City Howl

THE CITY'S RECENT BUDGET crisis which threatened library closings, shuttered recreation centers and reduced trash pickup hit Philadelphians where they hurt: their city services.

As budget town hall meetings earlier in the year made clear, we expect our city to clean our streets, pick up our trash, and offer the essentials that our tax dollars pay for. But what's not discussed so much: how well the city provides those services.

Now there's a place to do that. Starting today, City Howl (www.thecityhowl.com) provides a place where citizens can review dozens of services, including elected officials like the mayor and City Council. Users can write about their experiences and also rate the performance of the agencies.

There are plenty of online review sites for restaurants, plumbers, and even doctors, so why not government? We believe City Howl can be a resource for taxpayers trying to get better services and provide constructive feedback that can improve government.

Funded by a grant from the William Penn Foundation, City Howl is a project of the Daily News Editorial Board and "It's Our Money."