PHILADELPHIA – MARCH 16, 2023 –Today the Committee of Seventy released its Democracy Agenda for Philadelphia, an outline of actions needed by our next mayor and City Council to ensure a more representative, ethical and accountable city government.
The complete Democracy Agenda for Philadelphia can be downloaded here.
“This upcoming election is a critical moment for Philadelphia,” said Lauren Cristella, interim president and COO of Committee of Seventy. “Our city’s 100th mayor and our new City Council have a real opportunity to not only reshape the way that our city operates, but to transform outcomes for everyday Philadelphians. This Democracy Agenda provides a blueprint for our elected officials to strengthen democracy in the same place where it took hold in our country.”
Committee of Seventy’s Democracy Agenda outlines the actions Philadelphia’s next mayor and City Council should consider to ensure a more representative, ethical and democratic city government that is responsive to voters, protects the public interest, and engages communities on key decisions.
Its key elements include:
Transparent and accountable government
- Protect the Chief Integrity Officer and ethics rules
- Fully fund the Ethics Board
- Extend pay-to-play rules to land-use business
- Curb council prerogative
- Expand the authority of the Inspector General
Fixing how Philly works
- Guard against conflicts of interest
- Enact term limits
- Eliminate resign to run
- Commit to performance management
- Modernize the civil service
- Empower the Planning Commission
Strengthening democracy
- Invest in safe and secure elections
- Create a chief democracy officer
- Put residents in charge of Council redistricting
“We want Philadelphians to feel that they can trust in their elected officials,” said Pat Christmas, chief policy officer at Committee of Seventy. “The Democracy Agenda is our way to promote transparent and accountable local government and rebuild the trust between our city’s voters and leaders.”
By implementing Committee of Seventy’s Democracy Agenda for Philadelphia, the new mayor and City Council can ensure a more representative, ethical and democratic city government. Democracy works better when we earn and hold trust: in local election officials, in the integrity of our systems, and in each other.
Since 1904, the Committee of Seventy has worked to protect and improve the voting process, ensure integrity in government, and engage citizens in the critical affairs of the day. C70 looks forward to engaging with city residents and partners to continue building the democracy that Philadelphians deserve.
About the Committee of Seventy
The Committee of Seventy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has promoted, supported and facilitated government ethics and election integrity for more than a century. We believe that elections should be more free, more fair, more safe and more secure. We want every eligible voter to vote, to be informed when they vote, and to vote with confidence.
For more information, find us at: seventy.org/