As we enter 2023, Hall Monitor will continue our local government and consumer affairs coverage. We also have several other projects in store for 2023, including our participation in the Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote project, a collaborative effort connecting different newsrooms and community organizations producing work centered around the 2023 Philadelphia mayor’s race.
This race comes at a crucial time, as the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery has created large budget surpluses, yet the city’s crime and poverty epidemics remain unchecked. It will be imperative for any candidate to clearly articulate their detailed plans to alleviate the city of these twin ills. At the same time, no one can ever bring poverty and crime to zero; Philadelphians deserve a better quality of life.
Our job is to highlight the needs of Philadelphia’s underserved communities and explore why those in the most need of government services vote in the smallest numbers, diluting their power.
We’ll also be looking at the city budget. We’ve been doing this for the past few years, but this year we’ll have expanded coverage and some tools and added insight to help our audience understand this crucial process. We expect the budget process to begin in late February or early March and last until June. This year’s budget process will occur during the mayor’s race and with a budget surplus. How these two elements affect the process remains to be seen, but we would be surprised if these factors did not influence deliberations.
And we’ll keep an eye on SEPTA’s impending changes to the bus lines, new legislation aimed at alleviating poverty, and reviewing the efficacy of past initiatives. We hope you’ll continue to join us as we do this work, and we hope that you will help us; let us know what you would like to know! Let us know how we can be better!
Thank you for a great 2022.
Our reporters sit through hours of city council meetings, dig through piles of documents, and ask tough questions other media overlook. Because we’re committed to addressing Philadelphia’s poverty crisis — and challenging those who sustain it. If you think this work is important too, please support our journalism.
We’re counting on readers like you.
