See, out on the campaign trail, I wasn't getting all these breaks for applause, so... We can choose to challenge the status quo that's been holding us back CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 for much too long. We can choose to try new ideas and new approaches and a new way of getting things done. We can choose to make a shared commitment to returning this City to be one of the greatest cities in the United States of America. The next chapter in this City's history is yet to be written, because we now have an opportunity to write it ourselves. (Applause.)
And we are only limited by our capacity for hope, our capability to transform ourselves, our commitment and resolve to each other. This renewal for great change will take great and bold action, and it's in the spirit of bold action that beginning today I will confront the great challenge, the great issue that plagues this City on a daily basis. There is nothing more devastating to the soul of Philadelphia CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 than the killings and shootings that take place day after day after day on our streets. (Applause.)
In 2007, we had 392 homicides. Fortunately for us, that number is a little lower than it was last year, but nowhere near acceptable. An hour to the north there's a little city called New York. Ten years ago, New York City had over 2,200 homicides, 2,200, but last year they had 494. There is no reason in the world why this City should not set its sights on attaining those kinds of goals over the next three to five years, that we will cut our homicide rate by 30 to 50 percent. No reason in the world why we can't do that. None. (Applause.)
We are going to change the mentality of those who think that it is okay to run our streets with illegal weapons and use them at random CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 whenever they want. Today, today enough is enough. Enough is enough. (Applause.)
To the law-abiding citizens of Philadelphia, I say that we are the great majority, and to the law breakers, you are in the small minority. This is our city and we're taking it back, every day, every block, every neighborhood, everywhere in Philadelphia, because I've had enough, and I'm not playing around about it. (Standing ovation.)
So I've asked our new Police Commissioner, Chuck Ramsey, to develop a new community policing strategy for the City of Philadelphia to confront this daily deadly activity on our streets. We need our police officers back walking a beat or out on bicycles, engaged in community policing at its finest. (Applause.)
They need to get CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 to better know the community, and the community has to know who is guarding and protecting them every day, active participants engaged in issues that have been talked about for many, many years of community policing and quality of life patrol. We're talking about re-establishing a quality of life in Philadelphia that all of us deserve. We deserve it, and you're going to get it. (Applause.)
At the same time -- I'm speaking out to all Philadelphians -- we need to respect and protect the professionals of the Philadelphia Police Department, who risk their lives every day to make all of us safe. Respect and protect our Philadelphia police officers every day. (Applause.)
Our streets should be safe enough for our children to go out to play. People should be able to go to work without fear. And our senior CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 citizens, our senior citizens should be able to go to the store or go to the doctor or go to church whenever they want. We all deserve that. You're going to get that. (Applause.)
But in order to make this City safe, it's not just about policing. It's not just about policing. It really is about respect. It's about mutual respect, that we understand that we are connected to each other, that we have a responsibility to look out for each other, whether you know that person at the end of your block or not. We are connected to each other in a way that we have to look out for each other day after day after day. That's what citizenship is all about. (Applause.)
Robert Kennedy once said that each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 injustice, he sends a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. I want every one of you to stand up for what you believe in. I want every one of you to take personal responsibility for looking out for someone else in our community. Mentor a child. Volunteer at a rec center. Go to a homeless center. Work with a town watch in the neighborhood. Or how about this? How about just say "hello" to someone you see walking down the street? How about that? (Applause.)
These individual ripples of hope ultimately create waves, and those waves of hope are what will carry us through the reform and the change that this City has called for, that this City needs, that this City CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 deserves. Each of us has a role to play. Government cannot mandate that we act nice, that we're good citizens, that we're good parents. That responsibility is for each and every one of us individually. That's personal responsibility, and we need more of it here in Philadelphia. The government cannot solve every person's problem every day of the week. (Applause.)
But our government can lead by example. I talked a great deal about ethics reform during the course of the campaign, and I want to reaffirm that ethics will be a centerpiece of this government. You know that I've made a series of announcements or appointments of some of the finest people to come into the government as ethics and integrity officers. There is nothing that government does that cannot be done CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 ethically and transparently. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. (Applause.)
I plan to continue to open up our government to all of us. This will be a government that serves all of us, not a select few, not a select few. (Applause.)
It's in that spirit that you may have heard I plan to host an open house tomorrow from 4:00 to 8:00 in the afternoon. I'm reopening City Hall. It's your City Hall. Please come by. It's your City Hall. (Applause.)
There will be entertainment and activities out in the courtyard, and please come into the hall. I'd like to meet every person that comes through. I want you to know that your government welcomes you into the building, because all of us have a role to play in turning this city around. It CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 will be a great occasion. The building looks great. Come on by. I look forward to seeing you. (Applause.)
In addition to the shared responsibility that each of us have to each other here within the City, you know that it is impossible for us to make true progress without help and partnership from the five counties around us, from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, from the federal government and all of our many partners, some of whom are on the stage with us today. Think about it. Think about the power and talent and relationships that are on this stage and out in the audience. Look around you. Look around you. I would put this political team up against any other city or region anywhere in the United States of America. We have a team that can win when we work together in partnership, when we CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 recognize that there are many things that pull us together, there are few things that pull us apart; that we could actually establish an east-west partnership; that we can have a five-county region; a metropolitan mayors' caucus where all of the region, Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties, working in partnership. Think about the relationships in Harrisburg and in Washington and in the five-county region. It is time for us to work together, and I extend my hand to every elected official, every businessperson, every citizen all across Pennsylvania. (Applause.)
Of course, there are hurdles in our paths. Of course, there are challenges that need to be overcome, but there is no obstacle so large, no task so difficult, no challenge so great that we cannot succeed in CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 working together. None. Martin Luther King once said that the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. We have many challenges, but Philadelphians are more than up to any challenge that we have faced, because we've overcome them in the past and we have an incredible opportunity to do better in the future. It is a new day for Philadelphia. (Applause.)
And we know what the solutions are to many of our problems. If we want to cut the crime rate in this City, then we need to put ex-offenders to work and give people an opportunity to get back in civil society. (Applause.)
And if we're going to have jobs in Philadelphia, then we need more businesses to feel CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 comfortable investing in our great City. And we need to make it easier for people to do business in Philadelphia. All of these things are inextricably tied together. You know, it shouldn't be that difficult to keep and attract businesses in this great City. Think about who we are. We're perfectly situated between the financial capital of the world and the government capital of the world. Forty percent of the country's population lives within a day's drive of Philadelphia. We have one of the largest park systems anywhere in the country. We have more outdoor public art than any other city in the country. We have a waterfront yet to be developed, two rivers, incredible neighborhoods, and a business sector that continues to grow. If we utilize these assets to our advantage, if we work in a cooperative spirit, there's nothing that CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 can prevent us from putting this City and this region back on the map, other than our ability to cooperate and understand that everyone shares in the credit whenever anyone is successful. (Applause.)
Now, of course, there are a few things that we do need to change. We need fundamental change of our Zoning Code and our process of getting business done in Philadelphia. (Applause.)
We must reduce our taxes, simplify our tax code and make it easier for development to take place with community involvement and engagement, but our process takes too long. (Applause.)
We must protect the fiscal health of this City, control our government costs, come to grips with a pension fund that's underfunded, healthcare costs with double-digit CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 increases. We have to manage our finances well. We owe our public employees a fair and reasonable contract. That's what they deserve. (Applause.)
But those contracts must also be fair and reasonable for the taxpayers of this City who pay the tab. (Applause.)
We should honor Billy Penn, who gave us this "green country town," by setting a standard for ourselves to be the number one "green" city in the United States of America. (Applause.)
We must highlight and support our growing art and culture community that people all across the country have figured out that Philadelphia increasingly is the place to be for art and culture and entertainment and nightlife. (Applause.) CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08
We have these many things to do and there is more, but there is nothing more important than growing and developing a skilled and educated workforce. That is the task for the future. That is the task. That is the work that will define who we are and what we're about. Unfortunately, here in Philadelphia, only 18 percent of our City residents have a four-year Bachelor's degree. That ranks us 92nd on the list of the 100 top cities in the country. And so I challenge us to set another goal for this City: To double, to double our resident four-year Bachelor's degree attainment rate over the next five to seven years. That's what we need to be working on. That's where we need to invest our money. That's what we should be doing, and collectively commit ourselves to doing that. (Applause.) CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08
Because if Portland and Seattle and Oakland and a dozen other cities across the United States of America all easily have over a third of their residents with that same level of education, there is no reason why Philadelphia and this region shouldn't be able to do the same thing. We are the education mecca of the United States. We have 83 of the finest colleges and universities you will find in any region in this country. Education is our business. It is our business. (Applause.)
One of the first areas we can capitalize on is the fact that 73,000 Philadelphians are in the workforce today. They started college and didn't finish. I'm calling on our business community to partner with the City, our colleges and universities and their employees to make it our goal, to make it our mission to make a commitment to CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 encourage those workers to go back to school, complete your education and lift yourself above the current status that you are and enjoy all the opportunity that exists right here in Philadelphia. (Applause.)
And for our young people, and for our young people, if they are to ever have the opportunity to go to college, let alone get a degree, the first thing we have to help them do is stay in school. Stay in school. (Applause.)
Here in this City we have a 45 percent dropout rate, a 45 percent dropout rate. Governor Rendell and I have talked about education on a number of occasions. We share a mutual commitment to make sure that the children of Philadelphia receive the best education they can possibly receive. The relationship among the City, the State and the School District CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 of Philadelphia must improve. And from this day forward, Governor, I can assure you, you have a partner in education right here in Philadelphia. (Applause.)
But more than a partnership, let us again set a goal. People who have confidence in the future make big plans. They set goals. They drive agendas. And I have great confidence in this City. I have great confidence in the Governor and the General Assembly and the members of City Council. And so with that 45 percent high school dropout rate, let us set a goal for ourselves that over the next five to seven years, we will cut the dropout rate in Philadelphia in half. We can do this. We can do this. We must do this. We must do this. (Applause.)
This goal, this goal is an economic imperative. It is an educational imperative. It is a moral CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 imperative. We must give our young people the opportunity to grow and develop and to be successful. If you want to lower the dropout rate, if we want to have great schools, if we want to have a thriving business community, we must have an educated workforce. That's the kind of Philadelphia all of us should aspire to. So these are the kind of challenges that face us, but these are also the goals that we can accomplish. We can make this a safer city. We can educate our young people. We can grow our economy. I'm talking about the kind of hope and commitment and sacrifice and investment that will allow us to attain these goals to create the new Philadelphia that I've been talking about. Now is the time, and this is the place. A new Philadelphia, a Philadelphia where young people can grow and work and be safe and go to school; a CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 new Philadelphia where business can invest and tourists can come and enjoy themselves; a new Philadelphia where people no longer see handguns as the first or last or only option to resolve a conflict; a new Philadelphia that attracts many new residents to our City, some born in this country, some not born in this country, because Philadelphia must be a more friendly place for everyone to come and celebrate the great liberties that are enjoyable right here in Philadelphia. (Applause.)
A new Philadelphia where we respect ourselves enough to keep our own City streets clean. That's the new Philadelphia that we're talking about. (Applause.)
And a new Philadelphia where everyone, everyone, everyone gets to participate in economic opportunity. CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 (Applause.)
Well, that's my vision for a new Philadelphia, and I'm asking all of you to embrace it and make it happen. (Applause.)
Today we make change and reform real. Today. Today. Today. Ladies and gentlemen, the renaissance period of Philadelphia got started about a half hour ago. (Applause.)
I'm asking you to join me in the greatest American city turnaround that anyone has seen in the last 50 years. Ladies and gentlemen, I've laid out for you this is the new Philadelphia. God bless you. God bless America. God bless all of you. Thank you very much. Bye, bye. (Standing ovation.)
Again, congratulations, Mr. Mayor. CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 To celebrate the inauguration of Mayor Michael Nutter, Evelyn Fordham Goodman sings "Ordinary People," accompanied by Keith Goodman. (Evelyn Fordham Goodman sings "Ordinary People.") (Applause.)
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful voice with us and that lovely song. At this time, the Chair invites the newly elected officials to take the oath of office in the presence of Council, the Mayor and other dignitaries. Would the retention judges of the Common Pleas Court please rise and take the oath of office. The Clerk will read the certificates of election for the retention judges of the Court of Common Pleas.
Philadelphia, November 6, 2007, Office of the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia: CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 Mark Bernstein, Rosalyn Robinson, Peter Rogers, Edward Summers, you are duly retained in the Office of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County for a ten-year term, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2008.
Thank you. Judge Jones will administer the oath of office. JUDGE JONES: I'm getting good at this. Please raise your right hands, with your left hands on your Bibles, and repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to Mark Bernstein, Rosalyn Robinson, Peter Rogers and Edward Summers.) JUDGE JONES: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the retention judges of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia to stand and take the oath of office. CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 The Chief Clerk will please read the certificates of election for the retention judges of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia.
Deborah Griffin, at an election held November 6, 2007, you were duly retained in the Office of the Judge of the Court of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia County. (Applause.)
President Judge of Municipal Court, the Honorable Louis J. Presenza, will administer the oath of office. JUDGE PRESENZA: Please repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to Deborah Griffin.) JUDGE PRESENZA: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the newly elected judges of the Traffic Court of CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 Philadelphia County to rise and take the oath of office. The Chief Clerk will please read the certificates of election for the judges of Traffic Court.
The oath of office will be administered by the Honorable Thomasine Tynes, President Judge of Traffic Court. JUDGE TYNES: Please hold your Bible in your left hand and with your right hand, repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to Mike Lowry, Robert Mulgrew and Willie Singletary.) JUDGE TYNES: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the City Commissioners to stand as their names are called. They are Margaret Tartaglione, Anthony Clark CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 and Joe Duda. (Applause.)
The Chief Clerk will please read the certificates of election for the City Commissioners.
Margaret Tartaglione, Anthony Clark and Joseph J. Duda, at an election held November 6, 2007, you were duly elected City Commissioners for the City and County of Philadelphia for a term of four years, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2008.
The Honorable Darnell Jones, II will administer the oath of office. JUDGE JONES: Please raise your right hands and repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to Margaret Tartaglione, Anthony Clark and Joseph J. Duda.) JUDGE JONES: Congratulations. (Applause.) CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08
The Chair now invites the Sheriff of Philadelphia, John D. Green, to stand and take the oath of office. (Applause.)
The Chief Clerk will please read the certificate of election for the Sheriff of Philadelphia.
John Green, at an election held November 6, 2007, you were duly elected Sheriff of the City and County of Philadelphia for a term of four years, commencing the first Monday of January, 2008.
The Honorable Darnell Jones, II will administer the oath of office. JUDGE JONES: Please raise your right hand and repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to John D. Green.) JUDGE JONES: Congratulations. (Applause.) CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08
The Chair now invites Ronald R. Donatucci, Register of Wills, to stand to take the oath of office. (Applause.)
The Chief Clerk will please read the certificate of election for the Register of Wills.
At an election held November 6, 2007, you were duly elected Register of Wills for the City and County of Philadelphia for a term of four years, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2008.
The Honorable Louis J. Presenza will administer the oath of office. JUDGE PRESENZA: Place your right hand on the Bible, please, raise your left hand, repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to Ronald R. Donatucci.) JUDGE PRESENZA: CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites Vivian T. Miller, Clerk of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia, to stand to take the oath of office. The Clerk will please read the certificate of election for the Clerk of Quarter Sessions.
Vivian T. Miller, at an election held November 6, 2007, you were duly elected Clerk of Quarter Sessions for Philadelphia County for a term of four years, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2008.
The Honorable Darnell Jones will administer the oath of office. JUDGE JONES: Please raise your right hand and repeat after me... (Oath of office administered to Vivian T. Miller. JUDGE JONES: Congratulations. (Applause.) CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08
For our final musical selection today, the Philadelphia Boys' Choir will perform "America the Beautiful." (Philadelphia Boys' Choir sings "America the Beautiful.") (Standing ovation.)
That was truly beautiful. As we conclude the ceremony, I want to thank the Inaugural Committee for their hard work for today's ceremony. I also want to thank our clergy members for being with us and offering their prayers for us and for our City. At this time, I would ask that you all stand in prayer to be delivered by Rabbi Henry Cohen. Following the benediction, I ask that you please be seated for the conclusion of the session. Rabbi?
God of All Humanity, we've come together to ask your blessing on the City of Philadelphia. We CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 thank you that you have blessed Mayor Michael Nutter with rare gifts of mind, heart and spirit. You have blessed him with a mind that understands the roots of violence, poverty and school dropouts. You have blessed him with a heart that has the courage to reach out to people of every race and creed, to greatly reduce the violence, poverty and ignorance that stifle too many lives. Mayor Nutter is blessed with members of City Council, with judges and other officials, all of whom have their own gifts of mind, heart and spirit, who will work with him for a better tomorrow. He is blessed with a loving and supporting family, who will be there for him in times of fulfillment and of frustration. And, finally, Michael Nutter has been blessed with faith. May his faith continue to grow with the spirit of hope that gives us all the expectation that he and we together will find for CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 Philadelphia and its surroundings, the ways that are pleasantness and the paths that are peace. Amen. (Amen.)
Thank you, Rabbi Cohen, for your inspiring words. Again, I would ask all of you to please be seated. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I move that the Council stand adjourned until Thursday, January the 24th, 2008. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the Council stand adjourned until Thursday, January 24, 2008. All in favor let be it known by saying "aye." CITY COUNCIL - 1/7/08 (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and Council stands adjourned until Thursday, January 24, 2008. Thank you all so very much. Thank you. (Applause.) (Ceremony adjourned at 11:50 a.m.) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on January 7, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)