Stay Informed!

Notice: Undefined variable: Miscellaneous1 in /var/www/vhosts/solutionmedia.net/httpdocstemplates/BJ-detContent.php on line 13

Back to List

House votes to assist Philadelphia in its financial crisis

HARRISBURG, Sept. 11 – State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., today again voted for legislation that would help Philadelphia stabilize its underfunded pension system and bolster the city's finances in general after the Senate sent a revised measure back to the House.

When Josephs first voted for H.B. 1828 in early August, it was drafted as a salve to Philadelphia's financial difficulties. However, the Senate expanded the bill to reform the municipal pension system statewide and included provisions that threatened the collective bargaining rights and the pensions of many current and former municipal workers across Pennsylvania.

"The Senate version was unpalatable. Basically, a small number of right-wing Republican senators were making us choose between working people and the current and future fiscal health of the city," Josephs said. "This House-amended version removes the threats to workers and still gives Philadelphia the helping hand it needs."

As amended by the House, the bill would allow Philadelphia to defer pension payments until 2013. It also would allow Mayor Nutter's administration to impose a temporary 1 percent sales and use tax through June 30, 2014. Revenue raised from the tax would have to be used to pay the city's pension costs.

The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

###