Really, Council? You haven't had enough of the budget process yet? | Philly

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Friday, October 16, 2009

Really, Council? You haven't had enough of the budget process yet?

IOM helped out with a Daily News editorial today, about the possible trash fee repeal Ben mentioned here on Wednesday. We have concerns about the details of the fee, but we really don't understand why Council would pass something, then repeal it before it's even been enacted — thereby launching the city back into the budget process. Money quote:

The fee was passed by Council, signed by the mayor, and is factored into the city's current spending plan. If the city doesn't get the money from the fee, the mayor will have to figure out another source of revenue or make $7 million worth of cuts.

It's budget déjà vu all over again.

Long-term, we worry that Council is so lax in its homework on bills that it passes that it has to have a do-over. In the short term, the clock is ticking, guys. It's October and we're still fiddling with the budget? Is Council unaware that in three months, a new budget process begins?

Review city services on our sister site, City Howl.

Posted by Doron Taussig @ 8:34 AM Permalink | Post a comment

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Ben Waxman reports and blogs for “It's Our Money.” Before joining “It's Our Money,” he was a regular contributor to the Philadelphia Daily News op-ed page and former contributor to the blog Young Philly Politics. He studied political science at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA.

Doron Taussig is the Project Manager for “It's Our Money.” He is also a graduate student in communications at Temple University. Previously he worked as a Staff Writer and News Editor for the Philadelphia City Paper.

Dave Merrell is the Web Editor for "It's Our Money." He comes to the project from Philly.com, where he is a web producer. Originally from upstate New York, he moved to Philadelphia after graduating from Haverford College with a degree in math and economics.

Anthony Campisi reports and blogs for "It's Our Money." Originally hailing from Central Jersey, he came to Philadelphia while a student at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied intellectual history. He also writes about transportation for PlanPhilly, an innovative urban planning website started by PennPraxis, the consulting arm of the Penn School of Design.