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Black clergy leaders from more than 20 different city congregations gathered in the shadow of Philadelphia City Hall on Tuesday morning to urge officials to make the city stronger and more affordable.
Rev. Tony Pritchette, pastor of Provision of Grace World Mission Church in North Philly, said they are calling for a new set of 10 commandments to be implemented, some of which he read to the crowd.
“‘Thou shall protect working families.’ Did y’all hear what I said? Thou shall not bow to outside forces making Philly less affordable for Philadelphians. Thou shall work for the people,” he said.
The plea for assistance comes as the 2026 midterm elections are just three weeks away.
The full City Council and Mayor Cherelle Parker are up for reelection in 2027, and with a heavily weighted Democrat-to-Republican voter ratio in the city, the spring primary is largely expected to decide who is elected to office next year.
Tanya Hendricks, a city resident who spoke at the gathering Tuesday, said she’s struggling to make ends meet. She said that some tax breaks and other assistance for low-income individuals are urgently needed in Philadelphia.
“[Assistance] would lower my property taxes and freeze my bills,” she said. “It would mean I wouldn’t have to drive for Lyft as many hours as I do. It would give me breathing room and maybe I could actually start my savings again.”
Hendricks said she’s among the people who have exhausted their savings in these tough economic times. Her call for tax breaks is so that people have a chance “to have a stable and secure life.”
