April 5, 2019, Ryan Briggs - WHYY
Philadelphia’s new municipal identification card program drew crowds of interested applicants on its first official day.
Dozens of people waited in a line that snaked across a City Hall corridor on Thursday in the hours after Mayor Jim Kenney launched the long-awaited local government ID program. Some applicants had made appointments with the city but others would wait hours to snag one of the cards.
Many of Thursday’s applicants previously faced barriers to establishing proof of local residency — something needed for everything from entering city rec centers to applying for a job. The new cards can be used in place of a state or federal ID for a variety of functions, including applying for social services, entering certain public buildings, securing housing and interacting with law enforcement.
The first 1,000 ID cards will be issued free of charge. The cards will eventually cost $10 for adults, $5 for teens and remain free to those 65 and older.