Title
BUDGET ADDRESS
PRESENTED BY
MAYOR JOHN F. STREET
TO CITY COUNCIL
ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2000
GOOD MORNING COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF MY CABINET AND ADMINISTRATION, SPECIAL FRIENDS AND GUESTS.
IT IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY, A UNIQUE CHALLENGE AND A SPECIAL PLEASURE TO APPEAR, AS MAYOR, BEFORE THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY IN WHICH I SPENT 19 OUT OF THE LAST 20 YEARS.
HAVING SAT THROUGH 19 BUDGET MESSAGES, I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL. MY MESSAGE WILL BE BRIEF.
IN MY INAUGURAL ADDRESS, YOU HEARD ME DESCRIBE MY VISION OF A BETTER PHILADELPHIA - MY COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS, TO EDUCATION, TO BLIGHT REMOVAL, TO "TOURISM DEVELOPMENT," AND TO JOB CREATION.
NONE OF THIS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE YEARS TO COME IF WE DO NOT EXERCISE THE DISCIPLINE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS.
TODAY I PROPOSE AN OPERATING BUDGET OF $2.7 BILLION AND A CAPITAL PROGRAM OF $140.3 MILLION.
THIS BUDGET ALLOWS US TO BOTH REALIZE OUR VISION OF A BETTER PHILADELPHIA, AND MAINTAIN OUR FISCAL DISCIPLINE.
THE FISCAL STABILITY OF THIS CITY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE:
IT GIVES CONFIDENCE TO DEVELOPERS, WHO BRING JOBS AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO OUR CITY
IT ATTRACTS NATIONAL RETAILERS TO PHILADELPHIA, WHO BRING MUCH NEEDED TAX REVENUES
IT LOWERS INTEREST RATES ON THE FUNDS WE BORROW FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR RECREATION CENTERS, OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR HEALTH CENTERS, AND
AS A RESULT PHILADELPHIA HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF THE NATION'S PREMIER CITIES.
WE ALL SHARE A VISION OF A BETTER PHILADELPHIA THAT IS A WORLD CLASS CITY WITH A VIBRANT AND FLOURISHING ECONOMY SUPPORTED BY LOWER TAXES, ENHANCED CITY SERVICES AND A FISCALLY SOUND AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.
THE BUDGET I PRESENT TODAY IS A CARRY FORWARD BUDGET. IT LOWERS TAXES. IT ENHANCES OUR CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE -
NOT BY INCREASED SPENDING, BUT BY SMARTER SPENDING.
LOWER TAXES AND BETTER SERVICE WILL MAKE PHILADELPHIA MORE COMPETITIVE AS A PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK.
THE TAX REDUCTIO...
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