This week, seven departments will appear before Philadelphia City Council to deliver testimony and answer questions regarding their budgets.
Streets Department
Other than crime, City Councilmembers will tell you they get more questions about street-related issues than anything else. We expect this hearing to include questions about many topics, including traffic calming, paving, and street sweeping.
Licenses and Inspections
Council asked L&I a lot of questions last week, but this still figures to be an important area of conversation this week. Like seemingly every city department, L&I does not have a full complement of employees, compounded by the necessary certifications required to hold an inspector position.
Office of Public Property
Public Property maintains city buildings and also has responsibilities relating to public events, such as concerts, festivals, and parades.
Law Department
The City Law Department, led by the City Solicitor, is the legal arm of city government. They handle city litigation and work with local officials on legislation.
District Attorney
The DA’s office has been a hotbed of criticism for decades. While the office-holder has changed, the criticism remains. This hearing will likely include questions not specifically related to budget-specifically crime rates and prosecutions. This one could be lively.
Sheriff
Like the DA’s hearing, the Sheriff will likely hear questions related to the duties of the office. We also expect council to inquire about questionable spending.
First Judicial District
The First Judicial District is the Philadelphia court system. We expect to hear about staffing and timely completion of trials.
