An ordinance amending Section 2-305 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Office of Property Assessment; Chief Assessment Officers; Powers and Duties," by further providing with respect to the manner in which assessments are determined for certain properties that are subject to resale restrictions; and by providing for additional reporting requirements with respect to such properties.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman STATED MEETING 101 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Bass.
Aye. STATED MEETING 102 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President STATED MEETING 103 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Clarke.
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 220220.
An ordinance amending Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finance, Taxes and Collections," by adding a new Chapter 19-4500, entitled "Annual Reporting Relating to Unclaimed Property."
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. President. Today I rise respectfully requesting the support of all of my colleagues in Council for Bill No. 220220. As you all know, one of the STATED MEETING 104 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING most important responsibilities we have as members of Philadelphia City Council is appropriating funds, and it is on us to ensure we are addressing the needs of our constituents by ensuring we are funding the services and programs that improve their quality of life. And as we are currently engaged in this budget process, we are hearing every day from residents about funding priorities. Bill No. 220220 requires the Director of Finance to provide an annual report to City Council on all the unclaimed property owed to the City of Philadelphia currently held by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is currently seeking the owners of nearly $4 billion in unclaimed property, which can be recovered free of charge. After the introduction of this bill and subsequent conversations with our City Treasurer's Office, there is at least $6 million in unclaimed property STATED MEETING 105 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING due back to the City of Philadelphia for the period covering 1999 to 2020, and all of those funds will be returned back to our General Fund as a result of this legislation and the work of the City Treasurer's Office. I do not want to go another 21 years leaving any additional City money on the table, and with this bill, there will be a required reporting process in place to ensure that the City is always claiming what is rightfully ours. I want to thank all of you very much for your consideration today and thank my Constituent Services Representative, Beth Strain Berry, and her brother, Bernie Strain, for this important legislative work. And, colleagues, I hope you will support this important legislation. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. STATED MEETING 106 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilman Johnson. STATED MEETING 107 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Mr. President, I'd like to be recorded as aye on this bill and also on the previous one that I missed. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. The record shall reflect that Councilman O'Neill was an aye on 220168 and 220220.
Councilman Squilla. STATED MEETING 108 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 220359.
An ordinance authorizing the City of Philadelphia to enter into a guaranteed energy savings contract for the evaluation and implementation of energy conservation and efficiency measures designed to reduce energy, or other measurable consumption or operating costs of the City's municipal street lighting system.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas. STATED MEETING 109 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Council President. I am going to vote for this bill, but I just wanted to put some information on the record. As the Chair of the Streets and Services Committee, we did meet with a number of different parties about this initiative and we did communicate some of our concern around the possible health factors, as there are a lot of questions as it relates to the direction that we're going in with lights. Based on studies and information that we gathered as well as things that are happening around the country, there could be some possible ill-advised consequences if this isn't done the right way. So I will be voting aye on this today, contingent upon the commitment that was discussed prior to the bill being introduced that the Administration and other parties will work with my office throughout the course of this STATED MEETING 110 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING implementation process. So I just wanted to put that information on the record. It is one of the unfortunate things that we have to do as the Chair of the Streets and Services Committee. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman, for bringing that to our attention. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Gauthier. STATED MEETING 111 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. STATED MEETING 112 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Point of information, Council President. Councilmember Domb?
Did he go on mute? Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Decker.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of members present having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. I'm sorry. The bill passes.
I have additional STATED MEETING 113 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING resolutions, Mr. President.
A resolution authorizing the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold hearings to examine the state of Philadelphia's parks and recreation system and, particularly, the causes of Philadelphia's precipitous drop in the Trust for Public Land's national rankings of park systems, introduced today by Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. Before I move for the adoption of the resolution, I just want to acknowledge the Chair of Parks and Recreation, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, for joining me and focusing on the hearing that will hopefully in the future bring up the level of funding and investment STATED MEETING 114 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING that we do particularly for our parks and our recreation system at a level that's competent to other cities across the country. We dropped from 19 to 33. And so hopefully, you know, as time goes along, we can get back to a higher level on this status. Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution STATED MEETING 115 5/26/2022 5/26/22 - STATED - 2ND READING recognizing and honoring the 50th Anniversary of Philadelphia's first Gay Pride March as a celebration of LGBTQ+ liberation and declaring June 2022 in Philadelphia as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, introduced today by Councilwoman Gym.
Thank you very much, Council President. With great gratitude to Mr. Brown who spoke earlier very passionately about the -- not only the significance of the 50th anniversary but its evolution and the role that LGBTQ+ Philadelphians have had in the City transforming communities, uplifting civil rights, expanding our own notions of humanity. And with that, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying STATED MEETING 116 5/26/2022 (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our Calendar for today, and prior to recognizing members regarding speeches, I will note for the record at this time that we will use the Chat feature available in Microsoft Teams to allow members to signify that they wish to be recognized. In order to comply with the Sunshine Act, the Chat feature must only be used for this particular purpose. With that said, speeches on STATED MEETING 117 5/26/2022 minority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. Just last week we experienced a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York and this week Uvalde, Texas at the Robb Elementary School, and as a nation, I think we're just at a loss of words. And there are certainly many different ideas on what to do, how to respond, things like that, but I want to join with the pastor this morning to say that I do believe it is important for us to lift up those who are murdered and their families and their communities. It is important to recognize them and to express to them our sympathies, our condolences, our concerns, and then to take the actions that we have a responsibility to take to try to address these issues. We are at a very uncertain and unstable time what will happen next, and STATED MEETING 118 5/26/2022 at a worst time, but it comes at times like these. But on behalf of certainly myself and my family and I know for each Councilmember here, I just want to convey just our sympathies, which are just so shortcoming, to those who are suffering and grieving at this time. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman, and we concur. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. S. Bank. S. Bank pauses all sheriff sales and enter into negotiations with the City to acquire -- to reacquire hundreds of active community gardens, side yards, and potential sites for affordable housing development that are currently at risk as STATED MEETING 119 5/26/2022 know many of you have been working on this issue for years, even decades, and I appreciate your partnership on this urgent task to returning power back to working-class Black and Brown communities who are too accustomed to being priced out, pushed out, and sold out of their neighborhoods. I feel confident that together we will identify a permanent solution that will be able to protect these beloved community spaces that residents have spent years, decades in some cases, tending to. I also feel that, like Councilmember Oh, that it's necessary to acknowledge the collective grief and trauma caused by these mass shootings in Texas earlier this week that took the lives of 21 people, including 19 children. Like everyone who has young children or grandchildren or who have worked or volunteered in schools, this STATED MEETING 120 5/26/2022 to home. As our country processes both rage and grief, we must recognize that unspeakable acts of violence against children are the responsibility of adults and that sick, violent adults who commit mass murders are the result of a failure of moral leadership, a poisonous arm of the republican party that fights against gun laws, encourages extremism and condones violence. But let us lay blame where it's due - on the inaction of cowards in Texas, in Harrisburg, and across the country who fail to enact common sense gun laws. Let us lay blame on every adult of this country who fails to properly invest in resources, education, and support our young people who are sometimes -- or sometimes turning to these same adults that we're talking about. And as someone who came out of education justice, I know firsthand the STATED MEETING 121 5/26/2022 detectors and school police have on Black children, and I hope that we collectively realize that turning our schools into high security prisons and turning our communities into military zones will do nothing to address this kind of violence. Increasing the presence of police and security in school is a trauma in and of itself, and it criminalizes young people. What our kids deserve is love, support, and fully funded public education. What our kids deserve is aggressively punishing -- pursuing gun laws, holding leaders who promote violence accountable, and investing in mental health resources for people of all ages. And as we turn to our own gun violence crisis here in Philadelphia where the lives of young people are stolen on a monthly, sometimes weekly, sometimes daily basis, I want to invite STATED MEETING 122 5/26/2022 an event that my office is hosting on Saturday, June the 4th. m. at the Temple ER and end at the Broad, Germantown, Erie triangle. It will be a march. It will be a community conversation. It will be a resource fair for survivors of gun violence and concerned neighbors. restoreourcity or visit any of my social media pages for more information. As a restorative justice practitioner, I believe that addressing cycles of harm starts with healing those who have been hurt, and in places like North Philadelphia, entire zip codes are traumatized by the constant presence of gun violence. As my colleague Councilmember Jones's 100 Shooter Report showed, over half of the shootings in our city stem from arguments, and many STATED MEETING 123 5/26/2022 of crimes themselves.
My hope is that this event can repair damaged community relationships and bring resources to those in need and to empower all residents who lead the charge for community safety. And I want to thank our event partner, Magee Rehabilitation Center, and several of my Council colleagues who are collaborating with me on this event and the grassroot anti-violence organizations who will be supporting us next Saturday for their dedication to this issue. Thank you so much, Council President, and thank you so much to all my colleagues.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Speeches on behalf of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Thank you, STATED MEETING 124 5/26/2022 three quick comments. This weekend, of course, is Memorial Day, an American holiday, formerly known as Decoration Day. It's Monday, and honors the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military for our country. And many of us will be out hopefully with families. I just want to make sure we're all safe and hopefully we can pray for as little violence as possible. I share my colleagues' sentiments on what they've said earlier. I just wish that we can come together as a country and put the political issues aside and just work for the betterment of the people. Seeing that shooting in Texas of 19 children just breaks your heart. It's terrible. I also want to speak about the resolution that was passed on the Consent Agenda for Ray Didinger. I want to thank my co-sponsors - Councilmembers Jones, STATED MEETING 125 5/26/2022 Squilla, Bass, Green, Gilmore Richardson, Parker, and Gym. Thank you for co-sponsoring. I want to say a few words about Ray. Many of us have listened to Ray Didinger for years and years keeping us all calm while reporting the ups and downs of our Philadelphia sports teams, and today we honor him as he is wrapping up his Hall of Fame career. This Sunday on WIP, 94.1, it's his last time to report to us after 53 years of reporting to all Philadelphians on Philadelphia sports. Pretty amazing. He's had an amazing career in the world of sports and journalism, and I'm not sure everyone knows the extent of his career. For those who do not know, he's a local Temple graduate. Amazing. He's also an author of over 12 books throughout his career, 12 books, and he's the recipient of the Dick McCann Memorial Award from the Professional Football Writers STATED MEETING 126 5/26/2022 the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his work. He's won the Pennsylvania Sportswriter of the Year Award five times. It's an award given out by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. And, lastly, Ray Didinger is the author of the autobiographical play called Tommy and Me, and Philadelphians have enjoyed six productions of this play in the past. His play is actually going to appear in Hershey, I read about it, in August. It's an autobiography basically about Tommy McDonald, the former Eagles player from the late '50s and '60s and its relationship with Ray Didinger. Ray met Tommy McDonald when he was ten years old in Hershey, where I understand that was the Eagles training camp at that time, and the play really talks about that relationship. It's pretty amazing. As Ray takes the mic this weekend, we want to thank him. We want to thank you, Ray, from all the sports STATED MEETING 127 5/26/2022 Philadelphia for 53 years. You truly are a sports icon, and you will be missed by all of us. Really appreciate all you've done. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. This week has been very challenging in a lot of ways. Early part of this week I was fortunate enough to host a group of state and local elected officials from around the country, part of an organization called the New Deal. Part of the Pennsylvania delegation of this group includes our Attorney General, Josh Shapiro, State Representative Jordan Harris, Commissioners from Montgomery County, Ken Lawrence, Josh Maxwell, as well as Mayor Paige Cognetti from Scranton and Councilmember Erika STATED MEETING 128 5/26/2022 Pittsburgh, along with myself. The group has come together over the years. We were supposed to be here in April of 2020. Of course we could not be here because of the pandemic, but we were able to come back to Philadelphia and have this Idea Summit, which we do every year in different states around the country, and then we have an annual conference in the fall. And during this Idea Summit, we try to talk about ways that we can bring back ideas back to our jurisdictions and the fact that our country was founded here in Philadelphia, the fact that the idea of this nation was started here. That was one of the major motivations for the New Deal to want to come to Philadelphia in 2020 and stayed committed to doing that this year. And as we were having this summit over two days at the Comcast Technology Center, the issue of what STATED MEETING 129 5/26/2022 and then also what just happened in Texas is something that just really pains -- and I know a lot of us as members of Council have a lot of concerns about this issue and the issue of gun violence and access to guns, and I know there's going to be some, not in this body but maybe in the Pennsylvania General Assembly or maybe in the General Assembly in Texas or members of Congress, who will say now is not the time to talk about gun reform. If now is not the time, when is the time? The carnage that we see in cities around our nation and the carnage that we see in these mass shootings are directly related to the inaction of one legislative and one political party. I mean, it's clear. You cannot be for right to life but then stop the taking of life. And the fact that someone who was 18 years old in the State of Texas could buy a gun but then couldn't do so many other things like drive a car is STATED MEETING 130 5/26/2022 reprehensible, the fact that we're doing this issue over and over and over again. When I think about the mass shooting that happened on December 14th, which is my birthday, I'm always going to think about the mass shootings that have occurred in this country, and this happened once again in our country, and it's time for us to take the action as elected officials in Pennsylvania, in Congress to stop the carnage in our cities and around our nation. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you. I just had a loss of words. Ridiculous, these people are. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I'm going to be very brief. First of all, I share the sentiments of my colleagues as it relates STATED MEETING 131 5/26/2022 across the country as well as the gun violence in the City of Philadelphia. It's heartbreaking, to say the least, and I will leave it there. I also want to thank the members of the driving equality accountability team. We convened for the first time this past week with the goal of looking at and monitoring the legislation as the data becomes readily available to assure that we are getting it right and to assure that we are moving in the best interest of the constituents of Philadelphia. So I appreciate everybody on that team for volunteering their time. It was a great conversation this week, and I'm looking forward to working with folks moving forward so we can assure that we are doing what's in the best interest of the citizens of Philadelphia. I also want to say thank you to my colleague Councilmember Green and other folks within the Police Department STATED MEETING 132 5/26/2022 joined me for a number of conversations this week related to mental health support, looking at overdose issues here in the City of Philadelphia, and discussing training and support systems that's needed for first responders as well as other constituents across the City of Philadelphia who are witnessing trauma on a consistent basis because of the number of issues that we're facing. Again, overdoses, we talked about the gun violence and the crime. I always speak about the hit-and-run crisis that we're facing as well here in the City of Philadelphia, and just collectively brainstorming what are the best next steps and action items that we can do as a collective to address these issues. So thank you, Council President. I appreciate the time, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues as well as other STATED MEETING 133 5/26/2022 issues.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President, and I will be brief. A lot of my sentiments were already expressed by my colleagues. One, you know, I think we're all in a state of shock as it relate to -- as it relates to the mass shooting that took place in Texas and, most importantly, beyond, you know, our thoughts and prayers are just at the point where action needs to take place. Like it's just real simple. It also highlights why this upcoming election in November is so critically important on the national level. And so elections do have consequences in terms of when you do not participate, and this is another example how we really must come out. STATED MEETING 134 5/26/2022 to share something personal, you know, as we embark upon Gun Violence Awareness Week next week. So I was in my home a couple days ago watching the game. It was the Celtics and the Heat and, you know, I'm relaxing and I just hear pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. And so I jump up. I go to the window. And then I hear more, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. And I dialed 911, and the phone just rings and rings and rings and rings. So no one never picks up. I begin to call my neighbors to make sure they're okay. And it was a massive shootout on the corner of my block. But the part that totally shifted me -- and I deal with this work on a day-to-day basis -- was the trauma impact that it had on my son. Most of you know my boys. My oldest, Isaiah Mandela Johnson, very, very inquisitive STATED MEETING 135 5/26/2022 man, very sensitive young man, and wanted to know if the officers were hurt, if someone got hurt. And for myself, I was a little dumbfounded, because how am I going to explain that more than 60 shots were shot on the corner of our block with a young lady being shot to a seven-year-old? Like that's not normal. You know, we do this work on a day-to-day basis. But it also just reinvigorates me in terms of why we do this work, why it's critically important to focus on three things. You got intervention, you got prevention, but you also have to do enforcement. It always has to be a three-pronged approach in making sure we're keeping our young people safe, we're keeping our seniors safe, and we're keeping our neighbors safe. And so I do know for Gun Violence Awareness Week next week, after Council we will be acknowledging various groups who are victims of -- who are survivors and victims of gun violence who STATED MEETING 136 5/26/2022 organizations. We also will be having a prayer for the City where we're asking for all faith-based institutions to just take a moment out of their pulpit, out of their mosques, out of their cathedrals and just speak on this issue of gun violence that's taking place here in the City of Philadelphia. I'm one to believe that prayer changes things, right, and topple that with some action. And so on June 7th also I'll be convening a mini summit discussion around this very same issue in the Caucus Room, and I'll give all of the details, because we have to continue to meet, strategize until we get it right at the end of the day, because other than that, we will continue seeing the cycle over and over and over and over again. And so, Council President, I just wanted to thank you for the time for the remarks. We always say enough is enough, but truly enough is enough. And STATED MEETING 137 5/26/2022 change, then we need to take a look at ourself as a city, as a city. There's a lot of issues that we're working on, but kids are dying day in and day out in the streets of Philadelphia. When it hit home and you got to tell your young son who is seven -- we didn't even have that conversation.
I just told him he's safe, because he shouldn't have to be exposed to gunshots in the neighborhood at the age of seven, but that's the reality of what we're dealing with, especially when you live in, you know, the neighborhood that I live in. So I just want to share that from a personal note, but it makes my resolve even stronger to protect my boys and protect my family. And here's the kicker, because people get this idea that we're in ivory towers as Councilpeople. Similar to what happened to Jamie Gauthier, no one knows when we walk STATED MEETING 138 5/26/2022 -- I mean, they know us from the work that we do, right, but that don't stop somebody from pulling out a gun and shooting at somebody else and you or your siblings or your children can get shot down just like the average individual. And so I just wanted to share that, you know, unfortunate experience, but nevertheless, my resolve stays strong to stay on this issue working with my colleagues. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Bad times. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Council President. I also want to add my voice to the concerns, the outrage, the frustration, and the anger of the inaction around this gun issue, and for this reason, I articulated yesterday STATED MEETING 139 5/26/2022 the Police Commissioner and sent in writing a request to the Managing Director's Office. The last three weeks I've been fielding calls from friends groups from Wissinoming to Ferko Playground to Juniata Park to Hunting Park around already what are some challenges in our parks and recreation centers. All of us are advocating strongly to have an historic number of schools open with extracurricular activities for young people, play streets, pools, all of the things we want young people and alternatives to keep young people engaged and safe this summer. The current strategy that these places will be protected by the Police Department is not a real plan and it's not a sustainable plan. It assumes that already -- the Police Commissioner has been very vocal in saying she is short-staffed in addition to the summer STATED MEETING 140 5/26/2022 Police Department, that they are going to do the best they can with what they have. That's what you continue to hear, right, and we appreciate all that. Well, that's not good enough. I want to make sure that we set up the summer tone very early on that parks are open spaces and these schools are going to be safe. And for that reason and using the model as the Police Commissioner alluded to, the downtown detail, special detail, is a complement to additional security and private security that's been hired by businesses downtown. That alone with the police detail, right, has been part of the strategy to make people feel more comfortable about workers coming downtown and people coming downtown and spending their money. I wanted to use the same drive and foresight and say, then we should do the same thing with our schools, our rec STATED MEETING 141 5/26/2022 centers, our libraries, and other places. For me -- and I represent East Division and Northeast Division. When you say to me that the police captain in the 24th, Captain Rosario, who is down 40 men, with a summer schedule, is also going to make sure that kids are safe at McPherson, you're setting him up for failure. And so what I requested from the Administration is -- and we should do this through Scotlandyard. It's not like we don't have our partner organizations. Let's hire security officers early on in the summer, set the tone, support our park rangers, support our schools, right, and create security zones for our young people so that they can have and our families can have a safe summer. But I cannot and I will not let anybody say we didn't expect this. We know what's coming this summer. I fear what's coming this summer in neighborhoods like Kensington. I want to STATED MEETING 142 5/26/2022 possible. I think we need to, just like the private sector did downtown, I think we need to say how do we support security early on, set a tone in these places so that our police can continue to do what they're doing through their GVI and hotspot zones. But let us not make the Police Department responsible for something they cannot handle and they cannot manage without some support, and telling us they're going to do the best they can with what they have should not be acceptable to any of us. So I'm going to ask my colleagues to support this kind of conversation, encourage you to talk through with all of the District Councilpeople in particular to talk to your captains so that they can overly tell you how short-staffed they expect to be this summer, how redeployment strategies change on a daily basis in the City of Philadelphia, and how STATED MEETING 143 5/26/2022 are, right?
Because when something happens in the district, they're the ones that are the most frustrated, because in their minds, they're not able to do their jobs, and they're not able to do their jobs because they don't have the adequate resources, but yet then we want to hold them accountable. So I want to have a safe summer, I want to have an engaged summer, I want people to use these parks, but I also want to be proactive and preventive as much as possible. So I hope that we can think of this summer differently and that we can support these spaces for families and children differently, that we can set a different tone so people can be safe and learn and do all of the things that young people should be doing during their summer off. So thank you very much, Council President. Look forward to working with STATED MEETING 144 5/26/2022 Encourage them to talk to their commanding officers. Encourage them to talk to their neighborhood parks and rec folks. I know they're getting the same calls I get, right? There's somebody out there with, you know, with a boom at 11 o'clock at night, all of those types of things. We need to early on in the summer set a tone that these are family spaces and that they are still in neighborhoods and many places where we have seniors and others that at a certain time we have to say, folks, it's time to go home and tomorrow is another day, next weekend is another day, and that we can move forward. So thank you very much, Council President.
Thank you so much, Councilwoman. I guess we're all frustrated about the environment, process, all of the above, but at the end of the day, we got elected STATED MEETING 145 5/26/2022 out, and that's what we're going to have to do. At the end of the day, people are looking to us to figure this out. We're going to do what we have to do. We just have to -- I know it's difficult to be the glass half full kind of person right about now, but that's what we have to be. We got to figure this out. So thank you. That appears to conclude our speeches on behalf of the minority and the majority. Are we all right? Good? The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
I wasn't going to say a word, but I got motivated truly by my colleagues. I kid you not. All of us were hitting a note, but we were singing in the same chorus, and it reminded me on Election Day, I was STATED MEETING 146 5/26/2022 my constituents came up to me and he grabbed me and he says, what can we do? What can I do to stop this violence? And it was a very simple question, and it stunned me to give a very simple answer. God doesn't let you pick always your battlefield, but you can choose to do battle where God put you. So what does that mean? If you're a teacher, teach. Teach empathy in the class like Member Gilmore Richardson wants to do at conflict resolution. If you're a judge, give justice. You see not the person just on their worst day but look beyond that and see what they really need to be their better selves. If you are the U.S. Senate, pass sensible gun laws. If you're the court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, let City Council pass sensible gun laws. Lost and stolen guns, reporting them should be a no-brainer. STATED MEETING 147 5/26/2022 President, that's low-hanging fruit. If you are a parent, protect your kids. Be a parent, not their best friend. Go in their room, toss their bed and say, what is this, and if there isn't a reasonable answer that ensues, you're not their friend, you're their parent. Guide them. So when I look at it, it's real easy. If you're a coach, coach a team and pick young people that need you as a mentor. This is not that complicated if we do what we are supposed to do in the roles that God gave us to do battle. And I see it more every day. People make extreme differences that don't, you know, have big titles. They don't have big titles, but they're out there teaching drills to kids that have nothing to do that keep them from getting into trouble. So pretty much let's stay in our lanes and let's double down, just double down. If we need to pass laws, STATED MEETING 148 5/26/2022 We need to pass a budget, let's do a more efficient, cost-effective budget that really has an impact. But after our thoughts and prayers, there better be some deeds. You can't just, you know, think you've done your part by giving it to God and others to do. We have to take our patch, work our patch, because giving up is just not an alternative. If we give up on our children, we give up on our future. So we got to do what we got to do, and let's do it together. We don't have to be -we don't have to agree on everything, but we can disagree agreeably and let's show our kids a better way. And with that, Mr. President, I'm done.
Thank you, Councilman. I want to ask that you call for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, June 9th, 2022 STATED MEETING 149 5/26/2022 10:00 a.m.
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, June 9th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you all very much and, again, please be safe. Thank you. Love you guys. ) STATED MEETING 150 5/26/2022 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. S 118:18, 20 38:13 49:22 Voluntad 109:19 148:17 25:18 69:18 124:8 146:20 55:7 57:23 66:20 ways 89:8 width 54:4 transforming Ukraine 98:19 59:25 60:5 volunteered 127:14 128:14 Williams 83:4, 115:17 ultimately 78:6, 17 92:10 119:25 week 4:14 9, 10 Transit 76:4, 6 92:14 116:18 140:23 volunteering 53:12 98:24 willingness transmission unapologeticall 143:13 131:17 117:7, 9 82:23 21:14 39:12 y 30:2 users 85:18 vote 62:22 119:21 127:13, Wilton 55:18 transmitting uncertain utmost 65:18 109:4 15 131:9, 18 window 134:12 14:20 15:8 117:24 Uvalde 117:9 voted 13:4 132:3 134:4, 5 wine 9:9 transparency Unclaimed Uyehera 66:18 103:6 112:22 135:22 Wing 16:21 43:22 103:15 104:15, voting 108:11 weekend 7:22 50:18 transparent 20, 25 <V> 109:20 124:4 126:24 wins 90:24 42:9 uncomfortable vacancies 144:17 WIP 97:21 trauma 143:2 30:11 31:3, 12 <W> weekly 121:24 125:12 119:20 121:10 underpass 36:8 vacant 85:13, wage 38:15 weeks 40:18 wisdom 9:22 132:10 134:22 understand 19 walk 137:25 139:5 10:3, 5, 7 traumatized 26:18 87:10 vacating 32:16 walking 146:2 week's 33:3, wish 41:8 122:21 126:19 55:15 walks 25:19 12, 23 34:9 116:21 124:16 Treasurer understate vacation 140:2 Wallace 98:10, 35:12, 18 36:3, wishing 81:21 21:5 52:19 62:20 Vai 66:17 11 20 37:9 48:5, Wissinoming Treasurer's unfortunate value 24:4 want 7:16, 24 16 51:9 53:15 139:7 104:24 105:7 110:5 138:9 42:19 25:13, 20 60:17 66:23 withdraw 13:5 tremendous unfortunately values 61:17 26:17 28:3 67:6 witnessing 33:19 30:11 63:12 45:16 46:20 Welfare 24:17, 132:10 tremendously unilaterally various 32:6 62:16 82:22 22 28:16 woman 62:24 63:7 28:23 55:3 135:23 86:15 105:8, 29:20, 24 women 33:8 triangle 122:7 unintelligible Vernon 33:17 15 113:20 well 5:14 95:13 124:7 tribute 95:15 92:8 vetoed 13:2 117:14 118:6, 19:6 58:17 won 126:4 trouble 147:22 union 24:23 vicinity 36:8 16 121:25 109:15 127:24 wonderful truck 32:5 29:24 38:23 55:3 123:9 124:11, 131:3 132:8, 90:17 54:12 unionized 30:3 victims 123:2 22, 24 125:4 16, 25 140:7 Wong 66:17, true 150:7 unions 26:10 135:24, 25 126:24 128:20 wellbeing 19 truly 91:22 United 20:11 view 2:13 131:6, 23 47:22 Woodland 127:3 136:25 52:15 viewers 82:18 134:2 137:18 well-known 53:21 145:22 University viewing 28:2 138:21 139:15 96:4 word 145:21 Trust 48:13 56:14 122:2 140:8 141:25 went 62:22 words 2:23 113:12 unpredictable Vine 96:3 143:9, 11, 12, We're 2:4 7:4 117:11 125:4 try 117:23 30:19 violation 34:5 13, 14 148:21 63:10 80:5 130:17 128:14 unravel 9:22 56:11 wanted 29:14 84:7 109:13 work 9:18 trying 63:10 unrest 30:14 Violations 34:12 109:5 117:11 120:22 33:7 59:14 Tuesday 62:23 unspeakable 49:24 55:9 110:3 135:3 124:11 130:2 84:12 85:6 120:5 132:12, 16 105:6, 20 STATED MEETING 21 5/26/2022 109:24 124:18 young 92:7, 9 126:3 132:24 119:23 120:20 134:21 135:10, 121:12, 23 138:3 135:2, 8, 18 148:9 137:9 139:14, worked 119:25 16, 17 141:18 Workers 143:21 147:12 59:10, 11, 12 140:20 <Z> workforce 30:3 Zauner 95:12 working 26:7 Zelenskyy 41:17 46:4 98:18 119:4 131:19 zero 103:5 137:6 138:11 108:10 112:21 143:25 Zion 96:17 working-class zip 122:20 119:7 zones 121:7 workplace 141:18 142:8 85:3 Works 18:4, 9, 51:23 52:2 53:4 world 9:9 90:24 92:16 125:17 worse 30:12 41:3 worst 118:2 146:17 wrapping 125:10 Writers 125:25 writing 139:3 Wyndale 95:21 Wyoming 48:21 49:4 <Y> yards 118:23 Yeah 46:20 Year 18:2 42:20, 23 43:15 53:2 64:10 86:21 126:5 128:10, years 29:5 30:13 43:15 89:10 96:6 97:25 105:9 119:4, 15 125:7, 14 126:18 127:3 128:5 129:23 Yep 66:19 yesterday 27:2 138:25 York 8:18 117:8