Moves on the Board: October 12 - 16, 2026
Denotes a Bellevue Strategies client.
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
Parker Administration
It was a light week for Mayor Parker. On Tuesday, she joined the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation for the ribbon-cutting of the Washington Avenue Connector—a $9.5 million project that redesigns the eastern stretch of Washington Avenue from 4th Street to Columbus Boulevard, closing the gap between South Philadelphia neighborhoods and the Delaware River Trail with new bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and improved lighting.
On Wednesday, Parker joined Chobani and La Colombe Coffee Roasters for Let’s Eat Week, an annual initiative addressing food insecurity by packing and distributing 2,200 food boxes to local families. The event reflects Chobani’s deepening footprint in the Commonwealth — last month, the company announced a $1.2 billion investment in a manufacturing and warehouse campus in Allentown, the largest private-sector investment in Pennsylvania agriculture history.
On Friday, Parker joined the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia’s Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchange (GPLEX), a gathering of regional leaders convened to address pressing challenges in housing, transportation, and economic growth.
Parker closed the week at the ribbon-cutting for the ALLIED Hub at Drexel University’s School of Education. Backed by a $3.3 million Supporting Effective Educator Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Hub is focused on improving literacy outcomes by bridging research, practice, and policy for educators across the city.
Philadelphia City Council
Philadelphia City Council’s activity this week focused on food affordability, public safety, city services, and neighborhood development. Council President Kenyatta Johnson introduced the Philly Food Affordability Act, a package addressing food insecurity, grocery access, and pricing transparency. Proposals include establishing a dedicated Office of Food and Nutrition Security, examining the feasibility of a city-supported grocery store, and reviewing grocery pricing practices. Other ongoing policy discussions included the Sheriff’s Office’s unremitted property-sale proceeds, the expansion of SEPTA’s Student Fare Program, charter-school oversight, and the city’s response to sexual violence.
During Thursday’s, October 15, Council session, members considered a broad agenda of legislation and resolutions involving city property transfers to the Philadelphia Land Bank, bicycle lanes and parking regulations, waste-management contracting, and financing improvements to a Philadelphia Police Department forensics laboratory. The agenda also included a resolution urging the General Assembly to enact the Pennsylvania Universal Healthcare Act, along with zoning and other local matters. Please see below for other legislation of note.
Resolutions
Resolution 260872 (Councilmember Phillips) Calling on the Philadelphia School District to reexamine its policies regarding high quality meals to students.
Resolution 260861 (Councilmember Jones) Honoring Please Touch Museum on its 50th Anniversary.
Next Week’s Moves
Coming Up:
Wednesday, Oct 21, The Committee on Public Property and Public Works will meet to discuss a few street and building renamings.
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Shapiro Administration
The Shapiro administration announced an $837million investment in PhilaPort on Tuesday, including $371.5 million in state funding and $466 million in combined private and federal investment. The funding will support the largest expansion in the port’s history and is expected to create more than 6,000 jobs and generate $45 million in state and local tax revenue. Mayor Parker and U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon joined the Governor for the announcement.
On Tuesday, Governor Shapiro and Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen announced the launch of the Nurse Shortage Assistance Program, which will provide $5 million in student loan repayment assistance to help address the state’s nursing workforce shortage. The program comes as state hospitals report an average vacancy rate of 15 percent among nursing positions, with a projected shortage of 22,000 nurses by 2028.
On Wednesday, Shapiro announced a $5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant to support Merck’s expansion at its Montgomery County campus. The funding is part of a broader $2.9 billion investment by the biopharmaceutical company to expand its research and manufacturing operations, including the development of lifesaving medicines.
Updates from the Governor’s Newsroom
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly continued its fall legislative work, with a House nonvoting session Thursday, October 15, and the consideration of bills involving utility-rate transparency, health care, human trafficking, sexual-assault evidence collection, labor-broker registration, professional licensing, short-term rentals, and electric scooters. Several measures remain at second consideration, and have not yet completed the legislative process. The House and Senate are scheduled to reconvene Monday, October 19.
Skilled games remain a major unresolved legislative issue. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s 120-day stay expired on October 13, 2026, without lawmakers enacting a statewide authorization and regulatory framework. The Court had ruled that the skill-game devices at issue were subject to Pennsylvania’s gambling laws, and an extension request was denied on October 9. Bills HB 2793 and HB 2795, which proposed temporary arrangements for skill-game operations, remained in the House Gaming Oversight Committee and had not become law. Enforcement and machine-removal efforts have begun, although certain distributors reportedly received temporary removal arrangements. Any future legislation addressing licensing, taxation, and regulation remains uncertain.
Next Week’s Moves
Both the House and Senate will be in session next week from Monday October 19 - Wednesday October 21.