Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of -
Yes. I ask that Bill No. 210284 be removed from the Bill Consent Agenda.
Okay. We'll do it now. It's been moved and seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilwoman Parker, with the exception of 210284. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Parker for the purpose of STATED MEETING 54 6/23/2022 2ND READING calling up bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. In addition to the resolutions and bills being considered on the Consent Agendas, the following resolutions and bills are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Nos. 220616, and 210284 and Nos. 220197-A, 220544, 220545, 200040-A, 200006-AA, 200007-A, 220187, 200012, 220284, 220285, 220286, 220410, 220485, 220497, 220499, 220414, 220292, and 220322. All other bills and resolutions are being held, Mr. President.
And for the record, 210284 will be on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Thank you, Councilwoman. Before we proceed with our public comment session, we will take a STATED MEETING 55 6/23/2022 brief five- to ten-minute recess, more like ten, to give our technology professionals an opportunity to connect our speakers that we have for today's meeting. Modesto, let us know when everyone is connected. Thank you. COUNCIL SUPPORT: Yes, we will, Council President. Thank you. (Short recess.)
Thank you very much, and thank you for your patience as we connected everyone for public comment. So now that everyone is connected to the meeting and before considering the resolutions and bills we have before us today, we will do our public comment. The public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for possible action at a STATED MEETING 56 6/23/2022 session of Council. A speaker on any of those matters must sign up in order to testify. You must call 215-686-3406 by 3:00 p.m. the day before the session to sign up for public comment. When you call, we will take your name, phone number, the number of the legislative item you are commenting on, and whether you are in support of or against the legislation, and add your name to the list. We will telephone each person on the list during the Council session and invite them to our remote meeting. Today because of the significant volume of individuals we have to testify, your time limit will be two minutes. We ask that you please adjust your testimony to reflect the two-minute limit. Normally based on a lower volume, we will have up to three minutes, but, again, thank you for participating. In order to be fair to all STATED MEETING 57 6/23/2022 those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit. Once invited to the meeting and asked to begin your testimony, a timer will be started. We will monitor your remaining time throughout your testimony, and when there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, we will remind you of this. Once your allotted time has passed, you will be asked to conclude your remarks, and shortly thereafter, you will be muted and disconnected from the remote meeting. I also reserve the right to limit the number of speakers where repetitious comments are being made on the same subject matter, which could affect callbacks for public comment at a meeting. Please be aware that the public meeting is being recorded. So because the meeting is public, viewers have no reasonable expectations of privacy. So by continuing to be in the meeting, you are consenting to being recorded. STATED MEETING 58 6/23/2022 I want to thank you very much for your willingness to participate in the City Council public comment session today. I will now ask Mr. Decker to please read the first name of our speaker on the list.
The first speaker today is Sarina Rose, commenting on 210740-A.
State your name and please proceed with your testimony.
Good morning. My name is Sarina Rose. I'm providing public comment today on Bill No. 210740-A as a representative of the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia, most commonly known as the BIA. I'm the Treasurer of the BIA and I also co-chair the BIA Government Affairs Committee. STATED MEETING 59 6/23/2022 I want to thank Council President Clarke and Councilmembers for affording me the opportunity to provide comment regarding the licensure requirements for sheet metal workers. Last week's floor amendment made minor changes to the definition of the sheet metal apprenticeship program requirements, but the existing definition as currently written in the code is in direct conflict with the state and federal requirements. Specifically, the City has had long a requirement for 800 hours of classroom instruction instead of 576 hours the state and federal governments require. Apprenticeship programs like this are highly regulated and must be approved by the Commonwealth. Requiring more hours of classroom training specifically within already approved programs' approved curriculum does not make sense. This might seem like an STATED MEETING 60 6/23/2022 innocuous distinction and aspect of the code, but it is not. The 576 hours are intended to be spread over a duration of more than four years and 8,000 hours of field apprenticeship training and achieved while maintaining a work-life balance. If L&I were to enforce this conflicting aspect of the code, there will be many Philadelphia residents that would not be able to comply with this requirement at the schools where they currently enroll. It would also require that the program in which apprentices are enrolled across the Commonwealth be modified for just Philadelphia, which most schools will not elect to do. Recently, enforcement of similar differences in other sections of the code resulted in mass relocation of apprenticeship licenses, exposure to litigation for the City, and ultimately a rollback of the enforcement of these aspects of the code that so clearly cause STATED MEETING 61 6/23/2022 disparate impact. Fixing the code increases access to those who have historically been overlooked for these coveted careers. To be clear, we are advocating for increased training by training more people, not less. This is one meaningful step in the direction of creating equal requirements for apprenticeship careers without favoritism to one particular school or program. Thank you very much.
The next speaker is Thomas Saint Hill, commenting on 220006, 220007, and 200040.
Good morning -COUNCIL SUPPORT: Chief Clerk, the next two speakers are not on the line.
The next speaker is David Christian. STATED MEETING 62 6/23/2022
The next speaker, Mr. Christian? COUNCIL SUPPORT: Also not on the line.
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony.
Yes. My name is Robert Reilly. I have a lifelong connection and love to the great City of Philadelphia, born and raised in Philadelphia, attended Father Judge High School, La Salle College for a BS and a Master's, served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, multiple long-term career assignments in the City at SmithKline Pharmaceuticals and Breyers Ice Cream, to name a few, multiple years as President of the Edison High School Friends Association component of the alumni association. Over the last few years, with the explosion of the homeless population in the City and in also STATED MEETING 63 6/23/2022 Camden, I've spent much time in service and in packing up my SUV and distributing it from 2400 to 2900 Kensington Avenue. Relative to the veterans preference, Philadelphia is a world-class city, and world-class cities embrace those who serve and those who promise to lay down their lives and protect the citizens. And in the case of military citizens, wherever they are around the world, world-class cities then should help and integrate those that make those solemn, unwavering promises to help them integrate back into the society that they left and the career path that was slowed down while they extended their time into multiple combat tours. In fact, the veterans preference really should earn them multiple preferences. If it's five percent and they serve three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, then it should be 15 percent, or actually they should be able to pick any job OJT and give them a STATED MEETING 64 6/23/2022 chance for six months to do it, because, by God, they will do it. Also, well-trained professional protectors integrated throughout the City. More I believe would be better than less. City legacy, that is what we should do. The promises were solemn, they were unwavering, and they were indelible, and the City really needs to respond back and embrace them and welcome them back and help integrate them back into the great city that they left. Thank you for allowing me to address this special session. I love you all and I love the City. God bless America. God bless all our veterans. Thank you. Bye.
Thank you very much for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed. STATED MEETING 65 6/23/2022
Good morning, Council President Darrell Clarke and all members of City Council. My name is Joe Griffies. I'm a graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School. I went to Vietnam with my brother in 1967. I am one of the founders of the Philadelphia Veterans Day Parade. I am the person that named the VA Hospital for Michael Crescenz, who is the only Philadelphia Medal of Honor recipient since the Civil War. And I'm very upset at the fact that we want to change the Charter bill to give jobs to our veterans. I believe the City, Mr. President -- and you met me many times. I sat next to you when the Edison held this building that Bob Wiley was going to save that building at a dear cost to almost his life to house 66 homeless people, but we should be focusing on Kensington Avenue and not changing Charter bills to harm our veterans. STATED MEETING 66 6/23/2022 We had a young homicide, I was told 30-year-old woman, that was set on fire over the weekend by a gang of kids in that area. We lost a fireman. We lose veterans in war, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, North Korea. We shouldn't lose marine firemen to a building that should have been abandoned, that should have been torn down. He'll be buried over the weekend. He didn't die at war. He died in the City of Philadelphia. We're focusing on the wrong things. There's talk now that the Michael J. Crescenz VA Hospital at 34th and Woodland is on a target to be closed. Thousands of people will lose their jobs, and we're focusing on harming veterans. Council President Clarke, I have a lot of respect for you. You went to the largest school to lose 64 graduates from Edison High School, the most in the country, and, sir, you can't disgrace their grace and their death by hurting our veterans. STATED MEETING 67 6/23/2022 I want to thank you for your time.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate it. And thank you for your service.
My name is -good morning, Council. My name is Jerry Temtesta. I'm a 1966 graduate of Bishop Neumann High School. I was in Vietnam from July 1969 to July 1970. I'm a decorated combat Vietnam veteran. What you're trying to do with these bills is not right. Veterans go right out of high school, and a lot of them went right out of high school right in the military, and when they come back, they need to have this veterans preference so that they could learn a trade, they can get a job with the City STATED MEETING 68 6/23/2022 and integrate the City of Brotherly Love. And I think it's very important. There's a lot of veterans today committing suicide, okay, when they came back from Afghanistan and Iraq and also Vietnam, because they feel like it's hopeless, like nobody is trying to help them. And you can't do away with veterans preference, because it's there to help a lot of veterans. They deserve it. They earned it. And that's all I have to say.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony. COUNCIL SUPPORT: Clerk, the next person on the line --
Michael Daily, are you connected? (No response.)
STATED MEETING 69 6/23/2022 Mr. Daily? (No response.)
Good morning. Please state your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony. (No response.)
Ari Merretazon, are you connected? (No response.)
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
Council President Clarke and Councilmembers, good morning. My name is George Ginder. I'm a veteran, STATED MEETING 70 6/23/2022 a combat-wounded veteran with over 25 years of active-duty service in the United States Army. I speak to you today as an individual veteran with memberships in several well-known local and national veterans organizations. I am opposed to Bills 200040, 200006-A, and 200007. As a service member, I was well aware of the benefits afforded to veterans when they separated from military service, one of which is the preference point program adopted for veterans who choose to enter civil service. The bills mentioned essentially dilute this veteran benefit by awarding preference points to others who are non-military service-connected personnel whereby diminishing a point preference. A veteran earns all of the benefits that are awarded to him for serving their country and all that military service entails. Today, here in the City of Philadelphia, there are STATED MEETING 71 6/23/2022 pending bills that would reduce the veterans statute that they earned for their service to country. I ask you, is this a message that we want to send across our nation? Need I mention that three branches of our country's military services were established right here in Philadelphia? I urge Council to do what is right for veterans in this instance. Do not pass a bill that diminishes a veteran's civil service preference and further diminishes their statute in their communities. Remember, the people I mentioned decided to serve this country for us. Please now let's serve them. I thank you for the time to speak today, and have a good day.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate it. Thank you for your service. STATED MEETING 72 6/23/2022
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
Good morning, Council President Clarke and to your 16 colleagues. My name is Joe Eastman. I live in South Philadelphia. I'm a taxpayer. I served this country in uniform for 26 years as a junior enlisted man, a senior non-commissioned officer, and a commissioned officer. I've gone in harm's way for this country, and I, like most of my colleagues who will be speaking today, I had a disability that I will take to my grave with me. I have a request and a comment. My request is that when you vote on these bills, please do so in a roll call fashion. There seems to be some controversy we found out this morning as to how a couple of people or some of your colleagues may have voted last week. I STATED MEETING 73 6/23/2022 know what I heard, but I'm willing to stipulate my ears may not be what they used to be. So I think a roll call vote so we get to hear each individual elected official that would be voting today and there will be no equivocation and misunderstanding as to how they vote. Now a comment, and I'll be very brief. I've been reading a lot of things back and forth, some things from KYW, some things posted on e-mail or social media and e-mails. I can say this: In the two and a half years or so that this process has been going on, I feel I've been closely involved with it. Not once -- let me repeat that -- not once have I ever heard Councilman David Oh speak adversely or disrespectfully about any of his colleagues in regard to this legislation. He has solely -- I'll say that again -- he has solely spoken to the merits or non-merits of the legislation. I had a couple of private minutes with Councilman Oh at the Vietnam STATED MEETING 74 6/23/2022 and Korean War memorials on Memorial Day. The only two Councilpeople who were there were Councilman Oh and Councilman Squilla, by the way, and I probably spoke with him for five minutes. He spoke to the merits and non-merits of the legislation and how it might play out. At no time, at no time, at no time written or otherwise has Councilman Oh ever disparaged one of his colleagues with (unintelligible), and that needs to be said. And I am one of the veterans that would be correcting the record in regards to some of this stuff, and we will make sure that people understand that Councilman Oh conducted himself in an incredibly professional way and would not allow any of us, not that it happened, would not allow any of us to disparage any member of Council. Thank you so much for your time, Council President Clarke. I appreciate it.
STATED MEETING 75 6/23/2022 Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony today and thank you for your service.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
(Connection issues) and I am the current President of the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, have been actively involved in veterans affairs for decades. I speak again to this bill for a couple of reasons. I was opposed to it initially, and nothing I've heard or seen since there has changed my mind about this. My opposition stems from the fact that while I recognize that this bill does not literally take away points from the veterans, it does, as my friend George Ginder said, erode veterans preference. Once we start picking away at this, I can guarantee you somebody will be back again, and my fear is that STATED MEETING 76 6/23/2022 this will be eroded so badly that veterans' rights will be taken care of. I appreciate the Councilwoman's concept, providing others with benefits, but I would remind people that these young men and women that go to technical schools already have a leg up and certainly can compete in the job market, at least in my opinion. So, again, I state that I am adamantly opposed to this legislation and have been since it was first introduced. Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. Thank you for your service.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
Good morning, Council President Clarke. Good morning, STATED MEETING 77 6/23/2022 members of City Council. Thank you for providing me with this opportunity to comment. My name is Rich Yoka. I'm a lifelong resident of this great city. I'm a graduate of Roman Catholic High School and Temple University. I'm a three-year veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division. I am formerly the volunteer President of Fairmount Sports Association, one of the largest inner city youth organizations within the confines of Philadelphia. I am now the Chairman of the Philadelphia Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association. Let me be clear. I oppose any/all bills which would infringe, diminish, reduce, erode the City of Philadelphia's current veterans civil service preferences and veterans' rights. Veterans earned this right. That is the basis for veterans preference. They went abroad. They left their families. They fought. Some died; some came home. I personally question also the STATED MEETING 78 6/23/2022 validity and strategy of such legislation and the (unintelligible) for going to school and when does this type of legislation end and how far will it go? Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony this morning and thank you for your service.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony. MR. McCOY: President Clarke, I'm a big fan of yours. Thank you for your leadership with City Council. Citizen, soldier, patriot, Andre McCoy in opposition of Bill 06, 07, and 40 for a Charter change. Citizen, soldier, patriot, a citizen is not a subject or a slave to a governmental body or organization or ideology. A soldier is a person who has trained mentally, emotionally, and STATED MEETING 79 6/23/2022 physically as a warrior to overcome obstacles and challenges, at the risk of losing eyesight, a limb, or life itself in defense of a battle buddy, their unit, their country. Specifically, my opportunities in the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army is to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic, a patriot, that love -- and supports and defends America and its interests, and that love I have shared for America freely to others in other countries so they can support and prosper where they are. A more patriotic duty, love of country leads. Bill 06, 07, and 40 for a Charter change have good intentions, but this is bad judgment and these are bad bills that are ill conceived, which I am strongly opposed. This does not support American interest and strong citizenship. My great-great grandfather STATED MEETING 80 6/23/2022 fought in the Civil War with the 26th Pennsylvania Volunteers, including Gettysburg, lived on Ridge Avenue near Spring Garden Street and 3rd and Fernwood Cemetery. My uncle from South Philadelphia, two tours of Vietnam as a Green Beret. I was born in Germantown Hospital and served on active reserve and guard duty status in the military for over 30 years. I request, I humbly request, for you to review the letters of references I have already provided. Why a Charter change? If it's that significant, why no impact study has been done? Even a related 2018 Pew study does not support these bills. Again, a Charter change is not necessary. Oppose these bills. Legal review has not been completed. It appears to violate U.S., PA, and Philadelphia laws. I supplied specific references and citations. Therefore, there is no confidence that the due STATED MEETING 81 6/23/2022 diligence has been done completely for a Charter change. Oppose these bills. Who is John Galt? This affects veterans and has been known for over two years. Another attempt to check the block was made. Concerns and issues were voiced by your veteran advisors, specifically said we need to protect the veterans hiring process, the concept of preference, provide City internships and provide apprenticeships. Internships and apprenticeships were ignored. Apparently that attempt was amended last week, which codifies it is widely known that these bills harm veterans with amendments that put veterans in unfavorable and diminished position against anyone else who is in the hiring pool. This package discriminates. Oppose these bills. This would be a Charter change for discrimination. Oppose these Charter changes. This discriminates disabled, every other STATED MEETING 82 6/23/2022 public school student, every vo-tech student that's not in a public school, any other higher ed high school student, like catholic schools, private schools, and charter schools. This discriminates against firefighters and police. We have already lost Carter versus the City of Philadelphia, 1993. The City of Philadelphia lost against that under the same guise. This violates Philadelphia Civil Service Regulation 9.024. It also violates Home Rule Act 53 and Pennsylvania Statutes -
Mr. McCoy? MR. McCOY: -- 51, Subsection 7109, Subsection 113 -- I'm sorry; 13131, 1949, Pennsylvania Statute 7104B, Pennsylvania Veterans Preference Act. It violates that. It violates --
Mr. McCoy? STATED MEETING 83 6/23/2022 MR. McCOY: -- Federal 42 USC Code 1983 and the U.S. Constitution 14th Amendment.
Mr. McCoy -MR. McCOY: Sir, that completes my testimony. Thank you.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
Hi. This is Tiffany Ellis and I'm in support of Bill 220285. The Cobbs Street Golf Course, the Community Education Center I believe will be a great asset to the community for our children. We have a significant amount of kids who are getting involved in gang activity and just different mischief throughout the City of STATED MEETING 84 6/23/2022 Philadelphia, as we know. So I do believe that it will be a great asset to our community. They have also partnered with us and came into our school to do certain things with our kids around social and emotional learning, which will also be trickled back into the golf course through the community center. So with the -- again, with the amount of violence that are going in our city, I believe that that will be a great asset to the children and the families to gain resources and access to do other things. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
Hi. Good morning. STATED MEETING 85 6/23/2022 I didn't hear my name. Hi. Hello?
Okay. I'm sorry. First of all, I want to -- good morning, and I want to do quickly. The fact that -- I want to say that for the legal -- a legal defense for RCOs, I support it. It should have been set up a long time ago with RCOs back in 2012. But I want to move on to the Save Our Home tax bills, and that's what I want to talk about. I have a real concern. I feel that these tax bills are a Band-Aid that you're putting on to not address the real issue. You're still not wanting to address these market-rate training machine that you have running that is moving forward in our neighborhoods. Okay? You're sitting up here, and these bills will be obsolete in three to four years, three to five years from now. What I'm proposing is that STATED MEETING 86 6/23/2022 there be a hearing. According what we're finding out, what I was able to look into, which is there was a new system set up with a new calculator. Okay? It had to be part of the budget. How could you put in a new system and not be part of the budget? And so, therefore, why not have hearings? Who's programming the calculator for 31 percent and then next year 51 percent and 71 percent? Okay. So then by then, the $80,000 will be obsolete. Okay? I'm saying we need to have a real common sense approach to this at this particular point. The reality of it is is that what is the next generation, how are they going to reinvest back into the community? If you take Graduate Hospital area -- and I would suggest to everybody that during the summer, take a ride through Graduate Hospital area, not when Odunde is there but away from Odunde. STATED MEETING 87 6/23/2022 You will see there's not no real investment in Graduate Hospital area unless you're coming with a $400,000 to $500,000 price tag. The reality is is that at this particular point is that I think that Saint Charles Senior Citizen Center was sold to a developer and now $1.7 -- 1 point million dollar homes are being sold in that property. Why was Saint Charles Senior Citizen Center sold? You need to deal with the -I'm losing my train of thought. What I want to say is, I don't appreciate the fact you wait until the last day and put 18 pages of bills and then you want to limit our talking, our public speaking to three minutes. That's not right. It's about time management on your part. You should not take away our three minutes to have to say something. So I'll get my message out another way. Thank you.
STATED MEETING 88 6/23/2022 Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed.
-- members of City Council, the public, and my fellow veterans. My name is Tommy Saint Hill. I served in the United States Marine Corps for four years, 1969 to 1972, including a 13-month combat tour in the Republic of South Vietnam as an S2 intelligence scout sniper, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Division. I strongly -- let me say this: Councilwoman Gilmore is a friend of mine. She's an excellent public servant. I support her, but I strongly oppose this STATED MEETING 89 6/23/2022 bill. This bill dilutes the rights of veterans who risk their lives defending this country. And I don't have anything against the Councilwoman or any other person on this Council. I think it's an excellent legislative body to help children, kids, and the public, but as a veteran, this bill is disrespectful to veterans and everybody who risked their lives so we can have the freedoms that we have now. Thank you all. God bless you, and God bless my fellow veterans. Have a nice day.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. Thank you for your service.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed. STATED MEETING 90 6/23/2022
My name is Lawrence Martin and I've been a resident in West Philadelphia since 1956, and I am totally wholeheartedly in support of 220285, that number there, that bill, because I've had an opportunity to talk to that Cobbs Creek group, and what they're initiating, what they're putting together is so needed in our community. I've been an activist out there for a long time. I had an opportunity about a week and a half ago to be the commencement speaker to those eighth graders. We're talking about some eighth graders that don't have a lot of hope, who have buried five of their peers within a little more than a year. I don't know what that feels like, even though I come from these streets, when you're 12, 13, 14 years old and you bury STATED MEETING 91 6/23/2022 some of your friends. So this initiative that they're putting together where the golf course, but what really has my heart is that educational facility, that self-esteem that they can -- these kids and children can come back to, and that mental part that they're going to have in that building, where it gave me the opportunity to close out the other day to let those children know when they go through life, when the bumps that they're going to -- that's waiting there for them, when life that gives them a hand that they may not have chosen, to make their way back to this foundation that we're putting together right now, and we're putting together a project right now for these children that we can put them back on the right path. So, again, I thank you for the opportunity to share, and we're going to win this. Thank you much. STATED MEETING 92 6/23/2022
Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed.
Hi. Good morning to our esteemed Councilmembers and all of those who are listening in. My name is Kendra Jenkins and I'm a proud Philadelphian residing in the Wynnefield neighborhood of West Philly now, and I am calling in support of Bill No. 220285, and I want to show my immense excitement for what is happening, things that could be happening at the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and what that means for our community, my community in particular. This project is about three things. It's about restoration. It's about building a legacy for our students, our kids, and our residents. And it's STATED MEETING 93 6/23/2022 about making this long-neglected area much safer. And all of these goals are worthy of the investment by the City. For me, this is deeply personal. My grandmother purchased a home on Cobbs Creek Parkway many, many years ago. My father was raised in this neighborhood and committed his life to coaching students just like him in the district. My sister taught for 20 years at Anderson. And even my partner has committed his life as a coach to supporting and encouraging non-traditional sports in particular for our Black and Brown children in that area while supporting their emotional, physical, and social development. And for me personally as an employee of the School District of Philadelphia and working in SEL, it is imperative that our children, especially in the wake of the multiple pandemics that are occurring in our city, right, have an opportunity to feel this STATED MEETING 94 6/23/2022 investment, to feel you as our elected leaders that they care -- that you care about their overall development. So this cites new community education center will offer that athletic and academic opportunities for our local children who currently aren't able to access at this course. That would also be fulfilling a dream of my late father known as Coach Jenkins. So students would attend a state-of-the-art educational facility that promotes self-esteem and positive racial identity, while empowering our students with the social, emotional, and academic support they need, as well as the current residents, right, for providing economic prosperity. So I see this as an extension of the greatness that our wonderful city already has to offer. So I implore you to invest now for our children, for our neighborhood that has been overlooked, for our residents, for our economic STATED MEETING 95 6/23/2022 growth towards our prosperity of Philadelphians, because we deserve it. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed. (No response.)
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed.
Good morning. This is Carol Allen. I would like to say good STATED MEETING 96 6/23/2022 morning to everyone in the City Council. I'm speaking for Bill 220285. I lived in the Overbrook Park facing the golf course between the 10th and the 11th hole it used to be. I've been living here for 25 years. I'm very active in the community. I'm a retiree from Verizon. When I did that, I worked in the school system and taught from '02 to '14. Then I worked at the Please Touch Museum and taught the kids at Please Touch Museum until the pandemic. I support this very significant revitalization of Cobbs Creek Golf Course. It's very much needed. I've seen it go down, and I'm glad it's going to be brought back up. I really love the community center, because I'm all in it for the kids. I really appreciate you wanting to help the youth, because they need it more than ever. They need to feel responsible. They need self-esteem. They need everything that we could offer STATED MEETING 97 6/23/2022 them. And also I love the fact that you're going to bring a lot of jobs to here, and I would love to be one of them employees of part time to help, because I'm helping in every way I can. And most of all, I really like that you're restoring history. That is very important, and that's something also for our children to know. So I thank you very much. God bless you all, and keep up the good work.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed.
Good morning. My name is Asmeret Easley. I'm a proud native of Philadelphia, which encouraged me to aim to be where I am today, one of the proud principals of Overbrook STATED MEETING 98 6/23/2022 Educational Center, also known as OEC here in the School District of Philadelphia in Overbrook. Shout-out to Curtis Jones. We are a K to 8 school who serves one-third of visually impaired students in our District. We can walk across the street and we're on the grounds of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course land. I thank you for that parking, members of City Council. I want to start off with a quote. Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind? From the late, great John Lewis. I think automatically of the history of that golf course. That was a part of a National Black Hall of Fame. Black players and winners were able to play in 1916. That's the history we teach our students. When we're talking STATED MEETING 99 6/23/2022 about equity and what's going on in the world today, this matters. So think about that legacy of inclusion, which we're big on here at OEC. Already Impact Center has already built relationships with our staff and students and families. They've been present and visible. They've expressed the goals of what they want to see in that golf course, along with what our students want to see. At the end of the year, I recall one of my third graders asking, in noticing contractors and backhoes on the land across the street, and he said to me, are we getting something new across the street, Mrs. Easley? I shared, that is our hope. He smiled and said, can we do it? It's important for children to see that investments in their neighborhood are important for them. It's (connection issues) perspective. My STATED MEETING 100 6/23/2022 students will vision their own eyes and if their community is worth investment, and then they feel worthy, and then they want to give back in the community, and then that leads to current employment, thinking about people in the community that can work in these environments on the golf course, new and modern technology that the current generation can help support and have somewhere to go, a safe haven. We can all sit and talk about the violence in Philadelphia. It's ongoing, and my students right now, I'm worried about them in the summer. They call. "I'm bored." So right now I'm in full support of that, and I know my time is running out. Please come visit us and please give us a place for our students to have as a safe haven.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate it. STATED MEETING 101 6/23/2022
The next speaker is Bonita Cummings, commenting on 220286, 220110, and 220604.
Good day, Council President Clarke and Councilmembers. Can you hear me?
Okay. Resolution No. 220604, Habitat for Humanity is returning equity to the 32nd and 33rd and Oxford and 1500 block of 33rd Street in the area through affordable homeownership. Bill No. 220286, however, the programs, budgets, and projects of some of the presenters this year are not in step with the needs of your overall district and constituency. In the words of James A. Garfield, he who controls the money supply of the nation controls the nation or city, state, et cetera. STATED MEETING 102 6/23/2022 Many grassroots organizations have not learned how to bring their community budget needs to this body and, therefore, as demonstrated in this budget, the neighborhoods' money supply continues to be controlled by the same people. Therefore, nothing has changed, and we, the Black and Brown communities, will struggle another year until budget time comes again. The housing and demolition programs through the budget intended to benefit communities are removing the inheritance wealth from Black and Brown communities in such a rapid rate that they will never recover the poverty created for them and to many generations, not to mention unique church structures that are being torn down. Using eminent domain requires payment of inheritance tax, so if you received a few thousand dollar offer for your family property, after the inheritance tax process, you might have STATED MEETING 103 6/23/2022 another debt due to preparation of forms, hiring professionals to complete inheritance tax forms, et cetera. It is hard to have a conversation, and sound bytes in the Black and Brown communities do not access Councilmembers the same as others in some cases. So as you move forward with your budget, you consider to pause and reset as Project Home, Parks and Rec, Mural Arts, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, PHS, Rebuild, Discovery Center, DBHIDS, Zoning and Planning, Planning Commission, License and Inspection and more, who all testified during this budget season, are not servicing our communities with what we need now and going forward. In many cases, we are not on their real boards, are not in any community advisory capacities of these organizations, and only considered when we complain, as then they set up quick steering committees or send their bullies. There are many atrocities I can STATED MEETING 104 6/23/2022 state, like failure to have legal funds and RCOs having to drain our own resources representing in Black and Brown communities, and the demolition with overzealous conduct of the Department of Licenses and Inspections has increased debt of the Black and Brown communities with demolition liens on land and families that never recover from debt and promote violence and that we will continue to experience. We are willing to have the much-needed continued discussion, and hopefully you will follow up so we can get real accountability. So thank you for allowing me to have a voice today.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Mr. President, with your permission, one final time, we will return to Ari Merretazon, commenting on 220006. STATED MEETING 105 6/23/2022
Great. Thank you so much for the return call. I'm here in Washington, DC at the Black Veterans Empowerment Council national convening, and I had the opportunity to talk with Marty Walsh, Secretary, the United States Department of Labor, and I raised the question around the issue of the reduction of ten point preference to five point preference by giving it to vocational school students. Guess what he told me he'll do? He's going to give a call to Mayor Kenney on this question, because it's asinine. It's ridiculous. It's contrary to anything of democracy and so-called Americanism. How can the City Council under the leadership of -- oh, yeah. City Council can do this under the leadership of Darrell Clarke. Darrell Clarke must go. He's never been a friend for veterans. And how could he allow this real steal to go down under the disguise STATED MEETING 106 6/23/2022 of helping vocational students? Philadelphia, don't go for it. You don't have to be a veteran to understand this. The veterans preference is a federally mandated preference. It's a property right. The City Council of Philadelphia has no standing or power to take our rights from us or take our property from us. And I'm still representing Pointman Soldier Heart Ministries. City Council Darrell Clarke knows that I will be on this issue. I'm going to join shoulder to shoulder, boot to boot with City Councilman David Oh and others who support to get rid of this asinine bill that's being proposed to defile the status of veterans preference. It's ridiculous and, President Darrell Clarke, you should be ashamed of yourself. And all those of you who run your bills through Darrell Clarke and get approval or even submit bills for Darrell STATED MEETING 107 6/23/2022 Clarke, you need to stop it. You need to -- especially the ones who have a close bond with the City. You need to stop it right now. I'm in Washington, DC. I'm at the National Veterans Council and I'm talking to -- had just talked to Marty Walsh, Secretary of the United States Department of Labor, and he will be giving Mayor Kenney a call out of his own words, out of his own mouth. Thank you very much, as I go back to the conference and give them an idea of really what's happening in Philadelphia. Bye now.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning -- good afternoon. I'm sorry. Please proceed. STATED MEETING 108 6/23/2022
Good afternoon. My name is Stanley Shapiro and I'm testifying as Vice Chair of Philly Neighborhood Networks. In a city reeking of violence due to insufficient programs for youth and with so many other unfulfilled needs, it is appalling that Council, with just a few no votes, is choosing, as it has almost every year since 1996, to cut taxes for big business and the rich. As to the BIRT, the cuts will help some small businesses, but as we know, the first hundred thousand dollars of receipts is already exempted from taxation, and thousands of moms and pops will get little or no benefit. As to the wage tax cut, a family with the City's median income of $49,000 would get a weekly cut of $4.69, less than the cost of a gallon of gas. Meanwhile if you're a high roller with a salary of 100 times the median, you would get a windfall of almost $470 a week, STATED MEETING 109 6/23/2022 more than enough to top off a couple of Rolls-Royces. Of course, by definition, half the City would get less than 4.69 a week, and all too many who are out of the wage economy would get nothing at all. Equally disturbing is Council's failure to fund the Philadelphia Public Financing Authority, the precursor to a Philadelphia public bank. This Council passed Bill 210956-A authorizing the creation of the Authority by a 15 to 1 vote, and the Mayor allowed it to become law. Yet it has now become a wholly unfunded mandate. Why would you all vote to bring the Authority into existence and then leave it blowing in the wind? That is a mystery. As you know, the Authority and the bank to follow will create programs to lift the exact group of people who least benefit from the tax cuts you are slated to pass today, businesses owned by Black and Brown families throughout the City who cannot get the financing they STATED MEETING 110 6/23/2022 need to grow and prosper. It would also finance co-ops, businesses which by their nature cannot pack up and leave the City, desperately needed low-income housing ventures, and renewable energy infrastructure. It would be the people's authority, and I assume that's why you voted to bring it into existence. It is not too late to do the right thing and appropriate the $3 million that the Authority needs to start up. Council will be considering transfer bills soon after reconvening in September, and it should search every nook and cranny of this year's budget to find the money needed. Otherwise, the Council vote to create this game-changing institution will be revealed to be nothing more than an empty gesture. We sincerely hope and trust that won't be the case. Thank you very much.
STATED MEETING 111 6/23/2022 Thank you for your testimony.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed.
My name is Peter Winslow. I'm a Philadelphia resident. Thank you, President Clarke and members of City Council, for this opportunity to offer public comment concerning Ordinance No. 220286, adoption of the Fiscal Year 2023 city budget and related matters. We appreciate enactment of Bill No. 210956, effective March 17th, 2022, to establish the Philadelphia Public Financial Authority. We're particularly grateful to Councilmember Green for crafting and guiding this visionary legislation. To implement the legislation, four actions are required: Appoint a board of directors. Incorporate the Authority. Appropriate start-up funds. STATED MEETING 112 6/23/2022 Provide capitalization. Since enactment of Bill No. 210956, the seasons have progressed past the vernal equinox through the summer solstice. The Administration is now preparing to begin a new fiscal year. The Council is now preparing to recess. Yet the City has declined to take any of the actions needed to establish the Financial Authority. Delay is inauspicious. Skeptics doubt the City's good faith. Cynics suspect sabotage. On the plains of hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions, who at the dawn of victory lay down to rest, and in resting, die. The spirit of the Financial Authority will not die because of the City's hesitation. The people of Philadelphia will not rest at the dawn of victory. A movement is rising to democratize money. Philadelphia is in STATED MEETING 113 6/23/2022 the vanguard. Qualified board candidates have stepped forward. We, the people, are ready and waiting for our Financial Authority. The Financial Authority will be the best investment for the future of Philadelphia since William Penn invested his inheritance here in 1682. The City should expedite, not delay, the establishment of the Philadelphia Public Financial Authority. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and please proceed.
My name is Michael Hueghn and I am commenting on Bill 220414, Philly tree fund and landscaping update bill. STATED MEETING 114 6/23/2022 I've been a volunteer for seven years with Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Tree Tender program. We plant street trees in Philadelphia neighborhoods every spring and fall. I commend City Council for addressing Philadelphia's declining tree canopy, but I object to this bill's carve-out for residential development with greater than 51 percent affordable housing. Philadelphia should not have to trade off tree canopy for affordable housing. Smart development can yield both. This bill cannot include counterproductive exceptions like this or we will continue to lose the tree canopy. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Casey Cooklick, commenting on 220414. STATED MEETING 115 6/23/2022
Hi, Council President and members of Council. My name is Casey Cooklick. I'm the Chief of Staff at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. I'm calling today to offer our support for Bill No. 220414, which makes changes to the Zoning Code to better protect and grow a tree canopy in our city. This bill constitutes a first and very important step toward implementation of the upcoming Philly Tree Plan, which will restore the tree canopy across the City with a focus on achieving equity across neighborhoods. Further, as you all know, PHS believes strongly in the power of trees, gardens, and other green spaces to address some of our most pressing challenges around public safety and quality of life. We see these as basic necessities, not nice to have amenities in neighborhoods, and we advance them hand in hand with community members and STATED MEETING 116 6/23/2022 volunteers. More than putting trees in the ground, this bill and your continued support for community-based greening solutions is critical to realizing a healthier, more equitable, and more liveable city. So we thank you for supporting it. We thank you for your support of PHS, and thank you especially to Councilmember Gilmore Richardson for her leadership on these issues. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record. Please proceed. (No response.)
Linda Bell, commenting on 220417. (No response.) STATED MEETING 117 6/23/2022
Ms. Bell, are you connected? COUNCIL SUPPORT: Linda Bell is not connected, Council President.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed. (No response.)
Yes, we can. State your name for the record and please proceed.
My name is Madeline Shikomba. I'm President of STATED MEETING 118 6/23/2022 North of Washington Avenue Coalition. I'm here to speak to you on Bill 220523. I'm asking the City Council not to pass this bill. It will not save lives. It will result in higher deaths and accidents. I'm talking about the road diet proposed for Washington Avenue. This is an ill-conceived design that will replicate the failure of similar designs on 11th Street from Reed to (unintelligible) Street. (Unintelligible) drivers serving at the opposing traffic to avoid parked trucks. Even factories complaining about the blind spot as they attempt to turn from a road -- from behind a row of blocked cars. Washington Avenue is an arterial, a thoroughfare, and it's the only five-lane street in South Philadelphia. It connects residents, businesses, and emergency responders to two major things. On numerous occasions, STATED MEETING 119 6/23/2022 Washington Avenue has been the only means of escape for thousands of residents that live in and around the PES refinery, which is now shut down and rebranded as the Delaware District located on a floodplain. This floodplain will have a tendency to flood with just change in -in climate change. We are asking that you not jeopardize the lives of the people living in South and Southwest Philadelphia for this road diet, which will reduce the traffic and not allow people to evacuate. This is an evacuation road, an emergency road, and people have to be getting out of danger quick, fast, and in a hurry when things happen. We feel that this is being done because -- as we are concerned, this is environmental racism. These people live around a floodplain and also a refinery. We need to have -- the refinery has toxic waste and needs to be remediated. We ask you not to do this. STATED MEETING 120 6/23/2022 Do not jeopardize these people's lives for OTIS to have a redesign for a few people, the Bicycle Coalition and the rest of them, and the gentrification of our area. Please do not allow this to happen. We need Washington Avenue to remain an effective evacuation route, and at no time should it be destroyed just to please a few people and developers who are trying to make more money off of Washington Avenue.
So please do not pass Bill No. 220523. You're causing people to lose their lives. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is the Honorable Reverend Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. STATED MEETING 121 6/23/2022
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony.
W. Wilson Goode, Sr. I'm here in support of Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School. Just a brief story. I moved to Philadelphia in 1954 in Southwest Philadelphia, went to John Bartram High School, and was told that I should be placed in the industrial arts course, not the academic course. I fought hard, got out of the industrial art course and got into the academic course. When I graduated, my high school counselor again told me not to think about college, that I should go find myself a job in a factory. I listened to her for a short time and went to work in the American (unintelligible) Company Factory, and after that experience and then my church sent me off to Morgan State University. STATED MEETING 122 6/23/2022 I just want to say that I made a pledge at that time, my wife and I, to always fight for quality education. So in 2006, I had the opportunity to have found a charter school called the Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School to try and build leaders in Southwest Philadelphia. That school has evolved over the past 16 years into a school that provides quality education with an outstanding Board of Directors. And I can say I've served on more than a hundred board of directors in my lifetime and I don't know a more devoted group of people than that Board. The purpose of my advocating is that tonight the School District may very well revoke the charter of that school, which I think would be a huge mistake for three reasons. Number one, I believe that the charter school is the best educational opportunity for elementary students in Southwest Philadelphia. STATED MEETING 123 6/23/2022 And, number two, it is definitely an educational opportunity for African immigrants. More than 80 percent of the students in the school actually come from Southwest. Eighty percent of the students in Southwest come -- are children of African immigrant. I'll get it right in a minute. I just wanted to say that -I'm trying to get within my two minutes. I just want to say that I believe that a review of the achievements of the school, the achievement of the students from that school will demonstrate to anyone who want to review it that Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School has been a blessing to the students in Southwest Philadelphia, and every single year there's always a long waiting list, more students on the waiting list than we can take into the school. Thank you so much for this time. I appreciate it. And I'm still STATED MEETING 124 6/23/2022 fighting for students in Southwest Philadelphia, who gave me a chance. And I want to just close by saying that the interesting thing, I went to work in that (unintelligible) factory, and in 1983, I was elected Mayor a half block away from where that factory stood, and I had a chance while I lived out there to look at that factory and thought about what I could have been had it not been for someone intervening in my life, and I'm so glad I have an opportunity to intervene in the lives of all those young people, especially those who have African roots, to be a part of the Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School. Thank you so much.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. STATED MEETING 125 6/23/2022
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony.
Hi. My name is Linda Bell. I'm a member of the Citywide RCO Coalition, and I am voting in favor of Bill No. 220417. It is a long time since -- and I want to appreciate -- I appreciate the City Council people who are supporting us in the RCO coalitions all over the City, because we fight hard representing our neighbors and this is a bill that will support us and make it an equitable representation in the ZBA hearings and appeals, because as you have seen with the density movement, it has targeted predominantly oppressed and underserved neighborhoods, and they don't have the finances to fight this unjust density that is being inflicted on our community. STATED MEETING 126 6/23/2022 So I'm just supporting that bill. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Leigh Purnell, commenting on 220544 and 220545.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed.
Good afternoon. My name is Leigh Purnell. I'm the Chief Academic Officer and Principal of Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School, which is located in the Paschalville neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia. I would like to thank you, President Clarke, and the members of Council for the opportunity to testify regarding today's nominations to the School Board. It is essential that we STATED MEETING 127 6/23/2022 consider the needs of all of the school students in the City of Philadelphia when making decisions about School Board nominees. The School Board in Philadelphia has an extraordinary amount of control over the outcomes and future of all of our students. This responsibility requires a board with idealogical balance. Southwest Leadership Academy is a public charter school. We serve over 700 students, 79 percent of whom live in the 19142, 19143, and 19153 zip codes. In the '21-'22 school year, 79 percent of our students qualified for free and reduced lunch. Eighty-five percent of our students are first- or second-generation African and Caribbean immigrants, and 18 languages are spoken in the homes of our students. We are working to build a school community that is physically, intellectually, and emotionally safe, trauma informed and culturally competent STATED MEETING 128 6/23/2022 in order to meet the needs of every child that walks through our doors. This afternoon we will be before the School Board for consideration of renewal of our charter so that we can continue the work that we have done with and for the children and families of Southwest Philadelphia since 2006. Southwest Leadership was recently recognized as a "Beating the Odds" school in a longitudinal study authorized by Elevate 215, formerly known as Philadelphia School Partnership. Despite the weighting given to our school by the Charter Schools Office, the longitudinal study found that our students learn 20.4 percent more in each grade than comparable students using a nationwide dataset. At Southwest Leadership, we take a strength-based approach when working with our students and providing support for families. We ask that the Board of Education would do the same in STATED MEETING 129 6/23/2022 evaluating all schools, including charter schools. I thank you for your time.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed. COUNCIL SUPPORT: Mr. Brigham is not connected, Mr. President.
The next speaker is Corrine O'Connell, commenting on 220604.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record.
Good afternoon, Council President and Council. My name STATED MEETING 130 6/23/2022 is Corrine O'Connell. I'm the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, and I am offering testimony this afternoon with regard to our next development at 33rd and Oxford. So Habitat Philadelphia, we will develop 21 units at Coaching Commons, which has been aptly named by the residents there in Strawberry Mansion. These units will be owner-occupied, and it is a pathway to build generational wealth for 21 local families. The plan calls for a mix of single, duplex, and triplex units so that we can accommodate more family types, and it's important for Council to understand that we are the only local developer that builds ownership units for families below 80 percent of AMI. The majority of Habitat's homeowners are Black and Brown families, and these families shoulder the brunt of the effects of redlining and structural STATED MEETING 131 6/23/2022 racism. So working alongside these families has a direct impact in building generational wealth and closing the racial wealth gap. In addition, we've worked alongside and continue to commit to working alongside the Strawberry Mansion community. We understand that there will be an impact in these homes and with these residents joining this established community. With that in mind, we have worked very, very intentionally alongside members so that the design of these new homes matches, as best we possibly can, the fabric of Strawberry Mansion. The design meets all of the historic overlay that is there in Strawberry Mansion and, again, where feasible, we've worked alongside resident groups to incorporate colors and ornamentation and materials to match the character of the existing fabric in Strawberry Mansion. It is important to Habitat that STATED MEETING 132 6/23/2022 all families in these units have access to their own outside space, so we've been deliberate in creating balconies and space that there is outside fresh air space for families. In closing, as I have mentioned, the project has been named Coaching Commons and honors the historic legacy and was voted and approved on by neighbors. Habitat is ready to build these 21 units. So with today's second public reading, we're excited, we're ready to close with the PRA and to get building at Coaching Commons. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon. Please proceed with your testimony. (No response.) STATED MEETING 133 6/23/2022
Yes. Just state your name for the record and proceed.
Hi. My name is Marcia Reese. I am a future Habitat owner for Habitat for Humanity. I first heard about Habitat a couple years ago, but I could never -- I always had to close (unintelligible). I find out in a while and then having so much what Habitat does for the community, along with the restore. This Habitat home for me will mean that I will not have to -- I could be able to actually work and be able to afford my home and for my child, and where I move my (unintelligible) -- she wants to design her room, and where we live, in income-based house where we rent, we cannot do anything with the property. We can't draw. You can't do STATED MEETING 134 6/23/2022 anything. And it's income-based. So if I can get into the Habitat home, I can make money and provide for my family. That's it. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record. Please proceed.
Thank you, President Clarke. I'm here to testify in support of Bill No. 220611. My name is Ken Penn. I'm the President of Benchmark Real Estate Partners. I'm on the phone along with Mr. Al Hicks, President of the Hawthorne Empowerment Coalition, the community RCO. As developer, along with the Hawthorne community, we are excited to provide new market-rate housing integrated with 30 percent of affordable STATED MEETING 135 6/23/2022 housing all located on site. This development named The Parker after the late KeVen Parker of Ms. Tootsie's Restaurant is named after an African American entrepreneur that has contributed much to the Hawthorne community and its residents. The naming of this development is one of many ways to remember and continue KeVen Parker's legacy for our youth. We are excited to build, with the support of the community and the RCO, to provide housing and necessary affordable housing at 60 percent AMI in one of the most desirable and amenity-rich communities in Philadelphia. We thank the Hawthorne community, Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson in support of this project. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. The next speaker is Ahsrey Var, commenting on 210284 and 220410. STATED MEETING 136 6/23/2022 (No response.)
Ahsrey Var, please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Yes. Hi. Thank you. My name is Ahsrey Var and I am a business owner in Philadelphia, and I'm commenting on Bill No. 220410 and 210284. First of all, I would just like to say thank you to the City Council members who voted to move forward on this bill, and I would like to urge you to please vote yes to the wage and BIRT tax reductions today. As a business owner, I work really hard, with the goal of growing my business, and then when the business grows, you know, we're able to hire and create income for others. No one hires just to hire. We hire because we need help. So the more that we grow, the more help we're going to need and then the more income we're going to create for others. So it just STATED MEETING 137 6/23/2022 makes a lot of sense for us to invest in this kind of growth. These taxes have been the greatest barrier for my business to grow in the City, so reducing the taxes on businesses is a primary action the City could enact to help us grow and hire. We really appreciate all your support for us and our workers and our families. Thank you so much for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Khine Zaw, commenting on 210284 and 220410.
Good afternoon, Council President Clarke and honorable members of the City Council. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to provide STATED MEETING 138 6/23/2022 this testimony today. My name is Khine Zaw. I am President and CEO of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia. We represent more than 13,000 AAPI-owned businesses here in Philadelphia. Our chamber is also a partner of Diverse Chambers Coalition of Greater Philadelphia that consists of Hispanic Chamber, African American Chamber, and Independence Business Alliance, also known as the LGBTQ+ Chamber. We joined the Inclusive Growth Coalition with the main preface of elevating the reduction of business income tax and business receipts tax known as the BIRT tax in this ongoing budget conversation, because for the small Black, Brown, Asian, and diverse businesses we represent, BIRT tax is a major burden. Nearly 90 percent of the respondents in our recent survey indicated that reducing it would have STATED MEETING 139 6/23/2022 highly positive impacts on their businesses. In 2019 alone, Asian American households paid more than $167.9 billion in federal income taxes and almost $72.5 billion in state and local taxes. That being said, the pandemic and surging inflation and violence has posed so many challenges for our businesses. The revenue in Philadelphia's Chinatown fell 40 percent the year after pandemic lockdowns and COVID regulations took place, leaving businesses with limited English ability struggling. I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to invest in our businesses for our city at this very moment. Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate because we have the slowest job growth, the lowest density of businesses, and the least opportunity compared to our peer cities and our suburbs. And yet we love the City, and that's why you keep seeing STATED MEETING 140 6/23/2022 hard-working, multilingual, immigrant families establishing residence and bringing their talents here. Councilmembers, our community members believe that being a part of the workforce and entrepreneurship is rewarding. It creates stability and opportunities that empower our future generations. When people have jobs that they love, they have higher degree of integrity that lead to keeping their neighborhoods cleaner, safer, and more prosperous. As the diverse chambers of commerce, we are pleased to see that Philadelphia City Council voted to move forward with tax relief of Philadelphia businesses as part of the coming year's fiscal budget. Our diverse community offers an incredibly dynamic workforce and multicultural challenge that are integral to the City's social economic development. Helping these businesses STATED MEETING 141 6/23/2022 and families thrive together will not only incentivize them to stay and grow in the City but also attract other businesses to come invest in Philadelphia, especially now as we prepare to host FIFA World Cup in 2026. Thanking you in advance to all the Councilmembers who are voting yes to the amended Bill 220410 and Bill 210284, the wage and BIRT tax reform bills. We truly appreciate your leadership and support and hope you all stay safe and have a wonderful day.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Theresa Lundy, commenting on 210284 and 220410.
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please proceed. (No response.)
Theresa Lundy, STATED MEETING 142 6/23/2022 commenting on 210284.
All right. Just state your name for the record and please proceed.
Good morning, members of City Council, residents of the City of Philadelphia, and the small business community. My name is Theresa Lundy, Principal and Founder of PML Communications, an award-winning public relations firm based in Philadelphia. I'm a member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the African American Chamber to Commerce. In addition, I am a business columnist for Metro Philadelphia. As a leader in the business community for the past seven years, I am in support of Bill No. 220410, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," that will lower business and wage taxes. Members STATED MEETING 143 6/23/2022 of City Council, moving this bill forward allows small businesses to make their mark on the City of Philadelphia and across the region with additional resources to hire, retain, and train employees. Job creation is one of the key backbones of the region's economy. Small businesses have the desire to grow and the willingness to make additional investments in talent and company infrastructure. A vote for Bill No. 220410 is a vote for small businesses and every Philadelphian who will receive the benefit of the wage and business tax reduction. This is only the first step. Lastly, I would like to thank Councilman Isaiah Thomas, Councilman Allan Domb, and Councilman Derek Green for standing with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the Inclusive Growth Coalition at the Give Philly A Raise Rally on June 1st, and I'd also like to thank the rest of the STATED MEETING 144 6/23/2022 Councilmembers who will be voting yes to move this bill forward. Thank you for your consideration. I yield the floor.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good afternoon, Council President Clarke and members of the Philadelphia City Council. My name is Regina A. Hairston, President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, where we have championed Black business ownership and represented the voice of business owners for 30 years. I am here to provide comment and support of STATED MEETING 145 6/23/2022 Bills 210284 and 220410, wage and BIRT revisions. The AACC, in collaboration with the Diverse Chambers Coalition Philadelphia and the Inclusive Growth Coalition, for months have advocated for relief measures to preserve small businesses and jobs here in the City of Philadelphia. These bills are a significant step in the right direction of answering those calls, and I thank City Councilmembers who support these equitable recovery and growth measures. I thank you for your leadership and commitment to ensuring that businesses of all sizes and in all neighborhoods have the ability to stay open, grow, and hire. As we know, Black and Brown-owned businesses in particular were devastated by the negative economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an attrition rate of 44 percent. We also know that Black business ownership lags STATED MEETING 146 6/23/2022 that of other major cities prior to the pandemic. As the second largest city for majority diverse population, including 42.2 percent African American, we should be leading the nation in Black business ownership. Yet we have the lowest Black-owned business per capita rate of any major U.S. city at 1.8 Black-owned business per every 1,000 Black residents. Small businesses provide 30 percent of the jobs in Philadelphia. Small business owners invest in the communities in which they are in. Small business owners are our neighbors. Many are civic leaders and mentors. And with the BIRT and wage tax reduction, as the collective members of the diverse chamber stated through a survey issued that their biggest barrier to doing business in Philadelphia was the BIRT, you, City Council, will signal that Philadelphia values their contribution to the economy and fabric of Philadelphia and will allow STATED MEETING 147 6/23/2022 businesses to reinvest their savings in their businesses. Then as a city, we can invest in small businesses and job growth and support all the significant needs of this world-class city. Today I am proud to say I look forward to continuing to work with this body and Administration on advancing strategic investments to support the growth of our economy and the ability for our diverse businesses to grow and thrive. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.