In his informal state-of-the-city address to the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Mr. Rendell challenged business leaders to create jobs for the thousands of Philadelphians who will be thrown off the welfare rolls in the next few years.
In doing so, the mayor placed the primary challenge of welfare reform before some of the staunchest supporters of the effort - and hinted that those proponents have a civic and moral obligation to step up to the plate and help.
He didn't say it would be a make-or-break test of his relationship with the business community. Rather, his appeal was that as a city, there would be ``heck to pay'' if those losing welfare benefits don't find work. (And he showed some bipartisan class by lauding U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.) for hiring several ex-welfare recipients for his staff.)
The task at hand: Nearly 19,000 people, or about 25 percent of the city's adult welfare caseload, will be required under the state plan to find work by Sept. 30 or lose benefits. Another half of the caseload must find jobs over the next six years.
That's a challenge that probably can be met only by a public-service or ``workfare'' jobs program, in which recipients work for their benefits. But Gov. Ridge made plain in his budget proposal released last week that Pennsylvania still has no plans to create low-skilled jobs for welfare recipients who cannot find other work.
So Mr. Rendell is absolutely right: Every business leader within earshot of his speech will need to create a job or two.
The chamber of commerce itself has set a good example, employing several aides formerly on welfare. Every one of the mayor's friends should heed his call.
