Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, March 5, 2020 10:58 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting March 5, 2020
Good morning. We're going to get started. We're running late. We want to make sure we get the Mayor's budget message in. So if all the visitors will retire behind the rail. Thank you very much. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Monsignor Joseph Garvin of Saint Christopher's Parish. Monsignor Garvin is here today as the guest of Councilman O'Neill. I would ask all guests, members, and visitors to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.)
Let us remember that we are in the presence of almighty God. God, our father, we ask you to be with us today as we begin this session of City Council. In this cynical age, help us to understand that prayer can change people and institutions. Help us also to know that prayer can bring Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 results, that it can bring unity to our city. It is in that spirit that we ask your blessings for our city and the members of this Council. Enlighten them with the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice that they may faithfully serve in the office to promote the well-being of the people that they serve, especially the poor and the needy. Keep them forever mindful of the importance and expectations that they be men and women of integrity. Help them to be upright, honest, and sincere in all they do. In a special way, bless the families of the members of this Council. Help our Councilmembers as they balance their responsibilities between their home and public office. May their family relationships not suffer because of their devotion to their office. May our Councilmembers and their families feel the gratitude of their fellow citizens for the sacrifices Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 their behalf. Lord, give your blessings to the staff of our City Councilmembers. Help them to greet their work with enthusiasm and an eagerness to serve the common good. Finally, dear God, we ask that you give our Councilmembers strength, vision, love, and compassion to make them strong and effective leaders. May they experience a spirit of servant leadership as they gather today and every day for the good of all in our city. We place these prayers before you, confident that you will hear and answer them, because you are a good and gracious God who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. (Amen.)
Thank you so much, Monsignor. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.) Stated Meeting March 5, 2020
Thank you and, again, Monsignor, thank you so much for those inspiring words and your prayers. Our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 27, 2020, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 27th, 2020 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 27. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 it, and our Journal is approved. And our next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the members of Council, there are no requests for leaves of absence.
The Chair thanks the Councilwoman. 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 taken time out of their busy day to witness their government in action. I particularly want to thank all members of the Administration for being here. I know it was a requirement, but thank you for being here today anyway. Thank you for being here anyway. And I want to thank all elected officials that are here today and say Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 to our house, and all of the individuals who are viewing this today. So, again, thank you so much for being here today. Today we have no presentations, so we will move right into our process. Our next order of business is communications, and the Chair requests that the Sergeant-of-Arms delivers the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. Mr. Decker, please read those messages.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, pursuant to Section 12-207 of the Home Rule Charter, I am transmitting to the Council the following appointees to the Board of Education: Ameen Akbar, Julia Danzy, Leticia Egea-Hinton, Mallory Fix-Lopez, Lee Huang, Dr. Maria McColgan, Dr. Christopher McGinley, Dr. Angela McIver, and Joyce Wilkerson, and I hereby Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 of these appointees. And I am submitting herewith for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1421 Letterly Street located in the Fifth Councilmanic District; and 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 Eighteenth Ward of the City of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the appointment of Ameen Akbar to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Julia Danzy to the Board Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Leticia Egea-Hinton to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Mallory Fix-Lopez to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Lee Huang to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Dr. Maria McColgan to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Dr. Chris McGinley to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Angela McIver to the Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Joyce Wilkerson to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution providing for the approval by the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a Revised Five Year Financial Plan for the City of Philadelphia covering Fiscal Years 2021 through 2025, and incorporating proposed changes with respect to Fiscal Year 2020, which is to be submitted by the Mayor to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority; and An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020 from the General Fund and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions; and Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Business Income and Receipts Taxes," by revising certain tax rates; and An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," by revising certain tax rates; and An ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021; and An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2021 Capital Budget; and An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2021 through 2026 inclusive, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Those messages will be printed in today's Journal. Do you have any additional communications?
Thank you very much. Our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have seven budget bills on your behalf and one privileged resolution authored by all of the women of Council and supported by all of the enlightened men of Council, Councilman Jones.
An ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021; and An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2021 Capital Budget; and An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2021 through 2026 inclusive; and Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 An ordinance amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Business Income and Receipts Taxes," by revising certain tax rates; and An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," by revising certain tax rates; and An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020 from the General Fund and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
Those seven bills just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a privileged resolution congratulating and honoring the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Coalition of 100 Black Women, Incorporated on the 34th Anniversary of the Madam CJ Walker Awards Luncheon and for the organization's commitment to the educational, health, public policy, and economic empowerment of African American women throughout the City of Philadelphia.
That will be on today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes -
And a non-privileged resolution providing for the approval of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a Revised Five Year Financial Plan for the City of Philadelphia covering Fiscal Years 2021 through 2025, and incorporating proposed changes with respect to Fiscal Year 2020.
And that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 you, Mr. President. Today I offer one privileged resolution that's being co-sponsored by members Squilla, Gauthier, Green, Gym, Oh, and co-sponsored by all members of City Council. Thank you.
A privileged resolution recognizing the United Negro College Fund and awardees Stephanie Mays Boyd, Dr. Edith P. Mitchell and The Philadelphia Foundation on the Occasion of the UNCF 2020 Mayor's Masked Ball.
And today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym.
Good morning, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I offer one resolution.
A privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Michael J. Bradley Jr. as the Grand Marshal of the 250th Annual Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade.
And that will be on today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I offer no bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Council President. I have one bill and one privileged resolution. I would like to speak on it, please.
An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter providing for the creation of the Office of the Victim Advocate, as approved by Resolution of the City Council; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot question to be voted on; and, authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
And a Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 non-privileged resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter providing for the creation of the Office of the Victim Advocate, and providing for the submission of the amendment to the qualified electors of Philadelphia.
Referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. Council President and colleagues, today I'm introducing a legislative package to create the Office of Victim Advocate. I want to thank all of the victims who have lost loved ones to gun violence and those who are victims, co-victims, and survivors of gun violence for attending the press conference which we held yesterday regarding the rollout of the legislation. I want to also take a moment Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 and thank my colleague Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson and Kendra Brooks for also attending the press conference but also, most importantly, being supportive of this effort from day one. The new Philadelphia Victim Advocate Office would serve as a hub for crime victims, survivors, and others affected by crime in general. The office functions would include coordination, planning, and oversight. And I'm calling for the creation of this new office within the City of Philadelphia to work on systemwide issues affecting victims and co-victims, but I have a special interest in those who are victims and survivors of gun violence. The advocates have told me that the fragmented nation of victim services leads to a lack of consistency and timing of outreach service and services provided. The new Office of Victim Advocate is long overdue here in the City Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 of Philadelphia. The creation of this new office was among the recommendations I heard from Philadelphians during a recent hearing on the City Council's Special Committee on Gun Violence, specifically the Subcommittee on Victims and Co-Victims of Gun Violence, in which I chair, along with my colleague Councilman Curtis Jones. The Council hearings provided an overview of the impact on gun violence on survivors, but also provided them an opportunity to voice their issues and concerns. The hearings also examined what anti-violence programs that we are working on, those that work and those that need improvement. To date, we have seen 64 people who have been victims of homicide here in the City of Philadelphia, a 25 percent increase compared to the same time in 2019, and that's according to statistics provided by the Philadelphia Police Department. In 2019, Philadelphia Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 recorded 356 homicides. That total marked the highest homicide count in over a decade. So as we start this budget process, I've always been a consistent voice when it comes to advocating as it relates to supporting our anti-violence efforts here in the City of Philadelphia, but I want to specifically make sure that that mother who lost a son or daughter to gun violence, that father who lost a son or daughter to gun violence, that they are at the table when we talk about policy, that they're at the table when we're talking about resources, that they're at the table when we talk about our comprehensive plan when it comes to fighting the issue of gun violence here in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you very much, Council President, and I want to personally thank you for your support from day one in the creation of the Special Committee on Gun Violence and allowing me through this Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 committee to do the type of work that, one, and most importantly, will allow those who are victims, co-victims, survivors of gun violence have a voice as it relates to the issue of crime and violence here in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you very much, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Council President. I have nine resolutions on your behalf and one non-privileged resolution.
A non-privileged resolution confirming the reappointment of Julia Danzy to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 A resolution confirming the reappointment of Leticia Egea-Hinton to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Mallory Fix-Lopez to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Dr. Maria McColgan to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution reappointing Dr. Chris McGinley to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Angela McIver to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the reappointment of Joyce Wilkerson to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 A resolution confirming the reappointment of Lee Huang to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia; and A resolution confirming the appointment of Ameen Akbar to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia.
Those nine board appointment resolutions just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to committee.
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 Eighteenth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
And Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. I have one non-privileged resolution.
A non-privileged resolution calling upon the Trump Administration to uphold the Collective Bargaining Rights of Federal Workers.
And that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.
Good morning, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions today. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Good morning, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Council President. I have one resolution today.
A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings on the City of Philadelphia's preparedness for the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and its plans to respond to an outbreak.
Today's Calendar. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Good morning, Council President. No bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Good morning, Council President. I have one Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 non-privileged resolution to introduce on your behalf today.
An ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Green Street and North 11th Street; North 13th Street and Mount Vernon Street; Allen Street and Germantown Avenue; Wallace Street and North 12th Street; Lawrence Street and Poplar Street; Brandywine Street and North 10th Street; Berks Street and Girard Avenue.
That bill will be referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer one bill and one privileged resolution.
An ordinance authorizing Walnut Street Theatre Corporation to construct, own, and maintain a proposed building overhang encroachment at 815 through 23 Walnut Street.
And a privileged resolution honoring the Partners for Civic Pride, Incorporated for their diligent efforts on spreading the history and pride of the Philadelphia Civic Flag and marking the 125th Anniversary of the Philadelphia Civic Flag by recognizing March 27, 2020 as Philadelphia Civic Flag Day.
Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer two privileged resolutions and one bill today.
An ordinance establishing no truck parking regulations on 5800 Musgrave Street.
And a privileged resolution honoring and recognizing Kris Soffa, Carlene Neal, Majeeda Rashid, Debbie Fortune, Sharon Whittaker, and Joyce Drayton on their legacies of leadership and achievement in promoting toxic free environments, community development services, leadership in state government, and music education in the City of Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Finance to hold public hearings on the Department of Revenue's policies, practices and procedures for the collection of taxes, fines, fees and other charges the Department is responsible for collecting.
And that will also be on today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you, Councilman. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions. And our next order of business is reports from committee, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon for a report from the Committee on Public Property and Public Works. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Public Property and Public Works reports one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee on Public Property and Public Works, to which was referred Bill No. 200010, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the Procurement Department, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into one or more agreements with a vendor or vendors for the purchase and servicing of online legal research services, investigative tools, and related goods and services," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 again recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this day Bill No. 200010. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 200010. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and this bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 2ND READING That concludes our reports from committee, and our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bill just reported from committee with a suspension of the rules has been deemed to have had its first reading today. This bill will be placed on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. There are apparently no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, so the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker for the purpose of calling up resolutions and bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Nos. 200040, 200195, 200006-A, 200007, 200013, 200019, 200004, 200020, 200021, 200023, 200024, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 200087, 200091, 200092, 200120, and 200090. All other resolutions and bills are being held.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Before we move on passage of all bills and resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar today, we will have our public comment session. It will go as follows: When your name is called, you will go to the middle of the Council Chambers. There's a podium, and on that podium, there is a device. When the light turns green on that device, you will start your public comment. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks. When the light turns red, we'd ask that you please adhere to our guidelines and conclude your remarks. Your comment must be on a bill or resolution that is on the Final Passage Calendar today. We want to thank Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 you very much for your anticipated cooperation. Mr. Decker, please call the first name on the list.
Good morning. My name is Mark Snyderman. I want to thank City Council and everybody here for letting me speak. I am a 58-year-old drug addict in recovery. I had something planned to say, but I want to let my higher power in God take over at this time. Things have changed since I started doing drugs in 1979. Younger people -- I am in recovery. I'm in a 12-step program. Younger people come into the 12-step program and they come in and out, and the reason why they're Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 homeless is because their families kicked them out because they're using drugs. I've hurt a lot of people in my life. I've hurt God mostly, my parents, and the people that love me the most. I suffer from the disease of addiction. It is a disease, according to the Council -- I'm sorry; the CDC. I'm in therapy. I also go to meetings. And my suggestion is that we have communication between drug addicts and their families to get them off the street. One thing is for sure, everybody is going to go home tonight and another drug addict will die on the streets of Philadelphia tonight because they don't have the resources that we need to get them clean. Safe drug houses do not work. They started in the '50s and '60s in Haight-Ashbury in California, and they don't work. A drug addict uses because he wants to use, simple as that. I have Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 triggers that I have to deal with every night, drug dreams that I have to deal with every night 2, 3, 4 o'clock in the morning. The only person I can go to is God. I want to thank City Council again. Please vote on no safe drug houses. I hope my message doesn't fall on deaf ears. Something needs to be done to address this problem. And I want to thank City Council. Thank you. God bless. (Applause.)
Councilwoman, let me recognize you. Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Mr. President. For clarification, I just wanted to note that Bill and Resolutions No. 200040, 200006-A, and 200007 will be placed on the Suspension Calendar today, per my testimony at the Veterans Advisory Commission meeting on the record yesterday, and I wanted to Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 clarify that for all of the veterans who are here to provide testimony on those pieces of legislation. Thank you so much.
And, Councilwoman, you may want to reference, Councilwoman, for those of us here who don't know what those bill numbers mean, can you recognize the subject matter.
Yes. So the bills are related to providing a preference for career and technical education programming school graduates in the City of Philadelphia. They will be placed on the Suspension Calendar today. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Mr. Decker, call the next name.
Lorin Williams, commenting on 200040. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Lorin Williams. I am also the Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 First District Commander of Philadelphia, and my reasons here come because I hear complaints about they're taking the veterans preference, which is not right. It should be if you're doing things for the kids for trade school, then that's all it should mention in your bill, not veterans preference, not anything about the police, the firemen, anything. It should be for those kids for that trade school. It should be in there that they should maintain a certain grade level, attendance level in order to get that. Thank you.
-- City of Philadelphia, City Council, also the citizens of Philadelphia. The reason that I'm here -- my name is Tyrone A. Love. I am the Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3090 that's located at 5212 Race Street in the West Philadelphia area, past Commander of American Legion Post No. 682, which is located in the Mount Airy area. I am also the Director of Veterans Affairs for the State of Pennsylvania for the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge. The reason for my being here is in reference to the veterans preference. It's not that we're against the veterans preference and/or the amendment of veterans preference and/or preference for the children, but what we ask for and what's told to me and/or what I've heard, that you have suspended it until further clarification; is that correct?
So with that, I Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 applaud you for doing so. When we do have a chance, I would love to have a sit-down with you whenever you're available. We as veterans, we all know -can I have a show of hands how many veterans we have here in City Council, City Council only. Okay. So that being said, that being said, we are the reason that everyone that's in here have the right to be here, we as veterans. All I ask is don't forget us, because we haven't forgot you, because many of us have taken an oath to give with a blank check to this country. So don't take what was given to us many years ago. Now, if you want to do anything for veterans and/or the children that come out of schools, what I ask you to do, how about you add to and not take away. Have a good day. (Applause.) Stated Meeting March 5, 2020
Frank Criniti, commenting on 200195. (Witness approached podium.)
President Clarke, thank you for having me here today. City Council, thank you for having me here today. I'm here for 200195 resolution in speaking on behalf of South Philadelphia and all residents of Philadelphia here and throughout the country maybe. We do not want the safe site anywhere in the country. Not to say that you're not able to help an addict. You can help an addict, but you're not helping them giving them money or giving them any more heroin in any of these facilities. I'd like to ask everyone here, I assume that everybody here lives in Philadelphia or close by. Raise your hand if you never got notified for this site that it was supposed to be seen. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Mayor Jim Kenney says he never had a meeting with the Board of Directors here, had no knowledge of this. How could that be? Raise your hand if you did not get notified, everybody in the room. Anybody in the room, raise your hand if you did not get notified in regards to the safe site in South Philadelphia or Philadelphia. I'm sure a lot of City Councilmen didn't get notified. I know that for a fact. And I hope this resolution gets passed to have no safe sites and be notified. Every citizen in Philadelphia, every City Council, the ones that are on board for no safe site here, the other ones should get on board, because I don't feel it's right that City Council does not get notified and the people that live in these neighborhoods throughout the City of Philadelphia or throughout Pennsylvania. President Clarke, thank you Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 again. I appreciate you. I'm all for this resolution for no safe site in Philadelphia or throughout the whole country. That's me, and it's a lot of veterans that -- I'm also a veteran. (Applause.)
I'm a veteran. A lot of veterans, I go to veterans hospital every month, and a lot of veterans are against any of this. And let me say one more thing, President Clarke. An addict -- and I've been in Philadelphia since 1958. An addict -- and I know quite a few of them out there, helped a couple of them. You don't help them by giving them a ten dollar bill. You don't help them by giving them money for dope. Heroin -when they turn around and bring that site in there, the heroin addict goes in there with a bag, maybe two bags. They don't even know what the quality of that heroin is, how strong it is. They might take an overdose right there in the site. That's Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 100 percent. I can guarantee you that if they don't know -- that nurse in the safe site don't know the quality of that heroin, unless they have a scientist or a chemist in there. Thank you very much. I appreciate you all for just speaking to you's.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
Shannon Farrell, commenting on 200195. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Shannon Farrell. I'm here today to talk about the resolution about what happened in Philadelphia, not just this past week but last year as well. This is the second time that Safe House has attempted to put a safe injection site in the City of Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Philadelphia. The first time happened in Kensington last year. Not many people cared. Last week they tried it in South Philly. I'm the President of an RCO. There's a process in the neighborhood when you want to put a deck on your house or you want to put a bakery in my neighborhood. You have to go through the process and come in front of the community. I don't know why you think this is so special that they don't have to do that. They didn't even bother to try and engage the community. It's unfair to not let us have a say and you's decide for us. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. And that didn't happen, again, for the second time. And I will note that last year when they tried this in my community, there was only two Councilmembers that were enraged by that, and that was Councilwoman Sanchez and Councilman Mark Squilla. So you's are already behind. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 This is twice they've done this. They have proven they do not care or respect our opinion. Coming in and engaging the community doesn't mean you have to come and get community support all the time, but you have to come in and acknowledge that they're there, and we've been there much longer than the problem has been. This has to change. This is unfair to everybody. You made a decision to support something. So if you did so, then why didn't you come to the community? If you're supporting something you don't think they will, well, then that's something maybe you should rethink. I have lived in a safe injection site. They shoot up on our streets. They leave their needles on the ground. That already happens. Violent drug dealers, they shoot the kids that live in my neighborhood. Five hundred people were there Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 three years ago. I started meeting with the Managing Director's Office three years ago, and there's still 500 people on the street. So maybe you should start looking at what you don't do, which is get your services straightened out. Lift the smoking ban. How about provide beds? (Applause.)
How about Liz Hersh saying $31 million would eradicate homelessness? Is that part of this budget today? Because I'd like to see that. I really think that you showed disrespect to everybody. For three years I've worked with you. You did it last year. You did it again. So I don't know. I don't know what's going to change. I feel like you's know that this is not going to be popular, so you're just going to force it down somebody's throat or it's not going to happen at all, and that's your own fault. There's two things I took away Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 from my trip in Toronto. One, the government ran over those prevention sites and took responsibility for it where we could hold them accountable. In our neighborhoods we can't hold people who are private non-profits accountable for anything. They don't answer to us. You do. And the second thing was, they had gun control. So go back and revisit while you're exactly going to support this since you don't think you're going to get community support. There's a problem with that. Thank you.
Good morning. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 Fratantoni, Maureen Fratantoni. I'm here from the community of South Philadelphia. I lived here my whole life, 59 years, and may I say I have never seen anything like this. We were, as one girl said, blind-sided. I did not get notice of the meetings or I did not get notice of this safe injection site. And when they told me about it, I was like I couldn't believe it. Neither could my son, who is special needs, who attends South Philadelphia High. He thinks this idea is ludicrous, and I do too. I'm for the Resolution 200195. There has to be transparency within our communities and our government. So we need for you to let us know when these things are going to take place so that we can be there and give our input. Some of the stakeholders, the schools, the principals did not even know about this, and I was floored when I heard that. So no one knew about it in Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 my community. I live on 11th Street. The other thing I want to say is about the illegal drugs. If you're bringing illegal drugs, that is against the law, and so I cannot see this. My son cannot see this. My son -- they have a methadone clinic near the school and you see a lot of people hanging around there outside. I'm all for recovery. Okay? Make clinics where they can recover and not be a euthanasia clinic. Clinics for recovery to make them clean, not to have them kill themselves in the process. Thank you.
Susan Lindsay, commenting on 200195. (Witness approached podium.)
I'm really upset about how this all went down with no one, no one being told about these injection sites. Injection sites are not a good idea. Funding for treatment centers, rehab centers, mental health facilities, that's what's going to get addicts help, not injection sites. By opening injection sites, you're facing more drug addicts in the area, more drug dealers in the area, and more crime. So safe injection sites are not the answer. The funding has to go towards these facilities. Put the funding there. Stop trying to make money on drug addiction. Help them. The streets are crawling with addicts. Right where they wanted to open it at Broad and McKean, we have two methadone clinics. They get their methadone. They wait until the high wears -- and then they go get high, and you're allowing people to help them get Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 high. They're supplying the bowls to burn for the heroin needles. My son-in-law, who passed away three years ago, had insulin-dependent diabetes. He had to jump through hoops to get his insulin needles. He took two different kinds of insulin. The prices are skyrocketing. It's totally ridiculous that they can get these supplies for free and my son-in-law passed away. Like what sense does that make? I just don't understand what this city wants to do, but then to do it underhandedly makes things a hundred times worse. Not one person in Philadelphia knew about this. Mayor Kenney stated that he was unaware of it. He sits on the Council -- I mean, he sits on the Board of Safe Home, so how didn't he know about it? That's a downright lie. Is this what it's coming to now? Our politicians are going to start lying and sneaking around? Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING There will not be a safe injection site in the City of Philadelphia, because we will fight until the death. (Applause.)
There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.
Thank you very much for your testimony. That concludes our public comment session. We will now move to our Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 200040.
A resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter providing for a preference in civil service examinations for any qualified graduate Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING of a Career Technical Education program in the School District of Philadelphia.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Resolution No. 200040 be placed on the Suspension Calendar. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Bill No. 200040 will be placed on the Suspension Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 200195.
A resolution condemning the lack of transparency and Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING community participation in the implementation of supervised heroin injection sites and urging the Mayor and Safehouse to stop further development of supervised injection sites so that the impacted residents, businesses and institutions can be informed and heard.
Thank you, Council President. I will be voting no on a resolution introduced by Councilman Oh that urges the Mayor -(Applause.)
-- that urges the Mayor and Safehouse to seek further development of supervised consumption sites. The language used throughout is crafted to inspire fear and spread misinformation. The resolution states -(Applause.)
-- that these sites could have a potentially Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING devastating impact on neighborhoods. It also refers to overdose prevention sites as heroin injection facilities. The data on overdose prevention sites is clear. The surrounding communities see a reduction in drug-related arrests, public displays of drug use, and publicly discarded drug paraphernalia. Every single day Philadelphia loses an average of three of our community members to an overdose. If these overdoses took place under the supervision of a medical professional, it would reduce that number to zero. There are over 100 overdose prevention sites across the world and not a single facility has recorded an overdose death. Furthermore, the resolution introduced alongside a bill will place extremely strict limitations on the process of opening one of these facilities. The resolution and its Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING accompanied bill would indefinitely delay overdose prevention sites from opening in Philadelphia. I cannot in good faith endorse an approach that will lead to more preventable drug-related deaths. Like many of my colleagues -(Applause.)
Like many of my colleagues, I believe that transparency, education, community involvement should be integral parts of any overdose prevention site opening in Philadelphia. My own evolution and understanding of overdose prevention sites has been shaped through conversations with harm-reduction advocates and healthcare specialists. It would be a mistake to deny that opportunity to others. I have seen firsthand how the government can respond to the addiction crisis. My community, my family are still recovering from the war on drugs that criminalized and incarcerated black Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING people at a striking rate. For the black community, the trauma still reigns in our bodies, and it would be unforgivable to repeat the same mistakes. What we know now is that criminalization and incarceration do not save but endanger lives. We also know -(Applause.)
We also know that while the opioid epidemic is largely represented as a public crisis that affects the white community, black and brown people are overrepresented among those that died as a result of a drug overdose. I reject the flame vote work that treats the opening of a life-saving medical facility as a moral crisis but views the death of over 100 -- I'm sorry; over 1,000 Philadelphians each year as the norm. We must create a clear and realistic path for overdose prevention sites opening in Philadelphia. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING I thank Mayor Kenney and the Administration for their leadership on the issue, and I also look forward to working with my colleagues in City Council to move for an urgent -- move this urgent work forward. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. It's very unfortunate that we would have people even here in Council today that would not want a public process on anything in a democratic society. (Applause.)
When you hear that it's better that people know better than you and it's good for them and you should just do it anyway tells us that we're moving far away from our Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING democratic priorities. Today we have instances of people who say they know things, they bring up statistics and evidence, but when countered, they try to say that you're either for killing people or you're for saving people. That is the wrong message that we're giving out there today, and it's a shame that people want to use that instead of having dialogue and conversation to show why they are right. (Applause.)
I normally don't speak up and don't speak out, because I think we could do this through conversations and communications, but when you get ignored and you get played, it is very upsetting. And when you represent a district that people call you to ask you for help and you don't have an opportunity to answer them because you do not know the answers is just flat-out wrong. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING And we talk about statistics. We talk about what it's doing out there. There's evidence-based medicine that is out there that tells us certain things. There's also research and literature that tells us certain things. There's doctors and researchers that tell us through time that these safe injection sites do not work. (Applause.)
Keith Humphreys, an addiction research and psychiatric professor from Stanford University, has told us that anybody who looks at this evidence and looks at the statistics and says that SISs are harmful may be wrong, anybody who also does not demonstrate -- SISs do not demonstrate overdose deaths over time. It is not proven that -- there was a recent study, a meta-analysis done from the University of South Wales in the UK, has showed that there was only eight studies, only eight studies that had Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING transparent and rigorous enough information to use, where the other studies were not transparent and rigorous. They're saying this information that he received was only through those eight studies and that therefore the research was not accurate. So we know if anybody knows that all the research that is done today has not proven that safe injection sites actually saves lives, and yet he even states that it is very possible that safe injection sites through the use of providing such access maybe even increases deaths in our city. (Applause.)
If you look at British Columbia, if you look at British Columbia, in 2006, there was 226 overdose deaths. They have upwards of 20 safe injection sites throughout British Columbia. Their overdose deaths grew tenfold by 2018 to 1,514 overdose deaths a year. So we're showing people by Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING bringing them to these sites, these overdose deaths are increasing. Even in Vancouver in 2008, 38 overdose deaths were in Vancouver. In 2018, over ten times more overdose deaths are now in Vancouver, 382. Now, these are statistics and facts. So for people to say that we're looking at whether we're saving lives or not saving lives, I think we have to look at these statistics. I think we have to have these conversations, and I think we need to look at a point where we could then talk about the facts of what we're doing if we are really saving lives or if we're not saving lives. It also says there, Sharon Lewis, who is a professor at Jefferson University, says that she was hired by the City of Philadelphia to look into this, and it says -- it tells me if we want to demonstrate that this is an effective strategy for harm reduction, one of many that are out there, we ought Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING to be very careful and thoughtful on how we develop data to answer these important questions before moving forward. So we know that -- I think we should have a dialogue about this. And for people who support no dialogue and people who think that they should just be able to put things because they know better than others, I think you have to relook at this information, and I think we should be able to have a point of discussion where we can all agree or disagree on if this process works. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
Yes. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I also want to say that I will be voting no on the resolution to -(Applause.) Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
I want to thank Councilmember Kendra Brooks for her profound and passionate statement. I also want to let -- I also want to explain to this body a little bit, because I agree with many of the people in this room that there needs to be a much better public process that is inclusive and where people are heard. There is no excuse for a process that does not include that. But I think that is different from what is being proffered in the resolution, which I think is important to debunk some of the myths around it. I have visited three overdose prevention sites around the world. All three of them are massively different from one another. One was government run. One was non-profit run. One was a mix. But there is a lot of clarity that this is a public dialogue and a public responsibility. When I went to Copenhagen and I Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING met with one of the owners of the overdose prevention site, she confronted me with our statistics, 900 people dead in one year. She told me that this was more than an entire village in Copenhagen, and she asked why we didn't do something more. There is no question that overdose prevention sites are part of a continuum of care. They are not the solution. They are not the beginning and they are not the end. (Applause.)
But they are part of a continuum of care that recognizes that you cannot recover, you cannot detox, and you cannot survive if you are dead. (Applause.)
We need a better conversation. We can do better as a city in terms of public process. Twelve hundred people are dead. Last year, the year before, the numbers Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING are growing. Our city is in crisis. Our children are watching. Every street right now is an injection site when we don't have solutions. We have to think through what the possibilities are. I am committed to making this a public process. What became very clear from all of my visits is that any of these facilities need a robust public process, conversations with communities. That should have happened, and the ownership of that does belong on this, but that should not prohibit the continued dialogue, exploration, and the urgency and importance by which we need to address this topic head-on. So I want to thank Councilmember Brooks for saying that far more articulately than I did, and I'm grateful to all the people in this room. Wherever we are, we are going to have to figure this out together. Thank you. (Applause.) Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you very much. In 2015, I introduced the first and only resolution dealing with this current opioid/heroin crisis. It was a resolution to combat the heroin/opioid epidemic in Philadelphia in 2016. At the time, I never heard of such a thing as a safe injection site. I formed no opinion for or against. But what I did have was personal experience, as many people in this room have, dealing with the bureaucracy, the limitations, the lack of funding, the lack of treatment, the lack of options for people who are actually trying to get off of drugs. The thing that all experts agree is that the most critical thing is that you make treatment available when a Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING person wants treatment. If they don't want to be treated, it's very hard to force them to try to get off of an addiction as powerful, as detrimental, as evil as heroin, but any time, no matter how many times they relapse or fail, there should be treatment available for them and not shortening that time, 90 days, being reduced and reduced. It should be for as long as it takes to get someone recovered. (Applause.)
And, yes, there should be no barriers. We should reduce red tape. The other thing is, people are moving around this region from Philadelphia to Delaware County, to Bucks County, to Chester, to Camden. We don't have a regional approach. We have to have early intervention. We don't need a policy of fail first before you get help. But none of these recommendations that were made and Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted by Council after seven community hearings, going into neighborhoods in the Northeast and Roxborough, in Manayunk, in South Philadelphia, in West Philadelphia, in North Philadelphia have really been followed through. Yes, we've distributed Naloxone, Narcan. We've done that, and we have tried to do a couple other things, but so much of the time and effort has focused on warring with neighborhoods, trying to force them to take in safe injection sites, to the point where now all of our effort is being contradicted in a battle with each other. The window is closing when we can help people. What I would say is this: While I oppose, because I agree after looking at this issue, I have concluded that safe injection sites do far more harm than good, but reasonable people will differ. We have smart, intelligent people on both sides of this issue. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING The issue that is raised today was created by a sudden and shocking announcement on Wednesday that the next week they were going to operate a safe injection site at Broad and Oregon Avenues, without any knowledge, no input, no notice to the community, the institutions like the churches, the daycares, the mosques, the synagogues, the high schools. That process is extremely problematic, and I think it did a great disservice to anyone who wants to advocate for a safe injection site. Yes, everybody understands that neighborhoods don't want it, but to say that they are wrong and have no right to determine the nature of their neighborhood, that they're selfish, that we should force them to accept what some people believe as life-saving when that is in dispute. What I would say is really this: Let's be transparent. I've said openly I am not for them. And I will Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING start with this for the people that keep talking about lives: Count all the lives, not just the lives that you're focused on. All the lives. I start in Mexico. I start where our heroin is coming from. Between 2006 and 2012, 120,000 people were murdered, not OD'd, not a traffic accident. They were murdered as a result of the drug trade. Twenty-seven thousand are still missing. Take it into the United States. Bring it to Philadelphia, where you have people killing each other. The thing about a safe injection site, which is contrary to every other treatment, every other treatment, assisted or not assisted, with methadone, Methadose, whatever you have, they don't do heroin. They don't inject. It's a treatment. The thing about a safe injection site is the person has to go out and hopefully they're rich enough, I suppose, to get this without committing a crime, without prostituting themselves, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING without putting themselves at risk of murder to get the money they need for a 14-bag-a-day habit, seven days a week, every week of the year. That is what people are subjecting these people to, and right now there are people today and yesterday who are being denied treatment. They want treatment. There's no beds. There's no money. There's no resources. (Applause.)
Put the money, the resources into treating people who really want to get off heroin or whatever drug they're on. Make it unlimited. Give them the length of time they need. Help them get a job. The issue for us right now today is whether or not people can have a discussion on this and come to -- my point is not necessarily going to prevail, but we started a point, and that process is open. We'll have a hearing on Monday. There will be a vote on it eventually in City Council. It may be Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING held, may be moved forward, might be voted up or down. That's a democratic process. But coming in here and saying you don't care about lives, you want to kill people, we're going to stick it where we feel, that is a process that is extremely undemocratic and disrespectful of people's intelligence. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to say that we've been working on this for a while, Councilmember Sanchez and myself, amongst others, to raise awareness about this epidemic and how serious it is, and we all lost loved ones to this horrible disease. We introduced legislation, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING myself co-sponsored by many other members, to reduce overprescribing, to be able to get lists for us through the Health Department that the state was receiving so we could be able to track that information. We provided low-barrier housing. We even went as far as working with our harm-reduction advocates for distribution of Narcan throughout the communities to help hopefully reduce the overdose deaths. But we still have a lot more work to do, and we need to do that. We increased our budget $5 million last year to hopefully start this process and 36 million more in the next five years to do that, but it's not enough. We need to meet people where they are. We need to look at hiring researchers and outreach folks to go out there and meet these folks. We got to remove barriers to treatment, as I spoke before. One of the barriers that our city has put in place is if you smoke, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING you cannot get access to treatment. These things are very important that we need to do as a city. We need to get treatment on demand. We need to make sure as soon as people are ready to get treatment, we have access for them. We need a continuum of care to make sure we follow the folks through the process to be able to make sure that we engage them at every point in their lives and reconnect them with their families. And then we have to look at our partners in recovery homes, how do we regulate them to make sure that we have as many as possible available to people who still want to be able to go out there and live a good life and try to get off this disease and to be open to making their lives better so that they can enjoy both their families and themselves. So this is a lot of work. We're committed to doing it. We're committed to working together, but whatever we do, we still need a process. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you. I don't want to belabor the discussion. I want to welcome many people to this discussion that many of us who have been working on this for the last 12 years before harm reduction was a term. Before we talked about all of the issues around access to treatment, there was a neighborhood of Kensington that became the epicenter of this problem, and I want to thank all of the folks who throughout the last four years in particular, three years in the more intense way, have begun to learn to listen to each other. When we leave here today, the issue will not be resolved. There will be many conversations about access to Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING treatment, 20 percent of our treatment slots that go unutilized every day, access to real treatment when people are ready without all of the barriers, as has been mentioned. Let me remind people what we do agree upon, because ultimately we got to continue to listen to each other. We agree on education. Harm reduction, what we do and how we treat people and where we meet them is different for everyone. We can talk about prevention. The need to expand prevention and availability of information for folks is hugely important. The state needs to do more around its regulatory practices and stop stopping Philadelphia from being able to meet people where they are, recovery house reform, rooming houses, all of the things that we need to get people out of the street and into a place with some dignity so that we can help them on their Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING lifetime journey of recovery. Let me remind people what we agree upon. Screaming at each other, disrespecting each other is not listening to each other. Telling someone someone is wrong for how they feel is not listening to each other. Telling someone what they can have on their block in their neighborhood is not listening to each other. All you have to do is go to Kensington to see that what is happening there is not the way we want the rest of the City to look like. The fact that we have folks in addiction, 500 -- and to Kensington's credit, they call them the outside visitors. 500 people in addiction, defecating, open needle exchange, all of those things. Some people will go into a safe injection site if one ever got up. The majority of the people who are in Kensington will not. (Audience member yelling out.) Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
This is part of the problem. We don't listen to each other. You can't change how people feel about this. People in Kensington have deserved and deserve better than what we've had there. The last three years we made tremendous progress from the community and the advocates. The community of Kensington allowed two respite centers to be put up in their neighborhood so that we can help move people from the streets. The community of Kensington allowed us to do Narcan distribution, needle exchange, all of those things. The community of Kensington has demonstrated its willingness to be open, but when we say people are wrong for feeling what they feel, for believing what they believe, we're not being respectful to a process. So I'm going to end where I Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING started. We agree that we need to do more education. We agree that we need to do more prevention. We agree that we need to really meet people where they are without barriers. We agree that there should always be a process. And we agree that we need to be respectful around how we have these conversations. This is not a delay process. I said this last week and I'll continue to say it. This is a leadership moment. If government is going to do this, government has to lead. It has to create a process where people are heard, and then ultimately it acts in a responsible way. What we have in Kensington is not responsible. We have a lot of restoration to do in Kensington. Folks, let's not lose this conversation by calling each other out as opposed to listening to each other and leading on this issue. If you want people to be Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING sympathetic to you, people talk about 1,200 folks, I remind people, I can give you names and I'm happy to spell out all the names of all the funerals that I have been to and unfortunately the funerals that I will be at, because, again, the access to treatment, the de-stigmatizing of this disease is a lifetime journey. It's going to take us decades to get through this process. But everybody is entitled to feel how they feel. Everybody is entitled to be heard. And no one should be labeled regardless of which side of this issue they're on. Let's leave here today with that renewed commitment. I know the leadership in Kensington is committed to that, because we've created the space where we have more respect for each other in this conversation. Thank you, Council President. (Applause.)
Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. I will be very brief. I think you heard the passion from both sides of this issue. There is a fear that we'll have well over 1,000 deaths again in 2020, but it's also the fear of what this type of facility will bring to someone's neighborhood. And I think if you listen to all the conversations from all the people who have been working on this issue recently and also for a number of years, the key issue from my observation that caused such concern was a lack of dialogue and a lack of a process. When Councilmember Sanchez and Squilla went to Toronto to see a safe injection site in operation, my understanding is that the information that was provided is that you have to have a community engagement process in Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING order for this type of facility to be successful. And it reminds me -- I want to remind people in this room who may not remember the work of late Councilmember Joan Krajewski who brought a methadone clinic to her district on State Road, and there was a lot of opposition and she was not in support of it, but it was through an ongoing conversation with near neighbors that Northeast Treatment Center was able to bring a methadone clinic to State Road. And so when I had the chance to tour that clinic, among a number of other clinics over the past couple years, when we went there, the near neighbors were not concerned about Northeast Treatment Center, but they were concerned about the nuisance bar across the street. The reason why they got to that position is because of communication and a process. And this situation did not have that same dialogue and the same process, and I think that's what's caused the fear from Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING a number of perspectives. So I look forward to continuing this conversation, but we must have a process that all people are engaged with so we can reduce the fear. Thank you, Council President. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. And I was trying to really just take this information in, but myself serving as the Councilperson of the Second Councilmanic District is where the proposed site was proposed. And so just being a young man who grew up in South Philadelphia all my life, I'm not going to let anyone ever kind of lecture me on what my community looks like when it comes to drug addiction, rather it's the crack epidemic that ravished our community or, most importantly, heroin Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING addiction. And it didn't just all of the sudden just start as recently as now. We all know individuals who came back from Vietnam in our communities addicted to heroin. So this topic isn't new primarily to the African American community, but why I support Councilman David Oh's resolution, because it talks about a process of transparency. It talks about the process of making sure the community in which this site is going to be located, rather it's in the Second Councilmanic District or any other part of the City, making sure that that process is one that's inclusive and, most importantly, that people that live inside that neighborhood have a say-so. I've been an elected official close to 15 years now, serving in the State House before I became a Councilperson, and I recognize how government works. If this site was proposed in Rittenhouse Square or this Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING site was proposed in Manayunk, it would be a different type of conversation, because I recognize how -(Applause.)
I recognize how City services are distributed. I recognize even when we have a School District -- and with all due respect, when we talk about resources, I know what schools receive more resources than schools in impoverished neighborhoods. And so when we talk about putting a site like this in any neighborhood throughout the City of Philadelphia, we want to make sure that the process is inclusive. We want to make sure that the people who live inside the neighborhood have a seat at the table. I want to commend Councilman Mark Squilla, who borders the Second Councilmanic District in the First, for working on this issue with me. And, Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING again, it's not about if you don't support safe injection sites, that you don't support individuals who are in recovery, you don't support individuals who are addressing issues of addiction. That's not the case at all. We just have different philosophies on how we think people should be treated when it comes to the opioid crisis. And so I really want to just observe and recognize this process and this discussion, but at the end of the day, it was my neighborhood where the site was proposed. It was my constituents who called me and outraged. It was the parents of the daycare centers, the two daycare centers, that were located -- and it's a little different when you're a District Councilperson, because we have direct --
-- people we have to respond to. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING And so at the end of the day, Council President, if you could just allow me to just wrap up, we're going to always represent the individuals who put us in office, and I said it has to be an inclusive and transparent process. Thank you very much, Council President.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh for brief remarks.
Not a remark. I'm making a motion for a roll call vote. Thank you.
All right. There's a request for a roll call vote. I'm assuming there's no objection to that. (Duly seconded.)
Move the adoption. There's a second? Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
Mr. Decker, call -- we're going to do roll call. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. Stated Meeting March 5, 2020 3/5/20 - STATED - 2ND READING