Philadelphia to Start Issuing Municipal IDs

Following the lead of Chicago, Philadelphia will start issuing municipal IDs for people who don’t have drivers licenses. Recognizing that people who don’t drive still need a form of identification for many situations in life, the city announced the new cards yesterday. Without a form of identification, city residents cannot get food from food pantries, get treated at certain hospitals, or open a bank account.

From Philly.com:

“Because of immigration status, financial limitations, youth, or other reasons, some people cannot obtain valid ID cards from the state or federal governments, or else run into obstacles when they try to do so. A municipal ID card is an alternative. In Philadelphia, it would help residents access basic services, such as groceries from food pantries, treatment for drug addiction, and entry to City Hall and the Municipal Services Building. In Chicago, the cards also offer discounts on medical prescriptions and museum admissions and double as library and public transit cards.”

The cards are, surprisingly, controversial. Those in favor of the municipal IDs say that they can help marginalized people like the homeless and the elderly receive critical services. Identification cards for non-driving Philadelphia residents was one of Mayor Jim Kenney’s campaign promises, and it has taken him a while to get the process up and running. Those who oppose the cards say they are concerned that the IDs will allow people who don’t merit special services – let’s just clear this up and say “conservatives” and “illegal immigrants” – by giving them a valid form of municipal identification. For their part, the consensus of immigration advocates is concern over use of the personal information required.

The ID cards will display the bearer’s full legal name, address, date of birth, and gender. They have a city-issued identification number, similar to a drivers license number. Philadelphia plans to use the same vendor for the cards that Chicago used.