Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The last bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 060049.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriation for Fiscal Year 2006 within the General Fund from certain or all city offices, departments, boards and commissions to certain or all city offices, departments, 3/2/06 - STATED - 2ND READING boards and commissions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. That concludes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the Minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I heard today and yesterday about people who have been very upset, people who were even crying they were so knows, we've had three hearings on housing reorganization. We have another on March 16th at 1 o'clock. We find it unconscionable that in a city like ours that is known for unions, that the Secretary of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation would call people in and tell union employees, I'm looking for your resignation. All of you have to submit your resignations and then come to me and fight for whatever positions I have available. Vie for them, fight for them, compete for them. That is unconscionable. We will be having a hearing again on March 16th at 1:00. I'll remind my colleagues, and I am sure that the Secretary of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation and the Administration will get a message, we don't do that in Philadelphia. We want the leadership of the Housing and Neighborhood Preservation to live in Philadelphia, to stay here and city, we care about our people, those who live here, those who work here, those who are part of unions, and that we won't take that kind of bashing in our city. Thank you, Madam President. (Applause.)
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. During the course of the Mayor's budget address to City Council, he stated, and I quote, "I am pleased to report that the City has substantially increased its minority participation on City contracts. A comprehensive report will be presented during our budget testimony. I want to assure Councilmembers Tasco and Goode, who have been leaders on this issue, we will continue to do more." office came before this City Council, we asked about the report. Again, as with the disparity study, which was delivered two years ago and we're still waiting for, a report had been delivered to City Hall, and we still have not gotten the report. We got a copy of a report from other sources, but it has not been given to this City Council. I think it's a total disrespect for Council to ignore -- I wrote a letter in October asking for the report. I did not get an answer. I never get answers to any of my letters I send to the Second Floor, so that's nothing unusual. But since he made a public commitment to present the report to City Council and we did not get it, they don't know where it is, I think it's an insult to this Council and it's keeping with what has gone on the last six years I've been in City Council, that there's no respect at all for this Council in terms of what we do, what we ask for or even when the staff members come in to give us information during the budget hearings. We don't get information. I'm sure these people are competent, capable people who come before us to testify, but I'm sure they're told not to give us information, so we go blindly down the path. I've somewhat come to agree with Kenney about why are we sitting here wasting our time, we don't get the information that we need to make an intelligent decision, but you have to vote on something at the end of the day. But it's just blatantly a disrespect for this Council and I'm just sick of it. I'll be glad when 2008 comes.
And, Councilwoman, yesterday at the public hearing, we were told that before the end of the day we would be getting copies of the report. Councilman Goode, I think my that bad. Was that your understanding?
We did not receive a copy of the report. My office called MBEC yesterday afternoon to request a copy of the report again. We were told that it would be hand-delivered immediately. Then they called back five minutes later and said that they cannot deliver it. But the numbers actually are in the Daily News today in a small brief.
They said it has to go to the Finance Director again, but I guess it was delivered through the Daily News in terms of a brief today.
C'est la vie. Are there any other comments from members of the Committee? The Chair recognizes Councilman
I think it's 767 days, I believe. I think that's what it is. Not that I'm counting.
Any other comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to adjourn.
The Council will stand adjourned until Thursday, March the 9th, 2006. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March the 9th, 2006. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you all very much. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m.) 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 on March 2, 2006, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)