COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Wednesday, 4/10/02 1:43 p.m. Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, PA - - - BILL NO.'s: 020030, 020035, 020092, 020116, 020144, 020145 (re taxes) (Full text of all ordinances attached hereto.) PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA, Chair COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN FRANK J. DICICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANGEL L. ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 2 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS
Good afternoon, everyone. I want to thank everyone for their patience. This is a continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole regarding Bill No.'s 020030, 020035, 020092 -- (Applause.)
-- 020116, 020144, 020145, and 020182. To the best of my knowledge, we do not have anyone that wishes to testify on these bills. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen regarding Bill No. 020145.
Madam President, I move to hold this bill. I'm asking that this bill 16 be held.
Thank you. The Chair also recognizes Councilman Cohen regarding Bill No. 020182.
Is 3 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS Councilwoman Blackwell in the audience, in the room? Is she coming? (Councilmembers confer among themselves off the record.)
The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter regarding Bill No. 8 020092. (Applause, cheers.)
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, thank you. Madam President, I move that Bill 020092 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session. (Applause, cheers.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020092 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation 4 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS and also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell regarding Bill 12 No. 020032.
It's my understanding, Councilwoman, that you have an amendment to be offered?
Thank you, Madam President. I understand that the proposed amendments to Bill No. 020030 have been circulated. (Amendment attached hereto.)
And so we 5 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS move that the amendments to this bill be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation.
I'm sorry, the amendment would have to be adopted first.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
All those in favor of the adoption of the amendment will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the amendment has been adopted The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Bill No. 020030, as amended, be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation. (Duly seconded.)
Yes, also for a 6 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS suspension of the rules.
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 020030 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session Council. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode regarding Bill No. 17 020116.
Thank you, Madam President. I've circulated technical amendments to Bill No. 020116. (Technical amendments attached hereto.)
I move for the adoption of the amendments. (Duly seconded.) 7 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS
It has been moved and seconded that the amendments be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the amendments have been adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Think Madam, President. I move that Bill 020116, as amended, be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and also that the rules of Council be suspended to allow for first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been properly moved and seconded that Bill No. 020116 be reported out of committee with favorable recommendation, as amended, and also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at the next session. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. 8 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. (Applause.)
The next bill 6 to be called for consideration is Bill No. 020035, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Just a moment, please. I'm sorry, whose bill is it? Oh, Councilman Nutter, I believe you wanted to make a statement on this bill, 020035.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I would like to request that Bill No. 020035 be held in committee, given the movement of Bill 020092 that had taken place previously. There would be a conflict between Bill 21 020092 and 020035 because that is also a wage-tax bill, but it only sets the wage-tax rate for one year. I have received legal advice that the passage of both the bills would create a technical problem and, therefore, I'm asking, Madam 9 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS President, that this bill be held.
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 020035 be held in committee. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell regarding Bill 16 No. 020144.
Thank you, Madam President. May I be considered for remarks at this time?
Thank you. Introducing Bill 020144 was done to focus attention on the affordability and to add to the debate. As soon as this bill was introduced, meetings were held certainly with the Controller 10 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS and others to talk about coming up with a compromise. In spite of these meetings, a compromise did not happen. All who were also concerned with this bill also had to consider it with the issue of funding for schools. Certainly, with all of the labor contracts we have to consider, with the issues dealing with PGW, and with one issue that I'd like to talk about, and that is the issue of neighborhoods versus businesses. As I've said, and continue to say, in our city, we have to be careful that we let the public, as well as every segment of our city and community, know that we have to work in cooperation with one another. We cannot send a message forth that certainly the neighborhoods and the businesses do not work in concert to have our city move forward. Having said all of these things and given our concerns even for all of the contracts that have to be let in our city, I am calling on all my colleagues at this time, for the sake of unity, which is always my position in Council -- I believe that we as body should be together in what 11 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS we do -- we are saying that we want to hold this bill. (Applause.)
And I'm certainly calling on my colleagues to support this. Thank you, Madam President.
All those in favor of holding the bill at the request of the sponsor will say aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. This concludes our public meeting. Again, I want to thank you all for your patience and thank you for coming in. Thank you. (Applause.)
Just a minute (Council President Verna strikes gavel.) 12 4/10/02 - WHOLE - PUBLIC MEETING - TAX BILLS
I would like to remind my colleagues that we have a 2 o'clock public hearing for the schools. So I would ask you to please remain in the courtroom. - - - (Proceedings end at 1:55 p.m.) - - - 13 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia's meeting of the Committee of the Whole of Wednesday, April 10, 2002, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. RE: Ordinance No.'s: 020030, 020035, 020092 020116, 020144, 020145 _______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)