Taxes and Budget
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Taxes and Budget

Seventy works to provide access to information on Philadelphia taxing and budgeting activities.

What We're Doing

Seventy diligently monitors the City's taxing and budgeting activity year-round, and provides you with the resources to view that activity.

Why We Care

Nobody likes to pay taxes. Worse, nobody wants those tax dollars spent wastefully or fraudulently. Shining a spotlight on how the government spends your tax dollars is at the heart of Seventy’s watchdog mission.

How it Works

We diligently monitor City Hall year-round, particularly during budget season in the spring. Around this time, the Mayor proposes a spending plan for the next fiscal year. Subsequently, City Council holds a hearing on the proposed plan, amends it, and then adopts it.
Important Resources
Office of the Director of Finance
The Office of the Director of Finance is the chief agency responsible for Philadelphia’s finances, accounting, and budgeting within the executive branch of the city’s government.
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Open Budget Tool
The Open Budget Tool provides a quick overview of the city’s budget for users to explore.
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City Council's Budget Center
Philadelphia City Council’s Budget Center includes proposed operating and capital budgets for the city. Moreover, it provides hearing schedules, specific budget information, and testimony by department.
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Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA)
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) was established in 1991 to help Philadelphia recover from a severe financial crisis. The Board and staff at PICA continue to provide yearly oversight by reviewing and approving the city’s five-year financial plan.
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Recent News
News

June 04, 2026

The Committee of Seventy Hosts Fifth Annual Women in Public Leadership Event Celebrating The Fighters on the Frontlines for Women’s Rights

The event honored Kathryn Kolbert and featured a panel discussion with women leaders in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
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May 14, 2026

Committee of Seventy to Host Two-Day Summit: Promise of Democracy

Join us as we engage in meaningful conversations with an array of diverse leaders and experts—policymakers, educators, activists, and engaged citizens—who will address current challenges and actionable solutions for building a more inclusive democracy for the next two-hundred-and-fifty years.
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April 29, 2026

Philadelphia Organizations Celebrate Jurors and Advance Jury Reform on Juror Appreciation Day

Committee of Seventy, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, and Ceiba Honor Civic Service at Two-Part Event Featuring State and Federal Judiciary
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March 23, 2026

Tim Benyo, former Chief Clerk of Elections for Lehigh County, joins the Committee of Seventy as Senior Advisor, Election Administration

Tim has more than 20 years of election administration experience. In this role, he will advance key election administration reforms to ensure a free, fair, safe, and secure electoral process for all voters.
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February 26, 2026

The Committee of Seventy's Statement on the Resign to Run Legislation

While the Committee of Seventy has supported efforts to eliminate this provision in the past, the proposal adopted today serves political interests, not the public interest, and undercuts the core reason to revisit this issue at all: increasing competitiveness and accountability in City elections.
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