Originally Posted by Brookings Institute Report

Targeting schools, its tax code, and its business environment, the city is making great efforts to reverse decades of decline.

And yet, while much of Philadelphia transforms, many of the city’s large number of families working toward middle class membership are being left behind.

The statistics are bleak: Over one in five of Philadelphians lives below the poverty line. Over one out of every four households lives off less than the minimum wage. And just one in five adults in the city has a college degree, a lower proportion than nearly 100 other large U.S. cities.

To move ahead, the city must renew opportunities for its large number of aspiring middle class families. Schools, the economy, city services, neighborhoods—all the major ingredients of city life—are more vigorous when cities have a large and growing middle class. Certainly, Philadelphia and its state and local leaders should explore a broad, traditional agenda of expanding access for low-income families to jobs, while making sure those jobs pay. But, the city must do more.

Put simply, Philadelphia must make the market work for low income families. Thousands of dollars are currently drained from the budgets of Philadelphia’s working families through higher prices for everyday goods and services. These higher prices—higher than those paid by better off families for the exact same goods and services— hold back all aspiring middle class families, even those who gain access to jobs and benefits that make those jobs pay, draining much-needed family investment dollars and increasing family financial insecurity. Just as Philadelphia has worked to change its schools, economy, and tax code, the city must also transform the market to better price everyday goods and services for low-income families.

Originally Posted by Malloy

Hahahaha. So, Philly isnt a car city, eh? Pay attention to the % of the higher income folks. 90% have cars...in Phila proper.

Originally Posted by wally

Are you proposing that Philadelphia should completely acquiesce to automobiles at the expense of pedestrians and having a walkable, unique streetscape?