COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, May 22, 2014 10:50 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY COUNCILMAN DENNIS O'BRIEN COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO MICHAEL A. DECKER,
Good morning, everyone. (Good morning.)
We're going to start now. I'd ask all guests and visitors to please retire behind the rail and the members will take their seat. We'll get started. Right now I'd like to ask if anyone has an electronic device that rings, buzzes or does anything that could conceivably cause your neighbor from hearing the proceedings, I'd ask for you to please turn it off today. Thank you very much for your cooperation. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Pastor Charles Jones of New Umbria Baptist Church. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Jones. Would everybody please rise. (Members and guests rise.)
To Council, the President, and to the valuable people of Philadelphia, I just want to read a short scripture. I'm a true believer of much is given, much is required. For you, brethrens, have been called to liberty. Only do not use it as an opportunity of flesh, but to love and serve one another. For this, the law is fulfilled in one word. Even as this, you shall love your neighbor as you do yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, beware, lest you consume one another. Bow your heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you. We thank you for this glorious day and opportunity to come together in unity, Lord, to be able to encourage those that are discouraged; Father, to strengthen those that are weak; and to give to those that are in need. Lord, we ask that you will touch the hearts of these men and women together, Lord Jesus, to make rightly and justly decisions, Lord, that would encourage this city and lift it up to be a beacon in this country and this great nation. And, Lord, we ask that you will touch every household that is represented here today and add a blessing to the reading of your word. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen. (Amen.)
Thank you so much for those inspiring words. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you very much. At this time, the Chair would like to recognize Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I'd like to just recognize some students that are here participated in a great project. It's Vare-Washington Elementary School, and they've participated in the Picasso Project for visual arts and writing. Also, the community partner was Society Hill Synagogue. But very difficult situation in the schools that were merging and be able to come together and put this process together was really amazing, and it was to build strong community in a newly merged Vare-Washington Elementary School. Students who differ by school background, grade level, ethnicity learn to appreciate one another's concerns and talents through participation in photography and a writing project funded by the Picasso Project, an initiative of Public Citizens for Children and Youth. Ten students in grade 6 to 8 were given cameras, received instructions, photography, and interviewing and compiled visual written portraits of 22 students. Art teacher Dana Jenkins anchored the project. Society Hill Civic provided in-kind leadership from renowned photographer Judy Gelles and volunteers. The project demonstrated how essential it is for schools that have art teachers and staff within buildings really do a great job. They can garner outside funds and improve climate and give students a 21st century skill. I'd like them to stand up and be recognized for their great work. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman, and welcome. The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, May 15th, 2014, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, May 15th, 2014 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, May 15th, 2014 stand approved. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. The next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you and good morning, Mr. President. There are no requests for leaves of absence by the majority.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the republicans, there are no requests for leave of absence.
Thank you, Councilman. At this time, I would like to dispense with the regular order of business and I would like to welcome and thank everyone who has come down here today to witness your government in action. I hope that your stay here today is a pleasurable one, so much so that you come back again. So, again, thank you very much for being here today. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones, who will present a resolution recognizing the Opportunities Industrialization Center, better known as OIC. Would Mr. Robert Nelson and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium.
This bill is definitely a partnership with the President of this body, Councilman Clarke, who has the proud location on Broad Street, as well as Councilwoman Brown, who actually worked at OIC, and myself, because we actually have a mall within the 4th Councilmanic District. I want to say to you that there are many paths to Rome, many paths to a successful life. There is the straight path, graduating from high school, going to college, going to trade school or the military and starting a career. There's also the indirect path, the path that isn't always as glamorous or as positive and prosperous, and one of those weigh stations on the path to success is OIC, Opportunities Industrial Center. Today we are honoring this esteemed organization that has been providing guidance and opportunity to generations of citizens around the world, young people in Philadelphia and every founder, Leon Sullivan, said it best: It's not about burn, baby, burn, but rather build, baby, build. A lot has changed in the community since OIC was established in 1964, but some things have remained eerily the same, and the only thing that remains is that our young people need that weigh station called OIC sometimes to get back on the path of self-sufficiency. In addition to its school located on North Broad Street that has trained tens of thousands of workers, OIC has been the conduit for community-based economic development since 1960. They were instrumental in getting Progress Plaza on Broad Street built and Haddington Plaza located in my district. This milestone anniversary is, however, bittersweet, because we also are announcing the retirement of its captain of its ship, Mr. Bob Nelson, as President and CEO of OIC for 35 years. Join me in of applause. (Applause.)
So without further adieu, recognizing and honoring the Opportunity Industrial Center, Inc. (OIC) on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary to be celebrated June 12th through 15th, 2014. Whereas, the Opportunities Industrial Center (OIC) is an education, training and job placement institution founded by the late Reverend Leon H. Sullivan in 1964 in response to the lack of opportunities provided the African Americans in urban communities. OIC is dedicated to eliminating poverty, eliminating illiteracy and unemployment in Philadelphia to ensure meaningful qualities of life for citizens;
And whereas, since its startup, the OIC has evolved into an establishment of over 100 OICs across the nation and in South Africa, and has served over 3.3 million placement, education, supportive human services and business development; and Whereas, the OIC's largest training program, Opportunities Inn: The Hospitality Training Institute, has been in operation for 24 years with the success of its graduates earning a combined 38.3 million in aggregate annual salaries in the City of Philadelphia alone; and Whereas, the OIC currently provides services like the Career and Academic Development Institute and the Creative Learning Academy, which is an accredited alternative high school program that provide academic and transitional service to students that are returning to school to earn their high school diploma from low income and underserved communities; now be it
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that Council hereby honors OIC for its 50th Anniversary supporting unemployment, undereducated and disadvantaged Philadelphians and helping them to further their careers. We extend our sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body. (Applause.)
Whereas, I want to talk for at least a couple of minutes. Certainly, Mr. President, and thank you all for this presentation. Again, the 50th Anniversary, this great organization, and I just happen to bring a few of my closest friends here today. So, friends, would you be acknowledged. (Applause.)
These are just -you can sit down now. This is just a few of our currently matriculating students, but better known as the beneficiaries of the over 50 years ago, and I've been here 35 years. Every time somebody mentions I'm retiring, I just feel so old. So I reach cautiously for my AARP card to make sure it's still available to me. But Reverend Sullivan, if you never met him or don't know about him, one of the historic and iconic figures in our lifetime, and whenever Reverend Sullivan was asked to characterize himself, he would always say, Well, I'm just a poor Baptist preacher doing God's work. Just a poor Baptist preacher doing God's work. Let me tell you about some of the God's work that he did, because when the fires were raging in North Central Philadelphia, some of you may remember that it was Reverend Sullivan who stepped into the fires and doused the flames of a message of hope and opportunity. People were angry about jobs, -- there's kind of a historic irony about jobs then and jobs now. Reverend Sullivan said if people are angry about jobs, then I need to go to area companies to demand, if you will, provide opportunities for people who live in the City of Philadelphia. When he went to those various companies, he was rebuffed. They kind of said, Now get out, because we don't have to do anything in the '60s in that regard. Dr. Sullivan went back to the cadre of ministers of all denominations to say, We need to now institute a selective boycotting, meaning we will tell pastors every Sunday not to buy goods and services from these companies that have not chosen to support us. One of those companies was Tastykake. Work with me for just a quick second. By show of hands, how many of you have ever sat down at the kitchen table with a cold glass of milk and a Butterscotch Krimpet? (Hands raised.)
Are you feeling my pain? So had I been there, I would have said, No, Doc, not Tastykake. He would have then said to me that, Young Bob -- you heard the "young" part, right? Young Bob, why don't you sit down? We do not intend to compromise our strategy because of a krimpet. But what ended up happening even with all that strategy, we also recognized that people were not ready if the jobs opportunities did open up. We were not ready vocationally. We were not ready attitudinally, motivationally, and he would say we're not even ready spiritually, because we were not ready to meet the challenge. Those elements became the OIC motto in opening up the first training site at 19th and Oxford Street. Over time OIC was replicated across this country, 100 OICs across this country. So what began as a vision, what began as into a movement of major historic significance. In his later years -- and I'm about to close out. In his later years, God called Dr. Sullivan home. Well, home is not Phoenix, home was not Philadelphia. Home was not any place except the original home in Africa, because Doc had become obsessed with the treatment of South African blacks under the oppressive system of apartheid. And as a Board member of General Motors, the one and only African American on the Board of General Motors, he began to preach and to demand that there be disinvestment in South Africa as long as apartheid existed. That took 20 years to change the political climate, and what ended up happening ultimately, that apartheid was dismantled and Nelson Mandela was released from jail after 27 years. As Tom Joyner may say, a black history fact you probably didn't even know. to celebrate. I want you to join us in celebration. This sounds like I'm selling tickets, show you right. Because on Thursday, we're having a prayer breakfast at -- Friday, on June the 13th featuring Reverend William Moore, Dr. Leslie D. Callahan, Reverend William Shaw, Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, and Dr. Alyn E. Waller from Enon. Go get spiritualized on Friday at the prayer breakfast. We happen to have tickets here. But Saturday rent the tuxedo, get it ready, because Saturday night there's a gala at the Convention Center featuring Al Sharpton as our keynote speaker and appropriately given the time of the '60s when OIC was started, the second lifetime achievement award to Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. So join us. We want you -- we give money to certain candidates, Jannie, and -- we give money. We want you to give it back. We want you to patronize event, because understand that the resources that we accrue by virtue of this activity, these events, these four-day events, the people that you saw who stood up earlier, that's who that supports. That supports. OIC will never abdicate its responsibility to help people help themselves. That's them and that's your constituents. Thank you for this appreciation. (Applause.)
Thank you very much. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell, who will present a resolution recognizing Dr. Matthew Schure. Would Dr. Schure and those accompanying him please join the Councilwoman at the podium. And joining Councilwoman Blackwell, we have Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. This gives me great pleasure. When one is just around Dr. Schure -- I remember when he came to PCOM, and we're happy to honor him as he retires. But when you're in his presence, you know you're in the presence of a good man, a kind man, and one who cares about humanity. Resolution honoring and recognizing the honorable President Matthew Schure, Ph.D. for his trailblazing efforts in the fields of higher education and osteopathic medicine and his leadership at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine on the occasion of his retirement. Whereas, Dr. Matthew Schure has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) since 2000, where he has been a visionary with the focus on mission-centered instructional, outcomes; and Whereas, prior to being named President of PCOM, Dr. Schure served as President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Institute of Technology from 1991 through 2000; and Whereas, Dr. Schure graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magnum Cum Laude from Queens College of New York with a Degree in Psychology. Dr. Schure went on to acquire his Master's Degree in 1970, his M.Ph. in 1976 and his Ph.D. in 1976, all from Columbia University in New York; and Whereas, Dr. Schure has served as an avid leader, teacher, and counselor, instilling enormous pride in PCOM's osteopathic heritage and its unrivaled commitment to recruit and train Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine and graduate students who will employ holistic approaches to clinical, didactic and other professional responsibilities, helping to meet the needs of medically underserved areas; and
Whereas, during his illustrious career, Dr. Schure has shared his knowledge and enthusiasm for education through presentations such as the Presentation of Measurement of Institutional Effectiveness to the Committee on College Accreditation Training; and keynote address at the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) 98th Annual Clinical Assembly and Scientific Seminar on Challenges of Osteopathic Medicine College Presidency; a keynote address at the Middle State Commission on Higher Education Virtual Library Services, the Curriculum of Accreditation Conferences on The Impact of Virtual Learning Technologies on Campus-Based Institutions and the Importance of Information Literacy in Philadelphia; and a presentation on Identifying and Treatment of Occupational Stress to the 31st Annual Institution of New York Central Labor Council, New York City, New York; Whereas, Dr. Schure has published many papers, articles, both alone and with colleagues. Such publications include, but are not limited to, The Long Island Self Help Clearinghouse: a locus for community psychology practices; Debt Control for Young DOs published in the Journal of American Osteopathic Association; and Coping with Stress of an Osteopathic Medical Education, which was published in the Student Doctor; and Whereas, Dr. Schure has contributed to his knowledge and leadership and time for the betterment of society by serving as Chair of the City Avenue Special Services District, the Life Sciences Career Alliance, the Adult Learning Task Force for Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board, and the American Osteopathic Association of Council on Predoctoral Education, as well as serving as Trustee of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Academies; and Whereas, as a result of his hard work and commitment to excellence, Dr. Schure has been conferred many accolades from state, regional, and national institutions over the course of his career, including the O.J. Snyder Memorial Medal, PCOM's highest award, presented to reward and recognize leaders to the osteopathic profession and to the college; Medal of Public Service in Medicine of New York Institution of Technology in 2006; and, most importantly, the Good Neighbor Award from the Central Islip Civic Council in 1999; Award of Appreciation from Israeli Consulate in 1998; the Joseph Award of Outstanding Leadership of Economic Development in 1997; and
Whereas, President Schure is loved and respected by his students, past and present, and has been presented with both a Certificate of Honor and a Resolution of Recognition and Appreciation from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Alumni Association. And when you are there and you see his people around him, you can see that he is loved. Therefore, be it resolved, that the Council of the City of Philadelphia hereby honors and recognizes the honorable President Matthew Schure, Ph.D. for his trailblazing efforts in the fields of higher education and osteopathic medicine and his leadership at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine on the occasion of his retirement. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented as a sincere expression of City Council's appreciation and recognition. And as we say congratulations, let me note that, of course, this was signed by the President and all members of Council, and it is with great pride that we present it. (Applause.)
I'm speechless. My profound thanks to President Clarke, Ms. Blackwell, Mr. Jones, and all the members of the City Council. Every day that Judy and I have spent in Philadelphia has been a profound blessing. I need to thank her too, because it's by virtue of her sacrifices over our 40 wonderful years together that I've been able to do the work that I do. So bless you, Hon. (Applause.)
PCOM started 115 years ago in two classrooms in Center City and grew and grew and grew to its current location on City Avenue, was so blessed to establish healthcare centers throughout the City. We are privileged of Philadelphia, and there is much work to do. And so we look forward to going north to be with our grandchildren and we look forward to coming back to continue to interact, because there is much work to do and PCOM is privileged to serve the citizens of Philadelphia. Thank you so much and blessings. (Applause.)
Thank you. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you so much. The next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant-of-Arms delivers the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. Mr. Decker, would you please read those messages.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on May 19, 2014, I signed the following bill which was passed by Council at its session on May 15, 2014: Bill No. 140224, and that I signed the remaining bills that were passed by Council at its session on May 8, 2014, except Bill No. 140093, which I am returning without my signature, and Bill No. 140094, which I am returning as disapproved.
Mr. President, we have received through the Mayor's Office letters from the City Planning Commission to the Honorable Michael A. Nutter, Mayor, City of Philadelphia, setting forth the Commission's recommendations with respect to Bill Nos. 140340, 140341, and 140344.
Thank you, sir. Thank you. That concludes the communications. The next order of business is introductions of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Mr. President. With my tongue pressed firmly in my cheek, I offer one resolution.
A non-privileged resolution daring Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," to come to Philadelphia and film a week of shows to prove how wrong he was in his May 20th tirade against Philadelphia, our people, our prized Philadelphia Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, our affinity for running up museum stairs and calling it exercise and our world class cuisine; his multiple rants against our City have finally gone too far.
If I could ask for a suspension of the rules to allow for consideration today.
Absolutely. I think we're all anxious to see that. There's a request for suspension of the rules. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I introduce one non-privileged resolution.
A non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Sixth, Forty-Sixth and Fifty-First Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
That resolution will be on next week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer four bills on your behalf and four resolutions, three of which are on your behalf.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to convey, to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, a parcel of land generally situate at 669 Hutchinson Street.
And an ordinance authorizing the striking from City Plan No. 63 of a certain right-of-way reserved for drainage purposes, water main purposes, and gas main purposes, over former Hamilton Street, between Eighteenth Street and Nineteenth Street.
And an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 307 by striking from the City Plan and vacating a variable width portion of the southerly footway area of Vine Street from Seventeenth Street to a point approximately three-hundred four feet eastwardly therefrom.
And an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire all or part of a parcel of land from the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, with any improvements thereon, located at 2100 through 2106 Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
And a privileged resolution declaring June 2014 as "AIDS Education Month in Philadelphia."
That resolution will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area, identified by house numbers and street addresses as 1312 North Sixteenth Street and 1314 North Sixteenth Street.
That will be on next week's Final Passage Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Forty-Seventh Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
That will also be on next week's Final Passage Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution approving the conveyance of a certain property from the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to the City of Philadelphia, which are located in the Model Cities Urban Renewal area and identified by house number and street address as 2800 through 2850 West Dauphin Street.
That will be on next week's Final Passage Calendar. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Council President. I offer one bill on your behalf.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to accept title to certain real property owned by the School District of Philadelphia and to convey the same to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, for further conveyance.
That bill will be referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Mr. President, I offer no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
I'll come back. Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by changing the street frontage requirements for lots with multi-street frontage in certain residential zoning districts.
That bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman O'Brien.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer one bill co-sponsored by every member of Council.
An ordinance amending Chapter 17-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Philadelphia 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard," by further providing with respect to the application of the minimum wage and benefits standard to contractors, subcontractors, recipients of financial assistance, and subrecipients of financial assistance; and by revising the required Minimum Wage Standard.
That bill will be referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I have one bill.
An ordinance amending Section 9-204 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sidewalk Vendors in Center City," by eliminating previously designated vendor locations in Center City; and by revising and adding to the list of locations that shall not be designated for vending.
That bill will be referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you. Good morning, Mr. President. No bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have one bill submitted on your behalf.
An ordinance amending Chapter 19-2700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sales and Use Tax and Hotel Occupancy Tax," by providing for additional sales and use tax and for the manner in which the tax revenues shall be used.
That bill will be referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
An ordinance authorizing Cafe Italiano to construct, own and maintain an open-air sidewalk cafe at 1871 Cottman Avenue.
That bill will be referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer two bills, three resolutions, two privileged, one non-privileged.
An ordinance authorizing the Director of Commerce and the Commissioner of Public Property to lease to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, for sublease to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, for further sublease, property along the Delaware River including Piers 27 North through 35 North and certain adjacent property to the south.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 12-2700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Permit Parking Districts," to revise the definition of "vehicle" to include motor-driven cycles, to specify the manner in which the number of vehicles in a household is to be calculated, and to further provide with respect to the fee for the issuance of residential parking permits to motorcycles and motor-driven cycles.
And a privileged resolution congratulating the Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls Swim Team on winning the District 12 Championship and Catholic League Title.
That resolution will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Finance to conduct hearings concerning the collection of delinquent taxes owed to the City of Philadelphia and the use of third-party collection agencies.
And that will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution also naming Vollmer Street between 4th and 5th Streets as "Don Ly Way."
And that will also be on this week's Final Passage Calendar. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer one privileged resolution.
A privileged Harmelin, Esquire as the inaugural recipient of the Green Tree School and Services Lasting Legacy Award.
That resolution will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
The Chair thanks the Councilman, and that concludes our introductions of bills and resolutions. We will now have our reports from committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a report from the Committee of the Whole.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the Committee of the Whole, we offer out three bills with favorable
Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee of the Whole, to which was referred Bill No. 140140, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Wage and Net Profits Tax,' by decreasing the rate or rates of the tax imposed upon certain low income persons, providing for refunds of excess taxes paid, directing the Revenue Department to develop procedures and forms whereby eligible taxpayers can obtain such refunds, and requiring employers to provide refund forms to employees"; and Bill No. 140144, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2015 through 2020 inclusive"; and 140145, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2015 Capital Budget," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill Nos. 140140, 140144, and 140145. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended this day so as to permit first reading of Bills No. 140140, 140144, and 140145. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and these bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Goode for a report from the Committee on Appropriations.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Appropriations reports one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
The Committee on Appropriations, to which was referred Bill No. 140383, entitled "An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2014 from the Grants Revenue Fund, the Director of Finance - to the General Fund, the Mayor - Office of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Streets, the Department of Public Property and the Law Department," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 140383. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended this day so as to permit first reading of Bill No. 140383. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and this bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. We now will have a special order of business on Bill No. 140094. We will now proceed under a special order of business where a motion that Council reconsider the vote by which Bill No. 140094 was passed. This bill was passed by Council at its May 8th, 2014 session. It was returned disapproved by the Mayor at today's session of Council. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
Bill No. 140094, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'The Philadelphia Building Construction and Occupancy Code,' by amending Subcode F (The Philadelphia Fire Code), by delineating the process to be utilized by the Philadelphia Fire Department in its consideration of temporary or permanent reductions or eliminations of fire companies that provide life safety and property protection from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing building structures and premises, and by requiring input by firefighters and emergency responders in that process."
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Council reconsider Bill No. 140094, which was approved by City Council on May 8th, 2014. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. and properly seconded. All those in favor let it be known by saying aye. (Aye.)
The motion carries. Bill No. 140094 will be reconsidered at the end of today's Calendar. The next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from committee have been deemed to have had a first reading and will be placed on our Second Reading Calendar at our next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on our First Reading Calendar today -(Audience members yelling.)
All me. Hold on one second. Hold on one second. Guys, hold on one second. If you have or you need the ability to speak at a Council session, there's a way that we have to do it. It's called public comment. So if there's a bill or resolution that's on the Final Passage Calendar that you wish to speak on, you can simply register and we will allow people to speak. We do not have to disrupt the Council session, and we will not allow the Council session to be disrupted. So if there is an individual that would like to have a conversation about school funding -(Audience members yelling.)
Thank you. (Applause.) (Audience members escorted out of Chambers.)
you. Thank you. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the following bills on Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars: No. 140076, 140340, 140344, 140350, 130849, 140347, 140349, 140351, 140353, 140052, and 140223. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilman Jones. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on our Final Second Reading Passage on our regular session.
Thank you, Mr. President. In addition to the bills being considered on the Consent Agenda, the following resolutions and bills are being called up for Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 140456, 140457, 140458, 140460, 140461, 140462, 140463, 140464, and 140080. All other bills and resolutions are being held.
Thank you, Councilman. Before considering these bills and resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, we will have our public comment session. The public comment session will go as follows: If there is a bill or resolution that is on the Final Passage Calendar today, you may have an opportunity to testify. If you haven't signed up, you can sign up at the table to my left. When your name is called, you will have three minutes to testify. There's a device on the table in the middle of Council session, along with a microphone, and that device has lights on it. When the light turns green, it is your time to testify. When the light turns yellow, you have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks, and when that light turns red, we ask that you please conclude your remarks and adhere to our guidelines. Thank you all very much for your cooperation. Mr. Decker, would you please read the name of the first individual who testify today.
Thank you very much. And at this time, we will move to our Consent Agenda. I would ask that Mr. Decker please read the titles of all the bills on the Consent Agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the bill on the Consent Agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the bill will be immediately removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on our regular and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, would you please now read those bills.
Bill No. 140076, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Avenue, Girard Avenue, and Belmont Avenue"; and Bill No. 140340, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to: A) acquire by lease or by deed land in the area bounded by the Delaware River, the former Frankford Creek, Bridge Street, Tacony Street and Darkrun Lane (extended to the Delaware River); and B) convey by lease or by deed land in the area bounded by the Delaware River, the former Frankford Creek, Bridge Street, Tacony Street and Darkrun Lane (extended to the Delaware River) to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for further conveyance; and C) acquire by deed land located at 3101 East Orthodox Street; and D) acquire by lease or by deed land in the area bounded by the Delaware River, Disston Street (extended to the Delaware River), Milnor Street and Princeton Avenue (extended to the Delaware River), all for nominal consideration"; and 140344, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation and the Commissioner of Public Property to execute a deed to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and to accept a deed from PAID, and to execute all other necessary documents, for the purpose of exchanging an approximately One and one-tenths acre parcel of City-owned land (the "K&T Parcel") that is part of a larger parcel commonly called the Kensington and Tacony Trail running between Tacony Street and the Frankford Creek, for an approximately One and one-tenths acre parcel of land of equal or greater value owned by PAID located at 3101 East Orthodox Street"; and Bill No. 140350, entitled "An ordinance approving a Lease Amendment between the Philadelphia Gas Works by Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation, solely in its capacity as operator and manager of the City-owned Works, and Girard Square A NY for certain premises located at 1137 Chestnut Street"; and Bill No. 130849, entitled "An ordinance repealing an ordinance (Bill No. 130449) entitled 'An ordinance authorizing Atul Amin, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the southeast corner of 17th and JFK Boulevard, to construct, use and maintain conduits in, under and across the southeast corner of 17th and JFK Boulevard,' and authorizing Atul Amin, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the northwest corner of 17th and JFK Boulevard, to construct, use and maintain conduits in, under and across the northwest corner of 17th and JFK Boulevard"; and Bill No. 140347, entitled "An ordinance legalizing an existing architectural planter encroaching on the public right-of-way at 1700 South Broad Street"; and Bill No. 140349, entitled "An 9-213 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Farmers' Markets,' by adding West Allegheny Avenue between Bambrey and 26th Streets as a permissible location"; and Bill No. 140351, entitled "An ordinance authorizing Sanjay Patel, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the southeast corner of 13th and Filbert Streets, to construct, use and maintain conduits in, under and across the southeast corner of 13th and Filbert Streets"; and Bill No. 140353, entitled "An ordinance authorizing Narottam Parmar, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the north side of Washington Avenue from 821 Washington Avenue to 801 Washington Avenue, to construct, use and maintain conduits in, under and across the north side of Washington Avenue from 821 Washington Avenue to 801 Washington Avenue"; and Bill No.
140052, entitled "An 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity,' by allowing the granting of permanent licenses for guide dogs for the blind, handicapped persons, or government-owned dogs used for law enforcement"; and Bill No. "
Thank you. These bills having been read on two different days, the question for each bill now, shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.
Aye on all bills. The majority of members having voted in the affirmative for each of the bills, the bills on the Consent Agenda are passed. We will now consider the resolutions and bills on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, would you please read the title of 140456.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Sixth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and Resolution 140456 has been adopted. Mr. Decker, 140457.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Seventh, Nineteenth, Thirty-First and Thirty-Third Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded. All in favor? (Aye.)
The 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it, and Resolution No. 140457 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140458.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the West Fairhill/East Tioga/Hunting Park Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 4052 North Sixth Street.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it, and 140458 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140460.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Thirty-Eighth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and 140460 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140461.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 2208 Trenton Avenue.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and 140461 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140462.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, identified by house numbers and street addresses as 2103 East Cumberland, 2107 East Cumberland Street and 2501 Amber Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 140462 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140463.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, identified by house numbers and street addresses as 2423 East Dauphin Street and 2425 through 27 East Dauphin Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and 140463 is also adopted. Mr. Decker, 140464.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 2235 Coral Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and 140464 is adopted. That concludes our resolutions, and Mr. Decker, read the title of 140080.
An ordinance amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity," by amending Chapter 10-100, entitled "Animals," by providing further for the proper care and treatment of certain animals and making technical changes.
This bill has been read on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll. 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions.
A resolution daring Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," to come to Philadelphia and film a week of shows to prove how wrong he was in his May 20th tirade against Philadelphia, our people, our prized Philadelphia Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, our affinity for running up museum stairs and calling it exercise and our world class cuisine; his multiple rants against our City have finally gone too far, introduced by Councilman Kenney.
I move the adoption of the resolution, Mr. President. (Duly seconded.)
Councilman O'Neill suggested we approve it by laughter, but I don't know how we can do that. 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING
We have laughingly approved and adopted that resolution. Thank you, sir.
Hold it. Let's make sure we do it official, though. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is also adopted.
And a resolution declaring June 2014 as "AIDS Education Month in Philadelphia," introduced by Councilman Greenlee.
Thank 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Council President. I want to go on the record as recording as aye on Bill No. 140080.
Thank you, Councilman. The vote on that bill shall be reflected as being 16-0. Thank you.
And a resolution 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING congratulating the Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls Swim Team on winning the District 12 Championship and Catholic League Title, introduced by Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the Committee on Finance to conduct hearings concerning the 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING collection of delinquent taxes owed to the City of Philadelphia and the use of third-party collection agencies, introduced by Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring Stephen J. Harmelin, Esquire as the inaugural recipient of the Green Tree 5/22/14 - STATED - 2ND READING School and Services Lasting Legacy Award, introduced by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is also adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much. We will now move to our veto now reconsider the vote by which Bill No. 140094 was passed. Mr. Decker, please read the title of the bill.
Bill No. 140094, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'The Philadelphia Building Construction and Occupancy Code,' by amending Subcode F (The Philadelphia Fire Code), by delineating the process to be utilized by the Philadelphia Fire Department in its consideration of temporary or permanent reductions or eliminations of fire companies that provide life safety and property protection from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures and premises, and by requiring input by firefighters and emergency responders in that process."
Thank you. been read on two different days was duly approved by City Council on May 8, 2014 and was returned to Council by the Mayor disapproved at today's session of Council. The question is shall the Bill No. 140094 pass notwithstanding the Mayor's disapproval. Please note that a vote of aye is a vote to override the Mayor's veto and a vote of nay is a vote to sustain the Mayor's veto. Mr. Decker, call the roll, please.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. Two-thirds majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the Mayor's veto is overridden. That completes our Calendar for today. Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Brien.
Thank you, Mr. President. First I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Philadelphia voters for their resounding legal representation ballot question on Tuesday. But Tuesday's results are just another mile marker on the road to doing the right thing. The next marker should be an independent study of our system and our indigent counsel representation model, and I am now asking for the Mayor's full support of an independent study of our system and our indigent counsel representation model. The fear of government unduly taking a person's liberty led to the United States Supreme Court in 1963 to unanimously declare it to be an obvious truth that the indigent accused cannot receive a fair trial unless a lawyer is provided to him at no cost. The right of one charged with crime to counsel may not be deemed fundamental and essential to fair trials in some countries, but it is in ours. The court announced in Gideon versus Wainwright, accordingly, Gideon made it states, not counties or local governments, to the 14th Amendment to provide 6th Amendment right-to-counsel services to any person of limited means facing a possible loss of liberty at the hands of the criminal justice system. Today, 28 states provide all or the vast majority of funding for indigent defense. Pennsylvania is one of only two states, Utah being the other, that requires local governments to shoulder the entire burden of providing public attorneys to the accused. Though it is not believed to be unconstitutional for a state to delegate such responsibilities to local government, in doing so a state must guarantee that local governments are not only able to provide such services, but they are in fact doing so. Pennsylvania has no such agency authorized to ensure that each and every defendant receives constitutionally adequate representation in all of the counties in Pennsylvania. be the only jurisdiction in Pennsylvania that might come close to meeting the dictates of Gideon. We have a long-established, independent, not profit public defense organization, the Philadelphia Defenders Association, that contracts with the City to provide representation. However, if you happen to be the co-defendant number two or three, you will be appointed a judicially interfered with, non-qualified lawyer, who is paid poorly and that does not have access to investigators or experts. In short, you are no better off than any other defendant in any other part of Pennsylvania. Much of these problems were highlighted in the RAND report, The Effect of Defense Counsel on Murder Case Outcomes. In December of 2012, the City of Philadelphia sought to address these deficiencies through the release of an RFP seeking an entity to handle all City. This is a significant number of cases. In 2013, there were a total of 22,443 court appointments in criminal court and juvenile court, including dependency cases. Unfortunately, the RFP was flawed because it did not outline a model that structurally meets nationally recognized standards of justice, such as the American Bar Association's Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System. The use of standards in criminal justice is not an entirely new concept for government officials. After all, for many decades policymakers have ordered minimum safety standards in all proposals to build a brand new courthouse, a new roadway or even to redo the electrical wiring in one's home. Right, Bobby? Our Constitution demands that the taking of an individual's liberty or life is given the same level of concern and care. enforcement officer, Attorney General Eric Holder, called the ABA Ten Principles the basic building blocks of a well-functioning public defense system.
More importantly, the United States Department of Justice has begun to enforce the right to counsel by investigating claims of systemic deficiencies like those highlighted in the ABA Principles. For example, the DOJ has reached an agreement with Shelby County, Tennessee that will usher in comprehensive changes to meet national standards. Similar investigations are underway in Meridian, Mississippi and St. Louis, Missouri. If the findings of the RAND study are true, then Philadelphia's conflict system could become the next target of the DOJ action. To date, Philadelphia has never conducted a comprehensive professional type of conflict counsel indigent defense delivery system best meets the needs of the City's criminal, delinquency, and dependency court systems. It is prudent for the policymakers of Philadelphia to decide for themselves the appropriate model for delivering conflict counsel services rather than having something imposed on it through costly litigation. Most importantly, having Philadelphia take the lead on overcoming indigent defense deficiencies may offer a way forward for the rest of the state as well. The truth is, you can't fix something if you don't know where it is broken. This is the time to conduct a thorough systemic study by a nationally recognized consultant group that specializes in looking at indigent defense delivery systems and that has the experience to access and evaluate the current and future needs of Philadelphia's court system. collaborating with the Administration in an energized way to protect the constitutional rights of the most vulnerable indigent population. Again, I am now asking for the Mayor to support an independent study for our system and our indigent counsel representation model. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you for those inspiring words about the Charter change. Thank you for your work. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, Majority Leader. A couple housecleaning items that I'd like to get out of the way first and I'm proud of. First I'd like to recognize a few special guests that are joining us here from the District. I'd like to recognize Ms. Weiss and the students from the Maritime Charter. They stopped by to morning to see Council in action. So they are to your left, our right. I would like to ask them to stand up so they could be recognized. Thank you. (Applause. )
Also I'd like to take a moment to recognize somebody who has been a true asset in my office over the last few months. Like many of my colleagues, we have interns who take students in from the surrounding schools in the district and some that we have affiliations with. I'd like to recognize Sam Hayes, who is a student from Philadelphia Electrical Technology, which I have some affiliation with. And he has hit the ground running. As soon as he came on board, he started answering phones, handling some constituent issues, and research. Sam absolutely personifies my motto, which is a tag line in every e-mail that I have that goes out, which is "We don't wait for things to happen, happen." So I'd ask Sam to please stand up. He also is to my right and to your left. Sam, thank you very much. (Applause.)
And good luck to you. As you notice, segues into some of the things that we've been talking about, especially yourself recently in this Chamber. Our colleagues and you, Majority Leader, has made an impassionate plea for all of us to reach out to our networks to pitch companies and individuals to hire Philadelphia's youth and make it a priority, and it has been and it will continue to be, and we want -- I want to thank you and thank all those who hire interns in the City. Earlier this week I participated in the phone bank, the phone bank that supported a program called Work Ready Philadelphia, which is produced by Network, as we are familiar with. And calls went out to some of our networks, and in an hour's time, we were able to put 100 kids and our youth to work in internships to provide them with opportunities of real work experience. I followed up with some of the manufacturing, the work and the outreach that we did in the manufacturing companies over the last year through the Manufacturing Task Force and the new Office of Manufacturing and Industry. So it was well received, a great response from Work Ready, and it's been phenomenal with the calls, and the outreach on social media has produced a lot of attraction and attention to putting our youth in internships, and for those -I'll talk about the ask in a minute, but providing real opportunities. We have had tremendous response from the Philadelphia AFL-CIO and the Philadelphia building trades in taking some of the immediate response and success with the program here. So as you know, the success and statistics when young people receive summer jobs, that person becomes a productive member of society, and it's critical to their social skills and job experience. I also remember my first job really led me to -with responsibility, who has led me to an apprenticeship program, and here we are today. So you never know who you're helping. You may just help out that one person who helps out a thousand people down the line. So that is what we are investing in. So my request and my ask of all of you today, and not just my colleagues but everybody in this room who is watching, is to hire a young person. Hire a young person today. Hire a young person through Work Ready Philadelphia that could provide these opportunities. And if you don't have the opportunity to person, you can contribute to somebody that will put an intern to work, and that resource will help give the experience that our youth deserve. So I thank you all for the opportunity.
Thank you so much, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. First let me just congratulate you again for an excellent program yesterday, the Annual Veterans Fair, bigger and better than ever, and I think so many people really appreciate that, and I want to recognize you in front of everybody for the level of commitment you've made from this Council body. So thank you for that.
The second thing that I do want to do is to just I have prepared a proposed amendment to the Operating Budget for everyone's consideration. I know that we are going to need to put some things on deck, and so certainly for everyone's input, of course, mostly Council President. We need a lot of tools. This budget, as everybody knows, has no hard dollars for the schools. It is depending on the possible passage of $70 million from a cigarette tax by the state and a 1 percent sales tax, which is on deck, but that is a separate matter, but even if it moves forward, there's still the issue of the $75 million. What my office has done is to analyze the budget and look at appropriations that are in excess of need. I'm not saying they're not necessary. I'm not saying that they don't have a good purpose. I'm just saying that they appear to be appropriations that are more than what that total comes to $74,160,000. And so this amendment would free up that money for an option for this Council body. What my main concern is that should things not be on deck and we come to a last-minute crunch, then we are possibly going to look at new taxes as a way of supplementing the need of the school, and I think that all of us here are certainly very concerned about adding any more tax burdens unnecessarily to the taxpayers. This is the Mayor's budget, and these reductions will be an option for us and for the Mayor to consider rather than a tax increase. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, after taking more than four years to arrive at PGW, the Administration is now pushing for a rush to judgment by City Council regarding one of the most significant decisions this city will ever make. People are coming out of the woodwork to support the Mayor's position, but how many of them have read the 85-page assessed purchase agreement between the City and the UIL Holdings? How many actually understand its complex details? Anyone who reads this agreement will quickly learn that it does not reveal all of the specifics of the deal. Some of the fine print is buried in other documents such as the seller disclosure letter, which has not been made public. I have publicly stated I do not support the proposed sale, in part that is because the Administration never seriously considered or evaluated other alternatives to permit the City to capture the upside benefits of owning true, we are the largest major city that still owns a gas utility, but we are also the only major city that owns a gas utility with strategically desirable facilities to liquefy and store natural gas. Therefore, we need to fully analyze and understand both the short-term and the long-term implications of divesting ourselves permanently of such a valuable asset. Given the complexity and importance of the proposed transaction, City Council would be irresponsible if we did not do our own due diligence. Appropriately, Council has retained a respected independent consultant, Concentric Energy Advisors, to assist in the analysis. Concentric began its work just over one, one, one month ago. It includes digging into the myriad details of the thousands of pages of documents that were used in the sale process. In contrast, PICA decided to approve the seven-page presentation from the Administration. Seven pages. Council is proceeding toward an informed decision with all deliberate speed, but we should not cut corners in the process to satisfy a deadline which was unilaterally set by the Administration. When the Administration tried to do the same thing with property taxes and the Actual Value Initiative, Council took the time to do it correctly with better results. As Chicago's experiment with privatization of its parking meters showed, if the responsible elected officials don't carefully examine all of the details of a transaction, the citizens will get burned. Let's not act in haste only to repent at leisure. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Thank you very much, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman
Thank you, Mr. President. Very briefly, consistent with the resolution we passed today naming June as AIDS Education Month, right after Council in the Caucus Room, esteemed medical researcher Dr. Luis Montaner will be discussing the strides that have been made in treating HIV/AIDS and also talking about the continuing strides for a cure. So members and staff are invited. Lunch will be served. So we hope some of you -- and I know we have a hearing at 1 o'clock, but if some people could stop over for a while, that would be great. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you so much, Councilman. And the Chair recognizes Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to respond to today's headline that says that the are apart in school funding. That's not correct. In fact, the introduction of your bill today and the other bills presented in this Council show that we are very much in line with the need for school funding. We agree that $120 million in the school sales tax next year must go to schools. We also agree and will be laser focused as the State Legislature goes back into session June 1st that we need the 70-plus million dollars from cigarettes. We have worked tirelessly on the sale of buildings, and we're committed and continue to be committed to close that gap this year for the funding of the $61 million that we agreed to last year, and we continue to encourage the Administration to be aggressive on their tax collection revenue. We've done everything that we've committed to do. Nevertheless, we don't have the same time clock as the State Legislature, and they will to make certain decisions here in Council. I'm concerned that in this summer, we will have the same debate we had last year. Schools will be in danger of not being able to open in September because of lack of funding. Let us stay laser focused for the next eight weeks and implore the State Legislature to do everything possible to get this additional school funding for us. But also let us be prepared to say we are not opening schools with inadequate funding and a thousand less people. Those schools are unsafe, and the education of our kids is not happening. I congratulate you, Council President, and I thank my Council colleagues for their willingness always for the last four years, willingness to do what we can to do our part for school funding. Let's continue to be laser focused in Harrisburg and continue to that we support the School District of Philadelphia. Thank you.
And with that, I would like to call on Councilwoman Reynolds Brown for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, June 5th, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The you all very much. ) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. ) A 54:13 75:24 85:15 82:11 approaches 21:22 AARP 14:7 additional 6:2 AFL-CIO 95:24 amendment appropriate ABA 90:4,12 28:16 40:15 Africa 11:25 17:9 58:21 87:3,4 37:20 91:8 abdicate 19:8 51:21 53:3 76:3 17:17 98:3 99:3 appropriately ability 52:6 105:12 African 11:15 American 17:14 18:18 101:17 able 3:20 5:10 address 22:9,14 17:11,14 23:10,22 89:11 appropriations 26:17 87:20 35:15 67:12 agencies 43:7 Americans 11:16 47:11,14,21,23 95:5 105:6 69:14 72:19 80:4 Amin 59:8,14 98:20,25 absence 7:18,22 88:23 agency 87:22 analysis 101:20 approval 6:1,20 8:7 addresses 34:13 Agenda 53:1,10 analyze 98:19 approve 76:23 absolutely 30:13 70:14 71:17 53:21 54:6,14 101:9 101:25 93:22 adequate 87:24 56:1,9,11,14,17 anchored 6:3 approved 7:2,8 academic 12:15 adhere 55:21 57:1 58:1 59:1 and/or 108:22 7:16 50:21 77:5 12:18 adieu 11:5 60:1 61:1 62:1 angry 14:25 15:5 83:3 Academies 24:4 adjacent 41:24 63:1 64:12 animals 73:17,19 approving 34:7 Academy 12:16 adjourn 106:11 aggregate 12:10 anniversary 35:9 58:21 67:6 accept 36:6 58:7 adjourned 106:14 aggressive 104:20 10:21 11:8 13:2 69:8 70:8 71:11 access 88:15 106:19 107:4 ago 14:4 26:21 13:15 72:13 91:23 ADJOURNME...