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The Committee of Seventy was established in 1904 to combat corruption in Philadelphia, playing a major role in the adoption of civil service reforms and the passage of the 1919 and 1951 Home Rule Charters. A nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, Seventy does not endorse candidates or represent any special interests.
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Interactive Voter Guide

Ballot Questions, 2026 Primary

Philadelphia - Question 1

Ballot Question: Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to provide for the creation of the Philadelphia Retirement Savings Board to oversee a defined contribution retirement program for the benefit of eligible private-sector workers, and to authorize City Council to determine the composition, powers and duties of the board?

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 you approve the creation of the Philadelphia Retirement Savings Board as an independent board within the City’s government. The Board would oversee creation and administration of a retirement program for certain eligible workers whose employers do not offer them a retirement plan. Contributions to the plan would only come from the participating workers. Details of the retirement program may be established by ordinance.

Seventy Says: This measure, introduced by Councilmember Mike Driscoll on behalf of Council president Johnson, would create a new nine-member body authorized to oversee "PhillySaves," a city-facilitated, automatic Individual Retirement Account program for private-sector workers without employer-sponsored plans. These plans are similar to 401 K programs except they are run by a state or local government.

According to Pew, “participation would be mandatory but free for city-based businesses that don’t already offer a retirement benefit, that have at least one full-time or part-time payrolled employee, and that have been operating in Philadelphia for two or more years”. Employers would not be required to contribute to the plan. The annual cost to administer the program is expected to be $500,000 with a one year appropriation of $1 million to set the program up. 17 states administer similar programs but Pennsylvania does not. New York City and Seattle both established programs but later folded them into state-run plans. [Seventy neither endorses nor opposes the measure.]

Philadelphia - Question 2

Ballot Question: Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to provide for the creation of the Office of the Youth Ombudsperson to improve the safety and quality of services for youth placed in juvenile justice, child welfare, and behavioral health residential care facilities, and to authorize City Council to determine additional powers and duties of the Youth Ombudsperson as needed to carry out this mission?

Plain English Statement: The City’s Home Rule Charter sets up the framework of City government. It is the City’s constitution. The Office of the Youth Ombudsperson monitors the safety and quality of services for youth in residential placements. It was created by the Mayor in 2022, but is not part of the formal City Charter framework and is not a permanent office. If you vote “yes” on this ballot question, that means you approve including the Office of the Youth Ombudsperson in the City’s Charter and making it permanent. It also means you approve allowing Council to give the office additional powers and duties by ordinance.

Seventy Says: Councilmember Gauthier introduced this measure, which would make the Office of the Youth Ombudsperson a permanent part of Philadelphia's city government. It would also give City Council the power to expand what the office can do.

The Office of the Youth Ombudsperson was established by Executive Order under former Mayor Kenney to be an independent voice for young people who are living in group homes, youth facilities, or other residential placements. The office works to make sure these young people are safe and well cared for. It keeps an eye on child welfare programs, juvenile justice facilities, and behavioral health placements across Philadelphia, and it makes recommendations to improve services for kids in those settings. In one notable report, the office found that staff at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center had used isolation practices in ways that broke state law. The office runs on a budget of about $1 million per year, and that amount is not expected to change if this measure passes.

This office has already done important work to protect some of the city's most vulnerable young people. Seventy supports this ballot question and believes this office should be made permanent.