Updates

Economy League of Greater Philadelphia Turns 100

January 11, 2010

January 11, 2010

For immediate release


Nonpartisan Policy Nonprofit Continues Issue-Based Research Benefitting Region's Citizens

 

Philadelphia, 11 January 2010 - It all started with a handful of public-spirited "men of affairs" who wished to "raise the efficiency and fidelity of public service" and who formed, with a budget of $12,500, the Bureau of Municipal Research of Philadelphia. One hundred years later and more than 100 times the budget, its descendent, the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, counts more than 70 investors committed to the long-term prosperity of the region.

 

On Tuesday evening, January 12, directors and officers, project partners, and supporters will gather at a Center City restaurant to celebrate this achievement with Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter and regional leaders.

 

In early pamphlets, the Bureau took pains to define itself as a deliberate and dispassionate organization, yet one ardently devoted to equip citizens and public officials alike with the facts and analysis necessary to good decision making.

 

The Citizens' Business is not primarily that of taxpayer, but of trust beneficiary; ...and, without clamor or partisan bias, to aid in the conservation and development of Philadelphia's resources and to promote the intelligent and efficient management of the great corporation in which every citizen is a stockholder and every officer[elected official]is a trustee. -- Bureau of Municipal Research, 1910

 

By the editor of the Evening Bulletin, it was described in January 1912 as,

 

a local agency of a few private citizens who employ experts to examine municipal affairs, with a view to getting rid of antiquated, clumsy, slipshod, or extravagant ways of doing things and substituting...system, precision, competency, and economy - not the economy which merely saves by reducing expenses, but which accomplishes a desired result along the simplest and best lines.

 

Among the Bureau's early endeavors were creating a manual of accounting for the City Controller, studies of the city's borrowing capacity, and collaboration with the City in creating its first centralized budget. In addition to finance, early Trustees George Woodward, George Norris, James T. Young, William C. Bullitt, Cyrus H. K. Curtis, Samuel S. Fels, John H. Musser MD, Asa S. Wing, and others,* were concerned about the city's health and safety standards. Among its actions were a study of Philadelphia's milk inspection service, administrative reform recommendations for hospitals, creation of fire and police manuals, and a survey in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania of food inspections and handling in the city.

 

Along similar lines, in 1936 the Pennsylvania Economy League was founded "to cut wasteful government spending." After World War II, PEL reinforced its role of a fiscal and administrative advisor, including its oversight of the drafting and implementation of Philadelphia's 1950 home rule charter. While the Bureau was focused exclusively on Philadelphia, PEL dealt with southeastern Pennsylvania's five-counties. In 1953, the Bureau won a Governmental Research Award (GRA) for its "Report on the Philadelphia Municipal Pension Fund," and the next year PEL was recognized by GRA for its "The Refuse Problem in Delaware County" study.

 

Late in 1954, the two organizations merged, maintaining a single office in the city of Philadelphia known as PEL Eastern Division with satellite operations in the five counties. PEL's Western Division was and is located in Pittsburgh. Taking a more expansive view allowed the Economy League to begin looking at policy concerns in the context of the Greater Philadelphia region, a complex network of local governments, businesses, and civic organizations. In 2000, it began to lead efforts to proactively identify research areas and initiatives benefiting the region as well as to serve as an incubator for new projects and civic organizing, such as the Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchange, Graduate! Philadelphia, and the Knowledge Industry Partnership.

 

To better reflect its emphasis on the prosperity of the region, which includes southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and northern Delaware, the organization changed its name in January 2007 to the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. The Economy League also took on the role of civic catalyst, an organization where in-depth analysis and committed regional leaders come together to develop new ideas, create innovative strategies, and forge meaningful partnerships.

 

Recent accomplishments:

 

  • Conducted the economic analyses that influenced lawmaker decisions to support connecting I-95 to the PA Turnpike and dedicated funding for SEPTA

  • Documented the role of colleges and universities in our economy and incubated the nation's best program for attracting and retaining college students

  • Raised the bar for citizen education efforts through the award-winning website IssuesPA

  • Won a GRA research award for a study of the Philadelphia Gas Works

  • Partnered with The Pew Charitable Trusts on "Philadelphia's Quiet Crisis: the Rising Cost of Employee Benefits" report in 2008; the CEO Council for Growth on "Accelerating Technology Transfer in Greater Philadelphia" study; and created a roadmap for reaching the city's green infrastructure goals with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council

  • Documented the University City Science Center's business incubation services economic impacts

  • Led educational efforts on the impact of tax burdens on regional growth and development in order to reduce Philadelphia's wage tax

  • Published the "Flight or Fight: Metropolitan Philadelphia and Its Future report"

  • Produced the first online citizen fiscal engagement tool, the Philadelphia Budget Challenge

  • Created and produced three Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchanges, the latest of which will culminate in a learning visit to San Francisco and the Bay Area in September

  • Launched the World Class Greater Philadelphia initiative, a multi-year, collaborative, and comprehensive effort to develop and implement a shared vision and actionable plan for Greater Philadelphia's future.

In celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Economy League, much like the region, is entering the next phase of its development. A new three-year business plan emphasizes its role as a civic organization committed to using research, communications, and leadership development to address the toughest issues Greater Philadelphia faces today while convening others to develop and implement a long-term vision for the future.

 

* Trustees and officers were George Woodward, M.D., Chairman; George W. Norris, Treasurer; James T. Young, Secretary; Dimner Beeber; William C Bullitt; George Burnham, Jr.; Frederick A. Cleveland; Cyrus H. K. Curtis; Powell Evans; Samuel S. Fels; Clarence L. Harper; Emory R. Johnson; William W. Justice; William W. Keen, M.D.; John H. Musser, M.D.; Leo S. Rowe; Albert E. Turner; Asa S. Wing; and Walter Wood. By 1912, representatives from related organizations also served as Trustees: for the Board of Trade, Malcolm Lloyd and Edward R. Wood; for the Chamber of Commerce, James C. Jones and Charles Z. Tryon; and for the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association, Daniel V. Brown and Calvin M. Smyth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Economy League of Greater Philadelphia

The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia today is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to research and analysis of the region's resources and challenges with the goal of promoting sound public policy and increasing the region's prosperity. The Economy League is an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Economy League, Inc., with offices in Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh.