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.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hagins. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Casey O'Donnell, commenting on Resolution 221028 introduced today and on the Final Passage Calendar. (Speaker approached podium.)
Casey O'Donnell from Impact Services in Kensington speaking in support of Resolution 221028 STATED MEETING 89 12/15/2022 introduced by Councilwoman Lozada. I spend every morning driving down Kensington Avenue from Castor to Lehigh, and the purpose of doing so is, one, identifying where the homeless encampments have moved to, and since it's been cold, I also have to identify where the trash fires are and call them into the Fire Department. As I do that, I see slumped-over bodies by those campfires, hoping that they're going to wake up, and I can tell you that when you reverse an overdose, you wait for a little while after one or two doses of Narcan, and I can tell you that when someone wakes up, whatever their condition, it is heartening and incredibly relieving. There's a sigh of relief when you see somebody that's purple start breathing again. I can't tell you how heartbreaking it is to see someone not wake up after four doses of Narcan STATED MEETING 90 12/15/2022 because their body is full of xylazine. Whatever we can do to address this issue, we need to do. Do I think adding it to a list is really going to change anything? Frankly, I don't, but we need to take every step possible, and this legislative body also needs to figure out how to get people off the streets and into safe housing where they can be cared for. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Isa Shahid, commenting on 220976. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Isa Shahid representing the STATED MEETING 91 12/15/2022 Laborers District Council of Philadelphia and Vicinity. I'm here to speak on Bill 220976. I would like to begin by thanking the Council for introducing this bill, this home repair. I think it's an opportunity for a lot of homeowners to really invest in their home, their safe haven, and an opportunity to pull impoverished people out of poverty by investing in their homes and the mass exodus of people that are leaving Philadelphia, going to different areas due to violence and things like that, but we also have an opportunity to change the trajectory of some of our youth by investing a lot of these funds that come to the state into apprenticeships, teaching youth trades, life skills, and how to further their lives with a middle-class profession. So we would like to -- we are in support of the bill, but we would like to have more conversations on how those STATED MEETING 92 12/15/2022 funds can be accepted and applied to a pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. Thank you.
The next speaker is Louis Williams, commenting on 220976. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning, Council and everyone here. Thank you. My name is Louis Williams. I'm the founder and CEO of a non-profit that's called New by Lou, and what we do is designing and painting and making places livable for the low income. Also I'm a Board member of the STATED MEETING 93 12/15/2022 RCO and also I have an online newspaper, The Daily Prism, that is made for people that -- a means for them to express themselves, but I'm here this morning to represent the low income and talk about the housing that's being built up on North Broad Street. If you remember for some of you, we just had an incident on 40th and Market whereas the townhouses was destroyed. Developers came in. They built those houses about 40 years ago, and then all of the sudden, they want to sell the houses to another developer, and those people in the townhouses have to move out. So it seems to me this is the same thing that's being -- about to be done on North Broad Street, and what I'm saying, housing is fine, but we need to sustain these people. You just can't let developers come in and make all the money. They get tax breaks, they build these cheap houses, the government pays STATED MEETING 94 12/15/2022 them for them, they let people live in them. Broad Street is an up-and-coming area, so it's only a matter of time before those houses is going to be torn down. So now what's going to happen to those people? I'm saying that we need to create some type of way that these people can own these properties, create businesses where they can develop and be taught how to maintain them, and this way it's not -- we're not just continually doing the same thing over and over. And I want to thank Council for allowing me to speak for the low income, but I just think it's a good idea for these homes, but I think we really need to expand a little bit more so the people can be able to maintain them and live there for a very long time. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. STATED MEETING 95 12/15/2022 (Applause.)
There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker, and thank all of you for your testimony today. We really appreciate it. And we will now consider today's Resolution Consent Agenda. I would ask the Clerk to please read the titles of all the resolutions on the Consent Agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the resolution on the Resolution Consent Agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the resolution will be immediately removed from the Resolution Consent Agenda and placed on today's regular Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, can you please read STATED MEETING 96 12/15/2022 of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda.
Resolution No. 220976, entitled a "Resolution approving the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation as the City's applicant to receive funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development under the Whole Home Program"; and Resolution No. 220977, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 3548 Germantown Avenue in the Fifth Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. 220978, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to various properties located in the Fifth STATED MEETING 97 12/15/2022 District, including on the following streets: Clifford Street, Cecil B. Moore Avenue, North Darien Street, Morse Street, North Eighth Street, North Ninth Street, North Tenth Street and North Thirty-first Street"; and Resolution No. 220979, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to various properties located in the Fifth Councilmanic District, including on the following streets: North Myrtlewood Street, North Thirtieth Street, North Marston Street, North Bailey Street, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue"; and Resolution No. 220980, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to various properties located in the Fifth STATED MEETING 98 12/15/2022 District, including on the following streets: North Seventh Street, North Eighth Street, North Ninth Street, North Tenth Street, North Thirtieth Street, North Thirty-first Street, North Thirty-second Street, North Thirty-third Street, North Franklin Street, Melon Street, East Norris Street, West York Street, West Arizona Street, North Camac Street, Parrish Street, North Perth Street and Turner Street"; and Resolution No. 220983, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 1308 South Hollywood Street, 1310 South Hollywood Street and 1312 South Hollywood Street, located in the Second Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. 220984, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3418, 3420, & 3422 Kensington Avenue STATED MEETING 99 12/15/2022 the 7th Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. "; and Resolution No. 220987, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1834, 1837, 1840, 1846, and 1848 South Allison Street; 5517 Paschall Avenue; and 5804 Hazel Avenue located in the 3rd Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. 220988, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 239 North Paxon Street located in the 3rd Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. 220990, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2544 South 5th Street and 1921 South 6th STATED MEETING 100 12/15/2022 in the 1st Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. 220991, entitled a "Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 2868 Amber Street, 2118 East Monmouth Street and 2132 East Monmouth Street, located in the First Councilmanic District"; and Resolution No. "
Thank you, Mr. Decker. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones for a motion to adopt each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda.
Mr. President, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) COUNCIL President CLARKE: The ayes have it. Each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda has been adopted. STATED MEETING 102 12/15/2022 now consider today's Bill Consent Agenda. I would ask Mr. Decker to please read the titles of all the bills on the Consent Agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the bill on the Consent Agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the bill will immediately be removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on our regular Final Passage Calendar today. Mr. Decker, please read the titles of the bills on the Bill Consent Agenda today.
Bill No. 220666-A, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-3300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Use and Inspection of Tower and Mobile Cranes in Construction,' to require breaks for operators"; and Bill No. 220814, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 12-919 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'On-Street Parking of Boats, Motor Homes, Truck STATED MEETING 103 12/15/2022 Campers, Semitrailers, Truck Tractors, and Vending Carts,' to provide prohibitions on semitrailer and truck tractor parking in the Tenth District of Council"; and Bill No. 220913, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 14-504(11) of The Philadelphia Code, entitled '/NCO, Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District Strawberry Mansion'"; and Bill No. 220915, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 14-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Base Zoning Districts,' and Chapter 14-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Use Regulations,' by revising provisions related to Utilities and Services and Water Treatment Facilities"; and Bill No. 220917, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by City Avenue, Stout Road, Monument Road, and STATED MEETING 104 12/15/2022 Avenue, and to authorize Basic Utilities and Services in a section of Fairmount Park"; and Bill No. 220919, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Henry Avenue, Roosevelt Boulevard Extension, Scotts Lane, and Indian Queen Lane"; and Bill No. 220921, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 14-500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Overlay Zoning Districts,' by amending Section 14-534, entitled '/AHP, Affordable Housing Preservation Overlay District,' and by making related changes"; and Bill No. 220938, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Director of Commerce and Director of Finance to enter into amendments to multiyear agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, formerly known STATED MEETING 105 12/15/2022 Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, and other parties as necessary concerning the parking garage constructed as part of the overall Market Street East - Gallery II Redevelopment Project, including an additional amendment to the agreement between the City and PAID, as amended, originally authorized by Bill No. 546 (approved June 15, 1993), and further authorizing the Director of Commerce and the Director of Finance, when necessary or prudent, to enter into ancillary agreements with any or all of PAID, PRA, Parametric Garage Associates, a new lender to Parametric, and other parties"; and Bill No. 220118, entitled "An ordinance authorizing an encroachment upon East Passyunk Avenue and Moore Street in the vicinity of 1801 East Passyunk Avenue"; and Bill No. 220639, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of STATED MEETING 106 12/15/2022 grades on a portion of City Plan No. 27-S by striking from the City Plan the easterly twenty feet wide portion of Swanson Street from Wolf Street to Snyder Avenue, striking from the City Plan and vacating the legally open portion of Vandalia Street from Wolf Street to Weccacoe Avenue, and reserving and placing on the City Plan a right-of-way for sewer and drainage purposes"; and Bill No. 220775, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 291 by striking from the City Plan and vacating the legally open portion of Shelmire Avenue from State Road to the centerline of the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad"; and Bill No.
220844, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of Haverford Avenue between North 67th Street and North 68th Street"; and STATED MEETING 107 12/15/2022 220870, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of Malvern Avenue between 63rd Street and Wynnewood Road"; and Bill No. 220871, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the installation, ownership, and maintenance of various encroachments in the vicinity of 435 North Broad Street"; and Bill No. 220904, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the installation, ownership, replacement, and maintenance of various encroachments in the vicinity of 1700 to 1720 Arch Street"; and Bill No. 220922, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 12-919 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'On-Street Parking of Boats, Motor Homes, Truck Campers, Semitrailers, Truck Tractors, and Vending Carts,' to provide prohibitions on semitrailer and truck tractor parking in the Sixth District of Council"; and STATED MEETING 108 12/15/2022 "
Thank you, Mr. Decker. These bills having been read on two different days, the question for each bill now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk shall call the roll, and upon being called, each Councilmember shall vote aye on each of the bills, nay on each of the bills, or indicate those bills for which the member is voting aye or those bills for which the member is voting nay. Mr. Decker.
Aye on all STATED MEETING 111 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING bills.
Aye on all bills. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative for each of the bills, the bills on the Consent Agenda have passed. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 220322-AAA.
An ordinance amending Chapter 16-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Surplus Properties," by adding criteria for evaluating non-competitive dispositions.
The STATED MEETING 112 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Okay. Councilman Oh, you didn't want it either, right? People are getting a head start on speeches. Not there yet. All right. I see you, Councilwoman. I just saw a couple of other members. There's a head start thing going on. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Council President. I'd just like to say a few words about the bill. The Public Land for Public Benefit bill will create a pathway in the Third and Fourth Districts for community control, green spaces, and permanently STATED MEETING 113 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING affordable housing on City-owned land. We've all been witness to the benefits that community green spaces have provided for our communities, and we've seen the devastation when these spaces are snatched away in sheriff sales, often destroying gardens and side lots that have been lovingly maintained by neighbors for years. And given the state of our local affordability crisis, the City's thousands of vacant parcels offer a unique and important opportunity to secure land uses that our communities need and can benefit from the most. Community ownership models like community land trusts result in equitable development, because the community sets the rules for how the land is used and ensures any future development continues to benefit residents. Their decision-making structure ensures that a community-run board retains ownership of the land, which gives the community a direct stake in the future of their STATED MEETING 114 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING neighborhoods. This bill will give residents of changing neighborhoods more of a chance to be considered to have more of an ownership stake in publicly owned property and provide them with the time and space in fast-paced markets for community members to fully develop projects that will be beneficial to them and their neighbors. I'd like to thank the legislation's co-sponsors. Their input very much helped improve the bill. I'd also like to thank the Administration for their collaboration, and I'd like to give the most gratitude to the Philadelphia Coalition for Affordable Communities, or PCAP, for their fierce advocacy for this legislation and for their efforts to champion housing justice in our city. This wouldn't have been possible without them. Thank you so much.
STATED MEETING 115 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you, Councilwoman. (Applause.)
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson. STATED MEETING 116 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman STATED MEETING 117 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Thomas.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. (Applause.)
Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 220656-A.
An ordinance adding a new Chapter 6-1400 to The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Privacy of Certain Health Information," to establish privacy protections for information related to reproductive healthcare. STATED MEETING 118 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. STATED MEETING 119 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilwoman Vaughn. STATED MEETING 120 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. Councilman, did you need to be recognized? I'm sorry.
Yeah. I wanted to be -- I'm sorry. I wanted to be recognized before the calling of the bills.
I just wanted to state that while I appreciate the hard work and I was on the committee and voted to pass these three bills out of committee, but at the time, I raised the issue that I don't think at least two of them that we have jurisdiction or authority as a city council. I know there are a lot of national issues that we'd like to have under our control, but I believe this is a federal issue and I believe the other STATED MEETING 121 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING is a state and federal issue. I do believe, however, that the third bill, 664, is a matter that City Council does have authority, and I will support that, but the other two, I believe we don't have the authority to pass on those topics. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. The ayes are 15; the nays are one. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 220665-A.
An ordinance amending Title 6 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Health Code," to establish legal protections related to entities or individuals seeking, providing, or assisting others to obtain reproductive services.
This bill having been read on two different STATED MEETING 122 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. STATED MEETING 123 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President Clarke. STATED MEETING 124 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays are one. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 220923-A.
An ordinance amending Titles 9 and 10 of The Philadelphia Code to establish procedures and requirements to prevent the theft of motor vehicles and parts, including catalytic converters and other precious-metal car parts and to impose penalties for non-compliance.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Brooks. STATED MEETING 125 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman STATED MEETING 126 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING O'Neill.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 220664.
An ordinance STATED MEETING 127 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING amending Chapter 9-1100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Fair Practices Ordinance: Protections Against Unlawful Discrimination," to protect against discrimination related to reproductive health, modify and harmonize related provisions of the Chapter, and make other related or technical changes.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Gauthier. STATED MEETING 128 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman STATED MEETING 129 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Squilla.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 220846.
An ordinance approving the plan, estimated costs and proposed method of assessment and charges of the Center City District for and concerning business improvements and administrative services to the central business district of the City of Philadelphia for 2023 through 2027; STATED MEETING 130 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING amending an Ordinance (Bill No. 1069, approved November 2, 1990, as amended by Bill No. 960631, approved November 25, 1996, as further amended by Bill No. 120800, approved December 21, 2012, and as further amended by Bill No. 170927, approved December 20, 2017) adopted pursuant to the "Municipality Authorities Act of 1945"; and approving estimated costs for debt service through 2045.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilman Driscoll. STATED MEETING 131 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman STATED MEETING 132 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Phillips.
Aye. The ayes are 16; 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 honoring Kyasha Tyson, and recognizing her for her tireless service to the people of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, STATED MEETING 133 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING introduced today by Councilman Phillips.
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.)
And a resolution honoring and congratulating Champion of the week, St. Joseph's Preparatory high STATED MEETING 134 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING school football team, for their success in winning the PIAA 6A title, in Harrisburg, introduced today by 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 the resolution is adopted.
And a resolution amending Resolution No. 200001-A, as amended, which provides Rules for the STATED MEETING 135 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Government of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, by establishing a new Standing Committee titled the "Committee on Neighborhood Services," introduced today by Councilman Jones on behalf of Council President Clarke.
On your behalf, I move for the 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 authorizing City Council's Committee on STATED MEETING 136 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to hold public hearings to discuss the status of the City's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced today by Councilman Jones on behalf of Council President Clarke.
Again, on your behalf, Mr. President, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution honoring the historic and trailblazing STATED MEETING 137 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING leaders of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Philadelphia House Delegation; Joanna McClinton, Jordan Harris, Morgan Cephas, Danilo Burgos, and Malcolm Kenyatta, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Yes. Briefly, I just want to recognize that Philadelphia is well served by these group of young, and I'll say young, leaders that are taking leadership roles in spite of court cases and challenges to lead Philadelphia and Pennsylvania into the future. So with that, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 138 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing Africatown, a broad-based economic development initiative in Southwest and West Philadelphia led by the African Cultural Alliance of North America, introduced today by Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. Before I move for the adoption of the resolution, I also want to acknowledge my colleague from West Philadelphia, Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier. We're working in partnership with the creation of Africatown, which covers the parts of Lower Southwest Philadelphia and Upper Southwest STATED MEETING 139 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia. We think it will not only be an economic boom to the region, but also a cultural boom to the region. And so I enthusiastically 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 recognizing and honoring City Year Philadelphia for its 25 years of service in Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilman Johnson.
The Chair again recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 140 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Johnson.
Yeah. Again, Council President, before I move for the adoption of the resolution, I just want to briefly state the great work that City Year Philadelphia has been doing here in the City for 25 years. It's a program that I joined immediately out of college. At that particular time, Bill Clinton was the President and the issue of public service and national service was key on the agenda, not only here in the City of Philadelphia but all throughout the country. And so I used to do PT, which is physical training, across the street with my red jacket on and my Timberland boots, but also while I served as the project manager in City Year, it's there that I learned my leadership skills in terms of managing individuals but, most importantly, taking on projects that may seem impossible but working with a group and a team to make sure that whatever STATED MEETING 141 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING we're trying to accomplish becomes possible. And so with that being said, they do great work with youth inside of Philadelphia School District and want to take this moment to honor them for their 25 years of service. So with that being said, I enthusiastically move for the adoption of the resolution, Council President. (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 Philadelphia STATED MEETING 142 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING 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 7th Councilmanic District, introduced today by Councilwoman Lozada.
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. STATED MEETING 143 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution Philadelphia City Council calls on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to add xylazine to the controlled substances list in Pennsylvania, introduced today by Councilwoman Lozada.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Lozada.
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. STATED MEETING 144 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution designating Wednesday December 21, 2022 as National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier.
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 STATED MEETING 145 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING 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, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
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.)
Those opposed? STATED MEETING 146 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring Samantha J. Williams, Esquire, recognizing her service to the citizens of Philadelphia, and wishing her well in her future endeavors, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier and Councilman Curtis Jones.
Thank you, Council President. Even though it is bittersweet, 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.)
STATED MEETING 147 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a 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 City residents, introduced today by Councilman O'Neill on behalf of Council President Clarke.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 148 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing the month of December as National Write a Business Plan Month in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 149 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing the month of December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 150 12/15/2022 12/15/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution proclaiming January 13, 2023 as Korean American Day in Philadelphia to Celebrate and Commemorate the Proud Heritage of Korean Americans and Their Invaluable Contributions to Enhance the City's Culture, Economy, and the Founding Ideals of Independence and Democracy, introduced today by Councilman Oh.
Thank you. 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.)
Those opposed? STATED MEETING 151 12/15/2022 (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That completes our Calendar for today. Are there any speeches on behalf of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. This is the last day of the Council meetings for this term. We will be going into what's called winter break, as they call summer break. I'd just like everyone to know and the public that we're not actually on break. We don't go on vacation. We're still in our offices. STATED MEETING 152 12/15/2022 don't meet here, but we are available. You can call us. You can reach us. And during this time, I'd like to say that I have several events that I'd like to invite the public to. The first, this Saturday is going to be our Holiday Fun Day and Toy Giveaway. Unfortunately because of the violence in our city, we really focused on children whose parents and family members were taken from them. And so this is a free event. I'd like to thank the persons providing, the entities providing the actual toys, Walmart, Five Below, and others, Temple University providing the location. It is this Saturday at the Student Pavilion, which is actually like an indoor football field, so the kids will have a nice soft surface, plenty of room. There'll be moon bounce, food, snacks, and at the end of it, they will leave with toys. So that's 1:00 to 4:00, 15th STATED MEETING 153 12/15/2022 Norris. Please register at Eventbright, Holiday Fun Day, Toy Giveaway, and that will assure that you have space and room at the event. The next one is the end of our PHL Live Center Stage. We've gone through ten genres of music, ten concerts, and we will be presenting our awards, but fortunately this year the award show is free. So everybody is welcome to come. We are featuring Laurin Talese and Marcus Bryan, who is Rated Art, and we'll have another band. That's going to be at World Cafe Live at 3025 Walnut Street on December the 20th, Tuesday, December the 20th. Doors open at 7:30, show starts at 8:00 p.m. Then as we have often talked about, I don't have any money and neither does any of the at-large Councilpeople, so what I started to do was put together a time for folks to come by who needed money, and it is our 2023 Youth STATED MEETING 154 12/15/2022 Symposium, where it's all about getting money, getting funds. If you're a non-profit that service children and youth, come on by. It's free. It's on January the 10th, starting at 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Temple University. Our keynote speaker is J. Culotta, Wawa Foundation President. We'll have about 15 or 17 foundations and corporations that will talk to you about funding your organization. We have breakout sessions. You can talk to them and meet up to three foundations or corporations, funders, on a small group basis. And, finally, as we talked about the Korean American Day, this is actually our 10th anniversary. The event has always been free, but we're doing something a little different. We're going to go have a dinner, a gala. So that's not going to be free, unfortunately. It is $75 a ticket, but it will be a great celebration. If STATED MEETING 155 12/15/2022 go, we'll celebrate on that day, January the 13th. I didn't set that date. That was set by Congress, because Koreans took a boat or something over to Hawaii. So for us, it's super chilly, and so it's a -- we do the flag-raising and we'll have this event. And those are just some events that we'll be doing over the winter break, and I'm sure my colleagues will have more, but anyway, I appreciate the opportunity to shout that out. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. I want to say a few words about the Reproductive Freedom Platform. I first want to thank Councilmembers Gauthier and former Councilmember Gym for STATED MEETING 156 12/15/2022 this issue. When we first heard the news of the leaked majority draft opinion, we were in the streets together. We marched hand in hand with a diverse, broad movement of people who wanted a future that was not categorized by shame and stigma and hatred but with freedom, the freedom to define our own path and control over our bodies, your family, and your future. And together Councilmember Gym, Gauthier, and myself decided that we couldn't stand by and just wait for others to determine our fates. We would do everything in our power to protect our constituents and everyone who chooses to travel to our city. So we joined together with leading reproductive health advocates and legal experts to figure out what must be done to protect providers, patients, and anyone seeking reproductive care in Philadelphia, because we knew that while STATED MEETING 157 12/15/2022 still legal in Philadelphia, it didn't mean that it wasn't under threat. And I'm incredibly proud of the work that we did arrive to at that legislation. We want to give specific thanks out to the Women's Law Project, so many folks from New Voices, ACLU PA, Planned Parenthood, Penn Med, and Penn professors for shaping it and supporting it through the committee hearing and final passage today. This precedent-setting legislation ensures that no matter who you are, where you work, and where -where you work or your reproductive health decisions can't be used against you. And even though this Council body has experienced a great deal of change recently, I'm proud that Council President has enabled the members to continue to pass meaningful legislation and supporting our incoming Councilmembers and adapting to the City STATED MEETING 158 12/15/2022 body, and we will still be doing the people's work, because this legislation is something we can't wait -we couldn't wait for. This legislation shows that we are responsive to the needs of our residents and that whenever our rights are under attack, we won't remain silent and we will stand up and fight back. So I'm grateful to have strong, powerful women on this Council who are such strong advocates for protecting the basic rights and freedoms. And I especially want to thank Councilmembers Cindy Bass and Katherine Gilmore Richardson for their support as well. Thank you, Council colleagues, and thank you, Council President, and happy holidays.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier. STATED MEETING 159 12/15/2022
Thank you, Council President. Since the beginning of my time in office, the preservation of affordable housing has been high on my list of priorities. That is why today I introduced the People's Preservation Package. In a city that already lacks sufficient affordable housing for its residents, we must do everything we can to prevent this crisis from getting any worse. This package will give the City and its affordable housing partners the tools to maintain as many existing affordable units as possible. By compiling an official directory of properties with affordability subsidies and their terms, we will have a unified way of keeping track of when affordability at a particular property is at risk and provide a longer runway to create solutions that preserve STATED MEETING 160 12/15/2022 who intend to sell their affordable properties to notify affordable housing providers of their intent to sell will allow time for potential fundraising efforts to buy and maintain the properties as affordable. In addition to preserving existing affordable units, we must also take a hard look at the discriminatory practices that have kept Philadelphians with housing vouchers from competing on the private market. Even though source of income discrimination is illegal in Philadelphia, for years landlords have been denying units to households with vouchers, and we need to examine how this discrimination is exacerbating an already critical housing situation in our city. This legislative package is just the first of many steps we can take to preserve affordable housing and STATED MEETING 161 12/15/2022 safe, stable housing for all Philadelphians. I'd like to thank the co-sponsors of the legislation, and look forward to working with my colleagues to create innovative ways to preserve and create affordability in our city. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Harrity.
Hello, Council President. It's been 17 days since myself and my new colleagues were sworn in to be members of this body, and I wanted to reiterate the appreciation of both me and my staff to both you and to each member of this Chamber who has taken the time to help us become accustomed to the norms of City Council. I'd like to extend my additional appreciation to the Council STATED MEETING 162 12/15/2022 approachable and welcoming, which -- and I think I can speak for all of us when I say -- made us feel like a full-fledged member. With the spirit of camaraderie, I look forward to working with all of you in the new year. And in the holiday spirit, it was the other day that I was sitting down to write letters to Santa Claus with my grandchildren, and as I was writing them, I thought for a long time about what I wanted for Christmas. It was then I realized that Santa couldn't leave the presents I wanted under the tree. So instead I wrote a letter to the only person who could, and if this body would indulge me, I'd like to read it now. Dear Mr. Mayor, while you enjoy the holidays, I'd like to ask that you keep me and my neighbors on the 700 block of East Willard Street in mind. Nowhere else in the City would they want what's going on in my neighborhood, and no one STATED MEETING 163 12/15/2022 what they have been tolerating for so long. Kensington has been ground zero of the opioid epidemic in our city, an image so bad that the Mexican government is using video of the Ona House (ph), an addicted population in my neighborhood, in state-sponsored anti-drug advertisement. This is only an embarrassment to that neighborhood, but an embarrassment to our entire city. We have become the flattened girl in Mexico's "just say no" campaign. " The residents of Kensington are being asked to deal with so much and is an example of what the rest of the City is now dealing with. Senior citizens are living like prisoners in their own homes. They are afraid to leave, for fear of being victims of crime or witnesses of the zombie-like state of those addicted to heroin laced with fentanyl. STATED MEETING 164 12/15/2022 leave their homes, the children who have to walk to and from school, have to walk through open-air drug markets and witness their peers peddling poison to make profit. We need help. We need you to step up. We need you to say enough is enough. We need you, Mr. Mayor, to do what the people elected you to do, what you swore an oath to do, protect Philadelphians, all Philadelphians, regardless of where they reside in the City, regardless of what they need to protect them from. To paraphrase Edmund Burke, the only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is for good men and women to do nothing. As we are all aware of in this body, there is much work to be done in the new year. We all know the plight of gun violence in our respective districts and in the entirety of our city. We all know the problems of the understaffed STATED MEETING 165 12/15/2022 responders, including our paramedics and police officers. We all know about the significant problems faced by parents and children to cope with the decrepit school buildings and school closures. And while our country faces a potential resurgence in the COVID-19 pandemic, our city is still grappling with the fallout of the opioid epidemic, the symptoms of which trickle down through every facet of this city's life, from the increase in homeless population to drug trade-related shootings, and the demoralized workforce whose job it is to respond to these alarms. However, despite challenges that we face as a body, I am delighted to be working with some of most intelligent, caring and, most importantly, kind people in our city who truly wish to achieve good for all for our fellow Philadelphians.
While I know some of us may STATED MEETING 166 12/15/2022 many of these problems that I have pointed out today and that we try to address every Thursday, I am excited to continue to work for all of Philadelphia. And, Council President, as you can see, I'm dressed in all black today, and that's because I'm mourning our city. I'm mourning all the victims of gun violence. Enough is enough. Somebody has to do something about it. I'm asking Mr. Mayor to please help me and my community as well as the rest of the City of Philadelphia. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes STATED MEETING 167 12/15/2022
Thank you, Council President. Colleagues, it means so much to me that you all have co-sponsored Resolution 220984. Philadelphia has a perception of lawlessness. I'm here to talk reality. We have more than 6,000 police officers and countless professionals who fight every day to keep Philadelphians safe. They could earn more money elsewhere, but they are here because of their dedication, sacrificing themselves under intense public and political pressure because of how much they care. So we know Philadelphia is not a lawless place. However, perception becomes reality. This is especially true in Kensington where residents have dealt with poverty, language access issues, the drug epidemic, and the gun violence crisis for years. These are the same conditions STATED MEETING 168 12/15/2022 fled to come here. And this deep intergenerational harm must come to an end. People fear there is no end in sight. We have seen what does not work. It's time to fix it. When Kensington thrives, this whole city thrives. This great city was built on countless programs to help people who are suffering so they can heal and live with dignity. The billion dollar drug market, the billion dollar drug market continues to find new ways to stop that progress. Without enforcement, all we can do is encourage treatment and pray that people don't slowly kill themselves while their families wonder where they are. This resolution is my first concrete step toward helping Kensington return to a vibrant community where parents can walk their children to school without stepping on needles and where everyone can be safe and thrive. Thank you all, and happy STATED MEETING 169 12/15/2022
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. Real quick I just want to remind the members of the Education Committee as well as the listening public that tomorrow we're having an important hearing around Act 158. If people don't know, the state guidelines as it relates to what a high school student has to complete in order to graduate from high school has changed, and tomorrow we're going to examine where we are as a municipality as it relates to our young people graduating from high school in June and what steps we need to take. That hearing is going to be virtual. It's going to be tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Thank you, Council President. STATED MEETING 170 12/15/2022 you, colleagues.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Phillips.
Thank you, Council President. I too want to echo Councilmember Harrity for all he said about the work that we need to do to curb gun violence, among other things, but also I want to thank all of you for welcoming Councilmembers, our colleagues Councilmember Sharon Vaughn and Councilwoman Lozada and Harrity and myself. You all have been extremely welcoming and helpful over the past few weeks as we become more acclimated to this work and the service that we're going to do to Philadelphia. I just want to quickly say that when St. Joe's Preparatory School's victory came across my desk as Councilmember Thomas presented his STATED MEETING 171 12/15/2022 them, I've been running around the City serving for a little while now and it shocked me as a student. As a graduate of La Salle College High School, I must say that I want to say congratulations to those young men, but, you know, Councilman O'Neill, our La Salle guys are going to come back next year strong, I'm sure. All right. But I want to also just add that my colleague Councilwoman Cindy Bass, her legislative team in particular, did a phenomenal job with putting together a piece of legislation that's really important for all of us in the City of Philadelphia, and that's around catalytic converters. So I just wanted to acknowledge the Councilwoman for pushing that legislation, because no matter what room many of us enter throughout our districts and folks as Councilmen at-large, we hear about this issue, and I really hope this STATED MEETING 172 12/15/2022 to curtailing this issue in the City of Philadelphia. And I will -- I actually already started talking about it in the district, and hopefully that this will create ways to really prevent this from happening to many of the citizens in Philadelphia. So thank you, Councilwoman.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Vaughn.
Good afternoon, everyone. It is afternoon now. I am moved by my colleague's speech also to the Mayor, but I'm more concerned and I'm working with my team diligently to see what I can do opposed to what the Mayor is going to do. I believe it's important to this body that we all get together and start making moves in this city in order to make a difference. STATED MEETING 173 12/15/2022 everyone a happy holiday. I also want to thank the 42nd Ward and relentless non-profit in my ward. We had a fish fry this past weekend and raised money to do a toy giveaway, and I'm inviting anyone that wants to attend. It's going to be on December the 23rd at the Feltonville Recreation Center from 1:30 until we give away the toys. We have also been blessed with a STEM program from Snipes at this recreation center, and the unveiling will be prior to. So any child that wants to come in and utilize the computers and things like that that we will have available to them, and we also will be serving them a nice holiday dinner. So I would like for people to try to come, and this is definitely a free event for anyone that wants to join us at the Feltonville Recreation Center on Wyoming Avenue.
STATED MEETING 174 12/15/2022 you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
I'll be real brief, Council President. I just want to also commend Councilwoman Cindy Bass, and I was going to say it when the bill was brought up, but that catalytic converter bill is major, and hopefully it goes toward just totally eliminating this practice. It reminds of like growing up in the crack era, and they were like stealing any and everything, right? You might come out the house and your car might be on crates, right? And so hopefully the people that's doing all the stealing get the help that they need. But any time you see a story where the educational institution, day care center gets up in the morning and the drivers go out to start their school buses to pick up their kids and can't go out and pick up the kids because the STATED MEETING 175 12/15/2022 is totally unacceptable. And so when we talk about the issue of public safety, this falls in line with making sure that we're enforcing all the laws on the books to hold those who are accountable that are destroying the quality of life here in the City of Philadelphia. So, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, thank you for putting forward that legislation, because at the end of the day, you know, I'm never going to be shy about the people in the City being hard-working Philadelphians and shouldn't have to wake up and come outside and get in their car and their car is damaged because someone decided to come and steal from them. And especially being the number one big city when it comes to poverty, you know, your coins are valuable. So, you know, when you're destroying somebody else's quality of life and they can't just get up the next STATED MEETING 176 12/15/2022 their car fixed, it could be a problem. And so -- and insurance companies will take advantage of them as well. So thank you, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, for stepping up for that quality of life piece of legislation. (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. As we end 2022, we thank God for small favors, the fact that we didn't exceed so far last year's murder rate and that we're doing substantive work in this Chamber and in this city to address gun violence. But I want to shout you out, Mr. President. We had a lot of publicity STATED MEETING 177 12/15/2022 topics, but one of the things that went under the radar was your trip to Camden. You took members of this body, Member Thomas, Member Gilmore Richardson, over to Camden where we toured ShotSpotter, looked at their configuration of cameras, looked at how they integrated the technology with some good old-fashioned community policing, that they know the people in the area, that they use the technology not only to hold those who would do people harm accountable but to the members of their police force accountable as to where they were, how long they were there. But the one thing that we picked up from Trenton or Camden or wherever we've gone, Chester, was cooperation, was the fact that these individuals, stakeholders, could sit in a room and figure it out. I appreciate the new members of this body for some of the things that they've proposed today. I appreciate STATED MEETING 178 12/15/2022 the Mayor, but what I also know is that if we're going to do better in 2023, we have to do better working with each other, and that means that we all can't point the finger at each other. We have to point the finger towards solutions, because our people depend on us to do so. So thank you, Mr. President, for being, as Blondell Reynolds would say, laserly focused on the issue and moving us in the right direction. And I want to say if I don't see you during the course of the holidays, have a happy holiday and a prosperous, safe new year. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. On the occasion of our last STATED MEETING 179 12/15/2022 2022, I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, Council President. Thank you to all of my colleagues, to all of our team members, particularly your staff, Council President. We appreciate each and every one of you for all you do to help us do the work that we do on behalf of the constituents of the City of Philadelphia. I also wanted to pause and say thank you to the men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department. Maya Angelou says, "Always say thank you, because it's the greatest gift you can give someone, because thank you is what you say to God." And so I wanted to say thank you so much to the men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department, particularly Engine 54 and all of the first responders who are our heroes in the Wynnefield community for their work this week. Earlier this week the house next door to me caught fire. I live in a STATED MEETING 180 12/15/2022 home, and the efforts of the men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department certainly made the difference. We all were able to make it out safely. My neighbors are safe, and we had very minimal damage. And so I wanted to say thank you so much, particularly to Firefighter Davis, who came in after the fire, we were cleared to reenter our home, and made sure we had our smoke detectors in the right spaces and places and even moved our carbon monoxide detector to the right space, because we have a boiler in the basement. So I just wanted to say thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts from all the neighbors in Wynnefield for your work. And, finally, I wanted to remind everyone about a program we'll be having next week, particularly in light of the loss of tWitch. I know so many of you have probably heard about the DJ from STATED MEETING 181 12/15/2022 Show, and I was really struck by his loss, and every year since I've been in Council, we've had a program around managing grief and loss during the holidays. And I know it's a very tough season for so many of us who have lost so many. And so that program will be Thursday, December 22nd, 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. It will be live-streamed online, and you can get more information @CouncilmemberKGR on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Thank you, Council President, and happy holidays to each and every one of you.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Councilwoman. Before I call for a motion to adjourn, I just want to thank all of you all. Another successful year, but as witnessed, this conversation that we've just had on speeches, there's a whole lot of work to do. So we don't have the STATED MEETING 182 12/15/2022 our laurels and patting ourselves on the back. We got to keep pushing, keep moving the needle, continue to do what we need to do. Councilman Johnson, I know what it's like to look out the window and see your car on cinderblocks, okay, firsthand, right? Called Councilman Jones, I can't make the meeting, I'm on cinderblocks. So there's some challenges out here, but, you know, we have to figure out a way, like Councilman Jones said, that all of the trips from Camden to Baltimore to Chester, it was all about collaboration, and it was clear that that was the one single formula that was consistent across the board. So we will have to work together. We will have to check our egos at the door. We work for the citizens of the City of Philadelphia. When somebody says in the street, I pay your salary, they actually do. So we got to recognize STATED MEETING 183 12/15/2022 to figure out a way to make sure that we do whatever we need to do. So with that, I just want to say you all have an awesome holiday season, enjoy it for a couple of days, because it's time to go back to work shortly thereafter. And I want to say how much I appreciate you all. I'm going to say this again. I know I'm not soft. I love you guys, right? Somebody said, man, you're getting soft, Darrell. But I do, right? So as my Council family, I just want to say you all be safe. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy your holiday. Love you guys. With that, I call for a motion to adjourn, Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, January 19th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. STATED MEETING 184 12/15/2022 (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, January 19, 2023, 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The motion carries. Thank you all very much. ) STATED MEETING 185 12/15/2022 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.