STATED MEETING 1 4/13/2023 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, April 13, 2023 10:41 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY LOZADA COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILWOMAN SHARON VAUGHN MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK STATED MEETING 2 4/13/2023
Good morning, everyone. We're going to get started. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes my good friend and my spiritual advisor, the Reverend John Roberts, Pastor Emeritus of Garden Prayer Church. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Harrity. I would ask all members and guests to please rise. (Councilmembers and guests rise.)
Let us pray. Our Father, first of all, we want to thank you, for not only did you wake us up but you helped us to get up. We were able to bathe ourselves without any assistance, brought us safely here this morning, and we take time to say thank you. I pray now that you would be with us on today. We pray for everyone under the sound of my voice. We ask you, STATED MEETING 3 4/13/2023 oh, Lord, that you will continue to bless in this city, for this city, which has been known as Brotherly Love, has somehow turned into brotherly blood. We're asking now that you would watch over our young people. Protect them and keep them safe from hurt, harm, and danger. We pray that you would bless our families that are going to work. Watch over them and keep them safe. We pray for the leaders of this great City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. You said in your word that when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people mourn. We ask, God, that you would take away the mourning that we have been shedding and the tears that have been falling. We pray now for the great leaders of this great city that you will lead them and guide them into all truth. STATED MEETING 4 4/13/2023 may be able to bless us and give us what we need. We pray now for the law enforcement of this great city, but I ask you that you would let an angel, not the ones from New York but angels from heaven, to come down and watch over us, protect us, and keep us. Now, Lord, you bless us as we stand before you now. We ask that you will continue to be with us, lead us, guide us into all truth. And those, oh, God, who are in leadership of this city, give them wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in what to do, how to do, when to do, where to do. We ask for your guidance, and we ask this in Jesus' name, and as always, Lord, thank you for listening. And all God's people said, amen. (Amen.)
Thank you so much, Pastor. We really STATED MEETING 5 4/13/2023 being here today. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you. Thank you again, Pastor. We really appreciate you. Our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, March 30th, 2023, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, March 30th, 2023 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, March 30th, 2023 stand approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 6 4/13/2023
The ayes have it, and our Journal is approved. And our next order of business is request for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of members of Council, there is a request for leave of absence today by Member Brooks.
Thank you. Let the record reflect that Councilwoman Brooks is granted a leave of absence. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council that were not listed and circulated prior to today's session. STATED MEETING 7 4/13/2023
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 reading, the reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, amendments to bills 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, 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 provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included in the Calendar STATED MEETING 8 4/13/2023 to today's session. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that the legislative matters stated by Councilman Squilla may be added to the agenda for today, should those matters arise during the course of the session. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the motion is approved. Our next order of business is communications, and the Chair recognizes the Chief Clerk to please read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications that he may have in his possession today. STATED MEETING 9 4/13/2023
From the Mayor to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on April 12, 2023, I signed the remaining bills which were passed by Council at its session on March 23, 2023, and that on April 12, 2023, I signed all of the bills which were passed by Council at its session on March 30, 2023, 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; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2032 East Boston Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the STATED MEETING 10 4/13/2023 Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3418, 3420, and 3422 Kensington Avenue located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1736 North 22nd Street in the Fifth Councilmanic district; and A resolution recognizing the appointment of Albert W. Newman to the Veterans Advisory Commission, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. And our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and I would ask the Clerk to please read the titles of the legislation that's being offered today by our members.
Councilman STATED MEETING 11 4/13/2023 Phillips offers one bill and one resolution, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 9-105 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Penalties,' and Chapter 9-4400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Responsible Business Operations,' to further define nuisance businesses, provide for additional enforcement and penalties."
And a privileged resolution authorizing City Council to hold hearings to investigate Philadelphia's emergency management practices and the City's overall preparedness when facing credible threats to our drinking water. Mr. President, Councilman Phillips would like to be recognized.
Today's Calendar. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Phillips. STATED MEETING 12 4/13/2023
Good morning, Council colleagues and viewing members of the public. Today I've introduced two pieces of legislation. The first will revamp how the City enforces nuisance business regulations. We wrote this bill in coordination with the Department of License and Inspections, the Police Department, and the Health Department and the Department of Commerce, who all support this initiative. Among several things, this bill builds off of the regulatory structure originally established by Councilmember Cindy Bass by holding business owners accountable for nuisance behavior regardless of whether the conduct took place during operating hours, because much of it occurs after hours, creating a reasonable threshold for being labeled a nuisance business, allowing both the Police Department and L&I to issue intent to cease operations notices and STATED MEETING 13 4/13/2023 increasing the current $300 fine for repeat nuisance violations to a $2,000 fine for repeat nuisance violations. I want to thank and acknowledge my predecessor and mentor, former Councilmember Cherelle Parker, for having started the work on this vital issue. When Cherelle Parker was in this Chamber leading the fight to crack down on nuisance businesses, she thought about our neighbors. From day one, she has always been a champion of community issues, and I thank her for setting the standard for addressing nuisance businesses. I know personally the importance of cracking down on nuisance businesses. I get countless calls from neighbors about the proliferation of nuisance activities in our communities. It has to stop. It has to stop today. We have to get tough on the enforcement of nuisance business regulations to maintain the beautification of our STATED MEETING 14 4/13/2023 communities, which is why I'm introducing this legislation enabling the City departments to more quickly and efficiently shut down bad actor businesses that plague our neighborhoods. I look forward to seeing this bill through final passage. I also want to thank my colleagues, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Councilwoman Lozada, Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson, who have all worked hard on this issue, and they are co-introducing this bill with me so we are a collective in working on this together. Secondly, I've introduced a resolution addressing the recent threat to our water supply. As we all remember, the City's response to the chemical spill fostered confusion, panic, chaos, and tarnished public trust and the safety of our city's water supply. As such, a public hearing is necessary to investigate the Administration's emergency management practices and the STATED MEETING 15 4/13/2023 City's overall preparedness for threats to our water supply. Philadelphians must have confidence that the City's public officials are prepared to offer protection from environmental harm. I look forward to having hearings on this matter and engaging with the Administration to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Thank you, Council President.
Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson offers a privileged resolution recognizing and supporting the health and wellness of Black mamas and birthing people by acknowledging April 11 through 17, 2023, as "Black Maternal Health Week" in the City of Philadelphia.
Councilman Thomas offers two resolutions, a privileged STATED MEETING 16 4/13/2023 resolution honoring and congratulating Champions of the Week, the students of Lankenau High School, for their valuable work studying the environmental impact of mussels and working to increase the mussel population in the Schuylkill River.
Thank you, Council President. Good morning. First, I want to thank my colleague and co-introducer of this legislation, Councilmember Jones. Both of us, thanks to the good work of the teachers and students in Lankenau, have more work to do after them visiting today and letting us know other things they need to continue the good work, but we have a bunch of scientists that's here from Lankenau who have begun their journey early to try to explore some of the biggest problems that we have, not just as a city but as an entire -- STATED MEETING 17 4/13/2023 actually throughout the entire world based on what they've been able to do to help clean water. Can we give -- I mean, can the students and teachers who are here from Lankenau please stand up so we can recognize them. (Applause.)
The teachers are Cynthia and Matthew. So thank you to their teachers. The young people, Jovan, Alex Morris, and I'm going to say Ms. Davies, because I don't want to say the first name wrong. Thank you all for being here. Thank you for what you're doing as it relates to our water. These young scientists are putting themselves in a position to maximize their talent. And at the end of the day, one of the things that we've been screaming about in City Council in STATED MEETING 18 4/13/2023 budget hearings specifically is valuing out-of-school-time-based initiatives and making sure young people have things to do after school and in the summertime, and this is a great example of that. So can we give them another round of applause and thank these young people for the great work they're doing. (Applause.)
And a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services for their collaborative commitment to bring healing and justice to victims of child abuse in Philadelphia and declaring April 2023 to be Childhood Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes STATED MEETING 19 4/13/2023 Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. You can see I'm a team player. This resolution was introduced with my colleague Councilmember Lozada, who I just want to take a moment to say has been on point since she's come into City Council as it relates to advocating for our children, and we've done a number of things together and this is just another example. We have the leadership from the Philadelphia Children's Alliance here, and of course they're located in the Seventh Councilmanic District in the City of Philadelphia. And it's an honor to declare April Child Abuse Prevention Month based on the work that they do to advocate, serve, and to help our children here in the City of Philadelphia, and we'll hear from them at some point throughout the course of our Council session, but if the leadership of the STATED MEETING 20 4/13/2023 Philadelphia Children's Alliance can please stand up so we can honor them and give them a round of applause as well too. (Applause.)
Our children spent two years in the house because of the pandemic, and we know that there are a number of issues facing young people currently right now, and the great work that they're doing helps put us in a position to prevent some of the problems that we see happening across the City of Philadelphia. So thank you, Council President, and of course thank you to all of my colleagues for supporting our children the way that we continue to do as a legislative body.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes STATED MEETING 21 4/13/2023 Councilwoman Lozada.
Thank you, Council President. I just want to say thank you to my colleague Councilman Thomas for recognizing this organization that is in the Seventh Council District, and I appreciate all of the work that they do to keep young people safe, especially in a time like the one that we're living in today in our city. And so I'm grateful for all of the work, looking forward to continue partnerships and to the work that can be done to protect our young people.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Those will be on today's Calendar.
Councilman Jones offers one bill and six resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance establishing parking regulations on both sides of North STATED MEETING 22 4/13/2023 Carlisle Street, between West Girard Avenue and Poplar Street; and A non-privileged resolution recognizing the appointment of Albert W. Newman to the Veterans Advisory Commission; and A non-privileged resolution appointing Councilmember Mike Driscoll to the Philadelphia Gas Commission; and A non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1736 North 22nd Street in the Fifth Councilmanic District.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
And on his own STATED MEETING 23 4/13/2023 behalf, Councilman Jones offers a non-privileged resolution calling on the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania State Senate to pass House Bill 776 prohibiting untraceable firearms and HB 777 banning "ghost gun" parts.
Thank you. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I remember you and my colleague, Member Johnson, taking our day off going up to Oaksville [sic] and walking into a gun show. We walked in there and literally were overwhelmed by the number of tables, the number of firearms, the types of people that were buying them and possibly just walking to the parking lot and selling them. One of the booths actually had parts to ghost guns, and my colleague, Chair of Special Committee on Gun STATED MEETING 24 4/13/2023 Violence, has been a staunch opponent of those types of guns. What I believe is this legislation now makes the parts of an unassembled ghost gun have to be registered and adds another level of difficulty on people on our streets reaping mayhem with these untraceable guns. So I think and want to thank our colleagues and partners at the state level for hearing us here in these Chambers who have to deal with it on a day-to-day basis. So we want to thank them for pushing for this type of registration on the parts that create those ghost guns that create the havoc in our city. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. Those resolutions will be on next week's Calendar.
Councilman Jones STATED MEETING 25 4/13/2023 also offers a non-privileged resolution also naming 60th Street between Market Street and Arch Street as "E. Paul Sandidge Way."
And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Law and Government to hold public hearings examining the rate of judgments in small claims court.
Councilman Johnson offers two bills and two resolutions, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 2 of an Ordinance (Bill No. 200578) approved January 20, 2021, entitled 'An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 46-S by striking from the City Plan and vacating Penrose Ferry Road from Penrose Avenue to its terminus northeastwardly therefrom.'" STATED MEETING 26 4/13/2023
And an ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Camac Street and Johnston Street.
And a non-privileged resolution also naming the 2100 block of Federal Street "Claudia Smith Sherrod Way."
And a non-privileged resolution also naming the 1500 block of Wharton Street "James Mtume Way."
Councilwoman Gauthier offers one bill and three resolutions, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking STATED MEETING 27 4/13/2023 regulation in the vicinity of North 51st Street and Brown Street.
And a privileged resolution designating April 9, 2023 "Paul Robeson Day" to honor occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birth of actor, singer, lawyer, scholar and activist Paul L. Robeson, Esquire.
And a privileged resolution honoring and congratulating Paul Robeson High School for Human Services student Alyssa Perren on her historic admission to Harvard University and wishing her luck on future endeavors.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Housing STATED MEETING 28 4/13/2023 Authority a deed conveying fee simple title to 1 through 49 Rudy Robinson Way in the Third Councilmanic District.
Thank you. Next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Council President. I'd like to take a moment of personal privilege to acknowledge my guests here today. First, we have the Paul Robeson House who is here to celebrate Paul Robeson's 125th birthday. Can you please stand up and be recognized. (Applause.)
We are also hosting Alyssa Perren today and Principal Gordon of Paul Robeson High to celebrate Alyssa's historic acceptance into Harvard University. STATED MEETING 29 4/13/2023 Please stand up. (Applause.)
And, finally, I'd like to welcome DeWayne Drummond of the Philadelphia School District and also a community leader at Mantua, and he is here with the Philadelphia School District Head Start Policy Council, who are here to see how our Council works. Can you all stand up and be recognized. (Applause.)
So I'm very honored to have so many wonderful folks from West Philly here today. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 30 4/13/2023 Phillips.
I just want to quickly say that I am, as a former educator also and college access director, I'm very proud of the work that Paul Robeson has been doing at the high school, particularly Principal Gordon. Every time I meet a student from Paul Robeson when I worked with young people, they always talk about how Principal Gordon is the man. And so I want to say thank you for all the work that you have done, and also, young lady, go to Harvard, do well and make a difference there, and looking forward to your success and hearing how you can come back to Philadelphia and make contributions to your community. So thanks a lot. Riley Jones is back there, a good friend of mine. Shout-out to the Paul Robeson House for all the work that they're doing. We need to continue to support them. STATED MEETING 31 4/13/2023 And I also want to thank our Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier for making this acknowledgement. It's really important that we do those things. Thank you.
Councilman Driscoll offers an ordinance to approve a major amendment to the Holy Family University Master Plan related to the Welcome Center and an athletic field structure in the area bounded by Grant Avenue, Frankford Avenue, Carteret Drive, Saint Denis Drive (extended), the Poquessing Creek, and the Delaware Expressway.
And an ordinance establishing parking restrictions for STATED MEETING 32 4/13/2023 certain commercial vehicles in the vicinity of Erdrick Street from Princeton Avenue to Tyson Avenue.
Councilman Squilla offers two resolutions, a privileged resolution recognizing Bob Smith for his standout career as a vital link between Comcast NBCUniversal and the Philadelphia non-profit community.
And a privileged resolution proclaiming May 9, 2023 as "Kiyoshi Kuromiya" day in Philadelphia for his contributions to civil rights and struggles of African Americans, the LGBTQ community, and those affected by HIV and AIDS.
There are no other bills or resolutions being offered STATED MEETING 33 4/13/2023 members, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. And our next order of business is reports from committee, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a report from the Committee on Appropriations.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Appropriations offers one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee on Appropriations, to which was referred Bill No. 230150, entitled "An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2023 from the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, and STATED MEETING 34 4/13/2023 Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, to the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Hotel Room Rental Tax Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions," respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Bill No. 230150 will be placed on our First Reading Calendar at our next session of Council. And that concludes our report from committee, and our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. There are no bills on the First Reading Calendar, so the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of STATED MEETING 35 4/13/2023 2ND READING calling up resolutions and bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you again, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up from Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 230254, 230255, 230034-A, 230009-A, 230007, and 230107. All other bills and resolutions are being held.
Thank you very much, Councilman. So before we consider these resolutions and bills, we will have our public comment session. Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for possible action at today's session. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up, you may do so now at the Sergeant-at-Arms' table outside of the Council Chambers. Once you have STATED MEETING 36 4/13/2023 signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet. Today we have a significant number, but we're going to do three minutes today. You will have three minutes to testify, but from time to time, that time may vary based on the volume of individuals that are speaking so we can ensure that everybody has an opportunity to speak in a timely way. When you begin speaking, you will see a green light on the podium. When there are 30 seconds remaining on that device, you will start concluding your remarks. When the light turns red, we'd ask that you please adhere to our guidelines and conclude your remarks. I want to thank you very much. And, Mr. Decker, can you call the first name on the list.
Hold STATED MEETING 37 4/13/2023 on, Mr. Decker. Councilwoman, did your mic not...
Yes. Thank you, Council President. I was seeking acknowledgment, but today I wanted to recognize the presence of young people who I met last year here in City Hall from Fridays for the Future Philadelphia. They are organizing around climate, Aaron Young, Noah Fore, and Clara Hinsley, and I just wanted to welcome them before public comment. Thank you, Council President.
The first speaker today is Queen Judith Robinson, STATED MEETING 38 4/13/2023 commenting on 221015 and 220865.
The next speaker is Janice Sykes Ross, commenting on 230290. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Janice Sykes Ross and I am proud to serve as the Executive Director of the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, which operates and manages the Paul Robeson House and Museum. From April the 8th to April the 15th and across three major cities in STATED MEETING 39 4/13/2023 the United States - in Philadelphia, Harlem, New York, and in Princeton, New Jersey - we have collaborated to celebrate the 125th birthday of Paul Leroy Robeson. Robeson was not just an actor and a singer, he was a civil rights activist, long before we even heard about civil rights and long before it was safe to be an activist. We are grateful that Philadelphia City Council is recognizing him today by creating a day in honor of this great renaissance man. We hope that our federal officials will follow suit -you know, Philadelphia is always the first -- and create a national holiday for Mr. Robeson, because he is more than deserving of this honor. We invite members of Council to join us tomorrow for the street renaming -- and thank you so much for passing that resolution -- outside of the Paul Robeson House and Museum at 50th and STATED MEETING 40 4/13/2023 Walnut as well as a reception and panel discussion at the historic Belmont Mansion on Friday evening, following a gala at the Annenberg Center on Saturday, April the 15th, which is our closing gala. Ms. Michael's sentiments -well, Ms. Michael was supposed to go first, but she's going to say that we thank you wholeheartedly for and appreciate Councilwoman Gauthier and all members of City Council who are supporting this resolution. We're thanking you in advance.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Vernoca Michael, commenting on 230290. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. I'm Vernoca Michael, past Executive Director of the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. It's a pleasure to be here today as we recognize the legacy of the great Paul L. Robeson, Esquire, a man that I grew up with and I called Uncle Paul, a man who is an actor, singer, et cetera. The Michael and Robeson families were an extended family, which shared a bond that has never been broken. Paul's brother and my father were called the twins in the family. So it was great to have an opportunity to live across the street from Aunt Marian and Uncle Paul. My job while attending Penn was to be his niece, who spent intimate times with him, who drove him around and sometimes just sat there and talked about life's lessons. My mother, Elizabeth Michael, a former concert artist, sang with him, and my father, the Reverend Dr. E. Rachel STATED MEETING 42 4/13/2023 Michael, was his brother and special confidant. Little did I know nearly 50 years ago that I would have an opportunity to be the Executive Director of the Paul Robeson House following its founder and first executive Frances P. Aulston. One of her great attributes was looking toward the future. And so today we thank City Council that we have waited seven years today for this event. Thank you for recognizing my Uncle Paul for the great man that he was in this world and the legacy he left behind, naming April 9th Paul Robeson Day for the world to know that Philadelphia, Pennsylvania loved him. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker STATED MEETING 43 4/13/2023 is Riley Jones, commenting on 230290. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Riley Jones, IV. As a young African American attorney who travels across the country for work, it's my honor to volunteer my time and talent here as a Board member of the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, which has the awesome responsibility of overseeing the Paul Robeson House and Museum, which at one point was the home of Paul and his sister. We recently received a $1 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in support of Paul's 125th birthday. Yes, please. (Applause.)
And the West STATED MEETING 44 4/13/2023 Philadelphia Cultural Alliance was established in 1984 to stimulate community participation in the arts by cultivating an interest and an understanding of and an appreciation for the arts in the greater Philadelphia region. It grew out of a City of Philadelphia initiative to assess the cultural needs of neighborhoods and was led by our founder, Frances P. Aulston. It's important that we not only preserve the cultural arts in our city but that we also take time to recognize the City's rich history and the many men and women who have contributed to it. Paul Robeson was and remains a giant figure in American and international history for the many contributions and sacrifices he made to help others. He used his voice not only to act and to sing but to serve as a tireless activist for civil and equal rights, something we're still fighting for today. STATED MEETING 45 4/13/2023 And so on behalf of the Board of Directors of WPCA, we would like to thank Councilwoman Gauthier for inviting us, and a special hello to my good friend Councilmember Phillips for having us here today in support of the resolution to rename Paul Robeson Way. So thank you very much for your time.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Adam Nagel. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Council President. My name is Adam Nagel. I am here today to speak on the resolution introduced by Councilmember Phillips. STATED MEETING 46 4/13/2023 I am the Campaign Manager for PennFuture in the City of Philadelphia and I am here today to provide remarks in support of that resolution. PennFuture is the statewide environmental advocacy non-profit. We are leading the transition to a clean energy economy in Pennsylvania and beyond. We are protecting our air, water, and land and empowering citizens to build sustainable communities for future generations. Philadelphia's drinking water supply faced incredible threat on the night of March 24th, 2023. More than 8,000 gallons of toxic chemicals were spilled into Otter Creek, which endangered the drinking water provided to Philadelphia by the Delaware River. This was not the first time that this chemical plant had contaminated the land or water around which it operates, but this incident represented the gravest threat to one of our most precious natural STATED MEETING 47 4/13/2023 resources and the residents of Philadelphia. Based on reporting surrounding the incident and the immediate aftermath, it appears that the systems put in place to handle these emergencies worked as they should. Notification was provided to the proper authorities and to impacted water utility systems so that all parties could begin to assess and manage the danger presented by the toxic chemical spill. We know that staff at the Philadelphia Water Department worked quickly to do just that. However, as we all know from our experience in the days that followed and as the resolution makes clear, residents were ultimately failed by members at the highest level of City government and were not adequately prepared for this credible threat due to delayed notice, confusing directives, and a failure to communicate properly or at all with Philadelphians who speak STATED MEETING 48 4/13/2023 languages other than English. Philadelphia City Council must take this necessary action so that we can learn from this episode and better prepare ourselves for a future potential threat. A hearing is necessary so that the public can be provided the detailed timeline of events, establishing the actions taken, and the decisions made by the Administration from the time it was notified of the toxic spill to the public briefing that took place on March 26th. A hearing is necessary so that the public can learn why most of us, if not all of us, were not aware of the threat to our drinking water until only hours before the Administration advised that we might want to consider switching to bottled water. A hearing is necessary so that the public can learn what progress has been made to ensure that all of us receive timely information that may STATED MEETING 49 4/13/2023 impact our health and safety regardless of the language that we speak. Most importantly, a hearing is necessary to begin to reverse the latest damage done to public confidence in our water supply. It is an unfortunate reality that many Philadelphians do not drink their tap water, and many have not done so for years. Despite the tireless work of the Philadelphia Water Department, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and community members, too many of us still do not trust that the water we are drinking is clean. The Administration's response to the toxic chemical spill made it that much more difficult for residents to trust their tap water, and undid the work that has been done through initiatives like Drink Philly Tap. I urge the adoption of the resolution and that City Council move with all possible speed to assign a STATED MEETING 50 4/13/2023 committee to the important task of holding a hearing on this matter. Thank you.
The next speaker is Grand Worthy Matron Paulette V. Askew. (Witnesses approached podium.)
My name is Dr. Stanley J. Jones, Jr., and I am the 53rd Grand Worthy Patron of Deborah Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, Incorporated, Prince Hall adopted, for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and it is now my due diligence and so my honor and pleasure to present to some and STATED MEETING 51 4/13/2023 introduce to others the 53rd Grand Worthy Matron of Deborah Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Incorporated, Prince Hall adopted, for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Sister Paulette Virginia Askew. Will all members please rise. (Applause.) GRAND WORTHY MATRON ASKEW: Thank you. You may be seated. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Good morning. Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. Good morning, City Council members and guests. My name is Paulette V. Askew, No. 39, and I bring you greetings as the 53rd Grand Worthy Matron of Deborah Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, Incorporated, Prince Hall adopted, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, STATED MEETING 52 4/13/2023 where our theme for this administration is HUGS, Help Us Grow Stronger, and my motto is Wisdom is the Proper Use of Knowledge. It is truly an honor and a privilege to be here with you all this morning. Thank you, special thanks to Sister Alice Harris. We are here to present Certificates of Appreciation to the City Council women of Philadelphia. I will read the first certificate with the name, for all the certificates say the same thing, but the first one will be given to, Certificate of Appreciation presented to Jamie Gauthier, District 3, in appreciation of your untiring efforts regarding the City of Philadelphia. (Applause.) GRAND WORTHY MATRON ASKEW: Your commitment to excellence deserves to STATED MEETING 53 4/13/2023 be recognized and celebrated. May God continue to bless you as you continue to support its endeavors. Paulette V. Askew, No. 39, Grand Worthy Matron, and Dr. Stanley J. Jones, Jr., Grand Worthy Patron. This is her certificate.
Thank you. GRAND WORTHY MATRON ASKEW: Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Richard Gordon. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, City Council. Thank you for having me. I am STATED MEETING 54 4/13/2023 Richard Gordon. I'm the proud Principal of Paul Robeson High School. I am Philadelphia's first, and only, State and National Principal of the Year. (Applause.)
I have been named National Principal of the Year by three different organizations, so that's three times, because I've had the pleasure for the last ten years to have been the principal of some amazing students. And so I'm here to just say thank you. Over the course of ten years, I've had the opportunity to work with a population that's 100 percent minority, 95 percent African American, 85 percent living below the poverty line, and yet we still are one of the top, if not the top, academic growth schools in the entire City of Philadelphia. We do see ourselves as one of the best. And today we've had the pleasure of having a STATED MEETING 55 4/13/2023 resolution submitted by Jamie Gauthier -thank you so much -- to honor one of our amazing students who is going to Harvard University, Alyssa Perren. And so Alyssa is always -Alyssa, stand up, come on. (Applause.)
So Alyssa Perren has always been an amazing student, has been on honor roll ever since the day she walked in the door at Paul Robeson High School, but more than that, she represents the amazing work that's happening at Paul Robeson High School, because she's sitting with her friends and every single person that's sitting over there is going to a four-year college and many of which on scholarship. (Applause.)
Every year we get STATED MEETING 56 4/13/2023 the opportunity to celebrate a 95 percent graduation rate, because our students are dedicated to their education. And so this process for me started just ten years ago back even when I was at a previous school when the Council President supported me at a previous school, and we went through the hardship of watching the school close. And then now even after all those years, to be here sitting in front of you at a school that should not be existing at this point because it was about to close and to have amazing students dedicate themselves to turn it around to be one of the best in the City and to have a national profile, the only thing I can do here today is say thank you to this body for always over the course of the last ten years celebrating us, which is evident not just by our presence here today but by the nine, I repeat, nine citations and two resolutions that you guys have bestowed on our school over the STATED MEETING 57 4/13/2023 course of the last ten years. So on behalf of the families, the students, and the staff members of Paul Robeson High School, I say thank you to this entire body. I say a special thanks to Jamie Gauthier for this amazing honor, and thank you for honoring my students, because they are certainly some of the most hardworking students in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Lynn Landes, commenting on 210913. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Lynn Landes of HealthAlertPhilly.org. I support STATED MEETING 58 4/13/2023 Resolution 210913. However, as the City continues to require COVID vaccines of City employees and other groups, why hasn't City Council at least conducted public hearings into the public health impact of COVID vaccines? In Florida, the Supreme Court has authorized a grand jury to investigate COVID vaccine manufacturers and other involved organizations. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania and other states have proposed legislation to place defibrillators in every school. Perhaps that's because an increased incidence of sudden cardiac arrest among teens. Myocarditis and pericarditis, along with other dangerous and deadly reactions, are listed in the FDA-required COVID vaccine package inserts. The CDC does its best to downplay the devastating health effects of COVID vaccination, but some statistics are hard to hide. The Society of Actuaries released its excess death numbers for STATED MEETING 59 4/13/2023 December 2022. They found a stunning 43 percent increase in excess deaths for those under age 45. The Vaccine Damage Project has conservatively estimated that due to the COVID vaccine rollout in 2021, at least 26.6 million individuals between the ages of 16 and 64 have been injured, 1.36 million individuals became severely disabled, and 310,000 excess deaths have occurred. And although COVID vaccines are particularly dangerous, they are similar to all FDA-approved vaccines in that they have not been tested for their potential to, one, cause cancer; two, damage DNA; or, three, impair fertility, as admitted in Section 13 of every vaccine package insert. In my hand I have a 27-page insert -
Ms. Landes, Ms. Landes, we're not going to do that today. Come on. Listen -- STATED MEETING 60 4/13/2023
Ms. Landes, you sign up to testify about a bill and you come in with this every week.
If you send a letter, request a hearing on COVID-19. We're not -- that's not what you signed up for.
Send a letter and ask for a hearing on COVID-19. Okay?
No. If you want to talk about the bill that you signed up for, please do so, but you keep testing us -
Ms. Landes, we're not talking about -- if you want to talk about COVID-19, send a letter and ask for a request or a hearing about COVID-19, but don't sign up for another bill and not testify on that bill.
No. This is a hearing about a bill that's on the Calendar today. That's not on the Calendar today. Okay?
It's like every week we have to go through this with you. Thank you.
The next speaker is Benita Williams. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Council President, Council. My name is Benita Williams and I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Children's Alliance. We're here today to thank Councilman Isaiah Thomas and Councilwoman Lozada for introducing the resolution for PCA. PCA is located in the Frankford section of Philadelphia and is the only child advocacy center located in the City. We are uniquely co-located with the Special Victims Unit of the Philadelphia Police Department as well as the Special Investigations Unit of DHS. We also have a medical clinic on site where children can be examined who have been impacted by child sexual abuse. The clinic is manned by CHOP and Saint Chris, and we could not do this work without our partners there. Last year we served over 2,000 children in the City of Philadelphia who STATED MEETING 63 4/13/2023 have been impacted by child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse. We provide forensic interviewing services, victim support services, therapy, and medical examinations on site. We are a one-stop shop for children so they do not have to be re-traumatized over and over again by multiple interviews by multiple professionals. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. We must work together as a community to bring awareness to child abuse and child sexual abuse. These children do not ask to come here, and so it is our duty as a community to protect them. Again, thank you for this resolution and City Council for all that you do to support PCA. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 64 4/13/2023
The next speaker is Mama Gail Clouden, commenting on 221015. (Witness approached podium.)
Good day, everybody. Peace and love. I awakened a few days ago. I was out of town, and I awakened after getting messages 4 o'clock in the morning. Those messages were for you all that are here in City Council. I had time to cry and release. Some of you have taken these seats, not knowing just how corrupt things are and were in this holy city called Philadelphia. In 2015, the United Nations declared that it was the decade of descendents of those people, us, our ancestors, that have been brought across STATED MEETING 65 4/13/2023 the Atlantic Ocean through the slave trade, us, the descendents. All over the world after that announcement was made that it was our decade, it seemed that incredible fear came across the globe. How would we get our reparations was what I felt was going on. Then in Philadelphia, one of my friends, mentor, and good friend, Master Hidale Izomoto (ph), said to me, there's a micro and a macro. And I realized every time I was at the UN and came home to Philadelphia, this was the micro, that that was the macro. And there were meetings here in Philadelphia about the 2035 Plan and I sat in where citizens were summoned to be manipulated and asked questions about their needs for their community, how they could be better, while never being told that those questions being asked were for the replacement neighbors. The people have a right to know that the City of Philadelphia is a whole STATED MEETING 66 4/13/2023 city that sits on a lot of water. They have a right to know that there isn't the kind of infrastructure needed for the greed that's being heaped on it by those of you and them, the greedy developers and others. I'm asking you, City Councilpeople, to come out of your fear, come out of -- come out with courage and do the right thing for the people of Philadelphia, the families that have given the most and have the least. Generations have suffered enough after building this city, this country. Enough is enough. The bill has been changed several times, and I didn't even look at it this time. The thought of a ten-year abatement being given to developers that don't need it, while each time we hear about these different situations where something is going to be given to the little people, it's only a trickling effect, and I just want to say to you, STATED MEETING 67 4/13/2023 our communities deserve more. From the ancestors to today, our communities deserve better, and I'm asking you to please step up in courage. I've heard people say the unions, the unions, the unions. Let me say something to you. On this day, Thursday, April the 13th, 2023, the day of our Lord, I stand here, I decree, I claim, and I declare enough is enough. Our people deserve better. You all have the ability to make that so.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Horace Clouden, commenting on 221015. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Horace Clouden. You know, we talk about tax abatements for the next ten years. For the next ten years, I will be paying a minimum of $30,000, you know, making my property not affordable. Is this an ordinance that would take tax dollars away from the School District? Well, the last time the School District gave a tax abatement, it was for $13 million, you know, and now they're asking City Council for an additional $318 million. Stop with these tax abatements. Make everybody pay their fair share. I'm sure the developers are getting a break on the land and will be making money at the same time. Again, my taxes have been increased over 100 percent, and I'm STATED MEETING 69 4/13/2023 waiting for the opinion of one person if it should remain the same. Stop believing that the School District is underfunded by how they are spending the money. There is a fair funding formula within the School District, who chooses to educate a select group. And I'd like to end with this: Paul Robeson was here. Paul Robeson High School might not have been here if it wasn't for the Clouden family back in 2012, 2013, because we testified at every School Board meeting to keep Paul Robeson open. Plus we gave the data to support why they should keep it open. And guess what? They kept it open because of the Clouden family. That's what we do. We are for all the children, and here again, we have an issue on the table dealing with these pools. The District wants to open one pool, but we say they can open all five pools, but yet they don't invite the STATED MEETING 70 4/13/2023 community to the table. So thank you for listening to me.
The next speaker is Leah Clouden, commenting on 221015. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. I'm Leah Clouden. So as I move about this city in frustration, you know, just looking at everything in this abatement, to not allow these companies not to pay their fair share, you have taxed the property owners over 100 percent in West Philadelphia. I don't even know if it's all over the City, but it seems that West Philadelphia is designated for something, STATED MEETING 71 4/13/2023 but it is not the residents of West Philadelphia. I watch these buildings go up on lands that once housed like two-story buildings, maybe three-story, and now we see that they're building twice as high as the property that used to stand on that lot. We see that they're building into the backyards. So even if you allow these companies to give 10 percent of their property or their units as low-income homes is insane, because they're making more than 100 percent just because they build everything double. Also, with the infrastructure, you talk about the pipes are over 100 years, but you're trying to tax the people -- or not to tax them, but charge the people to replace these pipes, but you have these companies that come in that also build that's going to put much, much more stress on the pipes, on the electricity, everything. Not only that, STATED MEETING 72 4/13/2023 they bring their vehicles. So now we have to deal with pollution. You talk about solar power, and then with their buildings that are going up much higher than the two-story homes that are on that block, now you're blocking the sun. Now you're changing our skylight. This has to stop. If they're going to build, charge them. No abatement. Charge them, just like you're charging the residents. Either that or you're aggressively trying to replace the residents. A replacement society. It has to stop. Thank you.
The next speaker is Ogbonna Hagins, commenting on 230255. (Witness approached podium.)
Great morning, everyone. I would like to thank Councilwoman Vaughn for this particular resolution calling for the United States Congress to pass the Sergeant Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sergeant Joseph H. Maddox G.I. Bill Resolution Act. According to scholars, 28 percent of white veterans went to college on the G.I. Bill while only 12 percent of Afro Americans went on the G.I. Bill. This bill that is before our Congress is something that is definitely well overdue. If it were me in one of these Council seats, however, I would deal with reparations and the discriminatory practices of this city. There's a lot of crime and there's a lot of violence, primarily in the Afro American community, and from where I'm sitting, it's as a result of poverty, and that poverty came from no STATED MEETING 74 4/13/2023 generational wealth for the Afro American. So, yes, let's deal with Congress and let's agree and pass a resolution on that, but let's do something right here in the City of Philadelphia for the Afro American. There is an Office of Immigrant Affairs in City Hall here. There's an Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Where is the Office of Afro American Affairs? We need an office to deal with the many problems in this City of Philadelphia. If it were me in one of these seats as a Councilperson, that would be one of the first things that I would address, because you're playing games when you're creating all of these non-profit organizations or all these non-profit organizations are being funded and we're not dealing with the -- to stop violence. These organizations were funded who are dealing with violence, but we're not dealing with the major culprit STATED MEETING 75 4/13/2023 of violence and crime in our city, and that is poverty. So I'm calling for -- like I said, I thank Councilwoman Vaughn for the resolution, but we need to deal with the main issue in this city, which is poverty, primarily amongst the Afro Americans. Have a great day. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Mike Africa, Jr. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Mike Africa, Jr. Thank you for having me. So I'm sure a lot of you have heard about my family. I come from a STATED MEETING 76 4/13/2023 very complicated family with a very complicated history called the MOVE organization. Right now for some reason people have kind of deemed me in the leadership position of the organization for some reason. I don't know why. But I do know that it is important for us to reclaim, restore, and reimagine our history the same way it's important to do that in our communities, and myself, I have taken on the responsibility of trying to make that happen. Two years ago, Jamie Gauthier, Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier, thank you for working to pass a resolution to make May 13th a historic day, a day of remembrance in the City of Philadelphia for the bomb that was dropped in 1985. We have been working with the Paul Robeson House to archive our history so that the story can be told. The really important part about this is to restore, but it is also to reimagine. STATED MEETING 77 4/13/2023 I think activism is like parenting. If we could start over again and do it over from when our babies were babies with the knowledge that we have now, we would so that we can develop them better than we did. We all make mistakes, but it is very important to learn from those mistakes so that we can bring about a new life that brings about change and better products. So that's what my work is, and I am so proud that I partnered with the Paul Robeson House to do that, and we are working on creating the MOVE archive so that we can tell this story, the truth of it, warts and all, so that we can make a better change in this society. (Applause.)
STATED MEETING 78 4/13/2023 Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Queen Judith Robinson, commenting on 221015 and 220865. (Witness approached podium.) QUEEN ROBINSON: Good morning.
Good morning. QUEEN ROBINSON: Judith Robinson, Queen Judith Robinson here regarding 220865 and 221015. As I'm watching what's going on, the implementation of what you all vote on, I'm seeing a lot of land movement, claiming to support affordable housing. However, affordable housing is really relative. Affordable to who? PHA, Philadelphia Housing Authority, is our national organization that gets funding directly from federal government that's not being managed to STATED MEETING 79 4/13/2023 provide the income-based housing. Income-based housing is based on income of each individual, and that's how we build shelter for those who have the least among us. Okay? We have been allowing PHA to do eminent domain, taking homeowners' property. Unprecedented. But I digress. What I want to focus on is how we can use PHA to provide basic income-based housing. If we do not do that, we are just rolling along in the name of claiming affordability. As we talk about the budget, we are getting ready -- we are in the process of budget hearings. I want to make certain that we prioritize our youth and that we provide programming in every building, PHA centers, every rec center, every PAL center. This is the time to focus your attention on putting the funding where the problem is. We want prevention. Prevention is what we're seeking, and we want to STATED MEETING 80 4/13/2023 make certain that every program is showing documentable results, documentable. Money shouldn't be -- you know, we can just hold the money in escrow until we find out the right things. There's a book I want you all to get, because I'm coming back to talk about, Murder is No Accident, Dr. Deborah Stith. Please get that book, and I'll tell you why I'm demanding that. I'm asking that you repeal some bills. The driving equality bill needs to be repealed until further notice. In addition, that wholesaling bill, 200544, must be rescinded. It's a license to steal. MV Realty knew about that, and I'm going to come back at you all with that, because every one of you all knew about MV Realty for at least two years. I want to know why you didn't do and there still has not been a buyer beware campaign as of yet. There's a lot that you need to STATED MEETING 81 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING focus on, but I thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for the time.
Thank you very much, and thank all of you who have come in to testify on behalf of the citizens of the City of Philadelphia. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today. I would ask the Clerk to please read the title to Resolution No. 230254.
A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2410 & 2412 North Orianna Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
The STATED MEETING 82 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Lozada.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 230255.
A resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass the Sergeant Isaac Woodward, Jr. and Sergeant Joseph H. Maddox G.I. Bill Restoration Act.
The STATED MEETING 83 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Vaughn.
Thank you, Council President. Before I move for the adoption of this resolution, I'd like to say a few remarks. As Americans, we have always taken great pride in our Armed Forces. We show such admiration for our service members for their remarkable strength and bravery, especially when in many cases it has meant having to make the ultimate sacrifice. Such high regard for these heroes was the basis for the passage of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the G.I. Bill. It was presumed that such legislation enacted in the post-World War II era would convey the death of our collective gratitude as a nation, giving all our men and women in uniform a well-deserved shot at building generational wealth and their own American dream. How wrong were we? The STATED MEETING 84 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING benefits of the G.I. Bill, which included educational assistance and low-cost mortgages, extended to everyone who was not a person of color. That is why I applaud Congressmen Jim Clyburn and Seth Moulton for their leadership in reintroducing the Sergeant Isaac Woodward, Jr. and Sergeant Joseph H. Maddox G.I. Bill Restoration Act and urge Congress to pass it. This measure symbolizes good-faith effort to right a generational wrong, the decades-long denial of Black World War II veterans and their descendents the G.I. benefits that are rightfully owed, and a recommitment to honor a promise made nearly 80 years ago of an equal chance at a dream deferred for many for far too long. With that, I move for the motion to pass this resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 85 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 230034-A.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Haverford Avenue, 44th Street, Belmont Avenue, Girard Avenue, and 40th Street.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please STATED MEETING 86 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING call the roll.
Aye. STATED MEETING 87 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 14; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 230009-A.
An ordinance STATED MEETING 88 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING amending Chapter 12-2800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Administrative Adjudication of Parking Violations," by further providing with respect to monetary penalties for on-street parking of semitrailers and truck tractors.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill for an amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 230009-A. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council, and I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor of the motion signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
STATED MEETING 89 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and Bill No. 230009-A has been amended. Bill No. 230009-A, as amended, will be placed on our Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. Mr. Decker, 230007.
An ordinance amending Section 14-513 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/TOD, Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District" and amending Section 14-533 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/MIN, Mixed Income Neighborhoods Overlay District," to expand the applicable areas of each district in the vicinity of Market Street between 54th Street and 63rd Street.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is STATED MEETING 90 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Lozada. STATED MEETING 91 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 14; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 230107. STATED MEETING 92 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 63rd Street, Callowhill Street, Felton Street and Vine Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilman STATED MEETING 93 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Harrity.
Councilwoman Vaughn. STATED MEETING 94 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 14; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution authorizing City Council to hold hearings to investigate Philadelphia's emergency management practices and the City's overall preparedness when facing credible threats to our drinking water, introduced today by Councilman Phillips.
Thank you, Council President. I move to adopt the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's STATED MEETING 95 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and supporting the health and wellness of Black mamas and birthing people by acknowledging April 11 through 17, 2023, as "Black Maternal Health Week" in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) STATED MEETING 96 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and congratulating the Champions of the Week, the students of Lankenau High School, for their valuable work studying the environmental impact of mussels and working to increase the mussel population in the Schuylkill River, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I move the adoption STATED MEETING 97 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and honoring the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services for their collaborative commitment to bring healing and justice to victims of child abuse in Philadelphia and declaring April 2023 to be Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.
The STATED MEETING 98 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair again recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Law and Government to hold public hearings examining the rate of judgments in small claims court, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones. STATED MEETING 99 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution designating April 9, 2023 "Paul Robeson Day" to honor occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birth of actor, singer, lawyer, scholar and activist Paul L. Robeson, Esquire, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank STATED MEETING 100 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING you, Council President. Before I move for the adoption of the resolution, I'd like to take a few moments to speak on the record about the significance of Paul Robeson Day. A few weeks ago we renamed the 4900 block of Walnut Street after Paul Robeson, which we will officially unveil tomorrow morning. And today we are about to declare April 9th, which was Paul Robeson's 125th birthday, Paul Robeson Day here in Philadelphia. Paul Robeson was truly a renaissance man. He reached the highest level of success as an actor, singer, athlete, lawyer, author, scholar, and linguist during the time when Black people were rarely allowed to take up space in even one of those roles. But 125 years after Paul Robeson's birth, one would still struggle to find someone else who could do so many things so well at the same time. But what inspires me most about STATED MEETING 101 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Paul Robeson is his activism. Even though he had achieved a level of fame and success that would have allowed him to escape many of the troubles plaguing society during his lifetime, Paul Robeson became one of the most devoted fighters for justice at home and abroad, and he did this during a time when racists regularly lynched people who looked like him for speaking out against injustices. Nothing could stop Paul Robeson from using his platform for good. When the congressional un-American Activities Committee branded him a communist sympathizer, slandered his reputation, stripped him of his passport, and banned his work from public consumption, Paul Robeson never stopped using his famous baritone voice as a tool for equity. Many in the past and present tried to erase the contributions of Black and brown activists, scared of anything that reminds them that America has many times failed to live up to its status as STATED MEETING 102 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING a land of the free. Through today's resolution, we push back on this and correct the record by officially recognizing the achievements and legacy of this American hero. I acknowledge this resolution is long overdue, but I am humbled to have the honor of introducing it. I draw on Paul Robeson's unbreakable commitment to justice as a source of strength and personal inspiration, as I know many residents across our city do as well. I am grateful to all the supporters of Paul Robeson, most especially Vernoca Michael, Janice Sykes Ross, Margaret Livingston, Dawn Chavous, Mike Africa, Jr., and the entire team at the Paul Robeson House and Museum, who steward his legacy and who are here with us today. Thank you so much for everything you do to keep this legacy alive in our city. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 103 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
And as you heard, the Paul Robeson House has a full weekend of events commemorating his 125th birthday, and I hope that I will see some of you there. And with that, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and congratulating Paul Robeson High School for Human Services student Alyssa Perren on her historic admission to Harvard University and wishing her STATED MEETING 104 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING luck on future endeavors, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you. I'd like to speak on this resolution too and the extraordinary young woman who we are honoring here today. I am so proud of Alyssa Perren. By enrolling in Harvard University, she has shattered the glass ceiling and become the first student at Paul Robeson High School for Human Services to attend an Ivy League institution. (Applause.)
And this moment is particularly heartwarming for me because my mother, Judy Williams, who is a school nurse, attended Bartram School for Human Services, the STATED MEETING 105 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING predecessor to Robeson. And I also can think of no better day than this one to honor Alyssa because today we're also honoring her high school's namesake, Paul Robeson. And Paul Robeson is certainly smiling down on Alyssa, because just like him, she is a true renaissance person and uses her talent to uplift underserved groups. Not only does Alyssa excel academically, but she is also a mighty force on the polo field as well, and she plans to combine her love for science and animals by becoming a veterinarian, giving underserved communities the pet care they need. Thanks to Alyssa, generations of young West Philadelphians will know that if they work hard, they can reach the nation's most prestigious higher education institutions. Alyssa, while adjusting to life at Harvard may prove challenging, it's certainly nothing like West Philadelphia STATED MEETING 106 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING over there in Cambridge, but we know that you are going to thrive. And never forget that I am rooting for you, as is the entire City Council and your friends, family, teachers, and neighbors. We cannot wait to see what you accomplish. I also want to acknowledge the team at Paul Robeson High School for providing Alyssa and all of your students with a loving, nurturing, and safe learning environment. And I need to take a moment to explicitly acknowledge Principal Richard Gordon. (Applause.)
When Principal Gordon took over Paul Robeson in 2012, it was slated for permanent closure. His leadership and his refusal to give up on this school of 100 percent students of color, the majority of whom live in poverty, is the reason that we are able to gather here today in STATED MEETING 107 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING celebration. Just over a decade into Principal Gordon's tenure, Paul Robeson High School has a 95 percent graduation rate compared to a 70 percent graduation rate citywide. And in 2019, Principal Gordon and the school became recognized by the Commonwealth as a high progress school and removed from the list of low-performing schools in the City. He is the first State and National Principal of the Year in the history of the School District of Philadelphia, and we all owe a great debt to Principal Gordon. He is a true Philadelphia hero. And to Alyssa, her family, Principal Gordon, and all the young people that we saw today from Robeson High School, we congratulate you and we are so, so proud of you. I look forward to seeing more young West Philadelphians follow in Alyssa's footsteps and hopefully seeing STATED MEETING 108 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Alyssa back in West Philly after her graduation in 2027. And with that, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (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 is adopted. (Applause.)
And a resolution recognizing Bob Smith for his standout career as a vital link between Comcast NBCUniversal and the Philadelphia STATED MEETING 109 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING non-profit community, introduced today by Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution proclaiming May 9, 2023 as "Kiyoshi Kuromiya" day in Philadelphia for his contribution to the civil rights struggles of African Americans, the LGBTQ STATED MEETING 110 4/13/2023 4/13/23 - STATED - 2ND READING community, and those affected by HIV and AIDS, introduced today by Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President. STATED MEETING 111 4/13/2023
Thank you very much. That concludes our Calendar for today, and we will now move to our speeches on behalf of the minority. (No response.)
Seeing none, speeches on behalf of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Vaughn.
Thank you, Council President. I would just like to again acknowledge all of the men and women that are here today in honor of -- it's an honor to have them here, the members of OES, as well as everyone from Prince Hall, 4301 North Broad Street, welcome to Council. I know many of you and have watched you all grow in this order, and I am extremely proud of you all, and it is a blessing to still be a member of the organization and we will continue to STATED MEETING 112 4/13/2023 the City of Philadelphia. Thank you for being here. (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Phillips.
Thank you all. I just wanted to remind my colleagues and Council staff that today immediately after our Council session, we have a Big Brothers Big Sisters presentation. So join us to learn about the incredible impact that Big Brothers and Big Sisters has had on our communities. I am the current Chair of the Children and Youth Committee, so as you know, non-profit work and the work that organizations do for young people is incredibly important to me, but I know it's important to all of us. So I would STATED MEETING 113 4/13/2023 come and hear about their five-year strategic plan that revolves around inclusion, building community partnerships, and boosting growth and sustainability. The Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Allen, will be present, as well as Michele Molano, who is the Chief Operating Officer. So it's today. Lunch is provided by Capital Grille. So we're going to be in the City Council Caucus Room. So hope to see everyone after the presentation -- after today's session for the presentation from Big Brothers Big Sisters. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Good morning, Council President -- good afternoon, Council President. Good afternoon, colleagues. STATED MEETING 114 4/13/2023 foremost, I just want to send some light and love and well wishes to my sister, my friend, and her family and friends, Councilmember Brooks. We're praying for her and her entire group of folks who have been deeply hurt by the loss of a loved one. Outside of that, I did want to take a moment to also give a shout-out to my sister in Memphis. If folks don't know, this past week Memphis City Council passed the driving equality legislation, and they did it in a direct response to an unfortunate situation that a lot of people seen go viral, but they did it as a way to try to improve the relationship between communities of color and law enforcement, and that was our goal here in the City of Philadelphia. It's an honor to be the author of such legislation and to work with a legislative body who thought it was important to be able to acknowledge the fact that we have a problem as it relates STATED MEETING 115 4/13/2023 color are policed, and we wanted to at least offer a step in the right direction. We're not saying this is the end-all, be-all solution, but we at least wanted to offer a step in the right direction. I also wanted to take a moment to thank our City Solicitor, Solicitor Cortes, as well as Attorney Keir Bradford-Grey for successfully defending a lawsuit against driving equality, which the courts essentially ruled in our favor last week. So at the end of the day, the last two weeks has been an emotional and overwhelming two weeks for me and other folks who are really passionate about this issue, and I can assure you that the work will continue. So thank you, Council President, and thank you, colleagues, because at the end of the day, I appreciate you working with me, supporting me, and believing in the idea STATED MEETING 116 4/13/2023 support police and improve the relationship between communities of color and law enforcement simultaneously. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to rise to acknowledge the hard work you're doing on the budget and the long hours you are doing through the hearings, and to acknowledge my colleagues and the level of questioning and inquiry about budget that I've heard over these hearings. It has risen in its intellectual properties and it's not the same questions from years and years ago. I'm listening to them and thankful. Finally, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing these young people here today from Lankenau and from STATED MEETING 117 4/13/2023 Robeson, the young lady that's going to Harvard, and I said it that way because of Member Phillips being from Yale. He gave her a shout-out, which was incredible to me. But it flies in the face of what you would read in the papers. It flies in the face of what we saw where 200 young people running around, that there are good young people, and I thank you every week when you -give them a round of applause. (Applause.)
Because when we acknowledge the positive members of our young society, it shows that they're the majority and that folks running around doing some of the bad things aren't the majority and that there is hope. That is why June, I swear to you, is my favorite month. Why? Because that's when the graduations happen, and then we watch and we celebrate our young STATED MEETING 118 4/13/2023 start a life, to begin a career. And we forget sometimes that they are the majority and that there's reason for optimism about our future. And I want to thank you all. And by the way, that young lady learned polo in the Fourth District up at Chamounix. Ain't that right? There you go. So those accomplishments spread throughout the City of Philadelphia, touch every zip code. So thank you guys for acknowledging our youth. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Harrity.
Hello, Council President, colleagues. I just wanted to thank my mentor, my friend, my spiritual advisor, Reverend John Roberts for praying over us STATED MEETING 119 4/13/2023 Roberts for over 25 years. We've worked together in the Sheriff's Department, actually shared an office together for a while, and he helped guide me and keep me on the right path. Without people like Reverend Roberts, so many young people would fall through the cracks. So I would just like to thank him for always supporting me and just tell him, I love you, my brother. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman -- Councilman Johnson, were STATED MEETING 120 4/13/2023 up? Were you teed up?
So Councilwoman Bass is next? It keeps changing. Bass next?
Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to follow up on my colleague's Councilman Harrity's comments regarding Pastor Roberts. And I know he said he loves you. I love you more. Pastor Roberts is someone who, you know, one of my first introductions into Christ was through Pastor Roberts. So I have much love and appreciation for you and all that you do in our community from North Philly, so in the neighborhood. STATED MEETING 121 4/13/2023 mention a couple of things, and the first is that I wanted to remind members that today at 1:00, we are having a Parks and Recreation Committee hearing. It should be very brief. If folks could be on at 1:00, we'll be done at 1:10, 1:15. It will be very short. There's one very quick bill that needs to be addressed, and nothing controversial, but we'd love to have everybody there on time. I also wanted to acknowledge the work done by my colleague Councilman Phillips on his bill today around nuisance businesses. As you know, we introduced the nuisance business bill several years ago, and then we worked on the stop-and-go bill, which has been effective, but the work continues on. I know my colleague Councilwoman Kathy Gilmore Richardson has done work on this matter, Councilman Curtis Jones. I really shouldn't call out names, because I think pretty much STATED MEETING 122 4/13/2023 particular and including Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson has done work on this issue, because we know what it's like when you have a nuisance business in the neighborhood that's really destroying the fabric of that community. And so I just wanted to say thank you and kudos, and of course you have my strong support. Anything that we can do to make these, what really should be community institutions and a resource for members of those communities, to get them online and in support with what the community needs, we are here to support you and your efforts in that. And last, but not least, I just wanted to thank this body and the Administration. I wasn't able to make it yesterday for the announcement of the additional resources that's going to be provided around cameras around parks and recreation centers, but as you all know, Mr. President, this body in 2013, I think STATED MEETING 123 4/13/2023 was, we undertook this effort. We did our announcement in the Second Council District with Councilman Kenyatta Johnson. I think it was at Marian Anderson, was it?
So this is another issue that continues on. Cameras are an important part of fighting crime today. You know, this is not some surveillance program. This is an important addition to help police solve crimes and really prevent crimes, particularly around our most vulnerable citizens. So I just wanted to thank this body for the work that we've done on that throughout the years and continue to do. So thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. And by the way, at the announcement, the Mayor did acknowledge and tepidly committed during STATED MEETING 124 4/13/2023 put more money for an expansion of additional cameras around the City of Philadelphia. So we should look forward to our budget debate and put millions and millions more dollars to make sure. And, Councilwoman, thank you for initiating this initially with the cameras inside the rec centers many years back. Thank you. Appreciate you.
Yeah. Thank you, Council President. I'm just going to be real brief. Yesterday I had the opportunity to review a very eye-opening article in the Philadelphia Inquirer that talked about the household inequality of income, particularly for African Americans here in the City of Philadelphia. The report talked about how the income among African Americans since 2010 STATED MEETING 125 4/13/2023 stagnant, only increased by $2,000. But, however, for white residents here in the City of Philadelphia, it increased by $15,000, by Latinos $10,000, and Asians $7,000, right? And I support everyone having the opportunity to increase the quality of their lives, but this is also a stark reminder when we address the issue of poverty here in the City of Philadelphia, the policies that we implement throughout this body and also throughout the City agencies as a whole has to be intentional when it comes to making sure Black and brown people have a seat at the table to improve the economic equality and disparities that are taking place here in the City of Philadelphia. So when we talk about the issue of crime and gun violence, right, there's a direct correlation. As my colleague Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier always talks about, those high zip codes where we see high poverty, you see high crime, you see STATED MEETING 126 4/13/2023 so as we move forward, we as a body and I know myself is going to be making sure I continue talking about this particular issue but, most importantly, beyond talking, working in partnership with my members to figure out how do we really aggressively continuously move the needle when it comes to poverty to erase that stigma of being the number one big city when it comes to poverty but, most importantly, in terms of this report, this specific report talks about how African Americans are on the lowest totem pole when it comes to income inequality more than any other race, but yet we have the most and prominent African Americans in key leadership positions. And that's not right, and that's totally unacceptable. And so I look forward to working with my colleagues from a partnership standpoint and a coalition standpoint, but this is something that we STATED MEETING 127 4/13/2023 a deeper dive and in making sure that we're helping those who are most vulnerable. And particularly based upon this report when it comes to moving the needle for African Americans, we got to do a better job. So I just wanted to put that out there for the record, and thank you, Council President. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. I know I'm not supposed to speak, but, Councilman, you bring up an interesting point. There was a meeting last night in Brewerytown and it was about the Turn the Key program, about the affordable homeownership initiative, and there were over 80 people in that meeting, and the conversation from the citizens was about being able to buy a home to build family wealth, STATED MEETING 128 4/13/2023 in the meeting. So you're absolutely right, building family wealth, generational health is so, so important, and thank you, Councilman. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Council President. I too wanted to extend my condolences to my friend Councilmember Brooks in the loss of her beloved family member and let her know that she and her family are in my thoughts at this time. And I also wanted to take a moment to thank Majority Leader Jones for his partnership and extending my mixed-income neighborhoods overlay bill to a portion of the Fourth District. We voted on that today. The bill requires that at least 20 percent of new developments ten units or more, whether they are rental or STATED MEETING 129 4/13/2023 homeownership, be deeply affordable to working-class people in our communities, and the bill also requires that those units are built on site. Although I greatly value our Housing Trust Fund and the voluntary legislation that allows developers to pay into it in lieu of building affordable housing into their developments, I think having the units is very important, and this bill requires that the units be in the development. And the reason that that's important is because the brick and mortar real estate is going to define who can be in a neighborhood and who cannot be in a neighborhood. And I also thank Councilmember Johnson for bringing up the article about the disparity in Black wealth, and I wanted to also quote a passage from that article, which says, "A declining Black population in the City and a declining poverty rate for Black Philadelphians may also suggest that less affluent Black STATED MEETING 130 4/13/2023 live in the City and are moving to inter-ring suburbs." And so I wanted to highlight that to say that maintaining equity in housing and in our neighborhoods is not going to happen by accident. It's going to happen through very intentional public policy, through very intentional investment of resources, like the Neighborhood Preservation Initiative, and I feel proud to be a part of a Council body that recognizes that. So thank you very much, Councilman, for your partnership.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. Very quickly, I want to remind people we will be taking a tour of the Fire Academy Training Center tomorrow, STATED MEETING 131 4/13/2023 can attend and their staff. We found it very helpful in the other facilities, like the Police Training Academy where Officer Driscoll mounted up and did a virtual reality stop and found out how difficult it is to both balance public safety and preserve the rights of the accused. But he did a really good job, and I quote him, I'm Officer Driscoll, I'm here to help you. I wish every officer would lead with that. But tomorrow we'll be up at the Fire Academy. We'll be leaving outside of City Hall at 10:00 a.m. to take a look. As a result of the last trip, we doubled down and drilled down to add more money to the Police Training Academy, where needed, and we hope to tour the Fire Academy to find the same types of discoveries for the training of our first responders in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you.
STATED MEETING 132 4/13/2023 you, Councilman. That concludes our speeches on behalf of the minority and the majority. And with that, the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, April 20th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, April 20, 2023, 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The motion carries. STATED MEETING 133 4/13/2023 much, and please be safe. ) Committee on Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs 4/13/2023 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L.