Parents: The 76ers arena agreement is bad for our public school students

We are parents of students who attend schools in Philadelphia, and signatories of the “Parents of Philadelphia Students Against Center City 76 Place Arena Petition” that is now circulating — which includes the parents of children who attend more than 50 public and charter schools across the 15 learning networks of the School District of Philadelphia in all 10 City Council districts. The nearly 600 of us who have signed the petition oppose the proposed 76 Place arena in its current location.

At a time when several of our Philadelphia district schools are at risk of closure, and many require significant repairs and basic needs, such as electrical and plumbing upgrades, air-conditioning, and asbestos removal, it is irresponsible for our city government to abdicate its obligations and consider what amounts to a $1 billion tax break to billionaires who do not even live in Philadelphia. Ten years ago, City Hall shut down schools and caused irreparable harm and hardship to families across the city. We urge elected officials to avoid repeating the same mistakes and to focus on the priorities of students and the resident families who are tax-paying constituents.

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If City Hall approves the construction of 76 Place arena, residents of Center City and beyond would be severely impacted by years of demolition and construction. This means extended exposure to toxic air and pollution, potentially leading to chronic and acute medical conditions. It means years of road closures and disruptions to traffic and SEPTA services for students, families, and residents going to and from schools and their jobs. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has said that 55,000 Philadelphia students depend on SEPTA to get to and from school daily. The proposed construction site would disrupt a major transit hub used by students, parents, and teachers, encompassing Jefferson Station, the 11th Street El station, and the 45 and 23 bus routes. At a time when critical transit infrastructure is crumbling from a lack of public funding and drastic budget cuts, city government proposes to siphon off possible revenue to offer billionaires tax cuts.

The Sixers propose to make $50 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) instead of over $400 million in property taxes, taking advantage of a program that was primarily enacted for nonprofit organizations and which has proven to be a financial disaster for the city and school district. Instead of demonstrating good citizenship by supporting the city and the school district, the arena community benefits agreement offers the school district what amounts to an insulting $1.50 per student while burdening them with all the detrimental impacts of the proposed 76 Place.

And those burdens are significant.

The proposed arena location is on the doorstep of two historically marginalized communities: Chinatown and the Gayborhood. Our historic Chinatown is the only Chinatown in the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is home to families from across the Asian diaspora. Both neighborhoods provide vulnerable communities — especially our youth — a safe haven from bullying, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and transphobia. The proposed 76 Place arena would irrevocably harm and likely decimate these neighborhoods, a terrible loss to a city that claims it is inclusive, welcoming, and a place where historical heritage is celebrated and honored.

The proposed 76 Place arena will also detrimentally impact access to Wills Eye Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, and Jefferson Hospital, which is the only Level 1 trauma center in Center City. By extension, those impacts will be disproportionately borne by residents who live in and around Center City and whose access to critical health care will be delayed or obstructed.

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The school board — which recently removed from its tax rolls the property on which the arena would be built — and City Hall have shown a shocking lack of transparency on the real impacts proposed by the 76 Place arena. They have failed to participate in equitable community engagement with the families, students, and residents of Philadelphia.

Our taxes are meant to fund children’s education and public infrastructure for the residents of Philadelphia, not to line the pockets of billionaires. We urge our City Council members to put our youth and our communities first — vote no on the 76 Place arena.

May Low is a resident of South Philadelphia and the parent of students at Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School and Children’s Village. Marya Camilleri is a resident of West Philadelphia and the parent of a student at Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School. Talia Young is a resident of Center City and the parent of students at Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School and Kids on 12th.