Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 060010-A.
An ordinance amending Subcode "PM" of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, by providing for a Certificate of Rental Suitability to be provided by the owner of any rental 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING property prior to the inception of any tenancy.
This bill having been read on -- Councilman Mariano, you wish to be recognized?
This bill is a bill that I sponsored with the help of a lot of people, basically the people sitting in the back of the room over there. This is one of them kind of bills that when you get involved with it, you want to do it because you know it's the right thing. And a lot of people that you know and people you don't know call, and a lot of your friends and a lot of your colleagues call and say, We should look at this. When my colleagues call, I noted that they're all good people and it's all with the best of intentions, 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING regardless of what's happening around here the last 12 years or however long it is I've been here. It seems 100. I, frankly, don't know how much longer I'll be here, but this is a bill that we really need to do, and it's the right thing to do. We could debate this bill for another ten years probably, but it is the right thing to do, because it's for people that are taken advantage of. And it's not against people that could take advantage of people, if you know what I'm trying to say. I had a conversation with the L&I Commissioner that you know about, and Councilman Nutter was on the other line, and now suddenly the L&I Commissioner, who I actually like the gentleman, they're not sure if they can do something on this bill. Well, I'm going to say where were they a month ago when we had the hearings? Where were they the last three weeks when my Legislative Aide and my Chief of Staff were meeting with the 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING people that are for this bill and even the people that were against this bill? So I made a promise the day we did this legislation. And the papers get to write a nice thing, because I refuse to speak to them anymore, and the reason I don't speak to them has nothing to do with this bill. Basically, the reason I don't speak to them is because they're basically full of crap and they can't never get the truth if it hits them in the head. But the truth here today is this: This is a bill that we should do, and if anybody doesn't want to vote against it, fine. That's what we get elected for, to make choices, and we make choices on what we think is right. I think it's the right time, and I'll be voting in favor of this bill, and I ask everyone else to vote for it. And the people that told me they couldn't, I understand it. I'm not going to say their names. They have legitimate 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING reasons and they have legitimate concerns, but I'm going to go with this bill. Okay? Thank you.
You're welcome. Again, I will state that this bill -(Applause.)
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally.
Yes. I just want to have this opportunity to point out some things that's been happening over the last week regarding this bill. 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING I've been contacted by the Homeowners Association of Philadelphia, as well as other property owners throughout Northeast and Center City. They have some questions about this bill, and I think they would like to have some input to make some improvements on this bill which would make everyone happy. I think what we need, we need time to do it, and I'm asking the sponsor of the bill if he would hold it for at least a week or so until we could get this information from these people so we could make this bill better than what it is today. I'm not saying at this point that the bill -- I think the intent of the bill is good, but I think it can be improved. Therefore, I am asking the sponsor of this bill to hold it at this time.
Thank you, Madam President. I love Jack Kelly. 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING He's a great guy, and normally I would do whatever he asked, to an extent, but not today. They had a lot of time to be involved in this bill. My Chief of Staff and my Legislative Aide have been working and going over it with people. Some people are just not going to be for this bill, and I would be against holding it and I can't hold it. I'd rather it came up and didn't happen than we would hold it, just for the effect that the people that are taking advantage of this City by a small group of people need to know that someone is in their corner. It's not about me, believe me. They're going to write whatever they write anyhow. They never get it right anyhow, so it don't matter. But these people in here need something. It's not about me. It's about all of us. So thank you. Sorry, Councilman, but I wouldn't be in favor of that.
Thank 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney. (Applause.)
Thank you, Madam President. I do believe this bill is well-intentioned and I believe that people who have crafted it, along with the sponsor of the bill, are well-intentioned. My concern, however, and I want the record to reflect that, is that it is very difficult to find affordable rental housing in the City of Philadelphia. The concerns expressed by L&I, albeit recently, is that the inability to process the paperwork and the inspections necessary to certify a property as rentable could in fact hurt the very people that this bill is intended to help, and, that is, by making less apartment units available in a timely fashion and also by getting people who want to go into the rental business 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING to stay away from the rental business because of this additional requirement. So in the end, I understand the need for people to be protected and for the people to have rights that are clear, but I think that because of the additional burdens that are going to be put on property owners and people who would at some point in time become property managers and landlords, that there may wind up being less apartments available for people at an affordable price than there are today. So for that reason, I'm voting no. Not because I disagree with the intent of the bill, but because I think what's going to happen as a result of the implementation of the bill is going to be a disaster for poor renters. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke. 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I was present at the public hearing on this particular bill, and there were several issues raised, a couple of issues raised by representatives of the Homeowners Association. There was actually an amendment that was requested by the Homeowners Association, and I believe the sponsor agreed and we did amend that portion out of the bill that talked about certain provisions as it related to defects in properties. At that hearing, the Homeowners Association representative indicated that he was satisfied with that. I also talked to Mr. Otis Haigler, who is a representative from the Department of License and Inspection. He indicated at the time that there were certain regulatory things that the Department of L&I would do to determine the level of the provisions of the bill 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING that could be applicable to this particular situation. So I believe that this bill, like a number of other bills that we've recently passed that I, frankly speaking, had some concerns about our ability to adequately implement them, can be dealt with on the regulatory side of government. We pass bills and more often than not, we have certain terms and conditions that are attached to the bill. I believe that from a regulatory perspective, the Department of L&I could adequately address any concerns that any of the homeowners have, particularly the homeowners who are doing the right thing. And I think that we need to send the right signal to support these individuals who are in positions. And I understand Councilman Kenney's concern about affordable housing. I obviously have a big problem with that with a number of my constituents, but affordable housing 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING should still be appropriate housing, and I don't think that we should allow people to continue to have inappropriate conditions in some of these properties. So I think I will be voting for this bill today.
Then I will repeat. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll.
A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. (Applause.)
The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 051230.
An ordinance dissolving the West Philadelphia Retail Tax Increment Financing District and creating the Park West Tax Increment Financing District, being the area generally bounded by Columbia Avenue on the north, North 50th Street on the east, Merion Avenue on the south and North 52nd Street on the west.
This bill having been read on two different 2/23/06 - STATED - 2ND READING days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. That completes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the Minority? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to adjourn.
Madam President, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March the 2nd, 2006. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March the 2nd at 10:00 a.m. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and Council will be adjourned. much. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m.) 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 February 23, 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.)