Philly taxpayers are paying public officials big bucks to brag

There’s nothing wrong with putting your money where your mouth is — if you’re actually saying something useful, and if it’s your money.

And yet, here in Philadelphia, the poorest big city in America, our elected officials are blowing millions of our taxpayer dollars on public relations dressed up as public information.

As my Inquirer colleagues Ryan W. Briggs and Sean Collins Walsh reported in the kind of story that should make any hardworking Philadelphian scream, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, members of City Council, and other local officials are spending big bucks on campaign-style billboards, glossy mailers, and all kinds of look-at-me ads.

(I’m just hoping that the Instagram vanity reels — slow-mo montages with dramatic music making it look like public officials are rushing out to save the world rather than, say, moseying on over to a budget hearing — were thrown in for free.)

That doesn’t count the nearly 70 in-house communications staffers spread across the mayor’s office, City Council, and other city agencies, pulling in a combined $5.3 million a year in salaries. The mayor’s office alone is budgeted for a nine-person, $1.1 million communications office, which is about 20% more than under Parker’s predecessor, Jim Kenney.

To her credit, Kenney was barely communicating by the end of his second term, while at her best, Parker, our consoler-in-chief, has often stood out for sharing just the right message in just the right way at just the right time — particularly during some of the city’s lowest moments.

But Parker’s oratorical gifts do not necessarily equate to a transparent administration, especially in City Hall’s day-to-day business.

If you recall, Parker’s administration kicked things off just after being sworn in 17 months ago with a controversial policy requiring every media request, social post, and public comment from city departments to be cleared through the mayor’s office. And, yes, that process has been about as inefficient as it sounds. When it comes to even the most basic information request, the bottleneck remains — City Hall seems to move slower than ever, and remains just as opaque.

So here’s a riddle for you:

How many communications staffers does it take to issue a no comment — the way they’ve done on countless occasions and topics?

One, to ghost you?

Two, to pingpong you back and forth between offices until someone loses a round of “not it”?

How about three, to assure you they’re “working on it” before vanishing into the bureaucratic abyss, only to return with a limp word salad?

The answer often depends on what kind of information a journalist is trying to get on behalf of Philly residents.

Too often, reporters run headfirst into a wall — phone calls ignored, emails left unanswered, interview requests met with canned statements that sound like they were generated by an AI chatbot trained exclusively on “safer, cleaner, greener” political slogans.

And before anyone thinks this is just a self-serving concern, understand that this is not about reporters all up in their feelings about being slighted or ghosted. When elected officials try to avoid speaking with reporters, they are actually trying to avoid being held accountable, thereby avoiding a key part of their responsibilities.

City officials insist they’re just trying to inform the public, many of whom, they argue, don’t even know who represents them. If that’s true, then why send a 48-page glossy brochure titled “An Incredible Year in Council” (cost: $83,000) to some of the most civically engaged voters in one of Council‘s least productive sessions in recent history?

The administration just wants to “tell more stories” about all the “dynamic and positive work going on,” said Parker’s $180,000-a-year spokesperson, Joe Grace, who will soon be assisted by a $110,000-a-year press secretary.

People often have “a negative impression of Council,” said Council President Kenyatta Johnson’s spokesperson, Vincent Thompson, who makes about $125,000 a year. “But when they found out what Council does, their impression became more positive,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Cindy Bass’ office contracted with an outside communications firm in February for $40,000 to help her “enhance brand awareness” and — you guessed it — “secure positive coverage.” That, despite Bass’ office already employing about a dozen staffers, including a community outreach director. (TML Communications has also been contracted by the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, despite that office budgeting for an $75,000-a-year public information officer.) Cha-ching!

Here’s what I’m positive of: These officials don’t so much want communicators as they want cheerleaders.

But if you’re only selling one-sided, feel-good stories about all the great things you’re supposedly doing, it’s not communication. It’s spin.

There’s a difference between sharing good news and staging a performance. Transparency isn’t theater, so drop the act and just do your jobs.