UPDATED, 5:04 p.m.:
Ok, we've got an update on how City Council will deal with a 1.9 percent cost of living raise set to start today.
In today's paper we reported that eight Council members had declined the raise, four would take it and two would donate it to charity. (Click here for the breakdown). Three more members – Curtis Jones Jr., Jack Kelly and Joan Krajewski had not notified the Council President's office of their plans by 5 p.m. last night.
But today we heard what those three will do. Krajewski will donate the increase to a charity called Special People in the Northeast. Jones will give it back to the city general fund. And Kelly is keeping it.
And, one member has changed her mind on how to proceed. We just got this from the office of Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, who yesterday said she would take the raise:
"After careful review and assessment at the close of this all consuming budget cycle, I had to hit the pause button and figure out what my priorities are. Economic hardships have resulted in several bruising budget cycles for some of our most valuable non profit organizations-particularly those that serve our most vulnerable populations. I have determined that the best use of my Cost of Living Adjustment is to help ease their pain. Those organizations are: City Year, Senior's Law Center, Urban League of Philadelphia and Women's Way. As you can see these organizations reflect my legislative platform that I have advocated for during my work here in City Council."