For the next seven weeks, Philadelphia City Council is scheduled to hold a series of public hearings on Mayor Cherelle Parker’s recently unveiled $6.9 billion spending plan for next year. And, on Tuesday, the first hearing on the proposed budget will be held in front of council’s Committee of the Whole at City Hall. The hearing comes just a day after the mayor proposed a new tax of $1 on rideshare trips, in order to help raise funding to support the city’s public school system. That tax was included in her plan that was presented on March 12, 2026, but, initially, Parker only proposed a 20-cent per ride tax on rideshare trips. Philadelphia City Council’s Committee of the Whole is expected to hold a hearing on Mayor Cherelle Parker’s proposed budget plan for the 2027 fiscal year on Tuesday. The event is expected to begin at 10 a.m. and it will be livestreamed at the top of this article. During the hearing on Tuesday, a statement from the office of Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd dist.) said that council expects to hear testimony from members of the mayor’s administration — including department heads and independently elected offices — in support of the proposed budget and to answer questions from councilmembers. Tuesday’s hearing will be the first of several as City Council plans seven weeks of public hearings on the proposed budget. A statement from Johnson’s office noted that this is the third year in a row that City Council will host a series of Neighborhood Budget Town Halls in communities throughout Philadelphia to hear from citizens. The first Neighborhood Budget Town Hall will take place on April 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Kroc Center, located at 4200 Wissahickon Avenue, in North Philadelphia. Also, Johnson’s office said that City Council is expected to pass legislation approving the new budget before the end of the current budget on June 30, and if the mayor signs the adopted budget legislation, the FY ’27 budget will go into effect on July 1, 2026. Tuesday’s hearing will be held in City Council Chambers at Philadelphia City Hall and it is expected to he held from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. For a fill schedule of upcoming public hearings on the budget plan, click here. However, Johnson’s office noted the schedule is subject to change. This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available. ...read more read less