Actually, Councilman, in the district that I ran in, it was more effective for me to be related to Councilwoman Clark.
In the new district it actually helps. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE
So I question whether or not we, frankly speaking, will have the jurisdiction on the utility poles. I can see a state elected officials having a concern of us imposing a prohibition on him at this time.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. I'll be supporting this bill. This bill is, I believe, a long time in coming. It should have been down a number of years ago. From my own personal experience, I've kind of come full circle. When I first ran for election, I was obviously unknown and never used a campaign poster on a pole and did rather well. In this past election, I've continued that practice of not putting campaign posters on Public Property and did quite well. I think posters really just give your workers something to do. People are energized in the campaign, they like to get something done, they like to do something. And people get these things 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE printed up, give them to them so they can smack them up on poles and, as Marian Tasco said, trees, which is an absolute disgrace. I really do think that postering the way it's been done and conducted a number of years shows a great disrespect for the community. I've looked on Broad Street where ornamental lighting poles have been put up and people have actually taped with heavy packing tape posters to poles. They really never come down unless the City comes out with high powered hoses that they done recently to their credit and taken stuff thing. So I commend Councilman Mariano for his bill. I look for to supporting it. I just wish it had been done a number of years ago. I think our City will be a lot cleaner and more respected than it is today. Thank you.
Councilman Kenney, I too will be supporting this bill, but I would like you, if you will, to refresh my memory. Didn't we many years pass legislation indicating that anybody putting up political posters had to go to L&I, pay a fee. They got a disc, and the posters 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE had to be removed within 30 days after? I think it's wonderful that we're doing this, but if we do not have enforcement of the bills that we're passing, we're doing it for naught.
We did do that. And like many regulatory pieces that we pass in here, because of lack of enforcement or lack of the resources to enforce, it doesn't done. I think one of the things that may be beneficial about this bill is that it will actually be illegal to put them up, so I think any candidate, incumbent or otherwise, would come under criticism for violation of the law, total violation of the law because they're prohibited. I mean, it remains to be seen, as Councilmember Clarke said, what state elected officials do, what state candidates do, but I think we need to set a tone and an example for everyone by stopping it ourselves and passing this bill.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Madam President, I must admit this Council has come a long time. Six or seven years ago I attempted to do the same 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE legislation, and I was not even successful in getting the bill out of Committee. I was accused of many things, including ripping up the Constitution. And I'm happy to support this bill, but in addition to removing the visual pollution, as I always refer to this, I think the other important thing is to recognize that -- and you just touched on it, Madam President, that the existing laws are either not being enforced or being totally ignored. And the cost of removing these posters citywide for the most part is born by the taxpayer, because L&I has to send people out the anti-graffiti unit have to send people out there to remove these signs. So it's really taxpayers dollars that are being spent to remove this visual pollution that either successful or unsuccessful candidates use to deface our City. And as Councilwoman Tasco said, you ever take a ride outside this City and come in through Route 13 or Cheltenham Avenue, literally as you come from the suburbs as cross over City Line, you know you've arrived in Philadelphia by the proliferation of political signs that are posted all over the poles without any regard for the communities. And if we're going to be held to a standard as elected 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE officials and if we're going to complain about the TV repairman and fixer-up guys put these posters on, we have to be held to the same standards, if not even a higher standard. So I'm happy that this bill is finally coming out and getting voted on, and I fully support it. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. It's clear that sound arguments have been raised both sides of this issue. I will speak to two. I come from a campaign organizational experience where postering does make a difference. There's something in campaign strategy called name recognition, building name recognition and candidate visibility. And given my experience where I ran the first time in 1995 and the second time in 1999 without party support, it was this level of the campaign planning that did make a difference in my race. So I do, to the contrary, believe that there is some place for campaign postering. The solution, I believe, with regard to addressing this issue of graffiti is assuring that you have a campaign organization, of which I can 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE again testify, where you train people on the front end on what's right and wrong when it comes to postering. And then you assure on the back end within the 30-day window that your posters are taken down. So the onus or responsibility ultimately falls on the candidate and that campaign's organization. With that said, I will be voting against this bill.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Mariano.
Thank you, Madam President. And after this, I'll call for previous question if we're done debate. On Councilman's DiCicco's thought, he's totally right. And my thinking behind this whole bill is nowhere in the suburbs around Pennsylvania close to here this is done. And if we as elected officials don't go forth with this, regardless of what our thought is -- it's not an incumbency thing that was brought up. But I certainly appreciate what the Councilman was speaking about. The Managing Director has a program now. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE I got a letter at my house yesterday saying we have 30 days. It's really not that enforceable. Once we start enforcing that -- I've been out after the primary and I'll be in a month with some volunteer organizations taking all the posters down in my council district, mine, anyone else that won or lost, we'll take them down. Once we start doing this, like Councilman Kenney said, then if we go to a point where we keep going and then no one will be allowed to do it. So on that I'll call for the previous question.
Thank you. Councilman DiCicco did want to be recognized.
Very briefly. Just a little levity, I guess but some seriousness to Councilwoman Tasco's comment about name recognition. I had an opponent that ran against me in the primary who was probably the highest name recognition not only in the City but probably in the entire world, and I defeated him; Mickey Mouse. So I don't know if posters and name recognition really apply here. And I soundly defeated him. I think he wound up 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE with 12 votes in the entire district. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally? THE
Aye. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE THE
Aye. The ayes are 12, the nays are 4. A majority of all Members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 0303925. THE
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land bounded by 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE Roosevelt Boulevard, Grant Avenue, and Blue Grass Road.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll. THE
Aye. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE THE
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all Members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 030564. THE
An ordinance to waive certain conditions, covenants and restrictions affecting the use and development of a certain area 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE of land situate in the 58th Ward consistency of 20 acres on Red Lion Road.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll. THE
Aye. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE THE
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all Members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 030565. THE
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land situate in the 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE 58th Ward and known as being assessed as 300 Red Lion Road.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll. THE
Aye. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE THE
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all Members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 030566. THE
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land bounded by 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE Academy Road, Morrell Avenue, Black Lake Creek, Berea Street, and President Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll. THE
Aye. 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE THE
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all Members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 030644. THE
An ordinance granting permission to the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth to expand their cemetery or place of burial located 11/13/03 - STATED - 2ND READING & FINAL PASSAGE at the northwest corner of the former Stevenson Street and the former Torresdale Avenue.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll. THE