agencies will continue to attack problems of delinquency and drug abuse as our child welfare agencies work in a more systemic and coordinated way to improve the plight of children in our city.
Growing out of our historic partnership with the Commonwealth, the Philadelphia School District, which was on the brink of bankruptcy when I became Mayor, is now on sound financial footing and showing demonstrable educational progress. I again thank former Governor Mark Schweiker for his commitment to our children. The Microsoft School of the Future is a direct product of the success we are having in providing quality public education. I thank School District CEO Paul Vallas and School Reform Commission Chair Jim Nevels, as well as all the SRC members, for their fine work and assure them our full support! Ordinances have transmitted to Council which continue funding for our public schools.
Our homeless programs have become nationally known as "Best Practices." The San Francisco Chronicle, in an article entitled "The City That Knows How - Philly," concluded that Philadelphia could teach other cities how to run programs and how to treat homeless men, women and children with respect. This work will continue under the current budget proposal. In fact, we are committed to creating for public release, before the '06 fiscal year, a plan to end homelessness in Philadelphia.
This year we will maintain our efforts to improve the opportunities available to inmates in our County prisons. Without a support network to help them refashion their lives, 75% will return to prison within 3 years, usually for more serious crimes. Unless we provide life changing opportunities for these citizens and help them "reintegrate" into their families and communities they will fail and the victims of their predictable behavior will undoubtedly be innocent, hard working, decent people in our neighborhoods.
President Bush supports this goal and as Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Faith-Based and Re-entry Committee, I am leading a lobbying effort for Federal Legislation to help fund this effort. The proposed 5 year financial plan contains almost a billion dollars for county prison costs. Historically, our prison budget has grown faster than any other department. Working with our faith-based community, we will expand our Re-entry efforts largely from non-General Fund sources. We will also build a state-of-the-art Youth Study Center to create a better future for our troubled youth by putting them in a safe and caring environment designed to reshape their priorities, build their self-esteem and teach them life sustaining skills.
These activities paint a portrait of a city that cares about all of its people, a proud legacy Dr. King would be pleased to embrace. We are one of just a few major American cities with no official street named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so I take this occasion to respectfully request that the Fairmount Park Commission favorably consider naming the West River Drive in honor of Dr. King.
Nothing is more rewarding than seeing the positive results of the hard work of this government as is now happening with our economic agenda.
Retail developments anchored by Loews, IKEA, Home Depot, BJ's and Circuit City, particularly in the Northeast and South Philadelphia, combined with the stunning growth of residential market rate housing in all areas of the City are the best evidence that Philadelphia is an enormously desirable place to live, work and invest. We will continue our work with our business leaders and local entrepreneurs to build upon this momentum and ensure that small, minority and women owned businesses are included and well positioned to capitalize on this growth and prosperity.
The Barnes collection on the Parkway could become the greatest tourist attraction in the history of our city and will be an indispensable part of our strategy to transform the Benjamin Franklin Parkway into one of the leading centers for art and culture in the world, and it nicely compliments the exciting plans for library expansion, which will make our central library the best in the country. I also support the relocation of Family Court to more appropriate facilities; thereby, creating another exciting opportunity to increase the vibrancy of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year and exhibiting "The Chemistry of Color, A Collection of Contemporary African-American Art," will serve as another significant point of entry to our Parkway institutions.
Philadelphia has become an internatio
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