So what we're talking about is not proportional reduction in demand for a price increase. There's not a million ways, or an infinite number of ways, that a city can generate revenue in that kind of fashion. And this is a policy that can, it has been tested throughout the country. And that's why I'm here to voice my support.
Thank you very much. State your name for the record and please begin.
Good afternoon. My name is Bianca Reyes, and I am the proud principal of Julia de Burgos Elementary School in North Philadelphia in the 7th Council District.
We'll see you tonight. We'll be at -- there 5:00 at budget town hall.
I'm here today not only for my own school community, but in solidarity with my principal colleagues, other school leaders, teachers, and all School District of Philadelphia personnel because we are all facing the same challenges, and we are all part of the village that is supposed to care for and protect our children. At Julia de Burgos, we believe that a child's ZIP code should never determine their destiny. We serve a student body that is 85 percent Latino, with 36.6 percent of our students receiving special education services and 35 percent receiving English language support. Our students need resources, opportunity, and caring adults around them. Instead, next year, we're losing an ESL teacher, three general ED teachers, and two climate staff members. These are not extras; these are essentials. One cut means 66 sixth-grade students split into two classrooms, 33 children in each room. How can students get the attention they deserve? How can teachers prepare them for high school and to imagine any future that they deserve? We are also losing climate staff, the people who help keep children safe, build relationships, and de-escalate conflict daily. In a community impacted by poverty, trauma, and the opioid crisis, we need more support, not less. This is why I support Mayor Cherelle Parker's proposed $1 rideshare tax to restore positions and create lasting revenue for public education. Do not ask our children to dream big while funding them small. Thank you.
Next, we have Arthur Steinberg, Elena Lin, Sarah Bradley, Shirlee Howe, Jonathan Hoffmeier, and Margaret Durkin.
Hello, Mr. Steinberg. Just say your name for the record and please begin.
Good afternoon, Council President Johnson and members of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Arthur Steinberg. I'm the President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. I'm here today to testify in support of Bill 2 No. 260208, with amendments in Bill 3 No. 26025. PFT does represent more than 14,000 educators who work in the School District of Philadelphia. I'm going to try and keep to the minutes, so I'm going to skip through parts of it. Mayor Parker's proposed $1 rideshare tax and adjusted U&O tax on telecom corporations are fair, reasonable, and necessary to raise $50.4 million towards addressing the School District's $300 million structural deficit and saving 340 school-based positions, which will be cut if these tax bills aren't passed. I admit, I am amazed to be testifying before you on these bills today. It's incredible that amid a severe educator staff shortage in the School District, we're talking today about cutting positions, not adding positions. Our schools have been seriously short staffed for years, and yet we are here today begging to save the jobs of -- jobs of 340 teachers, counselors, climate staff, and more. Before I go on, I would be remiss if I did not thank Council for their fierce advocacy for education over the years, including the advocacy for stopping the school closures right now.
We thank you and appreciate that. It is imperative the Council act immediately to pass these bills, save 340 school-based positions, and keep district educators assured that their positions and school locations will be intact next year. I'm afraid, if we do not, we'll exacerbate the teacher shortage and incentivize educators to leave the system and kids, which will then, of course, affect the funding we receive. Our kids are more than worth this. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Please begin. Say your name, and please begin.
Hello. My name is Elena Lin. I am a constituent of Councilperson Cindy Bass in the 8th District. I am also a proud parent at Lingelbach, which is a K-8 school in Germantown. I have a 3rd grader and a rising kindergartner who will join next fall. I'm also an educator who was inspired by my own dedicated public-school teachers. I was raised by a low-income single mom in unstable housing, and my life was saved by public schools and other public services. I am here to support the rideshare and cell phone tower tax. I recognize the burden that these taxes could put on the lives of Philly residents who need to supplement our inadequate public transit system. But removing caring adults from schools burdens the very same people. I feel strongly that Philly must invest in our young people by providing stable schools. We heard from a representative from Lyft today who expressed concern about the low-income residents in Philadelphia. So I would welcome and encourage them to absorb the tax, as they can afford to do. We, in District 8, stand to lose a number of teachers and support staff, and Lingelbach could be considered lucky to only face one teacher being moved. But the story of this one teacher shows how important every single caring adult is. He is our beloved first grade teacher, the only black male teacher in the entire school of a majority black school. His own children attend our school, and as one parent said, this is her only --
But that's a shame in itself, just to highlight like that for the record.
Yes. It's her son's only chance to be taught by a black male teacher. So I just want to say we should not see these taxes as costs. Investing in our schools and providing students with stable schools, caring adults who are there year after year, that is how young people learn, and we know this. Also, this sends the message to our kids that we care about them. When they attend schools where they lose their teachers and their buildings are inadequate, they receive the message that their community does not care for them. So, please, I urge Council to show our young people that we do care by passing this tax and searching for more funding. Their future is our future. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Jonathan Hoffmeier. I'm here to speak to support Bill 260208 and identify investments directly to what's happening in our schools. The proposed rideshare tax is a smart local solution that asks those who benefit from our city's infrastructure to help invest in the future of our students. This is not just about closing a budget gap; it's about protecting opportunities, programs, and communities. But funding alone is not enough if we turn around and approve a facilities plan that repurposes the very schools that we're trying to support. When we approve to fund schools, we should not be closing successful schools and supportive programs that work. So the question becomes, why invest in education with one hand and dismantle with the other? If we pass this tax, we must also commit to keeping schools like Lankenau on Robeson open because real investment means stability, it means consistency, it means believing that our students deserve both resources and a place to learn, grow, and lead. We should be aligning policy with purpose. Fund our schools and protect our schools. Thank you.
Hello. My name is Sarah Bradley. I'm a student at CCP, a mother, and a full-time worker. I'm here to speak on the taxes. I believe that we pay enough, but if we're going to push package delivery and other taxes, we need to make sure the money goes back to the city, to our students, to a tuition drop, Zero Fare program. I'm tired of us paying taxes, and it never going back to the people who need it most. The city -- the city needs help funding our schools, transportation, and safety. I plead with you today, if you're truly going to tax, to be bringing it back to the community. I'm all with it. But please listen to what we are saying and what we are asking for with these taxes so that we can keep pushing for a city and a better future. Thank you.
Hi. I'm Shirlee Howe. I work at Children First, and I also live at 309 Bryn Mawr Ave, Bala Cynwyd, three blocks from the City Avenue corridor. I'm here today in support of the rideshare fee, Bill No. 260208. I represent a community inextricably linked to the success of the city of Philadelphia, where rideshare services are widely used. Let us do our share to support the Philadelphia Public Schools, where our friends and neighbors send their children. They deserve the very best, and it's our obligation to help deliver it. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Margaret Durkin. I'm the Mid-Atlantic Executive Director for TechNet, a Tech Trade Association. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity today to share our concerns on the dollar rideshare tax and the $0.25 delivery fee. I submitted written remarks for the records, and similar to prior speakers, we are concerned both about the rideshare tax as well as the delivery fee. Due to its unintended consequences of driving up prices for consumers, we believe that the rideshare tax will prevent people from using rideshares to get to work, the doctor, or other places, usually inaccessible without a TNC. On delivery, we are concerned about mixed baskets, specifically if an exempt item is mixed with a non-exempt item and how that tax will work. Our neighbors in states such as Maryland, New York State, and New York City, as well as Virginia, have rejected similar delivery proposals. Happy to take any questions, and thank you.
Next, we have Miles Owen, Jigar Mehta, Rachel Garnic, Steven Broski, Alexander Malone and Eden McDougall.
State your name for the record, and please begin.
Good afternoon. My name is Miles Owen. I'm a resident of Brewerytown and District 5, a regular user of our roads and transit systems, and I work as a city and infrastructure planner. I'm here today on behalf of Transit Forward Philadelphia to speak in support of the package delivery fee for two reasons. First, speaking to my background as a city planner. Since 2019, the numbers of packages delivered throughout the United States has increased from 15.6 to 24.6 billion. Assuming the size of this increase of nearly 10 billion packages throughout the US is the same in Philadelphia, that means the number of package deliveries in Philly has increased by over 60 percent in just a few years. This means thousands more heavy trucks on our roads every day, which destroy pavement and cause congestion when double parked in our neighborhoods. Requiring these companies to pay just a little more for the damage they cause makes sense to me. And secondly, speaking less about the direct impacts on our road's infrastructure and more as somebody who loves shopping at local Philadelphia businesses, each package delivered was not purchased in person at a small business here in Philly. This fee won't reverse the massive increase in e-commerce, but it will create a small incentive to support our local businesses over billionaires and massive multinational corporations. Thank you.
Thank you, Council President Johnson and City Council. My name is Jigar Mehta. I'm talking on behalf of the rideshare tax. My biggest concern about the rideshare tax, I think it should go up to a thousand per delivery if it's a robot. That is what I'm worried about. That is what I lose sleep over because this is the direction it's going. We're going to -- we are already seeing it. We're already seeing, in our city, they're testing in our city. There's going to be robots that are going to be driving people around. We don't have to worry about Uber taxes anymore. No one is going to have a job. So I would strongly encourage that there's an amendment to say, like, whatever the tax needs to be for the current situation, but let's make sure we add a robot tax for a thousand dollars per delivery, whatever it needs to be. And another thing, I do want to thank City Council because on March 25th, the Law Department thanked all of you for eliminating the BIRT exemption. That BIRT exemption raised taxes on Philadelphians across the board; individuals and sole proprietors. What they didn't say is that, before you made that decision, in good faith, City Council was working with lawyers, the two top lawyers in our city at Stradley Ronon and Ballard Spahr, to find a solution. And by November 20th, we found a solution to exempt individuals and sole proprietors, thank you, Councilman Driscoll, for introducing that bill. Also, I want to make sure we thank the city council members, City Councilmember Squilla, City Councilmember Brooks for their policy expertise. I want to thank City Council Members -- apologies, Harrity, Lozada, O'Neill, O'Rourke, Phillips, Young, for sponsoring the bill. We have nine votes. Also want to thank Councilmember Gilmore-Richardson. She may not know it, it's because of her connections. A lot of the people that are engaged in this entire process is because of her connections. I want to thank Councilman -- Member Gauthier, and especially Councilmember Thomas, who at the point when no one else was raising the alarms, he was. So overall in good faith, I want to say everybody in city council worked to find a solution before they voted to eliminate the exemption. And it's important to make that fact. And on the same day that you were thanked by the Law Department for getting rid of the exemption for the 100,000 BIRT exemption, they also said this law was constitutional publicly. Publicly they stated it was constitutional. So thank you City Council. What we're asking now is in good faith the work was done and now in faith we -- we're asking for action to bring a vote. Thank you, sir.
Good afternoon. My name is Rachel Garnick. I'm here representing Teach Plus Pennsylvania in support of the bills. I'm also a proud resident of District 1. I am a former 1st Grade teacher, so I'm here today to testify from that perspective. I have sat on the floor with 1st Graders learning to read. I watched the moment happen when things clicked for them. And I see what happens when a child doesn't get there in time. Research tells us that a child who can't read proficiently by 3rd Grade is four times more likely to drop out of school. And right now 83 percent of Philadelphia 4th Graders are not reading proficiently. That is a crisis of literacy and their teachers are the single most powerful factor in changing that. And Philadelphia is about to lay off 340 of those teachers. A $1 rideshare fee and a cell phone tower fee would generate $48 million annually, go directly to Philly Public Schools and save those 340 positions. Uber and Lyft can afford it. Philly asks less than New York. We're asking less than Chicago, we're asking less than DC. So please vote yes on both bills, ideally before May and before budgets are finalized and pink slips go out. Our students cannot wait and our teachers deserve protection. Thank you.
Okay. My name's Eden MacDougall. I'm a District 2 resident, and I teach in District 8. I ride SEPTA every day and I also cycle frequently. I support increasing funding for SEPTA in general and also specific initiatives like Zero Fare. I have a friend in Baltimore who struggles financially, and on top of having to pay rent and bills, they also have to pay for the bus to get to work and it makes it really hard for them because there's no reduced fare or zero fare for low income people in Baltimore. So we're really lucky to have this program in Philadelphia. We should preserve it and make it permanent, which can be done with funds from the package delivery tax. We should also keep funding Vision Zero. I don't want to get hit biking home because someone just really, really, really needed to park in the bike lane. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Chair and members of City Council. My name is Alex Malone. I live in the 2nd district. I'm here on behalf of Fiscal Advocacy as the transit committee co-chair. We at Fiscal Advocacy urge you to fully fund and expand the Zero Fare transit program, which benefits Philadelphians living below the poverty line. For residents with the least financial stability, even the cost of a daily fair can be a barrier to basic mobility that many take for granted. Zero Fare removes that barrier. It allows people to get to work, attend to medical appointments, access groceries, and stay connected to their communities without having to choose between transit costs and other basic needs. Investing in Zero Fare is an investment in low income Philadelphians. It puts money back into the pockets of residents who are struggling the most, reducing financial pressure and expanding access to economic opportunity while simultaneously supporting SEPTA. We also recognize that funding this program requires dedicated revenue. To accomplish this, Fiscal Square supports the mayor's proposed funding plan, including measures such as a package delivery tax, as a practical way to sustainably fund this program going forward. However, we do oppose the use of those funds for the paying of parking tickets, which would be a gross misallocation of very limited funds. City Council has the opportunity here and now to sustainably support a program that is already working to support both our people and our transit system simultaneously. We at Fiscal Advocacy urge you to make Zero Fare permanently funded program and to expand it to serve every eligible Philadelphian living below the poverty line. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Stephen Bronskill. I'm the coalition manager for Transit Forward Philly. Thank you, Council President, Council, all the incredible advocates, and community leaders speaking up for their communities and schools today. I want to talk about the incredible opportunity we have through the package delivery tax and the funds for transportation projects here in Philadelphia. As some of my colleagues have shared, we have a remarkable opportunity through the Mayor's proposed budget to fund Zero Fare this year and into the future. This is a moment -- we talk with a lot of transit riders at SEPTA platforms. We are a very big diverse community. We may not all look the same or travel the same, but we all have somewhere to go. If you make minimum wage here in Philly, in Pennsylvania, you make 7.25 an hour. If you're tapping SEPTA both ways, that's 5.80. It's 48 minutes on the job. If you are a transit rider who has a physical disability, use the wheelchair, an access ride, it can cost almost $12 round trip to the grocery store or to the doctor. If you're a student, and thank you Councilmember Landau for speaking up on this, if you're trying to get to an afterschool activity, a summer program or work on the weekends, your student fare card doesn't go far enough. We believe that we have an incredible opportunity to invest in these programs, programs that even Dallas has. We can't let Dallas beat us at anything. Philly deserves great schools, it deserves great transit. We can fund those through this budget. Thank you for your time.
Next we have Allegra Dingle, Janice Tosto, Kevin Burgess, Zaina Cahill, Vidula Joshi, and Larry Bomback.
Okay. Hi, my name is Allegra Dingle, and I'm a transit advocate here on behalf of Transit Forward Philadelphia. I recognize the majority of the discussion today has been related to the rideshare tax, but I would like to share my thoughts on the package delivery tax funding, public transportation. I am personally so privileged to be surrounded by transit by way of the trolley, the MFL, and the bus. But there are so many residents in southwest Philadelphia who I represent that still must rely on cars because transit is either inaccessible, unreliable, or too expensive for them. A fully funded transit system would make mass transit a more attractive option for Philadelphians and funding raised with a package delivery tax should expand transit access equity. The package delivery tax would truly benefit seniors and low income riders. The recipients of programs like Zero Fare at the Transit Access Fund, Student Fare, and other transit equity initiatives. Equity starts with getting where you need to go. Thank you.
My -- good afternoon. My name is Vadula Joshi, and I'm a resident of Council District 3. I'm also a former corporate employee of Lyft, a company that is lobbying against the new rideshare tax proposals that have the potential to be hugely beneficial for Philadelphians. I support the rideshare and retail tax proposals. Philly desperately needs improvements to local infrastructure, public services, and quality of life to get it to a minimal level of respectability. It's frankly embarrassing that in the richest country in the world, in one of the biggest cities in the country, we have to close public schools due to lack of funding. Our streets are crumbling and our transit is sparse. I commend Mayor Parker for taking action to put more money towards our severely underfunded schools and fix our crumbling infrastructure. However, as written, the tax proposals allow the large tech companies to pass the cost of the tax down to already struggling consumers. I urge you to ensure that this tax is progressive, meaning the mega rich corporations themselves are on the hook for it. As a former tech employee, I've seen firsthand how rich these companies who essentially operate in an oligopoly truly are. The fact that they fight tooth and nail when asked to minimally contribute to the communities that enrich them is frankly embarrassing. I want to live in a city that's healthy and safe. I want our kids in schools and our infrastructure fixed. The city budget needs to include deep investments in the most marginalized communities in Philadelphia, and we do that by making sure the rich pay their fair share. The tech companies need us more than we need them. I urge you to have the political courage to act in favor of working Philadelphians. Thank you.
Hi. My name is Kevin Burgess, and I'm a resident of South Philly and I'm here to speak in support of the rideshare fee. It's important to remember why we're here. Harrisburg has underfunded Philly public schools for years, and while there's been progress, the district is still owed almost $1 billion. So now we find ourselves once again in a make or break moment for Philly public schools and the 898,000 students they serve. If the district's deficit is not addressed, 340 teachers, counselors, and support staff will lose their jobs directly harming Philly kids' education. Let us also remember rideshare companies earn billions each year. They can afford to cover the cost of the fee. Furthermore, we've heard from the rideshare companies about how the proposed fee would allegedly hurt drivers. However, I think it's -- it is these very companies that have actively fought efforts to increase driver pay and extend drivers' labor protections. So their concerns now can't help but ring false to my ears. As the council debates this policy, let's remember what this is really about. Stepping up for Philly's kids that have -- that are already asked to learn with -- learn with less than they deserve. In conclusion, our kids are worth it. Rideshare companies can afford it. Please support this proposed investment. Thank you for your time.
Good afternoon. My name is Zaina Cahill. I live in Council District 1, and I am a Lyft and Uber rider, an education advocate and the parent of a child soon to enter into the school district of Philadelphia. I'm speaking in support of the rideshare fee and cell phone tower tax, and I'm here today to urge City Council to support the mayor's proposal to provide $50.4 million for the school district of Philadelphia to prevent cuts to permanently assign school staff in the 2026 and 2027 school year. This funding would help protect 340 teachers, counselors, climate staff, and other school- based positions that students and families rely on every single day. The rideshare fee is an investment in Philadelphia's 198,000 public school students. rideshare companies have the option to absorb this $1 per ride cost rather than pass this fee onto their consumers, with Lyft and Uber collectively valued at over $65 billion. They can afford to pay this fee and contribute to the funding of education for the communities that they serve. Philadelphia is asking less than comparable major cities who have already passed these fees like New York, Chicago, and DC. The revenue is legally designated for the school district, and the fund raised from the fee will go directly to Philly Public Schools, not the general fund, immediately benefiting our city students. We're counting on City Council. If Council fails to pass this measure, 340 school staff will lose their jobs and Philly students and their families will lose out on critical education resources. I urge you to oppose any reductions to school funding and support new revenue solutions, including the proposed rideshare fee to ensure schools have the resources they need. Our students deserve safe, supportive, and well-resourced learning environments. Thank you.
Good afternoon. Larry Bomback -- Good afternoon. My name is Larry Bomback. I'm a CFO, a small business owner, and a parent of two children in Philadelphia public schools. I'm also an Uber One member and I fully support the proposed Uber tax because it's a practical, fair way to invest in our city's future. Uber is a convenience, public education is a necessity. Families in my Northern Liberty's neighborhood leave for the suburbs when their kids reach school age because they don't believe Philadelphia prioritizes basic school conditions. And when they leave, we lose tax revenue and local spending. Uber is a convenience, public education is a necessity. Uber has the scale and pricing power to absorb a modest local tax. And if it made good on its threats and chose to leave the city, I'm sure another entrant would step up, fill the void and pay the tax because there are simply too many people in this city that want to use the service. Uber is a convenience, public education is a necessity. Thanks to Philadelphia's affordable and acceptable -- and accessible public transportation system, there are always other options to get from point A to point B. If we do not vote yes on Mayor Parker's proposal, we have effectively chosen to continue subsidizing a $200 billion company based in San Francisco over our own Philadelphia kids. I urge you to support this measure.
Next we have Madeline Johnson, Sarin Talk, Lillian Dunn, Margaret Di Santo, Jean Stewart, and Stacy Holland.
Madeline Johns -- okay. Hello. My name is Madeline Johns, and I'm here with Transit Forward Philadelphia advocating for a taxation -- for the taxation of package delivery in Philadelphia to go towards funding public transportation initiatives and expanding the current SEPTA student program. Being a university student, I am -- I utilize public transportation to advance myself academically and professionally. I travel around the city to attend class field trips, lectures at other universities, and for social activities. I enjoy being a college student in Philadelphia, a city that is rich in history and community opportunities for students. I try to spend Sundays -- weekend exploring new -- exploring something new in the city, a new neighborhood, museum or restaurant. To do this and to attend my internship and classes during the week, I utilized SEPTA's public transportation system. As a university student, I have access to the SEPTA UPass program, which allows me to travel around the city for free with up to 240 rides per month. School student -- school students in grade 7 through 12 should have the same ability to access opportunities in Philadelphia. As an intern with Transit Forward Philadelphia, I have been working to research connects and advocate for universal student affairs to make public transportation more accessible and equitable for all Philadelphia students. The current SEPTA student fare program limits students' mobility and places financial burdens on their families to transport their children around the city. Middle and high school students in Philadelphia deserve the freedom of mobility and access to opportunities that will help build their futures. Unfortunately, the current SEPTA student fare program does not go far enough for students. Students who live less than 1.5 miles from their school, who have jobs after school, enrichment activities on the weekend, or programs over the summer, are unable to use their SEPTA student passes to reach them. I am asking you to consider using the taxation of package delivery in Philadelphia to fund public transportation and expand the student fare program in Philadelphia so that students have mobility to access growth and community opportunities in their city. Thank you for your time.
Good afternoon, City Council President and members of Council. My name is Margaret Di Santo. I'm a 3rd District resident and a advocate for children and families with Children First. I also serve as a committee person in the third ward in 6th Division. I am the education chair of the Cobbs Creek Community Educational Environmental Center. My children are proud graduates of the Philadelphia School District. I currently have grandchildren in the Philadelphia School District. I am here today with a clear ask to support at minimum the mayor's proposed 50.4 million investment in the school district of Philadelphia to prevent harmful cuts in 2026 and 2027 school year. Let's be clear, we're at a moment of urgency, and our response must match the reality. For years, our schools have been underfunded and our children have suffered and carried the burden of the disinvestment. A court has already provided information about what families have long known. Our schools have not been funded adequately or appropriately. The Commonwealth has begun to respond. The city must do its part. The city is the decision- maker and their choices will determine whether our schools stabilize or continue to struggle. Thank you.
Hello. I'm Janine Stewart, a mental health therapist in private practice here in Center City. I'm so glad that Mayor Parker is attempting to fund the Philadelphia schools with the rideshare tax. Educating our youth is an ethical duty we all share as adults. However, a regressive tax, like the $1 rideshare tax, if it's paid by the people, not the companies such as Uber and Lyft or the new version of the BIRT Tax passed last summer is not the answer. These regressive tax measures are poised to cause a mass exodus of single owner LLCs and sole proprietors fleeing the city ultimately depleting the tax base. I am one of those sole proprietors. Due to the removal of the exemption on the first 100K on the BIRT, my total tax bill was at least 8K more -- $8,0000 more than anticipated this year. This is a devastating blow that eats into funds for rent, vacations, food, leaving me vulnerable to burnout. And everyone else in my field the same. Looking at future tax bills consistently 60 percent higher than they were last year, I am seriously considering moving my practice outside of Philly. I don't know how I'll afford to stay in my home. Financial pressure among Philadelphians is at a fever pitch. The clients I see who already struggle with depression, anxiety, and the impacts of trauma often tell me they feel increasingly demoralized amid rising costs. But it's more than that. Clients and therapists feel demoralized by the decisions of our leaders, from the president to the CEOs to our state and local leaders, which often indicate that those in power aren't willing to address the crucial issue of our day, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Many therapists I've spoken to describe the BIRT tax change as heartbreaking, crushing, and absurd. Others aren't sure how they'll stay. Under very tight budgets with health insurance premiums having already increased and prices having risen nine percent cumulatively over the past three years, rent money is extremely tight. People must not be priced out of the city they work tirelessly to support, nor should the food truck drivers or the Uber and Lyft drivers who make everyday run more smoothly. The burden of funding the schools and the city's infrastructure must be shouldered by the corporations that make a profit, not by the individuals whose livelihoods will be destroyed by getting gouged.
Thank you very much. Please state your name, please begin.
I'm Lillian Dunn. I'm a licensed clinical social worker. I'm a therapist in private practice. Like Janine, I'm here to support the rideshare tax if being paid by the corporations, not by the riders, instead of burdening working people like the BIRT does after the exemption elimination. The removal of the BIRT exemption is disproportionately impacting mental health practitioners in private practice. About half of our field of mental health practitioners in this city are private practitioners making under $100,000 in sole proprietors. Private practice psychotherapists like me offer an essential service to our city's economy. We stabilize working people, prevent crises from worsening and keep people in their jobs and in their families. And today about percent of adult 13 Americans suffer from some sort of 14 mental illness. Recent research 15 has shown that untreated mental 16 illness among Americans, namely 17 workers, cost the U.S. economy 18 about $282 billion a year. 19 The BIRT tax exemption 20 removal has raised the taxes on my small business by a factor of six. BIRT has made me and every colleague of mine in a similar position I've spoken to seriously consider moving our businesses out of the city. And where we go, our local expertise goes. Our ability to see people in-person where they live and work, refer them to local networks for the kinds of proactive care that prevents mental health crises from happening or worsening. Look around, it's 2026, you do not want to lose half of the mental health field in this city due to a misguided tax exemption removal. Reform BIRT and keep mental health workers in this city to keep Philadelphia thriving. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. Just state your name for the record, Stacy.
Yes. My name is Dr. Stacy Holland. Thank you so much to Council President and members of Council for allowing me to testify today. I am the executive director of Elevate 215, which is dedicated to improving the quality of schools throughout Philadelphia. But I'm here today to implore you to support the rideshare and cell phone tower tax, which would protect 340 school- based jobs, and more importantly add reoccurring revenue to our SDP system, which educates over 198,000 children. Today, Elevate has invested millions in almost 31K to 12 schools, and we can attest that the staff are the magic. They lead academic progress, which is about consistency. The staff provide relationships. The staff are trustworthy. Parents, kids and each other -- they depend on each other. We have to make sure that that staff is supported and that they are protected because they are the heart of our school community and they are the reason why our children can thrive. Reoccurring revenue would allow SDP to keep the necessary staff and therefore provide consistency. Underfunding is not abstract. It means schools are struggling to provide students with individualized attention, mental health supports and academic intervention. The conversation before us is the right one simply because it is the truth. If we want different outcomes for students, we have to be willing to make different choices. I am here to ask you, implore you to improve the rideshare tax and cell phone tax and continue this conversation, the focus and urgency with the students for the students because they deserve it. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Ms. Loughead, please call the next panel.
Next we have Sue Hoffman, Kate Fox, April Brown, Dr. Robin Cooper, Bianca Reyes, and Dr. Toni Damon.
State your name for the record and please begin your testimony.
Hello, my name is Sue Hoffman. I'm a member of POWER Interfaith in Congregation Mishkan Shalom in Manayunk Council District 4, but many of our congregants live in Mount Airy in Germantown and Councilmember Cindy Bass's District 8. I'm speaking today because the budget is a moral document and we at POWER are glad to see the city tap new funding sources because we're going to need them. But we're concerned that those new taxes and along with existing taxes shouldn't fall primarily on everyday Philadelphians, especially the lowest income Philadelphians who are renters. There's an affordability crisis in our city, which I know and Katherine Gilmore-Richardson knows. When I used to run the Women in Nontraditional Careers program at Philadelphia Works, we saw that women wanted to go to training, wanted to better their lives and get into the building trades, but they couldn't afford lunch, they couldn't afford transportation, they couldn't afford childcare. We don't want new taxes that make the affordability crisis worse. And POWER's affordability report shows that low income renters already bear the biggest burden from sales tax and from landlords passing through property taxes. I urged City Council to create a long-term tax plan that makes sure our city is funded but in a moral and fair way. Taxes shouldn't go up for Philadelphians who are already struggling. Those who can afford it should pay their fair share. POWER Interfaith looks forward to shaping that future with you.
Good afternoon. My name is April Brown. I am the proud principal of Finletter Elementary School, located in the Olney section of Philadelphia. I am here today to speak not just about numbers on the spreadsheet, but about the real impact of the budget cuts on children, families, and educators, and ultimately about the district's equity promise to cultivate prosperity and liberation for our students and staff. The school district's equity statement explicitly commits to prioritizing historically marginalized populations by removing barriers and increasing access. Yet the proposed budget reductions for Finletter, which includes losing five teachers, a counselor, and two climate staff do the exact opposite. These cuts don't remove barriers, they build them. Finletter serves one of the highest concentration of students with complex needs in Philadelphia, including 10 autistic support classrooms. According to the Office of Specialized Services, we are legally and morally bound to provide a free and appropriate public education. However, when we strip a school of its staff, we are not increasing inclusion, we are isolating our most vulnerable populations and our learners. We are placing students and educators in an impossible environment where the shared culture of social responsibility the district's claim to value is sacrificed for a bottom line. True organizational accountability means that when the district promises to build trusting relationships, it must protect the very people who form those bonds. Each educator lost is a broken bridge for a child who relies on consistency to feel safe and to learn. When we reduce staff in high needs buildings, class sizes swell and individualized attention vanishes. We are asking fewer adults to meet greater needs. That is not equity and is certainly not liberation. It is the continued marginalization of a community that has already been told to do more with less for fall too long. Our students deserve safe, supportive, and well-resourced classrooms. They deserve the prosperity the district has put in writing. I urge city council and the district leadership to continue to move beyond the rhetoric of equity and into the practice of it. Protect the resources that our students depend on. If you are committed to removing barriers, start by removing the threat of these budget cuts. Pass the rideshare tax. Thank you for your time and your accountability to the students and families of Philadelphia. Please don't just publish equity statements, fund them.
Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Toni Damon, and I am the principal of Middle Years Alternative, also known as MYA. I am here today representing staff, students, families, and my colleagues, many of which who could not be here to speak for themselves. As someone born, raised, and educated here in Philadelphia, returning home to serve and educate the next generation was an easy decision. What is not easy is doing this work without the funding and support our school's need and deserve. For many years, large corporations have been allowed to operate in our city while avoiding their fair share of taxes. Meanwhile, educators, students, and families were left advocating for basic resources required to provide quality education so that our young people could one day fill these very jobs these companies promise to bring. Instead, we continue to see repeated budget cuts. The data is clear what happens when young people are not adequately prepared for their future. Since I've joined the District in 2012, we have experienced cycles of closures and funding reductions, and now here we are again in 2026 seeing the same thing. At MYA alone, we have lost a special education teacher, a climate manager, and two climate staff members, critical positions that district -- that directly support safe and effective learning environments. We now have an opportunity before us, a rideshare tax that could restore essential positions, not only at MYA, but across the school citywide. This should be a straightforward decision. Instead, these companies are choosing to avoid responsibility, shifting the burden onto working class drivers and riders while our schools fight for survival. I urge you not only allow large corporations to dictate the future of our children, do not accept cuts that will have lasting consequences on their lives and opportunities. Please pass the rideshare tax. Hold these companies accountable and most importantly, invest in our schools. Thank you.
Good afternoon, all. I am asking for you to support Number 260208 --
Please state your name for the record. We know who you are, but you have to state your name for the record. Thank you.
Sorry. I am Dr. Robin Cooper, President and Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 502 Commonwealth Association of School Administrators. I am asking for support for Bill No. 11 260208 for rideshare, and 260205 for cell phone tower tax. We talk about the village and I'm looking at the village that's all around. A lot of folks in this room have always supported public education and I sincerely thank you for it. I'm just urging you to please support this tax because our time is not done. You know, we often talk about public education and what we're doing, and we are working as a village. We are a part of that village. You are a part of that village. So when folks say increase attendance, we did. They said reduce suspensions, we did. They said make the school safer, we did. But we did that with money. We did that with the necessary resources. We did that because the city stepped up. We did that because the state stepped up. I have a real problem with the Billionaire Boys Club where they could just put out a bully and threaten a newspaper and say, we'll just pass this tax on to the riders. So that's done as a distraction. I have a further problem when we hide from the bullying as opposed to addressing it head on. This tax does not have to be given to any rider anywhere, ever. So we take and we talk about public education, we cannot cave to the Billionaires Boys Club because they are saying, hey, you know, we're going to just pass it. I think our children are important. I think that we are doing the job. I think we all are part of the community, the village, and we know what we can do when we all come together. Dr. Martin Luther King said, the time is always right to do what's right. Supporting the rideshare tax, supporting the cell tower tax is the right thing to do. And all we ask is, what will we be remembered for when we go into the history books? Will we have protected our most vulnerable population? And that's our students. I am speaking as a former public school student of Philadelphia. All I know is Philadelphia. If I could sit here, so can someone else. Please support the rideshare tax. Thank you so much for your time.
Next we have Tisha Dunn, Christie Parfitt, Dr. Ismail Alraham Lamar, Keith Arrington, Brian Johnson, Michael Roth, and Nichole Willoughby.
Good afternoon, everyone. I am Tisha Dunn, the proud principal of S. Weir Mitchell School, a K to 8 school located in southwest Philadelphia. Due to this budget cut, we have lost seven teachers. Our K to 4 grades used to have two teacher -- well, they currently have two teachers per grade. With this budget cut next year, we will have one teacher per grade for K to 4, the most fundamental years. And that means going from an average of to scholars per class to an average of 27. Our middle school program that we work so hard to develop with Ford's expert teachers in Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies will be reduced to two teachers that will be requiring one teacher to know Math and Science and administer and implement a curriculum for both topics. We've worked so hard to develop our teachers. If I had mentioned my school is the home of the heroes, meaning we have respect, engage, and be responsible, rise to the challenge and own our actions. With these budget cuts, we are now in need of heroes. We are in the midst of a crisis that's starting to feel like we are entering into the Marvel's end game where we are fighting for our future, a fight that we cannot fight by ourselves. Our Mayor stated that her office is working to bring back jobs and opportunities to this city. Our scholars deserve to be competitors. We deserve, in Philadelphia, to raise our own children to become Philadelphia's future. City Council, you are the heroes that we need. You are our Ironman, our Spider-Man, our Hulk, our Captain Marvel, and we are asking you to assemble. We start -- we support this rideshare tax where we could start $1. We are worth $1. This rideshare tax can reshape our reality of our need for better school; $1, one snap.
Good afternoon. My name is Christie Parfitt. I'm the proud principal of Jay Cooke Elementary School in the Logan section of Philadelphia. Throughout my time as the principal at Cooke, I have seen the dedication and hard work of the staff, scholars, and community members. Since the pandemic, Cooke has demonstrated remarkable resilience with recent data highlighting a strong upward trajectory in both school culture and academic growth. The study improvement in our data is a direct result of having the right tools, a reliable team, and a clear plan of action. The investment in resources for our school has paved the way for our team to effectively make an impact in the school community. As the 26-27 school year approaches, there is great concern that losing vital resources will stall the progress that we have worked so hard to achieve. As a result of the budget cuts, Jay Cooke is seeing a decrease in about $1.4 million alone at our school. This equates to one assistant principal, five teachers, one climate liaison, and five student climate staff. The budget cuts not only reduce our staff significantly, it reduces the access our scholars have and deserve. Across the city, there are several schools grappling with severe budget cuts and shortfalls that have forced the elimination of essential staff roles and academic programs. Backing a dedicated tax on rideshare services offers a practical and sustainable solution to provide immediate relief to these struggling schools. This targeted funding ensures that the burden of municipal deficits does not fall on the shoulders of the students. It allows schools to maintain important resources, programming and staffing levels necessary for a safe, high quality learning environment. Supporting such a measure is a direct investment in the long-term stability of the community and the success of the next generation.
Thank you. Next. State your name for the record, please.
Good afternoon, City Councilmembers. My name is Nichole Willoughby, and I serve as Principal and Learning Network Aide at Potter-Thomas School. Budget cuts aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. They're the faces of the people who make our school function. Potter-Thomas is losing five critical positions, a reading interventionist, a Math interventionist. They're the very people who help struggling students catch up to grade level. An ESOL teacher leaving our English language learners without the specialized support that they deserve. A kindergarten teacher, forcing our most vulnerable learners into overcrowding classrooms. A dean of students who is essential for maintaining positive school culture. Without these roles, class size increases, targeted interventions disappear. Our English language learners lose essential language support and our youngest students, our most vulnerable students, our kindergartners lose the strong start that they deserve. The rideshare tax is a necessary intervention. It provides a clear, sustainable path to restoring these five positions and ensuring that my students aren't defined by what they've lost, but by what they can achieve. Thank you.
Hi. Hi. My name is Michael Roth, a proud principal of Olney High School. We're going to be losing members 10 of our staff this year. I could 11 talk about what that's going to do 12 to our progress, but I want to tell 13 you something else instead. This 14 morning I received a call from a 15 parent. Last school year, two of 16 our Olney students were killed in 17 separate shootings. This morning I received a call from the mother of one of those young men. She called me because one of our counselors, unbeknownst to me, had reached out to this parent earlier this year. Counselor Donahue informed the parents that since their son would've graduated this year, the Olney High School team wanted to recognize their son at our graduation ceremony and present a member of his family with his diploma. The young man's mom called just to go over some of the details with me and tell me how grateful she was that the school thought of this honor. The parent and I also talked for a bit reflecting on her son and talked about some of her son's Olney friends. I could tell that this conversation in the moment to talk about her lost son meant a lot. I could also hear in her voice how the chance to have her son recognized that the Olney graduation was extremely important and came as a pleasant surprise to her. This invite and thoughtful action was initiated by Counselor Donahue. Counselor Donahue is one of the staff members losing her position to these budget cuts, along with another counselor who is from the neighborhood and served Olney for years. We're also 8 losing an assistant principal, a 9 climate manager, and two climate 10 staff members who grew up in the Olney neighborhood and want to serve their community. We'll be losing 11 teachers, eight of whom have been with us all four years of the turnaround. I won't say the end, but please pass this rideshare tax. We need the funds to keep our schools moving in the right direction. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Brian Johnson, Principal of John Bartram High School. Very thankful, Mike, that I haven't had to go through something like that recently. The last two years, we have not lost any students at our school due to their staff at the school, which is a huge thing as a comprehensive high school in southwest Philadelphia, District 2. Our school serves as a true anchor for our students and families. We're facing a loss of two teachers, one administrator, and two climate staff. In addition, three additional climate staff. Rather than lose the positions, I had to reduce their hours from seven hours down to six hours. These are not just positions. They're trusted adults who know our students, support our families, and help maintain a safe, stable learning environment. I've seen this before. As a principal of Tilden Middle School, during a period of significant staff reductions, I watched the social and emotional health of students suffer as trusted adults disappeared almost overnight. We cannot allow that to happen again. The proposed $1 rideshare tax will allow us to keep all the positions, maintain full hours for our staff. It will preserve the relationships and consistency our students rely on every single day. I urge you to protect this investment in our school community. Our students in southwest Philadelphia deserve stability, support, and opportunity. Thank you.
And Bahir Hayes. And if there's anyone else here to testify whose name I have not called, please come to the podium now.
Good afternoon, council members. I'm Principal Hayes from Bryant Elementary School. I stand before you as a proud leader of Bryant, a school rooted in community that has carried more than a share. Bryant is a place where a child was abducted. A place where -- a place that felt the lasting impact of MOVE bombings. A place where just recently a thousand man march moved through the community in response to violence. Our students come to us with some of the highest aces scores and mental health needs in the city. We're located in the top 10 litter zone surrounded by environmental stressors that show up in our classrooms every day. And yet, despite all of that, we are making progress. Not by chance, but because we had the resources to invest in safety and support and the student success. That's why I'm here today in support of the Uber rideshare tax because it represents sustainable local investment in schools like Bryant. With COVID relief funding, Bryant was able to exit state intervention within three years, the earliest possible timeline. Last year, we achieved green status across three years of data: ELA, Math, attendance and suspensions. The progress is not abstract. That progress is people, it's teachers, it's climate staff, it's counselors, it's consistent caring adults showing up every day for our children. And funding streams like the rideshare tax ensure we can sustain those people because when we lose even one teacher, the impact is not temporary, it's a lifelong -- it's lifelong for a child. And when we lose climate staff, we lose the very foundation that keeps our school safe, stable, and supportive. There's a difference between rising to meet a challenge and being forced to operate in a constant state of secrecy -- scarcity. That's not strength, that's burnout. And when burnout sets in, it doesn't just affect staff; it affects students, it affects relationships. It affects the very community we are trying to build and protect. Our students feel that, our families feel that. The Uber rideshare tax helps us change that reality because quite frankly, right now, schools are like a boat taking on water. These funds help us plug those holes. They keep the boat afloat, but it's our staff, our teachers, our climate teams, and our counselors who actually move the boat forward. Without the funding, we're just trying to stay above water. With it, we can build momentum. And we've already shown that's possible when we were already -- we were properly resourced. So this is just not about maintaining, it's about continuing progress for Bryant, for our students, and for our community. Thank you.
Good afternoon, council members. My name is KaTiedra Argro, and I come before you today as a Philadelphia taxpayer, but as a proud product of the school district of Philadelphia and someone who has dedicated my life to it. I'm a proud graduate of Hartranft Elementary, and I'm the proud principal and alum of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, where I have now -- I now have the honor of leading the institution where I once went. For years, I have 14 served in every role, whether it 15 was a middle magnet, charter 16 sector, central office, 17 comprehensive high school at Martin 18 Luther King, John Barry Elementary, 19 which is a neighborhood school. 20 And so across every single one of those experiences, one truth remains constant: our schools need adequate funding to provide what our students are entitled to, not just what we can afford. As a vested educator in any school, in any part of the city, we need your support with the rideshare tax. How can we talk about enrichment, innovation, and opportunity when we are still struggling to fund what is required? For years, the narrative around the school District of Philadelphia has not reflected the brilliance, resilience, and potential of our students or our staff. As city leaders and educators, we have worked tirelessly to change the narrative through intentional climate and culture initiatives, through relationship building, through creating welcoming and affirming environments for our students. We are redefining what it means to attend a Philadelphia public school. But the very positions and supports that drive this transformation: counselors, climate staff, are some of the ones being cut. You cannot change a narrative without investing in the people doing the work. The students of 2026, carrying more than any generation before them. Post pandemic learning gaps, increased mental health, a demand for real world skills, they need more. We are asked -- we are being asked to do more. If we are serious about closing gaps, supporting the whole child, we must ensure that every student has access to these supports. The proposed rideshare tax is not just a policy decision, it is investment in our students. As a high school principal, we have to provide electives 23.5 credits that requires staff and instruction that sparks these students' passion and connection. These classes make sure that every student wants to come to school, we need for them to want to come. If we want to increase graduation rates, decrease dropout rates, then we must invest in the system that make those outcomes possible. Mayor Parker says, one Philly a united city. Dr. Walton speaks of becoming the fastest growing urban school district. Those visions cannot become reality without meaningful investment in our schools. I say this with urgency and with love for this city, we cannot afford to fall short for our students. If you want to be a part of strengthening Philadelphia's future, if you want to stand for equity opportunity and progress, then I urge you to vote yes. Thank you.
Thank you. How do I -- how do I do this? SERGEANT AT ARMS: Go ahead. State your name for the record.
Good afternoon. Sorry. It's my first, I've never done this before. Good afternoon, council members. My name is Galina Novakova, and I am a Philadelphia resident and a rideshare driver as well as a rider. I am here to oppose the Bill 260208 with the proposed $1 rideshare tax. Let me be clear. Philadelphia schools deserve funding. I am a parent myself. I'm a single parent myself. Our children deserve safe schools, teachers, counselors, and resources. But placing another tax on rideshare trips is the wrong way to do it. This tax will hurt every day working people first, not corporations. It will hit seniors going to appointments, workers commuting late at night, families in neighborhoods with limited transit access. Teenagers that go to school in the mornings because it's not safe for them to ride SEPTA. College students and residents who rely on rideshare when SEPTA is delayed, unsafe, or unavailable. The very same residents that use these schools, their children go to these schools. As a driver and a rider, I can also tell you that this affects us, too. When ride -- when rides become more expensive, customer tip less, ride less, or stop using the service altogether; that means fewer trips and less income for drivers that are already struggling with gas, maintenance, insurance, and rising living costs. Many drivers like me are already seeing fewer requests and unstable earnings. We are trying to survive. We should not be a collateral damage in a budget solution. Philadelphia already taxes residents heavily. Instead of taxing transportation access, the city should examine waste mismanagement, existing revenue streams, and fair alternatives that do not burden working class people. Please support schools, but do it without punishing working class people, especially when gas, food, rent, and everything else is expensive. Thank you for your time and have a good day.
Thank you. Thank you very much for your testimony. Are there any further witnesses here to testify whose name has not been called? Seeing none, the Chair now recognizes Councilmember Thomas for a motion that the public hearing and meeting on the bills and resolutions before the committee today stand in recess until Wednesday, April 22nd at 10:00 a.m., in Room 400, City Hall.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that we stand in recess. COUNCIL MEMBERS: Second.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the public hearing and meeting on the bills and resolution before the committee today stand in recess until Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 400, City Hall. All those in favor of the motion will indicate by stating aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. This committee will stand in recess until Wednesday, April 22nd at 10:00 a.m. which -- at which time we will reconvene in Room 400, City Hall. Thank you. (Committee of the Whole meeting concluded at 3:30 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence are contained fully and accurately in the notes taken by me of the above case, and this copy is a correct transcript of the same. _______________ Samanda J. Rios