@bradwilhelm.bsky.social
Here for:
-Funding SEPTA
-Cutting the BIRT
-Concrete barriers
-Street sweeping
-Congestion pricing for 76
Views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the opinions or positions of my employer
Go Birds
-Funding SEPTA
-Cutting the BIRT
-Concrete barriers
-Street sweeping
-Congestion pricing for 76
Views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the opinions or positions of my employer
Go Birds
Pinned
How to Save Center City’s Empty Offices
The culprit isn’t just COVID-19. It’s decades of tax policies that have driven businesses and workers away.
www.phillymag.com
What message are we sending our young people when year after year this city’s leaders fail to do anything to improve their economic prospects?
“In a 2024 analysis… Philadelphia ranked 50th — DEAD LAST — among 50 U.S. metro areas when it came to economic mobility.”
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/02...
“In a 2024 analysis… Philadelphia ranked 50th — DEAD LAST — among 50 U.S. metro areas when it came to economic mobility.”
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/02...
Reposted
Some old-school Philly corruption that selects winners and losers based on their personal relation or lack thereof to the police. In a city with a $1.2 billion surplus, apparently street festivals just aren't important to the Mayor
www.inquirer.com/news/philly-...
www.inquirer.com/news/philly-...
Philly street festivals are shutting down over rising police overtime costs. But some groups don’t have to pay.
Philly elected officials, police-connected groups, and street festival organizers who cut special deals are exempt from tens of thousands dollars in city event fees inked to street festivals.
www.inquirer.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Some old-school Philly corruption that selects winners and losers based on their personal relation or lack thereof to the police. In a city with a $1.2 billion surplus, apparently street festivals just aren't important to the Mayor
www.inquirer.com/news/philly-...
www.inquirer.com/news/philly-...
Municipal treasure
🚌 Inquirer transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald answers some FAQs about what the f— happened with Philly’s Greyhound station.
🚏 As he puts it, “It’s an equity issue.”
Watch the full video ⤵️
🚏 As he puts it, “It’s an equity issue.”
Watch the full video ⤵️
November 12, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Municipal treasure
Reposted
Fifteen months after an SUV assigned to a top deputy in the sheriff’s office blew a red light in West Philly and caused a four-car wreck, promises of accountability have not yet been fulfilled.
‘No new information:’ Philly sheriff mum 15 months after a guy with a poodle wrecked an office SUV
Sheriff Rochelle Bilal won't disclose the outcome of an investigation involving a high-ranking deputy's city-leased Ford Expedition. Meanwhile, another deputy recently had her car stolen.
www.inquirer.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Fifteen months after an SUV assigned to a top deputy in the sheriff’s office blew a red light in West Philly and caused a four-car wreck, promises of accountability have not yet been fulfilled.
Reposted
And the corollary to this: Mamdani's win doesn't happen without a massive influx of Millennial/Gen Z seeking job opportunities
bsky.app/profile/thec...
bsky.app/profile/thec...
Anyway, to get back to the original point.
To win Philly progressives also need to remember that the city continues beyond Lehigh Avenue. Cherelle Parker was the only candidate in 2023 who campaigned in Manayunk and Roxborough.
To win Philly progressives also need to remember that the city continues beyond Lehigh Avenue. Cherelle Parker was the only candidate in 2023 who campaigned in Manayunk and Roxborough.
November 5, 2025 at 3:58 PM
And the corollary to this: Mamdani's win doesn't happen without a massive influx of Millennial/Gen Z seeking job opportunities
bsky.app/profile/thec...
bsky.app/profile/thec...
Voted for a bunch of judges even though it’s crazy we have to do that!
November 5, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Voted for a bunch of judges even though it’s crazy we have to do that!
There’s a guy walking down south broad wearing an andy dalton bengals jersey right now. No idea why anyone chooses to live anywhere else
November 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
There’s a guy walking down south broad wearing an andy dalton bengals jersey right now. No idea why anyone chooses to live anywhere else
Put yourself in the shoes of a small business owner who wants to relocate HQ and has gotten down to a short list of Boston and Philly. They're going to have to work that much harder to turn a profit if they choose Philly, solely because of the difference in tax rates.
🧵
🧵
October 31, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Put yourself in the shoes of a small business owner who wants to relocate HQ and has gotten down to a short list of Boston and Philly. They're going to have to work that much harder to turn a profit if they choose Philly, solely because of the difference in tax rates.
🧵
🧵
Taxing paper bags is dumb. Who amongst us has never forgotten to bring their reusable bags to the grocery store?
October 30, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Taxing paper bags is dumb. Who amongst us has never forgotten to bring their reusable bags to the grocery store?
Reposted
SEPTA's 260 transit cops catch a total of ~24 fare evaders and ~6.5 smokers a day. They call this "enforcement" 🙃
If SEPTA riders want to fight antisocial behavior, the first step is demanding transparency on what the hell SEPTA's 260 police actually *do* all day.
wwww.septa.org/news/first-h...
If SEPTA riders want to fight antisocial behavior, the first step is demanding transparency on what the hell SEPTA's 260 police actually *do* all day.
wwww.septa.org/news/first-h...
October 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
SEPTA's 260 transit cops catch a total of ~24 fare evaders and ~6.5 smokers a day. They call this "enforcement" 🙃
If SEPTA riders want to fight antisocial behavior, the first step is demanding transparency on what the hell SEPTA's 260 police actually *do* all day.
wwww.septa.org/news/first-h...
If SEPTA riders want to fight antisocial behavior, the first step is demanding transparency on what the hell SEPTA's 260 police actually *do* all day.
wwww.septa.org/news/first-h...
Cut the BIRT. Reduce our dependency on the suburbs for good jobs. Grow the tax base. Rinse and repeat.
www.phillyvoice.com/philly-budge...
www.phillyvoice.com/philly-budge...
Philly will use a record budget surplus to face funding uncertainties, Mayor Parker says
Reduced personnel costs and higher tax revenues led to a $1.19 billion fund balance in fiscal year 2025. That will safeguard against potential losses in state and federal funding, the city says.
www.phillyvoice.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Cut the BIRT. Reduce our dependency on the suburbs for good jobs. Grow the tax base. Rinse and repeat.
www.phillyvoice.com/philly-budge...
www.phillyvoice.com/philly-budge...
The city has got win this FOPS lawsuit. An unelected group of residents from a wealthy neighborhood shouldn't be able to use their spare time and cash to block road safety improvements that we know will save lives.
October 29, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The city has got win this FOPS lawsuit. An unelected group of residents from a wealthy neighborhood shouldn't be able to use their spare time and cash to block road safety improvements that we know will save lives.
Reposted
Absolutely deadly behavior causing another crash on Spruce Street at 5th st early this morning. This is on the busiest bike lane in Philly with over 1,500 riders who use it daily.
We deserve so much better than paint and flexposts, we deserve real protection.
We deserve so much better than paint and flexposts, we deserve real protection.
October 26, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Absolutely deadly behavior causing another crash on Spruce Street at 5th st early this morning. This is on the busiest bike lane in Philly with over 1,500 riders who use it daily.
We deserve so much better than paint and flexposts, we deserve real protection.
We deserve so much better than paint and flexposts, we deserve real protection.
Blown away by how lively downtown London is on a chilly Tuesday night in October. I haven’t felt pre-covid happy hour vibes like this in any city since March of 2020
October 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Blown away by how lively downtown London is on a chilly Tuesday night in October. I haven’t felt pre-covid happy hour vibes like this in any city since March of 2020
Reposted
The neighborhood’s internecine circular firing squad politics are probably a contributing factor! www.phillymag.com/news/2025/10...
How One Store Became Ground Zero For West Philly’s Gentrification War
Businesses are shuttering along Baltimore Avenue, leaving residents to ask — what do we really want this street to be?
www.phillymag.com
October 18, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The neighborhood’s internecine circular firing squad politics are probably a contributing factor! www.phillymag.com/news/2025/10...
If CP Thomas can actually get this rez scalper ban passed and enforced we should pedestrianize sansom street and name it after him
October 16, 2025 at 9:31 PM
If CP Thomas can actually get this rez scalper ban passed and enforced we should pedestrianize sansom street and name it after him
"Near “significant data center activity,” electricity now costs up to 267% more per month than it did five years ago, according to a Bloomberg."
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring
Wholesale electricity costs as much as 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers. That’s being passed on to customers.
www.bloomberg.com
October 13, 2025 at 11:46 AM
"Near “significant data center activity,” electricity now costs up to 267% more per month than it did five years ago, according to a Bloomberg."
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
HOLY HELL WHAT A SCHWARBOMB
October 9, 2025 at 2:00 AM
HOLY HELL WHAT A SCHWARBOMB
Reposted
Open Streets is coming to Queen Village on the next two Saturdays as the neighbors association seeks the business boost and relaxing car-free vibe of the widely popular original version on West Walnut Street.
Queen Village is joining the Open Streets movement
Queen Village will close a portion of Fourth Street to motor vehicles on Oct. 11 and Oct. 18.
www.inquirer.com
October 7, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Open Streets is coming to Queen Village on the next two Saturdays as the neighbors association seeks the business boost and relaxing car-free vibe of the widely popular original version on West Walnut Street.
“It ends up hurting SEPTA because when you go to the state to ask for help, they say ‘Why should we give you any money when people aren’t paying?’” said Brendan Dougherty, a patrol officer who was working the fare-evasion detail.
October 2, 2025 at 7:23 PM
“It ends up hurting SEPTA because when you go to the state to ask for help, they say ‘Why should we give you any money when people aren’t paying?’” said Brendan Dougherty, a patrol officer who was working the fare-evasion detail.
This is sneaky great news
"Levy said that if it’s no longer a railroad and not under federal jurisdiction, then the property is governed by state and local laws and no longer exempt from local real estate taxes. That clears the way for the city to move to condemn the land" www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...
Philly Rail Park could expand as new federal ruling clears the way
A new ruling could give the city power to condemn the land and move forward with long-standing plans for expansion.
www.inquirer.com
September 26, 2025 at 5:18 PM
This is sneaky great news
Reposted
The "protection costs" the police/city are forcing all the festivals to pay is ruining one of the things making this city great. These festivals build community, bring people out of their homes into the streets and make us safer.
share.google/8f3tLW2yIgBv...
share.google/8f3tLW2yIgBv...
Midtown Village cancels its fall festival after 20 years, citing rising costs
Organizer Fergus Carey said that the Midtown Village Merchants Association — which hosts the festival — has been unable to pay back the city for costs associated with 2024.
share.google
September 24, 2025 at 1:32 PM
The "protection costs" the police/city are forcing all the festivals to pay is ruining one of the things making this city great. These festivals build community, bring people out of their homes into the streets and make us safer.
share.google/8f3tLW2yIgBv...
share.google/8f3tLW2yIgBv...
Hell yeah Camden
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
City of Camden reports first homicide-free summer in 50 years
The city of Camden in New Jersey reported its first homicide-free summer in over 50 years, crediting a shift to unity policing.
www.cbsnews.com
September 24, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Hell yeah Camden
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
Reposted
Not sure if this is the right long-term outlook. The level of wage/business tax the city sets as a matter of policy is functionally inversely proportional to the set level of property tax. The current valuation crisis has as much to do with the former policy as it has to do with WFH.
Funnily enough, Philadelphia is shielded from the fall out of this massive value decline by our reliance on the much maligned wage tax, and by the residential building boom of recent years. (It's also worth noting that there are many high end office buildings that maintained their value.
September 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Not sure if this is the right long-term outlook. The level of wage/business tax the city sets as a matter of policy is functionally inversely proportional to the set level of property tax. The current valuation crisis has as much to do with the former policy as it has to do with WFH.