Stated Meeting 1 11/30/2023 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, November 30, 2023 11:12 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY LOZADA COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILWOMAN SHARON VAUGHN MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting 2 11/30/2023
Good morning, everybody. We're going to get started. Thank you. We've established our quorum and we will begin with our invocation, and to give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Father Bradley of Holy Name of Jesus Christ. He is here today as my guest. I would ask all members and guests and visitors please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.)
Let us pray. Merciful and gracious God, we thank you for the gift of life and for this new day. Jesus was born in a little town. He grew up under the authority of local leaders and officials who managed the majority of his daily life. Stated Meeting 3 11/30/2023 our local leaders. We pray for our Mayor, our City Council, our Commissioners, Police Chief, judges, and all those who serve our local communities. Strengthen them with wisdom and grace for the heavy burdens they carry. May they manage their teams and projects with love and care. Keep their hearts pure and their eyes turned toward your face as they work in the best interest of your people, the people they are called to serve. Gratitude is at the heart of prayer, so today on behalf of so many members of my community, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you but especially to Council President Clarke. Over the past several years being in Fishtown working with Venise, I have come to know Council President Clarke as a man who listens and cares for the members of our community in countless Stated Meeting 4 11/30/2023 with L&I when we had a beautiful church that sadly needed to be demolished and a school in the neighborhood that needed to be kept safe. He brought people together with police leadership and City officials to discuss public safety. He listened to the concerns of the elderly and the young. He listened, but he also cared. So in every encounter with him, I am sure I will embarrass him by saying this, but Council President Clarke spoke with a clear voice of reason and he was always a consummate gentleman. On behalf of so many people, the people in my parish and beyond, I wish to ask God's blessing on him today and in the days ahead by using the words of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Council President Clarke, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. And may the Lord turn Stated Meeting 5 11/30/2023 toward you and give you his peace and bless you now and in the days ahead. Amen. (Amen.)
Father, thank you. Thank you for the promo also. Appreciate it. Thank you, Father. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you very much. And, Father, again thank you for your spiritual guidance this morning. We really need it. We appreciate you. Our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting on Thursday, November 16th, 2023, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, Stated Meeting 6 11/30/2023 16th, 2023 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, November 16th, 2023 be approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and our Journal is approved. And our next order of business is request for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the members, there are no requests for leaves of absence today.
The Stated Meeting 7 11/30/2023 the gentleman. And we will now hear from Councilman Squilla for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council that were not listed on the Calendar for today's session. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this session of Council and, as required by law, subsequently published on the amended agenda after the consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first reading, the reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, amendments to bills re-called from the Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a Stated Meeting 8 11/30/2023 withdraw a bill or resolution that is not on the Calendar, and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that is not on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included in the Calendar that was published prior to today's session. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the legislative matters stated by Councilman Squilla may be added to the agenda for today, should those matters arise during the course of the Council session. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Stated Meeting 9 11/30/2023 opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. And our next order of business is communications, and I would ask the Clerk to please read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications that he may have in his possession today.
From the Mayor to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, pursuant to Sections 4-604 and 2-307 of the Home Rule Charter, I am today transmitting to the Council the recommendation of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill Nos. 230698, 230713, 230714, 230716, 230741, 230742, 230743, 230744, 230745, 230764, 230765, 230766, 230769, 230770, 230771, 230772, 230774, 230775, 230777, 230778, 230779, 230780, 230781, and 230782. And I am pleased to advise you that on November 28, 2023, I signed the Stated Meeting 10 11/30/2023 bill, which was passed by Council at its session on November 16, 23023: Bill No. 230654, and I am hereby returning unsigned Bill No. 230574 passed by City Council on November 16, 2023.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. The Chair at this time recognizes Councilman Thomas to recognize our guests for today.
Good morning, Council President. First of all, I want to apologize to the listening public. We did start a little late today, but I want people to know that Councilmembers were taking care of the people's business as it relates to negotiations around funds that we feel like should be allocated to things that are in need right now. But in the midst of that tension, some of the things that eased that tension was the over 63 schools that's represented here in City Council Stated Meeting 11 11/30/2023 today our Champion of the Week is the Philly Service Project. The Director, Jen Jones, as well as Ed Lack, they're here today with 63 different schools representing all ten districts across -- councilmanic districts across the City of Philadelphia and representing every type of school. So we have traditional neighborhood schools like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We have private schools such as Germantown Friends and Cristo Rey. We have our special admission schools here such as CAPA and Central and Girls' High. If I didn't say Girls' High, I would be in trouble with somebody. We all know who. But, again, over 63 schools here, and the reason that they're here and the reason that they're our Champion of the Week is because young people as well as adults from each one of these Stated Meeting 12 11/30/2023 to participate in the Philly Service Project. Each school will be given an allotment of money, and the total amount of money that's going to be spent is $100,000. $100,000 will be spent on service projects led by these young people all across the City of Philadelphia, and they're basically in a challenge to see who has the best service project that has the most impact on the entire City of Philadelphia. I'm thankful that I do not have to be one of the judges to determine whose project is the best, but what I can say as a representative of this legislative body is that in our mind, all 63 schools are winners, and every young people who decided to participate in this service project and decided to make their school and their community a better place are exactly what we want to encourage as it relates to young people here in the City of Philadelphia. Stated Meeting 13 11/30/2023 Look, I know we're going to take some tough votes today and make some tough decisions around some issues and conflicts that we have in the City of Philadelphia, but every once in a while it's good to feel good and hear some good news about the great work that the young people are doing. So for those who cannot see, our entire balcony is filled today with young people who have their cameras out, who is engaged and who is ready to make Philadelphia a better place. These young people are on fire, and if you could tell from my energy, I'm on fire as a reflection of what they've done to me this morning. So all of the young people that are here, can you please stand up. Let's give these young people and their teachers a round of applause. (Standing ovation.) Stated Meeting 14 11/30/2023
And I just want to say thank you to all of the adults, the facilitators who made this happen. Thank you to the Board members of Philly Service who are here, my good friend Rob Zuritsky. And thank you to the Councilmembers who took the time to talk to young people, to take pictures with them, to engage them, to explain the legislative process and to help them understand everything that was going on here today. I told them that today was a historic day based on what we're voting on as well as the decisions that we're making, but the real history is the fact that they're here, and I'm sure as we begin to -- I'm sorry; I'm sure as we continue this idea of intergenerational leadership and training our replacement, I'll bet you that we inspired the next Darrell Clarke and Curtis Jones and Kenyatta Johnson to run this city moving forward. Stated Meeting 15 11/30/2023 Thank you, Council President. (Applause.)
Thank you so much, Councilman. Appreciate it. And good morning to you all. You get to see it firsthand, not filtered through whatever. We really appreciate you being here today, and God bless you. Thank you. Our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and I would ask Mr. Decker to please read the titles of the bills that are being offered by our members and resolutions today.
Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson offers a privileged resolution declaring each Friday in December 2023 as "Shop Black Business Friday" in the City of Philadelphia.
The Stated Meeting 16 11/30/2023 Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. Today I rise to recognize and thank Visit Philadelphia for declaring each Friday in December of 2023 "Shop Black Business Friday" in the City of Philadelphia. Visit Philly is kicking off the holiday season with dedicated marketing efforts to support the economic growth of the local Black and brown business community here in the City of Philadelphia. We know the 2023 holiday season is a critical period for the economic health of our small business community and an opportunity for our residents and visitors alike to strengthen Philadelphia communities by shopping with Black and brown-owned businesses. So today, colleagues, as we declare each Friday in December of 2023 Stated Meeting 17 11/30/2023 Shop Black Business Friday, I humbly ask for your support for our small business community. And as an aside, colleagues, you know that each year I post on social media pictures of our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals wherein we patronize all Black-owned businesses here in the City of Philadelphia. So I want to give a shout-out to those old and new: Ms. Tootsie's, KeVen Parker; Relish, the Bynum brothers; Ma Lessie's Chicken and Waffles; Denise's Delicacies; Barry the Bartender; Ms. Dawn's Catering and so many more. We thank you all for the service you render not only here in City Hall but across our city and our region. So we encourage you today, everyone under the sound of our voice, to shop Black Business Friday in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Hungry already. Stated Meeting 18 11/30/2023 Appreciate it. Today's Calendar.
Councilman Thomas offers a privileged resolution honoring and congratulating the Champions of the Week, the student and faculty participants of The Philly Service Award of 2023, a high school community service project competition promoting civic involvement, community engagement, and public service.
Councilman Jones offers seven resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Housing Authority a deed conveying fee simple title to 2342 through 48 North 27th Street, also known as 2748 North 27th Street.
Next Stated Meeting 19 11/30/2023 week's Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1218, 2020, 2022, and 2024 North 15th Street.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Housing Authority a deed conveying fee simple title to 1517 North 33rd Street.
And on his own behalf, Councilman Jones offers a non-privileged resolution calling on the Administration to further examine the "consent-to-search" program in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, as an alternative Stated Meeting 20 11/30/2023 to gun buy backs to increase the understanding of its potential impacts on the continual efforts of gun seizures in the City of Philadelphia.
And a non-privileged resolution calling on the Pennsylvania State Senate to pass House Bill 1752 declaring Eid al-Fitr a state holiday and urging Governor Shapiro to sign this legislation.
And a non-privileged resolution urging the Baseball Writers of America Association to induct Philadelphia legends Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024.
And a privileged resolution recognizing the Philadelphia Stated Meeting 21 11/30/2023 Housing Authority for their partnership with Zipcar to provide discounted car shares to increase economic mobility for residents of public housing within the city.
This week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. One of those resolutions talks about what they're doing in other cities by way of voluntary searches, and when I think of that and the reason why I put this resolution in, I think of Member Bass's slogan, what do you do when the shooter lives with you, and that evolved into Mattress Toss Fridays and things like that. And as a result of the Crime Summit that we conducted with St. Joe's University, one of the things was that there was an examination of gun buybacks, and all of the members in this body have Stated Meeting 22 11/30/2023 done them and we've turned in thousands of guns, and many of them were high priority weapons. But a lot of them were grandpa's old shotgun that would not probably be used other than misused for exercise and misfirings in people's homes, but what they're doing out in Minneapolis is they're asking people, mom, dad, do you know what's going on in your house and is it okay for us to come in and toss that mattress for you, and if we find something, there will be no questions asked. And I just think that as we start to move into the new year, that we should try something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and the borrowed might be other ways that people identify weapons within hard-hit crime communities to try to eliminate some of those weapons from that community. So stay tuned for that. Thank you, Mr. President and Stated Meeting 23 11/30/2023 colleagues.
Councilman Johnson offers, on behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance authorizing the Procurement Commissioner to enter into agreements to purchase electricity, natural gas and motor fuel for use by the City in City facilities and vehicles, including agreements that obligate payment for delivery of such energy supplies in future fiscal years.
Councilwoman Bass offers a non-privileged resolution renaming the 400 block of East Rittenhouse Street "Dione Johns Dancy Way."
There are no other bills or resolutions being offered Stated Meeting 24 11/30/2023 members, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions. And our next order of business is reports from committee, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson for a report from the Committee on Rules.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Rules reports out 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. 230698, entitled "An ordinance to approve amendments to the Temple University Master Plan in the area bounded by Norris Stated Meeting 25 11/30/2023 Street, Broad Street, Montgomery Avenue and 15th Street related to Klein College of Media and Communications and Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts building at 1830 North Broad Street"; and Bill No. 230714, 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 Pratt Street, Darrah Street, Dyre Street, and Frankford Avenue"; and Bill No. 230716, entitled "An ordinance to approve amendments to the University of Pennsylvania Master Plan in the area bounded by Walnut Street, 33rd Street, Spruce Street, and 34th Street, related to the Stuart Weitzman Hall at 220 South 33rd Street"; and Bill No. 230744, 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 Stated Meeting 26 11/30/2023 Street, 23rd Street, Cross Street and 24th Street"; and Bill No. 230745, 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 Wharton Street, Newkirk Street, Reed Street, and 29th Street," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you very much. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bills Nos. 230698, 230714, 230716, 230744, and 230745. (Duly seconded.)
Stated Meeting 27 11/30/2023 been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bills No. 230698, 230714, 230716, 230744, and 230745. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and these bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Squilla for a report from the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development reports one bill with a favorable recommendation. Stated Meeting 28 11/30/2023
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, to which was referred Bill No. 230109, entitled "An ordinance adopting an Amendment to Section V of the Articles of Incorporation of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development by increasing the Authority's term of existence to a date fifty years from the date of approval of Articles of Amendment by the Secretary of the Commonwealth," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Stated Meeting 29 11/30/2023 to permit the first reading this day of Bill No. 230109. (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 Bill No. 230109. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and this bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Bass for a report from the Committee on Public Health and Human Services. Stated Meeting 30 11/30/2023
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Public Health and Human Services reports one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
The Committee on Public Health and Human Services, to which was referred Bill No. 230649, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 6-400 of The Philadelphia Code, to end the unlawful deportation of noncitizen patients by hospitals to the patients' countries of origin without their consent," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Bass. Stated Meeting 31 11/30/2023
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 230649. (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 Bill No. 230649. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones for a report from the Stated Meeting 32 11/30/2023
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Public Safety reports three bills with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
The Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred Bill No. 230571, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-3500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards,' to add provisions regarding the consideration of convictions that result in exoneration"; and Bill No. 230699, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-5900 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Prohibition on Certain Gambling Machines and Skills Games,' to add additional prohibitions"; and Stated Meeting 33 11/30/2023 230700, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions,' to add a new Chapter creating penalties for trespassing in retail establishments," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you again, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit first reading of the Bills No. 230571, 230699, and 230700. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit Stated Meeting 34 11/30/2023 of Bills No. 230571, 230699, 230700. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and these bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier for a report from the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless reports out one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that Stated Meeting 35 11/30/2023
The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless, to which was referred Bill No. 230776, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 7-202 of Title 7 ("Housing Code") of The Philadelphia Code to modify the definition of 'affordable housing property,'" respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 230776. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and Stated Meeting 36 11/30/2023 favor of Bill No. 230776 indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and these bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. Councilman Johnson, did you need to be recognized? I'm sorry. I didn't see your name.
Are you okay? All right. Thank you. It looks like that concludes our reports from committee, and we will now have the consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from committee with a suspension of the rules have been deemed to have had Stated Meeting 37 11/30/2023 2ND READING their first reading. All those bills will be on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. There are no additional bills on our First Reading Calendar, so the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the Final Passage and Second Reading Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills will be brought up from First Reading to Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 230869, 230870, 230872, 230750, 230740, 230249, 230511, 230717, 230569, 230647, 230576, and 230510. All other resolutions and bills are being held.
Thank you very much, Councilman. Before we proceed with our Calendar on bills and resolutions, we will have our public comment session. The public comment session will go as Stated Meeting 38 11/30/2023 follows: If you have not already signed up, you may sign up at the table outside of the Chambers in the hallway at the desk with the Sergeant-of-Arms. When your name is called -- you will be called in the order for which you signed up. When your name is called, you will go to the middle of the Council Chambers. There's a podium. There's a device on that podium with a light, and 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, and when the light turns red, we'd ask that you please adhere to our guidelines and conclude your remarks. Your subject matter must be on bills that are listed on the Calendar for second reading today. I want to thank you very much for your willingness to participate in your government in action. We really Stated Meeting 39 11/30/2023 appreciate you coming down here. With that, Mr. Decker, would you please call the first name on the list.
Michael DiBerardinis, commenting on 230576. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. Long time, no see. MR. DiBERARDINIS: Good morning. Good morning, Council President. Good morning, members of Council. My name is Mike DiBerardinis and I'm here -- I'm honored -
A little closer. MR. DiBERARDINIS: This is all new to me.
Right. MR. DiBERARDINIS: It is an honor and privilege for me to be here today to support Bill No. 230576 that would officially add Carol Baker Rice's Stated Meeting 40 11/30/2023 name to the existing Charles Baker Recreation Center, which is named after her father. Carol, through her many decades of service as a dedicated and talented public servant, richly deserves this honor. I met Carol in 1992 when I was appointed Rec Commissioner by then-Mayor Ed Rendell. It was a challenging time for the City, not unlike the challenges we face today. As a volunteer coach and father of four in the Fishtown, Kensington neighborhoods, I knew well of the critical role the Rec Department played in the life and lives of individuals and families across the City, but it was Carol Rice who took my understandings and skill sets to higher levels. She was generous with her wise counsel and advice. She pushed and challenged and mentored me during my tenure to lead with vision. She taught me the importance of staying close to the talented staff and Stated Meeting 41 11/30/2023 to deepen their ownership and investment in the Department and its works across the City. She was a master at nurturing community relations and building cross-sector partnerships with City government, across communities, with the School District and with the private sector. She deepened my knowledge of equity and race relations and the Department's important role to ensure quality programs and services were available to every citizen. The initiatives she advanced in that time period were too many to mention here today, but suffice it to say, she worked tirelessly together with the Department to ensure we provided the level of quality service and programs to all Philadelphians and especially those in underresourced neighborhoods. As she did this with -- she did this with such grace, generosity, kindness, and deep faith and a fierce Stated Meeting 42 11/30/2023 determination to support neighborhoods throughout our beloved city. It was never for her own advancement but always about the greater good. Carol's practice, intellect, love for the Rec Department, and its role in the life of the City makes this honor so fitting. I urge you to support this bill and to lift the name of the dedicated public service who was and still remains an inspiration to many. Thank you.
I want to thank former Commissioner DiBerardinis for coming back to the City of Philadelphia. He's taking, at least on part times, his talents to Italy. And so Stated Meeting 43 11/30/2023 for him to come back to recognize Baker Playground and the Rice family that happened to be in the 4th District is a true testament to the impact of that family. I want to also thank the AKAs, who every year come to Baker Playground to clean up, paint up, fix up that rec center. I will remind my colleagues that that is the rec center where they've had basketball tournaments, there's a pool there. It's aging. We're giving it tender loving care. We appropriated some money actually to help bring it and give it a facelift but, more importantly, there were seven young people or people shot at that playground a couple years back, fortunately none of them killed, but what we promised as a city when we went out there, did the press conference, you know how we do, we said we would not abandon this playground and that we would continue to invest in the playground and Stated Meeting 44 11/30/2023 its people, and we have promises made, promises kept, and I'm thankful to this body for being a major part of that process, in particular our Chair of Parks and Rec. Thank you very much.
The next speaker is Lorina Marshall Blake, commenting on 230576. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. Good morning, President Clarke and Councilmembers. My name is Lorina Marshall Blake and I'm the former President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Omega Omega Chapter, representing our present President, Ms. Charlene Collins. Stated Meeting 45 11/30/2023 I am here today to testify in support of Bill No. 230576, an ordinance renaming and designating the Charles Recreation Center, located at 5433 Lansdowne Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131 to the "Charles Baker and Carol Baker Rice Recreation Center." Carol Baker Rice is the daughter of Charles Baker and was born on April 11th, 1943, one block south of the Charles Baker Recreation Center. She attended Heston Elementary and graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls. Upon graduation from Penn State University, she began her career with the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, where she served as the summer play leader and retired as a deputy director. Her continuous advocacy for our youth is demonstrated in the numerous roles she held within the Department of Recreation over her 35 years of service. In addition to her service to Stated Meeting 46 11/30/2023 the families and youth of Philadelphia, she was also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Omega Omega Chapter. Carol had 59 years of service in the sorority and had reached the status of a golden member for her 50 years of service. Upon her retirement from the City of Philadelphia, she still remained an advocate for sustaining our local recreation centers as an outlet for the City's youth. Carol also served as the co-chairman of Omega Omega's AKA 1908 Playground Project where we beautified a playground in West and North Philly. She was honored to spearhead the renewal of Baker Recreation Center, which culminated in the dedication of a mural of her father, Charles Baker, in November 2016. Carol remained a member of the Baker Recreation Advisory Council to ensure the community voice was heard. Carol Baker Rice was a founding Stated Meeting 47 11/30/2023 member of the 1926 Foundation, Incorporated where she served as President for nine years. During her tenure, the 1926 Foundation, Incorporated provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to Philadelphia high school students pursuing higher education. Carol Baker Rice was a proud native of West Philadelphia, who never forgot the roots. She was a servant leader. On behalf of the over 550 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the 1926 Foundation, Incorporated, we respectfully request that City Council approve Bill No. 230576 renaming the Charles Baker Recreation Center to the Charles Baker and Carol Baker Rice Recreation Center. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Sincerely, Charlene M. Collins, our President, and I, Lorina Marshall Blake. Stated Meeting 48 11/30/2023 Thank you so much.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I wanted to rise just to recognize the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and welcome them to our Chambers and just wanted to memorialize our former member, the second African American woman to ever serve City Council at-large, Augusta "Gussie" Clark. So thank you all so much for being here. (Applause.)
Stated Meeting 49 11/30/2023 Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you all for being here. We appreciate it.
Just for the record, I think I forgot to indicate that we have three minutes to speak today. No reflection on you. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Council President Clarke and members of City Council. My name is Evelyn Sample-Oates and I am the Chief Communication and Community Affairs Officer for the Fairmount Park Conservancy. I come before you in support of Bill 230576, the ordinance to rename the Charles Baker Recreation Center to the Charles Baker and Carol Baker Rice Recreation Center, located at 5433 Lansdowne Avenue in West Philadelphia. Stated Meeting 50 11/30/2023 I had the pleasure and honor to know Mrs. Carol Baker Rice up close and personal as a sorority sister, a friend, and a family member, not by blood but by love, and a staunch advocate for parks and recreation centers. Since the first day I met her over 20 years ago, she was a consummate advocate for parks and recreation centers for children in Philadelphia. Although she had already retired from the City, it was obvious in all her volunteer work and philanthropic giving that she believed in making every park in Philadelphia a great place and every recreation center a safe and viable place for children and families to grow. Her entire professional career was devoted to the work of parks and recreation. After serving for 35 years for the Parks and Recreation Department and rising to the position of Deputy Commissioner, in her retirement she never Stated Meeting 51 11/30/2023 said no to volunteering or serving on various committees that would enhance the quality of parks and recreation centers. She worked tirelessly to spearhead programs at the Charles Baker Recreation Center, a community staple, that would enhance the lives of people in the neighborhood, a center named after her father, who was her hero. Carol loved many things in this lifetime, but what she loved the most was family, the City of Philadelphia, and its people. She believed that every person had a right to a quality park in their neighborhood and programs and centers. Although we lost this great humanitarian, Carol Baker Rice, on June 17th, 2023, I ask members of this Council to vote favorably for the Ordinance 230576 and rename the Charles Baker Recreation Center the "Charles Baker and Carol Baker Rice Recreation Center." And I would especially thank Councilman Curtis Jones for his support Stated Meeting 52 11/30/2023 of this center and all the work that he gives to make sure that this center is a place for the community to enjoy and a safe haven. Thank you.
The next speaker is Stephanie Marsh, commenting on 230576. (Witness approached podium.)
You're not Council President Clarke. You are Majority Leader Jones. Good morning, and esteemed members of Council, also Mike Decker. I am Stephanie Marsh, and I'm not here to speak on behalf of the Administration or Stated Meeting 53 11/30/2023 as a 40-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated but as an admirer and friend of Carol Baker Rice. Thus, I am supporting Bill No. 230576, which will add her name to the Baker Rec Center already named for her father, Charles Baker. Carol had 35 years with the Department of Recreation. Thank you to Councilman Jones for sponsoring the bill. Thanks also to acting Parks and Rec Commissioner, Orlando Rendon, who testified in support of the bill in committee. To understand Girls' High School grad Carol, you had to understand who her dad was, Charles Baker. Both were born leaders. Baker was the first Black City department head in the City of Philadelphia. He was the Commissioner of Records and died in office in 1963. At that time, there were only two Black people on City Council, Thomas McIntosh for the 5th District and Marshall Stated Meeting 54 11/30/2023 Shepard, Sr., who was at-large. Many of us sports fans know of the Baker League founded in 1960 by Sonny Hill. We know the names of Wilt, Banks, Rasheed, Kobe. Well, they all played in the Charles Baker League. In 2008, I watched the City Council and then-Mayor Nutter choose Carol as part of the nine-member newly created Parks and Recreation Commission. She served two terms. Later, Carol and I worked together, along with Ruth Butler, another sorority sister, as leaders for years on several AKA playground service projects. We started with renewing Baker in West Philadelphia with Councilman Jones and Parks and Recreation. We went back to Baker several times and even advocated for the dedication of a mural of Charles Baker. Carol and I would drive around West and North Philly searching for playgrounds that needed attention by AKA. As a former Deputy Commissioner of Stated Meeting 55 11/30/2023 Recreation, Carol would say that she was most concerned about the recreation centers in the City and their users. And then came Rebuild, to her delight. Thank you for your consideration. Please pass this bill. Thank you.
One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen is a playground filled with pink and green. Next speaker, please.
The next speaker is Queen Judith Robinson, commenting on 230750, 230740, and 221015. (Witness approached podium.)
Queen Robinson, state your name for the record and please begin your testimony. QUEEN ROBINSON: Queen Judith Robinson here to speak on the Stated Meeting 56 11/30/2023 aforementioned bills, specifically the one about the RCO process. I am speaking as a representative emeritus of the 32nd Ward RCO after a decade of service to my community. So I'm asking, is this bill retroactive? Because I observed a Council -- I'm sorry; an RCO process in the Northeast where not only was the RCO sued but all the members of the Board. So I'm wondering is this bill a little too little, too late if it's not retroactive. There's a whole lot of shenanigans going on with this RCO process I observed after a decade. We're having a proposed police station being proposed on our historic corridor, Diamond Street, the first historic corridor in the City of Philadelphia. There's no planning going on. That should not happen. So quite a lot of shenanigans going on with the RCO process. Stated Meeting 57 11/30/2023 Every other time it's been changed over the years since 2012 or '13 or so, it's been to try to usurp Black women, I'm going to say, shut us up. But it ain't going to happen. You know, we not going to allow that to happen. So public participation is important. It's the process. Every citizen who is requesting notification of any development in the City of Philadelphia should be able to receive it. Notification to the public is very important. No secrecy and hoarding of information. It's not democratic. We may have to even start all over with this RCO process. I'm going to say to be continued. The indemnification process would have to go a long way to try to protect those of us who worked very hard in our community from the political shenanigans that I see as a result of the RCO process. I'm going to suggest that you all do a little more thorough Stated Meeting 58 11/30/2023 investigation of RCO process, PHA, and any other housing development that's a governmental process. We're right now completing a process with the Board of License and Inspection Review, a very little obscure board. We never got any information from the RCO as to how to navigate that process. So it's a whole lot of things we're going to have to do as we move forward with our 100th Mayor. I want to say I'm going to be on board, God willing. I'm going to be engaged, but the process must be transparent in order that we get all the information we need to make the best decisions. To be continued. Thank you very much for your attention. Great holiday.
Thank you for your comments. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.) Stated Meeting 59 11/30/2023
The next speaker is Solomon Furious World. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. State your name for the record and please begin your testimony.
I'm Solomon Furious World, staff attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. I have four main points. This is about the ski mask proposed ordinance. My first point, the proposed ordinance is fundamentally unfair, will disproportionately impact young people, mostly young men of color. Safety is important, but there's no evidence to suggest that ski masks cause or encourage violent crime. If you'd like to address violent crime, I'd suggest housing, food assistance, childcare, things like that. Like I said, safety is important. This proposal feels more like an attempt to further criminalize young Stated Meeting 60 11/30/2023 people of color than it does to actually get at safety concerns. My second point, this proposal violates the spirit of Bailey, et al. versus the City of Philadelphia, the ongoing 13-year lawsuit against the City that's meant to address disproportionate levels at which PPD officers are stopping and frisking Black and brown people. Under Bailey's court-ordered requirements, PPD officers are not to stop anyone for low-level offenses. Implementation has not been perfect, but the City and PPD have been improving over the years. By continuing -- by creating, rather, a new low-level offense, this proposal seems to try to get around that lawsuit, and it has the potential to halt the progress and force regression towards more racist and violent policing tactics. My third main point, this proposal purports to give PPD officers the authority to stop civilians without Stated Meeting 61 11/30/2023 suspicion of an actual unlawful activity, but that's unconstitutional. This is the exact reason the Bailey lawsuit was filed 13 years ago. Both the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions demand that officers have reasonable and particularized suspicion of criminal activity in order to execute a stop. The City cannot pass an ordinance to try to find an end run around that constitutional requirement or any other. Giving PPD officers a pre-textural reason to stop people will only lead to more prejudicial policing practices. My fourth and final main point, PPD leadership has already publicly admitted that they will use this to target specific people. During November 14th's Committee on Safety Public -- Committee on Public Safety, rather, meeting, Deputy Commissioner Frank Healy said that PPD officers are going to selectively enforce this. Stated Meeting 62 11/30/2023 They're not going to use it against every person who is wearing the ski mask. They also said that they would allow -- that this would better allow officers to, quote/unquote, put their hands on people. I ask the Council, I ask people who are listening, who are they going to put their hands on? I ask, who will they pick to enforce this against? We know history and current practices clearly shows that this will be against young Black people, mostly young Black men and other Black -- other people of color, specifically young men of color. In conclusion, all of my points kind of very quickly, this proposed ordinance seems like another targeted attempt to get at young people of color. It violates the spirit and the purpose of ongoing litigation and risks sliding us backwards. It violates the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions, and these concerns are not speculative. They're Stated Meeting 63 11/30/2023 based on real comments from your Deputy Commissioner. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you for your comments. Thank you for your testimony.
The next speaker is Tara Schiraldi, commenting on 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Yes. Thank you. Can you hear me? So my name is Tara Schiraldi. I come before you to speak on behalf of United Auto Workers Local 5502 in opposition to the ban on ski masks and balaclavas. We are the unionized attorneys from the Defender Association of Philadelphia. We represent 70 percent of Stated Meeting 64 11/30/2023 the men, women, and children charged with crimes in Philadelphia and the majority of abused and neglected children with open dependency cases, and we are here to oppose this bill. The criminalization of fashion popular with Black and brown youth puts Philadelphia in terrible company. And I'm reading from a passage that I found when I was looking this bill up, and it says that chief features are a broad felt hat, a long chain, and the pocket knife of a certain size and shape worn in the vest pocket of boys and in the stockings of girls, the whiskey flask and the particular shape of it that fits into girls' bosoms, the men's haircut of increasing density and length at the neck, all of which paraphernalia has symbolic and secret meanings for the initiatives. In some places, the wearing of the uniform by the whole gang is a danger signal indicating a pre-determined plan for concerted action and attack. Stated Meeting 65 11/30/2023 That's a description of a zoot suit that was printed in the Washington Post in 1943 in an article written in support of the Los Angeles Police Department deeming jazz fashion so dangerous that they were publicly stripping Black and brown teenagers for wearing them out. More recently in my lifetime, conservative jurisdictions have focused their efforts on criminalizing sagging. As with this bill, public safety was the reason that was most often cited in places like Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, which many of you probably learned about at the same time I did as they were blocking people from evacuating during Hurricane Katrina. That is not company which I want my city to be a part of and what we see in this bill, in this act, in the announced intention to only target certain people who are wearing ski masks or scarves, because let's be clear, this Stated Meeting 66 11/30/2023 criminalizes all head coverings, with a couple of addendums. You have made the First Amendment in this proposed language a footnote and one which I just want to remind this Council, based on the planned fine scheme, people would have to raise themselves without an appointed attorney because they would not have the right to counsel appointed by this city to represent them were they charged only with wearing head scarves. So they would have no representation from our office and offices like ours should they want to raise the fact that it was religious or an act of political speech. So I ask you to vote against this bill. Thank you.
Stated Meeting 67 11/30/2023 Thank you for your testimony.
The next speaker is Mary Henin, commenting on 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
My name is Mary Henin. I am here as the President of UAW Local 5502 and also a West Philadelphia resident. I will echo the concerns of my colleagues and of the ACLU. Just yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Healy reiterated his view that the police will use Bill 230510 as another excuse to stop and harass Black and brown young people in this city. The same people that the Council have invited to view this hearing today are the people that are being put at risk by this bill. He has said we are not going to use this bill to stop everyone wearing a ski mask, just those they deem -- "they," Stated Meeting 68 11/30/2023 the police -- deem to be untenable or suspicious. There is no legal right for them to do this, and this is only going to reinforce the existing lack of trust between community members and public safety officers. It is going to increase that lack of trust, which increases crime and decreases the police's clearance rates. We know that the police are not successful not because every single criminal in this city is wearing a ski mask. We know that ski masks, clothing are not inherently dangerous. The same people wearing ski masks are wearing shirts, shoes, jackets, anything that you can imagine an ordinary person is wearing. Are those next to be criminalized? I don't see how any of this does anything but target the same people that we are trying to protect in this city. This bill says that the targeting Stated Meeting 69 11/30/2023 of ski masks is because it is a trend. A trend is fashion that comes and goes. That is the language of the bill. What is the next trend that this Council will criminalize and how does that increase public safety? It is a very dangerous precedent for this Council to join the company of the Deep South of Jackson, Mississippi; Birmingham, Alabama, all these places where Black and brown trends have been historically criminalized. We thank those who stand in opposition to this bill and who stand in support of the young people in this room today, and we ask the rest of you to join them. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker Stated Meeting 70 11/30/2023 is Jetson Cruz, commenting on 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon, everybody. My name is Jetson Cruz. I'm a youth activist with an organization called YASP and I'm here to speak out against the ski mask ban. Like everybody before me, I feel like that's just another reason to stop and harass people. That's another reason to -- all we're doing is giving people fines, and right now me wearing this doesn't mean I'm about to go commit a crime or do anything wrong. I'm a little nervous right now because this mean a lot to me, because I honestly feel like this is just a reason to target the young people. The majority of the people wearing these masks is our young people. We're talking about giving fines to our young people, $250, $2,000 to our young people. How does that help Stated Meeting 71 11/30/2023 the people is my question. How does that help the people? That don't help me. I like this for fashion. This is my choice of clothing, and it's getting cold. Just because I'm wearing this don't mean I'm about to go commit a crime. This is being brought in the conversation because of the people that's out there committing crimes wearing this choice of clothing. I don't think banning ski masks is going to stop those people from committing any crimes. If we're going to talk about anything, let's talk about the crimes and not the clothing that people using to commit it. Like I had this whole little speech prepared, and now that I'm up here, I'm like fumbling a little bit and I apologize for that, everybody, but -(Applause.)
I don't see -- you Stated Meeting 72 11/30/2023 know, how does that help me? Banning ski masks, how does that help me? It hurts me. I got to worry about going out there and get stopped and harassed by the police for wearing something that I choose to wear. I got tattoos and I'm already a person of color. So now my choice of clothing, I get stopped and harassed too. That scares me. That scares me. And with that being said, I don't think this bill should be passed. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Michael Moore, commenting on 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Michael Moore and I am a member of UAW Local 5502 for unionized attorneys at the Defender Association of Philadelphia and I'm currently assigned to our Children and Youth Justice Unit. I'm also a resident of this great city, and I have grave concerns about this ski mask ban and how it will be selectively enforced, because make no mistake, this will be selectively enforced, as the police have already publicly said. The young people in this city are over-policed and often perceived as criminal by their very presence. This ban only makes clear how this City Council truly feels about its young people: They are criminals in need of heavy-handed policing, policing that prevents you from protecting yourself against the cold on the streets or in the parks of this city, policing that says what you wear on your body is for a cop to decide, policing that says young Stated Meeting 74 11/30/2023 people don't have autonomy over their clothing choices, the state does. That is the kind of policing that will only engender more distrust and anger amongst our young people towards police. It will not make us safer. It should not become law. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Lynn Landes, commenting on 210913. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Lynn Landes. I'm founder of the wildfoodies.org and protocolsfordemocracy.org. I support Resolution 210913 authorizing City Council to retain legal counsel to file a lawsuit to require the Administration to implement and enforce the Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces Act, which was designed to end the use of Stated Meeting 75 11/30/2023 pesticides on City property. This is an enforcement issue. The non-enforcement of local, state, and federal laws has become a problem, particularly when it applies to our constitutional right to free speech. I want to take this moment to thank City Council President Darrell Clarke for his wit and wisdom in maintaining decorum during City Council meetings. It is much appreciated. And I would also like to congratulate City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson for his unofficial election to President of City Council for the new year. I would like to specifically request that both he and the new City Council amend public meeting policies so that public comment is no longer restricted to agenda items only, which is a systemic form of censorship and a clear violation of the Sunshine Act. In addition, I would like to request that the complete agenda for City Stated Meeting 76 11/30/2023 Council meetings be made available to the public three days before meetings so that new items are not added on at the last minute, unless it is a true emergency. The front-loading of the agenda at the beginning of every City Council meeting has made the printed agenda almost meaningless and make it difficult, if not impossible, for members of the public to make informed comment, particularly before any vote. Lastly, City Council committees should hold regularly scheduled monthly meetings so that the public may comment on issues of concern. By holding meetings only when specific bills are being considered is to systemically censor the public. We cannot count on the mainstream news media to inform the public. Therefore, City Council meetings are the public's opportunity not only to bring their issues to the attention of City Council members but also to the Stated Meeting 77 11/30/2023 public's attention. For example, most people haven't heard that Children's Health Defense recently sued the City for a 15-year policy of allowing 11-year-olds to get vaccines without their parents' knowledge or permission. This is a health regulation that should have been thoroughly discussed at City Council meetings but wasn't. It is time to change City Council meetings and let the sunshine in on City Council all together. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Saud Salahuddin, commenting on 230510. (Witnesses approached podium.)
How y'all doing today? My name is Saud Salahuddin, here with me Kyleem -
I'm from YEAH Philly. I'm 19. I'm from Somerville. It's in the uptown area of Philadelphia. We're here speaking on the bill of the ski mask. I have a ski mask on. I didn't cause any harm to anybody. I don't plan on causing any harm to anybody. I never been arrested. I never plan to be arrested. Therefore, I don't agree with banning ski masks, because it's used for positive duties and activities, like work, like sports. People wear this in sports. Also it's used for fashion and it's also used for when you're cold and you might need warmth. So I don't think we should be fined or punished because of an item that the media panned out to be negative. In Stated Meeting 79 11/30/2023 fact, it's not negative. It's just something that the media pans out to be negative. Like she said, it's a trend. That's all it is. So me personally, I feel as though just because somebody carried out an act in this particular item doesn't make the item bad. The person chose to do that. We cannot connect an item with a negative act or a crime. You connect a person with that. The item did not cause the person to do that. The item did not force the person to do that. The person chose to do that act. Therefore, we shouldn't ban it, and I think it's absurd, because a person committing a crime was their choice, not the item's choice. So everybody else should not be affected by something that a specific group of people chose to do. This item is a fashion statement. This item is a lot of things to a culture. So in fact I think it's an attack on culture. A lot of people, a Stated Meeting 80 11/30/2023 lot of these people that are doing these things, they can be just as incognito with a black hope mask, shades, and a hoodie as someone with a ski mask. Also, there are religious items that people wear, clothing items, where you can be just as incognito as someone with a ski mask, yet we're not banning these items. We're targeting the ski mask, a specific item of the culture. I don't agree with it. I'm going to continue wearing this ski mask, and that's all I got.
The next speaker is Jenea Robinson. (Witness approached podium.)
-- members of City Council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I'm Jenea Robinson, the Senior Communications Director at Visit Philadelphia, the City's official destination marketing organization. Today I'm here to express our support for Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson's resolution on Shop Black Business Friday. This initiative was first introduced in 2020 to counter the accelerated closures of Black and brown businesses serving as a crucial lifeline to these establishments during the pandemic. These businesses are not only vital to the communities they serve, they are also extremely important to our economy. According to the Brookings Institute, Black-owned businesses nationally generated almost 142 billion Stated Meeting 82 11/30/2023 in gross revenue. With City Council's support, we will use every Friday in December as an opportunity to drive traffic to these businesses and encourage visitors and residents to spend their dollars with Black and brown-owned businesses. Visit Philadelphia will leverage the power of VisitPhilly.com and our social media channels to amplify the reach of these businesses, connecting them with thousands of potential new customers. I stand before you today not only as a representative of Visit Philadelphia but also as a small business owner who once owned and operated a store on South Street for four years. I understand firsthand the critical importance of holiday sales to small businesses. While year-round support is indispensable, the revenue generated during the holiday season often determines whether your favorite small Stated Meeting 83 11/30/2023 business will remain open another year. On behalf of Visit Philadelphia, I extend my gratitude to Councilmember Richardson for once again championing this initiative, and I appreciate your time today. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Bianca van Heydoorn, commenting on 230869 and 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. Thank you for having me here and having the opportunity to speak. My name is Bianca van Heydoorn. I am the Executive Director of the Youth Stated Meeting 84 11/30/2023 Sentencing and Reentry Project. We work with young people who are involved in the criminal legal system, specifically young people who are charged as if they were adults. Our client partners at the JJSC are not only living in inhumane conditions but are being forced to effectively endure multiple periods of incarceration. This is a terrible strategy, and I want to thank Councilmember Gauthier and Councilmember Jones for addressing this issue. While we support Resolution 230869, we also want to strongly encourage Council to continue working with your colleagues in Harrisburg on legislation that would bring a variety of solutions to the over-incarceration crisis at the JJSC. We are also here in strong opposition to Bill 230510, which would criminalize the wearing of certain face coverings, specifically in places where Stated Meeting 85 11/30/2023 young people congregate. I will not repeat what so many have said before me, so I want to bring two other points. One, fining children has never worked as a policy solution to anything, and I wish we understood that that was obvious. If this policy were implemented, the most it would do is heighten fear of police among young people and make them afraid to visit the very places we want them to be engaging in pro-social activities, like rec centers. It makes no sense to discourage teenagers from spending their free time at rec centers, at schools, at places where we actually want them to be that would limit their exposure to things that might have them in contact with the criminal legal system. Young people need care, investment, belief, and nurturing from adults. I am begging, can we please put more of our energy into creating opportunities for young people to thrive, not more opportunities for them to be Stated Meeting 86 11/30/2023 fined, arrested, and shuffled into a deeply harmful criminal legal system. All of our safety depends on that. I fear for our city when we are making these decisions instead of leaning on our law enforcement to do better jobs at investigating, at building community with young people, at doing the things that actually make us be safe. And why City Council -- why the City Council of Philadelphia would knowingly create a policy that is intended to be enforced in a racially disparate manner is really beyond me and quite terrifies me. This bill, a brown face mask, quite frankly, is a racist dog whistle that will not do a single thing to reduce violence, provide support for young people who desperately need it, or make any of us more safe. Thank you for your time.
Thank you. Stated Meeting 87 11/30/2023 (Applause.)
The next speaker is Artie Tillman, commenting on 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Artie Tillman. I come from a journey. I'm 70 years old, and this journey, a process of good against injustice. I am -- I have experienced racism, injustice from the age of 17. So I know how it feels to have people treat you in their prejudice, even though they pretend to have good intentions. So I am a direct descendent of that harm and ask almighty God every day to soften my heart so I won't be like you that make decisions of prejudice. Haven't you had enough for 400 years to Stated Meeting 88 11/30/2023 come to these conclusions that prejudice is wrong? How much more or how many young men is going to come out like me? I'm here identifying how I feel in my heart toward the things of your ill treatment towards me, because I believe in a certain way of my color of my skin, or I wear a hoodie and I'm 70 years old, and I wear it because I had a fire. It burned down my house. It burned up my wife, and I live in a trailer because it's cold. So I have to put this ski mask on. But I experience all those young brothers that walk past there. They're good human beings, and they're just following a trend. They not criminals. What's enough? When is it enough? To produce people like me? I didn't intend to be like this. This is what you produced me. No foreign country produced me. You produced me with your prejudice, making decisions without Stated Meeting 89 11/30/2023 thinking. No, I'm against this for them young brothers. What opposes me even more, that I had to wake up this morning to look at the TV set and find two hoodie masks with a ban in the City of Philadelphia with arabic writing on the side. That means Latin, Latin little law (ph). I've been witness there is but one God. Knowing that you're creating the ideology of terrorism with these brothers with these hoodies. A religion you're identifying. I'm not like you. I'm better than you, because to have your symbolism, I would be just upset today if they had Christianity a symbolism. I would be just upset today for the justice, whether religion or not, is not under prejudice. We are all one human race, many sizes and many shapes and many colors. We come from one creator.
Stated Meeting 90 11/30/2023 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Kyleem Washington, commenting on 230510. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. How y'all doing today? My name is Kyleem Washington. I'm here to speak on the ski mask ban. I understand a lot of your perspective on wearing ski masks nowadays, but me personally, I also know and believe that not everyone who wears a ski mask is a criminal or harmful to the community. Some people wear them to protect themself from being seen by a person that is harmful to them. With that being said, I feel as Stated Meeting 91 11/30/2023 though to ban ski masks is more harmful than it is helpful to the community. On top of that, with these upcoming weather conditions, I just feel as though it would be inconsiderate and inconvenient, because they will be sold and wore regardless of what I have to say or the law has to say. And the fine of 250 for wearing what keeps me warm or makes me feel safe and secure around groups of people in certain areas, I feel as though that is outrageous. And we walk past burglars and murders without masks on a daily basis. So with that being said, I oppose the ski mask ban. Thank you. (Applause.)
There are no other speakers today, Mr. President. Stated Meeting 92 11/30/2023 11/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our public comment for today. We will now move to our Calendar, and Mr. Decker, please read the title of 230869.
A resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass comprehensive legislation providing sustainable relief to an overburdened system and to protect children held at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center by recognizing time spent as time served.
Thank you. It's been moved and properly Stated Meeting 93 11/30/2023 11/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 230870.
A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3000 Ruth Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying Stated Meeting 94 11/30/2023 11/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 230872.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1221 Saint Bernard Street in the Third Councilmanic District.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. Stated Meeting 95 11/30/2023 11/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 230750.
A resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for indemnification and defense by the City in connection with claims made against any registered community organization arising directly out of the lawful participation by such an organization in zoning matters and related land-use process.
The Stated Meeting 96 11/30/2023 11/30/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. Because Resolution No. 230750 is an amendment to the Home Rule Charter, it requires a two-thirds vote. Therefore, the question is shall this resolution be adopted. Mr. Decker, you'll call the roll, please.