Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, November 2, 2017 10:35 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN AL TAUBENBERGER MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
Good morning, everyone. It's going to be a great day. Before we start, because we always need a little spiritual guidance, this morning to give our invocation the Chair is going to recognize Pastor Dwaine Ross of Divine Destiny Community Fellowship. He is here today as the guest of Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. I would ask all members, guests, and visitors to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.)
It is an honor to stand here to open up this prayer this morning, and I would like to encourage our Councilwoman -- thank our Councilwoman Blackwell for the invitation and her support staff and to encourage all of our City leaders to keep on fighting what the Bible calls the good Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 the reason why it's called the good fight of faith is because we always win. We win. Let us pray. Eternal God, our Father, we come to you once and again to thank you for this awesome new day. The Bible says this is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. As we wake up and look around and observe this new day, we can look at the seasons and see that they are changing. The beautiful leaves are changing colors and falling off of the trees, and the air is beginning to change. And so as in the spiritual, it is in the natural. Our seasons are changing. Things are getting better. We are entering into our new season. We're going to remember in this prayer -- ask the Lord to remember in this prayer our City officials, our Police Department, our Fire Department, our schools, our teachers, our youth. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 to look upon our senior citizens, which area often overlooked, those that are less fortunate, the homeless, those that are just everyday hardworking people two and three jobs just to make a living or to make ends meet. As I conclude this prayer for this great city and for our great communities and for our great leaders, I would like to declare something called the Deuteronomy Blessing, Deuteronomy 28, and I declare and decree in this atmosphere that we are blessed in our cities. We are blessed in the field. We're blessed coming and we're blessing going. Our jobs are blessed. Our homes are blessed. Our physical bodies are being healed and blessed. We are blessed. Amen, amen, and amen. (Amen.)
Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you. Thanks to the Pastor for those very inspiring words. We have a special guest today, no stranger to us all, but before we do that, I'd like to just recognize some good friends and individuals who are here. It would be appropriate because of their interest in today's subject matter. And if I miss anybody's name, you have to look at the table to my left, because that's who wrote the list. All right? I'd like to recognize our good friend State Senator Anthony Williams. (Applause.)
And I saw -- where are you going? You're not leaving, are you, Rep? REPRESENTATIVE KELLER: No. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
All right. Our good friend State Representative Bill Keller. (Applause.)
And the gentleman who seems like at least today can't make up his mind if he wants to be a Councilman or a State Rep, our good friend State Representative Eddie Neilson. (Applause.)
And our great City Commissioner, Lisa Deeley. (Applause.)
And our good friend from labor, Henry Nicholas. (Applause.)
Jerry, I know this is a special day for Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 friend Jerry Jordan from the PFT. (Applause.)
And I saw Ryan Boyer. Where is Ryan? (Applause.)
And a former member of this body, Denny O'Brien. Denny still here? (Applause.)
So, again, if I missed anybody's name, speak to these people over here. So right now we would like to introduce our special guest in the Chambers today. Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to introduce to you the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney. (Standing ovation.) (Councilman O'Neill entered Chambers.) Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
And that will be the Tenth Council District Mayor, Brian O'Neill. Where is the Mayor? He's coming, I promise. (Standing ovation.)
That's pretty weird, the teleprompter is backwards. I guess I'm going from notes. Now it's forward. Thank you. Well, good morning, everyone, and thank you for attending. Must be something big going on today. So thank you. Two years ago I stood in this room and told the story of a young man I met at the Pennypack School. The Pennypack School was inside the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center on State Road and the young man, along with his classmates, were all charged with serious crimes. Despite his situation, the young man told me that he was enjoying Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Pennypack. He said it was the best school he had ever attended. After telling the story, I asked the members of this body to take on a big challenge so we could get more of our children on the road to Penn instead of on the road to Pennypack. City Council met that challenge, and as a result, we've made historic investments in Philadelphia's children. Nearly 3,000 children have gained access to free, quality pre-K. Sixty-five hundred students and their families have been served by a community school. And we're on the verge of kicking off the first round of Rebuild projects, which will provide much-needed improvements to libraries, rec centers, and parks that serve our children and their families. These achievements were no small feat, but ultimately our children's success and Philadelphia's success depends on the quality of our schools, Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 we are leaving our city's fate largely in someone else's hands. If we do not have quality schools in every neighborhood, the people who have helped to reverse the City's decades of population loss will not stay. The children whose families cannot afford to leave will be unprepared to compete in the 21st century economy. Businesses will not come to Philadelphia, and those that are here won't have the local talent pool to grow. The City's poverty and crime rates will remain stagnant or they will worsen. So today, after nearly two years of careful consideration and research, 98 school visits, and conversations of 158 principals and countless parents, teachers, and business leaders, I'm officially calling on the members of the School Reform Commission to vote to dissolve at their next scheduled meeting. (Standing ovation.) Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
After they dissolve, we will return to the School Board, as it is currently written in the Charter, a nine-member Board appointed by the Mayor. These -(Applause.)
These nine Board members are recommended to the Mayor by a nominating panel. The nominating panel is composed of 13 Philadelphians, including four members of the public at large, as well as nine leaders of organizations described in the Charter whose institutions support the public good across the City. When the nominating panel is in place later this year, we will begin to take in recommendations and applications for individuals interested in serving on the Board of Education. We will select the members of the School Board with one goal in mind: ensuring every child has access to Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 schools, no matter where they live or no matter what they look like. (Applause.)
And I believe there are four primary factors that must be present for that goal to become a reality. The first is accountability. For too long we've pointed fingers at each other, whether it be traditional public schools and public charter schools or City elected officials and state elected officials. Again and again, we've told the people of Philadelphia that the state of their schools are someone else's responsibility. That ends today. (Applause.)
When the SRC dissolves itself and we will return to a School Board appointed by the Mayor, you can hold me and future mayors accountable for the success or failure of our schools. The buck will stop with us. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 -(Applause.)
This model will create quality schools. In a 2016 report, the Pew Charitable Trust found that school districts' governance must avoid uncertainty about accountability in order for its schools to succeed. School districts under mayoral control; specifically, Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC, have seen substantial improvement in student performance in recent years. I also hope that clearer accountability can provide an opportunity to shift the unhealthy debate between public charter schools and traditional District schools. The District currently serves over 200,000 students, including the nearly 70,000 of those students attending a public charter school. (Applause.) Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
I am responsible, we are responsible to every one of those children, no matter the type of school that they attend. And we will -- I will judged and we will be judged by the voters on the number of high-performing schools in every neighborhood, not whether those schools are District or public charters. (Applause.)
The second factor necessary for our schools to succeed is collaboration between our schools and our City leadership. Philadelphia's collaboration with the School District has increased dramatically in the last few years. We have embarked on a project to create 25 community schools by the year 2020. We've increased our financial contribution by $520 million annually over the last six years, with the courageous help of this City Council. The District has been a key Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 PHLpreK, serving not only as a provider but also lending their expertise in the program's design and implementation. The Read by 4th campaign was critical to the increase we saw in reading test scores for our elementary school students this year. And the Philadelphia Police School Diversion program has reduced school-based arrests by nearly 70 percent. In each of these areas, when the City and the School District had a shared goal, we were able to succeed. Local control will multiply these benefits because we will now be working under one common vision, with the full support of the City's departments and resources behind our School District. Specifically, we can improve the ways in which school facilities are made available for community use during non-school hours. We can look at transportation planning for safer routes Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 schools, and we could also improve our students' career readiness. Working with the Managing Director's Office and the Commerce Department, the District has committed to all high school students gaining a quality work experience, including a summer job, mentoring or shadowing with an employer. All students will also receive a post-secondary plan that helps them prepare for the career or college of their choice. The other two fundamentals our schools need to succeed are adequate resources and strong leadership. During the past 15 years of SRC control, we've had three superintendents, with current Superintendent Dr. Hite serving the longest term. Dr. Hite has helped our students succeed, even while dealing with very difficult resource challenges. Over the last several years, the District has had to make hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts. They've Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 24 schools and laid off nearly 4,000 employees. Our schools were left without full-time nurses or counselors, and many classrooms have persistent teacher vacancies. Children lost months of valuable education time, setting them back in test scores and, more importantly, setting them back in life. Some of them never made up that lost ground. Children with chronic health issues had to turn to principals or other non-medical staff to administer life-saving medication. Extracurricular activities were reduced and in some cases altogether eliminated. Our teachers went five years without a contract or a raise, all while working more and more to make up for these cuts. It is only in the last couple of years that Dr. Hite was able to address some of these issues, thanks to Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 financial support from Philadelphians. Thanks to these investments, the graduation rate is now up to 66 percent and schools classified as persistently dangerous have been eliminated. The latest test scores show that 35 percent of 3rd graders are now reading on grade level, and that's up from 30 percent the year prior. There are also small improvements in algebra, biology, and literature test scores in high schools. But we cannot expect Dr. Hite, our teachers, our students to take this incremental progress and expand it into greater success while enduring another cycle of drastic cuts.
Due to factors outside its control, the District is facing a deficit which begins next year and will grow to nearly $1 billion over the next five years. I am unwilling to sacrifice the hard-won progress our students have made Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 to the days of classrooms without teachers and schools without counselors or nurses. )
I am committed to providing the supports Dr. Hite needs to produce better educational outcomes for all of our kids. So in the next budget, I will propose a plan to meet the District's needs. These investments go toward a capital improvement program that will begin to address our schools' many physical building needs. (Applause.)
In addition, the 9th Grade Academy, which provides academic supports and counseling to new students in order to decrease the dropout rate; modernizing our CTE programs and expanding access to them so that our students are prepared to compete; expanding college access through continued free PSAT and SAT testing for Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 students; more AP classes; and the first middle college program in Pennsylvania, where high schools students can earn an Associate's degree; hiring specialized reading coaches for every school and improving training in the structural support for K to 3 teachers; equipping every K to 3 classroom with new libraries full of books; and remodeling K to 3 classrooms in schools with the lowest literacy rates; increasing the number of bilingual counseling assistants; filling all teacher vacancies; and continuing to increase the diversity of our teaching workforce so our teachers look like the City they serve. (Applause.)
And all of those other supports we need to bring quality schools to every neighborhood in our city. Let me be clear. There will be no easy solutions for funding these Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 has nothing left to cut. They have negotiated significant concessions from all of their unions and reduced their administrative staff to just 3 percent of the budget. And the District's projections already assume that we'll close two District schools a year based on declining enrollment trends and aging facilities. Unfortunately, the same is true of our City departments. While our City departments are already looking at targeted budget cuts, so much was already cut during the recession that the money to meet the District's needs solely through cuts just isn't there. While local control may ultimately create administrative or operational efficiencies, these will take years to identify and effectively transition. Delinquent taxes are also not the answer. The City and School District's Five Year Plans already assume Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 $600 million in delinquent collections. PILOTs, while worth exploring, only produce about $30 million annually for the City of Boston. And help from the Commonwealth is not coming. It's not coming. Our delegation has worked diligently over the past two years to extend our local cigarette and sales tax and adjust the formula so Philadelphia would not be negatively impacted by our move to full valuation. But the structural issues the state faces make additional help for Philadelphia highly unlikely. No matter how anyone may feel about it, that's the reality. To say otherwise would only push off the responsibility we all say we want with local control. So the final plan we will propose to meet the District needs will be difficult and it will require everyone to pitch in, but the alternative is far worse. If we do not provide our children Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 need, the cycle of budget cuts and instability which have hindered our students' success for decades will continue, and Philadelphia will slowly but surely fail. That's a dark prediction, but it's an accurate one. Our schools are the key to reducing our poverty rate. Education is the only way out. If we don't create quality schools, then the brief renaissance our City is experiencing will evaporate, and families will choose to move in search of a better education for their children. If our schools don't attract new businesses or produce quality talent, then no new jobs will come. If we don't take responsibility for the fate of our schools, then we will continue to relegate generations of Philadelphia families to poverty. I am not willing to do that. We must choose to meet this Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 the masters of our own destiny. If we pair local control with increased investments, we can finally confront our City's most persistent challenge. We can create a School District that is more collaborative, more financially stable, more accountable to Philadelphians and, as a result, a School District where our students progress and is accelerated. If we decide not to pass the buck but rather double down on our commitments, we can ensure that no child's fate is determined by their zip code. I have a vision of a child that is leaving a quality pre-K in June and entering kindergarten in September who is prepared to progress through 8th grade and do well and then make a choice to go to a regular high school, an accelerated high school, a CTE school and do well there, and then have the opportunity to go to college or to graduate school. And Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 like Amazon or others come into our City -- and it doesn't have to just be Amazon.
It could be any of the companies we attract. If that child, if that young man or woman now graduating from college or from graduate school can accept a job for $75,000, $80,000, $100,000 and be able to raise a family if they choose, to buy a home in our neighborhoods, to make our neighborhoods stable, and to make sure -- to ensure that their children and their children's children for generations will not be facing poverty and opioid addiction and gun violence and crime, but will be able to do the things that our parents all wanted us to do and have a better life than we've had. We owe it those kids, and we will do this together. Thank you. )
I Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 people that are leaving, can you please be quiet, because we still have a Council session to conduct. As you leave, if you can move quickly. (Pause.)
Okay. Thank you. We're going to go back to our regular schedule. All members are here. Thank you very much. The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 26th, 2017, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 26th, 2017 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 26th, 2017 stand approved. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The Journal is approved. The next order of business is requests for leaves of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the majority, there are no requests of leave of absence today.
Thank you. The Chair thanks the gentleman. And the Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the republicans, there are no requests for leave of absence. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
The Chair thanks the gentleman. At this time, I would like to dispense with the regular order of business and I would like to welcome and thank everyone who has come to witness our government in action. We really appreciate the fact that you've taken time out of your day to come down today and be with us. Again, thank you so much. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown, who will present a resolution representing the service of women veterans in the United States and the extraordinary contributions of the Women's Veteran Center. Would Anna Stormer and those accompanying her please join the Councilwoman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)
And joining the Councilwoman, we have Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Greenlee, Councilman Henon, Councilwoman Blackwell, Councilwoman Gym, and Councilman Taubenberger and Councilman Green and Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. This is a thrill for us, as it is a first when we are recognizing the service of women veterans in the United States of America and the extraordinary contributions of the Women's Veterans Center. Whereas, women have been actively serving in the United States military since the Revolutionary War. For us history buffs, I'll repeat that. Women have been actively serving in the United States military since the Revolutionary War, oftentimes disguised as men so they could serve in combat roles. The Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 allowed women to serve permanently in the military, rather than only during times of war; and
Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Whereas, in 1974, women were admitted to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point. In 1976, women were first admitted to the remaining service academies, including U.S. Military Academy in West Point, U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; and
Whereas, the U.S.S. Acadia departed for the Persian Gulf in 1990 with both men and women aboard for the first time ever in wartime. More than 41,000 women were deployed in war zones between 1991 and 1992 during the Persian Gulf War; and
Whereas, in 1998, female fighter pilots flew combat missions for the first time ever. Captain Kathleen McGrath became the first woman to command a U.S. Navy warship in 2000. In 2004, Colonel Linda McTague became the first female commander of a fighter squadron in the U.S. Air Force. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 2011, women deployed on a submarine for the first time; and
Whereas, Obama Administration Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced in 2013 that the ban on women serving in combat would be lifted. In 2015, during the first year that women were permitted on ground, Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver became the first two women to graduate from Army Ranger School, shifting the paradigm from "if women could meet the standard" to "now that women have met the standard"; and Whereas, the military, influenced by the performance of women on the front lines since 9/11 and by these first women Ranger School graduates, is setting the stage for women to command young men outside the wire in infantry and armor platoons, with the same risks and responsibilities as their male counterparts;
Whereas, as Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 the military, women now make up 10 percent of the veteran population. Women veterans, and their accomplishments in service, often go unrecognized, even though the number of women in the military continues to grow and women continue to break barriers during and after their military service; and
Whereas, the transition from military life to civilian life can be difficult. More than four-in-ten female post-9/11 veterans say their readjustment to civilian life after their military service was very or somewhat difficult; and
Whereas, the Veterans Multi-Service Center created the Women's Veterans Center in 2014 to address the growing and unique needs of women veterans and their families. Through its mission of providing a separate and communal space to heal, grow Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 date, the WVC has served over 650 women and their families; and
Whereas, the Women's Veterans Center is focused on creating community and strengthening one-on-one relationships through a variety of services, including assistance with immediate needs (meals, clothing, toiletry products) housing case management, benefits counseling, referrals to community partners, and a robust calendar of fellowship activities; and
Whereas, women of America's military, past and present, have served their nation in times of peace and war, at great personal sacrifice for both themselves and their families. Women have consistently answered the call without hesitation to defend our democracy and freedom, playing a significant role in developing the extraordinarily capable military that continues to protect the foundation of Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 nation; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that we hereby honor and recognize the service of women veterans in the United States and the extraordinary contributions of the Women's Veterans Center. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Women's Veterans Center as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body. Let's celebrate the Women's Veterans Center and all women who sacrifice, step up, and stand up for the land that we serve. Thank you very much, Mr. President. (Applause.)
And the Chair recognizes Ms. Stormer for remarks.
Thank you, Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 President, and thank you to this wonderful community of all the Councilmembers for presenting us. My name is Anna Stormer and I have the honor and privilege of serving as the coordinator for the Women's Veterans Center. The VMC and the women of the Women's Veterans Center are truly grateful for the acknowledgement of our hard work and dedication to serving those who served. In preparation of receiving this citation, I went to the experts, the women that I assist, for help with my remarks. I asked them, What would you like City officials to know about being a woman vet in Philly? Aside from the ask of forgiveness for parking tickets and help filling in potholes, overwhelmingly the group shared that time and time again they felt that once their uniform came off, their service and sacrifices often went unnoticed. These sentiments contribute to Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 veterans have a 250 percent higher risk than civilian women for suicide and make up 10 percent of the entire homeless veteran population. This continuous and prevalent theme of invisibility is one we try hard to change at the Women's Veterans Center, and this citation and recognition goes a long way in accomplishing that goal. The VMC is beyond proud of our Women's Veteran facility, and we look forward to reaching more women veterans and supporters as we continue to grow in the years ahead. If you'd like to learn more about the VMC and the Women's Veterans Center and continue celebrating women veterans, please join us next week, in partnership with Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Wednesday, November 8th at the WeWork on Walnut Street. Thank you again for your continued support and celebration of Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Women's Multi-Service Center. (Applause.) UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I'd like to say thank you to the entire City Council for honoring women who serve in the United States Army. As a veteran, yes, for me it was quite a transition to transition from being the soldier into the civilian sector, and as Anna stated, a high percentage of women do experience homelessness after leaving and making that transition. I was one that was too proud to go to my mother and father and tell them what my experiences was, so I experienced homelessness myself for seven months while being a student at Temple University. So on behalf of all of the current soldiers that are serving around the country and around the world and of course for those women who have made the ultimate sacrifice with their life, I Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 (Applause.)
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I wish to be excused to attend to some off-site business and would like to be recorded as voting aye on all bills and resolutions.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Leave shall be granted, and the record shall reflect your affirmative vote on all bills and resolutions. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon, who will present a resolution recognizing Comcast NBCUniversal for being honored as the Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 2017 Employer Support Freedom Award recipient. Would Retired Brigadier General Carol Eggert, Senior Vice President of Comcast of Military and Veteran Affairs, and those accompanying her please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)
And joining Councilman Henon, we have Councilwoman Blackwell, Councilman Green, Councilman Oh, Councilman Domb, Councilman Taubenberger, and Councilman Squilla and Councilman O'Neill.
Well, good morning, everybody, and I know presentations take up a lot of time, but they are so well deserved on the accomplishments and goals that not only do they achieve personally, professionally, but as a city as a whole, which we're so proud of. And today we are joined by Retired Brigadier General Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Military Affairs from Comcast NBCUniversal Carol Eggert, who will be accepting this resolution. Comcast has set a goal to hire more than 10,000 members of the military and their families by the end of this year. Well, they've exceeded by 6,000 at the end of 2016, and to date, they are at 13,000, with the rest of the year of the goal. So it's a tremendous accomplishment and outreach. So, Brigadier General, you'll have time for remarks, but on behalf of City Council, we thank you for all your due diligence and commitment to our veterans in our country. So thank you. So today we honor and recognize and congratulate Comcast NBCUniversal for being honored as the 2017 Employer Support Freedom Award recipient, presented by the Secretary of Defense for their commitment to members of the military, veterans, and their families; and Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
Whereas, Comcast NBCUniversal is a valued corporate partner in the City of Philadelphia and is committed to providing family-sustaining career opportunities to members of the military reserves, veterans, and their families; and
Whereas, the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their support of their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve; and
Whereas, nominations must come from a Guard or Reserve member who is employed by the organization they are nominating or from a family member; and
Whereas, the award was created to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their Guard and Reserve employees. It is the highest in Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 recognition awards given by the Department of Defense; and
Whereas, the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 and in the years since, a total of 220 employers have received the prestigious award. Today, up to 15 awards are presented each year to employers in three categories, large business, small business and the public sector; and
Whereas, for this year's award, the Department received nominations for 2,575 different employers for which Comcast NBCUniversal received more than 30 such nominations; and
Whereas, on August 25th, Secretary Mattis presented Comcast NBCUniversal and the outstanding class of 2017 recipients with the Employer Support Freedom Award, in no small part because of their commitment to bringing on more than 10,000 military Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 of 2017; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that we hereby recognize and congratulate Comcast NBCUniversal for being honored as the 2017 Employer Support Freedom Award recipient, presented by the Secretary of Defense for their commitment to its members, military veterans, and their families. Further it be resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Comcast NBCUniversal as evidence of the sincere respect of this legislative body. And in addition to Retired Brigadier General, I do want to welcome and thank Stephanie Kosta, who is a Vice President of Comcast here in our city. Thank you for their commitment to veterans and their families as well. So congratulations. (Applause.) Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
The Chair recognizes General Carol Eggert for remarks. BRIGADIER GENERAL EGGERT: Good morning, everyone. Thank you, Councilman Henon, and thank you, Councilman Oh and Council President and certainly to the entire Philadelphia City Council. You heard a little bit about this resolution for the Secretary of Defense award, and it certainly is a notable achievement for us and for the other 14 employers across the country who were recognized this year, but what I find most rewarding is that it is a grassroots level award. We had to be nominated by our very own employees, and over 30 of our employees nominated Comcast for this recognition, and that's because we understand the criticality of supporting our Guard and Reserve members. I'm sure you saw many of them on the streets here during the Papal visit. You saw them activated for hurricane relief. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 importance of our Guard/Reservists to protect our cities and our states. Now, I have served 34 years, and during that time, I served to engage emerging democracies. I supported developing and threatened democracies, and I protected standing democracies. And I know that it's public, private, and government partnerships that make our nation strong. So I want to thank each and every one of you in this room for recognizing Comcast and for the efforts you make to protect and support and engage our military community. While we have a presence throughout our country, our commitment starts here with our community in Philadelphia, and that's why we believe our involvement in locally led military and veteran-focused organizations is the key to success in our veterans initiative. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 our partners at the Liberty USO. I think of the work they do, the volunteers, what they do to help our transitioning veterans; the Veterans Multi-Service Center you just heard from; the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network; Bunker Labs, who support our veteran entrepreneurs. They dedicate themselves to inspiring, educating, and connecting veterans with the right people and resources. And it's everyone here at the City Council that supports these organizations. I think of the Travis Manion Foundation, a local non-profit that has become nationally recognized, a leader in using the values of military service perseverance, dedication, and resilience - to build character in the young people of our city and throughout the country. And they support the families of our fallen heroes in our efforts to become a company that is not just military friendly, but we like to Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 military ready. And we've learned that at the very grassroots level, those relationships that allow us to truly make an impact on our community here in Philadelphia. So I'd like to thank you once again for this recognition, because it is giving Comcast just one more opportunity to share our message, the message that service matters, service to country, service to our communities, and service to all of our customers. So thank you all for the dedication and supporting our nation's defense forces, and thank you for welcoming me here to represent Comcast NBCUniversal. (Applause.)
At this time, the Chair will recognize Councilman Jones, who will present a resolution Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Malatsi and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)
Ladies and gentlemen, coming to the City Council Chambers once again, please join me in welcoming UniverSoul Circus. Give them a round of applause. (Applause.)
I'm trying out for ringmaster, see if I could do it. Not as good as Lucky. Not as good as Lucky. Ladies and gentlemen, the Fourth District is the home of many things and many tourist attractions, ranging from Benedict Arnold's mansion to the first computer ever created in the world in the Fourth District. We have things like the Please Touch Museum, the Mann, and the Dell, but included in those great things is the UniverSoul Circus Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 24 years ago in Atlanta. This circus resumes again tonight at 52nd and Parkside, and it will be there almost all month. And I have no tickets. I'm telling you that now. Don't come to my office. I have no tickets. Many kids seriously in our community don't get to go to Disney World. They will never, ever see some of those exploits down there, but all kids in our region can make it to the circus tonight. And it's a safe, fun, family-oriented education, and I've never laughed so much in one hour in my life. And I want to welcome them to the City of Philadelphia again by recognizing them. Recognizing and honoring the UniverSoul Circus for 24 years of outstanding productions on the local and national levels. Whereas, the UniverSoul Circus was founded 24 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia by concert and theatre promoter, Cedric Walker. Walker had a vision of Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 a large percentage of people of color performing; and
Councilman, thank you. And as a young man, I always wanted to -- had a dream of running away with the circus. I think I joined the circus, and I think that's fantastic. Whereas, the UniverSoul Circus is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theatre, and music that spans genres including Pop, Classic, R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. The show embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of global cultures and ethnicities in one stellar production; and
Whereas, since its debut, the UniverSoul Circus has successfully turned the traditional circus world upside down. By 1997, the production had grown from a single show in Atlanta to a ten city tour, which further expanded to 19 cities by 1999 and Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 25 cities by 2012. The UniverSoul Circus even presented an international engagement in South Africa Tour in 2001; and Whereas, UniverSoul Circus has presented more than 11,000 performances to live audiences, exceeding 20 million patrons, and has been seen in more than 60 million households on both local and national television networks. The televised production was an Emmy nominated HBO Special which remained in rotation for more than six years; and
Recently, the UniverSoul Circus was the most prominently featured attraction at the Global Winter Wonderland, an international pop up theme park in Atlanta, owned by one of the largest entertainment companies in the world; and
Whereas, along -- well, no. I'm going to start with whereas, UniverSoul has been rated one of the top three circuses in America Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 and Bailey and Cirque du Soleil. UniverSoul's fresh, cool, and hip approach to live family entertainment has earned it a coveted spot as one of the top ten most requested family attractions across the country; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the City Council of Philadelphia, that it hereby recognizes and honors the UniverSoul Circus for 24 years of outstanding production on a local and national level. Further resolved, an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the UniverSoul Circus as further evidence of the sincere admiration and gratitude of this legislative body. Congratulations. (Applause.)
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Lucky Malatsi for remarks. Thank you, sir. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 (Applause.)
There we go. All right. My name is Lucky Malatsi. I'm the ringmaster of the UniverSoul Circus. Once again we want to thank you guys for honoring us. It's always a pleasure to come to Philadelphia, and this time around we're going to give you guys a great show. So make sure you come out and check out the UniverSoul Circus. And I want to show you how that's done. When I say big top, you say circus. Big top. (Circus.)
Thank you. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you very much. The next order of business is communications, and the Chair requests that the Sergeant-of-Arms delivers the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. Mr. Decker, would you please read those messages.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on November 1, 2017, I signed the following bill which was passed by Council at its session on October 19, 2017: Bill No. 170792. And I am transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Osage Urban Renewal Area, Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 and street addresses as 6216, 6217, 6218, 6222, 6223, 6224, 6225, 6226, 6228, 6230, 6232, 6236, 6238, 6248, 6250 and 6256 Osage Avenue and 6212, 6214, 6218, 6220, 6222, 6224, 6226, 6228, 6232, 6234, 6236, 6238, 6240, 6242, 6244, 6246, 6250, 6252 and 6254 Pine Street; and Also a resolution appointing Joseph Meade to the Board of Directors for the Germantown Special Services District; and A resolution appointing Robert J. Marcantuono to the Board of Directors for the Germantown Special Services District; and A resolution appointing Moneek Pines to the Board of Directors for the Germantown Special Services District; and An ordinance amending Sections 6-301 and 6-503 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled, respectively, "Food Establishments" and "Licenses and Permits," to revise licensing Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 establishments, including requirements relating to restroom facilities, service and seating; and An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 from the General Fund and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, the Water Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions; and An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017 from the General Fund, the Water Fund, and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, the Water Fund, the Grants Revenue Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, all under certain terms and conditions. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Do you have any additional communications?
Thank you very much. And the next order of business will be the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Good morning, Mr. President. I offer two resolutions, and I'd like to be recognized very briefly after the reading of the second resolution.
A privileged resolution recognizing the City of Philadelphia's Streets Department for the Launch of Philacycle, a Program Designed to Enhance the City's Ability to Encourage Recycling and Other Sustainable Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Practices Throughout Philadelphia.
And that will be on next week's Council session.
And a privileged resolution Congratulating the Partners of the Philadelphia 2030 District for a Successful Launch and Continued Efforts to Reduce the Impact of the Built Environment for the Benefit of all Philadelphians.
And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Yes. I wanted to seize the moment to acknowledge both Alex Dews, who is the Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council, and his Policy and Program Manager, Katie Bartolotta, because they served as partners with us in bringing forth this resolution, and ultimately we're working towards an initiative to reduce our carbon footprint Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 with the 2030 District. So if Alex Dews and Katie could rise so we can say thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. That will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I have two -I introduce two bills and one resolution, and I note that this resolution was signed by each and every member of City Council.
Thank you. I said it wrong. It's one bill and two resolutions. I flipped it. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, relating to the selection of the Members of The Board of Education, as approved by Resolution of the Council; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot question to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
And a non-privileged resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Osage Avenue Urban Renewal Area, identified by house numbers and Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 street addresses as 6216, 6217, 6218, 6221, 6222, 6223, 6224, 6225, 2626, 2628, 6230, 6232, 6236, 6238, 6248, 6250, 6256 Osage Avenue and 6212, 6214, 6218, 6220, 6222, 6224, 6226, 6228, 6232, 6234, 6236, 6238, 6240, 6242, 6244, 6246, 6250, 6252 and 6254 Pine Street.
And a non-privileged resolution proposing an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to the selection of the Members of the Board of Education; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
And that will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I offer one bill and one non-privileged resolution.
An ordinance amending Chapter 9-3300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Erection, Use and Inspection of Tower Cranes," by revising requirements related to tower cranes and adding requirements regarding the use and inspection of mobile cranes.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Rules to hold hearings examining the challenges faced by Registered Community Organizations from abusive lawsuits Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 commonly known as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, discussing solutions thereof, including examining means of holding abuse litigants accountable, and authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the production of relevant witnesses and documents.
That will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
A privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Philadelphia Eagles Safety Malcolm Jenkins for his advocacy in helping to reform the criminal justice system.
And that will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones.
On behalf of Councilman Johnson, I have one bill. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
An ordinance amending Chapter 17-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Philadelphia 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard," by revising provisions regarding waivers of minimum wage requirements, all under certain terms and conditions.
And that bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Council President. I have two bills and one privileged resolution.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017 from the General Fund, the Water Fund, certain or all City Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Water Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
And an ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 from the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 commissions, the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Water Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
And a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Prevention Point Philadelphia on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary.
And that will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. I have one privileged resolution.
A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Commerce & Economic Development to hold hearings regarding initiatives to support employee ownership, including as a retirement strategy for small business owners.
This week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Good morning, Council President. I have one privileged resolution today and two bills on behalf of Councilwoman Parker.
An ordinance amending Chapter 14-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Use Regulations," by creating regulations for day care use.
And an ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," to create a new Ninth District Overlay, to limit the materials that may be used on building facades.
And a privileged resolution recognizing, honoring and congratulating the 2017 Philadelphia Business Journal's Women of Distinction for their hard work and dedication to excellence in their representation of their respective industries and the City of Philadelphia.
And that will be this week's Calendar. Councilman, did you have anything for yourself? Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym.
Good morning, Council President. I have one privileged resolution today.
Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Thank you, Councilwoman.
A privileged resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the November 17, 1967 Citywide Black Student Walkout, and honoring the continuing tradition of youth organizing and activism around education equity and racial justice in the City of Philadelphia.
And that will be on this week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Taubenberger.
Good morning, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions this morning. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer two bills, one I co-sponsored with you.
An ordinance authorizing The Bagel Place Shop to install, own and maintain an open-air sidewalk cafe at 404 Queen Street.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 9-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Commercial Activities on Streets," by amending Section 9-211, entitled "Boxes for Distribution of News and Printed Material," relating to the regulation of newspaper boxes on the public sidewalk.
Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer one bill and one privileged resolution, and I'd like to be heard after the title is read on the bill.
An ordinance amending Sections 6-301 and 6-503 of The Philadelphia Code, respectively, "Food Establishments" and "Licenses and Permits," to revise licensing requirements relating to food establishments, including requirements relating to restroom facilities, service and seating.
Thank you, Mr. President. And I'm just so excited about this bill that's being introduced Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 today, and I wanted to give just a little bit of background about the bill. And this is primarily a bill to deal with nuisance businesses that we know as stop-and-go's in our neighborhoods, and I wanted to thank you for all of the work that you've done on this issue and for being so supportive on this particular matter. In the beginning when you had a deli in your neighborhood, a deli was a deli and a bar was a bar, and they were two completely separate establishments. They were local, and they served food in a neighborhood, and many were sit-down restaurants. Yesterday I was at 26th and Allegheny, my neighborhood where I grew up, and my mind wandered to Marcal's Deli, which was right down the street at 25th and Allegheny. They had -- it was a deli. They had booths to sit down and eat. They had counter service. And it was real food. You could sit down; you Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 could take out. And it wasn't alone. There were other establishments like Ida's. Remember Ida's in North Philly? And then there were white tablecloth restaurants in North Philadelphia, like Fisher's on North Broad Street, which was around where Temple Medical is now. I remember my mother took me there for my 16th birthday. And when you eat something really good, you remember it forever. I still remember the soup. The bill stretched her budget, and it was a rare treat for us, but these were amenities that were in our neighborhood. Somewhere along the way things changed. Most of our sit-down restaurants closed and local spots that serve cheese steaks and hoagies and some of the best in the City were all of the sudden no longer in business. But what did come -- they didn't close completely -- was that even though it would say deli on the outside advertising Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 those same cheese steaks, hoagies, and seafood, but actually serving no food, flagrantly disregarding City violations. Again, no food. The food that was served was a break with the spirit of the law as intended. Oodles of Noodles just doesn't cut it. No bathrooms available to customers, which is the law. Tables and chairs for 30 was out of the question. They were a haven or are a haven for loitering, and allegedly other nuisance activity happens, including the sale of loosies, allegedly public urination, defecation, and possibly other items sold by the proprietor and/or others. Today with this bill we start the process to change that. Currently with stop-and-go's in my neighborhood, they are mostly in poor neighborhoods, mostly in the hood as we know it. Most of these establishments sell beer, some sell liquor. I can buy a shot and my 8-year-old daughter can also buy a bag of potato chips at the same time. And Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 there's a reason why we don't allow children in bars, but somehow this has been allowed and accepted in stop-and-go's. I have more stop-and-go's in my district than I have public schools, and something is really, really wrong with what is happening here. I also want to take a moment and thank Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who coined the term "stop-and-go" many moons ago and has been a fighter against nuisance businesses, and we wouldn't be here with this bill without her as well. So many thanks to Councilwoman Blackwell.
But, again, today we start to change the process. This bill I believe is a game changer, and I want to join with Councilwoman Blackwell, Council President Clarke, and all members of Council who are in support of this bill. Special thanks to the City Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Law Department, L&I, Health, and the Police Department for making this happen. It actually came together -- about a year ago we did a tour with Health Commissioner Farley, L&I Commissioner Perri, then Fire Commissioner Sawyer, and Liquor Control Board and enforcement officers. They were astonished at what they saw. This bill will revise licensing requirements for food establishments related to restroom facilities, service, and seating to ensure that we don't have these makeshift bars that serve liquor to vulnerable populations, in some cases from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. every single day. As an aside, we hear a lot every day about the opioid and heroin crisis, and this is another legal but legal self-medication that folks are doing, and this issue deserves a lot of attention as well. This bill restores dignity to Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 providing food and food service to our communities. It requires that either establishments be defined as a large or small establishment. Large establishments are required to have two restroom facilities, no more bathrooms that cut through kitchens, which are real gems if you've ever seen one of those. Large establishments remove physical barriers, also known as the plexiglas, the prison-style service that many of these establishments have; food, in the cases where they do serve food, without dignity; readily available and accessible tables and chairs, no more fold-up chairs pushed together in a corner, no tables to be seen; and specific square footage requirements which must be adhered to. I look forward to working with all of the departments to ensure that enforcement is actual and that it happens. I'm so very hopeful on this issue, because I always tell folks you don't have to have things in your Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 neighborhood that you don't want to have, and on this issue I think that the community, my colleagues, we're all the way in. We're all ready to put together our hands, roll up our sleeves, and do the work that is necessary to make these establishments the acceptable food establishments that we deserve in our communities. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
Thank you so much, Councilwoman. And thank you for your continued awesome work on this very, very important issue.
I look forward to casting an affirmative vote on the bill.
And a privileged resolution honoring the life and legacy of James "Jimmy" Tayoun Sr., who passed away on November 1, 2017 at the age of 87. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
That will be on today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. I offer one resolution on your behalf.
A privileged resolution recognizing and celebrating the Veterans of Philadelphia and the surrounding counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, Philadelphia Veterans Parade Inc. and the Philadelphia Veterans Advisory Commission on the occurrence of the 2017 Philadelphia Veterans Parade.
And that will be on this week's Calendar. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions. The next order of business is reports from committee, and the Chair Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 a report from the Committee on Rules.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Rules reports five 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. 170714, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 16-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Redevelopment Proposals and Contracts,' by further providing with respect to requirements for Council's approval of redevelopment proposals and redevelopment contracts submitted to Council for approval under the provisions of the Urban Redevelopment Law"; and Bill No. 170793, entitled "An Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Front Street, Oxford Street, American Street, Master Street, 6th Street, and Girard Avenue"; and Bill No. 170803, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Trenton Avenue, Lehigh Avenue, Belgrade Street, Somerset Street, Delaware Expressway, Cumberland Street, Thompson Street, Aramingo Avenue and York Street"; and Bill No. 170818, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Zoning and Planning,' to revise certain provisions of Chapter 14-600, entitled 'Use Regulations,' by amending the green roof calculations"; and Bill No. 170819, entitled "An Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Girard Avenue, 6th Street, Berks Street and 10th Street," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill Nos. 170714, 170793, 170803, 170818, and 170819. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 of Bills No. 170714, 170793, 170803, 170818, and 170819. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell for a report from the Committee on Finance.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Finance reports out two bills with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
The Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill No. Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 170717, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-4200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'New Sustainable Businesses,' to expand the tax relief offered to such businesses, and to make technical corrections"; and Bill No. 170878, entitled "An ordinance authorizing and approving the execution and delivery of a Service Agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority relating to the financing of a home repair program for City homeowners; approving the issuance by such Authority of bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness (including reimbursement obligations related to lines or letters of credit) in one or more series to finance or refinance such program and authorizing and approving the obligation of the City to pay in full when due the Service Fee and other amounts payable under the Service Agreement; authorizing certain Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 certain actions required to issue such bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill Nos. 170717 and 170878. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bills No. 170717 and 170878. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.) Stated Meeting November 2, 2017
The ayes have it. These bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones for a report from the Committee of Commerce and Economic Development.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development reports one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, to which was referred Bill No. 170726, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 17 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Contracts and Procurement,' by enacting Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 17-1605(3) to provide for additional oversight by the City Council of compliance with all Economic Opportunity Plans for the participation of minority and female workers, Minority-Owned Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Female-Owned Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, and Disabled-Owned Disadvantaged Business Enterprises," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones again.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 170726. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you, Councilman. It has been moved Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 170726. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that bill will be on our First Reading Calendar today. That concludes our reports from committee. And the next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. I note that those bills just reported from committee with a suspension of the rules have been deemed to have had a first reading. These bills will be on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on our First Reading Calendar, the Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilman Henon for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up for Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Bill Nos. 170907, 170934, 170936, 170943, 170948, and 170950. All other resolutions and bills are being held.
Thank you, Councilman. Before considering these bills and resolutions today, we will have our public comment session. If there is anyone who is interested in testifying on a bill or resolution on the Final Passage Calendar today, if you have not already done so, you may sign up at the table to my left. When your name is called, you will go to the podium in the middle of the Council Chambers. There's a device Stated Meeting November 2, 2017 on that podium. When the light turns green, it will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks. When the light turns red, we'd ask that you please adhere to our guidelines and conclude your remarks. You will be given three minutes to testify. Mr. Decker, please call the first name on the list.