Mentions

Members of the state board that oversees Philadelphia’s fiscal health said Thursday that they’re concerned the city doesn’t have a large enough financial cushion.

PICA’s July 2024 newsletter highlights the appointment of a new Deputy Director, Philadelphia’s declining overtime use, and key lessons from the City’s FY2023 grants management. It also previews PICA’s Fall 2024 Conference on intergovernmental cooperation and provides a snapshot of local tax collections through May.

Video interview.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is getting ready to unveil her first budget proposal, and she may have less cash to work with than anticipated.

While Philadelphia still has enormous fiscal challenges and its socioeconomic issues would require billions more to address, the last eight years have put the city budget in a better position.

The state watchdog that oversees Philadelphia’s finances got a change in leadership last week. The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, or PICA, lost executive director Harvey Rice to retirement.

PICA has been Philly’s fiscal watchdog since it was created as part of a bailout package when the city was on the brink of bankruptcy in the early 1990s.

About 70% of the overtime spending went to the Police Department and the Fire Department. Police overtime this year exceeded $100 million, a 36% increase over the last fiscal year.

A Pennsylvania public spending watchdog organization is not pleased

The PICA board was set to expire next year, but Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration got behind a bipartisan effort to extend its life.

The Quarterly City Managers Report shows Philadelphia could potentially have a year-end fund balance of $389.9 million.