Philly City Council to Vote on Inspector General's Office

Tomorrow Philadelphia’s city council is scheduled to vote on a measure to restructure the inspector general’s office.

In 1984, the city hired its first inspector general. Then no one heard much about the office for a while. In fact, the IG before the one the city has now left office because he wasn’t really living in the city, a requirement for city employees, and one of the things the IG is supposed to ferret out and stop. However, in 2005 Mayor Street appointed R. Seth Williams as the city’s IG, and things changed.

For details, see the Inspector General’s website, Policies are spelled out, there’s an FAQ, and monthly reports giving statistics on complaints received, etc. The reports follow standards set out by the Association of Inspectors General, which is, incidentally, located here in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia doesn’t do very well by it’s IG:

He has a staff of 11. New York City's Department of Investigation, which also investigates corrupt Housing Authority and education employees, has more than 400. Chicago has about 60. Both New York's and Chicago's offices are independent and covered by city charter. Philadelphia's office, created by mayoral executive order in 1984, has no statutory authority.


New York's budget is about $22 million a year; Chicago's $5 million. Philadelphia's budget? Well its money comes through the mayor's office. Williams doesn't control the budget, and can request resources only through the mayor. (“Give watchdog more teeth – Inspector General office should have more teeth,” [editorial] Philadelphia Daily News 4/26/07)

Williams himself has suggested a few changes:

Williams says the city would be better served by a city charter-based inspector general with a fixed term in office, more independence, and a more secure budget. The inspector general now is a creature of a mayoral executive order. (Source: “Prober seeking independence: Inspector General says post ought to be free of mayor’s office,” by Mark McDonald Philadelphia Daily News 4/24/07)

In June the city council took action:

A City Council committee yesterday unanimously approved two resolutions that would give the Inspector General's Office greater independence from the mayor and a broader investigatory mandate.

Currently, the inspector general serves at the pleasure of the mayor. The office's jurisdiction includes only those departments that either report to the mayor or are headed by a mayoral appointee. It does not extend to independently elected officers, such as city Council members or the city commissioners.


If the proposed changes become law, the inspector general could be fired only for cause, and would be free to investigate corruption and search for waste and inefficiency throughout the government. (Source: “City council moves to give wider power to inspector general, “ by Patrick Kerkstra Philadelphia Inquirer 6/13/07)

Thus, tomorrow’s vote. The Committee of Seventy, described by the Inquirer as “a government watchdog group,” is in favor of making the office more independent (see the testimony of their vp in June) but is currently recommending some further investigation and possibly amending to the proposal on the table.




The Daily News is for the changes. The Inquirer is recommending caution.

We’ll have to see how the vote goes. Regardless, the combination of the likely next mayor, Mike Nutter, with a reputation for ethical reform, and the current IG, with a track record of uncovering corruption, the city looks to be in good hands.