We demand:

No Raise for the Philadelphia Police Department!

We are already spending too much money on a violent, ineffective police force. The PPD should not get any more of our money. In fact, a majority of Philadelphians surveyed believe City Council should cut the police department budget so that we can reinvest in the community programs and services that have been underfunded for too long.

Tax the Rich!

Philadelphia was already giving away more municipal property tax revenue than any city in the U.S., while remaining the country’s poorest big city before the pandemic hit. Last year’s budget cuts further impoverished our communities while the gap between rich and poor exploded in growth. There’s only one solution: we must tax big business, real estate and the super rich to bring our city back to budget justice.

Commit to 10 Years of Investment in Our Communities!

For too long, City Leadership has operated in a scarcity mindset, claiming that there is not enough money to invest in the programs and services that community members have been asking for. The money is there, but it’s being poured in the carceral system and hoarded by major corporations and nonprofits who don’t pay their share of taxes to the City they occupy. Our communities are in crisis because of decades of divestment– COVID-19 and increasing rates of gun violence have only sharpened this reality for more people. The only way out of crises is to commit to a 10-year plan, making annual investments in the community programs detailed in this post - https://www.reclaimphiladelphia.org/blog/2021/4/16/reclaim-the-budget