Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I believe that to everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose. Today this body faces a difficult decision. If the lobby from 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING each side is to be believed, today's vote on the paid sick leave bill pits the health of our citizens against the economic viability of their employment. This is a false choice. When Councilman Greenlee approached me last year about sponsoring the paid sick leave bill, I agreed because I strongly believe in the principles behind the bill. To my frustration and disappointment, the bill went nowhere at that time. Then came last year's budget. As we grappled with many issues facing our city, including the funding of our schools, the need for additional revenue was critical. Suggestions that were not even open for consideration in March were certainly options in late June, and as a result, increases in property taxes and the use and occupancy tax, or U&O tax, was implemented. When the conversation with the sponsor was revisited this year, I 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING immediately told the sponsor that I thought this could be problematic for several reasons. Number one, less than six months before, we increased the U&O tax on businesses. Number two, now as a result of AVI, we are discussing new property assessments and the resulting tax bills. Many of the small businesses on my commercial corridors are seeing increases, some of which are quite significant. And, number three, along with those new assessments and bills, businesses in special service districts pay even more. We must consider legislation and examine all of its moving parts within the legislative and political context in which it fits. We must consider the global impact of all factors, and such consideration is particularly important now on the eve of another budget season. As I mentioned, I strongly believe in the goals of this bill. Our 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING citizens should be able to take sick leave without fear of not being able to pay their rent or buy their groceries or being terminated from their employment. But I also believe, and I have to say, that I think that this bill is poorly timed. I believe we can have paid sick leave. I believe that this bill can happen, but as I started out saying, I believe that to everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose, and this bill's poor timing is of great concern. Thank you, Mr. President.
Hold on, guys. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just like AVI, this 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING is about fairness. Fairness happens in many different ways. Just in a couple of minutes, the Mayor will come before us and present a budget and a five-year plan. In that budget, there is $90 million in business tax cuts that my colleague Councilman Green and I instituted, business cuts to make the City more friendly to business. The Mayor will also talk about his reductions on wage, which is something else that the business community has asked for. This should not be about short-term losers. In fact, the AVI debate will demonstrate how businesses, particularly large businesses, will get millions in reductions while we ask our residents to pay millions more, all to get fairness. So this is not about short-term losers. This is about the long game, and the long game for Philadelphia means that the 180,000 low-wage workers deserve their sick leave, and that's why I'm 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING voting for it. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be brief. The economic arguments against this bill presented by Councilman Green and Councilman Oh are simply false. They're false because even as they cite reports and studies and economists, they talk about the job loss that is projected to happen. Nowhere in any of those studies and analysis does it talk about earned sick leave. What it talks about in those studies and analysis is the business tax structure as a reason for why people are leaving. There are other reasons why businesses and people left the City. None of it had to do with earned sick leave. So those economic arguments are false. 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING Furthermore, as disclosed in the hearing, the Commerce Department and members of the Chamber of Commerce who served on the Jobs Commission never brought this issue to the Jobs Commission. When they raised it even slightly, the question is, how do you know? The answer was, we don't really know what's going to lose jobs. We're just saying that we are afraid that we might lose jobs. So how do you examine whether you might lose jobs or not? You look at San Francisco, you look at Washington, DC, you look at the state of Connecticut, you look at places where it's been implemented and see what has happened there. Otherwise, you're talking about economic philosophy, which if you want to be a conservative, be a conservative, but if you say you're progressive, if you say you're for working-class people, then vote for working-class people. (Applause.) 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I don't want to go back and forth on this, but I have to respond to a couple things, and Councilman Goode I think touched on a couple of them, so I'll try to be real brief. I think Councilwoman Bass is right. It shouldn't have to be a choice. And it doesn't have to be a choice. It doesn't -- we shouldn't have to choose between jobs and giving fair benefits. What we're saying, and we think the other cities have shown, that you can do both, and in the end, it actually is good for businesses, if they would just take the time to look at the research and come in with some kind of open eye. And I also will say one thing also about timing, and I think somebody 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING else -- another member might want to talk about it too, that it said that this isn't the right time. Well, I would tend to agree. We should have done it a heck of a long time ago. (Applause.)
And, frankly, I held this bill up out of respect for the six new members, because there was a whole lot going on last year. I wanted to get the information out. I didn't want to push too much on them, and now I'm hearing we should have done it earlier. Well, you know, you can't please everybody. But, again, I think if you look at the facts, if you look at other cities -- and I refuse to say what other people seem to want to say, that we can't do what other cities can do. We're as good as these other cities. (Applause.)
We don't have anything to apologize for. Why do 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING we have to keep apologizing? Why does the Commerce Director have to keep apologizing and the Chamber have to apologize? I'm not apologizing to anybody. I'm proud of this city. (Applause.)
And I'm proud of the workers in this city, whether they're unionized or not, because they're good people and they work hard and they deserve the right benefits. And it's time -(Applause.)
And it's time to do the right thing. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be brief. I really didn't want to speak on this bill, but I 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING will. You got to know that I have Henry Nicholas sitting right behind me, President of 1199C. (Applause.)
There is nobody in this room can accuse me of not being friendly to business. I have been -- I've funded more businesses in the City of Philadelphia than most. However, throughout the history of this nation, those that are of a fearful heart would have stopped us from ever passing a minimum wage law, they would have fought against child labor in the workplace, we'd have never had Social Security, we'd have never had job security for the armed forces. Those who go away and come back fighting for our freedoms would have never had their jobs secured. We cannot be afraid of pushing the needle in the right direction for humanity. We will be judged, we will be judged, we will be judged not by what we do for the strongest of us but what we do 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING for the weakest of us. (Applause.)
And I know this labors hard on my colleagues, because they're good people, but at the end of the day, we better do the right thing. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
I will be very, very brief. I've been here a long time, and we've passed legislation in this Chamber addressing many, many community issues in this city. I remember when we did the liquor by the drink, everybody was going to Montgomery County, Bucks County, Delaware County to drink. Haven't heard any more about it. They didn't go to drink. They still drinking in Philadelphia. 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING When we did the smoking bill, everybody was going to go to Montgomery County, Delaware County so they can smoke in the restaurants. They didn't go. Matter of fact, the restaurants in those counties, most of them passed an anti-smoking bill. So, you know, every time we have to deal with something that seems to pit one group against the other, it's doom and gloom and the City is going to die. We have a wonderful city. All we have to do is work together, bringing all forces together so that we make this city a great city where people want to come, do business and work, and we do have a lot to offer, including good people who want to work and have a sick leave bill. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh. 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you very much, Mr. President. (Audience members booing.)
Come on, guys. Guys, come on. Councilman, go ahead.
Thank you very much. We are all going to vote our conscience. The issue is going to be whether or not we are going to create more jobs, we're going to lose more jobs, and ultimately perhaps we don't know the answer to that. (Audience members booing.)
Hold on. Folks, time out. Everybody deserves the right to have a different opinion. So I just ask you let him respect the statements and then we're going to have a vote up or down. Folks. Councilman, please.
We have had witnesses come forward and those witnesses have testified. The witnesses 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING who testify as employees talk about the need for sick paid days, and they testify honestly. We have employers who testify and they testify that with the sick pay bill now that it will jeopardize employment and the future of jobs in the City. They are supported by the declining number of jobs in this city for low-wage jobs for people with less capabilities, and we need to have those jobs. So with that, I will be voting no. Thank you.
Excuse me. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Mr. President. The City of San Francisco has an unemployment rate three or four points lower than ours. Their median income is $73,000 a year. Our median income is $37,000 a year. We are not 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING comparable to San Francisco. They are growing their job base every year. We are shrinking our job base by four or five thousand people every year. The same can be said of states like Connecticut in terms of similar comparisons. The point here, Mr. President, is very simple. If we want to help our unemployed, the 10.6 percent of people who are registered as unemployed, or the over 20 percent of people who are under and unemployed, then we need to create a regulatory environment that is good for business. I will be voting no on this bill and I ask my colleagues to do the same. Thank you. (Audience members yelling.)
Okay. There are no other speeches at this time. Mr. Decker, I'm going to start over. Please read the title of the bill. 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
Bill No. 130004, entitled "An ordinance enacting a new Chapter 9-3300, entitled 'Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces,' to provide that certain employees are entitled to paid leave."
Thank you. This bill having been read on two separate days, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.
The ayes are 11; the nays are six. This bill -(Applause.)
Folks, hold on. Hold on. Folks, hold on. I have to make it official. Hold on. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. (Applause.) 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
Mr. Decker -- folks, we have some more business. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution calling for the City Council Committee on Public Property to hold hearings exploring the economic benefits of the City selling or more fully capitalizing certain municipal assets including selling surplus property and aggressively capitalizing revenue-generating facilities, introduced by Councilman Henon and Council President Clarke.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon for a motion.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING All those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution Recognizing and Congratulating the 2013 Next Generation of Leaders: Rising Stars, introduced by Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
I thank you. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.) 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution honoring and recognizing Philadelphia's self-made Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion Bernard Hopkins, also known as "The Executioner," for establishing a new world record by winning the International Boxing Federation Light Heavyweight Championship title and for being an exemplary role model by overcoming numerous barriers to achieve success and for demonstrating to all Philadelphians the remarkable benefits of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. For the record, that's co-sponsored by Councilwoman Blackwell, 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING and I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
And a resolution honoring and celebrating Malik Bishop, Faith Fenton, Aderinsola Solebo, Maisie Brolly, Jenna Cox, and Stephanie Pleasant of Greenwoods Charter School for winning Honorable Mention in the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision contest for their entries entitled "Injection of Carbon Nanotubes to Heal Bone Fractures" and "The Peechy Toothbrush," introduced by Councilman Jones.
The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones. 3/14/13 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. I'd ask to have a five-minute recess. Folks, hold on, don't go anywhere. (Brief pause.)
begin again. I'd ask all the Councilmembers to please take their seats and ask all our visitors and guests to please take your seats. Folks, we're ready to reconvene. Please take your seats. Can I please have your attention. Thank you so much for your cooperation. The time has come for us to consider the Mayor's presentation of his annual budget message. The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter states that the Mayor shall submit to Council, no later than 90 days before the end of the fiscal year, his operating budget message and proposed operating budget ordinance for the ensuing fiscal year. At this time, the Mayor shall submit to Council the recommended capital program and capital budgets as received from the City Planning Commission, to the extent approved by the Mayor. I now appoint the following the Mayor into the Council Chambers: Councilman Jones, Councilwoman Brown, Councilman Greenlee, Councilman O'Neill, and Councilman Oh. (Brief pause.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to introduce the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter. (Audience members booing and blowing whistles.)
I ask that you please be quiet. (Audience members booing and blowing whistles.)
The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that this session of Council stand in recess until the call of the Chair.
There's a motion on the floor for a recess. All in favor? (Aye.)
Ladies and gentlemen, today's session of Council has been recessed to the call of the Chair. Thank you very much. Today's session of Council has been recessed to the call of the Chair. Thank you very much. ) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. m 135:23 reading 27:20 78:8 80:9,11,22 36:14 132:6 28:3,13 30:21 82:23,25 83:11 privilege 61:14 property 10:6 Q 31:3,12,17,18 85:12,14,24 privileged 13:21 13:23 14:3 30:7 question 70:8 31:21 32:1,4 87:25 88:3,14 16:19 20:14,23 64:19 66:2 73:4 75:20 58:1,23 59:1 90:15,17 91:4 problem 48:18,19 110:21 111:8 78:10 80:24 60:1 61:1 62:1 93:5,7,18 95:19 60:12 128:9,13 83:13 86:2 63:1 64:1 65:1 95:21 96:9,12 problematic proposed 35:5 88:16 91:6 66:1 67:1 68:1 100:8 101:3 111:3 72:20 133:17 93:20 101:3,22 69:1 70:1 71:1 102:16,19,21 problems 58:2 prorated 67:14 101:24,25 115:8 72:1 73:1 74:1 103:2 105:9,12 60:14 prospective 100:2 125:11 75:1 76:1 77:1 105:15 108:16 proceedings proud 118:6,9 questions 61:18 78:1 79:1 80:1 108:21 109:14 136:4 proven 98:7,11 quiet 134:16 81:1 82:1 83:1 109:17,22 process 60:6 provide 54:7 96:7 Quinones-Sanc... 84:1 85:1 86:1 112:16,17,20,25 61:24 99:22 125:6 1:16 71:20 87:1 88:1 89:1 114:4,9 116:2,7 produce 54:12 provides 63:13 74:16 77:8 90:1 91:1 92:1 118:17,19,24 product 54:13 68:9 79:22 82:12 93:1 94:1 95:1 119:4 120:9,11 55:10,11 providing 9:10 84:25 87:14 96:1 97:1 98:1 121:22 122:3,5 productive 34:18 21:13 29:9,20 90:4 92:18 95:8 99:1 100:1 101:1 102:1 22:4 23:16 refuse 117:19 reproduction 117:10 122:19 103:1 104:1 24:12 25:15 refused 97:4 136:20 respected 98:13 105:1 106:1 27:15 28:15 Reginald 8:23 republicans 6:20 98:15 107:1 108:1 30:16 31:22 22:12 request 6:7 respectfully 27:9 109:1 110:1 63:23 65:7 region 60:17,20 requests 6:12,20 30:10 111:1 112:1 66:12 67:21 60:22 8:5 respectively 113:1 114:1 96:10 102:23 registered 124:12 requirements 11:13 18:24 115:1 116:1 105:13 108:18 regular 6:25 72:25 respond 116:9 117:1 118:1 109:19 112:22 regulation 80:19 requiring 16:11 response 6:3 9:19 119:1 120:1 114:6 116:4 83:8 85:21 72:20 20:7 28:10 31:9 121:1 122:1 118:21 120:13 88:11 90:25 Rescue 9:19 20:7 33:18,20 35:11 123:1 124:1 121:24 123:18 regulatory 124:15 research 116:22 35:13,15,17,19 125:1 126:1 128:19 129:18 reinvestment residents 10:11 35:21 38:16 127:1 128:1 130:22 131:25 72:24 113:19 42:17,19,23,25 129:1 130:1 134:20 relating 32:18 resolution 9:2,10 43:3 63:5 64:11 131:1 132:1 recognizing 16:20 54:12 70:3 13:14,20,22 65:19 66:24 ready 133:2,6 20:15 129:11 relations 43:15 14:7 16:3,4,20 69:16 129:6 real 11:13,16,18 130:8 relationship 17:10,15,20 130:4 131:10 18:24 19:2,5 recommendation 34:13 20:15,21,24 132:11 116:11 25:21 27:12 remains 60:9 21:10,13,20 rest 47:15 reality 54:6 55:2 28:23 30:13 remarkable 22:11,15,18,21 Restated 10:22 really 47:23 recommendatio...
130:18 22:24 23:3,7,10 restaurant 38:25 101:18 103:5 62:18 remarks 33:6,9 23:20,24 24:9 39:3,7 45:8,9 115:9 118:24 recommended remember 120:20 59:2,12,23 46:13,23 52:24 Realty 11:4 19:14 133:21 renewal 9:5 24:3 62:21 63:7,11 55:25 101:4 reason 35:4 reconvene 133:7 renewals 72:22 63:12 64:3,13 restaurants 42:4 100:20 114:20 record 105:4 rent 112:4 64:17 65:11,21 121:5,6 reasonably 99:13 130:12,24 repeat 60:20 65:24 66:16 restore 53:8 reasons 111:4 Recreation 28:17 report 25:16,25 67:4,24 68:11 result 60:6 110:21 114:21 28:21 29:5,19 28:16 29:3,10 68:20 69:6,21 111:7 received 133:22 30:3 29:21 50:8 60:4 128:7,22 129:8 resulted 46:19 recess 132:21 red 33:7 60:5,13 61:12 129:10 130:6,7 resulting 111:8 134:24 135:1,7 redevelopment reported 29:11,22 131:12,13 retire 2:14 135:14 9:3,4,5,7 23:24 31:15 132:13 returned 46:16 recessed 135:13 24:2,3,5 64:20 reporter 136:23 resolutions 8:19 returns 27:10 135:17,20,22 66:3 reports 25:1,14 12:13,18,25 30:11 recession 53:4,6 redrawn 63:17 25:20 26:1 27:1 13:8 14:13,20 revenue 10:23 recipients 72:21 reduces 51:20,22 27:9 28:1,21 15:2,8,14,20 110:17 recognize 2:17 reduction 53:5 29:1 30:1,10 18:2 21:25 22:8 revenue-genera... 7:18 25:8 61:8 reductions 113:11 31:1 114:13 23:14 31:23 14:5 128:14 99:5 113:18 represent 43:13 32:2,10,17 Reverend 2:18,25 recognizes 5:11 referred 13:15 63:19 33:14 58:22 revised 9:12 6:8,16 12:14,21 16:17 18:10,15 representative 128:6 132:16 21:15 63:19 13:4,11 14:9,16 18:20 19:7,18 43:20 resources 9:22 revising 11:10 14:23 15:5,11 19:25 20:13 representatives 20:10 19:22 70:3 15:17,23 17:4 21:20 23:15 107:18 respect 55:5,7 revision 75:13 17:22 21:21 25:3 26:5 29:6 representing 62:7 97:21 98:14,16 revisited 110:25 revive 52:7 RPR-Notary Search 9:19 20:7 Serafina 55:25 50:4,5,6,15 Reynolds 1:17 136:15 season 109:23 SERGEANT-A... 51:19,20,25 3:10 71:23 Ruby 78:4 111:23 112:13 134:7 56:12,18 96:17 74:19 77:11 Rule 133:14 seat 2:12,13 Sergeant-of-Ar...