In a late budget meeting last night, Philadelphia City Council along with Mayor Jim Kenney moved towards approving a preliminary budget cut of $33 million from the Philadelphia Police Department.

Last week, City Council sent a letter to Kenney denying the $14 million increase for law enforcement. A day later, Kenney said in a press release that he endorsed this, and was actively making new legislation to follow the police reform that is going on across the country. 

In a late-night budget meeting on June 17, City Council agreed on a preliminary budget that reduces funding to the police and fire departments and provides more investment in education, housing and the arts. It was read over in today’s council meeting and a final decision will be made before the beginning of July. 

The budget decrease also comes after the city was deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that affected roughly 24,000 Philadelphia residents and had an immediate impact on the city’s economy.

This morning, Kenney sent out a press release stating  “the budget recommended for approval today by Council’s Committee of the Whole reduces funding for the Police Department by $33.3 million – which is $14 million more in reductions than Council and the mayor agreed upon last week.”

This is not fresh news though, as part of the budget cuts had already been proposed, and the other portion of the budget reduced from law enforcement was actually a shift of crossing guards and public safety enforcement officers to now be under the Managing Director’s Office.

Though what may have seemed like another progressive step in Philly, was actually just a review of the budget that had been revised last week. Still, a small step is better than no step at all.

The budget is set to be approved by city council on June 25.