Committee Hearing, April 25, 2007

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, April 25, 2007 2:45 p.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILL 070116 - Public Testimony - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2

Good afternoon, everyone. This is a continued public hearing of the operating budget. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please call our first witness. MR. McPHERSON: The first panel is Jim Helman and Mike McCrea.

Good afternoon. Who is going to testify first?

I am going to testify first.

Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Okay. My name is Claudia Sherrod. I am the President of the Point Breeze Community Development Coalition and the Executive Director of South Philadelphia Homes, Inc., and I would like to say thank you for allowing me to come and testify today on behalf of our community.

3 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Please proceed.

Our children in Philadelphia are dying daily due to gun violence. One reason is because of a number of grassroots programs has been taken away from poor neighborhoods. My question today is, when will the Street Administration be for the people, particularly our youth, and get the message that our young people need your help? The children are not getting the needed direction from the very recreation centers that once were opened with programs daily for them. The recreation centers are short-staffed, which creates a restricted number of available programs. Children need to be taught programs and how to meet the challenge of physical activity. When are the children going to be given the opportunity my generation had using physical exercises, such as sports, basketball, volleyball, 4 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 baseball, jump rope, bingo, swimming, skating and dancing? These are various activities that are normally a part of the recreation centers' responsibility to offer youth. In schools, most minority youth are not receiving gym, the arts and crafts, not to mention music. When is it going to stop and more attention geared toward the youth's needs? And how can we best direct their lives through structured programs so that our adolescents can become responsible men and women? It is better for the youth to act out now rather than later as adults. Recreation is a part of education. Our kids must learn through positive role models and activities. The Point Breeze Community -- the area bordered by Washington Avenue on the north, Moore Street on the south, Broad Street on the east and 25th Street on the west -- contains only one Class B 5 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 public recreation facility and one staffed park. That is insufficient to serve 28,000 residents. In fact, in South Philadelphia west of Broad Street, there is only one Class A public recreation facility, Vare Recreation Center at 26th and Morris Streets. While Vare makes a concerted effort to address the needs of Point Breeze children and youth, common sense dictates that only one facility cannot reasonably meet the needs of five different but interrelated communities: Point Breeze, Grays Ferry, Wilson Homes, Greater Grays Ferry Estates and the area south of Moore Street. The Coalition took a long hard look at Chew Playground, 18th and Ellsworth Street. Although on the periphery of Point Breeze, the Coalition realized that the playground is actually a diamond in the rough and with effort and resources could be developed into a Class A public recreation facility. The Coalition has petitioned the community to 6 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 support our push to get the City, state and federal governments to help make this happen. We have over 5,000 petitions and a rough draft of a recreation facility. We urge you to support this project, which will augment the opportunities for our youth. Our young people are in need of far more than what they are getting. I thank you.

Thank you. Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Madam President and members of City Council. My name is Jim Helman. I'm a resident of Grays Ferry and amongst many other things, I serve as acting President of Smith Playground, Vice-President of Donald P. Finnegan Playground and Secretary/Treasurer of Vare Recreation Center. I'm here to testify in support of funding for the Department of Recreation in Philadelphia. 7 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Now, I could sit here and recount the terrible record of the Street Administration on public recreation. I could testify about how the Mayor attempted to close facilities and swimming pools. I could say how the Street Administration cut the public recreation budget in each of the last eight years. I could point out how the current staffing levels for the Department of Recreation are just about at rock bottom. I could note the slight of hand the Street Administration used when they proposed borrowing $150 million without ever mentioning prisons, and then when it came to capital funding to repair and maintain our playgrounds and recreation centers, suddenly the money had to be spent on prisons. It's as if the Street Administration prefers to fund what they think our young people will evolve into instead of an important City resource that just might be able to help block 8 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 that progression. I could talk about how a senior official from the Department of Recreation, who protested the latest round of budget cuts at a budget meeting, was told by some numbers cruncher to sit down and stop whining. I never knew that trying to salvage a decent level of service for the children and youth of Philadelphia was considered whining until I heard about it from the Street Administration. I could spend the entire afternoon testifying about the sad record of the Street Administration and explain how public recreation has served our communities so well for so many years. But there would be no point. You see, in just eight months, the shadowy nemesis who has pilfered and plundered and plagued public recreation in Philadelphia for almost eight long and tedious years will finally become private citizen John F. Street, albeit with a 9 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 cool $454,000 from the City's DROP plan to help him forget lost opportunities. I would rather spend my time thanking City Council for their support for public recreation. Without Council's support, the last seven and a half years would truly have been dismal instead of difficult. City Council understands what the Street Administration never has, that public recreation is an important part of a community's infrastructure and that residents want public recreation. They want their playgrounds. They want their recreation centers. They want their parks. They want their swimming pools. Residents want them open, staffed, maintained and active. City Council knows what our citizens know, that public recreation is the best chance our city has to provide an alternative to the evil influences of the street. Personally, I don't think it's a coincidence that violence has 10 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 escalated during the same time that funding for public recreation has been so drastically cut. It is City Council, not the Administration, that has inspired me and our many volunteers throughout the City who donate our time, energy and money to provide structured as well as free time activities that give our children and youth something to do with their free time. When a citizen drives by an open playground and sees children playing, they should thank City Council. When a parent walks into a public recreation center with their child to participate in a structured program, they should thank City Council. When a citizen drives by an open City swimming pool crowded with children on a hot summer day, they should thank City Council.

And when a citizen stops to reflect on the terrible, terrible toll of young lives gone forever from the streets 11 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 of our city and thinks about the wounded and the traumatized and thinks about what the City has really done to use an important resource to try to offset the violence and mayhem on our streets, then they should thank City Council. It is not an overstatement to say that City Council has saved public recreation in our City. On April 10, 2007, during Recreation Commissioner Richard's testimony, Council President Verna said, and I quote, "With the dangers that many of our children are facing, I think we're looking to the Recreation Department to have clean and safe havens for these children. Now, if it means adding more money to the budget, we may add it, but it may not be used. I'm willing to do that and I would think just about all of my colleagues would be willing to do the same thing, because if children can't use the recreational facilities for some reason or other, they're going to be out on the street, 12 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 and that's going to cause much more trouble than we're going to be able to handle," end quote. It is that sentiment that continues to encourage us, and it is Council's willingness to put their actions and their votes where their sentiment lies that inspires us to stay the course and continue our efforts, and we thank you for that. It has been City Council that has provided understanding and even-handed leadership for all these years, even while the Street Administration sat around with their collective heads stuck up their... Well, let's be polite and say stuck up their silly numbers games. Thank you. MR. McCREA: Good afternoon, Council President Verna and City Council.

Good afternoon. MR. McCREA: Michael McCrea, 13 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 and I am President of the Philadelphia Recreation Advisory Council. As President of Philadelphia Recreation Advisory Council, I represent over 200 volunteer organizations, each of whom represents a local recreation center, park or playground in every community across the City. Like Mr. Helman, I could very easily spend several hours on what the Administration did to undermine our efforts to support youth in our communities or how they tried to diminish the effectiveness of our partnership with the Department of Recreation, while, on the other hand, giving millions of dollars to private organizations that continue to try unsuccessfully to duplicate our efforts with about four times the funding that we receive. It would not be hard at all. However, this year we decided to take a different approach. Had the stars all aligned and the cosmic tumblers all clicked into 14 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 place, changing the course of history and in turn changing our fight, what could we have expected? The Department of Recreation's Operating Budget in FY2000 was $42 million and change. Currently, the FY2007 Operating Budget is 34 million and about the same amount of change, or about 8 million less. Just for a moment imagine where we could have been today if the Operating Budget had just stayed the same, no increase, no decrease, just stayed the same. That 8 million additional dollars would have supported for each of the last seven years 200 additional summer jobs for teenagers, 100 additional assistant recreation leaders, three additional weeks of the swimming pool season, 1,000 additional spots for after-school programs, 50 additional full-time maintenance positions and 30 additional full-time program positions. Imagine the difference 200 15 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 additional jobs for our children and teenagers over the summer would have made. Just imagine if most of the public pools were open until Labor Day. Just imagine being able to serve 1,000 more children in after-school programs. Imagine all of our facilities being open all day Saturday and also Saturday evenings. Just imagine the possibilities. Just think about it. All that would have been possible in each of the previous seven years with about $500,000 left over for any additional support those programs might deem necessary. Just imagine how many positive crime-prevention alternatives that would have continued to create and support. Think of the things we could have done and the lives we could have been able to change and save. It was all there for the taking, no 23 additional funding, no stealing funds from one program to fund another. We could have had all that and a bag of 16 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 chips. However, Mayor Street, along with his Administration and his bean counters, passed all of that up for... Well, I guess we'll never really know where that funding really got to. But I digress. To be totally fair, over that same period of time, it was members of City Council that did not allow the situation to get out of hand. It was members of City Council who stood up to be counted when the Mayor tried to close 46 recreation centers and playgrounds, 16 swimming pools and all five ice rinks. 17 It was members of City Council who helped 18 us cope with three years of no capital 19 funding and finally worked out a 20 compromise that got back all but 300,000 of that funding three years later. It was members of City Council that stood side by side with us and the children of Philadelphia. And for that, we all owe you our deepest gratitude. In a building 17 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 full of people that don't get it, it is refreshing to work closely with some elected officials that really get it. Without you, things could have been much, much worse. And I thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Are there any questions or comments from members of the Committee? Again, I thank you for coming in to testify. Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: Our next witness is John Gallery.

After John Gallery, it will be Ed Schwartz. So if Mr. Schwartz would simply come forward, sit on the side chairs in front of the rail, maybe it would save a few minutes. Good afternoon, Mr. Gallery. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.

My name is John Gallery. I'm the Executive Director of 18 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the Preservation Alliance. If it's all right with Council President Verna, I would like to use some illustrations, so I'd like to stand while I'm making my presentation. First of all, I'd like to express my appreciation to all the members of Council who are here today for the opportunity to speak. I'm here representing the Preservation Alliance, and along with me is a representative of the Washington Square West community, who is also going to make a few remarks. We are here representing a number of other organizations who are concerned about the budget of the Historical Commission. And just because they have taken the time to show up, I would like to ask those people who are here from the other preservation organizations if they might just stand for a moment so that you can see that there are some other individuals and other organizations on behalf of whom 19 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 we're speaking. We are here today --

Excuse me. The record will reflect that approximately ten people were standing.

Thank you very much. We're here today to request that City Council consider an increase to the budget of the Historical Commission from what has been proposed in the budget for the coming year. We are asking that you increase the budget by $300,000, would bring the total budget of the Historical Commission to $600,000 approximately, and I'd just like to give you very briefly some background as to why we were asking for that. Most of us think about historic preservation from the point of view of saving significant buildings in Philadelphia. And I apologize to the audience for the fact that you can't see my charts, but you'll hear my words. 20 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 For members of City Council, these charts are included in my written testimony, which has been distributed to you. Historic preservation in Philadelphia is economic development. This chart I'm holding here shows investment in historic properties for the period of approximately the last eight years. This investment is by private investment. It's no public funds. It's exclusively private investment, and it totals one billion, two hundred fifty-eight million dollars. This investment has been in every section of the City, in South Philadelphia hundreds of millions at the Naval Shipyard, in Northwest Philadelphia, in North Philadelphia, in Germantown, in the lower Northeast. This investment is in housing, low-income housing, luxury housing, entertainment facilities, hotels, corporate headquarters. The investment in historic preservation is 21 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 one of the most important economic generators in our city, and this $1 billion produces wage taxes, real estate taxes, jobs and many other things. But that isn't even the whole story. You all know that as a result of City Council's initiative in providing tax abatement for residential development, there's been a huge amount of housing built, particularly in Center City and in adjacent neighborhoods. Over 7,000 of the housing units that have been constructed have been -- I mean created have been created by converting historic properties to housing, 4,000 of those to rental housing, 3,000 of those to condominiums. The value of that investment in the condominium conversion of historic buildings alone is over $600 million. The reason I mention these figures is that if you put them all together -- and there are some things I'm not even including. If you put together 22 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the one billion, two hundred fifty million in private investment, the 600 million in condominium, the approximately $32 million that individual homeowners have invested in their historic properties, and you add to that the investments of cultural institutions such as the Art Museum and others, in the past eight years that you have been serving on City Council, there's been $2 billion that has been invested in this city as a result of historic preservation. This city, during that same time period, has invested $2 million in support of the Philadelphia Historic Commission. That is less than $250,000 a year. This chart, which is included in your package, shows the relationship between our funding of the Historical Commission and other cities. In Philadelphia we have approximately 11,000 properties that are certified by the Historical Commission. If this were New 23 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 York or Chicago, we would fund our Commission with one staff person for approximately every 500 properties, and we would then have staff members at 6 the Historical Commission. If we were in 7 Boston or Cleveland, smaller cities, we 8 would staff our Commission with one 9 person for each thousand properties, and 10 we would have 11. What do we have in 11 Philadelphia? Well, we actually have 12 six, but one of them works exclusively on 13 NTI properties and so you really should 14 say we have five.

We have the lowest 15 staffing for our Historical Commission of 16 any major city in the United States in 17 relationship to the number of historic 18 properties that we have. And I would 19 just like to ask all of you, do you 20 really think we are less significant in 21 terms of our historic resources than 22 Cleveland? I mean, I have friends who live in Cleveland. But Cleveland? We are asking you not even to come up to what I think is needed. I 24 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 think the budget of the Commission should be a million dollars. I think we should have staff people, but I know that 5 there are many other needs in this city. 6 We're asking simply for this budget to 7 come up to $600,000, which is minimally 8 where it should be, which will give the 9 Commission enough resources to probably 10 have a staff of nine, which is still less 11 than what we need but more than we have 12 and will help us solve many problems we 13 have now. 14 This request is a small part of 15 your budget. 9 million. The column in the middle 20 in red shows the amount of money going 21 into the Historical Commission right now. 22 The column on -- excuse me. Council President Verna, you're right. It shows in green the amount that would go in if you raised it to $600,000. Can you see 25 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the red column? The answer is no. It's not your eyes. The reason you can't see the red column and the reason that you can't see the green column is, the amount of money is so minuscule I can't even show it on that chart. 00008 percent. That is less than one ten-thousandth of a percent. That's what this city is investing in its Historical Commission. It's not enough. Even double it would not be enough, but that's what we're asking you to consider. Historic preservation is integral to the economy of Philadelphia, and if we want these properties to be preserved, if we want developers to be able to get their permits timely, we need to staff the Commission at a minimal level that will allow it to respond to the needs that are expressed out in the community. I hope that City Council will consider as part of this budget this very 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 modest but extremely crucial increase in funding for the Commission. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Gallery. Excuse me, sir. Are you going to testify?

Yes.

Please identify yourself for the record.

My name is David Richards, Madam President, and I'm President of the West Washington Square Historic District. This District runs from Juniper Street on the west to 17th Street on the east and includes Bradford Alley. On the north it borders Walnut Street and on the south, Lombard Street. Unlike other historic districts, this district, Washington West District, is in its early phases of development. We're in the process of deciding how to proceed, and in this manner, we're actively consulting with 27 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the Historic Commission and the Preservation Alliance. The borders of the district have been agreed to in conjunction with the Historic Commission. This district fills the large area between Society Hill and Old City to the east -- these are historic districts -- and Rittenhouse in the west. It has the largest group of historical buildings, approximately 1,700, of any potential historic district in the City. As the City developed west from the river in the 1800s, this area became home for artists, adventurers, the newly free and those craving freedom, as well as the center for social activism with its large number of clubs and societies. More recently, it has become a center for the gay community in Philadelphia. These persons have left us their legacy. We in the Washington West aim to preserve and highlight this for the City for all the visitors to come to 28 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 our historic district looking for their roots. This task is large. We have an eminent Board and an impassioned Committee who are eager to do the work and to raise the money and complete the job, which I may say will be done at no 8 expense to the City. We have had the discussions with members of the Historic Commission, who have been very helpful. In these discussions, it became evident that with the current backlog of applications, work on the Washington West Historic District could not be commenced for many, many years. By them, that is. It is my estimate it will be approximately ten years. Ten years for us to go through all the work, the tremendous amount of energy and resources and money that's going to have to be made available, ten years to get around to creating a historic district in the heart of Philadelphia, which other cities will give their eyeteeth for, just is 29 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 unconscionable. This process is too long. During this whole time, all sorts of other changes will take place. Work will be undertaken that will be out of date in ten years -- that's by us -- and will have to be repeated. And many of the other properties will be altered beyond repair. Also, keeping the energy and focus of a group of volunteers, many of whom are well known in the City, over such a long period of time will be very difficult. We support the Preservation Alliance in their efforts to obtain increased staffing for the Historical Commission in order to preserve this unique legacy of the City of Philadelphia that other cities in this country would be only too grateful to have. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Are there any questions or 30 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Gentlemen, I thank you. MR. McPHERSON: Our next witness is Ed Schwartz, who will then be followed by Lauren Bornfriend and then Frank Cervone.

Good afternoon, Mr. Schwartz. Welcome.

Thank you.

Identify yourself for the record and proceed.

My name is Ed Schwartz and I'm President of the Institute for the Study of Civic Values. Before I begin, I do want to say that as a graduate of Oberlin College 32 miles from Cleveland, I resent Mr. Gallery's characterization of the city, and I do recall in an earlier era when I was here that Philadelphia lost the Rock and Roll Museum to the City of 31 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Cleveland. But I prefer Philadelphia, here I am. And I'm here really to talk about crime and some budget issue related to it. 9 million. million. billion. billion in revenues that we expect to raise locally from taxes and fees. There may be problems with our fight against crime right now. Spending money on it is not among them. 32 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Deploying more police to high-risk neighborhood main streets certainly does reduce crime as long as they remain there. As we have seen with Safe Streets, once the police leave, the crime returns. If this is our only strategy, then we should be prepared to spend more than 50 percent of our city budget on crime for the foreseeable future. Throwing people into prison for several months at a time has the same effect. Four years ago when I prepared a "Neighborhood Guide to the City Budget," just before I assumed the leadership of the Tax Reform Commission, there were roughly 8,000 people in the Philadelphia Prison every day and the budget was $183 million. I spoke out in alarm about that at the time. The daily prison census now is expected to exceed 9,000 in the coming year and the budget proposed for next year is now $218 33 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 million. I would point out that the increase in prison costs nearly equals the entire budget of this City's Recreation Department and crime remains unacceptably high even as we lock up more people. Somehow we need to change this direction. How do we break out of this cycle? We need to redefine what the challenge before us really is. Right now we say that our problem is to reduce crime, which it is. But to do that effectively over time, we need to reduce the number of people who commit crime in Philadelphia again and again. Beyond the 9,000 people in our prison every day, two-thirds of them repeat offenders, there are 50,000 people living in our neighborhoods on probation and parole. Most of the crime in Philadelphia, especially the serious crime, is committed by this group of people. I attach to this testimony a spreadsheet that shows by zip code that 34 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the number of people on probation in a neighborhood -- it's right in the back -- correlates almost exactly with the number of crimes committed in that neighborhood, from Southwest Philadelphia, Port Richmond and Tioga-Nicetown at the top, to Chestnut Hill at the bottom. Sick people spread their illness. We understand that in public health. We try to cure them. We need to see committing crime as a sickness, a moral sickness, if you will, and we need to work with people who commit crime to cure them of this sickness. And like all illnesses, we need to start at the earliest stages of the disease before it gets too serious to stop. What then do we need to do to cure people who commit crimes so that they don't do it anymore? Some of the major steps we need to take will require federal and state support. We need enough money so that those languishing with mental illness in our prison get the 35 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 care and treatment that they need. We need enough money so that drug addicts can get treated, cured and brought back to our communities. We need enough money to provide affordable housing so that ex-offenders can find a place to live and not a bed in a homeless shelter. We need enough money to help people improve their literacy and skills so that they can become employable and take more advantage of the tax credit program that Councilman Goode has recommended, which is a constructive step in the right direction.

We need enough money for job training and for programs that would enable ex-offenders to receive pay for community service, as we do with women and a handful of men on welfare. The Institute for the Study of Civic Values has helped more than 7,000 welfare recipients meet their work requirements over the past eight years by building a network of more than 1,000 community groups, public agencies and 36 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 schools that are willing and able to supervise them in performing service to our community. We need to fight for a system like that for ex-offenders. We need to fight for all of these things and not to be ashamed to admit that we need federal and state aid to do it. No local government has the resources to overcome the enormous social and economic problems facing our cities, problems which give rise to crime. Whether it's helping the homeless find housing or giving welfare recipients the support needed to find jobs, we have always needed significant investment from Washington. S. Conference of Mayors has launched a national campaign to restore federal funds to our communities so that we can build long-range strategies to fight crime. Mayor Street is heavily involved in this effort. We all need to join it and demand that our Senators and Representatives take this 37 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 fight to Capitol Hill as well. But we can take an important step in the City budget to advance this effort. It relates to probation. As I said, there are now 43,000 people on probation in Philadelphia and roughly 7,000 more on parole. 2 billion for the criminal justice system on that Probation Department. That is all they get to monitor more than 43,000 ex-offenders, plus 7,000 on parole living in our neighborhoods. Probation officers can have caseloads as high as 180 and more. That's all their budget can afford. How can any one probation officer keep track of that many people? Yet, these are the people who need to be monitored since they're the ones who commit most of the crime. These are the people who need to be cured of crime. Earlier this year, Professor Larry Sherman, a world renowned criminologist from the University of 38 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Pennsylvania, developed a database that enables our Probation Department to identify the people most likely to commit crime based on their past behavior. It is parallel to the system being used in the Mayor's Adolescent Violence Reduction Partnership aimed at providing intensive support to young juvenile offenders in order to divert them from crime. The AVRP program has worked well for these young people. Many are moving in the right direction now. Dr. Larry Sherman proposed program could work equally well for adult offenders on probation, especially the adult offenders who are most likely to commit serious crime. 2 billion we are prepared to spend on the criminal justice system. 004 percent, four-tenths of a percent, out of this budget to enable our probation officers 39 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 to monitor the most serious offenders in our system. That sounds like a good investment to me. We are increasing the Police budget by $9 million. We are increasing the budget of the Philadelphia Prison by $12 million. Surely in this whole budget we can find a way to invest $5 million so that the Probation Department can hire 100 new officers to monitor the most serious offenders in our neighborhoods and help them turn their lives around. I testified on behalf of this proposal at Councilman Dan Savage's hearing on Probation in February. Everyone from the District Attorney to the Prison Commissioner to the City of Philadelphia, the Mayor's Office itself, said they were in favor of reducing, quote, caseloads in the Probation Department by adding these new probation officers to their staff.

And I might add as a result of some work that I and others have done, the Daily News has run 40 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 a lot about this and now all of the mayoral candidates to be the next mayor have in their programs something to reduce recidivism, to deal with ex-offenders, to broaden in fact the monitoring through probation. So why isn't this in the budget now? This Council should work with the Mayor to find the funds to meet the need. It is a critical complement to the one-stop shopping prison reentry centers that the Street Administration will be placing in high-crime neighborhoods throughout the City this year. The first, of course, opened in Southwest Philadelphia, which has among the highest, if not the highest, number of people on probation in the City. Committing crime is a moral sickness that infects and debilitates our entire community. We can insulate ourselves from this sickness by putting people who have it under quarantine in our prisons. That helps for a few weeks. 41 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 But if we want to reduce crime over time, we need to cure people of this sickness and help them make a positive contribution to our community. That should be the focus of our entire criminal justice system. We do need help from Washington to carry out this strategy effectively, but the City can take an important step by finding $5 million in our budget to hire the 100 more probation officers we need to monitor our most dangerous ex-offenders effectively. It is my view that taking this step now will reap immediate benefit in the war on crime in the coming year and set us in the right direction for the future. I urge this Council to take this critical step in making our neighborhoods and our city a safer place for all. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Schwartz. 42 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Are there any questions or comments from the Committee? (No response.)

Seeing none, thank you.

Thank you.

Our next witness? MR. McPHERSON: Lauren Bornfriend and then Frank Cervone.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.

Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon, Mr. Schwartz.

Hi, Councilman Clarke.

Real briefly, do you think that if there was a dramatic increase in probation officers that it would lessen the need for as many police officers?

Yes. And I'll go further than that, which is extremely 43 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 controversial, but I can make the case.

That's why I was kind of hesitant to ask the question.

No, no. I understand. No. If I had to choose between adding police and adding probation officers, I'd add probation officers. And, in fact, think about it. A policeman stands there. He has to wait until somebody commits a crime and see it or get a witness. A probation officer has a person basically who is supposed to report to them. If somebody in a neighborhood sees a group of people whom they know again and again are doing things that are wrong, they can call the Probation Department and those people are brought in. And, in fact, I've talked to the Probation Department. They are willing -- I mean, I'm about to get that out through our e-mail list. So we have a system that permits probation officers to monitor the 44 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 people who are committing the most serious crime and hold them accountable. So, yeah, if we had more probation officers, if we had this system and, frankly, if we had everything I was talking about in there, crime would drop precipitately. And I'm not saying that just now. I said that four years ago. I said it three years ago. And this year I decided since nobody much was saying it other than me, I would really get into it, and other people have started. But until we do this, this problem is just going to continue indefinitely. Let me make one other -- you've given me a little opening. What does it say if we decide that the same number of people will be committing crime in the City of Philadelphia four years from now as are committing crime today and the prisons will be even larger? What comment does that make about our confidence in ourselves, in our City?

Assuming 45 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 that premise is true -- and I think there's some validity to that -- in addition to the probation officers, do you agree that there would have to be additional funding to support some of the social service programs associated with them? I'm assuming that the strategy would be as a result of more probation officers, better monitoring, therefore, more of a likelihood that they could actually get that person going in the direction where they would end up being a productive citizen in the City, and normally that means a job or a place to stay. So would you talk about incrementally increasing the resources associated with what probation officers --

Absolutely. But I have to say, look, I'm really conscious having been in and out of the government, particularly at this end of it, at how limited the City's resources are. 46 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116

Right.

We have a new Congress. We have a new leadership in the Congress. I'm very concerned about the fact that the new leaders in our side presumably are not talking about helping our communities. The crime budget has been cut. But there is a bill in the Congress introduced by Senator Arlen Specter and supported by Sam Brownback, a conservative, among others, called the Second Chance Act, and that bill would create a fund that we could draw on for the kind of social services that are needed. So I think we have to do what we're doing here and certainly increase it, but I have no shame having walked from Philadelphia to Harrisburg some years ago on behalf of the City's housing department to say that we -- and after joining other cities and get together and fight for these things and make that a huge issue over the next two years so 47 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 that the City is not left holding the bag for things that have to be done elsewhere. But, sure. Substantively, everything else that I described is what needs to be done, job training, affordable housing, drug treatment. All of those things need to happen if this whole solution is going to be met.

Well, you want to talk about increasing probation officers. You didn't talk about the other aspects of what they need.

Well, I think I did. I said here are the various things that need to be done before I even got into probation officers. And certainly if you can look through the City budget and find the resources to meet some of those needs, great. If you can get the private sector. Everything that can be done -- for that matter, if you can figure out a way to divert the money from actually people sitting in the prison and 48 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 putting it together. I mean, I'll give you three or four examples. Why are people sitting there for three months waiting to go to trial? They're sitting in the prison. That's a matter of the courts and the prison working out a better strategy. We're paying for that at a rate of whatever it is a day. Why do we have people who are on drugs sitting in the prison? There used to be a drug court. Is there still? They should be assigned to a drug treatment program. And we should be asking at least the state to keep the same -- there should not be a single person on a waiting list for drug treatment in Philadelphia. If we are serious about dealing with drugs, everyone who needs drug treatment should have it. Now, those things could save money that then could be applied to the kind of social services, of course, that 49 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 we need. But the list that I gave is the one that I've concluded is most needed. Interestingly enough, affordable housing, given my past, is at the top of the list, even before jobs. People get out of prison. They can't get into public housing, which is something we need to discuss, and so they don't have housing. So where are they going to stay? A homeless shelter? The streets? That's a great incentive to get a more constructive path in life. Then they can't get drug treatment. They can't get mental health. A lot of people sitting in our prisons are mentally ill, and we don't have the community mental health centers that were supposed to be created when they shut down all those large institutions. So, yeah. We have to tackle all of these things. I made the list here, Councilman, to acknowledge that we need to do it all. All I'm saying is that right now, what I've concluded is 50 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 that a good probation system can be the vortex, if you will, of the entire operation. If I'm going to hire somebody who is an ex-offender -- and if they have a mentor, this may play the role, another huge thing that is going on, but I need to have somebody who can vouch for them. That's like the Welfare to Work thing. So the probation officer can play that role.

So would you say that -- in a number of the things that you just outlined, although not the place that people would like to be, I mean, the reality is that a prison cell is a place to live. I mean, in some instances, it may be sometimes better than some of these facilities that I've seen, some of these shelter facilities, and I hate to say that, but that's just the simple reality.

I just wrote something yesterday --

Let me 51 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 finish.

I'm sorry.

Some would say it's clearly not up to par, but there is opportunities for some healthcare in prison, and there are a number of things that you've just outlined which are not available to a person when they get out of jail that, frankly speaking, are available in jail. So would you say that in some instances that that has created the mindset in some individuals out here in the street that, I don't have a whole lot to lose?

Yeah. I think that's a very good argument.

They're going to continue to commit crime, knowing that there's a possibility people would end up back in jail. They say, Well, what do I have to lose? It's just as bad out here as it is in jail.

It makes a lot 52 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 of sense. Let me say that I think the core thing is what I started with. We got to change the question. As long as we simply say we're going to reduce crime and if it's okay one year, we're okay and then if it's not, we don't really look at the prison budget. I didn't look at the prison budget when I was here. I didn't look at the prison budget until I did that report. And I just did it and I said, Whoa. If we start with the presumption that we have 50,000 people on probation, we have 8,000 people at a time in the prison, et cetera, and four years from now they're going to be 40 percent fewer of those -- and let me give you two examples of where we did that. When I was sitting in this Council, we had 5,000 people in homeless shelters. We were spending $35 million a year. That was the first year of homelessness. So federal money developed. The City developed a will. We have only 2,500 53 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 people in homeless shelters. That's 2,500 people too many, but that's half. And the budget, even despite inflation, has dropped from $35 million. For many years it was $15 million. There were 67,000 households on welfare in 1997 when welfare were formed again. There are only 30,000 houses on welfare now. And all of those people are not lying in the streets. They got jobs at $7 an hour. My own organization, as tiny as it is, I've hired maybe nine or ten welfare recipients over the last five years. They're running some of the programs that benefit welfare recipients, but that's going on all over. We had the will and, yes, we had the federal resources, but people fought for those things. We fought for the homeless money. We fought for the adequate job training money. And then we added our own resources. So if we could reduce the number of homeless people in half and we 54 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 could reduce the number of TANF recipients by more than half, surely we can take the position that we need to reduce the number of people who commit crime by more than half. And those other groups at least weren't doing outright damaging and detrimental things. It's a win-win everywhere, and then it frees up a lot of money in the City budget that can be used for recreation centers, used to reduce the business taxes or the other things we really need to do if we're going to make this city move forward.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Just a moment, please. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon, Mr. Schwartz.

Good afternoon. 55 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116

Speaking of federal funding, I believe I read somewhere that -- because the new Congress is starting to begin to fund some of the programs that were eliminated, such as the program that helps pay for police officers. It's called COPS.

The COPS program, yeah.

And is that starting to happen? And also, they said that they were starting to fund the local federal partnership, the grants revenue and whatnot. And I was thinking that actually once the federal funds come to the City, then maybe that would free up some of the money from the Police Department to continue to fund and fund like probation officers and social workers.

Well, I have been following this very closely, not only locally and nationally, and I want 56 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 to agree with you that at least we're not getting any more cuts and it's a little better. The Bush Administration wanted to reduce -- the amount of money available for these kinds of programs last year was about $405 billion. The Bush Administration wanted $392 billion. The people who support our priorities wanted $450 billion, Black Caucus, Progressive Caucus. The democrats came up with 412 billion. So there are very small increases in some of these areas, better than being cut, and they'll help. But we are heading into a presidential year, and I think that every single presidential candidate in both parties need to be held accountable to a position that says they're going to invest in America's communities, to improve housing and create jobs and reduce crime and help our kids. That ought to be a benchmark. And this is a moment there to understand all of that. So it's better, yeah, but it's 57 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 certainly not enough. And one of the things I'm fascinated about, though, in terms of the priorities is a prisoner reentry has emerged on both sides of the aisle, both sides of the liberal, conservative thing, as being something of a priority. So that's a very promising step.

Well, that's what I was going to say, too. It seemed to me that more than a year -- a couple years ago that working with ex-offenders was a priority of Congress, but have we received any funds to that effect?

Not as much as we need, sure. There have been some faith-based organizations that have gotten some grants. The City has gotten a few grants. I'm sure given the way -- I don't know how we're dealing with earmarks, but I think that the Administration is very concerned about this, the Mayor is. The reentry center 58 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 is an example of that. So, yeah, we might be able to get some specialized money. The Mayor put together a coalition of mayors from the entire region that had a press conference a few weeks ago. So they're very concerned about crime certainly. That's why they're there. They talked about that. So I think it's worth fighting for. Even if the entire country doesn't get the budget we want, we should. We should be a pacesetter here. We can. We've got great programs. We've got great organizations that can do this. Frankly, I'll tell you, the Welfare to Work programs that we are doing, we have to check for criminal background checks for certain kinds of assignments, and 30 percent of the people don't succeed in the criminal -- so we're in the prison reentry business, those of us who are doing Welfare to Work, with women for the most part. So we got to get the men into 59 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the picture.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just briefly, I'm working right now on a proposal to the Administration and it's gotten good reviews so far, but I still haven't heard whether or not the money is in the budget to fund the worker inmate program. There are 100 inmates sitting at the jail that have all been processed for work release. They can't find any jobs in the private sector, so I proposed and got an agreement from Fairmount Park, talked to the folks over at the Zoo to see if they could support work for those inmates so when they come out of jail, that they have a skill, that they learned how to use various tools of the trade 60 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 that are used in the Fairmount Park Commission for vegetation management. It troubled me to see 80 inmates that have gone through the process, that have been processed for work release. And you know what I mean by that, that they can get on a bus in the morning, they can go to work and they can come back at night. No 10 jobs. So if there's people in the private sector listening, that they have an opportunity to employ these inmates. But I thought the first place to go where we desperately need some manpower or some lady power is at the Fairmount Park, and then the people at the Zoo also had a lot of maintenance work that they wanted to do during the business day and during the off hours also. But as interested as this Administration is in the reentry program, I just can't get a real definite yes. I was told that it's going to happen. But I would hope you'd agree that having 61 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 people leave jail with a few bucks in their pocket -- they'd be paid for their work -- and also a skill to make them marketable is a good thing.

Absolutely. And that's a small example of the kind of community service jobs program I mention in here, and I'm conscious of what you're doing, Councilman. I've heard about it. I wanted to put that in. Ready, Willing and Able is a large organization that does that with its members. They've done some work on NTI. And I have to say that, again, in terms of the Welfare to Work project that we support, a young man I hired eight, nine years ago named Rafael Feliciano in the Norris Square area, who at that point was part of a family that had fallen below the economic level, but he worked and he came to work for us ten years ago. For the last five years, he has been coordinating a major group of 60 or 70 women cleaning up Norris Square Park. 62 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 They've won awards from Philadelphia More Beautiful. They've won awards from the Planning Commission. He's won their civic engagement award. So we give them -- they're not high skilled -- but the motivation and everything else. A huge percentage get other jobs.

I've already gotten commitments from the private sector, people that do vegetation management, some of the tree trimming companies, that they would consider these inmates for full-time employment once they're ready to leave. They'd have a conference with the people in the correctional process to make sure that they're getting the right people that are adequately trained. But the interesting thing, as I learned working on this project, is that the correction professionals tell me that most of the inmates that come back are the ones that don't have a job, don't 63 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 have a couple bucks in their pocket, because the minute they're released, they go back to where they got in trouble because they have very little money and also they have no opportunity for employment. So I just hope this works, and I'm glad that you think this is a good idea.

Well, I appreciate very much what you're doing, and I think it's another piece of evidence at least that we have a bipartisan effort here and in Capitol Hill. A growing number of people are concerned about this and moving, in my judgment, in the right direction. I've given you one specific thing that stuck out for me, but everything that's been said here needs to be done.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And maybe this year we'll really start moving in the 64 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 right way.

Thank you very much, Mr. Schwartz.

Thank you. I appreciate your time.

You're welcome. We do have a very lengthy list, so I would ask those who are going to testify to please try to be as brief as possible. Thank you very much. MR. McPHERSON: Lauren Bornfriend and after her is Frank Cervone.

Is Lauren here? (No response.) MR. McPHERSON: Jane Schull.

Wait a minute. Is Mr. Cervone here?

Yes.

Yes.

Good afternoon, members of Council, and thank you for 65 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 being with us today. My name is Frank Cervone. I'm the Director of the Support Center for Child Advocates. With me are my colleagues from the victim services community. To my far left, Ms. Jane Borgerhoff from Center City Victim Services; Ms. Alison Sprague, the Director of Victim Witness Services of South Philadelphia; and Mr. Edwin Desimore, Education Specialist from Women Organized Against Rape. Ms. Sprague and I will be briefly testifying on our behalf and the others are here to answer any questions that you might have. And we've provided you with our statement of need titled Services for Crime Victims in Philadelphia, and I'll be delivering a summary of those remarks. The City of Philadelphia's eleven victim service agencies seek $730,000 in City funding to provide support, courtroom accompaniment and advocacy to more than 40,000 victims of crime. Over the last four years, federal 66 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 support for the work of our agencies has been cut an average of 18.5 percent, more than $300,000. With our costs rising, we need City Council victim services, Class 200 funding, to help fill some of this gap. Our clients and staff cannot sustain more reductions in programs and services. You may recall this line is in the District Attorney's budget. We urge City Council to increase support in Class 200 funding to $730,000. The crime statistics in Philadelphia are alarming and clear. Homicides have risen to record highs. Street violence threatens many. Where should our friends and neighbors, our children and the elderly turn for help when they are victimized by crime? Where can the courts and political leaders turn when the public needs an advocate? Our work involves the real stories of suffering people. It involves companionship and advocacy in the face of violence at home. 67 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 We continue to receive the calls of citizens crying out from senseless drive-by shootings, from countless assaults in the streets. Our agencies are physically and emotionally present in the lives of most of the events which the world knows only from the newspapers and media reports. I want to tell you a story of Manny, whom I represent, and Ms. Sprague is going to tell you the stories of a few people with whom she is familiar. Manny is a first grader in South Philly. He's one of the young people who was caught in the crossfire of a shooting last summer. His picture was the full page of the Philadelphia Daily News. I won't identify him more. What I want to tell you is that I represent him personally, and so I've been with him to court and to prep sessions, and I've been there when he hasn't shown. He doesn't come because his parents aren't bringing him forward. 68 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 One of the witnesses to the events, a passer-by, a stranger, has been approached by adult family members to tell him, You don't need to go to court to testify in this case. These are the pressures that family members and witnesses are feeling. And the District Attorney's Office and all the police in the land are not going to bring that case to justice unless witnesses come forward. And they won't come forward unless they feel comfortable and safe and they do so because victim services folks stand there with them. I'll turn the mike to Ms. Sprague for a minute to talk about some other cases.

Excuse me. Before you recognize Ms. Sprague, what is the proposed budget?

My understanding is that the District Attorney has proposed 640,600. That is the stasis from last year, the same number as was in 69 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the budget last year.

And you're asking for?

An increase to 730.

Thank you. Ms. Sprague, please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.

My name is Alison Sprague. I'm from Victim Witness Services of South Philadelphia. On Friday night, over 150 victims, co-victims and survivors of violence gathered to mark the beginning of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. These folks represented people from all over the City and who are victims of a variety of crimes. All of them received services from the different agencies that we are representing today. They shared their stories, three of them did. One was a co-victim 70 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 of a homicide. It was the aunt of an 18-year-old man who was a victim of a vehicular homicide while he was working as a valet on Delaware Avenue. He was a high school senior. It was his third day on the job. It was his last run of the night when his life was ended. The second was a mother of a South Philadelphia 19-year-old who was murdered during a gunpoint robbery. He was just hanging out with his friends on a warm summer evening when he was killed. The third was a domestic violence survivor. She was shot at point-blank range while holding her infant daughter by her boyfriend, who, once he thought she was dead, killed himself. She lived and she now provides weekly training to police supervisors.

You know, we have heard from Mr. Schwartz and others and you'll hear all day about crime on the streets. What we can tell you is, we know and you know who is committing the 71 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 crimes, where they're being committed, why they're being committed. This is not rocket science. But what you need to know more than all of that is that it's the City's responsibility to provide for the victims. No one will stand with them, and the pressures on them are larger than ever. We're performing indeed a public function. As private non-profit organizations, we're treated differently from other City-supported functions and agents, virtually all of whom receive regular wage increases and benefit increases. At a time when court backlogs and staff shortages and the Police Department and District Attorney's Office have generated delays in trials and problems for victims of crime, the victim services agencies have increasingly been called to fill the gaps. The participation of literally hundreds of volunteers giving thousands of hours of service stands as a partnership and a symbol for community 72 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 support. Each year these programs recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in crime victim compensation funds, representing more than three times the annual payout from the City. Again, we urge your continued support. We appreciate your being with us in your heart and we need you here in your funding. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Our next witness? MR. McPHERSON: Our next witness is Jane Schull, Waheedah Shabazz-El.

Is Jane Schull here? (No response.) MR. McPHERSON: Waheedah Shabazz-El? (No response.) MR. McPHERSON: Our next 73 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 witness is Shelly Yanoff.

Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record.

Good afternoon, Madam President, and good afternoon to other Councilmembers. My name is Shelly Yanoff and I'm Executive Director of the Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth, the region's major child advocacy organization. I am joined today by Colleen McCauley-Brown. PCCY has worked with City Council over many years to improve the lives and life chances of the region's children. In the last several years, with your support, the City has increased its commitment to the health of children and families by increasing support for the health centers and the City's efforts to get the lead out of children's lives. You have supported libraries, after-school, summer and scholarship programs, as well as programs that 74 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 strengthen families, provided supports for youth who had gotten into trouble, and helped improve the quality and availability of childcare programs. As you well know, cutbacks in the federal budgets have put additional stress on state and city dollars. We are asking City Council to increase the funds proposed in the current budget to support healthcare, to support more staff and services at the City's health centers, as need and waiting lists are growing; to support case management services to pregnant and parenting teens through expanding both contracts with community-based programs, some of which are here today, and providing on-site support at the health centers to connect pregnant and parenting youth to educational options to help these new parents stay in school; to support social services collaboration to prevent dropouts. Because youth who are in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems 75 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 are at a high risk of dropping out of school, 90 percent of them, we urge Council to provide funds for social services to assist in developing and implementing support strategies to prevent youth at risk from dropping out. We urge Council to support education advocates to work with DHS to assist youth in navigating the educational system and to support placing a social worker in each neighborhood high school to improve school climate, decrease violence and the dropout rate. We also urge you to support workplace internships, because connecting youth to jobs will increase the chances of young people staying in school and decrease the chances of their getting into trouble, as well as improving the City's work readiness. We urge Council to support 3,200 more jobs for youth. Philadelphia would thus join with other cities as well as state, federal, corporate and 76 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 philanthropic investors in youth workforce preparation, violence prevention and future building. And, of course, we urge you to support Community College, which is the gateway to the future for many youth. We urge you to restore the $1 million proposed. My colleague, Colleen McCauley-Brown, will review for you our lead request.

Good afternoon. MS. McCAULEY-BROWN: Good afternoon. My name is Colleen McCauley-Brown at PCCY. The status of lead poisoning in Philadelphia makes for both a good and bad story. Since 2002, Philadelphia has made great strides in reducing the number of children poisoned by lead, has expanded primary prevention programs and secured large federal grants to help clean the houses of lead-poisoned children. Philadelphia's Department of 77 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention program has become a national leader in removing lead hazards from children's homes. But still, too many young, mostly poor children, continue to be poisoned by lead every year and suffer permanent damage to their developing brains, a loss of IQ, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Lead poisoning is still a big problem and we've made great strides in reducing it. Both statements are true. Because eliminating lead poisoning is a complicated undertaking in a big, old city where more than 90 percent of residential properties contain lead-based paint. It's everywhere. Philadelphia can continue to make significant advances in getting the lead out of children's homes, but we have to have your leadership to do that. Philadelphia needs to invest its resources on two levels. We must prevent children from ever being poisoned 78 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 and also intervene quickly to fix their houses where children have been poisoned. On a larger scale than almost any city in the nation, Philadelphia is making real progress. We are not using children as canaries in the mine and waiting for them to first get poisoned in order to determine if there's lead in their home. Instead, we are testing newborns' homes and trying to remove the lead hazards before they ever get poisoned. If lead hazards are found, then the opportunity exists to remove the lead before the children get poisoned. This is an outstanding achievement, and it is being carried out by a program called Lead Safe Babies that sends outreach workers to test newborns' homes for lead and educate parents about lead safety. Ideally, if lead is found, the homes are then fixed. In 2001, approximately 40 homes were tested for lead in the Lead Safe Babies program. Over the last five 79 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 years, the program has blossomed and home visitors have provided services to more than 5,200 families to ensure that their children never get poisoned. Of the homes of newborns that have been tested for lead, percent of 8 their houses, 1,274 of their homes, were 9 found to have lead hazards. These homes 10 need to be remediated so that the young 11 children living in them don't get 12 poisoned. Lead hazard control work, 13 however, is expensive, particularly for 14 families with low incomes. The federal 15 funding that supports Lead Safe Babies 16 does not cover lead hazard removal. The 17 funding only covers outreach and 18 education. As you know, information, 19 while helpful, is not enough. 20 Lead-contaminated homes have to have the 21 lead hazards removed. 22 The City has been very, very 23 successful in drawing down HUD funding 24 for lead hazard control work, but this 25 money is primarily used to remove hazards 80 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 from poisoned children's homes. So while public funds are available to families in Lead Safe Babies, they're limited. Of the 1,274 homes that have needed some level of fixing to get the lead out, more than 450 have been made lead safe for the newborns living in them. This is spectacular. Remember, just six years ago, Philadelphia only had the capacity to reach 40 households and only provide education. But now families living in these 450 properties not only know more about lead poisoning, but their properties have been made lead safe. Their children have been spared the devastating physical, mental and behavioral consequences of lead poisoning. We had a mother who was going to join us.

Her family has benefited from Lead Safe Babies. She has five children. Her third child was poisoned, and she was pregnant at the time that she found out he was poisoned and she got 81 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 enrolled in Lead Safe Babies. She's had two children since. Her house has had its lead hazards removed and her two children have not been poisoned. This is a very, very successful program. The distressing news still is that there are over 700 properties in the program that we know have dangerous lead levels in them and the hazards haven't been removed, and those children are likely to be poisoned. We must seize this opportunity and protect these children from injury. Shame on us for knowing where the problem lies and how to fix it, but not devoting adequate resources to do so. In every Councilmanic District there are homes that should be made lead safe. We urge you to embark on a plan to save these kids and, in doing so, save the costs of all the treatment they're going to need in the future because they were permanently damaged by lead. 2 million to remediate the lead hazards in the backlog of homes participating in Lead Safe Babies, you will have saved countless families and their children from the brain and body damage that lead causes. The second strategy to reduce the harm of lead poisoning is to test kids' blood to see if they have lead in their body. If they do, we know their home is contaminated with lead and their house can then be remediated so that the level of lead in their body won't increase and a child who comes to live in that property in the future also won't be poisoned. But this strategy, waiting until kids are damaged before we do anything, is unfortunately the prevailing strategy in Philadelphia and across the nation, because policymakers mistakenly believe that dealing with a problem costs less than preventing it in the first place. But this simply is not true. It costs several thousand dollars to take 83 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 some interim steps to protect a child from lead poisoning or easily $100,000 to treat the problem. Over the last five years, the City has become much more adept at quickly making poisoned children's homes lead safe, and, City Council, you have played a major role in fostering this progress, major. Five years ago, the City had a backlog of 1,400 homes that had poisoned at least one child but hadn't been made lead safe. The poisoned children living in them became more poisoned, and many children who subsequently moved into these properties eventually got poisoned, too. 5 million more in the lead program's budget to eliminate this backlog, and you did. Council's investment five years ago set off a major chain reaction that has produced startling rewards for Philadelphia's children. 84 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 And there isn't enough time to go over all of the benefits, but I'll highlight a few. 77 million in HUD funding over the last six years to remove hazards from kids' homes. In 2001, they had no dollars. Now they have accrued nearly million because of 12 the investment that the City made. 13 The backlog of 1,400 14 lead-contaminated homes were made lead 15 safe for those kids living in them. 16 The City established the nation's first Lead Court and it's heard over 2,300 cases involving non-compliance with lead hazard violations and has achieved compliance in 1,500 so far. And a total of nearly 2,500 properties have been made lead safe for children since 2001. And in the year 2001 alone, a total of 131 houses were made lead safe. We've come a long way. 85 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 The map attached to my testimony also helps tell the story of how the City has been able to reduce the number of children impacted by lead poisoning. The map breaks down City Council by -- breaks down the City by Council District, and the accompanying chart shows that in all but one district the number of children with elevated lead levels has decreased from 2001 to 2005.

Today, the majority of lead-contaminated properties are made lead safe as soon as hazards are identified, but a small number are not, and unfortunately, for the first time in many years, the City is generating a new backlog of homes, homes where children continue to be poisoned because the City doesn't have the funds to clean them up. We need the City's help to eliminate this new backlog and keep Philadelphia moving forward. million to remediate the homes in this new backlog of children's homes poisoned by lead. million to fix newborns' homes who are participating in Lead Safe Babies, as well as fix the homes of children already poisoned by lead. Philadelphia's children need your leadership and commitment now more than ever. For the first time in Philadelphia's history, for the first time, we are sparing a large number of newborns from ever, ever getting poisoned and experiencing the damage exacted by lead poisoning. We have to do more, though. For the first time in Philadelphia's history, we are taking immediate action to get the lead out of poisoned kids' houses, but we have to do more. We can solve this. This is a solvable problem. We can do it. We can 87 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 continue to protect children from being poisoned and make Philadelphia into a model city to keep kids safe, and each one of you can be a hero and save these babies and build the City's future. Thank you very much.

So --

Thank you very much.

I know -- if I can just finish one minute.

Shelly.

One minute. I just want to just conclude.

We have quite a few people that have been waiting. So I'm going to ask you to please, please be very brief.

Sure. I just wanted to say that the request for lead, the request for help with jobs and health centers, we know that we're asking for a little bit under 11 million. That's a 88 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 lot of money. We also think it's vital to the City's future. Thank you very much for all you've done and all you continue to do.

Thank you. Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: Our next witness is --

Just a minute. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

I just wanted clarity on the chart in back on the last page. What does the minus percent change mean? MS. McCAULEY-BROWN: The percent change reflects the difference in number of kids poisoned from 2001 to 2005.

So if it's minus 18, then the difference is -- MS. McCAULEY-BROWN: There's been a reduction. 89 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116

-- percent? MS. McCAULEY-BROWN: In Council District 1, there's been an percent 6 decrease in the number of kids poisoned 7 by lead from 2001 to 2005. 8

But in your 9 Councilmanic District, it's 31 percent. 10

Right. I 11 saw that. All right. Thank you. 12

Thank 13 you again. 14 Our next witness? 15 MR. McPHERSON: Amy Dougherty 16 and then it will be Kevin Dow. 17

Good afternoon, 18 President Anna Verna and City Council. My name is Amy Dougherty and I'm the Director of the Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia, an independent not-for-profit agency whose mission is to support the Free Library. We do this through affiliate Friends groups who volunteer in their communities to support 90 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 their respective neighborhood library branches. I am delighted to say that we now have 42 Friends groups. While we continue to service active groups with technical and organizational resources, our goal, as outlined in our strategic plan, is to have a vibrant group at all 53 branches by 2010. That's just more 10 to go, and with hard work, fortitude and 11 the continuation of adequate Library funding, I feel sure that we can achieve this. Attached to my written testimony is a list of libraries with Friends groups. If some of your branches are not on the list and you would like to assist me in getting one going, please feel free to contact the Friends office. In addition to raising money for each branch to purchase materials, including books, DVDs, tapes, periodicals and all that is available at the Library, Friends are the stewards of free and equal access to information in all forms, 91 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 for the entire population. I am humbled to be the voice of this volunteer army from across the City who spend their leisure hours working to ensure that the 41 percent of Philadelphia's adults and children who are on the wrong side of the digital divide and who, more often than not, live in neighborhoods with low-performing public schools with no 11 libraries are not forgotten. But please do not be misled by our concentration on those less fortunate City residents. Those of us with the means and skills also rely heavily on the Library for help, with the vast number of computer programs that it takes to stay educated, current and competitive. In addition, the Library is one of the most important arts and cultural institutions that we have. It is the house of our stories, our history and our diverse culture. It is free, and all of us need and are entitled to it. With your help through 92 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 increasing the Library budget in 2006, the Free Library is doing a tremendous job trying to keep par while faced with an increasing number of information and educational resources. In addition to digital information, the demand for materials for the growing immigrant population and for programming such as English as a second language, remedial computer training, GED classes and after-school homework help continues to grow. This mirrors what is happening nationwide. Library usage and demand is up while public spending is shrinking. The Philadelphia library system is no exception. 5 million that you, City Council, enacted after the City's outcry over the Library cuts in 2005. The '07 allocation had an 800,000 reduction in personnel spending, or Class 100. The '08 budget request 93 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 contains an $880,000 cut to Class 100, or ten positions. That's a total reduction of $1,680,000. I am asking that this cut not be enacted. I am concerned about adequate staffing. I ask that at minimum you join me in ensuring that there is not another crisis or surprise falling budget ax like the one we faced in January 2005 when 11 Library staffers were laid off and 20 12 branches were slated for half-day service 13 with no accredited librarians. Just to 14 keep pace with 2005, I am asking that 15 Class 100 be increased by the amount that 16 it has been cut, $1,780,000. 17 My other concern is the materials budget, or Class 300, which has been flat for ten years at $3,975,000. On the ground this means that the money to purchase books, DVDs, tapes, magazines, periodicals, computer programs has not kept pace with the rate of inflation.

2 million, debunking the notion that print material use will decline with the increase in computer use, the purchasing power needed to keep up with higher costs has significantly dwindled. In 1997, the average price of a library hardback was $49 and now is $68. Periodical subscriptions were $165 in 1995 and are currently $449. The demand for materials has increased. Circulation and visits to the libraries are up. We need to do better for the citizens of this city. We all know that illiteracy of all kind breeds crime. Seven out of ten inmates in Pennsylvania prisons are illiterate. We have a choice: Pay now or pay later. Materials is also an issue for the average library patron. Library Friends often complain that their branch does not have children's or adult books or other materials that they need, including job readiness and resume 95 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 guides, art and music materials, foreign language materials. Friends groups raise money for library materials through book, bake and garden sales and general support from their members. We are asking you to do your part with a ten percent increase, or $396,000 more to the Class 300 materials line, to meet the demand and to keep up with inflation. In total, I am requesting $42,724,000 in the City General Fund for the Library. Thank you for listening today and for your attention to this important City asset.

Thank you very much. Are there any questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Thank you very much. MR. McPHERSON: The next witness is Kevin Dow. 96 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

I am Kevin Dow. I have my friend here, Chun, who will start us off today and then I will follow up with the official testimony.

Good afternoon. My name is Chun Pa and I am alum of the Asian Arts Initiative's Theatre and Visual Arts Workshops. I would like to begin by reading an excerpt of a piece that I wrote in the summer of 2006 entitled Immigration. There are concerns and relieved murmurs, extracts of conversations fluctuating and floating, low then high. A child's voice asks for food while strangers played with me. Hovering above me, tiny winged insects swarm in clouds, their wings taking them to places I cannot even imagine. I stretch my hands out to catch one. Their destiny to be fulfilled by my hands, but we move 97 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 quickly through them and so I wave farewell. We stopped moving one day. There are many people gathered and talking, their voices colliding against each other like torrid waves of water. It was so humid and sticky. My parents, who have always been by my side, have grown weary. They're deeply rooted in reality. My father's feet are planted firmly in the ground, his skin etched with strange symbols, the second layer of green skin snaking over his head, his back. My sisters, gone from hunger, cling to the fabric that hangs from his thin waist. We were a family in a suffocating thatched room, waiting for something. I first felt the impact of the arts as a junior in high school. Little did I realize that one day this would be the cornerstone of my life. At that point, I had very vague dreams for my future. I was not sure if I would go to 98 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 college upon graduation. What would I major in? Where would I go? Could I even afford it? Because of the Asian Arts Initiative, I've gained self-awareness, curiosity, a thirst for worldly knowledge, and have learned to become more independent. I never imagined that there were so many different opportunities available. This includes my participation in the first Asian-American Theatre Conference in LA and the APIA Summit in Chicago. The performances that I have presented in and my interaction with other peers with similar interests are the experiences that make me who I am today. It defines my values, gives me purpose and motivation. I have great respect to the arts as a vehicle for social change, and read them myself expression -- that self-expression through this medium can benefit the lives of many. 99 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Thank you. (Applause.)

You know, that's the first time we clapped in here. I wanted to do that a couple of times of some of the people who spoke, but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate or not. Thank you very much, Chun. We really appreciate you coming out here today and speaking on behalf not only of the Asian Arts Initiative but all of the programs that benefit youth in our City and for the great things that they allow you to do. So thank you, thank you, thank you. That is impressive. Impressive to say the least. This is an example of the work being done by one, the Asian Arts Initiative, of the organizations funded by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. It is but only one reason, but not the only reason, why I'm here today. Youth like Chun in our city need our help and they need it in a manner in which we can 100 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 provide it, and they need it now. On behalf of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, I want to start by expressing my sincere thanks to you. Thank you for providing the Cultural Fund an opportunity today to advocate on behalf of the many arts and cultural organizations throughout your districts and in our wonderful neighborhoods. Also, I must thank you for the support you as a Council and as individual members have provided over the years to ensure that our great City's cultural community remains a vibrant and critical component of Philadelphia's fabric. A vibrant arts community is critical to our City's economic development, livelihood and ability to be a place where residents and visitors alike can find a safe place to enjoy their creative side, not only in the shadows of City Hall but also on the corners in our neighborhoods. Today I am particularly proud 101 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 of you as our leaders for placing the attention you have on this cultural community. The issues you are encountering in the everyday stewardship of this city are daunting, to say the least: healthcare, education, taxes, jobs, jobs, jobs, and most critical of all, the almost daily increase in the violent crime, not only in our streets but now in our school rooms as well. We've heard many people today speak on these issues. At times, as a life-long resident of the City, it hardly seems rational, let alone necessary, to mention anything else. While I do not discount these challenges, I also see opportunities, opportunities that you, that we can take advantage of, opportunities that exist through the arts. 1 million to 245 arts and cultural groups. As an independent non-profit that serves as the mechanism for allocating these resources, valuable resources, I must say, from the budget into the hands of arts organizations, the Cultural Fund is one place where merit is the only factor. As you know, the work is done by peer panels whose community volunteers participate in the grant review process. Since 1991, the Cultural Fund has played a key stabilizing role for numerous organizations providing critical operating funding that enables them to survive and grow. Your leadership in creating the fund and then followed by continued support over the years is tremendous and continues. However, it is still not enough. 103 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 At the heart of the Cultural Fund's work is the undeniable impact it has on the cultural vitality of the City, tourism, economic development, but even more, on people, people like you and me, people like the folks who are standing and sitting behind me, particularly our urban youth. And in a year that has been notable for its seemingly unstoppable rise in violent crime, such initiatives take on much more significance. Why? Why are we asking these things? Why we must do this? Because it's been clearly proven that kids who are exposed to, participate, feel passionate about arts activities are more likely to stay involved in and, therefore, stay off the streets and out of trouble.

We know that initiatives such as the Cultural Fund and programs it supports are often the lifeline for arts organizations, but now it has become clear that it is also the lifeline for Philadelphia's children. And that 104 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 message needs to be understood. It is a message that needs to be heard and it is a message that needs to be increased. In fact, the importance of continued support for such initiatives cannot be overstated. Arts and cultural groups serve not only as a catalyst to spur tourism and economic development, but as a critical link to youth development and the prevention of neighborhood violence. A thriving cultural community helps stimulate revitalization by building bridges across the City's ethnic, racial and class divides. It generates revenue, boosting residency by attracting students, artists and teachers; boosting citywide economic development by attracting major corporations and fueling the creation of smaller, ancillary businesses such as restaurants, hotels, services needed to support this tourism industry; enhancing our property values, tax resources and profitability, providing thousands and 105 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 thousands of full- and part-time jobs and, above all, providing a healthy and creative and safe outlet for at-risk youth that offers both an alternative to a life of violence as well as an impetus to continue their education. Philadelphia's arts and culture community is one of our greatest assets. Its vitality has already helped to raise the City's profile, attract new businesses, revitalize our neighborhoods. It is incumbent upon all of us to continue to support it. We must ensure that "America's next great city" continues to be one of America's all-time great cities, by doing whatever we can to reach out to at-risk youth in a way that will provide an alternative to life of violence and crime. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund is a working, successful path to making that happen. The young people it has helped and the arts administrators who guide them understand that, and we know 106 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 you do as well. Knowing this is one thing. Putting effort and resources behind it is indeed another. For sure, certainly, the Council has come far in its efforts. However, Philadelphia needs you to now take it further. This is the time to take hold of this opportunity to increase our city support for the arts and demonstrate what we all know and believe, that it is a proven vehicle to answer our most daunting challenges. I ask you -- tell you what, I'll plead with you, I'll even beg if you allow me to, to reverse the decision to cut our allocation this year. 2 million level, allowing the community to have the resources it needs to address the challenges that's presented to us and you day in and day out. I am here today asking for an increase of only $100,000. Yes, in relation to the extent of our City's budget challenges that you have to deal 107 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 with, maybe it is indeed a big ask, but in relation to the extent of solving our City's problems and grasping the opportunity to help serve our youth and save our youth, it is a minor request. I also ask that Council commit to fulfilling the strategic plan put forth and approved by Council four years ago, which was to increase our allocation to $5 million. I know it can't happen this year, but it can over the next several. Getting us there is all of our responsibility. You can take that step in the right direction today. Councilwoman Tasco, Madam President, Councilmembers, again, thank you for permitting me and my friends from the Asian Arts Initiative to be here today. On behalf of them and over 245 organizations we have supported in the past and many more we would like to engage in the future, I say in closing thank you.

Thank you 108 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 so much for your testimony.

You're very welcome.

It's very distressing. We give you a hundred thousand and they take it back this year.

That is true. We recognize that the arts might not be as pressing as some of these other issues here, but we recognize that it can be part of the solution.

You're preaching to the choir.

I know. Thank you very much, Councilwoman.

Thank you very much. MR. McPHERSON: Our next witness is from the Cultural Alliance, Peggy Amsterdam.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

To Council President Verna, Councilwoman Tasco and 109 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 esteemed members of City Council, my name is Peggy Amsterdam and as President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, I represent over 300 regional arts and cultural institutions. On their behalf, I'm here to testify in support of a continued public investment in arts and culture in the City's Fiscal Year 2008 Operating Budget and Five-Year Plan. Many of our groups are represented here today, and I want to take a minute just to thank Kevin Dow and the work that he does as a volunteer on behalf of the Cultural Fund and on behalf of all of the City's arts and cultural groups. And I'm sure everybody here felt, as well as I did, the way that young woman presented herself and was so articulate, and I know that that's what the arts can do for people. So it's great to have the opportunity to hear it. Philadelphia arts and cultural organizations provide almost 50,000 events annually that are invaluable to 110 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 our city. Our residents and tourists are exposed daily to over a hundred offerings that contribute to the City's vitality, our tolerance for diversity and our educational opportunities. Cultural organizations communicate our individual and collective experiences. They make our city unique and attractive to over 10 million residents and tourists who visit them annually. The capital investment that the Mayor and City Council approved in the last fiscal year as the Cultural and Commercial Corridors Bond issue is to be applauded as welcomed assistance for several organizations in need of costly additions and repairs. But the other piece of the sector's sustainability puzzle is the need for general operating support, the most important type of unrestricted funding, as it allows organizations to carry out the projects that fulfill their service-oriented missions. 111 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Currently, the City investment in these general operating support grants is $2.1 million through the City Cultural Fund. The Cultural Fund provides general operating grants to over 200 cultural organizations. These projects make it possible for the cultural institutions in Philadelphia to keep their doors open, support over 12,000 full- and part-time jobs and receive 4.7 million school children annually. These activities will not continue if organizations cannot meet their basic needs. We are grateful for public support from the City which helps to stabilize our fragile sector. Public dollars are so important, because the non-profit arts community can use them to leverage other dollars from individuals and corporations. An investment in the Cultural Fund is an economic strategy that can refurbish buildings, revitalize neighborhoods, attract creative industries and workers, and boost 112 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 tourism. This year, the City's Fiscal Year 2008 budget correlates with the end date of the Cultural Fund's strategic plan to see the fund increased to $5 million in five years. An increase in the Cultural Fund will keep Philadelphia competitive with other cities such as Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis and Charlotte that have flourishing arts and culture sectors. On behalf of the Cultural Alliance and its member organizations, I thank Council for its past support and commitment to the cultural sector and ask that you continue this commitment by releasing the full $2.2 million allocation for the Cultural Fund in the current fiscal year and supporting an increase to the Cultural Fund in Fiscal Year 2008. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Thank you 113 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 very much for your testimony. I am very pained to sit here and see all the cuts that are going on, but during the course of the discussion for the $150 million, I said that you could have paid -- we could have paid as you go and used the $12.5 million to give all of you increases. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: Our next witness is Magdalena Padilla, Marla Shoemaker, Emilee Taylor and three students from the Mastery Charter School.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Councilwoman Tasco and members of City Council. I'm Marla Shoemaker. I'm the Senior Curator of Education at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The speakers who will speak to you today about the Art Museum will speak about an Art Museum you may or may not 114 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 know about. People think of the Art Museum as a place full of objects, but it's actually highly organized around people, the people who work there, who you'll hear from, the people who volunteer there, who you'll hear from, the students who come there, who you'll hear from, and the various kinds of outreach that we send out in the community to contact people in their neighborhoods, in their schools and many of the people who partner with us to make better opportunities for kids to have arts. That's all I have to say, and thank you for inviting us here to give testimony on behalf of the Museum, and thanks in advance for your support.

Good afternoon. My name is Magdalena Padilla and I am a resident of this glorious City of Philadelphia, and I am here, more importantly, as a proud volunteer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art where I give 115 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 of my time as a volunteer tour guide. I will be offering you some brief comments about the value of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and after my brief comments, you will hear from other individuals, including students, who share their enthusiasm for the Museum and want to share with you the important positive impact that the Museum makes to the City of Philadelphia. The purpose of my testimony here before you this afternoon is to urge that the Council support the Philadelphia Museum of Art by amending the current budget proposal with additional funds for the Museum. In Fiscal Year of 2007, $2.25 million had been appropriated. However, for Fiscal Year 2008, it is contemplated instead that the funding level be decreased to $2 million. That leaves the Philadelphia Museum of Art short 11 percent, a decrease that is significant since in today's times we know that 116 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 nothing else is decreasing. On April 18th, the Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art had testified here and provided you some information concerning the Museum, focusing somewhat on the operational side of the Museum, on the strategic side of the Museum. You heard information concerning special exhibits, outreaches to the community, educational programs and other activities within the Museum, all of which help to spur this City's vital economy. I ask you to take a look at the Museum in broader terms. I'd like to talk to you about the human side of the Museum. As a volunteer at the Museum providing art tours, I can easily talk to you about the art, but I'm not going to do that today because I want to talk to you about the people. I want to talk to you about some of my favorite opportunities at the Museum. I want to 117 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 talk to you about the high school students and the grammar school students who mid-semester come to the Museum with their course works in hand, trying to hunt for those Museum objects that will give them that ever-illusive "A" grade and more often than not, they come with their parents, they come with their family members. I'd also like to share with you another satisfying opportunity that the Museum presents, and, that is, an opportunity to tell travelers about Philadelphia. More often than not we guides at the Museum have to answer questions such as, Where can we get a Philly cheesesteak? Where is the Italian Market? How do I get to the Liberty Bell? And where is South Street from here? The point is that the Philadelphia Museum of Art is more than just about art. In other words, it delivers more than it promises. 118 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 To paraphrase a comment by the Director a couple of weeks ago when she was here, every $1 spent by the Philadelphia Museum of Art delivers $4 in economic activity for Philadelphia, for its economy and for its vitality. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is truly a place in which this Council can confidently invest. Echoing the words expressed recently by the Director of the Museum, we understand and appreciate the breadth of the needs throughout the City. I conclude, however, by urging you to provide the funds necessary to support the Museum in 2008 and that, respectfully, you consider the Director's request for full funding at $2.5 million. Thank you very much for your attention this afternoon. I turn to my colleagues for their exploration with you about their opportunities at the Museum.

Thank you very much. 119 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116

Good afternoon. My name is Emilee Taylor. I am a proud Philadelphia school teacher, working in the system for 32 years as an art educator and now starting a new position as a teacher support specialist for the School District. And I wanted just to let you know and give you brief information about all the different programs that I have taken advantage of as an art educator here in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. At the beginning of our school year, we all, art teachers and teachers alike, receive this program that gives us a list of all the different activities and a menu of lessons that the Art Museum provides for teachers and our schools and our children, and I have fully taken advantage of those lessons, and I've always brought my second and third graders to the Art Museum to learn about impressionism. We've learned about mythology, African-American art, Asian 120 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 art, Chinese art, Mexican and the list goes on. And all of these lessons have been very instrumental and have let my students know that the Art Museum is just not a one-time visit. Many times they'll say, Well, I've been to the Art Museum. Why do I have to go back? And I let them know, Well, there's so much to see. The work has rotated many times. There's always new exhibitions. And just because you've been there once doesn't mean that that's it, that you can't go back, because there's always something to learn. So in addition to those lessons that we have received in this booklet, I have had the pleasure of sitting on the Teachers Advisory Committee, and that committee consists of various teachers throughout the School District and the City and parochial schools as well as schools outside of Philadelphia, but we have been valued by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They value our opinion, 121 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 and respect what we have to say. And when we are serving on these committees, we are critiquing work and making suggestions for teacher poster sets. And I would be remiss if I, being a teacher, would not bring any visuals, so I brought some of the visuals and examples of the poster sets that we have now had exposure to and use in the classrooms. I am proudly wearing the image of the Morris Chief on my sweatshirt today, and this is one of the most popular images and paintings in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It happens to be one that when it is sold in the Museum store, it is sold more than any other painting/reproduction in the Museum. But this poster set is a teaching tool. And before these poster sets were distributed to the schools -- by the way, free, compliments of the Museum of Art -- they asked us our opinion and asked us what questions would 122 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 be appropriate to ask, what images would be ones that would generate interest with the children. So after that was taking place, then the Museum would have the special programs for the teachers to attend so that they can learn how to use the posters effectively in the classroom. Another image that my students used was this image, and I happen to have served on this Teachers Advisory Committee for Asian art. I also served on the one for African-American art. And all of these works in the poster sets are from the Art Museum's permanent collection. In addition to serving on the Teachers Advisory Committee, I had the pleasure of working with the Museum and traveling to Los Angeles and Baltimore and letting and informing other teachers throughout the country just how to implement these posters and how vital they were in my classroom. Another tool, which is 123 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 something that is new this year, is Learning to Look, and this is a tool, again, focusing on the permanent exhibition at the Museum, and what the Museum provided were four workshops for teachers.

I just want to let you know that whenever the Art Museum provides workshops, if you don't call way in advance to get a seat, you'll be disappointed, because teachers are so appreciative of what their Art Museum does as far as providing resources and programs. They're very popular. And I have been one of those teachers who have been disappointed, because I let time go by and called in and I tried hard to get to squeeze in, but they would also sometimes be filled to capacity over the committed amounts that should be attending. But this particular book focuses on how art tells stories, how there's art in nature and how there's 124 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 people in art. Also, I want to just bring to your attention about another committee called the Art Literacy in Museums Committee, another teachers advisory group, where we are in the process of developing a program for fourth grade students to learn about literacy through the visual arts. So I just wanted to please beg you to continue to support the Art Museum by not only meeting the needs with the funds, but allowing them to have an increase so that they can continue to provide these wonderful teaching programs for all of us here in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you.

Thank you. We are going to remind those of you who are testifying that there is an audience of people who are here to testify and you are to limit your testimony to two minutes. So I will 125 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 remind those who will follow to be respectful of those people who have been waiting here all day.

Hello, City Council. My name is Shawn Williamson and I'm here with Tiana Ellis and Michael White. We all attend Mastery Charter High School. I'm an 11th grader there. And for the past weeks, I have an 11 internship at the Philadelphia Museum of 12 Art helping the kids with their art activities there and creating projects for them to do on their Sunday activities. And I believe that the City should fund the Art Museum so they can continue the good work that it's already been doing with the children from the start. My favorite part about my internship is that every day when I walk around the Museum, I feel like I'm surrounded by history, and by helping the kids, I feel like I'm a part of their history, too. I gained a new attitude 126 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 towards life and I've learned better organizational skills and time management, which I can take with me into college and throughout my career.

Hi. My name is Tiana Ellis and I am also a junior at Mastery Charter. I began interning at the Art Museum in January. I have worked on projects for children and went on tours of the Museum. I have learned new things, taught others and gained new responsibilities. My favorite part of the internship is when we go on tours of the Museum and get to see beautiful artwork. I am very interested in knowing more about art and where it came from. I am asking the City to continue supporting the Art Museum so that other students like me can learn about art.

Good evening.

Good 127 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 evening.

My name is Michael White and I've been a member of the High School Sketch Club at the Art Museum since October 2006. Being in the Sketch Club has allowed me to develop portfolio material and learn about the Museum's collection. I've also learned about careers in fine arts and studying with other professional artists. Each week we work on different themes and looking at art in the gallery and making art in the studio. Personally, I gained a lot being in the Sketch Club. My favorite part is hanging out with my new friends and how they see and make art. I hope the City supports the Art Museum, because I feel that fine art can really save a person's life. They may not know it, but when they get into it, they'll end up saying, Wow, this is really great, this is a great experience, 128 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 this is what I want to do for my whole life. Thank you very much.

Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you very much. Just a moment, please, to the witnesses. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.

I certainly want to thank you for coming in to testify. It's very encouraging and rewarding to see you being involved in positive activities. It's a wonderful photograph, wonderful TV shot, but unfortunately, the TV cameras are not here to show the rest of the City that there are young people who are doing positive things in the City. And I also want to thank you, Kevin, for bringing in the young lady. I missed thanking her for her testimony. 129 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 We appreciate you and value your determination.

Thank you all for valuing us.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And you've been very patient waiting. (Applause.)

Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: Our next two witnesses are Steve Wills and Andy Wineman.

Madam President, I wanted to thank them as well for coming and testifying. Thank you very much.

Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.

To City Council, thank you. I am Steve Wills. I'm a 130 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 former teacher who was hired recently as an educational consultant by the Art Museum to help open what we know is going to be an innovative, unique and entirely vital tool for our area educators. And I'm waiting for a little bit of visual help. And until that happens, I'll go a cappella here. But the Wachovia Education Resource Center, due to open in September of 2007, is going to serve as a resource, not just for the public and not just for students in the Philadelphia area, but primarily for their teachers. We have something here. At the Wachovia Education Resource Center, our mission is to serve educators by offering the visual arts as a complement to all curricula areas at all levels, elementary, secondary and collegiate, and in fact all life-long learners. The Resource Center will serve teachers in two ways: First of all, as a 131 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 library of both valuable reference materials and classroom materials available for loan and, secondly, as a sort of clinic, an educational clinic, to support lesson planning through the addition of a fine arts complement, helping all students to learn to form multi-disciplinary concepts and connections. And as you see in the slide there, you're looking at a suit of armor, and in case you're wondering what that suit of armor is doing there, it actually is connected with some of the things that we're going to be offering to teachers in terms of specialized software. For example, let's say I am teaching a unit on the age of chivalry or we've just read Lamore Darth or something and I want to do something with armor. I have images like that that I can pull from the website. That is actually from the PMA website. However, website images are not very good. They're not of very high 132 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 quality, and they don't allow me as a teacher to ask questions beyond a very basic and superficial level. One of the things we will be offering teachers is a piece of software that will allow them access to high-definition art images. So here's that suit of armor, and I now have it from a database called Art Store that we can offer to area educators. I'm not at the laptop, but Jen is going to zoom in a little bit here and show you what we can do with some of the things in the classroom now. And Jen is actually going to get a lot closer to the suit of armor than they'll let you go in the Museum. Right about there somebody would be tapping you on the shoulder. But what I wanted to point out was that lion's head, that face there. And there's no way that with the typical images you pull off the web you can even see that kind of detail. What difference 133 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 does that make? It's pretty and everything, but the difference is that now as an educator, I can ask different kind of questions. And, Jen, if we can go back to the full size. The types of questions I can ask now are, Well, okay, here's a suit of armor. It's meant for battle. It's meant for protection, defense. Why would someone make it so beautiful? And now I can ask not superficial questions but the types of questions that involve complex inferences, the nature of human nature. It doesn't get any more complex than that. And I can do that because I now have the software that allows me to examine these images in detail. I'm not selling software. We aren't doing it at the Museum. It's just an example of some of the specialized things we're going to be able to offer teachers when the Center opens. We are also encouraging 134 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 cross-curricular lesson planning and collaboration among colleagues and have recently established an E-newsletter and web-based discussion forum. And I have on this slide a mock-up of what that E-newsletter looked like when it came out last week.

And if you would take a close look, you can see that we have links there to cross-curricular lesson plans, profiles of teachers who are using the fine arts in a creative way in their classrooms. And that particular lesson plan is not a lesson plan in art. It's a lesson plan in mathematics using the fine arts. These are the vital tools for educators. And the idea that developing curriculum, learning to think across curricular disciplines, moving beyond merely gathering information to generating ideas and forming conceptual literacy skills is going to give teachers the kind of substantial curriculum that will not only keep their students 135 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 interested, but will serve them well in their future endeavors. And furthermore, the site itself and the tools we are providing in terms of our newsletter and our discussion forum encourage collaboration. Teacher collaboration is the most frequently expressed need that faculties express as you ask for their opinions across the nation, the need to talk to each other. Collaboration is also the primary aspect of a school's success, and it is the best predictor of a teacher's growth, is their ability to collaborate with their colleagues. As we open in September and as we evolve in the years to come, the Wachovia Education Resource Center will remain vital based on our two goals: curriculum enhancement and teacher collaboration. Recently, there was some comment about the opportunities that are available through the arts. Here is an 136 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 opportunity. This is what one of them looks like. I thank you.

Thank you. Please identify yourself for the record.

Madam President, my name is Andrew Wineman and I'm also a volunteer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I have good news, I have better news and I have even better news. The good news is that I'm the last speaker from this group. The better news is that I will be brief, and the even better news is that my speech contains one number and that's all. It is a great honor to be with this group from the Philadelphia Museum of Art today and to appear before City Council in this splendid room. What better location to discuss the importance of art to this city than in this icon of 137 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 19th Century architecture here in its heart. Whenever I drive past or walk through City Hall and look up at the sculptures, which are sculptures done at the hand of Alexander Milton Calder, the patriarch of a great family of Philadelphia artists, I am reminded of the powerful artistic traditions of this city and of the links among its institutions. As an example, they're all on display in the PMA galleries, other works by the same remarkable family of sculptures, a model of the William Penn sculpture, which rises above our heads here, and a mobile created by Milton Calder's grandson. Two groups of people, the great artists of this City, from Charles Wilson Peale to Thomas Eakins, the Calders to Thomas Chimes, whose work is on display currently at PMA, and the great collectors, from John G. Johnson to the Annenbergs, believed in the promise of Philadelphia as an opportune place to create and display great art, even when 138 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 other larger cities beckoned. I am tremendously proud to be even a small part of this long-running Philadelphia art conversation. I come to speak to you today from an unusual point of view. Yes, I am a volunteer docent at the Museum and a volunteer teacher with the PMA Education Department, but I have another job as well. Since leaving my teacher career and becoming part of the Museum, I have also become a guide in the City of Philadelphia itself. I give history tours, art and architecture tours, military tours, even ghost tours of the City and its surrounding. In this capacity, I have constant contact with visitors to our area from around the country and around the world. Some of my tour groups are comprised of school children, many of adults, some are mixed. It has been my experience nearly all visitors here fall in love with this city, with its rich history, with its 139 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 numerous cultural and educational institutions, even with its cheesesteaks. Not surprisingly, it is fairly common for me to see the same people in both of my capacities. Here's an example: Last week there was a convention in town of the APA, the American Planning Association, a group comprised of city planners from all over North America. I gave 50 of them a three-hour tour of the City's layout on some of its architectural wonders. I presented everything from the genius of William Penn and his urban planning to new additions to our skyline. We visited Old City, Center City, Fairmount, the Parkway, the Avenue of the Arts. All the participants were impressed with the look and feel of Philadelphia, with its human scale, with its liveliness and innovation and with its cleanliness. A few days later I was on duty at the Museum and in walked a group of people from the APA who had decided to 140 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 stay beyond the end of their conference and become tourists. What did they want to see first? The Philadelphia Museum of Art. It has been my experience that certain sites in Philadelphia make indelible imprints on the memories of our visitors. Three of these architectural spaces are Independence Hall, City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. While we locals have all become used to these wonderful places and are probably guilty of not even looking up when passing by during rush hour, we must imagine these places in the points of view of visitors.

Each building commands attention. Each has a rich history. And each, if you will, anchors a different section of our city. For visitors, these three spaces are unique in their experience, as they are indeed unique in American architectural history and will never be forgotten. They are inseparably 141 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 associated with the life of this city in the same way that the Empire State Building is with New York, the Capitol building with Washington, DC, and the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco. For this reason alone, we should take every precaution to prevent the decline of these structures and to preserve their powerful impact on future generations of residents and visitors to Philadelphia. A study of history shows us that throughout time the world's greatest cities -- Athens, Constantinople, Rome, Paris, New York and Philadelphia -- have always, among their other accomplishments, created and displayed great art in spectacular surroundings. Our collective concern here today, as you have been hearing, is a financial one. It is, of course, part of the nature of things that all municipal decisions must always eventually be about money. We know that the resources of great cities like Philadelphia are finite 142 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 and are constantly being stretched and pulled in a hundred directions simultaneously, and that each institutional organization that is dependent on the City's largesse can make its case that its needs are paramount. We are very grateful to the support of this Council and of this Mayor over recent budgets, but as everyone knows, the PMA is on the verge of opening its exciting new facility in the Perelman building and in a few years' time, our increased gallery space within our current building. We are desirous that the City recommit itself to its 80-year-old promise to provide 100 percent of the funding for PMA's security and maintenance costs. 5 million. That said, since I am the last speaker from the Museum to address you today, I would like to thank you, 143 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Mrs. Verna and City Council, on behalf of all of us who have appeared before you for listening so patiently to our heartfelt concerns for the future of an institution we all cherish.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Are there any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Seeing none, I would ask Mr. McPherson to please call our next witness. MR. McPHERSON: Romona Benson.

Hello. Please identify yourself for the record.

Thank you, President Verna and esteemed members of Council. My name is Romona Riscoe Benson. I am the President and CEO of the African-American Museum in 144 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Philadelphia. Now in our fourth decade, the African-American Museum in Philadelphia continues to be a vital asset to the cultural fabric of Philadelphia. We continue to serve as an important tourism product for the City and region, a gathering place for the community, an educational adventure for students of all ages, and a vibrant showcase of history and culture for everyone. We are the first City-funded African-American museum in the nation and the only institution in Philadelphia devoted exclusively to housing, showcasing and interpreting the history, heritage, life and work of African-Americans and people of the African diaspora. We focus on what is unique about the African and African-American experience and creatively illustrate these contributions and cultures through the overall fabric of the American experience. 145 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Our pioneering institution set the standard for preserving and interpreting African-American life and history. We helped spawn the development of a multitude of African-American museums in cities across the country. And our continued national relevance, more than 30 years later, recently landed us a place as a participating institution in the National Leadership Initiative sponsored by the Association of African-American Museums, along with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. With much gratitude to the City, we are riding the momentum of many successes and accomplishments that grew out of our remarkable renaissance. I am pleased to report that since my last presentation before you, the African-American Museum has more great news to share. We have increased our attendance this year by 16 percent. Our debt has been eliminated over 80 percent. We've launched a strategic 146 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 initiative targeting new audiences and strengthening our community ties, including the faith-based community through our Partners in Heritage program, young adults through our Young Friends Society, the region's African community through our programs such as Celebrate Africa Festival, which is scheduled to take place again in the City next weekend, and families with young children through our partnership with the Smithsonian Institution. We have restored confidence of the general giving community. We are happy to report the appointment of a full-time Director of Development. 5 million to support programs, facility improvements and operating expenses. Our sources have included a successful Heritage Gala, which was initiated last year during our 30th anniversary and is now an important source of our unrestricted support for the Museum; 147 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 major contributions from PECO, Bank of America and other area corporations; a major state grant provided by Governor Rendell. And we've also launched an upper-level donor's campaign and increased our membership revenue. Last year, AAMP was proud to be one of two sites providing an opportunity for the public to view the semi-finalist models for the President's House project. " This year AAMP introduced its blockbuster exhibition, "The Art of African Women: Empowering Traditions," which includes Dr. Maya Angelou as Honorary Chair and a stellar honorary committee of 100 influential women from our area, including a number of members of Council, and major television, radio and public broadcast companies as media partners. 148 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Due to its success, I'm happy to report that "The Art of African Women" has been held over until August. I should mention we have hired a full-time marketing manager and launched a new completely redesigned website, with loads of fresh content, imagery schedules and other information on the Museum.

Our accomplishments are many, but our Board of Directors and staff recognize the challenges that we still face as our need for unrestricted operating dollars is ongoing. We are encouraged and motivated to achieve much more with continued financial support from the City of Philadelphia. Our vision for the Museum includes more than a balanced budget. We envision a truly engaging and interactive experience for visitors who walk through our doors each year. We envision a permanent exhibition which tells the historic story of African-Americans in 149 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Philadelphia and will raise the cultural consciousness of multitudes of generations to come. We envision first-rate, high-quality exhibitions and programming that reflect the excellence we aim for every day, and we are committed to bringing our vision to life with your valued continued support. On behalf of the Board, staff and volunteers of the African-American Museum in Philadelphia, I want to thank you for your time, your support and your attention today.

Thank you very much. Are there any questions or comments? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you. We would like to say a special thank you. As the new head of the Museum, you have really been a breath of 150 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 fresh air, opened the doors. We've had meetings. The Mayor's Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs have met there. We've been privy to many exhibits. And the outreach to people from all over the world and the interest and the involvement of more students and of all our communities is just great. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Thank you again. Our next witness? MR. McPHERSON: Sue Rosenthal.

Thank you very much for this opportunity to speak with you, members of Council. I would like to take one moment and ask everybody in this room who has come here and patiently waited for health centers to please stand up, especially Mary Aponik, who will be 89 soon and came down by public transportation. 151 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 (Applause.)

The record will reflect there are approximately people that were in the 6 audience. 7

Thank you. 8

9 Please proceed. 10

Yes. I have 11 with me two other Chairs of the other 12 health centers. I chair Health Center 13 10. And I believe another one will be 14 here. This is because we are acting 15 together on my and the other testimony that you will hear. I am Sue Rosenthal. I have chaired the Community Board of Health Center 10 in Northeast Philadelphia for 38 years. We Chairs of the eight health centers represent the more than 100,000 Philadelphians who depend on our city for their healthcare. Last year, Council understood 152 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 the need for and, therefore, added $1.6 million to the health centers' budget. This fund was available as of July 1, 2006. It was added by you because Council saw the need to provide more adequate staffing for a short-handed, overworked staff serving an increasing number of Philadelphians. The funds you added were to hire and fill an additional 28 positions. Yet, by December of that year, only four new people had been hired. This year, after not following Council's 2007 improved budget by hiring the extra employees, the Administration's proposed 2008 budget will cut 38 members of the health center staffs. Particularly because health centers are serving 20,000 more Philadelphians a year -- and you can check Commissioner Paris' testimony on of the budget testimony -- this will be a disaster. Why were only a few of the positions Council had called for filled? 153 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 Why were there almost no hiring lists developed or tests given until March? Then abruptly hiring took off at a running pace. Was it the community pressure from the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, members of our health center Boards and the Daily News articles by columnist Chris Brennan which finally caused the Administration to do what Council had voted to be done? Not only did the Administration refuse to spend the $1.6 million City Council recognized the health centers needed, but this year the Administration chopped it out of the proposed budget, plus another hundred thousand. One point seven million dollars less than last year has been budgeted for the health centers. And even more dollars are going to be lost. In addition, an additional $5.4 million will then not be coming from federal, state and private sources, because they fill in, as we do, a certain amount. So the real dollar loss to the 154 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 health centers will be $7.1 million. Every cents the City spends 4 provides a dollar's worth of healthcare. 5 Medicare, Medicaid and private insurances 6 provide the other 77 cents. I would 7 invest 23 cents to earn a dollar in a 8 heartbeat. This is a great bargain that 9 our city offers to its needy citizens. 10 We urge City Council to return 11 this $1.7 million to the health centers' 12 budget. It is a year since you wrote 13 additional funds into the budget to aid 14 the health centers. One of the reasons 15 you did that was because it then took 16 five months to get an appointment for an 17 initial examination at my health center 18 and others. This year I report it still 19 takes five months. Other health centers 20 have similar long waits. 21 Our clients are again looking 22 to Council for help. Please, do it. 23 You looked confused when I said that. After I heard the testimony that it only took 29 days, I called my health 155 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 center, without identifying myself, and asked to make an initial appointment, and I was given a date five months after I called. Thank you very much. I hope that you will take in consideration what we have spoken about.

Well, I think you read us all very clearly. We did seem confused, because apparently you heard the Commissioner's testimony and it's shocking to hear you say that there's still a five-month --

That's not true of all health centers, President Verna, but it is true of mine and it may be true of others.

Well, why is that so? Is it because some health centers are used more than others --

Yes.

-- or is it because some health centers are not 156 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 staffed adequately?

Yes and yes. Yes and yes.

Okay.

I would like to introduce, if I may, Kusema Warrakah.

Strawberry Mansion Chairman.

Welcome.

And Pauline Borgen. And this is Health Center 3. And please any other questions that you have, we will try to answer.

May I ask, Pauline, what is the wait at your health center?

The last time I called in as Sue did, unannounced, it was a three-month wait.

And, sir, at your health center?

It's roughly the same really. They're usually long waits, 157 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 and really we have to keep on struggling to get more personnel to work for our centers. This is across the board really, and we need to have that really improved tremendously.

I also would like to introduce Sheila Harper, who will speak in a moment, and she is from Health Center 9.

What is the wait for Health Center 9?

And Pauline Borgen has a few words to say. They just did not move. Every time we ask, When are we getting these extra people, these new people, we're told, Oh, it's happening, it's happening, it's happening.

May I ask what category the new people are most needed?

There are -- incidentally, some of them have at this point been hired because of this -- what 158 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 I explained.

But we were told that it was very difficult to get nurses to take the Civil Service test.

They --

So there's a shortage there. What other category are there shortages in?

We needed people in the pharmacy as technicians. We now do have them. We needed clerks, because unless the records can be kept, we can't do what has to be done, get people through the system. And finally the clerks have been hired, but this was not until just a couple of months ago, six or eight weeks or ten weeks ago, that they finally began to give that test. They didn't give the test and they held off, I guess, as long as they could. I don't know why. I would not venture to be able -- I could make some guesses, but that would be unfair. I 159 4/25/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070116 really don't have a basis. You might be able to make some guesses, too. But it just can't continue this way. We really need that money replaced, and we need you to make sure that they spend it in a timely manner. We'll be glad to do whatever we can. I mean, you know, we've protested before and we can.