Councilwoman STATED MEETING 81 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Gauthier.
Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez. STATED MEETING 82 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays are one. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill 220076.
An ordinance authorizing the Philadelphia Housing Authority to acquire fee simple title to certain properties located in the vicinity of 9th Street to the east, 11th Street to the west, Cumberland Street to the north, and Susquehanna Avenue to the south. STATED MEETING 83 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. STATED MEETING 84 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President Clarke. STATED MEETING 85 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 210827.
An ordinance authorizing an increase in the non-electoral indebtedness of the City within the Pennsylvania constitutional limit; authorizing the Bond Committee to sell bonds at public or private negotiated sale, to provide funds toward various capital municipal purposes; providing for appropriations to the Sinking Fund Commission for the payment of such bonds; and authorizing agreements to provide credit or payment or liquidity sources for the bonds in connection with issuance of bonds.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill STATED MEETING 86 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilman Jones. STATED MEETING 87 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present having voted in the affirmative, the bill STATED MEETING 88 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING passes. Mr. Decker, 220114.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022 from the General Fund and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, to the General Fund, the Water Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. STATED MEETING 89 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. STATED MEETING 90 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
Yes, Mr. President. A resolution welcoming President Joseph R. Biden and the House Democratic Caucus to Philadelphia on March 9, 2022 to March 11, 2022 for the STATED MEETING 91 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING annual House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution authorizing the City of Philadelphia Council Committee on Public Safety to hold public hearings to examine STATED MEETING 92 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING enforcement practices, preventative measures, and potential solutions necessary to address the widespread illegal dumping taking place in the City of Philadelphia, and to explore ways to collaborate with City agencies to address this problem, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is STATED MEETING 93 3/10/2022 3/10/22 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted.
And a resolution honoring and recognizing the 200th Anniversary of the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of this very important resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that very important resolution has been adopted.
There are no STATED MEETING 94 3/10/2022 Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. Prior to recognizing members regarding speeches, I will note for the record at this time we will use the Chat feature available in Microsoft Teams to allow members to signify that they wish to be recognized. In order to comply with the Sunshine Act, the Chat feature must only be used for this particular purpose. And do we have any speeches on behalf of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. I want to thank you specifically for your resolution in honor of the life and work and legacy of housing activist Jennifer Bennetch and for allowing me to introduce the STATED MEETING 95 3/10/2022 As you know firsthand, Jen was definitely a force to be reckoned with. She was fierce and driven and committed to fighting for equal distribution of wealth and resources in Philadelphia. Her work in founding Occupy PHA and leading the efforts to secure homes for unhoused people as part of the encampment protest did push the status quo and she changed our idea of what is possible when you fight for what you believe in. So I want to thank my Council colleagues for honoring Jen and especially Council President for his work on this resolution. May we fight for permanent housing for every person in the City in her memory. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. And when you say I know about her firsthand, I know about her firsthand. You know what I mean. She was so passionate, I'll tell STATED MEETING 96 3/10/2022 you, I'll tell you. We'll miss her. Speeches on behalf of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to acknowledge Archbishop Mary Floyd Palmer who was here today, and I didn't get a chance to just acknowledge that she's the first and only female Archbishop, not only in the City but also in the State of Pennsylvania as well. So she's carrying on the life and legacy of her dad, Melvin Floyd, within her own right. She is doing a lot of work as being a member of the clergy. So I want to acknowledge her hard work and dedication, even as we embark upon 100 homicides here in the City of Philadelphia. And so we must continue to keep our foot on the gas in figuring out ways on how we're going to reduce this level of gun violence that we STATED MEETING 97 3/10/2022 the City of Philadelphia. I think we surpassed Chicago right now. So I want to thank all my colleagues last week who took time out of their schedule and participated in the Special Committee on Gun Violence hearing on youth mental health trauma and gun violence, and also we came out with some additional follow-up items that we're going to be looking at in terms of addressing the issue of trauma and how hurt people hurt people, particularly when we're talking about children. And tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., we're having a Special Committee on Gun Violence hearing around domestic violence and gun violence. I'm quite sure everybody is paying attention to how during last year, especially during these last two years during the pandemic, we've seen an increase in women being shot or murdered. A significant amount of those shootings were based upon domestic STATED MEETING 98 3/10/2022 going to do a deeper dive working in partnership with Women Organized Against Rape, Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia Police Department, and other stakeholders on how we look at different strategies of how we're addressing this here in the City of Philadelphia. So I just wanted to thank everyone for participating. Those hearings are very, very meaningful when it comes to looking at strategies but, most importantly, the recommendations and the work that comes out of doing the deep dive in the hearing. So, again, thank you, Council President, for the time allotted, and everyone keep up the good work and God bless.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Thank you for continuing to stay focused on this very, very important issue. The Chair recognizes STATED MEETING 99 3/10/2022
Thank you very much, Council President. I first want to thank my colleague Councilmember Jamie Gauthier for her important legislation and the City Council body for moving forward on the important legislation regarding the University City Townhomes. Displacement at this scale is not merely a matter of market forces but the failure to protect people when these things become -- especially when these things become exploitative and punitive, and more work clearly needs to be done in this area. I just want to thank Councilmember Gauthier for taking those important steps, for doing it, and for this Council body for looking out for our residents. But what I wanted to focus on today was that today are the closing arguments in the fair funding trial STATED MEETING 100 3/10/2022 in the Commonwealth Court, and over the last three months and 40-plus witnesses, including school superintendents and CFOs and academic experts, we have heard much testimony about the gross inequity and inadequacy that the State of Pennsylvania has when it comes to funding one of the most critical institutions, not only here in the City of Philadelphia but as a democracy, and that is the funding of our public schools. What became very apparent through the testimony of the fair funding trial is that the underfunding of our schools is deliberate, it's known, and it is still being defended by individuals like Jake Corman and members of the State Legislature. The students, parents, educators, and families who have endured overcrowded classrooms, closed libraries, a lack of counselors and supports, and dilapidated buildings never needed a STATED MEETING 101 3/10/2022 clear. But it's very apparent to have all these witnesses going on and saying and questioning whether diversity is necessary or is considered an asset, whether some students should have access to a basic course like algebra if they are, quote/unquote, on the McDonald's truck. These were shocking things said in a court of law, and it's a reminder that we don't actually have to wait for a ruling from the Commonwealth Court to push for better funding of our schools. It's frankly ridiculous that we have to legislate ending lead in our drinking water in a public school building. It shouldn't happen, because it should never have been an issue. It's ridiculous that our Council body has had to take numerous steps to improve school facilities, to improve basic access to resources for young people, but nonetheless here we are. STATED MEETING 102 3/10/2022 $8 billion in surplus at the state level that should go towards the modernization of our schools and towards funding school facilities. There's work that we have to do on our own City Council body. It's why we pushed so hard to reform the ten-year tax abatement to make sure that schools get properly funded and why we'll take the Parking Authority to task if they are diverting money that should be rightly due to our schools. But this is not obviously something that's going to be corrected in one budget session or through any individual piece of legislation. It's got to be a commitment by our body. I think we've done that. I think we put more money towards our schools. But the gap is significant and we've got to push for more, and that should not cause fear. It should cause us to think about the opportunities that can happen when we tell our young people, each and every STATED MEETING 103 3/10/2022 that step through those doors, that their lives matter and that we care about them. And the last thing I'll say is that in case we haven't -- that there's been some recent studies, not just about the departure of teachers from our public schools but the massive gap in staffing in our school buildings.
There are almost 1,000 calls for substitutes each and every day in the School District of Philadelphia. m. and do not have a regular teacher in front of them. That is a crisis of gargantuan proportions. It's not only for this year but it will be for next year, and it will certainly be a major issue for the next superintendent. But the reason why I bring that up is not to say that there are teachers who aren't just in classrooms, but we have to make and revitalize teaching as a profession. All of us on this Council STATED MEETING 104 3/10/2022 committed to jobs, jobs, jobs. Many of us on this Council body have been educators and teachers even in our public schools here in Philadelphia. To me, teaching is still the best job, the most important job that I've ever had, and I want us as a body to work together to elevate the practice of teaching, to call people to this work, and to revitalize our schools, classroom by classroom, school by school. Thank you very much, Council President.
Thank you so much, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Well, thank you, Mr. President. You know, this has been a tough week. It's been a tough week for our office. It's been a tough week for the folks of the City of Philadelphia when STATED MEETING 105 3/10/2022 and violence and the effects that it has had. Just last week, last Thursday evening, a gentleman in Germantown, what we would call one of our elders, was gunned down at an ATM machine in his own neighborhood. He felt safe. You know, many people said, oh, you know, that's not a good place to use an ATM. Any place should be a good place to use an ATM. We have to stop suggesting that it's okay for folks to take over our neighborhoods, that it's okay for them to approach us with guns drawn and demand what is someone else's, what they have worked for. And so we have this horrible situation with one of our elders gunned down in Germantown, and as I mentioned, within my office we had a young man who was a Council staffer for many years who we lost to gun violence this past week, Khamir Carlton, who was the son of former STATED MEETING 106 3/10/2022 Khamir came to work with us in City Council right after college, and he was a Dean's List student. He was on the honor roll in school. He was a good kid. He was a good kid. And he was a father of three, 28 years old, and, you know, I just really wanted to say his name this morning. I really wanted to say his name. And so as we talk about violence and the effect that it has and the lingering effects that this kind of violence has on all of us, we need to talk about the investments that we make and just securing these investments and ensuring that they're doing the job that we have required them or requested from them to do. One of the things that I wanted to just mention to my colleagues, particularly my district colleagues, is that we have a listing of all of the investments made recently in the last STATED MEETING 107 3/10/2022 Parks and Rec facilities. We're going to be distributing that information and meeting with members to talk about the amount of investment or really the lack thereof. We had expected with Rebuild that we would have a much more robust level of investment at many of our playgrounds, parks and recreation centers, and libraries, and it just really hasn't come to fruition. So we are going to be talking about that as a way to redirect some of our young people. You know, listen, maybe we can't save everybody, but we can save somebody. We can save some folks. There are some folks who want to be in a different situation, they want to have access to training and opportunities and jobs, and they don't want to be on the streets. So let's get those that we can off the streets and into the programs and services that we know will make a difference in their lives and cut into STATED MEETING 108 3/10/2022 we see happening and continuing to happen in Philadelphia. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Yeah, we have to figure out a way to fix this. This can't keep going on like it is. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I was actually going to just announce the hearing that we're having this afternoon. The Streets and Services Committee is having a hearing this afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to explore sustainable alternatives to what we do to prepare for storms in the City of Philadelphia. It's no secret that in Philadelphia we have huge issues with infrastructure, whether it's the impact it has on hit-and-runs or the average STATED MEETING 109 3/10/2022 we have. So today's hearing is going to be looking at exploring alternatives to how we deal with and prepare for some of the precipitation that happens as it relates to storms here in the City of Philadelphia. But I don't think anybody can listen to Councilmember Bass and what she just said and the passion she just said it with and follow up from her and not say anything. So, colleague, I appreciate your passion, and, you know, I also share your frustration. I heard Councilman Johnson say we're closing in on 100 homicides, which is another sad milestone for us as a city. I listened to Councilmember Bass's emotions talking about someone that she know that tragically and recently passed away from gun violence, and I agree like she said, it's not -- there are things that we can do, right? We can't fix everything, but STATED MEETING 110 3/10/2022 we can do. And when we're talking about rec centers and when we're talking about access to quality programming, when we're talking about simple things like how dirty our city is, I just think that we can do better and we will do better. I appreciate working with you guys on Council. I do. But as government, I think we have to push and do a little bit more. So I know for me, I'm inspired. I'm going to continue to fight the good fight and try to save as many lives as we can, but I will try to continue to push, because I think that far too often when we find solutions and we advocate for those solutions, they don't actualize themselves, and I think that is where the rubber hits the road. So I'll stop right there. I thank everybody for their leadership. I too am just a little emotional this morning. There's a lot going on with our STATED MEETING 111 3/10/2022 people, and I'm hoping people can join us this afternoon for our Streets hearing. Thank you, Council President. Thank you, colleagues.
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you so much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Council President. And before I talk about what I wanted to talk about, I just wanted to also echo Councilmember Brooks' conversation around highlighting Jennifer and Jennifer's work. I know, Council President, she was a normal fixture on City Council. I'll never forget the Special Committee on Poverty, we had our hearings at Temple University, and Jennifer came in really strong and hard on PHA. I mean, she went in deep around vacancies, STATED MEETING 112 3/10/2022 challenges and even went after Kelvin and his salary and everything else. And I just wanted to highlight that, because over time, both Kelvin and Jennifer developed a great respect for each other. You know, she didn't need to make him an enemy to have her cause, and he respected her advocacy. And as someone who started in advocacy, you know, and became an advocate and now in government, too many times what we see in the national scene is it's sort of like that's the bad guy, that's the good guy, and there's no time for just taking a moment so people understand what they're fighting for. And so I just wanted to highlight that, because it's Women's Month, and Jennifer was very strong and very firm in her position, but talking a whole lot around that advocacy work with how she developed a relationship and worked with Kelvin to do the historic agreement that was later signed off on by STATED MEETING 113 3/10/2022 everyone, it really speaks to a model that we should all follow. Sometimes when we take a moment and pause and just listen to each other, we can accomplish so much more. So just wanted to highlight my Jennifer story, particularly as it relates to PHA and her work. I just wanted to also echo this morning, before jumping on Council, I was listening to the closing testimonies of the lawsuit and really wanted to thank the Public Interest Law Center and everybody who has been involved in this journey for many, many years, and really hoping that we really get to a dialogue around school funding, going through the formula and the games that the State Legislature has played by dividing school districts. I think this lawsuit for the first time really helps put urban districts along with rural districts and shows that they also have a common cause around equity and access. STATED MEETING 114 3/10/2022 mind, just remind folks that this afternoon the School District will be posting the information around the public testimony. Next week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the three finalists will be in Philadelphia and there'll be an opportunity for different stakeholders to meet with the three finalists. Tomorrow the list will become public. And just encourage everyone to participate in any one of the forums, whether it's the union forum, the elected officials forum, or the community forum, to meet these three finalists. Yesterday we had a conversation with Board President Joyce Wilkerson in the Education Committee, and as she was talking to us around the process, she reminded us that the School District of Philadelphia and the search committee was competing with seven to ten other large cities who are also in search of a superintendent, right? Whether it's STATED MEETING 115 3/10/2022 Denver, Cincinnati, Boston, there are many, many people looking for superintendents. So Philadelphia is, to a certain degree, competing, right, for talent. And so when these three individuals, brave individuals who have made it to this last round, come to Philadelphia, let us be reminded of that, that we're, just like with teachers and just like with nurses, we're all competing for the best talent. And I want the next superintendent to come to Philadelphia clear around the challenges but also around the commitment by stakeholders to work alongside that person to make our School District the best that it can be.
So thank you very much, Council President and my colleagues.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you so much. The Chair recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 116 3/10/2022
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to inform everybody that there will be an honoring for the St. Patrick's Day Parade today at 4 o'clock over at the Mayor's Reception Room, recognizing our 250th parade here in Philadelphia. Also honoring their Grand Marshal, Michael J. Bradley Jr., on Sunday for the parade, for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and it will be starting at 11:15. They're kicking off around that time at 16th and JFK for any members who would like to participate in that parade. It will be televised also beginning at noon.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to draw the correlation STATED MEETING 117 3/10/2022 of the violence in our neighborhood, the acknowledgment that recreation centers or the lack thereof often play a part of that, and the importance of selecting the next superintendent of schools and telling Gym, member of Council's, plea about facilities and drinking water. They are all related, because the school-to-prison pipeline is a real thing. If you look at the zip codes that schools are failing in and then calculate where the inhabitants of State Road's prisons come from, synonymous, school-to-prison pipeline. If you look at the fact that if you reduced the dropout rate about 50 percent in the underperforming schools that are in those zip codes, you would cut the crime rate in Philadelphia, the murder rate in Philadelphia, because those things go together, contributing to the end product, which is murder and STATED MEETING 118 3/10/2022 So we might be thinking that they're not. I want to draw attention to the fact that there is a causal effect to both, and I'm thankful that my members feel the way they do, that they hurt deeply for the City, and so I'm thankful to that. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. Well said. And that concludes our speeches on behalf of the minority and the majority. With that said, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March 17th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned STATED MEETING 119 3/10/2022 Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The motion carries. Thank you all very much and, again, please be safe. Thank you. ) STATED MEETING 120 3/10/2022 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L.