STATED MEETING 1 12/15/2022 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING City Hall, Room 400 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, December 15, 2022 10:39 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY LOZADA COUNCILMAN DAVID OH 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 12/15/2022
Good morning. We're going to get started now. Running a little bit late. Thank you. We're going to get started. We've established our quorum, so I would like to have our invocation this morning and I'd like to recognize my good friend, a member of the mighty Fifth Councilmanic District, Bishop Lewis Nash of Faith Deliverance Outreach Ministry. He is here today as my guest, and I would ask all members and guests to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.)
First of all, I would like to thank the Council Chambers, the President for inviting us to pray. Father God, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for the meeting of the minds, to coming back together for the last meeting in this chamber this year, but we pray, Lord God, that you would invoke your presence in STATED MEETING 3 12/15/2022 member, from the least to the greatest, also their staff. Touch them from all five points of their body, cover them in your blood, put them on your whole armor. Bless them as they do your business for the people which you have ordained them to be. And we pray, Lord God, that this not be the last time that we all come together. We ask as we leave this place but certainly not from your presence and fulfilling your business, that you be with us. In Jesus' name, amen. (Amen.)
Thank you so much, Bishop. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you. Thank you so much, Bishop, for those inspiring words. STATED MEETING 4 12/15/2022 order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 8, 2022, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 8th, 2022 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, December 8, 2022 stand approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and our Journal is approved. STATED MEETING 5 12/15/2022 of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of members of Council, there are no requests for leaves of absence today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council and that were not listed on the Calendar circulated prior to today's session.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this session of Council and, as required by law, subsequently published on an amended agenda after the consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first STATED MEETING 6 12/15/2022 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, and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that was not listed on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included on the Calendar that was published prior to today's session. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly 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 STATED MEETING 7 12/15/2022 favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. And our next order of business is communications. The Clerk will please read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications that he may have in his possession.
From the Mayor to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, pursuant to Sections 4-604 and 2-307 of the Home Rule Charter, I am today transmitting to the Council the recommendation of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill Nos. 220913, 220915, 220916, 220917, 220918, 220919, 220921, 220942, 220944, 220945, 220946, 220948, 220949, STATED MEETING 8 12/15/2022 and 220950. And I am pleased to advise you that on December 14, 2022, I signed the remaining bills which were passed by Council at its session on December 21, 2022, except Bill No. 220776, which I am returning without my signature, and that on December 14, 2022, I signed all of the bills which were passed by Council at its session on December 8, 2022.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. That concludes the messages from the Mayor and communications, and our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. And, Mr. Decker, please read the title of the legislation that's being offered by our members today.
Councilman Phillips offers one resolution, a privileged resolution honoring Kyasha Tyson, and recognizing her for her tireless service to the people of STATED MEETING 9 12/15/2022 Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.
Mr. President, Councilman Phillips would like to be recognized on this resolution.
Councilman Phillips would like to be recognized on this resolution.
Oh, sorry. The Chair recognizes Councilman Phillips.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to make a few comments about the leader of our Ninth District in more ways than one, Kyasha Tyson. For the past seven years, Kyasha Tyson has been an incredible person who has been an individual who has really, from early morning all the way into the late evening, worked tirelessly STATED MEETING 10 12/15/2022 for the neighbors of our Ninth District. And today -- in the next couple of weeks it will be her final time here in City Council. And not only that, Kyasha Tyson has worked in state government, is now City Council for former Councilwoman Cherelle Parker for the past 15 years, and what I can tell you about Kyasha and everyone who -- a lot of our Councilmembers and Council staff members will tell you is that she's always on the phone, she's always responsive to neighbors and, most importantly, she has a heart full of gold and her kindness exudes in more ways than one. I will say that I myself in the few weeks that I've been here have been tremendously helped by Kyasha, and I also know that those who are on our team, our staff, the work that they do, it doesn't get done without people like her. And just for example, and I'll end here, you know, Kyasha was really responsible for major initiatives such as STATED MEETING 11 12/15/2022 clean-up programs, the strengthening of our commercial corridors, as well as ensuring that our neighborhood had the best services when it came to resources. So I always say that Kyasha has been such a leader for our district, because it really takes a team to make a difference in our community, but she has truly been for the past 15 years in our area, specifically seven years on City Council, the person that our neighbors know and really, really enjoy. And I just want to say thank you for your service to Philadelphia and to this body. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you for your service. It seems like it's a gotcha moment. Thank you. Awesome work. Thank you so much, Kyasha. STATED MEETING 12 12/15/2022 Thank you, Councilman.
Councilman Thomas offers a privileged resolution honoring and congratulating Champion of the Week, St. Joseph's Preparatory high school football team, for their success in winning the PIAA 6A title, in Harrisburg.
Councilman Jones offers three resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, a resolution amending Resolution No. 200001-A, as amended, which provides Rules for the Government of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, by establishing a new Standing Committee titled the "Committee on Neighborhood Services."
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to suspend the STATED MEETING 13 12/15/2022 rules of Council so that we can consider this resolution on today's Calendar.
It's been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to allow reading of this resolution at today's session. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that shall be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
And also on behalf of Council President Clarke, a privileged resolution authorizing City Council's Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to hold STATED MEETING 14 12/15/2022 public hearings to discuss the status of the City's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
And on his own behalf, Councilman Jones offers a privileged resolution honoring the historic and trailblazing leaders of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Philadelphia House Delegation; Joanna McClinton, Jordan Harris, Morgan Cephas, Danilo Burgos, and Malcolm Kenyatta.
Councilman Johnson offers one bill and three resolutions, entitled "An ordinance naming and designating the Chew Playground basketball courts, located at 1800 Washington Avenue, the 'Rasual Butler Basketball Courts,' in honor of Point Breeze native Rasual Butler, who distinguished himself over a 14-year NBA STATED MEETING 15 12/15/2022 career, most notably with the Miami Heat."
And a privileged resolution recognizing Africatown, a broad-based economic development initiative in Southwest and West Philadelphia led by the African Cultural Alliance of North America.
And a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring City Year Philadelphia for its 25 years of service in Philadelphia.
And a non-privileged resolution urging the United States Congress to pass House Resolution 8105, the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, to ensure fair wages and benefits for airport workers in STATED MEETING 16 12/15/2022 Philadelphia and across the nation.
Today's Calendar -- next week's Calendar -- next session's Calendar. I'm sorry.
Councilwoman Lozada offers two resolutions, a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 3418 Kensington Avenue, 3420 Kensington Avenue, and 3422 Kensington Avenue located in the Seventh Councilmanic District. Mr. President, the Councilwoman would like to be recognized for a motion on this resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of this resolution at STATED MEETING 17 12/15/2022 today's Council session. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to allow reading this day of this resolution. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution will be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
And a resolution Philadelphia City Council calls on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to add xylazine to the controlled substances list in Pennsylvania. Mr. President, the Councilwoman would like to be recognized for a motion on this resolution. STATED MEETING 18 12/15/2022
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of this resolution at today's Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. That resolution will be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
Councilwoman Gauthier offers two bills and six STATED MEETING 19 12/15/2022 resolutions, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 7-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Preservation of Affordable Housing,' to modify certain requirements that must be met before a change in ownership, other disposition, or other change in property interest occurs with respect to certain affordable housing properties in Philadelphia."
And an ordinance amending Chapter 7-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Preservation of Affordable Housing," to provide for a City directory of affordable housing subsidies and their duration.
And a STATED MEETING 20 12/15/2022 non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 1 through 49 Rudy Robinson Way, located in the Third Councilmanic District.
And a privileged resolution designating Wednesday December 21, 2022 as National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day in the City of Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless to conduct hearings regarding discrimination against households holding tenant-based vouchers, putting thousands of vulnerable Philadelphians at risk of homelessness, and the effect of this discrimination on Philadelphia's affordable housing crisis. STATED MEETING 21 12/15/2022
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to various properties located in the Third Councilmanic District.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to various properties located in the Third Councilmanic District.
And a privileged resolution honoring Samantha J. Williams, Esquire, recognizing her service to the citizens of Philadelphia, and wishing her STATED MEETING 22 12/15/2022 well in her future endeavors.
Councilman O'Neill offers, on behalf of Council President Clarke, a non-privileged resolution authorizing the creation of a "Special Committee on Retention and Recruitment of Municipal Workers" to analyze and recommend ways to modernize the City's hiring procedures; recommend strategies to retain current City workers; and recruit new workers by, to the greatest extent possible, hiring residents.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of this resolution on STATED MEETING 23 12/15/2022 today's Final Passage Calendar. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. That will be on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier and then Councilman, because you were on earlier.
You want to wait? All right. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. STATED MEETING 24 12/15/2022 It is with mixed emotions that we presented the resolution recognizing Samantha Williams, Esquire and her departure from this body. There are certain people that walk into this building that work for us and you realize this might be a floor. There are others that walk in this building you know this is probably the ceiling. It was clear from day one that this was only a floor for Samantha Williams, Esquire. She has been an integral part for the last seven years of my office's legislative agenda, things like -- geez, so many. So let's go with the Police Oversight Commission, and I say that because as I think about it, she stood up to advocates, she stood up to people who were against it, she stood up to the City Solicitor's Office in a way that only she could have. She had a baby face, but a determination that was set in stone. I STATED MEETING 25 12/15/2022 think she gets it from her mother, not her father, but she gets it. And we will miss her tremendously in these halls. She's a fighter. You have to have two essential components to be successful as a legislative director. You have to have a head that knows what to do, but you have to have a heart to know why you're doing it, and she possesses both of those things. So join me in wishing her well. (Standing ovation.)
All right. I've never heard you quiet like this before. Awesome. We're going to miss you. I know you're going to be around.
Thank you so much. Thank you, Councilman. STATED MEETING 26 12/15/2022 The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Council President. I also want to say a few words on behalf of my sister, Samantha Williams. I am immensely proud of her accomplishments and everything that she has given to the City of Philadelphia to date, from her service in the District Attorney's Office fighting for justice for victims, to all of the impact that she's had on criminal justice policy and on gun violence prevention here in City Council. Samantha is my little sister, but there is nothing little about her and about how she moves through the world. And she has also been such a support to me in my first term in City Council. She's been an advisor to me. She's offered me moral support, and my sister is also my best friend. And I'm going to miss you STATED MEETING 27 12/15/2022 sitting behind me in Council and being able to look to you for reassurance and camaraderie, but I also have full confidence that you're going to be victorious in your next endeavors and that you are going to do even more to serve and benefit the people of Philadelphia. And I also want to acknowledge the presence of my parents, Leon and Judy Williams, as well as my brother-in-law, Sean Zwier, who have joined us today also to congratulate and honor Samantha, or Sam as we call her. And so we all love you, sis, and we're your biggest cheerleaders, not just today but in everything that you're going to do moving forward. So congratulations and love you. (Applause.)
Thank you. Congratulations. STATED MEETING 28 12/15/2022 Mr. Decker.
Councilman Squilla offers three resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, a non-privileged resolution appointing Paul Badger to the Board of Directors of the Center City District; and A non-privileged resolution appointing Valerija Beares to the Board of Directors of the Center City District; and A resolution appointing Anna Boni to the Board of Directors of the Center City District.
Councilwoman Bass offers one bill and two resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance amending Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finance, Taxes and Collections," to incentivize Affordable Housing development by authorizing tax exemptions pursuant to STATED MEETING 29 12/15/2022 the Affordable Housing Unit Tax Exemption Act.
And on her own behalf, Councilwoman Bass offers a privileged resolution recognizing the month of December as National Write a Business Plan Month in the City of Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution recognizing the month of December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month in the City of Philadelphia.
Councilman Oh offers two resolutions, a privileged resolution proclaiming January 13, 2023 as Korean American Day in Philadelphia to Celebrate and Commemorate the Proud STATED MEETING 30 12/15/2022 Heritage of Korean Americans and their Invaluable Contributions to Enhance the City's Culture, Economy, and the Founding Ideals of Independence and Democracy.
And a non-privileged resolution adopting the Philadelphia Music Industry Task Force report and recommendations issued by Council's Global Opportunities and Creative/Innovative Economy Committee.
There are no other bills or resolutions being offered today by the members, Mr. President.
Thank you, Council President. Before we go into our next phase of our Council session, I just wanted to acknowledge two guests that I STATED MEETING 31 12/15/2022 today. I have the coaches of the 2002 [sic] United Youth Football League 12U national champions. Recently they were in Florida where they won their national championship. Unfortunately, the charter buses that they use, Council President, to go down to play in this very, very competitive national tournament with people from all across the country left the young people there stranded and the team had to stay down there three days, and they just came back. But I didn't want to let them go without noticing and recognizing them for their hard work and their dedication in coaching our young people, because often times when you talk about the issue of gun violence, right, if we don't invest in our young people and get them involved in things that are positive, then obviously they'll get involved in things that are negative, and these two coaches have stepped up to the plate, STATED MEETING 32 12/15/2022 pay, to coach our young people. So I want to ask to stand is Coach Mack, who is Shane Salley, and his brother Coach Sean Salley. I want to give them a round of applause as well. (Applause.)
Also, Council President, if I can have just a little personal privilege, because they also hail from the Ninth Councilmanic District, Councilman Anthony Phillips' district. The two of us are going to make an Activities Fund grant contribution of $5,000 to the football team and would like you to acknowledge him to say a few words, if that's okay, Council President.
Thank STATED MEETING 33 12/15/2022 you, Council President. I want to thank Councilman Kenyatta Johnson for working closely with this football team that's in our area in Northeast Philadelphia, and I simply want to say that I too, just like Councilman Thomas and a lot of other folks who have been championing young people, other Councilmembers, we really believe that football teams, leadership organizations, they make the world of difference in the lives of young people, and a lot of us wouldn't be here today without youth organizations in our lives. So I just want to say thank you to our coaches, and whatever else we can do, not only from a monetary standpoint but from a moral support standpoint, mentoring standpoint, we're here for you. So we love you, we appreciate y'all. Keep up the good work. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 34 12/15/2022
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. You know, Philadelphia is a city of leaders and winners, and whether they're on or off the field or they're serving in our Administration or working in City Council, there's a lot of talent in this town. And so I just really wanted to take a brief moment and recognize someone who has done an extraordinary job of working with us here in Philadelphia City Council who is getting ready to retire, and that is none other than Jane Baker from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Jane, are you here? I know you're here somewhere, if you can -- oh, somebody is pointing her out. Jane, stand up. STATED MEETING 35 12/15/2022 (Applause.)
Jane has been with us through numerous commissioners and changes within the Health Department and has really been just such a presence and a force, and her leadership as well has helped spearhead the direction of the Health Department through some very turbulent times that we've had in recent years. And so we say thank you to Jane, and we also have a citation for her. She didn't know that we were going to be doing this this morning, and I'm sure she's surprised, but we love you, Jane. You know, listen, God bless, but whatever it is that you decide to do in the future, I know that you're going to be very successful in any endeavors, even if it's just sitting down for a minute. You know, you've done an extraordinary job. STATED MEETING 36 12/15/2022 wanted to read a couple of excerpts, if I could, Mr. President, from the citation, and it reads: The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor, congratulate, and thank Jane Baker on the occasion of her retirement as Chief of Staff of the Health Department and for her many years of service to the citizens of Philadelphia; and Whereas, on January 13, 2023, Jane Baker is retiring as Chief of Staff of the Health Department; and Whereas, Ms. Baker has served as Chief of Staff since 2014, serving as a critical promoter of public health in Philadelphia; and Whereas, Ms. Baker received her first appointment with the City of Philadelphia in 1996 as a Public Health Program Analyst within the Division of the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office at the Health Department. Within STATED MEETING 37 12/15/2022 13 years, she was promoted to Division Director, and under her leadership, she worked tirelessly for HIV prevention in the City of Philadelphia and HIV care and treatment in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties; Whereas, Ms. Baker exhibits dedication, enthusiasm, perseverance, and loyalty and are the efforts in many key successful projects within the City of Philadelphia. And in addition to her civil service duties as Chief of Staff, Ms. Baker was dedicated to the mission of public health. She has served as the Integrity Officer for ten years. She holds a Master's degree in clinical psychology from La Salle University, also in the Eighth District, and she has been an exemplary civil servant for over 26 years. Therefore, by virtue of this citation, the Council of the City of Philadelphia does hereby honor, congratulate, and thank Jane Baker on the STATED MEETING 38 12/15/2022 from the Department of Public Health and her many years of service to the citizens of Philadelphia. We wish Ms. Baker a retirement -(Applause.)
-- filled with good health, happiness, and joy. God bless. (Standing ovation.)
Thank you, Councilwoman. And thank you, Jane, for your service. We really appreciate having the opportunity to interact with you over these many years, and God bless you on your future endeavors. Thank you. That concludes the introduction of bills and resolutions, and our next -- STATED MEETING 39 12/15/2022 Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I first wanted to thank my colleague Councilmember Cindy Bass for introducing the legislation on behalf of Jane Baker on the occasion of her retirement from the Philadelphia Department of Health. I would be remiss if I did not too congratulate Jane and say thank you for all the years that we worked together, working behind the scenes as staffers. We all know the staffers are the ones who get the job done, and I had the opportunity to work with Jane when I was a staffer for Councilmember Blondell Reynolds Brown and we worked together on the implementation and the regs around the lead legislation and even through COVID and all of the tumultuous times we have faced from a public health perspective over the last several years. STATED MEETING 40 12/15/2022 wanted to say thank you, Jane, for your tireless dedication to the City of Philadelphia, for always being someone that we could count on and reach out to and know that we could get a response and just have good communication between departments. So I wanted to congratulate her on the occasion of her retirement. I wish her well and hope that you enjoy every single moment. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Council President. I also wanted to correct on my last announcement that the Falcons are the 2022 youth national champions, but STATED MEETING 41 12/15/2022 nevertheless, since we're talking about transitions, I want to take a moment similar to my colleague Councilman Jones with a little mixed emotion but nevertheless always happy to watch Team Johnson flourish and always go to the next level, because that's what it's all about, putting leaders all throughout City government as well as private industry. And so my head of Legislative Affairs, Director of Public Policy and Legislation, Joshu Harris, will be making a transition, and I just want to publicly thank him. He has been a cornerstone of all the legislative policy that I have been doing in my City Council office, coming up with the concept of our Save Our Homes package, which we recently passed to try to help individuals stay inside their homes as we address gentrification, working with me in creating the Office of Victim Advocate to make sure victims and co-victims of gun STATED MEETING 42 12/15/2022 to go here in City government when they are faced with significant gun violence and, most importantly, being a key advisor as we orchestrate and execute the Special Committee on Gun Violence. Been there from day one with the formation but also the various initiatives of his that we have helped under that committee. But with that being said, I just want to take a moment to ask everybody if we can just -- and everyone knows Joshu. I'll stand in God, but besides his work, he's a young man of great character. So that's what I always pay attention to regarding the people that I hire, because you could have the best talent. That don't mean I'm going to hire you. I look at your character and your heart and why you're actually doing this work. And so this is someone from day one, right, could have went in private industry, but said, no, I want to serve STATED MEETING 43 12/15/2022 the City of Philadelphia. So I know he has a heart as a public servant. So I just want to acknowledge my good friend Mr. Joshu Harris, Esquire. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. Anybody else? (No response.)
Look, why not, right? Get it in while you can. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman, Council Lady. We will now move to reports from committee, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Oh for a report from the STATED MEETING 44 12/15/2022 and the Creative/Innovative Economy.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy issues a report pursuant to Resolution No. 200175.
Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, please read the report.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy, to which was referred Resolution No. 200175, entitled a "Resolution authorizing City Council's Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold hearings regarding the Music Industry Task Force report and recommendations," respectfully reports that the Committee held hearings authorized by Resolution STATED MEETING 45 12/15/2022 200175 on December 9, 2022 and that the Committee has adopted and issues to the Council a final report and recommendations of the Philadelphia Music Industry Task Force on the matters discussed at the hearing.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Decker. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh -- oh, never mind, Councilman. We're good. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. That concludes our reports from committee, and our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. As there are no bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a motion concerning the resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda for the following resolutions on Final Passage Calendar STATED MEETING 46 12/15/2022 today: Resolutions No. 220976, 220977, 220978, 220979, 220980, 220983, 220984, 220986, 220987, 220988, 220990, 220991, and 220992.
Thank you. Can I get a second? (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the resolutions just read by Councilman Jones. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Resolution Consent Agenda shortly. STATED MEETING 47 12/15/2022 Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones for a motion concerning bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you again, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to use a Consent Agenda for the following bills on Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 220666-A, 220814, 220913, 220915, 220917, 220919, 220921, 220938, 220118, 220639, 220775, 220844, 220870, 220871, 220890 -- correction; 220904, 220922, and 220907. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilman Jones. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 48 12/15/2022 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and we will -- the motion carries, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you again, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being considered on -- in addition to the following bills being considered on the Consent Agenda today, the following resolutions and bills are being called up from Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 220322-AAA, 220656-A, 220665-A, 220923-A, 220664, and 220846. All other bills and resolutions are being held. STATED MEETING 49 12/15/2022
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Before considering the resolutions and bills, we will consider public comment. Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for possible action at today's Council session. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have already not signed up, you must do so now. You can go to the Sergeant-At-Arms in the hallway outside of the door. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet, and under ideal circumstances, which we don't have today, we have a significant volume of individuals to speak, so I'd ask that you please adjust your time and your speech to reflect a two-minute time limit. So please keep, as best as possible, your testimony to two minutes today. STATED MEETING 50 12/15/2022 In order to be fair for those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit. And when you begin speaking, you will see a green light on the podium. When the light turns green, it will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds remaining on your testimony, and when the light turns red, we'd ask that you please comply with the guidelines established by Council and conclude your remarks. We also reserve the right pursuant to the rules of Council from time to time with the same subject matter, we can adjust the individuals testifying. I don't think we'll have that today. Mr. Decker, can you please read the first name on our list of speakers today.
The first speaker is Joseph Whelihan, commenting on 220664. (Speaker approached podium.) STATED MEETING 51 12/15/2022
My name is Dr. Joseph Whelihan and I'm a pediatrician here in Philadelphia speaking on behalf of myself in strong support of Bill 220654, 5, and 6. In the post-Roe world, we must do everything that we can to protect access to the full spectrum of reproductive health services, including abortion. In June 2022, the American Medical Association passed policy stating that healthcare, including reproductive health services like contraception and abortion, is a human right. As a pediatrician, I know that abortion restrictions disproportionately affect adolescents and young adults. Adolescent pregnancies are more likely to be unplanned and they have much higher rates of complications for both the STATED MEETING 52 12/15/2022 mother and the infant. In addition, early child-bearing limits a teenager's ability to complete schooling, which in turn affects their long-term job prospects and livelihoods. Abortion is not the right choice for all teenagers, however, because many pregnant teenagers and their families go on to raise healthy and beloved children. However, the choice should be up to the teenager, their support network, and their healthcare provider. I applaud the Council and the introduction of these three bills which seek to protect those who seek safe, evidence-based reproductive healthcare. In particular, I admire that these bills shore up existing loopholes which threaten those who obtain abortion legally. Additionally, I appreciate the inclusive language in these bills, which acknowledge that not everyone who seeks STATED MEETING 53 12/15/2022 an abortion identifies as a woman. These bills make me proud to be a Philadelphian and proud to practice medicine in a city that recognizes this essential human right, and I urge their passage into law. Thank you.
State your name for the record and please begin your testimony.
My first time here. Good morning, members of Council. My name is Michele Gaffney and I'm here to voice my opposition to Bill No. 220918, the proposed Cobbs Creek Overlay District. I'm a consultant and advocate for Adjacent Construction Safety and Neighbors' Rights, helping residents and organizations to seek resolutions when their property is damaged by unsafe construction work. I'm also the founder of BuildLikeYouLiveHere.org, a pure advocacy movement dedicated to helping residents understand and navigate the impacts of construction harm on our neighborhoods. We also advocate for legislative protections and rights for residents of properties that have become damaged or even collapsed from adjacent construction activity, including the passage of Bill No. 220008, which goes STATED MEETING 55 12/15/2022 into effect in January. With the context of how severe construction damage has become, I ask that you vote no on Bill No. 220918. This bill sets a dangerous precedent by including an exemption from the steep slope protection section of The Philadelphia Code. This exemption is an apparent attempt to allow the developer to circumvent existing safety and approval processes. The steep slope protection requirements are located in the 14-704 section of The Philadelphia Code, titled "Open Spaces and Natural Resources," which states its intent as, quote, "to promote safe and compatible development throughout the City of Philadelphia that avoids adverse impacts and degradation of the environment through open space preservation, protection of steep slopes, erosion control, and water quality protection." The neighborhoods surrounding STATED MEETING 56 12/15/2022 this golf course restoration project are already prone to flooding. Suppose this exemption leads to more significant flooding damages to a resident's home. In that case, there are no current avenues for recourse or support through the City. And most residents cannot afford to wage a lengthy lawsuit with a developer or contractor. This scenario leaves your constituents deeply financially impacted by costly repairs, potentially losing their generational wealth investment or even becoming displaced entirely. At the Planning Commission review of this bill on December 8th, the Foundation heading up the project stated that the reason they're asking for this exemption is because they're obligated by their contract to recreate the historic layout of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course. I would recommend instead of seeking an exemption to code requirements designed for the safety to preserve a STATED MEETING 57 12/15/2022 historic golf course layout, the Foundation should seek an exemption to areas of the historic layout that fall under the steep slope restriction. Do not sacrifice safety to make a replica of the past. Focus on the safety and health of today's residents. Please do not pass this bill. Please, at the very least, agree with the Planning Commission's 45-day extension recommendation. The precedent of this exceptional set is one we cannot afford to allow. We must not normalize safety loopholes via overlay districts. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. And that bill is being held for 45 days. Thank you.
The next speaker is Sarah Green, commenting on 220656, 220665, and 220664. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning, STATED MEETING 58 12/15/2022 Councilmembers. My name is Dr. Sarah Green and I'm a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health. I'm a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine, living and working in Philadelphia. In my practice, I care for teenagers with a variety of healthcare needs, including reproductive health and primary care. I'm strongly in favor of the bills being considered today to protect reproductive rights in our city, as I know they will benefit my patients. These include the information privacy bill, 220656; employment discrimination bill, 220664; and the countersuit bill, 220665. Reproductive health is more than just pregnancy prevention. I recently had a patient who was missing multiple days of high school every month because of severe pain with her periods. Birth control would improve her school attendance and help her achieve her goal STATED MEETING 59 12/15/2022 of going to nursing school. When restrictions are placed on reproductive healthcare, teenagers are disproportionately at risk for losing access to care, and patients like this are vulnerable to losing these vital services. Since the overturning of Roe, I've heard many misconceptions from the young people I care for, including questioning whether condoms are illegal and whether their doctor can be sued for providing contraception. While these are myths, their fear is real and stems from a reality that abortion is no longer a guaranteed right in this country. I'm proud to live in a city that is prioritizing reproductive health, and I urge you to pass this legislation. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 60 12/15/2022
The next speaker is Amal Bass, commenting on 220656, 220665, and 220664. (Speaker approached podium.)
Welcome. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
My name is Amal Bass and I'm representing the Women's Law Project. Founded in 1974 in Philadelphia, the Women's Law Project is a public interest legal organization that seeks to advance gender justice through impact litigation, public policy advocacy, community education, and individual representation. The Women's Law Project strongly supports the passage of the three reproductive rights bills. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs, the fact that it eviscerated our federal constitutional right to abortion by overturning precedent that had been STATED MEETING 61 12/15/2022 settled law for nearly 50 years, underscores the importance of ensuring that the plain language of our laws is as clear as possible, making it harder for future courts to interpret it wrongly later. That is what the employment discrimination law, Bill No. 220664, will do. Our position at the Women's Law Project is that Philadelphia's anti-discrimination law, the Fair Practice Ordinance, already protects people from workplace discrimination on the basis of reproductive health autonomy, whether an employee has sought abortion care or contraception or fertility-related medical procedures or medicine. The law already protects these decisions because it prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition. But, again, the Dobbs decision shows us the importance of STATED MEETING 62 12/15/2022 clarifying our rights in the text of the law, especially at the local and state levels. The Dobbs decision has caused chaos and confusion. Without a national floor for our right to reproductive autonomy, some states have now completely banned abortion. Those bans have forced people to travel to Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania for care they were denied in their home state, and at the same time, those anti-abortion states threaten to interfere in abortion care that is legal here. As a result, the countersuit bill, which would deter the use of other states' laws that seek to impose liability for abortion services that are legal here, is also an important piece of legislation. And it's also important with all of this to protect our privacy. There is so much more we must do to protect our rights and to make abortion accessible, but these three bills are an important part of the STATED MEETING 63 12/15/2022 protections we need, and we strongly support their passage. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Kelly Davis, commenting on 220656, 220665, and 220664. (Speaker approached podium.)
Welcome. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Thank you. My name is Kelly Davis and I'm the Executive Director of New Voices, the only reproductive justice organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the first in Ohio. New Voices for Reproductive Justice is dedicated to transforming society for the holistic health and STATED MEETING 64 12/15/2022 well-being of Black women, (unintelligible), and girls, along with gender-expansive people throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and nationally. The three bills brought forth at the Reproductive Freedom Platform combine into a comprehensive package that ensures the right to abortion access is protected through limiting the share of information, the ability to perform vigilante justice, and the ability to be discriminated against for medical decisions related to pregnancy. New Voices supports Bill 220656 because it protects reproductive health information from being used against birthing people, makes the sharing of reproductive health information without consent a punishable offense, and it ensures some forms of retribution are prohibited, such as sharing information online and social media. New Voices for Reproductive Justice supports Bill 220664 because we STATED MEETING 65 12/15/2022 firmly believe that Black women and birthing people must be trusted as moral agents, with the ability to make these personal healthcare decisions, which includes valuing our inherent dignity and self-worth and access to bodily autonomy. This bill allows us to be trusted with our own lives, something that is increasingly paramount in a society where marginalization is rampant. It is vital to address anti-discrimination in all its forms when we live in an era where anti-abortion, far right pundits are silently going after corporations and workplaces that support their employees' medical decisions. Bill 220664 provides additional protections to women and birthing people who may experience discrimination in the workplace due to decisions they make regarding their own bodily autonomy, which we know has implications particularly for our Black communities. STATED MEETING 66 12/15/2022 Thank you.
The next speaker is Jasmin Velez, commenting on Resolution 221028, a resolution introduced today and on the Final Passage Calendar. (Speaker approached podium.)
Thank you. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Hi, everyone. My name is Jasmin Velez. Good morning to you, City Council, and to everyone here. My name is Jasmin Velez and I'm a Kensington resident in support of Resolution 221028 introduced by Councilmember Lozada. When we consider the trajectory of how fentanyl has destroyed people with its highly addictive properties and the STATED MEETING 67 12/15/2022 traumatic impacts it has left and continues to leave on communities, I must ask the obvious: Are we blind to the trends of the opioid crisis? The research showcases that 44 percent of overdose deaths have been linked to xylazine. These pharmaceuticals are not meant for human consumption. Yet it is clearly beginning to rise, whether people are conscious of it or not. We live in fear in our community of being pricked by needles when doing gardening work or when our kids are playing in the park. When we live in fear -- we live in fear of the uncertainty of what may linger in those needles and how as innocent bystanders we may now have to worry about its impacts on our physical health, as if our mental health isn't already being tested. We can see clearly the substances, heroin, fentanyl, and now xylazine, or tranq. If we have the power STATED MEETING 68 12/15/2022 to remove or restrict something harmful off the streets, even if it's one damaging substance at a time, knowing it can alleviate some of the trauma, why wouldn't we try. I am here because I support this resolution, and I implore everyone to just look and see how this can be impactful for the City exacerbated by the opioid crisis. I support Councilmember Lozada's resolution. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Lynn Landes, commenting on 210913. (Speaker approached podium.)
Welcome. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Good morning. I'm STATED MEETING 69 12/15/2022 Lynn Landes, publisher of Protocols for Democracy. I support Resolution 210913. However, today I'm speaking against the City Council's public comment policy that restricts comments to agenda items only. People make public comments in City Council meetings in order to share information and express their opinion on how the City is being governed. However, City Council's public comment policy restricts comments to agenda items only, to bills and resolutions they have approved for discussion, essentially to matters they want to discuss. This policy is not fair, equitable, or perhaps constitutional. What about the issues the people want to discuss? Certainly the public comment period is not an opportunity for us to talk about our favorite recipes, but neither is it Council's right to restrict our free speech rights as long as our comments pertain to City issues. STATED MEETING 70 12/15/2022 In addition, written public comment should be published on the City Council's website. Many people cannot hear the speakers or may need to read their remarks instead. The School Board provides such a service for their monthly meetings. It should also be recognized that those who make public comments are de facto citizen journalists who provide a valuable service to both City Council and the public. In this country, we are supposed to have freedom of the press, but our news media and social media platforms are overwhelmingly privately owned, where censorship is routinely practiced. Public comments provide a public remedy for this private censorship. Therefore, I respectfully request that City Council end the restrictions on public comments to agenda items only as well as provide a link on the City Council home page for our public STATED MEETING 71 12/15/2022 comments in written form. Thank you very much.
The next speaker is Mary Ebeling, commenting on 220656. (Speaker approached podium.)
Welcome. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Good morning. My name is Mary Ebeling and I am a professor of sociology at Drexel University and a resident of West Philadelphia. My comments are on support of Bill 220656 and based on -- which are based on my expertise on the collection, use, and sale of reproductive health data by for-profit third parties outside of the healthcare sector. The Council should understand STATED MEETING 72 12/15/2022 how these transactions can seriously harm the most vulnerable Philadelphians, any resident capable of becoming pregnant who may be seeking reproductive healthcare in the City. About a decade ago, I underwent assisted reproductive healthcare at one of the City's best reproductive health clinics. While all my efforts to become pregnant and give birth through IVF failed, I experienced three miscarriages all by week 12. I did in fact have a baby of sorts, a baby born from the purloined information about the fact that I was trying to get pregnant gleaned from my phone, my credit card, my loyalty card used at pharmacies, my IP address, and other private sources that were segmented into marketing lists and sold to anyone with a few hundred dollars. Data brokers, companies that aggregate and sell personally identifiable information on almost every resident in the United States to other STATED MEETING 73 12/15/2022 businesses, make these transactions without the knowledge or consent of the people that they sell the data on. It is an industry that is virtually unregulated in the U.S. Some names you may be familiar with, such as Experian or LexisNexis, which provides personal data for use in anything from criminal investigations to research and healthcare, but others you may not, such as IQVIA that provides big pharma with information on what doctors are prescribing to their patients or Axium that holds data on 21 million healthcare providers across the U.S. These companies collect and sell health data on millions of Americans outside of the protections of federal and state data privacy regulations, like HIPAA, and they collect this data from things that Philadelphians do every day, like walking down the street near a Planned Parenthood, to buying -purchasing prenatal vitamins at a local STATED MEETING 74 12/15/2022 CVS, even when you purchase this with cash.
The next speaker is Cheryl Bettigole, commenting on Resolution 221028 introduced today and on the Final Passage Calendar. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. I'm Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, the Health Commissioner for Philadelphia. Can you hear me?
I'm Dr. Cheryl STATED MEETING 75 12/15/2022 Bettigole, Health Commissioner for Philadelphia. I first just want to thank Council from the bottom of my heart for honoring Jane Baker. She has been a rock, and if anybody knows service in the City of Philadelphia, it's Jane. She is always there, always answering questions, and I'm just so grateful to her. So good morning, everyone, Council President Clarke, members of City Council. Again, I'm Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Health Commissioner for Philadelphia, here to offer testimony on Resolution, I believe it's, 221028 introduced by Councilmember Lozada on adding xylazine to the list of controlled substances in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia has been and continues to be hit particularly hard by the national crisis of opioid use addiction and overdose. More than 1,200 people have died from a drug overdose in Philadelphia in each of the past two STATED MEETING 76 12/15/2022 years. In the past five years, we've suffered more than 5,900 fatal drug overdoses. In addition to these fatalities, every year thousands of individuals experience non-fatal overdoses and other consequences of opioid use and addiction. I'm going to summarize quickly, because I know we're -- we don't have a lot of time, but certainly the statistics are horrifying. The recent significant increase in polysubstance use in which people consume multiple drugs at the same time, either knowing or unknowingly, has further exacerbated the problem. From 2011 through 2015, heroin was the most common drug found in the toxicology of overdose incidents. Yet by 2020, it was not even among the top five drugs. Fentanyl is now the leading drug present in 979 of 1,214 deaths, followed by cocaine, benzodiazapines, STATED MEETING 77 12/15/2022 prescription opioids, and methamphetamines. Today the non-opioid non-stimulant drug of great public health and clinical concern is xylazine. It's commonly known as tranq or tranq dope. It's a sedative with analgesic and muscle relaxant properties. It's approved for use in veterinary medicine only. The FDA has not approved it for human use. It's not a federally scheduled drug, and it's very easy to purchase online. When it's mixed with other drugs, particularly these days fentanyl, the risk of overdose increases. I thank you for considering this really important resolution. Thanks to Councilmember Lozada for introducing it. (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you, Doctor. STATED MEETING 78 12/15/2022
The next speaker is Peter Winslow, commenting on 200533. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Peter Winslow. I'm a Philadelphia resident. I speak to you today as President of A Smart Collaboration, as a member of the Philadelphia Public Banking Coalition, and as a candidate recommended by City Council to Mayor Kenney for appointment to the initial Board of the Philadelphia Public Financial Authority. Thank you, President Clarke and members of City Council, for this opportunity to offer public comment in support of Resolution No. 200533. Councilmember Bass notes Wells Fargo's history of unethical business practices, so let's be specific. Wells Fargo systematically deceived and defrauded its Philadelphia customers by STATED MEETING 79 12/15/2022 charging fees on credit cards and checking accounts opened without their consent. Wells Fargo systematically violated the Fair Housing Act by targeting Black and Latinx neighborhoods for reverse redlining, predatory loans. Because of this history, Councilmember Bass wants the Council to ask Comcast to reconsider its agreement for naming rights to the South Philadelphia arena used for the home of the 76ers, the Flyers, and the Wings as well as by others. I agree that responsible corporate citizens should require those they do business with to be responsible corporate citizens too. Shouldn't we at least expect a fiduciary to be trustworthy? Let's note that Wells Fargo remains among the 13 authorized depository institutions where the City keep its money. If the Council wants to STATED MEETING 80 12/15/2022 be punitive, it could rescind its authorization and cease doing business with Wells Fargo. I'm not recommending such action. I'm just saying. But the problem we face is not specific to Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is just one of the elite too-big-to-fail banks that hold our financial system hostage. In addition to individual Philadelphians, our City has been ripped off repeatedly by interest rate swaps, manipulation of the LIBOR rate, rigging of the municipal bond market, and other deceptive practices. Philadelphia needs a public bank operating within our financial ecosystem to help us keep the system healthy and honest. Let me also note that publicly banking advocate Mike Krauss died recently. So I want to leave on the public comment podium for Mr. Decker to insert into the record my testimony to the Council on behalf of the Public Banking Institute from October 2012 when STATED MEETING 81 12/15/2022 then-Councilmember Kenney chaired the hearing. Mike advocated for public banks, quote, "to guarantee the sustainable and affordable credit to individuals, businesses, and municipalities required in a modern economy to power locally directed economic development and job innovation." Thank you very much for your time.
The next speaker is Bruce Clark, commenting on 220916. (No response.)
STATED MEETING 82 12/15/2022 Bruce Clark? (No response.)
Roxanne Sutocky, commenting on 220656, 220665, and 220664. (Speaker approached podium.)
Thank you. My name is Roxanne Sutocky and I serve as a patient advocate and Director of Community Engagement with the Women Centers, a group of independent abortion providers with centers in Georgia, Connecticut, New Jersey, and here in Pennsylvania at our Delaware County and Philadelphia Women Centers. On behalf of the Philadelphia Women's Center, I share gratitude to Councilmember Helen Gym, Kendra Brooks, Jamie Gauthier, Cindy Bass, Katherine Gilmore Richardson for championing the STATED MEETING 83 12/15/2022 Reproductive Freedom Platform to defend abortion access and protect all those seeking and providing abortion care here in Philadelphia. As trusted medical providers and long-term community members, Philadelphia Women Centers is here today to urge you to pass Bills 220656, 220665, and 220664, all critical components of the Reproductive Freedom Platform. Our Philadelphia Women's Center, or PWC, was established in 1972, and each year we have the honor and the privilege of serving between six and eight thousand women, trans men, and gender non-conforming people seeking abortion care. I want to take a minute to recognize the compassionate and committed PWC team who are providing care across town right now. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we are keenly aware of the threat of abortion rights being stripped away from our families and our neighbors, STATED MEETING 84 12/15/2022 but we know all too well that abortion rights do not equate to access, and this is an issue of equity. Abortion care has long been pushed out of reach in Pennsylvania for our low-income neighbors, for Black birthing people, young folks, LBGTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, all our immigrant communities, and those living in rural areas of the state. Today 14 states have no abortion providers at all, with 13 enforcing total bans on abortion care. The research tells us that denying someone abortion care has a devastating impact on their physical and mental health and economic well-being, further exacerbating existing disparities created by systemic racism and reproductive coercion. I thank you for your time.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. STATED MEETING 85 12/15/2022 (Applause.)
The next speaker is Ogbonna Hagins, commenting on 220921. (Speaker approached podium.)
Great morning, everyone. Ogbonna Hagins for the record speaking in regards to the affordable housing overlay. The government has a long history of facilitating wealth for white Americans. From the Land Act of 1785, Congress sought to transfer wealth to citizens on terms that were favorable. In 1866, the Homestead Act sought to include Afro Americans in the transfer of public land to private farmers, but discrimination and poor implementation doomed that policy. Afro Americans did make gains in wealth acquisition after chattel STATED MEETING 86 12/15/2022 slavery ended, but the pace was slow and started from nothing. So now you mean to tell me that a new affordable housing program will erase the longstanding government sanctions, devaluation of Afro American communities? What we really need is a head start Homestead Act for Afro Americans that will transfer not just a roof over heads but wealth. On the note of wealth and housing, prison gerrymandering creates political and economic disadvantage specifically in Afro American communities. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that prison gerrymandering violates the Free and Equal Election section of Pennsylvania State Constitution. The ruling, in essence, confirms that incarceration shifts political power from urban districts; namely, North Philly, West Philly, to suburban and rural districts through legislative appointments now deemed STATED MEETING 87 12/15/2022 illegal. Despite the ruling in our nation's courts citing the unconstitutionality of prison gerrymandering, there has not been a detailed accounting as the economic disenfranchisement by persons in the community is impacted. Electoral advantage was taken from districts in Philadelphia through prison gerrymandering, and the courts have ruled that residents' rights were violated. I am calling for Philadelphia City Council to convene a special committee to conduct a forensic accounting to determine how much money incarcerated Afro Americans from Philadelphia brings to foreign white districts in rural Pennsylvania and the amount of economic depreciation suffered to the -- in terms of home districts in Afro American communities --
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. STATED MEETING 88 12/15/2022
-- legally gerrymandering. I further call that once the accounting is completed, the City to file an appropriate civil action to recover the stolen monies and compensate the individual families impacted.