Yeah. Well, I think I've done that, but I'll do it again. This young man --
I wasn't here with Law and Government. You testified during the Law and Government Committee?
Yeah. You was here, but maybe you wasn't a part of that committee.
But, Councilwoman, I've been knowing you for a long time. I mean, since Dave Richardson. You understand what I'm saying?
But I didn't know you were looking for a 130 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 healthcare hearing. I have no way of knowing that until you came here today.
Yes. And if the young men want to leave something, they can. I hate for you to come here thinking you were going to talk about one thing --
When ya'll advertise these things, could ya'll make it a little more --
But in the back of the paper? This young man here has something to say. Can he?
Sure. Is it about healthcare? 131 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578
My name Danny, and I just came home a week ago. Danny Sewell, and I just came home a week ago. I agree a lot -- I mean, because, like I said, I just came home, and I think it is fair that we all should have equal rights to a job. Since I've been home, I've been looking for a job, and me being the fact that I do got a criminal background check, it's kind of hard. I mean, because when I was incarcerated, I mean, they didn't give us the proper tools. I mean, they didn't tell us how to write a resume or what to say on an interview or stuff like that. And knowing me personally, I 132 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 mean, I'm not going to settle for no 3 dollar a day, because when we was locked up, that's how much we was making. I mean, I was on kitchen duty. I was getting a dollar a day, two hours a day. That's not nothing. I mean, I got a kid. I mean, me being home, me being an ex-offender, I mean, I need something more than that. I mean, I'm backed up in child support. I mean, I owe the City a lot of money. And like I talked to different people. They trying to help me, you know, with that, and I really appreciate it if ya'll will do something about that.
What did you say you were doing in prison? You worked in the kitchen?
Are you a 133 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 cook or you did other things?
Okay. Well, you have some programs that are here today that are working to help ex-offenders get jobs, gain employment. Leotus, are you helping him?
Okay. Hold on. Someone in the back wants to make a comment. Can you come up. You can't make them from the audience. You have to 134 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 state who you are and speak into the mike.
Good afternoon. I'm James Wilson from Connection Training Services. Doug Kissell is going to say some words in a couple of minutes regarding the hearings today. But we do have a contract as to President Bush's Reentry Initiative where we help ex-offenders that's just recently been released, and I would like to give this young man my business card, to call me, and I can guarantee you -- and I'll get back with you -- that we will find him a job. (Applause.)
Programs like this, they don't tell us about this in jail. Like I said, I just came home. I 135 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 didn't know nothing about this program until just now. See, stuff like this, they don't tell us in jail. It's like you got to actually demand to find out stuff.
So it's like I don't find out stuff until I come to stuff like this. Like I come to meetings like this, that's when I find out stuff, or I talk to people who just recently came home, or I had to actually do the research myself. By that time, it's too late. I mean, I'm either -- it's too late to sign up or I got to wait until next time or I'm too old.
Well, I agree that they probably don't know about 136 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 every particular program, but I'm glad you're here today, and one of the ways that we spread information is by word of mouth. So now you're here, you found out about Connection, and you'll probably tell someone else. I was at an event on Saturday and I know that there are ex-offender programs that go into the prisons, sharing stories and spreading information about resources. So we're glad you're here today. Hopefully you'll get some help. Does the other young man need to speak? Because I still need to get other people on. Do you want to speak, sir?
Myra. I just called you sir because your hair is short.
Yes. That's okay. My name is Myra Campbell. I was 137 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 recently released from RCF, Riverside Correctional Facility. I also am unemployed, and I went to a couple places. Because I used to be in the Navy. I used to go to Morgan State University also, and I have maintenance mechanic --
Yes, maintenance mechanic training. And I went to a few places, and they said that they didn't take ex-offenders who had misdemeanors. And to my knowledge, misdemeanors isn't as bad as like someone who has a felony or something. And like he was speaking on, you know, it's a problem, but most of the time in my life -- I'm 45 years old -- I always gave up, but this time, you know, I'm going to strive to try to find a job. And so I'm glad that this young man has spoke up and he gave him a business card. I know that what we came to speak on is not what you're here for, 138 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 but, you know, a lot of issues that were going on in the Prison System should be addressed.
As far as people that need the incident and acucheck, they call that, at a certain time if you're not up. You know, you can go in and see them. You have to wait until tomorrow, the food, three people to a cell, two in a bed, one on the floor.
That's part of the testimony and information that people came yesterday to testify about, overcrowding, three to a cell and all those other problems that relates with the overcrowding in prisons. I thought yesterday's session was very good, and there will be people talking to prison officials and whatnot.
There will be follow-up. I guess that's the 139 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 best way to say it.
For this hearing, for this particular hearing. This is not the last and final hearing.
I'm not sure, but we will make sure you know. And you also have to read the paper, too.
But that's small print in the back of the paper, baby. That don't get it.
William is going to give you his card, and we'll be in touch with you in a timely fashion to let you know when the next hearing is. 140 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578
They told us about the statute of limitation when it comes to medical testing and human experimentation. They said it was posted in the newspaper. It was an article that big in 1983 in the back of the newspaper (indicating).
Thank you. Thank you for coming in. Next we have Connection Training, Scoop -- you guys can come on up to the table -- Wayne and Steve Blackburn. Wayne, are you going to go first?
First I'd like to thank you, Councilwoman, for having these 141 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 hearings around this issue. I'd like to say my name is Wayne Jacobs. I'm the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Ex-Offenders for Community Empowerment, and this is one of the issues that our organization is very much committed to and had put in a lot of time to work around this issue. One, I would like just to reiterate what Ms. Dietrich said in reference to her issues around the five issues around the background check. Now, personally for myself, I just think that we need to define exactly what we're doing. And when we say "criminal background checks," I think you open the door up to everything, and I think the issue should be not criminal background checks but convictions background checks. I think that's where the focus should be, on convictions and not just background checks, period, in reference to criminal background checks. I think this is where a lot of 142 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 the confusion is happening. Most of the time employees are denying people employment just based on arrest records, and I just feel that employees should not have access to that. They should have access to convictions only. I think that this legislation should be addressing not just criminal background checks but convictions background checks. And I also feel that the State Police should have that responsibility in the State of Pennsylvania to verify if a person ever been convicted. I think they should be the only agency doing that. This will cut back a lot of the confusion, just like what Ms. Dietrich was saying earlier how employers go look at the court records. The court records are not clear. I'll give you a prime example of myself. Being a repeat offender for over 20 years, if you put my name in the computer or go to the courts and check out who I am, you will find that I have over 20 aliases. That mean 143 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 that if I use somebody else's name and address and birthday and that person never been arrested or anything and they will go look for a job, their name will kick up because of what I've done in the past, you know. So to correct that thing, I just really feel that the concentration should be on convictions and not just criminal background checks. It should be a conviction background check. I know I'm probably changing this stuff here. The other thing I wanted to speak about personally and the other thing is dealing basically with this five-day notice, for a person to reply within five days. Now, our organization, we work around the pardon issue and expungements, and what I find, that most people who are in those situations don't even know where to go, who to talk to, and by the time they do get the information, five days done elapsed. So 144 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 I just think that that process should be made longer for that person to respond. And looking at people credit reports, as you know, most ex-offenders or most people who are convicted is leveled with a lot of fines, a lot of restitutions, and if they were incarcerated, when they coming home and they got children, they got child support. So they automatically going to have a bad credit report. That's automatically going to knock them out of the jobs, you know. I'm just looking at these things and I just see how people are constantly coming up with new added roadblocks to stop ex-offenders from making that successful reintegration. So basically that's my whole testimony, is that I just feel that this legislation should deal with conviction backgrounds and not criminal, because a lot of people can get arrested and never be convicted, but still could be denied 145 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 jobs.
Right. Well, your point and recommendations have been noted. The credit report basically dealt with extremely sensitive positions. So that would not be something that everybody -- I mean, that's something that people do now. They've been doing that for a long time, depending on the type of job you're applying for.
And I just want to say one other thing, in that hopefully this legislation that get passed here in the City can be a model for the state, because after -- I imagine Sharon and I, after we finish dealing with the City here and getting this straightened out, that our next objective will be the state, because they are the next agency or the next government agency that need to deal with this issue. But we're not going to bring the state problem here. And I'd just like to say once again, Councilwoman, I thank God that he 146 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 gave you the vision to do this, and we're 150 percent with you in getting this legislation passed and done. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Councilwoman Miller and members of the Committee. I just want to repeat Wayne's feelings that --
Ex-offender for Community Empowerment. I want to thank Councilwoman Miller and the Committee for having these hearings and for introducing this enlightened piece of legislation. It's been our position that 147 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 ex-offenders are the last minority in this country where it is legal to discriminate against. So we see this issue as really a civil rights issue. And not only when you discriminate against ex-offenders to bar them from employment, ex-offenders have families, they have children. So basically you're targeting whole communities. And, unfortunately, these are minority communities where a lot of these offenders originate. So in a sense, it is our position that the issue of discrimination against ex-offenders is really a civil rights issue, and it's undermining a lot of the gains that have been gained through the '60s and afterwards, because we see same communities being held back, being impoverished and using the vehicle of the criminal justice system. This legislation that's being proposed has a symbolic effect also. I have doubts how far the legislation will 148 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 go as far as opening up opportunities for employment for a lot of people beyond maybe government. The majority of employers are in private industry, and they can basically do a lot of things that they want to do. However, with the government taking the lead and setting the standard -- because I think in the past, government has been guilty of setting the standard for discrimination as far as everything is crime and punishment. That's the answer to all our social ills. Every politician runs on the "get tough on crime" platform, but nobody has really done anything to deal with the social effects of crime and how certain communities are being affected. So I think this legislation has a symbolic effect that government is taking a lead to open up the doors, and we appreciate the work of you, Councilwoman Miller, and this Committee.
Okay. Thank you, and thank you for coming in. 149 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Who is next?
My name is Christine Harrity. Good afternoon, Councilwoman. I want to commend you on your vision to even propose this bill. It's very, very important, and it's been a long time coming, because from a personal perspective, I think we've seen generations of people being denied access to employment, no matter how reformed, how recovered they've been in the employment industry or in finding jobs. I too am an ex-offender. I've been fortunate to find employment for myself and to educate myself, but I've had the same barriers. I work with women today who have blemishes on their records. And I guess I don't have to reiterate a lot of the testimony. You've already heard about the barriers and the denial to employment, the denial even in working with their own children in schools because of criminal backgrounds. I think it's a very, very 150 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 important issue, and basically I want to commend you and the people who are so passionate about this issue, and thank you for standing up for people who could not be here themselves.
Thank you, and thank you for coming in. Okay. Thank you for your testimony, and now we will have -- I know about these three. Is there anyone else that's here to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Okay. So we have Connection, we have Toby and that's it. Hi. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, Councilman Reed Miller and members of the Committee. My name is Douglas Kissell. I'm Vice-President of Development and Quality Assurance for Connection Training Services. To my right I'd like to introduce Ms. Crystal Barnett, who is the Program Director of the Prisoner Reentry 151 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Initiative of Connection Training Services, and to my left is Mr. James Wilson, who is the Executive Director of Connection Training Services. I want to thank you very much for inviting us to speak today about the critical situation we have in Philadelphia in regard to crime and the high rate of recidivism, and I want to note that Connection Training is doing its part in that area. We have been founded since 1992 by our President and Director, Garnett Littlepage, who was unable to be here today. We support both the bill that you introduced, the Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards bill, as well as the increase in the Work Opportunities Tax Credit to $5,000 proposed by Wilson Goode and your group in the City of Philadelphia here. Our mission is, we are a non-profit community-based organization located in your district at 2243 West 152 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Allegheny Avenue at the corner. We own the building there, and our mission is to provide education, vocational training, job preparation, job placement, job retention and advancement, assistance to disadvantaged populations throughout Philadelphia. These include ex-offenders, welfare recipients, unemployed/underemployed and displaced workers. My comments and those of our team are based upon the knowledge we've gained as Connection Training Services has addressed the core needs of ex-offenders from federal, state and county prisons for education, skills training, psychological and addiction counseling and family reunification. We've helped ex-offenders to become engaged in positive activities and become productive law-abiding citizens and have reduced the recidivism rate from 42 percent per year to 15 percent for those we assist. 153 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Connection Training Services offers vocational training in such fields as construction trades, paraging and waterproofing, stucco work, manufactured housing, computer assembly and applications and customer service. We'd like to do so much more in that area, because we are here today also to remind you that while you can open the door to new people and opportunities for jobs, people need the skills necessary in the 21st century to fulfill those jobs. Regardless of whether they do or do not have a criminal record, they need the skills first. So it's nice to open the door, and we certainly appreciate that. We think there is another element, an important element of the equation, which is the skills training that many ex-offenders and, of course, other members of the North Philadelphia community do not have. S. Department of 154 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Labor Employment and Training Administration to provide such services, reentry services, for 200 non-violent offenders each year, and we are the only such organization funded by the Labor Department in the entire State of Pennsylvania. S. Department of Justice to provide 100 at-risk and adjudicated youth ages 10 to 18 with no-entry programs for at-risk youth and reentry and other protective and proactive services for adjudicated delinquents to help keep them away from gangs, to keep them in school and to keep them from recidivating in their communities. Unfortunately, thousands more of our youth are involved with the juvenile justice system annually, and tens of thousands are at risk of involvement with the gangs, illegal drugs and violent behavior in Philadelphia alone.
Many Philadelphia youth age 15 to 18 are high school dropouts that also 155 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 call and visit Connection Training Services seeking job skills, job training, job preparation, resume preparation and career assistance and guidance, but we cannot offer it to them because no significant funding exists for these services or has been solely focused by the City upon, quote, anti-violence programs. While we appreciate the contributions of federal and state agencies, it's time for an enlightened government of the City of Philadelphia to come forth with a program and some funding that goes beyond what we might call "pilot program reentry services" that involve only a few members or a few hundred offenders each year. As noted in the good resolution, this nation spends $50 billion on corrections and associated criminal justice expenditures. The City of Philadelphia spends $388 million each year on its criminal justice system and 156 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 incarceration costs. On the other hand, as you heard testimony earlier today, the City spends about $2 million per year for its Office of Reentry Services. We believe that a significant portion of that will also support the funding for the staff of the office. It's not adequate in view of the magnitude of this problem, the magnitude of the problem as expressed by Mayor Street in his budget speech in January 23, 2006 when he stated that seven out of ten released county prison offenders return to prison within three years after committing new felonies and serious misdemeanors. 1 million per year, because 35,000 are cycled through the Prison System each year. It's time to stop wishing and hoping and start funding programs that prove they can accomplish and reduce the recidivism rate. We have a revolving door that 157 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 cannot and will not improve unless all elements of the formula necessary to take a proactive approach to recidivism are present. The 35,000 figure does not include 8,000 returning from our state prisons and 2,800 returning from federal prisons. Clearly, a program and problem of this proportion needs a reentry department funded for far more than $1 million. After six years of research and program design specifically for ex-offenders, our staff has developed some best practices that can help reduce the recidivism rate. Unfortunately, with funding so limited, thousands are unable to receive these benefits and are returned to penal institutions at a far greater cost. We also viewed firsthand the results of other cities. We're talking about investing in programs because we think the money spent for reentry services will be paid 158 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 back in incarceration and criminal justice system savings many times over. Some may ask, Why should we do anything to help those who repeatedly pray upon the innocent? We'll give you a summary of three good reasons. First of all, it's said that true values of every civilization in government are judged by the way they treat their prisoners. We abhor and detest civilizations throughout the world and governments that torture and condemn citizens to long prison sentences and death without a fair trial. Yet we do much the same because we do not give our citizens a fair opportunity to obtain holistic treatment services, job training, employment opportunities, mentoring and job retention assistance through programs in their communities. When properly administered, these programs can break the vicious cycle of crime, followed by punishment, followed by more crime for the 774,500 159 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 people that are released each year in the United States.
Excuse me. Mr. Kissell, your testimony is -- first or all, it needs to be condensed.
Okay. Let me move on, I guess, to what you're considering today.
And what we're talking about today, can you tie that in?
Yes. I checked -- and it's not specifically stated in here. I did check, however, with our staff, with our retention specialist and with our Executive Director, and of the approximately 700 ex-offenders that we have placed since 2001, we do not know of a single instance of an ex-offender who committed a new crime during his employment, or on the job I would rather phrase that, with an employer anywhere, and we do track our ex-offenders for at least a year and 160 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 provide mentoring services that can go on longer than that. Our point is, yes, they may have returned to prison for parole and probation violations, for, again, drug use, for breaking of house rules at halfway houses, but they appreciate the opportunity they get and sometimes, if you look at the overall statistics, have a much less likelihood of committing a crime on the job than do others from the general population. They often lose jobs because of absences, latenesses and the need for soft skills training that we provide and hope to do a better job with. So we think it's all about jobs, but it's also about preparing people for jobs. Just one statistic that is very important in this area is the fact that the experts say for every 10 to 20 percent increase in the pay that an ex-offender receives in his position, that results in a 10 to 20 percent decrease in the recidivism rate. And 161 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 when you're talking about jobs in construction trades that pay over $15 an hour as mandated under the prevailing wage laws, that can make a huge difference in whether this man succeeds, supports his family, is reintegrated into the community or fails miserably because this is not open to him. Going in this direction and summarizing a little more, we ask the City to think about budgeting, not just for its Prison System every year -- we have X thousand prisoners. We need X million dollars to house them -- but also a budget devoted to reentry. We also suggest, as a second recommendation, the City make available jobs to meet the demands for hiring for jobs for ex-offenders. Set aside some of the lot maintenance jobs solely for ex-offenders as a way of helping that population to get a start. We also feel, as another recommendation, the City should strictly 162 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 enforce the requirement of at least 40 percent of workers on City contracts over 150,000 that deal with creations and repairs and demolitions and alterations of buildings, that that be given to low or moderate-income employees, as required by City law. We also would like to see the bona fide classroom training program exemption in the law increase from eight to housing units. Currently, 13 Connection Training Services can only 14 provide a bona fide construction trades 15 training program that is exempted from 16 the prevailing wage so long as it does 17 not involve more than eight housing 18 units. We think that's an 19 unrealistically low number and needs to 20 be larger. The prevailing wage is kind of a double-edged sword. While ostensibly it appears to help people by providing a minimum amount, in the end it often keeps many people from obtaining jobs because 163 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 they don't have the skills to do the work at that amount. I sort of believe -- I think you can read the rest of our recommendations, let's put it that way.
And thank you again for hearing us. I know it's late in the day.
Thank you. We have one more person to testify. And I know that Connections Training does a very good job. I refer people to you all the time. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Toby.
Hello, Madam Chairperson, City Councilperson Donna 164 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Reed Miller --
-- and colleague. My name is Toby Rich. I'm from Scoop, and I'm called the Mayor of Girard Avenue. I want to commend you and your colleagues in Council for what you're doing. This is a start. This is stuff that America did for what was built up. This was a penal colony, and people were brought here, sent here when they didn't believe in what the Queen believed in and stuff like that, and people went to Australia. And now I'm looking at you, and yesterday was Jannie Blackwell, and you're talking about helping ex-offenders. And, yes, I want to testify about you, this bill. I, too, have been helped by being able to work and a background check. To be honest with you, the 165 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 background check that was done with me was done and helped me, and that's what I wanted to commend you about. It kind of struck me odd that people even thought to complain, because, you know, for a person as the ex-offender to get a job to begin with, you got people that wonder, Are they going to come to work? Are they going to get high? Will they come that day. And what about the crime you committed? What about the wrong you did? So you paid your debt to society, and now you want to work. Do you think it's going to be so easy for you? The Mayor, John Street, helped me enormously, and all of you have helped me. You know my background. I am an ex-offender. I am an ex-drug addict. I am an ex-alcoholic. I, some years ago, even tried and attempted suicide, because I was so distraught with my life. The Mayor still stuck by me. He gave me some choice 166 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 words of encouragement, but he stuck by me at a time when it would have been more popular for him to leave me alone. But I made adjustments, and you know what? The restrictions I don't mind. My work is volunteer. So I basically have to earn my money by any means necessary. I don't mean any wrong means; by any constructive means. The background check at times -- you know, we have a little policy. If I should look like maybe I'm not looking right or acting right and he wants to say, Hey, Tobe, give me a urine, I give him a urine, if that's what he would want, and I got no problem with that. If you're doing right, you have no problem with being questioned, although I know some people might feel a little bent out of shape about that, but I have no problem with that. I feel like this: If I could do the things that I did that was wrong in the street and have 167 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 no problem with that, why would I want to be counterproductive with people that are only trying to help me save my life, only trying to get me to be the best Toby that I can be? I don't think I would have found any other people on the face of this earth that would have given me the opportunity to be here in City Council, write articles, sit around here. And, believe me, there are some people that would rather see me back in that shooting gallery, and I understand that, but that's their problem, it's not mine anymore. I've learned how to deal with that. Even here today, outside I heard a woman say, All them people in there, all they're doing is running their mouth and they're testifying and they're just trying to benefit themselves. There's been times I've been with the Mayor and the Governor and we went on an event, and people knew that I 168 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 was doing an article, but they said not only did I have to have my press pass, I had to have a press pass over my press pass. And the Governor would tell the Mayor, tell so-and-so to give Toby that extra press pass. And you know what? Normally if something like that would have happened to me, I would have went to the quickest guy I could have found to buy a bag of dope to go back to my addiction, because I would have felt, You see, Tobe, them people don't want you to do good. Well, you know what I had to learn? It's not about them people. It's about me.
It's about my grandchildren. It's about my little God grandnephew, your grandnephew, that now looks up to me, and he glad to see Uncle Toby. I remember the day that he would look at me and kind of shun me, because he knew -- he had no idea what was wrong with me, but he knew I wasn't the person that I was before. And before, I was somebody that walked around with a bottle of corn 169 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 liquor in my pocket. So he was even happy with me when I was a drunk, but when I was despaired, he had no idea what was going on. But now he sees me and he runs to me. My grandchildren run to me, and this is all because of people in NA, people in AA, but mainly because of the people right here that have given me the opportunity to become a better person. And if I can do it, anybody can. So the point of having people have background checks, I know that's necessary and I know it needs to be done, but this is something that if a person really wants to change, they can do it. I'd like to make one more point before I go. There was a guy -- and you know him -- and he said to me, Toby -- he asked me how much I make, and I said, I don't make anything, I volunteer. And he said, They just use you, Tobe. You're being used. And I found that to be hilarious, because this same person, one time his daughter was raped. And I don't 170 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 want to mention his name because I want to keep his anonymity, but when his daughter was raped, he came to me and asked me to write an article that would help find the creep that raped her. And I did, and that guy is prosecuted. So now it was all right when he used me for his own convenience, but when he felt a need to try to attack me, he saw that need. And I remember a time when somebody would have did that, I would have went home, got a bottle of corn liquor and got drunk. Well, I no 15 longer need to do that. I can find somebody to talk to and talk out my problem. I would like to just thank the people that helped me, to give you an idea of who helped me, and then that's the end of what I have to say. Of course you, Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller; of course the Mayor, John Street; Commissioner Sylvester Johnson; Deputy Dan Williams, the Fire Commissioner; 171 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Richard Ross, Police Commissioner; Deputy Pat Fox; Commissioner Lloyd Ayers; Captain Nash; Captain Pohah; the Mayor's security staff, all of them, Doug James and Delon; City Councilperson Jannie Blackwell, who I'd like to see run for Mayor; President of Council, Anna Verna; Juan Ramos; Pedo Ramos; Frannie Rizzo; James Kenney; Jack Kelly; Frank DiCicco; Marian Tasco; Mr. O'Neill; Ms. Krajewski, who, you know, even by her not saying anything, I know at times I may have gotten on her nerves, but she allowed me to just be myself, and I respect that. Mr. O'Neill; of course Sonny Driver; Duckie Birch; Jerry Mondesire, who we had our moments; Judge Frederica Massiah-Jackson; Lynne Abraham; Judge Willis Berry; Buddy Sapp. He helped me when my father passed. He helped and talked to my brother that was in Florida. Jimmy Tiune; Lawyer Mike Cord; Lawyer Frank Canty; Bobson Percy Custas; of course Buster; even Tom Knox; Ronald 172 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 Tyree; the lawyer, James Bends. And, you know, it's been so many people. When I heard that in Boston they wanted to help ex-offenders, now, we all know that Boston is not the most -- I won't say it. Love them, but if they can help ex-offenders in Boston, here in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, sisterly affection and pointing children in the right direction, we can do it here. And, of course, Chicago, you know. But I just want to say that you're doing something that is historic, and I want to commend you and thank you, and please keep doing what you're doing. Thank you for letting me share.
Thank you, Toby. And I just have to mention, I just have to say that you have a wonderful support group, all those people that you named. Thank you for coming in.
Is there 173 11/1/06 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 060578 anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Seeing none, this Committee will recess to the call of the Chair. Thank you. (Committee on Public Safety adjourned at 4:10 p.m.) - - - 174 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 November 1, 2006, 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.)