Philadelphia – Question 1
Ballot Question: Should the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to revise the City’s contracting procedures to allow for bid preferences and set-asides for small businesses; modify the threshold and standards for contracts that can be set aside for small and local businesses; and grant the Procurement Department and the City Solicitor discretion on bond requirements for certain construction projects?
Plain English Statement: The City’s Home Rule Charter sets up the framework of City government. The Charter is the City’s constitution. A “yes” vote means the Charter would be amended so the City can give contracting preferences to small businesses and expand them for local businesses for City-funded projects.
Seventy Says: This measure, introduced and sponsored by Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson for Council President Kenyatta Johnson, would allow the city to create new contracting rules to encourage the city to conduct business with small and Philadelphia based companies. Procurement rules would be changed to allow the city to contract with local and small businesses on contracts between $75,000 and $500,000 even if those companies do not make the lowest bid.
Philadelphia’s contracting processes were challenged in federal court alleging that the way that Philadelphia prioritized women and minority owned businesses in its contracting procedures was a violation of federal law. The City settled the case and agreed to rewrite those rules. Now, instead it’s considering the size and location of companies in contracting rather than race or gender.
Philadelphia – Question 2
Ballot Question: Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to establish and define the functions of Creative Philadelphia, an office headed by the Chief Cultural Officer to promote the City’s arts, culture, and creative economy sector?
Plain English Statement: The City’s Home Rule Charter is the document that sets up the framework of City government. The Charter is the City’s constitution. The City operates an office focused on arts and culture in Philadelphia called Creative Philadelphia. The office works to increase public access to arts and culture, support creative communities, and celebrate Philadelphia’s cultural resources. If you vote “yes” on this ballot question, that means you approve of making Creative Philadelphia a formal part of the government under the City’s Charter.
Seventy Says: This measure, proposed by Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, would make the role of Chief Cultural Officer a required part of city government and consolidate art related city programs into one central office reporting to the mayor. Currently this office exists in city government through an executive order meaning a mayor could eliminate the office if they chose to. The city’s office, known as Creative Philadelphia, has a staff of ten people who work to support the arts in Philadelphia and this legislation would allow the office to have up to 15 employees including the Chief Cultural Officer.
Philadelphia’s art community has a large economic impact, according to the Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, but public support for the arts is fairly low. The city recently reduced its support for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund to $3.5 million annually from $5 million and Philadelphia has been criticized for its low funding for the arts. Additionally, Jane Golden, the long time head of Mural Arts has recently retired. Under this initiative Mural Arts would report to the new office. The Cultural Alliance supports this proposal.