Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill 100364.
An ordinance authorizing the paving of Fourth Street 6/10/10 - STATED - 2ND READING from Westmoreland Street to Ontario Street and Westmoreland Street from Lawrence Street to Fourth Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please read the title of 100007.
An ordinance amending Title 22 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Public Employees Retirement Code," by amending Sections 22-306, 22-701 and 22-702, to make Retirement and Survivorship Benefit Option 4 available to members of additional Plans, to allow the member to designate his or her dependent grandchildren to receive a survivorship benefit, and to allow benefits to be paid 6/10/10 - STATED - 2ND READING to trusts for disabled grandchildren of members.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The last bill to be considered is Bill No. 100283.
An ordinance renaming and designating the 39th and Olive Street Playground in Mantua as the "Norman (Butch) Ellis Playground."
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Are there speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. I rise today to remind us of a resolution that was authored by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and it dealt with the fracturing, which is a drilling process, that is used by the Marcellus Shale natural gas deposit. In that resolution we unanimously approved that the Delaware River Basin Commission halt such types of drilling because of the potential to 50 percent of our water supply that comes from the Schuylkill River. In today's recent current events, ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to an explosion recently in that particular area, some 45 miles of pipeline is being considered between Marcellus Shale and the Port of Philadelphia. What the natural environmental disasters have proven is the world is a smaller place and that we need to be mindful of all of those environmental impacts, because it will visit home. The people along the Gulf Coast realize that more and more every day, and the people of Philadelphia need to be worried about something close to home such as fractured drilling and the Marcellus Shale findings that impact our drinking water so dearly. So I will work with and continue to work with my colleagues to monitor this issue and, as a Gas Commissioner, urge the Gas Commission to be careful about our sources of gas, considering the way that it is being ferreted from the earth.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. It may be time for City Council to request equal time on KYW 1060 in response to Mayor's question time. I voted against the budget, but feel the need to correct the record, as the Administration spin seems to be hurling off in completely unrealistic directions. This body provided $100 million of revenue to the Administration. It was not the revenue the Administration asked for, so it is correct to say that the Mayor did not propose a property tax. However, the morning before we passed the property tax, the Mayor sent us a letter asking for a 12.1 percent property tax. What we approved was a 9.9 percent instead of -- and this was not mentioned. It was instead of a $300 per home fee, and what City Council did saved the average Philadelphia homeowner over $100 a year. The other statement made yesterday was that the Administration doesn't want to cut libraries or rec centers or police, but that City Council forced the Administration to have to make these cuts, the most painful cuts that can be made in any budget. I think we all know that this body sent a collective set of cuts up to the Administration containing $43 million worth of cuts. The Administration sent a very clear letter back to the President and Majority Leader saying that they would only accept or agree to $18 million of those cuts. That left $25 million in cuts that not all Councilmembers agreed with, but were cuts put together by a collective group of Councilmembers. None of the additional $25 million in cuts affected libraries, rec centers, police or fire. These cuts that the Administration is making are their choices that demonstrate Administration priorities and they are not the responsibility of City Council. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam President. I first want to thank my colleagues for their support on the override of the bill, and pledge to continue to work, as I have in my time here in Council, to work with the Administration on a responsible solution that values the hundreds and thousands of volunteer hours put together by the citizens of Philadelphia in maintaining their festivals and their traditions. Some of the people that -- as Councilman Green noted, we all in Council percent of their taxes and deserve our support in those traditions, but I wanted to remind folks that today at 12:00 noon, I'll be hosting a briefing session with state legislators. Just this week we spent four hours in a housing committee discussion hosted by Councilwoman Blackwell discussing vacant land property, our NTI challenges and so forth. And while we're doing this, the state continues to put together legislation to deal with blight. Recently they passed a conveyorship bill that we have yet to exercise here in Philadelphia, but they were also fast-tracking a land banking bill, and I felt it was important that before the state move on passing this type of legislation -- and I'm aware that the Administration has also been talking to the Urban House Committee. Before this land banking legislation passes, that they have a discussion with Philadelphia ensure, since we know how difficult it is to get state-enabling legislation to deal with Philadelphia's problems, to ensure that Philadelphia is considered in the passing of this bill as we try to deal with the 10,000 vacant properties City-owned but, more importantly, the 30,000 vacant delinquent properties that we have in the City that whether we own them or not, we definitely own the problem. So I encourage all my colleagues to join me after Council in the Caucus Room for this important discussion so that we can make sure that we can be part of the discussion to help provide a long-term solution to the millions and millions of dollars owed to the City of Philadelphia through the 30,000 delinquent and vacant properties throughout the City. So I encourage all of you to join me in the Council Caucus Room. If not, please send your legislative staff, important discussion and a bill that we expect will pass this fall at the state. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. My reminder that we have our Partnership for Prescription Assistance table outside for constituents who need that service. Thank you.
You're welcome. Are there any other speeches on the part of the majority? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, President, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, June 17th, 2010, 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, June 17th, 2010. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.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 June 10, 2010, 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.)