AVI’s Harrisburg hurdles | Barnes and civic identity | budget deadlines | lost South Philly | finding parks funding | protecting urban gardens

Harrisburg will need to pass a few bills to enable the city’s property reassessment plans (AVI), but State Sen. Larry Farnese says not so fast. It’s Our Money reports that Farnese proposed amending one of the bills to make the reassessment revenue-neutral (as originally envisioned), and to separate the issue of additional school funding from AVI. If City Council has to vote on AVI and school funding separately, the AVI might not pass.

How is the Barnes like being at a Phillies game? Some day we might not be able to imagine our city without it, writes Tom Ferrick on Metropolis.

City Council is supposed to pass the budget on May 31 according the City Charter. June 30 is the true deadline, the Inquirer notes, because the fiscal year begins July 1. Like last year, budget debate could continue into June.

South Philly Review looks back at 20 local landmarks that are gone but not forgotten – from the Moyamensing Prison to the Aquarama – as part of its 65th anniversary issue.

Should a surcharge be added to parking tickets to support Parks and Rec funding? Councilman Mark Squilla wants to add $2 onto each ticket, but NewsWorks reports there are conflicting opinions as to the legality of that surcharge.

The city’s current vacant land debate and land banking plans don’t account for the existing urban gardens that have grown on Philadelphia’s vacant lots for decades. Hidden City Daily visits Manny Rivera’s garden on North 5th Street in West Kensington. The land Rivera tends is owned by private and public entities, and it’s wholly unclear how cases like his will be handled under the city’s new approaches to vacant property.

 

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