STATED MEETING 1 10/27/2022 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING City Hall, Room 400 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:30 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK STATED MEETING 2 10/27/2022
Good morning. We're going to get started. If our guests can retire behind the rail and the members can take their seats, we'll get started. We're going to get started, just like we're going to get started tomorrow in Houston. Thank you. We have established our quorum, so counsel will now come to order. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Pastor Robert Harrison of the New Journey Christian Center Church of God in Christ. He is here today as the guest of Councilwoman Bass. Pastor.
Let us pray. Our most merciful and loving God, we come first of all thanking you, thanking you for life, thanking you for STATED MEETING 3 10/27/2022 health, thanking you for strength and wisdom. God, we thank you for this city. We thank you for this government. We thank you for the officials and leaders who have come together for a common goal, to help and guide our city. God, forgive us if our hearts aren't right. Help us to see you in every, every way. God, we ask for blessings on this city. We ask for blessings on each and every neighborhood, blessings on every household, on every individual. God, we ask for a special blessing on our children and our seniors. Protect them. Give them hope. Give them encouragement in these days and times. Father, grant us peace. With all of the crime and the murders and fear that lingers in our city, we ask for peace, because peace is emotional, peace is a feeling, but most of all, peace is obtainable with you. STATED MEETING 4 10/27/2022 And, lastly, Father, we pray that you just show favor for our Philadelphia Phillies, because we thank you, God, and appreciate the spirit that they have brought into this city. God, they have shown us life when some wanted to give you up. They have shown us a spirit of unity and joy and hope and love, no matter what race, creed, or color. We are truly the City of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. We are champions for you, God, first. And, Father, we thank you in this day and time that you allowed us to be here. Continue, continue to allow us to be in your hands. And we thank you. In Jesus' name, amen. (Amen.)
Thank you, Pastor, so much for your spiritual guidance this morning. STATED MEETING 5 10/27/2022 be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Can we have a little quiet, please. We have a special order of business before we start our Council business. I would ask the members to grab their towels so we can rock it. Let's go, Phillies. (Rally towels waving.) (Applause.)
All right. They better not let us down. Okay. We're going to move to the approval of the Journal, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass to approve the Journal of Thursday, October 20th, 2022.
Thank you, STATED MEETING 6 10/27/2022 that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 20th, 2022 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 20, 2022 stand approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. Our next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of members of Council, there are two requests for STATED MEETING 7 10/27/2022 absence, one from Member Johnson and one from Member Oh.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. Leave shall be granted for those two members. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass 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 circulated prior to today's session.
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 an 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 STATED MEETING 8 10/27/2022 Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a motion to 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 listed 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 on 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 Councilwoman Bass may be added to the agenda for today, should those matters arise during the course of this Council session. All in favor indicate by saying aye. STATED MEETING 9 10/27/2022 (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. And our next order of business is communications. I would ask the Clerk to please read the messages and any other messages that he may have in his possession from the Mayor.
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 recommendations of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill Nos. 220658, 220661, 220662, 220735, 220741, 220769, 220770, 220771, 220772, 220775, and 220776. And I am transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia STATED MEETING 10 10/27/2022 of 2501, 2855 and 2857 Amber Street; 2143, 2155 and 2157 East Birch Street; 2134 and 2172 East Cambria Street; 2103 and 2107 East Cumberland Street; 2107 East Dakota Street; 2478 and 2480 Emerald Street; 2022 East Fletcher Street; 1929, 1935, 1943, 2215 through 17 East Harold Street; 2637, 2639, 2643, 2645 and 2649 Janney Street; 2536 Jasper Street; 2639, 2641, 2643 and 2653 Kensington Avenue; 2068 East Monmouth Street; 1844 East Oakdale Street; 2140, 2151, 2153 and 2156 East Orleans Street; 2646 and 2658 Ritter Street; 2089 East Somerset Street; 2106, 2133, 2135 and 2250 through 2252 East William Street located in the 1st Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2042, 2044, 2047, 2050, 2052, 2056, 2058, 2060, 2062, 2066, 2068 and 2201 through 29 East William Street and 2306 Collins Street located in STATED MEETING 11 10/27/2022 1st Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 800 West Cumberland Street in the Fifth Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2527 North Hancock Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3018 North American Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2646 Palethorp Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1510, 1512, 1514, 1520 through 26, 1530, 1532 through 34, 1538, 1540, 1542, 1548, STATED MEETING 12 10/27/2022 1552, 1554, 1556, 1558 North Darien Street; 1526, 1528 and 1540 North 8th Street; 1501 through 13, 1529, 1545, 1549 and 1551 North 9th Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2521 North Hancock Street & 2522 Mutter Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022 from the General Fund, the Water Fund, the Water Residual Fund, the Grants Revenue Fund, and the Aviation Fund from certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, to the General Fund, the Water Fund, the Water Residual Fund, and the Aviation Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions; and An ordinance amending Bill No. 220285, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2023 Capital Budget," by revising STATED MEETING 13 10/27/2022 totals; and An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2023 from the General Fund, the Water Fund, and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions to the General Fund, the Water Fund, the Aviation Fund, and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions; and An ordinance amending Bill No.
220284, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2023 through 2028 inclusive," by revising various appropriation amounts and totals to conform to amendments to the FY2023 Capital Budget, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Thank you for those communications from the Mayor and all the additional communications that STATED MEETING 14 10/27/2022 you have. At this point, we will move to the introduction of bills and resolutions, and I would ask the Clerk to please read the titles of the legislation that's being offered today by our members.
Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson offers two bills and two resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of the proposal set forth in a Resolution approved by Council of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to the creation of the Division of Workforce Solutions within the Department of Commerce, to promote workforce development activity serving Philadelphians seeking jobs and training opportunities in the public or private sectors; and, authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make STATED MEETING 15 10/27/2022 arrangements for the special election.
Also for Council President Clarke, an ordinance amending Title 18 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Commerce," by adding a new Chapter, entitled "Workforce Development Activity and Reporting," to promote workforce development activity, and to require the Department of Commerce to report to Council certain aggregate information regarding employment rates and training opportunities, and to report on assessments of the economic impact of the City's workforce development programs.
Also on behalf of Council President Clarke, a resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to create the Division of Workforce Solutions STATED MEETING 16 10/27/2022 within the Department of Commerce, to promote workforce development activity serving Philadelphians seeking jobs and training opportunities in the public and private sectors; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution Celebrating, Recognizing, and Honoring Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated on the occasion of their 100th Founders Day.
Councilman Thomas offers a privileged resolution recognizing October as, Black Male Educators Month, and honoring the Black Male Educators Convening, for their dedication to the recruitment, development, and retention of Black male educators in schools by providing support STATED MEETING 17 10/27/2022 and mentorship to Black men.
Councilman Jones offers five bills and 11 resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance amending Bill No. 220284, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2023 through 2028 inclusive."
And an ordinance amending Bill No. 220285, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2023 Capital Budget."
And an ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022 from the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Water Fund, certain or all City offices, STATED MEETING 18 10/27/2022 departments, boards and commissions, the Water Residual Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
And an ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2023 from the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, the Water Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions, and the Grants Revenue Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
And on his own behalf, Councilman Jones offers an ordinance establishing a no truck parking regulation on both sides of Malvern STATED MEETING 19 10/27/2022 Avenue between 63rd Street and Wynnewood Road.
On behalf of Council President Clarke, a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2214 North Orkney Street located in 7th Councilmanic District.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2527 North Hancock Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3018 North America Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District. STATED MEETING 20 10/27/2022
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2646 Palethorp Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2521 North Hancock Street & 2522 Mutter Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 525 North Norris Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
And a STATED MEETING 21 10/27/2022 non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 800 West Cumberland Street located in the Fifth Councilmanic District.
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 911, 913, 915, 919, 921, 923, and 925 West Auburn Street.
And a privileged resolution honoring the Philadelphia Phillies for winning the 2022 National League Championship and challenging Houston City Council to bet that the Phillies will defeat the Astros in the STATED MEETING 22 10/27/2022 2022 World Series.
This week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Mr. President, I will wait until the official vote to declare and challenge to the City of Houston, who represent those Astros.
All right. We will address that shortly. I think we can anticipate the outcome of that vote. This week's Calendar.
Councilman Jones on his own behalf offers a resolution authorizing the City Council -- a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Safety to hold a public hearing examining the true cost of crime on Philadelphia residents.
This STATED MEETING 23 10/27/2022 week's Calendar.
And a privileged resolution welcoming the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to Philadelphia on October 27, 2022 for the C.R.O.W.N. Conference to address and bring awareness to hair bias and discrimination in Pennsylvania.
Councilwoman Brooks offers a privileged resolution recognizing October 2022 as Blindness Equality Month in the City of Philadelphia.
Councilman Squilla offers one bill and two resolutions, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the installation, ownership, and maintenance of various encroachments in the vicinity of 435 North Broad Street." STATED MEETING 24 10/27/2022
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2501, 2855 and 2857 Amber Street.
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2042, 2044, 2047, 2050, 2052, 2056, 2058, 2060, 2062, 2066, 2068 and 2201 through 29 East William Street.
Councilwoman Bass offers two resolutions, a privileged resolution celebrating October as Mural Arts Month in Philadelphia.
And a privileged STATED MEETING 25 10/27/2022 resolution recognizing October 2022 as National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month in the City of Philadelphia to spread awareness of mental illness, substance abuse, depression and suicidal thoughts.
There are no other bills or resolutions being offered today by the members, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have to leave on some personal business and I'd like to be recorded aye on all bills and resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Leave shall be granted. Let the record reflect STATED MEETING 26 10/27/2022 aye on all bills and resolutions today. And our next order of business is reports from committee, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass for a report from the Committee on Rules.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Rules reports out three bills with a favorable recommendation.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee on Rules, to which was referred Bill No. 220658, entitled "An ordinance to amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Zoning and Planning,' by revising certain provisions of Chapter 14-500, entitled 'Overlay Zoning Districts,' by creating the '/NBO, Nelson Brown People's STATED MEETING 27 10/27/2022 District,'" and Bill No. 220661, entitled "An ordinance to amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Zoning and Planning,' by revising certain provisions of Chapter 14-500, entitled 'Overlay Zoning Districts,' by creating the '/YOD, Yorktown Neighborhood Overlay District'"; and Bill No. 220662, entitled "An ordinance to amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Zoning and Planning,' by revising certain provisions of Chapter 14-500, entitled 'Overlay Zoning Districts,' by creating the '/NHO, Nehemiah Homes Overlay District,' all under certain terms and conditions," respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes STATED MEETING 28 10/27/2022
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bills No. 220658, 220661, and 220662. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the first reading this day of Bills No. 220658, 220661, and 220662. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion passes, and these bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes STATED MEETING 29 10/27/2022 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.
The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, to which was referred Bill No. 220813, entitled "An ordinance amending Bill No. 220051-A, entitled 'An ordinance amending Section 9-4116 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled '2021 Public Health Emergency Leave,' to establish additional leave time under certain circumstance, modify existing provisions concerning the paid sick leave, and make technical changes,' to clarify the modifications to The Philadelphia Code intended to be made by STATED MEETING 30 10/27/2022 Bill, and make technical changes," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill 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 this day of Bill No. 220813. (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. 220813. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
STATED MEETING 31 10/27/2022 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and this will be on our First Reading Calendar today. That concludes our reports from committee, and our next order of business is 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 a first reading, and they will be on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the Final Second Reading Passage Calendar today.
Thank you again, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up STATED MEETING 32 10/27/2022 from Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 220849, 220851, 220853, 220856, 220857, 220859, and 220742. All other bills and resolutions are being held.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Before we consider the bills and resolutions on our Calendar today, we will have our public comment session. Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up for today's session, please do so now by giving your name to the Sergeant-At-Arms at the table set up for this purpose in the hallway just outside the Council Chambers. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet. Under ideal circumstances, we will have three STATED MEETING 33 10/27/2022 minutes to speak, but today we have a significant volume of individuals wishing to speak, so we want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity, so we will have two minutes to speak today. We ask that you please adjust your testimony to reflect the two-minute time limit. When you go to the podium, there will be a device on the podium. 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 ask that you please comply with the guidelines associated with public comment and wrap up your comments. We anticipate full cooperation. We appreciate the fact that you're coming down today to testify. Thank you so much. Mr. Decker, want to call the first name on the list.
The first speaker we have today, Mr. President, is Queen STATED MEETING 34 10/27/2022 Judith Robinson, commenting today on 220634, 220742, and 220349. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. QUEEN ROBINSON: Good morning. Queen Judith Robinson here. Thank you for the opportunity speaking on 220634, the Broad Street BID. It's a great opportunity to include all of the community surrounding Broad Street. This business improvement district will be from Spring Garden Street all the way up to Indiana, and I'm here today speaking as a representative of the 32nd Ward RCO, which has a portion of these boundaries at the Temple University area, say, from Montgomery to historic district Diamond Street. This is a great opportunity to do tourism. I'm a tour guide, and I am encouraging our government to make sure -- this is the time, prior to this vote to make sure that there is inclusion STATED MEETING 35 10/27/2022 of all of the people who need opportunities in the surrounding areas of this BID district. Every time we have one of these economic opportunities, it's an opportunity to include our citizens who are not included often. So I'm here today to reach out to you all to let you know that we need to include them now. One of our former Councilpeople said if you're not at the table, you're on the menu, and I agree with her very much in that regard. But I'm here today to make sure that you know that there are some bills that need to be rescinded, rescind these bills. The wholesale bill needs to be rescinded. I'm here to tell you as a real estate professional that bill usurps the professional licensings of State of Pennsylvania. You cannot license gun laws. How are you licensing professional licensing laws? Something is not right about that, and it's not going well STATED MEETING 36 10/27/2022 uptown where we live. I'm a real estate professional. It's out of order. In addition, the driving bill, with all the ills that we have going on in our city, we must deal with that driving bill. We don't want officers trying to figure out who to stop with car jackings, murder, and mayhem. Please consider rescinding these two bills. Thank you very much for the opportunity. Have a great day.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony today. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Sarah Morris. (Speaker approached podium.) STATED MEETING 37 10/27/2022
Good morning. My name is Sarah Morris. I'm the Director of Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project. We're a youth-focused organization working to support young people in the carceral system. I've been working with young people who are held in both the juvenile and the adult system in Philadelphia for about 16 years. I'm here to speak on Council Resolution 220853 on the conditions at JJSC and the lawsuit that has already been filed. The main thing that I wanted to convey today is that while I understand the urgency behind this resolution, it is not the answer to the crisis at JJSC. We do not need to shuffle our kids from one overcrowded, understaffed institution system to another, which is what we will be doing by just shuffling them to the state system. We need to actually address why so many young people are in our juvenile detention facility in the first place. STATED MEETING 38 10/27/2022 We have over, I think, about 230 young people currently at JJSC. Of that, 74, I believe, are waiting to go to state placement. We need to be asking why Philadelphia sentences so many of our children to state placement. We have about 12 percent of the state's youth population, and we account for almost 50 percent of young people sent to state placement. We need to be asking ourselves why that is. The next highest is Allegheny County at eight percent. So we need to look at why we're asking the state to take so many of our children. We also need to look at the fact that 80 percent of young people in state placement are there for -- are considered low or moderate risk. So many of those young people are from Philadelphia, and we need to ask why we're sending young people who are considered low and moderate risk to the most restrictive punitive part of our STATED MEETING 39 10/27/2022 juvenile justice system. We also need to be looking at who are all of the other children at JJSC. 230 minus 74 minus about 40 young people with adult cases is still over 100 children who are just waiting for court, many of whom are being held on GPS violations and probation violations, and that the heart of all of these issues is an extremely opaque and non-transparent juvenile court system. We are in the courts -- in Family Court often, and we have just a small window to what goes on there, but we've seen Family Court judges literally stand up and walk out of the room while a defense attorney is still presenting their argument. We've been yelled at for being there in support of young people. We need Council to be looking at what's actually happening in our courts and to be asking for data and transparency and demanding that the courts reevaluate every young person at STATED MEETING 40 10/27/2022 JJSC to see if they can be sent home. We at YASP would be glad to provide community support to any of those young people. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
Bianca Van Heydorn, commenting on 220853. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Bianca Van Heydorn. I'm here representing the Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project. I would like to echo what my colleague Sarah just said about the JJSC. We know that there are young people who are there who are required by law to be held at the JJSC, and that is about half STATED MEETING 41 10/27/2022 of the young people who are currently at the JJSC, while we do things at the wait time for safe placement is too long and that young people are waiting too long. We understand that as a back-end issue. And while that is the purview of the state, there are things that we can be doing locally to pay attention to who is coming in the front door of the JJSC. And what we know from research that we've learned over the last 30 years, research has told us that what is in the best interest of children is not detention. Detention is bad whether the facilities are overcrowded or not. Detention is bad whether the facilities are understaffed or not. And so the use of detention should be in the very small case -- in a very small number of cases and should be the least restrictive -- the most restrictive option, which means that if we're looking at what's happening in the front -- who is coming in the front door, STATED MEETING 42 10/27/2022 then it is -- we are urging City Council to understand what's happening, who is coming through that front door that are not legally required to be there, and what are our investments and where are we looking at what community and home treatment and support for young people actually looks like, because that's what the research tells us is going to contribute to positive youth development. That's what's going to contribute to safety in our communities. And when we send young people outside of our communities, what do we expect to happen when we haven't equipped our communities to receive them when they come home. We will not see a change to the violence that we see, we will not see communities thrive, and we will not see young people grow into adulthood if we don't make those investments in community supports.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. STATED MEETING 43 10/27/2022 (Applause.)
Good morning, everybody. James Aye. My last name is pronounced Aye. So thank you for having me here this morning. Again, my name is James Aye. I'm the co-founder and Associate Director for a program called Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout, better known as YEAHPhilly. I'm here today regarding House Resolution 220853, and of course I oppose. This is not the answer to addressing the issues at the Juvenile Justice Center or our juvenile justice system in general. So for me, it's really do you really care about our young people or is STATED MEETING 44 10/27/2022 it just about shifting accountability? Much of what has been in the media recently about the conditions at JJSC, it's nothing new, especially the people who care about young people. In fact, many of the folks here today, we've actually spoken to, over the past two years, about the very same issues that we're talking about now. Over the past two years, myself, I visited anywhere between 20 to 25 young people housed at the JJSC. Neither of them were in good shape mentally, physically, or in some cases still needed medical attention. Neither of them were given access to fair and reasonable education opportunities. Neither of them were given access to mental health or medication treatment. One therapist from Hall-Mercer can't treat 200 young people. Neither of them were given access to physical or recreational outlets consistently. Clearly, there are Philadelphia STATED MEETING 45 10/27/2022 leadership issues. We can't always blame staff shortages. Because we all know this happens to our young people -- if this was happening to our young people not currently in the system or at JJSC, everyone would be outraged, and to be honest, mandated reporters will be required to make a ChildLine report related to those abuses and neglect, but in those cases, it will always blame the parents. So I say this to remind you that until adults who are injured at the JJSC, the way our young people are treated at the JJSC still isn't a priority. There still isn't an urgency to address the issues that led up to what we call now to suing the state. I think clearly we have to focus and invest in those young people, and until we do that, the City violence and things like that will never change. So I just challenge you all to take a close look at what's really STATED MEETING 46 10/27/2022 happening inside that center and fix those issues before we try to hold anyone else accountable. (Applause.)
Welcome. State your name for the record and please begin your testimony.
I'm testifying on Resolution 220853 in opposition. My name is Kendra Van Dewater and I'm the Executive Director of Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout, also known as YEAHPhilly. We work with teens and young adults 15 to 24 who live in West and Southwest neighborhoods and are directly impacted by violence. So majority of our population we work with has spent time in the Juvenile Justice Services Center, also known as JJSC, due to us focusing on young people in the legal system. Resolution 220853 focuses on suing the state due to having a high number of youth residents at JJSC waiting to be picked up by the state as they have already been sentenced to state STATED MEETING 48 10/27/2022 placement. The state is not refusing to pick up residents. There are very limited state beds and options in general, and some state facilities have cut ties with the City for various reasons. While this capacity issue is true, the issues are far deeper than what this resolution is proposing. YEAHPhilly has been making City officials aware of egregious issues within the JJSC for several years. Even with the 74 residents waiting for state beds, there have been severe abuse and neglect of youth going on for years within this facility, and this is a systemic and City issue. The detention center is run by City people and City entities, so how are we placing sole blame on the state when how we run this facility is literally in our control? The City continues to ignore the deeper issues, and it's unfortunate STATED MEETING 49 10/27/2022 that people will most likely have to die before any type of useful action may take place. YEAHPhilly visits and talks to youth weekly at JJSC. During face-to-face visits, youth are high off of drugs such as Suboxone that they are saying they get from staff. Complaints of youth never going to school, not being able to go outside, not being able to leave their cells, not seeing mental health counselors or receiving proper medical treatment continue to be the status quo in our detention center. When YEAHPhilly began to tell people about these issues, JJSC started to block our visits to youth in effort to intimidate us for sharing what's been happening inside the facility. Over the past several years, the Philadelphia area has seen several youth jails and residential facilities be closed due to the unaddressed and ongoing abuse and neglect of youth. The same STATED MEETING 50 10/27/2022 exact issues that closed these other facilities are exactly what's happening at our own youth facility right here in West Philly. It's our duty as a city to not only protect the young people in our care and custody but to actually do something about it while taking full accountability instead of placing blame on the entity that does not run this facility. Resolution 220853 is not only an effort to skirt City responsibility, but it's another effort that does not address the root causes of the issues within the center. JJSC should only detain young people who have committed egregious acts of violence against people, while the others need to remain in the community with the right services. We know that about 80 percent of youth at JJSC pose a lower risk to public safety, and we need to be doing everything we can to keep our kids in the community to get the services they need. STATED MEETING 51 10/27/2022 JJSC has been over the capacity of the 150 youth, with many youth being there for a year without their time in detention counting towards their sentence. The City continues to not address the real issues of abuse and neglect, and now that things have started to blow up, they are making a last-ditch effort to place blame and continue to ignore the center needs that need to be closed, and they are not protecting our kids. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker STATED MEETING 52 10/27/2022 is Malqe James. (No response.)
Yolanda Jennings, commenting on 220851. (Speaker approached podium.)
Thank you, Ms. Jennings. State your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Good morning. My name is Yolanda Jennings. I am with Purple House Project PA and I'm speaking in support of Resolution No. 22085100. I'd like to first thank Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Curtis STATED MEETING 53 10/27/2022 Jones, Jr. for introducing the resolution and all of the co-sponsors, Councilmembers Gauthier, Driscoll, Gilmore Richardson, Squilla, and Thomas, and Councilmember Gym for her support of the domestic violence hotline. As a survivor of domestic violence and an advocate, I am very thrilled to see a collaboration between the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Collaborative and the many other domestic violence organizations. I believe together we can work together to help spread awareness and educate and turn victims into survivors. I'm so happy to see in the resolution a wholistic approach, because as a member of Purple House Project PA, this is one of our founder's dreams. Thank you so much for all you're doing.
Thank you so much for your testimony. STATED MEETING 54 10/27/2022 (Applause.)
Good morning. My name is Christine Brunson. I am the Executive Director of Purple House Project PA. I'd like to first thank Councilmember Kendra Brooks and all the other Councilmembers who are in support of this bill -- I mean this resolution. Purple House Project is a local non-profit with the mission to strengthen, empower, and transition women impacted by intimate partner violence through connection to essential resources STATED MEETING 55 10/27/2022 that aid in the healing process. This resolution will be very beneficial and will help us continue to move our mission forward as we continue to collaborate with other like-minded organizations to help end this epidemic of intimate partner violence. Thank you so much for your support.
The next speaker is Stacie Leap, commenting on 220851. (Speaker approached podium.)
Thank you. Please state your name for the record and present your testimony.
Good morning. My name is Stacie Leap. I am in support of Resolution 851. I am both a survivor of STATED MEETING 56 10/27/2022 domestic violence as well as a blind person. I went blind in 2016 as a result of domestic violence. I was brutally attacked by my ex-boyfriend while I was two months pregnant. He dislocated my neck in several places. He also, like I said, caused my blindness as well as dislocated certain vertebras in my back. To this day, I have chronic back pain as well as -- sorry. Can you guys hear me better?
Should I start all over? Again, my name is Stacie Leap. I went blind in 2016 as a result of domestic violence, like I said. It's been a struggle trying to adjust to the blindness, and I really am so thankful that there is more awareness coming out when it comes to domestic violence as well as resources for those who are blind. I find it really hard to STATED MEETING 57 10/27/2022 adjust. Still to this day my abuser has not been committed for his crime. I missed the statute of limitation in order to charge him for the crime. I live my life in great fear half the time because of my blindness and not being able to see, but I'm thankful that the resolution is out just to bring the awareness out, and I hope that more resolutions come out where we can provide resources for those going through domestic violence while having different disabilities and how we can keep ourselves safe and keep ourselves aware of the situation that's going on in the community. Since my blindness, I've been able to connect with other people within the blindness community and help start a blind parents group with the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania, where we come together, support each other. A lot of the parents in that group are also survivors of domestic STATED MEETING 58 10/27/2022 violence, and when I told them about this situation, they were very happy that more talk is coming out concerning domestic violence and there's no silencing it, and the more we have opportunities to bring awareness, the more people can have the help that they deserve. Thank you.
The next speaker is Hannah Pretiva-Spielberg. (Speaker approached podium.)
Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
My name STATED MEETING 59 10/27/2022 is Hannah Pretiva-Spielberg. For many years I've had the gift of learning from and working beside young people impacted by incarceration in Philadelphia as well as many fellow advocates who you heard speak today and the social work director for the Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project and was also a social service advocate for youth while at the Defender Association between 2014 and 2018. During that time, I visited individual youth clients at JJSC on an often weekly basis, observed Family Court hearings multiple days on any given week, and visited every PA state placement facility on numerous occasions. I'm joining fellow colleagues and community members in opposing Resolution 220853 because I'm highly concerned by a misguided framing of the current crisis of the City's youth jail, which is in turn leading to proposed solutions that will only make our city's children and all of us less safe. STATED MEETING 60 10/27/2022 I believe that the sponsors of the resolution intend to find solutions to this crisis, and with respect for track records advocating for the City's children, I am urging a necessary reframe of the problem and distinct resolutions which propose distinct solutions. First, towards the necessary reframe. The problem is not that there is not enough space at PJJSC to incarcerate our children and that we therefore must send them to be incarcerated further away where they will allegedly receive more legitimate therapeutic treatment that will address the roots of the situations that brought them into the courts and enable them to return to Philadelphia changed for the better. Separating children from families and community support systems, removing them from communities which they will inevitably return to in a few months or a year or two overwhelmingly STATED MEETING 61 10/27/2022 traumatizes them further, increases likelihood of future recidivism, and jeopardizes public safety in the long run. The problems instead that I want to lift up are, one, a lack of funding for and, two, a lack of judges granting opportunities to educate and support our children outside jail cells here in our home city. Regarding funding priorities, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So it's important to lift up recent cycles of increased detention funding and lack of community reinvestment. PJJSC was opened about ten years ago, about the same time that a record number, around 30, schools closed. Violence has only increased since then, more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now when the number of youth at JJSC is more than triple the number when it first opened, violence in the City is still STATED MEETING 62 10/27/2022 higher than ever before. So all the reaction to more violence seems to be to incarcerate more children, and we can also see that violence increases when essential community resources are shuttered and that high incarceration does not decrease levels of violence. Over the past six years, many placements have closed down due to horrific abuses that have occurred there, and I know that these abuses have happened in situations that have been reported to ChildLine and many of the state facilities that are being proposed to send our youth to.
So in order to just emphasize the necessity of community programs over state placements --
Thank you. I just want to say that there is -I have been told these state facilities and there is not a magical treatment plan that is happening there that is happening in our communities if these programs were funded.
Thank you. We appreciate your testimony today. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Joanna Otero Cruz, commenting on 220851. (Speaker approached podium.)
Buenos dias. Good morning. My name is Joanna Otero Cruz, STATED MEETING 64 10/27/2022 an honor to be here today as Executive Director and President of Women Against Abuse and to speak on Resolution 220851. On behalf of Women Against Abuse, our sister agencies, Congreso, Lutheran Settlement House, and Women in Transition, and the survivors of domestic violence we serve, I want to thank Councilmembers Jones and Brooks and all of City Council for recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Philadelphia. This year our official proclamation comes at the end of Awareness Month, giving us a unique opportunity to reflect together about the ways in which domestic violence has impacted our community, as well as the impact that our current political climate has on domestic violence. Unprecedented threats to bodily autonomy, unrelenting gun violence, and impacts of a pandemic lockdown that allows increased violence to thrive in STATED MEETING 65 10/27/2022 isolation have all contributed to the extraordinary dangerous situations for people experiencing domestic violence. Over the last year, we saw elements of intimate partner violence evolve in ways we never could have imagined to reflect our ever-changing and increasingly violent world. So we have to evolve as well. When clients stop calling the hotline because we couldn't talk safely on the phones, we developed a web chat. When our courts closed to the public during the lockdown, intake and attorney representation was provided via videoconference and telephone. We walked -- when we walked into -- I'm sorry. When walk-in counseling centers closed due to the pandemic, we went to Zoom. As a city, we shared safety has developed new tools and flyers to serve our immigrants, victims of crime, and survivors of human trafficking to meet STATED MEETING 66 10/27/2022 the needs when gaps are sought. This October we reflect on the commitment we have all made in ending violence in our homes and in our neighborhoods. As a city, we have evolved to meet the changing needs in our community, and yet we have miles to keep the most vulnerable members of our community safe and when they're in their own homes. On behalf of our clients and this month especially, we come together with hope that our city's plans for addressing current levels of violence consider the impact of domestic violence, which is often overlooked by the fundamental to health and safety in our community. In closing, while today is a very important day to officially recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month in our city, we must remember that every day in our homes and in our streets thousands of Philadelphians are STATED MEETING 67 10/27/2022 experiencing intimate partner violence. We can all be leaders in helping others understand the connection between all types of violence so that we can create more progress. I thank you for this proclamation of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Philadelphia, and I urge you to continue on your advocacy year round. Thank you.
The next speaker is Ogbonna Hagins, commenting on 220654. (Speaker approached podium.)
H-A-G-I-N-S. I'm speaking on 220564. I am asking that STATED MEETING 68 10/27/2022 this bill is totally eliminated. This bill will not decrease youth violence. If you want to decrease -- if you want to create a youth curfew, why not create a curfew in general. Many people have said the elder who was murdered by the youth a few months ago, that it wouldn't have happened if there was a youth curfew, but if there was a curfew in general, it also wouldn't happen. Maybe just maybe if Philadelphia had a world-class education system and if the youth were inspired to create, there wouldn't be a need for a curfew. I'm asking that you reconsider the curfew in lieu of some other activities that the youth should be having. So the other day when the Phillies won the pennant, there was no violence, there was no shooting, there was no murder. So maybe if Philadelphia STATED MEETING 69 10/27/2022 was a winning city in education, maybe if Philadelphia was a winning city in terms of keeping the City clean, just maybe we would eliminate or at least decrease the violence in this city. And I would also just like to say that two minutes is really not enough to speak before City Council. To have to stand up here and have people rush to speak, I mean, what do you really have to do? What happens if we get out of here at 12:30? What difference is it really going to make? People have things that they want to get off their chest and they want to say. So I would just, you know, recommend that you kind of give some leeway with everyone who wants to speak. And we have to listen to our young people. Last week when the young sister was cut off -- do you know what it takes for a young person to come up here to speak, only to be cut off? That's not correct. We need to do something better STATED MEETING 70 10/27/2022 to listen to our youth. You want to know why the youth are not doing certain things? Because the adults are not listening to them. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Raymond Roy Pace, commenting on a resolution introduced today by Councilman Thomas. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. Good morning. My name is Raymond Roy Pace. I am currently the Principal of Girard College High School. I come to you today to speak on the topic that is very near and dear to STATED MEETING 71 10/27/2022 my heart, and that's Black male educators. I speak on this topic because, one, I consider myself a Black male educator serving in the City for over a decade now, being a product of the City, but when I also look around, I ask my peers often how many of you ever had a Black male educator. When you think about the impact that a Black male educator makes on a young person -- makes in a young person's life, you can consider these statistics to be true: That 39 percent of students will graduate from high school if they just have one Black male educator. Having a Black male educator in a classroom affirms the identities and beliefs of the young people that sit in that classroom. I will also venture to say that having a Black male educator in a classroom also helps address societal issues when it comes to race and racial issues in our communities. STATED MEETING 72 10/27/2022 So when I say -- when we look at our city and we consider the crisis in which we're in, we talk about youth violence and the killings that are happening. What I will also suggest to do is to take a look at what supports do we have in place for young people when they show up to their schoolhouses and their school buildings. Do they have people that look like them, that speak like them and talk like them and wear the same sneakers just like them. So today I thank you for having me here to speak on this issue, but I would encourage us all, if we're going to be truly about the business of our young people, is take a look at our teaching workforce and let's work to diversify that so that we can have more Black male educators in our classrooms. Thank you. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 73 10/27/2022
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Raymond Fields. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. Good morning. My name is Raymond Fields. I'm the Executive Director of Urban Teachers Philadelphia. I just want to echo many of the sentiments that were provided by my brother, Ray Pace. First and foremost, gratitude to the leadership of Councilmember Isaiah Thomas and Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development. Ray just talked a great deal about the statistics as it relates to the representation of Black male educators as well as the impact lowering dropout rates, ensuring that identity is affirmed. I want to also speak about the STATED MEETING 74 10/27/2022 true impact of windows and mirrors. My entire K-12 experience, I did not have one single Black male educator in my trajectory, not until college. I had a Black man advocate for me to teach me, to mentor me, and to also provide the in-road for me to become an educator. I then moved into becoming a teacher in the cities of Atlanta, DC, and ultimately leading schools here in Philadelphia. And when I think about the experiences that I've had with the young people that I've served, specifically Black boys, often times they did not know the possibilities, the pathways, the opportunities afforded to them if they in fact have the space and the place of having Black men in front of them. My ask is beyond that. What do we do as a city to ensure that we retain Black men as educators? How do we provide avenues for certification? How do we provide avenues for financial STATED MEETING 75 10/27/2022 supports? How do we provide alternative certification tracks to ensure that they are then able to enter the profession? So as I said before, beyond the statistics, how are we providing windows and mirrors for the young Black boys and girls that are here within the City and how do we make sure that that is in fact thriving in this space. So thank you so much. I appreciate the time today. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Esther Gillyard, commenting on a resolution introduced today by Councilwoman Brooks. (Speaker approached podium.)
My name is Esther Gillyard and I'm also talking about the Blind Equality Month, which is today, and I had won third place in the Miss Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant, which was the third place of the titleholder of social media. This is a great honor to represent all of Philadelphia visually impaired and blind individuals in the City and also in the state. It's a great privilege to show the world that we too can live the life we want. And I'm also a survivor of domestic violence as well as my daughter, but our story was never heard or accepted in Philadelphia. But she's a straight A student. I am supporting her to show the world that her survival proved that she can overcome anything, any obstacle, as well as me, and I'm proving to everybody in Philadelphia that you too, no matter your situations, your -- the issue that you are facing in your life, that you too STATED MEETING 77 10/27/2022 can live the life you want, that we are survivors and not victims. I want the City to really look at the issue that blind and visually impaired as well as domestic violence victims goes through and to really fight for them. So I just want to say thank you to everyone, my church family, Love Zion Baptist Church, as well as the City of Philadelphia and Delaware County that's going to be honoring me as well, for allowing me to have this platform, because blindness is not an issue. It is a survival. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Gabby Jackson, commenting on 220853. (Speaker approached podium.) STATED MEETING 78 10/27/2022
Good morning. Hi. My name is Gabby Jackson and I'm with a community organization in the City of Philadelphia. And, again, like I'll be talking on like the Bill 220853. So currently in the State of Pennsylvania -- well, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia youth make up 44 percent of incarcerated youth, with that being 12 percent of the state population. Seventy-seven percent of those youth are Black and brown youth, and that currently reflects the population at JJSC. This issue -- this is like a primary issue of pretty much incarcerated Black and brown youth, and also creates and deflects from creating feelings that's supposed to be the purpose of JJSC, and it's actually creating more harm. I have the privilege of working with youth who have been incarcerated and STATED MEETING 79 10/27/2022 also their parents who have supported them through the process of incarceration, and I would like to share some of their testimonies of the conditions of JJSC, which also measures up with the conditions of prior facilities that were created in the State of Pennsylvania. So I'll take time to read that. I was recently at JJSC, and I want to say that the conditions in there are getting worse every day. At JJSC they had three people to a double room, but some people were sleeping on the floor, about 20 kids in admissions. They only allow you to take one shower, and that's only during your intake time. The staff antagonize kids and they don't like you. They go to get another kid to do something to you, and that kid earns outside food and something else as a reward, as if they did something good. I don't think we should be STATED MEETING 80 10/27/2022 incarcerated for house arrest or violations, because we didn't ask to be on house arrest. What do we learn from being on house arrest all day without restrictions, not being able to do anything? We should be able to participate in a program that allows us to learn from our mistakes, hear our voices, and actually helps us with that need we have. And that's from a youth that's been incarcerated recently at JJSC. The comments from a parent: Having my son incarcerated was a traumatic experience in regards to JJSC. I do not agree nor like the way that people in the place operates. The staff let kids fight. Kids are bullied and picked on and offered rewards to participate in violence. They talk to the kids disrespectfully. I believe it should be shut down as a parent. They failed to allow me to speak to my son for a long period STATED MEETING 81 10/27/2022 of time when he first was incarcerated. The social worker failed to reach out to me. It took me about ten calls to get in contact with them. My son also caught COVID while being there. It was no precautions. Again, like I understand that there's harm that is done in the City, but incarceration is not the answer, and I do believe that reinvesting the funding that does go to that facility as well as a lot of other programs that have incarcerated our youth or kept our youth on restrictions should be reincarcerated into community programming, that actually kids are used the right to speak on what that programming looks like, as well as gives our youth the right to speak on what are the resolutions to actually incarceration. And overcrowded prisons as well as sending our youth off to other facilities that have shown that they're not productive and they don't create healing is not the answer. STATED MEETING 82 10/27/2022
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Peter Winslow, commenting on 210913. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Peter Winslow. I'm a Philadelphia resident and a Phillies fan. Thank you, President Clarke and members of the Council, for this opportunity to speak to you in support of Resolution No. 210913 introduced by Councilmember Bass. Tomorrow Philadelphia becomes a World Series city. Go Phillies. In 2015, Philadelphia became a UNESCO World Heritage city, and it wasn't because of our sports teams or our eds and meds or our cheesesteaks and scrapple. It was because Philadelphia is the cradle of STATED MEETING 83 10/27/2022 democracy. It's a democracy that we have to preserve vigilantly, which is why I want to continue reading the resolution that I began at last session as follows: Whereas, undue concentration of power in the executive branch would violate the very essence of democratic government as espoused by the drafters of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter; and Whereas, the people of Philadelphia expect public officials to act in good faith; and Whereas, the people of Philadelphia require honesty, transparency, and accountability from our public officials; and Whereas, the Council has power to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents and other evidence at any meeting of the body or any of its committees. Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that City Council is hereby STATED MEETING 84 10/27/2022 authorized to compel the attendance of Mayor Kenney to explain his refusal to implement and enforce Ordinances No. 210956 and 200425 duly enacted into law by the City Council of Philadelphia. I will leave my resolution on the public comment podium for Mr. Decker. Thank you so much. Go Phillies.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it.
The next speaker is Lynn Landes, commenting on 200425. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. I'm Lynn Landes, founder of WildFoodies.org. I speak in support of Councilmember Bass's resolution to enforce Bill 200425, the Healthy Outdoor Spaces bill. Last week I spoke about how important our wild plants can be to our well-being. This week I want to focus on one wild medicinal plant in particular, STATED MEETING 85 10/27/2022 the plantain or plantago, not the banana. Plantain is a miracle medicinal herb usually described as a common yard weed since it grows everywhere. What does plantain do? It is a universal healer, both externally and internally, and should be part of every first aid kit. Basically it draws out and dries up infection. According to scientific studies, it's an antibiotic, an antiviral, an antiparasitic, antifungal, antidote, antiinflammatory, anticancer, antitumor, antiradiation poisoning, antiulcer, anti-fever, anti-cough, decongestant, relieves pain, stops bleeding, helps cure blood poisoning, lowers cholesterol, and boosts the immune system. Plantain requires no elaborate processing. I've used it for years, particularly as an antibiotic, whereas I'm allergic to most commercial antibiotics. STATED MEETING 86 10/27/2022 If people knew about this and other wild medicinal plants, many commercial medicines would not be needed. This is an important issue, as our drinking water is not filtered for medications, most of which have harmful side-effects to both humans and the environment. It is also a crime that our institutions do not educate the public about our wild resources but instead convince us that we need commercial products and services in order to survive. We can do a lot more to ensure our own well-being, but that relies on an environment that has not been contaminated with toxic chemicals and pesticides, which is why I ask you to support Councilmember Bass's resolution to enforce 200425. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. STATED MEETING 87 10/27/2022 We appreciate it. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Sharif El-Mekki, commenting on a resolution introduced today by Councilman Thomas. (Speaker approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Sharif El-Mekki. I'm the proud founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development. Foremost I'm grateful for the countless Black educators on whose shoulders I stand and lean on, several of whom are here. You heard from a couple of them as well. Thank you to Councilman Isaiah Thomas for the resolution naming October as Black Male Educators Month and for recognizing the Fifth Annual National STATED MEETING 88 10/27/2022 Black Men Educators Convening that will be held right here in Philadelphia later this fall. Each day I'm reminded of the importance of Black men teachers. Research shows that Black boys who have at least one Black teacher are up to 39 percent less likely to drop out of school. If Black students have one Black elementary school teacher, they are 29 percent more likely to go to college. If they have two Black teachers, they are 32 percent more likely to enroll in college. Very few interventions are like a successful Black educator. If Black boys have one Black male teacher, they are 18 percent less likely to be referred for special IEP services, special education services. And despite the compelling evidence of Black men educators' impact, less than two percent of teachers in the United States public schools are Black. And here in Philadelphia, where we have a STATED MEETING 89 10/27/2022 desperate need for successful academic and social interventions for our students, and we've heard from several speakers today, less than five percent of our teachers identify as Black men and only about a quarter of the overall teaching force here in Philly. Most students will go through their 13 years of public school education without ever being taught by a Black teacher, let alone a Black man. We cannot have social justice without educational and racial justice. We founded the Center in 2019, the Center for Black Educator Development, to address and accelerate important changes in the educational system. Our mission to rebuild the Black teacher pipeline in order to achieve educational equity and racial justice is achieved through our work, but it is not simply enough to have Black men as teachers. I can tell you in 1993 after I was shot and left for dead and on my way STATED MEETING 90 10/27/2022 to law school after that, I was recruited and invited into the profession by Dr. Martin Ryder. That type of work must continue. It must continue to be celebrated, supported, funded, and evaluated. And this resolution today naming October as Black Male Educators Month and honoring our work to continue our tradition of hosting Black Men Educators Convening is a symbolic and meaningful gesture that can and must be matched by the work of constructing a robust, highly effective, sustainable, and funded Black teacher pipeline for here in Philadelphia. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. (Applause.)
There are no STATED MEETING 91 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING other speakers today, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our public comment session for today. I want to thank all of the witnesses who testified today and for your interest in your government. We appreciate it. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. And, Mr. Decker, I'm going to ask you to read the title of Resolution No. 220849.
A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1510, 1512, 1514, 1520 through 26, 1530, 1532 through 34, 1538, 1540, 1542, 1548, 1552, 1554, 1556, 1558 and 1663 North Darien Street; 1526, 1528 and 1540 North 8th Street; 1501 through 13, 1529, 1545, 1549 and 1551 North 9th Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District. STATED MEETING 92 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (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, please read the title of Resolution No. 220851.
A resolution declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia.
The STATED MEETING 93 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf again, I move for the adoption of this resolution. (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 -(Applause.)
-please read the title of Resolution No. 220853.
A resolution STATED MEETING 94 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING encouraging the Law Department to file a lawsuit against the State of Pennsylvania seeking injunctive relief for their refusal to take custody of juveniles sentenced to state facilities who are currently housed at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to speak on this resolution for a moment and say that we appreciate truly the input and objections of the advocates today, because they're absolutely right that we are treating just a symptom. Overcrowding of a facility is a symptom. We need to also evaluate the cause. We understand that there are far too many of our young people in those facilities, but we also know that overcrowding risks a catastrophe for both the young people that are housed there and the staff that are charged with STATED MEETING 95 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING taking care of them. So what we have talked about on this floor with my colleagues, Member Gym, who this is not anything new, for the last two years, she's been looking at that causal effect of what we can do to mitigate these circumstances. And what we want to do is, once we get past that crisis, we will continue to look at the causes and meet with the advocates and talk about solutions long term and short term. There are two types of leaders here, Mr. President, those that deal with situations and those that deal with long-term solutions. We hope to be both.
Before we do that, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym.
Thank you STATED MEETING 96 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING very much, Council President. Thank you very much, Majority Leader Jones. I also wanted to acknowledge the words of the advocates who spoke today. I think they spoke incredibly powerfully to the current conditions of what is happening and, again, emphasize that our concern has to be on our young people as they leave that center, not just on why they went into it. The most important thing for us is zeroed in on their safety, their well-being, their mental health, and the long-term outcomes that they have. There is no question that as we're dealing with the temporary crisis and the immediate crisis of the situation that has long been brewing there, the testifiers are absolutely right that we will not ignore how we got here and the systemic issues that have to be urgently fixed. The recommendations that they STATED MEETING 97 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING have made are being taken to heart, and I know my colleagues will be active around them. We created a task force within this Council body several years ago, specifically because we knew that the institutions that we were using to hold children profoundly harmed and abused them and that often left our children worse off, worse off than where they were before, worsening cycles of violence, if not even deepening them. As the scope of the abuse at facilities like Glen Mills -- and we can rattle off countless names -- was revealed in a way that could no longer be ignored, we did work actively to shut down abusive institutions, and we have made it clear that our children will not be harmed while they are in their care. But we still have to find alternatives, and I think that that is one of the most compelling things that came out today, that we still despite all STATED MEETING 98 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING of the lessons that we've learned, despite the harmful abusive institutions that have been shut down, despite the testimonies that have been made passionately by young people about the harm that they have suffered while being institutionalized, we still have not provided anything close to adequate support, resources, or other options to replace those institutions. So this must change. We are not going to allow our children to be casualties of our failures to do the work that is our mission, which is to care and educate, and ensure and tell our families that they are going to be cared for, especially in their most urgent time of need. So I just want to thank the advocates again. We have heard your -we have absolutely heard your recommendations, and we will be moving on a number of them and look forward to staying in touch. STATED MEETING 99 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you very much, Council President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
I wanted to speak on this briefly too. I wanted to thank the advocates who came here today for speaking up today and making those very critical and important points but also for the work that they do every day to serve youth, including youth at PJJSC. I am going to support the resolution because we need a "right now" solution. There was one day when we heard that there were four staff at PJJSC. We could not have a situation where we have 230 kids in a facility that's not built for that many kids with four staff people. And so the solutions that we need to pursue in the immediate term need STATED MEETING 100 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING to relieve the population at the site. However, I do also think that we have to pay much more attention to the other issues and recommendations that were brought up here today, particularly around seeing who could go back into the community today and around having much more discretion on the youth that are going into PJJSC in the first place. You know, during the pandemic, the Public Safety Committee, we were working very closely with the Defenders and with the courts to review the young people who were at PJJSC, to send people home who could go home and to have more discretion around who needed to be there in the first place. That work -- at some point, we just had to shut down any communication with the courts, and I feel like we need to get back to that and we should be evaluating that probably on a weekly basis the same way we were during the pandemic. And so what I am hopeful for is STATED MEETING 101 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING that we can invite the advocates into the conversation that we have been having around PJJSC so that they can -- these important points can be a part of our process, both in terms of the immediate but also in terms of the long-term concerns around how young people in Philadelphia should be treated and supported. So I just wanted to say that.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to speak briefly on this, and I wanted to thank the folks who came down today for their commentary and also folks who -- there are many positions on what to do, but I think the one thing that everyone has in common is the acknowledgment that we need to do something and we need to do it now and that we are all trying to work fast and STATED MEETING 102 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING furious to fix this situation. But this goes way, way back, and I know it's not a surprise to anyone in here. This goes way, way back to the fact that we have underfunded our public schools. We have not supported the resources -- or we do not have the resources that our young people need. And as it was mentioned earlier around African American males and the interaction in teaching, that's a part, that's a component of what is missing. So I just really wanted to put that into the universe, because we can't expect that things will just magically change, things will magically just get better for our young people unless there is the very determined effort and work put in to make sure that that actually happens, and that includes investment, that includes support. You know, it just really includes a whole lot more than they're getting right now. So I just wanted to add that to STATED MEETING 103 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING the conversation, Mr. President. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Jones, just make the motion again, please.
Again, our intentions are to not point the finger of fault at anybody but to point the finger towards solutions. It's not their fault, but it is all of our responsibility. And with that, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor of the motion indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The STATED MEETING 104 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it. The motion passes. Mr. Decker, 220856.
A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 2843 through 2861 Janney Street and 2842 through 2860 Weikel Street located in the First Councilmanic District.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The STATED MEETING 105 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 220857.
A resolution urging Drexel University, as the recipient of the Atwater Kent Collection to ensure adequate stewardship of the collection and protect the interest of donors, art lovers, and residents of Philadelphia.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 106 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and the motion passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 220659.
An ordinance amending Bill No. 220401, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Wage and Net Profits Tax,' by revising certain tax rates, under certain terms and conditions," to correct a typographical error in stating the period in which a reduction in the resident Net Profits Tax rate is applicable.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones for an amendment to Bill No. 220659.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I'd like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 220659. A copy of that amendment has been circulated to all members. I move for STATED MEETING 107 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Bill No. 220659 has been amended, and Bill No. 220659, as amended, will be placed on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution Celebrating, Recognizing, and Honoring Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated on the occasion of their 100th Founders Day, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The STATED MEETING 108 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of all the members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated on the occasion of their Centennial, I move the adoption of the resolution. (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.
And a resolution recognizing October as, Black Male Educators Month, and honoring the Black Male Educators Convening, for their STATED MEETING 109 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING dedication to the recruitment, development, and retention of Black male educators in schools by providing support and mentorship to Black men, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.
Thank you. Thank you, Council President. I want to first thank Sharif El-Mekki and the other educators who came here today for their leadership and their diligence as it relates to working with young people in the City of Philadelphia. As a former teacher myself, a former dean, still a current basketball coach, I understand the importance of Black men in the classroom and in other non-traditional spaces, and I emphatically move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 110 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring the Philadelphia Phillies for winning the 2022 National League Championship and challenging Houston City Council to bet that the Phillies will defeat the Astros in the 2022 World Series, introduced today by Councilman Jones on behalf of Council President Clarke.
Drum roll. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Mr. President, on your behalf and on behalf of our Fightin' Phils in the City STATED MEETING 111 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING of Philadelphia, we do hereby challenge the City of Houston's City Council to step up to the plate in a wager that we are putting forth our Tastykakes, our cheesesteaks, our soft pretzels, and water ice against whatever treasure they may offer, and we declare and we understand that they believe that their baseball team is like the New England Patriots, and we recognize that there was one other score where we faced up against that juggernaut and we had a little thing called "The Philly Special." And in that tradition, we hope that they'll accept our challenge and let our Fightin' Phils enter their city and take what is rightfully theirs, the World Championship, World Series. Go Fightin' Phillies.
And let us tip our hat for a vote is aye. STATED MEETING 112 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
Again, they better not let us down. The motion passes unanimously. Go Phillies. Thank you, Councilman. Thank you so much.
We have a resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Safety to hold a hearing examining the true cost of crime on Philadelphia residents, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Thank you again, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
STATED MEETING 113 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
And a resolution welcoming the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to Philadelphia on October 27, 2022 for the C.R.O.W.N. Conference to address and bring awareness to hair bias and discrimination in Pennsylvania, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Yes. Very briefly, Mr. President. This topic of hair and discrimination and what comes with different forms of expression through hair came first to this Council by Councilwoman Parker when she introduced that resolution. To that degree, it has circulated to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where there is a STATED MEETING 114 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING national conference discussing that in Philadelphia. And so on behalf of her and all of the women and men of City Council, I move for the adoption. (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.
And a resolution recognizing October 2022 as Blindness Equality Month in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank STATED MEETING 115 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING 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 aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution celebrating October as Mural Arts Month in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) STATED MEETING 116 10/27/2022 10/27/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution recognizing October 2022 as National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month in the City of Philadelphia to spread awareness of mental illness, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal thoughts, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of this resolution as well. (Duly seconded.) STATED MEETING 117 10/27/2022
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our Calendar for today. Are there any speeches on behalf of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. STATED MEETING 118 10/27/2022 Councilmember Jones for co-introducing the Domestic Violence Awareness Month resolution with me and to all my Council colleagues and their staff members who demonstrate their support for this issue by wearing purple today. As you know, I lost my cousin, Tianna, nine years ago to domestic violence. Last year we passed the coercive control bill, which expanded protections for survivors of abuse in her memory, and this bill recognizes that not all forms of abuse are physical and ensure that survivors have the housing, workplace, possessions they need to stay safe and seek help before it's too late. I will continue to honor my cousin's memory by fighting for victims of domestic violence, making resources more visible and accessible, and ensuring survivors know that they are not alone. And I also want to recognize Women Against Abuse, Purple House STATED MEETING 119 10/27/2022 Project, and everyone in the City who's standing up for survivors for their essential work to reduce stigma and create pathways to safety. For those who are interested, Purple House Project will be hosting their annual Purple Path Walk this Saturday at noon at Tioga Hope Garden, and I will be there with my team, and all are welcome to attend to support the survivors. As someone who worked for years with people with disability and is passionate about disability justice, I also want to highlight something we don't talk about enough, which is the intersections between disabilities and domestic violence. The effects of abuse are long-lasting, whether it's psychological, physical or financial. After experiencing abuse, many survivors must overcome not just the trauma of the domestic violence but navigate the STATED MEETING 120 10/27/2022 physical disabilities from their abuse. And it is clear that these movements for justice are all related and that building a truly inclusive, safe, accessible city means ensuring that we are supporting the whole person, not just one aspect of who they are. So in light of the intersections between the fight to end domestic violence and fighting for disability justice, I also proudly introduced and passed the resolution that recognizes October as Blindness Equity Month, individuals experiencing visual impairment for a wide variety of reasons at different points in their lifetime, and it is critical that as a City Council body, we are working with blind and visually impaired communities to ensure that they are able to live full, healthy lives. I want to specifically recognize Eyes Like Mine for their STATED MEETING 121 10/27/2022 partnership, Stacie Leap, who courageously shared her story today, and those organizing, started the blind parents group for the National Federation of the Blind in Pennsylvania. And I also want to thank Esther Gillyard for her work with Eyes Like Mine. Esther's skills and efforts were recognized recently at the Sixth Annual Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant. And I'm very proud of both of these women for their efforts. It's brave advocates like Stacie and Esther who must be at the forefront of our fight for inclusive, accessible Philadelphia. Thank you both for your courage and for leading the way when it comes to blindness equity in Philadelphia. Thanks again to all my Council colleagues for their strong support, and thank you again, Council President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Speeches on behalf of the STATED MEETING 122 10/27/2022 majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
I just wanted to thank Councilmembers Brooks and Jones for the resolution around Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and I also wanted to thank everyone who came here to support the resolution, particularly those who shared really painful personal experiences. I realize that it must be very hard to talk about things that are that traumatic, but I also think it's a very important part of raising awareness around the issue, particularly coming out of the pandemic where so many women and children especially were kind of trapped in circumstances that might not have happened otherwise. So I just wanted to thank everybody and to thank the members for putting forward this important effort.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. STATED MEETING 123 10/27/2022 the speeches on behalf of the -- no, it doesn't. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm going to be brief, and I wanted to just make mention, number one, go Phils. Number two, go Eagles, for all the Steelers fans in my family. But I wanted to just mention briefly about a good friend of mine who passed away, and I want to put it in the context of there are so many negative things that are happening, but I wanted to make mention that we lost a shining star in the City of Philadelphia named Dionne Johns, who was very well known in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, very, very active in community, always giving back, always doing for community, and we lost her very suddenly last week. And so while I want to just STATED MEETING 124 10/27/2022 name and the work that she had done, I don't want to do it in a negative connotation or be down about it. I want to really say it in a way that celebrates and uplifts the life that she lived and all that she gave. She was a giver. She was very generous. And she was a doer for countless people, particularly in Germantown and in the Northwest section of Philadelphia. So I really just wanted to mention her name and also send prayers to her son. She had very deep ties also with the Philadelphia Police Department. Her son, Mark Casey, is a sergeant with the Philadelphia Police Department and her cousin is Captain Malachi Jones, and they're both very well known as well throughout the City. So I just really wanted to make mention of that, and that although we've lost an angel here in the City of Philadelphia, heaven has definitely gained one. STATED MEETING 125 10/27/2022 you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. And with that, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, November 3rd, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, November 3rd, 2022, 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The motion carries. Thank you all very much. STATED MEETING 126 10/27/2022
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