Civil Society/Government/Overview
– A. Benjamin Mannes, The Hill
The truth of the matter is that the City of Philadelphia is so deeply entrenched with the Democratic Party that it's nearly impossible for a Republican or independent to win a district seat on the city council, and there hasn't been a Republican mayor since the signing of the Home Rule Charter in 1952. Two At Large seats are reserved for minority party or independent candidates, and one of those is currently held by the Working Families Party. The consequence of this one party rule has been predictable. Decades of waste and corruption have resulted as city contractors receive sweetheart deals and no-bid contracts while the trade unions and developers cozy up to familiar politicians, bankrolling their campaigns and pet projects in exchange for access, concessions, and contracts.
Despite having one of the highest per capita tax burdens in the nation, Philadelphia's public pensions are facing a $5.3bn shortfall. And with money pouring in from federal, state, and municipal government the Sheriff's Department of Philadelphia somehow managed to "misplace" over $53 million dollars. The streets are a shambles, bridges are crumbling, the city's parks are deteriorating rapidly, and despite politician after politician, union leader after union leader, cop after cop being caught, outed, prosecuted, and punished? There is always a successor in line waiting to fill the void and exploit the power it offers them.
A movement is rising within the city's working class, however. Groups like Philly Socialists, the Working Families Party, Black Lives Matter Philly, and the Philadelphia Tenants Union have rallied behind candidates outside of the political mainstream, seeking to deliver urgently needed change to city hall.