All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Those opposed, say nay. The ayes have it. This recession is in until 1 o'clock. (Stated session stands in recess at 12:15 p.m.) (Recessed meeting of Committee of the Whole reconvenes.)
May I have your attention? To the stenographer, we are on the record. The Council session that we previously recessed until 1:00 will now stand in recess until 1:30. Anybody who's interested in that Council session, it will be in recess till approximately 1:30. If it's going to be longer, we will make such an announcement. (Recessed meeting of the Committee of the Whole resumes.) (Stated session reconvenes.)
Council will now go 12/3/98 STATED - Addition of Bill to First-Reading Cal. into a recessed session of its Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco for the purpose of introducing a bill, if Councilmembers have no objection. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Mr. President. This bill actually was introduced earlier this morning but, for some unknown reason, it was failed to be read into the record, so I'm reintroducing it.
All right. The clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 58 by striking from the City Plan and vacating Nectarine Street from 10th Street to a point approximately 240 feet eastwardly therefrom, under certain terms and conditions.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Verna for a report of the Council Committee of the Whole. 12/3/98 STATED - Report of Committee of the Whole
Mr. Chairman, the Committee of the Whole reports six bills out of committee with a favorable recommendation.
To the President and Members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee of the Whole Council, to which was referred: Bill No. 980784, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located in the 27th Ward and within an area bounded by Civic Center Boulevard, Convention Avenue, South Street, Schuykill Expressway, North Drive, and University Avenue from partly class "R-15" residential and partly class "C-3" commercial and partly class "G-2" general industrial, to a designation of partly class "R-15" residential and partly class "C-3" commercial and partly class "G-2" general industrial, thereby changing certain areas currently designated class "R-15" residential to a designation of class "C-3" commercial; 12/3/98 STATED - Report of Committee of the Whole Bill No. 980788, an ordinance amending Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finances, Taxes and Collections," by adding a new Chapter 19-3200, entitled "Keystone Opportunity Zone," to provide for the contingent exemption abatement or credit of certain taxes within a specified geographical area designated within the new chapter, under certain terms and conditions; And Bill No. 980843, an ordinance adopting a comprehensive new pension plan for City employees by restating and amending the retirement system ordinance approved December 3, 1956, as amended, and the Municipal Retirement Benefit Plan 1987 Ordinance, which became effective January 8, 1987, as amended, and by combining them in one comprehensive ordinance to be codified in The Philadelphia Code; Respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Yes. 12/3/98 STATED - Report of Committee of the Whole
There are other bills. Bill No. 980784, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia zoning maps by changing the zoning designations of areas of land located in the 27th Ward. . .
Bill No. 980785, an ordinance declaring it to be the finding of City Council that for many years, the City of Philadelphia and the Civic Center Board of directors (formerly known as the Board of Trade and Conventions) have not been able in good faith to use those certain parcels of land ("Civic Center Land") occupied by the Civic Center that were dedicated by ordinances approved June 27, 1895 and October 10, 1896 (together, the "1895 and 1896 Ordinances") for the purposes set forth in the 1895 and 1896 Ordinances, and that in the 12/3/98 STATED - Report of Committee of the Whole future, the City of Philadelphia and the Civic Center Board of Directors will not be able in good faith to use the Civic Center Land for the purposes set forth in the 1895 and 1896 Ordinances; and finding also that it is no longer practicable or possible, and no longer serves the public interest, to use the Civic Center Land in accordance with the 1895 and 1896 Ordinances; And Bill No. 980787, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-2500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," and Chapter 19-2800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority Tax on Wages and Net Profits," by providing for the exclusion from those taxes of net profits earned by a business trust that qualifies as a regulated investment company or that confines its activities to the maintenance, administration, and management of the intangible investments and activities of regulated investment companies; And Bill No. 980789, an ordinance authorizing the City of Philadelphia to provide for an alternative funding mechanism for a portion 12/3/98 STATED - Report of Committee of the Whole of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the City of Philadelphia retirement system ("City Retirement System"), pursuant to the Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standards and Recovery Act consisting of the execution and delivery of a service agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, providing for the funding of up to $1,250,000,000 of unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the City Retirement System, such funding to be provided to the City by the Authority through the issuance of authority bonds.
What about Bill No. 980796? Is that the one being held? Can I get a clarification? Is Bill No. 980796, the Councilman Kenney bill on the police hiring -
All right, I just want to make sure it's in the report now because we won't have a chance to redo this. 12/3/98 STATED - Report of Committee of the Whole
That's right. Is that the stadium bill? Mr. Hayllar, you're -- we're sure there's no stadium authorization in here; is that correct? He's looking confused. (Laughter.)
He says not to worry about it, everything is okay. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Verna.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading of Bill No.'s 980784, 980785, 980787, 980788, 980789, and 980843. (Duly seconded.)
All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Those opposed, say nay. The ayes have it. The rules are suspended. These bills will be given first reading at today's session. The clerk will please 12/3/98 STATED - Additional Bills for First Reading read the bills that have not be read on the first-reading calendar.
Bill No. 980788, an ordinance amending Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finances, Taxes and Collections," by adding a new Chapter 19-3200, entitled "Keystone Opportunity Zone". . .
Bill No. 980784, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia zoning maps by changing the zoning designations of areas of land located in the 27th Ward and within an area bounded by Civic Center Boulevard, Convention Avenue, South Street, Schuykill Expressway, North Drive, and University Avenue.
Bill No. 980785, an ordinance declaring it to be the finding of City Council that for many years, the City of Philadelphia and the Civic Center Board of directors (formerly known as the Board of Trade and Conventions) have not been able in good faith to use those certain parcels of land ("Civic Center Land") occupied by the Civic Center. . . 12/3/98 STATED - Additional Bills for First Reading
Bill No. 980787, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-2500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," and Chapter 19-2800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority Tax on Wages and Net Profits," by providing for the exclusion from those taxes of net profits earned by a business trust that qualifies as a regulated investment company.
Bill No. 980789, an ordinance authorizing the City of Philadelphia to provide for an alternative funding mechanism for a portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the City of Philadelphia retirement system ("City Retirement System"), pursuant to the Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standards and Recovery Act.
Bill No. 980843, an ordinance adopting a comprehensive new pension plan for City employees by restating and amending 12/3/98 STATED - Additional Bills for First Reading the retirement system ordinance approved December 3, 1956, as amended. . .
The Chair agrees. The bills read by the chief clerk will be added to our second- and final-reading passage calendar for our next meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Verna for a motion.
Mr. President, if you don't mind, I would just like to check something with the chief clerk. (Councilwoman Verna briefly confers with the chief clerk.)
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 10, 1998, at 10 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Those opposed, say nay. The ayes have it. 12/3/98 STATED - Speeches The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you. Just for a moment so that so that members of Council will know, I'll have these notices sent around that charter schools, the Family Charter School, the Mantua and the Philadelphia Community Academy on North Fourth Street, our Operation Smile is proposing -- I just learned about it last night. They are proposing -- they will be having people look at children in those areas this weekend. Those who need surgery for cleft palates, other facial problems, and they will be taking care of it free. I will circulate these flyers to anybody in the area so that those children may be able to take advantage of free surgery. They're doing all the assessments this week, they don't have to have anything or do anything other than go to.
Thank you, Mr. President. I may need about 30 seconds. 12/3/98 STATED - Speeches Mr. President, I've just read in the newspaper that one of our cable companies has announced a fairly significant rate hike, which needs to be addressed. Even though Council does not specifically set rates, we do have some involvement in the process. The Wade Cable Company, which is a division of Time Warner, recently announced an increase to their standard rate of 10.3 percent, an increase to their senior standard program tier of 11.9 percent increase to the subscribers to that system. I do plan next week to take some legislative action on this, but the announcement just came out recently. These are outrages rate hikes to people in the Wade franchise area and totally unacceptable. And I would call for them to suspend this proposed increase to these hikes until we get a better understanding of why such a large increase would come at this time, especially in view of the fact that their franchise renewal was the subject of discussions here in City Council. Thank you, Mr. President. 12/3/98 STATED - Adjournment
Thank you very much. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Those opposed, say nay. The ayes have it. This Council stands adjourned until Thursday, December 10, 1998, at 10 o'clock a.m. in these chambers. (Adjourned at 2:08 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, December 3, 1998, were reported and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: STATED MEETING __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter