Committee Hearing, March 4, 1998

2214 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA BUDGET HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, March 4, 1998 9:40 a.m. - - - BILL 980003 - An Ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 1999. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JOHN F. STREET, Chair COUNCILWOMAN ANNA C. VERNA, Vice-Chair COUNCILWOMAN HAPPY FERNANDEZ COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN AUGUSTA A. CLARK COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILMAN ANGEL ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center Plaza, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 2215 I N D E X BILL 980003 PAGE John K. Leary, Jr., General Manager, SEPTA----- 2217 Emanuel Ortiz, Chair, Board of Trustees, Community College--------------------------- 2258 Frederick W. Capshaw, President, Community College of Philadelphia--------------------- 2260 Mr. Schraeger, Member, Board of Trustees, Community College of Philadelphia----------- 2297 Jonathan A. Saidel, Controller, City of Philadelphia-------------------------------- 2310 Ellen T. Greenlee, Chief Defender, Defender Association of Philadelphia----------------- 2328 Lynne M. Abraham, District Attorney, City of Philadelphia-------------------------------- 2350 George Mosey, Deputy, Narcotics Unit, District Attorney's Office--------------------------- 2387 Arnold Gordon, First Assistant District Attorney, District Attorney's Office-------- 2420 Alexander Z. Talmadge, Jr., City Commissioner-- 2568 John Kromer, Director, Office of Housing and Community Development----------------------- 2571 Frank Sarbone, Director, Support Center for Child Advocates----------------------------- 2602 Deborah Downey, Director, Women Against Abuse Legal Center-------------------------------- 2604 Sally Kennedy, Co-Clerk, Peace and Social Concerns Committee, Greater Germantown Recreation Network-------------------------- 2613 Shelly Yanoff, Executive Director, Philadelphia Citizens for Children & Youth--------------- 2621 Professor Evan Seymour, Teacher, Community College of Philadelphia--------------------- 2632 Rocco Stezzi, Citizen-------------------------- 2637 - - - 2216 BILL 980003

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. If I could have your attention, please. This is a recessed hearing of the Council Committee of the Whole. Today we will take testimony primarily on Bill No. 980003, An Ordinance 8 adopting the Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year 1999. We have a number of departments that are scheduled to testify today. I circulated a potential hearing schedule. I would like to call Councilmembers' attention to what might be a change. We will hear from SEPTA, then we will do the City Controller. This morning, probably after the City Controller, it may be Community College, we are going to have the District Attorney's Office and the Public Defender, and then we will finish with the schedule. So we will probably have the District Attorney's Office and the Public Defender prior to OHCD and the City Commissioners. So with those brief comments, we would like to recognize the representatives of 2217 BILL 980003 SEPTA, and ask them to come to the witness table, give us a brief summary of their testimony, which I am sure has been made available. I see Ms. Newkirk, who is one of our fine representatives on the Board. Mr. Leary, we appreciate your being with us here today. Please proceed. MR. JOHN K. : Good morning, Mr. President. Good morning Council President Street and members of the City Council. 3 million Fiscal Year 1999 SEPTA budget request of the City of Philadelphia and to share with you a few specific examples of how we are squarely focusing our efforts on building a better transit system for all our riders and their communities. As you know, the official testimony has been submitted to you for your consideration. And I would just like to spend a moment this morning highlighting a few points. As you know, I am joined this morning by Board member Jettie Newkirk and Dick Voith, two Philadelphia representatives on the Board. And I 2218 BILL 980003 want to thank them for taking time out of their busy schedule to join us. Today SEPTA stands at the crossroads of change. The Authority recently completed an intensive business planning process designed to create a framework for positive change and growth to the benefit of all our riders. The Five-Year Plan for strategic change is a policy direction, and was approved by the SEPTA Board just a few weeks ago. This plan offers a balance between cost containment and improving and developing services in response to the needs of our customers. Initiatives that lead to improving productivity and reducing costs will enable the Authority to reallocate resources to develop new services, provide additional services on existing routes, introduce new vehicles to our fleet, improve and maintain the system's infrastructure, enhance customer information and service, and improve the overall reliability of our service to the riders. Management initiatives, combined with changes in labor practices and the way we do business, will enable us to put our financial house 2219 BILL 980003 in order and implement programs to grow ridership and our service base, while living within budgetary means, and remain a viable employer and provide the public transit service here in the City of Philadelphia. The positive outlook for the region's economic future offers encouragement for ridership gains, if SEPTA has the resources to respond to customer demand. 3 million budget for SEPTA and believe it provides sufficient revenue to leverage the state's proposed operating subsidy. I am pleased to report to you this morning that last year, for the first time in a decade, we finished the Fiscal Year in balance and without a deficit. 99 million, beginning a trend of budget discipline and the elimination of deficits at SEPTA. 9 million and subsidies of $359 million continue to reflect a 50 percent fair bucks 2220 BILL 980003 recovery ratio, which is among the best in the country. Just a few examples describing what has been accomplished to improve service within the city.

Last year, again, we reversed the decade-old trend of ridership loss. 1 percent in city ridership, and it is growing. This is the eighth consecutive year the transit police force has reduced crime on the system, a total of 79 percent reduction since 1989. And our SEPTA police force is a real success story. As a joint demonstration project for the City of Philadelphia, we installed 18 surveillance cameras and the Tasker/Morris Station on the Broad Street Subway Line as a crime deterrent initiative. As you know, security is a very big issue for our customers. We have begun to consolidate operations as a single control center. Our Sub El system and our suburban and light rail operations are now managed from 1234 Market Street. 2221 BILL 980003 This is an effort that will enable the Authority to provide seamless transportation service by improving coordination across all modes. Plans are underway also to centralize the bus system and the regional rail control centers at 1234 Market Street, achieving a fully centralized control system for this region. A fleet plan was developed, placing a mix of vehicles into operation to match customer demand. 400 new buses now have been placed into service. And these new buses offer automated audible and visual stop announcements, front door wheelchair lifts for ease, and access for disabled riders. We continue to take the delivery of the new Market El cars on a production schedule that's delivering now six cars per month, with complete delivery expected by mid 1999. There are presently 20 cars on the SEPTA property being used for training and for limited customer service. SEPTA was proud to have provided transportation service for high-profile events in the city; such as, the President's Summit, the 2222 BILL 980003 National Conference of State Legislators, and the Million Woman March. New service was created in Southwest Philadelphia to serve the PNC Bank operations control center down at the Philadelphia International Airport. And we are working with cultural and educational institutions in the city to improve service delivery to these key destinations, including the Parkway museums, Temple University, and University of Pennsylvania, just to name a few. And the future is about to bring some major construction activity to a series of projects here in the city. For example, a $350 million investment for the Market el reconstruction, modernization of stations along the Broad Street Subway, and $150 million for the new Multimodal Transportation Center at Frankford, Frankford Transportation Center in local, state, and federal funding for these projects. So I look forward to reporting to you next year the progress on these initiatives. And in closing, Mr. President, I want 2223 BILL 980003 to thank you again for the opportunity to provide testimony today. City Council's ongoing support of SEPTA public transportation and all our riders has been vital to our efforts to improve our fiscal health and to continue to serve as an essential part in our growth and development of the Philadelphia area. I look forward to working with you and Councilwoman Fernandez, the Chair of the Transportation Committee, and other members of the Council as we go forward transforming SEPTA into a more reliable, a more modern, and a more relevant transit system for all. Thank you very much. Again, I would be happy to try to respond to any questions you might have. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would just like to express my appreciation, Mr. Leary, for the cooperation you have given our office in City Council since you have been here, the number of issues and questions that I 2224 BILL 980003 have raised. It's been refreshing. And we look forward to continuing to work with you as you do everything you can to improve the operations of SEPTA, which is so critical to the city and to the region. I would like to express my appreciation to Ms. Newkirk. I apologize for Mr. Voith. He looks so young and youthful there, I didn't recognize him. And we, obviously, have met. But we appreciate the fine work that our representatives do on the Board. It is tough. It is not easy. And I guess when you have been around for 5, 10, 15, years, you know, looking at this 17 facility, and understanding its critical nature to 18 everything that we do here, you have some degree of 19 sympathy for those people who are, you know, in the 20 pits, trying to work out and balance of various interests that have to be balanced. And we know that, you know, that you are sensitive and you are going to try to do a good job in balancing those interests. Can you tell us a little bit, just 2225 BILL 980003 give us summary information, about the labor situation? People are asking us about it. We have no intentions of negotiating a contract for you, as you well know. But it is probably helpful to this record, and for the members of Council who are here, for you to just give us the status, because people are very concerned.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. President, for those kind words. And, yes, we are very sensitive to the kind of labor negotiations with Local 234 of the Transport Workers' Union, and we are working around the clock to try to bring this to an agreement. The current contract expires at midnight on March 14. And both sides have relocated to a hotel, they are meeting every day to find a way to bring this to closure. One of my colleagues, and the General Counsel to the negotiating team, uses an example which I think is very relevant, David Cohen, says, "There will be an agreement." And it is very important that the agreement be before any strike, and not after any strike. And I want you to to know that we are 2226 BILL 980003 going to work very, very hard to make sure that that happens.

Thank you very much. At this time the Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Leary, yesterday the Police Commissioner suggested that the SEPTA Police and the Philadelphia Police and Housing Police be merged into the Philadelphia Police Department. Would you be supportive of that?

Well, Councilman, I have heard that as sort of a rumor. I hadn't heard it officially. I think you would have to be supportive of anything that improves law enforcement in this region, anything that's more cost effective and provides greater security for the residents of our region. I am very proud of our SEPTA police force. It has turned the corner dramatically in terms of safety and crime on the transit system, as 2227 BILL 980003 I indicated in my testimony. It is a real success story. I certainly would be willing to talk to the Commissioner. But it is something that we would want to treat very sensitively, very carefully, and make sure that, in fact, anything we do would further improve the situation, if we can.

Thank you, Mr. Leary. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Fernandez.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Leary, I want to thank you for your leadership. I think you have been here just a year, because, if I recall, a year ago you were brand-new.

Yes, that's correct.

But I think it is very good news that ridership has increased slowly but steadily, and you are projecting, 2228 BILL 980003 hopefully, another increase for next year. And I think that is also a reason why all of us are very hopeful that there will be a settlement reached at the negotiating table before there is any strike. Because we know how badly that hurts so many of the city residents who have, 40 percent, I believe, have no cars. So they are totally dependent on public transit. Not to mention all the people who choose to use public transit to get to work. You know, it is absolutely important for our economy. So all that you do to get that contract negotiated will be very important for all of us.

Thank you.

I also wanted to thank our two city representatives on the Board, Jettie Newkirk and Dick Voith, for the steady and tough decisions you have to make as a member of the SEPTA Board, knowing you are always balancing very tough financial issues, like we are here in the city, with the city budget. And I also wanted to personally thank 2229 BILL 980003 you, and particularly Jettie Newkirk for the leadership you showed on the decision recently by the SEPTA Board to eliminate tobacco and alcohol ads on our buses. Because since they are like moving billboards going through our neighborhoods, I think that was a very important message to send to our city. So perhaps after the contract is negotiated, so that you have a better sense of what the finances are of SEPTA, then my sense would be if there is any need for an update, hopefully after the 14th, that then there could perhaps be an opportunity for you to come back and either meet with Council in caucus or in some other venue, if there are any kind of detailed questions about how you are going to get the best mileage out of the Operating Capital dollars that you have. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, 2230 BILL 980003 Mr. President. Good morning. Mr. Leary, I think during the Transportation hearings we had a couple of months ago -- I lose track of time in this job -- but we discussed the Line and the possibility 7 that the trolleys may come back. 8 Do you have anything else to add to 9 that conversation? I think we looked at about maybe 10 a year away, possibly. 11

Yes. Well, as part of 12 the development of the Capital Budget, the trolley 13 lines have been included in the Capital Budget. 14 But the Route 15, Girard Avenue Light 15 Rail System, has been designated as the project to 16 be funded in the near term. 17 We have committed to you to have the 18 light rail system up and operating within 48 19 months. 20 And I am pleased to report to you 21 that that program is still on schedule. The city 22 has been terrific in terms of helping us design the 23 Transit First initiatives, that will assure that this trolley line is a real success. And that would be the strongest 2231 BILL 980003 message we could send to the folks that I think we should return some of the other trolley lines to the system. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you. The other question I had, you and I had a discussion not too long ago in relationship to the possibility of staggering the stops along specific routes. The 23, we will use as an example. When you are driving through some of the narrow streets in South Philadelphia, anyone who has driven behind a bus or a trolley on a three-lane highway, where either side you have one travel lane and two parking lanes, and you get stuck behind that bus or trolley, it becomes rather frustrating. And I was just wondering if there were any plans, any decisions that have been made? Are we still looking into the possibility of staggering that? I know that will send some shock waves out to the riding public, that they may not have a bus stop at every corner. But in the interest of efficiency and traffic control, that might be something that we would want to look at. 2232 BILL 980003 Where are we with that?

Councilman, you are absolutely right. It is a real issue. Because it tends to make the transit system very slow when you stop at every corner. The opportunity to increase the efficiency of the system does exist. We are talking a lot about that inside SEPTA these days. And, in fact, at a couple of locations we actually floated the idea to the community. And it is not a popular idea with the community. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Change is never popular.

Change is very difficult, yes. It is something, though, I think you are right, it is something we have to leave on the radar screen, and take advantage of an opportunity when it exists to perhaps consolidate a couple of close stops and make the system move a little bit faster. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Well, if I could be helpful, at least in the areas where the routes run through my district -- again, I know it would 2233 BILL 980003 not be very popular -- but I would be willing to stand up there with you and at least if we could do this on a pilot program just to give it a try. Another question I had was, there have been some questions raised to me about the Gas Tax. What portion of the budget that SEPTA has comes from the Gas Tax, and how is that used? Is that a specific line item for -- no?

There is a whole lot of confusion about this. In fact, SEPTA does not receive any portion of the Gas Tax from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Leary, I hate to interrupt you, but I need you to speak a little louder and much more directly into the microphone.

Thank you. I am sorry. There is a lot of confusion about the issue of SEPTA funding, and whether or not we receive Gas Tax revenue. In fact, we do not receive Gas Tax revenue. There is a constitutional prohibition in the Commonwealth against Gas Tax revenues being spent on anything other than highways and roads. 2234 BILL 980003 But as part of a multi-modal transportation funding package last year, the General Assembly attached a transit funding element to the Gas Tax, which entailed three portions: First, it was state bonding, a commitment to state bonding; second, it was a commitment that the state would flex federal capital dollars to transit; and, thirdly, a small portion of the Sales Tax was dedicated to SEPTA. Now, that totalled $150 million statewide, and the SEPTA portion is approximately $90 million. The portion that was designated on the Sales Tax was approximately $40 million. And that sometimes is referred to as Gas Tax money, but, in fact, it is a Sales Tax formula of dollars. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you. No 19 further questions. Thank you.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.

Thank you, Mr. President. 2235 BILL 980003 In that same vein, then, Mr. Leary -- because I have had some of the same questions asked, and there is a little bit of confusion -- in your response to Councilman DiCicco, you indicated that while you get no Gas Tax revenues, there has been this bill and some attachment of funding. Can you further clarify the distinction between the uses of these dollars? Are they restricted to capital, or are you able to use them for something called maintenance?

As I indicated, we receive about $90 million of these funds. They are referred to as Act 3 funds, just for the sake of the designation. Two-thirds of it, two-thirds of the dollars, are in fact restricted to capital investments. One third of it, or approximately the $40 million, is available and flexible for SEPTA to use for both capital, new capital projects, maintenance of existing projects, maintenance of assets, and replacement of lost operating dollars that we receive from the federal government, as the federal government reduces its dollars to the 2236 BILL 980003 operations of transit systems around the country.

So in this definition, or in this terminology of flex or flexible funding, you have some level of discretion about how the dollars are used; is that correct?

Sorry. I shouldn't have used the term flexible. Because of the three categories, one is known as flexible dollars. And those flexible dollars, in fact, have to be to capital projects. The portion that gives us some opportunity to move around the budget is that portion that is the Sales Tax formula dollar. About $40 million is available for us to program as we deem appropriate.

As you deem appropriate?

For lack of using a word other than flexible.

I understand. If you could provide to us through the Chair, I guess some kind of chart or a break-out of both the sources of the dollars, and then the potential uses, the two-thirds, the one-third, 2237 BILL 980003 whatever has to specifically be spent on capital, what is in this category of, if you don't want to use flexible, you can call it discretionary, you can call it whatever you want to call it. But I would like to see the $150 dollars, how it flows in and how it can, in fact, flow out. Maybe that will clear up some of this confusion.

Yes, sir we can deliver that to you.

Mr. President, if I piggyback on that? Could I suggest, too, that you also add some background on the -- what I am looking at is, basically, the backlog of capital investment and the whole extensive need for capital investment to keep our system going. I mean, I get complaints, why when I am standing on the platform waiting for a train or a subway, why is rusty water, you know, dripping down their necks. Well, sometimes that's lack of real capital upkeep in our system. 2238 BILL 980003 So I think along with knowing what the current dollars are, we should be clear about what has not been done to the system, and why some of our stations and some of our infrastructure is in serious need of repair.

Yes, sir, we can provide that.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning, Mr. Leary, and certain greetings to Ms. Jones and Nettie Newkirk, who continue to do a fine job. Sorry, no disrespect, sir. I just don't know you. Two questions. Because I heard the issues I think on the news, I think on radio, issues surrounding the elimination of current bus stops, that was mentioned, that maybe you almost half the bus stops around the city that we currently have could be eliminated to save money. 2239 BILL 980003 And also the other question was elimination of transfers; that after you pay your base fair, you couldn't get a transfer and would have to pay again. Would you respond to those issues and let us know if there are any proposed changes?

Yes. Let me be clear. Right now we do not have any proposed changes to eliminate bus stops on the system. That is an issue that we are talking about and discussing because it creates sort of an efficiency for our customers. The buses would move a little faster. But then for some, it is a disincentive. So we are very sensitive about that. And we have not made any decisions along those lines at this point. The issues of transfers comes about from sort of an example that I use from time to time about SEPTA and the need to introduce technology at SEPTA. And, you know, as part of our strategic plan for change, we want to become very aggressive in modernizing the way we do business and introducing technology that's available. And one of 2240 BILL 980003 the ways is fare collection. We are still, and I use the example, still tearing off paper transfers like we about in the 1950s. And today, modern transit systems are using SMART cards, value cards, debit cards, and things likes that. So we are looking at the whole issue of how we could streamline the fare policy within the organization. And it is still at a very staff level. I have not brought it as yet to the Board for discussion. Because it is a discussion topic, and it is something I think we should pursue in the future to modernize the fare collection of the system.

Thank you. Would you let the President know if there are any changes that might come about that would impact on the citizens? Would you let us know if and when those changes are decided upon by yourself and your Board? Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you, 2241 BILL 980003 Mr. President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Leary, following up on what Councillady Blackwell mentioned about stops being eliminated, I had a conversation with you that you thought was a pretty interesting idea, that we empower the operators of the buses and trolley cars -- and being that there is a concern about safety on the streets -- that many people coming home during the dark hours, late evening, sometimes there is not a stop near where they really truly need to get off, and I suggested that you empower the operators that they could stop and discharge -- not pick up, but discharge -- a passenger where there is not an authorized stop to aid in the safety of your ridership and our citizens and visitors. Any movement in that area?

No. Councilman, I agree with you. I think that's a terrific idea, and I am 2242 BILL 980003 a big supporter of that. In fact, within the rules of the system today, I found that our operators are permitted to do that. What really needs to happen is that there needs to be an educational process and encouragement of our work force to do that kind of thing, particularly at night. I mean, it is not a very friendly customer service to drive someone's street two blocks, to let them off and make them walk back, when you can drop them off at the corner of the street. I am a big supporter of that kind of customer service in transit, and we are going to become very aggressive in the next year in making that kind of change, and educating and training our employees to do that very thing.

I am glad. That trip to Washington paid off for me, then.

Yes, sir, it sure did.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very 2243 BILL 980003 much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Clark.

Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning, sir. Good morning to your entire team.

Good morning.

I heard your presentation on TV. Please speak to us on what accommodations are being made for the increase in service demands of reverse commuters? And here we are interested in that there being jobs in outlying communities, and people in the city who need them, and they can't get to each other.

Councilwoman, that's a very important topic to us, because it is a real opportunity for new riders to the system. As important as it is for us to focus and concentrate on the city as the core of the transportation, the dynamics are moving a little bit in the region. 2244 BILL 980003 And there are jobs in the suburbs, and we need to have just as an efficient service going to take people to jobs in the suburbs. We are working with the Department of Public Welfare. We are working with them and have arranged for them to provide transit passes to people for their clients that are both looking for jobs, going to job training, and getting to jobs. We are working with several groups, the PIC, the PIC, and Top Plan, and so forth, in doing part of a job training program, to get people trained for jobs, using our construction program as a vehicle to assist people getting back to work. We have instituted a few new routes, like I mentioned the route going down to the PNC Operations Center. So employees wouldn't be lost in the city; there would be new routes taking them to jobs at the airport. We have several routes going out to the King of Prussia, for example, for city employees to take the train downtown and take a bus out. And we have just scratched the surface. I am very encouraged that as the federal appropriations bills go through Congress 2245 BILL 980003 this year, federal dollars are being set aside to fund reverse commutes. Now, we have to be careful with those because sometimes federal dollars can be a double-edged sword, as pointed out recently in an article published by Mr. Voith. But, I mean, we are very supportive of it. I just want you to know we are very supportive of it. And it is something over the next we are we are going to watch very carefully, and carefully work with the state, work with all the agencies that have some responsibility to get people to jobs. And if we can find resources, we are going to create new services for these jobs.

I imagine one of the things that would be useful would be to reduce the number of changes that a person from the innercity has to make to get from his or her home to his or her job in an outlying area. Presently you have to come into Center City, and then take a bus. Have you thought of there being sites that start, say, in North Philadelphia or West 2246 BILL 980003 Philadelphia, where you wouldn't have to come back, you know, crisscross the city before you start going on your trek to the suburbs, or bringing the transportation to where the people are, and taking them from where they are, to where they need to be, rather than this circuitous route?

No. That's a very good point. And that's part of the change that has to take place in the way we deliver our service. I will take that suggestion back. We need to do much more in terms of making that kind of change to the system, because that will make the system much more responsive to our customers and our riders.

Thank you. Would you also speak to how much crime has been reduced at the Tasker/Morris station because of the introduction of surveillance cameras. And if you deem them to be successful, when will that experiment be expanded to other stations? And, more specifically, what is your expansion plan by stop name?

Well, let me say to you, 2247 BILL 980003 the cameras have been up at Tasker/Morris station for, now, I am going to say, eight weeks, plus or minus a few weeks. I personally think they have been a tremendous success. The last time I checked with our Police Department, I don't think we had a single incident. I think they have eliminated all the incidents. Now, I would have to check. And we will get back to you with the actual details. But the idea of putting closed-circuit television surveillance in our stations, I think, is a modernization initiative that has to occur in the SEPTA system. We have incorporated it into the design of all our new stations. Every station that's being rebuilt and every new station will have a closed-circuit TV back directly to our control center. And our transportation control center, our dispatchers, will monitor these cameras. And right beside our control center is our police command center. So if the slightest incident looks like it could be developing, our police are standing right there to respond to it. 2248 BILL 980003 I can't give you the names of the actual stations at this point. I can't say. Well, maybe I can. There are five stations on the Broad Street Line: Spring Garden, both Fairmounts, Walnut and Locust, and Girard, Olney is on the list. On the Market side of the El, all six new stations.

Excuse me, you stepped on Girard.

Girard is one of the stations.

That happens to be where I live.

Very important, then. And all six stations of the Market El will have closed-circuit television surveillance incorporated into the stations. And that's just the beginning.

Is it your intention to do it systemwide on the subway?

Yes.

And the El's.

But I would say that it has to be phased in. It is just not something you 2249 BILL 980003 can just go out and do 50 stations at once, as much as I would like to do that.

Mr. President, I yield back the rest of my time.

That's so nice of you. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mariano.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Leary, a couple of questions. First of all, a thank you for your help on the snow line, even though we haven't had snow yet. Hopefully, we won't. But when we do have snow, I appreciate you taking our initiative and running with that. And when we do have snow, for those of you who don't know, you can put your municipal channel on and make sure your bus is running. So when Councilwoman Clark takes that subway to work, she doesn't need to walk ten blocks to the subway if the buses are running, so she will know. I would hate to see her standing out there on the corner. 2250 BILL 980003 My first question, Mr. Leary, I think you were in the office about a day or two when I grabbed you at one of the Phillies banquets or something at the Franklin Plaza Hotel, and I asked you about the buses at Bridge and Pratt that ran all night, and the fumes that they exhausted, that were of concern to the neighbors and some of the employees. Has anything ever happened with that? Because I understand they are doing it again.

No, I haven't heard they were doing it again. No. That's very important. The buses should not be running. It violates federal law, state law, and city ordinance. And it is one of the customer-unfriendly things we can do, to sit outside your house and leave a bus running.

It wasn't outside a house; it was in a barn. 30 of them running at once in the barn, you can imagine what happens.

I will have somebody check at 3:00 a.m. tonight.

Especially in 2251 BILL 980003 the winter. They want to make sure they run in the morning. I understand why they would want to do it, but it is just not great.

It is not great. It should not be tolerated. We will check on that, and I will report back to you. Because that is not something that we want to continue, not a practice that we want to continue.

About a month ago I was with the Narcotics Strike Force, and there was a shooting at Erie and Broad. And when we got to the scene, it was about a 21-year-old SEPTA policeman, probably as short as I was, controlling the scene, but he was alone. I was amazed. Policemen, are they alone or are they in tandem there? He was all by himself, standing in water up to his ankles. It was his scene. It was his shooting.

Councilman, I don't know. I am not familiar with that incident. I will check on it and get back to you. Something like that, I would think that they would respond to in 2252 BILL 980003 group.

His supervisors came, but he had been alone, he had been walking his beat alone. And I said, "Are you alone?" And he said, "Yes, I am always alone." And if that has anything to do with Councilwoman Clark's question, I am in favor of the closed-circuit television. I appreciate that. But I don't think that's somewhere where you can do away with manpower, especially police manpower, because of the closed circuit. They can both work in tandem.

Yes, sir. Let me make sure. That's not our intention, to reduce our manpower. Keeping our police force at a full complement of 250 officers is very high on our priority list. Closed-circuit TV is intended to be in addition to, not in replace of.

In the back of your budget here, you talk about drug testing. Amongst other things you talk about workmen's compensation injuries, and I want to get into that a 2253 BILL 980003 little bit. First of all, when you drug test the SEPTA employees, do you also drug test the people that you privatize for the Paratransit riders? Because I am going to tell you right now, as a concerned citizen, they are out of control. I mean, if you pass me on 95, you are going really fast. Because I they ever go over 56. So that means they are doing over 56, probably like 76. But I have been watching them for a couple of years. I didn't really know they were privatized until about a year ago, and I have been watching them. Do you drug test them?

Yes. Our Paratransit service, our medical transportation, has been contracted out since the early 1980s. Yes, I believe the question is, yes, our service -- our contracted service must be conducted to the same standard as service we would do ourselves. We are governed by Federal Transit 2254 BILL 980003 Administration guidelines governing drug and alcohol testing. And there are verification procedures in place. I will also follow up on your issue of speed on 95.

It is not just 95, it is over over.

I understand that.

Who does the Paratransit? What's the name of the company that has that?

There are five or six companies. Atlantic Paratransit, Incorporated, provides service. Triage, a company called Triage, Incorporated. Metro Cab, Allstate, and there may be one or two others.

Maybe you could give us that in writing.

I am told that's it.

And the drug testing that the private contractors go through, they are not TWU members? These guys are not in TWU? Is it the same drug testing that, 2255 BILL 980003 say, a bus driver would have to go through?

Yes, I am told it is the same.

Who does the drug testing?

One of the firms I am told that we actually do inhouse just like our own employees, Atlantic. The firm -- Atlantic is our largest firm, and they are members of SCIU, TWU.

When you test them for drugs, are you also testing them for alcohol, too?

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

They are all my questions.

I don't want to belabor this. We have Community College waiting, and we appreciate Mr. Capshaw being here. And he actually, and the City Controller, are here. I asked him to be here at a specific time. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

Okay. 2256 BILL 980003 Good morning, Mr. Leary and SEPTA representatives. I have a question as a followup to Councilwoman Clark's question around Welfare to work and transportations out into suburban counties. A big job retention issue, the people can get the jobs, but then they run into problems because of late buses or buses that don't run, their hours of operation are short, or they don't start early enough. So I was wondering, in your discussions with PIC, are you also talking to the employers to see what time, talk about extending hours, developing hours of operation that would be conducive to the working hours? Because I know of constituents that, you know, the bus was late constantly to King of Prussia, and they were fired. Or they had to work late, and there was no bus, really, to bring them back, or no bus to take them up early enough. Fort Washington, Horsham area. Are those kinds of discussions happening?

Yes, Councilwoman. You have touched upon something that's a real issue, and 2257 BILL 980003 we need to find a way to deal with it. Related to that, one of the opportunities that is surfacing is that the need, the employer and need for employees, is beginning to surface in such a way as the employers are now coming to us, asking us to provide this kind of transportation, and indicating a willingness to pay for it. We have contracts now with half a dozen big employers to provide additional service, Prudential Securities, Atlanta Investment, Advanta Investment, United Parcel Service. And there are a few more, just to name a few. I think that's the opportunity we have, to tie into employer needs and provide the transportation to them. PNC down in Southwest Philadelphia, at the airport, is an example of that. Where PNC Bank is, in fact, paying for this additional service to match the schedules of their employees. And both the Philadelphia Board members were involved in this, if they want to add anything to it.

Okay. Thank 2258 BILL 980003 you.

Mr. Leary, thank you very much. We appreciate your being with us. At this time we are going to hear from the representatives of Community College.

Good morning. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your statement.

Good morning, Mr. President, City Council members. My name is Emanuel Ortiz, and am Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Community College of Philadelphia. To the right of me is, of course, the President, Dr. Fred Capshaw. And to his right is Dr. Tom Hawk, who is the Vice-President for Planning and Finance of the College. I am pleased to have as colleagues on the Board a group of dedicated civic and business leaders in Philadelphia who recognize the importance of Community College of Philadelphia to our great city. With your permission, Mr. President, I would like to introduce those present today.

Certainly. 2259 BILL 980003

Thank you. We have Ms. Brisbon, miss Brown, Dr. Cadswell, Dr. Kung, Dr. Mattleman, and Mr. Skimmel. (Applause.)

Let me also, as you saw when we came up, recognize that we have a group of faculty members who are also present.

Can we have the faculty members stand and at least be recognized. (Applause.)

Let me first express our appreciation to the Mayor for recognizing the good work of our faculty, administrators, staff and students by recommending a capital allocation to the budget this year and next. Our Board is appreciative and feels fortunate that the College is being led by a person with great vision for the college, and continuously demonstrates a caring for the community, Dr. Fred Capshaw. We understand the great potential of the college to be a dynamic force for the city's economic development into the next century. But our concern, that under the current climate, restricted 2260 BILL 980003 funding will limit that potential. Dr. Capshaw will comment on what the College can do at the current level of funding, and what limitations we are facing at this level of funding. I will turn it over to Dr. Capshaw.

Thank you. Mr. President, members of the Council, I am Fed Capshaw, President of Community College of Philadelphia. I am also on about a dozen different drugs. And the voice that you hear this morning may be the drug influencing it, or perhaps another. But please excuse my voice, because it kind of goes in and out.

Dr. Capshaw, we are just delighted to have you with us here today, and we appreciate all your hard work. (Applause.)

I am pleased to be here today to testify on behalf of the college. You as a Council have historically be supportive of Community College of Philadelphia. 2261 BILL 980003 And many of you have expressed to me your pride in the College. We appreciate your support. You have received written testimony on the success of the College in terms of student achievement and its cost effectiveness. A couple of years ago, we told you that the Ford Foundation identified Community College as one of the top transfer colleges in America. Now you read in the papers about the successes of Community College students. Literally every week or so there is an article in the Inquirer. And one of the favorite that I saw was one in which the City Council hosted the Drexel Blue Gold Program, which we are now jointly sponsoring students, scholarship students, to get a good start at Community College, and then move on to Drexel. We are doing a similar thing with the public schools. We have a concurrent enrollment program now with three high schools where we are asking for outstanding students who want to get a start in college. They get credit both at the high 2262 BILL 980003 school and at Community College. So we are looking for new ideas, and we are looking to expand our transfer function, which we think is one of America's best. All the numbers point to the fact that we are successful in career education. Thousands of students working in the Philadelphia work force have been trained for their jobs at Community College of Philadelphia. The written testimony speaks again to these successes. The College is a major source in the economic development of Philadelphia. We are really right now where the action is. Where there is an exciting deal being made in Philadelphia, chances are we are part of it. In the last four years, we are becoming if not the major, one of the major providers of work force training for this town. So whether you are talking about CSX or Kvaerner or PNC -- in fact, all the talk just now about the extra line down to Eastwick, we are training those 500 people for PNC down at Eastwick. So they are giving CCP students a ride on the new line. 2263 BILL 980003 Everything we do is tied to building human resources to support the city's economic development. The success of the College is a product of the Board, administration, faculty, staff, and students, all pulling together, with the city leadership, in working to advance the economic development of Philadelphia. Community College is a college of the 21st century, says President Clinton. Governor Ridge and Mayor Rendell and members of the Council have all emphasized the role Community Colleges are playing and will play in the economic development of the 21st Century. Let's talk about this year's budget. 3 million. We are very proud that we reduced what was a 3 million deficit, down to a 300,000 deficit. But, still, the pattern over the four years is not a pretty pattern. 1 million running in deficit. We cannot continue to run a college where we are 2264 BILL 980003 running in the red each year. This year, there are other complications. We have negotiations going on. The contracts all ran out in August. People at this point have been working without a contract. People have been very patient. The faculty historically at the College has been very understanding of our fiscal problems. I put out on the table back in February, no raise. That did not go down particularly well, particularly from a guy who had taken back 4 percent from the faculty and 3 percent from the classified two years in a row, when he first came on as President. I couldn't have taken it back, if you recall, unless the faculty voted to do it. So it was really their gift to the college. This is a context that we are negotiating in. It is a context that has a great deal of respect for the college and the faculty, and a great deal of respect for the Administration and the Board for the faculty.

That's why you probably haven't heard all that much about the negotiations, even though 2265 BILL 980003 the strike date is next week, the 10th of March. We have a $3 million problem. The $3 million problem is, if anybody gets a raise for this year -- and so far nobody has -- that's a million and a half dollars. That costs us a million and a half to give 3 percent to all of our employees. If we give 3 percent next year, too, then it is 3 percent this year, 3 percent next year, that's the $3 million problem. This year, right now, with no raise for anybody, we are running a balanced budget for the first time in four or five years. When I look at this and the Board looks at it as the people responsible for running the college, we say it is critical that we have a balanced budget. If we ever want to build a building, have a bond issue, you know all the fiscal reasons that people in New York, looking at your record, and the rest of it, we really need to come in with a balanced budget. Fortunately this year we have had realistic enrollment projections and our highest enrollment ever. We have a larger student body. 2266 BILL 980003 And we just feel with a lot of creative activity, things are going very well, with the exception of this lack of funding. What is our response to this? One response I could make as President of the College is cut 51 positions; that would give us $3 million. I don't believe in letting go full-time, permanent employees, who do good work, just for money. If there is any way around that option, I am going to take it. Our people are good, hard-working people, and I don't want to cut them just on the dollars. The other answer, of course, is more revenue. The first part of that would be get additional dollars from the state. Well, right now there is no money from the state. That might surprise you, because you may have heard the same press conference that I heard. I heard a press conference that made me very happy. I was surprised. million for Community Colleges, million overall in new money for Community Colleges. Great press conference. Get 2267 BILL 980003 your copy from PCN, they are available. The problem is, when you come back to the campus and you work the numbers, you wonder what happened to the $5 million. It is $5 million of poof. There is nothing in that budget for Community College of Philadelphia. The actual break-out, I think, is that the operating budget is affected just about even, flat. And overall, with the capital, we lose $16,000 out of the state budget. So there had been a lot of hope. And if you have been following Harrisburg, Harrisburg has spent a lot of time on Community Colleges. There are press conferences all the time, one of the hottest things out there. But when you add up the numbers after the $5 million press conference, in the Governor's budget, it is poof. D. " So that's the state this year. 2268 BILL 980003 Tuition, we can always raise tuition. We didn't raise tuition last year. Our tuition is -- and this breaks my heart to say it -- is one of the highest in the state, with the student body least able to pay. We are right at the top, with $69 dollars, and with the fees $72 a credit. So that's an option. Not a good option. So we are hoping that we can turn to the city for some answers to this. Now, the college operates, as you know, at about 3500 per student. 3500 per student is $2,000 less than the national average for community colleges. Let that number just figure in for a minute, drop in. 35, or 3560 per student. Compare it to, you know, you hear about the suburban school districts, because our own School District doesn't have enough money either. But we are operating at this kind of figure, which compares favorably with any Community College of America, and it is $2000 below the national average. I can't give up on quality at Community College. We just don't have the dollars 2269 BILL 980003 right now to do what we need to do.

There is nothing in there for new operating dollars. Yesterday Rick Bojar and Karen Schermerhorn, the heads of the faculty union, are still working as a team, we are, right up to the negotiation, sent a letter to the State House trying to explain how the math doesn't work, and trying to get some more money out of Harrisburg. So we are continuing to pursue that. I know the story that you may have read about the young man on the basketball team that was in the Inquirer. I know the story you may have read about the ASL student. I know the story you may have read about the Welfare mom back to the college; there are several of those. Community College is doing a job for its students, and we need some help to do a better job. I always like to say what you get and what you may not get. At the current level of funding, you will continue to get that work force development that I talked about. It is a real priority for us. You will continue to get the sound transfer in 2270 BILL 980003 education. You will continue to get training for business and industry. You will get GED, literacy, ESL. You will get personal enrichment classes in computing and other areas. You will get some attention to the centers, although not as much as you would otherwise get. There will be some improvement in technology and some commitment to the student activities. But no increases anywhere. We have no plans to cut personnel. Where we will be hurt is in our outreach to the community. We have increased, for just one stat, we have increased our outreach to the Latino community from 8 percent to 21 percent. We have lots and lots of people -- I shouldn't say, excuse me, Latino community, because there are Asians. And I am talking about English As A Second Language outreach. But we have increased that outreach dramatically. We have worked with the empowerment zones extensively. We are working on high-tech curriculum. 2271 BILL 980003 Customer service is going to go to hell in a hand basket when you don't have people working. The lines get longer, the place gets dirtier, the students are more dissatisfied. All those things will happen at this level of funding, I can guarantee it. And I feel, because I have been in this job -- this is actually the fifth time I made this presentation now. Because I did the first one as soon as I got here. But I feel that there is going to be a major deterioration on quality at the College without some additional dollars. In conclusion, let me just emphasize again, we have tremendously loyal employees. They want to do the right thing by the College. Nobody wants a strike next week. The faculty doesn't want one. We don't want one. But we are moving along, and we are moving along, moving along. And there doesn't seem to be a resolution because we want to balance a budget, and they want and need and deserve a raise. So that's the immovable object. And 2272 BILL 980003 what's the name of the force?

Irresistible force.

Thank you, irresistible force. Okay. So we think we are a pretty good deal for 3500 or 3600 dollars. We are positive of the future of the College. We need to be a part of the city's efforts to improve. We want to be. We appreciate that there are always tough times, and dollars are hard to come by. But we could desperately need some dollars in the City Administration. And we hope somebody finds a way to get them for us. And I will just conclude by just affirming what Mannie said, how appreciative we were that the Mayor included $1.25 million in the Capital Budget this year and next year. That's a first. As far as I know, in the history of Philadelphia, that's historic, that the Mayor included money directly fir us in his own Capital Budget. Thank you very much. 2273 BILL 980003

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Fernandez.

Thank you, Mr. President. Again, Dr. Capshaw, it is great to see you here today, and we really want to publicly thank you for your very effective leadership at Community College, which we all know is so important to having an educated citizenry and an educated work force. I was wondering, could you just share for us what effect the Welfare cuts and changes are having on your student population? Because my understanding is, people who are receiving Public Assistance are limited to one year of formal education, yet your degree is a two-year degree. Have you seen any direct effect on who is able to be at Community College?

Oh, we have seen a tremendous effect. We have lost hundreds of students. We have lost just about 250 students just 2274 BILL 980003 in that step-up program that had been so successful historically. We are putting together different alternative programs that are less than two years, but they are not going to have the quality of those former programs.

And my guess is that that will continue to accelerate as the Welfare change --

And we are continuing to work in Washington on that, and we are trying to get people's attention to that. But the way you put it, it is critical. One-year orientation, that is just wrong. What kind of degree, what kind of education can you get in one year that's going to turn your life around? It is just putting down the people on Welfare and not realizing that they have the potential to do something better than that with their lives. They get caught in a dead-end job and get into that whole cycle.

Another 2275 BILL 980003 issue is, we hear there is this demand for computer literate technical people out in the suburbs. This SAP company wants to hire a thousand people, and there is a real shortage of people for these jobs. The linkage that you have done with Drexel, is that directly around computer information sciences as a career path to fill that gap, or is your deal with Drexel broader than that?

It is broader than that. It certainly would include that, but it is broader than that.

Do you have a program that gives people a degree in computer?

Sure. Sure. And it was fully enrolled. I think Councilman Mariano, was it a year ago or two years ago, made a comment to the effect that he went into -- I don't want to steal his thunder.

We will wait on that one. Could you go back to this, the whole funding crisis that you are facing? I can't remember where I read it, but something about the state legislature, their Higher Education Commission 2276 BILL 980003 is recommending that maybe the state would pick up two-thirds of the cost. I assume that's, then, a third for tuition, and then local communities would be expected to provide for the capital costs. What's the timetable on that? Do you think that would be happening in this budget session, or is that a couple of years off?

I would like to just recognize Mr. Schraeger, another Board member who has joined us. To get back to your question, that recommendation is from the subcommittee of the House Education Committee. It is chaired by Representative Carone. In my estimation, she has done a magnificent job -- not just a good job; a magnificent job -- in putting together the key issues. If it happened, I would be thrilled. If it happened, it would save the City of Philadelphia probably something like $14 million, and it would increase our funding dramatically.

But the 2277 BILL 980003 timing on that, do you see that happening this session, or is it a longer range?

It has some high-level support, but things like that tend not to happen within one session.

So if I hear you, then, your financial crisis would not be fixed by that?

No. No, I don't foresee that happening this year. It might happen within the next three years. When I first heard about it, I thought it was pie in the sky, but it has some high-level political support.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Clark.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Capshaw, let me express a personal appreciation for your coming and tell you 2278 BILL 980003 how much we are praying for you.

Thank you.

With respect to your education and training plans for the Kvaerner shipbuilding project, what roles do companies owned by minorities and women and the disabled play in your plans to jointly develop those training programs? Specifically, now, I am talking about a minority firm that's into welding. Do you know what I am talking about at all?

Minority firms -- what was the last part?

That's into welding. They wanted to teach welding for the Kvaerner, and they wanted to do it in conjunction with Community and Berean Institute and maybe OIC.

Yes, I think projects like that will definitely be happening. My hope is dozens of projects like that will be happening. As you know, Community College has made a tremendous effort to reach out to the minority community over the last four years. I was fortunate enough to receive an 2279 BILL 980003 award the other night in recognition of that outreach. But just, for example, our dealing with minority vendors has quadrupled in the last four years. Our extenuation in terms of employment, in terms of recruitment, that has increased. The student body has become more minority over the last four years. So there are a number of different ways, programming on progress. We bring in artists, and that kind of thing, where we made an outreach to the minority community. We particularly have been involved within our business deals in making sure that the minority community is a piece of it. So, you know, Kvaerner at this point is not down to the level where it is, okay, I need your company to provide 50 guys who are going to do welding. It is just not at that level of specificity at this time, but it will be. And I can guarantee you that we will do all we can to have minority firms involved.

Let me refine my question. 2280 BILL 980003 As I see it, Kvaerner will be looking to community College to lead a team to train for the high-tech skills, including, for example, the welding. And here I am asking if the college has considered teaming with minority trainers such as OIC, such as Berean Institute, and one other whose name I can't remember.

We have had largely minority classes to this point in the work that we have done with Crown Cork and Seal, and the Precision manufacturing program. And we certainly would be willing -- that's involved Lehigh and bunch of other partners. But we would certainly be willing to sit down with OIC and Berean and say, what can you bring to the table, this is what we need done, how can we carve this up? There is plenty there. There is more than we can do. And say, you know what can you handle.

Of course. I didn't remember the name of the other company, but my staff member did. It is ITTI. Let me go back to the discussion that Councilwoman Fernandez raised with respect to the 2281 BILL 980003 important role that Community College place in the Welfare To Work effort. I know that you have some outstanding programs that deal with giving people skills to be self-sufficient. I wonder what, if anything, we can do, in concert with you, as the federal government attempts to restructure Welfare, to make them see the folly of ending a good program, with a good track record. If ever there is an example of penny wise and dollar foolish, to squeeze a two-year program down to something that looks like it in a one-year program, is deceptive, and could be criminal. And could we add our voice to yours in some way that we could support your efforts to get exemptions for Welfare people who wish to train for two years for self-sufficiency, rather than tease them and play with their heads with one year's worth, which is almost enough?

I would certainly appreciate you supporting that effort. We have now an outreach to Washington 2282 BILL 980003 with try to work with PIC and Donna Cooper's office, to try to get special designated money for special designated programs for Welfare people outside the normal boundaries. That's just what we need to do.

I do note that every government policy maybe two lines, and then they have two pages of exemptions. So if we could get an exemption for this specific program, for a demonstration period, to show its efficiency, effectiveness, and efficacy, I really think we ought to make that effort, working with our federal delegation at the congressional and at the Senatorial level.

I do, certainly too. We have got a grant application for several hundred thousand dollars to Washington now. And a letter of support from Council will be helpful, too.

We will have to do it. My last question.

I could add that several of us Board members were in Washington. And that was one of the key issues that, across the board, 2283 BILL 980003 the Commission of Community Colleges was trying to impress on the Congress. Certainly because of the bipartisan support that this Welfare reform received, no one wants to really touch or change it at this point. However, there is interest in looking at it in the implementation phase. And so I believe it is Senator Specter is going to be having hearings in relations to this, where perhaps it would be a vehicle for some of us to join forces and address the issue.

Great. I think that Senator Specter is the exact right place to start to put our request in for an exemption. My last question, Mr. President, City College of New York recently announced plans to increase its admission standards. Are there any such plans being contemplated by Community College in Philadelphia? I hope not.

There is another institution in Philadelphia that has had similar announcements lately. Our philosophy runs directly counter 2284 BILL 980003 to what's being attempted both in New York and up at Temple. We respect them for what they are trying to do for their university and their mission, and all of that. But we are firmly committed to an open door institution. We believe that giving people a chance. We believe that people have talent. We believe you can identify that talent, you can build on that talent. And any of those stories that I mentioned out of the Inquirer, that you hear about all the time, about Community College students who came in and had a basket full of troubles, and they leave and they transfer to a four-year school. And the next thing you know, she was a Welfare mother of five. Now she is a doctor up at the north end of town in a clinic. And why? They come back and say Community College every time. As long as those stories are happening -- and they are happening every day -- that door is not going to close a bit; it is going to be wide open. (Applause.)

I appreciate 2285 BILL 980003 that. I wish I hadn't promised that was my last question. I do have one more last one.

At this time the Chair will recognize, because of the exceptional nature of Councilwoman Clark's candor in all of these things, one last question, one last last question.

I want to express my appreciation for the Philadelphia School District Community College and Drexel connection. The Blue and Gold, is that the name of it?

Yes.

I think that is just such a practical, good way to promote continuity. I express my appreciation to Drexel for accepting your graduates full time, without any crutches, any necessity for remediation. You give them a two-year diploma or Associate's Degree, you come into Drexel as a third year student. I appreciate that. I also like the automatic enrollment 2286 BILL 980003 in Community College if you graduate from Philadelphia schools. That assumption of readiness gives, I think, our students a psychological floor below which they cannot fall, and requires of them to reach inside themselves for strengths they may not even know they have. I will tell you a secret. When John Street was about to graduate from high school, his advisers told him he was not college material. So if you could take a roughian like John Street and turn him into something, I give you hope for the rest of the youngsters in the Philadelphia system. Thank you.

Can I be excused from commenting on that?

See what happens? One last last question, right? Thank you very much, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me too welcome Mr. Capshaw and also certainly Mr. Schraeger, my good friend, and 2287 BILL 980003 Lanette Brown. Certainly we are very, very glad to have you. And I only wanted to commend you for this new program of allowing students to be college bound and also to get college bound credit for work at Community College. It is absolutely wonderful, and will make such a great difference. Community College is absolutely a great blessing to our city. And I agree that the President has focused on the importance that Community College plays for so many of our students. And certainly we thank you for your continued leadership and pledge our support. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

I was in a community meeting one day and a person said to me, "I'm getting a new organization together. What's the most important thing I should do?" I said, "Get a good Board." And I am just really very impressed, as I am sure all 2288 BILL 980003 Councilmembers are, that we have this great representation of the Community College Board that's here. And you just have to know that Mr. Schraeger and others, and particularly these members who are sitting on the other side of the rail here, obviously had something to do with the great work that the Community College does. And I would just like to underline the significance of your being here as Board members. Very, very important. And it really does show that there is a serious dedicated cross-section of people who are working very hard to make Community College the good place that it is, to provide the kind of services that our young people desperately need. So I thank you. (Applause.)

At this time the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning, Mr. Capshaw and members of the contingency from Community College. 2289 BILL 980003 I have a question regarding the new regional campus. Does that mean, or will it mean -- because I have heard this, and the business association has called me and some members of Germantown community have called me -- do you plan to close Green and Chelten, your branch there, and move everything into Philadelphia College of Optometry?

A couple of things on that. Green and Chelten has been, since we opened it, our least productive center. It has been our least productive center. It also is the only center we don't own. We are paying rent on that every month. The lease is expired. It is totally inadequate, compared to the other centers that we have. We want quality centers that people will be proud to come to. And that, as you know, is the second floor of a former department store and is just not up to the sale quality as the centers that we are now building.

Okay. 2290 BILL 980003

So our intention is to abandon that center, but not to abandon that area. We are looking for some alternatives or some what's the proper mix, where else could we be a with a presence that would be maybe not as large as that, but would give us access in that area of the city.

So that means that you don't have any immediate plans to leave; you are just looking for a better physical facility, is that what I am hearing?

Our intention, as you probably know, is to buy the College of Optometry. And the Mayor graciously put the money -- again, that's historic. And we appreciate it so much. The Mayor and the City Council are willing to support, for the first time, out of their own capital accounts, the purchase of a center for Community College of Philadelphia. So that center will be located at Godfrey and Broad, and it will be much more adequate. It will be five times better than what we can offer people up there now. And it is only a few miles from the former center that we have been 2291 BILL 980003 using.

But in the meantime, I think did you say that you were going to look for a better facility? Because there are some other spaces available.

We have the main campus at Spring Garden, we have centers and we have sites. And we hope that we will have a presence that will be a site over in that area, so that we won't lose contact with it.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mariano.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Capshaw, Councilwoman Clark commented about President Street might have been advised that he wasn't college material. When I graduated from high school, I took a test, and they told me I should have been a window decorator. It is a true story. But my father wouldn't have any parts of that, and he let 2292 BILL 980003 me go in the building trades. When I was in the building trades, some of the courses I took were at Community College, construction management courses. Then when I went through Temple, St. Joe's, and found something, went to Eastern. And when I got out of Eastern, I went back to Community College to finish up the credits I needed to get. And at that time when I was at Community College, I was a member of City Council. But a lot of teachers and -- the Administration knew, and they helped me, as I am sure they would have helped everyone, you know, working my schedule. And I have talked to the other students and friends that I made there, and they said everybody pretty much gets that play. But we have the members of Local 2026. The Administration, although they need a lot, the teachers were gracious. And they didn't know I was a City Councilmember. All of them didn't know that, maybe one or two, but they didn't bring it to my attention. So I would ask you, to the best of 2293 BILL 980003 your ability -- and I know it is not totally up to you, and I admire your board, Mr. Schraeger, Mr. Ortiz, Ms. Brown, everybody -- let's try to negotiate with these people in good faith, because it is important. And I know if you had the money, if we could get you all the money we could, we wouldn't have a problem funding. But good teachers are important. I also represent the Latino community, and I would like to thank Mr. Ortiz. Because in my world, and my mind, you don't have to be Puerto Rican for your heart to beat with a Latino rhythm. Mr. Ortiz can tell you that. The things that Community College are doing up at Norris Square, with the anti-crime initiatives and different things, just couldn't be found anywhere else. So I appreciate that as the elected representative up there. And, again, I would like to thank Mr. Ortiz who has gone out of his -- I think he is a Deputy Mayor. I'm not sure what he does. But he has gone out of his way. He tells me he is; I don't know. All I know is, he has a night head of hair, 2294 BILL 980003 and I tease him about that. In all seriousness, he is there all the time for me, same with Mr. Schraeger and Ms. Brown, they are there. So it is very important, the people who may not have been college material, like, that's hard for me to say, President Street and myself -- I knew I was a rough canvas. But him, I doubt it. He is here. But a lot of people that wouldn't have gotten to college, you know, get there. Imagine getting there in your 30's and seeing all these young people moving around. And the Administration and the teachers really reached out to someone in their late 30's. That may not seem that old, but it was a confusing time. I have a son getting ready to go to college. And I go down there, and that's one of the options. If he looks at things, Community is there. It is always there. And there are a lot of people in my world that Community is a great option. And the facilities are there, the 2295 BILL 980003 web, the network on the web is something excellent. So I appreciate it. And I, too, also, I am praying that you will be okay. So thank you, thank you thank you.

Thank you. If I am able just to make one comment, then Mr. Schraeger, I believe, would like to make a comment. You have hit upon the real crux of higher education. It is not about, you know, come in talk about money and you talk about administration and structure; it is about what happens in the classroom with the faculty member. The faculty member is caring. And we just have great people. Again, I can't underscore what you said enough about that. That's where the action happens, in higher education. And our faculty deserve the credit for the successes of the students I was mentioning. Of course with Mr. Ortiz' help, bringing together this great Board, as well as reach out to the community -- not only the Latino community -- but outreach to the community has been a major emphasis of our administration and it has been a driving force behind it. 2296 BILL 980003

My only problem is, I figured when I went back to community, I could finally get a chance to play soccer in college. So I went to the first soccer try-out, and they said you had to be a full-time student. So I know I could get a chance, if they just let me play. They said, sorry. I couldn't get to play soccer in college; that was my only problem. But thank you. Thank you. That's it, Mr. President.

Councilman, are you sure that that full-time thing was the only problem you had on that soccer team?

Don't get fresh now, Mr. President. We don't want to go there.

Well, I guess as fortuitous as it might seem, you didn't get a chance to play on that soccer team. Councilwoman Clark's missing her subway rides. The Chair recognizes Mr. Schraeger.

Thanks, Mr. President. Even though --

I have to ask you 2297 BILL 980003 to speak real close to that microphone, and what little bit louder.

I felt that nobody wants to hear me so I didn't get that close.

You should get close we want to hear you.

Even though Community College has open admission and doesn't require a qum. or standardized testing, those students from Community College who, at the end, after they get their Associate Degree, apply to Temple, they do just as well in the junior year as the students who did have the qum. and the standardized testing and started at Temple as a freshman. So their junior year, they are both equal to each other. So it shows that community not only does a good job, but is able to do it with a lot less baggage that they have to carry. Also, I think Community College accomplishes what it does because it has a tremendous faculty. The faculty is a caring faculty, they work very hard with these students. So by the time they are there a year, they are brought up to snuff with those students in colleges 2298 BILL 980003 that require all of the admissions standards. Thank you.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.

Thank you, Mr. President. I think all of the accolades that have been thrown in the direction of Community College are well deserved. Of course, it is easier to say that than put up the money. But what Mr. Schraeger just said about the faculty, in all the years I have been in City Council, I have never had a constituent or ever heard anybody at any of these hearings ever complain about anything at Community College. I think the faculty is unexcelled by any of the universities, major or minor, that we have in Philadelphia. And I think they deserve much of the credit, as do the Board members and the other supporters of Community College. I hope the labor thing works out. I think a strike would be devastating to the mission of Community College has. And I am sure all of us 2299 BILL 980003 in City Council are going to be working with you to try to see that that agreement is arrived at. Apparently there is basic agreement between the parties. The question is, where is the money coming from? Is that an accurate picture? I mean, unlike the SEPTA dispute, where both sides are, you know, battling each other very hard and making unfair charges against each other, that does not seem to be at all the case here.

No. That's correct. You have summarized it well.

Well, we hope that works out well. And I think all of us are going to be happy to cooperate in any way we can. I wanted personally to thank you for the courses that Community College is making available to City Council. Community College is a strange institution. It supplies a need at almost every level. The people who work in City Council hardly would fit within the deprived class that we often speak about, yet we find it necessary to 2300 BILL 980003 supplement the educational level here in City Council. And we are grateful for what Community College is doing.

Councilman Cohen, it might be worthwhile to mention, for those people who do not know it, that there are various writing seminars that have been taking place now, I guess, for the last several months, where Community College is working with our staff to bring up their writing skills and various other communication skills. And it is very important to us. And it is part of what we are trying to do to increase the professionalization of our staff, staff of Councilmembers and other staff members here. And Community College has been very good at cooperating and working with us. And the seminars have been very well received, very well received. And we will continue to do them, with the cooperation of the College. And we appreciate that. Thank you, Councilman Cohen, for bringing that to our attention.

All right. Thank you, Mr. President. 2301 BILL 980003 And we all appreciate that the staff members that are going, and occasionally Councilmembers drop in, because you provide almost 24-hour, around-the-clock services to the community, we think, my personal opinion is -- and I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and its law school -- I think Community College is the finest institution we have. And today, like all other fine institutions that really serve the people, they are kind of under attack through the process of underfunding, and we hope in the future to be able to rectify that. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Fernandez.

Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to go back to the financial issue. In your testimony, you noted that many of the students going to Philadelphia Community 2302 BILL 980003 College may come, more may come, from low-income families, where it is difficult when you raise tuition. And then on of your testimony, I had thought it was a chart comparing the different contributions from different areas. But, instead, the chart on shows how basically relatively low the expenditures or costs are at Community College, in comparison to other community colleges surrounding us, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, and then statewide. Could you provide to the Chair a chart like the one on , that would he show us how much of the student expenditure is for tuition, how much is state subsidy, and then how much is local subsidy for us, in comparison to these other community colleges and statewide? Because I didn't see that anywhere. And, again, I think despite all the nice praise and everyone acknowledges how crucial the work you do is to the people who are educated and to our whole economy and our work force development, I hear you saying, you know, you are in financial difficulty. And so I would like to have those 2303 BILL 980003 figures and we are looking, because I am not clear what our local share is in relation to the other counties. And, again, it bothers me, when I see these figures, that there is more spent -- it is a little bit like the public education situation -- more spent per pupil in these surrounding counties, yet we have more students who desperately need Community College as an educational option. And where tuition increases, just make things worse.

We will certainly get that to you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Clark.

Mr. President, I would like to follow on the commends made by Councilwoman Fernandez. Does your question speak to underfunding from the state level?

Well, I am not clear, because I didn't have all the figures in 2304 BILL 980003 front of me, whether it is relative. Like, I'm not sure what the local share is in the surrounding counties, in comparison to ours, and what the tuition amount is.

So you are asking for a comparison to how our Community College is funded vis-a-vis Delaware County and some of the other community colleges in the area?

Right. Because it feels like Community College here is very cost effective.

Uses the money that it gets well.

Very well.

Well, I would like to associate myself with those comments. I just want to be sure that we are agreeing to the same thing, and to say that there is a distinct difference between free speech and cheap talk. And we would like to encourage you to put as much gentle but unrelenting pressure on all of the funding sources that you have to make sure that you don't quietly go into the night. Because there is never enough money 2305 BILL 980003 to do all that needs to be done. And some people are going to get funded, and some people are going to get the reason why they are not going to be funded. Now, if you want a reason, I can construct one that is alliterative right now. But I would argue that you need to be insistent, you need to maybe be a little less polite. But you should get for your students all that the systems that you work with are capable of, because to do less is to shortchange them. Your efforts need to be augmented. And praised by itself, as laudable and wonderful as it is to hear, will not pay your bills, or keep those blue-placard carrying people in the back from exercising their constitutionally protected right. We need all of you on the job full time educating our students. And a strike is too disruptive and too distractive. It is outright destructive. Now, do you want me to go on with this alliteration?

I would certainly appreciate it. 2306 BILL 980003

I am hoping that we can avoid a strike, and keep this going. Thank you very much.

If I might just briefly add that it is certainly not our intention to stop today asking for more dollars for Community College. The faculty federation and our administration and Board are really partners in this, beyond the fact that at the table, of course, we have a different point of view. But we are going to be there together in Harrisburg. We are going to be in your offices. And we are going to be wherever we need to be to try to get more dollars this time through Community College.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.

Dr. Capshaw, I note in the record you wrote to Mayor Rendell in December of 1997, last December. Is Community College still in touch 2307 BILL 980003 with the Mayor on the budget request you made?

We have been working with the Mayor's Office, and we don't consider anything a dead issue.