Councilman Frank DiCicco, for instance, plans to introduce a resolution in City Council tomorrow that would authorize BRT hearings.
DiCicco also sent a letter to the BRT complaining about notices of assessment hikes sent last week to a small percentage of property owners, including some in his district.
"I would hope that we could resolve these concerns amicably and fairly," DiCicco wrote, adding that in the meantime he would "aggressively explore" legislation to rein in the BRT.
The note was CC'd to Brady.
In addition to DiCicco, eight Council members contacted by The Inquirer said they favored some manner of BRT reform. Though there was little consensus on how much change would be necessary, it was nonetheless clear that Council's disdain for the BRT now crosses party and factional divides.
"You couldn't commit more errors in a game than they have," said Republican Councilman Frank Rizzo.
"No one has faith in anything they're doing," echoed Councilman James F. Kenney.
Philadelphia's school board - which relies on the city for 60 percent of its funding - also has been slow to tackle the patronage system at BRT.
School money is crucial to preserving that system. Because the 80 workers - nearly half the BRT staff - are on the school district's payroll, not the city's, they can continue to be active in politics.
The task force report says that moving the workers off the school district payroll would cure the public perception "that these employees are patronage hires who do not add value."
On the con side, it said, they would have to pass a Civil Service test to keep their jobs.
When the School Reform Commission approved its budget in May, it moved $3.2 million of the $4.28 million budgeted for the BRT workers into another account.
School district spokesman Fernando Gallard said the district hopes the BRT workers will be on the city payroll after September.
If not, he said, money will be moved back into payroll funds so the workers can continue collecting paychecks.
"We cannot stop funding of the work they are doing," he said.
Helen Gym, president of Parents United for Public Education, said there's no reason why the district should continue supporting the patronage jobs at BRT.
"With the crisis the school district faces, there are no options," she said, noting that the district is considering layoffs of nurses, counselors, and prekindergarten teachers.
"Every dollar counts. If we care about what happens to kids, the school district needs to focus on essential services for children."
Contact staff writer Joseph Tanfani at 215-854-2684 or jtanfani@phillynews.com.
