Mayor Parker pitched her FY2027 budget to City Council. Three bills are headed to final votes this week. A councilmember is fighting to save a neighborhood school. And your senators both voted yes on the biggest housing bill in a generation. Here's the full record.

Mayor Cherelle Parker delivered her FY2027 budget address to City Council on March 12. This is the opening move in a budget process that will run through May. Council's Budget Hearings begin March 25 and run through May 14 — that's when department heads explain how they want to spend your tax dollars.

Budget Timeline:

March 12: Mayor's budget address (complete)
March 25 – May 14: Council budget hearings
Late May / Early June: Council vote on final budget

What this means for you: Budget hearings are public. If you care about how Philadelphia spends money on schools, police, streets, or parks, the next 8 weeks are when those decisions get made. Show up or watch the livestream.

Three bills received first readings on March 13 and are scheduled for final votes on March 20. Here's what they do:

Bill 250066 (4th District — Councilmember Jones): Amends the Philadelphia Code. Details pending full committee report. First reading March 13.

Bill 250100 (4th District — Councilmember Jones): Amends the Philadelphia Code. Details pending full committee report. First reading March 13.

Bill 250147 (9th District — Councilmember Phillips): Amends the Philadelphia Code. Details pending full committee report. First reading March 13.

What this means for you: If you live in the 4th or 9th District, your councilmember introduced these bills. Final votes are Thursday, March 20. We'll report how every member votes.

Councilmember Nina Ahmad issued her second public call on March 16 to pause the proposed closure of Lankenau High School. The School District's revised facilities plan proposes closing 18 schools starting in the 2027-28 school year (down from the original 20 after Russell Conwell and Motivation High were removed in February). Under the plan, Lankenau students would be redirected to Walter B. Saul High School.

Ahmad argues the closure process has been rushed and that families haven't been given adequate opportunity to weigh in. The School Reform Commission's final vote on closures has not yet been scheduled.

What this means for you: If your child attends one of the 18 schools on the closure list, the next few months are critical. Public comment periods are your chance to be heard. We'll track every vote and hearing date.Your Federal Reps This Week

H.R. 6644 · Senate Vote: 89–10

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed the Senate 89-10 on March 12. This restricts institutional investors from buying single-family homes and expands affordable housing programs. The Senate passed an amended version, so the bill now returns to the House for reconciliation before it can go to the President. Here's how Pennsylvania's senators voted:

Pennsylvania's Senate Votes on H.R. 6644:

Sen. John Fetterman (D) — Yea
Sen. Dave McCormick (R) — Yea

Both of Pennsylvania's senators voted to pass the housing bill. The House had previously passed it 390-9 on February 9 — meaning Philadelphia's House delegation also voted overwhelmingly in favor.

S. 327 · Passed by unanimous consent

The Senate passed a bill denying U.S. companies the foreign tax credit for taxes paid to Russia. Passed by unanimous consent on March 10 — meaning no senator objected, including both of yours.

The $1.3 trillion Farm Bill (H.R. 7567) cleared the House Agriculture Committee 34-17 on March 5. Seven Democrats crossed party lines to vote yes. Pennsylvania has multiple members on the Agriculture Committee — we'll track their floor votes when the bill comes up before Easter recess.

City Council budget hearings run March 25 – May 14. This is where your tax dollars get allocated. Check phlcouncil.com for the schedule, or watch the livestream. If you've ever complained about potholes, school funding, or park maintenance — this is where those decisions happen.

VoteTrail · Philadelphia Edition — Your elected officials' voting records, from City Hall to Capitol Hill.

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