Councilwoman 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have a potential conflict of interest with respect to that bill and will be submitting a memorandum to the Clerk documenting that for the record, and so I need to abstain on that bill.
Okay. Thank you, Councilman. So noted. 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING So the ayes are 15; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution authorizing the Committee on Labor and Civil Service to hold hearings to examine the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative contracts awarded to LP Group 2 from 2004 to 2006, introduced by Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution and I'd like to speak briefly, if I may. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Councilman, please proceed.
Thank you, 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. President. Before we vote on this bill, I wanted members of Council to understand the process that we've been going through until we've got this point. Back in the NTI period of time, contracts were awarded for demolition all around the City and companies were hiring individuals to do demolition and stucco work throughout our city. As you know, every district in the City probably had some impact from NTI. As a result of the Board of Building Standards citing a particular contractor for paying substandard wages to their employees, it was made clear that there's about two dozen individuals who have been shortchanged about $200,000 in work that would have been paid if he had paid prevailing wage. It's about $8,000 a person. Many of these folks are ex-offenders who have come back into the community, trying to do the right thing. We promised to have their back. We promised to try to help them get their 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING lives back together. The government of the City of Philadelphia through the Labor Standards Board did their job. They discovered an inequity. They cited on numerous occasions the contractor, and for some reason or another, the contractor was paid regardless, who refuses now to pay these individuals for the hard work that they were doing. Obviously stucco work, demolition work, knocking down houses is not pleasant work to do. It's hard, it's dusty, it's dirty, but these individual men and women put their backs to the grindstone, did their work every day, went to work, expected to be paid a prevailing wage and were not. The City fell down on its inability to stop the payment for whatever reason and the contractor was paid and is basically thumbing his nose at the City and at these two dozen workers. We're not going to let this go. 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING We have talked to the Administration over a long period of time. We have written letters. We have called. We have talked. We have had City Solicitor Shelley Smith in front of our hearing asking, cajoling, pleading to make these folks whole. Eight thousand dollars to most people is a lot of money. Eight thousand dollars to folks in this situation is an extreme amount of money that could change their lives for the good or for the ill. I think the City has a responsibility, because it did cite the contractor for not paying prevailing wage, to make these people whole. We have identified money that's been held in contingency accounts in the NTI program. For some reason or another, the City Solicitor, the Administration simply refuse to cut the checks. My suggestion is, they cut the checks to these hard-working people and they go after the contractor for the balance of the money that's owed. 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING We are just simply not going to let this go away. I think we owe these 24 or so folks who are trying to make their lives better, who are trying to do the right thing and work hard during this period of time to get them the money that they earned, and I call on the Administration again to cut the checks, make these people whole, do the right thing. And we're going to continue to have hearings and have this discussion until these individuals are paid their fair day's wage. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. There was a motion and a second. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. That resolution is 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted.
And a resolution congratulating and honoring the Julia R. Masterman Middle School Chess Team on winning the 2013 United States Chess Federation's Kindergarten-through-8thGrade National Championship, introduced by Councilman Greenlee for Council President Clarke.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution authorizing Council's Committee on Public Safety to investigate and hold public hearings reviewing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and its practices in Philadelphia, including the LSI-R offender risk assessment tool and the effect that it has on the safety of the citizens of Philadelphia, introduced by Councilman O'Brien.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution and would like to be recognized for a few brief remarks. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Councilman, please proceed.
Thank you, Mr. President. I introduce one privileged resolution relating to public 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING safety. This resolution stems from the April 12, 2013 Public Safety Committee hearing where we peeled away at the many layers of the Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole. Just in case somebody wasn't paying attention, every week following that hearing, I've introduced a resolution calling for the Committee on Public Safety to look at each of those layers in more detail. This week I'm calling on the Committee to investigate the risk assessment tool used by State Probation and Parole. Specifically, how do they evaluate offenders, how do they classify whether someone will be maximum risk versus low risk, how do they supervise the different levels of risk, but above all, is this system effective and does it protect the citizens of Philadelphia. These are all important questions. These are all questions that we as citizens of Philadelphia deserve answers. As I've said in previous weeks, 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING we need to keep drilling down into how the Board runs its shop. We will not stop until we get the real answers and until we get change. The safety of Philadelphia depends on it. Last week I gave you some numbers related to crime in the City. There have been over 4,300 violent crimes in Philadelphia since the start of the year. Last week the number of homicides was 76. Today that number stands at 81. That's unacceptable. Public safety needs to be a priority. We here in this legislative body make it a priority. It's time that everyone, including the Parole Board, make it a priority as well. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. It has been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
And a resolution recognizing the 250th Anniversary of Old St. Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Philadelphia's oldest Catholic Church in continuous service, introduced by Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution honoring Center in the Park on its 45th Anniversary and recognizing its efforts to enhance the health and wellness of local older adults, introduced by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it and that resolution is 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and celebrating the 43rd Annual Mt. Airy Day, introduced by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution recognizing, Sunday, May 5, 2013 as Ilona Grover Day in appreciation of her twenty-four years of service to the City 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING of Philadelphia, introduced by Councilwoman Bass.
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution authorizing Council's Committee of the Whole to compel the Administration through the issuance of a subpoena as authorized under Section 2-401 of The 5/2/13 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide the methodology and sample sets used in performing assessments of real property that are being used as part of the citywide Actual Value Initiative such that the information is reproducible, introduced by Councilman Oh.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
That was a much stronger aye than the earlier ayes. Those opposed? (No response.)
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you so very much. Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? We seem to be having a technical challenge for the third week in a row. So I actually think -Councilman, were you -- because nothing is registering on the board.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to make a comment on the bill that was introduced, because it may be a little bit difficult understand, regarding the Library fines. This body is challenged to come up with funds, and there's just not enough funds for us to find in order to pay for all the needed and worthy things. One of the important issues that comes before this body is funding our local libraries or branch libraries and the challenges that they have in providing not only the time for children and parents to come to the library, but also the resources such as computers and other types of programs. Recently, the Administration announced that it would no longer collect fees from late children's books -- or books that are late, fees from children. And I think it is very well intended, but I do have an issue with that, and, that is, that if the problem is that children who have late books are not allowed to use library resources, that can simply be remedied by allowing them to use or providing amnesty. I think that is fine. Many of us, myself included, will pay late fines when our children are late with their books, and we don't complain about it. It's a good lesson for our children to know, to try to return things on time. The late fees, which I don't know that the Library can distinguish adult from children, are substantial. It's $430,000 I belive last year and three years ago it was $700,000. This is money that nobody is complaining about, and if the City does not want the money, I think it should be placed in a separate fund to be distributed to the branches so they can get some funding that they need, have been requesting to provide for programs for children. I will say that many of us will remember that if we needed a copy made, the only place you could go was the library. If you needed books and resource items, that was the library. My go to the library without hesitation, although I couldn't go play basketball or hang out with my friends. The library was that kind of place. But today the libraries don't have the technology that we had when we were young. For example, 3D printers cost about $20,000. Why can't a library have a 3D printer so that the children and the teenagers can use that type of technology? I think $700,000 or $400,000, which nobody is complaining about, is too much money to leave somewhere behind and I think the better use of it is for the programs for children in our neighborhoods. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Councilman. I'm assuming that Councilman Jones would be on this panel if this was working. Councilman, am I correct?
I want to briefly thank you for having the perseverance and patience, Mr. President, to listen to all of the public comment that you've heard, and many of our colleagues have sat through that and listened, I mean truly listened, to what people were saying. And some of the things that we were hearing obviously revolved around AVI, but also the other elephant in the room was the pending issue with the SRC and public education. Out of those voices, the young man I believe from Councilwoman Sanchez's district, Guillermo Santos, came clarionly clear as his concerns about whether his choices were school, prison or war. And I think if none of us could hear anything else, we should have heard that. that today Pastor Thomas talked about the 48 percent of African Americans that don't find their way to graduation, many of whom are out by the ninth grade. The 24 schools that will close, one of them was Vaux that was recognized by you today, Mr. President. The fact that we don't have enough libraries in schools, paper in schools and supplies, all of that putting a spotlight on the issue that we will have to tackle this year. But there was some good news. The same word for "crisis" in China is the same word for "opportunity," and that is important to note as we go about our business, that we have an opportunity to make it better, that we have an opportunity for closing schools for those parents and students not to do the death march but march into a future that is worthwhile by educating them correctly. I heard little tidbits such as technical training, such as emphasis on heard issues of conflict resolution by implementing youth courts. And so I've heard little pieces of hope that we can have. So as we begin to look at what we need to do for those young people, that we need to have listened very closely, taken notes as we make the hard choice over the next month of what we are going to do by way of this crisis, and we pray and hope that also those in Harrisburg -- you've established a great relationship with the Senate and the House, but those in the executive branch also hear us too. So thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman Blackwell -- I'm sorry; Councilwoman Brown.
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. So let's take the remarks shared by Councilman Jones as the backdrop and back story for my we fund our Philadelphia public schools. According to the Pennsylvania Constitution, it is the state's responsibility to, and I quote, "provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth," end quote. In fact, it is the only service mandated by our Constitution. Why is it that we find ourselves experiencing another deja vu, searching to fill a hole in our School District budget, waiting once again to see who will go first, the State or the City of Philadelphia? We're told that the only way that the Corbett Administration will think we are serious about getting our financial house in order is if City Council steps up to the plate first with meaningful action. Let the record reflect three we have done just that and then asked Philadelphia's taxpayers to help us close the gap. These are unpopular decisions that have been made because we all felt it was the right thing to do. We then look back to the Corbett Administration, who has been silent at best and shrug their shoulders at worst, at our request for additional aid. I applaud you, Council President, for asking and I would say directing School Reform Commissioner Pedro -- President Pedro Ramos to join you and members of Council to make a case for needed funding. The direct question was important. This year it is clear that the shared sacrifice approach will be essential to filling the budget gap that will only restore basic education to our District's 140,000 students. " I do disagree with the belief that we are throwing good money after bad. That simply is not true. So let's consider some myths. The graduation rate is hopelessly low, as reported. That's false. In 2002, 44 percent of the young people graduated, and in 2012, it's 64 percent. Improvement. Teacher salaries are too high. That's false. Starting salaries for teachers in Philadelphia public schools are about $30,000 a year, significantly less than the average annual salary of $34,000 for teachers in suburban school districts. The central office spending is out of control. That's false. Central office has been cut dramatically and now accounts for only 3 percent of the total budget. In 2011, there were 762 filled positions, and today there are 433 filled positions from the operating budget. We hear that the School District of Philadelphia is the problem child in an otherwise excellent state. That's false. School districts across Pennsylvania are hurting. We have Chester-Upland, York, Harrisburg have been declared financially distressed, and experts predict more schools to fall in this category. I had a meeting with Senator Vincent Hughes this week wherein he indicated Philadelphia is not alone. Philadelphia always looks to Harrisburg to bail us out. That's false. We have made tough choices and increased taxes in Philadelphia to fill holes in our budget for the past three years. Philadelphia is nothing more than a money pit that is consistently bailed out by the state and giving nothing in return. That's false. Philadelphia represents 12 percent of the state population, but it accounts for 35 gross domestic product. We are indeed Pennsylvania's economic engine. Our population is growing. Tourism is growing. Our GDP is growing. Our students deserve a growing commitment from the state government that says, yes, we will invest in their education. So I pose a question or questions to the members of the Corbett Administration. Who among you participated in a varsity sport? Who among you was a cheerleader? Who played an instrument in the band or the orchestra? Who sang in the high school chorus?
Who paid a visit to the school nurse or the guidance counselor? Who checked out a book from the library? I challenge members of the Corbett Administration to come to Philadelphia and do what all of us do in this Council all the time, spend the day in a classroom, without books, without supplies, without proper staffing, counselors or librarians. Let's invite Governor Corbett to come shadow a student who has no art or music class to look forward to, no after-school sport to play. Librarians, school nurses, school counselors are not luxury items. Dr. " So, Mr. President, once again, lead by example. Once again, under your able leadership, we may have to pull teeth to craft a resolution. Thank you for making it clear to Pedro Ramos that it will take our collective will to get anything done. Thank you for directing President Ramos and helping us secure a meeting with the Governor. So once Councilman Goode's question is answered -- and you'll remember it during the public school testimony. Councilman Goode raised the question to the Administration, What does $60 million buy us? City Council will need to do our part to exhaust non-traditional funding sources. We should closely consider Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez's use and occupancy proposal. We should closely review the proposal percolating to increase the liquor by the drink tax. Further, the Nutter Administration will need to do its part, the $18 million request in new spending, closely consider the Sanchez U&O proposal. The Corbett Administration will need to do its part to find the 120 million. " In closing, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. It will not matter whose fault it is. When it comes to the School District of Philadelphia, we, as elected officials, will not be absolved of our duties because of mistakes or poor judgments or misjudgments or silence or benign leadership of others. Mr. President, I believe that we are duty-bound. It is our job to face the obstacle, as we have done in the past three consecutive years, tackle challenge, as we have done in the past three consecutive years, and been very, very successful in crafting an acceptable funding formula solution, a solution, Mr. President, that will have to be built with shared sacrifice. I thank you, Mr. President. )
I thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Mr. President. Yesterday a lobbyist for the Building Association of Realtors e-mailed City Council a report done by a tax abatement program as it currently exists. In an e-mail exchange, the lobbyist admitted that he advised his clients not to participate in public testimony before City Council like other citizens and taxpayers. He advised that they deserve a different forum. Hence, that explains the private e-mail from a lobbyist to City Council rather than public testimony like any other citizen and taxpayer. I assumed the report was commissioned related to Bill 120651, but the report never analyzes that bill. The report analyzes what has occurred in the real estate market since the abatement became law. It shows a correlation in time between the abatement and a surge in real estate development, without much further analysis. There is indeed a correlation. That's not the debate, and it never was. The debate is over whether correlation equals causation. In other words, the abatement does not prove that all or most of the development was caused by the abatement. But let's assume that most of it was. The report does not analyze what would have occurred with a different abatement. The report presents the case of the current abatement versus no abatement. That's a false analysis. In determining the beneficiaries of the abatement, the report measures a number of properties rather than also considering the value of properties in its highlights. That's also deceptive. The abatement exists and there are no plans to eliminate it, and the value of the abated properties is not equally distributed. The report, if it were commissioned by the Commerce Department, as the Finance Director previously claimed, should have examined what would occur with a modified abatement, with over $320 million in business and wage tax cuts over the next years, and newly devised construction subsidy based on need. But we didn't pay for the report. The rich guys paid for it. My point is simple: To get a ten-year tax abatement, you don't have to need the abatement. The report does not examine whether most of the beneficiaries actually needed the abatement over time. It's just a broad view of the real estate market. An industry benefiting from the tax abatement program can afford to hire lobbyists and consultants, unlike the average taxpayer whose bills increase by the abatements. And the rich guys' lobbyists and consultants will even try to convince you that the abatements will lower the AVI tax rate, but trust me, you're still paying for their abatements, not them. The average taxpayer will rely upon us, even though the rich developers think that we're not that smart. We know that the report did not analyze the bill plan for a modified abatement or with $300 million in business and wage tax cuts. Instead, the rich developers want to continue to take more money, mostly from public education, whether they need it or not. I guess they don't care whether our kids are not that smart either. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
Thank you, Mr. President. During budget time, people are probably tired of hearing me, budgeting is choosing between competing ideas for good with limited resources. I say this this time every year, and I just get the feeling that people think that the City's coffers or that we are living in Candy Land. Every single week we pass a bill for an appropriation for a tax credit, for giving money away for this good cause, for -- there's a proposal to increase Parks and Rec spending by $6 million. There's all sorts of proposals for new spending for good and valid things, $60 million for firefighters, et cetera. And here we are talking about needing $60 million for schools, talking about -- I agree with almost everything Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown said, except that there's $78 million still in the administration of the School District. We have to make serious choices. We have to live within our means, and every single week we give away just a little bit more here, a little bit more there, and we think that that doesn't add all up. When you add all that stuff up, that's the equivalent of not having to do a tax increase for the schools when you add it up over several years. People have to look at each expenditure, not in the context of whether or not that one thing is a good idea, but in the context of whether or not we can afford all the things that everybody would want. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. It appears there are no other speeches. At this time, I'd like to recognize Councilwoman Brown for a motion to adjourn.
I thank you, Mr. President. I would hasten to alert my colleagues that they're welcome to a briefing next door hosted by Teens for Good, T-E-E-N-S. Teens for Good strives to build additional multi-green green spaces and incorporate urban farming and the like around our City of Philadelphia. With that said, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, May 9th, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. m. Thank you very much. ) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. ) A 40:17 64:2,21 46:15,17 48:19 approached assumed 91:13 AA's 87:13 65:9 73:23 48:21 49:2 58:5 52:12 assuming 78:23 abated 92:18 76:16 82:20 amendments 58:9 appropriate athletes 18:11 abatement 91:2 83:9 86:12,21 American 4:21 30:17 35:5,22 19:22 91:17,19 92:3,5 88:15,25 89:5 Americans 80:4 36:21 38:12 athletics 87:16 92:8,9,10,12,16 95:13 amnesty 77:3 40:12 Atlantic 31:23 92:24 93:7,8,10 admitted 91:4 amount 64:12 appropriation attached 44:15 93:13 94:3 adopted 55:15 analysis 91:21 94:25 46:22 49:8 abatements 93:16 56:21 57:25 92:10 approval 6:1,21 attempted 11:20 93:18,20 66:2,25 70:6 analyze 92:6 approved 7:4,9 attention 68:7 able 4:14 10:17 71:4 72:2,21 93:25 7:16 Authority 24:12 11:15 12:9 88:3 73:20 75:5 analyzes 91:15,16 approving 24:10 24:20 32:6 absence 7:18,23 adoption 55:3 ancestors 5:14 24:18 32:4 54:17 55:21 8:7 42:2 56:9 57:14 and/or 98:22 approximately 57:2 Absolutely 21:3 61:18 66:14 angel 5:14 10:25 25:17,21 authorized 40:18 absolved 90:3 67:16 70:16 annihilating 4:25 28:22 35:2 36:6 73:25 abstain 60:22 71:14 72:10 Anniversary April 6:22 7:3,9 authorizing 25:2 academy 20:7 73:7 74:12 36:25 38:16 24:5,7 68:3 25:6,12,25 26:6 acceptable 90:13 adult 77:11 70:8 71:7 Archdiocese 27:10 28:19 accident 12:21 adults 38:18 40:5 announced 76:17 22:24 33:5 34:21 accolades 20:20 71:9 87:22 annual 31:12 area 24:15,23 35:16,25 36:11 accompanying adversity 18:16 38:24 72:5 25:14 28:13 36:17 40:15 9:5 16:4 18:18 84:18 29:7 30:10 54:15 55:19 accounted 12:18 advertising 58:11 answered 88:12 31:22 32:9 36:3 56:24 61:9 67:3 accounts 64:18 advise 24:4 answers 68:25 45:13,20 46:4 73:22 84:24 85:25 advised 91:5,8 69:4 46:11 Avenue 11:4 accurately 98:5 affirmative 61:4 Anthony 89:7 areas 28:12 29:6 24:14,17 26:5 acknowledge 14:5 afford 93:13 96:5 Antonio 9:2 13:16 30:9 31:21 28:13,24 29:7,8 action 8:20 10:8 African 4:21 80:4 anybody 16:9 45:12,19 46:3 30:10,12 45:14 10:14 82:24 after-school 87:6 apologize 60:14 46:10 45:21,22,22 activities 87:17 age 11:8 appears 96:10 arrival 11:14 46:5,5,6,12,12 87:20 ago 9:21 77:13 applaud 83:13 arrive 11:19 average 84:18 acts 13:22 agree 95:10 Applause 14:3,11 arrived 11:25 93:15,22 Actual 40:24 74:6 aid 83:12 15:13 16:17 12:4 AVI 79:15 93:19 add 95:20,20,23 aides 87:16 17:19 19:16 art 87:5 Avram 43:22 additional 11:24 Airy 38:24 72:5 20:23 22:2,10 asked 83:3 awarded 27:14 50:20 61:7 82:2 alert 96:16 90:17 94:11 asking 64:7 83:14 61:12 62:7 83:11 96:19 allowed 76:23 applications 49:5 assessment 33:11 aye 7:11 41:15 address 24:16,24 allowing 76:25 apply 48:23 98:20 67:9 68:13 47:18,19 50:2,3 32:10 Amen 3:20 6:10 appointing 43:5 assessments 55:9 56:15 adhere 52:4 6:11 43:10,14,18,22 40:22 74:4 57:19 58:21,24 adjourn 96:13 amend 28:10 29:4 44:2,7,11 assets 53:5 59:2,4,7,9,11,13 adjourned 96:24 30:7 31:10,19 appreciate 8:20 assistance 12:8 59:16,19,22,24 97:5,12,16 45:10,17,25 15:9 assistant 87:2,12 60:3,6,9,12 ADJOURNME...