Title
Amending Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Miscellaneous," by requiring the Finance Director to provide to Council, by the time of the submission of the Mayor's proposed annual operating budget, program-based budgeting detail that identifies both the cost of performing specific functions funded by appropriations made by the City as well as the effectiveness of such functions, following procedures to be adopted by the Finance Director, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia continues to face ongoing budgetary pressures due to multiple factors including the recent recession, increased fixed costs, and reduced funding from other levels of government, thereby increasing the need for the operations of City government to be efficient, effective, and deliver the most value possible to citizens; and
WHEREAS, Testimony during annual budget hearings highlights potential areas for increased efficiency and cost-savings in the operation of City government, including through the implementation of technology; and
WHEREAS, For example, the Human Resources department testified that it was able to eliminate three unfilled, full-time positions, saving over $100,000 per year, by moving to an on-line job application system and the Pension Board testified that it too had realized efficiency savings through the implementation of technology; and
WHEREAS, Additional, significant efficiency savings can be realized through methods including systematizing work-flow processes, increasing the use of technology, and moving toward a paperless City government, reforms that could and should be accelerated with the City's ongoing $120 million investment in technology; and
WHEREAS, The City's ability to take advantage of these potential savings is constrained by the extent to which job titles, Civil Service classifications, and job descriptions do not necessarily reflect the actual j...
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