The Police Commissioner excuses brutalizing crackdowns.

The Mayor slashes city services and gives raises to cops.

The rich and corporations get bailed out.

The rent is due another month.

 

Public accountability is broken.

During a pandemic.

 

Stop the murder and divestment of Black people.

Build a just Philadelphia.

#DefundThePolice | #NoServiceNoCity | #ProtectPhillyRenters | #TaxTheRich | #BlackStimulus | #FloodtheInboxes

During the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders elected city leaders are running the government, including the City’s budget process, online. During this, at every turn, people’s organizing for change has been dismissed and ignored – City Council member’s voicemails are full, public hearings are happening without public testimony, and City Council staffers are filtering emails from petitions out of their inboxes.

When people rallied around the demand to #DefundThePolice in the wake of continued killing of Black people and violent police repression of protestors, we saw an action that can get through to city leaders – personal direct emails from Philly residents on the issues. When we #FloodTheInboxes of city leaders they have to deal with our voices before getting any of other work done.

So below are the email addresses to contact the Mayor, the Managing Director, every Councilmember, and their legislative staff.

Lift up what movement groups in Philly are fighting for right now – defund police, keep city services like libraries and the arts, cancel rent and protect housing rights, raise the money needed from the rich paying their fair share, and implement a Black stimulus. Find out more below about each, and share your own personal story and demands. They can’t filter that.

Email Them All*

Email Them All

City Council Members

City’s Managing Director – Brian Abernathy – brian.abernathy@phila.gov

Mayor of Philadelphia – Jim Kenney – James.kenney@phila.gov

#DefundThePolice

The City of Philadelphia has proposed a $14 million dollar budget increase for the Philadelphia Police Department, at a time when services our city needs are being cut. Demand Philadelphia defund police! No cuts to city services! And also demand they reschedule their canceled budget hearing on the police, open a public testimony segment where we can tell Council directly why we need to #DefundThePolice, and meet with leaders and community to discuss these issues directly with their constituents! More here. 

#ProtectPhillyRenters

No one can maintain their health, focus on educating their children, secure employment, or be a productive member of Philadelphia without stable housing. Philadelphia had a housing crisis before COVID-19, the pandemic has made a bad situation worse. Philadelphia City Council members Brooks, Gym and Gauthier introduced the Emergency Housing Protections Act, which consists of six separate bills that are aimed at protecting Philadelphia renters suffering from financial instability due to the pandemic. Landlords are adamant in stopping provisions of this package like making it illegal to increase rent during the pandemic. Meanwhile the Mayor’s budget plans to slash the fund for affordable housing construction. Council needs to hear from us to pass the bills and protect affordable housing. More here and here.

#NoServiceNoCity

Philadelphians always depend on City workers, but even more so during a crisis of public health and the economy. City workers are the emergency responders and health workers who are currently on the front lines of this crisis. They are the social workers and librarians who help so many navigate applying for benefits and jobs, which will be more essential than ever as we pull our city out of this crisis. They are the people who keep our city safe and moving forward, from sanitation workers to the folks who keep our water clean. City workers are needed more than ever during this public health crisis. More here and here.

#TaxTheRich

The Coronavirus pandemic has created both a public health and fiscal crisis for the City of Philadelphia. The City Controller’s Office reported possible declines in tax revenues between $344 million and $674 million over the next two years. Black and Brown communities in the city have historically been underfunded and most impacted by austerity measures. Now more than ever, our communities need deep investment that support working families- not cuts that reduce city services. In order to do this, the city must explore progressive revenue options. Progressive revenue streams shift the burden from the shoulders of working class Philadelphians and small businesses to the people and institutions with the resources to fund our communities. More here.

#BlackStimulus

A Black stimulus means investing resources back into communities that have been systematically starved of wealth. It means funding the basic necessities that have been withheld from Black communities for generations: affordable housing, quality public education, fair and dignified work, and programs that actually keep us safe. And it means taking inventory of who in this city is paying their fair share, and then pursuing policy changes that address that disparity. More here.

 

*If you are having trouble using the “Email Them All” function, instead copy and paste this list of email addresses. 

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