Are there any other questions? (No further questions.)
Thank you very much for coming in. That will conclude our public hearing of the Licenses and Inspections Committee. - - - 57 11/10/98 L&I COMMITTEE - Bill 980334 (Public meeting commences.)
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Krajewski for a motion to approve Bill No. 98064 -- we will now convene the public meeting. And the Chair recognizes Councilmember Krajewski for a motion on Bill No. 980645.
Mr. Chair, i move that Bill No. 980645 be voted out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and with a request for a suspension of the rules as to permit first reading at the next session of Council.
Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? (None opposed.)
Bill No. 980645 is reported out of this committee favorably and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter 58 11/10/98 L&I COMMITTEE - Bill 980334 for a motion on Bill No. 980655.
Mr. Chairman, I motive that Bill No. 980655 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and seconded. All in favor, any? There are none opposed. Bill No. 980655 is reported favorably out of this committee and a request will be made for a rules suspension so as to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for motion on Bill No. 980721.
Mr. Chair, I move that Bill No. 980721 be reported out of the committee with a favorable recommendation and with a request for suspension of the rules so as to be heard at the next meeting of Council. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and second. 59 11/10/98 L&I COMMITTEE - Bill 980334 All in favor aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 980721 is reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for a rules suspension so as to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter for a motion to approve the aforementioned amendments to Bill No. 980334.
Mr. Chairman, I'll move the amendments, but I do have one remaining question. I move the adoption of the amendments as read into the records previously on Bill 15 980334. (Duly seconded.)
The question is on the change in the threshold, whether it was $500 or $1,000. 60 11/10/98 L&I COMMITTEE - Bill 980334
I know it was $500. I said, whether it was 500 or, in the original introduction, 1,000, how does the Department determine, one, the threshold? If a person contracts with someone for a particular job and the contractor realizing that there is now this $500 threshold, says to the person, I can do X-amount of work for 450. I can do the rest of the work for 250. Have they avoided the threshold, or is it the sum total of all of the job?
The Chair recognizes Commissioner Egan. COMMISSIONER EGAN: If they applied for the permit to do the work where the cost estimated at, say, 450, then, yes, they would have avoided that threshold by doing that.
Right. COMMISSIONER EGAN: However, permits are audited on a regular basis, so that is how we could catch them.
Okay. COMMISSIONER EGAN: By going out and 61 11/10/98 L&I COMMITTEE - Bill 980334 looking over the work and --
So even if that's an annual audit, with an underbid of 450, the guy gets the job and says, Ma'am, you know, there's a lot more here than I realized. There really is another 350 to this job, I mean, they could do that. But at some point, if there is a subsequent audit and the citizen is recontacted and asked, What was the total amount that you paid for the job? and was realizing it was really 750 $800, you would go back? Okay.
Yes. And, in fact, we have a small audit division in the Department which does that on a regular basis.
Okay. I'm just trying to anticipate what people might try to do out there. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for on the amendment Bill 980334.
Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill 980334, as amended, be reported out 62 11/10/98 L&I COMMITTEE - Bill 980334 of the committee with a favorable recommendation and with a request that the rules of Council be suspend so as to have a first reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 980334, as amended, will be reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair also recognizes Councilman Rizzo had arrived late but was here during the course of the hearing and appreciate his attendance. This will conclude the business of the Licenses and Inspection Committee. Thank you very much for your attention. (Adjourned at 10:11 a.m.) - - - 63 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Tuesday, November 10, 1998, were reported and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON LICENSES AND INSPECTIONS BILL NO.'S 980334, 980645, 980655, 980721 __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter