I thank you so much for your patience, your interest in our City and we appreciate your testifying. Thank you. 185 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Thank you, Mr. Maurer. The next witness is -- MR. McPHERSON: The next group of witnesses are Mike McCrea, Feltonville Recreation Advisory Council; Jim Helman, Vare Recreation Center Advisory Council; Joyce Martinez, Rivera Recreation Center.
Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Joyce Martinez, Rivera Recreation Center, 5th and Allegheny volunteer. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here today and I just have a question for you. How many members of the Council are supposed to be here on the Committee?
Many of them are in their offices listening to the testimony. 186 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Okay. Hello to those in the offices listening to this testimony. I would just like to say we are focused on our children. The Mayor has made a big opportunity, the child of the year program, there's a lot of things going on for children, different organizations receiving funds for children. So much is going on for our children, but our children are still suffering in Philadelphia. I would like to say on behalf of the Department of Recreation, we shouldn't have to come here and beg for money every year because we should be number one priority because the recreation centers are the safe-haven. I've been a volunteer in Philadelphia since 1965, a member of Councilman Ortiz's organization he organized in the '60s, Citizens in Action. I'm a young member of the recreation centers. I grew up in recreation centers so I know what they have to offer, what they can offer and what they need to offer. Number 1, our country is in a trauma time now. We're at war. And our recreation centers are not only for the youth and for children for recreation facilities, they're for 187 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the safety of the people in our communities in time of tragedy. Our centers need to be well-kept, they need to be ready for people in the fact of fires and they have to come in. They have to sleep there in case of something happening like in New York happens in Philadelphia, which we hope it don't. Our centers need to be available to take in mass groups of people and they need to have proper water, proper plumbing, proper heat and whatever else is needed. Our facility grounds need to be safe for our children to play on the activity swings and things that they have in our area for them. And we know it's a problem with the pools, therefore, those that can't afford to have pools at this time, we need to have sprinklers placed in those centers on the ground so that the children will be able to cool off when the drought trauma passes over. And the budget is not much for what we offer. As they were speaking on the lead we have those lead kids. Those kids have grown up into adults and they have given children -- passed on the lead, and the lead continues to 188 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing pass on through the brains of these kids. So basically, I'm not going to sugar coat it. We have a lot of nuts out here and these kids are becoming very violent. They don't hesitate to hurt anyone at any age, at any cost, and the recreation center is getting a lot of these kids coming in. We don't know what type of problems they have, but we offer services to them. And a lot of staff at the recreation centers are volunteers. And the volunteers need to be recognized. And the budget that they ask you for programs need to be set up in that budget for volunteers to help volunteers work better with the staff. And the children that we help to be able to work more in conjunction with Department of Human Services to understand and to help these problem children that we have. That's all I'd like to say at this time. Thank you, and I hope -- actually, I'm not going to ask for the money, I demand that we do receive the money that we need because we do need it. Our priority of recreation should come first. Thank you.
Thank you. 189 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
I'm treasurer for the Vare Recreation Center Advisory Council. I'm here today to testify for funding for the Department of Recreation. There are many areas that I could testify about. There's a number and variety of programs the department makes available to our community. These include sports programs, drama after-school, summer camps, gymnastics and tumbling, art, and many others. I could testify about how the department is struggling to continue their services and staffing in the area of maintenance. I could mention mandatory random drug testing or child abuse background investigations for volunteers. I could mention the more than 80 swimming pools the department operates during the hot summer months. I could talk about the Street Administration's plundering of the department's budget in the last two Fiscal Years and the impact that has had. I could mention the $22 million the Department of Human Services is getting next Fiscal Year for after-school programs, while the Department of Recreation gets no increase for 190 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the 140 sites where they have been sponsoring after-school programs for years. I could recite a litany of facts and figures and statistics and enrollments. Any one of several of these areas would make compelling testimony, but I'm going to leave all of those subjects for others. I want to testify about something that doesn't get talked about often enough. I want to testify about how the Department of Recreation and the services it provides directly affects the lives in children and youth. I want to testify about what I call the "street value" of recreation. For example, I am reminded of one Grays Ferry youth whose life was headed in the wrong direction. His home life was much less than desirable. There were drugs and alcohol and whispers of past abuses that are too sordid to discuss in a public forum. Not surprisingly, this youth became truant and had run-ins with the police. Many in the community thought the youth was headed for the crimes statistics. One Christmas the only gift this youth received from his family was a paperback copy of a Harry Potter novel. One of our local recreation 191 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing professionals was so put out by this that he discussed it with his own children and they agreed to give the youth a gift certificate that they themselves had received for Christmas. The youth I speak of was so touched by this that he began spending more and more time at one of our local facilities. It was at that facility that he was exposed the quality adult influence and lessons about life that were not available at home. His school attendance improved dramatically. He enrolled in a drams program and appeared in four plays. His run-ins with the police slowed and then stopped. His marks improved, he moved away from his family and now lives with an aunt. He has made our recreation facility his home away from home. He enjoys helping to clean and run errands and doing whatever else needs to be done. He hopes to enroll in a lifeguard course and become a lifeguard on his 16th birthday.
192 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Congratulations.
I am reminded of another Grays Ferry youth whose life outside of school revolved around dance. This youth joined a fledgling dance group made up of other neighborhood youth. The group had a problem, there was nowhere for them to practice. The group went from house-to-house, but there was no 10 permanence, there was no sense of direction. The youth became disgusted and so depressed that at one point, he mentioned to a teacher the thought of suicide. The Outreach Program intervened and solved the problem. The Outreach Program made the high school auditorium, with its full size stage, available to the dance group. The Outreach Program is sponsored by the Department of Recreation. Now each weekday night during the school year the dance group meets there, does homework, talks about issues that concern its members and practices and rehearses their routines. The group has gone on to win numerous city-wide and state-wide awards and performed at the United Nation's Founder's Day Ceremony. Today the youth I speak of is 193 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing happy and adjusted. He has developed his dance talents into the area of choreography and he is planning a career in the arts. I could sit here for the next hour or more and tell you examples of the "street value" of recreation. I'm sure representatives from other communities could do the same. You know, there always seems to be so may examples to tell and so little time in which to tell them. Now you won't read about these examples and others like them in the Mayor's five year plan. These examples won't be reflected as a line item in some budget and they won't even be included in some department report. And even if they were included, how exactly would the writer describe the impact of recreation on the life of those youths. I will admit that these examples are not nearly as exciting as putting together a multimillion dollar funding package for new stadiums. These examples aren't as intriguing as political maneuvering to control neighborhood transformation funds. These examples will never 194 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing generate the avalanche of publicity that school reform will generate. But let's not make any mistake about it, failure to understand and appreciate the "street value" of recreation will risk the welfare and safety and future of many of our communities and our City. Last December the Street Administration asked the department to submit a budget with yet another two and a half percent cut totaling some $500,000. The budget department actually submitted, not only did not include that two and a half percent cut, but asked for $1.5 million more. This figure was described as the minimum amount the department needed to continue basic services. We as citizens and you as the people's representatives, have a responsibility to see to it that the Department of Recreation is properly funded, so that the department can continue its efforts in scope and in practice. When determining what is proper funding, it is important that we do not allow ourselves to be trapped in a mud-slide of real 195 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing and abstract funding figures. It is equally important that we do not become constrained by fancy business related phrases and philosophies that have little relevance at the street level. Should City Council decide to provide the funding originally requested by the department, a loud and clear signal will be sent that Council does understand and appreciate the "street value" of recreation, even if the Street Administration does not. Thank you.
Thank you very much. MR. McCREA: Thank you, Council President Verna. I'll try to make this brief also. As President of the Philadelphia Recreation Advisory, I represent Mr. Helman and Ms. Martinez as well as 180 other groups who associate with the Department of Recreation, each representing different park playground recreation centers across the city. I deal with a lot of them with spending three or four hours a night, after working 40 hours a week, coming to their facility. That shows me that they 196 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing really realize the importance of those services to their families and their communities. Now, as we look over this year's proposed budget, an updated five year plan, there are a few things worth pointing out. The Mayor talked about improving the ratio of children to adults, proposing to one for 9 children up to fourth grade and 15 to one for 10 children in fifth grade and above. He also 11 talks about the criminal and child abuse 12 background checks as well as drug testing for new and current employees seasonal and full-time. We have advocated this position for many years and we have instituted background checks on a voluntary basis a number of years ago ourselves, so we wholeheartedly support the Mayor's position on this. However, if we look at the cost of implementing these initiatives the picture becomes a little blurry. Because to increase the child to adult ratios to those target levels, assuming the number of children in our after-school programs stay the same, and the pay scale doesn't increase, the cost will be a little over $300,000 a year. And to implement 197 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the criminal and child abuse background check, the cost will be about $45,000 a year. To implement the drug testing the cost will be about $50,000 a year. And now if you also include a negotiated pay increase which is approximately $687,000 a year, the total cost of these items will be approximately $1,082,000. According to the proposed budget for FY02 to 03, the increase in the department's budget is only about $875,000. So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the picture is becoming a little more blurry. And this also does not include the replacement of existing employees that are going to retire this year filling the currently open positions that would allow us to meet our minimum staffing levels, expanding the number of youth access centers and teen centers brought up by Councilmembers Donna Miller and Michael Nutter, or any other items brought up in the five-year plan. Now the picture gets completely out of focus. These are all great things to talk about, but it's clear that the current proposed budget can't support all of these proposals. So the question has to be 198 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing asked how are we going to pay for this. While we consider all these proposals worthy, we also feel the administration should bear the additional costs. And we can't support any of them if it means taking anything away from our existing programs. 00 a day to offer a child a variety of recreational and crime prevention alternatives offered and delivered by the Department of Recreation. It's not really hard to see what's wrong with this picture and it does help to bring home a very important point. It's never been very difficult to find more money for prisons, police and other costs associated with crime, courts or incarceration, but it seems like every year we have to come here and almost beg for what 199 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing amounts to a very small percentage of that to invest in our young people who are just looking for alternatives to the negative images they are faced with in the street every day. If you want to teach our children anything, we need to lead by example, raising the bar and providing more opportunities for them, not waiting until they fall into the trap, when no matter how much we seem to give them, their best is just treading water.
When it's clear we spend more energy in resources on those that choose to do the wrong thing, it's no 14 wonder why we continue to see children fall into that trap. I think to further illustrate that point we only have to look back about months 18 ago when, discussing the stadium deals, and amendments sponsored by Councilman Kenney were introduced, proposing that the revenue from one luxury box in each of the new stadiums that we are building at this present time be donated to the Arts and Cultural Fund, generating approximately $350,000 a year. While we continue to talk a lot 200 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing about finding more creative ways to fund some of these initiatives, that seems to me to be pretty creative. At that time I approached both the Phillies and the Eagles management and both were receptive to the idea of stating that it would no way be a deal breaker. Actions speak louder than words and only five out of 9 Councilmembers voted for that amendment and it 10 was soundly defeated. I personally found it 11 hard to understand what reason anyone would have 12 for voting against it. I asked that question at 13 last year's budget hearing. I have not yet 14 received an answer. A comment was made by one 15 member before that actual vote that it was not 16 the right time for this. After more than $300 17 million of our City our money being committed to these stadium deals, it would seem to me to have been the perfect time for this. Now, while listening to testimony from Commissioner Richard a few weeks ago, we heard him speak about the cost of goods. And while we appreciate his frankness and support his efforts, it needs to be made abundantly clear what the real cost is. And it's not 201 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing contained anywhere in this budget. To come up with true cost of goods you also need to include the support of the volunteers as well as the monies raised by each facility. Just as an example, some facilities took in and spent over $50,000 this past Fiscal Year in addition to the support they received from the Recreation Department. On top of that, you also need to include the cost of liability insurance we have to carry currently, a cost of over $17,000 a year city-wide. Then if you include the cost of the actual volunteer hours per facility you get a better idea, I think, of what the true cost of goods really is. Now I'm sure there are other costs I may have not included, however, I hope you get the point. The additional support that occurs in each facility represents the difference between what the City provides and what our communities need, and that cost continues to increase for us every year. While census shows population in the City is declining somewhat, the needs for the services we provide is greater now than it ever was. As volunteers we have no 202 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing problem helping to bridge the gap between the levels of services the City can deliver and the needs of our community, but there continue to be times when we really feel like we're being taken advantage of. From our perspective, in a City this size it shouldn't be acceptable to turn any child away simply because it doesn't have the resources to accommodate them. That has always been and will always continue to be our line in the sand. 00 a day. And I really don't think anywhere in this budget you get a better value for your dollar than right there. And to conclude, it's time for some of us to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. As volunteers, we've been extremely active stake-holders in this process, continuing to share the burden with the Recreation Department, walking side-by-side. All we 203 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing continually ask is the administration walk along with us as partners to help us accomplish those goals that we all continue to talk about. None of us can do it alone, but together we stand a much better chance.
And to be really honest, I don't think we can do a better job. I know we can. Thank you.
Thank you. 204 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY (Proceedings now being stenographically recorded by Josephine Cardillo, Registered Professional Reporter.) - - -
Miss Martinez, the pool at Fifth and Allegheny was closed a few years back.
Right. And I've always been wondering how much it would cost to open that pool 'cause there isn't a pool close by that would take care of the neighborhood kids around there.
Well, the Advisory Board at this time have voted not to support the opening of the swimming pool because of so much problems that's going on still in the community with drugs and violence, and we feel as though our community need to focus more on taking care of the streets where they live at, cleaning up, keeping 'em clean, and trying to take care of they alleyways, you know, to make it safer for the pool.
Right. 205 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Because the pool must be clean because of diseases and health problems that's going on in our community, we can't afford the risk of having diseases and people catching diseases from the swimming pool. That's why we recommended that we have sprinklers at our facility at this time. But the sprinklers are so old and outdated that the water just comes out in drops and instead of sprays, that we have installed new sprinklers equivalent to the ones on 23rd and Diamond at the recreation center down at -- I think it's Lee Gathers Recreation Center, yeah, because they have installed new sprinklers there. Not only can children use the sprinklers, but the parents can actually come and sit out with they kids as a family time and use the sprinklers also, and it's a lot safer from accidents happening. So that's why we have not supported the swimming pool at this time, but we are in need of the sprinklers, and we are in need of safer ground cushions for our recreational areas outside for our kids.
And the use of the 206 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY recreation centers, as you stated, in terms of the cultural aspects, bringing in the kids, it really has been curtailed throughout the years, and we haven't looked at a program and a vision to see how we can restore these programs back to where they should have been, and it's something that I believe that we have to start relooking at. Maybe this Council can begin pushing for that division that you're speaking about.
Yeah, because we're really in support of what you would call family centers and our recreation centers, opposed to organizations coming in and using the facility, not actually giving any support to councils that's there, and we have a lot of private organizations that come use our facility, where if they had to go anywhere else to use a facility, they looking at paying to to 500 dollars in rent, and some of 'em don't even as much as offer a %50 or a $25 donation, but in order for them to work, we all have to work together.
Would you elaborate on what groups are coming in to use those facilities? 207 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Safe and Sound at our recreation center, we have health departments come in, we have congressional come in to our center. And, basically, whoever wants to come and use the center, they just come in, and if the supervisor say it's okay, it's okay, but they do not elaborate with the Advisory Board there where we can offer services on a wide range of opportunity for the community, because if they come in and talk with the Advisory Council, we think it work together and offer it more to the community by seeking out putting information out to let the people know just what services are there. Our focus is definitely reaching the parents because that's where problem is, not so much with the youth, but with parents. We have a lot of teen pregnancy in our community, we have a lot of violence going on in our community, and our children definitely need to be reached some type of way.
I didn't mean to interrupt you, Councilman. 208 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Please continue.
That's it. I think we have an example of great volunteers, I know each of them and they have -- especially in North Philadelphia, they do an incredible amount of work. Thank you.
Plus we travel with our kids. We have a kid going to Hungaria [sic] soon, we take our kids to Canada. As volunteers, we do a lot for our kids, and we deserve to have the respect as community volunteers from our community as well as from Council and the Department of Recreation also. But, again, the main thing is reaching these parents, and that got to be done some way or somehow. With this money these people are asking for, give 'em that money, and we can find ways to reach these parents.
I see that the Recreation Commissioner is sitting in the back of the room. I'm sure he's been listening to your 209 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY testimony. We certainly appreciate your coming in and taking the time to testify, and I know you've been here for hours, and we certainly appreciate your patience. And we're very much interested in our recreation centers also and we applaud the work that you all do for our children. Thank you so much. MR. McCREA: Thank you, Councilperson. I'm glad we could bring the kids.
Thank you. We applaud them. Councilman? Councilman Clarke.
I'd like to commend you all 'cause I've know some of you all personally and some of the great work that you do, and I wanted to thank you for doing what we sometimes in government cannot do. 210 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY I just also want to make a recommendation to talk to other members who work with the Advisory Council or are part of the Advisory Council, that we will be having some very important discussions next month on a tax policy and certain tax-reduction initiatives, and I want to make sure that all of our friends in Recreation are a part of that discussion because it could potentially impact on your ability to continue to run your facilities, and I want to make sure that you're a part of that discussion, and not just the business community. MR. McCREA: All righty, terrific. Thank you, Councilman.
I don't see him. Please call the next witness. 211 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Are you representing Mr. Mackie? UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: No, Mr. Williams.
Please approach the table. (Witness comes forward.)
Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good afternoon, members of Council. My name is Neesa Williams. I am a resident of Grays Ferry and the President of the Vare Recreation Center Advisory Council. For three years, the department of Mural Arts Program has been working with our community to bring beauty and a touch of culture to Grays Ferry. The Mural Arts Vare Big Picture Program has been teaching our youth to develop their art talent and has been exposing them to a world that is no longer available in public schools. The Big Picture Program has exposed our children and our community to mural arts, portraits, designs, planned art 212 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY shows, and host of other dimensions that has captured the imagination and participation. It has taught them what is possible for self-expression. This is what the Department of Recreation Mural Arts Program has brought to our community. On behalf of myself, the Vare Advisory Council, and many, many residents of our community, I heartily endorse the Mural Arts Program and urge our City government to see to it that the program is properly funded so that they can continue to bring arts and all forms of beauty and culture to our community and our city. Thank you.
Good afternoon, members of Council. My name is Marguerite Harris. I'm a resident of Tasker Homes, I am Vice President of Tasker Tenant Improvement Council, and I am President of the Lanier Playground Advisory Council. In 1996, the Mural Arts Program, during the Department of Recreation and now, has joined the Philadelphia Green to create a paved plaza on 213 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY the vacant lots with the help of the Vare Youth Big Picture Program. The main building in Grays Ferry is the Peace Wall, located at 29th and Wharton Street, and the mural at 34th and Wharton Street is a double-wall mural depicting colonial Grays Ferry on one wall, and the second wall is depicting Grays Ferry today while a young lady looks, wondering into the future. The mural is funded in part by the GMAC Corporation, and GMAC and MAB are planning to create a parklike setting in the vacant lot in front of the murals. The 30th and Dickinson depicts people coming together, an important thing for a community like Grays Ferry. The guardian angel mural at 32rd and Reed Street honors an important community leader and symbolizes the importance of interaction between older adults and children. The mural at 28th and Wharton Street depicts a idealistic meadow scene and has beautifully added to the community. This summer, a peace garden will be completed at 3038 Wharton Street by artist Ken Millington. The mural promises to contribute to 214 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY that neighborhood and will be the latest example of quality art in Grays Ferry. A number of other murals has added to our community. There's the mural on the Stinger Square Park building and 32nd and Reed Street, the mural on the Vare Recreation Center building, and the Lanier Playground building and the Amoco Company wall at 26th and Moore Street. The anti-drug, anti-violence mural titled "Johnny" at 22nd and Dickinson Street, a known drug corner, was painted by the Youth in the Vare Big Picture Program under the direction of artist Wade Williams. This summer, the Big Picture Youth will paint another mural on a wall yet to be selected. The MAP adds to the culture and programming of recreational facilities in our community and contribute to making Grays Ferry an attractive and stimulating community. Grays Ferry supports the Department of Recreation Mural Arts Program and wants to see the program properly funded. Thank you very much.
Thank you. 215 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY (Applause.)
I'm the next witness. My name's Barbara Smolen (ph), and before I sit down and speak, I'd like to bring you a couple of photos. My name is Barbara Smolen, an artist with the Mural Arts Program of the City of Philadelphia. I'm here today to tell you about some of the murals which I have worked on and their value to both the citizens of Philadelphia and the communities for which they were created. One mural I worked on, at Frankford and Susquehanna in Kensington, is called "Music City." I worked on it with Tina Davidson, a composer. She and I went to the 3rd-graders at Kensington Elementary School and taught classes in music and art. The kids composed music under Tina's guidance, and I taught them about drawing, painting, and we went out and did drawings of the Kensington landscape. The kids helped paint the mural, and their musical notes were painted into an abstract 216 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY rendition of Kensington, with music flowing in and out through the windows in the picture. These children performed their song in front of the mural that they had helped create, and you can only imagine the pride they felt in the accomplishment and also the new-found pride with which they see that corner of their neighborhoods. Art profoundly touches children's lives. I painted another mural in Point Breeze on 23rd and Ellsworth, entitled "Garden Walk," and you have a picture of it there.
It is a picture of a beautiful, formal garden, with flowers and a reflecting pool. As I was working on it, a woman stopped and she said to me, "God bless you and God bless your hands." Art inspires the soul. Another mural I worked on called "A Tribute to Atea," is at 17th and North Streets. It is a work of art about domestic violence. It illustrates the tragic story of the end of the life of Atea Rodriguez. Atea had a court order protecting her from her estranged boyfriend, but 217 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY she was a prisoner in her own home. Unfortunately, a court order can only provide legal protection but not physical safety. One day, when she did go out, this man attacked her and brutally slashed her throat and left her dead in an alley near her home and near where the mural now stands. In our painting, Atea is pictured in her home, looking out a window from behind bars at hills, fruit, flowers, mountains, sky, and birds soaring in the air. The landscape she gazes wistfully upon represents freedom and hope and a peaceful life she was not able to live. Across the top of the mural is a message in words: "Stop domestic violence." Art can send a powerful message. This mural has provided much solace to Atea's family and represents one way the City of Philadelphia responds to this rampant problem of domestic violence: With sympathy and strength. I have done another mural, "The Families Are Victims Too," in Southwest Philadelphia, at 50th and Woodland, and you have some pictures of that mural in front of you. 218 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
I painted portraits of 5 victims of violence in the City of Philadelphia. 6 At one end is a tragic scene of a mother and a 7 father crying out in a barren wilderness as they 8 cradle the head of their slain child and an angel 9 approaches to give mercy and comfort. Across the 10 colonnade are the individual portraits of the 11 victims of brutal, senseless murder; and beyond is 12 a healing landscape with a beautiful dawn, 13 representing time passing and hope for a more 14 peaceful future. 15 The family members of the murder victims have turned the mural into a shrine and visit the mural at all times of year, bringing wreaths and flowers and even Christmas lights. It has given many disfranchised people a voice and a feeling that the City of Philadelphia has not forsaken them in their grief. I have been to meetings of this organization run by Sandra Spicer and Garnette Spice and have seen the work that they do comforting the family members, assisting them in 219 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY making their court appointments, and comforting the bereaved. The creation of this mural has had a truly healing affect, softening blows which these families are forced to endure over and over again, as they have had to identify their loved ones' bodies at the morgue, meet with detectives, listen and testify at murder trials. There are two portraits that I have shown you. One of them is a young woman named Shantea Demorite (ph), who was standing in a line to buy Chinese food when two drug dealers got into a fight. One of them grabbed her and used her as a human shield, and that is how she was murdered. Another one, Donald Burrows, was murder in his neighborhood by someone he had known since childhood, and his father still has to see the mother of the man who murdered him in the neighborhood. These are some of the stories behind this mural. I am currently working with a poet, Trapeda B. Mason, on a second mural for Families Are Victims Too, and I want to read you the poem which she has composed for this mural. 220 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY "This violence, it attempts to strike us down, break our spirits, crack our souls, shatter our world. "This violence, it twists and bends and pulls us under, sits us in the jaws of hell. "We have been way down low, but we rise up, an army of regular folks fighting through the trenches, guarding the memories of our loved ones. "Our voices are our weapons, our songs close wounds, our tongues bring forth rainbows, and we scream wide and loud for all to hear and see and remember." These are only a few of the experiences I have had painting mural for the City all over the City. Through our art work, we bring pride, we bring hope, we bring healing, and we bring joy. I strongly urge you to support our program. (Applause.)
Thank you. Do you want your photos back Barbara? They are absolutely beautiful. I was just telling Councilman Clarke I was looking at the hands on this angel and the face, which is beautiful. You're really quite talented. Thank you. I know, 221 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY it's magnificent. Please identify yourself for the record.
Hi. My name is Ann Northrop, and I'm an artist for the Mural Arts Program, and I just want to say that it's been an amazing day hearing about all of the worthy projects that the City Council has to fund, and I know that every dollar really has to count. What I want to say is that murals work. They do a lot for the City at a good price. It's a lot of bang for the buck, and the artists have gotten together and made signs about the ways that they work yesterday. I personally participated in a mural in a neighborhood at Capital and Brown that was kind of a troubled neighborhood, and I saw it kind of pass through stages, and several years ago, I painted out graffiti in the same neighborhood, and it was really a very big problem. A friend of mine was living there. And then I painted the mural and included portraits of a number of the people on the block, and they were so really taken with this, they were so touched by it, and they felt so good 222 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY to be immortalized in that way. And people were constantly coming by and telling me how proud they were to have the mural there. And it was wonderful for me and very touching also. It brings the neighborhood together. It's a troubled neighborhood, they're still having trouble. The middle-class people and poor people are always at war, and the mural dedication will be a way that they can come together and be together as they are on the mural. On the mural, they look like a big, happy family, and I hope that's going to be the case. So it's the neighborhood. Bringing the neighborhoods is one way that the murals work. Another way is bringing the tourists in because it creates a really interesting, fun thing that people want to see. Philadelphia's famous all over the country for having one of the best mural arts programs, and it really brings people in and all of their dollars. So I think we really are effective that way. And then the effects of the lives on the children, the work that the mural artists do in the schools. The schools -- my children went to the 223 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY public schools of Philadelphia, and the arts programs were being cut back a lot; I guess it was funding and also the need to, you know, bring up the academic standards, but they were really neglected. And I think that the arts are really important to kids. Not all of them are able to succeed academically, and the arts are another place where they can succeed, and it brings them hope, it brings their families hope. Not only that, but the Mural Arts Program brings them up. I mean, it teaches them skills, it gives them jobs as they grow, and they become the mural artists of tomorrow. So I hope that you will help this program to expand, because I think it's really a wonderful thing for the City.
Good afternoon, Madam President -- 224 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
-- and other Councilmembers. My name is Teresa Pinkett, and I'm here today to speak in support of funding the Mural Arts Program. As a staff member of Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, I'm aware of the enormous work, fiscal challenges, and difficult choices that this body takes for the citizens of Philadelphia. While my reasons may appear somewhat based on self- interests, it is my belief that the spirit and remembrance and solemn tribute marked by the works of the Mural Arts Program goes far in enhancing the belief that our fair city is truly based inclusively on brotherly love. My youngest song, Jamal Lawrence Pinkett, was born and raised in Philadelphia. His greatest wish was to stay and become a success in the town where he scraped his knees and learned how to be a man. Just as he was truly beginning to understand that one's greatest glory is not never falling down but rising after each fall, he was savagely murdered, and on the day, July 1, 2000, a 225 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY part of me laid mortally wounded on that corner with him. Earlier that year, I had also lost my father, who lived with me. Coupled with the loss of my baby boy, the grief was unbearable. Joining the support group that I am now with, Families Are Victims Too, has strengthened and given me hope in this dismal point in my life. When I was approached with the concept of having a mural done to honor Jamal, I was elated. The prospect of seeing this tribute come to reality has lifted an awesome weight of heaviness from my heart on many occasions. I ask that you continue funding to enable this dream to come true for me and others who will never see their loved ones in the flesh but will forever be connected in their hearts and spirits. Thank you.
I know there's a lot of us, so I'll be as be as brief as possible with what I 226 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY have. Once again, good afternoon, early evening. If you only pay attention to one of us, pay attention to me 'cause I'm going to tell you how to get a deal. This is a budget meeting. So I could tell you there are countless ways that the Mural Arts has affected me and affected the lives of a lot of people.
I'm sorry, you're going to have to identify yourself.
Oh, my name is Jason Slowik. I'm sorry. I've been painting with the program, and this will be my sixth year. I'm currently finishing up at Tyler School of Art in my studies. What I'll do is, I'll go through three brief ways that the Mural Arts helps people in the City, and then I'll tell you how to get even more of that for a cheap price. The first way, as a big group of people, I'd use the example of flag mural. I did a mural where it's the history of the flags. It's at Eighth and Washington Street. I did it a few years ago, and when we did it, at first, it brought together the street, but now in the light of 227 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY September 11th, I was talking to a lot of people who have seen the History of the Flags, and a mural like that really inspires people because it just reminds them of the history of our country and it brings everybody together. So it's a big group of people and you get a lot of people inspired, and it gets them to care about the area around them. On the guardian angels mural, which was mentioned before, it was a really great mural because we kind of set an example for what we thought we should see in the community. And then as we were painting it, we saw that actually happen in front of us. And that was incredible because you could really see how, you know, painting it got people going, and then once the painting was already there, it got people -- it kind of reinforced the idea to keep going and to keep helping kids, and it really got the adults motivated to help children in the area. And then, finally, on an individual level, I did a mural at Vare Middle School, where I was working with children through the Big Picture Program. And there was one little girl, Julie, who 228 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY wasn't even supposed to be a part of the program, and I figured out a way to get her into it. And she had terrible problems, she wasn't able to show up for one week because they had to deal with things of her father being in jail, and she would come in and, you know, she'd get hit before she came in, and it was really nice to know that now she's doing well, she's doing art. And I took a girl out who was getting slapped in the face, and I gave her a pat on the back. And that's really important thing that all of us do on a daily basis at our sites. And you get that on top of the mural that you're doing, on top of all of the inspiration. You get one individual that can be saved and that can have a better day and many better days for the rest of their lives because somebody just cares to go the extra mile. So now, how does this all help you, because why should you guys give us more money, why shouldn't we just volunteer. Well, we have to pay bills, but what really helps you guys is that I'm young; I'm probably the youngest guy up here, and right now, I'm deciding what to do with my life, 229 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY and a lot of people I'm talking to are deciding what to do with their arts. Some people are waiting tables so they can paint their own art inside, whatever they want. But a lot of people, every time I tell them what I just told you guys too, it inspires these people; it inspire me and inspires them to do work for it. But the message to you today is that the Mural Arts Program is inspiring these artists and making the citizens' lives better. Any support for this program helps to enable these artists to help you. It helps to attract these artists, it helps to keep me here. Instead of going someplace else, it enables me to help these children. Let me help another kid like Julie next summer. Let these people inspire hundreds more people with every brush stroke they make. Please, every little bit of support helps. Enable us to help you; we want to do it. Just be there for us. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much. 230 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY (Applause.)
How you doing, everybody. My name is Paris Stanso (ph). I've been working with the Mural Arts Program for -- I think I painted my first mural in 1991 and have been painting murals off and on with since them now. Right now, I work with -- am permanently employed with the City, with the City's Recreation Department, you know, the Mural Arts Program. And, you know, so I've seen the program develop over the years, and what it's come to mean to me is somewhat like a social program, you know. It's like a social service for the City. You know, we've expanded to working with, like, community programs such as Norris Square. We've worked with People's Emergency Center. We do a lot of community work with the schools. We work in recreation centers. We've started a Big Picture program that keeps kids from, like, four to six every day and on Saturdays. So, you know, for me, you know, I've seen a lot of development. Just last month, I 231 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY started -- we started a program in the Philadelphia prison system and, you know, that's been pretty rewarding. You know, not everybody's into sports, especially kids, you know, and when they don't have art, I don't know what else they have, you know. I don't know, maybe someone else can tell me. I was trying to think of that when I was thinking about what I wanted to say. And, you know, I think it's important for people to have a creative outlet. I think it develops compassion, empathy, and, you know, a lot of positive things that, you know, that have more to do with humanity than, you know, a lot of tragedy that we see on the streets today, you know. So, you know, that's all I have. And thanks for letting me speak.
Is there anyone else to testify on the Mural Arts Program? MR. McSHANE: Yes. My name is David McShane. I've been working with the Mural Arts 232 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Program for seven years. I Painted the Jackie Robinson Bureau of North Broad Street, the Herman Rice mural in Mantua, and about other murals 5 throughout neighborhoods in the City. 6 Whenever I'm working on a mural, I 7 always ask the neighborhood kids I meet if they 8 have art in school, and I'm always surprise to do 9 find out how many don't have art in school. For 10 many kids throughout the City, the Mural Arts 11 Program is the only exposure they have to learning 12 about art and having creative outlets. This is an 13 important reason for the Mural Arts Program's 14 budget to be increased. 15 Philadelphia is known worldwide for cheese steaks, soft pretzels, the Liberty Bell, and now also for its murals. As an occasional tour guide for mural tours, I can testify that people are coming from all around the world to visit the world's largest outdoor art gallery that the Mural Arts Program has created. And as we well know, tourism boosts or economy. This is an important reason also to increase Mural Arts Program budget. The Mayor has just signed into law his 233 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY anti-blight initiative. Murals are one of the best ways to turn a blighted neighborhood around. One only needs to visit a neighborhood such as Norris Square to know that this is true, and this, again, is another important to increase MAPS funding. But even if all this were not true, even if murals did not have an impact on young people or on tourism or on eradicating blight, there is still an extremely important reason to increase the Mural Arts Program's funding, and that is because artists need your support. Artists provide a vital contribution to society by creating its cultural legacy. As we have seen, tragic events such as those of last September bring people together to seek answers to unanswerable questions. People often look to the arts as sources of meditation, reflection, and solace. It is a fact that in the months following September 11th, there was a sharp rise in Art Museum attendance throughout the nation. Art, indeed, is not just mere decoration, but provides communities with cultural substance and identity. But artists have a tough time surviving 234 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY financially in our society, and in particularly in this city. On the little money we do make, taxes are high, and benefits such as health or disability insurance are nonexistent. The amount of dedication and hard work it takes to paint the works of art of this enormous scale is substantial, and the amount of training and skill-honing needed to pull off such a feat is rarely compensated. Community murals have become an extremely important part of neighborhood life in the City, but individuals and neighborhood groups don't have the resources to fund them on their own. It is the duty of the City to fund such projects and to continue the rich legacy that we have started so that not only future generations of neighbors, but also future generations of artists, can continue to thrive in our city. Philadelphia has a reputation as a world-class city of the arts. The Mural Arts Program is making avenues of the arts out of every street in the City. I respectfully request to each of the Councilmembers present to please do not decrease the funding of the Mural Arts Program. Such a 235 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY decrease would threaten the already meager survival of us artists. Instead, please the increase Mural Arts Program budget and help continue this important mission that we have all started. Thank you.
Hi. My name is Paul Santoleria (ph), and I'm also a painter; I've been working with the Mural Arts for a few years now and I'd like to say a few things on behalf of the Mural Arts project. I just want to make a few points, and I won't be too long. It's difficult to quantify the effect of a mural; it's not the same as quantifying the effect of paved streets of other parts of our city, but it's very -- you can see the effect in so many different ways. If you stood in our shoes for a second and you were a painter on a mural project in this city, you'd see, like David said, how much 236 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY work is done for very little pay and for actually so few people that ask for money for these projects. There's so many people that are volunteering, and the whole idea of somebody volunteering to do something like this to improve their neighborhood is an immense thing in a city like ours. And you'd also see how many times you've been stopped and you've been thanked, and I've been hugged, I've been kissed by the neighbors around me just to be doing what I'm doing. And I remember one guy who told me that this was the best thing that happened since they closed the state store on his street, which I think was kind of -- it's just telling on how powerful these things are. Another thing is, like David said, the national and international notoriety that we've been receiving for these things. It's amazing. Articles have been written about murals, that I'm aware, of in Mexico and Sweden and Italy about these murals that we're doing. People have approached me, authors, photographers, journalists of all kinds have approached me and written down my 237 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY words about this project, and I think that stands for itself as far as the power of what's going on. These things are hard to quantify, unless you know about them. Let's see, I have a couple other things, but I just wanted to say that this is a -- this is probably the most powerful -- this is -- the reason that I'm in Philadelphia is because of the public art project that happens in this city and how much support there is for the arts. And I want you to consider that when you don't increase the budget of a company like the Mural Arts in this city, but you at the same time give them this wonderful building, the Aikens House to take care of. It's kind of like getting a cut in the budget. So I just want you to think about that. But I appreciate your time. (Applause.)
My name is Andrea Lyons, and I'm also a mural artist with the City. And as well, I teach art in the Philadelphia public schools. 238 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY I am very involved with children and as well as my art, and that's one of the things that I impresses me greatly is how wonderful it is for the children in the neighborhood to be part of the mural project. It gives them an education in the arts, it gives them something to look up to and something to do in the summertime when I'm painting. This past summer, I did a mural at 49th and Reno, and on that particular street, there were three young men who died that summer, and after the mural was finished, there was a candle-lighting vigil outside of it, and I do feel that it gave the people in the street some hope. The mural was about looking upward; children were painted, depicted in the playground looking up to the sky. And I felt very good about doing it, and I look forward to doing more murals in the City. I enjoy doing them and I know that the people that I have touched with the murals seem very appreciative. So I also would like to reiterate the talk about the -- Philadelphia being the mural capital of -- and I, you know, I agree that it would be a shame to cut the funding for the murals. 239 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY And that's it.
We were looking at the budget just before you testified. We don't detect a cut at all. Commissioner, are you aware of any cuts for the mural program? Because I don't see that in the budget that's been presented to us. COMMISSIONER RICHARD: There are no cuts
We don't cut anything, this Council does not cut any project. We get a budget already with cuts; if anything, we add or we transfer or we move around, but we don't cut. We don't -- we may -- when we move around, we may decide that something is more important, but what -- the recommendations for cuts really in terms of these programs are not made in this Council; they're made somewhere else in the Administration. So we are -- when you say don't cut this program, understand that. 240 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
I think the next question then will be: Are you going to offer an amendment to increase? Is that why the gentleman came up to the table? I think that's exactly what he was going to say.
There are certain programs that -- this program was born during the Wilson Goode first year with Tim and so on. (Applause.)
And at that time, no 16 one -- no one really thought of this as much of an idea, but we had a lot of taggers out there that were tagging everything, and all of a sudden, it blossomed from just an anti-graffiti program to a real program of urban art, which has changed the face of Philadelphia. So it's something that has evolved over time and those of us who there at its birth do not want to see it cut at all.
We applaud your work. And I will speak for myself: I was 241 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY truly impressed with and touched by some of the stories that you related to us. I saw some of the paintings that you took up to us. They're absolutely beautiful, and I think it's a program that should certainly be ongoing and increased, but we will certainly not see it cut. If we can't increase it, it will not be cut, I assure you.
Our next witness was Edmund Spate, who left testimony. The last witness from this morning's session is Vernard Johnson. (Witness comes forward.)
Vernard, you're a very patient man. Thank you so much. We appreciate your staying to testify. (Witness comes forward.)
Thank you, Council President. My name's Vernard Johnson, and I'm the Director of Healthy Family Healthy Life, and a 242 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY resident of Southwest Philadelphia. I spent several days in Council over the last few weeks, listening to testimony from commissioners and their staff, and I wanted to respond to some of it, but before the people from the Mural Program leave, I want to say that I appreciate their art work, especially the art work that's at 50th and Woodland on the SEPTA terminal wall there. I'd also like to say to the Streets Commissioner, while he's here, that the trash and filth that's surrounding that art work is a disgrace, and that part of Woodland Avenue must be one of the most dirtiest sections of this city along a commercial corridor. And I live at 49th and Greenway so I feel like I can say that about my neighborhood. We've taken children, adults, we've tried everything to clean up Woodland Avenue from 47th Street to 52nd Street. It's an area that almost gets no Streets services along that corridor, and we would be pleased to work with the Commissioner, the Streets Commissioner, to come up with a program of how we could service that area 243 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY and return it to what I understand it was long before I moved there. I wanted to also say to the DHS Commissioner, while she's here, is that my organization works in schools -- we're in about ten schools in the City, Mitchell Elementary School being one of them, where there's a family center attached to the school. And I want to say to her that a lot of our families that we service are also DHS families, and that many of those families receive what we consider to be uncoordinated services, that you may have a DHS workers, you may have a SCOH worker, there may be me, there may be someone else, but for sure, a DHS worker and a SCOH worker, and a lot of times, those two never even talk to each other, leaving families in a crisis for long periods of time. The other night, I was in a home of a family who has a 4th-grader and a 3rd-grader. Both children have been sexually abused. The family has been in the charge of DHS for six months. The children have not received any treatment at all in terms of their abuse. After -- before we got there, there was 244 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY a DHS worker who talked to the family about the responsibilities around housing and fire-escape plans and things of that sort, and then the DHS worker came the next night, the SCOH worker the following night, me the following night. The family still had not been referred to any treatment, the are children still untreated. And for us and the people that we serve, that's not an exception; it seems to be the normal practice. I wanted to encourage the Office of Housing Emergency Services to quickly begin to work with DHS and the workers at DHS. So I think, you know, they have a hard job so I'm not -- I don't want my words to be mistaken, but it's the real world for us Housing is a serious challenge for lots of families in the DHS system, and I think that they quickly need to work with Rob Hess and Lou Souder (ph) to develop a relationship that will result in those families receiving better service. I'd also like to say to the Office of Housing Emergency Services that while they're cutting 10 percent of the shelters in the City, there are a lot of poor, working-class people who 245 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY are suffering from living in poor, dilapidated housing. Those folks don't know where to go for service, they haven't depended on the system for support, and I believe that the Office of Housing Emergency Services needs to do a better job of reaching out to those families and helping them to address their problems. We've had that conversation with Rob Hess and thought we just needed to make that position a public one. The Health Department.
Infant mortality is soaring in Kingsessing Pascal. The last report that I read that I went over with the Health Commissioner the other day when we met for several hours was that in the Kingsessing Pascal community, there are deaths for every 1,000 live births; 17 while in the same general neighborhood, the 18 University of Pennsylvania area, same zip code, 6 19 deaths for every 1,000 live births. It seems to 20 be, you know, a real serious problem there. The rate of AIDS HIV is soaring in our communities. The whole question around lead, and we've been in this Council with Councilman Ortiz and Councilwoman Blackwell -- she's not here now -- 246 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY and Councilwoman Miller, we've been talking about this lead issue for years, now literally years, and now it's gone from the home to the school. A new area live is lead in the dirt. We need to have -- and we intend to deliver to the Health Commissioner at the end of the week our plan for his review around community education. You cannot -- you cannot only talk about encapsulating the problem, correcting the problem, without talking about education, because as soon as the family goes back in and begins to push that chair against the wall or begins to push that bed against the wall, and that paint breaks, you've got the same problem with exposure of the lead. So if we don't talk about education along with remediation, then we might be throwing $2,000 per house away. So I was surprised not to hear the panel that was up here talk more about education. There are things that a homeowner can do, that a renter can do to self-abate the problem while it's sub-minimal. And we can show people and teach people how to do that, but if we don't make a career effort around education in that area, we're 247 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY just fooling ourselves. The school question around blight removal, these houses that we're going to knock down. You can walk around this city, especially my neighborhood -- I'll talk about my neighborhood and not about anyone else's. You knock a house down, it stays on the ground for three, four days, five days, a week. Some other contractor comes along, picks through the bricks, gets the good brick out, sells the good used brick. Maybe two, three weeks later, the original contractor comes back and cleans it up. Well, while it's laying there, guess who's playing in it? Little Kareem and Kareema. Guess who's tracking the dust in and out of the house? Little Kareem and Kareema. So we would suggest to the City, to L&I, that before a contractor is secured to demolish a property, that it be included in their contract a clause that says that work has to be completed, you know, within a reasonable amount of time. And I can't sit here and like I know what a reasonable amount of time is for every building in the City, but as soon as this is knocked down and demolished, 248 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY within a short period of time, it should be cleaned up. And also included in that is the remediation of the soil. Now, this is a special project, and I hope we have enough money, and it's the remediation of the soil, where you need to go down into the soil and remove the top layers of dirt and replace that with fresh top soil. They do not do that in our neighborhoods, and it's a requirement based on the City's code, and it is not happening. And we think that the Health Department and L&I should enforce the code. We think that open-air spray painting from autobody shops should cease, should cease immediately. That paint is highly associated with the lead base, and you could ride through my neighborhood almost anytime, almost anytime, and I just told you where I lived, and you could find open-air spray-painting going on at anytime, day or night, from these body shops that are legal businesses in the community.
So I just wanted to bring those few issues to you and ask you, as you give your money away, or give our money away, that you follow the 249 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY money and make sure that the work is being done properly. And while the Fire Commissioner is over there, I want to say to him that we have a junior fire patrol at Turner Middle School, where we had a workshop today for 6th-graders, who will share information about fire safety in their neighborhood. And I said to him privately, and I'll say it publicly, that those firefighters are to be commended. Why am I saying all this? I'm saying all this to say that I think City Council needs to look at appropriating more dollars to education, that if we're only picking up recycling -- and I'm a recycling nut. If we're only picking up -- 'cause once you start, it's hard to stop. If we're only picking up 6 percent of recyclable goods in the City, we can do better than that, I think, with a good community-education program, so I will see the Streets Commissioner before I leave, but I would hope that this Council would consider making more dollars available to every one of these departments around education. And I'll close by saying this, Council 250 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY President, and the Health Commissioner -- the Managing Director just left. micrograms of 4 lead, very little lead, a teeny amount of lead, and 5 a deciliter of blood, very little blood, can cause 6 permanent brain damage in a child, permanent. And 7 we have got to do something about that immediately. 8 And 9 I know Councilman Cohen sometimes 10 cringes when we talk about private companies, but I 11 think there's an opportunity here for government 12 and private companies to come together, such as the 13 managed-care companies, that have to pay for the 14 health-care services of a child who is 15 lead-poisoned. It seems to be in their best interests to come together with Council and to support a good public-private health education effort. Thank you.
Our next witness is Laurie Ward and Gail Ober. (Witness comes forward.) 251 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Good evening. I brought 30 copies. Thank you. Good afternoon, Madam President and members of Council. I'm Laurie Ward, representing the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services. The Pennsylvania Council is a statewide membership organization that supports the work of private, nonprofit agencies serving dependent and delinquent children and their families. Through contracts with the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, over 70 of our members provide an array of critical services to Philadelphia's residents. Most of our member agencies are located in Philadelphia. Approximately 82 percent of the Department's budget is allocated for purchased service provided through the private sector. Among the services we offer are abuse and neglect prevention programs, in-home family support services to allow children who are at risk of placement to remain at home, foster and kinship care, emergency shelters, group home, residential treatment services, and supervised independent 252 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY living. Our agencies also assist children and families through parenting-education programs, after-school, youth development, and truancy- development programs, and behavioral-health services. We welcome the opportunity to comment on the Department of Human Service's Fiscal Year 2003 Operating Budget. We support the Department's ambitious plan outlined in the Blueprint for Excellence, and we commend Commissioner Martinez's innovative vision for a system that is both more responsive and more accountable to Philadelphia's children and families. As partners with the Philadelphia Department of Human Services in caring for our city's most vulnerable citizens, our member agencies are invited to work closely with DHS staff on a number of initiatives, including, but not limited to, the Mayor's Children Summit, the Adoption Task Force, Subsidized Permanent Legal Custodianship Planning and Pilot Project, the Medical Foster Parent Recruitment Initiative, the Multidisciplinary Team Review, the Medical Passport 253 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Project, Forging Collaborative Partnerships, and Joint Staff and Foster Parent Training Efforts. Through contractual arrangements, our members support DHS's efforts to maximize federal and state reimbursement through TANF and 4E funding by completing all the documentation that is required to draw down these dollars. As Commissioner Martinez pointed out in her testimony, the success in drawing down federal and state dollars reduces the City's share of DHS's total budget to 8 percent. While the Department has been able to reduce the City's portion of the human service budget by maximizing state and federal resources, it should be noted that the private sector has historically supplemented publicly-mandated services with private dollars. The private sector has been able to bridge some of the gaps between actual and reimbursed costs by using private funding sources such as endowments and foundation grants. As fund-raising efforts for private dollars meet with stiff competition and costs increase, the safety net provided by private dollars can no longer be 254 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY stretched to fill the gaps. A cost of care analysis prepared by the Pennsylvania Council shows that the difference between the actual costs for contracted services and DHS's reimbursement for services ranges from 6 to 50 percent. A copy of the analysis is attached. The chronic underfunding of services results in experienced staff leaving for higher-paying jobs, the inability to attract qualified staff for vacant positions, and the inability to implement innovative programs and service. Ultimately, when agencies are not reimbursed at levels which reflect the true cost of service, children and families are not able to access needed services because they are not available.
Our current funding levels result in salaries that are lower than other comparable fields. A survey of our membership completed in 2001 showed that turnover for direct social service staff is over 30 percent annually. Experienced staff are not only leaving our agencies, they're also leaving the human-services field. 255 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY As Commissioner Martinez stated in her testimony to you, primary in our mission to ensure children's safety and permanence is maintaining a full complement of qualified staff. The private, nonprofit agencies must also have the resources to maintain a full complement of qualified staff. All parts of the system must be fully functioning to serve children and families. Our member agencies were stung by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare's failure to include a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for purchased services in the counties, children, and youth budgets. DPW has, however, included an 8 percent increase to county children and youth agencies' base allocation. We very much appreciate the willingness of Commissioner Martinez and all of her staff to include us in deliberations and consider private providers' needs not only in program but in continual matters. We strongly urge that City Council consider cost-of-living adjustments for purchased services in your budget. We recognize that the City cannot make up the entire difference between the reimbursement rate and actual cost for 256 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY services, nor should you be soley responsible for a Commonwealth obligation. Therefore, we ask that you join with DHS and the private sector to urge your colleagues and implore our State representatives in Harrisburg to fulfill their financial obligations to the citizens of the Commonwealth and Philadelphia. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Miss Ward, and thank you for all of the good work you do. We appreciate you out there in West. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Nicole Hostetler, is that right?
Thank you. Next is Dawn Moody for Philadelphia Unemployment Project. Is Dawn Moody here? (No response.) (Witness comes forward.) 257 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Good evening. Identify yourself for the record and begin your testimony.
My name is Nicole Hostetler, and I'm a registered voter and a resident of Councilperson DiCicco's district. There's been a lot of talk here tonight about children, and I currently mentor a high school at William Penn High School. She's very bright, and I worry about her future. I worry about her future because of the social and urban ailments that she's subject to, but I also worry about the environment, the larger environment that we all have to live in, and I'm very happy to see the Streets Commissioner here this evening to discuss -- I'd just like to talk a little bit about recycling. I work and live in the City, I'm a taxpayer, and I don't have children, so I'm a Councilperson's dream. The waste that I produce every day at my home and in my job is 258 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY insurmountable. The City could be saving space and costs if they improved their recycling system, the landfill costs that are so high. Philadelphia has the opportunity here to stand out as a model environmental city. We need to be careful with our waste. As a resident of a large apartment building, we need to step up enforcement at these large apartment buildings are doing their job as well as provide more drop-off centers that are more accessible. I currently work in the Bourse Building. The Bourse Building is a historical commodity to the City. However, I cannot tell you how many huge trash bins of white paper we throw away every day. I've been in touch with the Kaiserman Group that owns the building, I've been in touch with the management that manages the building. I've been to many meetings, I've tried to get everything done. It's just not working. With the minimal $25 fines that they face and the lack of enforcement staff, it's just not enough. I'm here tonight with one simple request: Please increase funding to the recycling 259 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY department for commercial and residential regulations. And I hope you consider the larger environment that's at stake here. Thank you for your time.
Thank you very much. Any questions? (No questions.)
Thank you very much for being such a good citizen a and concerned Philadelphian Dawn Moody, Philadelphia Unemployment Project. Leslie Benoleel. (Witness comes forward.)
Good evening. Please identify yourself for the record and begin your testimony. Let me first thank all of the commissioners who are here. People don't realize -- I know it's grueling for you, but I see our Recreation Commissioner, Victor Richard, over there; the Health Commissioner John Domzalski; the Streets Commissioner, Commissioner Johnson; our 260 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Fire Commissioner, who's always here somehow, and we thank you Commissioner Hairston, and all of the departments. There's Reilly Harrison, and they're always here, and they're always here all day. It's not easy. It's hard when you're waiting to testify but when you know you have to -- and we have the head of OESS, and we thank you. I saw the DHS commissioners here and deputy commissioners and Commissioner Kishinchand, just all of you. We thank you. I know it's not easy sitting here. Thank God it's only once a year. That's all I can say by way of encouragement. Thank you Miss Benoleel.
Thank you. My name is Leslie Benoleel. Good evening. My name is Leslie Benoleel, and I'm the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Development Partnership. The Philadelphia Development Partnership (or PDP) is a microenterprise-development agency. As a microenterprise-development agency, PDP supports public and private activities to expand neighborhood economies through microenterprise. Our clients are very small businesses that are 261 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY frequently shunned by formal banking and business- development service providers, and they're too small and inexperienced to qualify for investment and service offered by quasi-city agencies and small-business development centers. Among the types of business PDP serves include day-care providers, janitorial-service providers, accountants, graphic designers, hair and nail stylists, soap makers, bakers, auto mechanics, caterers, seamstresses, and Website designers. We know from our research and our experience that are thousands upon thousands of these enterprising individuals struggling to operate tiny businesses throughout the City. These businesses are the lifeblood of their neighborhoods' economies, providing much-needed goods and services, offering job opportunities, occupying retail space, and keeping hard-earned dollars circulating in our local economy. I'm here this evening to encourage your approval of the Commerce Department's plan and budget for the coming year. The City's economic- development strategy, in which the Commerce Department is a key participant, includes support 262 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY for high-profile economic-development projects such as sports stadiums and riverfront development to expand the City's overall job creation and Main Street activity. This strategy also includes critical support for neighborhood economic development projects, projects such as PDP's that stimulate business growth, job creation, and job retention in neighborhoods where economic opportunities have eluded too many for too long. With financial support from the Commerce Department, PDP provides small loans, starting at $500, up to $5,000, and business-development assistance to microenterprises. Our target market differentiated from other well-known providers of business services such as the Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation and the Enterprise Center. PDP's clients are the smallest of businesses. We work with microenterprises that typically employ one or two people, including the owner. They generate less than $50,000 in annual sales and require less than $5,000 in capital to start up or expand their businesses. These businesses require labor-intensive 263 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY technical assistance and training and generally don't qualify for loans or services from PCDC or the Enterprise Center due to their small size, limited operating histories, lack of collateral, poor credit records, and other constraints. Both of these organizations play important roles in Philadelphia's economic- development service system, but they do not serve the same market. PDP's customers are primarily low- to moderate-income microenterprises, who, by choice or by necessity, are pursuing self- generated, income-producing activities to sustain themselves and their families in addition or instead of holding a job. Generally, these business owners cannot access mainstream financial services due to poor credit histories or lack of collateral. Most work in isolation without the benefit of professional technical assistance and business-to-business networks struggling to make end meet for their families.
For many, self employment is their only and often their best means for achieving their dreams, enhancing their family's quality of life, enabling them to supplement their household income 264 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY in times of need or generate an income that is consistent with their faith, life style, preferences, and personal constraints. PDP's programs meet the microentrepreneurs where they are in terms of their phase of business, whether they're at idea-stage, start-up, or expansion. And the services are delivered at times and places that are convenient to our clients. At any given evening, PDP has groups of entrepreneurs meeting in places of worship, homes, store fronts, commercial corridors to discuss their businesses and go through training exercises, receive business counseling, or review loan applications. PDP's service are specially tailored from all microenterprises from start-up to the more experienced business operators looking for growth. These services include everything from basic-skills training to assistance with obtaining a business license, exploring the feasibility of moving into commercial space, accessing bank credit, or securing contracting opportunities. Let me share with you some statistics about our clients. Of the hundreds of 265 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Philadelphia-based microentrepreneurs that have received loans or service from PDP during the last three years, more than two-thirds are women, six out of ten are low-income, half live in households with children, and 99 percent are minority. More than three-quarters operate their businesses part-time, often working a full-time or part-time job at the very same time. These people are highly motivated and productive members of your constituencies, who are willing and, indeed, striving to bootstrap their way to economic self-sufficiency. With support from Commerce, PDP services can make their dreams into a reality. After three years of providing high-quality and comprehensive services, we know firsthand how critical these services are to ensuring the success of microentrepreneurs. Not only do we increase the likelihood of their surviving, but also they've enabled many more to move into the mainstream economy. In the past year, several of our customers have moved their businesses from their homes to retail space. Many have reported an increased number of hours they 266 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY devote to business, and others report having hired employees, creating new jobs. Philadelphia's neighborhood residents, and especially small-business owners, are facing even tougher times. We've been hearing more and more from those we serve that the economic slowdown has negatively affected our target market, perhaps even more than the general population. Slowing sales, reduced family incomes, layoffs, narrowing access to markets and credit have all impacted the microentrepreneurs that we serve. During times such as these, economically disadvantaged and undercapitalized enterprises, the population that Commerce and PDP targets require even more support. In addition, with the weakening job market, both nationally and locally, more and more households face reduction in hours, stagnant wages, and unemployment. Many of these impacted individuals are forced to look at alternatives to make up for lost income, patching what they can with self-employment and home-based businesses. So not only has the company created a greater need for the services to existing microentrepreneurs, it is also forcing more and 267 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY more low-income families to look at microenterprises as a way of replacing lost income, thus generating more interest in our service. We have attached several articles from the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia New Observer to be submitted to the record that profile some of our clients.
In closing, I urge your support for Commerce's budget and the neighborhood economic- development projects it supports. Thank you all for your time and your patience.
Thank you very much. Are there any questions? (No questions.)
Thank you very much. Is Denise Perry here? Thank you. While she's coming forward, let me -- Councilman Nutter would never forgive me if I forgot to mention that Rob Dubow's been here all day as well. (Laughter.)
After Miss Perry, is there anyone else here who would 268 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY like to testify here tonight? (Witness comes forward.)
Good evening. My name is Denise Perry, and I serve as Corporate Partnership Vice President and Director of Community Education for Lutheran Children and Family Service. Good evening to all of the our honorable members of City Council and to others who are present as well. Lutheran Children and Family Service is a proud partner with the Department of Human Services as we seek to reduce abuse, strengthen families, and build communities in Philadelphia neighborhoods. As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, I want you to know that we plan to return 100 foster children to their parents this year. We are hoping to create 125 adoptive homes as well. We will close cases on 100 families served in their own homes. In Councilwoman President Verna's district, we operate an after-school program at Bartram High School for African teenagers. In 269 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Councilman DiCicco's district, we administer to the South Eastern Philadelphia Collaborative for Children with major funding from William Penn, the 76ers, and the Houston Foundation grants. In Councilwoman Tasco's district, we operate six after-school programs in public schools. In Councilwoman Blackwell's district, we have resettled hundreds of refugees mostly from Africa. In Councilman O'Neill's district, we will start up our Beacon School at George Washington High School on April 1st, in partnership with Safe and Sound. I am telling you that OCFS is in the community, and we are a part of the community, and we love this great City of Philadelphia. But we count on Philadelphia to provide adequate reimbursements so we can pay our staff members living wages, so that we can provide foster parents and children enough money to live. While we ourselves have been raising private dollars for these services, we can count on our partners and other agencies in the Philadelphia and the 270 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Pennsylvania Council to have shown in great detail what it costs to do what we do for our children. In child welfare services, the Commonwealth almost always passes along the cost-of-living increases to Philadelphia DHS. However, DHS has not passed along a cost-of-living increases to the deficits in our services to children-in-their-own-home programs. We cannot continue this service without rate increases. We need these increases in order to continue providing these quality services that LCFS is committed to. We applaud the innovative approaches to serving children and families that Commissioner Martinez has supported, especially the neighborhood initiatives. We know that the Beacon Schools and family centers are a wave of the future, giving us a way to help children and families achieve instead of fail. We will be good partners with the City in seeking federal and state money to help these great programs survive. Thank you for your attention. And we do ask that as you go through these budget hearings, 271 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY that you bear in mind there's a need for an increase in order for LCFS and its partners to continue the quality services that we provide to children and families in need. Now you will hear from Pat Stanley.
Hi. I'm Pat Stanley. I'm Program Director for in-home services at Lutheran Children and Family Service, and I want to thank the Department for the new, innovative programs in that new accountability and responsibility. It has challenged us all to get better than we've been, and we're learning from it. But I also have to speak for the staff, and I am responsible for five programs, and among the five programs, we have thirty employees on staff. And some of them are the SCOH worker, and I have to say that my SCOH staff is not like the staff I heard about earlier, and I'm here to tell you about the people behind the appeal. And to give you an example, I'm going to tell you about a phone call that I got from -- on the street today from one of our longest employees in these SCOH program, Mrs. Olivia Jefferson. Mrs. Jefferson is almost 67 years old and has been 272 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY serving families in Philadelphia for a very long time, and she's not going to give up. She called to tell me about one of the families that she serves, and while the family is under a contract to get three hours of service direct face-to-face, she spends umpteen more hours. And this past weekend, with one of the children in crisis, she went out to support the mother. She was out all day Saturday, she was out today at Einstein, where the child was being evaluated to see if he'd be 302ed. She's going to get in the visits to the rest of her families; in fact, right now, she's at one of those families as I speak. She will get in all of the rest of her visits this week, and the rest of the staff does the same. At the same time, Miss Jefferson is devoted to her community and to her family. She has a deaf grandchild she cares for. She has been with us, as I said, for a long time. She certainly is vested in the pension fund, but cost-of-living increases would give her a better life, would give her grandson a better life, would help the niece that she's also raising, due to some of the devastation that has happened to her 273 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY family from the ills of the City, but she keeps going and she keeps serving. Another one of the staff members I have is Mr. Tom Davis, and he's been with us for over five years, serving families, constantly going out at all hours to help reunify children with their families, assessing and recommending and testifying, when that's possible. And he's doing that. He has a family. He also donates time -- he used to play basketball for Delaware State and for the pro teams in Europe, and he's donating his time voluntarily, creating additional leagues for children throughout the City. He has taken in a nephew and his helping to raise him as well as his two daughters. Cost-of-living increases are needed at a minimum to help them keep their families safe, healthy, and happy. And these are just two of the many staff members. And other agencies have staff members just like this that are devoted to the City, devoted to the children and families, supporting people who have had to deal with life's roughest challenges. So anything that you can do to push that 274 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY along, encourage it, is greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much. Any questions? (No questions.)
I just want to say something, and it's not a question, but it's -- my two babies went through the process of Lutheran Center, so it's a -- my children were adopted through their services, and you know who they are, those two guys, incredible individuals. Thank you.
We also note and we thank them for being here all day too, Commissioner Decker and Commissioner Gamble. We know it's a tough day. Thank you, thank you. Please come forward. I saw one more individual. Is there anyone else whose name was passed over, who came in late, or who just came in and would like to testify? Thank you. 275 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Is there anyone else? So we have one more individual after this. Thank you very much. (Witness comes forward.)
Please identify yourself for the record and welcome. My name is Leslie Birch, and I'm a citizen here in Philadelphia, very proudly. I live in the Art Museum area. And I'm mainly here just to speak about those things environmental and educational, and I will try really hard to be brief. Basically, there are those people in Philadelphia that -- you may not know them, but they are people that have taken something called an "eco team course," which is offered by the United Nations. Basically, a few people in a community may get together and choose to do this together. It's not an easy thing to do. Basically for a couple months, you're treated like a lab rat. Your whole house gets thoroughly investigated as far as, like, how long your showers are; how far you drive in the course of a day -- you know, the mileage, the gas you spend; how much heating you use; and 276 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY how your recycling/recycling skills are. And you do this for a couple months in a row and, hopefully, by the end of everything, you learn how to improve yourself and those around you. So I've basically undergone this, and I know other people have too, but it's sort of hard to come through a course like this and even to learn a lot more about environmental things. I mean, I've taken even other course work besides this. It has nothing to do with my line of work, I might add; I just feel like doing it. But it's really hard to put a lot of the things that you learn in place when you don't have the tools available to use. So, first of all, I'm thanking Philadelphia majorly for putting in place a residential recycling program. I know in the Art Museum area, I see many people now driving to a playground to get rid of their goods and have them recycled. I want to encourage everyone here to go further with that program and to add more funding. There is so much more education that needs to be done about this topic, even as far as precycling so 277 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY people have no need to take stuff to a recycling area to begin with. And just also, to add more money will help to set up more locations. And I am sure that they are trying to hit major neighborhoods first, but there is a lot more to be done, and there are a lot of numbers, meaning, like, yogurt containers, which are probably, like, a number 5 -- I don't know if you guys are, like, up on your numbers on what's on the bottom of your containers, but there's a lot of things that I've really tried hard to get rid of in my life, but there's some I can't, and we don't recycle them here. The closest place you can recycle these things is Pottstown, and I can tell you that Pottstown is a major haul to go to get that stuff there. I'm hoping some day, our recycling program can get it together that we can even have a truck that would collect goods to get up there. So that's my dream. Secondary would be, along with someone else's statement here, that we also come down harder from a commercial standpoint. I agree; I have yet to work in a company that really recycled. 278 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY And I even have to say that some of them were faking recycling programs, and I think I'm even currently working in one, but luckily, that's in New Jersey, so you guys don't have to hear that story. So, yes, please come down harder on them and force them to recycle and to follow rules. The other issue would be composting. I'm hoping this ties in with recycling, and I've heard tell that there's a possibility that they will add composting as a possibility. I can say that I actually have a worm farm in my house, and I have this cute little condo that I'm renting and, believe me, nobody knows what's in my hall closet except for me, but there are worms in there, and I throw my kitchen debris in there,and those little red wriggler worms take care of that stuff. So there are possibilities.
But I still can't get rid of enough stuff, so I'm encouraging you to go ahead and add composting in a neighborhood fashion that we could do that. And by doing all of this stuff, this helps to get stuff out of the mainstream and, 279 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY hopefully, even though there'd be a cost to set it up, it would also defray costs from having to get rid of it in landfills. That's sort of how I see it. Also, I know that there is also education that needs to be done, and I just again want to make sure that we also, if any way possible, can add even more funding to Growing Greener -- I think that's the name of the program. I know Tim Schlitzer, and he and his crew do a great, kick-ass television show that people actually get to see, where they learn more about this stuff, and they see why it's important to do these programs. So continue with that. Community-supported agriculture, yes, CSAs, yet another topic. Oh, my gosh, Philadelphia is actually getting organic produce, thanks to farmers that are in the area, and I want to make sure that we continue on that path and education for that as well. It's a very important thing; it helps people not travel so far, it helps not waste costs with bringing trucks in to deliver produce. It's just a very smart thing to do and it benefits everyone. 280 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Let's see. Education about water. I know our water area near the Art Museum Water Works, I think it was called, is building a museum to help educate, so any funding that can go towards that, I'm all in favor of. Along with water, water is going to be one of the main topics all over this world, as far as environmental issues go. I belong to something called "Pennsylvania Environmental Network," and I get e-mails daily, like all over, like, the East Coast and probably even further than that of what's going on, but water is going to be almost impossible to deal with soon for everyone, so I encourage Philadelphia to go in that direction, especially even with hazardous waste. Half the hazardous waste ends up in the water as well, so we have to watch what we're doing with that, so any education that Philadelphia can encourage, I also go with that. Finally, in the "Land of Environmental," anything that the City of Philadelphia can do to encourage seeking green companies to do their work, that would be my above-all favorite thing; anything from building stadiums to you name it, anything we 281 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY can do to invest in those companies that are already taking the right steps and using the right materials that later we won't find out cause cancer or, like, anything from lumber to things that later will decay and get into the water or the soil, that's a great idea also. And let's see, in the "Land of Education," I used to do educational theater in Philadelphia schools all over the place. Most of my issues were dealing with issues of race, things like HIV and AIDS, domestic violence, almost anything you name -- substance abuse, I've taught it. There are many kids that are getting wrong ideas coming from their parents, and it's not an easy thing to be a patient nowadays and try to raise your kid to do the right thing, but it's amazing how just a few times around with these kids, you could change them. I'll never forget this kid that -- he was calling African-American names, like, all the time. " And I'm, like, you know what I said, it's okay not to agree with your parents because sometimes they're not right and you have to make up your own mind. So I guess what I'm saying is, I know that the teachers have it way hard out there because I was in their schools and I saw what was going on.
The product that people are basically presenting with their children nowadays is a pretty difficult, one so I know schools is a hot topic right now anyway, but please, please, please, I beg you, anything that you can do to help those teachers to give them more resources and to help get these kids back on the right path, that's what I ask. Thank you very much.
Thank you very 283 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY much. One other gentleman wanted to speak. Is there anyone else? Thank you. I guess you will be last for the evening. (Witness comes forward.)
My name is Al Airone. I'm a resident of your district, West Philadelphia. Good evening to you, good evening to other Councilmembers and my brother and sister Philadelphians. I am also here to speak about recycling. I am a citizen of West Philadelphia, a member of several of the community organizations there. Most of the volunteers in charge of the partnership recycling site at 50th Street and Baltimore Avenue, which is one of several in the City, and I'm here representing Cedar Park neighbors, which is the sponsor of that site. I had some prepared testimony. Much of what I wanted to say has already been said, so I'll try to make it brief and reiterate the important 284 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY points. It really comes down to this: We do have a recycling program in the City, a citywide recycling program. I and all of the hundreds of people who contribute to our twice-monthly recycling center consider that to be a wonderful thing. It needs to be strengthened; I think everyone agrees on this. I'm sure the Streets Commissioner has lots of things on his mind, but anything that can be done by City Council to increase the funding for the recycling program and, perhaps more importantly, to watch over it through their staffs to see that the program remains strong, that its leadership remains well staffed and effective, this would basically a big help. A number of things have been mentioned by other people, and they were all right on the mark as to what needs to be done. A gentleman who lives only a few blocks from me a few speakers back mentioned education in his neighborhood on the greenway. Education could be -- the kind of education he's talking about, the education in the availability of recycling and how to go about it, 285 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY that could be extended throughout the City. There are things that the City could do to make recycling easier, including more drop-off sites for the nice blue containers that everybody recognizes so well. That's a classic use of an icon that really will help spread the word about the program. There are one or two other specific things that I know I'd like to mention. We'd like to see and -- but again, by "we," I mean everyone that I have ever spoken with in my activities would like to see the City move to a weekly recycling program. I think that this would help increase participation greatly by simplifying the program. I know I myself, with the current biweekly program, I consider myself a fairly avid and astute recycler, and I still find myself in front of the calendar, scratching my head, trying to figure out, Is this a recycling Tuesday or not? If we move to a weekly program, we would remove that ambiguity. But I think, more importantly, it would enable more and more people to participate. And I think that's what has to happen with this program: It has to grow, it has 286 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY to recycle even more than the considerable amount that it's achieved so far. I would also like to stress that recycling has at least the potential to provide a cash income to the City, either through lesser costs in recycling or through the value of the materials that it collects and hands over to commercial recyclers. It all comes down to, again, we would like to see the program strengthened, increased, go to a weekly basis. We'd like to see more education and we would like to see more -- that the opportunities for recycling are spread throughout the City, as several of the speakers have mentioned. I thank you for your patience. I know it's late, and I appreciate your attention to these matters. Thank you all.
Let me thank everyone for being here. 287 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Just one very quick announcement. As we were recognizing a variety of people, there are a couple other folks who work behind the scenes to actually make sure that all of this works for us. We mentioned Mr. Dubow, who gets to give a lot of testimony and take a lot of Q and A, but no, I'm not mentioning him. But the person who works with him Sharon Kirschbaum, who actually gets our questions and then coordinates with Joan DePaul or sometimes Ann Kelly, they really make our lives a lot easier, and I wanted to recognize them. And then everyone needs to recognize our good friend Josephine, who takes down everything that we say. No matter how inane, bizarre, or unusual, Josephine the stenographer takes down all of our information and gives us a great record for us to try to recreate and get something done around here, so I just wanted to recognize those folks as well. 288 3/18/02 FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
I'm glad you did. We needed that. And let me say that this committee will stand in recess until Monday, April 8th, at 9:30 a.m. Again, thank you one and all. (Applause.) (Proceedings end at 7:26 p.m.) - - - 289 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia's meeting of the Committee of the Whole of Monday, March 18, 2002, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. RE: Public Testimony on FY03 Operating Budget _______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public ______________________________, Meghan Martella Professional Reporter and Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)