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How does City Hall work?

From Ed Schwartz – Institute for Civic Values


Note:

The bulk of City Council’s work–including review of legislation and hearings on public issues–are handled by City Council Committees. The list of City Council Standing Committees for 2008 was just issued and I reproduce it below. The Phone numbers follow each Council member–686- ****.

You should check three items of interest:

1. Which Committee–if any–does your Councilperson Chair?
2. What are the other Committees where your own Councilperson- -or an at-large Councilperson that you know–serve?
3. Which Councilperson chairs a committee that oversees an area of interest and concern to you (Public Safety, L&I, Education, etc.)?

The City Council Rules Committee reviews all legislation related to development. They’re the ones who approve development packages, etc.

The City Council Appropriations Committee reviews all requests from the administration to transfer funds from one Department to another over the course of the year. This is where budget adjustments get made in the course of the year.

The City Council Finance Committee plays a critical role in reviewing the administration’ s proposals for the Community Development Block Grant. The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless would review other legislation and hearings related to these programs.

The Legislative Oversight Committee is charged with keeping track of how the administration is implementing key legislation passed by Council.

The other committees should be self-explanatory.

Ed Schwartz

January 10, 2008

C I T Y C O U N C I L
PHILADELPHIA 19107-3290

Honorable Anna C. Verna Patricia Rafferty
Council President Chief Clerk
490 City Hall 402 City Hall
686-3412-13 686-3410-11
Fax No. 563-3162 Fax No. 686-1910


S T A N D I N G C O M M I T T E E S



COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL


Anna C. Verna, Chairwoman 686 -3412 490 C.H.
Marian B. Tasco, Vice-Chair -3454 577 C.H.
(Consisting of all Members of City Council)

COMMITTEE ON RULES


Anna C. Verna, Chairwoman 686 -3412 490 C.H.
James F. Kenney, Vice-Chair -3450 330 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.


COMMITTEE ON FINANCE


Marian B. Tasco, Chairwoman 686 -3454 577 C.H.
Jannie L. Blackwell, Vice-Chair -3418 408 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.
James F. Kenney  -3450 330 C.H.
William K. Greenlee  -3446 580 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


Joan L. Krajewski, Chairwoman 686 -3444 506 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke, Vice Chair -3442 484 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez  -3448 592 C.H.
Frank Rizzo  -3440 582 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON LAW AND GOVERNMENT

William K. Greenlee, Chairman 686 -3446 580 C.H.
James F. Kenney, Vice-Chair -3450 330 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Frank DiCicco
-3458 332 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS


Darrell L. Clarke, Chairman 686 -3442 484 C.H.
James F. Kenney, Vice-Chair -3450 330 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski -3444 506 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON STREETS AND SERVICES

Frank DiCicco, Chairman 686 -3458 332 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez, Vice-Chair -3448 592 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.


COMMITTEE ON LICENSES AND INSPECTIONS

Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez, Chairwoman 686 -3448 592 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski, Vice-Chair -3444 506 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND CIVIL SERVICE


Bill Green, Chairman 686 -3420 599 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr., Vice-Chair -3414 316 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

Blondell Reynolds Brown, Chairwoman 686 -3438 581 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr., Vice-Chair -3416 404 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

W. Wilson Goode, Jr., Chairman 686 -3414 316 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vice-Chair -3438 581 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES

Curtis Jones, Jr., Chairman 686 -3416 404 C.H.
William K. Greenlee, Vice-Chair -3446 580 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
Jannie L. Blackwell -3418 408 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Marian B. Tasco, Chairwoman 686 -3454 577 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller, Vice-Chair -3424 312 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY


Donna Reed Miller, Chairwoman 686 -3424 312 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski, Vice-Chair -3444 506 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Frank Rizzo
-3440 582 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION


Jannie L. Blackwell, Chairwoman 686 -3418 408 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vice-Chair -3438 581 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.


COMMITTEE ON ETHICS


Anna C. Verna, Chairwoman 686 -3412 490 C.H.
Marian B. Tasco, Vice-Chair -3454 577 C.H.
(Consisting of all Members of City Council)

COMMITTEE ON FISCAL STABILITY
AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION

Darrell L. Clarke, Chairman 686 -3442 484 C.H.
Frank DiCicco, Vice-Chair -3458 332 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski -3444 506 C.H.
Marian B. Tasco -3454 577 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.

LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE


James F. Kenney, Chairman 686 -3450 330 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski, Vice-Chair -3444 506 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND THE HOMELESS


Jannie L. Blackwell, Chairwoman 686 -3418 408 C.H.
William K. Greenlee, Vice-Chair -3446 580 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SERVICES


Brian J. O’Neill, Chairman 686 -3422 562 C.H.
Bill Green, Vice-Chair -3420 599 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT


James F. Kenney, Chairman 686 -3450 330 C.H.
Frank DiCicco, Vice-Chair -3458 332 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON THE DISABLED AND THE HANDICAPPED

Donna Reed Miller, Chairwoman 686 -3424 312 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vice-Chair -3438 581 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr.
-3416 404 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski -3444 506 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.

Ed Schwartz, Institute for the Study of Civic Values, 1218 Chestnut St.,
Rm. 702, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 215-238-1434 edcivic@libertynet. org

ISCV web site: http://www.iscv. org
Also Check out “Neighborhoods Online” at http://www.neighbor hoodsonline. net.
Or in Philadelphia: http://www.phillyne ighborhoods. org

“Citizenship is the American ideal. There may be an army of actualities
opposed to that ideal, but there is no ideal opposed to that ideal.”
–G.K. Chesterton