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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