Yes. Thank you, Madam President. I had an opportunity to meet with some of the folks yesterday, and I just wanted to kind of reiterate for the record as we close out and as we move forward that one of my big interests in e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 the promotions of what we do and the conventioneers is to get more and more people, in the spirit of what my colleague Blondell Reynolds said, into the neighborhoods. If we have 30,000 conventioneers, if I can get a couple hundred of those to come to my Brazilian part of town or my Latino part of town, it has an economic impact. So I want to encourage us as you move forward is to document how many folks we get to the neighborhood and what the economic impact is moving forward. So that's a question I'm going to ask you when you come before us in budget, so that you know, that's what we're looking for. And I'm sure my Council colleagues who have ethnic communities and diverse communities and some staples in their neighborhoods would also, I believe, support us taking more and more of those conventioneers, in a more deliberate way, to neighborhoods across the City. So I'd like to look at those e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 numbers moving forward and I'd like for us to begin to measure the economic impact.
Madam President, I'd just like to add to that. I would say to you, when you host or work with organizations who do come to the City and they may not necessarily be African American or Latino, but certainly we want to show all groups the neighborhoods of the City, and so that they won't just think it's downtown. We do have some wonderful neighborhoods, like Ogontz and Mount Airy and East Oak Lane, which is never shown, to show that Philadelphia is diverse. We do have quality neighborhoods. We do have areas that they could compare. We do that with the National League of Cities. We call them mobile tours, and we go to other parts of every city. Whenever we go to a conference, we go e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 visit other neighborhoods and look at their economic development, we look at their housing, look at their rec centers. We look at all of those things, so that it's just not the nightlife or the wonderful things downtown, but also show what Philadelphians are doing in their neighborhoods. And I just wanted to throw that out to you and you should not just confine it to the African Americans or Latino groups.
If I could add to that, the Multi-Cultural Affairs Congress, which many people in this room 16 work with on different projects, but one of the interesting things is the so-called majority conventions. One of the options is that we give them information on the Multi-Cultural Affairs Congress, and for many conventions, they want to go into neighborhoods or they want to be able to purchase from minority firms. And under normal circumstances, going to a city not knowing anybody and e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 not having that ability, you can't do that. So that is something that we sell, promote, and Tanya Hall and her people do that. The other piece that does get people into neighborhoods is the Mural Arts Program. An enormous part of the appeal internationally of Philadelphia is the Mural Arts. I mean, you'll have people coming from Germany, from Italy, from all over who have heard about and want to -- and that is a great way of getting people into neighborhoods. You may or may not get them to purchase quite yet into an area, but the Mural Arts Program is a real sales product for this city, for all segments.
Are there any other questions from members of the Committee? The Chair recognizes e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 Councilwoman Tasco.
There has been also some discussion with some of the members of Council relative to Council's involvement with your organization, and since we do appropriate the taxes for the organization and we do have representatives on other Boards, could we have -- we'd like to have a representative from Council on your Board, if that's possible.
Just in the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, then Councilman O'Neill is on our executive committee. Blondell Reynolds Brown is on the Board of the Bureau. There have been other members of Council at different times on our --
You didn't come to the meetings. And Council President Verna is ex-officio. But if there would be a e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 request for somebody else, I think we made -- Councilman Green has an interest in international, so we've made -- we have different committees as well. So if anybody has any interest, then just personally call me.
Right. And we're specifically talking to the GPTMC organization.
On our Board, traditionally the community representative position has been appointed by Council President Verna, and that was under Mayor Rendell and then Mayor Street. We haven't heard yet -- but we've been told we will soon -- what Mayor Nutter is going to discuss with you on that. But we would -- whatever happens, we would welcome it. That would be great.
I believe in cooperation. e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745
The way that -- what the bylaw states is that the Mayor has two positions. One is his own and one is called the community representative, where in the past he has turned that over to Council, and that started --
I think what Councilmembers are asking for is a specific Council representative.
Looking back to my Chairman, he said, yeah, we'll have to change the bylaws. We've done it before.
And are you willing to do that? I think that's what's being asked.
Very well. e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745
Do we have anyone else that would like to testify on these bills? (No response.)
Thank you very much for your testimony. This concludes our public hearing. We will now go into our public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President and Madam Chair. Due to the fact that my affiliation with the e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 firm that has done design work and engineering work on the expansion of the Convention Center and to avoid any appearance of a conflict, I will be abstaining on both votes. I have not participated in the debate on this matter.
Thank you. The record will so reflect that. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion on Bill 13 Nos. 080744 and 080745.
Madam President, I move that Bill 080744 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and that the rules of Council be suspended so this bill can be heard at Council's next session.
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 080744 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation; further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think because I believe and have discussed with GPTMC and PCVB in the past that we do not spend enough on marketing the City of Philadelphia, both around the country and especially internationally given the low dollar, people were initially surprised when I told them in the past that I was going to vote against this measure, primarily e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 because I wanted the counties to participate in the burden of promoting and marketing the region, and I think it's reasonable to ask them to increase their hotel tax to do so. But based on the testimony I've heard today and what I learned today, I think that there should be a discussion in this body in the future about the appropriate split of revenue between the City and GPTMC and PCVB once we get to the point of where that revenue split is going to change, and also there can be a discussion about more county participation. So because we need to get the Convention Center done on time, we still have oversight authority, according to the testimony of the Finance Director, and because we can adjust the split to be consistent with our priorities any time in the future, including having it cover police costs and fire costs, et cetera, I will save that debate for another time e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 and I'm going to support this measure. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 080744 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation; further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit consideration at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. And the record will reflect again that Councilman Kenney objects -- abstains. I wanted to get your attention.
All e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 right. We will now consider Bill No. 3 080745, and, again, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, there is an amendment for Bill 7 No. 080745. It has been circulated. I offer the amendment to be adopted. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment that was circulated by Mr. Dubow be approved. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the amendment is adopted. Again, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, I move that Bill 080745, as e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 amended, be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so this bill can be heard at Council's next session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 10 080745 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation, as amended; further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. The record again will reflect that Councilman Kenney abstained from voting on this bill. This concludes our public e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated 10/22/08 - WHOLE - BILLS 080744 and 745 hearing and meeting, and I thank you all. (Committee of the Whole adjourned at 4:20 p.m.) - - - e4ffaeba-8542-428e-98b2-46b40e7b2878 (215) 561-2220 V A R A L L O Incorporated CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on October 22, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)