Title
Proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide that City elected officials may become candidates for nomination or election to public office without first resigning from their City office, and to provide for a limitation on Councilmembers’ and the City Controller’s terms in office; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, Under Section 6 of the First Class City Home Rule Act (53 P.S. §13106), an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter may be proposed by a resolution of the Council of the City of Philadelphia adopted with the concurrence of two-thirds of its elected members; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the following amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter is hereby proposed and shall be submitted to the electors of the City on an election date designated by ordinance:
ARTICLE II
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Council - Its Election, Organization, Powers and Duties
CHAPTER 1
THE COUNCIL
§ 2-100. Number, Terms and Salaries of Councilmembers.
The Council shall consist of seventeen members, of whom ten shall be elected from districts and seven from the City at large. The terms of councilmembers shall be four years from the first Monday of January following the year in which they were elected except that a councilmember elected to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the balance of the unexpired term. Councilmembers shall not be eligible for more than five consecutive terms that commence on or after July 1, 2020. Each councilmember shall receive a salary at the rate of $9,000 per annum, or such other sum as the Council shall from time to time ordain, and the President of Council shall receive in addition a salary at the rate of $1,000 per annum, or such other sum as the Council shall from time to time ordain.
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ARTICLE III
EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE BRANCH - ORGANIZATION
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CHAPTER 4
TERMS OF OFFICE
§ 3-400. Mayor.
The Mayor shall serve for a term of four years beginning on the first Monday of January following his election. He shall not be eligible for election for more than two successive terms; and he shall not during his term of office be a candidate for any other elective office whatsoever. Should he announce his candidacy for any other office, he shall be automatically disqualified to continue to serve as Mayor, and the office shall be deemed vacant.
§ 3-401. City Controller.
The term of the City Controller shall be that provided by law, provided that the Controller shall not be eligible for election for more than five consecutive terms that commence on or after July 1, 2020.
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ARTICLE X
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES OF COUNCILMEMBERS, CITY OFFICERS,
EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS, AND PENALTIES
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§ 10-107. Political Activities.
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(5) No officer or employee of the City, except an elected officers official running for re-election, shall be a candidate for nomination or election to any public office unless he shall have first resigned from his then office or employment. No such elected officials shall be on a ballot for nomination or election to more than one public office at any time.
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Explanation:
Strikethrough indicates matter deleted by these amendments.
Italics indicate matter added by these amendments.
End