[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6598838,"mediaKeyId","3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a","parentId",3024204,"title","Free Library requests staffing and capital investments to expand hours and address aging systems","audioSeconds",1397,"startMs",715485,"endMs",2113315,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a&start=715&end=2113","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a/thumbnail_715485.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6598838/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Free-Library-requests-staffing-and-capital-investments-to-expand-hours-and-address-aging-systems","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598838-3092825b68a9668fc58e6a0d36872871/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447930&Signature=i7Sg3JnCFkuW47qGdQEIawEnhNYLXx1Xvu-eEaVPmVvS~~PkAuyF2OKYiBRlv-7WFNDy7MkJKwtVi4b3stzgKHKbLEQ~22Bd08VTAUTo24jgA1FIU~PHbKNsROHpX1wA-kHciXVTFctcAMFQzkLX1OzSCPlo0eu5yQfsn14WMSkmHltnh2wMDRfHYN-jMBCGzH7IQ~nMGjv7SPZsMzRAXyA6pCBaYEe9P57iMbwd10Uj18N2YYclK7QQZOB-nLmh2O0y63vDdQuGtM5f16xZGUGoJGY4xdXFIz~e0cU4NzbNNPt3YmV72gDsbx0JmrdIqM-QLETpfmJ7A6qAMX~c-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Philadelphia City Council","date","2025-04-16T18:20:42.96Z","article","Kelly Richards, President Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, presented the library’s FY26 operating priorities and answered Council questions during the Committee of the Whole budget hearing.

Richards said the Free Library’s mission is to “advance literacy, guide learning, [and] inspire curiosity,” and described the library as a citywide public space essential for information access, workforce development and civic engagement. She said the library aims to expand public service hours: currently about 30 of 54 locations offer Saturday service; the goal is to reach consistent six‑day operations systemwide and to introduce Sunday service at key locations by FY27 as staffing grows. Richards said the library plans to hire roughly another 50 full‑time and about 57 part‑time staff (municipal guards and other positions) to support expanded hours; filling those positions remains a recruitment priority.

On capital needs, Richards confirmed a facilities condition assessment is included in the mayor’s proposed budget to provide a prioritized list of HVAC, roofing and mechanical needs across library buildings, many of which date to the 1960s or earlier. She told Council the FY26 capital request for the Free Library is approximately $33,850,000; the assessment will be used to develop a strategic five‑year facilities plan rather than continue ad hoc emergency repairs.

Richards described other operational priorities and programs: ongoing strategic planning and community engagement to shape services; a literacy enrichment after‑school program and a Teen Leadership Assistant (TLA) program of about 100 TLAs to provide job skills and homework help; and targeted infrastructure work to address HVAC failures and aging boilers that have caused temporary branch closures. She also said the library is coordinating with the managing director’s office and the Free Library board to prioritize building upgrades.

Council members asked about hiring and retention, the facilities condition assessment timeline, capital project priorities and communications to districts about Saturday/Sunday scheduling and grant opportunities. Richards committed to provide follow‑up materials, including a breakdown of proposed capital investments, the recruitment plan for TLAs, and a list of branches with current operational status and those scheduled for capital work.

Provenance: Richards’ testimony and Council questions appear in the hearing transcript beginning with her introduction and the library presentation and continuing through multiple council members’ line of questioning about staffing, HVAC failures, and the capital plan.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee of Whole: Budget Hearing 04-16-25 Morning","oneSentenceSummary","Kelly Richards, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, told City Council the system is expanding service hours, hiring staff and preparing a facilities condition assessment; the library seeks to move to consistent six‑day service systemwide and eventually add Sunday hours at key locations.","taxTitle","Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County , Pennsylvania","taxId",80615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6598843,"Parks and Recreation presents FY26 budget request of $83.5 million, emphasizes youth sports, safety and facility maintenance",314,384310,698820,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a&start=384&end=698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a/thumbnail_384310.jpg","/articles/6598843/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Parks-and-Recreation-presents-FY26-budget-request-of-835-million-emphasizes-youth-sports-safety-and-facility-maintenance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598843-ac941c1b704fde673f188d36500d8fc8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447930&Signature=BCV5SHTQDG9tUUebbg2RL4PEdoKYOOomiB1nncr~05fmA72GUtwFX6axg-SLoYYCpTJIZdD5pMRNxeUU-UcvFJ2nzIGpvUOonxiEOo1AN5TnzPifK3WPFHnacGTqZsu0Oku-1DH8r978S7eEouEzxsBloXCWwVwUkGR3l7tTDLkVuQs07f2vWMV--eT8SCKVSwDHndn~aq0C4XLaygTBPtbpp9lxnJ3v4eHKEOoBU~ZyfvWexLqD-c6FX8YKeZNBK-CNCjFOC~osZXTs7g~eWcpFq-UzjGFxI40FqXdylZNCB3bagpI45yoC4XtkEcLfhXzuY6NNsSTtBtLz7IIaDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioner Susan Slauson presented the Department of Parks and Recreation’s proposed operating program and answered council questions during the Committee of the Whole’s FY26 budget hearing.

Commissioner Susan Slauson told the Committee that the department’s proposed general fund obligation for fiscal year 2026 is $83,535,660, “a decrease of $7,384,000.841 dollars from fiscal year 2025 estimated obligation levels,” which she said largely reflects spending in FY25 that was one‑time in nature. She described ongoing priorities as maintaining parks and natural lands, expanding workforce development tied to sustainability and removing illegal dumping, and continuing the mayor’s “safer, cleaner, greener” priorities.

Slauson outlined youth sports and anti‑violence work that the department and partners have funded and supported: a fall 2024 round of travel grants distributed through the Philadelphia City Fund provided $244,000 to 32 football and cheer teams (an average of about $7,625 per qualifying team); spring 2025 grants provided $218,000 in partnership with the Philadelphia Youth Sports Coalition (PYSC) to support about 70 organizations with awards ranging from $500 to $5,000, and a second round was planned for late summer 2025 focused on underserved communities. She said youth programming totals include 95 after‑school programs serving about 2,200 youth, feeding programs that served more than 322,000 meals during the school year, 220 play streets, and summer camps for about 6,700 youth.

On maintenance and natural resources, Slauson said PPR’s urban forestry and regional crews manage more than 30,000 street trees and more than 10,000 acres of parkland, with natural lands teams responsible for roughly 5,000 acres of forests, meadows and wetlands. She said the department has planted 468 trees in a commercial corridor tree‑planting program and trained and paid 40 business ambassadors to care for those trees.

Council members pressed the commissioner on public safety at parks and recreation facilities. Council President Johnson and others asked about strategies to reduce gun violence and improve safety at recreation centers and fields, including the role of park rangers, municipal guards and possible public‑private supplemental security. Slauson said summer hours are generally 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., said the department is “leaning on our park rangers a lot more,” and described work to improve lighting, lock gates where possible, and to coordinate with Philadelphia Police Department, advisory councils and neighborhood partners. She also said the department is open to exploring additional security models and partnerships but noted that adding private guards would require specifying duties and funding.

Council members also asked about specific rebuild projects and co‑located sites. Slauson said phases of the FDR Park rebuild (gateway, nature, picnic/pet play, multipurpose fields and courts) have been funded and that Gateway Plaza and the welcome center are nearing completion; multipurpose fields and courts have been funded though construction timing varies by phase. On shared footprints, the Capital Program Office confirmed that Winfield Library and the John C. Anderson Cultural Center projects coordinate sequencing and that John C. Anderson construction is expected to begin in fall 2025.

Slauson said PPR is pursuing an asset‑management system to track maintenance needs and longer‑term capital priorities so that the department moves away from ad hoc emergency repairs. She described steps already underway: decluttering and deep cleaning of facilities, targeted repairs prioritized with the Capital Projects Office, and plans to use a facilities condition assessment to build a strategic, multiyear maintenance plan.

What was asked and not decided: Council members repeatedly urged more resources for lighting, paving, tree removal, municipal guards and staffing. Slauson and her deputies committed to follow‑up information, including lists of camera installations, sites in the INET Wi‑Fi rollout, and timelines for the asset‑management effort.

Provenance: Commissioner Slauson’s presentation and Q&A appear in the hearing transcript beginning with her formal introduction and budget presentation and continuing through extensive questioning by council members about staffing, safety, rebuild sequencing, tree and forestry work, and asset management.","Commissioner Susan Slauson told Council the Department of Parks and Recreation’s FY26 general fund request is $83,535,660, a decrease from FY25 largely tied to one‑time FY25 items; the department highlighted youth sports grants, expanded programming and an upcoming facilities condition assessment.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6598849,"Council reads package of operating and capital budget ordinances, tax and fee changes into record",150,63700,213795,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a&start=63&end=213","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3024204-9c652c19f0474fa80405f8d1c086cf7a/thumbnail_63700.jpg","/articles/6598849/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Council-reads-package-of-operating-and-capital-budget-ordinances-tax-and-fee-changes-into-record","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598849-ffb2b43cbfc4b31b44a2e480f770a11b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447930&Signature=cmZ7HQF7MDMrv7f44nhtrfbNecL4IweJ3UL-9e0IItqzNy6XpM3rpc5UAOACiYBop74TQNDjVYZ5kV29QB20-ZAn6nbPaNcsOdWQsC5X44JEmdQwj2fAb2z6ELxMPrrz9lG0IPGSdI8GfK2jg9iyh6P6zAohhPwRml2RoARLrBZE-39GIwPYlhfap0OB4zH5dNL00~EOoLL0aZZelMs25O9wLxu-PSAYbWP0QT6dFPflCBvJH7jqN7FQ83mV8Wj36ht3i98vv62PgYDXLP54cyV0ykgtuM-COduSJxiwRGlMxMxKtnGsZqpkZCDrtMsvd9w5Y1kGL8TWyansvNdiQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Philadelphia City Council Committee of the Whole opened a public hearing during which the clerk read a package of proposed ordinances and a resolution tied to the city’s fiscal 2026 operating and capital plans.

The clerk read bill numbers 250,195 through 250,212 and resolution 250,214 into the record, including the proposed operating budget (bill 250,196), a fiscal 2026 capital budget (bill 250,197), a six‑year capital program (bill 250,198), and several ordinances proposing changes to tax chapters of the Philadelphia Code. Miss Lawhead read the titles and short descriptions of each measure into the hearing record.

Why it matters: the items read include the city’s proposed operating and capital spending and a set of changes to multiple revenue measures — including wage and net profits tax provisions, business income and receipts tax changes, revisions to the realty transfer tax and development impact tax, and a proposed adjustment to parking meter fees. Resolution 250,214 would approve a revised five‑year financial plan the mayor will submit to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICPA).

Details read into the record (as read by the clerk): bill 250,195 would amend chapter 19‑1500 (wage and net profits tax); bill 250,196 is “an ordinance adopting the operating budget for fiscal year 2026;” bill 250,197 is the proposed fiscal 2026 capital budget; bill 250,198 would adopt a six‑year capital program for fiscal years 2026–2031; bill 250,199 would amend chapter 19‑2600 (business income and receipts taxes); bill 250,200 would amend chapter 12‑1000 (traffic code) to revise the fee for parking meters; bill 250,201 would amend chapter 19‑1800 (school tax authorization) and chapter 19‑1300 (real estate taxes) to provide for an increase in the tax the School District Board of Education may levy and a corresponding city rate reduction; bill 250,202 would amend chapter 19‑1806 (realty use and occupancy tax) to eliminate certain exemptions; bill 250,210 would amend section 10‑101 (fees of the Commissioner of Records) to increase the portion of recording fees directed to the Housing Trust Fund; bill 250,211 would amend chapter 19‑1400 (realty transfer tax); and bill 250,212 would amend chapter 19‑4400 (Development Impact Tax) to end imposition of that tax. Resolution 250,214 would provide for City Council approval of a revised five‑year financial plan to be submitted to PICPA.

No vote or final action on these measures was recorded during the hearing excerpt. The items were entered for public hearing and scheduled for testimony and questions by the Committee of the Whole.

Provenance: the clerk read the package at the start of the hearing and the Committee announced that the hearing would continue with testimony from city departments and external agencies.

Next steps: Council will continue hearings on the measures with scheduled testimony from the Free Library, Parks and Recreation, and later from SEPTA as listed on the hearing agenda.","The Committee of the Whole opened a public hearing on a package of FY2026 operating and capital budget ordinances, multiple tax and fee changes, and a revised five‑year financial plan that the mayor will submit to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Free Library requests staffing and capital investments to expand hours and address aging systems

Parks and Recreation presents FY26 budget request of $83.5 million, emphasizes youth sports, safety and facility maintenance

Council reads package of operating and capital budget ordinances, tax and fee changes into record