Over the last two years, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with its members, candidates for mayor and City Council, and 150 civic and neighborhood leaders, has conducted a citywide campaign, the Roadmap for Growth, around economic growth and job creation in Philadelphia. In neighborhood after neighborhood, businesspersons and citizens have expressed the clear desire for more jobs, further investments in their communities, and a more competitive environment so that all may thrive.
These civic aspirations are in keeping with the Chamber’s core mission – to advocate for economic growth and sound policies that enable all our member businesses and workforces to grow and prosper. Our Roadmap for Growth is in its second phase, working directly with the Kenney administration and City Council members on policies surrounding economic competitiveness, neighborhood revitalization, education and workforce development, and the city’s infrastructure.
In this light, the Chamber cares deeply about and supports Mayor Kenney’s budget proposals to move towards universal pre-k education for Philadelphia children, along with his proposals to rebuild neighborhood recreation centers, parks and libraries and invest in community schools. The Chamber also notes with interest the Council budget proposal to make further investments in residential homes and infrastructure.
The Chamber supports ideas discussed during the recent budget hearings that if implemented, could significantly improve revenue collections to help fund the city government. The city simply must do a better job collecting delinquent taxes owed to Philadelphia and utilizing modern information technology and tactics to do so. Second, as property values rise, land values are lagging behind, and the business community urges the Administration and Council to take all necessary steps to ensure assessments and market values are up to date – actions that over time should reap additional revenues, budget testimony showed.
The Chamber cares just as much about Philadelphia’s economic competitiveness, and believes that rolling back wage and business tax reductions – already approved by previous Councils and three mayors – or eliminating an exemption for more than 63,000 small businesses that would significant increase their business taxes, would have a negative impact on the well-being of businesses and the livelihoods of workers throughout our city. The Chamber urges Council to follow the advice of two tax reform commissions and maintain these reductions to spur growth and help create jobs.
Under the Chamber’s longstanding Principles of Economic Competitiveness, ideally taxes should be broad-based and not target a particular industry, and need to be shared equitably between business and citizens. However, the Chamber Principles also state that an educated and diverse workforce is key to the long-term success of the business community and serves as a catalyst to attract and retain businesses.
Mayor Kenney’s proposed expansion of pre-k education to reach thousands more city children is a bold, aspirational initiative, providing Philadelphia with a rare opportunity to implement a policy that can grow jobs and businesses, attract and retain talented workers, and help public education. The Chamber and its Roadmap for Growth support this far-reaching proposal, for children’s futures, business growth, and Philadelphia’s continuing prosperity.
