Our Views
Our goal is not just good government for its own sake, but fundamental change that will lead to our region's growth. This section has an incredible amount of information about our policy work and recent publications. Dig in.
Some of Our Work
CAMPAIGNING FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT: Seventy’s report, “Tackling True Reform: Why Philadelphia Must Innovate,”helped reignite efforts to make city government smaller and cost less. Challenges to city leaders to embark on an aggressive post-recession reform agenda are mounting, most recently from the Task Force on Tax Policy and Economic Competitiveness. Click to learn more.
FIGHTING FOR ETHICAL BEHAVIOR: No organization works harder for honest government. Seventy persuaded the 2007 mayoral candidates to commit to an Ethics Agenda and sparked the creation of the mayor’s Task Force on Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform. Click to learn more.
BATTLING TO SAVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS: Though the battle will continue, Seventy’s persistence has kept the city’s campaign finance law intact. Limits on contributions have saved donors millions of dollars and seriously crippled the “pay-to-play” game here. Click to learn more.
REFORMING THE BOARD OF REVISION OF TAXES: Seventy helped create a sense of urgency to building public trust in the fairness of Philadelphia’s property assessments and appeals processes by proposing both long-term and short-term reforms to the embattled BRT. Click to learn more.
MAKING SENSE OF HARD ISSUES: Seventy communicates complex issues in plain talk. Our
“Q&A for Non-Experts”on the city’s budget, labor negotiations and pension fund kept the public up-to-date on the impact of the 2009 fiscal crisis on their lives.
Click to learn more.
ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY ELECTED OFFICES: Seventy called for abolishing
four obscure elected offices filled with patronage employees and transferring their necessary functions to other city offices or the courts. The state agency that oversees the city’s finances recently calculated an annual savings of at least $13-$15 million from this reform.
Click to learn more.