COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Friday, May 7, 2010 10:20 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ BILLS 100115, 100116, 100117, 100118 and 100131 RESOLUTION 100141 - - - 2
Good morning, everyone. This is a continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. It is my understanding that we know of 55 people that would like to testify. We definitely want to hear from everyone, so what we thought we would do is give everyone three minutes to testify so that everybody would have the same opportunity. So with that being said, our first witnesses will be?
From the Philadelphia Parks Alliance, Bevin Parker and Doris Gwaltney. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good morning. Kindly identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good morning. I'm Doris Gwaltney. I'm the President of 3 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the Carroll Park Neighbors Advisory Council and I'm a Board member of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance and I'm also a part of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Thank you for allowing us to testify.
There is a parks movement in Philadelphia. Residents of Philadelphia are also embracing greening, open space and environmental issues with enthusiasm and dedication. Mayor Nutter has boldly committed himself to making Philadelphia the greenest city in the country. Thanks to the support of City Council, we now have a combined Department of Parks and Recreation under the leadership of Michael DiBerardinis. Instead of playing our usual role of catchup, City Council can lead the way to a greener Philadelphia. We are asking Council to support Mayor Nutter's proposed increase in funding for parks 4 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. and recreation. This request is reasonable when we consider that clean, revitalized parks and fully staffed recreation centers play a vital role in the health and well-being of a neighborhood. The Redevelopment Authority is now targeting abandoned houses on otherwise stable blocks, rehabbing them and selling them to qualified buyers. A clean, safe park and the programs offered at the nearby recreation center also stabilize a neighborhood. The value of green, open space in a neighborhood cannot be measured. A park is a homeowner's backyard. A park is a place that Nana and PopPop can walk to with the grands in tow. A park is a place to go to meet friends, to eat lunch, read a book or do nothing at all. One summer there was a wedding in Carroll Park. The couple was getting married at the bride's nearby home when someone suggested they move the nuptials 5 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. to the park. The minister and the wedding party then walked down Girard Avenue to the park. The church across the street held a wake in Carroll Park. These events could not have taken place in Carroll Park years ago. 9 And I must remind Council that 10 park friends groups and the folks who run 11 the programs of recreation centers are 12 all volunteers. Park volunteers also 13 provide free programs and activities for 14 our communities, and we make sure that 15 our parks are clean and free of graffiti. And we are not a burden to the City, nor do we or will we add another layer to the City's bureaucracy. To say this about us is an insult. We are partnered with the City of Philadelphia. We are all adults. No one needs to speak to us slowly and distinctly, and equal partners do not supervise one another. Perhaps the members of Council who have not established a relationship with a park 6 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. friends group should select a revitalized park and stop by for a visit this summer. Council will learn what we do month after month, year after year because we love our neighborhood and we are committed to helping Mayor Nutter make Philadelphia the greenest city in the country. Thank you.
Thank you very much. We do appreciate your coming in to testify. Good morning.
Good morning. Thank you for having us. I'm Bevin Parker from the Philadelphia Parks Alliance. Today is a new day. Thanks to the support of City Council and citizens, that is the sentiment that was felt when voters approved the merger of the Department of Recreation and the Fairmount Park Commission. Now we stand committed to make this new department the best that it can be so that every citizen 7 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. can fully enjoy Philadelphia's parks and recreation. Approving the Fiscal Year 2011 proposed budget for the Department of Parks and Recreation is one of the steps we can take to get there. This budget will pay for the maintenance of existing and new street and park trees; the planting of roughly 5,800 new trees; after-school programs; sports; camps; cultural events and environmental education; skill-building and youth development programs; building ball fields and play equipment improvements; safety and security measures and much more. We know that green, open spaces are nice to look at, but they also hold value. They're an asset that needs investment. According to the Trust for Public Land study, the economic value of Philadelphia's parks and recreation system is over $1.2 billion annually, through healthcare savings, increased tourism and property values, and 8 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. beneficial environmental savings. For a small investment in the parks and recreation system, we get a large return. The proposed capital and operating budgets for the Department of Parks and Recreation will be a small investment in the very thing that helps our city generate income, wealth and well-being. Dollars aside, we know that planting more trees will reduce air pollution and help ameliorate respiratory problems, which speaks volumes to those suffering with asthma. Philadelphia currently stands as the 8th most challenging city in the U.S. to live in with asthma. We know used and maintained parks and recreation facilities are safe places for us, our children and our parents to congregate. We know parks and trees help with storm water management and keep our streets and basements from flooding and sewage backup. I also ask you to consider the thousands of volunteers, the hundreds of 9 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Recreation Advisory Councils, the 130 parks friends groups when making your Fiscal Year 2011 capital and operating budget decisions. Consider the hundreds of thousands of hours they have spent volunteering in their parks and recreation spaces. Their time, efforts and money have helped keep our parks and recreation system in the condition it is today, despite the serious lag in funding over the last several decades and the recent reductions that have cut the departments to the bone. In 2009 alone, volunteers contributed over $2 million in sweat equity in caring for their parks and recreation. Please show these volunteers and parks and recreation supporters that their work does matter and you will continue to invest in it. On behalf of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance, I urge you to support the Fiscal Year 2011 proposed capital and operating budgets for Philadelphia's 10 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. parks and recreation system.
Before we call our next witness, if anyone is pressured for time, they feel that they can't stay to testify, if you have written testimony, we'll be very happy to take it. We'll give it to the stenographer and it will be transcribed in full. Thank you. (Thank you.)
Madam President, Walter was held up this morning. I'm willing to wait until later, if you would be kind enough to allow.
That 11 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. would be fine. Thank you.
The next group is a panel. Susan White, Campaign for Healthy Kids; Pat Sullivan, American Heart Association; Jonathan Kirch, American Heart Association; Brianna Sandoval, The Food Trust. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good morning. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good morning. I'm Susan White with Save the Children's Campaign for Healthy Kids. The Campaign seeks to educate the public about the childhood obesity epidemic and advance policies designed to address the problems. In Philadelphia, we are supporting Mayor Nutter's 2011 operating budget proposal of a two-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The average child gets 175 12 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. calories a day from sugar-sweetened beverages. Children gain weight and their health suffers from increased consumption of sugary drinks. SSBs contain empty calories. They have no nutritional value. Common sense as well as science tells us the consumption of empty calories leads to weight gain. Research indicates that an increase in SSB consumption is clearly linked with diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other health consequences independent of weight. Childhood obesity is a public health crisis in Philadelphia. With more than 50 percent of children ages 6 to 11 overweight or obese, this rate jumps to almost 70 percent in some neighborhoods. In reality, Mayor Nutter's soda tax proposal is a healthy kids initiative. It is a public health policy that reduces consumption of sugary drinks and generates revenue to fund health and nutrition programs to address the City's 13 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. childhood obesity epidemic. Our recent poll revealed that 87 percent of Philadelphia's voters are concerned about the rates of obesity among children. Fifty-three percent of voters support a two-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened drinks to fund childhood obesity programs. A sugar-sweetened beverage tax is a critical first step in the war against childhood obesity. Mayor Nutter's soda tax is a win for Philadelphia's children and the majority of Philadelphians who support this public health policy. Thank you for consideration of this sugar-sweetened beverage tax and for allowing me to testify before you today. I would be happy to answer any questions.
Good morning. My name is Brianna Almaguer Sandoval. I'm with The Food Trust. I am here today 14 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. to speak in support of the proposed sugar-sweetened beverage tax and to tell you about the work I am doing as Project Manager of The Food Trust's Healthy Corner Store Initiative. The goal of the Healthy Corner Store Initiative is to improve access to healthy food in low-income neighborhoods and promote community health and development by providing training and technical assistance for corner stores to sell healthy food, including fresh produce and healthy beverages. I am here to tell you today that corner store owners are selling healthier beverages and they are making a profit doing so. The proposed tax on soda and other sweetened beverages will support these efforts by creating additional incentive for corner store operators to stock healthier beverages. The children that The Food Trust works with -- and we work with over 50,000 annually in Philadelphia -- need 15 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. these healthier beverages to improve their health and actually want to buy them. Unfortunately, not enough stores carry them. The soda tax will raise funds to help the City combat the obesity epidemic. With over half our children overweight or obese, we must take bold action to reverse the epidemic of obesity and diabetes. If we do not, image the impact on our economy and our families when these children reach adulthood and are plagued with a host of medical problems. Over the next two years, thanks to a federal stimulus grant from the Centers for Disease Control, we will be partnering with the Philadelphia Department of Health to expand our corner store program to 1,000 corner stores across Philadelphia. Through this innovative initiative, we will increase access to healthy foods by working with store owners to expand their inventory of healthy food and beverages, increase 16 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. awareness of healthy options through an in-store marketing campaign that helps customers make healthy decisions at the point of purchase and through infrastructural changes to increase corner stores' capacity to sell healthier items. We will be working alongside store owners to provide them with one-on-one training and technical assistance to introduce cost-effective ways to increase the availability of healthy foods. This includes shelving, produce scales, refrigeration and point-of-sale systems. Store owners have eagerly embraced this initiative and they have repeatedly recognized the economic benefit of selling healthier products, including beverages. Developing high-quality fresh food retail outlets improves health, creates jobs, expands markets for farmers and supports economic vitality in underserved communities. In communities that lack access to healthy food, corner 17 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. stores have the potential to become valuable assets and community partners in creating healthy communities while also improving the economic viability of corner stores in low-income Philadelphia neighborhoods. Philadelphia is currently on the cutting edge of a public health policy and is seen nationwide as a model for combatting childhood obesity. That is why this year Michelle Obama kicked off her Let's Move initiative at the Fairhill School in North Philadelphia. She praised the innovative ways Philadelphia is leading the nation in improving access to healthy foods and implementing nutrition education programs that have been proven to reduce overweight by 50 percent. A sugar-sweetened beverage tax will continue to keep Philadelphia ahead of the pack in efforts to reverse the obesity epidemic and will have real impacts on the health of our children. 18 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Thank you.
Council President Verna, thank you very much for allowing me to speak to you today in support of the proposal before Council to tax sugar-sweetened beverage at a rate of two cents per ounce. My name is Pat Sullivan and I serve as President of the Board of the local American Heart Association. I am a Vice-President in the University of Pennsylvania health system, and I'm a cardiac disease survivor. One of the most serious health crises facing this city is obesity and the chronic disease and illness that results. The rates of obesity and overweight in our city, especially among our children, are astounding. In parts of North Philly, as many as 70 percent of kids are overweight or obese. 19 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. The American Heart Association recommends that most American women should consume no more than 100 calories of added sugar per day. And for men, that recommendation is 150 calories. Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are now the number one source of added sugars in the American diet. One individual can of soda and most other sugar-sweetened beverages contain significantly more calories than the recommended daily amount. A report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concluded that the preponderance of research shows that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption leads to excess caloric intake and weight gain, as well as increased obesity rates among children and adolescents. There is a significant correlation between added sugar intake and blood lipids that was discovered just last month among U.S. adults in the Journal of the American 20 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Medical Association. The cost of obesity problems in Philadelphia far exceeds the $147 billion that was in obesity-related medical expenditures that was documented in the year 2008. So the science is clear. Sugar-sweetened beverages are having a tremendous negative impact on the health of our city, our region and our nation. I'm a mother of an 11-year-old daughter. Her health and well-being are my number one concern, as they are for just about all parents. We have to decide that now is the time to collectively address the serious health crisis that is facing our city. So as a leader of the American Heart Association, the University of Penn health system, a mom, a survivor, I urge you to pass the two-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and use a percentage of these revenues to fund the Healthy Philadelphia Initiative. This 21 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. will enable Philadelphia to make fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables available in every neighborhood and park and school of the City. We can create physical activity standards and resources for after-school programs, and we can expand walking and biking networks all over Philadelphia. Thank you very much.
Is Christine Knapp here? (No response.) 22 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Sue Rosenthal and Walter Palmer. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
My name is Sue Rosenthal. I serve as Chair of the Community Board for Public Health in Health Center 10. Thank you for listening to my testimony about the Health Department budget for Fiscal Year 2011. Health Commissioner Donald Schwarz clearly defines the purpose of our health centers, which exist to protect and promote the health of all Philadelphians and to provide a safety net for the most at risk. Never has the 23 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. need for that safety net been greater. Our terrible economy has increased by thousands those who have lost their jobs and health insurance. They have nowhere to go but to public health centers for medical treatment. In the first six months of FY10, our eight centers handled 190,000 patient visits, 15,000 more than in the same period of the previous year. This is a 12 and a half percent increase, which is expected to grow. By the end of FY10, we probably will have 30,000 extra or additional visits. Last year, City Council raised health center funding so that the time from need for medical services to first treatment could be cut significantly. We thank you for this. That was before this disaster to our economy. Now, waiting time has increased beyond what you were able to accomplish last year. At Health Center 10, with which I am most familiar, waiting time has increased to ten months. 24 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. That is, if you call for a first appointment, it will take ten months before you can visit Health Center 10. We expect it to get worse. Can you imagine your child and you having to wait ten months for medical treatment? You, City Council, an essential part of our government, are now the last resort for medical services to many, many Philadelphians. Others have come here asking you to maintain the funding for vital City services. I am asking you to increase funding for what is and will be a growing and desperate need for medical services. I am not an employee of the Health Department but merely a volunteer who has chaired a public health center for 40 years. The Health Department, at your request, can project the additional funding that it needs to meet this increasing need for medical services by 25 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. those unable to afford it. Thank you very much again for this opportunity to speak with you.
-- Council President Verna and City Council members. I'm Dr. Walter Palmer. I'm Chairman of the Palmer Foundation and I'm a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and I'm here to speak on behalf -- I'm also the Chairman of the Health Center 2, which I've been Chairman for 15 years, and this will probably be the last time I appear before you to testify on behalf of the health centers, because I resigned effective June 30. But I will be back again to support healthcare, because I believe there are two real entitlements that people are entitled to in our society, and one is education, the other 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. is healthcare. And I don't think there's any expense that is too great in order to make sure those two entitlements take place. I grew up poor in the lower end of West Philadelphia and found out what it was like with a mother who had 9 children. My mother and my father were 10 married out of wedlock. They had 13 11 subsequent children. We lived in two 12 rooms at 3645 Market Street. Healthcare 13 for us was really going to PGH Hospital, Philadelphia General Hospital, which was a thousand-bed hospital for the poor in Philadelphia, and I'm sad to say it no 17 longer exists. We oftentimes were not allowed to go into Presbyterian Hospital, the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, where I now teach. University of Pennsylvania Hospital discriminated against us based on race and on poverty. During that period of time, the '50s and '60s, Penn blood was segregated between white and colored. The cafeterias were 27 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. segregated between the professionals, white, who ate upstairs and the poor people who worked in the laundry, housekeeping, kitchen went downstairs. There were no beds or no private rooms for African American people. And consequently, a lot has happened since then. We did not have health centers at that point in time, but since then, I'm here to tell you that probably we have some of the finest health centers in the country. Philadelphia really is able to take care of those 200,000 more visits, but I think it needs to be expanded. And I think that not only do we have to service those eight, but we need to try to find a way to even get expanded even more. I think also the fact that we've been able to put a surcharge for patients who happen to be poor is a good thing, because with regard to the paying for some of the medical services, no 25 matter how nominal it is -- sometimes a 28 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. dollar, sometimes $5, sometimes $20 -- poor people also need dignity. They need to have privacy and they need to have dignity, and consequently I think that's what that represents for us. You can imagine what it was like for my great grandmother, who was born as a slave here in American society, and my grandmother, who was out of Baltimore and who, for the most part, never knew what it was like to be educated. My mother never went beyond the 8th grade, and my father out of Delaware never went beyond the 4th grade. You can imagine what education and healthcare were like for them. But here I am a product of those people, and I tell you this, that what I've learned is that almost all I've ever learned, I've learned from the poor. And I've dedicated my life trying hard to become a transformative figure in terms of providing those two essential parts of our society that are oftentimes absent; 29 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. that is, education and healthcare. And I join Sue Rosenthal, who is one of my co-chairs, in the healthcare movement asking that you not only maintain the level of funding levels we have, but that you absolutely increase them, because you cannot do enough to serve the people who need it the most within our society when it comes to healthcare. Thank you so much.
Doctor, I certainly want to thank you for your years of service.
And, Ms. Rosenthal, I know you come in just about every year. So nice seeing you again.
We 30 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. certainly try. Our next witness.
Good morning, Council President Verna, Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez. I'm David Broida, the guy who brought the contractor and the money for Eric Casiano Memorial Field. I'm very happy to report also we put the rubber surface under the swings at Nelson Playground. The City Parks and Recreation Department just put up those swings. So we're back in action there.
And Councilman Goode and other members of Council, it's my pleasure to be here. I represent Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education where I'm a Board member, but at the same time, I'm a major consumer of recreation services in the City of Philadelphia, ran 31 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the Broad Street Run, put my kayak in, and I love the City. Councilwoman, you probably had something to do with getting those tennis courts renovated at Franklin Roosevelt Park in South Philadelphia.
I love those courts. I love the courts at Water Tower. I love the courts at Mander. And all we're asking today is that the City consider increasing the Park and Recreation budget so that Piccolo Playground in Northeast, at 52nd and Wyalusing, in West Philadelphia at 10th and Montgomery, so that those courts can look like the courts that we've renovated. Even Cecil B. Moore on Lehigh Avenue, those net posts, instead of standing straight up to hold the net, they look like this, 45-degree angle. So all I can say is that you've got the best parks and recreation 32 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. administrator in the United States in Michael DiBerardinis. With Susan Slawson, Jim Marino, Leo Paul Dignam and others, you've got a great staff. All they need is more money. So we appreciate whatever you can do, and we want you to know that Arthur Ashe, which has a two and a half million dollar budget for tennis in the City, we put our money on the line to be partners with the City. And Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez and her district and elsewhere in the City, we'll raise extra money and we'll help match whatever the City can do. I want to introduce my partner, Greg Williams, who is on staff of Arthur Ash, and he's going to tell you a few things about what we do and what we need. Thank you.
Good morning to all. My name is Greg Williams. I am the 33 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Director of Neighborhood-Based Programming for Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center. Our mission is to create and promote opportunities to improve the quality of life of young people through tennis and education. We will achieve this mission by instilling the values of leadership, academic excellence, social skills, self-discipline and self-confidence. The National Junior Tennis League is our largest neighborhood-based program initiative, which operates for seven weeks during the summer. The program has 47 sites in parks and recreation centers throughout the Philadelphia region. We also have two sites in Camden, New Jersey. It is a network of community organizations dedicated to introducing as many youngsters as possible to the sport of tennis. Regardless of race, gender or other disadvantages or income, we provide a unique on-court program that offers 34 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. educational and life skill components. These educational components are diverse in nature, but can vary from things like behavior counseling, mentoring, drug and alcohol counseling to computer skills training, health/nutrition, and college preparation. This program is a great way for kids to stay physically fit, mentally fit as well, make friends, learn good sportsmanship in a fun and safe environment. So the point I'm trying to make today is that the parks and rec centers are utilized each year by our programs that offer kids opportunities to improve themselves and to improve their life. So whatever it takes to repair or maintenance, if it's going to cost a little more to upgrade, we appreciate it. Whatever we can do to make a difference in the kids' life, as you can see, there's a lot going on in the City with kids being bored and getting into risky behaviors. We try to divert that by 35 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. getting them involved into a sport of tennis, which is not probably the most popular sport in the City, but a lot of kids are embracing it and it is making a difference in their life as far as finishing school, high school, possibly going to college and coming out to be better citizens. Also, we also run other programs as far as with tennis. There's after-school programs that we're involved in. We have sites in the parks and 14 recs throughout the cities, as well as 15 our Quick Start programs as well. So 16 whatever it takes to improve the quality of life of children, we're involved. Thank you.
Tony West and Frank Chance. 36 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good morning, gentlemen. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good morning. My name is Frank Chance. I'm the President of the Friends of Clark Park. I work at the University of Pennsylvania and have been involved in the Philadelphia park system in a variety of different ways for the past years. 15
Good morning. I'm 16 Tony West. I'm on the Board of Directors 17 of Friends of Clark Park. Madam 18 President and Councilwomen Blackwell, 19 Quinones-Sanchez, Reed Miller, Councilmen 20 Goode and Greenlee, it's an honor to be on your side of the rail today. Thank you.
Thank you for 37 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. allowing us to testify on behalf of the funding increase proposed by Mayor Nutter for the park system. Over the last years, I've 6 been a volunteer in parks. I've been a 7 paid employee of a non-profit 8 organization working in parks, the 9 Friends of Japanese House and Garden, 10 where I was the Director for six years, 11 and briefly I was actually a City 12 employee working as a summer employee in 13 the Japanese House and Garden. Now I'm a 14 volunteer at Clark Park. I'm also a 15 volunteer at the Japanese House and 16 Garden. So I've worked both within the 17 Fairmount Park system and within the 18 Recreation Department's park system. 19 In the 20 years I've been here, 20 we've seen park usage increase, and in the last year and a half since the economic crisis hit, we've seen an increase of about 20 percent of visitors to Clark Park itself. But at the same time, budgets 38 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. have stayed the same or in some cases even declined. The staff of the Parks and Recreation Department does a wonderful job with the resources they have, but they need more. Please let me remind you that parks are a vital asset for our city, but they are one that if unsupported and not maintained will decay and become a liability. In order to prevent that from happening, I urge you to support the full funding increase proposed by Mayor Nutter. Thank you.
Councilmembers, investment in park capital infrastructure has lagged in recent years, if not decades. In part, I think this is due to a belief held by some that trees don't vote. Of course, park users do vote, and they value highly the public functions provided by them. However, park users 39 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. suffer from underrepresentation when budget time rolls around. That's because they aren't organized, they don't form an economic entity, so no one counts their money. In fact, little effort is made even to count the users. There is no 8 gate at a park, no attendance record. In 2006, I endeavored to make such a count. In a five-week study of my community park, Clark Park, halfway between mid-winter and mid-summer, I estimated ordinary, unorganized, non-programmatic users of the park averaged 1,656 persons per day. Extrapolated over the year, this figure amounts to 604,440 user days annually, and that doesn't even count the numerous markets, festivals, sports leagues, concerts, plays and other organized events, often drawing thousands, which take place here as well. This is a highly intensive, highly productive public capital facility and one that receives a lot of wear and 40 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. tear as a result. At nine acres, Clark Park is one of the largest parks in Recreation's community park system. Still, it is but one of 70 other community parks. These in turn are but one-half of Philadelphia's public green space, the other half being the Fairmount Park system. So you're looking at a large number of people who are being served by our city's parks. This vital government service has been starved of capital investment for too long. Just a little extra will go a long way. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Thank you. Our next witness.
Jane Swartz from Parks and Recreation Committee. (Witness approached witness table.)
And the next 41 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. witness will be Karen Brown.
Ms. Swartz, please identify yourself for the record.
Good morning, Council President Verna and members of Council. I am actually a cleanup coordinator in my small neighborhood park. I grew up across a tree-lined street from the city park in a small Indiana town. It was the meeting ground for families and children from all over, the picnic ground for family gatherings. Across the street from it were the high school track and football field, the county fair grounds and then another city park area with a bandstand, baseball diamond and plenty of places to run, hide and explore. Today, not coincidentally, I live across a tree-lined street from a small pocket park in Bella Vista. It is the meeting ground for families and 42 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. children from all over. There are many parks in Philadelphia, which is one of the reasons I love living here. Neighbors and visitors gather from Fairmount Park to Valley Green, from the Delaware Valley to the Schuylkill enjoying our parks and recreation areas. But our parks need support. I belong to a volunteer group for our little park. Like all of the other parks, large and small in our city, we depend on funding from the City, as well as a helping hand from various non-profit organizations to help keep our benches in repair, our infrastructure in good shape, and make sure that we have living trees and plants and beautiful things in our parks and recreation facilities so that all of our families and our visitors will continue to have safe, beautiful places of retreat and outdoor activity, and so that every child in the City of Philadelphia and every child who visits one of our parks has access to wonderful 43 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. memories like mine of the parks they knew and loved. Thank you.
Thank you. We do appreciate all of you coming in to testify. (Applause.)
I can see many of you are so passionate about your parks, which is wonderful. Is Karen Brown here?
If Charles Kooch is here, maybe he could also come to the witness table. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good morning, Madam President and the Councilmembers that are present here today. I am Karen Brown. I 44 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. represent Southwark Civic Association and YSO. YSO is Youth Senior Outreach. That encompasses the area of 11th and Wharton -- from, I'm sorry, 11th and Wharton to 11th and Jackson and from 11th Street to 6th in South Philly. More than half of the population in our community, our civic community, are seniors. They have asked me to come in front of you today to plead with the Mayor to please reconsider the tax you're proposing on them. Though the tax was not aimed directly towards them, they will feel the heaviest burden. Whether it be sanitation, real estate or even the soda tax, these seniors are not prepared to withstand any more tax on them. They are trying to get by in a recession, that we are all feeling the crunch, but them the most. We will eventually come out of this crunch and make more money to cover the taxes that are proposed in front of us. They will not. 45 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. They have asked me to plead with you to make some provision for the seniors in this. I know there are provisions for seniors for lower-class individuals, but not for the middle class that holds onto their family home. These seniors have lived in these homes for years, raised their families, had weddings, holidays, birthdays, shared it with their spouse, and now they're given the option of either paying this tax and not having food or paying this tax and moving into a senior citizen facility or an apartment and leaving the home that they've come to love. They are asking the Mayor to reconsider the tax in respect to them, to make a provision for all seniors, not just a portion of the seniors, and to consider the fact that these seniors are in their golden years, years where they shouldn't be burdened and have to worry about a tax, just another tax on them. They're still paying school tax and their kids are long 46 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. since grown. They've sustained any City tax, any tax thrown at them and manage to get by and still hold onto their home, but this proposed tax, whether it be the $300 sanitation tax or the 12, five, nine, three percent real estate tax is more than they can burden. So if you would ask the Mayor, and they're asking me to plead with you to ask the Mayor, to please consider some kind of adjustment for the seniors, whether it be an exception, a flat fee, something where they don't need to pay the total amount. They can't stand any more taxes on them. Thank you.
Please identify yourself for the record. 47 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
I'm Charles Kooch. I live -- my wife and I live at 1326 Spruce Street. We've lived there since December 1974 in Unit 1604. I'm here to ask you to consider the fact that in terms of a sanitation assessment or, alternatively, an increase in our real estate tax, that you and Councilmembers be aware that since 1974 December when we moved in, we have always paid for our own trash removal. We have never received sanitation services from the City of Philadelphia. The current budget and the most recent figure I have for 2010 is $16,536. This does remove our trash. It is separated by the residents before it goes down the chute, and then it is again separated by our contractor, who hauls it away. We do have seven-day-a-week collection and that, of course, excepts snow days and/or mechanical failures. It's my hope that in the budget deliberations, that we somehow or other 48 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. deserve some sort of credit for paying for our own trash, and I believe, Madam President, that it is unfair that we would be singled out for a tax increase or a sanitation fee in lieu of the fact that we do not use those services. Thank you for listening to me. My wife was unable to be here today. We represent no group except ourselves and Unit 1604. The $16,000 fee is apportioned by unit. We have 1,140 square feet, and it's included in our maintenance fee. The commercial buildings -- or businesses that you see on the Spruce Street level, a convenience store, a dry cleaning store and currently a restaurant, are responsible for their own trash removal. Thank you, Madam President and Councilmembers.
Are there any questions, please? 49 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
I don't think so. Are there any questions of this witness? (No response.)
Amy Miller, and following Amy Miller is Cindy Masiejczwk. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning, members of City Council. My name is Amy Miller. I am an environmental planner with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and a resident of East Kensington. I respectfully ask you to 50 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. support an increase in the budget for the Department of Parks and Recreation in order to better maintain and enhance our existing city parks and to help create new parks where they are desperately needed. A city park is a calm oasis from the stress, deadlines, noise and hassles of city life. Being surrounded by trees, plants and water triggers our instinctive bond with the natural world. Walking through the rustic trails of Morris Park within a cathedral of towering trees, sitting on the banks of the rippling Indian Creek, watching a family of deer run through the forest, West Philadelphia could easily be mistaken for the Poconos. Sitting on the rocky shore of the Delaware River in Penn Treaty Park, watching the boats sail by while kites fly overhead, listening to the sounds of guitars, birds and children laughing, you can almost forget about the casino being built down the road. Parks also allow us to 51 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. reconnect with our friends, neighbors and fellow Philadelphians in a common shared space, open and welcoming for all. I've shared so many great memories at picnics in Konrad Square Park, disk golf at Sedgley Woods and music shows in too many public parks to mention, including Jefferson Square Park, Clark Park and Penn Treaty Park. Without well-maintained public parks, I would not want to live in Philadelphia anymore and neither would a lot of other people. Parks keep tax-paying homeowners like myself in the City, they keep jobs and families in the City, and they continue to give me hope against all odds that Philadelphia truly is the next great city. Thank you very much.
Our next witness? 52 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Adrienne Kenton, and after Adrienne Kenton will be A.J. Thomson. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning, Madam President and members of Council. Thank you for the privilege of speaking with you this morning. My name is Adrienne Kenton. I'm the Co-President of the Friends of Seger Park Playground, a friend of Palumbo Park and, most importantly, the mother of two preschool-age children. I'm very fortunate to live in Bella Vista, with a minimum of five playgrounds in walking distance from my 53 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. home. Four of those parks have a recreation building on site. At Seger Park located at 11th and Lombard, we host a winter play group in the recreation building for infants through 3 years old and their caregivers. For a nominal fee, parents can provide a place for their small children to interact with others and learn through play. We are currently looking to improve our playground to make it safe and fun for infants all the way through to 12-year-old children. As many of you know, earlier this spring young people descended on South street in droves. All my husband and I could think to ourselves was, Clearly, these teens have nothing else to do with themselves. Imagine what would be possible if our recreation centers were fully staffed and provided programming for infants and their parents, children, teens and adults alike to engage their 54 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. minds or teach them skills or provide physical activity to disrupt the trajectory of obesity that afflicts so many. Friends groups, like the Friends of Seger Park Playground and the Friends of Palumbo Park, host events, raise money and engage the neighbors in monthly cleanups in our respective parks. Our activities support our representatives in maintaining a public domain where we may interact with our fellow citizens in a decent environment. With your partnership, we could do much more. I respectfully assert that functioning parks and recreation centers add to a high quality of life, a sense of dignity and liberty that I know each of you are committed to providing for your constituents. I humbly request that you vote yes to Mayor Nutter's proposed funding increase for Parks and Recreation in 55 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Fiscal Year 2011. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yvonne Michael, and if Jeannine Lisitski is here, she will be next. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning, 56 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Honorable City Councilmembers and Madam President. My name is Yvonne Michael and I am Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Drexel University School of Public Health. I'm also a resident of West Philadelphia and a friend of Clark Park. I am here today with regard to the campaign to increase funding for Parks and Recreation. I will describe the public health benefits of urban parks and trees. Maintaining and enhancing Philadelphia's park and recreation system has the potential to pay significant benefits in terms of the improved health of all Philadelphia's residents, especially the most vulnerable, children, older adults and lower socioeconomic status and minority residents. S. population today, obesity. In Philadelphia, 15 percent of 57 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. children and an amazing 31 percent of adults are obese. Obesity is more deadly than drugs, smoking and other issues combined. Obesity places an enormous strain on the healthcare system, is difficult to manage because it is highly life-style related. Lives are at risk and there is no effective prevention set up. Obesity is a major cost to our society. Nationally, annual costs related to obesity are in the region of $130 billion. Indirect costs include lost working hours and work stalled because of people unable to work due to illness or disability. The Institute of Medicine recently released a report mapping out solutions to childhood obesity. The report concluded that the environment influences the decisions people make and local regulations can make a difference in the fight against childhood obesity. Among the community changes suggested by the IOM report is to build and maintain 58 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. parks and playgrounds that are safe, attractive and close to residential areas. You've heard about the environmental benefits of parks and the social benefits, but what is the evidence supporting the IOM's recommendation to build and maintain our parks and playgrounds to address obesity? Access to a place to exercise results in a five percent median increase in aerobic capacity, along with a reduction in body fat, weight loss and improvements in flexibility. Parks are commonly used places for exercise. Nationally, about 30 percent of physically active people report exercising in public parks. Children and adults who use parks are more likely to be physically active and less likely to be obese. Even more importantly, research has demonstrated that living in a neighborhood with better access to high-quality parks is associated with greater levels of 59 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. physical activity and lower levels of obesity. According to the CDC, enhanced access to spaces for physical activity resulted in percent more people 6 exercising three or more days a week. 7 The risk of childhood obesity declines 8 with increasing access to green space, 9 like parks and playgrounds. Moreover, we 10 know that access to high-quality green 11 spaces is not equitably distributed 12 throughout the City, and groups that have 13 the least access to parks and 14 recreational activities are the most 15 likely to benefit from it. Currently, 16 less than 60 percent of Philadelphia's 17 residents are adequately served by a park 18 or recreation center within a half mile 19 of their homes. Children and adults 20 living in disadvantaged neighborhoods 21 lack access to parks and get less 22 physical activity. 23 A green city is not only 24 important for reducing obesity. Other 25 health benefits of a strong urban park 60 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. system for adults include less stress, improved self-reported health and shorter post-operative recovery periods. Among children and youth, the positive health effects of urban parks and forests include improved cognitive functioning and reduced attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms.
A healthy urban park system that equitably serves the residents of Philadelphia is an important public health benefit. Thank you.
Our next witness is Michael Gallagher, and Mr. Gallagher will be followed by Debbie Plotnick and Corey Rogers. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning. My name is Mike Gallagher. I'm here to 61 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. represent Women Against Abuse.
You're quite welcome, Madam President. Good morning, Madam President and City Council members. My name is Michael Gallagher. I'm the Police Liaison for Women Against Abuse. I thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. Women Against Abuse appreciates the ongoing support of Philadelphia City Council on domestic violence issues. We have come before you twice in the past few months, because we are deeply concerned about potential funding cuts that impact the ability to provide life-saving services to victims of domestic violence and their children. As you well know, Women Against Abuse is the largest domestic violence service provider in Pennsylvania and operates the only emergency shelter for 62 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. children and women that are battered, victims of domestic violence. We are also the lead operator of the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline. We created the first domestic violence legal center in the nation. Women Against Abuse operates a long-term housing program for victims of domestic violence who are homeless. Last year, Women Against Abuse served over 10,000 individuals through direct services and educational programs. Women Against Abuse has experienced major budget cuts from both the City and State government last year. We were also forced to suspend children's programs and lay off staff members in 19 order to sustain our core services. Any additional budget cuts will significantly limit our ability to provide life-saving services and force us to terminate some of the essential programs. Although current services and funding do not meet the needs of our 63 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. society, more budget cuts will definitely put more lives at risk. Our services are especially crucial now that domestic violence homicides have nearly doubled in the past year. At the same time, requests for shelter continue to exceed our capacity. In 2009, Women Against Abuse was forced to turn away 5,000 women and children, which is an all-time high for our agency. In light of the mounting needs among constituents, Women Against Abuse urge City Council to maintain funding for essential services in next year's budget. As a retired detective who put in over 17 years with the Philadelphia Police 18 Department, I handled hundreds of 19 domestic violence cases and have seen 20 firsthand the crucial need for advocates like Women Against Abuse. I now work with Women Against Abuse to create a citywide response for victims. Hopefully this will help them access services before it's too late. I encourage City 64 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Council to join us in helping Philadelphia's citizens receive the life-saving services they need. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Mr. Gallagher, do you have any indication that the program is being cut?
Fine. We just wanted to make sure. We thought you may have more information than we did.
James White, and following Mr. White will be Derrick Ford. (Witness approached witness 65 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. table.)
Good morning, Madam President and esteemed members of the Council. My name is James White and I am the Policy Coordinator of the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations. PACDC is a citywide association of more than 80 community development corporations and non-profit organizations with extensive experience with housing and community development in Philadelphia. My testimony today will focus on three issues which are critical to meeting the needs of Philadelphia's residents and fostering successful revitalization of our neighborhoods. First, the issue of revenue to fund City programs and services. We understand that the City is in a difficult financial situation and is faced with hard choices of how to balance 66 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the budget. 4 billion in cuts to the City's Five Year Plan and the impact of the recession on Philadelphia residents, we urge you to find ways to maintain funding for critical services and programs in the City's budget. A number of potential ways to generate additional revenue for the City have been discussed, and it is our understanding that the City Council is considering increasing property taxes to help balance the budget. If the City plans to generate additional revenue from property taxes, it is critical that measures also be put into place to limit the impact on lower-income homeowners and renters. In particular, we urge the City to pursue implementation of two specific property tax-relief measures for lower-income residents: First, a homestead exemption that would exempt the first thousand of assessed value of the residential property for property taxes, and, second, 67 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. deferral of property tax increases over X percent until the sale of the property. While this will have some impact on revenue collected in the short term, it will ensure a more equitable solution to the City's budget challenges and especially for low-income homeowners who do not itemize tax deductions on their taxes. Two, restore and expand funding for affordable housing via the City's Trust Fund. Each week at least 200 families go into conciliation for residential mortgage foreclosure in Philadelphia courts. Two floors above us right now families are fighting to keep their homes. For those who do not win this fight, they are forced to seek temporary housing with families, friends and the City's shelters because we lack a sufficient supply of affordable housing. There are many other residents who are priced out of Philadelphia's housing market as well. According to the 68 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. National Low Income Housing Coalition's recent report Out of Reach 2010, the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia is $1,095 per month. 06 per hour for a full-time worker. Viewed another way, the average two-bedroom apartment is not even within the reach of a family with two workers earning $10 per hour for 40 hours a week year round. At the same time, revenue for our only local source to address this challenge, the Philadelphia Housing Trust Fund, has dropped to an all-time low, about half of what it was three years ago, while demand on these resources continues to rise. Simultaneously, the Mayor's proposed budget for FY2011 and the Five Year Plan zeroes out General Fund resources 69 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. previously committed to the Housing Trust Fund. 3 million decrease in funding for affordable housing over the current year. While we applaud the Mayor and the City Council's support to increase dedicated revenue for the Housing Trust Fund through the approval of the local ordinance last December, the State-authorizing legislation necessary to implement this increase has been stalled in the House Appropriations Committee for nearly nine months.
We urge you to do two things to address the shortfall of resources for affordable homes: Restore the full 3 million per year commitment from the City's General Fund to the Philadelphia Housing Trust Fund and engage the City's active support to advance authorizing legislation to 70 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. expand funding for the Housing Trust Fund. Last point. It is critical that we put vacant properties that are currently a drain on the City's budget back into productive use. Given the acquisition pipeline has been frozen for nearly two years and the number of our members have reached the point where they do not have site control needed to advance development projects critical to addressing resident needs and neighborhood needs, we urge the City to do the following: Move quickly to utilize remaining acquisition funds to accelerate the acquisition and disposition of property to support planned development projects that will not be able to leverage outside resources without site control. Two, commence payments into court to begin the process to clear title for properties being disposed of and implement the Recycling Agreement to 71 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. generate additional funds for these programs to support future acquisitions. We look forward to the opportunity to work with the City Council and the Administration to strengthen the City's neighborhoods and address residents' needs. Thank you.
Thank you. Just a moment, please. I'm sorry. Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam President. Just a real brief question. Good morning, Mr. White.
Thank you for your continued work on this very crucial issue. One quick question. I know that the PACDCs have been lobbying on the legislation in Harrisburg that would authorize the City of Philadelphia 72 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. to enact an additional fee for the Housing Trust Fund. My question is, in that discussion have you also talked to them about the other bill that we have on the calendar that would allow us to access the current recording fees to change the formula with respect to the amount of money we can get out of the fees as they currently are constructed?
No, Councilman, we have not. We appreciate your support in our endeavor in Harrisburg, as well as the other Councilmembers, Council Lady Blackwell as well, but what we thought we'd put before them, given that there was also a statewide trust fund initiative that was also on the calendar in the House, that we would keep it simple and try to push this legislation that was there first, and if it failed, then go to Plan B. But we thank you for your continued support and vigilance.
The reason I ask that, because it's not clear that 73 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. we will get dedicated funding from the General Fund as we did the initial year, and if somehow we can't get the increase in recording fees that will accommodate the Trust Fund, there may be some thought that we should move the other bill in Council to access what's currently available in the existing recording fee amount.
Well, as always, Councilman, I'll keep the Council leadership informed of our progress in Harrisburg, and if it looks like we're not going to be able to move the first piece of legislation through, then I think we should consider the second piece of legislation.
Thank you again. Just a moment, sir. Councilman Jones.
Good 74 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. morning. Thank you, Madam President. Mr. White --
-- I began to wonder if in fact that you were an employee of the City of Philadelphia. You spend so much time advocating for your issues. But we appreciate always your insights to how community-based organizations can take advantage of resources, both governmental and private sector. Recently, we had an intense discussion that I'd like to get some of it on the record. Not all of it, but some of it on the record.
It was a great exchange of ideas. About the use of CDBG dollars to help to address abandonment on commercial corridors, and it is a bill 75 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. that has been proposed by myself and a few of our colleagues, and I wanted to know if that kind of measure might be a tool among many tools that can address some of the blighted conditions in some of the neighborhoods your groups find themselves.
Well, as you know, sir, and if I may, through your experience at PCDC and other endeavors, any aid for mixed-use development on commercial corridors improves our opportunities to not only attract and build our small business core that's essential in our neighborhoods and vital for providing not only tax revenues but also jobs for our residents in those neighborhoods, particularly low-income residents, who in some cases maybe their first job comes at the community level in a corner store or a small business. I think it's essential that we look more at shoring up our neighborhood commercial corridors and particularly where there 76 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. are vacant commercial spaces, which there are a number of them in our neighborhoods that could use a boost of. As you know, about five years ago, PACDC worked with PHFA to develop a mixed-use financing tool that unfortunately has been underfunded by the Commonwealth, but it's still active and a vital resource. So having the CDBG funds as another mechanism maybe combined could probably bring more dollars to the City for mixed use and business development.
Many of my colleagues have small commercial strips ranging from 100 stores to as many as 200 stores, and one of the challenges when we look to finance a deal there is that 51 percent of the building has been either for commercial use or residential use, and that mixed use combination is something that a lot of times gets left out. And if you look at commercial corridors around the City, viable corridors are the ones where the stores 77 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. are open during the day, but people live in the rental units above. If you look at Passyunk Avenue, it's a perfect example of people living above the merchants because of the density of population, feel comfortable not having roll-down gates. They stay open a little later because there are people, and that vitality also is shared by the merchants, because they have longer hours and people shop in the neighborhood. So if you look at that example, and Germantown Avenue is a good one, Chestnut Hill, higher degree of occupancy. You go down that same corridor to Wayne Junction, lower occupancy, lower value. So there's a correlation between these mixed-use properties that I think we need to address.
I look forward to seeing the legislation approved. 78 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
You're welcome. Are there any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Good morning, Madam President and members of City Council. My name is Derrick Ford. I'm a lifetime member of the Strawberry Mansion community. Since my childhood, Fairmount Park and the Department of Recreation has played a major role in my life, as well as other members of the Strawberry Mansion community. As a kid living on the 3200 block of Arlington Street, which sits less than 100 yards from Fairmount Park and Mander Playground, playing every 79 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. sport from basketball to baseball to football and tennis has afforded me the opportunity to appreciate parks and recreation all my life. In 2007, I developed the Strawberry Mansion Athletic Association, which has over 300 boys and girls playing the wonderful game of baseball, football and basketball at Mander Playground, which is located at 33rd and Diamond in Fairmount Park. Today, Madam President and Council, it is so vital that as we sit here this very moment at 33rd and Diamond, one of my issues is why Park America in conjunction with the Fairmount Park Commission has developed a contractual agreement with Park America and today a new company called Express Parking which is currently parking cars at 33rd and Diamond on our playing fields for $12 a car based on the regattas. Now, if we're trying to make the City green, then that simply goes against what 80 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. we're trying to do. It is so vital that the Mayor please increase funding for Parks and Recreation. It is so vital that folks understand the need to improve the quality of life for our youth in Strawberry Mansion and around the City of Philadelphia. I've been raising this argument for two or three years about this whole contractual agreement between Park America and the Fairmount Park Commission and where the proceeds and the revenues going towards helping anyone in the community. So I'm going to be brief, and I thank you again for having me here.
Thank you. Just a moment, please. Councilman Clarke.
Good morning, 81 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Councilman Clarke.
Also known as Rick. Rick, first I'd just like to thank you for your work in the Strawberry Mansion community. Pleasure growing up with you in the same neighborhood, and I want to congratulate you for your mentorship, not just for the young people but also for the adults and encouraging them to get engaged --
-- in a role as being true mentors to young people, and you've done a great job. And I do -- I'm very familiar with the issue. I've witnessed it a couple of times, and it's probably going on as we speak about the parking.
Unfortunately, at this moment, I don't think there's a member from the Administration that could respond to that, but I will be asking the Council 82 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. President if we can reach out, because there are a lot of things going on with the concessions. I understand in talking to a colleague of mine earlier today in anticipation of your testimony that in some cases when there was parking for -- contracted parking in the other parks in the City, that revenue generated from the parking concessions, there were contributions to the local community organization. In the case of Strawberry Mansion, I know you have a league. I guess -- what do you have, like 400, 500 kids in that program now?
And you're basically operating off of a shoestring budget.
We are having community fundraisers with the help of funding from the Activities Grant. Thank God for Council representation for helping us save the lives and improve the quality of life for our kids. Tomorrow 83 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. morning, God willing if it doesn't rain, we'll have our fourth opening day with well over 500 people in attendance. However, based on the issues with the contractual agreement with Fairmount Park, who is currently parking their cars on our field today, tomorrow and Sunday, will intervene with the development of what we're trying to accomplish in our community.
I would like to add to that. I know that one of the parks in my district, the monies that are generated from parking go to the improvements of many of the areas in the park. So that may be something that you would want to do.
I actually heard about that. I didn't want to reference the fact that it was your district that I was referring to.
Thank 84 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. you. But the community does not receive what is generated?
No. We don't get any money from any other source. We started out with four teams. We went to eight teams. We went to 10 teams, playing at six different fields in 11 the North Philadelphia area. And, again, 12 with the help of Council representation 13 and Activities Grant and the community 14 fundraisers, we would really like to see 15 some of that residual money come back to 16 our community for lights, improving of 17 the bathroom facilities and all those 18 other things, because what we're doing, we're saving lives.
Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Rick. 85 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. (Applause.)
Our next witness is Darius Wright, and following Mr. Wright is Don Kelly. (Witness approached witness table.)
Mr. Wells and One Day At a Time. Mr. Kelly, good morning.
Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity, Madam Chairman, members of Council. I'm Don Kelly with the -- Director of Community and Economic Development with the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, now with the shorter name of the Urban 86 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Affairs Coalition. I appreciate this opportunity. We're a coalition of over 90 programs and organizations that provide services and assistance to support families and individuals throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, and everything we do is about helping individuals, families and businesses and building healthy communities. Through our work, our coalition partners improve the lives of 85,000 people each year, from providing summer jobs for youth, helping ex-offenders get back into society, working with people with HIV/AIDS, preventing foreclosures and foreclosure prevention scams, offering free tax assistance. There's a whole range of things that we do helping people to improve their economic lives in this area. And our whole approach is to give people a helping hand so that they can then support themselves rather than just continue a dependent type of 87 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. relationship. And we're committed to work together as a coalition of organizations to urge the City to continue supporting these kinds of services, because in the long term, it really saves society and saves the City money by getting to problems before they get severe or helping people get past their problems and not go back again to them. So your support has always been crucial for our ability to provide these services in the past, and we really hope that we can continue relying on the City as a partner in the future. We recognize that City Council has very difficult choices with the present economy and budget constraints, and we realize that cuts have to be made and have been made. We just urge you to take a balanced approach to the issue that to balance cuts with revenue enhancements wherever possible, because we feel that our services are really 88 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. being cut to the bone and we can't get more tighter than we are now without sacrificing the actual benefits to the community. In my particular area, through City-funded home improvement loan programs, we've helped over 340 people, Philadelphia homeowners, invest in the improvement of their homes or needed repairs using bank loans, but these are people who would not have been eligible for bank loans for the most part, and so if it weren't for this program that the City helps to fund, these people would turn to subprime and predatory lenders and then get into all kinds of difficulties. So it prevents problems. Again, once again, investing at the front end of a situation prevents problems later on. We also -- the department next to ours is the Campaign for Working Families that provides free tax assistance to over 10,000 families a year 89 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. and brings in about $18 million to Philadelphians. Again, strengthening the economy, strengthening the ability of people to take care of themselves. So we just urge you to look upon this as an investment that has both social, economic and financial returns for the City and do whatever you can to keep these support services going.
Thank you very much. We appreciate your coming in to testify.
Good morning. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good morning, Madam President. My name is Mel Wells, President of One Day at a Time. Today we came actually to look for support, actually look for an increase in funding. We are a program of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs. We are coming to ask the City to try to 90 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. at least look at better ways to actually save people lives. Right now I believe to incarcerate an individual it costs $30,000 a year. Compared to One Day at a Time, it costs us about $2,000 a year to show that individual how not to actually walk down that track again of being incarcerated, which will save us a lot of money. I can say a lot, but I actually brought down two of my clients who benefits from what the City is doing for One Day At a Time. So I would like to ask my clients to share.
Good evening, Madam Chair. My name Ronald Beasley. I'm a member of One Day At a Time. I just want to briefly tell you a little bit about myself. I came here five years ago from Baltimore, Maryland hopeless. I was on drugs. Okay. I came here and somebody told me about a place called One Day At a Time. I said, I made a geographical change. I say, I'm going to 91 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. try it. And I came here, and One Day At a Time welcomed me. And I've been clean now for the last five years as a result of One Day At a Time. And let me mention, I'm also HIV positive. I was positive when I came, where I know I don't look like it. God is good. You know, we need our money. We do. We do. Because like we got support groups, we got all kind of programs that helps the community, and we just doing our thing, and we want to be recognized. We want to be noticed, and that's all we're asking. We're not asking for much. We just want to be recognized, because we are saving lives in numbers. We are saving lives in numbers. (Applause.)
Thank you. 92 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Yes. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you. I'm sure all of us know what you do. We all love One Day At a Time, and we would be remiss if we didn't say to Mel Wells that we want to acknowledge you, and not only you but the founder. We have Reverend and Mrs. -- the founder of One Day At a Time here. We're going to ask them to stand. This is the head of One Day At a Time. (Standing ovation.)
Reverend and Mrs. Wells. Thank you, Madam President.
My name is Joseph Dukewicz. I am a client of One 93 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Day At a Time. I came into One Day At a Time on February 27th of 2010. Beforehand I was in and out of the shelter system and in and out of being incarcerated. I came in looking for hope, and I found it at One Day At a Time. Through my process at One Day At a Time, I found out that I was HIV positive, and One Day At a Time has set me up with case management. My case manager is Kim Wells and she is wonderful. She goes beyond the call of duty to help me. She's helped me with not only getting a doctor to make sure I get my medication and make sure I take my medication, she also helps me with trying to get SSI and housing when that comes up and stuff like that. One Day At a Time does save lives. They do change lives. I need One Day At a Time and so do people on the street. We also have a food bank. We also have other programs as well, and we 94 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. do outreach programs, and there's people out there that's going to need One Day At a Time. I'd like to thank Reverend Wells, Mrs. Wells and Mel Wells for allowing me to come to One Day At a Time, because they saved my life. I just want to say, Who dat? (ODAAT.)
The next witness is Anthony Murray, followed by Leslie Benoliel. (Witness approached witness table.) 95 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Good morning, Madam President, distinguished Councilmen, Councilwomen that are present. My name is Anthony Murphy and I'm the Executive Director of Town Watch Integrated Services. I oversee the Town Watch programs for the City of Philadelphia, and I'm a part of the Urban Affairs Coalition. So I actually have a two-point process today. One, I don't think that we can -- and I know this Council in all of its leadership has said that it cannot cut its way out of our particular situation, but also I recognize that we have to be concerned with our overall population. Crime and safety in our city has always been a major concern for everyone that sits in this house. I'm here to say to you that the Town Watch program contributes greatly to that through its volunteers and its 96 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. program supports for those volunteers. Initially we faced a major cut in our funding as it relates to the budget issue that we face in the City, and we understand that, but we also recognize the needs for a balanced approach to addressing the budget where we need to generate revenue in order to not attempt to cut our way out of that, out of our current problem. What's so interesting is that in here today one of the things we provide is a communication system for Town Watch groups who patrol. When those patrols are out, they need to be able to communicate with each other through our walkie-talkie system. The other night in the Northwest area, our repeater went down. We had to get the repeater repaired. We had the same thing happen in South Philadelphia, because you have to maintain this equipment. Those are the things that were removed from the budget, and thankfully 97 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. they were -- some monies was granted to put that back. I'm here today because I recognize that if funding sources are not established, Town Watch will possibly be a program that could be eliminated and, therefore, the impact on the City's safety would be greatly impacted. But also the same work that we do in affecting lives in the City of Philadelphia is done by the Urban Affairs Coalition, and that's extremely important to all of us, not just ODAAT, because that's important as well, but all of the programs that actually impact on the quality of life for our city. And in the City of Philadelphia, that we are a city of neighborhoods, we have to make sure that neighborhoods are maintained and neighborhoods are okay. Also, I'm here today to say that the two-cent tax for sodas, I'm not opposed to that. If I drink a soda and if I have to spend 50 more cent for it, maybe I'll lose five more pounds if I cut 98 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. down. So I appreciate that. And I appreciate your time and the opportunity to speak to you, because I think throughout our city and throughout our neighborhoods, we have to make sure that we not only address the safety aspect, but also address the necessary support mechanisms for all of our citizens. Thank you for your time.
Thank you, Madam President. Thank you for what you do. And I wanted to kind of ask a question. If we took a three-year snapshot for the past three years, where has your funding -- how has it been affected?
The last three years? The first two years I guess is the last three, that would take us to 99 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. 2007. Our funding was basically through the General Fund, and we were able to provide equipment and stipend, actually grants for Town Watch groups, because most of our volunteers utilize their own funding for gas and electricity, and so we were able to help in those areas. We were also able to provide radio equipment for them, and, of course, we develop and maintain our repeater system throughout the City. We provide the training for new Town Watch groups, for existing groups and for new members, and we also worked along with the Office of Emergency Management to get them involved in the neighborhoods so they can provide the workshops, and we work very closely with the Police Department. I know you had asked about funding, but the funding has -- once that tapered off, we maintained our core services, which is the only area that we do not maintain was the financial supports, and we have recently been 100 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. granted money to purchase equipment. So that's important. I just don't want to see it go away, but it's lower.
You was going to get to the answer. Has it been decreasing?
How have you adjusted to those decreases, and has there been less or more participation? Have you had to be creative? What's been the impact?
Well, we've been more creative in addressing the volunteers. We work very closely with them, so where we could recycle equipment, we managed to recycle. Some of the equipment has to be removed from the streets now. It's been out there for over ten years, so we try to change. So it's been creativity that has allowed us to do it, because there are actually more people volunteering as time has gone on, more people volunteer, 101 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. more people are engaged, because an organized neighborhood is truly the support mechanism that all parts of city government needs, and that's how we actually reduce crime.
I really enjoy going crisscross in my district when we do the night out piece, and I want to -- can we anticipate that this year?
It's my job to make it happen, so yes. We're going to anticipate it. It will be difficult, but we did it last year and we continue to work with the neighbors to do it. So it's important.
Is there any way this body can help assist that? I mean, when I look at areas 52nd and Parkside, 54th and Berks and I can go all the way up to Andorra where they actually have Town Watches, by the time you get there, you engage community activists at a grassroot level. They tell you what's 102 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. going on and what's not happening, where the police presence is higher, crime is lower. You get all of that in a snapshot around a single issue. They point out problem areas, and that exchange of information over that three, four-hour period that you're with them is invaluable. So, I mean, I would encourage -- I have a whole list of places in my district I'd like to see it, but how can we help you to lift some of that burden to get more groups involved as opposed to less in that particular night?
Many of you actually do support us in that regard, because every time you do a community meeting, we're there to participate. And if and when your constituents call you with neighborhood issues or problems, you can refer them to us, because generally it's a neighborhood problem that will get people initially engaged, and part of our 103 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. role is to keep them engaged once that happens. So you can continue to do what you do, because you involve us.
So selfishly, I'm asking for 54th and Berks and 52nd and Parkside and Carroll Park, because Carroll Park --
Crime goes down because of it. I want to thank you again for what you're doing, and we want to remain partners with you.
You're welcome. Thank you. 104 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
I'm sorry. Councilwoman Miller, I'm sorry. I just noticed your light on. Did you want to --
I mean Tony. I'm sorry. It's not McIntosh. I called his name wrong.
You know, I missed your testimony because I had to 105 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. go to a short meeting across the hall, but one of the things I did want to say, that I know that your department has been cut continuously, but your staff has been most useful in my district when I've needed them. They're very useful at the high schools and with neighborhood issues and dealing with a whole bunch of the violence issues, and I like working with your staff. Right now I think the only person I have in my district is Reggie Hall.
Which I think he has a lot on his plate, because you need more help.
Particularly with some of the violence that's going on in some of the high schools and neighborhood violence. So I just want to say, you know, that I support Town Watch. You do a lot more than just Town Watch. I think 106 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. that's the point I want to make. The training of the Town Watch groups are really good. We just had another group trained up at Cliveden.
Because of the issues that they're having there with the drugs and whatnot. So I think your agency provides a valuable service.
And I think you have a lot of support on City Council, but more people might need to know all the things you do, not just Town Watch.
Leslie Benoliel, followed by Lucy Kerman. 107 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning. Well, good morning, President Verna and other distinguished members of City Council. My name is Leslie Benoliel. I'm the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Development Partnership. We're a non-profit organization that provides capital, micro loans and business training and support services to entrepreneurs, self-employed and small business owners throughout the City to help them start up, save lives and grow their business ventures. PDP, which is the short name of our organization, we're a partner of the Urban Affairs Coalition, and we too believe in the power of coalition. And I'm here today as a member of that group of people to advocate for what we think is important, to help the most vulnerable 108 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. citizens and residents of our city communities. What I think are the critical issues facing our city's economy and what can be done from the City's perspective to stimulate our economy and generate jobs is the support of small businesses and micro enterprises. Micro enterprises are the smallest of small businesses. They're businesses with five or fewer employees, and usually it's just one, the business owner. And all businesses start off as a micro enterprise. All businesses start off as a single individual. And we have thousands and thousands of them in the City, at least 75,000 that we can count, but we all know that there's far more, because a lot of those people are just getting started and they're not formalized yet, and the Philadelphia Development Partnership works primarily with that group. Central to my comments this morning are that micro enterprises are a 109 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. critical component of our city's economy, and they are a critical component and important source of our future job growth here in the City. There's no question that job creation and job retention are key to our city, our state and our nation as we recover from this deep, deep recession. One sure way to create jobs is through business development, and by its very nature, business development is job creation. Smallest businesses are the ones that create jobs. Statistics bear this out year in and year out. They are the largest creators of jobs. Nearly one in seven individuals in the City of Philadelphia -- and that's 13 percent of our employment base -- works for a micro enterprise. That's a significant number. In 2006, there were almost 75,000 micro enterprises employing almost 100,000 people in the City. Again, those are the ones that are counted. Those are not the ones that are uncounted. So I would 110 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. submit to you that that number in 2006 was understated. I think if we extracted those numbers today, there would be much, much, much, much more larger. These enterprises can be found throughout all Council districts in all of our neighborhoods. They're as diverse as our residents. They're our daycare centers, our home repair contractors, graphic designers, fruit and vegetable vendors, caterers, barber shops, bakeries, landscaping companies, coffee shops. The list goes on and on. We see them in all of our neighborhoods. And these enterprises provide essential goods and services to their community, and they employ local people, and that's the most important thing, is small businesses typically employ local people, and they don't move. They don't move out of state, they don't move out of the City. They stay where they are. And in a bad economy like we're seeing now, more and more people who are 111 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. losing their jobs are looking at self-employment as a way to generate income for themselves and their families and to make ends meet. And there are many others who in this economy especially are left out of the job realm.
Ex-offenders, those who are taking care of family members who are ill or disabled and those with very limited educational attainment or tarnished credit histories, they're locked out of the job market. They've always had difficulty, but even more so today. Those are the people that my other -- our GPUAC partners provide other types of support services. We work very closely with our GPUAC partners to try and provide them a range of support services. Is that for me?
So in closing, I urge you to continue providing support. We've received support from the City to provide services to these small 112 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. enterprises. These funds have been cut back, not as substantially as others, but it's so critical that if we're going to grow our way out of this economy, we need to invest in our services. I thank you for your time.
Thank you. Just a moment, please. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. I come from the alumni of small business underwriters that take the difficult deals to try to make good businesses to create jobs and taxes, so I appreciate totally what you do. In the absence of PCDC, has there been a shift in numbers and how small business formation happens in Philadelphia?
That's a really good question, and, yes, absolutely. We've received a lot of referrals from PCDC or those who look to PCDC. I 113 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. haven't seen the latest statistics, but I know our inquiries were up almost 4 percent within several months after PCDC 5 closed its doors. So absolutely. 6
How is your 7 communication with PIDC, which assumed a 8 lot of the duties that PCDC had? Do you 9 have that same level of communication? 10
I'm not sure 11 what you mean by "communication." I'm in 12 touch with PIDC. We have referred some 13 of our clients to the extent that we -- 14
That's a 19 note to the Board of PIDC that might be 20 interested in that. If you could give us an analysis, not today but provide the Chair with that, I'd be interested in seeing your breakdown by Councilmanic district on where your deals are coming from, a 114 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. slight profile of the types of deals, not individual cases, but the number of women, number of minorities, number of disadvantaged businesses that take advantage of your opportunity, and then I would be willing, and probably along with a few other members, to facilitate a meeting with PIDC and Commerce to try to fill the void that PCDC has left. Because, again, I mentioned in earlier testimony about the use of mixed-use funds for mixed-use deals, and you fit right into the category of being able to provide that seed capital, start-up money, expansion money that is the difference between a bank in today's credit analysis and toughening of those analysis whether or not they get the project done or not. So as we look at arrows along the road that we need to pick up, polish off and put in our quiver to deal with this whole recession, you're one of them.
Yes, clearly, 115 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. and I'm happy to provide you with that analysis. We have a lot of that information already on hand, so to the extent that it's going to help identify where there are gaps, and I think those gaps have grown tremendously with the absence of PCDC and also in this tight credit market with the banks having pulled back enormously.
Our Commerce Director or Kevin Dow promised us a five percent increase overall, this body, a five percent increase in small business lending, and that even with the absence of the acronym, the mission would remain, and we're going to hold his feet to the fire. All right? Thank you very much.
Thank you. Our next witness? 116 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Is there a representative from the Rudolphy Residence for the Blind? (No response.)
Thank you for your patience. Please identify yourself for the record.
Madam President Verna and members of City Council, good 117 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. morning. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify before City Council. My name is Stanley Daniel. I am a real estate investor and a licensed realtor, with my office and all my properties in the City of Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia has financial problems. A very large part of the City's budget is supported by real estate taxes. The real estate taxes collected in the City of Philadelphia are very low. They're one-half to one-third of what the taxes are for a comparable valued property in the suburbs. To put that in perspective, if somebody has a property in Philadelphia where the taxes are a thousand dollars a year, the same valued property in the suburbs would be $2,000 to $3,000 a year, depending upon what county it is in. This bargain to real estate owners of the City is at the expense of all the people living and working in Philadelphia. This is not the fault of the 118 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. current Administration. Actually, you are the victim of past City Councils that have allowed this situation to exist. According to the BRT's website, they have been attempting to reassess City real estate since 2004. They have a small army of employees running around the City. They've hired three well-known, expensive consultants who were supposedly experts. I also understand that millions have been spent on a computer system that was going to crunch all of the statistics on every house in the City and spit out an exact value for that house. Even though the BRT is supposedly in agreement with Mayor Nutter's Actual Value Incentive, they haven't gotten there, and many think they will never reach their destination. They're stuck in the mud. They suffer from a case of analysis paralysis. They're trying to look at every detail in attempting to reassess a house. 119 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. The BRT actually reminds me of an old friend of mine by the name of Lee. We grew up together in Philadelphia. Lee has always been looking for the perfect woman.
At the age of 62, he's still a bachelor. I've met many of his girlfriends. Some of them I would have swapped my wife, my car and kids, even the dog for, but Lee always found something wrong with them. They were too short, too tall, too fat, didn't make enough money, lived too far away, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. He was looking for the perfect woman, and we know that she does not exist. The BRT is looking for the perfect evaluation for each house, and like my friend Lee, they will never find their mate. I have a system that will reassess the entire residential stock of 120 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. properties, and I believe they total 385,000, and it can be done in six to nine months at fair market value. It is simple to administrate and understand, and it is equitable to all. Once this is done, City Council can then realistically consider what they want to do with the real estate taxes, because they will know that anything they do will be fair and equitable to all property owners. I will drop off additional information to all the offices of Councilmembers after this meeting. Thank you for your time and consideration. Are there any questions? (No response.)
Thank you very much. You were very patient and we do appreciate your testimony. This Committee will stand in recess until 1:30. Thank you. (Luncheon recess.) 121 5/7/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
This is a continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. I would ask Ms. Murray to please read the name of our first witness.
That's me. I'm going to defer to this gentleman. He wants to go first. He's been waiting here for a while.
I think many of them are in their offices, but they can hear what's going on. Please approach the witness table.
All right. (Witness approached witness table.) * * * 122 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) (Second-shift stenographer Josephine Cardillo relieves first-shift stenographer Michele Murphy.)
Rudolphy Home for the Blind, if you've ever heard of it, it's at 38th and Powelton Avenue, across from Presbyterian Hospital. It's the oldest blind home in the United States; we're going to be celebrating our 143rd year this year. And it's the case that right now, we're suffering from the standpoint that we lost a lot of money there, and the reason for that was the accountant we had, she did not take and deduct the taxes that -- in other words, the employees' tax from their salary, you know. And the IRS came into the bank, and went to the bank the other day at PNC over here, on Market Street, and checked the account for the payroll. And the girl said, "Oh, Mr. Crane. Oh, Mr. Crane. Your account is overdrawn in 123 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) the payroll accountant." And I said, "Why, why, why?" She said, "Well, the IRS came in here, and they deducted all of the money out of your payroll account." And sure enough, we're broke now, with the payroll account. And then what happened? The residents -- not the residents, but the employees, they know about this, and they felt, Gee, we couldn't pay them last month or the month before, and when we couldn't pay them, they left us.
In fact, the vice president over there every night now, Anna, and she's over there and she's actually between the hours of, I think -- what did she say? -- and in the morning. She's staying overnight there and she's trying to take care of the place too, see. I just talked to her this morning; I was going to bring her with 124 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) me. And it's the case that she said, "George, I just got off of work here at Rudolphy, and I'm going to go home and go to bed." So sure enough --
Right now, darling, we have about residents that we care for, but the Blind Home is actually designated for sixteen blind people. And Mercy Douglas is involved with it, because the home, you know, realized -- I'll tell you about the home. About eight years ago -- I think I've told you this before, but eight years ago, we received a grant from the HUD program and so forth, and it made us where we actually converted the 42 rooms we had before -- for all these years, we had 42 rooms and 42 residents living there. They insisted we convert those rooms to individual apartments. 125 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Therefore, we only received -- out of the 42 rooms, we only received about 4 apartments. And that's what we have the 5 source of the home is right now. 6 Actually, it's -- so what's -- 7 with 19 apartments, 19 residents from 42, 8 it cuts my budget right in half. 9 Actually, we have no money where we -- 10 I'm not begging. 11 I have these plea letters here, 12 and in the plea letters, I've begged to 13 our alliance clubs and I've sent them 14 letters; you probably maybe received them 15 too. 16
I 17 know that they're very generous and they 18 do give money to, you know, many of the 19 blind --
Oh, darling, we're trying to save the home, see. And it's -- like I say, being president, I've been -- actually, I've been actually a volunteer there for over 30 years now and have been with our alliance -- I've been 126 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) with the 36 years, you know.
And I've been past president of the Northeast Alliance and past president of the Torresdale Alliance, see, and you're the past president of the South Philly Alliance, right?
There you are. So, sweetheart, what we're trying to do is save this place, and I don't know if the City can help -- if your council can help me or not, but I'll appreciate anything you could possibly do to save that home.
Well, I'd say a hundred dollars or a couple of hundreds or something like that.
A couple of hundred dollars to save the home? 127 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
Darling, the reason I say that is the case that -- I get the Inquirer -- we went to the Inquirer a couple weeks ago and we were talking to one of the girls there, and she's quite interested in helping us. And Channel 10, I went to Channel 10, and they were quite interested in helping us. I gave them my plea letters, you know. And I saw this in the paper the other day, and I said, My gosh, these people are running these benefits for these, you know, needy organizations; why can't we do that too, why can't we have a big benefit running at the Bellevue or something like that, you know, and raise money, because here's one that's in the paper that raised $270,000 in some affair they had, you know. And why can't we do the same thing because, you know, years ago, I raised money for the Kidney Foundation; I worked with the Kidney Foundation years ago too, before I got involved with the 128 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Alliance too much. And it's a case that we raised a lot of money for helping people with kidney patients, kidney disease. But truly, if I can get maybe your committee members and so forth to back us up. See, in our area, we have Jannie Blackwell, and once, many years ago, when I was president, even then, Jannie Blackwell was on our board. And Chaka Fattah in this area, West Philadelphia, he was on our board. And I've been trying to get our alliance, I'm trying to get them to come on the board, you know, 'cause we did have a very active board when we first started with it. And, anyhow, we -- little by little, they passed away or something like that, or they retired and they went down to Florida probably, where everyone else is, and we lost our good board members. We're looking for good board members. 129 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) And right now, to top it all off, I'm looking for a good attorney to fight our case and maybe do it pro bono especially. That's what I need. I need that very badly because we had a good attorney there for years, and his name was Chris Stover, and Chris we had for years, like I say, but he wants a lot of money from us to fight the cases, and we can't afford it.
Again, I think I'd like to ask you the same question --
To save the home right now? Oh, gosh. I'd say a couple hundred thousand dollars or something like that truly, you know, because right now, we have a budget that's, like I say, practically over drawn, you know. I try to get the alliance and I 130 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) give 'em my plea letters. I sent these out to them; in fact, these are made out to some of the alliance clubs. But if anyone wants plea letters, I'd gladly get them to, you know, and tell you.
I hope that City Council can probably help. I even dropped some plea letters off at the Mayor's Office today, Anna, darling Anna, I've dropped some plea letters off at the Mayor's Office so maybe Mayor Nutter or -- the past mayors were very anxious to help us years ago too. And Governor Rendell, I know Eddie, and he and his wife were quite active with us when we started -- well, when we built the additional frame building next to our building right now.
And if you're all aware where the Rudolphy Home for the 131 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Blind is, it's at 3827 Powelton Avenue, and you're welcome to come there, and let me know, and I'll be glad to give you what we call a nickel tour, you know. (Timer bell rings.)
So I appreciate what you do here, City Council, all of your members and so forth. I think you're doing a fantastic job, and I'm so proud of you all too, you know.
Thank you. And if I think you contact the alliances, they would be more than happy to give you whatever help they can.
'Cause we go to your benefits for your alliance club too in South Philadelphia.
Mm-hmm. 132 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
Thank you, thank you very much. Thanks for coming in.
Anything else I can do or anyone else have questions or anything like that?
We don't have any questions. We'll certainly look into it.
Anything else anyone else wanted to know? 133 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
I'm also the president of the USS San Francisco for the second world war. Any of you people who are second world war? Or your grandfathers, I guess, or parents. I'm also the president of the USS San Francisco Association.
And in a couple of weeks, I'm going to go out to San 134 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Francisco for Memorial Day. I've been going out for six years 'cause I've been president for six years. And I feel this way: Whatever I can do to help the veterans and all of that, you know, I'm trying, because veterans, you know, are getting older. They're not 39 like me, you know. And I tell them, I said, Well, they tell me they said they don't fly any more or drive any more because I'm trying to get my shipmates to come to my reunion, you know.
And we do appreciate your coming in. Thank you so much.
And I want you to 135 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) get the alliance club, anyone to join the alliance, too. We're up in --
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record.
My name's A.J. Thompson. I'm here on behalf of the Friends of Penn Treaty Park as well as a number of organizations in the Fishtown area. One of the things that I want to address in the budget is, with the incoming casino at SugarHouse at Delaware 136 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) and Frankford Delaware and Shackamaxon, Penn Treaty Park is only about 400 yards away from that entrance. And at this point in time, Penn Treaty Park has no 6 electricity or lighting. And a member of the Friends, we have frequent cleanups the second Saturday of every month, if anybody wants to show up. And we're going to have Love Your Park Day on Saturday. We have no real security at night. Now, there's always been sort of an element at nighttime who use the park and leave their, you know, belongings after there. Unfortunately, a lot of them tend to use the children's area. With what we anticipate not tremendous problems but an increase, flow of people who are leaving the casino, maybe down on their luck, popping over to the park. With no lighting or electric or anything really in the park to enhance safety, it becomes, you know, a little bit more of a safety hazard because we 137 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) anticipate more people there at nighttime. When there were clubs on Delaware, which there are a lot less now, it was a popular hangout then. That's subsided feel, but we anticipate it's going to, you know, increase, especially as the casino comes closer and sort of the attendant development around the casino, which, you know, I'm sure we all hope, that's going to increase traffic, it's going to increase further building. Now, there is a master plan for Penn Treaty Park that has been completed. The total master plan costs about $14 million. And one of the components is, you know, a complete upgrade to the water, the pier, and other things. But the first thing that the Friends and other people have identified is lighting. There are absolutely no 23 lights in the park right now, there's no 24 electricity. If you go in the park, you can't see 20 feet in front of your face 138 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) unless the moon's out. So it's one of the things that we would like at least addressed in the capital budget for Recreation and Parks, especially coming up and especially trying to get ahead of the casino. There's ways in which we can put solar lights along the walking path that won't cost a lot of money. There's other ways which we could have power into the park; we're trying to work with PECO. We want to bring the issue to visibility within Council, especially, you know, as our neighborhood and the park are going to serve as host to the casino, we would like to see this safety measure put in place -- not just for the people who are using the park at nighttime, but for, you know, kids who are there, you know. The amount of drug paraphernalia and other paraphernalia that's on the ground, you know, we're going to do a cleanup Saturday, and we'll 139 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) find a lot of -- people tend to take their dates down there, so there's a lot of, uh, you know, trash and refuse that's left afterwards. So we feel we can get a real concept of lighting at least right now, we can ensure a little bit more safety and --
I'm really not familiar with the area. How close is the park from the new casino?
About 400 yards. So it's about -- I mean, it's two long city blocks. So you're talking about, you know, very, very close. There are people who will probably -- might park at Penn Treaty Park to down to the casino if the lot's full. It's very close. So it's just an issue that we would like to see addressed coming up. (Timer bell rings.)
I'm sure there had to be a couple hundred 140 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) community meetings when they were considering this.
Did you ever take this issue up at the any of the meetings?
We've taken it up many times. We've taken up a lot of safety issues. It's something that's been talked about; unfortunately, it's not been accomplished. I met with Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison and a number of other people did a few weeks ago. I gave him a letter committing $10,000 from our group as the first $10,000 to this lighting project. Even if it was a solar lighting, it would not cost as much as, you know, burying power lines. So it's something that we 141 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) want to try to raise visibility, you know, and get Council's support to try to get this out ahead of the casino, which is supposed to open in September. You know, it's a part of the comprehensive plan that takes time, but this is something that we can at least get out there right now and kind of light some of the paths, light the parking lot, light the children's area, so that we can, you know, get ahead of --
I understand your concerns. Who's the District Councilperson?
Well, see, he's not here at the moment. I 142 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) don't know whether this is in the budget or whether it's been considered. So before the budget's passed, I suggest you be in contact with him --
You know, it is a concern for, you know, future budgeting. And at least, you know, if there's a more comprehensive lighting and electrical design, we'd like to have that considered for the upcoming budget.
Okay. After 143 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Christine, Cindy Masiejczwk. Okay. (Witness comes forward.)
Okay. My name is Christine Knapp. I'm the Director of Outreach for Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, also known as Penn Future. We're a statewide environmental advocacy organization. I'm also the coordinator of the Next Great City Initiative, which is made up of over 125 organizations throughout Philadelphia working for the implementation of an environmental agenda to strengthen our neighborhoods, increase economic competitiveness, and improve our environment. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) and Recreation and the proposed trash fee. 4 million in capital for Parks and 5 million in capital for Recreation. For too long, we've neglected our parks and recreation facilities, and now we have the opportunity to reverse decades of disinvestment, and it couldn't come at a better time in. In bad economic times such as these, it is imperative that we continue to provide recreational and open-space opportunities. We know that more and more people are cutting vacations out of their family budgets, but a vibrant and healthy park system can help provide relaxation, enjoyment, and a much-needed break from the urban concrete and asphalt that surrounds us. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Additionally, we also know that job markets are tight right now and it's harder for young people to find employment, but if they're engaged in their local recreation facilities, they're less likely to put that idle time to bad use. And while the City itself struggles to balance a budget, it's also important that we use every dollar carefully and with purpose. Money spent on improving and maintaining Philadelphia's parks and recreation systems is a good investment and will help the City to achieve several goals with just one dollar so you get more bang for your buck. Some of the major positive effects of investing in our parks and recreation system include that parks and trees and open space has a positive impact on home values. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) investment will help to retain and attract young professionals and increase our tax base. Reducing air pollution and absorbing storm water is one of the benefits of parks and trees that help to make our residents healthier and help to reduce the property damage caused by storm-water runoff on their properties. Open spaces that are maintained also help to reduce crime. And also, they help to attract regional tourism, which we know is an important industry for Philadelphia. So I hope that Council will agree that this is an important investment to make for the long-term health and growth of our city and specifically in our neighborhoods. And no matter where that initial source of revenue comes from, this specific allocation should be maintained. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) gap, I wanted to comment on the trash fee that has been proposed by Mayor Nutter. I'm also a board member of the Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia, and I've long supported ways of reducing the amount of waste that's created by Philadelphians that end up being burned or buried. We already concede the economic and environmental impacts that increasing recycling made. We've tripled the City's diversion rate in recycling, and we're saving lots of money in the process. So, while Philadelphians are recycling more, we also need to make sure that they are producing less waste as well. There are, again, many negative environmental and health impacts of burning and burying our waste. But more importantly, probably to this body, is that waste creates a lot of -- it costs a lot of money to collect, transport, and dispose of. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) about how their decisions are making an impact on the City's budget is important. A pay-as-you-throw system would be my preference, in that it would be more effective than a flat fee and giving the incentive to reduce their waste and to recycle or compost as much as they can.
So I really would encourage Councilmembers to take a look at a pay-as-you-throw system might be deployed in Philadelphia. I think it can be done here successfully, but it needs to be given careful thought. And it needs to be planned appropriately; it can't just be sort of thrown in at the last minute. As for the flat fee, I think there are still strong arguments for why it makes sense to pursue it. Again, it puts the value on waste so Philadelphians can begin to understand and be educated about waste their decisions and the impact that they have. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) rewards, residents are able to make back the money that they would spending on the tax by participating in the program and receiving rewards and coupons to spend on things that they're already spending money on such as groceries. So there's a direct correlation between it; they'd be paying this money, but then they'd be making the money back on the other side. But I would say that if Council is going to be seriously considering the trash fee, that you should not do it before pushing for other efficiencies to the trash-collection program. Philadelphia's one of the few cities in the country that still has three-man crews, or three-person crews, on recycling and waste trucks. These crews can easily be reduced to two or even one person in some cases. ) And I know there are union issues with that, but that could be done through attrition over time. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) And secondly, most collection does not have routes that they follow. Thy sort of meander through their neighborhoods, collecting trash and recycling however they see fit, not knowing if that's the most efficient use of their gas and their time. So we really need to standardize some routes, especially now that recycling is increasing and waste is going down, to make sure that that's as efficient as possible. And I'm sure there are many other upgrades as well. So, again, if the trash fee is going to be accepted by Council, I would suggest that it done in exchange for some serious efficiency upgrades. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Why do 151 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) you think the trash trucks have no 3 routes? I mean, I've always been told they do.
They have -- I mean, they have areas that are -- you know, they call 'em routes where like, you know, your trash is collected on Wednesday morning, and it's generally around this time.
But in terms of, do we start here and go down this street and circle this way and this way, or do we go up and this way and this way, that's not -- that is a -- I mean, and the same people are on those crews every week, so they may have sort of their plan of how they want to attack it. But this has come to light, especially now that recycling has increased so much, because now you're taking a lot more of the recycling out of the waste stream, so a truck that used to fill up after, say, you know, 20 blocks 152 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) is now maybe filling up after 25 blocks because there's less trash and it's all in the recycling. So now would be a great time to take a look at how they're collecting and figuring out ways of making it most efficient for both the trash and the recycling trucks.
And one last thing on trash the fee, you said putting a cost on it would make people think about it more? If it's going to be a flat fee and it's going to be $300 whether you put five bags out or two bags out, how's that --
Like I said, I would much prefer a pay-as-you-throw, and I would suggest that if the trash fee is agreed upon as the system to close the budget gap in the short term, that it be done with idea that we're going to convert this over to pay-as-you-throw in a year or in two years and give yourself the time. 153 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) If you said right now we're going to institute pay-as-you-throw to the next budget cycle, I would say you're not going to do that successfully. It takes time to figure out how it's going to work, to make sure you think about short-dumping and other issues like that and you do it appropriately. So if you do the flat fee, do it with the intent that it we're going to change the system, to make sure that we're incentivizing. But at least I think the discussion has been helpful, you know, in that the proposal's been in the newspaper a lot, you know, and a lot of people are talking about it. And I think it's been helpful for people to realize when you put trash out, it costs money, it costs the City some serious money. And that might lead to them making better decisions.
Thank 154 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) you very much. We appreciate your coming in today.
Right. And we have someone else here too, don't we.
Marcy Witherspoon and then Rachael Vassar. (Witness comes forward.)
My name is Marcy Witherspoon, and I'm the Director of Children and Youth for the Institute for Safe Families. And I'm actually here on behalf of ISF, the Institute, to express my support for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and its current operating budget, a city 155 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) department that serves many of the City's most vulnerable residents. ISF has partnered with the Health Department for almost two decades on issues relating to family violence, a significant public healthy issue. We know that the residents who patronize our community health centers are those who are often confronting issues of lack of access, lack of opportunity, and have often not been well served by our educational system. We must continue to work together to build up those in our community who are struggling with the issues of self-determination, for we are only as strong as our weakest link. I have been partners with the Health Department to train health-center staff on how to address issues of family violence in a health-care setting. We recognize that relationships and our experiences, in large part, are determinants of our health, safety, and 156 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) wellbeing. And we like to refer to an Ashanti proverb that goes: "The ruin of our nation begins in the homes of its people." The Health Department has also been very receptive to innovative programming and ideas to generate an improvement in patient outcomes. I serve in the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Committee, which is only one of the many committees that the Health Department conducts, to review the care that patients receive and attempt at improving that care. Let us not be derelict in our responsibility to continue funding the programs that many depends on literally for their lives. That's the kind of city that we can be proud of. Thank you very much.
You're quite welcome. 157 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
My name's Rachael Vassar, and I'm the Philadelphia Outreach Coordinator for Penn Future. And Penn Future works to create a just future, where nature, communities, and the environment thrive. And in line with that mission, Penn Future works as the lead organization behind the Next Great City Coalition, which is dedicated to creating a positive future for Philadelphia by advocating for commonsense, cost-effective policies that enhance environmental quality, along with strengthening neighborhoods and increasing our economic competitiveness. And we're made up of a variety of organizations, civic associations, labor groups, public-health organizations, environmental nonprofits. 158 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Faith-based communities, et cetera. And the Next Great City Initiative came together in the fall of 2005 to address the environmental and public-health issues that are harming Philadelphia's economy and quality of life. And our diverse coalition identified ten affordable actions that the City could undertake to make Philadelphia's neighborhoods more vital -- revitalized. And these actions have the broad support of the 126 organizations that make up the coalition. Among the ten agendas items I'm here to talk about here today is the recommendation that Philadelphia maintain healthy parks. And as part of that recommendation, we call on the City to provide the park system with much-needed additional revenue. Healthy parks are a community assets. They improve health by providing outdoor spaces for recreation and exercise, they reduce sewer backup by 159 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) managing storm water, they raise property values, and they contribute to neighborhood cohesion. However, poorly-maintained parks do quite the opposite -- by contributing to urban decay and becoming magnets for crime. And decades of neglect have left many of Philadelphia's park in unacceptable condition. In a 2006 survey commissioned by the Next Great City Coalition, almost half of Philadelphians reported that they stayed away from the park in the previous year because they feared for their children's safety or their own. And despite the valiant efforts of park supporters throughout the City, from that same survey, we saw that 40 percent of respondents said that they had volunteered to plant tree in the park or to help do a park cleanup in the past year. Volunteer efforts aren't enough; we cannot rely on volunteers 160 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) alone. And keeping our parks well- maintained, safe, and attractive requires sufficient funding for the Department of Parks and Recreation. And the proposed $3.3 million increase in the newly- combined departments' operating budget, as well as 5.4 in capital for parks and 5 million in capital for recreation is the right thing to do for our communities, the economy, and the environment. This money would be used for much-needed maintenance, tree-planting, youth programming, and safety and security measures. For too long, our parks have been underfunded under-appreciated. So on behalf of the over 125 organizations that form Next Great City, I urge you to give your full support to the Mayor's proposed budget increase for Parks and Recreation. And not only will this additional funding help our parks to realize their full potential, but we 161 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) believe it will also make our city cleaner, greener, and healthier for the future. So thank you so much for your time and consideration.
Thank you. We appreciate your testimony. Do we have anyone else to testify? Did you want to testify? We do have a number of people that are scheduled to come in to testify, so we'll just have to wait. (Witness comes forward.)
Good afternoon. Good afternoon. My name is Walt Pyzynksi, and I was an elected official for ten years, and I've been involved with city and government affairs for almost over 35 years, coming into City Council and -- with budgets and things. And the one problem that really affected the City of Philadelphia many 162 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) years ago -- and I'm speaking as a member of the Chamber of Commerce -- and that is, at that time, the City, the Mayor, and City Council came in and said to the corporations and small businesses, everybody, that they were going to raise the taxes in Philadelphia, and they challenged the corporations and businesses in Philadelphia. And they came back, the Chamber of Commerce and all of these huge corporations, and said, If you do, we were going to leave the City. This was back in the 1970s; I'm going back, you know. And they, you know, came up, you know, they passed the bill, you know, to raise these taxes. And it was terrible. And the City of Philadelphia lost corporations, small businesses. At that time, we had three Congressional seats here, in Philadelphia. Because of that, all of the businesses left Philadelphia. I mean, they just moved out of the City. 163 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) And it was just unbelievable. At that time, I was in business, and I was working in, you know -- I was an electrical contractor working at these industrial plants. And at the time, you know, they just they said, you know, if you do it, you know, we're going to go. And they did, they really did. And today, we see, you know, over these 35 years all these empty industrial buildings. And to me, it always comes up the budget, the budget, the budget. And I've been involved, like I say, in wanting to rebuild the riverfront and everything and all of the -- everything down there and the SugarHouse and the casinos and everything. And we have the SugarHouse Casino now that's going to be built. When it comes up, it's going to be about September I believe, August or September. And we're really in debt that I look at for about $150 million, you know, 164 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) $150 million we need to make up. And when I sit back and I look at the budget and everything else and the money that, you know, we need to spend, I truly believe that $150 million could be picked up over that casino with -- between the riverfront, the restaurants. And I get involved with the -- down here at the Convention Center a lot, and I talk with a lot of business people that come into Philadelphia because I go into their shows. And the one question they ask me all the time is, Where is a good place to go, you know, at night? And I'll tell 'em -- I have to, you know, smile in a way. (Timer bell rings.) I'll tell 'em to go down to Chinatown. That's about all I can really say to you, you know, or go to a restaurant. And I believe that once we get the casino built, these people that come into Philadelphia, because 165 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States. It is so strong, it's unbelievable. People come in here and they look at Philadelphia, these businesspeople that I talk with, and they talk about Philadelphia. I'll say, Well, you can go down to the -- go down to Fifth and Market and see Betty Ross's house. Okay, you know. But I believe with the riverfront being built and those restaurants and all of this with the casino and those condominiums that are built there now, the tourists are going to come into this city like we never seen before. And I'm really giving you, you know, my honest opinion of it. I would say within the next --
I 166 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) said you certainly have a wealth of knowledge.
-- years, you know, you have to sit and take it all in, Ann.
And I have great respect for you, Ann, you know, and everything.
I know you do, and we appreciate that. We appreciate your testimony.
And that's about all I could say of it. And I truly believe that within two to three years, 167 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) we're going to -- that $150 million could be fixed up. And I listen to the Congressmen here back and forth in various parts on cutting back and cutting back. And we could really pull this city back together again because people will come into this city like they never did before, because this is the birthplace. I always say the one thing -- and I'm not being, you know, the gentleman that just got done talking about Penn Treaty Park. I used to go down there all the time when I was a kid and all, but I always say I don't know what would happen if William Penn, that man on top, was to land over in Jersey. We wouldn't have over here down at Fifth and Market Independence Hall. This is the city of cities, and that man on top this building is the founder, in 1682 and down there in Fishtown. And the SugarHouse is like -- I say -- he said, it's only about 4, 500 168 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) feet away. And the people that come in here will walk that or 500 feet into 4 that park. And I'm going to tell you, I've walked down the park about six months ago, when it was beautiful, and I walked in there and I started to cry. Because when I knew it, it was just a small -- it is now gigantic and beautiful. I would put lighting all around that street down there for the people. And that's about all I can say. I don't know, I'm just being normal, a everyday person as I can be with you.
Thank you. * * * 169 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) (Councilman Clarke chairs committee.) (Witness comes forward.)
It feels a little bit odd to be in this empty, large room.
There are a lot of folks that preceded you, so consider yourself lucky that you didn't have to wait to testify.
10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Department of Public Health's budget request and to advocate for new revenue sources, including the sugar-sweetened beverage tax. The Federation's mission is to improve access to and quality of health-care services for under-served and vulnerable individuals and families. And we achieve this mission through our work with community health centers as well as our professional training and capacity- building activities and our direct- service programs. The Department of Public Health's programs are essential to the health of all Philadelphians. Any cuts to the department would be harmful to the population overall and particularly to our most vulnerable citizens. Therefore, I ask you to please approve the department's full budget request. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) to care. These centers provide primary care, access to specialty care, dental care, prenatal care, pharmacy services, family-planning services, management of complex and chronic diseases, as well as preventive public-health services such as immunizations and treatment of infectious diseases to more than 90,000 City residents every year. With the recent passage of federal health-care reform, we can anticipate that even more Philadelphians will soon seek care from the City health centers and other local community health centers. As more people gain insurance, they will seek preventive and routine care that they may have delayed while they were uninsured. Philadelphians will need all of our safety-net providers to meet the increased demand and ensure access. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) and addressing infectious disease. This is not a matter of need among our poor population; it is, in fact, something that affects all of us, the containment of infectious disease. During the past year, Philadelphia and much of the nation faced the H1N1 flu pandemic, and the department responded quickly to bring the disease to manageable levels. The department efficiently mobilized its own resources and distributed vaccine to large and diverse cohort of community partners, including schools, health centers, hospitals. And as a result, at-risk Philadelphians were able to obtain the vaccine easily and quickly in comparison with many other communities across the country. This was a wonderful example of public-private partnership. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) thousands, of people during that immunization campaign. Council must support a budget that will enable the department to continue to act effectively in the face of public-health emergencies. The department, of course, has many other important functions, and has demonstrated a creative and comprehensive approach to public-health problems such as obesity, smoking, lead poisoning, infant mortality, and sexually-transmitted diseases. The public-health challenges in Philadelphia are multifaceted and deep-rooted, and we need to sustain and expand the capacity of the department to continue to address these. While the Health Department has many partners in the nonprofit sector, including the Health Federation, it is only with a strong public-health authority that the health and safety of the public can truly be protected. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) I would also like to speak in support of the department's and the Mayor's proposal to raise revenue for public health and other services through the sugar-sweetened beverage tax. This proposal would both raise much-needed revenue and help to achieve public-health goals. Almost 60 percent of Philadelphia children ages 6 to 11 are overweight and obese. Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages are a major contributor to this public-health crisis. Children now drink more sugar-sweetened beverages than milk. And researchers have found that with every additional glass or can of this beverage a child drinks per day, that child has a 60 percent chance of becoming obese.
Obese children are far more likely to become obese and chronically-ill adults, facing a lifetime of compromised health status and quality of life. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) that when sugar-sweetened beverages cost more, people drink less of them. Families are more likely to substitute water, milk, or other healthier beverages for soda. Therefore, the proposal would help to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and generate revenue, a portion of which would go into additional programs to increase health eating and exercise to further address this problem. I know that there is strong opposition to this proposal from the industry that manufacture these beverages. However, I urge you to carefully consider the public-health impact before you reject it. Obesity costs us dearly -- in dollars and in early death and disability. The SSB, if implemented at a level that would genuinely affect the cost of sweetened beverages can be an important tool in addressing this growing public-health problem. 10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) steps in recent years to become a city that puts the health of its citizens first. Our strong primary-care system, the new rules regarding menu labeling, initiatives to reduce obesity and smoking rates, pioneering efforts to bring fresh foods to underserved neighborhoods, programs to increase green space and bike paths all are transforming Philadelphia. Your support for the Department of Healthy and the SSB tax will be instrumental to continue this positive trend. Thank you very much.
I'm waiting for the onslaught of citizens to come in and testify.
Thank you 177 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) so much. The Committee of the Whole will stand in recess for half an hour. (Committee stands in recess.) (Proceedings resume at 3:30 p.m.)
This is a continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. I understand we have a couple of our distinguished guests that would like to testify. May I have their names, please.
Forgive me if I mispronounce them. Heather Rozjabedk. Jennifer Awakeni Elizabeth Yim. Irim Azam.
And Councilmembers are in their offices, listening to your testimony. 178 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) I understand you're all from Drexel? PANEL MEMBERS: Yes.
Dear members of the Philadelphia City Council, thank you for giving us the opportunity to give you public testimony on this important public health issue. We are all current students at Drexel University School of Public Health, and we are here to support the sugar-sweetened-beverage tax. As public 179 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) health students, we advocate for public policy promoting healthy initiatives within the Philadelphia community. In Philadelphia, 64 percent of adults and 57 percent of children between 6 and 11 years old are overweight or obese. In addition, nearly 50 percent of Philadelphia children will become overweight or obese in their lifetime. Obesity is a growing public health concern, not just relatively but nationally. Obesity has been linked to many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Sugar-sweetened beverages are different from other beverages in that they are non-alcoholic, with an added sugar-based sweetener such as high- fructose corn syrup. They contribute to the growing obesity epidemic because they contain empty calories and ingredients that are also addictive. When we drink sugar-sweetened beverages, our bodies 180 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) don't feel full, and we consume more calories than we need. They make us crave sweeter foods. Think about the impact of giving sugary drinks to children. They are going to continue to crave unhealthy foods for the rest of their lives, and it will be harder for them to eat healthier foods. In the end, we are going to have an increased risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other that reduce the quality of life.
Across the nation, cities and states are addressing the same issue. We understand that there are some who are concerned about the implication the tax will have on their jobs and lifestyles. For instance, we realize the tax alone will not guarantee the decrease in consumption of sugar- sweetened beverages. Additionally, the nature of this business tax does not ensure an 181 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) increase in the price of these beverages in order for it to serve as a disincentive from purchasing sugar- sweetened beverages. Also, people will drink other non-sweetened beverages, so jobs will still be needed for bottling and transportation. We ask that our audience view this tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as a novel opportunity for corporations, retailers, and employers to put on their thinking caps and innovate new ways to sell their products without hindering their consumers' health. The tax has been argued as being regressive, meaning that the increased costs would disproportionally target low-income communities. However, these communities can potentially benefit the most from this tax, because they are one of the greatest consumers of sugar- sweetened beverages and have a higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes. This tax would provide means to 182 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) promote prevention of obesity, which is a cost-saving alternative to expensive health-care treatments.
In this testimony, we would like to focus on the benefits of the revenue generated from this tax if the City Council passes this is legislation. Twenty million dollars of the projected revenue will be used to fund healthy initiatives in Philadelphia. These initiatives include programs to make healthy foods more available and affordable and decrease the amount of unhealthy foods consumed such as including more farmer markets into low-income communities so that there is increased access to healthier and affordable foods. Public-health research has shown that there fewer healthy food and beverage options in low-income communities. Fast-food corporations and beverage companies disproportionately 183 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) target their marketing in low-income communities. These same targeted neighborhoods do not have as many healthy food options available for their residents, and this dilemma has perpetuated obesity, diabetes, and other related illnesses.
Another initiative is to expand the pedestrian and bike network to promote physical activity. We would like to emphasize that the money generated from this tax is an investment which I will go towards combating the obesity epidemic. As public-health students, we are always striving to promote healthy behaviors and positive changes in our community. We are here today to support this tax as a means to strive for social justice in Philadelphia. This tax will bring us one step closer to solving the obesity epidemic that is plaguing our community and that will put Philadelphia on the map as one of the leaders in this 184 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) national initiative. We implore the City and county to pass this tax because it has innumerable benefits for all Philadelphians. Thank you for time and consideration.
Thank you. It was wonderful testimony. Good luck to all of you I'm sure you'll be very successful. PANEL MEMBERS: Thank you. (Committee stands in recess.) (Proceedings resume at 4:25 p.m.)
The Committee of the Whole is now back in session. I would ask Miss Murray to please call our next guest.
Good afternoon. 185 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
Kindly identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Ted Weerts, W-E-E-R-T-S, and I'm the Executive Director of Travelers Aid Family Services of Philadelphia.
Thank you. And I'd like to speak a bit about the City budget as it relates to homeless services. I've been the executive director of Travelers Aid of Philadelphia for the last 11 years, and most of our services are to homeless families. And I came to Philadelphia in 1988, under the Wilson Goode Administration under a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help organize homeless services in Philadelphia, which already had a considerably extensive and high-quality 186 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) set of services. And I've seen the system go on for the past twenty-some years through many changes; and, clearly, this is one of the biggest changes that has occurred, with the recession that has come on. One of the first things that happened to us is that in December of 2008, the services to stranded travelers in this city -- of course, which all are homeless in the City of Philadelphia -- were completely eliminated. And that means that anywhere from 2 to 3,000 people are now on the streets of Philadelphia that would have otherwise would have been moved along and found another destination if those services had continued. Now, I think it's important to realize that not all cases are of the same severity and don't present the same problems and the same risks. And I think it could have been a program which, with some consideration, would have been 187 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) downsized to perhaps a quarter of what it was, focusing on those high-risk people and making sure that they do not continue on in the City of Philadelphia, that they go on to where they would be in much better shape rather than be arrested or hospitalized or run into our difficulties in the City. It's -- it wasn't not good for them, it's not good for the City. Probably a better example of what should have been done is that -- we also had a program for lead abatement in which we moved families into lead-free housing while the lead was taken out of their homes. We had units for that, 17 and it was downsized to five. Well, five isn't a lot but five at least makes sure that you're taking care of the most serious problems and identifying them and not letting them continue on. One of the other points that I'd like to make is that we and other nonprofits have been receiving now in the past year-and-a-half cuts, and, many 188 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) times, those cuts have been given to us on short notice and with the instructions that we must continue on with the same services and the same contract; we're just going to have less money to do that with. Now, the --
Our family shelter has been cut twice, yes, in terms of the amount of services. And I'm not alone. I mean, other programs, I know, have been -- the amount of the contract has been reduced a couple percent, five percent; whereas, the requirements remain the same. Now, we, as nonprofits, have been pretty good at working on government contracts, and the government contract then provides the essential services, and then we go out and find other money to supplement those services to make it 189 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) better and richer. And I think that's a very appropriate thing for nonprofits to do. So when we run a shelter, a family shelter, of 75 families and we work to get other funds to run after- school programs for the children and the City provides the basic money for the living and we provide those extra services, I think that runs nicely when that's done. But when you get to the point where there's not enough funds to handle the basic services, the nonprofits now are in no position to make up the difference. I know many of the nonprofits; I'm a part of Give Philadelphia, Give Philly, which is seven major agencies that are working together to try to raise funds and work collaboratively, and were all in the same position. Since the recession, giving has gone down dramatically. We probably have been in better shape than most, seeing agencies 190 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) with $10 million budgets some may only have $6 million budgets because the people who are giving simply don't have it anymore. Everything that I see certainly in our budget and other people's nonprofits really indicate that they're really at the point of not being able to do the work that needs to be done under their contract if it gets cut any further. And I think it has to be looked at closely at what gets eliminated versus anymore what simply gets cut off the top, because there simply isn't the room 16 anymore. And I think in homeless services, I've seen many waves of homelessness. In 2002, we saw homeless families increase dramatically for no 21 known reason; they just did, and you had to increase capacity because of that. It's clear that with the foreclosures and the evictions and the unemployment that's going on now isn't 191 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) causing homelessness as of this moment; it's 'cause people have some other alternatives, but those alternatives don't last forever. And once you go through and foreclose, you may go through an eviction, you may stay with your family, with family members, but at some point, all that is worn out, and the next wave is probably going to be coming probably in a couple years. And we must understand that our capacity can't be dropping too much and we have to get so we provide the essential services and don't try to keep -- have someone else pay that bill, because the other people don't have it.
They don't have it, either. I want to thank you for your testimony. And I know that you say that Councilwoman Blackwell is here, who is a very, very strong advocate for the homeless.
Yes, she is. 192 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
Yes. I wanted to say thank you for coming and for his commitment over the years.
He's worked with so many people and done so much to help with housing and services for people in need. And certainly we thank him for coming in and testifying about this important issue.
Thank you. Continue with the good work. Our next witness.
We'll call them together, a panel. Robert Sharp, Linda Burnett, Jasmine Hunt, and Diara Oliver. And if there's anyone else with that group. 193 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) (Witnesses come forward.)
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Liz Burnett, and I'm the Executive Director of the Youth Outreach Adolescent Community Awareness Program, YOACAP, and I'm also representing the Southwest Community Advisory Group.
Hi my name is Jasmine Hunt. I'm years old. I go to 15 the Academy at Palumbo High School, and 16 I'm involved in the YOACAP program. 17
Hello. My name is Morticia Hardy. I'm 17 years old, and I go to the Academy at Palumbo. I'm here representing YOACAP as well as the Boys and Girls Club.
How you doing. My name is Robert Sharp. I'm age 20 and I'm 194 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) representing youth programs of Orleans Technical Institute, and I'm also representing the same program as (indiscernible).
First and foremost, we really want to thank you for being here to listen to us and for giving these young people a voice and an opportunity to speak about their concerns. I don't know if you know, but I know Representative Blackwell knows that YOACAP has been in existence since 1989, providing services for youth and young adults in and around the Philadelphia. Our program provides HIV prevention, youth development, STD control, community engagement, parental training. We try to treat the whole family in a holistic type of way. We've been providing services in unusual areas. We're that group that 195 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) you'll see at o'clock in the morning 3 doing HIV testing in areas that other people don't visit. We're that group that's in front of the school that says that we had a breakout of syphilis or gonorrhea, because we're trusted by the community, we're respected by the youth, and we take our work very seriously. We have had a record of honesty and integrity and success for the last 12 years. 13 Today, we would like to really 14 just talk to you about what is going on 15 in our community as it relates first to 16 the funding, as you know. YOACAP has 17 taken a terrible hit, as has most of 18 these AIDS service organizations from the 19 State. We provide services around sexual 20 health at Bartram, West Philadelphia High School, University City, Strawberry Mansion, Fitzsimon Multicultural Academy. We provided 500 youth and adult with mobile testing this year. I don't know if people have 196 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) started to believe that HIV disappeared because we don't talk about it, but it's still very much alive and well in our communities. And the ages of people who are becoming infected and affected by this disease are getting lower and lower. Our young people are becoming sexually active at a younger age now. And as these young people will attest to, one of the ways that we reached them is by providing services that peer-to-peer. Today, I guess what I would really like to get you all to see is that we're almost an institution in the community because we've been there so long. We've developed the trust. And you've been to our southwest community, you've sent representatives and support it, our southwest advisory group.
In our community engagement piece, YOACAP doesn't do anything that we don't involve the community that we're trying to reach in 197 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) developing. These young people helped develop the strategies that we use for young people. The Southwestern Community Advisory Group helped develop the strategies that we're using, and I know you can see the success, because the community has now taken some ownership for itself and have developed good relationships with our police department, they're manning their own communities. We have community groups in West Philadelphia that have never worked together that are now working together and saying, You know what? We provide this service and you provide that service; perhaps we shouldn't compete. Maybe you should continue to provide this service, and I'll refer people to your area. We're very proud of that. And I think we're doing what folk are asking us to do. Our officials, from our president, from our mayor, from our governor, and me being from the 198 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) Kennedy group, have asked us not to ask so much what they can do for us but what we can do for ourselves. And YOACAP continues to teach communities and young people to do for themselves and to teach others. So I'm going to be quiet because I -- I'm never the out front person. Today, they said, "Miss B, you have to talk," so I'm going to turn it over to Morticia and Jasmine and Robert and let me show what we try to teach them.
Good afternoon. My name is -- as Miss B said, Morticia Hardy. I am also the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year for the City of Philadelphia, and I also work with Ms. Burnett with the Youth Council as 199 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) well. Today, I wanted to share a poem with you. I write poetry as well as other short pieces, and it's the best way for me to explain how I feel about the program YOACAP. So I'll do that now. And it is entitled, "Small Epiphanies." "Handcuffs, sirens, bullets flying. Weed, cold crack maybe. Mothers hollering, Oh, my baby. But seeing is not always this big it started small. "Like a girl at the mall or a boy at the court, too short to make a score, but no one urging him to try anyway. No one to pick him up or no one to tell her not to flaunt her stuff. And faster and faster, my community becomes (indiscernible). "Can you really blame us. See, 'cause we do what we're taught and we're taught what we do. And you want to get mad at us. Why? We're only following you. "And if my (indiscernible) is 200 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) wrong, step in and be the right one. Mentor me, guide me, talk to me while the fight's on. "But by the time I'm old enough to articulate this, it's probably too late, because everyone has turned their heads, and no one stepped up to the plate to take out time out for me to tell me I'm great, to tell me I'm brilliant, to tell me I'm a leader, I have so much to say. And all you reply is, Oh, you know teenagers these days. "You know teenagers these days? No. You know some teenagers these days -- out robbing and dodging and killing and flash-mobbing, out here making my home life a wreck. "And oh, don't forget, I'm a teen, so I must always think about sex. But no, we are more than just baby- makers, shot-takers, disease-spreaders, ex-offenders, tattoo junkies. My poor generation; abort, abort. "With our pants too low and our 201 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) skirts too short, and we too late to care, 'cause the window has closed, and I'm on the wrong side, banging to escape for myself. "Will you open the window for me or just worry about your wallet. Afraid to get connected for fear you'll be infected with the failure that seems to run through my veins. "But it's not failure, only success stained. All I need is some dusting, maybe some elbow grease. Or maybe you really have to scrub and get on your knees, scrub through my addiction, through my good-for-nothing ways. Go deep in my soul, where the sun never rays. "Give me a place where I can rest my mind, spit my lines where I won't be judged. Give me people -- no, give me ten, a good wholesome place where I'm disciplined in the way I should go. Give me a pen, a guitar, or a ball. "Remember, all good things good 202 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) or bad started small." And I wrote this piece because I think that everyone my age should have someone to mentor them and show them the right way, especially if their parents or their community isn't really a positive influence. And I know I've had some times where I'm very much brilliant, but if I was steered in the wrong direction, I could have just did so worse than I am today. And if it wasn't for Miss B, as well as the rest of YOACAP disciplining me and guiding me in the way I should go, I really don't know where I would go.
Hello. I'm Jasmine again. I wrote a acronym about YOACAP, 203 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) the youth council program that I'm in. Y is for youth that get to have a say. O is for outstanding people and students from various parts of Philly. A is for active in community service. C creates new ways of enhancing and broadening our horizons. A is achieving many great things by reaching a young demographic of students. P paves the way for other nonprofit organizations to make the change. Y is for yearning to learn more. O is for opening their arms to high school teens such as myself. U is united we stand to make a difference, one day at a time. T is thoughtful people. A is able to be anything that we want to be. 204 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) C is the canny ability to make our voices heard amongst a sea of them. O is offering information on how to prevent STDs and ways to help stop violence. U, understanding of any problems that come our way. N, the necessity for teens who feel like they don't have any positive adult role models to confide in. C, concerned individuals who jump at the chance to help their city. I, intellectuals who put their minds together to make things happen. O, leaders of today and tomorrow. I am a part of two nonprofit organizations. One is YOACAP, the one I just described and sitting here. YOACAP has many different phases that I went through. First, I was on Project Build, and they teach you different skills that you need to know in order to survive in 205 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) the working world and things that you need. City Year is another program that I do, and it's doing community service around greater Philadelphia. It's hard to picture a life without these programs. They provide leadership skills, community service, tutoring, job opportunities, scholarships, and many other resources that would be beneficial to teens. Taking away programs such as that would be hurting the community, not helping it.
My name is Robert Sharp. And I represent the UAC, UAC (indiscernible). So another program that I'm representing is Orleans Technical Institute. Now, I could say that that 206 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) school has really got a change or really been a change into my life; whereas, though as in the youth, 'cause youth -- most youth don't have no one around to, you know, coach 'em or lead 'em or teach 'em or say, Hey, this way is the way out. I mean being as though I'm in there, we have a lot of social skills. Social skills is finding the real you and actually where you are and what you want to be and where you want to go in life. So being as though I say to myself, I'd like to be -- I like to build, you know. So I'm going to say I'm going to go to school and try to build or try to, you know, get education on it or certificates so I can build my own career in my life, 'cause me, as a black male, as a youth, I can say it's kind of hard because, you know, you got to have a lot of falls that you could take, you know, of people offering you things or the streets that's calling you. And, you know, you just want to be the one that 207 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) don't go that direction. And, you know, you want to go the right way. So I took the program and it's wonderful for me. You know, I learned how to communicate with a lot of people, like different people, speaking more proper, it's not always slang, and it just makes me happy when I mention the program. It's just an unstoppable smile. And I learned a lot of things, meet a lot of good people, wonderful, educated, smart, you know. And they try to teach me things -- well, they don't try to; they teach me things and teach me ways to make it. You know, the streets is not the only way. It's not just the hood, it's not just the neighborhood where you grew up. Okay, you can represent where you grew up at, but eventually, you don't want to be there all your life, till you're like 40 or 50; you want to get away. So me, as a young man -- and, 208 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) by the way, I'm 20, I want to make a change in my life and try to better my community. So that's the reason I'm here and I'm having this conversation with you guys. And I really love the program. You know, GPUAC helps a lot. It really does.
Thank you. May I say I think you're all very talented, and it's quite apparent to me that you're going -- you can be as successful as you want to be, and I think you all want to be successful. So I do wish you luck. And as I said, I think you're all very intelligent, and it's wonderful that you have somebody standing over you who is willing to dedicate her life -- I'm sorry, did you want to come up too?
I would like to introduce Miss Davis, who is also a part of the UAC family and who has worked very 209 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) closely and mentored not just this young man but other young man. Not one program can stand alone, YOACAP can't do it all. But this young lady has been working with young people since we were 35, and that was two years ago. (Laughter.) (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
I think, you know, these children are speaking volumes for the successful work that you have done, and you're to be applauded for it.
And we do hope 210 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) that that as you all make your decisions -- we know that there is a recession, but we do hope that you will remember that there are programs who are working very hard day and night to try to save our future, because sooner or later, they're going to be sitting where you are and where I am.
And if we turn our backs on them now, where are we going to be? Thank you very much, thank you so much for the opportunity. Thank you.
I wanted to mention about the youth groups. In our community we need more, 'cause some youth groups, 211 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) some don't really qualify for certain things. So, you know, like it's a lot of ex-offenders out there. And I know there's some youth groups that's going on now. But I think, you know, the City needs to invest in more money for youth groups so they can find theyselves. You know, I go out there, I spread the word and say, Yo, I got this program that I'm in called Orleans Tech, and it's this program that will help you find jobs. And, you know, some of them will listen. But once you start seeing things posted, more things out there, then that's when they're really listening. See, right now, they can hear me, but they won't really do it (inaudible). So that's another thing I wanted to mention.
I have one more thing. 212 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
Sorry. I don't want to take up too much time, but I just wanted to thank you all for taking your time out to sit and really listen to us. 'Cause we're teenagers, people think we really don't have a lot to say, and people say my generation is the future. My generation is the present; before you know it, we'll be right taking care of you, and you will be sitting over there. And I really think that you really need to invest in these programs so we can do it correctly. It's not too late, it's never really too late. We want to make sure we get people while they're young, while the clay is still wet and we can still be molded.
You're wonderful. Very good. (Applause.) 213 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) (Committee stands in recess.) (Proceedings resume at 5:45 p.m.)
The Committee of the Whole is now back in session. If you will take the witness table. (Witnesses come forward.)
My name is Elir Morina. STENOGRAPHER: Could I get the spelling, please.
I am here to speak against the beverage tax. I believe that with the millions of dollars that are out there, there's a great likelihood that, 214 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) due to some inefficiencies and wasteful spending, that the City could find a better way to retrieve some of those funds. That's sort of my business I do this for companies with much smaller budgets than the City's, and I'm able to come up millions of dollars usually that we find with waste within that company. And I would like to think that the City itself has programs where it's seeking out to eliminate the waste within its own system before it reaches out into the pockets of its citizens. That's about it.
Thank you. And do you want to make mention that you have other people with you?
I have some representatives as well as from Philadelphia Coca Cola.
How many people from that industry are employed in the City of Philadelphia? 215 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
From -- I can't speak to the entire industry. Roughly about 1200 are directly employed by Philadelphia Coca Cola.
All right. Thank you. (Committee stands in recess.) (Proceedings resume at 6 p.m.)
Good evening. Please identify yourself for the record.
Yes. Good evening. My name is Darlene Morris, and I am a provider of homeless services to families through the Office of Supportive Housing. And I'll be brief. I basically just came to, you know, let people know how important it was that the things of the Office of Supportive Housing and the providers that are associated with that organization, 216 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) the impact that the organization -- the agency has on the lives of the consumers that it serves. I didn't prepare anything, so I'm speaking --
That's okay. Just speak. Tell us what your issues are.
I am a provider, and I've been a provider for many years; pretty much my career has centered it since I was -- what I consider a young person.
Basically, I'll get to the -- you know, I'll make a long story short. A lot of times when people, you know, hear of the services that the Office of Supportive Housing provides 217 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) they figure, you know, they provide services for homeless families and also for individuals. I know that they do transitional housing. I am a provider of emergency services, I do emergency housing, and I run a, quote/unquote, shelter. We like to call it emergency housing services. Basically, I provide a homelike setting for my residents. I don't have a huge, you know, facility. Each of my residents have -- they have their own -- each family has their own private quarters in each of the buildings that I provide services, and they all have their own dining rooms. And, you know, we do go by the guidance of the CACS -- that's the child and adult food care program and the menus and whatnot. But everything is pretty much like a home-style situation. And I think that it's important that something like that continue because a lot of the families that we provide services for, they come from various 218 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) backgrounds. Some people, you know, they slip between the cracks due to economic reasons. And some people -- unfortunately, a lot of them, it has to do with not really having a solid family base or background. And we see a lot of different things, we see a lot of various behaviors. We see a lot of, you know, things where they need to be socially directed. In my facility, as is all the other facilities that are under contract with OSH, we provide case-management services. And I just wanted to tell you that when a family comes into a situation like that, a lot of times, they don't know, you know, what to expect. And then, when they finally realize and see all of the support that we give 'em -- and we give 'em a lot of support. Not only are we providing them with temporary means to stay en route to trying to find some permanent housing, but we also help to shape their lives and 219 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) try to provide them some guidance and direction. In my facility, I engage other programs to come in and to provide sessions for my clients so that when they leave, I want them to leave with something; I don't want them to just come and say, Okay, I had a place to stay on the City. It's not like that when. They leave, they leave as a newly-built person. You know, they leave with fundamentals and things that they can pass on to their children. And I think it's a good program basically. And I think it's something that -- and I don't know if this has been said already, and this is the last day, I'm probably the last -- one of the last few people to testify, but I felt it was important that I come down here and saying something. We do touch people's lives and we have impact on people's lives. We provide -- try to provide a nurturing 220 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) environment. I get volunteers to come in and I have tutoring that goes on, you know, for the kids. And OSH, you know, we have meetings, and they want to make sure we stay on track. And they have -- they're an excellent agency in terms of making sure that we do what we're supposed to do. You know, they have analysts that come down. And I work very well with the people in the agency because even though sometimes they may want me to you -- okay, you've got to do this or you've got to do, and it they may stick me a little bit in the rib, but in the long term, I know that I can sleep good at night because I know that I'm doing the right thing for people who live in my facility.
Miss Morris, there was a gentleman in earlier who also was a provider.
How long have you been a provider? 221 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET)
Um, they've kind of stayed the same. Well, since that time, they've -- I guess they've kind of leveled out a little bit. The way I get paid has changed. And initially, when I start out, it was called -- it was actually years ago. It was called Adult Services, and then it changed to the Office of Emergency Services. I was getting paid a per diem, but now it's a budget -- a budgeted-based type of payment. And I guess if I look at things and I kind of calculate it, it has gone down.
The other provider indicated that the budgets have been cut.
Yeah. If I to 15 compare from the time that I've been -- 16 it's been -- it's remained -- it's -- 17 it's remained -- well, yeah, 'cause I've 18 had to add -- I've had to add my own 19 personal monies to keep things going. So 20 I would say about 20 percent. 21
I can accommodate 24 72. That includes the mothers with the 25 children, so it's about -- about 16 to 19 223 5.7.10 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (2011 BUDGET) families.
Thanks for coming in to testify. We appreciate it.
The committee will stand in recess until tomorrow, Saturday, May the 8th, at 10 a.m. thank you. (Proceedings end at 6:10 p.m.) * * * 224 C E R T I F I C A T E WE HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings of the City of Philadelphia Council Committee of the Whole are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by us on Friday, May 7, 2010, and that this is a true and correct statement of same. ___________________________________ MICHELE MURPHY Registered Professional Reporter ___________________________________ JOSEPHINE CARDILLO Registered Professional Reporter (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)