City Council President Darrell Clarke inaugurated the first council session unveiling the 2015 agenda, stating that #Poverty is Philly's No. 1 problem. “The time to get aggressive is now. Moving forward on #wagetax relief for low-income workers,” Clarke tweeted.

Along the same lines, Councilman Ed Neilson introduced a resolution on Tuesday calling for the creation of a special City Council committee on income inequality. “It’s time for Philadelphia to step up and be a leader with Income inequality,” Neilson said. “As the fifth largest city in the country we need to be first in addressing income inequality. As we get ready to vote on a sick leave bill this opens up the question regardless if someone is sick or can make it in to work, many Philadelphians still have trouble affording their basic needs.”

If approved, the special committee would consist of at least five city council members that are appointed by the council president, and it would submit a full report to the council and the mayor and make its findings and recommendations available to the public.

A citywide issue, in 24 of the city’s 46 residential zip codes, the poverty rate exceeds 20 percent and concentrations are greatest in North and West Philadelphia. For Latinos, income inequality positions them in the lowest median household income.

In 2012, Latino family median household income was $25,925; for African American families the median income was $27,828; and for Asian families the median household income was $35,901, as compared to $48,154 for white families.

According to Pat DeCarlo, executive director of Norris Square Community Alliance, if the purpose of the committee is to find out what causes that poverty and how to resolve those problems, “I would think the involvement of all sectors of our community — especially the poor — would be critical.”