Moves on the Board: Week of October 20 - 24, 2025
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♟️CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
Parker Administration
Benjamin Jewell
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Water Department announced the appointment of Benjamin Jewell as Commissioner. Jewell, who has served as acting commissioner since June, brings two decades of experience with the department. Mayor Parker praised the appointment, noting Jewell's extensive institutional knowledge and long tenure with the agency.
Mayor Parker attended a luncheon with leaders of the Building Trades on Wednesday at the Wanamaker Building to celebrate the March of Dimes Transportation Building and Construction Awards. The event drew more than 800 industry leaders and focused on supporting the organization's maternal and infant health initiatives.
Also on Wednesday, the Office of Public Safety convened its second annual Anti-Violence Community Partnership Grant Program Conference. Council President Kenyatta Johnson, Councilmember Gauthier, and Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer participated in a panel discussion with 147 grantees engaged in violence prevention work across the city, aiming to encourage teamwork among them. Finally, the Mayor held a community meeting to address public safety concerns after the body of Kada Scott was recovered last weekend.
In collaboration with the Office of Clean and Green, Mayor Parker announced the Illegal Dumping Task Force on Thursday morning, which is set to begin operations on November 3. The task force will conduct surveillance, coordinate cleanup efforts, and enforce penalties against illegal dumping throughout the city. The initiative includes expanded legislation developed with the Law Department to enhance accountability for offenders
On Friday, Mayor Parker delivered remarks at the graduation ceremony for Philadelphia Police Recruit Classes 412 and 413, celebrating 85 new officers at Temple University Performing Arts Center. Later that day, Parker also addressed the Council of the Great City Schools' 69th Annual Fall Conference, which convened school district leaders from across the country to discuss challenges facing urban schools and share strategies for strengthening public education.
Philadelphia City Council
The Committee on Licenses and Inspections met on Monday to review numerous pieces of legislation ranging from nuisance business enforcement to public utility regulation and paper bag fees. All legislation was favorably reported from the Committee.
The Committee on Rules met on Tuesday and referred out a number of zoning bills, including Bill 250804, which would impose new zoning restrictions on the development of properties in University City. This legislation targets all colleges and universities located in the Third District, as well as specific uses affiliated with those organizations, and seeks to add additional requirements on top of the existing zoning process. This bill drew several testifiers, including representatives from St. Joe’s University, to highlight the bill’s negative impacts on their campus. The legislation has been held until the Zoning Board can review it later this fall.
City Council met for a speedy legislative session on Thursday morning. Here are the highlights of the new legislation that was introduced:
Hearing Resolutions
Resolutions
Ordinances
Bill 250915 (Councilmember Thomas) Business Income and Receipts Taxes (BIRT) exemption for childcare service businesses.
Final Passage
Bill 250654 (Councilmember Ahmad, Councilmember Landau) To add two additional business community members to the Economic Opportunity Review Committee.
Next Week’s Moves
City Council has a busy week of hearings next week in addition to its regular Thursday legislative session.
Coming Up:
Monday, October 27: The Committee on Labor and Civil Service will gather to consider Bill 250028, which will re-examine the impact of Philadelphia’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax.
Tuesday, October 28: The Joint Committees on Streets & Services and Transportation & Public Utilities will meet to discuss Bill 250160, authorizing the committee to hold hearings surrounding water main breaks and sinkholes in District 7.
Tuesday, October 28: The Committee on Streets and Services is meeting to discuss a variety of bills relating to sidewalk cafes as well as Bill 250649 regarding designated bike lanes.
Wednesday, October 29: The Joint Committees on Children & Youth and Technology & Information Services will meet to discuss Bill 240828 regarding the use of GPS tracking devices for youth in the juvenile justice system.
Far-Out:
City Council’s Committee of the Whole will examine the School District of Philadelphia’s facilities plan on November 18. This is expected to be a hearing that will garner significant interest as the School District navigates the potential implications of aging infrastructure and how school closures will impact neighborhoods across the city.
♟️COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Shapiro Administration
Governor Josh Shapiro announced that he is releasing a memoir, Where We Keep the Light: Stories From a Life of Service, on January 27, 2026. This book is expected to go through pivotal moments of his career in public service, including the arson attack on the governor’s mansion and when he was on the shortlist to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.
This week, the Shapiro administration announced two new investments to expand manufacturing in the Commonwealth through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. In Elk County, the Administration has secured approximately $4.7 million from Nicholas Portland, Inc., a metal forming technology company, to expand its operations throughout the county. Additionally, Eos Energy Enterprises, a zinc-based battery manufacturer, announced a $352.9 million investment to move its headquarters from New Jersey to Pennsylvania in Allegheny County, with a state investment of $3 million and $2 million from Allegeny County. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has secured $26 million in private investments to support economic growth in the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined local stakeholders in York County to plant 700 trees as part of a larger investment to protect the Chesapeake Bay area. Governor Shapiro has supported the planting of 7,700 acres of forest buffers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed over the past two years.
📰 Updates from the Governor’s Newsroom
♟️PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The State Senate was in session this week and held a number of committee meetings. Leaders have not agreed on a budget deal as the impasse nears its fourth month and both sides of the aisle are utilizing legislative tactics to make topline spending numbers known. The big bill to watch during this week’s Senate session was SB160, a legislative budget vehicle that Senate leaders amended for a third time to cut spending to last year’s levels and passed in a 27-23 vote. The bill was sent back to the House of Representatives for concurrence. The House is not expected to pass the legislation in its current form.
The Senate passed several other pieces of legislation during its session this week, including permitting transparency for Commonwealth procurement, a bill requiring school districts to notify families when a weapon is brought to school, midwifery modernization, and appointments to several state professional boards. The Senate also passed SB1068, which would repeal Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) by a 33-17 margin. The Commonwealth’s status in RGGI has been litigated since 2023 and is awaiting the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling, which is anticipated to be decided later this year.
The Senate Education Committee held a public hearing this week to discuss the roles of cell phones in school. The Committee heard from the Pennsylvania School Board Association, Pennsylvania State Education Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, and students in districts across the state about the impacts of cell phones on K-12 education and policies to protect classroom time. A recurring recommendation from testifiers was the importance of developing a broad state-wide policy that emphasizes local control for the Commonwealth’s 500 school districts.
The Asian Pacific Islanders Political Alliance (API PA) joined advocates at the Pennsylvania Capitol to urge lawmakers to support House Bill 564, which would establish a statewide public education campaign to raise awareness of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The bill aims to ensure all Pennsylvanians, from veterans and first responders to diverse communities, know how to access mental health support during a crisis.
Next Week’s Moves
The House of Representatives and the Senate are in voting session next week from Monday, October 27, to Wednesday, October 29.
♟️On The Trail: Pennsylvania’s 2026 Elections
The 2025 General Election is approaching, so we’ve compiled the need-to-know information for our friends voting in Philadelphia. Here’s a breakdown of who and what you’ll see on the ballot, how to interpret the questions, and a brief overview of the landscape.
District Attorney
Democratic Candidate: Larry Krasner (Incumbent)
Republican Candidate: Pat Dugan
What to Know: This is an unusual rematch. Incumbent Larry Kranser has held the office since 2018 and was chosen as the candidate in the Democratic primary in May—against Dugan. Dugan, who ran as a Democrat, secured the Republican nomination after earning enough write-in votes from Republicans, enabling him to switch parties.
Controller
Democratic Candidate: Christy Brady (Incumbent)
Republican Party: Ari Patrinos
What to Know: The City Controller serves as Philadelphia’s municipal auditor, in charge of making sure the City is spending taxpayer (and other) dollars wisely. Christy Brady, the Incumbent in the race, was elected after the previous Controller, Rebecca Rhynhart, resigned to run for Mayor in 2023. Not much is publicly known about the challenger, Ari Patrinos, other than that he’s a Northwest Philly native and Harvard grad.
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Who:
What to Know: There are seven justices on the Supreme Court of PA—five are Democrats, and two are Republicans. This election there are three justices (all Democrats) who are up for retention. This means that voters will be prompted to vote yes or no to keep the judge on for another ten-year term.
Superior Court of PA
Who:
What to know: The 15-justice Superior Court of PA is one of the state’s two intermediate appellate courts (the other is Commonwealth Court, below) that hear cases before they can move to the PA Supreme Court.) Alice Beck Dubow is the only Superior Court judge up for retention this election.
Commonwealth Court of PA
Who:
What to Know: Made up of nine justices, the Commonwealth Court is PA’s second intermediate appellate court. It hears cases on administrative and civil public law, including those on public sector legal questions and government regulation and cases involving statewide elections. The Commonwealth Court has original jurisdiction over election cases and those where someone has filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth. Michael H. Wojcik is the only judge up for retention this election.
Judge of the Superior Court
Democratic Candidate: Brandon Neuman
Republican Candidate: Maria Battista
Liberal Candidate: Daniel S. Wassmer (No official campaign website, but a website from his 2022 Senate campaign remains)
What to Know: The Superior Court is the intermediate appellate court that handles criminal and civil appeals in County Courts of Common Pleas—the last juncture before a case can move on to the PA Supreme Court. There is one open seat for the Superior Court. Neuman, a Washington County native, has served as a judge for the Washington County Court of Common Pleas since 2018. This will be Battista’s second time running for judge, after losing the previous general election in 2023. The outlier in the election, Wassmer, is an attorney in private practice in Bucks County.
Judge of the Commonwealth Court
Democratic Candidate: Stella Tsai
Republican Candidate: Matthew Wolford
What to Know: Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court is the state’s second intermediate appellate court comprised of nine judges that serve ten-year terms. The current composition features three Democrats, five Republicans, and one vacant seat. Stella Tsai was appointed to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in 2016 and won the election to serve a 10-year term in 2017. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Matthew Wolford is an attorney who founded his namesake law firm in 1999 in Erie, where he specializes in environmental law and represents oil and gas companies, trade associations, manufacturers, farmers and landowners.
Court of Common Pleas Judges
Partisan election | Vote for no more than 9
Democratic Party
Joseph J. Russo (Awaiting Information)
Republican Party
No candidates running
Retention election | Vote yes or no
Gwendolyn N. Bright
Ann M. Butchart
Michael Fanning
Christopher Mallios Jr.
Rainy Papademetriou
Stephanie M. Sawyer
Susan I. Schulman
Tracy Roman
Walter J. Olszewski
Scott DiClaudio
Daine A. Grey Jr.
Frank Palumbo
Lyris Younge
What to Know: This part of the ballot looks a little different. It will list a number of judges’ names beneath their party, and a note will tell you to vote for no more than 9. Here’s a great explainer of how a judicial retention election works. The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, a general trial jurisdiction court, has 101 judges across three divisions: trial, family and orphans’. Judges serve 10-year terms, after which they run in yes-no retention elections without an opponent. Philadelphia Municipal Court judges are elected to six-year terms. Courts of Common Pleas are trial courts in the 60 judicial districts of the state. In Philadelphia, voters will elect nine (9) municipal judicial candidates for nine open seats. We encourage you to look up each of the candidates on the ballot and choose your preferred candidate to vote for!
Judge of the Municipal Court
Partisan election | Vote for no more than 3
Democratic Party
Michael Parkinson
Sherrie Cohen
Republican Party
No candidates running
Retention election | Vote yes or no
David Conroy
Henry Lewandowski
Wendy Pew
T. Francis Shields
Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde
What to Know: Philadelphia’s Municipal Court is a limited jurisdiction court of record comprised of 27 judges across three divisions: criminal, civil and traffic. Judges are elected for six-year terms, after which they run in yes-no retention elections without an opponent. There are three open seats on the court.