A proposed budget reduction isn’t always a true cut—sometimes it reflects the end of one-time costs, a shift in responsibility to another department, or reduced demand for services. For instance, FY26 budgets for Parks & Recreation and Homeless Services are lower than FY25, but not all changes imply service reductions. To discern real impacts, stakeholders…

PICA’s FY24 MidYear Budget Amendment Issue Brief evaluates trends in Philadelphia’s MidYear Transfer Ordinances, outlining best practices for responsible amendments and highlighting risks of excessive mid-year budget changes.