The ayes have it, and Resolution 140021 will be adopted. (Applause.)
Mr. Decker, 140023. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
A 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 Thirty-Second Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and Resolution 140023 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140029.
A resolution condemning the American Studies Association's academic boycott against Israeli academic institutions and urging the Department of Education, the State System of Higher Education, and all colleges and universities in Pennsylvania to reject the academic boycott.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
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? (Aye.) 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and Resolution 140029 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 130958.
A resolution approving the appointment of Asia Coney as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Philadelphia Housing Authority.
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? (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and Resolution 130958 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 130715-A. And let me note that this particular resolution requires a two-thirds vote.
A resolution proposing an amendment to the "resign to run" provision of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter so that City elected officials may become candidates for nomination or election to public office without first resigning from their City office.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
We will have a roll call. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero, and the motion passes. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, 130701-AA.
An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to permit City elected officials to become candidates for nomination or election to public office without first resigning from their City office.
This bill has been read on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions.
A resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Property and Public Works to hold public hearings to investigate the current condition and status of all firehouses 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING and police district buildings after multiple reports of unsafe and unhealthy conditions, introduced by Councilman Kenney.
I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring the life and achievements of Thomas J. Gola, a life-long Philadelphian, former City Controller and Philadelphia basketball hero and legend, 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING introduced by Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that we honor this iconic Philadelphian with a standing yes vote.
Thank you. Those voting aye, please stand. (All members standing.)
Thank you. That resolution is adopted with a standing vote.
And a resolution recognizing January as "National Human Trafficking Awareness Month" in Philadelphia, introduced by Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution proclaiming and designating the month of January 2014, as "Poverty in America Awareness Month" in Philadelphia and encouraging citizens to learn about the City's efforts to strategically combat pervasive poverty by focusing effort and resources on the five comprehensive goals of the City's Shared Prosperity Plan, introduced by Councilman Jones.
1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. President, I'd like to speak briefly on this matter.
We're trying -- this is the last day of January, but I think it's still significant enough of an issue to ask that January be Poverty Awareness Month. A startling statistic I read, that 85 people, 85 individuals have the combined wealth of 3.5 billion of the world's poorest people, 85 individuals. And I'm not an Occupy Philadelphia kind of guy, but it is startling to me that 85 individuals can own that much wealth. In the City of Philadelphia, 26 percent of adults live below the poverty guidelines. Thirty-nine percent of all children in Philadelphia live below the poverty guidelines. This week, in the same week, President Obama not calling for 9.99, like Herman Cain, called for 10.10 in a 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING living wage for contract workers for the federal government. In the same week, Wilson Goode, Jr. held hearings to look at our practices to establish a living wage of people that contract with the City of Philadelphia, and I was astonished, astonished, astonished to see how many waivers were given to allow people to earn less than what they should. According to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, the working poor are persons who spend at least 27 weeks in the labor force working or looking for work, but whose incomes fall below the official poverty level. Today I introduced this resolution to bring awareness, and one of the things that ironically we need to be aware of is our municipal workforce. In May last year, Temple University did a study on City workers, and they are twice as likely today as they were five years ago to have incomes that fall below the 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING poverty guidelines for families of four when wages are not adjusted annually. That means the mean salary of 7,500 members of AFSCME District Council 33 earn less than $35,000 a year, as workers of the municipal workforce of 33 and 47 are required to live in the City where everything is going up around them. Gas, food, housing all have gone up, but yet they have not gotten a raise. Yesterday on one of the coldest days of the year -- it was 2 degrees Celsius -- a major water main broke three blocks from my house. I got texts all over the place about it. Councilman, what you going to do about that? You know how it goes. I can't fix -- I couldn't weld a pipe if my life depended on it, but when I got to the scene, members of District Council 33 were on the scene in frigid weather handling their business, and I could only feel compelled to say what I'm saying today because of it. They're a valued asset. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING We had the largest snowfall in decades, and we fielded maybe 50 or so calls on streets, and every one of those times -- and the Administration gets credit too, but the people that were out there shoveling those snows and keeping the City of Philadelphia from being Atlanta were members of the municipal union. So it's Poverty Awareness Month, but I want to make it a point to say thank you to our municipal workforce, and we need to thank them not only with our words but with our deeds by making sure that they get a fair living wage. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. I know I'm not supposed to say that, but also a good contract. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and recognizing Ricardeau Scutt, business owner in the 4th Councilmanic District, for his hard work and success which proves the American Dream is still achievable when immigrants are given an opportunity at success, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.) 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to conduct hearings to examine the minority participation goals and strategies for workforce inclusion by applicants pursuing a casino license in Philadelphia, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Thank you again, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.) 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and this resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing 2014 as "Year of the Veteran in Philadelphia" to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments as well as continue to raise public awareness of issues related to veterans and the ongoing initiatives to serve those who have served, introduced by Councilman Oh.
Thank you, Council President. I failed to mention that Councilman Kenyatta Johnson was also a co-sponsor, and I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. 1/30/14 - STATED - 2ND READING All those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution authorizing City Council to hold public hearings on the state of collections of licenses and permit fees and delinquent real estate taxes owed the City and School District of Philadelphia, introduced by Councilman Oh.
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? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much. That concludes our Calendar. Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
There being none, are there any speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, Reverend Samuel Kyles when speaking on the said, and I quote, "You can kill the dreamer, but you cannot kill the dream," end of quote. Some ten years ago in this very state, a dynamic leader had a dream to fill a void in the communities across this city and state that were healthy food deserts. The facts were grim, with statistics showing a 52 percent higher prevalence for obesity in neighborhoods where convenience stores and fast food restaurants were the only food options as a staggering 23.5 million Americans were without access to supermarkets. Equipped with the facts, a fearless leader created the Fresh Food Initiative to bring healthy and fresh food options to communities that were underserved. That dream, birthed in a small office on bustling Ogontz Avenue, has reached an even greater potential than I believe many of us could have ever imagined. Yesterday Congress produced a bipartisan agreement on a five-year farm $125 million in fresh food initiatives in underserved markets as a result of the Fresh Food Initiative. After two years of wrangling, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the farm bill, and the Senate is expected to pass the $500 billion deal possibly as early as next week. What started out as a dream to tackle obesity, diabetes, and other health-related illnesses by providing people with healthy options and access thrust Philadelphia in the national spotlight some years ago when Mrs. Obama visited our city, took an interest in the initiative, and kicked off her nationally renowned campaign Let's Move. On today I'd like to congratulate my dear friend, State Representative Dwight Evans, for daring to dream, for being a champion for the least of these, for realizing the economic health and social impact on entire communities when people have you, Dwight Evans, for your steadfast leadership for having the courage to see this initiative all the way through after helping American families to bring home the bacon. Thank you very much, and we're very proud of our leader who has done an awful lot of work in this state for families and being very thoughtful and creative in coming up with the Fresh Food Initiative. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Councilwoman. I concur. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
The hour is not yet, Mr. President. I thought we were -
Are you just calling for an adjournment? Okay. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Mr. President. Electronic cigarettes are safer. Electronic cigarettes have fewer toxic effects. Electronic cigarettes are somewhat healthier, safer, and somewhat healthier with fewer toxic effects than cigarettes. That's a pretty low bar to clear, don't you think, especially considering these claims are being made about a product that has not been sufficiently studied and that is not meaningfully regulated, especially considering these medical claims are being made by an industry that engaged in the largest, longest, and most expensive public health deceit in American history. If we learned anything from the decades-long campaign to reduce cigarette use, it is that we must address the potential public health emergency early on. And why is e-cig use a potential public health emergency? Because early studies show alarming trends in e-cig Shockingly, the Center for Disease Control found a doubling of e-cigarette use among children and a doubling of use among adults in just the past few years. Additionally, let's remember the changing messages crafted by cigarette manufacturers over the past 60 years. First cigarettes were marketed as healthy, with print advertisements depicting doctors endorsing Lucky Strikes. Next, following release of a series of reports by the Surgeon General advocating a smoke-free lifestyle, tobacco companies contended that the science around cigarette use was inconclusive. And, finally, once everyone realized smoking was a public health crisis, tobacco lobbyists shifted course and argued loudly for smokers' individual rights. From where we sit today, think about how absurd it would be for cigarettes to be marketed as healthy or be to contend that research demonstrating the negative effects is inconclusive. This is exactly where we are with e-cigarettes, and today many of the same people that wailed about the end of the freedom that Philadelphia's endorsed smoking ban would wreak are the same folks who are up in arms about the ability to use the drug delivery system of their choice wherever and whenever they want, as if smoking were a right, like voting. We have the benefit of history to inform our treatment of electronic cigarettes. It's clear what we have to do. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. There being no other speeches by the minority or majority, the Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, February 6th, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Council will be adjourned until Thursday, February 6th. Thank you all very much. ) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L.