Aye. Was Councilman Nutter recorded as voting? I didn't hear him. Councilman Nutter. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR
This is bill No. 000659-A. It's on the first sheet.
I want to change my vote. I want to vote no on that. I'm sorry.
The vote is 13 to 2. A majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 000609.
An ordinance amending an ordinance approved February 3, 1999, Bill No. 980705, which created the Jump Street Tax Increment Financing District, an to do all things necessary to carry out the intent of this ordinance.
Aye. The ayes are 14, the nays are 1. A majority of all Members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 000610.
An ordinance creating the Avenue of the Arts Garage Tax Increment Financing District and approving the project plan of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, for the redevelopment of the Avenue of the Arts Tax Increment Financing District and do all things necessary to carry out the intent of this ordinance.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now shall the bill pass finally? The Clerk will please call the roll?
Councilwoman Verna votes aye, therefore, the ayes are 14. The nays are 0. A majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of 000342.
An ordinance amending Title 22 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Public Employees Retirement Code," by making certain corrections to address problems in the code, all under certain terms and conditions.
I'm sorry. I wasn't looking at the monitor. Did you want to speak on the last bill or this bill?
No, I said 14 to 1. I thought I said 14 to 1. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR You're recorded, Councilman Goode, as voting nay.
Councilman Clarke I see that your light is on. Did you want to be recognized?
Thank you. I believe the title of Bill No. 342 has been read.
An ordinance amending Title 22 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Public Employees Retirement Code," by making certain corrections to address problems in the code, all under certain terms and conditions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now shall the bill pass finally? The Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 15, the nays are 0. A majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 000721.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property and the Director of Commerce, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a Ground Lease Agreement, the Eagles ground lease, with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development providing for the leasing by the city to PAID of certain parcels of land owned or to be acquired by the City, and further authorizing said officers to enter into a Prime Lease Agreement between PAID and the City providing for the subleasing by PAID to the City of all or a portion of such land and certain improvements to be considered thereon, all under certain terms and conditions.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR
Madam President, on your behalf, I wish to offer an amendment to Bill No. 000721. Copies of the amendment have been distributed to all Councilmembers. The amendments -- do I read this part, Madam President?
Thank you. The amendment states as follows: "In Exhibit D of the bill delete D to such exhibit entitled Addendum to Term Sheet Regarding Stadium Uses and Scheduling, and substitute therefore the Exhibit D attached hereto." I move the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
Before we cast a vote on this, I do want the members of the City Council to know that the teams, the Administration, and the community have all agreed with the amendments as presented to us. It has been moved and properly second that the amendment be adopted. All in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.) SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR
The ayes have it, and Bill No. 000721 has been amended. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 000722.
Madam President, I have an amendment to 000721. I have an additional amendment I would like to offer to 000721.
The Clerk title of the amendment being introduced by the Councilman.
I beg your pardon. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR
I would like an opportunity to speak on it, if I may, when it's appropriate.
Amend Bill No. 00021 by adding a new Section 11 to read as follows: Section 11 not withstanding anything to the contrary in this ordinance no obligation set forth in the Eagles lease and development agreement shall be binding against the City unless such lease and development agreement contains a binding covenant approved by City Council providing that the City shall be entitled to one suite which shall be licensed to a vendor who shall provide for the use and operation of the suite and that the vendors net proceeds shall be divided proportionally for the use of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and the Sunny Hill Basketball League and/or such other not-for-profit organizations which shall be designated by ordinance of City Council.
I move the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.) SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR
It has been moved and seconded, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. m. in the morning, at the time some, Councilmembers and the Administration expressed concern that they had not had the time to fully consider the proposal. So I am presenting the amendments again in hopes that they will have gained support since then. The amendment would take the two luxury suites in the agreement that are currently set aside for the City's use, one in each new stadium, and specify that these "City suites" should be licensed and managed by a private vendor who will be required to rent out the suites to any and all interested corporations and individuals. The proceeds from SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR these events would go to the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and half to the Sunny Hill Basketball League, both registered Philadelphia non-profit organizations. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund was established in 1991 by the Mayor and Council as a non-profit corporation overseen by a board Mayoral Council President appointees and community leaders, with a mission of allocating general support funds to Philadelphia arts and cultural organizations. The Sunny Hill Basketball League is one of the nation's premier youth basketball leagues providing Philadelphia's youth with positive basketball and life experiences. Over time as revenues vary or increase, other charities may be included or substituted as designated by Council. Currently in Veterans Stadium, renting out a luxury suite can earn an annual profit of approximately $140,000 for football and baseball games only, not counting concerts and other special events. Considering the high level of interest in the new stadiums and the much greater amenities that will be provided in the new stadiums, it is not at SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR all unreasonable that this figure would at least double to perhaps about $300,000. So over the course of the 30-year life of the leases, they could provide very significant revenue to these charities and other worthwhile charities. Taxpayers of this City are being asked to shell out $394 million to build these facilities and I supported the building and constructed and voted for these bills in committee. But it is clearly identified in the term sheets that these are City suites to be used for the benefit of City taxpayers and for the benefit of organizations, in my opinion, like this that reach into and affect help every segment of our community. The Sunny Hill League has run basketball camps and activities in every neighborhood in our City, and we all agree that arts and culture is something that we should be promoting more through every neighborhood in our City, especially those disadvantaged neighborhoods that don't have exposure to arts and culture as much as they should. I served on the Cultural Fund and I know that that money is well spent for many worthwhile small neighborhood arts and cultural institutions. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR This box, these boxes in both of these new stadiums should not be used as a part of personal privilege or political perk. They should not be used for political fund-raising activities as they have been used in the past. We have an opportunity now with these stadiums to do something different, to give back just a little bit something to the people who are paying for these buildings who not only can't afford to buy a ticket many times to these events, but will never see the inside of what is commonly known as the Mayor's Box unless they are somehow a supporter of whoever the Mayor is at that time. I believe that this is both a practical and symbolic gesture to the citizens of this City who are putting up this money to build these stadiums.
It's something additionally in addition to Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown's efforts on the Children's Fund that this is an additional way to funnel more money back into our communities and to send the right message that we are not the Roman Senate and the Mayor's Office is not the emperor sitting in a colosseum box waving to the gladiators. I think that we can do something good for our SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR community by voting on this, and I urge all the members of the Council to support this amendment. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. As Chair of the Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee, I completely understand and commend my colleague's noble intent, which is to seize every opportunity to increase the level of funding for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. He's already spoken, I believe, quite eloquently to the history of the Cultural Fund, and we all know of the stellar track record with regard to Sunny Hill League. However, I've learned in my short time here that there's a time and a place for everything. And it is my view that this is not the hour during this still a very fragile moment in the stadium settlement, and for that, I cannot and will not vote in favor of this amendment.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Thank you, Madam SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR President. I speak in support of the amendment. I'm kind of stunned by Councilwoman Brown's opposition to this matter since she was the member of the Council who originally brought the concept of Children's Fund to us. It seems to me that this is a most appropriate time and place, particularly since I wanted to amend Councilman Kenney's statement of shelling out $394 million on the stadiums of City tax money taxpayers money. The accurate figure is well over $1 billion of taxpayer money over the next 30 years, the same way in which the City calculates revenue over a period time I think must be used to calculate what it cost the City, and stadiums are going to be well over a billion dollars of taxpayer money. In view of that, it seems to me to strengthen the argument made in the eloquent statement made by Councilman Kenney in support of this amendment. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. Councilman Kenney, is it your desire to SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR be recognized again?
Yes, Madam President. Just one comment relative to my colleague, Councilmember Reynolds-Brown comments, and I do appreciate the tone and sentiment in which she gave them. I want to make sure that the record clear the adoption of this amendment in no way affects the terms this deal. It is something that the City can dispose of in its own way. It does not require the teams or anyone besides the City to do anything in any financial way. And I believe that if this amendment not successful, I would ask her to get together with me and other members of Council interested and see if the Mayor could find a way to do this on his own without our amendment but, be that as it may, I do think the time is now. It's the opportune time to do it. Once these bills are passed, we may not have an opportunity to do this again. Thank you.
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Councilman Kenney's amendment be a adopted. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll. SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR