Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney
PHILADELPHIA—The administration of Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney continues to promote the benefits of the controversial beverage tax imposed three years ago.
The city's Rebuild program reports that in the first 12 months since the beverage tax funding was released, work has begun at 61 facilities across the city. The work represents $126 million of new investment that has been committed or expanded earmarked to mostly high needs neighborhoods, city officials state.
In the months to come, Rebuild will start work on more new projects, including kicking off construction at more than eight new sites this spring. At present, $4.8 million in new grants have been awarded and four new roofs have been installed.
In July 2019, Rebuild launched two pilot job programs aimed at giving diverse Philadelphians opportunities for paid training and work on Rebuild projects.
Other figures released by the Rebuild program include 16 enrollees in the workforce development training program; 25% are women and 100% people of color recruited; 50% of workforce trainees are now working as union apprentices and a total of 8,300 paid workforce training hours and apprenticeship hours have been completed.
In 2020, Rebuild expects to begin construction at more sites across the city, including the East Poplar Playground, the Miles Mack Playground, the Rivera Recreation Center / Mann Older Adult Center, the Fishtown Recreation Center's Lederer Pool and the Vernon Park Playground. The program also intends to award multi-million dollar grants for more than 12 major transformation projects; recruit 30 additional pre-apprentices, provide training and business support to more than 30 diverse small businesses and engage thousands of residents in the design and improvement of their respective parks, rec centers, or libraries.
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John Jordan
John Jordan is a veteran journalist with 36 years of print and digital media experience.
