Philadelphia Budget Facing Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Cuts Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

Matt Petrillo reports.

OUR OVERALL TESTING CAPACITY.REPORTER: NATASHA BROWN FORCBS-3 "EYEWITNESS NEWS".WE ARE NOW LESS THAN ONEDAY FROM PHILADELPHIA MAYORJIM KENNEY RELEASING HISPROPOSED BUDGET AND TAX SHORTFALL OF THE HUNDREDS OFMILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE EXPECTWITT.THANKS TO THE PANDEMIC,DETAILS NOW WITH "EYEWITNESSNEWS" REPORTER MATT PETRILLO.PHILADELPHIA MAYOR JIMKENNEY ALREADY RELEASED ABUDGET LAST MONTH, BUT WITHTHE PANDEMIC, GOING ONBUSINESSES BEING SHUT AND LACKOF THE TAX REVENUE COLLECTEDHE ESSENTIALLY HAD TO STARTALL OVER AGAIN.MEANTIME COUNCIL MEMBERS AREWORKING HARD TOO.WELL GUESS WHAT THETAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE MUCH INTHE POCKET.REPORTER: PHILADELPHIACOUNCIL MEMBERS HELD AN ONLINE ROUND TABLE WITHCONSTITUENTS ON THURSDAYMORNING TO DISCUSS THEFINANCIAL CHALLENGES, LOOMINGOVER THE CITY.MAKE CUTS CAN YOU DO CUTSWITHOUT LAYING OFF, ANDFURLOUGHING PERSONNEL.REPORTER: PHILADELPHIA'SPROJECTED TAX SHORT FALLSTANDS BETWEEN 340 MILLION, TO650 MILLION-DOLLAR, THROUGHJUNE 2021.ACCORD TO GO A REPORT RELEASEDTHIS WEEK BY THE CONTROLLERSOFFICE WHICH OVERSEAS CITYSPENDING.THERE NEEDS TO BE A REALINSPECTION IN TERMS OF THE HOWCITY FINANCES ARE.REPORTER: WE ARE A DAZEAWAY FROM THE MAYOR PRESENTINGHIS BUDGET BUT "EYEWITNESSNEWS" LEARNED SOME DETAILSABOUT IT FROM SOURCES.THE CITY WILL SEE 370.4MILLION-DOLLAR IN REDUCTIONS,AND A HIRING FREEZE, EXCEPTFOR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES,AND A REDUCTION OF THEPART-TIME AND TEMPORARYEMPLOYEES, CITY WILL BELOOKING FOR A LOT OF ONE TIMECOST REDUCTIONS, LIKE POSSIBLYNOT HOSTING THE JULY 4THWELCOME AMERICA FESTIVAL THISYEAR.THE ONLY INFORMATION WE COULDCONFIRM FROM THE MAYORTHURSDAY WAS POLICE AND FIREUNION MEMBERS WERE LIKELYNOTING TO GO SEE CUTS.THEY ARE FACING THIS VIRUSEVERY DAY SIMILAR TO WHATDOCTORS AND NURSES ANDHOSPITAL PERSONNEL ARE.WE FELT IT WASES APPROPRIATETO PAY THEM.MARRIES EXPECT TO RELEASE