It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted with joy. All those in favor will 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution please.
Honoring and congratulating Philadelphia's James Beard Restaurant and Media Award winners Vietnam Restaurant; Inquirer critic Craig LeBan and photographer Jessica Griffin; and authors David Suro, Gary Paul Nabhan and Danny Childs introduced by Councilmember Landau.
The Chair recognizes Council Rue Landau for a motion on the resolution. 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the next title of the next resolution.
Honoring and recognizing the humanitarian efforts of the Puerto Rican community who rally to protect 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING family, friends in the island of Puerto Rico during cataclysmic hurricanes, earthquakes and any major disasters that strike introduced by Councilmember Lozada.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Lozada for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been and moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the next title of the resolution.
Recognizing June 2024 as Children's Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia introduced by Councilmember Lozada.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Lozada for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Recognizing the 10th through 13th days of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijr as "Eid al-Adha" in the City of Philadelphia during June 2024 introduced by Councilmember Young.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Young for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Recognizing the month of August 2024 as Public Safety Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia introduced by Councilmember Young.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Young for a motion on the resolution.
Thank 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING you, Mr. President. I move for adoption of resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Commemorating and celebrating June 19th as Juneteenth, when final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation was ordered in Texas, marking the 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING end of enslavement of Black and Brown people in the United States introduced by Councilmember Brooks.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Authorizing the Joint City Council Committees on Education and Children and Youth to hold hearings on the prevalence of the usage of exclusionary school discipline and the use of collective punishment practices in public schools across Philadelphia and on how these and other policies and practices perpetuate antiBlackness and anti-Black racism and harm students academically, socially, emotionally to the detriment of their health, wellbeing and future life outcomes introduced by Councilmember Brooks.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks for a motion on a resolution.
I 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the tile of the next resolution.
Honoring and celebrating Maurice Mitchell, a community organizer, social movement strategist, a national leader in the Movement for Black Lives and the National Director of 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING the Working Families Party on the occasion of his visit to Philadelphia introduced by Councilmember Brooks.
The Chair recognize the Councilmember Brooks for a motion on the resolution.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Declaring the month of July as Disability Pride Month in the City of Philadelphia introduced by Councilmember Brooks.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks for a motion on the resolution.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Honoring and celebrating the team creating the Autism Play Date for their work on autism awareness and inviting all to attend the Autism Play Date at Smith Memorial Park this August introduced by Councilmember Brooks.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks for a motion on the resolution.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted.
A resolution honoring and recognizing the labors of brotherly love, sister effectiveness and sibling solidarity committed by Aid Workers who have crossed rivers and oceans of tears to feed the hungry, to build shelter, to bring music and to bring healing and the warmth of compassion to those in greatest need introduced by Councilmember O'Rourke.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING O'Rourke for a motion on a resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the last resolution.
Four more. Resolution honoring and celebrating Palestinian theologian and educator Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, the Pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and the Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour, Dean of Bethlehem Bible College, Director of the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, and Coordinator of Global Kairos for Justice introduced by Councilmember O'Rourke.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember O'Rourke for a motion on a resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A resolution calling upon Local, State and Federal Law Enforcement as well as the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Human Services to investigate and prevent Supplement Nutritional 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud for those in the City of Philadelphia introduced by Councilmember Bass.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and commending the Save The Train Coalition for the preservation of Philadelphia SEPTA service in the community's time of need introduced by Councilmember Bass.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.) 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
And finally, honoring and recognizing the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity for being a pillar of strength and a symbol of hope for Philadelphia through its social justice activism introduced by Councilmember Bass for Council President Johnson.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. 6/13/24 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted.
There are no more resolutions in my possession, Council President. (Applause.)
Ain't nobody going to say we don't work. They can say what they want to say, but you ain't going to say we don't work. We're finished. We're
Are there any speeches on the part of the Minority? At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. And I want to thank all my colleagues for supporting the Angel Davis Eviction Accountability Bill. Philadelphia's for-profit eviction system has proven itself to be reckless and violent, especially for some of the most vulnerable residents. This bill will put into place the basic oversight and accountability that has been missing in our system for far too long and it will prevent the violence and trauma that nearly cost Angel Davis her life. In the budget that we today, I'm proud of the 19 million for rental assistance, the 5 million for Built to Last and many other investments we are making that will improve the lives of working people, but I am very disappointed that the budget includes a $60,000 cut to the Office of Worker Protections. As a former domestic worker, I will continue my work to protect and uplift workers in the City. This fall I will be introducing Anti-retaliation legislation to secure the protections for workers, primarily Black and Brown women, who face intimidation, threats and termination of their employment simply for standing up for their basic rights. Also, today I am welcoming and honoring my friend and colleague Maurice Mitchell, a long- and economic justice and the National Director for the Working Families Party. Maurice has been a powerful voice for Black working-class people here in Philadelphia and around the country fighting for resources in every community and against the privatizations of our public schools. I am proud to be working alongside him on a range of issues that impact working families here in Philadelphia and across the country for affordable housing and to make sure we fully fund public schools everywhere. Speaking of fully-funded public schools, today I passed my resolution condemning private school vouchers. As I said on the steps of the Capitol on Monday, I don't care what Jay-Z or Meek Mill has to say on this issue. As a of Philadelphia public school students, I don't want vouchers anywhere near my city or my family. Vouchers will mean more money for educational profiteers and more exclusionary private schools that will keep kids out, kick kids out based on their ideas and what a good student is supposed to look like. I'm sure that it will work out fine for millionaires and billionaires, but it's a bad deal here for Philly families. Philadelphia families deserve fully-funded public schools that affirm the values of every child and nurture a lifelong love of learning, and I believe our schools should be places of community and joy where children and their families actually want to spend time. That's why I support Lift Every Voice, an organization school parents in their campaign to end collective punishment and restore joy in our schools. In order to build community and restore joy, we must recognize that anti-Blackness that many students in families encounter in our educational spaces. I have introduced a resolution to authorize the Committees on Education and Children and Youth to hold joint hearings on collective punishment and its relationship to anti-Black racism in school. These hearings will be one step toward overturning racist educational policies and making our schools more welcoming and joyful places for Black families. As the Chair of City Council's Committee on People with Disabilities, I introduced two resolutions today aimed at with disabilities.
About 1 in 6 people in Philadelphia has a disability, and this July we will celebrate their resilience and diversity during Disability Pride Month in Philadelphia. And I want to send a thank you to Vicky Landers and our other advocates who make Disability Pride an amazing celebration every year. Today I also introduced a resolution to condemn -- I'm sorry -- to commend all the love, work and care that goes into the Annual Autism Play Date. This year's Annual Autism Play Date will be held on August 10th at Smith Memorial Playground, and everyone is invited to join us in a growing culture of care and support for people with autism and their families. The Autism Play Date was by former Councilmember Derek Green, and last year he passed the torch over to former Councilmember Sharon Vaughn. And this year as the Chair of Committee of People with Disabilities, I'm proud to build on their legacy and ensure that the Autism Play Date continues to be a day of joy and celebration for people with autism in our entire city. And finally, I introduced a resolution recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth in Philadelphia. Our country was built on a foundation of racism and exploitation and even 159 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was finally enforced in Texas. Racism exploitation are still deeply embedded in our society, causing pain and racial disparities in health, wealth and educational to face these realities and overcome these injustices, we must also make space for joy of liberation. And that's what Juneteenth is about. It's about nurturing and celebrating the beauty of our liberation and it's about keeping a vision of liberation at the forefront of our minds and sharing with our children and grandchildren. I know there will be some beautiful celebrations in Philadelphia on Juneteenth and beyond and I look forward to celebrating with many of you next Wednesday. Thank you so much, Council President. )
Thank you, Council President. Most of what needs to be said has been said today. I do want to just quickly just say that it was sobering to honor and to sit and speak with Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac today who ministers in the West Bank. Before Council this morning, even before we had our Caucus meeting, we sat down and talked together. And his refrain to me is not dissimilar from what I've heard from many Palestinians and those connected to the region time and time again. They're simply asking for people to account for their humanity. And so, I'm grateful to be able to try to do that. We tried to do that in a respectful, considerate manner today honoring the aid workers who have been to fight like hell to preserve life. I think that matters even as we're trying to get the business done. I think if we feel uncomfortable or if we are responding or feel something in our body, that's a a symbol of our humanity reacting to the times within which we live. And so, it was an honor to be able to speak to both of those things today. I do want to shout out our National Director Maurice Mitchell. I'm grateful to my Minority Leader who brought him in today and for us to be able to celebrate the work that he has done, continues to do. I do believe that there is a lot more work to build with the Working Families Group here in the City and looking forward to doing that. But let me say this quickly. I had the benefit of on, I guess it was Saturday, out to the 4th Councilmanic District. I want to thank all the tenants as well as Councilmember Jones for coordinating our visit last week and for opening up their homes to us. Strongly support Council Jones' leadership and interest that has been expressed by Councilmember Brooks, by Councilmember Landau, by Councilmember Gauthier, Councilman Driscoll and others. Tenants previously came to Council, some elders, it was one lady that reminded us that our elders are critical assets in our communities. That stuck with me, Council President. The conditions that we saw, the pictures that were sent back to me after I had to leave were horrific, included holes in walls, gas valves exposed, missing pipes, mildew, mold, infestations, dysfunctional mailroom, laundry that's not accessible, limited access to any communal spaces for our seniors. If you have a grandparent or you have an elder in your family and you went to that, I think you would be right to be enraged by what you saw. I know that this is not an uncommon thing and it happens from time to time, but I'm looking forward to working with Councilman Jones and all of us to make sure that we get some tenant protections for our folk there as well as a better living condition all around for Brith Sholom. Thank you, Council President. I'm grateful to be concluding my first six months, my first year, my first term in passing the budget and looking forward to the next six months. Bless you. (Applause.)
Are there speeches on behalf of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilmember Phillips.
Good afternoon, Council President Johnson and Philadelphia. I come before you today to say to the residents of the City of Philadelphia that this City Council is working collaboratively for you. Since the beginning of this Council session, I've observed that each of us are actively engaged in neighborhoods, pushing City leadership to serve well and are constantly generating ideas to help move the City forward. Though we have various social views and different understandings on how to reach change, we never allow those views agenda to make the City of Philadelphia a better place to live. Philadelphia, you have asked for a more neighborhood-friendly, engaged and collaborative and hard-working City Council. The facts show that you have it. Council President Johnson, this collaborative nature has much to do with your leadership. One of your formidable personality traits is your ability to get along with those who work with you. This trait of yours has rubbed off on all of us. You have worked with each of us to make sure we have a collective understanding of the following: Number one, we will be orderly. This can primarily be seen in your emphasis that we will show up to serve Philadelphians each day, on time and you push for Council briefings or Committee hearings. Because of your leadership, most of us are afraid to be late because we know we would miss the beginning of the meeting. Number two, we will be in neighborhoods. This can chiefly be seen by the town halls you partner with all of us on throughout the City. You have also supported us in providing each of us with resources so that we can take back to our neighborhoods and make Philadelphia better. Number three, we will work collaboratively. This could be seen in your behind-the-scenes conversations to bring us all together to support the budget as well as to make consensus decisions when it comes to voting together. Personally, a conference run on the 5th floor originally designated to 9th District office became a community space because you recognized the need for the 5th floor to work together and share a common space. I can also name about four major bills you helped us as a body find common ground on. You've been like a father to many of us. Some of us affectionately call you dad. I admire you greatly for this. Our -- our city has been asking for this type of leadership. And you, our leader, have done it. What I've learned early on in my life is that when we set aside our differences, you gain a better understanding of each other. And from that, we are able to carve out incredible ideas together that can move our city forward. For as long as I can remember, it's always been in my DNA to find ways to get along with someone. in elementary school, middle school and even high school. In one of those bullying incidents in middle school, I was jumped by four boys all because I finally stood up to them after being picked on for an entire school year. I remember the very next week after being jumped I met with those four bullies, trying to come up with a reasonable understanding of how all of us can get along. My family, my friends, my neighbors all said to me, Anthony, why don't you fight back and let them have it as well. Well, in my young life no matter how hard I tried to be combative and tried to fight, I can never find a space in me to verbally or physically fight back. I could never be the aggressor. Instead what pulls at me in say, how can we fix the problem that we have, how can we get along, how can we work together.
When it comes to relationship-building, I like to get along with everyone, even those who may not like me for some odd reason. I believe there is good in everyone and we need to work with everyone to serve others. That's why I'm excited about this City Council and having a Council leader who understands getting along and also the importance of us working together. And that, Philadelphia, is how we're going to make this an amazing city. Philadelphia, you didn't make a mistake. You have picked a Council that's addressing your concerns, whether it's Isaiah Thomas ferociously calling for hearings and initiatives around public Richardson making sure our government is transparent and accountable or Jamie Gauthier ensuring equitable and affordable housing is a real thing in Philadelphia. Then there's Jim Harrity, a labor veteran who always makes sure that we have policies that protect workers in the City, all while Jim works closely behind the scenes with folks like Kendra Brooks in creating policies that she believes in that say we must stop targeting people of color and keep Philadelphia accessible and affordable. Kendra never lets us forget that we must make this City affordable for low-income individuals. And Brooks' work connects well with Nina Ahmad's work championing the entire city to one of the number one crisis in the City. And then we have Nicolas O'Rourke reminding us that we must find a way to give our most vulnerable population in the City opportunities to get a leg-up and assure democracy we all can participate in and receive an equal share. The admirable work of Councilwoman Cindy Bass ensures that our Department of Human Services is one of the best in the city in the nation. In South Philadelphia, Mark Squilla's leadership helps us understand we have a duty to always respond well to our neighbors even at midnight. Curtis Jones remains committed to making public safety his top priority for the City. And our 7th District champion Quetcy Lozada showed us that there is a Kensington, and she expects the best for her District. Rue Landau's experiences in the legal world is helping us craft policies to ensure no Philadelphian's civil rights are violated and individuals have access to resources. Mike Driscoll has helped us push SEPTA to think more deeply about expanding its access in the Northeast and he's helped change the landscape of the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Jeffrey Young resonates with Philadelphians who are highly intelligent because his leadership is highly intelligent, because he calls for the protection of Philadelphian's rights. And for 40 years, Brian O'Neill has made sure the City has some of the best capital and quality-of-life projects. And me, I'm simply focused youth as well as listening to the neighbors of the 9th District and developing policy initiatives that create excellent quality of life and ends bureaucracy throughout the City. Philadelphia, this Council's ability to set aside differences should be a model for how we govern our own and how we all work together throughout the City of Philadelphia and beyond. The days of Councilmembers fussing in hallways, fighting on Council floors and forming alliances against each other seem far behind us. )
If our City's leadership cannot find common ground to solve issues, then how can we expect our City to ultimately come together to support a common goal of making 17 of us have different styles of leadership. Yet for the most part we have always agreed on substance and, that is, neighborhood impact, addressing poverty, education, health and economic development. Philadelphia, each of us, all 17 of us have our niche and have honed in on issues that matter to you. Our sheer diversity and willingness to work together is the icing on the cake. As we recess this Council session, Philadelphia, I say thank you for your patience, for pushing us and for assembling this body of 17. This City Council is stronger because of you, Philadelphia. God bless. (Applause.)
Very well said, Councilmember Phillips. Can I be like a big brother though? A dad? (Laughter.)
I mean I still listen to Lil Durk, you know what I mean. Very well said. The Chair recognizes Majority Leader Kathy Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you so much, Mr. President. And I too rise to thank you for your leadership with this new Council body and getting us through our first budget that we concluded and voted upon today. So thank you for your leadership and for working closely with our Mayor and the Administration to get us to this point. I also want to thank you all colleagues, for your support on Bill No. 240379. I know that we have a lot of work to do during the summer months and leading into the recommendations on how we make this process better for our nonprofits and ensure that those who are doing business with the City of Philadelphia, particularly our nonprofits who are most often serving the most vulnerable, are able to be paid on time. And so, I want you all to know, colleagues, that you have my commitment to continue that work. Thank you for your vote on the resolution today, and we are looking forward to getting started. And thank you all for all the recommendations for the Task Force that we have received thus far. I also want to wish all the fathers a Happy Father's Day. I hope you all receive your treats and all the father figures that we have in Council. Thank you very much. quickly, Council President, I also want to thank Liz McCollum, our Chief Clerk, who stepped in at a very, very tough time for us. And Liz has been stellar as all Girls' High girls are, just wanted to add that in, but she has just been stellar in helping to keep us moving. So thank you to Liz and to the entire team. And, Council President, to your entire staff. We appreciate all the work that you all do. You all know that I started in this body as an intern 25 years ago this year. And so, interns and having interns in the office is very important to me. So I wanted to take this opportunity to recognize four interns that we have with us today. Adam Kelly, just stand when your name is called. He just graduated from Temple. (Applause.)
Adam just graduated from Temple University in May. His undergraduate degree is in political science. And then also Michael Quinn. He graduated from Penn State. (Applause.)
And I want to say to the both of you, I thank you both for your service and for all the hard work you have done on behalf of our office. Your work did not go unnoticed. I know they are in -- are you in the job market now? (Nodded affirmatively.)
They're both in the job market now, so remember those names and we will be knocking on your doors. I also wanted to recognize Kylie Farmer. You heard Caucus session. She's a junior. (Applause.)
She's a junior at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. She'll be with us for this summer. She's a member of the Class of 2025, a criminal justice major, and of course a member of the greatest sorority Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (Applause.)
And finally today, Mr. President, we have with us Jonathan Mason. He is graduating from West Orange High School, and he will be attending Rider University in New Jersey. (Applause.)
Mr. President, today I who has been with us from day 1. I call them A1 Day 1 team members. It has been said that we make a living out of what we get, but we make a life out of what we give. Today marks a bittersweet moment as my team and I celebrate the retirement of someone truly special, someone who has made her way through life with a pure heart and an unwavering commitment to serving her community and the City of Philadelphia. She joined my office on day 1 in 2020 as our Administrative Assistant. However, before this time she served as a Court Clerk in the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania where she played a vital role in the judicial system. While this may have been where many of you have met Ms. Venita, I have been blessed to know her for a very long time. For she is married to Team member Mark Green, Ward Leader Mark Green. And Mr. Mark has been there for some very wonderful moments throughout my entire career and very early in my career, and that's how I met Ms. Venita. Ms. Venita has been a cornerstone in our office and in the community, particularly in the Allegheny West community, consistently going beyond the call of duty, particularly during those hard COVID years. No matter how big or small the constituent matter, she has always demonstrated a remarkable ability to handle challenges with grace and efficiency. In fact, I've always referred to Ms. Venita as The Plug, because of her remarkable ability to navigate City resources and services to best serve every single She knows who to call and how to get things done, and she is always eager to share crucial information on City services across the City of Philadelphia. If you are a Ward leader, a Committee person or simply a constituent who has called our office for assistance, I know that you too are all too familiar with Ms. Venita. To Team KGR she has served as a mother figure, as a true protector and as a friend. And despite of her small frame, we know that Ms. Venita is not to be messed with and that she will always defend those in need, including the constituents that we serve daily. She has brought something truly special to our workplace into Room 581 that cannot be replicated. Her wisdom, her kindness and the lives of many. Her sense of humor and dedication to service are unparalleled and she will be greatly missed. Ms. Venita was able to help us in some of the toughest moments. And while she had tough moments too, we all got through them together. Now, if you ever call the office and you weren't pleasant on the other end, Ms. Venita dealt with it. And so, we'll miss that too. And as Maya Angelou says, Say thank you, always say thank you, it's the greatest gift you can give someone because thank you is what you say to God. Ms. Venita, we thank you. We love you. We appreciate you and we will miss you. Happy Retirement, Ms. Venita. (Applause.)
Thank you, Council President. Today I was proud to vote in support of a budget that puts City Hall to work for West and Southwest Philadelphia. I celebrate the inclusion of much of Mayor Parker's budget proposal, increased funding for the Office of Homeless Services, expanding and improving 911 dispatch, more local tax revenue for our schools, additional dollars for grassroots anti-violence initiatives, $100 million over five years for housing programs and much more. I am particularly excited that we approved $214 million over five years for new Clean and Green programs. Through JustServicesPHL I have spent the past three budget cycles fighting for a significant like cleaning and greening. I am pleased that this year we boldly invested in the basic municipal services that keep our neighborhoods healthy, safe and vibrant rather than the dribs and drabs that we saw in the past. We also fought for and won critical funding on top of the Mayor's budget proposal. For instance, we obtained $14 million to build a new permanently affordable housing complex at the site of the former UC Townhomes. I look forward to welcoming back the working class Black and Brown families that have called this place home since it was known as the Black Bottom. Many thanks to my partners in this fight, Minority Leader Kendra Brooks, Councilmember Rue Landau, and Majority Whip Isaiah Thomas. Our Coalition also won an additional $19 million for rental assistance and $5 million in the Philadelphia Energy Authority's Built to Last program. And I was also proud to help secure funding to expand quality-of-life enforcement, upgrade public school playgrounds, expand benefits, outreach and advertising, invest in anchor institutions like the Philadelphia Zoo and more. I'm especially proud and grateful for Council and the Mayor's unanimous support for the Low-income Property Tax Freeze bill that I authored. Homeownership is the foundation of the American dream, but dramatic property tax increases threatened to snatch generational wealth away from Philadelphians who need it the of property assessments just around the corner, we can now say that help is on the way. While we are on the topic of housing, I also want to thank my colleagues for voting to approve Bill No. 240058. This bill states that density bonus payments of the Housing Trust Fund must be spent within specific geographic boundaries, ensuring that parts of the City seeing increased development receive the affordable housing assistance they are entitled to. Last week we authorized a ballot measure that if approved will force the City to follow the Code and put every density bonus payment into the Housing Trust Fund. When a developer receives a by-right density bonus by making a payment in lieu of affordable of Philadelphia, the community is promised that this funding will be reinvested back into affordable housing in their neighborhood. However, the sad truth is that these guaranteed benefits very rarely appear. And by enacting this bill, we make sure that the communities that need affordable housing the most will finally get their due. To conclude, I want to thank Council President Johnson for his leadership. It is because of our Council President's direction that we enacted such a transformative budget and that we passed so many pieces of critical legislation for our communities in the first six months of this Council term. I look forward to being just as productive during the
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Nina Ahmad.
All right. I'll be shorter. But first of all, I echo everything my colleagues have said about this body, particularly about you, Council President. Your leadership as a first term Councilmember has been invaluable and I'm very grateful to you and all the leadership team on Council. I was very pleased today that we were able to pass out my first bill, and this is a bill that is about maintenance and making sure our EV charging stations are properly maintained so that we can is the sixth largest city in the country and should be a leader in addressing climate change. If we want to decrease emissions and meet our carbon neutrality goals by 2050, then we need to reduce the number of gas-powered vehicles on the road. However, we cannot transition to electric vehicles without having the proper operational infrastructure in place. And focusing on maintenance and not only installation, gives us a comprehensive approach for improving our EV infrastructure and meeting consumer demands. One of the issues we have encountered when we were doing the research is range anxiety and importantly this bill addresses range anxiety and ensures that Point A to Point B safely. If a driver travels to power their vehicle and the charger is not operational, they could be stuck or forced to drive around until they actually run out of power. But the other goal that we have, which is an underlying goal, is workforce development. This would be we hope a job creator. The maintenance of EV chargers can provide union electrician jobs as well as general maintenance jobs, particularly for those who might have trouble entering the mainstream job market if they do have any kind of record. And lastly, small businesses could potentially form around this bill. And I look forward to working with all different entities who intersect in this space so we can actually make can make sure it is useful for our residents of Philadelphia and that we are a model for the rest of the country. I also wanted to thank all my colleagues for passing this bill with 17 votes. I'm very thankful for that. And I wanted to tell all of you that it has been a pleasure working with you and I look forward to the remaining three-and-a-half years. Lastly, I wanted to speak about the resolution that I co-introduced with Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson. And we had a press conference this morning with some folks who are in this space of calling on the Office of Homeless Services and its contracted service providers to update their intake form to reflect the collection of pregnancy-related data. is prenatal care -- health care. Housing is prenatal health care. And studies have revealed that unhoused pregnant people are at higher risks and face substantial perinatal and neonatal effects, such as pre-term labor and low birth weight than those with housing security. Collecting this data will allow us as a city to better direct resources and services to those who are at their most vulnerable points in their life, and homelessness has been identified as a common environmental risk factor for the mothers whose infants died in 2017. So I want to once again thank my Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for not only co-introducing this resolution with me but for her commitment to this issue and many others, including was the Chair of the Health Committee before me, Public Health Committee.
And we look forward as a city to make sure that we continue to make maternal health care a priority, to make sure that we are looking at issues around morbidity and mortality as well as infant mortality. If we don't give our residents their first good step in our city, what are we doing. So we need to make sure all of us take it seriously whether you can give birth or not, because every one of you were born at some point. So you realize that this is an issue for all of Philadelphia and we're going to continue to work on this. And I want to thank again all of you who have supported this resolution and who showed up to this press conference this morning. finally, I want to thank my team, particularly Kira Halma and Sarah DeNault who helped shape this legislation around the EV chargers as well as LaDeshia Maxwell who's my Chief of Staff and the rest of our team for support in all of us to get through this and get here. And I want to acknowledge Council President's staff member Michael Cook for supporting us as we put this legislation together. As we know, we don't do anything alone and Council is showing me how much of team work makes dream work. So thank you very much. Have a great summer, everyone. )
You're welcome. Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. And congratulations on your first full session as Council President. We started out together and we've grown a lot, both of us. And it was the three of us and a few others, myself and you and Councilman Squilla and our little team, and we're the last ones standing of that team. But you're doing a great job. I just really wanted to say that. Much love and appreciation for everything that you do. I just wanted to make mention of a couple of things. The first is that there are many Juneteenth Festivals that'll be happening this weekend and we want to support all of them. But I do want to point out the longest running Juneteenth Festival happens every year in Germantown on Lane and Johnson Street. It's running this Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00, and it's sponsored by the Johnson House, which I believe is the only fully certified house on the Underground Railroad in the City of Philadelphia. So it's run by Ms. Connie Swinson and the Board of Directors of the Johnson House. So we want to invite folks to come out. And again, this is the longest-running Juneteenth Festival in the city of Philadelphia before folks were even really talking about what Juneteenth really is, this festival was going on. And so, we want folks to know that, remember it and come out and support as well as support other festivals in your neighborhoods. I wanted to talk just that we passed today around SNAP fraud talking points. And for those who may not know SNAP, also known as food stamps, there is something that's happening where folks who have access to food stamps on an EBT card go to use their card and suddenly there's nothing there, and the card could have just recently been loaded and they go and try to purchase their food, they're in line, they've got all their groceries and they're told that there are no resources available on this card to be able to purchase. And just imagine if that's you. 08 in your account, and the panic that would set in when you know that you should have a whole lot more, you should have enough certainly to buy the items that you have decided to purchase. That's what's happening right now. We have had cases where folks have lined up to purchase their groceries only to be told there's nothing available, there's no funds on the EBT card. And then as the research is done, the card has been used in California or the card has been used in New York. Meanwhile these folks have not traveled to California or New York or even outside of their regular travel, so something nefarious is happening here. Our resolution is calling on local, state and federal bodies, law-making bodies to investigate, come up with a solution, figure out that we can do to make sure that the program is safe, that it is secure, that we want public hearings. We want people to be able to come out and detail their experience and develop recommend improvement. So that's what we are requesting right now. And I do want to point out that prior to the EBT card, there were back in our days there were food stamps, like the little coupon books, and someone told me that before that that they actually would just provide you with a check, a separate check. And so, as we were having this discussion someone said, well, why is it that poor people don't have the option to have options about how they want to be able to receive these funds. Why is there only one option that folks think this is the best option for you, and it may not be the best
And I can guarantee it's not the best option for everybody who receives SNAP. So there's a lot of discussion that needs to happen here. And, Mr. President, we just want to say thank you for your leadership on this and we want to thank all of the members of Council who supported this resolution and support looking into this matter and making sure that we find a solution as quickly as possible. Thank you, everyone, and have a great summer. )
Thank you, Council President. I'd like to begin by congratulating the Class of 2024, all of the graduates in my city for -they actually began their academic journey during the global pandemic and for them to have gotten this far to where they see graduation day really speaks to their resilience. And so, I want to congratulate them. Although they've left already, I would also like to express my gratitude to everyone who participated in today's meeting to provide testimony on the resolutions that I presented. As we move through the hurricane season which began on June 1st, I urge you to keep the people of Puerto Rico in your thoughts, many have ties to our City or have previously lived here before having to return home to the island to support their families. Although we are separated by significant distance, the Puerto Philadelphia stands in solidarity with those on the island. With the summer expected to be hotter than ever, the preparations being made by these organizations are especially crucial. The efforts that all of them are making are a true testament to unity. I'd like to specifically recognize Dr. Carmen Febo-San Miguel, Reverend Bonnie Camarda and former Councilmember Maria Quinones-Sanchez who led the efforts here in Philadelphia during Hurricane Maria. I'd also like to recognize Liberty Coke, American Airlines and Einstein Hospital for all of their support in ensuring that resources and all of the necessary relief efforts got to the island when they were needed the most. In addition, I want to for supporting the resolution to designate June as Children's Awareness Month initially established in 1996 to raise awareness for children affected by violence. The focus has expanded to promoting initiatives that safeguard and celebrate the innocence of childhood. Our children are the future of our city and investing in them while we work through so many other issues is essential. As the Chair of the Committee of Public Property, I had the opportunity to put forth a new franchise agreement with Verizon. Part of that agreement will provide the Internet and improve cyber security in 183 rec centers. This is a major win in increasing the quality of the quality of safe spaces for our children to play this summer and This has been a remarkable remarkably productive Council session and I am proud of the work that we have done together. In particular I want to thank you, Council President, for your consistent guidance, direction and support. I'd also like to thank the Kensington Caucus and the Special Committee on Kensington for standing together for a neighborhood that I hold close to my heart. I would like to also thank Mayor Parker for prioritizing the crisis in Kensington, one of many vital issues on her priority list as she promised on her Campaign trail. We have established the 24-hour Cleaning pilot program, passed a bill to regulate the hours of nuisance businesses, authorized the Controller to investigate the for the opioid crisis. Later this summer we will be investigating the barriers to treatment on beds in our city. The 7th Council District was once the home of factories that created thousands of family-sustaining jobs with amazing quality of life for its residents. We will return to that because the people who call the 7th home deserve it. We are reimagining neighborhoods like Kensington and we are re-envisioning the 7th Council District.
Today may be the last day of this Council session and people may call it a summer recess, but residents should know that we all will continue throughout the summer serving the people who have elected us. I'd like to say Happy of my colleagues, our support staff who are dads or who serve as father figures here in City Council. Thank you, Council President. )
You're welcome, and thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank my colleagues for passing a few resolutions today. I want to say Eid Mubarak to the Muslims of our city and our region as they celebrate the second major holiday in their religion Eid al-Adha. I want to thank my colleagues for passing a resolution honoring Sanitation Workers Week, which nationally is called Waste And we also passed a resolution today naming August as Public Safety Awareness Month, and that is in recognition of National Night Out. We also passed a resolution naming part of Master Street near Freedom Theater after Erika Alexander, who is best known as her character as Maxine Shaw on Living Single. She was discovered there at Freedom Theater. And we also passed a resolution naming portions of College Avenue as Freedom Fighters Way near Girard College. Those Freedom Fighters are those who marched around the college for about eight months to try to organize to get Girard College to be integrated. And speaking of Girard College, I had the privilege and honor yesterday to be the commencement speaker for the Class 2024, where that class included their valedictorian who is a Gates Scholar who will be going to USC for free. That class has millions of dollars in scholarships with only 34 students. And so, I'm very proud of those seniors at Girard College this year who allowed me to be their commencement speaker yesterday. I want to talk about some of the things that we've done in my first session as a Councilmember for the 5th District. I just want my constituents to know we are always here fighting for the 5th. We've held town halls on gun violence and other topics. We've gone door-to-door to support neighbors who are experiencing trauma over tragic shootings. We've canvassed communities to provide information and resources on overdose prevention. number of cleanups throughout North Philly, planted flowers on Lehigh Avenue. We've held SEPTA accountable by community engagement with the Bus Revolution Plan. We've supported workers of UNITE HERE as they went on strike. We've had a brunch for seniors on Mother's Day. We've drafted wills for seniors and other estate planning documents with the Barristers' Association. We sponsored community events on Girard Avenue with Rep. Donna Bullock, and we've supported a plethora of other community events in our District. Last week we held OSHA-10 certification trainings for residents to provide opportunities for them to begin a career path in the construction industry. We've stood up with residents as they demanded government regarding how we treat the opioid crisis. So I want to thank my colleagues for supporting Bill No. 240428-A today. And we've also -- this is something I haven't spoke about yet, but we've also won approximately about $5 million as I'm calling capital seed money in this year's budget to support the construction of a new Cecil B. Moore Library in North Philadelphia. (Applause.)
We've improved the quality of life for residents of Jefferson Manor by changing the zoning bill in this fall. I look forward to advancing legislation that would add protections to property owners dealing with construction legislation, that will provide more participate in the construction activity through EOP requirements. And I look forward to holding here to investigate commercial office viability here in Center City. As we move forward for the summer, I have noticed I've been getting a lot of calls from constituents who've been saying that their block party applications have been denied by the police department. So I just want to put on the record that block parties are a way for communities to unite and can create more community engagement. So I encourage the police department to really, really take a look at their policies denying block party permits because of the potential of criminal activity. If that's the case, then my block, half my family's block would be potential of criminal activity. I mean, we live in the City. Shootings are down in the City. So I think as the perception of crime increases, we have to look at the data and really see that shootings and crime in the City is down so we should be able to provide an opportunity for our communities to celebrate. And one last thing, Mr. President, I just want to wish yourself, other fathers of this body Happy Father's Day. It is a hard job. Being here in my first session, I get home at 8:00, 9 o'clock and my son is looking at me like it's time to play, and I'm like, no, it's time for bed. But ultimately, I want to thank the fathers of this body for being fathers because in our community we know it's not -- it's not something that we see every day. Just my own personal life, I mean my dad wasn't my dad until I was about 16 years old. So I just want to thank you all for being fathers. And thank you for being the leader of this body and really mentoring me, helping me out through this process --
-giving me great advice on how to deal with certain things. So thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you so much, Council President. I promise it'll be about an hour. will be very quick. I will add to the thanks for everybody here. For the Council fam, I really, really love working with you guys. To you, Council President, you really have been a mentor to all of us so this is just the beginning of many years ahead. So quickie, I introduced a resolution today to hold a hearing on adding a Chief of Joy position at the School District of Philadelphia. That's an idea by the Lift Every Voice organization that they are pushing. This position will ensure such things as minimum recess times across schools across the District and to expand mental health services that are so desperately needed that will help to heal our children. This position will support positive and benefit students, families, educators and the whole community, so I'm really excited for that hearing. And then finally, I just wanted to say I was very proud to co-sponsor Councilmember Brooks' Disability Pride resolution today recognizing July's Disability Pride. I know that members from Liberty Resources and Liberty Housing wanted to be here today. They had a loss in their professional family and they were at the funeral today. But I've spent my professional career making the City and housing in particular accessible for all. I've been proud to raise the Disability Pride flag and march in the parade and advocate for the ramp on the north side of City Hall, among other things. importantly, I know it's the late hour and it's not so many people here so hopefully they'll re-read the transcript, but I want to thank everybody in this space who makes City Council hearings accessible for all. So from our sign language interpreters to the administrative services and Sergeant-at-Arms staff, to our Chief Clerk, our stenographer, our audio-visual team and to you, Council President, and your office for making this space so accessible. A special thank you that you have just purchased a brand new mini ramp that is movable that will help us to get people with wheelchairs up to this podium when we have presentations. I couldn't be happier about that. Everybody deserves to get up there for their honor and for their glitter. And so, I'm super happy. Thank you all for everything you do. Thank you Leadership team. Thank you, Council President, and let's keep working through the summer. (Applause.)
Just I forgot to say just a reminder, 9th District Wadsworth Day is back. It's going to be a huge community festival. We got our wine garden. We got tons of stuff for kids. Oh my gosh, and we got a lot of adult activities as well, senior citizen activities -- well, adult citizens I like to call. And it's going to be from 12:00 to 7:00, Saturday, June 29th, the return of Wadsworth Day. Come on up. It's going to be exciting. 12:00 to 7:00, Delfonics headlining, DJ Kool and we also have Suzann Christine. See y'all soon.
That's what's up. DJ Kool, Let Me Clear My Throat, right, ah huh, ah huh, ah huh. So I'll be real brief before we call for an adjournment. Just for the record, today we passed -- just today, just only today, we passed a total of, a combination of 107 bills and resolutions; 55 bills and 52 resolutions. So give yourselves a round of applause in terms of -(Applause.)
They can say what they want to say, but they never can't say we're not working, right. And so, it's truly an honor and a privilege to have this opportunity to lead this body. to work forward and working together, I'm confident we will continually transform and move the City of Philadelphia forward. And so, I just want to thank all of you for entrusting me in this leadership position but most importantly us working collaboratively together on the agenda to make sure that we're speaking and advocating for those most in need. I just want to give a honorable mention, just shout-out to my leadership team because, yes, I've only been in this position for six months and coming in, it was a transition, a couple different transitions took place. From the Inauguration we had the plan and all the things I put Wendy through and making sure we got the Inauguration correct. lost our initial Chief Clerk and we had to really keep the ball rolling and all of you being patient with the team. So I want to acknowledge my Chief of Staff Mr. John Christmas and his executive assistant Liz Sweeney. I want to thank them for their hard work and their dedication. (Applause.)
I want to thank my Chief Operating Officer where y'all try to get additional everything for your offices from, Wendy Prescott-Tate. Let's give her a round of applause as well. (Applause.)
I thank you, Wendy, for always encouraging me and having my back and just being supportive of me. Michelle DiPietro, just give her a round of applause. (Applause.)
This budget process, yeah, we did get a budget done on time, right, and made sure we came back with some strong wins, right, for members. Can't nobody here say they ain't get most of what they asked for. But I had the fine privilege of having a young lady by the name of Helen Loughead, who's my Chief Financial Officer. (Applause.)
And also, her Deputy Stefan Johnson who worked with me as we went through that process -(Applause.)
-- and made sure that Council priorities were key while we were and day-out at that table. (Applause.)
I want to give acknowledgement to John Fenton and the Sergeant-atArms team. (Applause.)
That consists of Matthew Little, Leslie Lopez and Ellis Dickerson, so I thank them. (Applause.)
And we thank our Communications team led by Mr. Vincent Thompson. Give them a round of applause. (Applause.)
And that consists of Khara Garcia, them flyers y'all seeing getting done you may need at all times, Drew Lackman. The videos from Chris Mansfield and all of your in a timely fashion as well as Meaghan Washington. (Applause.)
And to make sure we're doing what we're supposed to do, our Chief Ethics Officer Michael Cook. Let's give him a round of applause, so watch what you post. (Applause.)
Mike's going to make sure we're all right under my regime. Ms. Brionna Wakefield, Esq., part of the Tech team that's a lawyer. Give her a round of applause with Nick Sanelli. (Applause.)
And she's not in here. This was mentioned early. I just want to acknowledge Liz McCollum and the Chief Clerk's team. Give them a -(Applause.)
-- because again, this team stepped up and made sure we didn't miss a beat after the unfortunate losing of Michael Decker, and we were kind of in a whirlwind to try to figure out how we continue to steer this City of Philadelphia forward in the right direction. And just acknowledge everyone who have also worked together to make sure that we're a strong Council body. We're going to continue to keep building as we move forward. And give a shout-out to Taneha Carroll, the court stenographer. Give her a round of applause for this. (Applause.)
We want to be patient with the court stenographer when we have hearings, right, and we just, you know. I think the longer the hearing shows that we're actually doing good work. But, listen, everybody enjoy their summer. Do some selfcare. But I'd also like to let the media know that just because we're off on recess does not mean we're not in our community still advocating and working on behalf of the constituents here in the City of Philadelphia. So although we're in recess, we will still be engaging our constituents and making sure we're advocating on their behalf. And so, with that being said, the Chair recognizes my Majority Leader Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Council First, on your behalf I'd like to invite colleagues, staff and friends for an end-of-year Council Social Summer Kickoff today from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the W Hotel, Secret Garden, 1439 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. And with that, thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
Before I ask for an aye, I just also want to acknowledge for a second, just want to acknowledge, and I see them sitting over there, part of my Tech Team, Kareem Groomes and also Brett Nedelkoff. Just want to acknowledge them on the policy side. Is there a second? (Duly seconded.)
and properly seconded that Council stands adjourned until Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you very much, and have a great summer. ) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. m. L.