And Bill No. 020143, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 271.
And Bill No. 020147, an ordinance establishing a no-parking regulation on the 5900 Block of North Seventh Street.
And Bill No. 020148 man ordinance establishing a no-parking regulation on Limekiln Pike between 68th Avenue and Wyncote Avenue.
And Bill No. 020149, an 4/25/02 STATED - FIRST-READING CALENDAR ordinance establishing a no-parking regulation in the 700 block of Champlost Avenue.
And Bill No. 020169, an ordinance amending Title 9 of the Philadelphia Code by amending Section 9-203 relating to street vendors and related sidewalks sales, under certain terms and conditions.
And Bill No. 020184, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 119.
And Bill No. 020185, an ordinance authorizing the paving of Marvine Street, Cambridge Street, and George Street.
And Bill No. 020199, an ordinance amending Section 2 of an ordinance, Bill No. 990366 (approved July 1, 1999), entitled "An 4/25/02 STATED - FIRST-READING CALENDAR ordinance authorizing the striking of City Plan 17S."
And Bill No. 020200, an ordinance regulating the direction of movement of traffic on from Griffith Street from Large Street to Castor Avenue.
And Bill No. 020204, an ordinance authorizing the homeowners of the property 1922 to 1942 Judson Street to construct and maintain a metal marquee.
And Bill No. 020224, an ordinance authorizing Richard and Cheryl Dennin, owners of the property 6605 Kindred Street, to construct, use, and maintain a wooden deck.
And Bill No. 020230, an ordinance authorizing the Philadelphia Orchestra 4/25/02 STATED - FIRST-READING CALENDAR Association, a tenant of the property 260 South Broad Street, to construct, own, and maintain underground facilities under the right-of-way of Bach Place.
And Bill No. 020201, an ordinance amending Title 9 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions," by amending Section 9105, entitled "Penalties," and Section 9-702, entitled "Carnivals."
The Chair agrees. The bills read by the clerk will be placed on the second-reading and final-passage calendar for our next session of Council 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020042
The Chair now recognizes Blackwell for the purpose of calling up bills on the second-reading and final-passage calendar to be considered today.
Thank you, Madam President. Today, Bill No.'s 020042, 020044, and 02045 are being called up for second reading and final passage. All other bills are being held.
Thank you. The clerk will please read the title Bill No. 020042
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 204 by placing on the City plan Brinton Street from Clearview Street to dead-end turnaround.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Councilman Clarke? 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020042
Councilman Rizzo? 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020042
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A Majority of all members of City Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020044
The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 020044.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia zoning maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area generally defined as the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Gowan Avenue.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Councilwoman Krajewski? 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020044
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A Majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020045
The last bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 020045
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designation of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Woodbrook Lane, a railroad right-of-way, Roumfort Road, and Germantown Avenue.
This bill having been read on two different days the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Councilwoman Krajewski? 4/25/02 STATED - SECOND READING, BILL 020045
Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all members of City Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. That concludes our calendar for today. 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES
Are there any speeches on the part of the Minority? (No speeches on the part of the Minority.)
Are there any speeches on the part of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This week, on Monday, the 22nd, and April the 24th, we had two editorials both on the School Reform Commission and the plan that they enunciated last Wednesday, the day before we approved the $300 million bond that I spoke about being the only leverage that elected officials had in order to maintain and keep the Reform Commission on a course that would not create chaos come September. The Daily News begins its editorial by saying that the schools in Philadelphia couldn't get any worse, famous last words. We hope we're wrong, but it's hard to imagine a smooth-running 2002 to 2003 school year with 42 schools being run by 7 different education-management organizations, both profit and nonprofit; 19 schools reconstituted, which means that most of the staff 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES will be replaced with teachers to be named later; 20 schools or more if Governor Schweiker has his way, turned over to Edison schools, which historically has had problems running far fewer, and which, just this week, the schools that they were running in New York, the Board of Education of New York is saying it's going to eliminate and terminate their contract because they have refused to give data, they have refused to give information. In essence, they have not kept the promises that they made to the board Of Education of that city. And what is beginning to happen is happening. Teachers, experienced teachers, are beginning a mass exodus from the school system -the experienced ones, the ones that have been there, the ones that are good and experienced and have been able to teach. " It includes two different groups of schools, 42 to be turned over to outside managers, 28 later, and then they say, Well, it's not clear. It says that the reform, this huge cobbled 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES together on a weak foundation, risks collapse, a plunge into chaos. Next September would undermine the reform effort that the City and its children desperately needed to succeed. What leverage and to whom are they accountable? This board of five that is now running our school system, they're obviously not accountable to this City Council, they're not accountable to the Mayor; he handed over the reins to the Governor. They're not accountable to the parents, the teachers, or the citizens of Philadelphia. And they're not even accountable to the person who appointed them, Governor Schweiker. To whom are they accountable? We gave up our leverage. None of these plans that they have did they come here and tell us about it. We had hearings, we asked them questions; we got no answers. Still, we gave up our leverage because we were told that if we didn't, chaos would ensue. Well, let me tell you something: We are going to have chaos. They have structured a system that is not going to work, that is not going to bring about the reform that is needed in our 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES system. And they don't have the resources, the money that, even now they say, is needed. And even Mr. Nevels the other day said that that promised $75 million that is supposed to come from the State, he's really not sure that it will be appropriated. The State legislators are too, too involved with their own reelection, and now that we have passed the $300 million, they know they don't have to worry about this system running out of money, at least until a year and a half from now. Not that we solved the problem; we just put a little Band-Aid on it. But we're going to deal with that because it is going to come to this Council. When the chaos begins and anger of parents begins to be heard across the City, they're not going to go to Harrisburg to protest; they're going to come here. They're going to ask, Did you ask the right questions? Why didn't you hold up the money before you got all of the answers? Chaos will come. I hope not. I have two kids in the public school system. But if you 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES thought things could not get worse, I quote the Daily News.
I would just like the record to reflect that I believe it was last Friday that I spoke to Mr. Nevels, and I told him that Councilmembers certainly want a meeting with him so that we could understand very clearly what will be occurring with the school system. He indicated that he was going to be very happy to do that. I suggested that he do that as soon as possible. I have yet to hear from him, but I will certainly follow through on that The Chair at this time recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Thank you, Madam President. Everything that every supporter of the public school system feared would happen is in the process of happening as the School Reform Commission proceeds to dismantle public education 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES in Philadelphia. The team of Nevels, Gallagher, Whelan, Masch, and Dungee are doing a great job in destroying the public education system, and they want to do it in a way that insulates them from criticism, so they do the thing we feared would happen: They attack every democratic principle. The great thing about the first-amendment right and why so many people love the first amendment is that it empowers every citizen in the United States with the right to speak out in the manner the citizen chooses to -- in a disorganized way if he wishes, in an incoherent way if the citizen wants to -- but the citizen chooses the method of discussion. If the citizen does the wrong thing, there are courts that can deal with questions of criminal action or with injunctions, but the citizen begins with the perfect right to discuss an issue the way the citizen wants to, and every citizen is empowered. So what does the School Reform Commission do? As the very first action that it takes, it immediately begins to threaten students and all those who support students. It immediately begins 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES a court action against the students and against all adults, including Councilman Clarke, who believes it doesn't apply to him, but it surely does; it applies to every adult person in the City is threatened by the School Reform Commission with a lawsuit and with damages minimally of $50,000 or more if they do anything that the School Reform Commission now believes is wrong. To try to channel public opinion by selecting advisory panels to inform the School Reform Commission of the thoughts of the citizens is anti-democratic, it's wrong. You can't channel public opinion. That's why we have a free press, that's why we have the media; so that it can spread its words and challenge anybody on any issue. But the School Reform Commission believes it can appoint people throughout the City to be its official advisors and to be the only people to whom the School Reform Commission will pay attention. And that's dead-wrong. And they have a plan: Their plan is to destroy the democratic system in which Philadelphia's operated its school system, and they're going to make us the laughing stock of the 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES nation. They're well on their way to doing it. We're going to be the only important city in the United States that eliminates the teaching of Latin. You know, when Philadelphia was a city overwhelming white, it was all right to teach Latin, but now that the minority groups have equalled, and maybe surpassed, the white group in population, now we no longer need Latin. Tell me why we no longer need Latin now. We need Latin because Philadelphia is a world-class city and ought to remain that. And who this team that I named before, where they come from, I don't know. Like all of you, I get a bill from Verizon every month, but I don't know that that qualifies the president of Verizon to determine the educational policies of Philadelphians; yet, that's who Mr. Whelan is. I don't understand where this group riding on some horseback aimed at trimming down the democratic sales, both the small D and the big D in that case -- where they're getting the power from. I believe what they're doing is unconstitutional, and I believe we're going to find that before it's 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES through. But let me alert all Philadelphians: It's time to wake up. Don't fall for the nonsense in the Inquirer editorials saying it's time to let the School Reform Commission do its work. The School Reform Commission has no work to do in the public schools because its only work is to destroy it.
With an already shortage of teachers, as Councilman Ortiz just pointed out, there are teachers leaving and expressing their desire to leave in unbounded numbers. Why should they subject themselves to the loss of a contract? Why should they go on uncharted waters, where they can be fired at a moment's notice by some strange board that nobody knows? Who knew who Mr. Gallagher was? I knew every time I rode up on Henry Avenue, it was great to feel that there is the university there, but I don't know that that qualified him in any way to deal with the Philadelphia public school system. Mike Masch, he worked for City Council; he was a good worker for City Council. I don't know that that qualified him to determine educational policy. 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES I believe, imperfect as it was, bad as it was, the old system was far preferable to the new system, because under the old system, everybody -not just people elected by something called "the School Reform Commission" -- had a right to voice their views and to be heard and to make demands on the School Board. And that's the way it ought to be. I commend Councilman Ortiz for taking the position he did, and I call for people in Philadelphia to begin to express yourself, express yourself on the street, express yourself in front of the school building, because they're in the process, this School Reform Commission, is in the process of taking the public school system away from all of us in Philadelphia and transforming it into something -- it's almost insane. We all know what the school system needs is more money. What is the School Reform Commission doing? It's moving in exactly the opposite way. It's moving to cut expenses, not expand the physical facilities, the technological facilities of the school system, getting us more and better certified teachers. No, it's not doing 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES that at all; it's trying to be in a position to go back to the legislature and say, maybe Greater Philadelphia First couldn't do it when they examined the funds, but we can do it. We're going to show you we're going to operate the Philadelphia public school system even cheaper than it was operated before, and you know what, we're going to make Philadelphians pay for it because this strange, queer law that came out of Harrisburg is a law that would authorize the legislature to raise the taxes of Philadelphians to pay for the school system without those of us in Philadelphia having a word to say Madam President, this is only the prelude, the beginning, of what is going to be consistent reports that I intend to deliver at these Council meetings with what's happening in the public school system, because in all my years in City Council, the public school system has been the least supported public agency; yet, everybody knows it's the most needed. For our children's sake, for the future of Philadelphia, and to give those youngsters that were brought in today because it was "Take Your 4/25/02 STATED - SPEECHES Daughter to Work Day," let's give them some new hope, let's rethink our positions, let's give real support to the public school system, let's keep it democratic, and let's say no to the outsiders who are intent on destroying our schools Thank you, Madam President. )
At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. I just want to say that this morning, on behalf of City Council, I went over to the Marriott Hotel to welcome the leadership from the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United States Methodist Church. There are 10,000 women in Philadelphia this weekend from the United Methodist Church, and they're strong and they're providing economic support to the City. We want to welcome them and say we hope they enjoyed their stay here in Philadelphia. And their president is Miss Jeannie Banks, and this is their 16th Quadrinal gathering. And we have many, many friends who are members of United Methodist 4/25/02 STATED - ADJOURNMENT Church, and we greet them with love and peace. Thank you very, very much.
Thank you. Do we have any other members who would like to be recognized? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you very much, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, May the 2nd, 2002, at 10 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, May 2, 2002, at 10 a.m. All in favor will say aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. (Council proceedings end at 12 o'clock noon.) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, April 25, 2002, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. RE: STATED MEETING _______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public (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.)