I didn't hear it because your light's not on and, apparently, your voice didn't carry that far.
So the record will now indicate that all Councilmembers have voted in the affirmative, with the exception of Councilman Cohen, Councilman Ortiz, and Councilman Goode. Anybody else that I didn't hear? (No response.)
Thank you. This concludes the reports from committees.
The next order of business is the consideration of the calendar. The clerk will please read the bills on the first-reading calendar.
Bill No. 010261, an ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriation for Fiscal Year 2002 within the General Fund from FIRST-READING CALENDAR certain or all City offices, departments, boards, and commissions to the Department of Licenses and Inspections demolitions.
And Bill No. 010331, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire by amicable negotiations or by condemnation fee simple title to a certain parcel of real estate located on the easterly side of Darien Street south of Patterson Avenue.
Bill No. 010332, an ordinance authorizing the placing on City Plan No. 44-S of three certain contiguous rights-of-way for drainage purposes, water purposes, and public utility purposes.
Bill No. 010333, an ordinance authorizing the Director of Commerce and the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of FIRST-READING CALENDAR the City of Philadelphia, to execute and deliver a non-disturbance agreement with the Phillies, a Pennsylvania limited partnership, and other parties which make up leasehold mortgages granted by the Phillies upon its leasehold interest in certain parcels of land owned by the City; and authorizing approval of all of the terms of the aforementioned non-disturbance agreements and other documents and amendments related thereto by the City Solicitor.
And Bill No. 010334, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property and the Director of Commerce, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a ground lease agreement ("the Ground Phillies Lease") with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, providing for the leasing by the City to PAID of certain parcels of land owned by the City, and further providing for the subleasing of said lands from PAID to the Phillies, a Pennsylvania limited partnership, or its successors, as holder of the major league baseball franchise for the City of a controlled affiliate thereof. FIRST-READING CALENDAR
And Bill No. 000629, an ordinance amending Title of the 14 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by amending Chapter 14-1800, entitled "Zoning Board of Adjustment," by amending Section 14-1807, entitled "Appeals to the Court," by amending language regarding appeals, under certain terms and conditions.
And Bill No. 010129, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of the following area of the City: an area generally bounded by Rhawn Street, Whitaker Street, a certain railroad right-of-way, Kendrick Street extended, and Dorcus Street.
Bill No. 010302, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of FIRST-READING CALENDAR land located within an area bounded by Frankford Avenue, Linden Avenue, the I-95 Expressway on-ramp, and Torresdale Avenue.
Bill No. 010368, an ordinance amending Title 14 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by deleting certain uses from the list of uses that are permitted in the C-7 commercial district, all under certain terms and conditions.
And Bill No. 010371, an ordinance Amending Title 14 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by making certain technical amendments, under certain terms and conditions.
The Chair agrees. The bills read by the clerk will be placed on the second-reading and final-passage calendar for our next session of Council. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman SECOND READING - BILL 010209 Blackwell for the purpose of calling bills on the second-reading and final-passage calendar to be considered.
Today, Bill No.'s 010209, 010210, 010258, 010259, 010260, 000548, 010069, 010213, 010338, 010262, 010337, 010303, 000720, 010150, 010168, 010193, 010194, 010212, 010229, 010263, 010264, 010270, 010271, 010272, 010301, and 010304. All other bills are being held.
Thank you. The clerk will please read the title of the first bill to be considered, Bill No. 010209.
An ordinance approving the Fiscal Year 2001 Capital Budget providing for expenditures for the capital purposes of the Philadelphia Gas Works, including the supplying of funds to be obtained in connection therewith, and rejecting the forecast for Fiscal Years 2002 through 2006. SECOND READING - BILL 010209
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 010210.
An ordinance constituting the Fourth Supplemental Ordinance to the General Gas Works Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1998; authorizing the Mayor, the City Controller, and the City SECOND READING - BILL 010210 Solicitor, or a majority of them, to sell either at public or private sale Gas Works Revenue Bonds.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 010258.
An ordinance constituting the Fourth Supplemental Ordinance, the Amended and SECOND READING - BILL 010258 Restated General Airport Revenue Bond Ordinance
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 010259.
An ordinance constituting the Third Supplemental Ordinance to the amended and Restated General Airport Revenue Bond Ordinance. SECOND READING - BILL 010259
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. I will be voting no on this bill and the next bill. I voted yes on the last bill because it represents a request to expand an existing terminal at the airport to be able to attract, which we have already, a low-cost airline for competition in Philadelphia. This bill, however, and the bill after it represents what I believe is a disgraceful situation existing at the airport. In 1998, we authorized $443 million in borrowing capacity to do two very worthwhile projects: the construction of Terminal F and the expansion and construction of Terminal 1 for our overseas terminal. As of today, $225 million of that money has been spent and $218 million of it is committed but not spent. And the City recently came in and asked for $185 million more in borrowing capacity to complete the project. In 1998, when we authorized the SECOND READING - BILL 010259 $443 million, we were told that a new system was going to be put in place to allow for USAir to manage this construction project, that this construction project being managed by a private entity would in fact streamline the process, cut costs, and get things done on time. Well, since 1998, we are now 40 percent over budget. I see no way in which this private company, along with the City, has been able to spend this kind of money over-budget of $185 million. Since January of 2001, $26 million in professional service contracts have been added to this project simply in this year alone. Now, people might argue that this isn't public money because it's not the taxpayers that are paying the debt service; they're paid by passenger facilities charges. However, I would argue that this is in fact public money, that the money paying for these cost overruns and for these projects is coming out of the pockets of the people who fly out of our airport, one of the most expensive airports in the country to fly in or out of. Recently, it was reported to me that a weekday flight to Pittsburgh cost $648 flying on SECOND READING - BILL 010259 USAir. AirTran, which is the competitive airline that we've agreed to allow to come in, offered its initial round trip to Pittsburgh for $80. I think the differential there reflects some of the problems that are going on at this airport. We have requested information on why in fact this $185 million is necessary and we've gotten relatively good cooperation from Mr. Isdell at the airport in providing documents and other things that would indicate the reasons why, but one of the things that struck me during the course of this discourse back and forth by letter is that Chuck Stipancic, who is the representative of USAir, wrote to me as a result of a request we made for information and said that one of the reasons for the cost overrun was, quote, the City's desire for greater project oversight, end quote. Well, in 1998, we took the City out of it because we didn't want City oversight because it was cumbersome and costly. USAirways now indicates that, in fact, the desire for the City to have more oversight in this project than the last is one of the reasons why we had these cost overruns. Mr. Isdell, in a letter to Councilwoman Blackwell, SECOND READING - BILL 010259 the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, dated May 30th, indicates that Mr. Stipancic's comment relates to a decision made jointly by the City and USAirways to involve the City more in this operation. I don't think we should be extending the ability to borrow any more dollars until the $443 million has been explained, until it has been explained why $218 million that has not yet been spent, which means that they're not running out of cash, they have the money there. Why did not the officials at the airport and USAir sit down and go through this project and try to cut corners, try to figure out a way to do things cheaper, try to look at a way to provide these services at much less cost. Why did the City add $26 million in professional services contracts just in the last year.
The first instinct, instead of trying to do those things, is to come to this Council and say, We want to borrow $185 million more and we want to pass it on to the people who use this airport. And I think that's unfair and I will be voting against these two bond authorization bills. And I would hope that in the future, we SECOND READING - BILL 010259 would get both better information and a better understanding of what in fact is going on at that airport, a $6 billion regional asset, with 15,000 employees. There seems to be some serious problems and I would like to have them addressed. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I concur with Councilman Kenney, and I'll be voting no on the same two bills, in essence because I'm tired of us sitting here and not ever getting the answers to our financial questions. We get the stadium, we get the blight program, we get the airport. And the letter that Jimmy mentions from Mr. Isdell is sort of an Orwellian speak that it is written sort of in the 1984 Orwellian speak. It said the City's desire for greatest project oversight led to greater costs and overruns. And I always thought that if you wanted oversight, it was to keep costs down, not to keep costs and make costs go up. And I would like an explanation as to why all of these monies. SECOND READING - BILL 010259 And it's true. When I take and my wife and I with the kids go to Puerto Rico every summer, we have to go to Newark, 'cause that's where I go to the shore. But that we have to go to Newark to take it because it is less expensive. And we have no explanation as to how they have spent the money, what the cost overrun is all about, and all of these professional contracts that they keep giving out in order to promote oversight, oversight that creates more cost and greater expense. It has to end. And I think it has to end with this Council asking and demanding that those answers be given before we keep on approving greater bonds and more money and more money and more money. The Daily News said that they think we're an ATM machine. Well, you know, the ATM machine are the people of Philadelphia that end up paying for it at the end. And I'll be voting no on the two bills for those reasons and the ones espoused by Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam SECOND READING - BILL 010259 President. I endorse the views of both my colleagues Councilman Kenney and Councilman Ortiz. Further, just to ask simply that it be time that agencies of the government of the City of Philadelphia work in the interest of Philadelphians. I think it's a pretty sad case for Philadelphians to have to use the Baltimore airport or the Newark airport or the one near Atlantic City in order to afford plane transportation to other parts of country or even overseas. And I've seen, despite this issue being raised as to the expensiveness and non-affordability of the Philadelphia Airport, I see no interest displayed by anybody working at the airport to change that picture. So I am going to be voting for the reasons expressed by Councilman Kenney and Councilman Ortiz and for the simple reason that I think it's time for Philadelphia government to place as their first interest the Philadelphians and to think in terms of servicing them and making the quality of life better for Philadelphians, instead of just operating businesses that depend on revenue from outsiders. SECOND READING - BILL 010259 Thank you, Madam President. I will be voting no on these two bills as well.
Thank you, Madam President. Certainly, I thank my colleagues for speaking out their opinions with regard to this bill, but I would like to say that from the time we had a tour, and we've talked about the project. One fact, for example, is that USAir wanted the City involved because instead of taking ten years, as it usually does to do a project like this, it will take less than five. Let me also say that we did talk about cost overruns, and they were not fault of the City. The FAA delayed environmental approval due to the rupture of the Sun Oil pipeline. We talked about adverse money conditions, market conditions, and how that would affect this airport project. And we also talked about the fact that even though all of the monies have not been spent, a million to 2 million would daily be spend on this project. All dollars are earmarked, so because our dollars to date have SECOND READING - BILL 010259 been spent, it does not mean that all dollars have not been earmarked. Certainly, as was said, that these are revenue bonds secured by passenger facilities, $4.50 per passenger in the airlines. This will not affect the City, we do not have to pay for it. And certainly, I would hope that my colleagues would consider that and certainly vote for these airport bond issues. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to make a little light of this. For years, as a member of the Airport Advisory Board, we were told if they privatized the airport, it would cost us less; we wouldn't have to go through the Procurement Department and have to deal with the cumbersome procurement process. So this discussion gives us a reason not to privatize the airport in the future. That may take care of that argument. Thank you very much. SECOND READING - BILL 010259
Thank you. Does anyone else wasn't want to be recognized at this time? Councilman Rizzo.
Madam President, I'd just like to comment on conversations that I've had with folks about flying from Philadelphia. We keep putting more of a burden on the ticket price, with the ticket price flying out of Philadelphia. We have people going to Allentown, we have people going to Baltimore, we have people going to Atlantic City. And I've talked to many of these folks. So I think it has to be made real clear that every time we make the price of a ticket more expensive, the City suffers. Thank you.
Oh, I'm sorry. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Let me reiterate again for colleague that the City won't be SECOND READING - BILL 010259 paying for this and that we have tried to explain every step of the way every question that has been asked, and we've tried to provide information up-front to my colleagues, and are still glad to give them any additional information that they would like.
Aye. The ayes are 14, the nays are 3. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. With the permission of my colleagues, we're talking about the airport, and we have SECOND READING - BILL 010259 visitors that have arrived only this morning, and I understand that they do have a luncheon that they would like to attend. Today, I have the very special honor of welcoming a most distinguished delegation to City Council. They are from the region of Abruzzo, Italy, and they are visiting Philadelphia to further encourage the good relations that they have with our city. I therefore recognize the Honorable Giovanni Pacci, President of Abruzzi, and the dignitaries traveling with him. Would they please stand so that we can recognize them. (Applause.)
I would like to say "ben venuti." We thank you very much and again welcome you to Philadelphia. I hope you have a very enjoyable stay, and I believe (indiscernible) is here, our Italian consul general, and we certainly welcome him too. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. The clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 010260. SECOND READING - BILL 010260
An ordinance authorizing the Director of Commerce, Director of Aviation, and other officials of the City to enter into certain lease amendments, amended agreements or other agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and other parties necessary to permit the completion of two airport terminals and other airport improvements.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.