Stated Meeting, December 14, 2017

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, December 14, 2017 11:10 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN AL TAUBENBERGER MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

We're going to start the Council session. Thank you very much. If the members will take their seat and the visitors can please retire behind the rail, we will get started. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Reverend Bonnie Camarda of the Salvation Army and Vice President of the Hispanic Association of Clergy. She is here today as the guest of Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez. I would ask all guests, visitors, and members to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.)

Good morning. (Good morning.)

Let us pray. But before I pray, I just want to today to think as we are coming to the holiday in the ABC of gratitude. I don't know Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 are, but if you think every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and come down from the Father of Light with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning, then my challenge to you this morning is as you go home and celebrate the holidays in any way you celebrate your holiday, go through the alphabet and use one word about A, think of what you're grateful for; B, maybe that you have been faithful this year to what you have done for what God calling you to do. Let us pray. Lord God, we thank you for your guidance and support throughout this year, and in this final meeting of the year of the City Council, we once again ask that you bless every Councilmember, every staff, every person in the City of Philadelphia. As you look at us, let us serve you. As we look forward to the fellowship of the holiday season, we ask Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 of your calling to care and fight for the least of these, including the elderly, the poor, the hungry, the homeless, and the sick. Please open our hearts to this group for whom the holiday may not be as joyful as ours. Please fill our hearts and minds of our gathered leaders with the love and wisdom required to discern what is good and right so they may solve the difficult challenge of the day according to your will. Father, we just pray that you will ask grateful hearts. (Speaking in Spanish.) Amen. (Amen.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

Thank you very much. The next order of business is the approval of the Journal Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 meeting of Thursday, December 7, 2017, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 7th, 2017 be approved. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 7, 2017 stand approved. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. The next order of business is requests for leaves of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the majority, there are no requests of leave of absence today.

The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair now recognizes Councilman O'Neill.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the republicans, there are no requests for leave of absence.

The Chair thanks the gentleman. At this time, I would like to dispense with the regular order of business and I would like to welcome and thank everyone who has come down to witness their government in action. I anticipate that there will really be a level of witness of your government in action that maybe you haven't seen before, but we really appreciate you coming down today. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell, who will present a resolution recognizing Joseph Starinieri. Would Mr. Starinieri and those accompanying him please join the Councilwoman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)

And joining Councilwoman Blackwell, we have Councilman Henon, Councilman Taubenberger, Councilwoman Parker, and Councilwoman Reynolds Brown and Councilman Greenlee.

Thank you, Mr. President. This is a special privilege for me because the individual we are honoring was principal of Sayre School, and Ms. Winder, who was with him and who was head of Home and School and still is, I've known so long. Her husband was on the waterfront with Lucien Blackwell when Lucien Blackwell was President of Local 1332 International Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 became Local 1291. So as you see, we go way back. We're friends in the struggle a long time, and the fight for the community has been one that we have enjoyed all these years up to and including today. So it gives me a real, real, real great pleasure to present this resolution to a gentleman who was there, who cares for children the way we need principals to today. Not to criticize anybody but to certainly let you know the kind of principal he's been, the kind of leader he is, and the kind of leader we hope will remain with us forever. City Council resolution recognizing and honoring Joseph M. Starinieri for his service as an educator and for his passion and dedication providing a quality education to underprivileged children. Whereas, Mr. Starinieri came from a family of educators. He attended Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 schools in Philadelphia, and graduated from St. John Neumann High School. He went on to graduate from West Chester University, receiving his Bachelor's Degree in both Special Education and Elementary Education; and

Whereas, in 1980, Mr. Starinieri began teaching at John Bartram High School. Within a few years, he became the Building Representative for the School as well as the Chairperson for Special Education; and Whereas, Mr. Starinieri pursued his graduate studies at Temple University where he received his Cooperative Education, Educational Administration and Supervisory Certificates. He also received his Superintendent's Letter from St. Joseph's University; and

Whereas, in 1991, Mr. Starinieri was appointed as the Assistant Principal to Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 in 1996, he was appointed as Principal at William L. Sayre Middle School. At Sayre, he was instrumental in developing a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania that led to one of the first community schools in Philadelphia; and Whereas, together with Penn, Mr. Starinieri developed a health center that services students, parents and community members. The center has also trained students for careers in the health industry; and

Whereas, Mr. Starinieri also led the successful transition of converting Sayre School from a middle school to a comprehensive high school. During his tenure at Sayre, Mr. Starinieri was instrumental in having the school achieve adequate yearly progress through the many professional development sessions for teachers and after school tutoring programs for students; Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Whereas, Mr. Starinieri became the Principal of Dimner Beeber Middle School, where he developed a partnership with St. Joseph's University that included mentoring programs and a Saturday program;

Whereas, in 2015, Mr. Starinieri worked as a School Administrator for Chester County. He contributed to the development of programs for students receiving special education; and Whereas, Mr. Starinieri has been recognized for his contributions in the education community on numerous occasions. Every year the Sayre/Johnson Health Clinic gives out the Starinieri Award to an individual in West Philadelphia who serves and gives back their time and efforts to the community. In 2014, Mr. Starinieri was awarded the Columbus Forum's Dr. Rocco Gigante, Jr. Award for Outstanding Service as School Principal; and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Whereas, Mr. Starinieri is currently an Adjunct Professor at West Chester University. He supervises special education student teachers in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and Montgomery County. In addition, Mr. Starinieri teaches graduate level courses at the university;

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Council of the City of Philadelphia does hereby recognize and honor Joseph Starinieri for his service as an educator and for his passion and dedication for providing a quality education to underprivileged children. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Starinieri as a sincere expression of the Council of the City of Philadelphia's gratitude, admiration and recognition. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 (Applause.)

The Chair recognizes Ms. Watkins for remarks.

It's an honor and a pleasure to be here today to stand beside Mr. Joseph Starinieri, a principal that work hard. I always tell him that his wife and his daughter really is the one that should get all the awards because of the time that he spent in the school teaching community workshops, doing all this time to be away from his family. So we are so grateful for Council to give this citation to Mr. Starinieri, but we want the Council, Mr. Star and everyone to know that all of it goes to his wife and daughter. (Applause.)

The Chair now recognizes Mr. Starinieri.

Good morning, everyone. (Good morning.) Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

I'd like to thank Councilwoman Blackwell, all the City Council members, Council President Clarke, my family, my friends, my students, former students, Green. We can't do it without guys like you, in all sincerity, and I appreciate everything that I had within my years at the School District of Philadelphia. Thanks again. (Applause.)

Council will be at ease.

You know, you have to give your flowers to people while they're living, and one thing I'd like to state to Curtis Jones. Council Curtis Jones, I know you don't recognize me, but I recognize you. We worked together at Beeber. Okay? You brought me to your office so many, many times and you were there with me and Mr. Starinieri, and you helped us so many times. I just wanted to thank you again. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 (Applause.)

Thank you. (Council at ease.)

Thank you very much, and congratulations. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Green, who will present a resolution declaring December 1st World AIDS Day. Would Robb Reichard and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)

Joining Councilman Green, we have Councilwoman Bass, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown.

Good morning. Unfortunately we were not able to present this resolution last week, but this is a resolution declaring --

Councilman, hold on one second. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Folks, could we please hold the conversation down. If you want to talk, go in the hallway. Thank you.

Unfortunately we were not able to present this resolution last week, but this is a resolution declaring December 1st as World AIDS Day in Philadelphia. It's a very important issue that has not ceased to be a problem not only in our city or our Commonwealth or in our nation, and it's important that we continue to focus on the issue of AIDS and its impact not only in the nation, not only in the Commonwealth but also in our city. Whereas, the concept of observing World AIDS Day was the brainchild of Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization and, in 1988, at the World Summit of Ministers of Health, programs for AIDS prevention and the concept of a World AIDS Day was supported Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and, in October, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognized this concept and the World Health Organization declared December 1st, 1988 as the first World AIDS Day; and Whereas, in 1996, an organization known as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS was formed to plan and promote the awareness of World AIDS Day and in 1997, UNAIDS strived to create an awareness regarding the causes of AIDS by propagating year-round communications through a campaign known as the World AIDS Campaign; and

Whereas, in addition to raising awareness, World AIDS Day is also about raising money, fighting prejudice, and improving education, because it is important to remind people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things that still need to be done; and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Whereas, there are an estimated 38.6 million people in the world living with HIV, including 10 million people between the ages of 15 and 24, and last year, some 4.1 million people became newly infected with the virus; and Whereas, according to the Philadelphia Department of Health, there are about 30,000 people living with HIV in the Greater Philadelphia Region and Philadelphia has HIV infection rates 5 times higher than the national average and double that of New York City; and

Whereas, to promote local awareness, AIDS Fund will again participate in a number of World AIDS Day events throughout the Philadelphia Region, displaying the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and providing opportunities for people to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and commemorate those we have lost; now, therefore, be it Resolved, that this Council of Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 does declare and recognize December 1st as World AIDS Day. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution will be presented to representatives of the AIDS Fund as a sincere expression of City Council's gratitude and appreciation for your good work and your ongoing efforts to raise the public's awareness regarding HIV/AIDS and address this ongoing health crisis. Introduced by Councilmembers Derek Green and Helen Gym and supported by all the members of the Philadelphia City Council. We thank you for your important work. (Applause.)

The Chair recognizes Mr. Reichard for remarks.

I'd like to thank Councilman Clarke, Councilman Green for putting this resolution forward. We've come a long way in the Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 the last 36 years. Where once we were watching our friends, family, and neighbors die with no real treatments to help them, today we have a vast array of treatments. Today we're able to talk about getting to zero, zero stigma, zero new infections, and zero deaths, and we have all the tools we need to do that. We must continue to fight stigma on a day-to-day basis. We must continue to talk about HIV and keep it in front of people, continue to raise awareness. But we also now know that the same medicines that keep people alive with HIV will help slow the spread of HIV. Today people at high risk can take one pill a day and almost eliminate their chance of contracting the virus, but we must make sure that that is available to them and that they know about it. Today we also know that those in care and in treatment with HIV will not pass the virus on to anyone else. It Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 we remove every barrier that exists for people getting into and maintaining their care. We have all the tools we need to get to zero. We just have to continue and have the will to do it. So thank you for helping us to raise awareness about this critical issue. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

Thank you very much. The next order of business is communications, and the Chair requests that the Sergeant-of-Arms delivers the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. Mr. Decker, please read those messages.

To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, pursuant to Sections 4-604 Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 2-307 of the Home Rule Charter, I am today transmitting to the Council the recommendation of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill Nos. 170986, 170987, 170989, 170990, 170997, 170999, 171006, and 171015. And I am pleased to advise you that on December 12, 2017 I signed all of the bills which were passed by Council at its session on November 30, 2017. And I am submitting herewith for the consideration of your honorable body an ordinance amending Chapter 9-4300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage Theft Complaints," to make various wage-related violations a violation of the Code; to further provide for determinations by the City regarding wage theft complaints and for appeals of such determinations; and An ordinance constituting the Twentieth Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 supplemented; authorizing the Bond Committee to issue and sell one or more series or subseries of tax-exempt or taxable water and wastewater revenue bonds and revenue refunding bonds; and An ordinance constituting the Twenty-First Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as amended and supplemented (the "General Ordinance"), providing for certain amendments to the General Ordinance, all under certain terms and conditions.

Thank you, Mr. Decker. Do you have any additional communications?

I have none, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. And our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Thank you, Mr. President. I offer this morning one bill and three resolutions, and I'll speak very briefly on the one resolution sponsored by the women of Philadelphia City Council.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of a proposal set forth in a Resolution approved by Council proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to the provision of mandatory training for City officers and employees regarding sexual harassment in the workplace.

Referred to committee.

And a privileged resolution recognizing 314 Action for Its Tireless Efforts Advocating for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Principles Across All Levels of Government.

Today's Calendar.

And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee of the Whole to hold hearings examining economic inclusion and diversity participation in professional services, capital projects, construction projects, business contracting, and other contracted work related to the Fashion District Philadelphia projects and all other projects that are beneficiaries of TIF financing.

And that will be on today's Calendar.

And a non-privileged resolution proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to the provision of mandatory annual training for all City officers and employees regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

And that will be referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell -- oh, Councilwoman, you wanted to speak. I'm sorry.

Yes, Mr. President. Very briefly on the last resolution. While we, the members of the Philadelphia City Council and the Women's Caucus, are proud to put forth a resolution calling for mandatory sexual harassment training for all employees of the City of Philadelphia, what we know now is that sexual assault, sexual harassment knows no racial, no gender, nor class boundaries, period. We want to make it clear that this is only a first step towards creating an environment across Philadelphia in which this pervasive issue can be eliminated from our workplace. With that said, we believe Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 training is essential, but it is not enough to just educate our staff members and City employees once a year. We must work to change behaviors in the workplace and not just telling boys what they should not do, but recognize it when we see it and then act upon it in a way that is responsible and forthcoming. And with that, Mr. President, we present this resolution and we look forward to the hearings next year. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you, Mr. President. Today I introduce one non-privileged resolution, three bills, two of which are on your behalf.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Thank you. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

An ordinance constituting the Twenty-First Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as amended and supplemented, providing for certain amendments to the General Ordinance; and An ordinance constituting the Twentieth Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as supplemented; authorizing the Bond Committee to issue and sell one or more series or subseries of tax-exempt or taxable water and wastewater revenue bonds and revenue refunding bonds; and An ordinance amending portions of Title 4, Sub Code "F" of the Philadelphia Code to establish inspection and certification requirements for all smoke control systems and smoke and fire dampers in limited occupancies and amending the periodic testing requirements of fire protection systems. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Those three bills just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, 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 Forty-Sixth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.

And that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.

Thank you, Mr. President. Today I offer one bill and on your behalf one resolution.

Thank you, Councilman. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

An ordinance amending Chapter 9-4300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage Theft Complaints," to make various wage-related violations a violation of the Code; to further provide for determinations by the City regarding wage theft complaints and for appeals of such determinations.

That bill will be referred to committee.

And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1443 North Dover Street located in the Fifth Councilmanic District.

And that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.

Thank you, Council President. Today I offer two bills.

Thank you, Councilman. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of the 6000 block of Vandike Street.

Referred to committee.

And an ordinance amending Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Miscellaneous," by adding a new Chapter 21-2600, entitled "Real Estate Transfers," to establish requirements that sellers of real estate provide to buyers certain information regarding zoning and Code compliance in connection with the property, and establishing penalties and related requirements.

Referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

Thank you, Mr. President. Two bills, one privileged and one non-privileged resolution Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 co-sponsored by Greenlee, Kenyatta Johnson, Oh.

Thank you, Councilman.

An ordinance terminating a no parking regulation on Cresson Street between Pensdale Street and Rector Street, west side.

Referred to committee.

And an ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of 75th Street from Brockton Road to Lansdowne Avenue.

Referred to committee.

And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings examining the emerging trend of gang recruitment through social media, and the impact it has on "corner wars" occurring across many Philadelphia neighborhoods. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

And that will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman -

And a non-privileged resolution authorizing Philadelphia to officially join the National Stepping Up Initiative, which focuses on reducing the number of individuals with mental illnesses in jail in counties across the country.

And that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.

Council President, I have three bills and one privileged resolution.

Thank you, Councilman.

You're welcome.

An ordinance amending Chapter 10-800 of The Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by repealing certain provisions of Section 10-806 (relating to construction of reviewing stands) and amending other provisions of said Section; and An ordinance amending Chapter 9-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Carriers" by repealing certain provisions relating to motor buses; and An ordinance amending Chapter 9-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Amusement Businesses," by repealing Section 9-704 (relating to motion pictures); and A privileged resolution honoring the twentieth anniversary of Philadelphia International Airport's Exhibitions Program and recognizing PHL for its dedication to improving its passenger experience through arts and cultural programming.

Those three bills just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to the appropriate Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 committee and the resolution will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have four bills and one non-privileged resolution.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

An ordinance amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses," by repealing certain provisions relating to refuse collection; and An ordinance amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by repealing certain provisions relating to excavations and obstructions; and An ordinance amending Chapter 9-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Amusement Businesses," by repealing Section 9-708 (relating to compulsory Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 vehicular amusement device insurance); and An ordinance amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses," by repealing Section 9-630 (relating to sale of used cars).

Those four bills just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a non-privileged resolution renaming the 4700 block of Ella Street "Mike McCrea Way."

And that resolution will on the next session of Council agenda. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.

Thank you, Council President. I have one privileged resolution for an organization whose title defines achievement. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Okay. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman, we seem to be a little befuddled up here. Exactly what did you say?

One privileged resolution for an organization that defines achievement.

Okay.

A privileged resolution recognizing the Philadelphia Alumni Chapter on the occasion of the 107th annual Founders' Day of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

All right. We get it. We get it. That will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.

After that, Mr. President, I have no bills or resolutions for introduction.

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.

Good morning, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions today. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym.

Good morning, Council President. I have three privileged resolutions.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth to hold public hearings reviewing the quality of services, and namely the quality of education, that residential placements contracted with the City of Philadelphia provide for the care, treatment, and development of Philadelphia youth. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

This week's Calendar.

And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth and the Committee on Education to hold hearings reviewing the current state and role of social workers in Philadelphia schools and examining best practices for integrating schoolwide social workers to create safer and more supportive educational environments.

This week's Calendar.

And a privileged resolution recognizing Tarana Burke for her tenacity and spirit in creating a platform for empowerment through empathy by spearheading the #MeToo movement, and honoring the "Silence Breakers" for their bravery in creating awareness through sharing stories of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and resilience and for subsequently being named TIME's 2017 Person of the Year. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

And also this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Taubenberger.

Thank you, Council President. I have three bills, two on behalf of the Special Committee on Regulatory Review and Reform and one bill authored by myself co-sponsored by you and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

An ordinance amending Section 10-602 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Smoking," by adding smoking restrictions at certain bus stops.

Referred to committee.

And an ordinance amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by repealing certain provisions relating to Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 police and fire radio broadcasts.

Referred to committee.

And an ordinance repealing Chapter 13-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Garbage Disposal Units."

Also referred to committee. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions.

Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.

Thank you, Mr. President. I offer four bills, one co-sponsored with you, and one non-privileged resolution co-sponsored with you.

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you, Councilman.

An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Moore Street, Sixth Street, McClellan Street, and Seventh Street; and An ordinance adopting an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the South Street Headhouse District of Philadelphia to extend the term of that Authority; and An ordinance approving the plan, estimated costs and proposed method of assessment and charges of the South Street Headhouse District of Philadelphia for and concerning business improvements and administrative services to the eastern South Street and Headhouse areas of the City of Philadelphia; and An ordinance establishing a neighborhood improvement district, to be known as the Northern Liberties Business Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Improvement District, in an area that generally includes both sides of North 2nd Street from the north side of Callowhill Street to the south side of Girard Avenue, both sides of North 3rd Street from Spring Garden Street to the south side of Wildey Street, Spring Garden Street from North 2nd Street to the eastern side of North 5th Street, and certain blocks of streets that intersect portions of these streets; designating the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, Inc., which has organized itself as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association for the District.

Those four bills just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a non-privileged resolution initiating action to establish a neighborhood Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 improvement district in an area that generally includes both sides of North 2nd Street from the north side of Callowhill Street to the south side of Girard Avenue, both sides of North 3rd Street from Spring Garden Street to the south side of Wildey Street, Spring Garden Street from North 2nd Street to the eastern side of North 5th Street, and certain blocks of streets that intersect portions of these streets, to be known as the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, for which the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, Inc., which has organized itself as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, serves as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association.

And that will be referred to committee. Let the record reflect that the BID resolution shall be on the next session of Council's Calendar. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. I offer one privileged resolution.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

A privileged resolution congratulating the Northwest Raiders for winning the 61st Annual Division I Varsity Pop Warner National Championship.

And that will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.

Thank you very much, Council President. I offer no bills or resolutions.

Thank you, Councilman. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions, and we will now move to our reports from committee. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Councilman Henon for a report from the Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee of the Whole reports six resolutions out with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Mr. Decker, would you please read that report.

To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee of the Whole, to which was referred Resolution No. 171062, entitled a "Resolution reappointing Jay S. Feldstein to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion"; and Resolution No. 171063, entitled a "Resolution reappointing Bernie Prazenica to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Merion"; and Resolution No. 171064, entitled a "Resolution reappointing Mark C. Reed to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion"; and Resolution No. 171065, entitled a "Resolution reappointing Gary Brandeis to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion"; and Resolution No. 171070, entitled a "Resolution appointing Angela Bowie to the Board of Directors for the Germantown Special Services District"; and Resolution No. 171071, entitled a "Resolution appointing Charles L. Richardson to the Board of Directors for the Germantown Special Services District," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached resolutions to Council with a favorable recommendation.

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 you, Mr. Decker. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Henon.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of these six resolutions read by the Clerk on today's Final Passage Calendar. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of Resolutions 171062, 171063, 171064, 171065, 171070, and 171071 on today's Final Passage Calendar. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion passes. These Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Greenlee for a report from the Committee of Law and Government.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Law and Government reports one bill and one resolution with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.

The Committee on Law and Government, to which was referred Bill No. 170954, entitled "An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, relating to the selection of the Members of the Board of Education, as approved by Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Council; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot question to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election"; and Resolution No. 170967, entitled a "Resolution proposing an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to the selection of the Members of the Board of Education; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill and resolution to Council with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you, Mr. Decker. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Greenlee.

Thank Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 170954. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 170954. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and the bill will be placed on the First Reading Calendar for today. Resolution No. 170967 will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar at the next session of Council. Next up we will have consideration of the Calendar. I note Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 1ST READING that the bills just reported from committee with a suspension of the rules have been deemed to have had a first reading. These bills will be placed on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. Mr. Decker, please read any other bills on the First Reading Calendar.

Bill No. 170678, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 7 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Housing Code,' by adding a new Chapter 7-200, entitled "Mixed Income Housing Program," to provide for affordable housing standards; amending Section 14-702 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Mixed Income Housing," to make related changes; amending Chapters 14-600 and 14-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled, respectively, "Use Regulations" and "Development Standards," to amend certain zoning standards relating to residential development. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

The Chair agrees. This bill will be placed on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for our next session of Council. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Henon for a motion concerning the bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the following bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: That is, Bill Nos. 170821, 170927, 170959, 170960, 170986, 170987, 170990, 170719, 171012, 171052, 171053, 170957, 170958, 170877, 170991, 170994, 170999, 171000, 171011, 171015, 170992, 170993, 170998, 171001, 171006, 171007, 171008, 171013, 170856, 170904, 170989, 170897, 170794, 170795, 170796, 170797, 170798, 170799, and 170800. (Duly seconded.) Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 2ND READING

Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilman Henon. All those in favor please indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair now again recognizes Councilman Henon for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.

Thank you, Mr. President. In addition to the bills being considered on the Consent Agenda, the following resolutions and bills are Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Bill Nos. 171086, 171087, 171088, 171089, 171090, 171092, 171094, 171095, 171098, 171100, 171111-A, 170849-A, 170850, and 170963. All other bills and resolutions are being held.

Thank you very much. We will now consider our public comment session. If you are interested in testifying on a bill or resolution that is on the Final Passage Calendar, if you haven't already done so, you can sign up at the table to my left. When your name is called, you will go to the podium in the middle of the Council Chambers. There's a device on that podium. When the light turns green, it will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks. When the light turns red, we'd ask that you please conclude your remarks and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 adhere to our guidelines. For the record, the overwhelming response for Bill No. 170963 as it relates to individuals interested in testifying on that, what we have done is asked the pro and con to pare that list back to ten on each side. So we will have that opportunity, because we want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity and there's a fair and equitable conversation around this to participate and cooperate with this process. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Mr. Decker, please call the first name on the list.

Chheng Muoy, commenting on 170963. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

And I would ask the audience to respect the individuals testifying. You may or may Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 not agree with it, but we'd ask that you please respect their right in a public forum to have their say. Thank you very much. Good morning.

Thank you. Thank you, everybody. (Through interpreter): My name is Muoy Chheng. I live in South Philadelphia, 17th Street. My son's name Lucky Lee. I have a convenience store at South Philly. At the time my convenience store doesn't have a bulletproof glass. When my son came back from college, he was shot inside the store. After that my store was set up by the bulletproof glass. At the time, my son already dead. My son was shot by two guys came to rob in my convenience store, and after that, I set up a bulletproof glass. So please don't take the bulletproof glass from us. If you took the bulletproof glass from our store, there will be more people die. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)

Yolanda Ballenger, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon. (Applause.)

Good morning.

First of all, I would like to say thank you for letting me speak. I was involved with the -

Just state your name for the record.

My name is Yolanda Ballenger.

Thank you.

I was involved with two tragedies. 1994 before the bulletproof glass was put up, I was involved with a robbery that went wrong Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and the owner got killed. 2007 my dad that served his country for the Marines retired, worked the waterfront, and he got a job working for Textile and Science College as a foreman for the renovation of they college. He was on his way to work and he stopped at a Chinese store to get food to take for his night job. A robbery went wrong and my father lost his life. It just so happened the owner didn't because he had the bulletproof glass up. So I just beg you, please do not pass that bill. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Joe Brown. (No response.)

Joe Brown. (No response.)

Michelle Tran. (No response.) Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Michelle Tran. (No response.)

Reverend Robert Shine, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.) (Applause.)

Good morning, Mr. President -

Good morning.

-- members of City Council. I stand here to make a privileged request, and that privileged request is that you consider or reconsider Section (g) of this bill. The reason being that it would certainly expose the proprietors to greater hazards of danger to their lives, as the two former speakers have testified. And this is not a health issue than the reason that I stand here is that to give good consideration to review that once again and remove it for the safety of those proprietors in that establishment. I Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 think it would be just, fair, and right that you do so. I think that we are not a city to expose any of our citizenry to hazards of life and to endangerment of their property. I think in the wisdom that is exhibited continuously in this City Council, that they would do the right thing. Further, with your permission, I would like to add a third reason, and I'm sure that you may right now be aware, but I want to make City Council aware that in addition to that, in August of 2018 the Progressive National Baptist Convention will be convening here at the Center City Marriott. One of the things that we want to introduce them to is the restaurants in the immediate area. We're talking about some 3,000 conveners here in the City. That's significant. And having the seating in the restaurant, available seating in the restaurant, we applaud all of those things that are in Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 this legislation, but in addition, as an officer of the convention, I would want to also be certain that their visit to these establishments will not hazard them at all given the number of persons that we are expecting. So that's a personal thing because of what we are anticipating in the year to come, but as far as this legislation and Section (g), I respectfully ask that you reconsider for the removal of that particular section, Mr. President and members of City Council, with all due regard and respect to the Chinese community, as this I believe will impact on them more than any other establishment in our city. Thank you for allowing me this privilege, and I'm looking forward to your reconsideration. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Michelle Tran, Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 commenting on 170963. (Applause.)

Excuse me. Sorry about that. I was going to the restroom. My name is Michelle Tran. I'd like to talk about please, please we -- I was a victim of a robbery when I was ten years old, and I don't want that to happen again. Please, we agree with the seating and we agree with the bathroom and the foods. We will be willing to do everything in our power to have you enforce existing laws, but please allow us to keep the protection for ourselves and for our employees and for the community. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Bishop Peter Hwang. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.) Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Good afternoon, Mr. President and all the member of Council. My name is Bishop Peter Hwang. I'm the President of the Friends Council of USA and also I'm a member of Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia. And also I'm a Chairperson for the past President of Korean Council of Churches in Philadelphia. I just flew from California and I just arrived to testify at the Council. And, first of all, I really appreciate to the white American as well as black African American. You sacrifice to build up a beautiful country as the greatest country in the world. And especially I really appreciate to the black communities, because they sacrifice their human right struggles. Give the old Asian or the Latino communities to build up the strong communities in the nation. And I've been working the Racial Reconciliation Ministry about 30 years in Philadelphia as well as USA. During the Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 1970s and '80s, there are so many victims among the Asian American and especially the Korean American merchants, and as a current member, I also wonder why these things happen to our beautiful country, and I found out there are a lot of misunderstanding between the two communities. Number one, the language barrier is so great as well as the cultural barriers. The black African American, even though there are a lot of different background, but they are using the only one language. Latino communities, they are using the same language. But if we come to the Asian, there are so many different Asians who have totally different languages and totally different cultural differences. So among Asian, most of the American, they identify us as the Asian, but we are all different. But what I'm trying to say is if you take down the safety glasses, I Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 really -- the owner try to looking for the dignity of those human lives, but the life is more important than the dignity.

Thank you.

So if you take down the safety glasses, most of the life will be in danger and then everybody will take carrying a gun and there will be violence. I'm so sorry. So most -

If you can just conclude.

Yeah. So really ask you, humbly ask you, if you want to make a beautiful brotherly love and sister affection city in this for the City --

Thank you.

-- I think that you are bringing the culture on the issue. Thank you so much. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Thank you. (Applause.)

Kay Thompson. (No response.)

Kay Thompson. (No response.)

William Swasey. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is William Swasey. I've had the privilege of working around this country for 20 years and seeing different situations. One such particular situation was in Houston, Texas where the establishment did have bulletproof glass just on the outside, not to protect the clerks or anybody, but there was a shooting that took place. Luckily the bullets that were flying inside the building, they didn't go Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 outside and hit anybody in the head. No kids got hit. None of that. I've been at two such instances where there was no glass. Now I've been in situations where someone did attempt to rob somebody where there was glass available and it deterred them. They went in, they tried. It was unsuccessful. We have security measures everywhere we go, the airport, a bar, coming into this building. Everyone likes to work safe. I'm a welder by trade. I have measures that I take to make my job safe. So who are we to refuse these citizens their right to be safe? It not only protects them but it also protects the people, the patrons that are going there shopping at their establishments. Everyone wants to shop safe. Everyone wants to work safe. That's about all I got. We have no right to take away their safety. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 That's just plain and simple. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)

Rich Kim, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. My name is Rich Kim and I own and operate a deli in North Philadelphia. I believe that everyone here has the same goal, which is to beautify our neighborhoods and better our community. I have no objections to all the other provisions, including the 30 seating, the bathroom, selling of food, et cetera. The only issue I have is the safety glass and safety glass only. The reason is plain and simple, which is safety for not only the people that work inside of it, but the general public as Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 well. I also do realize that there are bad businesses that needs to be regulated, which I am all for as well. But please do not generalize that all delis are bad businesses. There are many businesses -- there are many delis that willingly and happily give back to the community and care what's going on in their community as well. At this time I would like to share my personal experience. Twenty-some years ago right before my family took over this business, the son of a store owner was shot and killed for no reason, and at that time, there was no bulletproof glass. So when we bought the business, it was actually the neighborhood people that actually suggested that we put the glass up. So we did. So a few years later my mother-in-law was cleaning tables in the dining area when a man pulled out a knife Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and threatened to hurt her and rape her. She had a chance to free herself and get behind the safety glass and call the cop, the police. If it wasn't for the glass, God knows what could have happened. And even two years ago, drug dealers came in trying to shoot my workers because we would not let them do work -- do their business inside or outside of the store. I did work with the police to put them behind bars. I contacted -- we contacted police numerous times without any response. So we had been policing it ourselves. And I do understand that the police have more serious business as well, but there's so much we can do and when we try to chase these drug dealers away, there's always tension, and without the safety glass, our lives will be threatened at all times. I would love to bring the safety glass down as well as long as there is guaranteed safety measure in place. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 So please amend the bill to keep the safety glass up and keep the crime rate down and, more importantly, save lives. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Lili Liao. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

My name is Lili Liao. I'm a Mandarin Chinese victim advocate with Center City Crime Victim Services. I have worked nearly eight years for the victims of violent crime in Philadelphia. I'm here today to testify against part of bill that authorize the Department of L&I to have until January 1st, 2021 to create regulations on the use or removal of physical barriers for services and customers in large establishments. By not allowing small business Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 owners to use protective glass, my fear is that the crime rate might increase in the high crime rate neighborhoods and that employees and the families of small businesses and their customers might be affected more by crimes as a result. I understand that the proposal bill only affects businesses under the largest establishment category. However, as far as the safety issue is concerned, I don't see a reason to treat businesses differently whether they are large or small establishment. In my years as a victim advocate, I have worked directly with individuals and families who own and operate small businesses. On January 20, 2012, the owner of Jin House Take-Out in Tacony was shot several times in the chest and died there. His wife was at the scene holding their infant child, fled the restaurant and screamed for help. A helpful neighbor called the police. Jin House Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Restaurant was owned by a couple. The owner left behind three young children, a five-year-old boy, a three-year-old girl, and a newborn. Jin House was without a physical barrier installed between the customers and the food services. If Jin House had installed the protective barrier, the homicide could have been avoided, in my belief. No arrest has been made for Jin House homicide. No justice. No justice. No justice has been served for the Jin House family. Two months ago on October 2nd, Judge Barbara McDermott of Philadelphia Municipal Court sentenced two criminals, one for city fight for 17 years and the other for 30 to 60 years. They tried to get over a dozen small business families in a violent home invasion robbery spree during 2016. Two weeks ago, on December 1st, Judge Petrese Tucker of the United States Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 East District Court of Pennsylvania gave a 37-year sentence to a criminal who had also targeted small business owners in a series of violent home invasion robberies in 2015. Local and federal judge both have delivered a message to the public through severe sentences to ensure the safety of small businesses in the City. Why would City Council want to pass a bill --

Ma'am.

-- (unintelligible) for their safety. Thank you.

Thank you. (Applause.)

Just to remind everyone, you have three minutes to testify. Thank you.

Asteria Vives, commenting on 170963. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon.

It's afternoon already? Buenos dias. My name is Asteria Vives. Some of you know me; some of you don't. Community activist. I do a lot in our community. I'm not about the media, so I don't show off, but I do do a lot. That includes prayer and peace walks along visiting local stores, community members, because I'm also, for no less than 12 years, with the 25th Police District Advisory Council. Home Court is in Friends is the name of the organization. I'm going to say what I have to say, not because someone asked me to, but because I live in the community. I am about the community. We are the community. I'm not going to place it in any type of order. All of it is important. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Why take control of a store and not the items and substance we sell? If small businesses are selling products that encourage drugs or alcohol, then the City has failed. It is their responsibility to match those services with the licenses and the applications that took place. The City doesn't follow up with the products sold. You say you are fighting for our constituents. Who? Because I haven't seen you around. You haven't asked me. You haven't asked my neighbors. You haven't asked. When I hear the word "my," "my district," but yet you're making the decisions for all districts, that's pretty selfish. You should be ashamed of yourself. (Applause.)

Unruly customers that come in, they're unruly before they come in because they are part of the streets. They're using drugs. They have Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 no control of themselves. So let's help reduce the violence, like I have been doing for no less than 20 years. Bulletproof versus guns, that's what I see now. Customer feelings versus violence, that's what I see. Know the high crime area and create a new zone code to allow bulletproof. Please at least do that. Control your licenses departments, not the lives of others. Insurance rates reduce because of security. Now it will go up, and now many stores already talking about closing. Should they bring swords to the guns now? Should they allow now one customer at a time to reduce the violence? We have no time for hate. We have no time for violence. We have no time for more deaths, because I have seen them. (Applause.)

I know. I know that I will lose sleep. I know that I Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 will become a wanna-be police officer, because I know that the crime rate will increase. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Peter Lai, commenting on 170963. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

I'm Peter Lai. I have my beer store, deli store at 1630 West Lehigh. Ten years ago I were a robbery and shoot me six time in my store without bulletproof glass. I just have the last bullet moved out from my body last year. I was lucky to survivor last time. This time if you make me to take down the bulletproof glass, I will Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 not be lucky next time. Please keep my bulletproof glass. I don't want to be dead. (Applause.)

I have a two -- I have my one and my two kid. Please help. Thank you. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Was your name called? Your name has to be called.

Adam Xu, you got him on the list? No.

You -

Please, I saw my name on the list. (Applause.)

Ten. Ten/ten. We're at ten. We got your point. I mean, if you do 11, then they have 11. Then it will end up being Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 20/20. We get the point. Councilmembers are well aware of the various positions. But thank you. Thank you anyway.

Chris Raab. (No response.)

Chris Raab, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon, Representative. REPRESENTATIVE RAAB: Good afternoon. Thank you. My name is Chris Raab. I'm the State Representative for the 200th Legislative District in Northwest Philadelphia representing Mount Airy, Chestnut Hill, and part of West Oak Lane. I'm glad to be here on this important issue. This is an important bill. It is also a very important issue, how we as Philadelphians deal with nuisance stop-and-go businesses that sell alcohol. This is both a crime and a quality of life issue. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 This summer I was pleased to co-sponsor a bill that is now state law. This new law states that if the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board finds that a licensed establishment does not meet the seat, square footage, food or health requirements under the state liquor code, that the LCB can suspend the business liquor license immediately. (Applause.) REPRESENTATIVE RAAB: Why is this important? Well, frankly, these businesses make good money selling alcohol, and without a license to do so, one of their most profitable product lines is cut off until that suspension is lifted. This is a real victory for consumer rights in the neighborhoods plagued with these types of nuisance businesses. The new law gives local governments, including the City of Philadelphia, the power to make recommendations to the LCB to investigate Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 establishments that are believed to be failing to meet code requirements. If you're living up to the code, if you're compliant, this is a non-issue. Now, Council is rightly focused on what can be done at the state level under this new law. My guiding principle is very simple. We need to invest in, protect, and help grow the proportion of businesses in our neighborhoods that are truly community centered. (Applause.) REPRESENTATIVE RAAB: And deeply socially responsible. We need to cultivate strong relationships between business owners and residents that are based on mutual respect and understanding, and the needs of transactional businesses operating for profit maximization must not take precedence over those businesses that are truly committed to help sustain local communities. (Applause.) Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 REPRESENTATIVE RAAB: I believe that Councilwoman Bass's bill is a substantive piece of legislation conceived in good faith. I see that I'm out of time, but this is an imperfect process. This is what participatory democracy smells like. It's not always pretty, but look around the room and we see so many people from different stakeholding communities who care enough to show up, to raise their voices, to be a part of the solution. That's how we get anything done, and I'm glad I could lend my voice to it. Thank you.

Thank you, Representative. (Applause.)

Asa Khalif, commenting on 170963. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Good afternoon, Councilpeople. I have three minutes, so I'm going to be very swift and brief. First, justice to Brandon Tate-Brown. Second, justice for David Jones. Asa Khalif, Black Lives Matter Pennsylvania. Stop-and-go's have always been a thorn in the sides of black and brown communities. Nothing -- and I do mean nothing -- good has ever come out of their presence in our communities. (Applause.)

The sale of loose cigarettes to our underage children, the shots of alcohol to our children, the drugs sold in the store, in their stores with their permission and approval. Finally, black and brown people say enough is enough. This bill is bigger than Plexiglas. This bill is about responsibility and accountability, two words stop-and-go owners never had to Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 live up to. Black and brown people have every right to decide who operates in their -- a business in their communities, in our communities. We have every right to hold anyone, regardless of race, accountable when they continue to disrespect our neighborhoods with their illegal activities. Again, this is bigger than Plexiglas. And speaking of Plexiglas, stop promoting fake news. The bill has a compromise. Protected glass removal will be the responsibility of L&I if the store is up to code and follows the rules. The Plexiglas may even remain. Again, stop with your smoke and your mirrors. This bill is long overdue, black people, and I alone with the members of Black Lives Matter Pennsylvania support it 100 percent. Thank you, Councilwoman Bass, for your courage, but this is nothing new. Black women have always been on the Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 front lines for change. So, again, this is nothing new. (Applause.)

Finally, I'll end this quote from Sister Assata Shakur of the Black Panther Party, and this is dedicated to black and brown people who are listening and here today: It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains. Black lives matter and black power. (Applause and boos.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Emmanuel Bussie, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.)

Emmanuel Bussie, Professionals for Progress and I'm a different kind of democrat. First, I want to start off by Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 saying I want to thank Councilman Curtis Jones, because this is bigger than a daggone bill, bigger than a daggone stop-and-go. Every time I come up here and every person that testifies here, what Curtis Jones does every single time, he spin his chair around and give us his undivided attention. He not texting. He not Tweeting. He give us his undivided attention and make us feel like we're welcomed up here in the City Council where we pay our taxes at. (Applause.)

Secondly, let's stop playing games. This is not about glass. This is about cash. Because if it really was about violence, you would be -- there's 300 murders in the City of Philadelphia. I want to see all of you guys -- see, you know what it is? You don't want to -- this is not about stopping violence for the Asian community. It's stopping the violence in your establishment. Because violence is Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 hitting our streets every day. It's 300 murders. I never see you out in the street with me when I go walk the streets to try to do violence prevention. This place should be packed every time. (Applause.)

I don't see you on the school bus. I don't see you on the gentrification bus. I don't see you on the housing bus. It's only when it affects your cash that you come down here. And I don't have anything against the Asian community, because when the discrimination bill was put forth, I supported the discrimination bill, because you shouldn't be discriminated against, but you should damn sure well should be fighting the same fight that we fight if you a serious Philadelphian. This can't be just about violence in your establishment. This should be about preventing violence in our city. And every single stop-and-go that whether you Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 break the laws, if your business model, if your business model is about selling products that get vulnerable, impoverished people high, it's a bad business model, whether you have glass or not. (Applause.)

What I want to do is see you out there fighting the good fight. I applaud Cindy Bass. I told you guys, this is a different day. This is a different day. Because I am being calm right now, because in '18 I'mma cut up. I'mma cut up. Because we need to support courageous behind people like Cindy Bass, like Maria Quinones-Sanchez, and like Curtis Jones. (Applause.)

The reason why you don't get more progressive bills, black people, is because we don't support the black legislators. And I can tell you this right now. All you legislators that Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 got the courage to stand up here and fight for us, we are going to -- this is a new day. We going to have your god-darn back. (Applause.)

Thank you. Thank you. (Audience member talking.)

Sir, come on. Everybody gets a chance to have their say. Thank you for your testimony.

Stephanie Ridgeway, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon. My name is Stephanie Ridgeway. I've listened to what everyone else has said, and really I just want to make sure people understand. This bill is not about the Plexiglas. I live at 22nd and Ridge and we have a business, and I live above the business. And nightly I see what happens as the businesses close and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 people go home. I ask the Asian community, how many of you live and work in the same area that you work? Because if you did, you would change your business practice. We've spoken about coming together, but at any given point or time, none of the businesses that are on the 22nd and Ridge area ever come out to a meeting, and we've had several of them. So what I say is, yes, this bill is important. Cindy Bass has pushed forth a real issue, and it is about bringing a boundary of the City and the state together, because I have seen the state come and be feet away from the things that are happening in our community and they have not taken action. This is about someone living here and working here and understanding that this is a part of our lives. My business is in just as much jeopardy as the people that have the Plexiglas, because you are serving Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 alcohol to people that are already inebriated. I see my taxes being used to pick up people that you have served on the street being in need of 911 services. And I understand that this is about money, but if it is about money, then you need to stand up and start to take an active role in stopping the things that are happening in our community. So I thank Cindy Bass for inviting me out, but I want to say this is not about the Plexiglas. This is about business being wrong from the very beginning. This is about people coming into our communities and setting up shop and taking the money home with them and leaving us there to suffer the consequences, because nightly I see urination, defecation, and other actions taking place where I live, because I live and work in that community. Thank you. (Applause.)

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you for your testimony.

Mike Daniels. (No response.)

Mike Daniels. (No response.)

Ryan Boyer, commenting on 170963. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon, Council President Clarke and Councilpeople at-large. My name is Ryan Boyer. I represent the Laborers District Council, Philadelphia and Vicinity, almost 6,000 members, about 77 percent of which are residents of the City of Philadelphia, which means we work, play, and stay here in Philadelphia. It is our opinion at the Laborers District Council that we support this bill by Cindy Bass, and we support this bill because we are residents of the City of Philadelphia, and for us it's about a corporate social responsibility. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Businesses have a social responsibility not to do things that's wrong. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, and if we judge them by the past, they've been bad actors. Now we're just asking you to maybe remove a barrier so that we can build a bridge to the community. Maybe if we understood the community more, we wouldn't be in jeopardy. My father operated a business at 10th and Green -- 11th and Green for 15 years. We never had Plexiglas up. We was robbed once, but when you're doing business, sometimes you get it. And, listen, I have had the opportunity to partake of the Asian cuisine of the various countries in Chinatown in those restaurants. They stay open very late. I've never seen a Plexiglas wall in those restaurants in Chinatown. So it's about equity for us. It's about equity for my guys that live Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 in every zip code in Philadelphia. We have a member in at least every zip code in Philadelphia. Why can't their dining experience be the same as when they come to Chinatown? That's all we want, is fairness, a fundamental fairness. And I'm sure L&I will work to ensure the safety of all those establishments, but we need to play by the rules, and that has not happened and you have not been good members of the community. Good members of the community coach little league, you give donations to little league. I have never seen your flag fly in any of the places that we do business with little league, because my guys coach all types of stuff. So we come together and use this moment as a moment to come together, I think that you'll find yourself safer as you engrain yourself in the community and not disassociate yourself from the community and take your cash deposits and go wherever you live. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Rochelle Bilal, commenting on 170963. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning. Rochelle Bilal. First of all, I'm speaking on Bill 170963. This bill and a lot of these stores, especially the bad ones, is a scourge in our neighborhoods. The communities are the poorest is the ones that they predit (ph) on. This is not about Plexiglas. This is about disrespect of anyone's culture -- this is not about disrespect of anyone's culture, because we all want to be safe in the City. This is not about the Plexiglas. This is about human decency, because these stop-and-go stores have been a menace in our communities for a long time. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 (Applause.)

I went to one, and this is how I found out that they were serving shots by the glass. I get out of my car, got some friends coming over. They drink coolers. I'mma stop at one, buy some coolers. I go into the store and I notice people are buying shots. I notice kids are coming in to get potato chips and pretzels. As I leave, I see a guy on the side urinating outside this establishment because there is no bathroom that they can use in these properties. If you want a restaurant, follow the restaurant rules. If you want a bar, follow the bar rules. (Applause.)

Bars are held accountable for drunk patrons. Bars are held accountable for drunk patrons. People that sell shots do not. Most of -- the one not too far from my house, people drive up, get shots, get drunk, Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 drive away. Thank God I'm not in their way, and I hope you are not in their way when they leave that stop-and-go. It's really problematic that certain persons spin this bill into a safety bill, and I've been a law enforcement officer for 27 years. It's not about Plexiglas. It's not about the safety issue. It's about do the right thing in the neighborhoods in which you do your business. That's all we asking. So whoever spin the fake news to you, you need to check them, because it's not about Plexiglas, and we are not here to kill you. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Supreme Dow. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Thank you, Council President.

You're welcome.

And thank you to all the Councilmembers for your undivided attention regarding this matter, and thank everyone for coming out, both sides. Obviously this is an issue that's important to the community. My name is Supreme Dow and I'm a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, Northwest Philadelphia, particularly Germantown, and damn proud of it. Today I provide testimony from up an close and personal view. I have the opportunity to run a non-profit that is situated directly next door to a stop-and-go that we had to shut down because of continual and yearly violations of city codes, state codes, and rules and regulations. I've heard people come through the park and say, What time does it open? Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Because that was their gathering space at 10 o'clock in the morning. Like we did the bars in the '70s when there was a bar on every corner in the black community and they were a nuisance to Philadelphia, we shut them down, and I'm here to say today that if you continue to be a nuisance in our community, we will shut you down. (Applause.)

I've had to conduct tours and welcome guests and host elementary and high school students next to a stop-and-go that served as a gathering place for unsavory characters and activity. Today I testify in support of Bill 170963. I'm old enough to remember the first wave of what many refer to as the stop-and-go businesses. A little over 30 years ago neighborhoods experienced a shocking invasion of malt liquor beer joints that operated under the guise of restaurants. It quickly became obvious to residents and community Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 leaders that these businesses didn't serve their best interest. Plexiglas was erected, tables were scarce, and public restrooms were somehow always out of order. As the crack epidemic began to grip African American and poor communities, these stop-and-go businesses began to proliferate. In my view, this is no coincidence. Not that there's been a conspiracy. There has just been a crude business strategy by these business owners to focus on areas of our city that have been vulnerable to drug activity. As a matter of fact, by way of even casual observance, it is clear that what all these establishments have in common is the open drug activity in and around the store. The discussion of stop-and-go establishments and the value of this bill points to some very important issues that should be considered. Are these establishments safe and clean? Do they Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 attract the kind of business and people that are needed to move a community upward into a thriving public and private partnership? Do these businesses operate with community care and consideration? And are all these businesses accountable? Basically the number one question that should be answered when considering a stop-and-go for any neighborhood is, does this business add value to the community, economically, culturally, and aesthetically? I suggest to you that this bill does. History is spelled out. The business model for stop-and-go stores, they erect Plexiglas all around the counters and registers, placing a barrier between the customer and goods provider.

Thank you.

This barrier is a prime example of the disconnect --

Thank you. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

-- between the people and the store owners.

Thank you for your testimony.

Thank you very much for your courage, Councilwoman. (Applause.)

Lillian Hertz. (Witness approached podium.)

Correction to my name. It's Hentz. Hentz like henceforth and forevermore, but spelled different.

The record shall reflect that correction.

I had no -

Just say your name for the record.

Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Lillian English Hentz.

Thank you.

I am the Vice Chair of the 49th Ward and I'm here today and I've listened to everyone's testimony Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 here today, and I didn't have a clue that I was going to come up here and speak to you all today, but let me speak to you as a 30-year resident of the Logan area. Let me speak to you as a native Philadelphian. Let me speak to you as a law enforcement officer for 32 years. Let me speak to you as someone who cries sometime at night. I have four sons and a daughter. I'm lucky. I'm blessed that they're still alive. I want to say to you that I grew up in North Philadelphia where we didn't have a stop-and-go on the corner of every corner. I grew up. I was a child. I was able to be a child. But I work in an area in the 3500 and 3600 blocks of Germantown Avenue where we had to close down the stop-and-go's. If you listen to the testimony today, this definitely is not about protecting our community, because if it was about protecting our community, we wouldn't have everybody up here saying Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 don't take down my Plexiglas because it keeps me safe. Okay? We would have people up here saying let's make Plexiglas stores, period, if that's going to save the whole community. I say to you, Cindy Bass, I say to you, Cherelle Parker, I say to you, Councilman Jones, and I say to you, Ms. Quinones, and I say to you, Jannie Blackwell, I say to you as one of the new guys on the block, Derek Green, and I say to you, Kenyatta -- you don't know me, but I know you. Okay? I say to you thank you. I say to you -- I say to you thank you for bringing this, Cindy Bass. I thank you for being my Councilperson. I have not always had it like this, but I want to thank you and I want y'all to get the picture. We're tired of these stop-and-go's who don't do nothing but stop-and-go liquor and alcohol in our neighborhoods and our kids aren't safe. (Applause.)

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you for your testimony, ma'am.

Melissa Robbins. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon, Council President, Councilmembers. Thank you, Cindy Bass, for taking leadership on this. This conversation is not about Plexiglas or savages who simply want to harm others, as some have stated on social media platforms. This is a conversation about quality of life, classism, and racism, a tough topic to tackle. Let us not pretend that we don't know why the nation recognizes Philadelphia as the largest most poverty-stricken city in the nation, but let's be honest and acknowledge that this system was put in place that allows this well-oiled aging machine to operate and function just the way in which it was designed to, thus creating perpetual poverty. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Would you be okay with an establishment in your neighborhood that opens as early as 7:00 a.m. and sells beer, liquor, and shots to anyone? Let it be known that the same establishments typically close from 1:00 to 2:00 a.m. in the morning. So let us ask ourselves, what takes place during the course of a 19-hour period in one of those establishments all day? How does one with an establishment license contribute to the betterment of our neighborhood, or does it contribute to the decay of our neighborhoods? Oh, and by the way, I'm just really finding out that the City actually recognizes these establishments as restaurants. These restaurants break federal law by breaking the seal on packs of cigarettes and selling them individually as loosies. (Applause.)

They sell fried foods containing high saturated fats and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 MSG, sodium, and tons of sugar, foods with no nutritional value, and none of the healthy options that most people need to survive cannot be found. They do not exist in these establishments. You can, however, find chips, cookies, sugar, soda water, candy, liquor, malt liquor, shots, beer, and a plethora of other fried foods, rice, noodles, and gravy sauces. These restaurants have no heat, no restrooms, some have no doors, and the customer service is non-existent. Customers are regularly treated like the scum of the earth, and many of these restaurants do not have standard cash registers and only accept cash. Now, multiply that one restaurant. We have unlimited places of businesses just like this around the City, all over our city and, yes, primarily in neighborhoods of color. What if Center City, Manayunk or Society Hill had this issue? We all know the City wouldn't allow business models like Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 this in these neighborhoods. They would not be seen as an asset to their community. Therefore, you're not an asset to our community. They do not comply with the laws and ordinances. They do not employ our local residents. They do not create community partnerships, and they do not invest into our neighborhoods, and they only provide stable incomes for themselves. These are crime beds. These are eyesores. These are dysfunctional, unethical, non-compliant small businesses that have contributed to the decay of our communities of color. These redlined communities of food deserts deserve the same quality of life that many of you enjoy in your neighborhoods each day. Many of these residents are underpaid. They're ill-educated, unemployed, and are not valued. They all deserve better. If you ran a business that sold products that are known to harm the body Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and impair good judgment from sun up to the wee hours of the morning -- I'm sorry. We're over time, but I say these restaurants need to be shut down. You do not contribute to the betterment of us. You need to go. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Tina Marie Russell. (No response.)

Tina Marie Russell. (No response.)

Greg Spearman. (Witness approached podium.)

Greg, she's here.

You made me get up for nothing?

No. We had inserted her name.

She's late, Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 though.

But she's here. Thank you. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon. My name is Tina Marie Russell. I wrote a document for -- a letter for today, but I have, after listening to everyone here, I've decided to let that go, because it's already written. It's already in your records. What I see here is a lack of communication. I've been in the hallways talking to a lot of different business owners of the Asian culture, and they're scared. But they don't understand that we're scared too. We all want the same thing. We want peace, but what we need to do is sit down and talk more, maybe break out into -- here's some solutions for me. We break out into smaller organizations based on our community. We have conversations with each other. We figure out some solutions that's going to Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 work. We look at each of our State Representatives and City Council for guidance, and then we can find an answer to this. Because at this point in time, we are in a crisis, and this crisis has been brought to the forefront by Councilwoman Bass's bill. But look around you. At no point in time have I ever -- and I've been advocating hard to try to get the small business associations to come and join -- have I seen so many Asians come together. I mean, look at you guys. You got to applaud yourselves. You're active finally, and that's all we want. We want you to be active in our communities, because you're Americans now, right? So we want you to come together and join up with us to find solutions, because you don't like to be victimized and we don't want to be victimized, correct? So let's decide today that we're going to come together, we're going Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 to meet with each other, we're going to find solutions, because we want to get the crime out of our communities. And that's my testimony for today. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

Charles Ellison, commenting on Bill No. 160111-A. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon, Council President.

Good afternoon.

Also members of the City Council gathered here today and also residents of the great, yet troubled City of Philadelphia. My name is Charles Ellison. For the record, I'm known as the Executive Producer and host of a daily public affairs program on WURD radio known as Reality Check. I'm also Washington correspondent for the Philadelphia Tribune. Also I'm a Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 contributing editor to the root.com and I write a weekly column for The Philadelphia Citizen. I'm here representing myself today as a private and concerned citizen in support of Council Bill No. 160111-A, and that was recently introduced and recently revived by Councilwoman Blackwell. I know that this is a little off script from the bill that we've been debating here today, but I can assure you that it is just as important a quality of life issue as the bill regarding stop-and-go's. I also present this testimony today as an individual who was raised in the Logan section of North Philadelphia. It's the matter of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, and it's the subject of enormous consequence to many people in this room and all the citizens of Philadelphia. And I deliver this testimony as someone who grew up in one of the City's larger working-class Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 sections where I watch residents and families struggle daily to make very simple ends meet, including in my own household. And I'm very concerned about the way the Philadelphia Parking Authority behaves, conducts its daily operations, and treats certain segments of the Philadelphia population, and it struck a somewhat deep and very personal chord with me. There are two big issues and problems with the Philadelphia Parking Authority right now that need addressing by this Council - race and income-based discrimination. There is data that I've personally researched that shows a pattern in which Parking Authority officers are routinely preying on and victimizing communities that are overwhelmingly black, brown, and fixed to low income in composition. Also there's an abuse and misdirection of funding streams where an analysis of Parking Authority financial Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 reports -- also we saw this with the PA Auditor General's recent audit of Authority finances -- show the Parking Authority directing very little of this revenue to the Philadelphia public school system. Combing through the City's datasets on this, I found that there are 14 different zip codes that have issued 100,000 or more parking tickets between 2012 and 2016, yet nearly 80 percent, 80 percent of those zip codes are places where the poverty rate is 20 percent or more and the neighborhoods are mostly black and of color. So in my zip code where I grew up in 19141, there were 179,000 tickets that were issued, but in whiter, more affluent zip codes, there are very few tickets and violations issued. Sorry. I'm hoping that with this issue on Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell's bill we can get swift and decisive City Council action on it and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 also support from the City's Mayor and also from the delegation of State Representatives and Senators that represent the City. Thank you for your time and your initiative on this issue.

Thank you. I would like the record to reflect Ms. Rochelle Bilal also wanted to testify on this, but her time ran out on her earlier testimony and the other issue, but for the record, she is in support of Bill No. 160111-A. So let the record reflect that.

Miranda Alexander, commenting on 171086. (Witness approached podium.)

Good day, Council President, Councilmembers, members of the community, and my fellow African diaspora colleagues. Today I stand on the strong shoulders of many great men and women who were slave Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 abolitionists, freedom fighters, and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement here in America, the Caribbean, and in Africa. As a member of Amnesty International, Philadelphia Chapter, the Mayor's Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, a person who regularly engages the African diaspora community with my own supporting program such as Also Our Rites of Passage, camps, meldorn (ph), diaspora tours to North and South Broad Philly, West and Southwest Philly, Heman (ph) for Black Advocates through my organization, You Are From Philadelphia, grassroots program, Voices in the Community, and Caribbean community in Philadelphia. So I have an invested interest in the way my African people are treated in Libya among the African Arabs, slave traders at slave markets tying nooses around necks of African black buddies. Good day. My name is Miranda Alexander and I'm originally from Trinidad and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Tobago with Indoe and Afro-Caribbean heritage. I am Caribbean and I am Philadelphian, making Philadelphia my home for the last 18 years. My colleagues and I -- I think some of them have left already -- are here today to support our Councilwoman, Councilwoman Blackwell, in this resolution saying no to the horrific slave action treatment of our African brothers and sisters forced to endure at the hands of Libyans. To see these horrific pictures and not do something is a crime against my conscience. It's a crime against my charge as a christian. It's a crime against my skin color, and it's a crime against the children of our generation and the generations that follow. More importantly, it's a crime against humanity. I speak out today for the voices who wanted to say something, but are restricted. I speak out for our immigrant community and I speak out on Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 behalf of Africans who wanted to be here to say something. I am appalled that my Philadelphia community never led an immediate citywide demonstration. I attempted one on behalf of my local amnesty to do so, but got cancelled because of the lack of voices. So I am here saying that my Philadelphia is a major metropolitan city with 42 million visitors, and so I expect us to honor, respect, and hold in high esteem and dignity the God-given potential and purpose of black human souls, demanding Africans and all people of African descent freedom of choice and voice.

Ma'am, thank you.

So we speak as -

Can you wrap up.

-- an African community -- yes, I am -- and denounce Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and oppose this inhumane treatment of our Africans in Libya. Thank you so much.

Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)

Jean Marie Kouassi, commenting on 171086. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon.

Council President, members of the Council, friends, I'm Jean Marie Kouassi, President and Founder of Palms Solution, the African Francophone Global Initiative based here in Philadelphia and actively involved in the well-being of the social and economic development of our constituents here and abroad. My presence before you come as a result of the horrifying display of human servitude in the manner of slavery that we've been witnessing in Libya for Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 the last weeks. It is devastating that such practices could be still alive on the African soil in this 21st century. Since Libya fell into chaos after the ouster and killing of Muhammad Gaddafi in 2011, hundred of thousand of migrant from the country that I represent are believed to be in lawless Libya, and many of them are being held by smuggler under lock and key in the country consumed by fractional violence. As we speak, 155 Ivorian refugee, including 89 women and underage migrant, were returned from Libya to the Ivory Coast, the country where I'm originally from, a spot of the reintegration initiative launched by the European union and the diplomacy initiative that we've launched here in New York. We want this effort to continue and to get even better results. That is why I'm standing before you in support of the resolution introduced by our Council Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Jannie Blackwell, which I hope will contribute a great deal to the solution of this horrifying and degrading problem on the ground in Libya. I would like to thank you for your interest on the matter and thank in particular Council Jannie Blackwell for introducing the resolution on our behalf. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)

Voffee Jabateh. (No response.)

Joe Danihel, commenting on 171087, 171092, 171095, 171100, and 160720. (Witness approached podium.)

My name is Joseph Danihel. This is an official decree of the people in writ of mandamus quo warranto and, as such, requires immediate action and remedy. Every week this Council, Mayor, Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and others transfer private property to government, probably illegally. In this representative form of government, officers having a fiduciary duty to people have colluded to steal my home and others. Officials have covered the tracks of these other oath-bound officials, allowing clear violations to go unprosecuted. It is illegal, immoral. RICO statutes clearly are required to round up groups of oath-violating officials who collude to steal taxpayer money and violate oath, Constitution, and law. 42 USC 1992, every person having knowledge of any of the wrongs conspired to be done or about to be committed, having the power to prevent and aid in preventing in the commission of the same, neglects or refuse to do so, if such wrongful act shall be committed, shall be liable to the party injured, or his legal representatives, for damages caused for such a wrongful act. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 There is at least 54 counts of oath, Constitution, and law violating known by this Council and they are avoiding a known duty or task at least 54 times. Why is there no enforcement of oath, Constitution, and law violations? Did Graham Spanier in Penn State think he was above the law requiring accountability? The Constitution and laws require immediate remedy for this breach of law, breach of close, breach of fiduciary duty. Your oath of office requires you to act or face prison. 42 USC 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 18 USC 241, 242, 2381, 2384, PA Constitution, Article I, Sections 1 through 11, 26 PA CSA 703, 705, 708, 712, 713, 716, and other laws listed in SCOTUS 8965, 14-1330, 14-4056 appear violated. I call for the federal and Commonwealth governments to perform their constitutional obligations to investigate and prosecute all involved in the theft Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 and illegal deed transfer of my home, 1038 West Wyoming Avenue. The denial of God-given 42 USC 1982 property rights for 23 years is egregious, extraordinary, oath-violating, and requires immediate remedy. A just government must obey the rule of law. This color of law government must have its Charter to govern revoked until a constitutionally compliant government is installed. Public servants cannot refuse their sworn duty to act any more than a fireman can refuse to fight a fire. The sovereign people require the Constitution and laws be enforced. Jail is required for all who violate oath, Constitution or laws.

Thank you.

It takes a lot of cooperation to create and allow monumental corruption.

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Thank you for your testimony, sir.

Mohamed Camara, commenting on 171086. (Witness approached podium.)

Good afternoon, Honorable. My name is Mohamed Camara. I would first like to thank the Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell for introducing this bill on the situation on Libya. We all live in the United States. If we not immigrant ourself, our parents were immigrants at some point. Many Sub-Saharan Africans are leaving their home because of economic situations to travel to Europe and they were to transition in Libya, and during that transition, these people are stopped, imprisoned, and then auctioned to the highest bidder. This situation is intolerable. This situation cannot be allowed in a 21st century humanity. This is a plea for all humanity to stand up and to basically stop this Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 type of behavior anywhere on this planet. Human beings are not to be sold as cattle or as property. This is not acceptable. Slavery is not acceptable here. Slavery is not acceptable anywhere. And as people of African descent, we have experienced it many times during history and, quite frankly, enough is enough. We need to come together and ask the government of Libya, the government of Europe that are (unintelligible) in Libya to stop this practice. This is not acceptable. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)

There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.

Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our public comment session. We will now consider Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 -(Audience member talking.)

You're too late, sir. We've moved past that. (Audience member talking.)

I understand that, but you weren't here when your name was called. Your name was called like several times. (Audience member talking.)

We've concluded the public comment session. I'm sorry. Thank you. We will now consider today's bill Consent Agenda. I would ask the Clerk to read the titles of all the bills on the Consent Agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the bill on the Consent Agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the bill will be immediately removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on our regular Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Mr. Decker, please read the title of the bills on the Consent Agenda.

Bill No. 170821 --

Folks, can you please keep it down so we can hear the numbers.

Bill No. 170821, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 14-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, (entitled 'Historic Preservation') to establish a temporary demolition moratorium with respect to properties in the area of Ridge Avenue between Wissahickon Creek and Northwestern Avenue"; and Bill No. 170927, entitled "An ordinance approving the plan, estimated costs and proposed method of assessment and charges of the Center City District for and concerning business improvements and administrative services to the central district of the City of Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 2018 through 2022"; and Bill No. 170959, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 14-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Use Regulations,' by creating regulations for the day care use"; and Bill No. 170960, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Zoning and Planning,' to create a new Ninth District Overlay, to limit the materials that may be used on building facades"; and Bill No. 170986, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 14-513 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled '/TOD, Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District,' to revise requirements and designations relating to said overlay district"; and Bill No. 170987, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Street, 40th Street, Locust Street, 42nd Street, Woodland Avenue, 43rd Street, Spruce Street, and 45th Street"; and Bill No. 170990, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Oxford Street, 22nd Street, Jefferson Street, and 24th Street"; and Bill No. 170719, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Miscellaneous,' by changing the rules for requesting the preparation of Fiscal Impact Statements and final adoption of bills"; and Bill No. 171012, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Communication,' to provide authorization for and to establish requirements and fees associated with placement of Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 with mobile wireless services on poles and other structures in the public right-of-way"; and Bill No. 171052, entitled "An ordinance approving the execution and delivery of a Service Agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development relating to the financing of energy conservation and efficiency measures at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Main Building, the Perelman Building and the Rodin Building"; and Bill No. 171053, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the City of Philadelphia to enter into a guaranteed energy savings contract for the implementation and evaluation of energy conservation and efficiency measures designed to reduce energy, water, wastewater or other consumption or operating costs at specified City properties"; and Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 170957, entitled "An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017 from the General Fund, the Grants Revenue Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, the Water Fund, the Grants Revenue Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions"; and Bill No.

170958, entitled "An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 from the General Fund and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, the Water Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions"; and Bill No. 170877, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 16-300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Maintenance Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Supervision,' by authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to promulgate regulations prohibiting City employees from possessing certain symbols, materials, and objects in City-owned or City-occupied facilities"; and Bill No. 170991, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into a lease agreement with EB Realty Management, for use by the City of all or a portion of the premises located at 667 North Broad Street"; and Bill No. 170994, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into an amendment to an existing lease agreement with Washington Service Corporation, for use by the City of all or a portion of the premises located at 8747 Frankford Avenue"; and Bill No. 170999, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 enter into a lease with an option to purchase with Ujima Community Transformation Partners, for use and/or purchase by the City of all or a portion of the premises located at 6750 Lindbergh Boulevard"; and Bill No. 171000, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into a lease agreement with St. Agnes MOB, for use by the City of all or a portion of the premises located at 1930 South Broad Street"; and Bill No. 171011, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into an amendment to an existing lease agreement with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, for use by the City of all or a portion of the premises located at 1234 Market Street"; and Bill No. 171015, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire by purchase, Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 title in some or all of the parcels of land together with the improvements thereon commonly known as 4301, 4303 and 4305 Germantown Avenue"; and Bill No. 170992, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of Bustleton Avenue from Magee Avenue to Unruh Avenue"; and Bill No. 170993, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of Unruh Avenue from Akron Street to Roosevelt Boulevard"; and Bill No. 170998, entitled "An ordinance providing for the repeal of an ordinance, Bill No. 170203, and the restoration of the intersection of 57th Street and Wyalusing Avenue to the traffic controls existing prior to the enactment of said bill"; and Bill No. 171001, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 9-605 of The Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Code, entitled 'Towing,' to revise certain requirements for participation in and provisions for administration of the rotational towing system, and to adjust the fees for tows in the rotational system"; and Bill No. 171006, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 271 by striking from the City Plan and vacating Lewellen Street from Delaware Avenue to Canal Street"; and Bill No. 171007, entitled "An ordinance authorizing Atul Amin, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the southeast corner of North 10th Street, to construct, use, and maintain conduits in, under, and across the southeast corner of North 10th Street"; and Bill No.

171008, entitled "An ordinance authorizing Sanjay Jhaveri, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the southeast corner of North Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 9th Street, to construct, use and maintain conduits in, under and across the southeast corner of North 9th Street"; and Bill No. 171013, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 9-206 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Sidewalk Vendors in Neighborhood Business Districts,' by creating a special sidewalk vending district on North Twentieth Street between West Clarkson Avenue and Belfield Avenue, and amending Section 9-205 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Sidewalk Sales,' to prohibit sidewalk vending on certain portions of Olney Avenue"; and Bill No. 170856, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Public Property to acquire a trestle over Germantown Avenue just below Cresheim Valley Drive and to enter into an agreement to license from PECO Energy Company a certain strip of land running parallel to a portion of Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 Creek"; and Bill No. 170904, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for maintenance of a shared use trail located at the Girard Avenue Interchange and Interstate Route 95"; and Bill No. 170989, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into one or more agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development to amend, restate, or otherwise replace the lease and sublease authorized by Bill No. 090330 to permit the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, Incorporated, to construct, operate, maintain, and repair a Holocaust Memorial Plaza on the 'Premises' identified under the previously authorized lease and sublease"; and Bill No. 170897, entitled "An Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 6, Chapter 6-400, of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Miscellaneous Standards and Requirements,' to add warning sign requirements for public bathing establishments"; and Bill No. 170794, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 6-300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Food,' by repealing Section 6-305 (relating to milk, milk products and milk derivatives)"; and Bill No. 170795, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 6-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Preventive Medicine,' by repealing Section 6-207 (relating to premarital examinations)"; and Bill No. 170796, entitled "An ordinance repealing Chapter 9-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Use of Electronic Scanners for Customer Checkout'"; and Bill No. 170797, entitled "An Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 10-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Refuse and Littering,' by repealing Section 10-712 (relating to dropping litter from an aircraft)"; and Bill No. 170798, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Services and Other Businesses,' by repealing Section 9-621 (relating to the sale of telephone activated pagers)"; and Bill No. 170799, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 6-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Miscellaneous Standards and Requirements,' by repealing Section 6-401(2)(b) (relating to radiation)"; and Bill No. "

Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 you, Mr. Decker. These bills having been read on two different days, the question for each bill now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk shall call the roll, and upon being called, each Councilmember shall vote aye on each of the bills, nay on each of the bills or indicate those bills for which the member is voting aye and those bills for which the member is voting nay. Mr. Decker, call the roll.

Councilwoman Bass.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Domb.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Green. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Greenlee.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Gym.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Henon.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Johnson.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Jones.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Oh. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Parker.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Taubenberger.

Aye on all bills.

Council President Clarke.

Aye on all bills. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative for each Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 2ND READING of the bills, the bills on the Consent Agenda are passed. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 170963. Councilman, I'm sorry.

Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to report aye on all bills, voting in favor.

The record shall reflect that, Councilman.

Thank you.

You're welcome. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 171086.

A resolution calling upon the United Nations, the President of the United States and other international leaders to strongly condemn the Libyan slave trade and promptly take the actions necessary to end this grave Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 2ND READING injustice to human dignity.

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me thank those who came to speak and ask certainly for the adoption of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and Resolution 171086 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 171087.

A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the West Philadelphia Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 2ND READING Redevelopment Area, identified by house number and street address as 4014 Green Street.

The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and Resolution 171087 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 171088.

A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, 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-Seventh Ward of the City of Philadelphia.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and Resolution 171088 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 171089. Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 2ND READING

A resolution exercising the host county option under Act 42 of 2017 to prohibit the placement of any Video Gaming Terminals within Philadelphia.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.

I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and 171089 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 171090.

A resolution exercising the host county option under Act 42 of 2017 to prohibit the location of a Category 4 licensed facility within Stated Meeting December 14, 2017 12/14/17 - STATED - 2ND READING the boundaries of the City of Philadelphia.