Lift Every Voice

Philadelphia City Council approved a $7.1 billion budget excluding a proposed $1 rideshare tax on companies like Uber and Lyft that would have funded schools. Instead, a one-time $48 million allocation from other sources and a $2.4 million annual tax on cell phone towers will support the school district. The decision follows school closures, staff cuts, and enrollment declines, with advocates criticizing the funding as insufficient to address a $300 million deficit.