Thank you, Councilman. You have offered your amendment?
Are you going to move for the adoption? Would you read the amendment into the record, please.
Section 14-306.2, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph and AMENDMENTS TO BILLS - NO. 010368 of this section, all franchise dealers selling new automobiles, including those which also sell used automobiles, shall be and shall remain conforming uses and structures under the Philadelphia Code and shall not be restricted as non-conforming uses or structures so long as the Department of Licenses and Inspections has issued a use registration permit and a certificate of occupancy for that use prior to November 1, 2001.
I move the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The amendment has been adopted. Bill No. 010368, as amended, will be placed on the second reading and final-passage calendar for our next session of Council That concludes our calendar. SPEECHES
Are there any speeches on the part of the Minority? (No speeches on the part of the Minority.)
Are there speeches on the part of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz.
On the issue I spoke about in the caucus, and I asked you if I should bring it up in the chambers, the negotiations that are going on about the governance and structure of the school system in Philadelphia, over the last month, I had spoken in this Council about when is a deal done and who should be part of the deal. It seems that we are headed towards an imposition of a governance system without the consent of the governed. This legislature is not a part of that. Neither are the parents, and neither are the teachers. And a few friends of mine have explored state takeovers in other states, and we have something to learn from the experience of those other states, one being Illinois, the other one being connect Connecticut. SPEECHES In Connecticut, the state took over but it was driven -- the takeover was driven by the parents of the City of Hartford. The parents of the City of Hartford, the majority are Puerto Ricans. And the takeover that ensued brought aboard that was structured by the state but with participation of the city and, it brought with it privatization. Sort of a knee-jerk reaction that people have when school systems are faltering for one reason or another, they think that the quick-fix change is to privatize and not reform. And reform means smaller classes, full participation in the decision-making by the people that are concerned, meaning the parents. Reform means the union buying into some changes. Well, privatization didn't work. Now they're in the process of buying out the company. It's costing them $7 million. As the CEO who they've hired told the group, If we're paying $7 million to buy out this private company, multiply that, because you are six, seven, eight times bigger than we are. Multiply $7 million by that and you'll be paying that private company, Edison, 80, 90, $70 million to buy them out because SPEECHES they will bail out. It is not reform, it is not change. I believe that the conversations -- that we should not hurry to make changes because we have self-imposed deadlines, deadlines that have been imposed by arbitrary negotiations. We did that with the stadium issue and we ended up making very bad decisions. This is not about stadiums; this is about kids and the future of the school system of Philadelphia. I believe that state takeover and the takeover of the Chicago school system leaves a lot to be desired. The one in Hartford has been restructured and changed completely. And I believe that it could probably serve as a good model. And I would ask you to perhaps write a letter from you and those of us who feel very strongly about the public education system. I have two kids in it. That a task force -- that no agreement be reached, no arbitrary deadline be set because today or tomorrow is not going to bring about wholesale changes in the school system. That you write to the Mayor and that you and the Mayor select a grouping of people that includes the head SPEECHES of the union, teachers union, the head of the other unions in the school system, parents, parent organizations, perhaps some of us who are interested in. And that we look at Chicago, we look at Hartford before we enter into any decisions. Because the governed, the people who are going to be governed by the decisions that are being discussed behind closed doors have not been consulted on those changes. And I don't think those changes should be made in that arbitrary manner. I believe that it behooves us, if we want to see the school system 10 years from now functioning at a level that this city deserves, to slow down that train and begin talking rationally. Those people who were marching yesterday -teachers and parents and kids -- are very concerned, and so should we be all. So I would hope that you could write, that you move, that we assume some leadership on this issue, and that we explore the other cities that have gone through similar experiences, because it doesn't do us any good going to an Edison school by SPEECHES itself.
Let's see where the privatization has been and what has happened. In Hartford, it has been, it has failed, they have been bought out. I suggest you and the Mayor and a grouping of people concerned about public education should hold the train up and move forward to look at the effect of the impact so that we can make the right decision for the kids and not the right decision for Edison. Thank you.
Thank you The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney
Thank you, Madam President. Just two quick notes. I introduced a bill today which would call for the waiver of the gross receipts portion of the business-privilege tax for hotels in the City of Philadelphia. Last year, in the year 2000, the 40 hotels in Philadelphia paid about $4.6 million in business-privilege taxes, the estimate that almost all of that was gross receipts because very few of our hotels, if any, make any profit during the year. Over the last 10 years or so, we have been SPEECHES encouraging hotel construction in Philadelphia through the use of TIFs and other incentives, and we have really built up our hotel industry quite well. The Convention Center is having its problems still with attracting convention and business meetings, but also after September 11th, the hotel industry nationwide, including Philadelphia, has really taken a hit. The Marriott alone has lost $1 million compared to same time last year m,and 2,000 of the 11,000 hotel workers have been laid off already in Philadelphia. Eighty percent of these people live in Philadelphia. So I want to make it clear that this bill is not intended to just simply be a tax break for one year for wealthy corporations, but the people who are being laid off are the most difficult people to place after they've lost their job. These are entry-level positions, they include modest salary but benefits. And the people who are losing these jobs are going to have a difficult time finding new work. So what I hope to do with the bill is to give a year's worth of grace and some breathing room to hotel so that they can continue employing SPEECHES our citizens and stay on their feet while we weather this issue relative to September 11th with the loss of tourism and trade. On a more lighter note, I want to say a word about our theater industry here in Philadelphia. With all of the work we've been doing, the City's been doing on the Avenue of the Arts with the Kimmel Center and the Wilma, the Merriam and Forrest Theatre on North Broad Street and the Freedom Theater, I had the opportunity last night to attend a production of "Me and Mrs. Jones" at the Prince Music Theater. If ever you feel that you're a little depressed and you wonder about the future of the City and you wonder about the future maybe of race relations in our city and what we all have in common, to sit in that theater last night -- Lou Rawls, first of all, who is the star of the show, has not missed a beat since I was listening to him in the car, I guess, at the lakes in the '70s with the radio on and making out. (Laughter.)
But he hasn't lost one step. But when you listen to the talent and words SPEECHES and music of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, McFadden and Whitehead, the late Linda Creed, it is an amazing show. As a matter of fact, towards the end of the show last night, I saw a man standing in the theater standing up on his feet and dancing in the aisles. And it was Senator Hardy Williams. (Laughter.)
And he was dancing quite well. So if you really want your spirits lifted, if you really want to see something that's truly Philadelphia that hopefully will go to New York and be performed on Broadway and bring this city -- the great reputation of this city to New York, please, before it leaves, go and see it. Support our theater industry, support our downtown and our restaurants. But, I'll tell you what, "Me and Mrs. Jones" is a wonderful performance, an exciting event, and it really did -- it reinspired me about the belief that Philadelphia can make it. Thank you.
Wonderful, thank you. SPEECHES I understand that Councilwoman Tasco celebrated a birthday on Monday, and I know that Councilman O'Neill will be celebrating a birthday, I believe, on Sunday.
And I want my colleagues to know that we join them in extending our very warm good wishes. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Madam President. Thanks to all of the people who sent me cards and flowers. I got away with it for years; this is the first year you all knew about it. But anyway, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 6th, at 10 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 6, 2001, at 10 a.m. SPEECHES All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and Council stands adjourned until Thursday, December 6, 2001. Thank you. (Proceedings end at 11:37 a.m..) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, November 29, 2001, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. RE: STATED MEETING _______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered 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.)