Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Rules reports one bill with a favorable recommendation.
The Committee on Rules, to which was referred Bill No. 120214, 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 York Street, Front Street, Second Street and Berks Street," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 120214. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The rules of Council will be suspended this day to permit Bill No. 120214 that will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Squilla for a report from the Committee on Streets and Services.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Streets and Services reports eight bills with a favorable recommendation.
The Committee on Streets and Services, to which was referred Bill No. 120051, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 308 by striking from the City Plan and vacating Spruce Street from Twenty-Fifth Street to the Pierhead & Bulkhead Line of the Schuylkill River"; and Bill No. 120168, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the plotting upon City Plan No. 321 of a right-of-way for sewer and drainage purposes and water main purposes within the lines of Delaware Avenue from Pennypack Street to a point"; and Bill No. 120178, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades of a portion of City Plan No. 177 by striking from the City Plan Tulpehocken Street from Ardleigh Street to Crittenden Street"; and Bill No. 120211, entitled "An of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 269 by striking from the City Plan and vacating the southwesterly footway area of East Service Drive from a point approximately eighteen feet northwest of Health Sciences Drive to a point approximately two-hundred twenty-seven feet further northwestwardly therefrom"; and Bill No. 120212, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 9-213 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Farmers' Markets,' by adding as a permissible location the sidewalk and west curb lane of the west side of the 1400 block of Ridge Avenue, from Fairmount Avenue to North 15th Street"; and Bill No. 120249, entitled "An ordinance authorizing The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, located at 34th and Civic Center Boulevard, to construct, own and maintain various encroachments within the City right-of-way on East Center Boulevard and Health Sciences Drive"; and Bill No. 120277, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the striking from City Plan No. 42-S and abandonment of a right-of-way reserved for drainage purposes, water main purposes, and public utility purposes which extends from the southerly terminus of Galloway Street, south of Packer Avenue, southwardly to Pattison Avenue"; and Bill No. 120300, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 9-213 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Farmers' Markets,' by removing as a permissible location the sidewalk of the east side of South Broad Street between Porter and Ritner Streets," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill Nos. 120051, 120168, 120178, 120211, 120212, 120249, 120277 and 120300. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The rules of Council will be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just reported from committee. The next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from committee with suspension 2ND READING of the rules have been deemed to have had a first reading. These bills will be placed on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar on the next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up resolutions and bills on the Second and Final Passage Calendars.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up for Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today: Nos. 120398, 120402, 120403, 120229, 120106 and 120321. All other resolutions and bills are being held.
Thank you, Councilman. Before considering these resolutions and bills, we will now consider public comment. For the record, the rules on public comment are, you have three minutes. For those of you commenting today, we're going to ask you to please sign up at the table to my left. There is a device on the podium. There will be a light. When it's green, it means it is your time to speak. When it turns yellow, you have 30 seconds remaining, and when it's red, your three minutes are up. And we'll ask for your consideration to concur with those particular guidelines associated with the public comment. So thank you. Mr. Decker, you want to read the name of the first individual here to testify.
Robert Taylor, commenting on 120106. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Mr. President, members of Council, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Robert Taylor, citizen of South Philadelphia.
I'm commenting on Bill No. 120160, adjudication of parking violations by alternative methods. To this, I can only say thank you. I wish to thank Council President Clarke, Councilmembers Green, Henon, Greenlee, Blackwell, Oh, Squilla, Bass, Quinones-Sanchez -- sorry; I probably messed that up -- Reynolds Brown and O'Brien for introducing this bill. There are a number of times that I've expressed some displeasure in the way that parking tickets are freely given out and the volume of regulations that exist. I remain hopeful that this magnificent body can achieve fewer parking regulations in due course so that there are fewer violations in the first instance. Meantime, it is a great help to have these alternative methods in order to contest these violations so that people have a better ability to keep these infractions from piling up and causing them problems that may lead to additional fines or possible imprisonment. According to Locke, the end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. Therefore, I strongly urge the passage of this bill. Thank you for your attention, and God bless Philadelphia.
Judith Robinson, commenting on 120321. (Witness approached podium.)
My name is Judith Robinson. I am here to comment on Bill 120321. This is about Temple University Hospital and for The Hospital and Higher Education Facilities. Temple University has a 2020 plan, and it's a very grand plan. And I'm happy that Temple and the great institution is expanding into North Philadelphia. However, I want to say everything in decency and in order. Temple has a problem right now at Broad and Cecil B. Moore with a building that's going up like over 20 stories high. African American inclusion is the problem. And I want to just make sure, whatever this bill is regarding and whatever expansion that they do will include all of the folks who live in this town. African Americans specifically I'm speaking about. There is no way that a poor community such as North Philadelphia can grow without economic development and without being included in everything that's good and economically moving forward in this town. We talk about our youth not being educated. That's a problem. Temple University, a big institution, should be able to handle some of this ignorance in our community. So I'm just encouraging them as they move and expand and grow, that they carry or let all boats rise. What is that saying about carrying -- I'm sorry. I'm mixing metaphors here, but you get the point. I want to make sure everybody is included and all ships rise as Temple grows and expands. So I just want to add that respectfully today. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for your testimony. Mr. Decker, are there any other names?
Thank you, Mr. Decker. We now consider resolutions and bills on the Second Reading and Final 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 120398.
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-Second Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120402.
A resolution initiating action to continue the Port Richmond Industrial Development Enterprise Neighborhood Improvement District beyond its termination date.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it. Resolution 120402 is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120403.
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-First Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Been moved and properly seconded. 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Resolution 120403 is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 120229.
An ordinance amending Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, Subcode PM (The Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code), by amending requirements applicable to vacant premises.
Thank you, Mr. President. I've circulated amendments at the request of the Administration. They are technical in nature. So I move for the adoption of the amendment. 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The bill is amended. That will be placed on next week's Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill 120106.
An ordinance amending Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Traffic Code," by providing for the adjudication of parking violations contested by alternative methods.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. President. These amendments were developed in conjunction with the Administration. They maintain an electronic option, whether it's website or e-mail, for appealing parking tickets. They also require an option of direct mail, and, finally, they eliminate the telephonic hearing which the BAA thinks is impractical at this time except for the disabled. I move for the adoption of these amendments. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
The amendments are approved. This bill shall be placed on next week's Final Passage Calendar. 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120321.
An ordinance declaring it is desirable for the health, safety and welfare of the people of the area served by Temple University Hospital, Jeanes Hospital and the Institute for Cancer Research and Fox Chase Network for The Hospitals and Higher Education Facilities Authority of Philadelphia to undertake certain projects for such entities.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, any additional resolutions on today's Calendar?
A resolution 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING authorizing the Committee on Labor and Civil Service to hold public hearings investigating the possibility of an increase in the City's use of incarcerated, non-violent offenders to perform supplementary services, introduced by Councilman Kenney.
Mr. President, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution honoring the Philadelphia Cultural Fund 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING on its 20th Anniversary, introduced by Councilwoman Tasco.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution honoring May as Lupus Awareness Month and celebrating and recognizing May 18, 2012 as "Put on Purple Day" in the City of Philadelphia, introduced by Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown. 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution honoring legendary bassist Stanley Clarke, innovator of jazz music, for has unbridled passion and dedication to his art, his contribution to the advances in music, and his commitment to the Philadelphia community, introduced by Councilman Jones.
One of the unfortunate parts of being President of 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING this body is you cannot speak on certain things yourself, so you rely on the Majority Leader to speak on them for you. Among being a great Philadelphian, among being an attendee of Roxborough High School, which is in the 4th Councilmanic District, Stanley Clarke has the also privilege of being your cousin. So we want to recognize his talents and thank him for not bringing you into the music business with him. Thank you, Mr. President.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution recognizing and honoring the officers of the Philadelphia Police Force and declaring Thursday, May 17th, 2012, as "Law Enforcement Appreciation Day," in Philadelphia, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution 5/17/12 - STATED - 2ND READING approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Washington Square West Unit No. 2 Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 249 through 57 South Thirteenth Street, introduced by Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to recognize Mark Segal, who has been the driving force behind this development of the LGBT-friendly senior housing project, and I think a well-deserved round of applause is necessary. (Applause.)
I'd like to move for the adoption of this. (Duly seconded.)
Been moved and properly seconded. favor? (Aye.)
There are no other resolutions on the Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you. This concludes's today Calendar. Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Oh, I'm sorry. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. Before I make my comment, I had invited students from the HMS School here in Philadelphia to come to one of our Chambers, and just outside in the hallway I ran into one of them, and I'd like to recognize a young man, Anthony Casillas and Kevin Rafferty, both from the HMS School here in Philadelphia, standing right there. (Applause.)
The HMS School is Pennsylvania's school that specializes in treating those -- or educating those with cerebral palsy, does a fantastic job, and we were very fortunate to have their artistic work on the 5th Floor. So thank you very much for coming.
Thank you. Thank you so much for being here today. Any speeches on the part of the majority? Green.
Thank you, Mr. President. For many weeks now, I have discussed the importance of knowing the relationship between commercial and industrial property and residential property as compared to the aggregate value today and the aggregate value of all property when we move to actual value. That relationship is extraordinarily important because it determines -- and the total amount is because it determines what the millage rate is going to be. Based on an analysis done by my office, the potential millage rate under the most likely scenarios regarding the relationship between residential and commercial and industrial, which I assume will be somewhere around three times for residential and somewhere between two times and one and a half times for a multiple of current value to bring us to an aggregate value, I am producing a millage with a 15,000 homestead exemption of approximately 1.42 percent to 1.59 percent, which is extraordinarily different from the numbers that we have been given and that were in the charts provided to Council and otherwise. I will be making this spreadsheet available to the public. It is based on a set of assumptions, and hopefully we can gather information about real properties rather than property in the aggregate as a result. People will be able to put in their expected actual value, whether they're a commercial property or residential, what the market value is on the BRT website, and it will take the most likely millage rates and let people know what their taxes are. It also has a page that let's you know what it would be under smoothing, et cetera. The relationship between the as far as smoothing goes and whether or not smoothing helps or hurts you regardless of the multiple is also significant and demonstrated by the spreadsheet, and what it shows is lower value homes that are severely below their market value are very much helped by smoothing and higher value homes are hurt by smoothing because of the high percentage applied to the entire formula or value of that home that results from smoothing. So what I want to say is, we have done some specific examples about this relationship, and I want to give one example. It is a building that sold in 2010 in Center City for $128 million. It is on the books for $127 million in market value in the BRT website today. Its taxes, real estate taxes, as a result of the shift to AVI will go from $3.8 million to $1.5 million. That decrease in this building's property taxes will be paid for by primarily mostly residential multiple times across commercial and industrial properties in the City. The U&O tax for this property, if it were increased by about 90 percent as proposed in my amendment on Monday, would only recapture about a million dollars. So that property would still have a tax decrease in the aggregate of a million three. I think that it is very important that we look at all the data and the impacts of this potential large shift from commercial and industrial to residential property owners and make all of our decisions based on the information that is important in that relationship, because that will drive the estimated taxes that people have to pay and that will drive whether or not they think we've done a good job in protecting them this year from unnecessary tax increases. Thank you, Mr. President.
you, Councilman. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I had every intention of continuing my berating of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for their lack of commitment to public education here in the City of Philadelphia. However, in recent light of the horrific murders due to witness intimidation, we are facing almost epidemic proportions of this problem, and I feel compelled to speak to that. On this morning we've had over 126 murders in the City of Philadelphia thus far. As Chair of Public Safety, I want to recognize the cartoon that was done in the Daily News about the loss of Rodney Ramseur and Latia Jones, and the question was posed, Does anyone care? Well, I want to answer that question loud and clear this morning. Yes, we do care. And unfortunately a 21-year-old courageous young man and his pregnant girlfriend were gunned down on their own front porch because they came forward to identify perpetrators in a crime. We need to protect our residents, and we need to do it now. What can Philadelphia do to combat this problem? Well, first and foremost, we need to do a better job of keeping gun offenders off the streets. And this body questioned the bail practices in the City of Philadelphia being too low and too many times repeat offenders with guns are allowed low bails. And I can bet you this fancy desk right here, Mr. President, that this perpetrator of this witness intimidation crime, it wasn't his first time at the dance, that probably he had done another gun offense and probably had been released on bail. Philadelphia is the second highest rated municipality in the country with 30,000 outstanding bench warrants. a better job. We need to fund the departments appropriately. Secondly, the bail guidelines that we designed for the City of Philadelphia were done in 1983. The world has changed a great deal since last century. The City Council held hearings in February to discuss the rampant issue and updating these procedures. Third, the very design of the Criminal Justice Center causes witness intimidation. That building was designed for 12 elevators. Due to cutbacks in funding, there are six for the public, and in those elevators victims, witnesses, jurors all ride the same elevators. Because of that and other problems, 46 arrests were made last year within a block of CJC from witness intimidation causes. We can do better. We should do better. In a recent article, it was said -- I think it was the Inquirer -- said to a potential witness, If you see something, you better look the other way. That's unacceptable. There is no justice without witness protection. We began -- this body began advocating for this last year by restoring about a quarter of a million dollars to the budget for witness intimidation and protection programs. That was matched by my colleagues up at the state level, which put back a million dollars back in witness protection programs. These people that are witnesses don't suffer from a no snitching culture. They aren't in that mindset. But they are very clear that after the trial is done, they have to go back home and they have to see these same individuals that they testify. We have to be smarter. We have to be more creative, and we have to be dedicated to their protection, because losing credible witnesses, and we're losing them right on their own front porches. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. Both of my colleagues, Councilman Green and Councilman Jones, kind of highlight the challenges as a city we face and the many kind of complicated decisions that we make here and some of the heavy lifting that has to happen in the next couple of weeks. I wanted to take note and congratulate you, Mr. President, on the creation of the Legislative and Research Bureau. I think that it speaks to our need to pull together the best minds and the best research so that we can incorporate the best practices from we face these financial and some of these crime issues that impact our daily lives. So I want to congratulate you on that, and make a note and recognize my two interns from Temple University's Community Partnership Program, Carolyn Izzo and Matt Miller, who will be joining our team in helping us put together some of the research around lank bank and other issues. Clearly, we cannot do this alone. I think it speaks to our commitment here in Council to show we can put together the best minds and provide young people with a great opportunity to make government work better for them. So thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Good note. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Mr. President. This week thanks to your efforts, we talked about tax relief, and that I already knew the answers to. What is the median home value in Philadelphia? The answer, $120,000. What the maximum homestead exemption that could be offered on that median home value? The answer, $60,000. What happens if we offer a $60,000 exemption? The answer, the tax bill goes down or is eliminated for many homeowners, if not most. Lost in this discussion recently has been the fact that a full reassessment may mean a lower tax bill for a majority of homeowners. The truth is that there will be winners and losers simply based upon fairness. The question is, what's fair? The answer, a fair and accurate assessment. If fair assessment means a lower tax bill for many, if not most, we should do what's right. Trying to protect some constituencies from paying their fair share while denying others simply wrong. In fact, that's part of what we're supposed to be fixing in this. Next week I'll be voting for tax fairness for all, not just for some constituencies. This is not just about the difference between residential and commercial and industrial. It's very much about high value homeowners and low value homeowners. And at the end of the day, as I said, if assessment means a lower tax bill for many, if not most, we have to do what's right and not play to certain constituencies. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I was going to make another comment before I was cut off, but I wanted to say that in much of the news, we deal with a lot of tough issues, and to do, and it's rare that some of the hard work and good work that we do on behalf of the City that's very proactive gets reported. And I wanted to thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership and your work in really some of the out-of-box thinking and leadership style that you've brought to this City Council, and also to thank my fellow colleagues here. This is, I think -- I've not been here before, but this has been a really very good, constructive and positive body that tries to work together as best we can to put the public interest forward. A rising tide lifts all boats, and more than anything, we need jobs, we need investments, we need to lift up this city, and that's hard work. And every city needs those things, but not every city is going out there and fighting for it. And yesterday, Philadelphia accounted for itself very well. The Mayor, Mayor Michael Nutter, and his team, his Administration, City Council President, City Councilmembers, Wharton School of Business, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, our local business leaders, we all came together to host a delegation from Incheon, South Korea here looking at trade investment and job creation opportunities. And at the end of this entire day -- and my staff drove them to the airport this morning, picking them up at 4:30 -- they expressed how grateful they were for the treatment they received from our city and how very favorably they were impressed with our city and said that they would be in future communication with us on every one of those topics. And so I just wanted to say that we really knocked the ball out of the park, and I think that's what we need to be doing as best we can for the citizens of this city. So thank you very much and you, colleagues.
Thank you, Councilman. I'm not supposed to make speeches while I'm sitting up here, but I'm going to. I just wanted to say with respect to this particular City Council -- and I've had an opportunity to serve with a lot of members -- is that this group is a group that makes you rise to the top. Everything that happens in this Council -- and I'll say on a positive note -- is essentially things that have been discussed during the course of the last year as all of you have made your way to the City Council. So anything that gets implemented here is based on those conversations over the last year. And I want to say that you guys are great. Some day you'll get recognition for the wonderful work that you are doing and the camaraderie associated with this Council. I want to say, all due respect former colleagues, it's unlike I've ever seen. And I want to congratulate all of you for doing some great work, continuing to push. I think that, frankly speaking, we've probably worked harder in the last five months than I can remember, given our schedules relating to evening meetings and all of the intricate issues before us. So I just want to commend all of you for doing a great job and continuing to be aggressive on the issues relating to taking our city to the next level. So I want to thank all of you for your support over the last several months. So with that, there being no other speeches, I would like to call on Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, May 24th, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. m. Thank you. ) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on May 17, 2012, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. ) A 42:8 69:7 72:6 agreement 33:4 12:3 17:16 art 16:16 26:8 abandonment 83:23 33:24 36:14,25 18:16 22:14 52:17 86:18 67:6 address 31:15,24 37:5 51:15,21 23:8 24:6,22 105:6 ability 72:3 32:9,17 42:20 59:20 61:9 28:10 29:7,20 article 10:2 98:24 able 8:3 74:3 57:25 89:8 aims 15:16 29:25 30:8,16 artistic 91:19 93:17 adjourned 107:23 airport 105:12 89:18,20 91:11 artists 14:22 abolish 72:9 108:10,14 Airy 21:17 applicable 78:16 Arts 16:7 absence 4:24 5:6 ADJOURNME...