City Council may return despite summer break

City Council, now on summer break, may find itself back in Council chambers in a matter of weeks, thanks to the city-state budget crisis.

The city's financial monitor, the Philadelphia Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, approved the city's five-year budget plan the other week, but said it would consider the plan disapproved on Aug. 15 if in fact the state does before then not vote on two items key to balancing the city budget: increasing the city sales tax by a penny and deferring two years of pension payments.

If that happens, PICA gave the city 15 days to submit a new five-year budget plan - and that means Council members must formally meet to take action.

Here's the possible schedule put together by Council President Anna Verna:

Tuesday, Aug 18 - A special session for the introduction of an amendment to the $3.8 billion budget that Council passed last month.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - A meeting of the entire Council, called the Committee of the Whole, in a special session to consider the amended budget bill during a hearing.

Tuesday, Aug. 31 - A special session in which the amended budget would receive a final vote and then be submitted to Mayor Nutter.

Happy summer.

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