The ballot questions in the Philadelphia 2023 primary election, explained
Philadelphians have four questions to answer for the 2023 Primary. Here's what they mean.
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The 2023 primary election will be held on May 16.
This year, voters in Philadelphia will be asked to answer four ballot questions: a new division within the Commerce Department, changes to the city’s rainy day fund, exemptions for the Citizens Police Oversight Commission, and the creation of the Public Safety Officer position.
Here’s what to know about the ballot questions:
QUESTION 1
For context: In 2011, Philadelphians voted to approve the Budget Stabilization Reserve, better known as the ”rainy day fund.”
This reserve has a General Fund, established by the director of finance. Funds allocated here, called General Fund Revenue, depends on whether or not the city’s fiscal year budget has a surplus. These contributions are called appropriations.
The portion of the General Fund Revenue coming from local taxes and fees is called Unrestricted Local General Fund Revenues.
The director of finance stabilizes the rainy day fund. This position maintains the Budget Stabilization Reserve as a separate fund from other city funds, makes deposits, invests, and allows withdrawals.
If approved, this amendment will:
Require the director of finance to make projections of the rainy day fund in any five-year plan they prepare.
Increase how much money is placed in the Budget Stabilization Reserve from a maximum of 5% of the General Fund to 17% of the projected General Fund Revenue for the end of the current fiscal year.
Since the creation of the rainy day budget, when the General Fund Balance projection was 3% or more, 0.75% of the Unrestricted Local General Fund Revenue was to be saved. If the amendment is approved, this will change, based on how big the projected surplus is:
When the projection is 3% or more, but less than 5%, 0.75% of the Unrestricted Local General Fund Revenue will be saved.
When the projection is 5%, but less than 8%, 1% of the Unrestricted Local General Fund Revenue will be saved.
When the projection is 8% or more, they will either save the portion that exceeds the 8% threshold or 1% of the Unrestricted Local General Fund Revenue, whichever is greater.
If approved, the provisions relating to the Budget Stabilization Reserve will be applied to the 2025 Fiscal Year annual operating budget ordinance.
QUESTION 2
For context: The Department of Commerce provides services for small and big businesses in the city. Companies can connect with financing resources, including finding loans through the Philadelphia lending network, bidding on city contracts, registering a company as a minority, woman, or disabled-owned business, and reporting contract fraud, abuse, waste, and safety issues at job sites. It’s also in charge of maintaining, improving, operating, and building (when authorized by City Council) piers, docks, and harbor facilities.
If approved, the Division of Workforce Solutions would:
Promote workforce development.
Provide information on job training and skills development.
Help connect folks to job training and employment opportunities.
Generate information about city and workforce development programs.
The Division of Workforce will be led by one or multiple members in leadership roles at the Department of Commerce. Currently, the department has 10 people in leadership positions distributed across six offices.
QUESTION 3
For context: The Citizens Police Oversight Commission’s role is to help hold the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) accountable, evaluate and help improve police officer conduct, make officers’ disciplinary processes clearer, explain procedures for submitting and considering citizens’ complaints of police misconduct, and improve the communication between the PPD and the community.
Members are currently not exempt from civil service hiring requirements, which is a system of evaluating people based on merit principles when it comes to appointing, promoting, demoting, or laying off someone.
People exempt include officers elected by the people and their deputies, the director of finance, the mayor’s secretaries and clerks, among a few other selected positions.
According to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, exempted employment “is carefully limited so that it shall not serve as an avenue for evading the civil service requirements of the Charter.”
If approved, employees appointed by the Citizens Police Oversight Commission will join the list of people exempt from the civil service hiring requirements.
QUESTION 4
For context: The chief public safety director will be a new position, created to coordinate Philadelphia public safety responses. The legislation comes as Philadelphia experiences its third year of an unprecedented number of homicides.
The director would be among the top four administrative positions in city government alongside the mayor, managing director, and finance director.
If approved, the Office of the Chief Public Safety Director will be created. Deciding who leads it falls on the Mayor, with City Council approval. This person will be added to the mayor’s cabinet and will receive a yearly $265,000 salary. That is $41,000 more than Mayor Jim Kenny’s annual base salary ($224,000).
The creation of the position comes with the following functions:
Coordinate the deployment of Police, Fire, Prisons, Parks and Recreation, Emergency Management, and any other relevant agency personnel resources.
Provide guidance and initial approvals of operational policies, work programs, violence-prevention programs, and budgetary policies.
Draft evaluations about public safety measures, as directed by the Mayor. And evaluate how effective safety-related City departments and agencies’ programs and procedures are.
Establish and maintain relationships with civic and business organizations, violence prevention agencies, schools, court offices, and emergency services citywide.