Sorry. For your9 information, this is my trash bill.10 These are all -- this is the11 correspondence that I have accumulated12 twice-over in trying to get this problem13 taken care of. My name is Marsha Bacal.14 I have spoken before. I was there in15 2002 and I'm back again.16 I am a resident of Society Hill17 Towers, a member of its governing Board,18 a past Chairperson of the Towers19 Community Political Action Committee and20 a Board member of CDAG.21 This paperwork represents ten22 years of work advocating for the redress23 of a civic wrong. In these files are24 hours of testimony, position papers,25 122 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 court rulings, meeting notices, rallies2 and letters to the editor. It represents3 efforts made by a condominium community4 composed of 700 units, 1,200 residents,5 800 voters, who have a 60 percent voter6 turnout, probably among the highest in7 the entire City. And, more importantly,8 it represents a community that has been9 denied a City service for which they have10 already paid for.11 The concept of homeowners seems12 to be a problem here. Because we are13 vertical, we are considered second class.14 We are not homeowners in the same light15 as those who live in a horizontal basis.16 I lived in Fox Chase from 196017 to 1980 in a split level. I paid my18 taxes, and my trash was picked up. I19 moved to the Society Hill Towers in 1980,20 and for 31 years, I've been double taxed.21 You can do the math. I won't do it for22 you.23 There's no logical reason why,24 no justification that a certain group has25 123 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 to be singled out for a denial of2 service. It's just not defensible. It's3 discriminatory, and it needs to stop.4 (Applause.)5
I will not burden6 you with figures. You've been given7 plenty of figures. Suffice it to say8 that it costs the Towers in excess of9 $50,000 a year to collect that trash, and10 I have heard from the grapevine that the11 cost is probably going to go up next12 year. That's unconscionable. It also13 represents a point in the assessment or14 condo figures that we pay.15 The City has an obligation.16 Let's do it. It really is simple. It's17 about fairness, and it's about time.18 (Applause.)19
Thank you20 very much for your testimony.21 Are there any questions from22 the members of the Committee for these23 witnesses?24 (No response.)25 124 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1
Thank you2 all.3 Is there anyone else here to4 testify on this bill?5 (No response.)6
Thank you7 all for coming and for your testimony.8 This ends our public hearing on9 the bills that we have received testimony10 on. We will now go into our public11 meeting, and the Chair calls on12 Councilman Goode.13
I'm sorry.14 Madam Chair, can I just make a request,15 could we -- excuse me. If you can stay16 until we vote on this, it would be17 helpful, and plus it's a little noisy too18 on the way out.19
Could we20 please ask you to -- if you have to21 leave, please leave quietly, but the22 Councilman has requested that you try and23 stay until we take action on this piece24 of legislation. Thank you.25 125 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 The Chair recognizes2 Councilwoman Blackwell for Bill No.3 110560.4
Thank5 you, Madam Chairman. I move that Bill6 No. 110560 be reported out of Committee7 and also a request for the suspension of8 the rules so that this may be heard at9 our next session of Council.10 (Duly seconded.)11
It has12 been moved that Bill 110560 be reported13 out of Committee with a favorable14 recommendation and a recommendation that15 the Council rules be suspended so this16 bill can be heard at Council's next17 session.18 All in favor will say aye.19 (Aye.)20
There24 being none, the motion is carried.25 126 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 The Chair recognizes --2 (Applause.)3
The Chair4 recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell for5 Bill No. 110660.6
Thank7 you, Madam Chairman. I move that Bill8 No. 110660 be reported out of Committee9 with a favorable recommendation and also10 a recommendation for suspension of the11 rules so that it may be heard at our next12 session of Council.13 (Duly seconded.)14
Thank you.15 It has been moved and seconded that Bill16 110660 be reported out of Committee with17 a favorable recommendation and that the18 rules of Council be suspended so that19 this bill can be heard at Council's next20 session.21 All in favor will say aye.22 (Aye.)23
Is there24 any opposition?25 127 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 (No response.)2
There3 being none, the motion is carried.4 The Chair recognizes5 Councilwoman Blackwell for Bill No.6 110612.7
Madam8 Chair, thank you. I move that Bill No.9 110612 be reported out of Committee with10 a favorable recommendation and also a11 recommendation for suspension of the12 rules so as to permit first reading of13 this bill at our next session of Council.14 (Duly seconded.)15
It has16 been moved and seconded that Bill No.17 110612 be reported out of Committee with18 a favorable recommendation and a19 recommendation that the rules of Council20 be suspended so this bill can be heard at21 Council's next session.22 All in favor will say aye.23 (Aye.)24
Is there25 128 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 any opposition?2 (No response.)3
There4 being none, the motion is carried.5 Councilwoman Blackwell.6
Thank7 you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No.8 110613 be reported out of Committee with9 a favorable recommendation and that the10 rules of Council be suspended so as to11 permit first reading at our next session12 of Council.13 (Duly seconded.)14
It has15 been moved and seconded that Bill 11061316 be reported out of Committee with a17 favorable recommendation and that the18 rules of Council be suspended so this19 bill can be heard at Council's next20 session.21 All in favor will say aye.22 (Aye.)23
Is there24 any opposition?25 129 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 (No response.)2
There3 being none, the motion is carried.4 We'd now like to ask5 Councilwoman Blackwell to call up the6 amendment on Bill 110518.7
Thank8 you, Madam Chair. I move that the9 amendment to Bill No. 110518 be adopted.10 (Duly seconded.)11
It has12 been moved and seconded that the13 amendment to Bill 110518 be adopted.14 All in favor?15 (Aye.)16
There20 being none, the motion is carried and the21 amendment is adopted.22 The Chair recognizes now23 Councilwoman Blackwell to report out Bill24 110518, as amended.25 130 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1
Thank2 you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No.3 110518, as amended, be reported out of4 Committee with a favorable recommendation5 and also for a suspension of the rules so6 as to permit first reading at our next7 session of Council.8 (Duly seconded.)9
Thank you.10 It has been moved that Bill 110518, as11 amended, be reported out of Committee12 with a favorable recommendation and that13 the rules of Council be suspended so this14 bill can be heard at Council's next15 session.16 All in favor will say aye.17 (Aye.)18
There22 being none, the motion is carried.23 Let me note for the record24 Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown is25 131 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 here and -- Councilman Kenney, did I note2 that you were here earlier?3
Councilman9 Kenney, you have any comments about Bill10 110130.11
Thank you,12 Madam Chair. Before I make a motion to13 move the bill out of Committee with no14 suspension, I want to explain that the15 reasoning for the no suspension is that16 the Mayor has communicated with me that17 he would like to have some discussion in18 this regard, which I'd be happy to do,19 and because of our constricted calendar20 between now and the time this term ends,21 I would like to keep moving the ball22 forward.23 So I move that Bill No. 11013024 be reported out of this Committee25 132 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 favorably with no request for suspension.2 (Duly seconded.)3
Thank you.8 I'm very concerned with the9 pricing of this tax credit given the10 testimony today that it costs $120, not11 $200. We just heard from a12 representative from Society Hill Towers13 that there are 700 units and their cost14 of collection is $50,000 a year. They15 would receive an aggregate credit of16 $140,000 a year, 200 times 700. And so17 there just seems to be a disconnect18 between the cost of collection, and it19 seems to me that -- I guess my question20 for the Councilman is, are we going to21 look at perhaps amendments to the bill in22 the next couple of weeks that would deal23 with the actual cost and potentially24 allow a credit to not exceed the actual25 133 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 cost of collection for a particular2 building?3
The4 language of the bill as it exists says5 "up to $200." That was done6 intentionally, with the intention of7 having room to negotiate, and we expect8 that with discussions with the Mayor that9 if he can find himself able to support it10 in some form, that it would be a reduced11 number more reflective of what the12 testimony has been today.13 Councilman Goode has his iPad.14 I don't think he needed it, but he said15 that the cost for, I think -- what was16 it, $14,000, not $140,000 for Society17 Hill.18
And as23 Sarah, my Legislative Assistant, tells24 me, it will be up to $200, reflective of25 134 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 each individual condominium's trash2 collection cost. So in the one example3 it would be $80, the credit would be $804 per unit. Another example would be $1205 per unit, but not to exceed $200 per6 unit.7
So I think8 the Administration's estimates were based9 on 200 or based on the amount actually10 paid?11
Probably12 based on 200, which, again, I was not in13 any way questioning the testimony of the14 Administration, but when you're looking15 to estimate something, you estimate it16 higher because it's more onerous, so --17
I don't want22 to get into an iPhone/iPad calculation23 today, but 200 times 700 is $140,000.24
I have a25 135 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 BlackBerry. I only have a BlackBerry, so2 I'm way out of the question.3 So with all those comments, I4 would move the bill out of Committee --5 make a motion to move the bill out of6 Committee, with no suspension, favorably.7 (Duly seconded.)8
Well, we9 had a second. Let's just call for the10 vote. All in favor of the bill being11 reported favorably out of Committee with12 no suspension of the rules will say aye.13 (Aye.)14
There18 being none, the motion is carried.19 (Applause.)20
There21 being no further business before this22 Committee, this Committee is adjourned.23 Thank you all for taking your24 time to come out. Thank you.25 136 10/18/11 - FINANCE - BILL 110130, ETC.1 (Committee on Finance adjourned2 at 12:20 p.m.)3 - - -4 5 6 7 8 9 137 CERTIFICATE2 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the3 proceedings, evidence and objections are4 contained fully and accurately in the5 stenographic notes taken by me upon the6 foregoing matter on October 18, 2011, and that7 this is a true and correct transcript of same.8 --------------------13 MICHELE L. MURPHY14 RPR-Notary Public15 (The foregoing certification of this19 transcript does not apply to any reproduction20 of the same by any means, unless under the21 direct control and/or supervision of the22 certifying reporter.)23