Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative

Although Philadelphia’s City Council makeup can change every four years following elections, the council experienced extraordinary turnover in 2024 because of retirements and multiple resignations during the previous term by members running for higher office. In addition, for the first time, the new council has members of the Working Families party holding both at-large seats reserved for the minority party.

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced officials in cities throughout the country to deal with unexpected budget shortfalls quickly. To close a projected one-year gap of $649 million, Philadelphia was forced to take several steps—including drawing down its operating fund balance, postponing planned tax-rate reductions, temporarily increasing some taxes, and reducing spending. But that didn’t address the long-term fiscal issues.

In 2022, increasing numbers of Philadelphians re-engaged in the more public aspects of urban life, commuting to their workplaces again, resuming indoor dining at area restaurants, and attending concerts and other events around town.

In many ways, 2024 is a year of significant transition for Philadelphia. In this year of transition, the challenge is clear for Philadelphia and its new leaders: They must nurture and strengthen the positive trends while making progress on a set of deep-seated problems that can sometimes seem intractable.