Philadelphia City Council in 2016
Council Busy in '16: 335 Bills Introduced, 251 Signed
The year in summary
Zoning and planning dominated the City Council's agenda in 2016, with 107 bills related to zoning introduced and a median of 49 days from introduction to becoming law. However, some key issue areas saw significant declines compared to the previous year, including infrastructure (-23) and environment (-15). On the rise were procurement (+9), economic development (+8), civil service (+7), and public health (+6).
The council's most active sponsors were Council President Clarke (70 bills) and Councilmember Squilla (57 bills). Contested votes reveal a mix of partisan and non-partisan priorities, with several bills passing with significant dissent. For example, the sugary drink tax bill passed 13-4, while the parking ticket amnesty program bill passed 14-3.
AI-generated analysis grounded in 335 bills from official Philadelphia City Council records.
What council worked on in 2016
Rising vs 2015: procurement (+9), economic development (+8), civil service (+7), public health (+6). Declining: infrastructure (-23), environment (-15), zoning (-13), housing (-11).
Highest-impact bills of 2016
$150 million in new spending is proposed for Philadelphia's schools under a budget plan unveiled by City Council members today, sparking debate over priorities and funding needs. The increased allocation would support staff raises and classroom upgrades.
Philadelphia Homeowners May See Higher Property Taxes Under Council-Approved Plan to Increase Revenue from Vacant Land. A new tax on vacant lots would raise millions for city coffers, but critics warn it will unfairly burden struggling neighborhood residents who can't sell their properties.
Philadelphia residents and businesses face potential tax rate cuts of up to 2.0344% under a City Council proposal. The reductions would apply to the city's Wage and Earnings Tax and Tax on Net Profits Earned in Businesses.
Council Approves Proposal to Raise Minimum Wage for Thousands of Philly Service Industry Workers to $15 an Hour by 2025. Tipped employees at restaurants, bars, and cafes would see their wages jump significantly under the plan, which aims to alleviate income inequality and boost local spending power.
City Council votes to prohibit contracts with companies using tax inversion strategies to avoid US taxes, as two lawmakers introduce bill to bar such deals with the city.
Most contested votes of 2016top 5 of 7
Most council roll calls are unanimous — these are the bills that split the chamber.
Most active sponsors in 2016
- Council President Clarke70 bills
- Councilmember Squilla57 bills
- Councilmember Henon38 bills
- Councilmember Johnson29 bills
- Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez28 bills