And just to have this wonderful opportunity to continue to serve the city and the people that I love so much. Since that January day four years ago when we were last gathered in this place, we've made tremendous progress together. On that day, I made a promise that we would be a safer city, a more educated city, a growing city, a number one city for art and culture in the United States, a more green city where businesses would come and invest and create jobs, and a city that people all across America will be talking about in good ways. And because of the hard work of our public servants, our workforce, the dedication of our elected officials and the ingenuity of our citizens and neighborhoods all across this great city, I've kept those promises, and we have set Philadelphia on a fundamentally different 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION course, a different path, a new trajectory. (Applause.)
But we're not done yet. And so as I stand before you today at this beginning of a second term, it is not my intention to celebrate what has been done, but to talk briefly about the values I believe that are needed to guide us in doing what must be done. I'm not motivated by pride and satisfaction and past accomplishments. I'm motivated by a vision of what can be, by an urgency to tackle and take on the challenges that are holding us back as a city, and the deep concern and sense that though we are making progress, there are too many Philadelphians who do not share in the success and promise. I'm motivated by a determination that as we continue to transform Philadelphia, we cannot, we must not, and we will not leave anyone 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION behind. (Applause.)
The sense of community and togetherness has guided America since its earliest days. In April of 1630 when a band of colonists set sail from England for opportunity and freedom in the New World, one among them, John Winthrop, composed a message to his fellow immigrants describing how they were going to succeed and set an example for those who are to follow. Winthrop said, "We must be knit together in this work as one man. We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must delight in each other, make others' conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor, and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work as members of the same body." Philadelphia, of course we have our own way of saying it. We have the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION Affection. We're proud of our city. We look out for each other. We stand up for each other. We fight for each other. And that's certainly how it was when I was growing up at 55th and Larchwood. On Saturday morning, all the kids on the block grabbed a broom, grabbed a bucket. We mopped our steps. We cleaned up our block together. And when one of us went to the movies or to the rec center, we all went together. We had respect for each other and for our elders. When my mother told me to be back on the steps before that streetlight came on, you can best believe that I was there. (Applause.)
Community, togetherness, respect, pride - that's the Philadelphia way. It's who we are. We stand together - together as a block, together as a community, as a neighborhood, and as a city, all working to make our city a better place. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION I see that togetherness almost every day as I travel through the neighborhoods all across Philadelphia. I see young people in after-school activities learning a second language, painting stained glass on a church, or expressing themselves through spoken word or poetry. I see community leaders working with us through our Philly Rising initiative to clean up their neighborhoods or through our Health Department's MOMS program to help young, first-time mothers access the early childhood services their baby needs. And I'm going to see it this afternoon when I visit Project HOME residents who are in our workforce development and job training programs, trying to build a better life for themselves and play a role in the future of this city, all of us working together as members of the same body. But I also see in our City of 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION Philadelphia that William Penn, a Quaker, founded with the values of community, fairness, and inclusiveness as its bedrock, that there are too many neighborhoods where we have lost that sense of community, that pride in our city, that commitment to each other. There are too many Philadelphians who don't feel safe in their own neighborhoods, whose children are stuck in low-performing schools, who are struggling to find work, and some who have even given up looking for a job. And I refuse to accept that we can or should move forward as a city if we have not done all that we can to include all Philadelphians in our progress. We must be willing to have an honest conversation about the things that are holding us back as a city and ask ourselves, What are we prepared to do about them, together. We must be willing to do 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION something about the fact that of the 317 people who were murdered in Philadelphia last year, 83 percent of them were killed with a handgun; nearly 75 percent of those killed, African American men; nearly 80 percent of those doing the killing, African American men, a local and national epidemic that is insufficiently discussed, let alone taken on. What are we going to do about this? We're going to put more police on the streets. A hundred and twenty new officers will be on foot patrol by this summer. But we must do more. We're going to continue to build partnerships with the community through community policing and our Philly Rising program. Working with mayors around the country and with leaders in our own community, we've begun a serious, adult conversation and have started to develop 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION strategic plans to deal with the proliferation of illegal guns and the fact that people and their guns are wiping out an entire generation of African American men and boys. And we're deploying and developing a new approach, which we'll roll out in the next few months, to getting these illegal guns off our streets, targeting the people who have them, the people who are supplying them, and the neighborhoods where they're operating in, and the five police districts in the City where nearly 50 percent of the homicides occur, and working with our partners at all levels of government to go after them aggressively and relentlessly every day. (Applause.)
But while we say to those who hide behind their illegal guns that we will come after you and the people who are supplying these weapons harder and tougher than ever before, we 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION must also be brave enough to extend a hand to those who want to put that gun down to make a different choice. We must show them that if you put that gun down, we'll put work in your hands, we'll put a job in your hands, we'll put a book in your hands, we'll put a paycheck in your hands. (Applause.)
And we'll work with you to put your future back in your hands. Because some of these young kids that are terrorizing our neighborhoods are themselves just frightened kids. They're not all bad kids, and they weren't born like this. These are kids who lack opportunity, who believe that they have no future, that there is no door open to them. And when we have to lock them up, we also lock up their potential. Two days ago I visited our city prisons. This is a tradition started by 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION Mayor Street. Two days ago I met a young man in juvenile detention on State Road. His name is Kent. He's 17 years old. Kent was sentenced to 7 to 20 years for four armed robberies. He told me that he got about $2,000 as a result. But he also told me that he's carrying a 3.6 GPA at John Bartram High School and he scored a 1400 on his SATs. Colleges are still sending him letters at his home, not knowing where he is right now, asking him to apply to college. He told me that he's sorry for what he's done, and he knows that he has to pay a high price for his actions. He's our kid, and he and all the other juveniles on State Road and all the other young people in Philadelphia have to know that we care about them and that there is a future for them here in Philadelphia. We have to show them -(Applause.)
We have to show them all that they do have a future, that 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION they can get a job, that to be a real man or real woman takes responsibility and good behavior, taking care of your own life, to earn a wage and provide for your family. We can reach these kids, and I will not accept that we can leave any of them behind either. I also won't accept that we can leave behind so many of our students in failing schools and that they and their families shouldn't have access to the same opportunities that the kids or the people in this entire hall here today have themselves. Not only is it unfair, but it also holds all of us back. I'm on the phone every day talking to companies, fighting to bring jobs to Philadelphia, and the number one thing that the executives talk with me about is our workforce. If we don't have educated, trained, skilled workers, we will continue to struggle to attract new businesses, grow the companies that we 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION already have, and create the new jobs that our city so desperately needs. We must better educate and train our young people, and that's going to require serious and difficult changes in our school system and in the way in which we provide education here in Philadelphia. I committed on day one that my Administration would work in cooperation with the State, the School Reform Commission, and the School District. And now through the Philadelphia Great Schools Compact, we will turn around the lowest-performing schools in our system, and if they can't be turned around, close or replace them with high-quality alternatives. Reform, restructure, replace. (Applause.)
Because the alternative is abandoning some children in some schools in some communities, effectively saying that they don't 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION deserve every opportunity that we can give them, whose education somehow must take a back seat to political agendas, historic mismanagement, and the tradition of low expectations, who can be left behind as we try to move this city forward. Well, I'm a public school parent too, and I can't accept that, I won't accept that, and neither should you. (Applause.)
These two issues - high crime rates in many neighborhoods and too few quality public education options - are holding us back as a city. They stretch the fabric of our society to its breaking point. And this is not some moral or social crusade. This is an economic imperative for our city. We spend one-third of our city budget on our criminal justice complex, one-third of your tax dollars dealing 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION with bad decisions and bad behavior. It's a waste of your money. That money could be better spent on education and after-school programs and libraries and parks and recreation centers and job opportunities. (Applause.)
If more of our young people went to school, stayed in school, graduated, went on to higher training or college, we'd have less poverty, less crime, more jobs. We'd be able to cut your taxes and, at the same time, generate more revenues to invest in our communities all across Philadelphia. Imagine what the City can be if we changed the mentality of those who think they can carry and use illegal weapons in our neighborhoods and get away with it. Imagine what this city can be if every child, fueled and driven by high expectations, gets a high-quality education in a safe environment, 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION supported and encouraged by their parents and their community. Imagine what the City can be if we continue to attract new companies and new jobs and train our Philadelphians so that they can succeed in these new industries. Imagine what the City could be if we restore to all parts of Philadelphia the values of community, togetherness, respect, and pride that should define our city and that I see in some parts of Philadelphia. This is all within our reach. These are the challenges that we must confront, and we will tackle them. There must be no issue too uncomfortable or too complicated for us to take on, no discussion too awkward or sensitive for us to have. We will say what needs to be said but hasn't been. We will do what needs to be done but hasn't happened. We cannot accept the status 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION quo. This cannot be just how it is. We're bigger than that, we're bolder than that, and we're better than that, Philadelphia. (Applause.)
And so today I make a pledge, and I ask you to join me in this commitment, that we will focus on the forgotten, we will shine a light on areas of darkness, we will give a voice to those not heard, and that we will continue to build a better Philadelphia to move our city in a positive direction and that we will not leave anyone behind. That, as I said earlier, we must be knit together in this work as one city. (Applause.)
We must reject this notion of a tale of two cities, a society divided into the rich and the poor, the affluent and the oppressed, the educated and the enslaved. We are not two cities. We must not become two 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION cities. We are one city, one Philadelphia, and we will succeed together as one Philadelphia. Despite enormous challenges over the last few years, we are building our way back, and Philadelphia is undergoing a transformation. My job is to keep pushing us forward, faster and farther, and to make sure that we don't leave anyone behind. This city took a young black boy from West Philadelphia, growing up with his mother and father and sister and grandmother, and found a way to keep him out of trouble and give him the best education possible, even though his family couldn't afford it. It gave him a sense of community, of right and wrong, of the notion that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. The City introduced that young man to a political leader, John C. Anderson, who would inspire him to 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION dedicate his life to serving others, and ultimately this city allowed that man to serve as the Mayor of his hometown. You didn't leave me behind, and I won't leave any of you behind, not in this city, not now. (Applause.)
I will spend every waking moment of every day of this new term working with our City Council, working with our state, working with our federal government, working with all of you and all Philadelphians, and fighting for you and fighting for this city each and every day. We're in this together, one city, one Philadelphia, no one left behind. May God bless you. May God bless Philadelphians. May God bless the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, our great city, Philadelphia. Thank you, Philadelphia, so much. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION (Standing ovation.)
Mr. Mayor, again, congratulations. I now invite Reverend Terrence Griffith to offer a prayer for the City.
Let's all stand as we honor the Lord. (All guests rise.)
God of our years, God of our silent tears, thou has brought us thus far on our way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light. Keep us forever in the path, we pray. Our Father and our God, we first pause to acknowledge you as a maker and a king. We pay homage to you because you are God and God alone. You change times and seasons, set up kings and depose them. You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. For this we praise your name and bow in humble submission to your will. We ask your blessings on your servant, Michael Nutter. You have given 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION him another term to lead this great city. Give him the faith of Abraham, the fortitude of Noah, the patience of Moses, the charisma of David, the savvy of Nehemiah, the wisdom of Solomon, the fire of Jeremiah, the fight of Peter, and the compassion of Jesus. As he desires to heal our city, let prayer and the word be his foundation, and instill in him the desire to always seek your face. For City Council we pray. You have tasked them to represent and to speak on behalf of the people. As they deliberate from day to day, may the interest of the people be paramount, not self-interest or special interest, but an interest of the people they were chosen to represent. Give each the courage to stand alone on principle and the decency to say yes for the benefit of Philadelphia. For the Judiciary we pray. May they operate not only by the letter of the law, but also the spirit of the law. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION And may they be just, fair, compassionate, merciful, and function free from external influences. We pray, Father, for your blessings on the City Commissioners, Register of Wills, Sheriff, judges of Traffic Court. Bestow your blessings on them. But most of all, God, we pray for Philadelphia. We humble ourselves. We pray. We seek your face. We turn from our wicked ways. Therefore, we ask that you heal our city. Heal the City of gun violence. Heal the land. Heal the City of domestic violence. Heal the land. Heal the City of those who molest our children. Heal the land. Heal the land of hatred. Heal the land. Make Philadelphia that shining city on the hill, where the poor find hope and the homeless shelter, where our children receive quality education and our seniors are respected. We know you can do it. We know 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION it's possible. And so, God, make justice roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (Amen.)
Thank you, Reverend Griffith. To celebrate the inauguration of the Mayor, the Philadelphia Boys Choir will perform "Lift Every Voice," under the direction of Jeffrey Smith. (Philadelphia Boys Choir performs "Lift Every Voice.") (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you so much. 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 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION of office. The Clerk will read the certificates of the election for the judges of the Court of Common Pleas.
Philadelphia, November 8, 2011, office of the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia: Joan A. Brown, Dennis P. Cohen, Rose Marie DeFino-Nastasi, Thomas Dempsey, Kevin M. Dougherty, Gary S. Glazer, Elizabeth Jackson, James Murray Lynn, Margaret T. Murphy, Arnold L. New, George W. Overton, Paul P. Panepinto, Nitza I. Quinones Alejandro, Lisa Rau, Robert J. Rebstock, Gregory E. Smith, Albert John Snite, Jr., Earl W. Trent, Jr., and Chris Wogan. You are duly retained Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County for a ten-year term, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2012. (Applause.)
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of office. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION JUDGE DEMBE: Please put your left hand on your Bible and raise your right hand. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the newly elected judges of the Common Pleas Court to please rise and take the oath of office. The Clerk will read the certificates of the election for the judges of the Court of Common Pleas.
Philadelphia, November 8, 2011, office of the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia: Diana Anhalt, Charles Ehrlich, Angelo Foglietta, Jonathan Q. Irvine, Vincent L. Johnson, Sean Kennedy, Barbara A. McDermott, Maria McLaughlin, Carolyn H. Nichols and Thomas M. Nocella. You are duly elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County for a ten-year term, commencing the first 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION Monday of January, AD 2012. (Applause.)
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of office. JUDGE DEMBE: I hate to tell you, but nobody cheers like that in the courtroom. Please hold your Bible and raise your right hand and repeat after me. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the retention judges of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia to stand and take the oath of office. The Clerk will please read the certificate of election for the retention judges of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia.
James M. DeLeon, Thomas F. Gehret, Nazario Jiminez, Jr., 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION William A. Meehan, Jr., Bradley K. Moss, Harvey W. Robbins, David C. Shuter, and Karen Yvette Simmons, at an election held November 8, 2011, you were duly retained Judge of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia County for a six-year term, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2012. (Applause.)
In the absence of the President Judge of Municipal Court, Judge Dembe will administer the oath of office. JUDGE DEMBE: Please raise your right hand. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the newly elected judges of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia to stand and take the oath of office. The Clerk will please read the 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION certificate of election for the newly elected judges of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia.
At an election held November 8, 2011, you were duly elected Judge of the Municipal Court of Philadelphia County for a six-year term, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2012.
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of office. JUDGE DEMBE: We let you watch all the others. Raise your right hand. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations. (Applause.)
Thank you. The Traffic Court judges were 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION not able to be with us today, but the Chair would like to recognize and happy that the President Judge of Traffic Court, Thomasine Tynes, joins us. (Applause.)
Thank you for being here. The Chair now invites the City Commissioners to stand as their names are called. They are Anthony Clark, Stephanie Singer, and Al Schmidt. (Applause.)
The Chief Clerk will read the certificates of the election for the City Commissioners.
Anthony Clark, Stephanie Singer, and Al Schmidt, at an election held November 8, 2011, 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 2012.
The Honorable Dembe will administer the oath 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION of office. JUDGE DEMBE: Please raise your right hand. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites the newly elected Sheriff of Philadelphia, Jewell Williams, to stand and take the -(Applause.)
-(continued) to stand and take the oath of office. The Clerk will read the certificate of election for the Sheriff of Philadelphia.
Jewell Williams, at an election held November 8, 2011, you were duly elected Sheriff of the City and County of Philadelphia for a term of four years, commencing the first Monday of January, AD 2012.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION Thank you. The Honorable Pam Dembe will administer the oath of office. JUDGE DEMBE: Please raise your right hand. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair now invites Ron Donatucci, Register of Wills, to stand to take his oath of office. The Chief Clerk will read the certificate of election for the Register of Wills.
Ronald Donatucci, at an election held November 8, 2011, 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 2012.
Thank you. The Honorable Matthew 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION Carrafiello will administer the oath of office. JUDGE CARRAFIELLO: Raise your right hand and repeat after me, please. (Oath of office administered.) JUDGE CARRAFIELLO: Congratulations. (Applause.)
Thank you. For our final musical selection today, the Philadelphia Boys Choir will perform "America the Beautiful." (Philadelphia Boys Choir performs "America the Beautiful.") (Applause.)
Thank you so much. That was so inspirational. 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 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION for us and our city. In Rabbi Henry Cohen's absence, Rabbi Solomon Isaacson will deliver benediction. I ask you all to stand for the prayer. (All guests rise.)
He didn't call me his Rabbi. I don't know why. City Hall Rabbi, all right. I'll settle for that. You know, I'm so used to hearing all these swearing in's, so how about I, Rabbi Solomon Isaacson, do solemnly ask the Almighty to bless all those that have been elected to these offices and to bless especially the congressional delegation from Washington, who they all work, have worked and, God willing, will work to help to make this a better city for all of us. Just as the Maccabees faced adversity and they overcame tremendous odds to be able to sanctify the holy temple, we ask the Almighty to assist our 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION beloved Mayor, present City Councilmembers, and newly elected members and guide them and give them the wisdom to do what is most beneficial for the citizens of our great city. For our present and newly elected judges, may the Almighty pass on to them the wisdom as he does to preside in a just and fair manner. For the Register of Wills, I say the will of the people is health and happiness. For Traffic Court judges, less tickets. (Applause.)
And, of course, to my dear friend, the Sheriff, good luck. And now, Hashem, the Almighty, spoke to Moses saying... (Rabbi speaking in Hebrew.)
Let me see if she can do that in Hebrew. Can you do that in Hebrew? I didn't think so. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION The Almighty said to Moses, Speak to Aaron and his sons saying, so shall you bless -- and I take a little bit of freedom here -- all of us, saying to them, may Hashem, the Almighty, bless you and safeguard you. May Hashem illuminate his continence for you and be gracious to you. May Hashem turn his continence to you and establish peace for you. And let my name be mentioned and used in holiness and sanctification. And let us always remember that the Almighty is in every corner in every room in every place in the world, and when we call upon him, his line is never busy, he's always listening and, God willing, he should always answer you with goodness and health and happiness and success. And, Mr. Mayor, a special blessing to you. It's not easy to be Mayor of our great city. We have various different types of people, as you have well reiterated here. I ask the Almighty 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION to give you special strength that you should be able to oversee and manage this great city with our new President of City Council, his Rabbi, Darrell -- well, John Street called me his Rabbi. Remember that? Anyway, City Hall Rabbi, whatever it is. God bless all. (Applause.)
Will you all please remain standing as the Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments and the Prison Honor Guards remove the colors. (The removal of colors.)
Thank you so much. Before I call for an adjournment, I just want to say two quick things. To my colleagues, as we travel around, I'm sure you've heard, there are some extremely high expectations of us. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION But I know that we're going to fulfill them, because I know all of -- I've gotten to know all of you and I've known some of you for a long time. I'm really excited about what we're going to be able to do. We're going to help this Mayor in every possible way. Every now and then we will disagree, but we will disagree on the substance of the issue and it will not be personal. So, Mayor, I just want to say this Council is ready and willing to work with you. We're going to give you a 115 percent.
And last, for those of you who do not have lunch reservations anywhere, we will be feeding people up in City Hall. We have a reception with some good food and some music. So if you just walk right up and go to City Hall, we hopefully can join you there. 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION With that, Councilwoman Brown, I'd like to recognize you.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that City Council stand adjourned until Thursday, January 26th, 2012. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, January 26th, 2012. All in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and this Council stands adjourned until Thursday, January 26th, 2012. Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
Thank you to all newly elected, incumbent, and 1/2/12 - INAUGURATION retained City officials. And thank you, Philadelphia, for being in attendance today. I'm Doug Henderson. Have a very Happy New Year and a prosperous 2012. (Proceedings adjourned at 12:02 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 January 2, 2012, 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.)