Parker proposes $1 rideshare tax to help fund schools

Mayor Cherelle Parker has proposed increasing the city’s rideshare tax to $1 per trip to help close a major funding gap in the Philadelphia school district and prevent staffing cuts.

The measure, announced by the mayor during a visit to South Philly’s Delaplaine McDaniel School on 22nd Street, is part of an amendment to the city’s fiscal year 2027 tax plan that would raise the tax from 20 cents to $1 per trip starting Jan. 1, 2027, if approved. Officials estimate it would generate about $24 million in fiscal year 2027 and roughly $48 million annually thereafter.

The school district faces a projected $300 million structural deficit following the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds. Without additional funding, officials have said about 340 school-based positions — including teachers, counselors and climate staff — could be eliminated.

City officials said the proposed funding would allow the district to restore about 240 positions.

Parker said the plan would provide a stable, recurring local revenue source to preserve recent academic gains, including improvements in attendance, test scores and graduation rates.

Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. said the district has made progress but still faces difficult financial decisions. Board of Education President Reginald Streater said the funding would mark one of the largest increases in local recurring support in more than a decade, while cautioning that long-term needs remain.

The proposal also includes a three-year pilot program to help residents resolve license suspensions tied to unpaid parking tickets.

State addressing problems caused by large AI data centers

The state House has approved legislation aimed at addressing the growing energy demands and environmental impacts of large data centers, sending the measure to the state Senate for consideration.

House Bill 1834 seeks to establish a framework for how high-energy users, including data centers, connect to the electric grid and share associated costs. Lawmakers say the move comes as electricity demand rises rapidly, driven in part by the expansion of data centers across the PJM Interconnection region.

The bill would require data centers to obtain an increasing share of their electricity from new, in-state clean energy sources, starting at 10% in 2027 and rising to 32% by 2035. It also includes provisions to prevent infrastructure costs from being passed on to residential customers and small businesses.

Additional measures call for financial contributions to energy assistance programs, including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and set operational standards intended to reduce grid strain and limit pollution from backup power generation during emergencies.

Supporters say the legislation creates initial safeguards in a sector that has grown quickly with limited oversight. Tom Schuster of the Sierra Club’s Pennsylvania chapter said the bill is a first step toward ensuring reliability and protecting consumers as demand increases.

He added, however, that the proposal does not fully address the scale of the issue and that further action will likely be needed to manage long-term impacts on energy costs, grid reliability and the environment.

Volunteer tree planting in Philadelphia region

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will plant hundreds of trees across the Greater Philadelphia region as part of its annual spring greening effort, scheduled for April 14–19.

The initiative will distribute and plant about 650 trees with the help of volunteers, community groups and the organization’s Tree Tenders network. Tree distribution is set for April 14–17 at the Philabundance Warehouse, where volunteers will unload and sort bare-root trees before they are delivered to neighborhoods. Community planting events will follow April 18–19.

The semiannual program is part of PHS’s broader effort to expand the region’s tree canopy and promote environmental and public health benefits, including improved air quality and reduced urban heat.

“Spring is a season of growth and renewal, and there’s no better way to welcome it than by planting trees across our neighborhoods,” said Dan Preziosi, the organization’s director of trees. “Each tree we plant strengthens the city’s canopy, improves community health and gives neighbors a chance to come together.”

More than 55 Tree Tenders groups are expected to participate in the plantings and ongoing care of the trees. PHS said its plantings have a survival rate exceeding 85 percent, aided by careful site selection and volunteer stewardship.

Volunteers are still being sought for both distribution and planting events. No prior experience is required. Visit https://phsonline.org/

Veterans-themed films

American Veterans Media and the Cape May-based Longest Yarn Committee are presenting a day of veterans-themed documentary screenings on Saturday, May 16, at the National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. Films shown will be Edison 64 (11 a.m.), Remember the 27 Crusaders (1:30 p.m.), The Ralph Galati Story (4 p.m.) and the world premiere of The Longest Yarn (6:30 p.m.). Each film will be followed by a Q&A with production crew members and people featured in the films. Tickets cost $20 and include admittance to an individual film screening, museum ticket until 5 p.m. and a $10 parking voucher. No tickets will be sold at the door. To RSVP, visit https://www.americanveteransmedia.org/donate ••

Variety dinner show

The Maltese Room, 2049 Bristol Pike in Bensalem, will present Joey C’s Variety Dinner Show on Saturday, April 25, at 6 p.m. Joey C will sing Sinatra, with Robert Cabella as Dean Martin and Angelo Capone as Jerry Lewis. The cost for the show, buffet-style dinner and one beer or glass of wine is $55. For tickets, call Tom O’Neill at 215-675-9700. For more information, email oneillscatering@comcast.net. ••

Ceremony for Sports Hall of Famers

The Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Philadelphia City All Star Chapter, will hold its 32nd annual awards banquet on Thursday, April 16, at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, 11630 Caroline Road. There will be cocktails (cash bar) from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7. The class of 2026 inductees are Tom Bonk (North Catholic), Dom DiSandro (George Washington), Jahri Evans (Frankford), Tom Filer (Archbishop Ryan), Tim Gallagher (Cardinal Dougherty), Chuck Gesing (La Salle), Jayne McGinley (Frankford), Joe Ryan (Cardinal Dougherty), Kathie Beisel-Sims (St. Hubert) and Matt Walsh (Germantown Academy). Tickets are $85 in advance and $90 at the door. Tables of 10 are available. Checks can be made payable to Philadelphia City All Star Chapter, P.O. Box 672, Levittown, PA 19055. Include your name, email, phone number, number of tickets and name of inductee. For more information, contact Steve DiSangro at disangroref@aol.com or 215-421-7556. ••

Art exhibition

The Autistic Art Coalition of Philadelphia will hold its eighth art exhibition on Saturday, April 25, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Roberts Center for Advanced Pediatric Research, 2716 South St.

Artists will be accepted until 5 p.m. on April 3.

For free tickets or to register, go to

https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/centerforautismresearch/8th-art-exhibition-aacop?utm_source=Autistic+Art+Coalition+of+Philadelphia&utm_campaign=0405d3df1a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_03_27_03_47&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c371b65e9e-0405d3df1a-586073297&mc_cid=0405d3df1a&mc_eid=e9a9307ff6

For more information, visit AACOPhilly.org. ••

A video that appeals to all

A new video showcasing the Luvable Characters Family has launched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5GmrbPb5HA

The premise is to connect Philadelphians with cities globally and to reveal a deeper, universal secret that isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about a revelation that changes how people view the world and each other.

Luvable Characters is a Philadelphia-founded initiative dedicated to global storytelling and human connection. By blending local pride with universal themes, they aim to foster empathy and unity across borders with topics and subjects that share a mutual connection to people from all walks of life.

The video features “Blankey and the Bugtoons” and is geared to children, educators and adults of all ages. ••

Looking for senior softball players

The Philadelphia Senior Softball League 68 & over is in search of some experienced players. Games are played Monday and Friday at 10 a.m. All games are played at Crispin Park, at Holme and Convent avenues. Play starts in May and runs through October, with no games in Jul...

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