Mayor Jim Kenney ended the year — and his first term — by killing six pieces of legislation that City Council passed in December.
The bills that Kenney rejected had no connecting theme. They would have required developers to give back to the communities where they build, lowered taxes for homeowners and low-income workers, banned food trucks from one block of University City, and changed development regulations in Society Hill. 
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I disagree with the reporter - there certainly was a connecting Theme:  Development, Homeownership, Low Income workers - they are all interrelated - In the first place - not requiring developers to give back to communities they have decimated by building overpriced homes opens the city to full blown gentrification  - something that his eviscerated New York and other Black communities across the nation.  Additionally, vicious tax increases that were levied against home owners during the Nutter Administration is the key reason why so many Philadelphians can no longer afford their homes.  It's the reason there are at least 6000 homes a month up for auction! 
“While the below bills all attempt to address issues of mutual concern, I cannot sign them at this time,” Kenney wrote in a letter to Council President Darrell L. Clarke. “I look forward to working with you and the new and returning members of City Council to continue to address these issues in the new year.”
The mayor did not overtly veto the bills, but exercised a power known as the pocket veto. Every four years, at the end of a City Council term, all legislation that the mayor has not signed or vetoed expires when a new Council takes office. That happens Monday.
It was Kenney’s first rejection of approved legislation.
In the new session, Council members can reintroduce the vetoed bills, all of which passed with overwhelming support. Clarke had championed the bill mandating that developers of big projects give help to affected neighborhoods.
“We look forward to the resumption of City Council in January,” said Joe Grace, a spokesperson for Clarke.
But Jim Engler, Kenney’s chief of staff, said he does not believe that the six bills, if reintroduced, would necessarily be passed in their current form in the next session, when Council will have four new members.
“There will be new chairs of committees, and there will be new committee members, so it will be a new Council, for all intents and purposes," he said. "We welcome continued conversation about each of these issues.”

Developers and community benefits

Grace said the mayor’s pocket veto of legislation requiring developers to sign community benefit agreements for high-impact projects was particularly disappointing. Such agreements promise benefits for the neighborhood, such as job opportunities, affordable housing, or new parks.


Community stakeholders “really engaged on this legislation, offered ideas, testified,” Grace said. “And also the business community.”
» READ MORE: Council advances bill requiring that developers give back to Philly neighborhoods where they build
Kenney, however, wrote in his letter that the city should not “be imposing this burden on development projects” until there is a better process for registering and maintaining community organizations, which would be responsible for cosigning the community benefit agreements with developers.
“While they have an important purpose, we as a government have not done enough to ensure that standards of process and conduct are followed by these organizations,” he wrote.

Not a good reason to veto the bill - and it makes it look as though he's taken a step on the neck of the low income communities in favor of the predatory developers who have a tendency to ride roughshod over the residents.  It is sending the wrong signal.

Zoning legislation

Three zoning bills also received pocket vetoes after passing with overwhelming support as part of Council’s longstanding practice known as councilmanic prerogative, in which members have the final say over land use matters in their districts, and colleagues agree to support those decisions.
Two would have changed zoning in Society Hill, represented by Councilman Mark Squilla. The city’s Planning Commission had recommended against their passage. The bills would have exempted Society Hill from complying with new historic preservation incentives, increased parking requirements, and restricted density, and would have added regulations Kenney called burdensome.
“This may inhibit creation of new affordable housing units on blocks that are very transit-oriented, accessible to jobs and amenities, and designed for multiple units,” Kenney wrote.
The third zoning “carve-out” bill would have prohibited food truck operators on Market Street between 33rd and 34th Streets.
» READ MORE: Drexel wants to evict food trucks from part of Market Street
Given the outcry from vendors and others affected, Kenney said, “further discussion is warranted before imposing such a sweeping ban.”
Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, who sponsored the bill, lost a primary challenge from Jamie Gauthier, who will take office Monday.

Wage tax and homestead tax exemption

Kenney also pocket vetoed two tax-related bills. One would have offered refunds on the city’s wage tax to low-income taxpayers, and the other would have increased the annual property tax exemption for owner-occupied residences.


Councilman Allan Domb, who sponsored the wage tax refund bill, said he was surprised and disheartened by the pocket veto.

“This is a complete failure on your administration’s part to help individuals and families fighting to get out of poverty all across our city,” Domb wrote in a letter to Kenney Tuesday.
I totally agree with Councilmember Domb - and it's not a good look for Kenney - The City Council can and must reinstate that bill and make sure that it goes through - it will make the difference between Philadelphia continuing to be considered the poorest urban city, and one that does indeed take care of its residents by providing them with the protections and incentives they need to continue.
Kenney wrote in his letter to Clarke that the wage tax bill would be difficult to administer, and that the administration is looking into other options, such as grants, to offer similar relief.
Both of the tax-related bills blocked Tuesday should be considered as part of the city’s annual budget process in the spring because of their likely fiscal impacts, Kenney said.

Kenney is hosting a free concert at the Met Philly on January 6th, which is more and more looking like a "bread and circuses move" to distract the people from what is really going on.  And unless Philadelphians wake up and tie his feet to the fire in this second term, he just might get away with it.  While we all love a good show - that only lasts for the evening.  This veto of legislation of quality of life issues essential to Philadelphians is more like sabotage - something T-rump would pull.  And goodness knows we have enough of that madness from DC, without it being compounded and replicated here in Philadelphia.  If you go to the concert, make sure you go to City Hall and let him know that you're not going to take this crap lying down.  

Philadelphia took a major hit when NAFTA - North Atlantic Free Trade Alliance - was passed, and all the manufacturing and factories were shut down as those jobs were sent over seas by greedy businesses owners and investors.  Thousands of Philadelphians were immediately thrown out of jobs, businesses shut down, and even more moved away to find jobs to support their families.  Those who remained continued to work and try to support and educate their families - but Philadelphia, to this day, is haunted by the spectre of closed and abandoned plants and warehouses that were integral parts of theit communities.  Schools are mere shadows of themselves.  Whole neighborhoods are ghosted - riddled with deferred maintenance - which was exacerbated when taxes were increased, and schools shut down, with no recourse.  

The City Council has tried to remedy the situation, cognizant of the fact that many of their constituents are holding on by a thread, while draconian developers, having already overdeveloped and over priced other areas are now converging on Philadelphia - hoping to get away with the same disregard for the community they have in other areas.   It has to stop, be brought under control, and be mutually beneficial for the residents who are already here, as well as the developers hoping to make a quick buck on their misery and their backs.  

 So, while you're enjoying the concert at the Met Philly - make sure you let Kenney know that you are backing the City Council in overturning his veto.   Philadelphians have always known how to take care of business and party.  One does not preclude the other.