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Mayor Parker $6.8 billion budget passes City Council with focus on housing

By
Published  June 12, 2025 6:44pm EDT
Philadelphia
FOX 29 Philadelphia
$6.8 billion budget passes Philly City Council

$6.8 billion budget passes Philly City Council

Philadelphia City Council on Thursday passed a $6.84 billion budget for the new fiscal year. It would seem a large portion of the money is going toward housing.

The Brief

    • Philadelphia City Council on Thursday passed a $6.8 billion budget for the new fiscal year.
    • Mayor Cherelle Parker’s $6.8 billion budget for the next fiscal year easily passed City Council, despite protests against it. Some of the money is allocated for housing.

CENTER CITY - Mayor Cherelle Parker wins approval for her $6.8 billion budget which includes borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars to tackle the city’s housing crisis.

What we know:

It was mostly smooth sailing in City Council for Mayor Parker’s budget in the last session before Council takes its summer break. Some in the audience held signs critical of the spending while others came in support of Parker’s big budget housing plans.

Tanel Walker lives in West Oak Lane. She said, "Affordable housing should be a right, s safe, stable haven for every family. Let my story be a catalyst for action so no one else has to endure this struggle."

By the numbers:

Parker will borrow $800 million to build or preserve 30,000 housing units as part of her ambitious H.O.M.E. plan for Housing Opportunities Made Easy.

The budget passed with ease but not without dissent. Some in the audience chanted, "City budget fails Philly" after the measure was approved.

Parker’s budget also includes cuts in wage and business taxes while the ending of a tax break for small businesses drew anger. "Tax the rich," was shouted by a man who stood up after the vote.

Just down the hall from the mayor’s second floor office, Parker and her supporters packed a City Hall room to praise the $6.8 billion plan. Parker, winning approval of her second budget since taking office, said, "It represents our unwavering support to the people of Philadelphia for the second year the Parker Administration has paired with City Council focused on the people of Philadelphia."

Parker said the budget will cover more cleaning of city blocks, spend more on education and help struggling SEPTA. Parker said, "Over the city’s five-year plan funding for SEPTA will reach $716 million in its operating budget."

PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia City CouncilCherelle ParkerMoneyNews