The Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke announced on Thursday his plans to reassess budgets and other priorities to protect the city’s residents and finances in preparation for foreseen federal and state funding cuts.
“In light of threats to Philadelphia’s revenues and municipal authority made by President Trump and Republican legislative majorities in Washington and Harrisburg, City Council has a fiduciary and moral duty to act quickly to protect all who reside and work here," Clarke said in a press release. "In order to maintain solid fiscal footing and preserve essential city services, we must reexamine the City’s revenues, expenditures, and policy priorities to prepare for the worst."
Clarke proposed the creation of a Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to explore Trump administration initiatives, including an executive order that would make federal funding contingent on Philadelphia law enforcement policy and a movement to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
"This is the most unpredictable and ominous climate for the City of Philadelphia I have seen in my 17 years in office," Clarke said in the press release. "As many of us have learned the hard way, voting is not enough. Marching is not enough. Philadelphia City Council will do everything within our authority — and test the limits of our authority if we must — in order to protect all who live, work and visit here.”
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