Guide for Non-Experts on Philadelphia's Financial Crisis

PHILADELPHIA, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Committee of Seventy this week released the first installment of "PHILADELPHIA'S LONG, HOT SUMMER," an unfolding series of Questions and Answers for non-experts on the potentially devastating issues facing the City during its worst economic crisis in modern history. A copy of the questions and answers on "Crunch Time: The Budget" is available at www.seventy.org.

"PHILADELPHIA'S LONG, HOT SUMMER" - whose introduction comes thirteen days before the first critical deadline on the budget and union contract negotiations - is intended to be a two-way street. Seventy's President and CEO Zachary Stalberg encouraged the public to send feedback to budget@seventy.org. "We want to hear what people want to know. Our goal is for this series to raise even more questions," he said.

Stalberg also encouraged local and regional news outlets to borrow liberally from Seventy's series. "We hope the media will use the Q&A to help people make sense of this crisis," he added. "The more people understand, the more likely it is that they will pay attention and participate in the process."

According to Stalberg, public outreach is critical when the stakes are so high. He pointed to huge unknowns that could "make or break the government's ability to operate this City:"

    -- The gamble that the General Assembly will approve a one percent hike
       in the City's sales tax and delayed payments to the pension fund.
       Presumably this decision should happen by June 30, when the
       legislature is supposed to make up its mind on the state budget.
    -- The outcome of the City's fight for wage and benefit concessions from
       the four municipal unions.  The current contracts expire on June 30.
    -- The probability of deep service cuts and massive layoffs if the
       General Assembly gamble and labor union concessions don't happen.
       How long these could last is anyone's guess.

"For most of us non-experts, keeping track of complex issues that are changing every day is a full-time job," Stalberg added. "If you don't understand some of the basic terms - like PICA, five-year plan or fund balance - it's next to impossible to see how discussions on the budget, labor negotiations and pension fund connect. 'Philadelphia's Long, Hot Summer' tries to piece it all together."

Stalberg said he couldn't remember when more explosive issues were colliding at once. "This is a time when residents need to trust the decisions made by the Mayor and City Council," he continued. "Trust is hard to come by when you don't feel fully informed about what's going on. Council wonders why residents focus on their use of city cars and DROP retirement benefits. It's because these are topics people can relate to on a more personal level."

Stalberg said that next installments of "Philadelphia's Long, Hot Summer" would feature discussions of the labor negotiations and pension fund in a similar Q&A format. "Seventy will be updating this series continually to reflect continuing developments," he said. "We now have many more of our own questions that need answers."

The Committee of Seventy is fighting for clean and effective government, fair elections and informed citizens in Philadelphia and the region.

SOURCE The Committee of Seventy