Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Via Microsoft Teams Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, December 16, 2021 10:15 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Thank you, and good morning to everyone. We're going to get started, but before we begin the Council session, I'm just going to make a couple of announcements. Due to the continuing threat to public health from the COVID-19, the delta variant, City Council is currently meeting remotely. We are using Microsoft Teams to make this remote meeting possible. Instructions for how the public may view the meeting and offer public comment are included in the Stated Meeting notice that was published in the Daily News, the Inquirer, and Legal Intelligencer prior to the meeting, and can also be found on PHLCouncil.com. I now note that the hour has come. The Clerk will please call the roll to take attendance, and members that are in attendance, just say a couple of words to make sure that your image is displayed on the screen. Mr. Decker, please call the Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Good morning, Mr. President, colleagues, and the City of Philadelphia. Good morning, everyone.
Good morning, Council President, colleagues, and the City of Philadelphia. I'm present.
Good morning, Council President, colleagues, Rabbi Myers, and the City of Philadelphia. Present.
Good morning. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Good morning, Council President, colleagues, and Philadelphia. Present.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. And good morning to the City of Sisterly Love.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. Good morning to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Effectiveness.
Councilwoman Gym. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. I'm present.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. Sending out prayers to all the families who have lost their loved ones to senseless gun violence.
Mr. President, colleagues, Philadelphia, good morning. I'm present. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. I'm present.
Good morning, Mr. President, colleagues, and to the people of our city. And, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, the red is beautiful.
Good morning, Council President. Good Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 morning, colleagues.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. Good morning to the listening public. I'm present.
And I'm obviously present, and good morning. A quorum is established and we will now come to order. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Let the record reflect that Councilman O'Neill is present.
Absolutely. Before we call for the Rabbi for our invocation, the Chair would like to recognize Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to say I invited Rabbi Jeffrey Myers to begin this important final Council session of 2021 because he's no stranger to tragedy and diversity. In fact, on October 27, 2018, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh was the site of the worst Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 soil. Since surviving this horrific event, Rabbi Myers has worked tirelessly to help communities overcome hate through connection and understanding. I appreciate him joining us on the other side of the state today and for his work to heal communities in times of struggle. Thank you. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. And to give our invocation this morning, the Chair will recognize the Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life congregation. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Domb. I would ask all members and guests to please bow your heads for the invocation.
Honorable Mr. Clarke, Councilman Domb, who extended this invitation, members of the City Council, I'm honored to be present with Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 to offer prayer to open your meeting. I bring greetings from the western part of the Commonwealth to the easternmost part of the Commonwealth. While I have the opportunity to in person, I want to extend the appreciation of all of the Tree of Life family for your strong resolution that occurred after the horrific massacre on October 27, 2018 and for your words of support. The real question is, what is the best type of prayer to offer the Philadelphia City Council, who represents the City of Love? It is Jewish practice to pray three times a day - morning, afternoon, and evening. There are elements of the liturgy found in all three services, with the core being a collection of 19 blessings whereby we pray to God for healing for those who are ill and forgiveness for sin, for example. What is the most telling is Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 seeks. Of all the possible final blessings, what might be the one that culminates this section? The liturgists chose a blessing for peace, because they felt that if one had peace, it covered all of the previous blessings. Most of you might be familiar with the Hebrew word for peace, shalom. The interesting thing about this word is that its root, the source of the word, does not mean peace. Rather it means wholeness or completeness. So how do we get from wholeness or completeness to peace? Simply put, when you feel whole and complete, you are at peace. To greet someone and wish them shalom is indeed the greatest blessing one can bestow upon someone else, for you are wishing them wholeness and completeness. Thus, the prayer that I offer you this morning is my blessing for peace, and I will offer the text found in Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 Grant universal peace with happiness, blessing, grace, love, and mercy for us and for all people. Bless us, our creator, one and all with your light, for you have given us by that light the guide to a life of caring, filled with generosity and contentment, kindness and well-being and peace. May it please you to bless all people in every season and at all times with your gift of peace. Praised are you, oh God, who blesses all people with peace. I wish all of you shalom.
Thank you so much, Rabbi. We really appreciate that spiritual guidance this morning.
Thank you for being here this morning. And our next order of business Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 9, 2021. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 9, 2021 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 9, 2021 stand approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and our Journal is approved. And our next order of business Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the members of Council, there are no requests for leaves of absence today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. And the Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Parker for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council and that were not necessarily listed on the Calendar circulated prior to today's session.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this session of Council and, as required by law, subsequently published on an amended agenda after the consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 reading, the reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a motion to withdraw a bill or resolution that is not on the Calendar, and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that is not listed on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included on the Calendar that was published prior to today's session. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that the legislative matters stated by Councilwoman Parker may be added to the agenda for today, should those matters arise during the course of this Council session. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the motion carries. And our next order of business is communications. And, Mr. Decker, please read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications that you may have in your possession.
From the Mayor to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, pursuant to Sections 4-604 and 2-307 of the Home Rule Charter, I am today transmitting to the Council the recommendation of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill Nos. 210922, 210926, 210930, 210931, 210932, 210933, and 210957. And I am pleased to advise you Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 10 and December 15, 2021, I signed the remaining bills that were passed by Council at its session on December 2, 2021, except Bill No. 210808, which I am returning without my signature; and that on December 15, 2021, I signed Bill Nos. 210771, 210901-A, 210924, and 210925, which were passed by Council at its session on December 9, 2021. And I am transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon situate in the Fifth Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties; and Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 A resolution approving the appointment of Seth Bluestein as City Commissioner, to fill out the unexpired term of a vacant seat in the Office of the City Commissioners, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. And by way of a reminder, we are asking that all resolutions, including privileged resolutions, be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for our next session of Council, unless they are being referred to committee. In our current remote environment, this procedure will provide the appropriate opportunity for public comment. I want to thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation. Mr. Decker, please read the titles of the legislation that's being offered today by our members. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Councilwoman Parker offers, on behalf of Council President Clarke, a resolution calling on Mayor James F. Kenney and his administration to work collaboratively with City Council in the creation of a Local Job Placement Task Force. Mr. President, Councilwoman Parker would like to be recognized for a motion on your behalf on this resolution.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker. (No response.)
I know she was having some challenges on her phone. I believe that -
We're just anticipating a motion for a rules suspension, Mr. President, for Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 consideration today of this resolution?
No. You have to make it, I think. I don't think Mr. Decker can do it.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit immediate consideration of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor of the motion indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
The ayes have it. The motion passes. That resolution will be on today's Calendar.
Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson offers a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to reject House Bills 412, 1332, 1642, and any other legislative initiatives that decrease funding for public schools and further inequities in our educational systems.
Councilwoman, is this the one you're asking for a suspension?
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of this resolution on today's Final Passage Calendar. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and it will be on the Final Passage Calendar.
Councilman Jones offers one bill, entitled "An ordinance establishing no truck or trailer parking regulations on North 60th Street between West Oxford Street and Clifford Terrace, both sides; North 61st Street between West Oxford Street and Clifford Terrace, both sides; and West Columbia Avenue between North 60th Street and North 61st Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 Street, both sides."
Councilman Johnson offers one bill and three resolutions, entitled "An ordinance authorizing encroachments in the nature of a sidewalk cafe in the vicinity of 762 South 10th Street."
And a resolution -- and on behalf of Council President Clarke, a resolution urging the Biden Administration and the United States Department of Justice to finalize a proposed rule that would close a regulatory loophole and require 'ghost gun' kit makers to include serial numbers in firearm kits and require federally licensed firearms dealers to conduct background checks prior to the sale of these firearm kits."
The Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson for a motion.
Yeah. Council President, I move that the rules of Council be suspended for the Inner City Warriors resolution in order to permit consideration for today's Council session. (Duly seconded.)
Councilman Johnson, that was the suspension on the rules on the ghost guns resolution?
Yes, sir. Okay. I'll wait until you read it. I apologize, Council President.
No. I read it. I need you to call for a motion for a suspension of the rules to allow reading today.
So we're voting on the ghost gun bills today? Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Sure, sir. Council President, I move that the rules of Council be suspended so that we can vote on the Biden Administration 'ghost guns' resolution during today's Council session. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution will be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
Councilman Johnson also offers a resolution authorizing the Special Committee on Gun Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 Violence Prevention to conduct hearings to examine our national youth mental health crisis and its role in the ongoing epidemic of gun violence.
That will be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
And Councilman Johnson offers a resolution honoring the Inner City Warriors Youth Football Team for winning the National United Youth Football League 2021 Championship in Plant City, Florida.
Absolutely, Council President. Council President, I move that the rules be suspended for the Inner City Warriors resolution in order to permit consideration at today's Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that will be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
Councilwoman Sanchez offers one bill and one resolution, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 20-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Standards of Conduct and Ethics,' including Section 20-607, entitled 'Conflict of Interest,' and Section 20-610, entitled 'Statement of Financial Interests,' to regulate and restrict the receipt of outside income."
And a resolution calling for the creation of the School District of Philadelphia Building Authority Workgroup. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Councilwoman, are you requesting a suspension or not?
No suspension required. Thank you, Council President.
You said no? Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Next Council session's Calendar.
Councilwoman Gauthier offers one bill and one resolution, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 16-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Surplus Properties,' by adding criteria for evaluating non-competitive dispositions."
And a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless to conduct Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 public hearings to explore the crisis of expiring affordable housing subsidies, the impact of these expirations on the availability of affordable housing in the City of Philadelphia, and the use of the scattered site model to increase the number of available affordable units."
Councilman Thomas offers one resolution, entitled a "Resolution honoring and congratulating champion of the week, John Bartram High School Football team, on their successful 2021 season and winning their first District 12 4A Public League title in 45 years."
Wow. Next week's Calendar. Sorry; next session's Calendar.
Councilman Oh offers one resolution declaring March 25, 2022 as Belarusian Heritage Day in recognition of the contributions of Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 of Philadelphia.
There are no other bills or resolutions being offered today by the members, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes the introduction of bills and resolutions, and our next order of business is reports from committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Green for a report from the Committee on Finance.
Thank you, Council President. The Committee on Finance reports out one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, please read that report. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill No. 210956, entitled "An ordinance signifying the intention of the City of Philadelphia to organize the Philadelphia Public Financial Authority pursuant to authority established under state law, and amending Chapters 20-600 ('Standards of Conduct and Ethics'), 20-1200 ('Lobbying'), and 17-1400 ('Non-Competitively Bid Contracts; Financial Assistance') of The Philadelphia Code to address ethics, contractual and other requirements applicable to the Philadelphia Public Financial Authority, all under certain terms and conditions," respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Thank you, Council President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 210956. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 210956. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. This bill will be placed on the First Reading Calendar today. And our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. I note Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 the bill just reported from committee with suspension of the rules has been deemed to have had its first reading. It will be on its Final Passage at our next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker for a motion concerning the resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the following resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar today. They are Resolution Nos. 210960, 210961, 210991, 210992, 210993, 210994, 210995, 210996, 210997, 210998, 210999, 211000, 211001, 211002, 211003, 211004, 211008, 211009, 211010, 211011, 211012, and 211013. And, Whip Jones, please stay close, because it's coming in and out. Okay? Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the resolutions just read by Councilwoman Parker. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Resolution Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Parker for a motion concerning the bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the following bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Nos. 210689, 210899, 210926, 210782, 210783, 210864, 210629, 210867, 210918, 210919, 210921, 210929, 210930, 210931, 210932, and 210920. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilwoman Parker. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 2ND READING The Chair one more time recognizes Councilwoman Parker for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. In addition to the resolutions and bills being considered on the Consent Agendas, the following resolutions and bills are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Nos. 210692, 210633-A, 210917-A, 210669, and 210923. Mr. President, all other bills and resolutions are being held.
Thank you very much, Councilwoman. So before we proceed, we're going to consider the public comment. We will now take a brief five- to ten-minute recess to give our technology professionals an opportunity to connect our speakers today. Take a brief recess. Thank Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 you. (Short recess.)
Thank you, and good afternoon -- good morning again. We are back. We're going to start our public comment session. So now that everyone is connected to the meeting and before considering the resolutions and bills we have before us today, we will consider our public comment session. It will go as follows: Public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for possible action at a session of Council. A speaker on any of those matters must sign up in order to testify. You must call 215-686-3406 by 3:00 p.m. the day before the session to sign up for public comment. When you call, we will take your name, phone number, the number of Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 the legislative item you are commenting on and whether you are in support of or against the legislation, and add your name to the list. We will then telephone each person of the list during the Council session and invite them to our remote meeting. Today we will have two minutes to speak, so please adjust your testimony to reflect that. We have a significant volume of people today and we want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to be on. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit. So once invited to the meeting and you're asked to begin your testimony, a timer will be started. We will monitor your remaining time throughout your testimony, and when there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, you will be reminded of this. Once your allotted time has passed, you will be asked to conclude Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 your remarks, and shortly thereafter you will be muted and disconnected from the remote meeting. We traditionally reserve the right to limit the number of speakers where repetitious comments are being made on the same subject matter, which could affect callbacks for public comment at the meeting. Please be aware that the public meeting is being recorded. So because the meeting is public, participants and viewers have no reasonable expectation of privacy. So by continuing to be in the meeting, you are consenting to being recorded. I will now ask Mr. Decker to please read the name of our first speaker.
The first speaker we have today is Walt Reeder, commenting on 210999.
Good morning. State your name for the record Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 and please proceed with your testimony.
(Connection issues) -- the BPC. We are the Black Promoter Collective. I'm the talent buyer for the group. We are a national entity of top Black promoters that have gotten together to control and take back our culture in the form of touring Black and urban concerts. I want to thank you for the resolution, and I am also in favor of the bill that has been placed forward. Thank you.
Mr. Reeder, just for the record, just say your name. We didn't get it.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. Just state your name for the Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 record and please proceed with your testimony.
My name is Rida Haq and I'm here to speak on Resolution No. 210995 recognizing my organization, Philadelphia VIP, for its work extending access to justice for 40 years. In a city with a robust private legal sector but also one where an overwhelming percentage of the population lives at or near the poverty level, VIP offers a solution. By leveraging the City's private legal sector for over 40 years, recruiting and training attorneys who volunteer to represent Philadelphians free of charge, VIP has secured over 9,000 volunteer attorneys to benefit over 23,000 Philadelphians and their families during pivotal life moments. This is a mission of empowerment. We support our volunteer community in empowering their neighbors and fighting back against legal threats Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 to their incomes, their housing, both rented and owned, their family stability, and their hard-earned small businesses. On behalf of our Board and staff team, I want to express my gratitude to the community, including Councilmembers and staff on this call, who enable this mission to continue today. Thank you, Councilwoman Parker, for proposing this recognition and for being a thoughtful and committed partner over your many years serving as a bridge between VIP services and your constituents.
Thank you very much for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Sorry. I feel I'm doing this right. My name is Mindy Isser. I'm calling on behalf of the resolution honoring Ron Whitehorn. If anyone has read the text of the resolution, they will see what a wonderful storied big life Ron has lived, and I think the most amazing work that he's done has actually been as a mentor and a friend to so many younger organizers and activists who are just trying to understand how the world works and how to change it, myself included. Earlier this year Ron got into a very, very bad bike accident and for a short while, it was not clear what his recovery would look like, and it was so scary obviously for a number of reasons. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 A friend being sick is obviously very bad, but also the knowledge and wisdom and kindness, the potential for that to be lost was just too much to bear. And so I think so many of us are so happy and grateful that he is doing so well and really grateful to Councilmember Brooks for putting this resolution forward. So I urge all of City Council to support this bill honoring Ron Whitehorn, unless you have been a thorn in his side in his past, in which case it would make sense if you didn't support this bill. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. Just state your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Good morning to all. I hope everybody is doing well. To the Council President, to the members of the Council, the Councilmembers, in particular to those that sponsored Resolution 21096100, good morning, all. My name is JR Reeves. I am proud to serve as the 27th Eastern Regional Director of the mighty Eastern Region of the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. We represent the over 3,500 members of the mighty Eastern Region. We have membership representing the Northeastern corridor, the Mid-Atlantic corridor, as far away as the Caribbean and the Virgin Islands, in Europe, as well as in the motherland and across Ghana and Africa. We are pleased that we are bringing our Eastern Regional Conference to the City of Brotherly Love, to Philadelphia. That will take place March 31st through April 3rd, 2022 in Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 downtown Philadelphia. We espouse the virtues of brotherhood, scholarship, and service, and we are so excited to not just leave these virtues with you, but also to deposit a great deal of money and our spend while we're in Philadelphia.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony and thank you for your work. Appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
This is Brian Bishara. I'm calling about Bill No. 210922. I'm the owner of Fountain Street Auto. It's at the corner of Ridge and Fountain Street. The Councilman, who I respect and I understand where he's coming from, the over-development in Roxborough, he's proposing to change the zoning here, and Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 I feel like that we're being targeted and I don't think this is fair. There is going to be a development next door to our building that is on the lot, the same exact square footage, and they're going to -- they are proposed -- already passed through Zoning to build a six-story building, and they want to decrease our zoning from CM-2.5 to CA-1. We are an auto repair shop. CA-1 is not included for auto repair and that business. We would be grandfathered in, but we don't think it's fair for ourselves and my family that has developed this business for the last 20 years in Philadelphia that we won't be able to sell it, and it will decrease the value of the business due to that reason. We also can only develop 60 percent of the property, when before we could develop 75 percent. So it's a major decrease. And if we ever want to expand the business or make it bigger, we would have to go to Zoning and cost us a Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 lot more money and variance problems. We're trying to avoid that. We just don't understand the theory here. We thought we wanted more affordable housing for Roxborough, and this seems to be kind of contradicting that -- that bill would stop that. If we're looking for more affordable housing, I don't understand why we want to stop the building and, you know, cut down businesses. We got a lot of businesses that are affected by this. They're all a lot of older businesses. A few of them have been here since the '60s and they were getting their zoning changed also. I don't agree with the bill. I do respect the Councilman and the over-development, but I don't think we should be penalized for it, especially us being a corner property and a prime spot in the neighborhood. Thank you.
Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony.
Good morning, Council President Clarke and Councilmembers. My name is Renee Chenault Fattah and I'm here to speak on Resolution 210996, and I want to thank Councilmember Cherelle Parker for introducing this resolution recognizing the Tenth Anniversary of Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, or PLSE. I'm the Executive Director of PLSE, and while I'm new to the organization, PLSE is not new in the arena of social justice and equity. PLSE was founded a decade ago by civil rights attorneys. Many of you in the room know Mike Lee and Ryan Hancock, who went into communities, heard Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 general consensus on the challenge that people were facing around criminal records. These are our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors, people who did something maybe 5, 10, 15 years ago, went to prison, served their time, didn't have any more problems with the law, but were still being kept back from job and education opportunities because of a criminal record. So PLSE was formed to provide legal services around expungements and pardons. This past October we filed our 25,000th expungement petition, and we're closing in on 26,000 by the end of next week. And in the coming year, we've set an ambitious goal of helping Philadelphians file 1,000 pardons. So we're going into communities, providing clinics and information and outreach and intake in the spirit of the community model created by the late Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan, who believed that change happens when Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 it's organic from our communities. So we are working with the faith-based leaders and trusted community organizations to spread the word on the power of pardons and expungement as a way to provide a second chance of better jobs. Jobs always, as we know, an answer to crime and is a way to lift our communities out of poverty. This resolution that you hopefully will pass today helps us spread the word. So on behalf of all of us at PLSE, on behalf of the justice-involved community, of which I am a member, thank you for acknowledging our work. Know that we support and lift the important work you're doing every day. Have a safe and happy holiday and, again, thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Shawn Moss, commenting on 210929. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021
Good morning. State your name for the record. Please proceed with your testimony.
My name is Shawn Moss. I am opposing Ordinance 210929. I am not a special interest or anything. I'm a citizen from District 5, and I oppose this ordinance because for its -number one, it's non-specific, establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of. It should be establishing parking regulations as necessary in the vicinity of these things. Handicap parking regulation I think is fine, but there is already too much parking regulation in the City to begin with. And, number two, I'm not confident that the money accrued from parking meters, electronic meters, or parking violations, for example, will be reinvested into improving the quality of life for Philadelphia. It wasn't that long ago that there was a corruption trial here in Council, and I'm not Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 confident that the funds will be appropriated correctly. That's all.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
Good morning. State your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony.
Ms. Bell, are you still connected? (No response.)