Jobs and Economic Development Group - May 5

A City That Works - May 5, 2008
Jobs and Economic Development Discussion Group at Holy Innocents

What does this goal mean to you?

• Large corporations are not leaving town.

• The tax structure is changed to better support small and mid-size companies.

• Creation of mid-level and entry-level jobs.

• I can work and live in the same zip code.

• Greater job opportunities in the city.

• Greater minority opportunities, overcoming language barriers to employment.

• Professionalism of city employees yields quality services.

• Performance standards also apply to nonprofits working for the city; nonprofits are accountable for the quality of their work.

• City programs support transitioning students into employment.

• Lowering the tax impact to individuals.

• Services provided by the city equate to the taxes paid.

• Jobs that retain people in the city.

Performance measures (What success would look like)

• The city has created a department whose role is to recruit new business.

• The city’s initiatives on Public Safety and Education  are aligned with Economic Development initiatives, making Philadelphia more attractive to employee prospects.

• All Philadelphia universities and colleges are collaborating with the city on a development strategy that encompasses all neighborhoods, with a special focus on making Philadelphia attractive and accessible to small-business owners.  The city’s services are organized to foster future trend planning under these academic partnerships.

• The city has increased incentives to live and work in Philadelphia.

• Taxes equate to the value of city services.  This is not necessarily a tax reduction; taxes to individuals could stay as they are if city services delivered equivalent value. 

• Re-entry programs [welfare to work, prison release] and tangible tax benefits for the hiring companies are successfully breaking the cycle and delivering long-term employment.

• More of the fees paid for outsourced city services are recovered through taxes, as more Philadelphia-based companies are providing the services.

• City employees are encouraged to pursue language and cultural diversity education. Budget allocations enable pay motivation for getting certified.

• How would you measure the city’s level of success?

Measure actual job development across the City against projections generated by the City-Academic partnerships [think-tank planning vs. results developing small/mid-size businesses by neighborhood]

• Measure year-by-year reductions in attrition of large corporations; i.e. fewer companies leave each year.

• Two new industrial companies are added to the American Street Corridor, bringing a minimum of 50 jobs each.

• The percentage of outsourced city services provided by Philadelphia-based companies is increased from 30 percent to 50 percent.

• Increasing percentage of prison release / welfare job placement and retention over time.

• 50 percent of Philadelphia residents work in the city.

• The combined tax obligation of people living and working in Philadelphia is equivalent or less than taxes paid by our suburban neighbors.  [The group thought this was probably true now.]

• The city has met or exceeded its goals on reductions in crime and litter. 

• The benchmark for the 75,000 new residents is employment at a living wage, not minimum wage. 

• This workforce development is complete in three years, not five to 10.

• Increasing percentage of city employees are certified through language / cultural diversity training, and  are utilizing those skills supporting city services.

Customer-service standards

• Institute a Business 311 service with streamlined support and  24 hour turnaround time for business issues such as:

    → taxes

    → licensing

    → coordinating with utilities

    → parking solutions

• Institute a citywide registry matching jobs with people, helping businesses connect with entry level employees.

• Provide public quarterly updates and an annual plan on the city / academic partnership.

• Proactively share progress toward economic development goals.

• Provide public quarterly reporting on the percentage of city contracts with Philadelphia-based companies.

• References relevant for use by small businesses are made available through public resources (e.g. library programs supporting N.J. biotech industry).

• Share 311 outcomes; report service improvements as well as plans to fix flaws; e.g. turnaround time improves, but the cause of a repeated problem report isn’t corrected.

Report by Joan Davis