Fourth, if Philadelphia is going to cut its taxes, it's going to have to cut its expenditures in the short run, but it should be able to increase its expenditures in the long run. Higher future tax revenues will allow the City to provide more services to enhance residents' quality of lie. If the City cuts some services now to fund tax reform, it will be making an investment that will allow it to provide more services in the future. If the City does not cut services now to fund tax cuts, it will be forced to make even larger service cuts in the 516 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 future, as the Philadelphia economy continues its decline. The choice facing the City is between significant service cuts now and larger service cuts later. It's a choice between trying to turn the City around and managing its continued decline. Fifth and finally, the City does not have to go alone. The tax committee strongly urged the City to reinforce its own efforts at tax reform by vigorously supporting Governor Rendell's efforts to reform state taxes.
Madam President, there are two other points I wished to make from my original testimony, dealing with... Well, I think one's Bill Number 12, the bill dealing with the unincorporated deduction for the Business Privilege Tax. This bill has been characterized as a boon for, you know, big law firms. I'm not going to suggest to you that big law firms are not going to benefit from it because I'm sure -- They will. 517 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 But -- And there's a very big but here -- the overwhelming benefit of this is going to be received by small businesses. Small businesses are overwhelmingly you're unincorporated business, your sole proprietorship and your small partnerships, husband and wife partnerships. They will benefit from this. And whether it's the corner grocery store, a beauty parlor, a barbershop, a pharmacy, whatever, this is not just a big law-firm proposal. This benefits all unincorporated businesses in the City which overwhelmingly are small. Last point I wanted to make... And Mr. Crawford's testimony reminded me of it. That's a question of supply side. We heard extensive testimony this morning from Chief of Staff Wilkerson that the City refuses to get into that business of supply side. Well, I would suggest to you that every time the Administration puts a revenue estimate before this Council, it is 518 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 in reality doing some -- to some degree supply side evaluations. They are looking at the economy, they are looking at the proposals in the tax bills that are in the budget for that year, and projecting what kind of revenue will be yielded from those bills. That is supply side, almost by definition. So maybe not to the magnitude of the proposals that are before you now in the question of the extent to which supply side may have an impact. The City does, on an annual basis, a supply side analysis, I would submit. And for that I also urge the endorsement of the entire package and the passage of the entire package. And I think we're all available for any questions from Council.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam 519 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Chair. Mr. Weintraub, earlier there was discussion about Bills and 20, and there 5 seemed to be a fairly significant amount of 6 disagreement by many of you who are at the 7 table right now, when you were on the other 8 side of the rail, in terms of when the 9 Administration was expressing its 10 opposition and the reasons therefor, 11 especially, with regard to Bill 20, which 12 has to do with real estate tax billing, and 13 quarterly payments, and the like. 14 Can you give us your perspective on 15 the bill and clear up any confusion about 16 whether it costs real dollars or is it a 17 paper transaction. 18
Well, even -- I think it was Finance Director Davis in her testimony said the only real cost was, in her opinion, in which I respectfully disagree with, was in the first year; that 520 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 after the first year everything is on cycle to be collected on an annual basis. When you look at Bill 18 in particular, the payment dates in the bill 6 are July 15th, October 15th, January 31st, and April 15th. All four quarterly payments fall within the City's fiscal year. In reality, the City is going to be collecting the money sooner than later.
Well, the bill is written as if it's FY '06, and I... which is not the budget that this City Council is presently hearing. I would urge this bill be amended to be for FY '05. And that, I believe, is what the intent of the Commission was when we made the recommendation, that it be for FY '05.
Right. Well, could you possibly render any kind of explanation? 521 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 I mean, let's for argument's sake say that it was amended to capture FY '05. Now, the FY '05 taxes, if we're talking about the same thing, the real estate taxes are not due or would not be due until March 31, 2005.
And under this proposal, and if the bill were amended as you indicated, you would have a real estate tax payment due, actually, as you laid out, July 15th, October 15th of '04.
Did I say July? I'm sorry. January 31st, '05. So at that point you have collected, depending on what the collection rates are, but at least by the payment schedule, you've collected 75 percent of your real 522 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 estate tax by the end of January which under the present system you would have -- unless you have the real early filers or whatever, you would have collected zero percent of any of the real estate tax. And putting aside assessment appeals and everything else that goes on, what you're really now talking about is, rather than collecting all of it by March 31, 2005, again, assuming that this were amended, you're getting your last payment on April 15th, which is just days later 14 than when you would normally get it all. 15 But under this, you will have already collected 75 percent of it.
That's my question, what's the issue? To me, when we did this -- When the Commission debated this recommendation, to us it was a no-brainer because right now 523 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 the City has to go out because they don't collect the taxes until March, to cover the cash flow problems from July 1 to March, they go into the financial markets and borrow under the -- using the tax anticipation notes, and it costs the City $10 million in debt service each year for that. By doing this kind of a payment plan, you save the $10 million. And that... And I'm just talking, now, for the first year of the tax package... would pay for all of the tax reductions that the Mayor has not endorsed.
All right. Okay. So, your testimony is that Bill 18 should be amended to reflect FY '05?
Okay. You don't 524 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 have to do it now.
Thank you. Any other questions from the members of the committee? (No response.)
Seeing none, thank you very much, gentleman. You've been extremely, extremely patient. Thank you for all your hard work.
Thank you, Madam President. MR. McPHERSON: The next panel is Peggy Amsterdam, Nancy Goldenberg, Merrill Levitz, Laura Marmar.
Thank you very much. Good afternoon or, rather, good evening. President Verna and members of City 525 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Council, my name is Peggy Amsterdam, and I'm the President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance which represents over 270 arts and cultural organizations in the region. And I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to testify in support of the restoration of funding for arts and culture in the City's FY '05 operating budget and five-year plan. The cultural community is very sympathetic to this difficult task that you have. Nonetheless, a $4 million public investment in arts and culture is an economic strategy that produces positive, long-term results and benefits, all at a minimal cost to the City. Public dollars enable community organizations to operate fund raising through foundations, private donors, ticket prices and fees alone does not generate the money needed to pay for fundamental necessities such as utilities and security. Yet, organizations cannot provide services 526 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 without these things. The ability to operate is a base criteria in attracting foundation and private dollars. Yet, it is an area that is rarely funded by these sources. Philadelphia has a long history of investing in arts and culture, for the same than many other cities and countries do. Their missions are essentially the same. Cultural organization, just like municipal governments, are constantly seeking ways to make their City the best possible place to live, work and visit. It makes sense, then, for cities to support the work of their local cultural organizations. Here, cultural organizations are the very definition of Philadelphia. Think of the Art Museum, the Village of Arts and Humanities, the Mural Arts Program, the Kimmel Center, and the Constitution Center. Cultural organizations are our City's heart, soul and identity, and we cannot thrive without them. 527 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Public support for cultural organizations ensures that Philadelphia remains a location of choice. Without public dollars as a leveraging tool, it will be difficult for arts and cultural institution to secure the funding needed for the excellent level of programming we need and deserve. In Mayor Street's budget address, he mentioned working with the corporate and foundation community to fill in the gap. After speaking with leaders of the City's corporation and foundations, it's apparent that this is not a viable solution. 25 million dollars in grants above and beyond the City's investment in the Office of Arts and Culture during the Street Administration. Unrestricted public support also supports jobs. A decline in cultural 528 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 funding means an immediate loss of jobs in the sector and the subsequent decline City Wage Tax support. The loss of jobs in the field is also a deterrent to students looking to attend colleges and work in Philadelphia after graduation. Businesses cite art and culture as a defining criteria in their choice to locate in Philadelphia. Many of you have seen firsthand the impact of cultural organizations on the citizens and neighborhoods of Philadelphia. I've attached some data to my testimony today that quantifies those experiences. I trust you'll consult it, and that you'll be reminded of the economic, educational, and community building returns generated by this City's cultural investments. Let's not forget that arts organizations annually provide thousands of free tickets to Philadelphia citizens, hundreds of programs in our City's schools, 529 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 and countless neighborhood beautification projects. All of these are at risk with the loss of this funding, and the loss of programming has a drastic effect on the Philadelphia it serves. The public has voiced its support for cultural funding very strongly.
When these cuts were announced in March, we offered people an opportunity to speak out, and the response has been tremendous. On Friday, hundreds of Philadelphians braved a thunderstorm in Love Park to celebrate our cultural assets and affirm their belief that culture is a sound economic investment for the City. You've also received more than 300 letters and faxes from Philadelphians in your offices, and we have here in these boxes, we've collected more than 6,000 signed postcards. I'm not going to dump them out. I want to be careful that they don't spill. But there are over 6,000 signed postcards 530 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 here, protesting the cuts. They include many from other states across this country, Hawaii, California and Nevada among them. And a dozen from other countries, like Italy and Thailand. All of these cards were signed by people who came to cultural events in this City in the past month, a true testament to the power of the arts as an economic engine for residents and visitors alike. Other cities, Los Angeles, have considered similar drastic cuts in cultural support this year. A. the public spoke out and the cuts were restored. 's lead. On behalf of all of the cultural representatives here today, and many more who could not join us, I thank Council for its fast support, and ask that you continue your commitment by working to restore cultural funding. 531 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 I understand that many of you are supportive of an amendment. And I thank you for speaking out in support of restoring this critical funding. Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today. And I hope that your completed budget includes restoration of these funds. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Is Miss Goldenberg going to testify? Good evening.
Good evening. I do have copies of my testimony for everyone. My name is Nancy Goldenberg. I have the honor of serving as the President of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, the nonprofit corporation established by City Council in 1991 for the purpose of providing general operating grants to Philadelphia based arts and cultural organizations. 4 million cut to our FY '05 appropriation, as well as to underscore the importance of maintaining funding levels to other arts and cultural organizations facing similar cuts. 4 million. We were able to expand the number of grants awarded and increase the amounts of those awards, without increasing our administrative cap of three percent. This year we received 229 applications, more than ever. And we awarded 220 grants, also the most ever awarded. Since we began, the number of grants has grown by 62 percent, and our average grant amount has increased from approximately $3900 to $10,400. 4 million take us back a decade to 1995 533 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 funding levels, it would inevitably result in our ever-growing pool of awardees receiving less than half of what they get today. We were able to process our grant applications, hold our peer review panels, award our grants on time this year. And that was a small miracle, given that we were significantly handicapped by the resignation of our long-time manager and only employee, Ann Edmonds, who left at the end of September, the height of our season. But our board stepped up to the plate, took on added responsibilities, as did the staffs of the Office of Arts and Culture and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance which pitched in with an extraordinary amount of administrative help, for which I am personally grateful. We retained the Stockton, Rush, Bartol Foundation to manage our peer review process, and their assistance was God-send and flawless. And best of all, we conducted a search for a new manager, that 534 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 has resulted in our selection of June Washekita O'Neil, who begins Monday. And we couldn't wait for that day to happen. Our growth also reflects the need in all the neighborhoods of the City for services of arts and culture. While the Administration may not consider arts and culture a core City service, I am sure the more than 11,000 residents throughout the region who earn their living in the arts would disagree, as would the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit our great museums, theaters and galleries, and as would the thousands of parents whose children attend high quality, safe, out of school arts programs, instead of roaming our streets with nothing to do. Our benefits provided include the employment of thousands offer people. The President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania said it best when she reminded us that they paid $60,000 in wage taxes this year, and that half of their 42 employees come to the City each day from 535 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 the suburbs, and spend money on public transportation, at restaurants, and in retail stores. Our grantees help improve the tourist experience, attracting millions of visitors to Philadelphia each year. We foster the development of commercial corridors, bring to life historic buildings, and help increase property values in and around neighborhoods in which they are located. Our grantees help attract and retain businesses and encourage young knowledge workers to make Philadelphia their home, at a time when competition for both is fierce. Our grantees enrich and empower immigrants to Philadelphia, and help them form a sense of belonging to a diverse community. And finally, our grantees create the quality of life that we all want. Catherine Ramey of Glenn Ford Conservation Corporation said it best when she noted that the Cultural Fund supports, 536 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 quote, fosters a quality of life in our community that is essential to positive development.
The City will always operate under financial constraints, but as the number of cultural grant recipients continues to grow, so too must the level of City support to the cultural fund. We fully recognize there is never a good time to propose a budget cut, but doing so now is counter intuitive to everything we believe City Council and the Administration supports. Investing in arts and cultural organizations and continuing your generous support of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund is an investment in economic development of our City, in the safety of our neighborhoods, and education of our children, in the diversity of our citizens, and in the future of the City. Investing in the Philadelphia Cultural Fund will help keep Philadelphia competitive, and take us from being simply 537 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 a good City to being truly a great one. Thank you.
Thank you very much. MERRILL LEVITZ: Thank you, Council President Verna and members of City Council. I'm here today to support my friends in arts and culture, and --
Yes. Merrill Levitz. Can you hear me? Okay. O. of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation here to support my friends in arts and culture because there's such a relationship between arts and culture and tourism. We were created in 1996 as a three-year experiment by the Pugh Charitable Trust, the City, and the Commonwealth. But after just one year, the first year that Philadelphia was ever advertised 538 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 nationally, the hotels saw such an increase in room nights attributable to tourism -- it was about percent -- that they 5 championed a one percent addition to the 6 hotel tax. 7 And currently we are a 501 C-3 with 8 funding from the hotel tax, the 9 Commonwealth, the DRPA, the William Penn 10 Foundation, and Independence Foundation. 11 City Council has been very 12 supportive of us, and we thank you. You 13 helped with the formation, you passed the 14 hotel tax increase, and your post 9/11 15 funding enabled us to design and produce 16 the most successful recovery initiative in 17 the country: Philly's More Fun When You 18 Sleep Over. 19 At the same time you were investing 20 in us, you were investing in the 21 infrastructure and buildings and 22 attractions that have made it possible for 23 us to shine a consistent light on Philadelphia as an accessible, affordable, incredible, and desirable destination. 539 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 We don't over promise and under deliver with this advertising. We are accurately presenting Philadelphia as the beautiful, diverse, unique, and historic place that it is, and that it has increasingly become over the last decades. Much of this investment has been in arts and culture, which is what we sell, as well as in hotels, sites and marketing. All of these investments go hand in hand and build on each other. They've paid off well, and with continued investment they can continue to do so. I know you've heard a lot of impressive numbers, but I have more for you because this is National Tourism Week, and we present our annual report to the industry this Wednesday, an event to which you've all been invited. You have all the backup for the figures I'm going to give you in the packet that I handed out. Visitors spend 14 and a half million dollars a day in our region on food, 540 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 lodging, attractions, and purchases. 3 bill in direct visitor spending a year. 1 million hotel room nights or 41 percent of all room nights in the region were taken up by leisure travelers in 2002. Just to compare, in the late '80s this number was only to percent. 8 13 million overnight visitors. 14 In addition to rising numbers of 15 visitors, these visitors are staying longer 16 and spending more. 6 days in 2002. Why? Because they're finding more reasons to stay longer. And many of these reasons have directly to do with our arts and culture events, including programs, museums, theaters, galleries and performances. The longer these people stay, the 541 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 more they do, and the more they spend. And their spending has gone steadily up, too. From 2001 to 2002, the average daily trip expenditure went up percent, from $78 a 6 day to $98 a day. 7 The best part of this spending is 8 that because tourism is by definition an 9 export industry, these dollars are largely 10 drawn from the outside. That includes the 11 suburbs. 12 At the same time, these dollars 13 impose very few costs within the City 14 because rarely do visitors require the 15 expensive services that residents require. 16 So, tourism dollars are good economic 17 policy. 18 Residents benefit directly from 19 these outside dollars, and from the 20 amenities that the visitors are coming here 21 to enjoy. All these numbers plus more are 22 documented here. 23 One of the documents in the package 24 is our marketing plan for the coming fiscal 25 year which begins in July.
542 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 A key strategy within it is to advertise and promote our emerging and established destination definer, attractions and events, in order to encourage overnight and multi-night stays. Some of these things that we're promoting include such cultural attractions as the Titanic Exhibit at the Franklin Institute, the opening of the World Cafe Live, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the Salvador Dali Exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Lewis and Clark Exhibition at the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Black History Showcase at the Independence Visitor Center, the 150th Anniversary of the Academy of Music, and the opening of the new space at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. And that's just to name a few. We'll also be promoting our own successful neighborhood tourism and network tours, bringing visitors in by trolley, to experience the heart and soul of Philadelphia in nine of our City's 543 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 neighborhoods, ranging from Fishtown and Kensington for the Traditions of Industry Tour, to West Philadelphia for the Urban Oasis Garden Tour. The season kicked off Saturday with the Latin Soul, Latin Flavor Tour of El Centro De Oro. And this Thursday at Girard College, with many partners, we'll be honoring the opening of the Exhibit of the Integration of Girard College, which will be a primary focus of the tours centering in North Philly, on Philadelphia civil rights struggle. A brochure on all these tours is in your packet, and we thank City Council for supporting their development. The arts and culture scene in our City has never been better, and neither has the state and quality of tourism. All have benefited from private and public investment. All have flourished. Our City, however, as Peggy said, is not alone in realizing the power of arts and culture to enhance the quality of life 544 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 for residents, to encourage business development, and to attract and retain students. We're in a very competitive environment. C. We cannot afford to lose any of the momentum that we have all established together. And that's why I thank you again for considering, in this very, very tough job that you have, maintaining your investment in our City's arts and culture. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Is there anyone else on the panel that wants to be recognized?
Yes. My name is Laura Marmar, and I'm sitting here with Cindy Blake next to me. I'm very honored to speak with the three very articulate women who we have just heard. My position is slightly different. 545 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 I am a guide at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a volunteer guide, as are several dozen of us who give collectively thousands of hours of our volunteer time to the Philadelphia Museum of Art every year. Cindy and I are representing not only several guides behind us, but several guides who had to leave because of the lateness of the hour, and several more who could not come, you know, because of the inconvenience of this particular date for them. So, we're representing a lot of people. And I was myself very enthusiastic about coming today, when I heard the citizens would be speaking out about cultural and art funding in the City because I'm a citizen of this area. And the arts are very important to me. And what I have, as I hope a viewpoint to share with you, is the fact that every day, like my fellow guides, when we go out there into the museum to give our tours, we present tours to people from all 546 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 walks of life, from every neighborhood of this City. And what I wanted to share with the Council today is the fact that just as the Council is very conscious of this being a City of neighborhoods, we at the Museum serve people from every one of those neighborhoods. And one of the things that we do, among many, is that we provide a tour called a Highlights Tour of sort of the highlights of the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You know, the Van Gogh Sunflowers, whatever, are on our highlight tour. so what I wanted to do today just briefly is present verbally sort of a highlight of our tours themselves, highlights of our tours. Let me put it that way. And so, I want to just give you a sense of some of the people that I personally have had the privilege and honor to serve in this City and community just within the past half year. And from that, 547 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 you can extrapolate what we all do every day. Some of the tours that I have been, as I said, privileged to give include because this is the season of Manet, Manet and the Sea Exhibition, tours to not only residents of the City, but for example, a group who came all the way from Southern Maryland to very much enjoy the works on display in the Museum right now. In addition, I was honored to give a tour in which I gave verbal descriptions of the paintings in the Manet Exhibit to blind or rather visually impaired visitors who could not clearly see the paintings, and were, I have to tell you, just so thrilled to have someone go along with them and explain what was in those paintings, helping the blurry images to become ones that they could understand and be excited about. Another tour that I was honored to give was an outreach talk in Northeast Philadelphia to a group of Russian-speaking 548 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 individuals in a housing facility up there, who, with a translator, were able to enjoy a talk about the Manet Exhibit in Russian, translated from my English, along with the slides I was presenting. Another tour that I gave just in the last couple weeks was a tour of the Rodan Museum to an elder hostel group who were absolutely charmed by all that Rodan had to offer them as to what they were so -- you know, excited to find out that day. Another tour also in the Rodan Museum, that I was again privileged to be part of was allowing blind individuals from this City to touch certain sculptures in the Rodan Museum because their way of seeing them is to touch them.
And another tour that I gave or actually a talk just last Wednesday that will be continued this coming Wednesday, which is why I was very keen on talking today instead of your next session, and the following Wednesday is a talk over the telephone with individuals from this City 549 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 who are homebound with multiple sclerosis issues. And over the telephone the ten of them and I discussed the Manet Exhibit, aided by booklets, with color reproductions of the paintings which were sent to them by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. So, that is my highlight tour of what some of the highlights are of tours and talks I have just personally given. So you must multiply those by all of us that do this work. And I will just close by saying two things. I want to say that I know that these are difficult times. And it might seem that the arts are something not as serious as other things in our world. But I have to say -- And this is a personal thing. I'm not speaking for the museum here. But driving in today, I thought about the world that we do live in and how everything is so connected. And I think that, in fact, in these times that are so dispiriting, art is one 550 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 thing that lifts us up and is needed so much, that if anything we should be looking for ways to further fund the arts, instead of decrease the funding. And in a time when we have seen humanity displayed, the humanity that is on display in the Art Museum is more necessary than ever. And in the time when intolerance is forever on display right now, I have to say that the museum houses work from all cultures, from all peoples. In order to understand the work from other cultures, we need to understand those cultures, and the Museum certainly builds something very necessary, which is tolerance. And last of all, in a democracy, the work in the Museum, the work of artists builds our understanding of the individual voice in this world. And so, just in order to close this little talk that I've been privileged to give you today, I just want to say that I 551 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 would sincerely like to invite every member of Council to take a tour with us. And as one of the guides behind me suggested, if you prefer to take a tour with the blind individuals who are doing touch tours or the children who are on the school tours, I'm sure that we could accommodate you and would love to do it. Thank you.
Thank you very much. It's quite apparent that you truly, truly love what you're doing.
We do indeed love our work. I'm Cindy Blank, another of the guides. And just briefly... Laura might have said it, not quite as clearly, but there are about 250 volunteer guides. Each of us commit at lease a hundred hours a year to meeting, greeting and teaching the public. Now, Laura covered very eloquently the accessible programs. That is, those 552 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 are the programs designed to make art accessible to everyone, whether they be handicapped, sight impaired, or physically challenged in any way. And we certainly have a widely developed diverse program in that regard. I would like to address, in addition to that, our school programs. I don't know how many of you are aware of the number, but I think it's really important to know that we see 80,000 school children in the Museum every year. We as guides supplement some staff, the staff teachers who also teach those students, but many of us are volunteer guides who do the teaching. These kids come from every District in the City. As well, we draw heavily from the suburban areas. They come from every type of school, and every age group. They come from the private sector and the public sector. So, you need to understand that these 80,000 kids are the hope of the 553 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 future. There's -- There are -- That's an enormous number. The Education Department prepares those kids. There's a number of posters being held up behind us. These are just some of the materials that are prepared by our Department of Education. These go into the schools. These particular posters go into the schools, into the classrooms ahead of time so that the children can come to the Museum prepared. And therefore, it kind of enhances their Museum experience. And the small amount of time that we do have with them is, you know, much more intense because of their having been pre-prepared with this kind of information. And this is a very small part of what is prepared by the Department of Education. Also, I think Laura, again, emphasized accessible programs, but we do see the public. And I guess Laura did cover that pretty well. Of the people that 554 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 pull in on the buses from, again, the larger metropolitan area, the City itself, and around the country. And this is important. It's a showcase spot. Our Philadelphia Museum of Art and the arts in Philadelphia are a strong pull to the region. I think that's been presented really well by the three women that preceded us. And I guess on behalf of the volunteers of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I'd like to thank you all for giving us a chance to speak with you today.
Can we just have a show of the hands as to how many of you are volunteers. (Indicating.)
There are 500 volunteers, about which half of them are guides. They volunteer in other areas of 555 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 the Museum, in tutorial departments, you know, in other spaces. The guides are about 250 or so.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon, arts world. Let me first commend both the leadership, the membership, and all of us who are art enthusiasts, for the way you have mobilized and galvanized everyone in the City who cares about the arts, and in many ways have pumped up the volume, if you will, and reminding us of the domino effect that will come with this proposed budgets cuts to the arts. I'm persuaded to add a bit of levity to this, in a way to assure you that we do get it. And you know, if I was a choreographer of this group of 17, I would say that we're getting all of our 556 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 arabesques in the same direction, and we're all kicking in the same direction. And first a music director, I would say we're all singing the same chorus. We do get the fact that arts are a core service of our City. So you should be assured of that. There are discussions that continue, with regards to restoring and in an extremely substantial way, the funding to all of those organizations and departments that have been unfairly... unfairly hit by this budget deficit. Thank you for your testimony and for your enthusiasm. Keep it going.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Thank you, Madam President. I want to echo the comments made by Councilwoman Brown. We think you've done a great job. You enliven the City, and you enrich it at the same time. And we thank 557 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 you and hope you continue to work. But I did want to say to the Cultural Fund, I hope there will be a reconsideration of the item concerning the amount of support you can give these small local groups, the very small groups that have very small budgets. I understand Councilman Rizzo and I have raised at the last meeting, I believe it was, the question of changing the cap of percent to 50 percent, the amount of 13 support you can give to these small local 14 groups. 15 I think you will hear probably 16 further, from some of us at least, because 17 we think it very important that you 18 encourage these very small groups because I 19 think that's from what -- from those small 20 groups grow these kind of groups, this interest. And we're hoping you're going to be able to maybe reconsider this at a next board meeting, to give the small neighborhood people the support that they 558 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 need. And the amount of money is so small, I understand it's probably not involved more than about $25,000 over a year, to give small groups the encouragement, that if they score high by your rating system on how they perform, they can get up to 50 percent of their budget from the Cultural Fund. So, we hope you'll consider that. Do I speak correctly, Councilman Rizzo?
On your interest in the matter? Because it was expressed at the last meeting. I just think it's so important to encourage art and culture at the very minimal levels, as well as the larger levels. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo. 559 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313
Thank you, Madam President. I've had the pleasure, and I've truly enjoyed being the Vice President of the Cultural Fund. And I've learned so much about how such a little bit can make so many people so happy and do so much good. It is obvious I'm ending my term, with after two terms there's a limit. I thank God there's not term limits in Council. But after two term limits, after two terms serving, again, I've seen so much good and happiness created. And as Councilman Cohen just said, that we're going to do whatever we can do here. And I think there's a lot we can do. I think this is the time when the strategy of a budget is obvious. And we're going to make sure... At least I'm going to do all I can do, and I know my colleagues here that spoke are going to do what they can do. But we really, truly need to get 560 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 this fixed because, you know, the strategy of a budget, for all these years that I've been around this stuff, either directly or indirectly involved, you hear about firehouses being closed. You hear about police officers being let go, firefighters, et cetera. But never in my life have I heard about anybody suggest to cut a cultural budget. You know, I don't want to use the word stupid, but it... I can't think of another word, that anyone would really consider cutting into such a very, very small piece, like, one tenth of one percent of the entire budget. Just seems to me to maybe be more of a strategy than a real sincerity. So, I hope that's the case. We're going to fight to make sure that that gets restored. Thanks. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kelly.
Thank you, Madam 561 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Chair. I just want to say that I want to -- I agree with comments made from Councilman Cohen and Councilwoman Brown. I want to thank you for your excellent testimony today. One of the points I'd like to... I'm glad that you brought out was that by helping the cultural institutions in our City, we also will be helping the hospitality industry. And they're intertwined. And I think that by helping one, we're absolutely going to be helping the other. They're the vehicles that are going to generate some tax revenue growth in this City. And this is very, very important. I also am delighted to know that there's so many volunteers out there that are helping in these institutions. I think it's a feather in your cap. And I think, as expressed today, I think that you have a lot of support on this Council. I know there are many other members that are going to do everything they can to make sure that 562 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 those cuts are restored or that the proposed cuts are eliminated. All right. Thank you again for your excellent testimony.
Thank you. Any other comments or questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Seeing none, thank you very much. You've been very patient. Thank you. (Applause.)
Do we have someone to testify from the Mural Arts? Do we have someone to testify? Please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Maria Pandolfi, and I teach for the Mural Arts Program. I'd like to thank you because your office got rid of the drug dealers on my block in three weeks. So, thank you very much for that. I've been an art educator for 17 563 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 years. I taught for the School District of Philadelphia for many years. Now I'm teaching for the Mural Arts Program. A few years ago there was a study done, and they found that students got much higher scores on their S.A.T. tests and other tests with a good art education. So it's great to see a beautiful picture. It's great to have tourists come and look at the beautiful art. It is entertaining, but art education is extremely important for other reasons. I am severely learning disabled. I'm dyslexic and I have ADHD. I grew up in Philadelphia and South Philadelphia. And if it wasn't for an art education, I would not have a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a bachelors degree from the University of the Arts, because I needed to learn everything: Math, English, history, every subject, through the arts. And there are so many children in this City that also have learning 564 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 disabilities. Learning disabilities are on a rise. And to educate these students, our program is extremely important. Dawn, would you like to say something?
Hello. My name is Dawn Flowers. I'm also a teacher in the Mural Arts Program. And what I wanted to say is I started as a volunteer. Everybody, I'm sure, here knows where Logan is. I'm a resident of Logan. Mural Arts came into our neighborhood to prepare a mural with several children. And through volunteering, I became an employee. By working with Mural Arts, I've learned a lot about children and their development, and different things that they need, as a tool, like she said, to succeed in school. We crammed them with math, English, but we don't give them anything to -- as an incentive to... We basically just don't 565 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 give them anything. And the Mural Arts program is very important program. And I think that if we can keep this program alive and keep supporting our children, I think the least that we could do is support them with an artistic venue of some type. And Mural Arts is very important. I just want to say for the neighborhoods of Logan, Kensington or wherever, if we could just keep them open. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Do you wish to testify?
My name is Paul Santaleri. I thank you very much for listening to my testimony. I have done a number of murals with the City with hundreds of kids. I've 566 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 worked... I've done a number of projects in all different neighborhoods of the City, every neighborhood from Logan, from the area, from all different sections of the City, Fairmount, North Philadelphia. And I'm amazed at how, with so very little money, how far you can go with the arts with just a tiny bit of money that goes to the Mural Arts Project that creates such an amazing effect on the kids. I got to say that each time I work with kids in the City, that I'm just amazed at how they change after a tiny, after a tiny bit of time working with me. Like I said, I've worked with hundreds of kids, and it just is amazing. I've done murals in Mexico and Dominican Republic and Spain and all over the world. And I've done some here. And the fact is, this is a place where people really recognize the arts that are booming here, and the murals that are all over the City. I mean, if we look up, and we see 567 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 the stuff that's all over this beautiful room here, this is what we're doing to our City, is we're giving a little bit of life to the City. And that's why this is such an amazing room, because the arts were put into it. And it's the same with the arts and culture, that if we can keep putting a little tiny bit of money, it goes so far. That's all I want to say. Thank you so much.
Hi. My name is Carl Yoder. I'm a mural painter. I've been painting murals for the past three years with the Mural Arts Program. I'm currently working on my 11th mural in the City. I'm speaking here today because I'm concerned that I may no longer be able to continue earning a living as a mural painter. The budget cuts to the Mural Arts Program that have been proposed would seriously jeopardize the careers of many 568 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 artists living and working in the City. I along with at least 40 other artists work full-time as mural painters. The career path of the artist is not nearly as linear or secure as many other occupations. The majority of students who are going to school in hopes of some day being able to support themselves with their craft end up having to work in menial labor, doing the work they love in their free time, if at all. Eventually the struggle to pay the bills, and try to paint and promote their work, becomes too much. The vast majority of painters will give up. Despite this, I spent seven years in higher education being trained as a painter, with the hope that some day I would be able to support myself doing what I loved. For the past few years I have been living my dream, supporting myself with the craft that I love and have been trained to 569 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 do. I'm sure everyone in this room 4 understands the importance of one's occupation to their happiness and well-being. There's an entire community of artists who owe a great debt to the City and the Mural Arts Program for their continued livelihood. Philadelphia is renown as the mural capital of the United States. It is a distinguishing quality of this City. If the program is crippled by these budget cuts, then Philadelphia will lose this distinction, and consequently the tourism that is a result. Northern Liberties and Fishtown are examples of how a flourishing art community has generated business and development in the City. The daily experience of the mural painter is a testament to the positive influence of his or her work to the community. 570 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Every day people come up to me while I am working and express their gratitude and appreciation for the mural. Especially in poorer neighborhoods, you can see and hear the joy that is brought to people as they pass by the mural. Just the other day I was stopped by someone while I was working at my mural at 52nd and Rodman. I was a little nervous because they were so serious. I thought he might be angry. But it turned out he was just very intent on telling me how grateful he was for the mural. The guy is a custodian at the building across from the mural, and had been watching its progress. He talked at some length about the positive influence the mural has had on his neighborhood. I feel that the murals have had a significant impact on these neighborhoods, and are such a positive part of Philadelphia's image. The murals function as 571 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 advertisements for the City, tourist destinations, and keystones for the beautification and improvement of neighborhoods. I hope that these facets will be seriously considered by the Council. Thank you.
Thank you. Kindly identify yourself for the record.
Hi. My name is Michelle Wilson, and I'm hopefully not going to read. Too much has already been said. But I work in two programs with Mural Arts, the Big Picture and the Art Works which is the anti-truancy program. And I really wanted to talk about the effects that the anti-truancy program has had on the youth that I've worked with. One of the things that I've really seen, is that these kids come in, and they have this identity that they are a screw-up and they don't have a future. And through mural arts we really 572 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 changed that. I mean, with -- I mean, the sense of accomplishment they see, they really learn that they can make -- they have a future, and they have talent, and they have opportunities. And I think that the money that is invested in mural arts in truancy prevention and delinquency prevention has really probably done a lot to also save money in the long run, through probably long-term crime prevention. And I think that's a really important thing that should be remembered here today. And thank you.
Thank you. Any questions or comments by members of the economy? (No response.0
Thank you all so very much. Thank you for your patience. I know you've been sitting here all day. Thank you. (Applause.) MR. McPHERSON: The next witness is 573 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Jack Hunter.
Good evening, Mr. Hunter. You are extremely, extremely patient. Thank you.
Well, I am too passionate about tax reform. And thank you for hearing these last words on tax reform. My name is Jack Hunter. I'm a Certified Public Accountant, with a practice in Center City. I'm also a resident of Center City for the last 43 years. I represented the Philadelphia Chapter, the Pennsylvania Institute of C.P.A.s, as an advisory committee member to the Tax Reform Commission. I'm here today to ask that you, as you consider the budget, support the pending legislation, to enact the recommendations of the Tax Reform Commission. We need tax reform now, which I believe would help change the business climate in the City, and encourage new 574 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 business activity, and improve fairness of all taxes to all taxpayers. All too often my clients discuss with me the burden of Philadelphia taxes. I have been telling them that we're working on it. It's now time to complete the working-on aspect of this effort and enact the recommendations of the Tax Reform Commission. Thank you for providing this time for this public input.
Thank you, Mr. Hunter. Are there any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)
Seeing none, again I thank you for your patience. You've been very patient. MR. McPHERSON: The next witness is Sherry Williams Riles.
Good 575 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 evening. Please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Sherry Williams Riles, and I am the Vice President of Up Again Incorporated. I'm here today to represent Baker Playground at 55th and Lansdowne Avenue. Madam President, Council-at-Large, City Council, and to all the people that have been just patiently waiting with me to fight for our children, I would like to first say thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak on behalf of the families surrounding Baker Playground at 55th and Lansdowne Avenue. I would also like to apologize beforehand if I say anything that's not politically correct because I don't know a whole lot about this politics.
Okay. But based on... With all due respect, and the decisions of possibly closing the playgrounds, I can see 576 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 how one could look on a map where Baker is located, and adjacent to Tustin and Shepherd, and think that this is one of the once that can be closed. But because there's so much going on at Baker, and because the need for this playground to exist in this community is so desperate, I'm here to beg you: Please, do everything possible not to close this. At a time when our children are being -- being forced to grow up beyond their years because of increased influence of the television, the internet, the movie industry, kidnappings, drug dealings, school violence, to include weapons and beatings, once begin, our children are being put at risk for possibly destroying what they consider a safe haven, and as well as part of their family. Many of these children come to this playground because they feel safe and loved. You may be saying to yourself, well, how does that, you know, help balance the budget. But where there is no love, 577 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 there is no hope. For our children or for that matter adults feel not wanted or displaced, they go to where they do feel wanted. That's where the gangs come about. That's when the drug dealers surface boldly, crime increases, and prison walls expand. Our taxes, insurance and additional money is spent on police protection. Some of the reasons why Safe Streets is working is because these children do have these playgrounds, even if some of them are in bad conditions, to go to. Something to them is better than nothing. It begins with giving a child a chance, giving him an environment where he can play, where they can play, just play. I realize that might be a word that sounds foreign, but that is the reason why many of our children are bucking up against authorities and adults in general, because they don't know how to be children. We won't allow them to be children. We force them to grow up before their minds have 578 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 time to develop basic reasoning skills. And most of these reasoning skills are developed in playgrounds such as Baker. The City has recently spent millions of dollars in giving us two great stadiums. Unfortunately, many of these children I'm representing will never see inside of these stadiums. The cost is exorbitant to enter for the majority of these children's families. And one hot dog or soda and some popcorn is what some of these mothers spend to feed four and five of them. Once again, our children are being derived. How can they become our future when the things that help build their future are being constantly taken away? There are two day care centers which are less than one block from Baker, three schools which are within a six-block radius. The decision to close playgrounds, especially this one, increases the chance of the children standing on corners selling 579 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 drugs, selling their bodies, selling their souls to the enemy. A. to teach them how to swim. I personally raised my sister's three children. And one of them trained to become a lifeguard at Baker at age 16, and became the head lifeguard for several years afterwards. Now, she's married and working in child care because of the experience. Something as simple as an after school program is a great asset to a single mom, who must try to work effectively and efficiently, while trusting someone for the safety of their children. Some of our parents don't feel comfortable for their children to have keys to their home yet, and they tell them, well, go to baker until I can pick you up from work. Baker is a playground that was in 580 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 ruins up till 1990. It was a playground that was overrun by drug dealers, drug users, and prostitution, filth and glass. And even then, the children were entering the grounds because there is no 7 other place close by for them to go.
The child -- The child from ages five to seven cannot walk to Shepherd or Tustin Recreation Center. It's just too far. And even through the older children can walk to them, their pools always look like sardine cans with the children from their own areas. Baker Playground means a great deal to this community. They may not be astute individuals when it comes to the political process, and they may not all be homeowners. But they are still people, and they still pay taxes toward the day-to-day operations of the City. Please, I beg you, do not close the door on this community. We have worked 581 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 very hard to bring Baker Playground back to a place where families can come with their children, and even a place where children feel safe enough to come alone. We have an after school program. The soccer team utilizes the neighborhood school that operates out of it. Because we have been neglected for a long time. Instead of closing Baker, this is a site that really should be built up. Our building is small. If it were expanded, much more could take place. We have a karate class, a community choir, and drill team that practices at the school because of Baker. Mr. Mayor said at the City-wide prayer in November that he would promise that the children would not be hurt. If this isn't hurt, I don't know what is. I personally worked with these children since 1991 as a volunteer. I do not receive a dime for my efforts. But the reward I see and the fruit that comes from 582 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 this facility is remarkable. Since I began as a volunteer, I have seen individuals, six individuals, go to college, one received a full scholarship for basketball because of Baker Playground. One is married now and is giving back, helping the drill team. One was a lifeguard and two are training for lifeguard right now. We have witnessed many honor students. And Baker has won several prizes after their -- from their after school program and their summer camp. Although we are small, great things are happening at Baker Playground. And our community incorporated feeds once a month, and the community looks forward to this meal. With welfare cuts and food stamps limited, these families need what Baker has to offer. Please, please, please do not close Baker playground.
Thank you. Thank you. 583 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Good evening, Sherry, and the many supporters that you have brought. I really do appreciate you coming in this evening. Sorry it took so long. I can only echo the comments that you've made. And we've had an opportunity to work together over many years. My colleagues, some of them who have the photos that you left, expressed their surprise that there would be a proposal to close Baker. And whether they've visited the facility or not, they can certainly see from the pictures that it is active, that it is alive, that there's a lot of stuff going on at Baker. As I shared with you, I did discuss this matter with the Managing Director and the Recreation Commissioner and others who came to see me. What you did not mention, but that I 584 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 did share with them is that, you know, Baker was not always what it is today. And it was only because of the community, yourself, Gerald, and many others. And Baker had either been officially closed or essentially closed when the drug dealers and other elements in the community took over the center away from the children, the City Recreation Department at that time, not under this Administration but in the past, had essentially abandoned this small center, at 54th and Lansdowne, and you and Gerald and many others in the early '90s literally took the place back. There was no programming. There was no activity. There was nothing. Community people decided to take a center back over the course of a year, over the course of a winter, literally sleeping in the building to make sure that the criminal element was out. Under the Rendell Administration, programming and staff was put into place. 585 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 We had that wonderful... And we still have pictures of the pool being reopened, Mayor Rendell, former Phillie Terry Mulholland, Councilman Kenney, myself and others, out there that day. And I shared all of that information with the Managing Director and the Recreation Commissioner, who knew nothing of the history of this center. And all I could say to them was of the, at the time, three facilities that were on the list then -- now I have seven in my District -- this is one of the worst examples of a proposed closure. The facility is not near any other facility. Kids in that neighborhood are not going to Shepherd. They're not going to Tustin. They're not going anywhere else. They will be left without any facility themselves. And so, I've obviously shared with you and I've shared with others, I'm opposed to this proposed closure not only of Baker but the other six that have 586 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 somehow miraculously ended up on a list. If we need anything in this City, we have presentation by the folks in arts and culture, but if we certainly need anything else in this great City of ours, it's certainly more recreation, not less. So, you have, I think, significant support here in the Council not only for Baker, but many other facilities across the City. And what we should be talking about is how we're going to enhance the services that are available to keep our kids out of trouble, to keep them occupied, to keep them learning, and to keep them focused in their own neighborhood. So, I appreciate you coming in. I'm sorry you have to come in under these circumstances. But I do greatly appreciate your presence, and your testimony, and your continued commitment to the children out in West Philadelphia. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. 587 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Are there any other -- any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
I'd just like to say one more thing. I just would like you to understand I do have a new-found respect for what you guys do. I don't think I could do it. I mean, your tenacity, your long suffering. Gallatians 5:22 is definitely operating in this place.
You're volunteering all of your time, and you probably are very responsible for saving Baker.
All right. I also would 588 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 like to submit that I have 526 names on the petition as well.
Thank you so much. There were quite a number of people that were here and left. I really don't want to call out all of the names. Do we have anyone here that would like to testify? (Hands raised.)
Please come up to the witness table. Good evening. Please identify yourself for the record.
Okay. I do have written testimony for the Clerk. So if the sergeant-at-arms could pick it up. My name is Fred Mauer, and I want to testify on the operations budget in the Streets Department, and it's Traffic Control Unit. I think every mother, worried about their child's safe crossing, who must try to deal with the Streets Department before 589 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 we repeat the same frustrations that we all get from the Streets Department's attitude of indifference. I want to describe some problems that I encountered and suggest solutions. One major problem is the intersection of Rising Sun and Adams Avenue, near Tacony Creek Park. After years of dealing with the 11 Streets Department and PENNDOT, they did a 12 project. But they made it worse in many ways. For one worse example, Streets Department told us that they would install a dedicated left-turn signal. But after the project was done, there was no 18 left-turn signal. The entire project actually resulted with making more pedestrian harm instead of safety to park and street users. The missing left-turn signal was addressed by a special City Council ordinance to the Streets Department, but the ordinance was not fulfilled. 590 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 I was present when Councilman Nutter and Rizzo questioned the Streets Department official if the light signal would be installed. The Streets Department Traffic Manager Denny refused to answer. I do not understand how the Streets Department can willfully disobey that ordinance. It seems to me that someone there should pay for such refusals. The whole Adams Avenue project and pedestrian safety issues was referred to the Governor's Office. Rendell's written reply to me gave the City an obligation that the Streets Department would take the matter and set meetings. The Streets Department has refused to meet or to hear complaints that are now two years old. I wonder: Does City Council want this misbehavior to continue and pay for this traffic unit malfeasance in the Streets Department? A second major issue is the closing 591 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 of 20th Street. Because the Streets Department made a deal to give LaSalle University superior rights to the public right of way on 20th street, which was opened 81 years ago as two ways, the Streets Department Control Unit took a recent action to close it down halfway. And that has inflamed the residents, who are actually losing full access to their homes, and the free travel that existed when they made their homes here. I think it its outrageous that the Streets Department Traffic Control will now do a traffic study after the facts when they distorted the existing traffic. The Traffic Control Unit promise really just a pablum excuse. And who will ever trust this Traffic Control Unit again? They won't even dignify their actions with us -- to us with relevant facts or to show their motive, records. And they've even refused to meet with the affected community, after they made requests. 592 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 I think the Streets Department Control Unit is dishonest in dealing with our local public issues. We need a balance against the Streets Department's ingrained habit to favor cars and higher-speed highways on City streets, rather than to consider the effects on pedestrian and residential life. I think one solution is to have the Streets Department create a special traffic control complaints agency, where all public complaints will be heard timely and investigated fairly, with the effort of resolving public welfare conflicts and in favor of the residential public first. This may actually need a judicial arm or a public ombudsman approach in the Streets Department. I think another solution is to split the Traffic Control Unit out of the Streets Department and contract it out. The work of the Traffic Control Unit can actually be done by traffic consultants.
And I think a private company 593 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 with consumers' interest may give us more satisfaction with public hearings and by public actions on public complaints than our Traffic Control Unit's current arrogance and holier-than-thou attitude toward us. I request City Council to amend the operations budget in the Streets Department with special conditions provisos for its Traffic Control Unit. And I think it's time for City Council to use the powers of the budget more efficiently than just a rubber stamp.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen. Your light is on. Did you want to be recognized?
Well, it was on here. Okay. Any questions from members of the Committee? Councilwoman Tasco.
No. I'd just 594 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 like to say that I thank Mr. Mauer for coming in to testify. That traffic light is in my District, and we have had an awful time with the Streets Department. Even had the state say that it's okay to install the light. So the next option we have, Madam President, is to go to court.
Thank you very much. Please approach the witness table. JUDGE DEMBY: I'm Pamela Demby.
So nice seeing you. And thank you. I know you've been sitting there for quite a while. JUDGE DEMBY: Oh, well, so have you. And thank you, President, and members of Council. You have, all of you, been good friends for my adult life. So let me start, as my mother would want me to, by thanking you all for not only listening to 595 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 all of us, but for undergoing what you are undergoing right now. You don't have enough resources. You have so many demands, all of them valuable, all of them worthy. You are also required to make choices for which you cannot see the end results, and we all thank you for doing your best. I'm here to make a small pitch on behalf of the library. As you know, I'm the President of the Friends of the Free Library right now. And you have stepped up to the plate time after time and done so well for us. Because of the state cuts that we suffered last year, we have had, since the beginning of this past July, which is ten months, 436 full day closings of branches. And the days when we could open a branch with a real thin staff, say, just a librarian, have disappeared forever since that terrible incident at the Independence Branch where that child was assaulted. We need security, plain and simple. 596 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 In addition to these random closings, which mean children come to do their homework or to appear at what is the largest after school care program in the City, the library branches, they arrive to find nobody there and the door closed, and you don't need much imagination to see what that can lead to. What I can add, that the staff of the library, I think probably couldn't tell you is that what's happening to the Saturday and weekend -- and week night closings. Ordinarily, as you know, beginning in September, we keep the libraries open on Saturdays and a couple of evenings a week for children to do homework, for people to look for jobs, to learn English, all the things that our libraries do. Last week 17 branches were without Saturday service. This week the number is 19. And by the next week or so, we'll be up to 21 or 22. And all I'm going to do, if you'll 597 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 just indulge me, is just read the names of the branches because I think it will hit you all. Fishtown, which is 1200 East Montgomery Avenue. Frankford, in the 4600 block of Frankford Avenue. Fumo in 2400 South Broad. Greater Olney, 5500 North 5th. Haddington, on North 65th Street. Haverford, 5500 Haverford Avenue. Holmesburg, up at 78th and Frankford. Kensington, down on Dauphin Street. Lehigh at 6th and Lehigh. Logan, on Wagner Street. McPherson Square which is 6th and Indiana. Nicetown Tioga, 3700 North Broad. Passyunk, 19th and Shunk Streets. Queen Memorial, 1200 South 23rd. Rodriguez, 600 West Girard. Richmond on Almond Street. Santora which used to be the 598 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Southwark at 900 South 7th. Wadsworth, 1500 Wadsworth Avenue in West Oak Lane. Anybody here I've missed? Anybody here whose constituents aren't going to be affected? And with that in mind, I'll just ask you to do your best to find that little bit of extra money to help us out. I, you know, had prepared testimony to give you all sorts of reasons to do it. But you've all been so good to the library over the years, especially at this late hour, I won't do it. I think about $2 million would probably at least deal with the Saturday closings. And beyond that, it's... I don't know where we will find money to start buying books and materials again. We've bought nothing since December. And, of course, a library pretty quickly becomes pointless without new materials. And I know that you will do your best. And 599 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 I thank you for what you have done and for you will do.
Your Honor, you mentioned the emergency closings. Is that because of the lack of staff? JUDGE DEMBY: Yes.
I think when Mr. Shellcott was in, that was one question that was asked of him. And he indicated that there were approximately a hundred, was it not, Charley? MR. McPHERSON: A month.
A month, because of the lack of staff and consequently there were emergency closings.
I think what happens is, when my number, which is 436 full days, if you take a half day here and a half day there, that's how it adds up to about the same number. It has obviously accelerated as staff have been let off, and as we've had to increase our security requirements since 600 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 the tragedy at Independence Branch.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll be brief. Your honor, I heard what you said with regard to the $2 million. Is the bulk of that money to resolve the issue of... It's either or is it... Did I read in 11 your letter it might be upwards of 19 12 branches now that are closed on Saturdays? 13 JUDGE DEMBY: Yes. That is the 14 first crisis that we think we need to 15 resolve. 16
Does any of the 17 $2 million help get to the issue of whether it's a hundred a month or, you know, four hundred some odd full and/or half day closings that have taken place over the past couple months? Does it help to address that issue as well? JUDGE DEMBY: Yes, it will. You know, the more staff you have, the more flexibility that you have to run people 601 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 around to try to stave that off.
Okay. Right. All right. So, two million is at least a figure that directly addresses the Saturday closings and helps to reduce the emergency closings. JUDGE DEMBY: Yes, sir.
Thank you. Any other questions? The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
When was the last time library was in these desperate straits? JUDGE DEMBY: I don't know, sir. I think it's been quite a while. Over the last several years the libraries, I think, have been on an upswing. Until the latest crash at the state level, the state was finally coming up with 602 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 some money for the libraries. And by the way, if you'll keep leaning on your colleagues in the state, that will be wonderful. And with money from the state and with the help of you folks here, as you know, we renovated all of the branches before we even thought about doing anything to Central. So that now people can go to libraries that have computers, that the ceilings don't leak, and things like that. So, until fairly recently, we had been looking at --
-- in the amount of money that was cut out by Governor Rendell when he submitted that first budget? JUDGE DEMBY: Yes.
How much of that has been restored; do we know? JUDGE DEMBY: We don't know. I mean, I hear numbers but... COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: 350, 400,000. 603 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 JUDGE DEMBY: Okay. Is that what you heard? COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Not that much. JUDGE DEMBY: Maybe we could do bingo at the library branches.
Rendell did it to us at the state level, and apparently the Mayor is really going to do it to us at the City level. No further questions.
Thank you very much. Your Honor, thank you. JUDGE DEMBY: Thank you.
You've been extremely patient. JUDGE DEMBY: Thank you very much.
Anyone else to testify, please approach the witness table. Good evening. Kindly identify yourself for the record.
Good evening, Madam President. My name is Joshua Vincent. I 604 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 am the Director of the Center for the Study of Economics. Today I'm wearing a hat also as President of the Henry George Foundation of America. Some of you might have received some information in mailings from the homeowners. I'm here and I'm alone. Nobody will know what happened, Counselor. And essentially, the Henry George Foundation of America, after having served for several years as providing information about land value taxation, the City of Philadelphia joined with the Tax Reform Commission, and we hope that the entire package will pass. Interestingly, I feel sort of like the orphan stepchild of the Tax Reform Commission. This morning I arrived at about 8:30 with hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of homeowners who brought the letter that we had sent them, telling what would happen to their taxes if a land value tax was implemented. 605 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 They stayed for many, many, many hours. But they're not as organized as, I guess, other people are. They're just regular people. They didn't get sent down by their union. Their boss didn't give them a day off with pay to show up. We would like to have taught them a chant, but they don't chant very well. And I think they're too polite and considerate of you to do such a thing. So they stuck around for a long time, and I think essentially I'm the last one. I don't want to pretend to be a representative of them but last man standing. I would remind Council of what we've said over the years, that the land value tax is the part of tax reform that will address neighborhood issues. It is the part of tax reform that does address the little guy, regular people. You asked about the land value tax, Councilman. 78 percent of all homeowners will see some reduction. 606 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 (Councilman Cohen said something, away from the microphone, not reportable.)
It's in the numbers. It's been in the same numbers over and over. I've provided them over the years to Tim Kearney, your -- (Councilman Cohen said something, away from the microphone, not reportable.)
Well, they're in your files, because I spoke to Tim Kearney over many days over several years about how the land value tax will reward the most at-risk neighborhoods. We're talking about the River Districts, Olney, East Oak Lane, Holmesburg, Kensington. These are the neighborhoods where the highest percentage of savers under a land value tax will be. In Juniata Park, for example, 90 percent of homeowners see a tax cut. But again, it has to be balanced with the rest of the tax reform program. I believe the land value tax is a stand-alone program, and it's a good 607 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 program, to reward the people that don't have anything that exists for them as far as programs go. It's a tax cut for people that generally don't have a voice in our City. I think it's a shame. Now, on Wednesday many of the people that we sent the letters to will be here. And I'm sure they'll be grateful to give their views to you, the Council. And considering the huge numbers of people that reacted and responded to the issue of land value tax, I'm sure that they'll all look forward to your affirmative vote, the land value taxation. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Our next 608 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 witness. Good evening. Kindly identify yourself for the record.
Good evening. My name is Jamie Bischoff. I've been a resident of Center City for the last 7 years. 8 I'm a partner at Ballard Spahr 9 Andrews and Ingersoll, and I'm also on the 10 Board of Directors of the Mural Arts 11 Advocates. 12 And I'm here to say something about 13 the mural program, in all of those 14 capacities, but primarily as someone who's 15 been living in Philadelphia for 22 years. 16 I understand that the Mural 17 Program's budget is potentially going to be 18 cut. And I can understand why people think 19 we already have enough murals in 20 Philadelphia. 21 But I think when they say that, 22 they're focusing primarily on Center City. And I think they may not realize how many people there are in so many other neighborhoods in Philadelphia who want 609 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 murals and have gone to the mural program asking to have a mural in their neighborhood. I also think people may not realize the process that the program goes through when it creates a mural. It doesn't just take an artist and plunk a mural down in the middle of a neighborhood. The mural program people, and significantly Jane Golden, go into the neighborhood and attend community meetings, and meet all the people in the neighborhood, and start a whole dialogue about what the mural -- what the people would like to see on the wall in their neighborhood. And that's one of the reasons why so few of our murals have been marred by graffiti. The other point I wanted to make about the mural program, and the thing that I think a lot of people don't realize, is that they have all these art education workshops for kids after schools, in neighborhoods where kids go to schools that 610 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 don't have art on the curriculum. And I really believe that the need -- there is a very deep human need to express yourself, to find a way to make sense of your experience. And when I visited these art education workshops over the last five years and talked to the kids, and looked at their artwork, and saw how proud they were of these things they were learning to make, I was very impressed by how valuable this is, especially in neighborhoods where kids don't have any other way to make art and to learn about art. These kids go to these workshops day after day. They're never absent. They love it. They seem to love learning how to create things. And I think that's a wonderful outlet for them. And I would hate to see the mural program have to shut down any of those art education workshops. Thank you.
There are any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Thank you so much for your testimony. And we did have a group from the Mural Arts Program testifying earlier. Were you here? Were you here when they testified?
Oh. Okay. They did present very good testimony. Thank you.
Thank you. Please approach the witness table and identify yourself for the record. SISTER MUHAMMED: Good evening. I thank you for the late hour and taking the time. I am Sister Muhammed, Chairwoman and CEO of the Lancaster Avenue Business Association CDC in West Philadelphia. I thought I had lost that opportunity also to speak on behalf of the 612 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 Mural Arts Program. We certainly embrace the Mural Arts Program, as the previous lady indicated. And I was here during the testimony of the group. Again, I'm not familiar with the parliamentary procedures and did not know I should have stepped up to the mike at that time. However, the Mural Arts Program do provide an opportunity for collaboration. That is certainly something that we support in the Lancaster Avenue Business Association, and in our immediate community, and throughout the communities of Philadelphia. Not only do the art provide beautification to our blighted areas and our housings and examination our properties that have been so downtrodden for a long time, and brought communities together and children to be a part of that process, but for our business association and for our business corridor, it is embracing the revitalization process that is going on in 613 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 our area as well. We in our collaboration connect with the Mural Arts Program. And not only do they provide scenery, different artistic expressions, but they also provide portraits, portraits of pioneers, and those who have come from a long time and been active in the communities throughout the years, to bring them alive again in our communities. We embrace that primarily because we were blessed with being able to provide a mural of my late husband, who was one of the long-time pioneers of the West Philadelphia area. With respect to that, I hope that you do take into consideration the need for this Mural Arts Program. It is a good thing. It provides collaborative effort. It pulls communities together, working together to build murals, structures, that introduces communities. Currently we are at Lancaster Avenue. On Lancaster Avenue we have 614 Whole - 5/10/04 - Bill 040313 several murals beautifying our corridor, as well as working currently on one specific one at 40th and Lancaster Avenue. Visit our community. Come out and see the direction that we are utilizing these art performances in. I'd like to thank you for allowing me that opportunity. And have a good evening. Thank you.
Thank you. I think we all agree it's a wonderful program, and we thank you for coming in to testify. SISTER MUHAMMED: Thank you.
Thank you. Anyone else to testify? (No response.)
Seeing no 20 one, this Committee will stand in recess until Wednesday, May the 12th, at 9:30. And I would like to remind my colleagues that tomorrow morning at 9:30 we do have the School District budget. (Hearing concluded at 7:45 p.m.) 615 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings and evidence are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the public hearing of The Philadelphia City Council, taken on May 10, 2004, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. _____________________________ DEBRA D. WHITEHEAD _____________________________ DAVID A. DEIK, RPR and Commissioner of Deeds (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)