PHILADELPHIA, PA — On February 28th, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia hosted its annual Mayoral Luncheon, a time-honored tradition, that convened over 2,000 executives, elected officials, business owners, and civic leaders. The main event of the gathering was the address by Philadelphia’s newly inaugurated Mayor, Cherelle L. Parker. With the city’s leading decision-makers looking on, the Mayor detailed her ambitious agenda for the city – a safer, cleaner, greener Philadelphia, teeming with economic opportunities for all its residents.
Mayor Parker began her address with a story, painting a picture of an unnamed Philadelphia entrepreneur who considered his job the best in the world because he got to hear people’s best ideas all day. Borrowing the entrepreneur’s words, she asked, “Imagine if…” She invited the business community and all Philadelphians to share in her envisioning of a safer, cleaner, and greener Philadelphia, where every citizen has access to economic opportunities.
Public safety took center stage as Mayor Parker spoke about her administration’s key priorities. Underscoring the paramount importance of citizens’ safety, she painted a vision of a city where residents and workers need not worry about their security as a deterrent to their jobs or businesses. She further reiterated her faith in the leadership of Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Acting Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer in steering the city towards this vision.
The Mayor made a strong commitment to environmental cleanliness and the beautification of neighborhoods. She asked the audience to “imagine a city no longer dubbed as ‘Filthadelphia,’ but a city where there is a visible change in the neighborhoods.” Her administration would prioritize turning abandoned areas into blossoming communities, thereby ensuring residents can see their tax dollars at work.
Economic opportunities are central to Mayor Parker’s vision for the city. Echoing her campaign promises, she spoke of her administration’s commitment to making Philadelphia an equitable place to do business. She proposed engaging the business community, the Chamber of Commerce, and the diverse chambers as partners. The Mayor shared her plans to convene the Mayor’s Business Roundtables, enabling constructive dialogue from Philadelphia to Harrisburg to Washington, all speaking with one voice to uphold the interests of Philadelphians.
Education took center stage as Mayor Parker discussed the recent Commonwealth Court ruling that declared Pennsylvania’s funding of public education as unconstitutional, potentially releasing hundreds of millions of dollars for public education in Philadelphia. She urged the business community to join the fight for a “full loaf” of education funding for Philadelphia’s students, insisting, “Our students deserve a full loaf, not crumbs.”
The Mayor discussed tax reform, praising the transformations made to the city’s tax structure in recent years, resulting in a more competitive Philadelphia, a more attractive place to live, work, and play. She highlighted the drop in the wage tax and the business income and receipts tax (BIRT), stating the changes made Philadelphia’s tax structure more competitive.
Looking to the future, Mayor Parker summoned an image of Philadelphia in 2026: hosting the FIFA World Cup, celebrating its quarter-millennium as the birthplace of American democracy, and welcoming an influx of visitors from around the world to a city that is safe, clean, green, and prosperous. Repeatedly throughout her speech, she called for unity: “One Philly — A United City,” challenging the audience to imagine a city where everyone works together for the collective good.
Ultimately, Mayor Parker’s blueprint for Philadelphia is a vision of collaborative endeavor. The key is in partnership with all stakeholders, from every Philadelphian to the business community and the civic leadership. Under Mayor Parker’s leadership, the city will aim to be a testament to the power of collective will, standing tall as a safer, cleaner, greener city teeming with opportunities for all its residents.
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