It is. Over time we have tried what I would describe as many small efforts. By that I mean not necessarily engaging every male in the institution. We've had for some time an African American Men's Book Club. We've had other initiatives at the College, but I think for a while we have felt we need to do something at far greater scale. And the impetus for the Center for Male Engagement was the possibility of getting a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. We qualify as a predominantly black institution. So as you've correctly said, 267 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. this is our first year of actual implementation for the Center. The Center works with any male on campus, but by virtue of the parameters of the grant, we are also working with, as I think it says in here, a group of 300 first-time full-time African American male students. And we're changing some of the approaches that we've done in the past, including the hiring of full-time, what we call, coaches that are available to work with our male students during the course of the academic year.
So this is a program that is optional for currently enrolled college students?
It's available to any college student. It certainly focuses on males. We would not turn away women either, but we have 300 specifically that we have identified for purposes of the grant part of it that we're working with every -- I was going to say every day. That may not be 268 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. literally true, but on a regular basis all year long. I guess that's voluntary too, but it's a cohort that we're actually working with all through the year.
To improve the success rates of males, specifically African American and Latino males, but all males. Remember, our campus is not atypical of community college campuses these days. Two-thirds of our students are women, and within our demographic data, we know that particularly African American men and Latino men do not persist or graduate at the same rate, so we're trying to address that. We want a far more -- a sense of parity of outcomes across all groups. That's the goal.
Is there a, I believe it's called, reciprocal agreement with schools, like any one of the other 88 in the region, so that when 269 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. they complete Community College, they can persist to complete a Bachelor Degree?
Absolutely. We have that in place. We have more than 100 such agreements based on disciplines, you know, liberal arts, business, et cetera. We have nine agreements that we call dual-admission agreements that cover a range of programs. So there are many formal agreements that would support what you've just described.
Let me just mention for the record and commend you also on your attention to STEM programs, science, technology, engineering and math, and how in that area too some might -- American students, period but, in particular, students of color are not persisting in those careers in a way we would like.
Correct. Again, 270 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. we have a number of initiatives. I'll mention in a moment the new one that we have here. But we work with area universities in an alliance called the Alliance for Minority Participation. We are the two-year school working with Temple, Drexel, others to facilitate early experience for the two-year student around research, et cetera, and then to facilitate the transfer into the STEM programs that you've talked about at the baccalaureate level. We have another program called Bridges to the Baccalaureate, does very similar things. So there's a whole set, again, of fairly formal programs, many of which involve the relationship with the receiving institution, because it's not good enough just to get through the Associate Degree in this case. We also want many of them to get into the baccalaureate and beyond, exactly what you talked about. One of the newer tactics that 271 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. we've tried at the College is to take what we believe are some of the stronger areas of the College and to establish centers. Unlike a four-year university where a center is often research oriented, our centers are meant to build additional experiences for students, in some cases could be research oriented, additional connections to the community. That's often important for our programs and our students, and ultimately also to engage in professional development for professionals in those fields. So our latest center -- and that's the one that's noted here -- is the Center for Science and Engineering Education. We believe that we do have a strong set of science, math, technology, engineering programs. We want to encourage not only greater diversity, but larger numbers in general, I think, because those are career paths that are wonderful for our students. And, again, we have the tracks in place to facilitate their movement 272 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. onward.
Before I get to my second line of questioning, let me also acknowledge the University's commitment to move towards being green and how that is certainly consistent with the Mayor's citywide goal to grow a green city. So that needs to be acknowledged as well.
Let's move now to the business side of the equation and the operation of the institution. Please now give me composition of your Board in terms of cultural diversity.
Fifteen. I actually have to stop and kind of count. I guess -- somebody want to help me add this up?
I can help you 273 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. by first saying that we do have two Hispanics, and we're both here today. That's Lydia Hernandez and myself.
I'm sorry. This is Varsovia Fernandez. We have two Hispanics, Latinas, Lydia Hernandez, who is here today with us today, and myself, Varsovia Fernandez. We have --
I believe we have six women. We have Stacy Holland, Ellen Cunningham, Varsovia Fernandez, Lydia Hernandez, Sallie Glickman, Dorothy Sumners Rush. So that is six of us. I'm sorry. Rhonda Cohen.
It's about half the Board are women. 274 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
At least half the Board is of color and specifically African American. So you have Dorothy Sumners Rush. We have Jeremiah White. We have Jim Roebuck. We have Stacy Holland. Am I missing somebody?
We are. That's why I couldn't think fast enough to go through them.
-- in many ways looks like Philadelphia and the population that it serves?
What role does the Board play with regards to activities around MBE, WBE participation, 275 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. if any?
The Board has charged the College with pursuing that kind of goal in very specific ways. I'll give you a very tangible example. At least one of the documents that you received as part of the testimony outlines our current progress in major construction projects. This is new, something that wouldn't have been available to you last year, we began this year. And the Board saw the equal opportunity plan that the staff developed. This is prior to going out for any bids either for construction or for furnishings, whatever. Was apprised of the efforts, because the Board has asked to be aware of what we're doing in response to their charge. The outreach that we made to the various ethnic-based chambers of commerce, working with the City, working with GPUAC. I've probably left out others. Oh, we ran a minority vendors fair specifically in anticipation 276 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. of these major construction projects. We built in the opportunity language into the RFP. There's a whole set of things that were documented. The Board gave us the initial charge for that. The Board -- we report to the Board on a regular basis how we're doing, and the document -- specifically the page that refers to the construction projects -- is a set of indicators that we report on a regular basis to the Board. That one is not complete yet, because it's still in progress, but I think that's the answer to the question.
Talk to me more about the minority vendors fair. How does that happen?
We again worked with many of the same entities that I listed a couple of moments ago. For some of our minority vendors fairs, we also partner with other institutions, the City but also other educational institutions, so that there's a bigger pool of 277 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. potential --
Right. We do that at least every other year on a regular basis. As I say, in this case, knowing that we had a lot of construction dollars coming up, we held one specifically in anticipation of that.
I would ask that you please forward to the Chair future opportunities so that Councilmembers can be made aware of those vendor fairs as well and reach to or send to the network we try to keep in the pipeline of information.
If we can now look to the last page of your testimony, which talks about spending on capital purchases, professional services, supplies, services and other categories. And if you do a close analysis of this, it states that FY07 the total number of 278 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. non-minority women-owned is 14.93 percent. Accurate? And then FY07 it goes to percent and FY08, percent. 5 Additionally, it shows that total 6 minority-owned purchases were 3.4 percent 7 for minority-owned in '06; in FY07, 9 8 percent and in FY08, 6 percent. 9 What role, if any, does the 10 Board play in setting goals, if you will, 11 in these areas? Is there that type of 12 discussion at Board level on goals with 13 regards to MBE, WBE? 14
I don't think 15 there's a specific goal for these. There 16 were benchmarks for the construction 17 projects. We've, again, tried to work 18 with the City benchmarks on that. 19 The Board has made it clear, I 20 think, that these are areas where we need 21 to make progress. What I described to 22 you earlier about the outreach that we 23 make is the kind of outreach we make even 24 for these dollars. These are fewer 25 dollars than the big construction 279 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. projects.
Absolutely. That's why I say. So the outreach is the same. That's why I told you we do the minority vendor fair on a regular basis, not just when we have a big construction project coming up. So, again, we are working with the various chambers. We're working with many entities that we hope are going to spread the word, get people into our pipeline. At the end of the day, I will have to say to you that it is a bidding process and we are still bound to take the lowest responsible bid. Some of these, it may depend on the actual service or goods whether we have them in a given year. Sometimes once you get a contract, it doesn't come up again, in other words, for three or four years because it's a multi-year contract. And 280 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. you'll see even the spending potential changes. It's not always the same.
Indeed. Let me ask a question before I get to -- 17.1 percent is from the City of Community College budget. What does that equal in terms of hard dollars?
Okay. And so is it fair to say on your list showing capital purchases, professional services, supplies, services and other categories, that of the percent total MBE, WBE, 14 16 percent would be white women? 17
And in FY07, of the 29 percent total MBE, WBE, 20 percent would be white women and nine percent people of color?
And FY08, of the 32 percent, percent would be 25 white women and six percent people of 281 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. color?
Could you please provide to the Chair what you have here, capital purchases, professional services, supplies, services and other categories, and please break those numbers down into those categories. Because the continuing interest and really in many ways expectations for those of us here on City Council for those entities in the City that benefit from the receipt of City dollars, we really want to see more and more those agencies becoming in alignment with the Mayor's Strategic Plan around MBE, WBE, DBE opportunity. And if we look at this, for Blondell Reynolds Brown, it would raise some concern.
I understand. Again, I can only tell you that we absolutely have this as a goal. I would urge you, however, not to just separate this sheet out. The opportunities for a 282 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. few years now are far greater than this. That's why you also need to look at both sheets.
Dr. Curtis, by "both sheets," you mean the construction and --
It's obvious that you're not going to be doing construction every year --
-- into eternity. So at some point, construction ends and that is a limited opportunity. So in terms of non-construction contracting, I guess the issue is, what 283 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. is the specific policy that has been set in terms of business diversity?
And, again, I'll restate what I said before. There's a clear expectation that we need to grow that --
At the end of the day, who is responsible for business diversity at Community College?
May I just check on the policy question? First the policy question, I don't think there's a written policy. We have specific practices. As an example, for any bid, we will always try to source one or more minority vendors before we 284 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. would act on --
The question is, do you believe there should be a written policy?
Okay. The next question is, you said you were somewhat hampered by the requirement of accepting the lowest responsible bidder. Where does that requirement come from?
Are you aware that City government has the same requirement through the Home Rule Charter?
So lowest responsible bidder does not actually mean lowest bidder. It means lowest responsible bidder, and you can define what "responsible" is.
It does not 285 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. automatically mean the lowest bid, I agree.
I have to think -- we define up front, I think, what the expectations are in the RFP.
So, in other words, if you set business diversity goals within the RFP and the people who bid are not responsive to those goals within the RFP, then they are not a responsible bidder?
If you establish a written policy and are more aggressive and put those goals within the RFP, then once again you are not hampered by having to take the lowest bidder, but those bidders will know that you expect business diversity and they will, in order to be responsible, have to assure business diversity in their 286 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. subcontracting. Because at the end of the day, to suggest that less than 90 percent of contract dollars should go to businesses owned by people of color when you already defined within your testimony that you have received funding as a majority black institution, it doesn't make any sense unless you can prove the capacity is not there, and clearly the capacity is there to exceed single digits for businesses owned by people of color. So there needs to be a more aggressive approach and quite possibly a written policy, and I would charge the Board with that.
My only follow-up would be to state again that I would ask that the breakdown of these numbers are broken down by the categories stipulated at the top - capital purchases, professional services, 287 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. supplies, services and other categories. And if you would submit that to the Chair.
And what's reasonable in terms of us receiving that? 30 days, 60 days, what?
Thank you very much for your testimony. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know we're behind. First of all, good afternoon, everybody, and congratulations to the two students. 288 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. After seeing what you all have to juggle, I guess I can't complain I'm busy a lot. I don't know. Dr. Curtis, on the Job Ready Training Program, just a couple of quick questions. It sounds like a great program. The 250 residents, how are they selected? Do they apply?
Do you go through some of these other organizations?
Yes. Some of those organizations are going to help us with recruitment. The National Comprehensive Center for Fathers would be an example. But we're going to run every applicant through the Career Links in the City. As often as we can, we try to make connections with the City's infrastructure, and in this case, we think they can also help us on the other end. We have, as you'll see here, I 289 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. think, a number of employers that are part of this, because there are supposed to be jobs at the end of this, but we believe there are services that the Career Link can provide that will also be helpful. That was part of the answer to your question. It will all be run through the Career Link.
And that was going to be my next question. There are jobs hopefully available for these folks?
Because of the source of the funding, we had to up front identify potential employers, and I believe we had -- maybe I didn't say it here. We have 28 employers. That's where -- I'm looking at what we've got here. The Urban Industry Initiative and others are going to help us get to those employers.
Great. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. President Curtis, this is my third time hearing your testimony, and I just wanted to start out by saying that as I review your numbers, they are good. They are progressive. They are in the direction the needle should be moving. But as important as that, I wanted to thank you publicly for your institution's role in what -- I better knock on wood -- the recovery effort from this recession. You guys took a proactive stance on your tuition, on allowing people who had been adversely impacted by job loss to be able to have free tuition. You took on the idea of retooling people and uniquely -- I think "uniquely" is the word -- 291 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. positioned your institution to be the first rung on that recovery by way of an increased knowledge base and education. So on behalf of the body, I want to thank you and the institution.
Now, onto greater challenges and goals. One of the things that I think might be helpful is that as I believe my colleague Mr. Greenlee talked about is that the white collar end of Philadelphia's retooling is really strong. The green collar end of our retooling could use some work. The blue collar end of our retooling definitely could use an institution like yours. As we meet challenges of trying to get the unions to be able to participate more diversely in the workforce, I view your institution as a pivotal player in that regard, and also want to encourage you to kind of seek out 292 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. and think outside of the box, if you would, to position yourselves more clearly to do that, going from our high schools to your institution and to those union jobs, both green and blue. So I wanted to hear a little bit more articulation on that possibility.
Well, I'll give you some examples. On the green question, one of the things that we've done is to start adapting our various curricula, because it almost doesn't matter what area we're looking at. It's going to change because of the so-called green issue. So just in terms of our own internal workings, we're trying to make sure that the programs that we take our students through are going to leave them prepared for what you're describing. I was asked earlier about relationships that we have as students leave us to go for a baccalaureate, but we also have relationships with the high schools. For many of our applied 293 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. programs, we're creating more ladder opportunities. By that I mean instead of just going full blast for a two-year Associate Degree, we have recently introduced at least two dozen new short-term certificates, all with college credit, all in what I would classify as high-priority areas.
Sure. They range from allied health-related programs, to IT related, to culinary, to other technical programs. I think I mentioned three earlier - medical coding and billing, network administrator, and human services assistant, because human services is a big area in the City. And these shorter-term certificates mean you can stop and get a credential early in the game, in less than a year, so that at least you have some education and training that will help you with an entry-level job, and then you can apply 294 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. every one of those credits toward the fuller Associate Degree. For some students, that's going to be a help, and I also think helps with that continuum that you were describing of high school to our college and beyond. The definition of the high-priority programs is established by the State and our local Workforce Investment Board. So, again, these two dozen are aligned with the areas that they have identified. We want them to be in areas before they have the best chance on a --
By way of working with our City departments -- and I'm going to name two in particular. Well, one is a quasi. The Philadelphia Gas Works and the Philadelphia Water Department both have actually expressed a concern that their knowledge base is aging out of the workforce and that semi-skilled to skilled labor is something that they want to be 295 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. competitive with the private sector for. In so doing, you're not going to get your person that might have come out of Drexel, which is another fine institution, but you may be able to get a two-year turnaround at Community that would then put them at the price point for the City's salary that they pay, and I wanted to know if you're working with that. Particularly, the Water Department is getting ready to do thousands of what are called rain gardens, which are bio-retention basins. They take on masonry, plumbing and some botany, and I was wondering if there's been that connect to departments like that.
We've worked with the Water Department for years. It's one of the areas with which we've had the most success, I would say, in terms of City departments. Gas Works more recently. I would say the Gas Works example is not as comprehensive a one as I think you were trying to describe, but 296 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. we've been pleased that in the last year to year and a half, for the first time or the first time in a long time -- they may have done things before I came, I don't know -- we are building a relationship I think to do the kinds of things that you are describing. So in any given year, we're working with three or four or five departments in the City on a regular basis. We do reach out on a regular basis, but not every department always responds in the same way.
Well, we have in the Philadelphia school system -- and I believe I talked about this last year -- a number of trade schools that have aging infrastructure, not enough participation of skilled teachers that are in the shops, and I was wondering have you met with Dr. Ackerman to talk about that specific blue collar end with them and making that connect?
Not that specific 297 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. one. We focus whatever we do around those programs that we believe we can deliver, and we do not have every technical program. Specifically, we don't have all the trades that you're referring to. At this point in our history, to add those kinds of programs requires space that we don't always have, equipment that we don't always have, expertise that we don't always have. So they are -- if we were to add HVAC, as an example, that becomes so expensive it is difficult to do at this point, to be candid with you.
May I further that thought and offer this as a requesting challenge to all of us, to meet with Chairman Archie, Dr. Ackerman, also to look at our elected officials to look at exploring those opportunities by way of resources from the federal government, State government to match what you're doing to try to create that link, because I believe that what you 298 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. would be doing is saving lives. There are a lot of young men -- and I looked at the Water Department's personnel -- that I grew up with, and if you want to classically define Webster's definition of high risk, they were high risk, and what happened was through the CEDA program, a lot of them got their first opportunity at gainful employment, and it took them on a whole other life path. They're now contributing taxpayers. I'm still scared of most of them, but at least not for those reasons. And I want to encourage that replication, because I believe everyone is not bound for the white-collar, even green-collar world, but they can dig a ditch, solder a pipe with the best of them, and that is meaningful work and dignified work. So I'd like to facilitate a meeting to that end. And one other ask, as my colleague Blondell Reynolds Brown talks about, is that we did a wonderful MBE, 299 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. WBE outreach last year with the utility companies, Water Department, Gas Works. We want to do this year with eds and meds, educational institutions and medical facilities, to try to highlight contract opportunities both in professional services, supplies and also construction, and ask that your institution work with our offices to do that.
You're welcome, Councilman. Councilman Goode, you were on the list earlier. Did you have any additional questions?
All right. Thank you. Good afternoon. Real briefly, Doctor, is there -- currently you have a number of satellite colleges around the 300 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. City of Philadelphia. That's my understanding.
One at Broad and Godfrey, which is the old College of Optometry site, one up in the Far Northeast and one in West Philadelphia, 48th and Chestnut.
Don't worry, Doctor. I'm not going to ask you to put one in another location. I see the look on your face like, Oh, my God, here we go.
What I am going to ask you, though, would there be opportunities in the event that we have organizations that are involved in 301 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. educational opportunities for adults -- and I kind of know the answer to it, because one of my organizations has actually talked to you about some possibilities -- where there's some sort of adult educational component or job preparation component that's sponsored by the organization and may ask for assistance from the College in providing a professor or a teacher on an ongoing basis. Is that something that the College has gotten involved with or could potentially be involved with?
In addition to our four campuses, we are in at least 30 other sites across the City of Philadelphia. Some of those are high schools at night, some are community-based agencies, some are businesses. We're still out at the Airport at the UPS facility offering a degree program for UPS employees. So you'll find us in lots of scenarios similar to what you've just described. 302 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. So the general answer is, yes, we're always open to those discussions. I would add that there are criteria. We try to be sure, A, that there's a sufficient pool, whether it's literacy-based programs, which I think you were referencing a little bit, or credit courses, whatever it might be, to be candid, to make it worth providing professors for. Secondly, that we're sure of the quality that we can provide and the oversight that we can provide. So that I guess I'm trying to say to you, we don't say yes to everything, but obviously because I said we're in 30 different places, we do say yes and we do try to work with constituencies all over the City. If I may retreat at the end, though, to the last statement I made about my written testimony, all of that costs money, no matter whether we're collaborating or not. And we're being 303 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. careful. I'd rather do 30 things well and know that we're impacting in a very positive way as many of those 30 things as we can do rather than 40 things and not do them equally well, because we just don't have the resources. So we are being careful. It's not an automatic yes to everything. And I do mean what I said earlier at the end of my written testimony, there's a limit to how much we can do on some of these things without eventually some level of public support. And that's not just a City comment, that's a State comment as well. But in spirit, what you're asking I think we try to undertake at least semi-frequently.
Is there any established criteria associated with your involvement --
-- or is it 304 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. on a case-by-case basis?
Yeah, but I've tried to give you a couple of examples of things that are absolutely a normal part of the questions that we would ask and part of the criteria for decision-making.
We also look sometimes where it is. If it's near one of our regional centers, then why not use the regional center space. You see what I'm saying?
Right. Okay. I'm just -- well, you know where I'm going with it. We have some locations. We're actually trying to get aggressively involved in both GED programs and college preparatory types of courses, because we know our workforce needs to be enhanced, and to take advantage of whatever job opportunities 305 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. may come our way, we want to make sure we are available.
Yes. One final comment, Mr. President. Regarding the business side of the equation, you should know that we, members of Council, have made it clear with City department heads that we're looking forward to those numbers every year, especially now that Mayor Nutter has made it clear that the Strategic Plan is a real organic document where he's looking for compliance and participation. And so for those entities that are receiving any City dollars, we're also looking for those numbers every single year from all entities receiving City dollars as it relates to providing opportunity, access to any and all MBE, WBE participation opportunities. So I say that for the record, thanking 306 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. you this year for those numbers, but understanding that going forward, we would look to see those numbers every year thereafter.
We expect that. We were not asked for it this year. We voluntarily added those.
And that's why I'm putting it on the record. We appreciate your understanding that that was a good thing to do, and we look forward to that --
Well, we've been asked in previous years, so we assumed that is being looked at.
Okay, then. Thank you again. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Councilwoman. No other questions. I want to thank you very much. I'm sorry. Councilman Jones.
Point of 307 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. information on your satellite schools. For the record, there is none in the Fourth Councilmanic District. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Duly noted. Well, we actually have the larger facility in the Fifth Council District, so I guess I can't complain about not having a satellite. Thank you so much for your testimony. Have a good day.
Next up we have SEPTA. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good afternoon, Councilman Clarke and members of City 308 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Council. My name is Joe Casey. I'm General Manager for SEPTA. I'm pleased to be here to speak to City Council today on the Authority's $65.8 million 2011 Operating Budget request, as well as our achievements over the last past year. The current downturn in the nation's economy created many challenges for our region, but I'm encouraged by SEPTA's efforts to improve transportation and specifically customer service and partner with the City to advance sustainability initiatives during a difficult year. Our vehicle fleet is defined to be environmentally friendly --
Excuse me, Mr. Casey. We're having a little difficulty hearing. Thank you. I'm sorry. Please proceed.
Our vehicle fleet is designed to be environmentally 309 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. friendly and provide enhanced service efficiency. In 2010, we will add 120 new hybrid buses, and by the end of 2011, more than one-third of our bus fleet will be these energy-saving hybrids. Just last week, we introduced to the public the first of our new Silverliner V rail cars. These ADA-accessible cars are being assembled right here in Philadelphia and will provide the latest in operation technology, efficiency and customer comfort. Technology has also been an important customer communication and information tool for SEPTA. Using our redesigned website as a platform, we now offer enhanced realtime information, Google transit schedule and trip planning, and online chat with our Customer Service Division. Our Customer Service Program continues to find innovative ways to speak to our riders and introduce non-riders and visitors to SEPTA. 310 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. SEPTA's progress rebuilding our aging infrastructure and completing state-of-good-repair projects was enhanced by the receipt of $191 million in federal stimulus funds. We are presently advancing 32 shovel-ready projects, including major Philadelphia initiatives, including the Girard and Spring Garden stations on the Broad Street Line, improvements at seven Chestnut Hill East and seven Chestnut Hill West stations and the Fox Chase station, and replacement of the Fern Rock Yard at the end of the Broad Street Line. However, the recent Federal Highway Administration's decision rejecting Interstate 80 tolling application has devastating news for SEPTA and will have a significant impact on our capital investment program. Without this funding, our capital budget will be reduced by percent, or more 24 than $110 million, and this will place 25 major projects at risk. The State's 311 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. funding program is not just for transit but is also for highway investment. All of these projects will bring much-needed jobs into the community while rebuilding transit infrastructure, and we support the Governor's call for a special session in Harrisburg to find a funding solution. Earlier this week, a public hearing was held in Philadelphia for our 2011 operating budget and proposed fare increase. The proposal is modest, retaining the current $2 cash fare and approximately six percent increases for most other instruments and is keeping with the Governor's 2007 Transportation Funding and Reform Commission report recommending periodic fare increases. Regional partnership is important to us, and we're pleased again to be part of the PHLASH Visitor loop summer service. I'm also proud to say SEPTA was the largest corporate volunteer at the third annual Philly Spring Clean-Up, and we were working again with 312 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Philabundance on our 2010 drive to fight hunger in the region. As an integral part of the community, SEPTA is committed to improving the quality of life for Philadelphia by providing transportation and other services. I appreciate the City Council's continued support of public transit, and I'll be happy to answer any questions the members might have.
Thank you. Mr. Casey, with respect to your capital projects issue as it relates to the inability to get the toll 80 issue resolved in a positive way, in terms of SEPTA -- and I'm not quite sure if you operate under the same capacity as the City whereas the City has the ability to use operating funds to support capital-related projects, we don't have the ability to use capital dollars for operational related. Do you have the ability to use operating dollars in the 313 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. event --
We do have some flexibility on preventive maintenance, but, unfortunately, our operating dollars are also slim at this point.
Okay. So even if you -- okay. You do have the ability?
No. This is critical for us. It has an immediate effect on the capital and a long-range effect on our operating budget.
Okay. I actually have a question about the fare increase, but I have a feeling that one of my colleagues wanted to get in-depth.
You know what I'm going to do, I'm going to 314 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. actually defer to my colleagues, because I did have some questions and it may come up. I don't want to take advantage of being the Chair. As you can see, I'm relatively new at this. So I'm actually going to call on Councilman Greenlee, and I anticipate coming back for some further questions on some of the other issues.
We would never accuse you of taking advantage, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, everyone.
I have to always, as SEPTA comes in, thank Ms. Jones for many years of providing the service to us. Thank you very much.
Just a real general question first, ridership. Where is it these days? Up, down?
It's approximately four percent less than where it was last year, although we did have a positive 315 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. month in March, so we're hoping the trend is reversing itself.
Is that kind of -- are the downturns in any particular area as far as rail or buses or any of that?
It's really across the board, and we attribute it to the loss of jobs in the region.
But I guess sometimes could that work -- I shouldn't say in your favor, but the fact that maybe some people just can't afford cars and might take public transportation?
You also have to realize the price of gasoline has also dropped in the last couple years from where it was.
Okay. One other question. You mention some of 316 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the rehabilitations you're doing. City Hall station, does that come under you guys?
Yes, it does, and that was in our capital program and it's one of the projects that we were unable to advance.
I think I had read about that, yeah. Because that's -- and how much is that? How much would that be?
We estimate it about a hundred million dollars at this time before it's really fully engineered, but it's a significant project and to me it's one of my priorities.
When was the last time -- I guess it's been quite a while --
Wow. Okay. That's all I have, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Casey, first let me thank you and congratulate you for the great work that you and your staff has done on the American Recovery Act-related projects. I had the occasion of attending one of the groundbreakings, above groundbreaking, so to speak, at the Broad and Spring Garden station, and you guys have been doing a good job and you've proven to be a model of how to identify shovel-ready projects and actually get people to work.
So you've really done a good job on that. I wanted to ask you a question about the fare increase. First, I'd like 318 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. to know what is the -- you say maintain a current base while raising most fare instruments. What is that? What is a fare instrument?
So my question is, in terms of usage, what do you think the breakdown in usage is with the, quote/unquote, fare instruments as it relates to the base amount between these City division and the regional divisions? And my question is, who would probably be the most impacted by the increases as it relates to the --
As far as the numbers, we think it's across the board. For City transit division, approximately 42 percent use passes. So they will be affected, but it's approximately six percent. Tokens, percent of the 23 people use tokens on the system. And the 24 cash is approximately 13 percent. So 25 it's a relatively smaller portion, but we 319 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. really think that the way we have the structure, we're trying to move more people into passes and to use the system more frequently, and they get a bigger discount by going into either monthly or weekly passes.
What are the -- I don't know if you call them the regional divisions. What's the --
They use a much higher percentage on passes. It's approximately 60 percent on passes. But they have increases across the board, but we're also eliminating some off-peak hours. During the midday we're requiring a peak fare during those periods. So there are some -- there are other changes 320 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. in addition to the increase on the price of the passes.
Okay. With respect to -- and this is more of a local nature. With respect to the Route 7 trolley, I understand that there will be 8 a diversion for a period of time on the 9 eastern end? 10