Stated Meeting, May 29, 2025

Thank you very much. Would the Chief Clerk

The Committee on Rules to which were referred the following bills: Bill No. 250041, an ordinance amending Section 14-303 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Common Procedures and Requirements," by authorizing the Zoning Board of Adjustment to condition zoning approval upon provision of affordable housing, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250175, an ordinance amending Chapter 14-516 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/WST, West Overlay District," by providing for new digital sign controls; all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250371, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of area bounded by Powelton Avenue, Preston Street, Filbert Street, and 41st Street, and to amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code by adding Section 14-544 entitled /CSI, CSI Forensic Laboratory Overlay District, and making other related changes, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250372, an ordinance amending Section 14-533 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "/MIN, Mixed Income Neighborhoods Overlay District," to expand applicable areas of the overlay in the vicinity of 49th Street and Woodland Avenue. Bill No. 250378, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Fox Chase Road, Castor Avenue, Street, and Alma Street. Bill No. 250436, an ordinance amending Chapter 14-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Use Regulations," and Chapter 14-700, entitled "Development Standards," to establish use requirements for above-ground garages owned by a public entity and new development standards applicable to certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 10th Street, Chestnut Street, 11th Street and Ludlow Street, all under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 240438, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Emily Street, 4th Street, Mercy Street, and 5th Street. There are no further from the Committee on Rules, Council President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass for a motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of these bills just read by the Chief Clerk at today's session of Council. All those in favor of by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, the motion carries. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada for a report from the Committee on Public Property and Public Works.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Public Property and Public Works reports 10 bills with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you very much. please read the report.

The Committee on Public Property and Public Works to which were referred the following bills: Bill No. 250426, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to convey fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest in and to all or a portion of the property in Cobbs Creek Park bordering City Avenue in Delaware County and in Cobbs Creek Golf Course bordering City Avenue in Philadelphia County, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250433, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement Authority for use by the City of premises located at 1601-29 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250434, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease agreement for the use of all or a portion of the City-owned underground area, commonly known as Broad Street Sub-Concourse North, that neighbors the basement of the Municipal Services Building located at 1401 John F Kennedy Boulevard, under which the operator will maintain and operate the space to provide services to the community and unhoused persons, under certain terms and conditions. , for use of all or a portion of the City property bounded by the Pennypack Creek, the Delaware River, Pennypack Street, and State Road in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250440, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into an amendment to a lease agreement with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, for use by the City, of a portion of the premises located at 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 240441, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease agreement with the New Market and Headhouse Conservancy for use of all or a portion of the City-owned premises, commonly known as the Headhouse and Shambles in Headhouse Square, located along 2nd Street between Pine and Lombard Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the public benefit, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250484, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest in and portion of the property known as 1822-1830 West Cayuga Street, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250485, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee title or a lesser interest in real estate, located on East Roosevelt Boulevard in the vicinity of Langdon Street, known as Friends Campus, for the development, occupancy and operation of a health center and enter into related agreements, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No.

240 -- 250486, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into agreements with the Development for the development of a mixed-use condominium and Health Center facility on premises located on Frankford Avenue in the vicinity of Pratt and Dyre Street; owned by FCDC Development Properties I LLC or an affiliated entity, and authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into a long-term lease or sublease agreement for the occupancy and operation of the Health Center facility on said premises, and authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire fee simple title to or lesser interest in the completed Health Center Facility, including a condominium unit or to facilitate the transfer of title in the completed Health Center Facility, including a Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development or the Philadelphia Municipal Authority for the benefit of the City, all under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 250492(sic), an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of philadelphia, to acquire fee title or a lesser interest in real estate located on East Roosevelt Boulevard in the vicinity of Langdon Street, known as Friends Campus, for the development occupancy and operation of a health center and enter into related agreements, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable further bills to report out from the Committee on Public Property and Public Works, Council President.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Lozada for a motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of these bills just read by the Chief Clerk Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll for a report from the Committee on Licenses and Inspections.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Licenses and Inspections reports out two bills with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Will the Chief Clerk please read the report.

The Committee on Transpor -- the Committee on Licenses and Inspections to which were referred the following bills: Bill No. 240666, an ordinance amending Chapter 9-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Trades" by adding requirements and establishing certain limits related to electrical contractors, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation. And Bill No. 250292, an ordinance amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses" to add business hour restrictions in the 1st, 7th and 8th Councilmanic Districts, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation. There are no further bills to report out from the Committee on Licenses and Inspections, Council President.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll for a motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of these bills just read by the Chief Clerk at today's session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll for a on Transportation and Public Utilities.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities reports out two bills with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the report.

The Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to which were referred the following bills: Bill No. 250001, an ordinance authorizing the Procurement Commissioner to enter into agreements to purchase electricity, natural gas and motor fuel for use by the City in City facilities and vehicles, including agreements that obligate payment for delivery of such energy supplies in future fiscal years, all under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 250487, an ordinance authorizing the Procurement Commissioner, on behalf of the City, to enter into an agreement with the Philadelphia Energy Authority to purchase electricity and certain attributes and benefits related to the generation of such electricity from Abes Run Solar, LLC, for use in connection with City facilities, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation. There are no further bills to report out from the Public Utilities, Council President.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll for a motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of these bills just read by the Chief Clerk at today's session of Council. All those in favor of by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad for a report from the Committee on Public Health and Human Services.

Thank you, Council President. The Committee on Public Health and Human Services reports out one bill with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you very much. please read the report. These are bills, not resolutions for the record, correct?

Correct, yes.

Thank you.

The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and The Homeless to which were referred the following bills: Bill No. 250043, an ordinance amending Subcode "A" (The Philadelphia Administrative Code) of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code (The Building, Construction and Occupancy Code), by defining affordable housing projects and establishing specific application and permitting procedures for such projects, all under certain terms and conditions. 250044, an ordinance amending Chapter 9-800 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Landlord and Tenant" to establish requirements related to city to security deposits for residential rentals and establishing remedies for violations, all under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 250045, an ordinance amending Chapter 9-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Landlord and Tenant," to establish requirements related to fees charged by landlords to individuals applying for residential tenancy, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation. There are no fur -

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

For the record, those bills read was from the Committee of Housing and Neighborhood Services. Say it for the record please.

The bills just reported out were from the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and The Homeless.

Thank you very much. Also, report them to the committee, Chief Clerk, just for the record please.

And the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to which were referred the following bill: Bill No. 250213, an ordinance amending 9-633 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sale of Electronic Smoking Devices and Unapproved Nicotine Delivery Products," to update definitions and to provide for additional penalties, enforcement, and compliance options, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation. There are no further bills to report out from the Committee on Public Health and Human Services, Council President.

All right. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

What I would like to do Gauthier for a motion on the bills that were reported out of your committee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of these resolutions at today's session of Council. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it this resolution. These resolutions will be placed on today's Final Passage -

First Reading. Sorry.

I'm going to run that back. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jamie Gauthier for a motion on the reports of the bills out of her committee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of the bills just read by the Chief Clerk at today's session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. Now, the Chair officially recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad for a report on the Committee on Public Health and

Thank you, Council President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bill just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you very much. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to submit the consideration of this bill just read by the Chief Clerk at today's session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. This bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. We are rocking and rolling, Chief Clerk. We got this.

Sorry, my apologies.

It's all good. We got this. The Chair recognizes -that's it for the Calendar. The next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from the committees with the suspension of the rules have been deemed to have had a first reading. These bills will be placed on the Second Reading and 2ND READING Final Passage Calendars for the next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson for a motion concerning the resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a consent agenda to consider the following resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar today: Nos. 250403, 250404, 250405, 250406, 250407, 250547, 250548 and 250554. The following resolutions on the Calendar are being held: 250303, 250444 and 250527. 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of the consent agenda to consider the resolutions just read by Councilmember Majority Gilmore Richardson. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries and we will consider the Resolution Consent Agenda 2ND READING shortly. The Chair recognizes Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars.

Thank you, Mr. President. The following bills and resolutions are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 250266, 250267, 250550, 250325, 250327, 250367, 250368, 250369, 250370, 250374, 250377, 250381 and 250382. The following bills and resolutions on the Calendar are being held: 250273. And 250505 is being withdrawn. COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOHNSON: Thank you. Before considering these bills and resolutions, we will consider public comment as follows: Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars for possible action at today's Council session. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up for today's session, please do so now by giving your name to Ms. Hasson at the table outside the rails to my left. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet. Under ideal circumstances, public commenters will each have three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from session-to-session. Today the time limit will be two minutes. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the two-minute limit. When you begin speaking, you will see a green light on the podium. When there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, the light will turn yellow which is your reminder to conclude your remarks. Once two minutes have passed, the light will turn red and the Sergeant-at-Arms will disconnect the microphone. At that point, please yield the podium to the next speaker if you have not done so already. I also reserve the right pursuant to our rules of Council to limit repetitious comments on the same subject matter. I will now ask the Chief Clerk to read the name of our first speaker.

We have Freeway. Theresa Feo, (inaudible) Lynn Hogbin, Jeremy Blatstein and Elaine Lindy. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good morning, everyone. Thanks for having me and some artists from Philadelphia. You know, I grew up in Philadelphia. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th grade music was my favorite class. Music has always been a part of me. Always had a love for music. Growing up in the city of Philadelphia they say it's something in the water. They say it's that Schuylkill punch that gives all the artists the talent and the soul that comes from our city. And I'm blessed. I'm one of the ones that was able to make it out, you know. And there's so many other charted, talented artists in our city. We run the music industry. Our artists go on tour with everybody, you know, our drummers, our keyboardists. You can see us on tour with worldrenowned artists all over the world. So me and my compadres feel like it's time to make Philadelphia an official music city, and that's the reason why we're here. I'm pretty sure everyone feels the same way that I feel. And I take my hat off to Suzann Christine for putting this movement together and sparking this movement. And that's my time. I'm going to let her speak to y'all. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you, Free.

Good afternoon, Council President and Councilmembers. My name is Teresa Feo, and I'm here to testify on Bills 250266 and '267 regarding the 47th Street bike lane. I've actually handed out -- they're handing out some of my testimony and some documents that support the testimony with the number of accidents and injuries that have increased recently. My testimony -- this plan is not about safety. It's about convenience for a few affluent residents who want to feel safe, "feel safe" biking to the Schuylkill River Trail, but we're asking what about the safety of the Kingsessing community and already congested, low-income Black neighborhood. This plan reroutes traffic to our streets, bringing pollution, congestion and greater danger for our residents and children. As for 47th Street, it's a pedestrian-heavy neighborhood of disabled seniors, older residents and vulnerable children in a 15-mile-per-hour school zone. Until Philly can regulate and enforce hazardous e-bikes and scooters, a 13-foot wide bicycle highway on our street guarantees that bicycles, e-bikes will speed even faster. Other cities are already taking action. In New York City, e-bikes are now officially banned from the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach during the day after an alarming surge in pedestrian injuries last year. Central Park is redesigning its bikeways to prevent more cyclist conflicts. New York legislators are working to pass Priscilla's Law, named after a 69-year-old teacher killed by a speeding cyclist as she crossed the street. And she's not the only fatality. Legislation is pending in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Boston, even London after similar pedestrian deaths caused by e-bike crashes. People are dying from electric bicycles and scooters, cyclists, as the bike lobby demands more protection for themselves by ignoring their own unsafe behavior. Council's job is to ensure safety, to protect the most vulnerable, not cater to the convenience of the privileged few. Please do the right thing. Vote no on these bills and send them back to the Committee on Streets to have a sensible conversation about safety for all, not just for cyclists. Thank you.

Thank you.

Lynn Hogbin speaking in opposition to Bills 250266 and '267. These bills are not needed to address the safety hazard on 47th Street. 47th Street is not a street that PennDOT has found dangerous. OTIS's own maps do not show a high number of accidents on 47th Street and show no bicycle accidents. The issue is which streets are appropriate for a protected bike lane to the Grays Ferry Bridge. OTIS now recognizes that it does not know whether it can make a bike lane on 47th Street all the way to the bridge, and these bills do not provide a bike lane to the bridge. Given that the bike lane likely cannot reach its destination on 47th Street, it's critical to consider whether use of another street would create fewer problems. 47th Street is uniquely unsuitable for this bike lane for four reasons: First, making 47th Street a major roadway into a one-way street will move its substantial southbound traffic onto other streets, burdening their residents. Second, the bike lane will create a blind intersection at 47th and Warrington that can lead to two-vehicle accidents. Third, 47th Street has an unusually congested intersection at Springfield that OTIS did not even study when it selected 47th Street. This congestion means that the bike lane will take out an excessive amount of residential parking, which would not occur with the bike lane on another street. Finally, 47th Street is the sole entry for two residential side streets that may be cut off by reducing 47th Street to one lane. The bike lane should be installed to reach its intended destination via streets that can properly accommodate it without causing other harms. I urge you to vote against Bills 250266 and 250267 or at a minimum, send them back to the Streets Committee. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

May we have Jeremy Blatstein, Elaine Lindy, Marissa Tomas, Hannah Sassaman and Dyana Williams also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good afternoon. My name is Jeremy Blatstein. I'm not here on behalf of big bike but for safety over everything. I'm here in support of the bike lane bill, along with the resolution honoring May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Imagine if Moses had a protected bike lane. Maybe it wouldn't have taken 40 years to get through the desert. Turns out infrastructure does matter and here in Philly, we're still wondering when it comes to safe streets how many more people need to be hit, injured or killed before we stop treating bike infrastructure like a luxury. 47th Street needs a protected bike lane, not paying protection. People biking to work, to school, to the store shouldn't have to gamble with their lives. We say we care about Vision Zero. Prove it. Build the bike lanes. Protect 47th Street. Protect Spruce Street. Protect Pine Street. The same goes for Jews in Philadelphia. We need protection too, especially now in the face of rising antisemitism and recent attacks. Your voice and support matter. And that leads me to the last thing we're talking about today: SEPTA. Raise your hand if you rode SEPTA in the last week, Council? Oh, look at the hands in the audience but no members of City Council riding. But we're advocating. We're singing these songs. We're going up to Harrisburg. Transit is the heart of the city. Without reliable, well-funded public transportation this city doesn't move, literally or economically. Ride the ride. Fund SEPTA. Build the bike lanes. Grow Philly to 2 millie. Thank you.

Thank you.

(Inaudible) Sassarman, Dyana Williams. May Carrie Park, Suzann Christine and Brianna Cervantes also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good afternoon. My name is Marissa Tomas. I'm speaking on behalf of my colleague Sophia (inaudible) schedros and the IMPACT Melanoma organization. Good morning -- good afternoon. My name is Sophia (inaudible). I'm a third-year medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a representative of IMPACT Melanoma, a national nonprofit dedicated to skin cancer prevention and early detection. I'm here today to raise awareness about melanoma, a preventable but often deadly disease. Simple proven prevention measures like regular sunscreen use, wearing protective clothing and seeking shade during peak UV hours can significantly reduce the risk. Yet in Philadelphia many residents remain unaware of these strategies and lack access to basic tools like sunscreen. Between 2011 and 2015, Phillips reported over 4000 melanoma cases, 410 of those being deadly. Even more concerning is that nearly 20% of those cases were diagnosed at late stages, when treatment is often more difficult and outcomes are worse. Racial disparities further compound the problem. Black patients are more likely to receive late stage diagnosis and their five-year survival rate is just 66%, whereas 94% for White patients. These disparities are fueled by misconceptions such as the belief that darker skin doesn't need protection and by structural barriers to care and education. In fact, 65% of Black individuals report never using sunscreen. Philadelphia's social vulnerability index is .9465, meaning that we have some of the most underserved communities in the nation. These are the exact places where public health outreach is most needed. This is why I urge a City Council to take the following steps in conjunction with IMPACT Melanoma: Number one, install free public service sunscreen dispensers in high-risk neighborhoods; number two, fund sun safety education campaigns; number three, partner with dermatology clinics and public health organization to expand access free health care. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, members of City Council. My name is Hannah Sassaman. I'm here to testify on the resolution about Meta. I think that is 250550. And I'm with the Philly Tech Justice Collective. There's community members from all over the city who are focusing on issues of how technology and surveillance impact us and our neighbors. And one of the reasons we're really supportive of Councilmember Brooks' resolution is because of all of the mis/disinformation that's been coming to our communities around whether it's issues of the election, whether it's issues of the new administration, getting the information we need from local sources is really important in order to be able to engage in our neighborhoods and what they're trying to be doing for the dignity of all of our residents. We're also very supportive of the city getting a lot more grounded in how issues of AI and technology are impacting us every single day. We are calling on the Committee on Technology and Innovation to hold hearings on city uses of AI surveillance technology that we're spending money on that is giving data to billionaires rather than investing in the resources that we need. And we're also hopeful that in the City budget process that we can freeze spending on surveillance technologies that really don't help us but really surveil and hurt us, and to invest in technology that does help us, things like digital inclusion. And so, we're hopeful that after the passage of this resolution we can really have a deep dive on a city level about these issues, and we're really looking forward to listening to multiple city residents who are here today to say why having local media, not consolidated technology like Meta and surveillance technology mediating our lives is good for us and good for our neighborhoods. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Carrie Park, and I'm here representing independent venues, promoters and festivals on behalf of the National Independent Venue association as a proud Philadelphian or my love for Philadelphians is surpassed only by my love of live music. Before we go forward, let's go back to the early 1800s. Francis Frank Johnson, prolific African American composer who led the first American ensemble to perform before Queen Victoria in England and tour Europe, and where was he from? (Philadelphia.)

That's right. I'm here to enthusiastically support the resolution presented by Councilmember Thomas officially declaring Philadelphia as the music city we all know it to be. I want to thank Councilmember Thomas and his team for their dedication and commitment to our industry and for taking seriously both the impact and the potential. I also want to quickly acknowledge Ms. Dyana Williams, David Ivory, Sarah Lambert, Keisha Blackstone, Frank Macos, Max Wiesman and most recently, the unwavering dedication of Suzann Christine. Additionally, I want to recognize the important work in this lane being done right now by Patty Aden at GPCA, Val Gay at Creative PHL and Raheem Manning and Sophie Hang at Department of Commerce. No matter the genre, your decade, your connection to the music ecosystem, from fan to musician, institution to studio, promoter to label, venue to radio, the role that Philadelphia sound has played for centuries in shaping our city and the world is undeniable. But it's not just about where we've been, because arguably what's more important is where we are and where we're going. Philadelphia's music industry has a robust contribution to our economy and the heartbeat of our city culture. Declarations matter, but we must also understand that our impact cannot be taken for granted and we have other music cities to use as a cautionary tale as to what happens when you do not invest back in your ecosystem. Let this be a catalyst to the path to a dedicated director role who wakes up every day thinking only about supporting the Philadelphia music industry and let us back that up with specific dedicated funding to honor the past and support the future. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you.

My name is Suzann Christine. What city has a music industry that has made legendary worldwide moves and is a city of many firsts of over two centuries? (Philadelphia.)

What city music industry generates 6.1 billion in economic output with minimal music investment? (Philadelphia.)

Yes, Philadelphia. I want to thank Councilman Isaiah Thomas for presenting this resolution declaring us the Philadelphia Original Music City. This is long overdue, but it's happening in divine timing. The Philadelphia music industry is the driving force behind the image of our culture, our work, travels, both land and sea, touching lives worldwide, and our gifts and talents are celebrated far beyond our city limits. But here at home, our government and its citizens use our voices, our talent and our influence to uplift their causes while we receive very little in return. Now, I want everyone in this room to take a moment and imagine a rally or a sports event without your DJ. Imagine a political event with no music. Imagine a restaurant, a film or a video game without the soundtrack. That's a vision none of us should have to ever tolerate. So as you deliberate amongst yourselves about where the city dollars go, I urge you to invest into this industry. Do not forget about us. This industry is not a hobby. It is an economic engine, providing over 33,000 jobs strong and we contribute millions in taxes per year. We've supported this city and we've supported you. Now, we need that support in return. We need policies that include affordable housing for music artists. We need to increase the creative PHL budget specifically for music artist grants and to fund music education for independent artists. We need to support a music sightseeing tour or display in live music spread amongst the city of Philadelphia as we welcome an influx of visitors for 2026. This is a music city. We need to act like it. It's time to treat our industry and our artists accordingly. Thank you. (Applause.)

May we also have Brianna Cervantes, Desiree Neal, Kate Perez, Devryn Washington and Hannah Weinstein also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Hi. My name is Brianna Cervantes and I'm giving comment on Bill 250550. This is Brooks' resolution, which is inexplicably linked to Bill 250273, Squilla's automated vehicle noise enforcement bill that was just tabled for today. For what purpose? I don't know. Maybe my email was convincing or maybe it's a strategy to keep me from speaking on it. I'm not here to convince you that the technology in Squilla's bill enshrines -- I'm not here to convince you that the technology used in Squilla's bill is earth shatteringly bad or novel. But what I'm here to tell you is that it is irresponsible and ethically questionable to further entrench the use of surveillance to police Philadelphians and the rules of Council should not be suspended for any bill that does that. I talked to the Councilman yesterday over email, and I can confirm that he has not done his due diligence. He admitted that he does not understand how other agencies like ICE could use the surveillance that this bill bakes into PPA enforcement. He admitted that he had done no outreach to critical stakeholders like tech justice groups. Ironically, Philadelphia Tech Justice Collective is here today to demand the City needs to hold hearings with departments where they ask them directly what kinds of technology they are using and how communities are impacted. Please see that these two things are tied together. We cannot sneak surveillance technology into bills, suspend Council rules to push surveillance onto Philadelphians. We deserve better, we deserve due diligence and we deserve smart, resourceful and communicative Councilmembers. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you.

Good afternoon, fearless government leaders, distinguished guests and music heads alike. First giving honor to God and music that separately I would never have made it. Thank you, Marvin Sapp. I stand before you as a gospel music ambassador for the Recording Academy of Philadelphia and a songstress in this great city to which we deserve not only a day but every year, and let alone the city. Philly is undoubtedly the music mecca. There is no artist that has not come here to get BGVs, background singers, musicians, techs and a plethora of skilled artists who only have moments, sometimes 24 hours or less, to provide a flawless performance of which we always do, which is why they continue to come back with that minimal rehearsal time --

Ma'am -

Yes.

Please state your name for the record.

Desiree Dezzi Neal.

Thank you.

I ain't want to go over my two minutes. Don't count that time. As church and state remain divided, God and music never are divided. Every riff, run, trill, vamp, bar, swell, vibrato, crescendo, decrescendo and et cetera has its root in gospel music, and each and every artist has had roots where they have sung in a choir and warn that white top, that black bottom or that choir robe. Please allow those humble beginnings to indulge and allow us to have a wonderful ending of exclusively accepting all six points that we have brought before you today. Thank you in advance for your support. We're not going to say you owe us, but you love to hear us sing your play. To God be the glory. (Applause.)

Thank you.

I'm Kate Perez. It's May 29 and we just watched America and Israel build a concentration camp on the rubble of Rafah with AI-face scanning checkpoints, surrounded by armed soldiers and sending people to collect aid while still dropping bombs on them. Then we saw the Gazian people tear it down with their bare hands. They're starved to death for 88 days' hands. Meta aims to control the stories we're allowed to see. Facebook and Instagram have been caught consistently deleting Palestinian journalist' accounts. This genocide is the most deadly in history for journalists, medics and children, with the occupation already killing more than 180 journalists. On May 12, it was reported that 57 children have been killed from malnutrition just since this new blockade on March 2nd. Gazian people are starving to death and Philadelphia has a responsibility to stop working with the Occupation committing the atrocities. Just a few hours ago they called on residents to collect aid and then shot grenades and bullets behind wire fences that our tax dollars paid for. Whatsapp has been accused of fueling the Lavender AI used by the Occupation to target Palestinian individuals, tracking them based on what group chats they join. Without these journalists, we would have missed the massacres that haven't stopped for even a second. With Israel bombing a residential building two hours ago, killing 25 people and journalist Fidel Magari sharing the video of a young boy sobbing in front of the video in front of the building where his father is still trapped. Meta continues to shadow ban any creators who try to discuss Palestine, stopping us from discussing the country with the most children amputees in the world, whose limbs were torn off by their primary arm dealer Dan Zimmerman, who has a light-up sign over our roads and still allowed to sit in our city and get rich off of a holocaust. The Occupation announced plans to build 22 new illegal settlements, stealing even more Palestinian land and spitting on international law. Every surgery is performed without medication. American surgeon Dr. Sidhwa at the U.N. shared, I did not see or treat a single combatant during my five weeks in Gaza. My patients were 6-year-olds with shrapnel through their hearts and bullets in their brain, pregnant women with their pelvises obliterated and their fetuses cut in two while still in the womb. The Occupiers are our sister city. Lift the blockade. Stop doing business with an apartheid state. Free Palestine. Thank you. (Applause.)

After Devryn Washington, we have Hannah Weinstein. May Hiruy Tirfe, Sister Taliyah Taylor, Paul Birdsong, Sierra Freeman and Kristen Wells also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.) MR. WASHINGTON? Hello. My name is Devryn Washington. I'm here on behalf of Philly Tech Justice Collective. I want to echo Free Palestine, but I'm also here in support of Resolution 250550, because I do believe that we need to be pushing the federal government to hold Meta accountable for the monopoly that it has. The algorithms in today's society is a powerful thing. We've seen it generate conflict between communities. We've seen it impact our children's mental health, right, with a lot of youth committing suicide because of things that are happening on social media that seep into the classroom, right. And so, we think to protect -- we believe that to protect our communities these monopolies like Meta need to be broken up. And so, we do support having the City of Philadelphia sign on to this resolution or for our Councilmembers to sign onto this resolution. But we also want City Council to keep that same energy when thinking about the technology that their departments are using against our communities. The technology that we are purchasing through the current budget, through previous budgets that build out a very, very strong and large surveillance apparatus that the city uses that during the budget season -- during the police department's budget hearing we also heard that it's sharing data most likely with ICE, right, while we know that there are mass deportations that are happening that don't just impact undocumented folks, but also Brown people who aren't White enough, right. So we think that this is an opportunity, we know that this is an opportunity for City Council to show leadership and oversight and protect our communities, because we know that you want safe communities, we want safe communities. There's an opportunity for us to get there together. So thank you and fund the people's budget at the Alliance for Just Philly. Thanks. (Applause.)

Thank you.

Hello. I'm Carvin Hagins. Quick question -oh, my name is Carvin Hagins. Where was the sound of neo soul's birth? (Philadelphia.)

Yes. So I'm Carvin Hagins. I'm from the north side of Philadelphia. I grew up as a homeless young man in Philadelphia. Music saved my life. What's amazing about music is that I just recently got off a phone call with the Executive Office of the Music Commission of Saudi Arabia. They were speaking to me about the idea of oil and fossil fuel dying, and they're finding ways to diversify their economy and music was one of the resources. So what I learned from that conversation was that every music artist is like an oil well waiting to be fracked. The wild thing is that we have artists here that are created here, that are birthed here, that are building up their whole reputation and looking to be fracked in the city that they love. The problem is that this city does not love us back. So most of the artists, once they become great and big artists, they go somewhere else where the cities are willing to embrace them and give them the love that they need. What we're asking you to do is look to the new young artists and begin to build in them and begin to frack them and allow them to stay in the city, because we understand that there is influence behind every artist. And the beauty of it is, is that help influencers will help influencers help you. So, Philadelphia, we're just asking for you to find a way to help the influencers. We need affordable housing for the new influencers, the music-makers of this town. We actually need an office the same way Saudi Arabia has an office of Music Commission. We're asking Philadelphia to do the same thing, that you can help us help you. (Applause.)

Thank you.

Hello. My name is Hannah Weinstein. I'm here to support Councilmember Brooks' resolution on Meta. Okay. Hannah Weinstein in support of the resolution on Meta, No. 250550. Meta's products such as Facebook and Instagram feel like the only options for me to plug into what's going on in my city. Unfortunately, Meta is a private company that doesn't prioritize privacy and security. Instead they sell our data in order to make themselves richer. That means in order to engage with my community, I need to put my personal data at risk and same with my community members. For example, in Philly Thrive one of our members who is like an elder had their WhatsApp account compromised, and then there was a hacker and a scammer messaging everybody else in our group asking for money on their behalf. When our data is collected by Facebook or by the PPA looking for noise violations or by any other AI security surveillance technology used in our city, it creates more opportunities to compromise our identities. This is why we need oversight on these activities. I'm excited that the Council is considering acting on these issues with this resolution. I hope that you will also address how our city has been putting our privacy at risk with drones and surveillance cameras. We need City Council to look out for our digital safety by breaking up Meta and holding hearings in the Information and Tech Committee about how the City's budget is being spent in tech and AI. That's it. (Applause.)

Thank you.

Good afternoon, City Council. My name is Hiruy Tirfe from Philadelphia, Pa. First things first, Adam Blackstone, founder of Basic Black Entertainment, is who you see playing the bass at the Super Bowl and many major award shows on television. And where did he get his education and start from? (Philadelphia.)

As stated earlier, my name is Hiruy Tirfe. I'm a jazz artist, composer, arranger, educator with the School District of Philadelphia and proud member of Local 77 Musicians Union. As Freeway stated earlier, our musicians here in Philadelphia tour over some of the top artists in the music industry. I'd like to humbly consider myself as one of them. I've toured all 50 states, Europe and Canada multiple times with people from the Roots, Patti LaBelle, Tye Tribbett, Melvin (inaudible) Bell, the list goes on and on, but my foundation in jazz and Black American music was built right here in Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble Creative Music Program and the legendary club, Club of Jazz and Performing Arts. For the past six years, I've also worked closely with our Musicians Union to create the Philadelphia Musicians Coalition, advocating for our freelance and single engagement musicians, demanding fair pay, production support, professional respect, ownership of our recorded work and pension contributions when we're hired to perform at some of these venues because, as it stands today, none of these things exist. I'm here today to express my full support to declare Philadelphia as the original music city. With over 15 years in the industry, I consistently meet people who are fans of Philadelphia past, present and rising musical talent. Yet the question always comes up, why doesn't Philadelphia recognize itself in this way. History's proven itself over and over again that the city continues to make a worldwide impact socially, economically and culturally. However, we do not give ourselves the credit. In short, no one will recognize us in this way unless we do so. So today not only do I stand before you to support the declaration, but also a call for funding of a full-time music industry manager position with city government, someone who serves as a coordinator, advocate and coordinate for our music sector. This role will help create positive, economic and provide opportunities for our youth, ensure our artists today so they can thrive and most importantly, stay here in the city. Thank you for your support. (Applause.)

Thank you.

I'm Deputy Chairman, Paul Birdsong from the Black Panther Party for SelfDefense. I came here originally to speak on 250527, the Panther Party at every single one of its community unity barbecues signs children up for reading programs. So we definitely want to get involved in anything that the city is doing to catch the children before they are 8 years old, between birth and 8 years old, to get them into reading and things that keep them off the streets and keep their head in a book. However, as I told City Council President Kenyatta Johnson earlier when I spoke to him, a video was sent to my phone of a SEPTA police officer punching an unarmed Black woman in the head at Frankford Terminal. I got that video yesterday. I got it right here on my phone. That needs to stop. That officer needs to be arrested. The Panther Party for Self-Defense demands the City Council and the Philadelphia Police Department to hold this officer accountable. The woman was unarmed, had her hand on her back. The police officer punched her over the top of the head, towering over her. She was unarmed. This needs to stop. If it doesn't stop, what do you think is going to happen? It's going to cause problems in the community. We already got all the shooting happening between us with each other. We don't need riots in the street to add to it, but police officers cannot brutalize unarmed Black women in this community like that. We will not stand for it. So I want everybody, everybody who's Black in this community, to take inventory of yourself and ask yourself will you allow that to happen where you live at, will you allow unarmed Black women to be punched by the police officers who are supposed to protect this community or will you stand up against it and hold these people accountable. All power to the people. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you.

We have Sierra Freeman, Kristen Wells. May Richard Clark, Rodney Gardner, Danielle Allen, Lorenzo Cannon Umstead and Ramon Jones please make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good afternoon. My name is Kristen wells, though I am professionally known as Kristen Curtis. I host the Morning Show, and I am the Assistant Music Director at WXPN, a nationally recognized radio station that is based here in Philadelphia, committed to uplifting the Philadelphia music scene and playing hundreds of our artists every single year. 2 billion people across more than 100 nations were watching the first U.S. city to host a live aid simulcast concert in 1985. What city was that? (Philadelphia.)

That's right. For centuries Philadelphia has simultaneously cultivated classical musicianship and generated musical innovations. We introduced the concept of music videos with American Bandstand, produced our own brand of soul in recording studios that have attracted artists from all over the world, and we continue to foster a vibrant do-it-yourself scene. Today our music industry generates $1.6 billion in economic output, brings in $64 million in tax revenue and supports over 30,000 jobs. Yet we still lack dedicated city personnel to support this vital part of our economy and culture. Funding a full-time affiliate music industry manager in addition to declaring Philadelphia as the original music city would not just honor our past, it would also build our future. I saw this firsthand in another city that has already taken these measures, Austin, Texas, where I spent part of my career before I returned home to Philly. I will never forget the first time I got off a plane there and encountered a concert on my way to baggage claim, which instantly reinforced their self-proclaimed title as the Live Music Capital of the World, which has fueled population growth, helped the city weather the 2008 recession and streamlined event planning, which made it possible to host major awards and ceremonies like the Country Music Awards when Nashville wasn't available, and we can do the same. We support our music professionals with affordable housing initiatives, create tax incentives for venues, hotels and restaurants that uplift Philadelphia's music scene. And what I'm really saying is if a younger, smaller city that's forced to root for Dallas can do all of this, surely Philadelphia can do more. It's one thing to take a wonderful measure of renaming streets and putting names on the Avenue of the Arts. It is another to uplift our music scene and to invest in its future. And music has been putting Philadelphia on the map for centuries and it's time that we put Philadelphia music on the budget. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

I'm Rick Clark. I work with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute. So I'm the Development Director there. We're in District 2, City Council. A truly world class orchestra and ensemble music education institution. We serve over 700 talented youth musicians every year across the tristate area, much of which are from the city of Philadelphia. For more than eight decades, we have been the cornerstone of Philadelphia's music excellence, preparing students for success at the concert stage and in life. Alumni, some of which are among us here today, grace the ranks of top orchestras around the world, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, performing Grammywinning ensembles, tour-renowned productions, playing orchestra pits of Broadway and represent this music city with their work. For the past 15 years, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute's Tune Up Philly program has provided high-quality tuitionfree, afterschool music instruction to hundreds of students from underresourced communities with little or no arts access. This vital initiative demonstrates our deep commitment to access and belief that every child deserves a chance to experience the transformative power of music. We are honored to have recently received an official citation from Mayor Cherelle Parker recognizing the positive and lasting impact of our work throughout this city. At PYO Music Institute, we're proud to play a key role in shaping Philadelphia's identity along with the people you see her today speaking, not just as a music city but as one of America's great music cities. As America's first music city, Philadelphia has a rich legacy and we are determined to help carry it forward by nurturing the next generation of musicians, artists and cultural leaders. And here, I have a small fact to share with you today. classic contralto Marian Anderson was one of the first Black people to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 from President Lyndon B. Johnson. She also broke the racial barrier in opera for people of color, performing at the Metropolitan Opera. Where is she from? (Philadelphia.)

Thank you for the time. (Applause.)

Good afternoon. My name is Danielle Allen and I'm Vice-President of Education and Community for the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble arts. First, I have a question: Which orchestra made movie history by performing the soundtrack to Walt Disney's legendary animated film Fantasia? (Philadelphia.)

That's right. First, I'd like to acknowledge Council President Johnson for your leadership as a member of our Board of Trustees, Councilmember Thomas for presenting this resolution, and last but not least, as a lifelong resident of the 8th District, my Councilperson Cindy Bass. So on behalf of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts, I stand to express our full support of Philadelphia receiving an official music city designation. Like Nashville, New Orleans, Detroit, Seattle and other great American cities, Philadelphia's rich musical heritage and sonic contributions should be formally recognized and celebrated in a way that affirms our city as a prime destination for exceptional arts and culture experiences. Our City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection has birthed an undeniable sound that spans multiple genres and unites music lovers around the world. From the sound of Philadelphia made famous by Philly International Records to the songs and dances that define teen culture on American Bandstand to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince winning the first ever Grammy for best rap and hip hop performance to iconic concerts and festivals like Live Aid and the Roots Picnic, Philadelphia artists continue to shape culture. As our region's largest performing arts presenter, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts makes an annual economic impact of $455 million and hosts more than 1 million visitors each year. And in 2024 we proudly dedicated the home of our concert hall for Marian Anderson. Naturally, we have a vested interest in amplifying Philadelphia music. We support Philadelphia as a music city and the investment in a strategic plan that will curate an experience for arts and culture in Philadelphia. Thank you. (Applause.)

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Ramon Jones. I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Recording Academy, which many of you might know, produces the Grammy Awards which is known as music's biggest night. Thank you the legendary Patti LaBelle, who was crowned as the Godmother of Soul. Where is she from? (Philadelphia.)

When we talk about cities that have shaped music globally, Philadelphia deserves a prominent place in that conversation. For decades, Philadelphia's music recording industry has been a powerhouse of creativity, innovation and cultural influence from the incredible music recorded at the iconic Sigma Sound Studios to the soulful sounds of Philadelphia International Records with Gamble and Huff, which pioneered the birth of Philly soul. This city has given the entire world a sound that blended lush instrumentals with deep, social messages, music that has transcended borders and shaped the very fabric of genres such as R&B and pop artists like Patti, LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass and the OJs not only found their voices here in Philadelphia, but they found a global audience. But Philadelphia influence doesn't stop at neo soul. The City helped ignite the rise of hip hop, launching the careers of Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince, as mentioned, the Roots and Meek Mill. The city's studios, producers and engineers have worked behind the scenes on music that has topped international charts across every genre, from jazz to rock, gospel to electronic, classical to soul, classical to folk. Beyond entertainment, Philadelphia's recording industry has been a bridge connecting communities, empowering youth and telling stories that need to be heard. It has contributed billions to the economy, provided thousands of jobs and fostered a legacy of musical excellence that continues to inspire artists across the globe. Philadelphia is one of only 12 cities in the United States that has a Recording Academy chapter. Our chapter not only encompasses Philadelphia, but also has Pennsylvania, Delaware and South Jersey. Many of those artists and Grammy members are here in the room today, so please make your hands raised. There are so many notable artists and Grammy winners from Philadelphia and have strong ties to the city. So when we talk about the music that moves the world, we must recognize Philadelphia not only as the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, but as a global capital of sound. And for this, we support our city being designated as the Original Music City, and urge City Council to designate funds to support that infrastructure, especially through 2026 with City tourism and throughout. Thank you. (Applause.)

May we have Tone Trump, Robin Chats, Dwayne Murchison, Marquis D. Jordan and Lynn Landes make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Free Palestine. We definitely need more support for our Black women. And much peace and power to our Black musicians, Black Philadelphia musicians here in chambers today. To Council, Council President, guests, workers and the people of the city of Philadelphia, good afternoon. My name is Lorenzo P. Cannon Umstead. I am the Northeast organizer of 205 People's alliance and also represent the Philly Tech Justice Collective of the People's Tech Project. And I'm here to support Councilmember Brooks' resolution on Meta 250550. At this point in our city's time and place, it is not wise to place the most marginalized residents in our city in harm's way of the harmful surveillance technology that renders the people of this country susceptible to the selling of their personal information for the profit gain of a company that has roots in the surveillance of people's identity. There needs to be a line drawn, a serious line drawn on how much we seek to funnel personal information of people of our city at this time who are under the threats of all levels -- who are under the threats of all levels of corporation and government. There needs to be a closer look taken at the complex algorithms and how we are at risk and how to figure out what all this even means. Our people's safety is being threatened at unprecedented levels. We need city leaders to respond and support our city's people, not against. We're calling for the federal government to break up the Meta monopoly and we would like to place pressure on its legislative body to place additional pressure on its city's departments on how much we are giving in to the corporations that seek to make profit simply off of our existences. Thank you all. (Applause.)

Hello, everybody. My name is Markee Plex Djordan and I want to first thank City Council, Councilman Thomas for having us here today. I really appreciate that. I am a CEO of Monster House Entertainment, Executive Producer of the Philly Hip Hop Awards and the Urban Film Awards. And let me start off by saying we're not asking for a handout. We're asking for partnerships. And we understand it's a business. Business is predicated on the bottom line. You want to know that your partners know what they're doing and they have experience. So let me talk about experience real quick. Time is an expensive commodity that we can't get back. That's the most expensive commodity in life and we all have experience here. By the show of hands of everybody that's in the industry right now, how many people been in this industry for over five years? Raise your hands. (Hands raised.)

How many have been in the industry over 10 years? Raise your hands. (Hands raised.)

20 years? Raise your hands. (Hands raised.)

Well, not -- yeah. We got we got some OGs here. 30 years. We got any 30 years? (Hands raised.)

There we go right there, 30 years. This is telling you we have professionals in this room right now that have the time, professionalism and the know-how to do anything you need us to do as far as music and entertainment in the city, anything that's needed. We have it in this room and all over the city. We can do it for you. We just need the city to meet us halfway. Thank you very much for your time. (Applause.)

We have Lynn Landes. May Jordan Brittingham, Myra Brown, Jennifer Ross, Dyana Williams and David Jenkins Alexander also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good afternoon. I'm Lynn Landes of Protocolsfordemocracy.org. While I support Councilmember Brooks' resolution to break up Meta, owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, I question why Councilmember -- why the Councilmember has Facebook and Instagram as well as Twitter on her own City Council web page. There is no good reason for elected officials to require their constituents to go to privately-owned social media companies in order to access their photos, information and public comments. Elected officials and government agencies can put all these things on their own websites. Besides, many people such as myself are not allowed to rejoin social media companies such as Facebook and Next Door due to undisclosed reasons but suspected political ones, in my case, my anti-vaccine and anti-COVID lockdown comments. We need to free ourselves from the grasp of social media and take back our public conversations to a more free and fair public square, which is why I strongly urge elected officials and government agencies to put all their content, including public comments, on their own websites so that anyone can at any time access them. Thank you. (Applause.)

Hello. My name is Jordan Brittingham. I work for People's Tech Project, and I'm a member of the Philly Tech Council, Tech Justice Council. We work specifically on tech issues and we are here to support Councilmember Brooks' Resolution 250550 to break up Meta. Meta has become a monopoly over our personal data and become a key figure on spreading misinformation since dropping their fact checking at the assistance of the current administration. Also, with Mark Zuckerberg supporting millions in the current administration, the city and the country need more competition when it comes to news and media, especially because Meta and others like it utilize AI to target minority communities and suppress the voices of the disenfranchised. This brings me to the City of Philadelphia and the city's use of surveillance (inaudible) tech like drones and AI to detect, for instance, loud music. The use of this type of AI is discriminatory and predatory. We hope that this Council will not allow AI to suppress the culture, voices and music of Philadelphia's Black and Brown people. I thank you, Councilwoman Brooks, for standing up to misinformation and protecting our data. As a member of the Tech Justice Collective, we hope that the City Council will call hearings regarding the purchasing and utilization of tech by city departments. Thank you. (Applause.)

After David Jenkins, Alexander, may we have Reverend Greg Holston, Sam Samore, Thomas Leishner, Emily Leishner and Ogbonna Hagins make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

(Inaudible).

Try now. It's still off. As soon as they started talking that AI stuff, y'all done messed the microphone up. Meta is probably watching you somewhere. COUNCIL TECH SUPPORT: Check, check.

Good afternoon, Mr. President and members of Council. David Alexander Jenkins and I rise in support of Resolution 250527, which brings focus to the chambers of the care and education of our youngest residents. Philadelphia has long understood that if we want to change the trajectory of poverty, we must begin by investing in our children, comprehensively, compassionately, boldly. From cradle to career, the city has pioneered programs that reflect this commitment. It launched the PHLpreK offering free high-quality for PreK for thousands of children funded by the Philadelphia beverage tax, Philadelphia's Community School initiative, transforming public schools into neighborhood anchors, offering food security, health care, counseling, job training and even music. It has offered Work Ready, the Philadelphia Future Track and literacy as liberation. We are among the first major cities to offer free breakfast and lunch to every public school student regardless of their income. These are not just programs. These are promises, promises that say in this city every child matters, every dream is valid, every future is worth fighting for. I come therefore before this body to affirm a simple yet powerful truth, the future that we inherit is the one that we build for our children. I come to let it be known that Philadelphia is not a city where the dignity of childhood, wellness and education is a privilege but rather one where it is a promise. I come to let it be known that we have here cemented the welfare of our children not as a footnote in policy, but as the foundation of it as we lift up families through care and support disarming poverty in our wake. Thank you. (Applause.)

Reverend Gregory Holston, 57 Block Coalition and the Tax Advisory Committee for the Tax Reform Commission. I'm here to support the resolution from 250527, the Special Committee on Early Childhood Development. And also, what really brings me here is the events that happened in Fairmount Park on Memorial Day, the violence that occurred, the two adults that were killed, the 11 people that were injured and a revelation that probably our juvenile young people were involved in this heinous act, as our Mayor has indicated. I've come before you now for seven years and said to you that we need to expend at least $100 million on gun violence prevention. Part of what is happening is that we're not really spending enough to reach enough young people to make a difference in their lives. I support this resolution for early childhood development because I'm hoping it becomes an avenue for more conversation around what our young people are going through so that we will invest more money in prevention. The reality is that our young people have been traumatized most from the time they were 4, 5, 6, 7 years old of what they've seen, the violence they've seen in the community. And I'm afraid that so many who were there at Lemon Hill on Memorial Day will have seen that violence and they will be traumatized as well. The reality is that trauma sometimes does not even come back until you're 16, 17, 18 years of age and you lose yourself, a hardness of heart, a coldness of heart, killing people in a cold way because sometimes they want to kill themselves. So the reality is that we need to invest more in our young people, $100 million in gun violence prevention and that when we cut taxes and take money out of the budget, instead of putting money and investing in our children, we all lose, we all lose. And in the long run, it's more expensive for the cost that occurs from children who have never been taken care of, never been treated for the trauma that they face. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

So we have Sam Samore, Thomas Leishner, Emily Leishner, Ogbonna Hagins and then Anne Marie Dunn. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Hi, City Council. My name is Sam Samore. I'm speaking in support of bills to 250266 and 250267. I live on 47th Street. I live at the corner of Hazel and 47th. So I'm on the street all the time. I ride my bike on 47th, I drive my car on 47th and I walk on 47th. Currently, I often don't feel safe doing any of those things. There's no space on the street for cyclists and the road is too narrow for two-way traffic. At the intersection of 47th and Baltimore especially, people drive crazily. Remember the truck that crashed (inaudible). So I think the proposed changes would give space to bicyclists and reduce the amount of chaos and the traffic on the street, making it safer for all. I also just want to point out that the people who spoke before me who said that bike lanes only benefit the privileged aren't telling the truth. It's not just rich people who use bikes. It's everyone. And I think we all know that and we can see that when we look around. So I hope you all vote for 250266 and 250267. Thanks. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good afternoon. My name is Thomas Leishner, and I am also here to speak in support of the two bills regarding 47th Street. I live in the 3rd District and for about the past 15 years have mostly used a bicycle to commute and get around the city. And even though I'm not really one to speak into microphones, I'm here today because this bill would be transformative to the daily life of myself and my neighbors. I go down 47th a lot to go to Lee's Deli and (inaudible) and to see neighbors, and it's also been the place where I've had multiple quite scary encounters with drivers, including one just about a month ago right before the surface was removed in anticipation to the repavement. Especially with the connector bridge that was just opened connecting the Crescent Trail with the Schuylkill River Trail, I think this would be, yeah, it would just transform how I move through the city on a daily basis. Thank you for your support.

Hi. Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Emily Jane Leishner, and I'm also here today speaking in support of Bills 250266 and 250267. I'm also speaking to you today as a resident of West Philadelphia where I moved first in 2010 to 47th and Baltimore Avenue, and I haven't lived outside of that district, outside of 19143 the entire time I've been in the city. It's been a really wonderful place to be a pedestrian and to be a cyclist. I do not own a car and biking is my primary mode of transportation. I bike every day to work in the city and frequently use the Grays Ferry Bridge to connect myself to the rest of South Philadelphia. I'm really familiar with 47th Street, both as a walker and as a cyclist. And it's a really scary street to be on. The street is quite wide and allows for traffic to move very quickly, and visibility with traffic parked on both sides makes it challenging for me as a pedestrian and also for me as a cyclist to see and watch out for my neighbors and other residents. The proposed changes would be really great for connecting my ability to get to the rest of the city of Philadelphia, and I also believe it would really improve the safety of residents in my neighborhood. I think it would slow down traffic, improve visibility and protect pedestrians and cyclists and all of those who don't use a car on that street. Anyway, so thanks very much to members of City Council for considering the passage of these bills. Thanks.

Ogbonna Hagins, fourth generation chattel slavery survivor and an American Freedman. I rise today to support Resolution 250300, honoring Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Service Center schools and the 20th bi-annual Carpe Diem event. That's a beautiful thing, but we have to break these words down, Juvenile Justice Service Center. Juvenile means young, our children. Justice means fairness, repair and protection under law. Service implies a duty to help. And center a place of focus where transformation should happen. But I ask you, are we delivering justice to our juveniles in Philadelphia? Justice is not just honoring them with awards and ceremonies after they've been caught up in the system. Real justice means ensuring they never have to end up there in the first place. The city is filled with young people crying out for justice, not only in detention centers but in our neighborhoods, on our corners and, yes, Lemon Hill this past Memorial Day where juveniles were shot, traumatized and had to witness violence in real time. You have the blueprint, your study, the Roadmap to Safer Communities told you that the root cause of gun violence is structural racism. Solutions, large scale investments in the areas that have been decimated by crime, violence and unemployment. And yet this body has not moved legislation to end structural racism. You have not funded the solution. You have not protected our youth in the way of justice demands. Our juveniles don't just need a center. They need to be centered in your policymaking. They don't just need services. They need systems that serve them. The best way to honor our youth in the Juvenile Justice Service Center is to make sure no more youth have to end up there. Structural racism, the Roadmap to Safer Communities, large scale investments in the areas that have been decimated by crime, violence and unemployment. Don't neglect your constitutional duty. Over and out. (Applause.)

Council President, there are no further names for public com -- one more? Okay. (Witness approached podium.)

The floor is yours, Anna Marie.

Thank you. My name is Anne Marie Dunn. I'm here as -- I'm Deputy Commissioner for Parks and Recreation here to share Commissioner Slawson's support of Councilman Anthony Phillips' resolution seeking to expand collaboration between youth engagement and the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department. This resolution seeks to strengthen youth leadership, civic participation and cross-agency coordination, thereby ensuring youth voices are meaningfully integrated into city decisionmaking. Parks and Recreation has already taken steps to ensure that the youth feel involved in the city process. In response to teens not having places to meet and participate in outdoor activities, PPR created Teen Takeover. For the past two years, programming has taken place with much success at the Oval in East Fairmount Park, and we plan to expand to more sites in 2026. Additionally, this summer we are inviting youth back to the Oval through our Touchgrass Initiative. Touchgrass is typically used to tell someone to step away from their phone, computer or other screens and engage with the real world. Every Thursday night PPR will invite young people out for an assortment of youth programming that will allow them to take center stage and make the stage their own. This will include a special night for selected youth leaders to take center stage for content creation and creativity expression. This season PPR and amplified voices of young leaders through co-hosting opportunities and creative content collaborations with the PPR team. PPR intends to work alongside the youth leaders of Philadelphia to produce three to five dynamic reels to feature across PPR platforms, all driven by youth voices, vision and vibe. This initiative is a pilot program that will kick off at the Oval with the potential to grow in neighborhoods throughout the city. Applications will open on Friday, May 30th. PPR is the city's largest teen employer and we are committed to helping Philadelphia teens and young adults find their path and their voice. PPR has been working hard to develop and identify youth leaders people will feel that they are meaningfully contributing to the civic process. Our youth have demonstrated their goal is to build a nonviolent Philadelphia. Thank you.

Council President, there are no further names for public comment. COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOHNSON That concludes today's public comment. We will now consider today's Resolution Consent Agenda. I will ask the Chief Clerk to read the titles of all the resolutions on the consent agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the resolution on the consent agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the resolution will be immediately consent agenda and placed on our regular Final Passage Calendar. Will the clerk please read the titles of the resolution on the consent agenda.

Resolution 250403, a resolution appointing Chris Collum to the Board of Directors of the Center City District. 250404, a resolution appointing Allan Domb to the Board of Directors of the Center City District. 250405, a resolution appointing Jim Pearlstein to the Board of Directors of the Center City District. 250406, a resolution reappointing Carol Watson to the Board of Directors of the Center City District. 250407, a resolution reappointing Tina Byles Williams to the Board of Directors of the Center City District. 250547, a resolution also naming the 1900 block of North Judson Street as "Sister Mary Scullion Way." Resolution 250548, a resolution also naming Firth Street between 15th Street and Sydenham Street as "Earl Young Way." And Resolution 250554, a resolution also naming 7th Street between Bigler Street and the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) as "SEYAA Way" to honor the Southeast Youth Athletic Association. COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOHNSON The Chair recognizes Councilman Gilmore Richards for a motion to adopt each of the resolutions on the consent agenda.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that each of the resolutions on the consent agenda be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and each of the resolutions on the consent agenda has been adopted. We will now consider the on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 250505.

A resolution renaming the Wissanoming Recreation Center to the "Margaret Tartaglione Recreation Center" to honor the life and legacy of Margaret "Marge" Tartaglione, a pioneering public servant and leader in Philadelphia’s politics.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada for a motion regarding Resolution No. 250505.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Resolution No. 250505 be withdrawn. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 250505 be withdrawn. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries and Resolution No. 250505 has been withdrawn. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 250550.

A resolution calling on the federal government to maintain its antitrust litigation that would break up Meta's social media

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Majority Gilmore Richardson for a motion regarding Resolution No. 250550.

Thank you, Council President. On behalf of Councilmember Brooks, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 250550 be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, the motion carries and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 250266.

An ordinance regulating the direction of movement of traffic on the 47th Street between Chestnut Street and Kingsessing, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall a bill pass finally. Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll.

Councilmember Phillips was aye. Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.

Aye.

Councilmember Gauthier.

Aye.

Councilmember Thomas.

Aye.

Councilmember Landau.

Aye.

Councilmember Lozada.

Aye.

Councilmember Young.

Aye.

Councilmember Brooks was aye. Councilmember Harrity.

Aye.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Aye.

Councilmember O'Neill.

Aye.

Councilmember Squilla.

Aye.

Councilmember Bass.

Aye.

Councilmember Ahmad.

Aye.

And, Council President Johnson:

Aye. The ayes are 16. Nays -- the ayes are 15. The nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative the bill passes. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 250267.

An ordinance amending Section 12-701 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Designation of Bicycle Lanes" to authorize a bicycle lane and removal of a travel lane on 47th Street, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll.

Councilmember Phillips was aye. Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.

Aye.

Councilmember Gauthier.

Aye.

Councilmember Thomas.

Aye.

Councilmember Jones.

Aye.

Councilmember Landau.