Philadelphia City Council Poised To Make Painful Cuts For Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

Natasha Brown reports.

SAYS AN OUTBREAK OF THE VIRUS INBEIJING IS UNDER CONTROL.NOW, HERE AT HOME, THE VIRUSHAS WRECKED PHILADELPHIA'SFINANCES, CITY COUNCIL IS POISEDTO MAKE PAINFUL CUTS AND MAJORINVESTMENTS AFTER PULLING AN ALLNEITHER TO COME UP WITH A BUDGETDEAL.NATASHA BROWN JOINS NOW WITHTHE NUMBERS, NATASHA.Reporter: WELL, UKEE WE CANTELL THAT YOU CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TODAY MOVED ONE STEPCLOSER TO FINALLY GIVINGAPPROVAL TO A CITY BUDGET FORTHE 2021 FISCAL YEAR.AND THAT MEANS DRASTIC CUTS TOSOME DEPARTMENTS AND MAKEINVESTMENTS IN OTHERS.UNDER UNPRESS DEFINITEDCIRCUMSTANCES, VIRTUAL HEARINGSAND A MARATHON SESSION THAT WENTWELL INTO THE NIGHT WEDNESDAY,PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL GAVEPRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO A FISCALYEAR 2021 BUDGET.WHETHER WAS DONE TODAY WASSEISMIC, SEISMIC.COUNCIL WAS TASKED WITH TACKLINGA 749 MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGETDEFEND FIT, SPAWNED BY THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC.THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET DEAL CUTS$33 MILLION FROM THEPHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT'SBUDGET AND ADDS PLANS TOIMPLEMENT POLICE REFORMMEASURES, LIKE MORE BODY CAMERASAND IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING FOROFFICERS.I WANT TO THANK THE THOUSANDSOF PEOPLE THAT RALLIED AND SENTEMAILS AND REACHED OUT TO US INSOCIAL MEDIA REGARDING THISBUDGET.I THINK TODAY'S FIRST STEP INGETTING THE BUDGET DONE REFLECTSTHOSE CALLS FOR CHANGE.Reporter: THE DRASTIC CUTSCOME IN THE MIDST OF ONGOINGDEMONSTRATIONS THROUGHOUT THECITY DEMANDING POLICE REFORM ANDCALLS TO DEFUND THE POLICE.WITH THIS BODY YOU HAVE TOWORK TOGETHER.COUNCIL MEMBERS HELD THEFIRST READING OF THE BUDGETDURING ITS MEETING ON THURSDAY.AMONG MANY CUTS TO CITY SERVICESTHE BUDGET RESTORES $1.3 MILLIONTO ARTS AND FULL YOUR CULTUREFUNDING, INVESTS 20 MILLION INAFFORDABLE HOUSING TAX MILLIONIN REDUCING POVERTY.MAYOR JIM KENNEY HAD THIS TO SAYABOUT A FINAL REREVISED BUDGETTHAT WILL BE HEADING HIS WAY.IT PAINS ME TO THE BUDGETREDUCES SOME CITY SERVICES ANDELIMINATES HUNDREDS OF JOBS.STILL, WE HAVE PRIER ADVERTISEDCORE SERVICES, PROTECTED OURMOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ANDMAINTAINED OUR FINANCIALFLEXIBILITY TO ENABLE A QUICKREBUILD.IN SHORT, I BELIEVE THISBASICALLY IT WILL ACCOMPLISH THEGOALIE LAID OUT ON MAY 1ST.I BELIEVE.Reporter: WELL, THIS WAS ASCATHING RESPONSE FROM THE FOPABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'SPROPOSED 33 MILLION-DOLLAR CUT.IT SAYS, IN PART, QUOTE: THESPENDING PLAN WILL DEVASTATE ANYEFFORTS BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENTTO ENGAGE IN FUNDS NUMEROUSCOMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS.OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IS TONEDEAF AND BLIND TO THE REALITY OFPUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR CITY BYIMPLEMENTING THESE DRASTICBUDGET CUTS.NOW, CITY COUNCIL WILL BEGIVING FINAL APPROVAL TO THISBUDGET ON JUNE 26TH.THAT'S THE VERY LATEST FOR YOU,