I just wanted to -- because you made certain assertions about what's going on. I just want to acknowledge and I have been in meetings about this ethnic issue in the community. I'm not feeding into that, because from my perspective, we're all Philadelphians, we're all people, and we all find ourselves in the same challenges in those neighborhoods. I'm prepared to sit down and meet with you about those issues, particularly as it relates to developing that community, because I think working with Senator Kitchen in particular, we have done a lot of work and there's been a lot of development in that area. If you have concerns about being displaced, that's just not going to happen, because that's not the objective and it's just not going to happen. So I'm prepared to offer you an opportunity to sit down, talk with you and your organization about some of the concerns in that area.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please call the name of our next person to testify.
Niema Smart, commenting on 110186. MISS SMART: Hi. Good morning, everyone. I mainly came as a support for my mother who just went, but as a lifelong -- as a product of North Philadelphia, I would just like to say the same thing, that I wish to see affordable developments come up for the families that reside in that community, not just the Temple students. We respect the Temple students a great deal, but I think more needs to be done to inform the community in layman's terms in what's going on in the community, and from what I see and the people that I speak to in that community, I don't see that. So, again, I'm going to be brief, because I came mainly as a support for my mother and I didn't really prepare any rhetoric for today. So I just would like to see more information in layman's terms being presented to the people that reside in that area so they could actually know what's going on. Thank you.
Good morning, Madam President, members of Council, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Robert Taylor, a citizen of South Philadelphia. I'm commenting on Ordinance 110232, automatic red light enforcement system. I am opposed to this system. According to an article by DailyFinance by Jonathan Berr, quote, Traffic cameras are seen as cash cows for the backers. Big cities reap millions in revenues from the cameras, which cost about $100,000 to install. According to the National Motor Association, which opposes the use of these photographic devices also, quote, With properly posted speed limits and properly installed traffic control devices, there is no need for ticket cameras. They can actually make the roads less safe. One, ticket cameras do not improve safety despite the claims of companies that sell ticket cameras to provide -- and provide related services. There's no independent verification that the photo enforcement devices improve highway safety, reduce overall accidents or improve the traffic flow. Believing the claims of companies that sell photo enforcement equipment or municipalities that use this equipment is like believing any commercial produced by a company that is trying to sell you something. Two, there is no certifiable witness to the alleged violation. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it may take a thousand words to explain what the picture really means. Even in those rare instances where there is a law enforcement officer is overseeing the ticket camera, it is highly unlikely that the officer will recall this supposed violation. For all practical purposes, there is no accuser for the motorist to confront, which is a constitutional right. There is no one that can personally testify to the circumstances of the alleged violation, and just because a camera unit was operating properly when it was set up does not mean that it was operating properly when the pictures were taken of any given vehicle. Quote, Jay Beeber of Safer Streets LA and a fellow member of the NMA has testified extensively in front of Council and the Board of Police and Commissioners in response to the LAPD's defense of its current program. Through such efforts, he has gained support of many members of both groups. His previous appearances were greatly enhanced by supporting testimony from people like Rhodes Rigsby, the Honorable Mayor of Loma Linda, California, whose city eliminated their red light cameras after seeing a dramatic decrease in violations by simply lengthening the yellow light interval at signalized intersections. Thank you. God bless Philadelphia.
Yes. I'm born and raised in Philadelphia and done a lot of activity all my life here, and I'm a member of the Lyndon LaRouche Political Action Committee. Now, what we see in the lack of firemen, police, teachers, the fact that it's being cut back, that the state government is not providing the funds that it would have done five, ten, 20, 30, 40 years ago, this is an indication that our country is failing, that our economy is not producing. We've lost our steel. We've lost our auto. We've lost machine tool shops. We don't have family farmers anymore. That's been bought up by big financial operations. Not only in the United States, they've also bought it up in Central America and Latin America. This is the same thing happening in Western Europe. The only ones in this world that wants this to happen, it comes from the financiers in the British Empire and the financiers in our Wall Street, like JP Morgan, Rockefeller, Mellon and some foreign financiers that came over to do their business, like this INC, I believe -- or ING from Holland, which has also always been a partner of the British oligarchy, which is the British ruling few, in sucking blood from their own population and in the countries of the rest of the world. And unfortunately they've gotten very strong control in the United States. They have many leading democrats and leading republicans working for them continually. So when we get a President assassinated like John F. Kennedy, the truth does not come out. When his brother, Bobby Kennedy, gets assassinated because they couldn't become President, it don't come out. When Hillary Clinton runs as a democratic candidate and it looks like she may win, then you get something new happening, somebody who was hardly in -never been an actual politician, even state politics much; that is, Obama, all the sudden he gets money like it flows in on him really from London and Wall Street, and with their propaganda, with their control in the news media and CBS, ABC, NBC, the radio networks, Associated Press, United Press, they put this over on the public. So the public falls asleep while the ones who are becoming their government are more now that are out to destroy America, like the British Empire has desired for the last 200 years. So this is why our schools -that's why we don't have teaching in the schools, because it's not considered -you're not likely to hold your job long if you tell the truth in a public school or in a college. And then the instructors, when it comes to economics, they really don't know it. They're teaching British economics, free trade. It should be called the economics of how an empire can --
Now, what has to be done and hasn't been done yet is what Franklin Roosevelt did.
Just a minute, please. (Mr. Fow still speaking. Microphones turned off.)
Thank you, sir. We appreciate your coming in to testify. Is there anyone else here who has signed up to provide public comment on today's agenda? (No response.)
Seeing no one, that concludes today's public comment period. 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 110320.
Madam President, I move that this bill be withdrawn -- this resolution be withdrawn. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Resolution No. 110320 be withdrawn. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it. The motion carries. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution 110349.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the West Philadelphia Redevelopment Area identified by house number and street address as 1326 through 1336 North Fifty-Second Street.
Aye -I'm sorry. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Resolution No. 110349 stand approved. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.) 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 110350.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Thirty-Sixth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 110351.
A resolution proclaiming the week of May 8th, 2011 as "National Women's Health Week."
It has been moved and seconded that Resolution 110351 be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.) 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution No. 110352.
A resolution authorizing Council's Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless to hold hearings concerning the public benefits created by community gardening and urban agriculture and the need for the City of Philadelphia to develop policies to promote and facilitate the use of vacant land for gardens and agriculture.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.) 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
It has been moved and seconded that Resolution 110352 be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution No. 110353.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Twenty-Third Ward of the City of Philadelphia. 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution 110354.
A resolution authorizing Council's Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings on how the City can become more competitive in the global economic 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING markets and reassert itself as a destination for international tourism, economic investment, export markets, job creation and cultural offerings.
I move for the adoption, Madam President. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Resolution 110354 be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution 110355.
A resolution recognizing and congratulating Omega Psi 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING Phi Fraternity, Incorporated on the Centennial Anniversary of their historic founding.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution No. 110356.
A resolution urging the Mayor to again invoke the 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING "Extraordinary Extension" clause of the City's DROP ordinance, in order to authorize and encourage firefighters who are, or in 2012 will be, in the fourth year of the DROP program to remain employees for up to one additional year, in light of the fact that absent such extraordinary relief, the Fire Department will experience a shortage of approximately 98 firefighters in all of FY2012 and part of FY2013.
Madam President, I move the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution (sic) No. 110186.
Bill No. 110186, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to convey to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, a parcel of land with the improvements thereon, located at 1900 through 70 North 9th Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 110209. 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
An ordinance renaming and designating the Strawberry Mansion Health Center, located at 2840 West Dauphin Street, as the "Dr. Chetwynd Bowling Health Center."
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 110228.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into a 25-year Sublicense Agreement with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for the use of a certain strip of land owned by the PECO Energy Company and licensed to PAID, approximately 16 feet wide, beginning 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING near the intersection of Nixon Street and Shawmont Avenue.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 100874.
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 157 by striking from the City Plan and vacating the legally open portions of American Street from Sedgley Avenue northeastwardly to its terminus.
This bill having been read on two different 5/12/11 - STATED - 2ND READING days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.