Philadelphia City Council
The City Council is an elected legislative arm of Philadelphia municipal government, consisting of seventeen members. Ten Council Members are elected by district and seven from the City-at-large. Each is elected for a term of four years with no limitations as to the number of terms that may be served. Under the rules of Council, regular sessions of Council are held weekly, usually on Thursday morning at 10:00 AM., in Room 400, City Hall. Most meetings of the Council or its committees are open to the public. See the City Council Calendar for a list of upcoming meetings
The City Council consists of a President, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and twenty Standing committees. The City Council also employs a Chief Clerk, who is elected by a majority vote of the members of the Council.
The President of Council is elected by the Council members, the Majority Leader is chosen by Council members of the political party with a majority of Council members, and the Minority Leader is chosen in the same fashion, but by the minority political party.
The President is responsible for appointing all standing committees and the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the committees, and may fill all vacancies that may occur, except the Committee on Ethics.
The President is also responsible for the appointment and dismissal of the employees of the Council, except the Chief Clerk and the staff of individual Council members.
The President’s appointments, for both committees and employees, and dismissals are subject to the approval of the Majority Leader. Additionally, if agreement, on an appointment or dismissal, cannot be reached by the President and Majority Leader then the Minority Leader vote is counting in making the decision.
The Standing Committees
1. Committee on Rules
a. Chaired by the President of the Council, the Committee on Rules makes recommendations to improve Council procedures, proposes amendments to Council rules, and considers all matters relating to municipal development and zoning and the Art Commission.
2. Committee on Finance
a. Chaired by the Majority Leader, the Committee on Finance considers all matters relating to the City’s finance, taxation, and indebtedness; all matters relating to electoral and Councilmanic loans and the Sinking Fund; and all matters relating to revenue sharing from the Commonwealth and of the United States government.
3. Committee on Appropriations
a. All matters relating to appropriation of funds, the payment of money not provided for by previous authority of law, and the procurement of equipment and supplies. This committee also oversees the receipt, disbursement, transfer or other use of City money and the audit of the City.
4. Committee on Law and Government
a. All legal matters of the City, including those concerning elections, recalls, and special elections. This committee also helps with the cooperation with Federal, State, inter-City, and inter-County governments.
5. Legislative Oversight Committee
a. All matters related to the legislative acts of Council, works with the Executive and Judicial branches to enforce laws passed by Council, ensures projects passed by Council are carried out, and monitors budgetary expenditures.
6. Committee on Commerce and Economic Development
a. All matters relating to commerce, commercial, industrial, and workforce development, the port and airport facilities, the Civic Center complex, and the expenditure of Federal and State funds to promote development.
7. Committee on Public Property and Public Works
a. All matters relating to City property and buildings, excluding City parks; all matters relating to Department of Records, the Gas Commission, and the City water and sewage disposal systems.
8. Committee on Streets and Services
a. All matters relating to the Department of Street, specifically including street lighting and signals/signs, sanitation, construction, traffic engineering, and surveying.
9. Committee on License and Inspections
a. All matters relating to licenses and inspections, building safety and sanitation, and building, housing, and electrical codes and standards.
10. Committee on Labor and Civil Service
a. All matters relating to labor relations, the Civil Service Commission, the Personnel Director, and the board of Pension and Retirement
11. Committee on Public Safety
a. All matters relating to the Police and Fire Department, Courts, the Department of Public Welfare, and civilian defense and its coordination with Federal and State governments
12. Committee on Public Health and Human Services
a. All matters relating to the public health, and the Air Pollution Control Board, Department of Human Services, and the coordination of health programs and facilities with Federal and State governments.
13. Committee on Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs
a. All matters relating the Department of Recreation, the Recreation Coordination Board, City parks, the recreational programs conducted by the Board of Public Education of the School District, professional sports facilities, the Mann Music Center and Robin Hood Dell, the annual Mummers Parade, and the management of certain historical shrines acquired by the City.
14. Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities
a. All matter relating to any transportation facilities, the State Public Utility Commission, the Federal Interstate Commerce Commission, and tolls on State, Federal, and Interstate bridges and highways.
15. Committee on Education
a. All matters relating to education in the public schools of Philadelphia except matters referred to the entire Council.
16. Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation
a. All matters relating to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority and the City’s Five Year Financial Plan.
17. Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless
a. All matter relating to the creation and maintenance of housing within the City and the alleviation of homelessness.
18. Committee on Technology and Information Services
a. All matters relating to City information technology planning and implementation.
19. Committee on Ethics
a. The Committee on Ethics consists of all Council members, except any member under investigation. An investigation will be conducted after the Council by majority vote approves the filing of charges against a member for alleged violations.
20. Committee of the Whole (Consists of the entire Council)
a. Chaired by the President of the Council, the Committee of the Whole votes all bills and considers the annual Capital Program, Capital Budget, Operating Budget, and School Budget.
For the Legislative Process of the Council see The Ten Steps of A Council Bill
Current Council Members:
City Council President
Anna C. Verna: (215) 686-3412, 3413. Room 490 City Hall.
Councilmembers-At-Large
Councilman William K. Greenlee:(215) 686-3446, 3447. Room 580 City Hall.
Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr.: (215) 686-3414, 3415. Room 316 City Hall.
Councilman Jack Kelly: (215) 686-3452, 3453. Room 594 City Hall.
Councilman James Kenney: (215) 686-3450, 3451. Room 330 City Hall.
Councilman Bill Green: (215) 686 3420, 3421. Room 599 City Hall.
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown: (215) 686-3438, 3439. Room 581 City Hall.
Councilman Frank Rizzo, Jr.: (215) 686-3440, 3441. Room 582 City Hall.
#1 - Councilman Frank DiCicco: (215) 686-3458, 3459. Room 332 City Hall. (map of district)
#2 - Council President Anna Verna: (215) 686-3412, 3413. Room 405 City Hall. (map of district)
#3 - Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell: (215) 686-3418, 3419. Room 408 City Hall. (map of district)
#4 - Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr.: (215) 686-3416, 3417. Room 404 City Hall. (map of district)
#5 - Council Darrell Clarke: (215) 686-3442, 3443. Room 484 City Hall. (map of district)
#6 - Councilwoman Joan L. Krajewski: (215) 686-3444, 3445. Room 506 City Hall. (map of district)
#7 - Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez: (215) 686-3448, 3449. Room 592 City Hall. (map of district)
#8 - Councilwoman Donna Miller: (215) 686-3424, 3425. Room 312 City Hall. (map of district)
#9 - Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco: (215) 686-3454, 3455. Room 577 City Hall. (map of district)
#10 - Councilman Brian J. O'Neill: (215) 686-3422, 3423. Room 562 City Hall. (map of district)
To learn more visit: Philadelphia City Council
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