It's called the Edgar C. Campbell Foundation. I believe, they own the building.
Is someone going to contact the contact person that was in the letter that I sent back in March?
Yes. I sent -- attached to your letter was the letter that I sent to Mr. Smally with a list of questions that I had for him so when I get that information, then we'll be able to figure it out.
I appreciate that. Thank you. 118 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 Madam Chair, Miss Smith testified that she has some other information that needs to be gathered, she thinks that that information can be put together somewhere in the next day or so. The Planning Commission is still saying that they would love to meet and have a discussion, but it sounds like there's no adjustment on the list. And Miss Smith also indicates that we're going to have some discussion about the pilot retaining wall program, but I think we don't necessarily have at the moment an agreement about how much and scope and those kinds of issues. I'd like to have some opportunity within a day or so to get those final answers to any of that information before there's a request to take any action on this particular bill. I'm sorry. And I have one other -- there is one other issue. I don't know if it was raised. I was out of the room a couple times. If it was, I'll keep going. Miss McColloch, you indicated the other day that there was a need because of a cutback in funding to significantly cut back in housing counseling; is that correct? 119 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285
The cuts that were made in housing counseling, where were they made and how many organizations were affected by it?
A total of $647,000 was cut in housing counseling. And I can't tell you the exact number of organizations that were cut. It was in the -- I'm just thinking off the top of my head. I would say eight organizations were cut.
Eight, I think. I would have to double check exactly, but it's around eight
The cuts that were made were for any of the eight, would they represent significant cuts in the budgets of those particular organizations?
In some cases, three organizations were not funded -- that we funded 120 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 last year were not funded for Year 28.
And the remaining five you're saying split up, $600,000 worth of funding? Or is it the eight that's splitting up the $600,000?
What was the impact of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley?
Its funding was reduced from 350,000 last year to 190,000 this year.
Okay. Is it possible that the cut could have been higher?
I'm not advocating for a higher cut. I'm getting 121 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 information that the actual cut may have been more. Is it possible that the $160,000 cut is not completely accurate?
I believe it was $160,000. They received 350 last year and 190 proposed for the year going forward.
Okay. If that's your testimony, then that's fine. I just want to make sure we're having an apples-to-apples discussion.
We have a follow-up question from Councilwoman Tasco on the same issue. Councilwoman Tasco.
Yes. You know, I have a very special interest in Northwest Counseling as well as Housing Association of Delaware Valley. Both of these agencies have been around for many, many years. And if we are to address the issue of predatory lending, I wanted to know how were the cuts determined and how do we expect to increase housing counseling with the rise in predatory lending if we cut those agencies, particularly those agencies which have a strong long-term track record of saving 122 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 people? And at the same time, how do you expect them to adjust to a drastic cut with all the cases that are outstanding when they have to, of course, cut back in staff?
In the case of HADV Northwest Counseling Services, they were cut from -- they were cut more than some of the other agencies because under the previous administration they were called full-service agencies or super agencies. They had funding higher than any other two housing counseling agencies in the City. The decision was made, and it was my decision in this round of housing counseling to not fund the super agencies but to spread the funding around to the neighborhood-based housing counseling center so that the funds were spread to the neighbor-based organizations. So we did not have the designation of super agency or full-service agency this year. So their funding was reduced closer to what it was prior to being full-service agencies or super agencies.
How long were they designated super agencies? 123 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285
I would say three or four years. I would have to check the exact date, but I would say three or four years.
Their funding was cut back to their level before that designation, but not exactly, a little bit more than they had before that designation.
They perform specific housing counseling at the request of OHCD. For example, in connection with the Cecil B. Moore Homeownership Zone, they did counseling for those clients who were applying for those properties. For other particular housing developments that needed sort of specialized counseling or that were a larger development that wanted to have the counseling going through sort of in bulk, they did that counseling. They did some research and other activities that the former director asked them to do.
Given the fact 124 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 that the Northwest Counseling Agency is the only counseling agency probably in Northwest Philadelphia with thousands of caseloads, how do I expect them to accommodate those people and where the increase in predatory lending is and has been for the last few years? And we refer people to them for counseling, how do we plan to help those constituents who go there if they can't accommodate them?
Well, we're continuing to provide training in anti-predatory lending. We have a contract with the Housing Counseling Association of Delaware Valley who did an initial training and now has done advanced training for housing counselors throughout City to be able to provide sort of that specified particular counseling in anti-predatory lending so we're providing more training to more counselors and we're also going to have to negotiate out the contracts with HADV and Northwest Counseling Services so they are not penalized for the work that they're doing, that the ongoing cases can be a part of their ongoing work. 125 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285
Well, what is the closest counseling agency to the northwest section of Philadelphia?
We fund West Oak Lane CDC for housing counseling. We fund --
I'm just thinking off the top of my head. Here's the list. We also fund the Korean Community Development Services.
Korean Community Development Services are also funded for housing counseling.
I think it does penalize the agency for doing a good job and having been in business a long time and are known in the community by the community because they've 126 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 been there so long and have provided quality service, to cut them so drastically and have to adjust to these budget cuts. Some of these districts are incorrect. Pedro Clavare (ph) is not in the 9th district. So if you're looking at districts, that's not in the 9th. Who is Korean Community Development Service Center, who is that?
Okay. Well, we're really concerned about those cuts, both of those agencies because those agencies have provided not only that counseling service but many other services that we refer our constituents to, so I have a concern about that.
Do you have a follow-up question, Councilman Nutter?
No, just a point 127 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 of information. The requests that have been and the listing, I just needed to ask Miss Smith about items number and 17. 5
And 16, I think that 9 e-mail I e-mailed to -- I wasn't in yesterday, so 10 I e-mailed to find out where that was. That was 11 coming from the Managing Director's Office and I 12 think that may have been gone to -- so I probably 13 could actually have that by the end of the day. 14
Okay. That would 15 certainly be helpful. And again, I know that you 16 worked hard to the get these responses together. We received them yesterday. I read through them quickly last night. I would just ask the Chair if we have some opportunity to read the information we have, get any other we're supposed to get and take this matter back up on Thursday morning.
Councilman, this is in response to Item 17 that we just received from the Chief of Staff's office. They 128 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 said that they neglected to include it in the packet so let me note that we do have that response.
Right. It's the NTI FY '03 Budge distribution of bond proceeds.
What happened was that we also had the OHCD and it was stapled together, but I think that was submitted separately.
Let me ask you a question with regard to homelessness. In 1998, for transitional housing, the actual numbers were and 2,449 and permanent housing 2,354. In 2001, transitional was 326 and 129 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 permanent is 216. I'm concerned because this time of year, there always seems to be additional people on the streets. I was due to meet with Mr. Hess yesterday and that meeting was cancelled until next week. We have serious issues with those numbers and with people, as you probably know and may not know since it's not specifically your area, we have many shelters that are closed. Our information was that those that were poorly run or in really deplorable condition were being closed. I don't know, we have about a half dozen shelters that cut back in emergency shelter placement. And given these numbers, you know, where are we? We really -- since we're trying to get rid of a homeless street problem within the next eight years, where are we now, given the disparate of these numbers? And can you explain them?
The numbers were changed in the fiscal year to reflect two things: Number One, in the first year, we were counting non-city 130 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 supported transitional housing programs for some reports that we were doing trying to capture the universe of the City's transitional housing. In the interim, when we went back to recalculate the numbers for the following fiscal year, we discovered that many of those projects either were no longer in existence or have dramatically reduced in numbers and they were pretty much private funded. Also, in addition to that, we had a reduction in the number of transitional housing residents in the City-funded transitional housing program, which at that time was exclusively operated by Track. That differential was because we had a positive incidence of PHA having Section 17 8 certificates that they were making available to families who were currently in shelter which was our referral source as well as to families who were currently in the THP Program. So we in effect had a greater exodus out of the program than we had folks coming in. So adjusted the numbers to try to provide accurate counts at that point.
I would say 131 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 that my office -- as you know we do a lot of street outreach kind of service for people who don't have places to go. And we're inundated now. We have serious problems. And I thought that at this point in the homeless issue and homeless outreach that we wouldn't have to have so many people who are coming to our office, but we're inundated now. And we were told that with these shelters closing, that it would not be a problem, that these people would be absorbed. And, in fact, we requested to know where people who were in these shelters would go. If they closed X Shelter, where would they be referred to? We haven't received a response to that. And I'm always alarmed at the prospect in Philadelphia of people being on the streets, and additional people being on the street. And we're really, really concerned about that and we believe that this should not happen, that we have enough shelter and, you know, we don't think it's fair to be told that a shelter is being closed to upgrade the system and to find only that those people are falling through the system and their in 408 to say where do I go say what happens to 132 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 me. So we are certainly requesting some response to that so that we don't have people on the streets and so that we know what we are supposed to do and where we're supposed to refer these people.
The only thing I can offer to that is I am aware that the Managing Director for Special Needs Housing in the Office of Emergency Shelter has a number of initiatives they're looking at for embarking on in the fiscal year. Unfortunately, we at OHCD are not involved at that level of planning and activity.
So we want to make you aware of that and ask that we do get a response to our office, because it just doesn't make sense that in 2002 we're back to where we were years ago with having homeless people at our doors. And it's not that we mind the homeless people being there, it's just that we should not have this problem at this point in the City's evolvement of dealing with homeless people. Councilman Nutter, more questions?
Thank you, Madam Chair. 133 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 Miss Smith, again, when I was out in the hallway when you started, it was certainly wonderful to hear you talking about the retaining wall issue. And if I did not, I should have commended you for putting that issue forward. We had a lot of discussion about that last week. At the same time, am I left with the impression that because there was no mention made of the other issue that was a part of all of this public infrastructure discussion both with yourself and with Miss McColloch, there was no mention of the curb and sidewalk issue. I understand, one, there was a clear difference between the serious safety issue that a failed retaining wall may entail out in our communities, and they also do contribute to a significant level of blight and deterioration and there is an aftermath that can be quite devastating. I would say, though, that in the context of neighborhood revitalization -- and there are some dangers to deteriorated curb and sidewalk. But, I mean, we do have an opportunity here. There was something that you said earlier about this program and it's new, it's exciting, it's dynamic, it's a new way of 134 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 doing business. It seems to me that with all of that newness, and since there is no history here and we are -- I don't want to say making it up as we go along. You've obviously put a lot of time and effort and planning into this. But it is all new. There is no program at the moment. It would seem to me that we should try to give at least some additional consideration to expanding the realm of what we've done in th past or not done in the past or used to do, now don't do and may look to do again in terms of neighborhoods revitalization. So I'm going to, again, come back to you on that particular issue, raise with you again that in other cities across the country -- and I'd be glad to give you some information on some of the programs that they have out in Chicago and how they deal with public infrastructure issues, partnerships between neighbors, 50/50 sidewalk program, special consideration for senior citizens and the like. These kinds of things do also help revitalize neighborhoods. And I think that we should at least take advantage of the fact that we have a new funding source which has virtually no 135 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 constraints of any of the old funding sources, but in some instances we are pretty much doing the same things that we've done before. And I'd like to see us in an environment where we could expand some of our thinking, capitalize on many of the requests that neighborhood people have been making for years and years and years. And if we then come back to them with a new funding source without the constraints but still say, "Well, we can't do that," for whatever the reason may be, in some neighborhoods, you will undermine the efforts if not the excitement that there could be about this program.
Yes, Councilman. If you recall, in my introductory testimony, we mentioned that this is a one-year budget that in many ways it was -- it's for the first year.
In many ways we were a bit conservative in terms of having existing 136 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 programs that were already up and running so that we can move forward with those because creating new programs and getting those operational and working in a way that makes since doesn't happen overnight.
One of the things that we very much want to explore is some other issues. For example, it's not well known that PHIL Loan can be used for practically anything, I understand, except for the building of swimming pools --
Can we start marketing and targeting some existing resources like PHIL Loan for owners to repair and treat curbs and sidewalks. And some of it, sometimes it is an access to information. And we think by lowering that interest rate -- and you can borrow up to $25,000 which is, you know, a fairly significant amount.
I understand, but 137 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 you also understand that there are many people out here who are not necessarily looking to add to their debt nor do they in many instances have the ability to repay. Some of them are not buying long-playing CDs.
And that's why we also added the idea of the grant and to leverage.
I think it's important to remember that even with the amount that's included in this initiative and the amount that we do have to put forth and to treat the public safety issues that we are looking at approximately $50 million over five years. You know, that may sound like a lot of money, but one of our principals are how can we leverage that, how can we mean-test that, how can we also use this as an opportunity to get other resources from other places to help leverage those dollars.
That's some of the work too that needs to take place over the summer.
Well, I'll 138 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 just lastly say that the dangerous building in one neighborhood is certainly dangerous to the people in that neighborhood. The inability to walk down the street in another neighborhood is just as dangerous to that older person or slightly more frail person who literally cannot make it down the street because of the conditions out there. And I think we just have to acknowledge the reality that people are not necessarily either running out getting equity loans or jumping into the PHIL Loan Program to do all of these kinds of things. Now, there are probably som things we can do to encourage that activity. I think that there are things that we can do to spur people to action. You know, if one neighbor starts painting their house, all of a sudden the neighbor down the street or next door either by divine inspiration or an elbow in the side all of a sudden is interested in doing something with their house. To the extent that the City is doing things out in neighborhoods, I think we can spur and encourage people to do certain things. But in many instances, we will have to start that process. 139 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285
Thank you very much. Miss Smith, have you been a part of -- I know that the abandoned car removal program has been much touted as the beginning of the Neighborhood Transformation in the initial stages of the Administration. Are you familiar with the City of Chicago and what it does with its abandoned cars? Have we Looked at our cities as to what the program is? It's my understanding, and I may be wrong, but from what I've read, Chicago makes around a million dollars a year clear on their abandoned car removal program. I was wondering if there was any way -- whether you're aware of, staff was aware of what Chicago does and how make money or at least cover their costs as opposed to what we've done, and basically pay for each individual car to be removed at the at the cost of the taxpayer. 140 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285
That has not been a focal point of my work. The work on the abandoned car removal program has been led out of the Managing Director's Office. I can't speak to what other cities and research they've done with respect to that. I can most certainly have Miss Richman or her staff get back to you.
I'd appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Are there any other questions from Members of the Committee? (No further questions.)
It has been requested that there is some information with regard to retaining walls and other information that Councilman Nutter is requesting. Before we pass these out, it is requested that we resume this hearing again on Thursday morning before Council so that we can, hopefully, report these bills out on Thursday before Council. What is the pleasure of the Committee? Is that all right with Members of the 141 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 Committee that we continue this hearing again on Thursday morning at o'clock before the Council 4 hearings? 5 (Councilmembers confer off the 6 record.) 7
If it is the 8 will of the Committee, we will go to our calendar 9 and we will report out the other bills with a requested suspension and we will continue this part, CDBG and NTI, until Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. Is that all right with all Members of the Committee? Councilwoman Tasco, it's been requested, and Councilman DiCicco, so that all members understand, it has been requested that we report out all other bills with the exception of CDBG and NTI which will be continued until 9 o'clock. Miss Robinson we will permit you to -- in fact, if you still want to testify, we'll let you do that now and then we're going to -- okay. All right, we have the Housing Association of Delaware Valley that we will call on, then Judith Robinson. Then we will report out all other bills with the exception of NTI and 142 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 CDBG which we will resume and hopefully you have all of the information requested. Would you please get that to the Chair, and the Chair will request with Councilman Nutter. Councilman Nutter, is that okay? We're asking them to get all information to us so that we will make sure you're okay for Thursday morning. And if anyone else requests other information, please let us know so that we have all of our ends together. Councilman Nutter.
There's outstanding information and I think just to make sure so that Miss Smith and I kind of don't have to go back and forth about what we think or what heard or what another conversation was about, if we're going to come up with an idea, if there's going to be an adjustment to the budget that there is agreement about what that's going to be, a pot of money is identified that's going to go into you can call it seed money, infrastructure fund, call it whatever you want. But I think we need to just reach agreement on what these items are and how we're going to proceed which is why I 143 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 asked, Madam Chair, for basically a couple days. I mean, it's really tomorrow. I don't think Miss Smith wants to talk to me tonight.
Well, the Chair is available. Maybe the two of you can get together after this hearing and the Chair will be available from now until then for any way we can be helpful.
Thank you very much. We will hear the Housing Association of Delaware Valley, Tony Lewis. After that, Judith Robinson. After that, we will entertain a motion on all the other bills before the Finance Committee (Witnesses come forward.)
Thank you very much. Thank you all for your patience.
Thank you very much. Welcome, Mr. Lewis. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon. My name is Anthony Lewis, 144 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 Managing Director of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley.
Good afternoon, Madam Chairman, I'm Kalil Walker, Director of Counseling at the Housing Association of Delaware Valley.
I want to thank the Chairlady for this opportunity to speak to Council. And I think that Council some of the Council people have already expressed our concerns with regards to what has happened to our agency, the Housing Association. Seven years ago when we were designated to become a super agency by the city, we took on that responsibility. In the process of that, there were a number of other counseling agencies maybe nearly 40 agency that had a problem with the fact that we were designated as a super agency. And since the time we were designated by the City as a super agency, not something that we decided to do ourselves, we have been kind of targeted and there's been a lot 145 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 of political pressure, I understand, on OHCD, the fact that they made us a super agency. Our concern today is that just two weeks ago we got a letter that our program would be cut by 45 percent. And the fact that OHCD would have about $600,000 less in housing counseling dollars, they indicated that it was the Administration's decision that there be less money in housing counseling. One, first of all, I have a concern in terms of that with NTI and all the other things coming down the pike, why housing counseling would be cut, Number One. Number two, housing counseling has had a tremendous impact in this City in terms of preventing homeless and saving people from going into that. So my first question was why they were reducing housing counseling budget. But second of all, that only two agency the Housing Association of the Delaware Valley and Northwest Counseling, as Councilwoman Tasco pointed out, we were hit with 50 percent -- when Councilman Nutter asked the question, I don't think the answer was forthcoming in the sense that two of 146 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 us got 50 percent of the cut. The other -- if there were other eight agencies then experienced the other half, but two of us were hit. We lost 45 percent. It's going to be devastating to the agency, Number One. And Number Two, we have a number of agreements, contracts, activities and clients who will be residual clients as a result of activities when we were designated as a super agency. We met with the Office of Housing hoping to try to work this out to get them to understand what the issue was and how this is going to be devastating to our agency, at the same time being left with the residual work and we would not be able to be successful in our efforts to do that. So we were asking that this Council review this issue and that if possible that, you know, some consideration be given to the agencies who would provided this service to the City for the last seven years. And almost on a spur of a moment seem to have been knifed in the back.
Certainly the Chair will ask them to respond to this question. They are still here, Miss McColloch and Mr. Wilds are still here ask them to respond 147 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 to this issue. Thank you.
Thank you both. Judith Robinson? (Witness comes forward.)
Good afternoon. Thank you, Madam Chair, for accommodating me.
Good afternoon. My name is Judith Robinson and I'm here specifically today to talk about community planning because I'm quite concerned that our councilman has moved forward quite swiftly with demolition and we haven't quite completed community planning. Friday's Tribune has an ad in there where there's a request for proposal for demolition. I want to put this in the record, please, because I think that in order to transform communities you must deal with the people that presently live there. And if the people are being disrespected or even perceive being that they're being disrespected because 148 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 they are not a part of what planning is going on in their community, I think that makes for just not a good transformation because the people that live in Strawberry Mansion and in North Philadelphia -- I can speak for them specifically because I live there -- we are not going anywhere. I'm a homeowner. I have no plans on moving out of my community and neither do the people that own homes in Strawberry Mansion. So I think it's a little disrespectful to find this in a public newspaper and we haven't completed planning. The planning sessions that were scheduled for June 4th and 6th have been cancelled, and we don't know when they will be rescheduled. I only found that out because as an advocate for my community, I called the City Planning Commission to find out when those hearings will be held.
Excuse me. We have a point of information. Councilman Kenney.
I would appreciate before that witness leaves that we 149 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 could see that ad. One of the questions I specifically asked last week was whether or not the bid packages were available and prepared, whether or not the prequalification issues relative to contractors. And if they've gone to the point of putting advertising in the paper requesting responses to RFPs, that seems to fly in the face of what the testimony was last week that they weren't prepared to share that information with us. Apparently, they were prepared to share it with a newspaper.
I specifically asked whether or not there were bid packages that we could view, whether or not the specifics of the bids were available, what the parameters of the scope of services would be. And was told I think very clearly, if anyone else wants to correct me, that they did not in fact have it and would share it with us as soon as they had it. Now, this is an ad in the paper. Apparently, they have something.
Yes, sir. That's why 150 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 I brought that. And I always look in that legal section, as I think most citizens should do, because that's where all the action is and that's where you find out what is really going on. To get back to my point about community planning, I'm quite concerned because at the first meeting we had, the City Planning Commission documents were just put on a table and I just happened to pick it up and always read these things because it's so important, but I didn't realize that the City Charter designates -- this is down by law -- that we should have community planning and that the information that we state at the meetings that we have in our community that the City Planning Commission has an obligation to maintain citizen participation process that enables the City's citizens and residents to be informed about public issues and to transmit information about community needs and desires to municipal government. I just want to make sure that that is going on. I hate to seem like I'm just, you know, being really upset about everything. But when you see these kind of things, you feel like you're being disrespected, 151 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 you know the information is not being conveyed to the Mayor. Today, I brought along --
With all due respect, you shouldn't worry about how your tax dollars are being spent. I mean, why should you worry about how your tax dollars are being spent? (Laughter.)
Right, you know, do the bond and think about how to pay it later.
So I did bring a petition from my community and other requests that we have had in the past regarding community planning. That's why this issue is so important to us, sir. In addition, this document -- I don't know if you all have even read it. We have by law an obligation to get this information and get it conveyed to the Mayor. 152 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 In addition, before demolition moves forward, I would really like -- I'm sorry to keep you here, sir. But before demolition moves too far along, we have some history of demolition in our community in the 2200 block of 19th Street. And then I have letters that I wrote to the Councilman via the State Representative because there was a community meeting held, and I have the flyer enclosed here too, where we were given incorrect information about properties that were going to be demolished and then the properties that were in fact demolished were something totally different and the contractor was very disrespectful of our community, had bricks all over the steps, dumpsters stayed full overnight. So this is something we're really concerned about, the health issues and all those other issues that affect our community. So we want planning so we can know what's going on. We want notification so that we can deal with the issues of asthma, our seniors having health problems and respiratory issues. We just want to be a part as much as we respectfully can of this whole process. I want to put all of this and some 153 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 photos into the public record. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
Miss McColloch, would you come forward? Councilwoman Tasco would like to ask you a question. (Witness comes forward.)
Miss McColloch, have some real concerns about the cuts that have been made for North West Counseling and Housing Association. I would like to ask you to tell me where you would get the money to restore their cuts?
Where would you find the money to restore their cuts?
We'd have to look at the budget. I think really the only place that we could take it from would be Basic Systems Repair because that is a client-driven --
Could we get some money from NTI since they're going to do predatory lending, doesn't have to do with the 154 6/4/02 - FINANCE - BILL 020275, RES. 020285 federal money, has to do with NTI, couldn't we give them some of that money?
Well, I suggest that you go back and talk about to the Administration about restoring their cuts because we're going to introduce an amendment to restore their cuts. We hope you will find the money for Northwest Counseling and Housing Association.
Thank you. We'd like that amendment on Thursday morning.
Any other questions from Members of the Committee? (No further questions.)
Does everybody have their hearing notice because we're going to vote these other bills out of committee. Councilman O'Neill.
I'm going to 155 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING just make announcement now for the record I'll be abstaining Bill 020340 and 020361. They're both bond issues that the Hospital Authority is sponsoring. The law firm I'm associated with is involved in the first one with Children's Hospital as bond counsel and the second one involving Temple University as underwriters counsel. I also want to state for the record I've had no conversation in any way or discussions involving these matters. I will be abstaining
So noted, Councilman. And thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco. Are you ready for PGW?
Yes. I have an amendment for the Bill 020075. It has been circulated and I'd like to offer amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded an amendment to Bill No. 23 020075 be adopted. All in favor opposed? (Aye.) 156 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING
Opposed? The ayes have it, and so the amendment to 020075 has been adopted and it has been circulated. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to report out of committee with a favorable recommendation Bill No. 020075, as amended, with a favorable recommendation and a suspension of the rules.
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020075, as amended, be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and also a recommendation that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to permit First Reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
Opposed? The ayes have it. So the bill is passed with a suspension of the rules. Thank 157 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING you. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco for a motion with regard to Bill No. 5 020338.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 020338 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and a recommendation that the Rules of Council be suspended. (Duly seconded.)
Opposed? Bill No. 020338 has been reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, also a recommendation for a suspension of the Rules so that it can be considered at our next session of Council. Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco with regard to Bill No. 020355.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 020355 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation 158 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING and that the Rules of Council be suspended. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020355 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, also a recommendation that the Rules be suspended so as to permit First Reading at the next session Council. All in favor? (Aye.)
Opposed? The ayes have it, so the bill is passed. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney for a motion with regard to Bill No. 17 020340.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 020340 be reported out of this Committee favorably and a request be made to allow for rules suspension to allow First Reading at our next Council Session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020340 be 159 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation, and also a recommendation for a suspension of the Rules so that it can be considered next Session of Council. All in favor? (Aye.)
Yes, we will not that there is one abstention by Councilman O'Neill with regard to Bill No. 020340. All in favor? (Aye.)
Opposed? The ayes have it, so this bill will be reported out of Committee and be heard at our next Session of Council. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion with regard to Bill No. 21 020348.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 020348 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request for the suspension of the Rules so as to 160 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING be read on the next calendar of City Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020348 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation, also a recommendation for a suspension of the Rules so that it can be considered next Session of Council. All in favor? (Aye.)
Opposed? The ayes have it, and so this bill 14 will be reported out. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney for a motion with regard to Bill No. 17 020361.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 020361 be reported out of this committee favorably and a request be made for Rules suspension to allow for First Reading at our next Council Session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020361 be 161 6/4/02 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation with one abstention, and also that the Rules be suspended so as to permit reporting out at our next Session of Council. All in favor? (Aye.)
Opposed? The ayes have it, and so this bill 10 passes with one abstention. Bill Nos. 020275 and 020285 will be considered on Thursday morning at 9:00. And so this hearing is recessed until Thursday, June 4th, at 9:00 am. Thank you all for your patience and for your attendance. (Committee proceedings end at 2:13 p.m.) - - - 162 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia's meeting of the Committee on Finance of Tuesday, June 4, 2002, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered Professional Reporter and 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.)