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SYNDICATE CONTENTMy Philadelphia
In the My Philadelphia contest, students from Philadelphia shared their visions of the city. Check out the winning entries.
Film Contest
Great Expectations challenged area filmmakers to tell us their hopes and fears for Philadelphia. They spoke about their aspirations, their concerns, their prayers for the city. Watch the films.
The Citizens Agenda
The Citizens Agenda for Philadelphia's Future
For more than a year, the Great Expectations project has invited Philadelphians to dream.
It has urged them to weave dreams for their region, dreams both ambitious and practical — unwilling to settle for what is, but honest about limits and tradeoffs. Citizens have rallied to the cause of dreams, filling seats at Great Expectations forums; writing a thousand essays, letters and blog posts; flocking to candidate forums.
Great Expectations has listened to citizens' hopes, fears, gripes and ideas. We've done in-depth reporting to connect citizen aspirations to practical solutions. We've talked to smart minds locally and looked to cities as far away as Brazil for good ideas to steal. The Citizens Agenda for Philadelphia's Future is the culmination of that effort, our book of sensible dreams, our to-do list for the Next Great City.
The agenda is organized around 12 issues. For each issue, we begin with a brief essay giving the shape of the challenge. For each topic, we've chosen a No. 1 Priority action, the one thing to be done above all else. That's followed by a list of needed Near-term Actions, all of which in our view could be achieved during Michael Nutter's first term as mayor. These steps are the job of many stakeholders, not just politicians. We also list some Long-term Efforts, the vital heavy lifting it would be wise to start now. Finally, there's a list of Ideas from Citizen Forums. The entire agenda is based on grassroots input, but these are a sampling of the most distinctive citizen comments.
The yearning for a better Philadelphia is alive across the region. We invite you to roam this online presentation, and read how to make Great Expectations come true.
(Illustrations by Tim Ogline)
Agenda: Arts and Culture
Preserving and extending a rich legacy.
Read the Arts and Culture Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Arts and Culture Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Budget and Taxes
Fair taxes, fair contracts, and budgets citizens can understand.
Read the Budget and Taxes Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Budget and Taxes Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: City Services
Making city services more reliable and city departments more accountable.
Read the City Services Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the City Services Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Crime
Curbing the bloodshed; turning perceptions around.
Read the Crime Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Crime Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Education
A system that prepares the city's people for work, citizenship and life.
Read the Education Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Education Agenda on our open discussion thread on the Great Expectations blog.
Agenda: Environment
Nurturing a city that is green and clean.
Read the Environment Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Environment Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Knowledge Economy
Capitalizing on colleges and hospitals to create jobs and brain "gain."
Read the Knowledge Economy Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Knowledge Economy Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Leadership and Reform
Clean elections, ethical government, regional vision and leaders who lead.
Read the Leadership and Reform Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Leadership and Reform Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Neighborhoods in Flux
Helping areas in flux benefit from change.
Read the Neighborhoods in Flux Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Neighborhoods in Flux Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Planning and Zoning
A vision for how the city should grow and rules to make happen.
Read the Planning and Zoning Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Planning and Zoning Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Poverty
Attacking the root problem at the roots.
Read the Poverty Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Poverty Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
Agenda: Transportation
Fixing SEPTA, parking and Interstate 95.
Read the Transportation Agenda in full, which includes the shape of the challenge, near-term actions, long-term efforts and citizen ideas.
Online Extra: Leave your comments and suggestions about the Transportation Agenda on our open discussion thread on the blog.
The Citizens Agenda was written by columnist Tom Ferrick and Chris Satullo, along with Editorial Board members Russell Cooke, Carolyn Davis and Dave Boyer, and former staffers Douglas Pike and Matt Blanchard. A word of gratitude: Great Expectations wasn’t the only effort to think through the issues during this year of civic energy in Philadelphia. This agenda borrows shamelessly and gratefully from the work of some fine civic groups, including the Next Great City Coalition, the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and the Central Delaware River project.
