Have a question about Philly’s neighborhoods or the systems that shape them? PlanPhilly reporters want to hear from you! Ask us a question or send us a story idea you think we should cover.
Litter and illegal dumping have plagued Philly neighborhoods for decades.
Residents and advocates have urged the city to take bolder action to address the problem — and it appears that Mayor Cherelle Parker is serious about doing so.
After once again promising to make Philly the “cleanest and greenest” big city in the country, she told City Council that the single largest new investment in her first proposed operating budget is for cleaning and greening the city.
“We’re not getting the basics right, Philadelphia,” she said. “The Parker Administration and this ‘One Philly’ budget right now says, ‘No more excuses’.”
Here’s what Parker hopes the Council will approve funding for.
More capacity to clean up litter and dumping
Parker’s budget proposal includes more funding for street sweeping, curbside trash pickup, and illegal dumping cleanups. She’s recommending a total new investment for her ‘clean and green’ initiatives of $36 million next fiscal year — and more than $246 million over the next five.
Parker’s plan would expand the Taking Care of Business cleaning program, which funds community-based nonprofits to pay residents to clean up litter and trash along business corridors. In 2019, she sponsored legislation creating the program while a member of City Council.
Her proposed budget would nearly double the number of corridors covered by the program from the current 83 to 140, hire roughly 150 more cleaning ambassadors, and invest nearly $8 million to extend the cleaning to nearby residential streets.
“Right now, my baby is taking big steps,” she said.
Parker also proposed $18 million for a new cleaning program in residential areas, which would include a dedicated cleaning crew for each council district. The idea garnered a standing ovation from members of Council and others who attended the budget address.
