The bill comes in the wake of Drexel University's decision to close the Academy of Natural Sciences museum at the end of September, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from city officials and cultural advocates. Saval, who has been vocal in opposing the closure, said the loss of the nearly century-old institution underscores the fragility of Philadelphia's cultural sector.

Under the proposal, Philadelphia would gain state authorization to increase its local sales tax, with a portion of the new revenue reserved for museums, galleries, theaters, libraries, parks and recreation centers, among other public venues. The bill does not specify how large an increase might be sought.

"We have an opportunity to make a generational investment in our arts and cultural institutions, parks, and civic space — preserving these treasured community assets and expanding public access," Saval said in a statement. "We can ensure that public money goes to support the public good."

The legislation mirrors a model used in Allegheny County, where the state in 1993 authorized a 1% local sales tax to create the Regional Asset District. Half of that revenue has funded libraries, cultural centers, parks and trails for more than three decades, totaling more than $5.5 billion in investment. The other half supports county and local government services and property tax relief.

Philadelphia and Allegheny County are the only two Pennsylvania counties that levy local sales taxes on top of the state's 6% rate. Philadelphia's 2% local sales tax was enacted in two stages — 1% during a fiscal crisis in 1991 and another 1% in 2013 to offset municipal pension obligations. Any change requires enabling legislation in Harrisburg. The city's combined 8% rate is the highest in the state.

Saval pointed to a recent study from Southern Methodist University's national DataArts research center showing that Philadelphia ranks last in the nation in public arts funding. The study also found that Philadelphia had the steepest reduction in municipal arts grant funding per resident between 2019 and 2024, a period that included the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill's prospects may be bolstered by Democrats' success in this month's midterm elections, which gave the party a trifecta in state government come January. Saval noted that the last time Democrats held a trifecta, in 1993, the state passed the Allegheny County measure.

He also cited other recent institutional losses: the closure of the University of the Arts two years ago and the shuttering of the Philadelphia History Museum, formerly the Atwater Kent Museum, in 2018.

"As the oldest natural history museum in the country, this irreplaceable loss has been felt deeply throughout the Greater Philadelphia region and reverberated in scientific communities across the world," Saval wrote in a memo introducing the bill.

Momentum for the legislation could also draw from Philadelphia voters' approval this month of a ballot question that formalizes Creative Philadelphia, the city organization that runs grant programs and oversees public arts and education initiatives, under the Home Rule Charter. The office has operated by executive order since 1984. Nearly 84% of voters backed the measure.

"It's clear that the public has the will to fight to preserve our vital community assets," Saval said. "Philadelphians now need their elected representatives to fight for the city's future, too."

Cultural leaders voiced support for the proposal Thursday.

"Philadelphia's arts and cultural sector is at a critical crossroads, and we cannot continue to rely on short-term solutions to address long-term challenges," said Patricia Wilson Aden, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Jane Golden, founder and former executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, said the legislation "recognizes that culture is not a luxury, but an essential public investment in the long-term health, vitality, and future of our city."

Still, a sales tax increase could face political headwinds. Philadelphia is once again the poorest big city in the nation, according to recent census data, and a local sales tax hike would fall more heavily on city residents than on the suburban commuters and regional visitors who benefit from the city's cultural attractions. A 1997 referendum to expand the Allegheny County asset district through a regional sales tax was soundly defeated across 11 western Pennsylvania counties.

Advocates continue to press Drexel and city leaders for a path forward for the Academy of Natural Sciences. City Council members questioned university officials about the strategic and financial reasons for the abrupt closure at a hearing last month, and on Thursday the council adopted a resolution creating a task force to study the museum's future, including options for reopening it to the public.