The bottom line is, we want AWHS to succeed, so we're not interested in 1960 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE making it. . .
Can I say something to that? The 30 percent is really not important. We already put 90 percent in, you see? So when you talk about 30 percent, we wouldn't even be able to operate. Now, we do have the Belmont escrow account, which we established when we left Belmont and had to go to Hatfield because of the construction, and so that is where we have been trying to add monies to it, to continue with its maintenance.
But, of course, we cannot do with only half of a facility, you see?
All right. The second item, the approval of fees, are there any other historical mansions where we have that kind 1961 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE of arrangement? Or are there just other facilities that are income-generating that we have that kind of arrangement? For instance, golf courses, park-wide concessions, those entities. I know that the Park --
Clearly, Councilman, in all of those issues, the approval of the fee by the Fairmount Park Commission is a requirement of that concession agreement. However, in addition to those, we do have leased properties, in fact, where fee increases are also -- where the requirement is to be approved by the Fairmount Park Commission. Specifically in historic houses, the Glen Ford facility in Northeast Philadelphia, which is also a Fairmount Park facility, its fees are all approved by the Fairmount Park Commission.
What's the nature of Glen Ford does in comparison to what's going on 1962 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE at Belmont?
It's very similar to what AWHS does in Belmont Mansion. This is a not-for-profit organization which has a $1-a-year lease with the Fairmount Park Commission for the operation and management of an historic structure.
Other examples include the Owens Lane Art Center, Bartram Gardens. Other lease agreements -- those are all historic houses -- include the Zoo, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Mann Music Center.
Well, with regard to Belmont Mansion, I mean, what fees are you interested in either trying to oversee or monitor? Are you talking about rental fees, the price of a party versus the price of a wedding, or versus, you know, someone going on a tour? What are we talking about?
We have basically, Councilman, fiduciary responsibility for the activities that occur in our houses. We just want to be assured -- and we have no reason to believe that we would not be, and we ask this of all, 1963 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE through their annual report and a copy of the bylaws, of all not-for-profits which occupy our facilities. We just want to be assured that the charges that are being requested of potential sublessees are appropriate and reasonable so as not to exclude people who may not be able to afford a --
But any decision you might make -- I mean, I'm going to try to give you the benefit of the doubt. You're not going to make it in an arbitrary and capricious fashion. It would be subject to discussion with the tenant -- in this particular case, AWHS -- and more than likely on whatever day you're having fee passage day, there's some agreement between the parties, right?
All right. What's the purpose of having the President or any other member of the Park Commission as an ex-officio member on someone else's board?
Basically to ensure 1964 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE better coordination between the needs and the concerns and the desires, if you will, of that particular board in that particular Fairmount Park facility. If we are able to attend their meetings often as ex-officio members -- and it doesn't matter to us in what official capacity, whether it's actual board membership or ex-officio membership -- we can try to bridge that communication gap. There are 80 leases in which the Fairmount Park Commission has responsibility, and 11 facilities --
Does the Park have a board member on other people's boards of directors?
In addition to all the ones that I just mentioned, in which we approve their fees, of which I mentioned five, we have the Pegasus Riding Academy, Briars Mansion, and Friends of Riverfield. So we have 11 facilities in which we have enjoyed membership on their board. And again, it's not, you know, a situation where we want to know everything about 1965 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE this operation; we're just there to actually help them in operating needs, in capital needs. And 3 those 11 facilities are staffed by my deputy directors who, again, have, you know, great knowledge.
But you're not necessarily expecting the Park Commissioner is going to be in a position to vote --
-- if you will, with regard to that entity's operation or anything. Your position is that it's more for liaison and coordination.
Let me say this: We have no problem with that. The situation is that we belong to the Fairmount Park Council for Historic Sites.
Certain areas that Bill has mentioned are not historic sites; 1966 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE they are a separate entity from the other places that he's talking about.
Now, in 6 years, we have not proven ourselves in what we 7 have been able to do in making Belmont become one 8 of the most beautiful sights in this city? We 9 want to work with you. 10
But don't make 12 it so hard for us, you understand? We're 13 struggling, you know, right now because we only have half a facility. We need the other part.
I understand. But, I mean, Miss Johnson-Thornton, I don't get the impression that you're saying that even in an ex-officio capacity that a Park Commissioner is an onerous burden on you.
No. But, you see, it's not me alone; I have a board of directors.
And they voted 1967 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE against it because they weren't clear on what this really meant, you know what I mean? Was it being a rock star kind of thing or what?
Okay. The one item that seems to not be in dispute is the operating cost of the Mansion; you already take care of that, right?
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Clark for a point of order.
Madam Chair, I could not be more some supportive of any project than I am in continuing this project, but I believe that this process is not a good one. I believe that what is going on now ought to go on off the record at Mr. Nutter's office or in some private spot and that they ought to come back and 1968 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE say to us that they have agreement. Because where they are right now, Mrs. Thornton is going to ask for the most and the executives are going to promise the least, and you can't close that gap on a public record. But if they could negotiate off the record, they could come back with something that each could live with. I think we're burdening the record with far too much detail here.
Councilwoman, I greatly appreciate that. Audrey Johnson-Thornton, though, is well aware that many of these discussions have actually taken place in a variety of private forums. And quite honestly, one of my purposes here today -- not so much for her but with our public agency people -- is to establish a very public record about what they are going to commit to and what is going to get done. Because I really, during the course of this budget season, have as a goal to wrap up the two primary issues. There's a funding issue and a lease issue.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Clark for a point of 1969 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE order.
Mr. Nutter is making an argument. I agree with what he wants to do, I think it is very clear, but I just disagree that this is the time or the place to do it. And I believe that it burdens this record unnecessarily without getting us to the place where he's trying to go.
And for that matter, I offer myself as a negotiator to help do it in private, but I think that this is the wrong forum.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Mr. Mifflin, going forward, you've heard the testimony of Miss Paster with regard to engineering and design phase commitments.
What I would ask at this point in time is given that we are now going 1970 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE to move forward on making a determination of what the Belmont Mansion project is going to be and what it will need, that between now and then, after this discussion about lease issues, that we take the time that we have between now and the start of the project to nail down the discrepancies, the lack of information, and the language disputes between the Park Commission and AWHS over the lease issues, and utilize this time, based on your commitments on the record and based on some of the things that Miss Johnson-Thornton has committed to doing, to get the lease issues nailed down now. We have to have a lease in place to make the project go forward. There have been many discrepancies, many disputes. We need to get those resolved. Now, it does not appear that there is that much distance between you, but we needed to have the funding issue squared away, and I think that we got the commitment that we need for that today. Are you committed to getting that done? 1971 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
I'm committed totally to that. I have counsel here with me with afternoon. We're ready, willing, and able to meet with counsel for AWHS at their request.
I am. We have one of the most magnificent houses in the Park that is just deteriorating, and we cannot afford to let that happen, okay?
Okay. Are you satisfied with the responses you received here today?
And I appreciate Councilwoman Augusta Clark for her input. I think that's what it will take. Thank you.
Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam Chair. 1972 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Thank you. Are there any other questions or comments from any other members? (No further questions.)
Miss Harper, Miss Rosenthal, and Dr. Palmer, I believe you're all going to testify at the same time. (Above-named individuals come to the witness table.)
Good afternoon, Councilwoman. My name is Walter Palmer. I am the Chairperson for Health Center 2 at 1700 South Broad Street.
Good afternoon, members of Council. I'm Shelah Harper, and I'm Board Chair of Health Care Center 9, located at 131 East Chelten Avenue, in the Germantown section of the city. 1973 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE I'm here today on behalf of Health Care Center No. 9, all of the public health centers in the city and the growing number of uninsured which has changed over the years. It's reflecting people like myself who are self-employed. It's affecting people like myself who are full-time employed, part-time employed, unemployed, people who are moving from welfare to work, people who are losing their medical insurance benefits, period. Okay, our public health system is the only safety net for that majority of people. The number of uninsured nationally over the last ten years has increased by approximately 1 million people a year. Last year, it increased 100 percent to 1.7 million people a year. We are having a growing major uninsured population. The public health centers are the only safety net that remains in the City. It is critical that we allocate additional funds to maintain and support those centers. At Health Care Center No. 9, we have a number of concerns, issues. One, we have no mammography machine at our center at all. We are the only health care center that does not have mammography. In the 1974 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Germantown section of the City, we also have the highest percentage of women that die from breast cancer.
No. What happens is, our facility -- the Health Department has a mobile mammography machine that goes from each center, all of the eight centers. It can't get into our location because of the ramp and access ramp and the lack of room, okay? So, therefore, what we have done in the past was to send our patients over to Allegheny, which, of course, represents a barrier to women who are poor, who might not be able to travel that additional distance in order to get a mammography. So right now, we have no 19 mammography. And as I said, more women in Germantown are dying. It's like 50 percent -- I don't know what the exact number is, I do have it somewhere -- are dying from not having mammograms, which is a preventable disease. Secondly, we also have old X-ray 1975 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE equipment that was acquired from PGH.
That was acquired from PGH, Philadelphia General Hospital, in 1972, without knowing how long prior to '72 PGH operated it. That's the X-ray equipment that we currently use. Its quality may be okay; the concern would be the additional possibility of additional radiation exposure. The other concern we have is dealing with the facility. There's a standard that's set in the city of three patient exam rooms for each physician. We are below that standard. We have 17 exam rooms. We are undergoing renovations that are scheduled to be completed in March. We will have 20 by that time. However, that still makes us the smallest center of all the centers, even compared to a satellite clinic. We're concerned about that. We had a capacity study conducted to increase the number of exam rooms. I am not clear 1976 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE at this point whether the cost for expansion of our facility has been included in the current capital budget. We also have a lack of medical records room storage space and storage space. On the second floor, we currently openly house equipment, records because we have no place to put it, even though we're undergoing renovations. Those are some of the concerns over at Public Health Center No. 9, and they are detailed in a document that I will provide to Council so that you can understand those things. From the standpoint of all the health centers, we have major needs. We have a need for additional equipment, replacement, because all of us have old equipment, X-ray machines, mammograms. We have one mammogram mobile that operates for all eight centers, okay. If we are to become competitive with the people that are encroaching on our areas like the hospitals that are moving up the street from us, and what they're doing is, they're picking off the people with insurance and leaving us with the ones that don't have insurance. If we're to 1977 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE become more competent competitive, if we're to educate people in our community about how to stay healthy, if we are to do some outreach so that people even know that we exist so that we can get people to come in that do have insurance, that would assist us in offsetting some of those costs. Compliance with computer issues, Y2K. I don't know whether or not that issue has been dealt with. We have various operating computer systems where the hardware and the software's not compatible and they don't interact. And emergency preparedness. In the event of biological warfare, the Y2K whatever, any kind of a natural disaster or a hurricane, there are no backup emergency generator systems throughout our entire public system. Yes, we do have batteries that will give us light, but it will not operate all of the equipment, which means that our public health system would shut down in the event of a natural disaster. There are a lot of needs, and I realize that we're competing with everyone, other departments who also need additional funding. We, therefore, are proposing that Council take a more 1978 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE proactive stance in terms of going after the additional dollars that may possibly be available if we take that move. Example. The tobacco industry settlement that's currently being negotiated in Harrisburg. Will Philadelphia get its fair share of those funds? I personally have been fighting every minute a daily addiction to cigarettes, okay, which is a preventable disease. The tobacco industry could finance Philadelphia's public health system to a degree. The pharmaceutical industry. I went to an 18th Annual Mercy Douglas lecture series the other, and we had night shrimp and we had crabs and we had all kinds of wonderful food, and they even got a $45,000 grant from the pharmacy industry. The problem here is, most of our increasing costs for all of the public health centers is coming from prescriptions. And I think we need to get them back, court them a little bit, okay?
Request them to assist us in our efforts to maintain our safety net. That's the second option. Thirdly, as I drive through the ghetto, 1979 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE certain parts of the city over the last three years, I've watched some bulletin boards or whatever they call -- you know, those things right across from the government building, and I have never yet -- and I've been kind of taking note. I have never seen anything that doesn't depict young, glamorous females, males, entertainers courting our youth to buy their alcohol and beer. Now, either we can approach them from the standpoint of a lot of the health issues that we have right now are impacting our youth and these are preventable, so will you give us whatever X-amount of dollars we need to begin to go after them. And the final option is to ask Council to cover that whole entire bill. Lastly and very importantly for those communities where Allegheny previously had their programs operating hospitals, from the year 1988, which was a year right after Allegheny acquired those hospitals, nationally, I think it was like $902 million that was being given to serve specifically the uninsured. " Okay, it was 1980 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE $902 million in 1998. In 1996, nationally, that number increased to $19 billion. Okay, I don't know what percentage went to Allegheny from that disproportionate hospital share. There was an increase also in maternal and child health funds that came from the federal government. Were those dollars spent to deal with the uninsured? If they were not -- and at this point I addressed a letter to the Attorney General on February 1st; I haven't received any response as of yet because we would really like to get some feedback as a community. If those funds were spent, which I -- given all the things that I've read in the paper, I don't know whether they were. I doubt very seriously if every single dollar was spent on that population. Although I know the City and the feds and everybody is going to Allegheny getting in line, maybe we need to research the possibility of suing their liability insurance company for funds that were earmarked for the uninsured of our communities. If these things, which we consider to be a more proactive stance, aren't dealt with, we 1981 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE have to then just ask Council and the City to foot the bill. We need a cost-of-living increase or whatever you call it, rising health care costs, across the board for both operating and capital budget expenses if we are to cover all those additional needs of public health. Right now, the system is threatened -- and it's not just in Philadelphia; it's nationally. So we're here today to request that Council make these moves that we are suggesting and add to your capital and operating budget the additional funds that's needed to support Philadelphia's only safety net, the public health centers. Thank you.
Thank you. Miss Rosenthal, are you going to testify?
Miss Rosenthal was not able to come at this time. I think she called earlier and asked your aide if she could come to speak at 2:45.
And my name is Alice Hayes, 1982 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE H-A-Y-E-S. And I'm a member of Board of Citizens at Health Center No. 9. And, again this year, I would like to invite City Councilmembers to visit their health centers on a regular basis in order to see for yourselves firsthand the needs of the citizens of Philadelphia in the public health area. You can see for yourself, once you visit the health centers, that the budget for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health is insufficient and needs to be increased. And we are here today to testify for that increase to occur within the next year's budget for the capital budget as well as the operational budget. And, again, we would like to encourage City Council to visit the local health centers so that you can see how each center operates and how each center needs a number of additional services as well as additional equipment. And we thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
Thank you, Councilwoman 1983 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Verna. And I'll try to make mine more brief and to the point in terms of the process. First of all as you know, the City of Philadelphia's Health Department is a partnership with the community boards that exist in the ten health centers around the City of Philadelphia. And over the past several years, they've attempted to try to strengthen that partnership between the Health Department -- particularly the leadership of our commissioner, and she was a great commissioner. But one of the things that oftentimes happens, and this is historic. In the 1960s, when myself and a number of us were fighting to try to improve the quality of health care for the poor and were setting up these health centers and had the aid of Councilwoman Dr. Allen, who was on this Council and who was an active, proactive person in terms of health care, the health care facilities are oftentimes treated like a stepchild. And largely because they serve the poor, the black and poor. And for many years, we really had to fight tooth and nail. We fought hard to try to 1984 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE get community empowerment and have community boards which really were proactive and could really be the eyes and ears of City government. It was a strained relationship at best. We think that we're getting close to developing a relationship with the Administration and with those who are health advocates. But I think that one of the pieces that is missing is that, in fact, we come to you even today, we come after the fact. The budget has been set, there's a certain amount of money, there's targeted dollars which, in fact, the Administration has to work with and that the Commissioner has to stay inside with. What it does is, it leaves those who are on the front line, the health advocates and those board chairpeople, it leaves us out of the loop for trying hard to give you a sense what is really happening and give our passion about that. , act in concert with the health committees prior the actual budget itself. At that time, I think 1985 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE the kind of specifics specific which Shelah has spoken to then gets into it. My plea, along with the other ten health centers, is that we really consider moving away from a fixed budget allocation, which has been the case for the health centers in the city and move towards some formula which allows us to take into consideration these advances which Shelah talks about. We have needs that are very, very deep. In Strawberry Mansion, there's no X-ray machine, and patients have to go five blocks in order to get an X-ray. In this day and age, in the 1900s and moving into the year 2000, this is simply ludicrous for us to operate like that. , and pharmacists, we need to really think about putting money together which will allow us to do community outreach. We need to be able to get into the communities of Philadelphia and particularly 1986 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE amongst poor people to let them know these centers exist. Many, many people who could use these centers are not using these centers, and we think it's critical that we get those people into the centers. We also recognize the fact that unlike the 1960s, what has happened now is that not only are the poor being treated in these centers but also you have people with insurances that are being treated, and these are the dollars which are being competed for. And unless we have facilities and services which are competitive with other agencies, we are going to lose those dollars, and once again, we'll revert back to the '60s, where, in fact, these centers will be nothing more than warehouses for the poor.
We implore you to really considerate the prospect of this partnership being expanded, where the board chairman and board representatives can meet with Council and Council's committees to really give an earnest assessment of what the needs of the poor are in terms of our health-care needs in the City of Philadelphia.
Doctor, I 1987 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE really want to thank you. I think all of your testimony was very good, certainly extremely enlightening. And I think, Doctor, your ideas are certainly very good ones. I know that Commissioner Richman is in the room and she has heard your testimony. It is our hope that we will be able to get together with her to see how we can be of assistance to you. But I totally agree with you about next year's budget and how we can pursue that. At this point in time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madam Chair. May I call you "Shelah"? Shelah, I want to follow up on something that you said about alcohol and tobacco advertising on spaces across from public buildings and health facilities. I want to point out something that should even be more of a concern -- that the City of Philadelphia has bus shelters throughout the city and we accept revenue from alcohol and tobacco advertisers and let them place their advertising on those shelters, so I think that that is something. 1988 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE And I'm working with the Administration, but apparently, there's some federal legislation that they'd rather wait to take place rather than the Mayor issue an executive order stopping alcohol and tobacco advertising on these public spaces. So again, I just wanted you to be aware of that, that that's a concern of mine and I hope would become a concern of yours. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
And my testimony will be reduced to writing and submitted to you as well.
One other issue. We need extended hours for our public health centers. Right now, with welfare-to-work, we're going to have a lot of people that are going to be going to work. And in order to get health-care needs taken care of, they're going to have to come and sit in our health care center, and maybe they might be seen that day and maybe they won't. Okay, well, when you're new to the workforce and you've never worked before and you 1989 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE call out with too many sick days, that means the possibility that you might be fired. And what are we going to do? Are we going to return 'em to welfare? I don't think we can because that's not even an option.
8 a.m. To approximately 4, 4:30 p.m. every day, Monday through Friday. We do, however operate a pediatric program at most of the centers that's open one day in the evening, but we need to add adult care to those hours since they're already opened in the evening so that we can address those needs of people moving from welfare to work.
Very well. Thank you. We will discuss that with Commissioner Richman. Thank you. (Applause.)
C. Gloria Akers, Adrienne Jenkins, Donald Brown, and James Maxton, all representing the Cultural Alliance group. Would they please approach the table. If Susan Gobreski is here, if she would 1990 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE just come up and sit in front of the rail, you will be next testifying. (Cultural Alliance panel members come forward.)
May I ask you to try to be as brief as possible because we have a number of people that would like to testify today, and I certainly want to give everyone that opportunity. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Councilwoman Verna. I am C. Gloria Akers, President of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. W.E.B. DuBois, in 1903, wrote the following: "Art is not simply works of art; it is the spirit that knows beauty, that has music in its soul, and the color of sunsets in its handkerchief, that can dance on a flaming world and make the world dance too." We have just completed the application process which has resulted in 182 Philadelphia arts and cultural organizations receiving award grants for Fiscal Year '99. We appreciate and thank you for the additional $500,000. The $1.5 million allocated to these 182 cultural 1991 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE organizations strengthens them in a vital area -- general operation funds. And who are these organizations that we fund? Forty-five are small organizations with budget under $50,000. They represent percent 7 of the organizations who receive funding. The 8 Koresh Dance Company, the Latin American Guild for 9 the Arts, Johnson House Historic Site, and on and 10 on. As small organizations, they are dependent on 11 cultural funds to sustain them and allow for 12 growth. 13 And where do they perform and provide 14 their services? In your districts, in our 15 neighborhoods. They exist to create because of 16 the increased funding that you, the members of 17 City Council, have made possible. 18 Cultural funds encourage and increase 19 opportunities for involvement and participation in 20 arts and cultural activities by culturally diverse 21 communities. The largest group of organizations 22 receiving grants are those with budget under 23 $1 million and more than 50,000. They number 105 24 and represent 58 percent of the total groups. 25 Thirty-two organizations with budgets of a million 1992 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE or more receive one-third of the appropriation as decreed in the bylaws. The funds you appropriate for the arts and cultural communities are well-spent. The need has been demonstrated, the importance to our City is significant, and the benefits to the broad community are great. The social impact of the organizations we fund is proven every day. We thank you for the increase this year. We also request that you consider future increases with more funding, we can assure the continued growth of our essential arts and cultural community. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Adrienne Jenkins, and I'm the Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the region's advocacy organization for arts and culture. On behalf of our nearly 200 members in Philadelphia County, I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of an increased 1993 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE appropriation to the Philadelphia Cultural Fund from $1.5 million to $2 million for next fiscal year. As you know, Philadelphia boasts of wealth of cultural organizations which are vital to the City's social and economic quality of life. Not only does culture generate significant income for the City by providing thousands of residents with employment, but it also fuels growing tourism industry, stimulating spending at hotels and restaurants which provides additional revenues to the city. This economic impact is estimated at $564 million in the region, with most of this realized in Philadelphia. Furthermore, the arts are an investment in our children and our families as a means to stimulate learning and enhance community stability. The cultural sector is one of the City's most diverse, bridging gaps between communities of different races, ages, and income. Philadelphia is the fifth largest City in the nation but currently ranks eighth of the nation's ten larger cities in government per capita operating support for the arts. Operating 1994 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE support for non-line item cultural institutions dropped from a high of over 2.3 million to zero funding if fiscal year '91. Thanks to the efforts of this City Council and Mayor Rendell, operating support for the City's nonprofit cultural institutions have been restored and now stands at 1.5 million. Yet the City's current investment in the cultural sector does not reflect its importance to Philadelphia. Increased funds are critical to ensure that the City's cultural institutions, from the Museum of Art to the smallest community art center, can continue to serve Philadelphia residents. The current level of funding provides much-needed operating support; yet additional funds are required to address the increasing demand for the City's cultural institutions to attract visitors and residents to the City, contribute to community revitalization, and fuel economic growth. And as new cultural organizations continue to emerge, a larger pool of funds is needed to sustain the impact across a greater number of cultural groups. As you know, operating funds are 1995 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE extremely difficult to come by for these organizations. Yet, it is this very form of support that enables cultural groups to operate while developing new and innovative programming that involves City residents from every walk of life and elevates Philadelphia's status as a cultural destination. As we consider the potential for Philadelphia to shine in the next millennium, arts and culture undoubtedly provides a positive and significant contribution to economic revitalization, neighborhood development, and renewed interest in the City as a place to live, visit, and work. Viewed in its broader context, increased support for the City's cultural institutions seems warranted. On behalf of the hundreds of members and friends of the Cultural Alliance, I thank Council for its past support of Philadelphia cultural institutions and ask that you renew this commitment with an increase in the Cultural Fund appropriation to $2 million for Fiscal Year 2000. Culture counts, and we hope we can count on you to support it. Thanks very much. 1996 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Thank you. Please identify yourself for the record.
My name is James Maxton, Vice President of the Village Arts and Humanities and resident artist. I'm here in support of -- I'm sorry Madam President and City Council -- I am pleased to be here in support of increased funding for the Cultural Alliance. And I'm here to speak about impact. You know, on my community the impact has been great, to say the least, you know. But at the same time, watching the wonder of little kids as they get into an artistic, creative kind of phase to receive visitors from literally around the world, you know, just recently, some people from Taiwan was there in a group to see the village and enjoy the things that we created there. And I was amazed, but more so that two weeks ago that a lady from Australia, Sidney, talked about walking into a book store and picking up a book with images from around North Philadelphia from our particular art organization and then being so moved and so impressed that she 1997 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE came literally around the world to visit this particular place, you know. And that's the impact of art. You know, like I was based at North Central Philadelphia, which also encompasses the bad lands and all of those things that are bad about urban life, but at the same time, it created space, that we could build something beautiful that would, you know, impress people from the other side of the globe, and at the same time, enrich and somehow empower our community residents, know what I'm saying? -- through jobs and job training. And it's a sense of creativity that allows them to see the beauty of life itself rather than, you know, like the vacant, trash-filled lots that permeate their community. And we hope to change all of that, you know, like every vacant lot, we want to try and put some kind of park garden or something that will meet the needs of the residents of the neighborhood or community; and at the same time, give children incite on creative process that can possibly have them reach through another plane and level, you 1998 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE know, so that from a large impact to the smallest of possible tiny people that run around and want to be a part of and to give them something, I think that it is vital to continue to support those organizations and those communities. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Council President. My name is a Donald Brown. I'm the Managing Director of Freedom Theater, a repertory company as well as a performing-arts training program based in North Philadelphia. We serve over 50,000 patrons a year and a little over a thousand students each year. We're here in support of increased funding for the Cultural Fund. We'd like to see the funding increase to at least $2 million this year but we'd also like to urge you to ask the Mayor to include in their five-year plan an increase in the Cultural Fund to $5 million over the next five years. We need this increase for several 1999 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE reasons. First and foremost, we feel the arts are critical to individuals as well as to the community. There's lots of research out right now that shows or talks about the impact of arts on the individual. We also are starting to see the impact of arts on the community in terms of redevelopment. At Freedom Theater, we are developing housing, carpentry shops for job training, and a number of other programs that have served to expand in and around North Philadelphia and Temple corridor. Another reason we need it is because, as a regional organization, we apply for a large amount of national funding. The first thing they ask us is, What is the City doing, what's Philadelphia doing? Because if Philadelphia is showing an increase in support for the arts, then it's saying to Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation that maybe it's a good place for us to invest our funds as well. The third reason is because we're developing a cultural tourism industry here, and Philadelphia needs to be competitive. Baltimore, 2000 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE New York, these cities see Philadelphia as a market to bring business out of. And if we have to invest in the cultural organizations, we're investing funds in cultural tourism to say, Come to Philadelphia. But we also need some dollars to say that once you get here, there's something to do, that the places will be open. We need your continued support and we need your continued leadership. Thank you.
Thank you. And thank you all for the wonderful work that you do. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Again, I'm going to ask that witnesses please try to be brief. We have a timer here. We will certainly allot each individual three minute to speak. We would like to hear everybody that's on the list to testify, so I think that's only courteous that we do that. The next witness is Susan Gobreski. And following Susan will be the Victim Service Agency. Are they here? Okay, so you're in the front. 2001 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (Ms. Gobreski comes forward.)
Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Okay. Good afternoon. Thanks for hearing my testimony, Council President Verna. My name is Susan Gobreski, G-O-B-R-E-S-K-I. I represent Clean Water Action, which is a grass-roots organization working on environmental and quality-of-life issues here in Philadelphia, and which conducts door-to-door educational and outreach campaigns. We are also a part of the Recycling Alliance, one of the founding members of the Recycling Alliance, a coalition of organizations working for recycling. And I'm here really simply -- I feel kind of funny to ask you to support one of your own programs -- expanded recycling in the City. We're asking for your support to fund weekly collections for recycling. When I testified last year, we asked Council for a new recycling coordinator, to push to get a new recycling coordinator hired. That's happened. The other 2002 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE thing we were looking to do is to return to weekly collections, which were much more successful than the current biweekly program. We have hired -- a new coordinator's been hired, and the people working on this program have made tremendous progress in moving forward. We have to actually commend people we were here raising questions about last year. The Streets Department has really worked to be responsive to Council and to the community. Now we need to take the next step and provide for Philadelphia residents to participate fully in a program they know is responsible and that can be successful. As I understand it, the Streets Department staff have recommended expanding the program to weekly recycling this year. We would like to support that, we're very pleased. Philadelphians want this service. As we testified last year, studies done by the Recycling Office show that weekly recycling would at least double citizen participation and likely increase the recycling rate to at least more than 20 percent right off the bat, thus coming much 2003 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE closer to City Council's own goal of a 50 percent recycling. 5 percent, and we can do better. We also need to learn to manage our waste stream with an overall approach. Council itself last year grappled with the issue of sending waste to Chester, a community that's been dumped on. It's got an incredibly high amount of waste facilities in its community, but we have to send it away somewhere. I guess my question is, What if we didn't? What if we could divert or 40 percent 14 out of the waste stream or more? What if trash 15 were a resource and we could get it off the 16 streets, out of the landfills, and use those 17 materials to create new resources, attract new 18 industries, be responsible consumers, stop dumping 19 on our neighbors, and create more jobs? Our 20 streets would be cleaner and we would continue to be our green country town. We need weekly recycling. We need to increase participation, provide access to the service for our communities residents. We need to make the program easier to participate in. At 2004 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE this point, it's also -- communities want it, City Council has stated over and over that they want it, and now the Streets Department is moving it forward. So we need your help. The budget needs to fund the requested funding allocation that the Streets Department has funded this year. Last year, I sat here. Many of you stated your support and interest in recycling. People have been writing to you about this, and I actually have more letters here, and I know some of you are getting letters, and there are more on the way. This is -- just to finish up. In 1987, City Council showed tremendous leadership in passing the first mandatory urban recycling laws in the country when it adopted 1251-A. As you had for the next millennium, we need to show that we see the future as clearly now as we did then. I urge you to once again show your leadership in supporting weekly collections and education to make it work.
And I think what's been requested is fairly small relatively to getting the program going. I know that we're actually paying less per ton to get rid of 2005 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE recycling that to get rid of trash.
The Councilmembers -- not to cut you short, but the Councilmembers have recently met with the Streets Commissioner and some of his deputies. We are talking about increased recycling, heard what you said last year, and believe me, we're very much aware of the direction that you're going, and I think we all want to follow that same direction.
That's great, and I just have one more quick statement, then I'm done. And that is that I think everyone knows or should know that Governor Ridge, as part of his Growing Initiative, there is a recycling fund that provides significant grant funding in municipalities across the State. In the recycling fund, apparently, they've announced that there is an excess of money in it, and Governor Ridge is planning to essentially raid the recycling fund to use it for other projects -- they are good environmental projects that need to be funded, but one of the issues for us is that there is funding for recycling out there and available, and we need to 2006 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE be ready to tap into it. We can get a lot more resources into the City by taking one step forward. The program's going to grow exponentially. We need your help. That's it, I'm done.
Great, thank you. Are there any questions or comment from members of the committee? (No questions.) (Applause.)
Thank you very much. The next group to testify is the Victim Service Agency. (Victim Service Agency panel members come forward.)
My name is Jane Bordehaas. I'm with the Victim Service Agency. And I also have with me to speak briefly Stephanie Mayweather, Director of East Division Crime Victim Services, and Esther Mercado, who's going to speak about her services. Before I start, I would also like to 2007 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE just take the time because to us it's important to acknowledge this, to ask the different members of the victims service agencies to stand up and give their names so that you have a good sense of the range of services that we do provide. Carol Johnson, Executive Director of Women Organized Against Rape. Patricia Dubin, Director of the Women Against Abuse Legal Center. Victoria Ginns, with Women Against Abuse. Ursula Thompson, representing the Elderly Victim Assistance Program, which is part of Action Alliance of Senior Citizens. Mary Rose Atlas, with the Families of Murder Victims Program, which is a program of the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia. Anika Virgin, Victim Advocate, at Victim Witness Services in South Philadelphia. Rosa Lugo, Core Advocate of the East Division Crime Victims services and also Community Outreach Coordinator. Jacqueline Kemp, Executive Director of Northwest Victims Services. 2008 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Leland Kent, Assistant Director of Victim Services at the District Attorney's office. Germaine DeLeone, Victim Advocate of South Philadelphia.
Thank you for your patience. This is not just an exercise actually for us. This is a real expression of how closely we all work together to make sure that there is a complete safety net of victim services for the City of Philadelphia. We represent a combination of community-based neighborhood agencies who are associated with particular neighborhoods -- as you've heard, South Philadelphia and Northwest Philadelphia, Center City, and then also the citywide agencies which specialize in homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, and senior services. And all of us all of these agencies are here to serve your constituents. And the funding that you give us allows us to provide them these services free of charge. There are increased pressures on our services. We've done a good job so far in educating our communities about the services that 2009 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE are available. And that, of course, means that we have now more clients coming into access those services, and we're pleased that that's the case, but it does put more pressure on our staff members. We've also found that just recently, some of the changes in the correct grading of the crimes has meant that we have had more clients coming in with police reports that truly reflect the crimes committed, and thus allow them to access more victim services. And we do anticipate, with the welfare-to-work program, that there will be increased pressure on all social services, including ours, at least during the time of transition. We really feel this year, that we really need to keep highly trained and experienced advocates who understand the complexities of the judicial system, who understand the complexities of crime victims' compensation, including, for example, insurance issues. We find that we end up doing a lot of insurance counseling because people do not know whether their insurance covers their medical bills they have as a result of being a 2010 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE victim of violence. So we need people who really understand how those issues work. And, certainly, we need people who have an experience of working with other social services in the City of Philadelphia and know what types of services are available. So we need to be able to maintain staff and be able to provide at least a realistic cost-of-living increase. One area that we've worked on this year is trying to reach out to those victims who may be marginal. We have gotten some increased funding from the State to do early intervention in cases specifically where perhaps there has not been an arrest, and so those victims do not immediately get access to services via the court system, but we need to reach out to them. Frequently, those victims are those victims with language barriers, those victims who, as a result of age or frailty, don't immediately know how to go out and get resources for themselves; they need our help. And sometimes those victims actually require more staff time in order to make sure that we understand what happened to them and what services they need. 2011 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
You're going to have to come to a close. We are all fully aware of the wonderful work that your agency does. If I may interrupt you for just a minute, I'd like to ask a question. Your budget comes under the DA's office?
Well, we did not get a detailed budget from the District Attorney'S Office.
My question to you is, what appropriation did you get last year? And what was your request, or what are you being budgeted for this year?
We have not seen this in print either. Our understanding, however, first is that -- Well, of all, let me answer your first question. Last year, we got $459,000, I think it was -- $459, 500. Right, $459,500 for victim services. Our understanding is that the DA is 2012 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE proposing the say same amount for this year, that her concerns this year lie in other areas. We are asking of you an increase to $582,150, which averages out to about a $10,000 increase for each of the agencies which 7 receives money from City funds. 8 We did send every Councilmember a 9 statement of need, explaining what we do and what 10 the increased pressures on us are. And then at 11 the back of that, there is a chart showing the 12 history of the funding, so --
What could $10,000 more do for each of the groups?
Right, it does, and we'd be happy to receive more, but. . . What it could do for me would be to hire a halftime case manager, something like that. It could mean finally acquiring up-to-date computer equipment or the ability to network on the computers. 2013 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE There's a lot of pressure now coming out of the Pennsylvania on Crime and Delinquency to computerize to have all of our data on computer, and we're actually taking some leadership in Philadelphia in helping to develop that program, and it's in the testing stages, but that does mean that we need staff members who are computer-trained. We need the right kinds of computers to do that kind of work. And we eventually will need, you know, sort of computer networking, for example, or something like that, and all of that costs money. I think for most of us, it might mean, for example, giving an increase in salary to staff members who have not had a salary increase in a number of years.
Did anyone ever discuss your budget needs with you before your coming here?
We discussed them among ourselves as a coalition, and usually, in the past, we have tried to take the time to talk with City Councilmembers and sometimes with someone from the DA's Office. 2014 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Did you discuss this with anybody in the District Attorney's's office or --
Just briefly, but we have found -- and we have talked with Lynne about asking for increases. And this year, that just was not a priority. In fact, we didn't really put a lot of pressure on her this year to ask for an increase for us; we decided to bring it to City Council.
You know we're always more sympathetic; is that it? The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think the Chair directly stated this, but as you were going through your testimony. I looked in one of our two big budget books under the District Attorney's Office, and I just think it's important for the record that normally all of the departments which, you know, are often 10, 15, sometimes 20 pages in the big budget book, the DA section is 2 pages. And there is a sheet of paper here that 2015 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE says: "The following departmental summary by fund for the District Attorney reflects the amounts included in the Mayor's Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2000 as proposed to the Council." The district attorney did not supply matching budget detail prior to the printing deadline. So that is the reason we have no 9 information --
-- on you. You know, we have one summary budget sheet that just lists by class. There's none of the contracts or any other information.
Mm-hmm. Exactly. We did ask someone in the District Attorney's Office, and his response was that the request was going to be the same this year as last year's.
And now, in the previous fiscal year, though, you did get -- 2016 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Yeah. I think it's listed back here. My math is not great, but it went up from 385.
It had gone up to 456 in 1995-96 and then it went back down again into the 300,000 range. And then last year, it went back up to 459. So it's about now just slightly more than it was in '95-'96.
Just one technical piece of information. Do you know -- this was a program that was maybe originally created or conceived by, think I, the Mayor?
So that's how you essentially ended over in DA's Office, the DA's 2017 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE budget. And, I think, one year, because of a dispute, you were actually taken out of there and placed over in the Managing Director's Office, although operationally, maybe that didn't work out too well.
And so kind of your fortunes often go the way of the DA's fortunes -- or, in her particular case, misfortunes at times.
Mm-hmm. We try to keep the two separate, and I don't know what goes on in the background, but we try to --
And we try to -- that's why. Because we have a very good relationship with a number of City Councilmembers, you know, we try to sort of maintain class 250 for the victim services as a slightly special in the group.
And I'm sorry, just one more time for the record. I heard the $10,000 figure; I know that can't be the number. What is the real number?
Oh, I'm sorry. That 2018 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE was -- it's $582,150, the increase. And I just sort of divvied it --
Yes, and then I divided it by and that's how I came up with 10,000. 8
Are there any 11 other questions or comments from members of the 12 committee? (No further questions.)
Did you want to recognize the young women that are with you?
And I'm going to ask you to please try to be brief.
Yes. This is Stephanie Mayweather, who is Director of the East Division Crime Victim Services, and Esther Mercado is here to talk about her experience also.
Again, I'm Stephanie Mayweather, and I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today on behalf of Victim 2019 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Services. I'll be about a minute. The City is covered by a network of seven community-based Victim Service agencies and five citywide specialized agencies, each serving an integral and vital part of Philadelphia neighborhoods. We are active in the communities of your constituents. Victim Service agencies provide a myriad of much-needed service to victim, witnesses, and family members whose lives have been greatly impacted by a criminal act. We provide information, support, and counseling services at preliminary hearings and trials. We help victims determine eligibility for crime victim compensation funds, funds for funeral expenses, funds to cover uninsured and under-insured medical expenses, loss of wages, and loss of support as a result of a violent criminal act. We act as a liaison between the victim, witnesses, and families with the District Attorney's Office, the Police Department, the Probation and Parole Departments, the Crime Victim Compensation Board, medical providers, and 2020 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE employers. We refer to other social service agencies for emergencies and long-term needs. We track the progress of cases as they move through the judicial system and maintain contact with victims in each of these cases. We intervene in harassment and intimidation cases, helping victims obtain protection orders and helping them contact assigned detectives in the District Attorney's Office. We provide an early support program where we attempt to contact all victims and witnesses prior to their scheduled preliminary hearings. We notify victims and witnesses who do not appear in court of the outcome of their cases. We speak to community groups, churches, seniors, colleges, schools, and other groups about our services and victims' rights. We provide knowledge and empowerment. We respond to the emotional and psychological needs of victims. We provide a feeling of safety for those in need. In the words of one of our victims, we help victims navigate through the uncharted sea of the criminal justice system. 2021 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE We are also efficient in the expenditure of City funds. We are lean but not mean. Who are we? Today, we are the voice of all victims throughout the City, asking for your much needed continued and increased support. And today I have with me again Miss Esther Mercado, who will speak to you about how the Victim Service Agency has helped her.
Hi. My name is Esther Mercado, and I'm here today to talk to you about a family that was in a very tragic accident. She was 28 years old at the time, with three children. Her son was six years old, her daughter four, and a two-year-old. This mother of three and her finance went to pick up her son from school. As they traveled west on York Street and stopped at a traffic light, bang. From that day on, the family's life changed forever. The mother suffered a collapsed lung, she was in the hospital for a week. Her six-year-old son suffered from a fractured skull, fractured arm. Due to the injury of the brain, he lost senses in his right leg and 2022 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE an abrasion to the right eye. Her four-year-old daughter suffered a broken left leg, and the two-year-old daughter died at the scene. Three parts of her spine was broken, and she lost oxygen to her brain. The two-year-old daughter died February the 5th, 1997, on her sister's birthday. The defendant came from Jersey, speeding to buy drugs, when he ran three lights and plunged into the car. The mother that went through that tragedy was me, and that is my story. This is my daughter (holding up photograph). Due to my injuries, I was unable to arrange and attend funeral service for my daughter. The next time I saw my daughter, her ashes was handed to me in an urn. The crime victim agency helped me get crime victim compensation information about funeral and medical expenses, short-term counseling and much-need long-term support. They also helped me deal with the fact that the defendant did not receive as much jail time as I thought he should have. Because of a parent of a murdered loved one, no defendant ever receives as 2023 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE much time as you feel they should have. The support I receive from the Crime Victim Agency I received was so important to me that I want to give back what was given to me. Now I am currently working as a court advocate at East Division Crime Victims Services through AmeriCorps. Today I ask for your continuing and much-needed support to Victim Service agencies. Thank you. (Applause.)
Are there any questions or Councilmen from any of members. (No questions.)
Esther, thank you very much for coming in to testify. And I assure you that we're all very much aware of the wonderful work that the Victim Service Agency does, and we applaud you. Thank you very much.
Thank you. I would like to point out one thing because we try to make a point of this every year, and I'm sorry I didn't quickly bring this in, but 2024 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE we brought back into the City more than $820,000 in crime victim compensation payments to doctors, for counseling, and so on, which is almost twice as much as the City put out to fund our agencies.
It's $820,000. The exact amount is listed in the statement of need. It's $820,802.
Our next witness is Shelly Yanoff. And after Miss Yanoff will be Michael Danjeczhek. (Shelly Yanoff comes forward.)
Before starting, I want to underscore the important work in the plea that was just heard. 2025 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE I'm Shelly Yanoff, Executive Director of Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth, which is the region's child advocacy organization. I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify today. Unlike other times, I will be relatively brief and focus on just a few issues. We are pleased that the trend for children's services in the City, in most cases, is incrementally going in the right direction. As always, the question is whether the increment is sharp enough to save children and to have the City be one which supports children and families. The question will be particularly important as we continue to face the dramatic impact of welfare change and other system change. The budget, as presented, continues in most instances the work that has been begun several years ago. The Department of Human Services appears funded to be able to continue it's system reform efforts, with more emphasis on prevention, adoption, in-home services, and family preservation. The progress in securing better funding from the federal government and in shaping initiatives has been very positive. 2026 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE But there is still, as always, much to do, and there is serious trouble on the horizon. I need not describe to this Council the possibilities of the increase in foster placement because of families' loss of cash assistance. And I need not remind you of the possibilities of families acting out under the pressure of welfare reform, or of juveniles being unsupervised and getting into and causing trouble. Yet these are distinct possibilities. I encourage you and urge you to do all that you can to correct some of the worst aspects of the welfare reform law and to expand the youth opportunities in the non-school hours to respond to some of the issues which are under your control. I understand that some child welfare providers are struggling to keep staff within the current rate structure and that many others have had to expand their hours and times because of the impact of the new welfare change. I believe that there is a rate study underway which may change some of the figures within the budget. I would urge that the Department be 2027 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE provided the resources to make sure that every family threatened by welfare change that is also on the Department's case load be visited by someone to make sure that the kids are all right. We are entering into a new era. It is very important to keep track of what's happening to our most vulnerable children. There are currently fewer reports coming in to the system reporting children being abused and neglected. That may be very good news; it may mean that many of the reforms are working. But it may also be bad news; it may mean that people are giving up and not reporting. We have to keep careful watch over these issues because we simply don't know and we can't let our kids become invisible. More people should be sent out into the community to check on what is happening, both as a result of welfare and as a result of the Adoption and Safe Families Act. We are concerned additionally that it seems that it's more than ten years since there was acknowledged agreement that we needed a Youth Study Center replacement, and it doesn't look as if ten years later, we're moving very close to 2028 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE getting it to happen. It seems that we should move much faster than that -- think of it as a stadium or something and get it done. The Health Department budget continues to show progress. The health centers are serving more uninsured people, as you heard today, and will probably continue to do so. The Maternal and Child Division is serving more at-risk families through home visiting, in collaboration with private agencies and the Department of Human Services.
The collaboration which you approved last year between the School District and Community Behavioral Health Services is particularly important in trying to meet an unmet need of providing preventive mental-health services in the community to kids. There are thousands of children in the city who need more such assistance. The model that was begun last year of CBH taking its resource savings and reinvesting in children's preventive services is one which we support and would urge be spread. There are thousands more children who need counseling throughout our schools and 2029 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE neighborhoods. We are concerned that the number of children, however, being served in early intervention programs has not grown. We are further concerned that there appears to be no plan in place to require that health centers be open on Saturdays and off-hours to accommodate families who must work during the regular hours. We urge you, as those before us did, to advance that need and provide that support. The Mayor's Children and Families Cabinet has broken out of its categorical funding and moved to coordinate services and collaborate in ways that are making a major difference in the neighborhoods. We are pleased that the youth access centers and the family centers continue to grow and provide services to family where they live, that the anti-violence youth activity Safe and Sound initiative are all taking and offer a great deal of promise to a city that's had more than its share of disappointments. The Library and Recreation Department's maintenance expansion this year are important and overdue. We particularly applaud the growth of 2030 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE after-school programs over the last several years and are pleased that there's more funding for the libraries to expand their after-school effort. We are, however, disappointed that there's not more expansion, nor significant quality-improvement funds for the Recreation Department to make the difference that it must to get to scale so that we can reap the benefits in neighborhoods all over the City of youth development activities in the non-school hours. The growth in after-school programs has been important but must continue and improve if we are to have a good city to raise children in, a safe city for all of us, and a better chance for all our kids. As we've said before, we urge that investments be linked, we urge that putting a 1 percent ticket surcharge on tickets to events that are held in arenas or stadiums that were built with public dollars. If we did it, we could provide support for youth development funds in the neighborhoods, so that when we pay $50 or $20 or $10 to see a football, hockey, or basketball game, the kids in the neighborhoods get a better chance 2031 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE at recreation in their world. Currently, a 1 percent surcharge would bring in about $1 million. A 50-cent surcharge on each ticket would bring in about $2 million. Think of the youth development and other family support activities that could be created and used with that money. That's more than we have spent in the last two years in our great expansion of after-school programs. We urge you to increase the support for youth development programs by investing more in after-school programs. Do it now and do it later. As you look to the future and develop new stadiums, make room for what is a promise to the future. Send the message that we sent with support for public art years ago that changed the face of and helped revitalize the city. We urge you to send the message that as we invest in lots of things, we set aside or invest something in creating a city that values and supports its children and families. Our next issue is that we urge that the City create an Office of Child Care to assist families as they struggle with the serious issues 2032 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE of child care.
We also urge the development of the Health and Safety Fund to help family providers with critical safety issues. We are working with the Task Force of the Children's Cabinet on these issues. Finally, I want to urge that school kids in this city stop having to pay so much money to go to and from school. The issue was brought up this morning, thanks to Councilman Nutter, Councilman Kenney, and Councilman DiCicco. Let me summarize. A total of 30,000 kids ride SEPTA to and from school. Most of these kids come from poor families. The School District pays full -- not discounted. I want to say that again. The School District pays the full price, not discounted for these tokens, and then turns around and discounts the fares for 20,000 kids. Those are kids who go to public as well as parochial school and private school. The School District is SEPTA's biggest customer. 5 million. 5 million could be put back and further cut the cost to kids. We 2033 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE could cut it in half. 50 a week for families to pay to get their kids to school. Now, it should be zero like it is in New York, but half is a good start. We urge you to really undertake something like that. The City's school children should be like those in other cities which encourage kids to go to school and not discourage them. Finally, we would like to commend the Council and the Administration again. This broad linkage policy, every time a waiver or incentive is offered to an industry, set something aside for a youth fund. If a hospital needs bonding authority, establish a home visiting fund or a sick child care support fund. If the arts institutions are supported -- and we urge that they are -- make sure that a part of the function supports kids' exploration of the arts. We can be a city that is known as one that invites and supports all children and families and families. We should be. The budget is the first step. Thank you. 2034 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Thank you very much. Are there any questions or comments from members of the committee? (Applause.)
In terms of the after-school programs, you see the budget that has been proposed for after-school programs, and you mentioned that we should add to it. What would it cost additionally to has been proposed by the Administration for us to have an after-school program that really covers the children that are most vulnerable and that really covers the -- as you stated here, that will cover almost the whole city?
We estimate that there are probably about 40 to 50,000 kids, from 6 to 16, who have nothing to do and nowhere to go after school. We can't in one year do it all, but we can continue the expansion that has been begun if 2035 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE we had $2 million more to improve the quality of the programs that have been begun. And when I say "we," I mean the City -- it's not PCCY. To improve the quality and to expand and have the School Districts also expanding. And we could get to the place, and it's so critical that we get to the place now that welfare reform is here now because neighborhoods are going to be abandoned without it. We could get to the place that every community had something positive going on for most of the kids in the area. We have the school buildings, we have the recreation centers, there is the Mayor's Children and Family Cabinet that is working on violence prevention. We need the resources and we need to just bump it up and keep going.
If that universe of 40 to 50,000 kids that you say are not now being serviced, is that universe going to increase because of the welfare reform? And do we have any idea? Because I've asked this -- I've asked this of the Welfare Department, and they don't seem to give the right answers. 2036 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Is there -- do we have any idea of how that universe is going to grow or what services -- kids are going to be coming in and there are no 5 services that are going to be provided.
Well, part of the reason that you can't get an answer quickly is we that we don't know what kind of jobs, assuming the job are available, for the families that are going off welfare, and what those hours of the day are. So you have to take educated guesses. It is clear that there will be more need for resources in every neighborhood, and there will be more need for schools to be open and for recreation centers to be open and to have something positive for kids to do during those hours.
If we add $2 million and we improve programs, what percentage or number of that 40, 50,000 students are we going to be able to reach additionally?
If we added $2 million, we 2037 PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE probably -- and I think the Commissioner of Recreation is here.