💵 How much did we spend on arena hearings?!

⚖️ Crime Dropped on SEPTA in 2024

SEPTA officials report that crime on the transit system dropped a whopping 33% last year compared to 2023. Going forward Transit Police Chief Chuck Lawson said officers will focus on low-level crimes, like smoking and drug sales. [WHYY]

📚 North Philly Giving Library Rebuilds From Scratch

A malfunctioning pipe at Treehouse Books destroyed thousands of books at the 20-year-old literacy center on Christmas Day. Repairs are estimated to cost $40,000 and the center is asking for donations to help rebuild their collection and cover remediation. [6ABC]

🏛️ City Council Preps for Another Trump Administration

Having already anticipated the effects of the Trump administration on Philly, Councilmember Rue Landau will hold a hearing focused on the city’s preparedness to protect the rights of marginalized communities. The hearing is tomorrow at 10 a.m. To testify you must sign up today by 3 p.m. [🎧 City Cast Philly, Philadelphia Gay News]

💰 Sixers Arena Switcheroo Cost You a Half-Million Bucks

Despite promises that the now abandoned Center City arena proposal wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime, the city lost plenty of time studying it and advocating for it. The Inquirer estimates that Philly taxpayers spent $469,095 on hearings, policing, and travel costs. [🔒 Inquirer]

Although President Joe Biden’s term is officially over, his impact on the Philadelphia region will resonate. Biden signed congressional legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act that funded projects that rebuilt roadways and reconnected neighborhoods. Let’s take a look back at some of those projects.

🛣️ Infrastructure

After a tanker fire partially collapsed I-95 in Northeast Philly in 2023, the state reopened the major transportation corridor in 12 days. The Biden administration released $3 million in what the president called a “down payment” to speed up repairs.

The state was also allocated $8.4 million for roads, bridges, and roadway safety thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which passed in 2021. Allocations for Philly include:

• $2 million to extend Callowhill’s Rail Park, converting the old railroad viaduct between Vine Street and Fairmount Avenue into a public space.
• Nearly $160 million for the first phase of the Chinatown Stitch, with construction to cap the Vine Street Expressway and reconnect parts of the neighborhood to begin in 2027.
• $11 million for 75 public EV chargers in Philly.
• $27.5 million to upgrade aging infrastructure at Philadelphia International Airport as the city prepares for an influx of visitors for the country’s semiquincentennial in 2026.

🖥️ Technology

Earlier this month the city was granted $11.9 million as part of Biden’s Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. Philly plans to use this funding in partnership with local nonprofits and educational institutions for programs such as free or low-cost internet, digital skills workshops, and the building of esports and digital access centers.

The Biden administration also designated Philadelphia as a regional tech hub. The Greater Philadelphia Region Precision Medicine Tech Hub’s focus is to develop new ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat diseases. Although Philly’s tech hub did not receive new funding from Biden’s Economic Development Administration, consortium leaders remain hopeful for the project’s future.