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Featured Publications
Budget Structure and Process
Issue Brief
When is a Budget Cut Not a Budget Cut?
March 31, 2025
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 Reports on Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
Fact Sheet
Proposed FY26-30 Five-Year Plan Fiscal Highlights
March 20, 2025
The City projects declining fund balances and annual operating deficits through FY29, before returning to surplus in FY30, with reserves falling below recommended thresholds in most years. Revenue is expected to grow by 9.6% over the Plan period, while spending will rise just 1.9%, driven largely by wage and benefit costs. The Plan includes $337…
Revenue Analysis & Outlook
Issue Brief
Precision in Projections: Evaluating Philadelphia’s Tax Revenue Forecasts and Volatility
February 3, 2025
Philadelphia’s largest tax streams—Wage and Earnings and Real Estate—are forecasted with high accuracy, typically within three percent of actual results. In contrast, smaller and more volatile revenue sources like the Realty Transfer and Amusement Taxes show far greater forecasting errors, reflecting their sensitivity to economic shifts and one-off events. By comparing 21 years of projections…
PICA Reports on Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
PICA Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia’s FY00-04 Five-Year Plan
June 15, 1999
PICA's Staff Report on The Five-Year Financial Plan for FY00-04 evaluates Philadelphia’s projected revenues, expenditures, and financial challenges, outlining strategies for maintaining budgetary balance over five years.
Reserves and Fiscal Stability
White Paper
Caution: Severe Threats to Philadelphia’s Fund Balance Ahead
November 19, 1998
The Caution: Severe Threats to Philadelphia’s Fund Balance Ahead report warns of looming financial risks despite the City’s sixth consecutive year of a positive General Fund balance. It highlights key challenges, including welfare reform, international economic instability, and upcoming labor contract negotiations, which could significantly impact the City’s fiscal stability.
PICA Annual Report
Annual Report
PICA Annual Report FY1998
October 20, 1998
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) FY98 Annual Report provides an overview of the Authority's activities, financial oversight, and analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s fiscal condition over the past year. It includes key findings from PICA’s financial reviews, budget analyses, and policy recommendations aimed at ensuring the City's long-term financial stability as well as the Authority's financial statements and report from its auditors.
PICA Reports on Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
PICA Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia’s FY99-03 Five-Year Plan
June 9, 1998
PICA's Staff Report on The Five-Year Financial Plan for FY99-03 analyzes Philadelphia’s fiscal challenges, expenditure trends, and policy options to promote financial sustainability.
Government Operations, Efficiency, & Performance
White Paper
Court Unification and State-Wide Funding: Future Five-Year Financial Plan Implications for the City of Philadelphia
January 1, 1998
The Court Unification and State-Wide Funding: Future Five-Year Financial Plan Implications for the City of Philadelphia report analyzes the financial impact of shifting local court funding to the state.
PICA Annual Report
Annual Report
PICA Annual Report FY1997
October 21, 1997
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) FY97 Annual Report provides an overview of the Authority's activities, financial oversight, and analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s fiscal condition over the past year. It includes key findings from PICA’s financial reviews, budget analyses, and policy recommendations aimed at ensuring the City's long-term financial stability as well as the Authority's financial statements and report from its auditors.
PICA Reports on Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
PICA Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia’s FY98-02 Five-Year Plan
May 20, 1997
PICA's Staff Report on The Five-Year Financial Plan for FY98-02 reviews Philadelphia’s fiscal outlook, emphasizing long-term financial planning, debt management, and municipal workforce efficiency.
Spending Analysis & Outlook
White Paper
Philadelphia Government Costs: Additional Reductions Required
January 9, 1997
The Philadelphia Government Costs: Additional Reductions Required report assesses the City's spending trends, noting that while budget surpluses have been achieved, the overall cost of government has not significantly decreased. It emphasizes the need for structural expenditure reductions in core services, social services, and fixed costs to align with the City’s declining economic base.
Revenue Analysis & Outlook
White Paper
Revenue Stress in the City of Philadelphia
November 20, 1996
The Revenue Stress in the City of Philadelphia report assesses the pressures on Philadelphia’s revenue base and the structural challenges limiting its financial flexibility. It examines economic trends, demographic shifts, and the reliance on volatile tax sources, emphasizing the need for strategic fiscal planning to mitigate future risks.
PICA Annual Report
Annual Report
PICA Annual Report FY1996
October 15, 1996
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) FY96 Annual Report provides an overview of the Authority's activities, financial oversight, and analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s fiscal condition over the past year. It includes key findings from PICA’s financial reviews, budget analyses, and policy recommendations aimed at ensuring the City's long-term financial stability as well as the Authority's financial statements and report from its auditors.
Policy Analysis & Issue Briefs
White Paper
Continuing Economic Decline: A Foreboding Future for Philadelphia
October 15, 1996
PICA's Continuing Economic Decline: A Foreboding Future for Philadelphia white paper from FY97 examines the city’s ongoing job and population losses, highlighting the risks these trends pose to revenue generation and service delivery. The report underscores the urgency of reversing economic decline to maintain fiscal stability and sustain critical public services.
PICA Reports on Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
PICA Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia’s FY97-01 Five-Year Plan
April 30, 1996
PICA's Staff Report on The Five-Year Financial Plan for FY97-01 reviews Philadelphia’s budget framework, identifying revenue challenges, expenditure trends, and financial risks.
Revenue Analysis & Outlook
Issue Paper
Staff Report on State Funding of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services
December 15, 1995
The State of Funding of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services report examines the financial challenges facing Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services (DHS), with a focus on state funding processes. It highlights issues with Pennsylvania’s needs-based budget system, identifying inefficiencies and inequities that result in unpredictable funding levels and increased financial burdens on the City.
PICA Annual Report
Annual Report
PICA Annual Report FY1995
October 17, 1995
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) FY95 Annual Report provides an overview of the Authority's activities, financial oversight, and analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s fiscal condition over the past year. It includes key findings from PICA’s financial reviews, budget analyses, and policy recommendations aimed at ensuring the City's long-term financial stability as well as the Authority's financial statements and report from its auditors.
PICA Reports on Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia's Five-Year Plan
PICA Staff Report on the City of Philadelphia’s FY96-00 Five-Year Plan
April 17, 1995
PICA's Staff Report on The Five-Year Financial Plan for FY96-00 evaluates Philadelphia’s budgetary outlook, focusing on labor contract negotiations, pension liabilities, and departmental spending controls.
PICA Annual Report
Annual Report
PICA Annual Report FY1994
November 30, 1994
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) FY94 Annual Report provides an overview of the Authority's activities, financial oversight, and analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s fiscal condition over the past year. It includes key findings from PICA’s financial reviews, budget analyses, and policy recommendations aimed at ensuring the City's long-term financial stability as well as the Authority's financial statements and report from its auditors.