Stated Meeting, March 30, 2023

STATED MEETING 1 3/30/2023 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, March 30, 2023 10:37 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY LOZADA COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILWOMAN SHARON VAUGHN MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK STATED MEETING 2 3/30/2023

Good morning, everyone. We're going to get started. Thank you for your patience. We have established our quorum. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Minister Reshaun Carlton of the Church of Christian Compassion. She is here today as the guest of Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson. I'd ask all guests and members to please rise. (Councilmembers and guests rise.)

Good morning. (Good morning.)

I would just like to thank all of you and especially my dear friend, Katherine Gilmore, our Councilwoman, and every one of you for this amazing and humbling opportunity. For the Bible says in Second Chronicles 7 and 14 that if my people who STATED MEETING 3 3/30/2023 name will humble themselves and pray and will seek my face, then I will hear from heaven and I will heal their land. So let us pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning, Father, thanking you for this day that we have never seen before. For, God, you are in total control. Father, this may be a time that we don't understand. So much is going on in the land, but, God, nothing catches you by surprise. So, Father, I thank you for every one of your leaders here, that we are humbling ourselves. Father, we are seeking your face. God, we are seeking your wisdom. So, God, we ask right now in the name of Jesus for your wisdom to help to keep our neighborhoods safe. Father, we are asking for your wisdom to help to keep our children safe. Father, we pray right now for STATED MEETING 4 3/30/2023 right now for every daycare. We pray right now for every university. We pray right now for every elected official under the sound of my voice. Father, we pray right now, God, for every police officer. God, we pray right now for your hand of protection in the name of Jesus. God, I'm asking for leaders that will operate in love and integrity. Father, I'm asking for your divine protection for each and every one of them right now in the name of Jesus. Father, I'm asking that you would protect their families in the name of Jesus, that you would even now, God, touch all of our mental health, oh God, in the name of Jesus. Give us creative and witty ideas, oh God, so that we would rule, oh God, in the name of Jesus under your power and under your protection. So, God, we pray right now for every plan, oh God, that we offer it up STATED MEETING 5 3/30/2023 you; for every idea, oh God, that you would put your stamp of approval on it, oh God. Father, we're praying even now for every grieving mother, every grieving parent, oh God, in the name of Jesus. I'm praying that you would give parents wisdom, oh God, that they will come in agreement with these leaders, Father, in the name of Jesus. So, God, I thank you that you have put people in place that will operate in integrity, that will not fear, oh God, knowing that you did not give us a spirit of fear but you have given us power, you have given us love, and you have given us a sound mind. So, Father, I thank you for every one of these fearful leaders, oh God, that they will go forth with power, they will go forth with integrity, and they will go forth in the authority that you have given them. So we thank you in advance for STATED MEETING 6 3/30/2023 going to do. We thank you in advance, oh God, for the safety and protection that's already going forth. God, we give you praise for what you're doing today, and it's in Jesus' mighty name that I pray. Amen. (Amen.)

God bless you.

Minister, thank you so much for those inspiring words today. God bless you. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

Thank you. Thank you again for those inspiring words and your spiritual guidance this morning. Our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, March 23rd, 2023, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass. STATED MEETING 7 3/30/2023

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, March 23rd, 2023 be approved. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, March 23rd, 2023 stand approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and our Journal is approved. And our next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the members STATED MEETING 8 3/30/2023 Council, there is a request for leave of absence from Member O'Neill.

Thank you, Councilman. Let the record reflect leave shall be granted for Councilman O'Neill. Our next order of business, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council that were not listed on the Calendar circulated prior to today's session.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this session of Council and, as required by law, subsequently published on an amended agenda after the consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first reading, the reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, STATED MEETING 9 3/30/2023 bills re-called from the Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a motion to withdraw a bill or resolution that is not on the Calendar, and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that is not listed on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included on the Calendar that was published prior to today's session. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the legislative matters stated by Councilwoman Bass may be added to the agenda for today, should those matters arise during the course of the session. All in favor indicate by saying STATED MEETING 10 3/30/2023 (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and the motion passes. Our next order of business is communications, and the Chair recognizes the Clerk that will please read the messages from the Mayor or any other communication that he may have in his possession today.

From the Mayor to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, pursuant to Sections 4-604 and 2-307 of the Home Rule Charter, I am today transmitting to the Council the recommendation of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill Nos. 230107, 230128, and 230132. And I am pleased to advise you that on March 29, 2023, I signed the STATED MEETING 11 3/30/2023 bill, which was passed by Council at its session on March 16, 2023: Bill No. 220517-AA, and that on March 29, 2023, I signed the following bill, which was passed by Council at its session on March 23, 2023: Bill No. 230079. And I am transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1901 North Ringgold Street, 1910 North 24th Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1217 Pennock Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2410 & 2412 North Orianna Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and An ordinance amending Ordinance (Bill No. 190935), approved by the Mayor on December 18, 2019, to authorize the STATED MEETING 12 3/30/2023 of outstanding general obligation bonds; authorizing the purchase by The City of Philadelphia, from time to time, of any of its outstanding general obligation debt; authorizing the amendment, novation or termination, from time to time, of any agreement to manage interest costs incurred in connection with The City of Philadelphia's general obligation debt; and An ordinance authorizing and approving the execution and delivery of one or more supplements to an existing service agreement (or a new service agreement on substantially the same terms) between The City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority relating to a comprehensive neighborhood transformation program; the issuance by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, from time to time, of bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness to refund bonds, notes or STATED MEETING 13 3/30/2023 other evidence of indebtedness issued to refinance such neighborhood transformation program; and the obligation of The City of Philadelphia to pay the amounts payable under such service agreement, all under certain terms and conditions.

Thank you, Mr. Decker. And our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. I would ask the Clerk to please read the titles of the legislation that's being offered today by our members.

Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson offers a privileged resolution celebrating the selection of Interior Chinatown, written by National Book Award for Fiction-winning author Charles Yu, for the 2023 One Book, One Philadelphia program.

That will be on today's Calendar. STATED MEETING 14 3/30/2023 Hold on one second, Mr. Decker. Councilman Thomas, did you need to be recognized?

Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. Real quick, I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge Gianna, who is here with us today from Philadelphia Performing Arts. Gianna and her mom and her coach, can you please stand up for us so we can give you a round of applause. (Applause.)

Gianna plays softball and soccer, and she was actually recently named by the Philadelphia Coaches Association as the Female Athlete of the Year for the Public League. She'll be graduating from high school with a 3.9 GPA, and she will receive a $1,000 scholarship for this STATED MEETING 15 3/30/2023 honor, and she plans on playing soccer at Gwynedd Mercy next year. (Applause.)

So thank you, Gianna, for being with us here today and thank you for being an example to all the young people in the City of Philadelphia the right way to do things. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Awesome. Congratulations. Mr. Decker, please proceed.

Councilman Thomas offers a privileged resolution honoring and congratulating Champion of the Week, Gianna Masci, for her successes on and off the field as an athlete and student at Philadelphia Performing Arts: String Theory Charter School.

Today's Calendar. STATED MEETING 16 3/30/2023

Councilman Jones offers two bills, entitled "An ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Arlington Street and Ringgold Street; Willington Street and Montgomery Avenue; Gratz Street and Fountain Street; Stiles Street and North 15th Street; North 19th Street and Berks Street." And that was on behalf of Council President Clarke. And on his own behalf, Councilman Jones offers an ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of 52nd Street between Arlington Street and West Berks Street; and a no truck parking regulation on both sides of 53rd Street between Lebanon Avenue and Arlington Street.

Those two bills will be referred to committee.

Councilwoman Lozada offers a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to STATED MEETING 17 3/30/2023 dispose of 2410 & 2412 North Orianna Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.

Next week's Calendar.

Councilwoman Vaughn offers a non-privileged resolution calling on the United States Congress to pass the Sergeant Isaac Woodward, Jr. and Sergeant Joseph H. Maddox G.I. Bill Restoration Act.

Next week's Calendar.

Councilwoman Brooks offers a privileged resolution honoring and recognizing Joann Bell, who throughout her illustrious career, has marshaled the power of government for those who have long been excluded from political and economic power, helped to transform Philadelphia politics, and served as a skillful organizer and thought leader.

The STATED MEETING 18 3/30/2023 Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.

Thank you, Council President. In honor of Women's History Month, I am continuing my series of resolutions honoring powerful Philadelphia women who shaped our city's history and transformed it for the better. Today I'm excited to honor Joann Bell. Joann Bell is a social worker, union leader, radio host, who has dedicated her life's work to the struggle for equity for women and Black and brown Philadelphians. As Vice President of AFSCME DC47, she fought against discriminatory requirements and helped kept Black women in City jobs. As the first appointed Executive Director of the Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, she advocated for Black people across the state. As a co-founder of Black Women's Leadership Council, she pushed government to listen to and respond to STATED MEETING 19 3/30/2023 the issues and concerns and solutions for Black women. And Joann Bell forced open doors that have long been closed to Black women, doors that I and many others have since been able to walk through. Her organizing leadership is an inspiration to all of us who are working to remove the barriers that keep women and Black and brown Philadelphians from participating and leading in City government. Thank you.

Thank you. That will be -- Councilman Johnson. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.

Thank you, Council President. I just want to echo the sentiments of this very, very outstanding acknowledgment of my good friend Ms. Joann Bell and want to thank my colleague Councilwoman Kendra Brooks for acknowledging her, because Ms. Joann STATED MEETING 20 3/30/2023 Bell has always been on the front line of empowering young people. She believes in empowering young people since I've always known her, way before I got involved in politics, and she's always advocated to make sure we had a seat at the table. But also as we celebrate Women's History Month, she's definitely on the forefront of making sure that African American women and women of color, Black and brown, have a seat at the table when it comes to economic development and when it comes to women's rights. And so very fitting acknowledgment of her, and I want to again acknowledge my colleague Councilwoman Kendra Brooks for taking time out and acknowledge the hard work that Ms. Joann Bell has been doing. And a lot of people don't see what takes place behind the scenes and a lot of work that she does actually stopping things negative from actually happening. STATED MEETING 21 3/30/2023 And so very fitting for you to acknowledge her, Councilwoman Brooks. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to echo those sentiments and also thank my colleague Councilwoman Brooks for acknowledging Ms. Bell. One word to describe her is authentic, straight up, you know, no games, just really a straight shooter, which, you know, in this business always is not to be had. And so Joann Bell really stands above and beyond. I'm glad to see her being acknowledged today, and I just really wanted to echo those sentiments, because she's someone who, you know, is just really out there on the front lines fighting for economic justice, STATED MEETING 22 3/30/2023 particularly for people of color and women throughout the City of Philadelphia, and has been for a very long time, without any sort of fanfare or attention. And so it's a wonderful thing to give her her honors. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

I would be remiss if I didn't join the chorus of people acknowledging Ms. Bell. My reasons, we go back more years than I care to talk about, but when she was in the role of District Council 47, her advocacy for the working people was second to none. I would also go to say that she could have lived anywhere, but she chose the Fourth District. Thank you very much.

Okay. The Chair recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 23 3/30/2023 Thomas.

I'm sorry, Council President. I hate to do it, but I also have to just thank my colleague Councilmember Brooks and just give my love and appreciation to Ms. Joann Bell. I'm sure all of us have a story. I won't necessarily share mine because it's a little embarrassing, but she's a phenomenal mentor and a great person, and I appreciate all she's done to help me and to help the City of Philadelphia.

You got to tell.

I got to tell it? I'll put it in a text. Thank you, Council President.

Make sure it's a group text so we can all see it. Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you, Council President. I too wanted to STATED MEETING 24 3/30/2023 rise and thank our colleague Councilmember Brooks for acknowledging Joann Bell. You have to say something about her because she is just that special. I too honored her last year as one of our living legends during Women's History Month, and I said this about Emma Chappell and I'm going to say it about Joann Bell: She is a woman who fixes another woman's crown without telling the world it is crooked. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Phillips.

I just simply want to say thank you, Ms. Joann Bell, for all the service that you've done in the City of Philadelphia and particularly in the Ninth District. I just have become familiar and friends with Joann Bell recently. She STATED MEETING 25 3/30/2023 was actually one of the first people who interviewed me when I started on City Council, but prior to this, the Ninth District has had a great relationship with Ms. Joann Bell through Councilman John White, Councilwoman Marian Tasco, and also Councilwoman Cherelle Parker. So I just want to salute her for all of the things that she's done for our community in the Ninth District. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Vaughn.

Good morning, everyone. You know, Joann Bell is someone that I met when I first came to Council because her sister, Jerri Williams, used to be a City employee and she ended up retiring for Casey, from Casey's office, and when I tell you this woman will call me at any time to say it's time for us to have lunch or it's STATED MEETING 26 3/30/2023 time for us to get together and talk. Jerri, her sister, who now lives in Harrisburg, will often just send me a little gift and say she was thinking about me. So these women are very instrumental in my life and they are the reason that I am what some folks will call the fixer today. So I tip my hat, along with all of my colleagues, in the respect and admiration and love that I have for her. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman. That will be on today's Calendar.

Councilwoman Brooks offers a privileged resolution declaring March 31, 2023 as International Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Philadelphia.

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks. STATED MEETING 27 3/30/2023

Thank you, Council President. I am introducing a resolution to declare March 31st as International Transgender Day of Visibility in Philadelphia. Across the country, transgender people are under attack. They are faced with discrimination, violence, and a growing number of laws designed to criminalize their very existence. This year alone, seven states have passed anti-trans legislation and at least 27 other states currently have anti-trans bills pending. In this moment of targeted hatred and heightened attacks, it is important that -- more important than ever that we show support, solidarity, and care for our members of our communities who are trans and non-binary. We grieve for the countless trans people who have been murdered and for those who have died due to lack of sufficient care. We also deeply STATED MEETING 28 3/30/2023 grateful -- we're also deeply grateful to the trans people and organizations that have led the way to a greater freedom for all of us to express ourselves and live our lives beyond the constraints of strict gender roles and who continue to lead us towards a world that is freer, safer, and brighter for everyone. By recognizing the International Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor and celebrate the vibrancy and resilience of trans and non-binary people as we continue to fight for justice and equality that we deserve. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilwoman. That will be on today's Calendar.

Councilwoman Gauthier offers a privileged resolution proclaiming March 2023 as National Social Work Month and calling upon all citizens to join the National Association of STATED MEETING 29 3/30/2023 Social Workers, the City of Philadelphia and the Office of Homeless Services to celebrate and support the Social Work Profession and its many contributions.

Today's Calendar.

Councilman Squilla offers two bills and four resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance amending Ordinance (Bill No. 190935) of the Council of The City of Philadelphia, approved by the Mayor on December 18, 2019, to authorize the refunding of additional series of outstanding general obligation bonds; and An ordinance authorizing and approving the execution and delivery of one or more supplements to an existing service agreement (or a new service agreement on substantially the same terms) between The City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority relating to a comprehensive STATED MEETING 30 3/30/2023 neighborhood transformation program.

Referred to committee, those two bills.

And on his own behalf, Councilman Squilla offers a privileged resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritage and culture of Arab Americans in Philadelphia.

This week's Calendar.

And a privileged resolution declaring May 2023 to be Hepatitis Awareness Month in Philadelphia to recognize and support the joint efforts of "Hep B United Philadelphia" and "Hepatitis C Allies of Philadelphia" coalitions aimed at raising awareness of the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer and the importance of elimination activities.

This week's Calendar.

And a privileged STATED MEETING 31 3/30/2023 resolution honoring the American Planning Association on the occasion of their National Planning Conference, and declaring April 1, 2023 as "City Planning Day" in the City of Philadelphia.

This week's Calendar.

And a non-privileged resolution appointing Vince Latucca to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.

Next week's Calendar.

There are no other bills or resolutions being offered today by the members, Mr. President.

Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions, and our next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just -- STATED MEETING 32 3/30/2023 The next order of business is reports from committees, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson for a report from the Committee on Rules.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Rules reports four bills 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 Rules, to which was referred Bill No. 220940, entitled "An ordinance continuing the Roxborough Neighborhood Improvement District beyond its termination date in an area that generally includes both sides of Ridge Avenue from Main Street beginning with 5122 Ridge Avenue to 7220 Ridge Avenue and certain blocks of streets that intersect that portion of STATED MEETING 33 3/30/2023 Avenue; continuing the designation of the Roxborough Development Corporation, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association for the District; approving a plan for the District, including a list of proposed improvements and their estimated cost, and providing for assessment fees to be levied on property owners within the District"; and Bill No. 230007, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 14-513 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'TOD, Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District' and amending Section 14-533 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'MIN, Mixed Income Neighborhoods Overlay District,' to expand the applicable areas of each district in the vicinity of Market Street between 54th Street and 63rd Street"; and Bill No. 230080, entitled "An ordinance continuing a neighborhood STATED MEETING 34 3/30/2023 district, known as the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, in an area that generally includes both sides of North 2nd Street from the north side of Callowhill Street to the south side of Girard Avenue, both sides of North 3rd Street from Spring Garden Street to the south side of Wildey Street, Spring Garden Street from North 2nd Street to the eastern side of North 5th Street, and certain blocks of streets that intersect portions of these streets; designating the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, Incorporated, which has organized itself as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association for the District; approving a plan for the District, including a list of proposed improvements and their estimated cost, and providing for assessment fees to be levied on property owners within the District"; and Bill No. 230107, entitled "An STATED MEETING 35 3/30/2023 Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 63rd Street, Callowhill Street, Felton Street and Vine Street," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you, Mr. Decker. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Johnson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bills No. 220940, 230007, 230080, and 230107. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the first reading this day of Bills No. 220940, STATED MEETING 36 3/30/2023 230007, 230080, and 230107. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. That concludes our reports from committee, and our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. I now note that the bills just reported from committee with a suspension of the rules have been deemed to have had their first reading. They will be placed on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on our Passage Calendar STATED MEETING 37 3/30/2023

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit a Consent Agenda for the following bills: Bills No. 220906, 220939, 220943, 220944, 220945, 220946, 220947, 220948, 220949, 220950, 220968, 220970, 220971, 230002, 230003, 230033, 230035, 230078, 230103, 230128, 230130, 230131, 230153, 230154, 230155, and 230108.

Thank you. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilman Jones. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

STATED MEETING 38 3/30/2023 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today.

Thank you again, Mr. President. In addition to the bills being considered on the Consent Agenda, the following bills and resolutions are being brought up from Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 230224, 230225, 230034, and 230009. All other bills and resolutions are being held.

Thank you, Councilman. Prior to moving on passage of those bills and resolutions on the Calendar today, we will have our public STATED MEETING 39 3/30/2023 comment. Public comment will go as follows: Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for today's possible action. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet. Today we have ideal circumstances, so you will be given three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from session to session based on the volume of individuals signing up. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, we intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit. When you are speaking, you will see a green light on the podium on the device. When that light turns green, it will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks, and STATED MEETING 40 3/30/2023 when the light turns red, we'd ask that you please adhere to our guidelines and conclude your remarks. I also reserve the right pursuant to the rules of Council to limit repetitious comment from time to time to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to speak. So, Mr. Decker, are you ready for the first person on the list?

The first speaker we have today, Mr. President, is Judith Robinson, commenting on 221015, 220865, 230128, 230224, and 230225. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning. QUEEN ROBINSON: Good morning. Queen Judith Robinson here, commenting on 230225 and 220865. It's already illegal for children to possess firearms. If you can change the professional licensing for real estate, as you did with the STATED MEETING 41 3/30/2023 wholesaling bill, I know darn well we can stop illegal guns from getting in the hands of children. It's already illegal. Okay? Also, 220, the workforce development and reporting, already should be done, on and on and on. A lot of you all have been around here for a long time, and I'm demanding that we get our minds right and focus on the things that are really, really impacting us. So I'm here today to ask you all, who is assassinating our Black boys? Who is assassinating our Black boys in this town? That's what I'm asking you all, and what we gonna do about it. Murder, murder, murder. Murder mayhem in this town. What we doing about it? You all got the purse strings. You all got the money. How many parents are suffering today? Every time a murder happens in this town, all of us are impacted. What we gonna do about it? STATED MEETING 42 3/30/2023 Murder. What we gonna do about it? What we gonna do about the murder in this town? Our Black boys are dying every day. You got people running around with masks on their face killing. You got people carjacking. What are we gonna do about it? I sat here this morning, heard all of this machinations about one person. I'm here to represent the Black boys of this town that's not getting opportunity, on and on and on. We've been battling for years about minority participation, workforce development, all that nonsense. They can't get an education, can't get a job, can't get opportunities, with all this going on in Philly. I'm a native of this town. I love Philadelphia. I really do. That's why the hell I come down here as often as I do. Because I've been talking about these things for 20, 30 years. Shameful. STATED MEETING 43 3/30/2023 And nothing has changed. Not very much has changed. Let's say it that way. I don't want to be totally negative. But you all have been doing it your way and it ain't working, especially as relates to crime, murder, and mayhem in this damn town. Let's try it another way, y'all. Let's try something different. Who is assassinating our Black boys? It's on and on. So it's Women's History Month and I'm a queen every time I open my mouth. I make history. Okay? So I'm giving myself an award today, Black History Queen of Philadelphia. Yeah. I'm claiming it. But I want us to do something about the murders of our Black boys in this town. I want you all to think about that as you move through these holidays and run here and run there. What you gonna do about the murder of our Black boys in the City of Philadelphia? STATED MEETING 44 3/30/2023 Thank you very much. I'm a queen leaving out.

Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.

The next speaker is Keisha Moore Johnson, commenting on 230258. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning, everyone. My name is Keisha Moore Johnson and I am the Shelter Services Administrator for the Office of Homeless Services. It is a great honor and privilege to be before you today, and thank you to Councilwoman Gauthier for sponsoring the resolution on Social Work Month. By education, I am a social worker, but it's more to me than that. My passion lies in serving and taking care of those who are vulnerable, and STATED MEETING 45 3/30/2023 that's really what the Office of Homeless Services' social workers do every day, working on the front line to provide services, social justice, to ensure that our participants that come through our front door are met with -- are provided with the needs to become stable. And so we thank you today. Last week we held our first ever case management conference for our social workers and case managers in our shelter system attended by over 100 case managers and social workers where we honored them. We lifted them up with resources, professional development, and trauma-informed affirming care for them, because as social workers we tend to neglect ourselves, right? We're working diligently for those who are vulnerable and rely on us, but often times we neglect to take care of ourselves. And so, again, with much gratitude, thank you very much. And I would be remiss in this month of Social STATED MEETING 46 3/30/2023 Work and Women's History Month to not pay honor to social worker pioneer Dorothy Height, who was instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement, and Jane Addams, who opened up Hull House in Chicago to provide homes -- I'm sorry; to provide services for vulnerable individuals, immigrants, and the poor. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony.

The next speaker is Mack Duncan, commenting on 230103 and 220968. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Mack Duncan. I'm a member of the Mount Airy Concerned Neighbors in the Ninth Councilmanic District and I'm here STATED MEETING 47 3/30/2023 to say thank you for your beginning to work on the safety of our children. I do in the mornings over at Hill-Freedman School, I've done it for the past six years, because just prior to that, a car turned completely upside down at the intake of school, completely upside down, because it was speeding, and I have for the past six years tried in the mornings at Hill-Freedman School on the 1100 block of Mount Pleasant Street to try to slow the traffic down. Six years later it's still going on. The 15-mile-an-hour lights are flashing every morning and every afternoon when school takes in and takes out -- let out, and the cars still speed. I sometime yell, and I've been told on a number of occasions that's not safe, but we have to do what we need to do for our children. And I'm here today to say thank you for your steps in working on putting calming devices at not only Hill-Freedman STATED MEETING 48 3/30/2023 but all schools in our city, because all of our children are important, and when speeders come through, all of our children, grandchildren, just citizens in the City are important to us. And I want to say thank you for your beginning to do the things that we need to do. Cut some of the red tape. We have tried everything that we know how up until this point to get it done, and as of today, it has not been done, but I do pray that in the very near future before we get a child hurt or killed, that we get this done. I want to say thank you for that, and that is Bill No. 230103. I also want to speak on the bill Bill No. 220968 in reference to truck parking overnight, over the weekend and everything, a quality of life for the community. You know, when a neighbor, a friend or somebody is looking for a house in our neighborhood and they see tractor-trailer trucks parked all kinds of ways, all kinds of time, they go to STATED MEETING 49 3/30/2023 somewhere else to look. Well, Mount Airy is about the best place you can look, so if you can't look safely there, where are you going to go? Suburbs, where the houses are another $200,000, just because tractor-trailer trucks are parked in the neighborhood? And those that are living close to it, when those things start up at 3:30 in the morning, I understand you sit up in your bed. And not only that, but when they seem to come, they bring the trash with them. They don't take it home, because they live in the neighborhood, most of them. They don't take it home. They just put it right on the street, or when they get ready to go, they take the trash from the house, I guess, and still put it on the street. So what we need to do is find a way to get those trucks out of the neighborhood and a safe place to park so that there will be a way. Is that my red light? STATED MEETING 50 3/30/2023

Yes, sir.

Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.

Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)

The next speaker is Shawmar Pitts, commenting on 220945 and 220950. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Shawmar Pitts. So I'm here to speak about the bills concerning the streets and stuff around Hilco, and I guess -- I just think that things are just being done out of order. Like I'm not opposed to the redevelopment at all, but when we first came to be a part of knowing that this is STATED MEETING 51 3/30/2023 going to be redeveloped, we thought this would be an opportunity for us and our community to actually make a difference in our community as far as connecting us back to economics and education and starting to, you know, get away from gun violence, like the older lady was saying, the queen was saying. Like it's a lot of things that gun violence come from, and the main thing it comes from is from us not having education so we're ignorant, and then we're not connecting to economics, so we don't have money. So, therefore, this is a recipe for gun violence and other things too that poverty brings. So we saw this as an opportunity so when Hilco came with the original CBA, which was better than the normal CBA, we said that we wasn't going to sign that because we are worth a lot more and they can do a lot more. So the only reason why I'm opposing the redevelopment going forward STATED MEETING 52 3/30/2023 is because I think that the CBA should be in place before they're allowed to do things, because some of these things may be some of the things we wanted to negotiate within the CBA. So it's like when you're younger, you can't go outside and play until you do your homework. So I think they shouldn't be allowed to do anything until they do their homework and the CBA is established, and then, and only then, can any bills or legislation be passed in their favor to do the things that they want to do. You know what I mean? Because I believe that the citizens in the community should come first. And a lot of people were under the assumption that I didn't like Councilman Johnson and, well, that's true, I don't like Councilman Johnson. I love Councilman Johnson. That's my man, right? So we just don't agree on everything. That's all it is. It ain't got nothing to do with me liking STATED MEETING 53 3/30/2023 Councilman Johnson, right? I love Councilman Johnson, right? And I believe we're going to get it done, because I've been in contact and negotiating with Hilco and their Senior Vice President, Ms. Jasmin Sessoms, and it looks good to me. You know what I mean? I see us working it out. I just think that we got to do it in a certain order. Let's do the CBA and then we can pass the legislations for them to build and, you know, infrastructure and stuff like that. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.

The next -

Hold on, Mr. Decker. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.

I love Shawmar too, but I just want to clarify the record, and I think all of my STATED MEETING 54 3/30/2023 colleagues did get some documentation regarding the several bills that we're passing for the Hilco redevelopment project in South Philadelphia, but I just want to be brief just for the public in total transparency regarding this particular process. This particular project, which is Hilco Bellwether District, is the former Sunoco Refinery in South Philadelphia, which in order for them to even move forward for any type of zoning legislation through Councilman Johnson, the Second Councilmanic District, I required 50 percent, 50 percent minority participation in the building of the actual development project, the hiring of staff at the redevelopment project, as well as the contracting professional services for the actual development project. Also in working with the Department of Commerce, there's also an apprenticeship internship program with STATED MEETING 55 3/30/2023 the School District here -- the School District of Philadelphia as well as an apprenticeship program where we'll be partnering with the Sam Staten Sr. Apprenticeship Program with Laborers District Council 332. So it's definitely on the forefront of my agenda as well as the environmental remediation that needs to be addressed at the particular site. We recognize that this is going to be a transformational project and it's going to be a process that we will continue to keep returning to the table and continuing to keep negotiating and holding the particular company accountable. So I just wanted to speak on the actual topic from the perspective of transparency, accountability. And I also, again, love my guy from South Philadelphia for his passion and advocacy to make sure that we hold the company accountable. STATED MEETING 56 3/30/2023 Thank you very much, Council President.

Thank you, Councilman. Appreciate it. Appreciate the testimony. Mr. Decker.

The next speaker is Terrence Washington. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Terrence Washington. I'm here to support the resolution celebrating the 2023 One Book, One Philadelphia selection of Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. I'm a new Philadelphian. I've felt mentally welcomed since coming here. Thank you. I direct the Free Library's One Book, One Philadelphia program. Interior Chinatown is a novel written in the form of a screenplay. With that innovative form, great pathos, and a smirk, smirking humor, Charles Yu STATED MEETING 57 3/30/2023 has given us a story of a young man named Willis Wu who acts in a police procedural that sounds a lot like the TV shows Law and Order or CSI. He struggles with being a background player credited as generic Asian man and longs to be kung fu guy. He imagines that this is the pinnacle, the most American he can be as a son of immigrants from Taiwan. He forgets that we can be more than what we see on TV, and he learns to figure out what it means to be Willis Wu. It's a book about immigration and its rippling effects and why representation and culture matters. It's about working, quite literally, to make sure that you and your family and your imaginations can be free. It's about how in the land of opportunity, opportunity can be a relative term. It's also a tough book. People will read occasional racial slurs, accounts of anti-Asian violence, stories STATED MEETING 58 3/30/2023 of deep poverty, texts of racist and real laws. Tense moments are sometimes punctured by absurd humor but not always. The book asks, can humor help us deal with serious things? How do you do that sensitively? What does it mean to discuss the experiences of Asian Americans within a culture of charged Black-white racial dichotomy? We at the Free Library hope you'll give this book your time and careful attention. The library, like Philadelphia, is a place where anyone's story can and should be told. Through nine weeks of programming this One Book season, beginning April 20th, we've centered these ideas and others working with groups like the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, Asian Americans United, Book Harvest, the Philadelphia Suns, Philadelphia Asian American Film and Filmmakers, and others. We hope to provide STATED MEETING 59 3/30/2023 opportunities for people across the City to build community with one another. At neighborhood libraries and other places across the City, we'll read, talk, cook, draw, and even sing together. We hope to see you there. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.

Lynn Landes, commenting on 210913. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Lynn Landes of HealthAlertPhilly.org. I support Resolution 210913. However, many people are wondering why the public was not notified of the toxic spill on Friday evening as soon as the City was informed about it. Why did City officials wait until Sunday afternoon to let most people STATED MEETING 60 3/30/2023 know? Then City officials told the public that the water was safe until 2 o'clock that afternoon, so many of us collected that water thinking that it was safe, with no idea the spill had actually happened a day and a half before. How safe was that water really? At first I thought the water I collected was okay, but on Monday when I used the water to do some cooking for my granddaughter, she didn't like anything I made with it, and then I too realized the food had a funny taste. So I switched to bottled water. But for many people in the City, they didn't have that option, because the stores quickly ran out of bottled water and the City had no back-up plan. The City's only plan seemed to be to keep telling everyone the water was safe to drink, but many people I spoke with did not believe them. My neighbors smelled a foul STATED MEETING 61 3/30/2023 odor in the air late Friday night, and I smelled something foul on Saturday morning. Yesterday as I went to finally pour out the water I had collected on Sunday, three days later, a chemical smell was much more apparent coming from those containers. Although the City is now contending that the water was safe this whole time, I would like to know, and the City should tell us, how many people called 311, 911, or the Water Department complaining about a bad taste or odor. I think that will tell us more of the true safety of the water than what the Water Department or Health Department is saying. In addition, the City should have a better emergency management plan so we don't run out of bottled water, and they should also publicize emergency preparedness on the citizen level every day with signs on street posts, texts, and public service announcements. STATED MEETING 62 3/30/2023 Thank you very much.

Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.

The next speaker is Marvin Robinson, commenting on 221015. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

I don't know if it's morning or good afternoon, whichever one it is, but my name is Marvin Robinson. Good afternoon, good morning, President Clarke, Council. I'm only here because coming at the -- I am really concerned about 2200, I think, 15 bill about the developers getting a tax break. I would like for us as a City Council to explain better about developers getting tax breaks when they comes in our community and they make billions and millions of dollars off of us. So what this bill is saying, STATED MEETING 63 3/30/2023 it's not really giving us definition of what tax breaks are they getting, how much tax breaks are they getting, because they get enough as they come in our community. And I know y'all know what I'm talking about. So the only thing -- I would love to see this bill kind of pass if it can, but it got to pass with better understanding for we, the people, can understand where this money going to go for the developers. Because if anybody need a tax breaks, it's the people that pay the taxes on their house, not the damn developers. So this is really not explaining to the people what the developers getting taxes about or how much is they get taxes and where are the taxes going to be broken down to. Is it coming back to the community? Is it just going back to them? Because we all know, those that know about development -- and I know a lot about developers, because I STATED MEETING 64 3/30/2023 sit down at the tables with developers for years. I just don't want to see more money going to developers when it's not coming back to our community. We need to just -- need more information explaining what are they going to do with the money. Is the money going to come back to us as the community, where are they developing it, where are they making the project at, where are they making the money, is any of that money going to come back to the residents. These are the things we should know about. But just telling somebody they giving tax breaks to the developers, it's really unacceptable, where you got senior citizens are paying a lot of money for their homes, and they don't get tax breaks.

Thank you.

And I remember the last six years or maybe eight years I STATED MEETING 65 3/30/2023 was in here about y'all raising the taxes on people property. So if it's going to be a tax break, let's make sure the residents get that first, or at least the residents should know where -- where developers coming into our community, where that money is going. Is that money going back to them or it's going to help our community? So I would like to see a little better explaining and just put this bill on hold until we can get a little more understanding of what kind of tax breaks are they getting, because this don't explain that. They don't say they get 10 percent, 5 percent, or any percent. So we need to know, I need to know for my constituents what kind of tax breaks are y'all going to give these developers. And that's all I need to say. Thank y'all, and appreciate you.

STATED MEETING 66 3/30/2023 Mr. Robinson, leave contact information for yourself before you leave today so we can send you a fact sheet on the specifics and the information that you requested.

I appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Ogbonna Hagins, commenting on 230225. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning.

Ogbonna Hagins. I'm going to be commenting on the 230225 resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to temporarily suspend firearm preemption for cities of the first class to allow Philadelphia to enforce measures that will reduce gun violence. STATED MEETING 67 3/30/2023 So before I start, I just want to let people know what the preemption statute states. Pennsylvania law provides that no county, municipality, or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer, or transportation of firearms, ammunition, ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of the Commonwealth. This is a good try, and it may even reduce gun violence, but what do you really think this is going to reduce gun violence for real? Do you really think it's going to reduce gun violence when there are billions of dollars being made from gun violence? There is too much money being made from the murder of our people in this city and nation. What exactly is the thought process behind this resolution? The conversation cannot include more talk of mentorship programs, trips STATED MEETING 68 3/30/2023 to the zoo for the at-risk youth, but be centered on empowering specifically the Afro American community, providing them with tools for opportunities and funding on a scale that both stabilizes and repair the damage incurred. Mayor Kenney once said -- he once stated that the police cannot combat the current gun violence problem, and City Councilmembers only offer magic beans as a solution. There is no logical reason to overlook or not consider a serious investment in empowering the Afro American community. Let's be clear. The elephant in the room is that structural racism drives Philadelphia's gun violence and also prevents obvious solutions from being implemented. It's an economic problem. It's an economic problem, Council. Are we going to repair economically the Afro American community? And also I offer a suggestion STATED MEETING 69 3/30/2023 that there's an audit to actually see and determine where all of the money is going in relationship to gun violence in this city, because there's a lot of money being made and if gun violence is reduced, who is not making that money? So let's be clear. We need to deal with gun violence, but we also need to understand who is making money and how the money can be transferred to decrease the wealth gap to decrease crime and violence.

Thank you.

Have a great day.

Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.

The next speaker is Nayimah Sanchez, commenting on 230257. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning. STATED MEETING 70 3/30/2023 Nayimah Sanchez, she/her. Good morning, City Councilmembers, my peers here today, and neighbors watching at home. Thank you, Councilmember Kendra Brooks, for proposing this resolution and standing with trans and non-binary Philadelphians declaring this proclamation of March 31st as Trans Day of Visibility, honoring the work, the accomplishments, and raising awareness of an unjust system and ways trans and non-binary folks are forced to be resilient. As a proud trans Philadelphian, I'm here today having lived through the impacts of a lack of inclusive policies, the trauma of conversion therapy, and physical harm while trying to exist in my truth. I am here today as a dedicated advocate who knows that the over 400 pieces of anti-LGBT legislation throughout our nation only reflects a desire to deny my community and me a full life, free from discrimination. STATED MEETING 71 3/30/2023 Trans people belong and deserve dignity. The reality is that we do exist, and we are people who contribute to the economy. We do exist, and we are your family members and your neighbors. We are doctors, business owners, bus drivers, and military service members. After being forgotten, we exist, while politicians work to outlaw our access, our support, and our mere existence. I'm honored to live in Philadelphia and be surrounded by a long list of powerful comrades, even members of this City Council, that are intentional as we preserve our rights and fight to secure the rights for all. I want to thank this body of elected officials for your contributions to advance protections throughout Philadelphia County and demand that we commit to continuing the movement for liberty by getting justice for all of our neighbors. STATED MEETING 72 3/30/2023 I want to thank the countless grassroots organizers and experienced community members who are visible year round. I know it's exhausting. Just know that you are loved and that all that you contribute, even just living your truth, is enough. Our existence is resistance, and a world without trans and non-binary folks never existed and it never world. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony. Appreciate it.

Erin Montrose, commenting on 230257. (Witness approached podium.)

Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Erin Montrose Ellis. STATED MEETING 73 3/30/2023 My pronouns are she/her. I'm very excited to be here today, so I'm going to take a second. I'm the mother of trans and non-binary kiddos who are growing up in Philadelphia, and I'm excited to have this opportunity to thank community members, organizers, City Council, and my elected officials in person. Thank you for working to protect trans and non-binary Philadelphians. It means the world to me that I live in a city that is actively working to protect my loved ones, as more and more elected officials are creating policies that hurt trans folks. I'm grateful that you here in Philadelphia are creating policies that protect, uplift, and celebrate this community. So this year, unfortunately, we made the tough decision that we won't be raising the flag this year, tomorrow, Trans Day of Visibility, because it's not safe. But last year we did, so I want to STATED MEETING 74 3/30/2023 talk about that for a second. Last year my loved ones got to leave school on a half day, just like this year, and they stood with community leaders and their peers and helped raise the trans flag at their City Hall in Philadelphia. Because we have policies that protect our children here in Philadelphia at their public school, at camp, at the Free Library, they know that they are accepted and loved and celebrated, and it leaves them the room to be kids. So I'm going to tell another tiny story about the joy that it is to be here in this community in Philadelphia. So last year, 2021, on Trans Day of Remembrance, I attended an event at the School District of Philadelphia, and I got home and it was bedtime and my kids were already in their pajamas, and I really wanted to take them out so they could see Boathouse Row lit up for Trans Day of Remembrance in the trans flag's STATED MEETING 75 3/30/2023 colors. It was late, and my partner was like, doesn't matter, let's do it. So the kids said, can we go in our pajamas? Yes. Can we go without shoes? Yes. So we threw them in the car and we zoomed down Kelly Drive and got there, and we couldn't see the lights, and so we had to take the kids out of the car and carry them shoeless on our backs, and they lit up. My kids lit up. They saw the colors and they knew. So thank you, and thank you for doing what you do, and please continue to do this life-changing work. (Applause.)

Thank you.

There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President. STATED MEETING 76 3/30/2023

Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our public comment for today. We will now consider today's Bill Consent Agenda. I would ask the Clerk to please read the titles of all the bills on the Consent Agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the bill on the Consent Agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the bill will be immediately removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on our regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the titles of the bills on the Consent Agenda for today.

Bill No. 220906, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of 67th Street between Callowhill Street and Girard Avenue"; and Bill No. 220939, entitled "An STATED MEETING 77 3/30/2023 no truck parking regulation on both sides of 63rd Street between Malvern Avenue and Wynnewood Road"; and Bill No. 220943, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the paving of 34th Street from Maiden Lane to Jackson Street, Forten Way from Maiden Lane to Jackson Street, and Jackson Street from 34th Street to Vare Avenue"; and Bill No. 220944, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan Nos. 24-S, 25-S and 32-S by relocating the existing curblines and houselines along the western side of Vare Avenue from Maiden Lane to 28th Street, along the southern side of Maiden Lane from 34th Street to Vare Avenue, and at the intersection of Vare Avenue and Maiden Lane to accommodate the widening of certain streets and various intersection improvements"; and Bill No. 220945, entitled "An STATED MEETING 78 3/30/2023 revision of lines and grades on portions of City Plan Nos. 25-S and 32-S by placing on the City Plan 34th Street from Maiden Lane to Jackson Street, Forten Way from Maiden Lane to Jackson Street, and Jackson Street from 34th Street to Vare Avenue"; and Bill No. 220946, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the striking from City Plan Nos. 25-S and 32-S and abandonment of a certain right-of-way reserved for sewer and drainage purposes, located along the former Jackson Street, west of Vare Avenue, and extending westwardly therefrom to 34th Street"; and Bill No. 220947, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the paving of Frances Harper Drive from Passyunk Avenue to Penrose Avenue, Hartranft Street from 26th Street to Schuylkill Avenue, Schuylkill Avenue from Passyunk Avenue to Penrose Avenue, and an extension of Passyunk Avenue Service Road (also known STATED MEETING 79 3/30/2023 from its current terminus to Schuylkill Avenue"; and Bill No. 220948, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan Nos. 32-S, 33-S, 39-S, 40-S, 46-S, 47-S, and 53-S by relocating the existing curblines and houselines along the southern side of Passyunk Avenue at its intersections with South 28th Street and Passyunk Avenue Service Road (also known as Frontage Road), along both sides of Passyunk Avenue Service Road (also known as Frontage Road) at its intersections with Frances Harper Drive and Passyunk Avenue, along the western side of 26th Street and center median of South 26th Street at its intersections with Passyunk Avenue, Hartranft Street and Penrose Avenue, along both sides of the northwesterly Service Road of Penrose Avenue (also known as Lanier Avenue), and along the northern side of Penrose Avenue and center median of Penrose Avenue at STATED MEETING 80 3/30/2023 the northwesterly Service Road of Penrose Avenue (also known as Lanier Avenue), Frances Harper Drive, Schuylkill Avenue, and 26th Street, to accommodate various intersection improvements"; and Bill No. 220949, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on portions of City Plan Nos. 32-S, 33-S, 40-S, 47-S, 48-S, 53-S, and 56-S by placing on the City Plan Frances Harper Drive from Passyunk Avenue to Penrose Avenue, Hartranft Street from 26th Street to Schuylkill Avenue, Schuylkill Avenue from Passyunk Avenue to Penrose Avenue, and an extension of Passyunk Avenue Service Road (also known as Frontage Road) to Schuylkill Avenue"; and Bill No. 220950, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the striking from City Plan Nos.

40-S, 47-S, 48-S, 53-S, and 56-S and abandonment of certain rights-of-way reserved for water and gas STATED MEETING 81 3/30/2023 purposes, located along the former Lanier Avenue from Penrose Avenue to former Schuylkill Avenue and located along the former Schuylkill Avenue from Lanier Avenue to Passyunk Avenue"; and Bill No. 220968, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 12-919 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'On-Street Parking of Boats, Motor Homes, Truck Campers, Semitrailers, Truck Tractors, and Vending Carts,' to provide prohibitions on semitrailer and truck tractor parking in the Ninth District of Council"; and Bill No. 220970, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 167 by relocating the curblines and a portion of the southerly houseline of Arch Street, between Sixty-Third Street and Gross Street, in order conform more closely with existing conditions"; and Bill No. 220971, entitled "An STATED MEETING 82 3/30/2023 two-way regulation on the southwesterly cartway of Vare Avenue, extending along the southwesterly side of The Schuylkill Expressway, from South 28th Street to Maiden Lane, and establishing a two-way regulation on South 28th Street, from Vare Avenue to Porter Street"; and Bill No. 230002, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of North 57th Street between Lansdowne Avenue and Media Street"; and Bill No. 230003, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of North Parkside Avenue between Wynnefield Avenue and Monument Road"; and Bill No. 230033, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the vacating of Sloan Street from Ogden Street to its terminus northwardly therefrom and the reserving and plotting upon City Plan No. 106 of a right-of-way for sewer and STATED MEETING 83 3/30/2023 public utility purposes within the lines of said Sloan Street being vacated"; and Bill No. 230035, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 370 by striking from the City Plan Southampton Road from Bustleton Avenue to its terminus southeastwardly therefrom"; and Bill No. 230078, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the installation, ownership, and maintenance of various encroachments in the vicinity of 3317 through 33 Chestnut Street"; and Bill No. 230103, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 11-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Right-of-Way Management,' by authorizing the Department of Streets to install traffic calming measures in the vicinity of School District schools, Charter schools, and private schools"; and Bill No. 230128, entitled "An STATED MEETING 84 3/30/2023 revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 125 by placing on the City Plan Boston Place from Tenth Street to Eleventh Street, north of York Street"; and Bill No. 230130, entitled "An ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of 66th Street between Morris Park Road and Sherwood Road"; and Bill No. 230131, entitled "An ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Mifflin Street, and South 20th Street; South 17th Street, between Wolf Street and Jackson Street; South 18th Street and Snyder Avenue; Mole Street, between Moore Street and McKean Street; Carlisle Street and Jackson Street; Rosewood Street and Tasker Street"; and Bill No.

230153, entitled "An ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Morris STATED MEETING 85 3/30/2023 6th Street; Fernon Street and South 6th Street; South 7th Street and Wharton Street; Latona Street and South 12th Street; Ellsworth Street and South 12th Street; Broad Street and Dickinson Street; Annin Street and South 7th Street"; and Bill No. 230154, entitled "An ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Passyunk Avenue to Queen Street; Queen Street and South 5th Street; Washington Avenue to South Front Street; League Street and South Front Street"; and Bill No. 230155, entitled "An ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Daly Street and South 8th Street; Emily Street and South 6th Street; McKean Street and South 6th Street to South 9th Street; Mifflin Street and South 7th Street; Warnock Street and McKean Street"; and Bill No. "

Thank you, Mr. Decker. These bills having been read on two different days, the question for each bill now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker will call the roll, and upon being called, each Councilmember shall vote aye on each of the bills, nay on each of the bills, or indicate those bills for which the member is voting aye and those bills for which the member is voting nay. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.

Councilwoman Bass. STATED MEETING 87 3/30/2023

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Brooks.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Driscoll.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Gauthier.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Harrity.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Johnson. STATED MEETING 88 3/30/2023

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Jones.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Lozada.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Phillips.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Squilla.

Aye on all bills.

Councilman Thomas.

Aye on all bills.

Councilwoman Vaughn.

Aye on STATED MEETING 89 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING all bills.

Council President Clarke.

Aye on all bills. A majority of all members voting in the affirmative for each of the bills, the bills on the Consent Agenda are passed. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 230224.

A resolution also naming the 1700 block of West Montgomery Avenue, as "Christopher Fitzgerald Way", to honor the life and sacrifice of Temple University Police Sergeant, Christopher David Fitzgerald, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on February 18, 2023.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a STATED MEETING 90 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 230225.

A resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to temporarily suspend firearm preemption for cities of the first class to allow Philadelphia to enforce measures that will reduce gun violence. STATED MEETING 91 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING

The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to be allowed to speak on this for a moment.

Yes, sir.

Since it became the subject of public comment. Over the last two budget hearings that we've had in these Chambers, some of the questions that my colleagues have asked are exemplary, and I've been around a couple of budgets, but I think you would agree with me that the laser targeting of our colleagues over the past couple of days has been pretty exceptional. And I want -- I heard Queen Robinson talk about, you know, murder, and when she screamed, there's two sounds you never forget. One when a mother gives birth and that same sound when a mother realizes her child has been taken through gun violence. You never forget STATED MEETING 92 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING those screams, and it was reminding me of that. But also when we start talking about preemption and why, when we start talking about what we can do as a city of the first class to protect ourselves, it is important that we be allowed to do common sense gun laws. We passed lost and stolen five years ago. We passed red flag laws three years ago, and we've been held hostage to not be able to do anything to put out the emergency fires that we find ourselves in every day. When people talk about what we are doing, if you listen to the questions posed by my colleagues, they talk about things like schools, school-to-prison pipeline and closing it. They talked about the 57-block study that was done and how we can invest more in communities so that the causes, systemic racism, the causes, poverty, the causes that we could address through investment. STATED MEETING 93 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING So if you listened to what this body is attempting to do, whether it's the Kensington Marshall Plan, we are attempting to take a deeper dive. And I want to thank my colleagues who have been around a minute, that a couple of years ago gun violence was way down on the level of priorities for this government. It is the number one issue in the City of Philadelphia because of the voices in this room, undeniable. And so as we go through this budget process and we start looking at taking those questions to a deeper dive, summer jobs, all of these things are related to ending gun violence, and you have to put them in context collectively to see what this body is doing. I do agree we're going to have to have some uncomfortable conversations about the money we've invested out into the community to stem gun violence, but it cannot be done without looking at the decades of investment to big STATED MEETING 94 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING organizations that got grandfathered in and the tide has not changed in the relationship to people dying. So we're going to ask tough questions. You're going to hear them on this body. And I've never been so proud of my colleagues with their laser-like questions to every department, begging the question what are you, department head, going to do to solve this problem with us. So with that, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and the resolution is STATED MEETING 95 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted. Mr. Decker, 230034.

An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Haverford Avenue, 44th Street, Belmont Avenue, Girard Avenue, and 40th Street.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier for an amendment to Bill No. 230034.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 230034. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council. I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 96 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. Bill No. 230034 has been amended, and Bill No. 230034, as amended, will be placed on our Final Passage Calendar for our next session of Council. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 230009.

An ordinance amending Chapter 12-2800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Administrative Adjudication of Parking Violations," by further providing with respect to monetary penalties for on-street parking of semitrailers and truck tractors.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 97 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Thomas for an amendment to Bill No. 230009.

Thank you, Council President. On behalf of Councilmember O'Neill, I would like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 230009. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council, and I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you. All in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and Bill No. 230009 has been amended, and Bill No. 230009, as amended, will be placed on our Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. STATED MEETING 98 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?

A resolution celebrating the selection of Interior Chinatown, written by National Book Award for Fiction-winning author Charles Yu, for the 2023 One Book, One Philadelphia program, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you, Council President. In the spirit of my mentor, Councilmember Blondell Reynolds Brown, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

STATED MEETING 99 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution honoring and congratulating Champion of the Week, Gianna Masci, for her successes on and off the field as an athlete and student at Philadelphia Performing Arts: String Theory Charter School, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

STATED MEETING 100 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution honoring and recognizing Joann Bell, who throughout her illustrious career, has marshaled the power of government for those who have long been excluded from political and economic power, helped to transform Philadelphia politics, and served as a skillful organizer and thought leader, introduced today by Councilwoman Brooks.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's STATED MEETING 101 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution declaring March 31, 2023 as International Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Brooks.

The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 102 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution proclaiming March 2023 as National Social Work Month and calling upon all citizens to join the National Association of Social Workers, the City of Philadelphia and the Office of Homeless Services to celebrate and support the Social Work Profession and its many contributions, introduced today by Councilwoman Gauthier.

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.

Thank you, Council President, and good afternoon, everyone. Before I move for STATED MEETING 103 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING the adoption of the resolution, I'd like to take a brief moment to recognize our city's social workers and our Office of Homeless Services for all of the work that they do on behalf of our city each and every day. Can you all please stand and be recognized. (Applause.)

Each and every day OHS's social workers provide compassionate care for people experiencing homelessness in our city by coordinating meals, shelter, and healthcare services for our city's most vulnerable residents, and during one of the worst housing affordability crises we have ever seen, this work has never been more important. OHS is the last line of defense, and without them, I shudder to think where we would be. This year's STATED MEETING 104 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING National Social Workers Month's theme is Social Work Breaks Barriers. This is an especially meaningful theme since social workers here in Philadelphia empower residents experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet through partnerships with workforce development organizations and employers. Our social workers also engage housing providers to create stable living environments and work hand in hand with healthcare workers to ensure that the physical and emotional needs of the individuals and families engaging with OHS are met. The work being done at OHS speaks for itself. People exiting OHS's system on average have increased their income by 40 percent, and at least 1,500 families have been kept in stable living environments due to OHS's diversion assistance and homelessness prevention efforts. I am delighted to have the STATED MEETING 105 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Director of OHS, Liz Hersh, here today and would like to thank her for her years of hard work to uplift Philadelphians experiencing homelessness. And I extend my deepest thanks to our city's top-notch social workers. It is my honor to officially declare March 2023 as National Social Workers Month in Philadelphia. And with that, Council President, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution STATED MEETING 106 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritage and culture of Arab Americans in Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilman Squilla.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution declaring May 2023 to be Hepatitis STATED MEETING 107 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Awareness Month in Philadelphia to recognize and support the joint efforts of "Hep B United Philadelphia" and "Hepatitis C Allies of Philadelphia" coalitions aimed at raising awareness of the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer and the importance of elimination activities, introduced today by Councilman Squilla.

The Chair again recognizes Councilman Squilla.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 108 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING

The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.

And a resolution honoring the American Planning Association on the occasion of their National Planning Conference, and declaring April 1, 2023 as "City Planning Day" in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilman Squilla.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.

Thank you, Mr. President. Before I move for the adoption of the resolution, I just want to thank -- we had some special guests here. Some of them had to leave today, but for the National Planning Conference declaring April 1st, 2023 City Planning Day how important is planning to our City of Philadelphia. We're welcoming over 3,500 city planners that are attending this conference from all over to come here to Philadelphia to showcase our STATED MEETING 109 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING city. But we have Angela Brooks here, Eva Wilsnick (ph), Eleanor Sharpe, Paula Brumbelow, and Anne Fadullon. I think Paula is the only one here today, so, Paula, stand up if you can so we can give you thanks. (Applause.)

I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The Chair recognizes STATED MEETING 110 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilwoman Gauthier.

Thank you, Council President. I wanted to speak on this resolution as well. First, I want to thank Councilmember Squilla for the resolution and for the recognition of the critical role that city planners play in making our city a better place. As the only city planner on Council, I feel incredibly proud that the American Planning Association is having their conference in Philadelphia this weekend, and I'm also so proud that as a Black woman city planner, that I am very well represented by trailblazing Black women in this profession, including Eleanor Sharpe, the Director of the City Planning Commission, and Angela Brooks, who was here today, who is the head of the entire American Planning Association. For me, planning is a very natural progression of the role that Black women play in our communities every STATED MEETING 111 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING single day. We tend to be the stewards and the keepers of neighborhoods. We are the voices of people in our communities. And so for me, planning has always been a very natural progression of the roles that our mothers and our grandmothers and that our aunties and neighbors have traditionally played in our communities. But for too long, there have been -- we have been left out of the more formal roles of doing that work. And so it brings me great pride that these women and others like them are breaking barriers and taking on powerful roles in shaping the cities and the communities of the future, and they're doing so while representing the perspective of people who look like us and all the people who depend on us in our communities. And so thank you, Councilmember Squilla, for the recognition, and thanks to the APA for being here in Philly this weekend. I look forward to hanging out with you in West Philly on Sunday. STATED MEETING 112 3/30/2023 3/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING

Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.

Yeah. I just want to echo the sentiments of my colleague and thank Councilman Mark Squilla for introducing this resolution. Give a special shout-out to Paula Burns, who I think we all know particularly who we work with day to day when we're passing bills out of Rules Committee. So just thank you and your team for your hard work and your dedication as we shape a more equitable City of Philadelphia through development. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker.

There are no other resolutions for consideration on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President. STATED MEETING 113 3/30/2023

Thank you very much. Speeches on behalf of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.

Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to say that the flag raising, the trans flag raising tomorrow is still happening tomorrow at noon on the north apron. Some folks in the community, because all the hate and discrimination around this topic, are feeling uncomfortable about coming out, but I just want folks that are supporters and allies to still show up in support of the flag raising tomorrow. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Speeches on behalf of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 114 3/30/2023

Thank you, Council President. I just simply wanted to thank Mr. Mack Duncan, who is from the Mount Airy section of the Ninth District, who is here with us today, who gave a wonderful public comment about the legislation that just passed today focused on no truck parking in the Ninth District, which also encompasses RV's and boats and also some other vehicles that are causing a lot of havoc among our neighbors in that district. And he also was -- I also want to thank Mr. Mack Duncan for all the work he's put in to protect our children on a weekly basis when it comes to ensuring that there are safety measures in place for them as they literally cross the street. And because of his advocacy and his work, I was inspired to put together legislation that will help the Streets Department by putting together STATED MEETING 115 3/30/2023 of our schools in the City of Philadelphia. I also want to thank Ms. Joanne Esquilin, who also wasn't able to be here today, but she also inspired me because over at ASPIRA Charter School, public safety is a huge issue for them, and one of the things she just wanted to let people know is that her school has an enrollment of 1,500 children and many of these children cross the street on a daily basis. It has become dangerous for them. So I am very proud of this Council for working together to make it easier to protect our children safely when it comes to crossing streets, and also I'm also proud of this Council for being very supportive of a quality of life issue when it comes to nuisance truck parking in the City of Philadelphia, and I look forward to the enforcement and continue to collaborate with people to ensure that we have the STATED MEETING 116 3/30/2023 And I have to also say that as much as we are tackling the issue around truck parking in residential areas, which a lot of our neighbors have vehemently -vigorously said that they want out of the Ninth District and also the City of Philadelphia in general, we are also working closely with our Parking Authority and other people to make sure those truck drivers know where places they can park, and we're also supporting options for them to -- other places they can park as well, but there are places where they can park, and they can reach out and we will get them those answers. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Harrity.

Hello, Council President, colleagues. I just wanted to commend my STATED MEETING 117 3/30/2023 Brooks, and I would also like to apologize to the two ladies in the back. I will be at the flag raising tomorrow. It is appalling to me that for a flag raising, you would feel unsafe to go and be a part of. That's a lack on our part. I apologize. Hate has no place here. Trans rights are civil rights. And I would just like to personally, you know, thank you for your courage to be here, and I will be standing with you tomorrow. So thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. (Applause.)

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to say just a couple things really quickly. I wanted STATED MEETING 118 3/30/2023 of my colleague Councilman Harrity and just, you know, thank you, ladies, for coming down and for speaking out on trans rights. It's really hard to get up and speak with such passion in a microphone in front of everybody about an issue that's as important as this. It still is very hard to be able to do that. So I thank you for bringing awareness and for coming down and telling your story. So, number one, thank you for that. I also wanted to make note of, you know, the recent tragedy that we had in the Eighth Council District with the young man on his way to school that we lost. And so one of the key takeaways that we all have to think about is that as he was approached and robbed and then shot, that gun that was used was in -likely was in somebody's house the night before. It was in somebody's house, the mama house, the grandparents' house, the caregiver's house. It was in someone's STATED MEETING 119 3/30/2023 a campaign that we discussed before, what do you do when the shooter lives with you, because we know that these guns are in people's homes. And we started taking it a little bit further just to really get parents to get engaged in this. We need all hands on deck. And so we started a little campaign called Flip a Mattress Friday. So tomorrow is Friday. We're asking for parents, caregivers, foster parents, whoever, if you think, know, suspect that there's even a probability that the young person in your household could be involved in gun violence, then we ask you to flip that mattress over, run through that room, you know, look anywhere and everywhere throughout your house to make sure that that firearm is removed to keep them out of danger, to keep them out of harm's way, and to keep someone else out of harm's way. So we just wanted to put that STATED MEETING 120 3/30/2023 atmosphere, offer condolences once again to this family and all of the other families who have been affected by senseless gun violence this week and just remind us that as parents, our job is not only to protect the young people under our care but to protect our community as well, and that protection goes a long way towards making our streets safer. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Good point. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.

Thank you, Council President. I just want to echo the sentiments of my colleague, and I think this is a tough week amongst the various tough weeks that we've been having around this senseless issue of gun violence. We have about 18 young people who were murdered so far this year, with 100 STATED MEETING 121 3/30/2023 And, you know, in thinking about my colleague Councilwoman Bass' initiative, I think about how I grew up as a young man in the streets of South Philadelphia, but my mom said, you're not closing no doors in this house, you can't shut any doors. And she had no problem looking under my mattress, going inside my dresser drawers. She wanted to know who I was hanging out with. I couldn't bring something in the house that she didn't buy, right? And it's that type of due diligence in terms of parenting, right, that goes a long way in addressing this issue. But at the end of the day, every shooter has a door key. Every shooter has a door key. And so although we always are called on the carpet in terms of what we are doing, right, and we are doing our best to address this issue as well, it would have to be a collaborative effort in addressing this issue, and it also -- it starts in the home, to be STATED MEETING 122 3/30/2023 That's a part of who we have to address as a community, right? We address the issues of systematic racism. We address the issues of poverty, but also in terms of how we raise our young people as a village, right, we have to do a better job in stepping up. And even when parents do fall short, right, I grew up in an area where my neighbor would step up to the plate and say, hey, Kenyatta, you better get your act together before I straighten you out, and my mom would have no problem about it. My nana had no problem about it. And so I think we have to take a holistic approach in addressing it. And I'm an advocate for a three-pronged approach. For me it's always been prevention, and we showed time and time after each budget cycle started with a historical investment of 100-plus million. I think the Mayor now is doing STATED MEETING 123 3/30/2023 283 million, right? Intervention, supporting those groups that are actually stepping in and addressing this issue of gun violence, but also on the law enforcement side. We also have to recognize and be clear that those who shoot, those who wreak havoc on our community, they have to also be held accountable. As a young man, I got my first gun charge at the age of 16, and I was held accountable. And that's coming from a household where my parents and my nana was making sure I was okay, right? But when I did do wrong, they wasn't giving me a hug. It was like, you're going to stand up for what you did, because we didn't raise you to be out here on the corner getting involved in things that are negative. So from a law enforcement standpoint, I'm also going to be advocating for the expansion of the Gun Violence Task Force. That's a STATED MEETING 124 3/30/2023 General's Office, our District Attorney's Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with the sole purpose of doing one thing, and Councilwoman Bass touched on this, where are the guns coming from? There are so many guns flooding the streets of Philadelphia, right, but their guns are coming from -- Council President and Councilman Jones, Chairman Jones, we went to Oaks to the Gun Show, right, and we did a deeper dive to look at where the guns are coming from. There are so many guns flooding the streets of Philadelphia, which plays a major role into the accessibility of our young people getting illegal guns to resolve conflict.

So we have to take a comprehensive approach, but that's one key aspect, that I want to make sure we do a deeper dive and making sure we expand that particular unit, because STATED MEETING 125 3/30/2023 very, very helpful to find out where the ghost guns are coming from but, most importantly, not just going after the guys who are on the corner with the guns, but let's go after the people who are selling the guns to the young people in the first place. So thank you, Council President, for allowing me to say a few remarks.

Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.

Thank you, Council President. I also wanted to comment on this. I want to commend Councilmember Bass for her initiative pushing parents to be more involved. I definitely support that as an initiative and agree with Councilmember Johnson as well, that, you know, we have to be tough with people who are committing violent crimes and STATED MEETING 126 3/30/2023 find a way to stem the flow of guns. I guess I just wanted to also add to the conversation that it is my sense that coming out of the pandemic, we do not have a full sense of what's going on with our kids, and I think we have to spend some concerted time in identifying young people that are involved or on the cusp of being involved in some really bad things. And, you know, this was -- this stood out for me when Tiffany Fletcher was murdered -- or one of the times it stood out for me was when Tiffany Fletcher was murdered in West Philadelphia at the Mill Creek Rec Center and the shooter that they picked up was 14. So a kid who, you know, committed that shooting at 14 last year would have been 11 at the start of the pandemic. And it is my sense that we lost track of kids in terms of schools being closed and we lost track of kids in terms STATED MEETING 127 3/30/2023 connected to social services or adults who might have been looking out for them, and we lost track of being able to really reach young people and put them on a different path than some of them seem to be on right now. And so while I agree with the sentiments, I guess I just also want to push us as a city to dig more deeply into this, because some of these kids may have a stable home and it's about having mom do a search, but some of these kids may not even have homes. Some of these kids may not have people who they can look up to, who are going to steer them in the right way, and I just feel like after three years of hell in this city, we have to do a look back and we have to look at what happened to these young people during that time. And so I just wanted to add that to the conversation. You know, certainly what happened the other day was STATED MEETING 128 3/30/2023 -- it was just terrible. My son is 15. My son has to take multiple forms of public transit to get to school in North Philly from West Philly, and so a lot of that hit home for me. But I just wanted to, you know, add those comments and say that I want to be part of any effort that will help to really identify the kids who need our help and support in this moment.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

If you're just listening to what was discussed on this floor, you realize that there's a deep sense of commitment to dealing with this issue. What I want us to kind of solidify is that one is not at the opposition of the other, that you can be for public safety and you can be for social justice and you can be for STATED MEETING 129 3/30/2023 "and," not "or." And in this budget process, we're going to make sure that we put our money where our mouth is, put our emphasis where our hearts are. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Councilman. That concludes our speeches on behalf of the majority and the minority. I hate to end on a very, very down note, but that's the times that we live in, and we look forward to coming up with some solutions with some of the tragic events that continue to happen. So with that, the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, April 13th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)

STATED MEETING 130 3/30/2023 been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, April 13, 2023, 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you all very much. ) STATED MEETING 131 3/30/2023 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L.