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Thank you, Council President Clarke and members of City Council for inviting me to speak today. It's always great to be back in this chamber.
It's hard to believe that this is already my fifth budget address as mayor. I often think of the popular saying about parenthood that many of you have probably heard..
"The days are long, but the years are short."
That pretty much sums up how it feels to be mayor. Days definitely feel long, but the years fly by.. and I know that this term will go as quickly as the first.
I share this sentiment as a bit of advice for our new Councilmembers -- Kendra Brooks, Jamie Gauthier, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, and Isaiah Thomas.
There is a finite period of time for each of us to make a positive impact on our city as elected officials. I look forward to working with all of you to do just that.
The Fiscal Year 2021 Budget and the Five Year Plan builds on the agenda we discussed back in January just up North Broad Street at The Met.
Fighting for a safer and more just city. Providing quality education for all. Delivering cleaner and safer streets. Building inclusive and resilient neighborhoods. Creating a more diverse, efficient, and effective government.
These are the top priorities of our Administration.
The key investments in this Plan and the Capital Program will advance these specific goals, and ultimately help lift at least 100,000 Philadelphians out of poverty. This is a priority I know we all share.
Our Administration's anti-poverty strategy focuses on: providing support to those in need now; helping Philadelphians raise their incomes; and investing in policies and programs that will break the cycle of intergenerational poverty for good.
These investments double down on programs we know are working well for our residents such as PHLpreK, Community Schools and Rebuild. They also fund the commitments we've made to prioritize key issues over the next four years.
Let me begin with our top priority of creating a sa...
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