Philly Council slams Trump after federal funding freeze memo causes ‘mass hysteria’ for local leaders | City Council roundup
And lawmakers approved a resolution by Councilmember Rue Landau “condemning President Donald J. Trump for his selection of [an] underqualified cabinet.”
Philadelphia City Council members on Thursday criticized President Donald Trump following a week of chaos for state and local governments as officials responded to the whiplash of the White House attempting to freeze a wide swath of federal spending in a vague memo that was rescinded a day later.
“He started mass hysteria,” Council President Kenyatta Johnson told reporters, adding that he and other city leaders are working “to come up with a strategy and game plan to push back and also to keep people calm.”
”We still have to continue to move forward,” he said.
» READ MORE: Medicaid payment systems restored in Pa. as Trump administration rescinds federal funding freeze memo
Lawmakers approved a resolution by Councilmember Rue Landau “condemning President Donald J. Trump for his selection of underqualified cabinet, subcabinet, and leadership nominees to further advance his Project 2025 agenda and undermine the integrity of American democracy, equity, human rights, and freedom.”
The resolution was approved in a voice vote, with only Brian O’Neill, Council’s lone Republican, in opposition.
The confusion around the federal directive was exacerbated by unclear statements from the White House regarding which programs would be affected by the order. The online payment portals that states use to manage federal programs, like Medicaid and preschool provider Head Start, shut down temporarily in Pennsylvania and other states after the memo went out but have since been restored, Gov. Josh Shapiro said this week.
Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. said it was alarming to “watch the clown car unload at the White House” and launch “premeditated” attacks on cities and social service agencies.
“What is dangerous is they had no idea what intended and unintended consequences there were,” he said of the since-rescinded federal spending order.
What was this week’s highlight?
Affordable aspirations: Proposals to increase access to affordable housing took center stage at Thursday’s session, with Landau and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introducing bills aimed at cutting costs and red tape.
Gauthier debuted a package of bills crafted to catalyze the construction of affordable housing by expediting the permitting process and allowing for the creation of basement apartments and “granny flats,” secondary living spaces on the same property as the main residence.
“If the city is serious about building affordable housing, we should quickly and predictably review affordable housing, zoning, and building permits every single time. No ifs, ands, or buts,” Gauthier said.
And Landau put forth a pair of bills that could reduce rental application fees and other up-front housing costs for renters.
One bill would cap apartment application fees at $20, and the other would require that Philadelphia landlords allow renters to pay their security deposits in four installments over four months, as opposed to one large payment before move-in.
» READ MORE: Philly will consider capping apartment application fees at $20 and allowing security deposit payment plans
“If you want Philadelphia to be a city where everyone has a fair shot, we have to start by making a city where everyone can afford a home,” Landau said.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is poised to make housing a focus of her agenda in 2025. The mayor has set a goal of 30,000 homes built or repaired during her first term, but the details of her plan have not been released.
What else happened?
Paraphernalia probe: Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson introduced a resolution Thursday for the Committee on Licenses and Inspections and the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings examining enforcement against stores selling drug paraphernalia.
Gilmore Richardson said many of these locations do not have the proper zoning to sell drug paraphernalia, such as bongs and grinders used for marijuana.
The Council member also wants to ensure that city departments are fully staffed to handle “this prolific issue across the city.”
Philadelphia lawmakers have long battled against “nuisance businesses” that traffic in drug paraphernalia in neighborhoods across the city. Some of those same areas also saw the rapid growth of unregulated corner store gambling machines.
”We just want to get an inventory,“ Gilmore Richardson said, “and figure out how we continue to combat this issue because we found that in and around these locations, there tends to be an uptick in crime.”
Staff writer Jake Blumgart contributed to this article.