Stated Meeting, September 24, 2026

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania September 24, 2026 10:00 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILWOMAN NINA AHMAD COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN CINDY GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN CURTIS J. JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN RUE LANDAU COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY M. LOZADA COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN NICOLAS O'ROURKE COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILMAN JEFFREY YOUNG, JR. ELIZABETH McCOLLUM NAZARIO, CHIEF CLERK - - -

Good morning, everyone. (Good morning.)

Good morning, everyone. I am asking all visitors to please retire outside the Council chamber rails. Before proceeding, I will ask all those present to please set your cell phones to silent and/or vibrate. I note that the hour has come and that a quorum of this City Council is present. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Rabbi Michael Perice from Kesher Israel. He is here today as a guest of Councilwoman Rue Landau. I will ask all guests and members to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests and visitors rise.)

Shalom. My name is Rabbi Michael Perice. It is an honor to be here both as we are celebrating the Jewish holiday, but also Recovery Month as I am in recovery years from a 7 very serious opiate addiction. 8 (Applause.) 9

Thank 10 you. Thank you. I want to thank 11 Councilmember Harrity for having 12 me. It is truly a great honor. 13 Ten years ago I gave the opening 14 invocation at the Pennsylvania 15 State House of Representatives. I told our legislators no one liked them, and I chided them for not doing a good job. I promise I won't do that again. But it's something I said ten years ago. I believe still resonates to this day, that being an elected official is a unique and special role in our society and culture, that you could affect more change in one day than most people can in their entire lives. And that makes your work sacred because it touches the lives of so many people. But any job, even powerful jobs, become routine. Mundaneness of life sets in and we forget. So I would ask each Councilmember here today, remember your first campaign. Remember the excitement you felt, the commitments you made, the things you said you would do if only you could sit where you sit today to remind yourself of that authenticity of purpose. It's the corporatization of politics that we disrespect. It's the hyper partisanship that we disrespect. But the authenticity of purpose, we all can respect that whether we agree or not. So let me offer you this blessing: May God bless and keep you. May God shine God's light upon you and be gracious to you. And may God always be turning toward you and grant you peace, but more. May God grant you a beginner's heart so that you can always remember with humility and compassion why you wanted to be in this chamber to begin with, if you could let that inspire your work. I know you will have truly earned this blessing. And let us all say Amen. (Amen.)

The Chair thanks the Rabbi for his invocation. Council will now be at ease. (Council at ease.)

The next order of business is the Approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, September 17, 2026. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2026 be approved. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, September 17, 2026 stand approved. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the Journal is approved. The next order of business is requests for leaves of absence. And the Chair recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the Majority, a leave of absence is requested for Councilmember Mark Squilla.

The Chair thanks the Majority Leader and leave will be granted. The Chair recognizes Minority Leader Kendra Brooks.

Good morning, Council President. On behalf of the Minority, there are no requests for leave of absence today.

The Chair thanks the Minority Leader. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember and Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council, and that were not listed on the Calendar circulated prior to today's Council 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 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.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the legislative matters stated by the Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson may be added to the agenda for today or those matters arise during the course of this session of Council. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair will dispense with the regular order of business to recognize the guests and visitors joining us in chambers this morning. On behalf of all members of City Council, I welcome you to our Council session. We appreciate your taking the time to join us as we attend to the legislative affairs of our great city. We certainly invite you to come again. At this time, we will be providing presentations and the first individual we would like to call up is Councilmember Mike Driscoll, who will present a resolution recognizing Ambassador John Giordano, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, and celebrating his distinguished career of public service. Would Ambassador Giordano and those accompanying him please join the Councilmember at the podium. Joining Councilmember Driscoll are the following individuals: Councilmember O'Neill. (Councilmembers and visitors approached podium.)

Please proceed, sir.

Well, thank you, Mr. President. And good morning all. We have a very special guest among us today. And as Council President said, we have the Ambassador to Namibia. And he's not only an a national figure, but this individual has had a lifelong career in public service, and his family hails from Southwest Philadelphia so he's a native son among us today. And I'm proud to be with John Giordano. And we'll be with your lovely wife in an hour or so over celebrating the native son's return as Ambassador. It's so exciting when we can have somebody that is an Ambassador of goodwill from America in the South African region not only talking about the wonderful things about America, but Ambassador, talking about the wonderful things about Philadelphia. We talked earlier today. He's actually promoting Philadelphia to try and bring business here. And I will note that he met the President of Community College today. And they're already in conversations about doing some wonderful things. So thank you, Ambassador, for being here. And with that, we'll get on with our recognition of you on this fine day. So let me begin with recognizing Ambassador John Giordano, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, and celebrating his distinguished career of public service. Whereas, throughout his distinguished career, Ambassador Giordano served in key leadership capacities across local, state and federal government, including positions in the United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, as Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and as an Assistant Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and

Whereas -- excuse me, whereas, Ambassador Giordano has consistently dedicated himself to educating future generations of leaders. Having served as a lecturer in law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University School of Law; and Whereas, in 2019 Ambassador Giordano expanded his service to the international arena when he was appointed to represent the United States at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, focusing on critical global issues, including human trafficking, countermeasures, and counterterrorism; and Whereas, in early 2025, he answered the call to public service, once again serving as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, where he oversaw federal prosecutions and targeted transnational criminal networks, drug trafficking, human trafficking and violent gang operations; and

Whereas, John Giordano was confirmed by the United States Senate as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia on October 7, 2025. Sworn in on October 9, 2025 and presented his credentials to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on October 29, 2025; and Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that it hereby recognizes Ambassador John Giordano, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, and commends him for his decades of dedicated service to our region and nation and wishes him continued success in representing the United States on the world stage. Further resolved, that an Engrossed copy of this Resolution, be presented to Ambassador John Giordano as evidence of the sincere respect of this legislative body. So on behalf of all 12 Councilmembers and Mr. President 13 Johnson, Ambassador, we'd like to 14 present you with this resolution. 15 Congratulations. 16 AMBASSADOR GIORDANO: 17 Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.

Congratulations. Thank you for your service. (Applause.)

Chair recognizes Ambassador Giordano for remarks. AMBASSADOR GIORDANO: This is beautiful. Thank you. Get everybody close here. President Johnson, Councilman Driscoll, all members of City Council, family 8 and the many friends that have 9 joined us this morning, thank you 10 for this absolutely extraordinary 11 honor. I've had the privilege, as 12 you've heard, of serving our 13 country in several capacities here 14 in Pennsylvania. Across the river, 15 in New Jersey, in Washington, D.C., 16 and now as the United States 17 Ambassador in Namibia. But wherever public service has taken me, I have always carried Philadelphia with me. The city teaches you something important, to work hard, to stand your ground and to never, ever forget where you've come from. Those lessons have served me extremely well. As Ambassador, I represent our country with confidence and purpose to advance American interests, support American companies and workers and demonstrate what the United States and Philadelphia bring to the world. To be recognized for that service here in my hometown of Philadelphia means more to me than I can adequately express this morning. Thank you to Council, again to Councilman Driscoll and especially to my family and friends that are here with us today. I will always be proud to represent the United States and to call Philadelphia home. Thank you. (Applause.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

The Chair takes a moment of personal privilege to recognize Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you so much, Council President. I appreciate the recognition today. Council President, I wanted to recognize the presence of a very special young person who is joining us here in Council chambers today. Please allow us to welcome Avery Jones. He is a 9th grader at Friere Charter High school. He is here in Council today to see democracy in action. Stand up, Avery. (Applause.)

He's here today to witness democracy in action. But Avery runs track and field. He participates in shot put and field events. And he is an award-winning track star in our city. I think he's a future Olympian. He's a wonderful young man and we are proud to welcome him here to Philadelphia City Council. (Applause.)

Congratulations. Welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.

Thank you, Council President. I would like to briefly acknowledge a group of amazing women who are here today to show support for the resolution I'm introducing honoring the Miss Philadelphia Scholarship Organization for it's 105th anniversary, and I appreciate them turning out in force. And I want to just make sure I read out their names because they've been working hard. I'll start with recognizing the current Miss Philadelphia Jenna Anger, if she would stand up. The current Miss Philadelphia Teen, Ksenya Wong, and the current Miss Pennsylvania, who is here with us Stephanie Skinner. I also want to acknowledge and thank a group of former Miss Philadelphia titleholders, Andrea McHenry Duffy, Regina Hines, Kiplee Bell, Cristina Elena Guzman, Veronica Cleary, Diamond Edmonds, Holly Harrar, Nia Andrews and Tynecia Wilson. Thank you so much for all the work you do and representing us so well. Thank you, Council President. (Applause.)

We welcome you to City Council. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity, who will present a resolution recognizing September the 26th as National Recovery Month, and honoring the strength of those impacted by addition. Will Gina Harley and those accompanying her please join Councilmember Jim Harrity at the podium. Members who will be joining Councilmember Harrity are the following: Councilmember Brooks, Councilmember Phillips, Councilmember Lozada, Councilmember Ahmad, Councilmember Bass and Councilmember Landau. (Councilmembers and visitors approached podium.)

You can proceed, Councilmember Jim Harrity.

Thank you, Council President. Good morning, everyone. Before we get started on reading the resolution, I'd just like to say a few words. I'm not going to bore you with my story. Most of you have already heard that many times. But what I'd like to speak about today starts with the first word in Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous. The word is anonymous, right. And for far too long, those of us in long-term recovery have hidden behind the anonymity, right. But what we're facing today calls for us to come out of the shadows, to stand up, to tell our stories. Not for us, for those who may be struggling so that they know that recovery is possible, right. You can get your life back in the program. We say you'll get back everything you lost and then some. You need to look no 10 further than right here to see that. For me, being in this chamber is unbelievable. I drive up and I look at City Hall every morning as I'm coming in and I think to myself, what did God do, right. Because for me, I know it wasn't me. I know it was something higher than me. Something bigger than me. And for me to hide that or to hide behind my anonymity is not who I am, right. I don't tell my story for me. I tell my story for the other struggling addicts so that they know that if they put in the time and if they work, they will get amazing things in their life. I have amazing things and the key word that we all use in recovery is grateful, right. I am a grateful, recovering addict. So I'm calling on everyone in recovery to come out of the shadows, to tell your story, to show people what happens when you are in long-term recovery, right. I am a Councilman today. At one point I was homeless, right. You know, God is good.

All the time.

So with that, I'm going to read our thing and thank our friends at --

He's Baptist Catholic.

-- yeah. DBHIDS for all the amazing work that they do every day. They are literally doing God's work. That's what I believe. That's what I believe. We here are supposed to do -- we are supposed to be the people who fight for those who have no one to fight for them. So I choose to fight for that struggling addict every day. Because for me, I have no choice. In order to keep what I have, I must give it away. So with that, I'd like to start with recognizing September 26, 2026 as National Recovery Month, honoring the strength of those impacted by addiction.

Whereas, National Recovery Month is observed every September to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that National Recovery Month began in 1989 to help recognize and support new recovery practices, with studies to help make recovery safe and available to all; and

Whereas, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health since 2020, 6281 people have fatally overdosed in Philadelphia while fatal overdoses in the city peaked in 2022 with 1413 deaths. The numbers remain high through 2024, with 1069 fatal incidents in 2024. Around 77% of deaths involved opioid use in another decreasing trend -- which was another decreasing trend. However, despite these overall declining trends, from 2023 to 2024 there was an 8.6% increase in overdose deaths involving stimulants without opioids; and

Whereas, around 44%, nearly half of Philadelphians, personally know someone struggling with substance use disorder, according to a study from Pew Research Institute. in of that same group of Philadelphians responded to knowing someone who fatally overdosed; and

Whereas, 47% of Philadelphians believe that the opioid crisis has negatively impacted their neighborhood quality of life, where those Philadelphians in the River Wards were the most highly impacted. Neighborhoods like Kensington, North Philadelphia, Glenwood, Fairhill and others have been hit hardest by the opioid epidemic, marking a dramatic increase in overdoses over the past decade compared to other major metropolitan cities; and

Whereas, despite the challenges that persist with regards to substance use disorder and, more specifically, opioid use disorder, public sentiment seems to be shifting. In a 2025 poll from Pew, 51% of residents reported understanding opioid use disorder as a medical condition and public health crisis, rather than something someone brings upon themselves, up from 39% in 2019; and

Whereas, National Recovery Month serves as an opportunity to honor the individuals and learn long-term recovery, their families, treatment providers, harm reduction workers, first responders and recovery community organizations who work every day to support Philadelphians affected by substance use disorder. We must recognize that recovery is possible and that every person struggling with addiction deserves compassion, dignity and access to care; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, recognizes September 2026 as National Recovery Month and honors the strength of those impacted by substance use disorder and the ongoing struggle of addiction in our city. So be it Further Resolved, that an Engrossed copy of this Resolution will be presented to the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities at the future session of Council as a symbol of our profound respect and admiration felt by the legislative body and the citizens of Philadelphia. Thank you guys. (Applause.)

The Chair recognizes Gina Harley and Lawrence Jackson for remarks.

Good morning, Council President, Councilmembers and members of the public joining us today. My name is Gina Harley and I am the Chief Program Officer for the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities, aka DBHIDS. Our Commissioner, Kenny Solanke, unfortunately cannot be here today, but she is thrilled that Council will take out time of their schedules to acknowledge not only the act of recovery, but the action of recovery. September is an especially significant month for DBHIDS as we join communities across the country recognizing National Recovery Month all year long. Especially this month, we have regular events, initiatives and messages that focus on recovery. We take time to celebrate progress, recognize those who make recovery possible, and invite all of Philadelphia to be part of a building recovery-ready community. So thank you, Councilmember Harrity, for your partnership and your belief in ensuring that people you serve have sustained access to care and support throughout every stage of their recovery. Your leadership underscores the city's commitment to walk alongside individuals, reducing barriers and creating conditions where recovery is possible. And that commitment at DBHIDS is grounded in what we call CARE framework, which stands for Connection, Access, Resilience and Equity. Connection reminds us that recovery does not happen alone. The relationships represented in recovery, like peers, families, providers, friends, provide hope, encouragement and a sense of belonging. Access means ensuring that people can find and connect to the resources and supports they need when they need them. Recovery should not depend on the neighborhood you come from, your circumstances or whether you know where to turn to for help. We must continue building clear and accessible pathways to care, support, housing, employment, community and opportunities so that everyone has a meaningful opportunity to begin and sustain their recovery. Resilience is at the heart of recovery, and it is the courage to begin again to ask for help, to keep moving forward and to recognize that setbacks do not erase progress and equity means ensuring that recovery is possible for everyone. We need to confront the barriers and disparities that prevent people from getting the support that they deserve. That CARE commitment reflects our mission at DBHIDS, which is to educate, strengthen and serve individuals and communities so that all Philadelphians can thrive. And it moves us toward our vision of a Philadelphia where individuals can achieve health, well-being and self-determination. And that's where Lawrence D. Jackson comes in. Lawrence is not here only to represent DBHIDS, but also a living example of what the Connection, Access, Resilience and Equity can look like in a person's life. Lawrence's journey has not been a straight path. It has twists, turns, challenges and triumphs. And it is that journey that continues today. His story reminds us to -- I'm sorry. His story reminds us that recovery is not always linear, and that the right connections, support, and opportunities can make a meaningful difference along the way. But rather than tell his story for him, I'd like to give him the opportunity to share a little of his journey on his own. So please help me welcome Mr. Lawrence D. Jackson. (Applause.)

All right. Good morning. (Good morning.)

I'm a grateful, recovering person from the disease of addiction named Lawrence D. Jackson. I have always been the type of man who likes to set goals for myself and I take pride in being that way. And that's what happened in 1986, when I knew I had what it took to graduate from college and to play professional football. So in 1987, I got a chance to play in the NFL in my hometown of Atlanta with the Atlanta Falcons. I had reached my goal, but my career would be derailed by an injury. The injury impacted me in ways I could never have predicted. The goal I had set in my mind was gone in a matter of seconds. I had no plan in my mind, no future. I had never touched hard drugs before in my life. But feeling like I had nothing, I turned to drugs and alcohol to ease my pain. I wandered in the wilderness of drug addiction for over 37 years. In October of 2017, I hit my bottom. That was what caused me to come from Atlanta to Philly with the intent to commit bank fraud to feed my addiction. I was caught, arrested and spent 53 days in jail. I was given a signature bond and four years' probation, and my mental health probation officer was instrumental in helping me to go to my first rehab in March of 2018. By completing the rehab program, my pending criminal charges in Georgia were dismissed. However, I relapsed and went through rehab again and I didn't understand. I needed to do more than just get clean. I needed to learn how to stay clean. I had to learn how to actively change my behavior and my attitude. During my second stint in rehab, I went through the DBHIDS Journey of Hope program, the dedicated staff of the City of Philadelphia program, made all the difference in helping me turn my life around to become a productive member of society. I am truly a product of the Department of Behavioral Health Intellectual Disability Services. I went back to setting personal goals. I knew I wanted a job that would enable me to help people who may feel as hopeless as I had. In April of 2022, I was able to become a Certified Peer Specialist and I am now employed with DBHIDS with the Mobile Outreach Recovery Services Unit. Being on the MORS team has been instrumental in my staying clean and sober. It has helped me to provide the lifeline to people who sometimes are unable to see a way out of what they are really dealing with. While working on the MORS team, I set a goal also to become a Behavioral Health Case Manager and I have held that title for over two years. I set a goal to become a homeowner. I was able to achieve that goal under the city's Turn the Key program, where I bought a brand new home in May of 2024. Now, my wife and I host watch parties not for the Atlanta Falcons, but for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Go Birds.

Thanks to the continued support I received from my manager, supervisor and co-workers. In January of this year, I set a goal to get my Master's Degree. I'm happy to say that in May of 2027, I will be receiving my Master's Degree in Human Services and you all are invited to the graduation. Finally, I'd like to say every day I set a goal to stay clean and serene. I stand before you today with four years, nine months, and days clean. My eternal goal is to stay clean for the rest of my life. Thank you for letting me share my little story today of my journey. And look, please don't give up on people in your life who are being challenged right now because I am the personification of resilience. Recovery is real. Thank you. (Applause.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

At this time, the Chair recognizes Majority Whip Isaiah Thomas, who will present a resolution honoring and congratulating Dr. Alycia Marshall, as the Community College of Philadelphia celebrates her investiture as the college's seventh president. Would Dr. Alycia Marshall and those accompanying her please join Councilmember Thomas at the podium. Members of the City Council participating in this presentation are the following: Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips, Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young, Jr., Councilmember Kendra Brooks, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier and Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson and Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad. (Councilmembers and visitors approached podium.)

Good morning, everybody.

Good morning.

Thank you, Council President. I know somebody's up this morning. My name is Councilmember Isaiah Thomas and I am the Chair of the Education Committee. And for me to be standing here today to recognize Dr. Marshall is an honor and a privilege. And so, as the person who's been really leading the charge and trying to organize an effort to not just have the Education Committee focus on traditional K through 12 settings, we've actually looked at PreK. If you know about our hearing this past summer, and we've really had a strong focus on higher academia. And when I think about the collaboration with CCP, whether it's the interns who come to counsel the events that we partner with or the CATTO scholarship program I'm going to take a moment of personal privilege to embarrass Jason Lawson. And Jason, stand up please. (Applause.)

Jason's an intern technically for you, Council President, and he's a recipient of the great work that's happening at CCP. So with that being said, I want to start today's presentation by passing it to another member of the Education Committee, Dr. Nina Ahmad. And I want to again take a moment of personal privilege to say congratulations to Dr. Marshall. And thank you to the entire team at CCP for being a great partner to the City of Philadelphia and for being an amazing institution for young people all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ahmad.

Adding my congratulations to what the Chair of Education Committee said, I'll start with: Whereas, Dr. Alycia Marshall, Ph.D., joined the Community College of Philadelphia in 2022 as Provost and Vice- President for academic and student success, where she provided strategic oversight of academic affairs, workforce development and student support and engagement; and

Whereas, in May of 2025 Dr. Marshall was appointed interim president of the Community College of Philadelphia, providing steady leadership during a period of transition before being selected as the College's permanent President in October of 2025 following a national search, becoming the seventh president in the institution's history; and

Whereas, Dr. Marshall's distinguished career in higher education spans nearly years at 7 Anne Arundel Community College in 8 Maryland, where she rose through 9 the ranks as a tenured Full 10 Professor of Mathematics, 11 Department Chair of Mathematics and 12 the Associate Vice-President for 13 Learning and Academic Affairs. And 14 she earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics 15 Education from the University of 16 Maryland, College Park, a Master of 17 Arts in Teaching from Bowie State 18 University, and a Bachelor of Arts 19 in Mathematics from the University 20 of Maryland, Baltimore County. 21

And that's heavy. 23

I literally just said the same thing, Council President. I said mathematics. I didn't know that about you. Whereas, a nationally recognized leader in mathematics, education and equity, Dr. Marshall has been named an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and a Charles A. Dana Center Mathematics Pathways Leadership Fellow, while receiving numerous honors for her contributions to STEM, higher education and faculty excellence, and has contributed to national education initiatives through her work with organizations including TPSE Math and Carnegie Math pathways; and

Whereas, Dr. Marshall has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to developing future leaders and expanding opportunity, founding the African American Leadership Institute at Anne Arundel Community College and spearheading the Aspiring Leaders Fellowship Program at Community College of Philadelphia, while also contributing to Philadelphia's educational and workforce ecosystem through service with organizations including Philadelphia Works, the Philadelphia Eds and Meds Collaborative, and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia; now, therefore; be it

Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that we hereby honor and congratulate Dr. Alycia Marshall, Ph.D., on her investiture as the seventh president of the Community College of Philadelphia. And we recognize her continued commitment to academic excellence, student success, and the advancement of higher education in Philadelphia. And be it Further Resolved, that an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Dr. Alycia Marshall, Ph.D., as evidence of the sincere admiration and respect of our legislative body. Congratulations.

Chair recognizes Dr. Alycia Marshall.

I'm going to be tall for one moment in time.

It's overrated.

I agree. It is my distinct honor and pleasure to be here today in this moment. I want to thank Council President Johnson, Councilmember Thomas, and as CCP resides in his District, Councilmember Young, and the entire City Councilmembership for this honor. I want to say that a few minutes before this started, Councilmember Thomas said to me, I never do presentations here. I'm doing this one and this is the last one I'm doing. But you're worth it. So he set the bar high. I have to live up to that. So thank you for that. It is a true privilege to serve as the seventh president of Community College of Philadelphia. Yes, it's a true privilege. But it's not lost on me about the timing of this transition and leadership. The Community College of Philadelphia this year is celebrating 60 years of transforming the lives of almost 800,000 city residents. (Applause.)

This institution has done incredible work and we are building on that work. I am working collaboratively with the team, with some incredibly talented faculty and staff at the Community College of Philadelphia every day who show up for our students at CCP. We have created an environment where success is inescapable. It is all a testament to the passion and the commitment of the great people that I work with at the Community College of Philadelphia. But it is not just faculty and staff at Community College of Philadelphia. It is community and it is our partnership with City Council that supports our efforts. One thing that I recognized very quickly in my few months as the president was the deep commitment of this city Council to the City's college and to this city. Not just the investment in our CATTO Scholarship program, for example, not just the investment, but also the personal investment. When I look around this room, I see that pretty much every member of City Council has been to our campus multiple times. I am going to take a little bit of privilege in mentioning just a few recent visits. Councilmember Young, thank you so much for coming and being with us at our CATTO Family Reunion a few weeks ago where we celebrated 700 new CATTO scholars joining the CCP family. Thank you to Councilmember Thomas for bringing his Drive Equality tour to CCP just a few days ago and bringing Councilmember Brooks, our very own CCP alumna, with him. (Applause.)

Yes, creating -- they created a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn and to see firsthand what can happen when you put power into an opportunity for students and for this community. City Council, I thank you for your partnership. I thank you for your commitment. I thank you for continuously showing up and showing our students and this community what is possible. I also want to thank Councilmember Jones, who was recently at our current Advanced Technology Center in West Philadelphia, celebrating our launch of the Penn-CCP Entrepreneurship Academy. I have to take a moment to talk about this, because the Penn-CCP Entrepreneurship Academy will be an opportunity for business owners in West Philadelphia to gain free access to business development services. This is an incredible inaugural partnership and an example of what you can see coming moving forward. The effort around the vision for CCP over the next 60 years is to continue to deepen our partnership, create more opportunities for pathways to Bachelor's degree attainment for short-term credentialing so that individuals and city residents can upskill and gain economic mobility, to continue to support small businesses, to collaborate with our school district, and creating pathways and partnerships for expanding dual enrollment. The list goes on and on, but we do that with your support and your help. So thank you, City Council, for your partnership. And the last thing I want to say about partnership is acknowledging the faculty and staff at the Community College of Philadelphia, and specifically the cabinet and the senior leadership that is standing behind me today. They work collaboratively with me to lead the institution to ensure that we are improving and creating more opportunities for success. And I thank them for their partnership. This has been a true honor. I am privileged to be here. I am thankful for this opportunity, and I accept this on behalf of the faculty, staff and most importantly, the students at the Community College of Philadelphia. I look forward to working with you in making our next chapter our best chapter for the city's college and for the City of Philadelphia. (Applause.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

The next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant- at-Arms deliver the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. Will the Chief Clerk read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications in his possession.

To the President and the members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I'm submitting herewith for the consideration of your Honorable body the following proposed: An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into lease or sublease agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for all or a portion of the premises that includes certain parcels of land, generally referred to as Victory Gardens and Emerson Landfill, for environmental remediation of the land, development of a facility at said premises and use as a training facility, all under certain terms and conditions. And I am pleased to advise you that on September 23, 2026, I signed the following bill 24 which was passed by Council at its session on September 17, 2026: Bill No. 260508. There are no further communications in my possession, Council President.

Thank you very much. And the messages will be printed in the journal. The next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips.

Good morning, Council President. Good morning, everyone here. Council President, I have no bills or resolutions for introduction today.

Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you, Council President. This morning I offer three bills on your behalf.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the titles of the bills. Thank you.

An ordinance 15 regulating the placement of a truck loading zone on South 23rd Street between South Street and Naudain Street, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

An ordinance 1 to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Wharton Street, 28th Street, Reed Street and Newkirk Street.

This bill will be 10 referred to the appropriate 11 committee. 12

And an 13 ordinance to amend the Philadelphia 14 Zoning Maps by changing the zoning 15 designations of certain areas of 16 land located within an area bounded 17 by Wharton Street, Broad Street, 18 Reed Street and Carlisle Street. 19

This bill will be 21 referred to the appropriate 22 committee. 23 Chair recognizes 24 Councilmember Jamie Gauthier.

Good morning, Council President. Today I have two non-privileged resolutions, one bill and one privileged resolution 7 on your behalf.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the titles of the bill and resolutions.

An ordinance 14 authorizing encroachments in the nature of planters in the vicinity of 3001 Chestnut Street, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a non-privileged resolution also naming the 200 Block of South 50th Street as Monumental Way to honor the legacy and impact of the monumental Baptist Church on the Walnut Hill community.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at our next session of Council.

And a non-privileged resolution 13 recognizing "Black Bottom" as the first and official name of the neighborhood in West Philadelphia, bounded by 32nd Street to the east, 40th Street to the west, University Avenue to the south, and Lancaster Avenue to the north, ensuring that future communication or action on the part of the City of Philadelphia acknowledges this community's importance to our City.

This resolution will be placed on the Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council.

And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Streets and Services to hold hearings to examine the City's implementation of its Vision Zero Action Plan, evaluate progress towards eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries, and to identify opportunities to improve roadway safety throughout Philadelphia, including through daylighting, traffic calming, pedestrian infrastructure and other such measures.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Isaiah Thomas.

Good morning, Council President.

Good morning.

Good morning, colleagues. Good morning to the City of Philadelphia. I have nothing today. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, in the tradition of John Skief, Baba Skief, I submit one non-privileged resolution.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the one non-privileged resolution.

A non-privileged resolution renaming the 5600 Block of Woodbine Avenue as "James A. Reed Way" to honor the life, legacy and lasting contributions of James A. "Jim" Reed to the City of Philadelphia.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council. Chair recognizes Councilmember Landau.

Good morning, Council President, colleagues and the public. Today I have one privileged resolution and one non-privileged resolution on your behalf.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the titles of the resolutions please.

A privileged resolution recognizing, congratulating and celebrating Philadelphia VIP for its outstanding contributions to Philadelphia on the occasion of its 45th anniversary.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged -- and a non-privileged resolution urging the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to withdraw the proposed amendments to their Community Reinvestment Act rules, which would roll back anti- redlining standards and weaken banking services to low- and moderate-income communities while threatening investments in affordable housing and community development.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at our next session of Council. Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada.

Good morning, Council President. Good morning, everyone. I offer two privileged resolutions and one bill on my behalf, and I offer one bill on your behalf.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the titles of the bills and resolutions.

An ordinance 9 regulating the placement of a truck loading zone on 1716 Frankford Avenue between Palmer Street and East Columbia Avenue, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

An ordinance 19 authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into lease or sublease agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for all or a portion of the premises that includes certain parcels of land, generally referred to as Victory Gardens and Emerson Landfill for environmental remediation of the land, development of a facility at said premises and as use as a training facility, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Saint James Lutheran Church on its 100th anniversary and celebrating its centennial as a pillar of faith, community service and providing spiritual guidance.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring distinguished Latino Leaders and Community Advocates in the City of Philadelphia during Hispanic Heritage Month.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young.

Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning. Today I offer one bill 18 and one non-privileged resolution.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the bill and resolution.

An ordinance 1 amending Section 14-529 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/VDO, Fifth District Overlay District," to establish use restrictions within a specified area, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be 10 referred to the appropriate 11 committee. 12

And a 13 non-privileged resolution also 14 renaming the 1200 block of North 15 LeCount Street “Derrick ‘Phat Geez’ 16 Gant Way” to honor the life and 17 legacy of Derrick Tawheed Haleem 18 Gant, a Philadelphia recording 19 artist and beloved member of the 20 North Philadelphia community. 21

This resolution will be 23 placed on the Calendar for 24 consideration at the next session of Council. Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks.

Good morning, Council President. I have one privileged resolution to introduce today.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution honoring the legacy of Black labor in Philadelphia, including the first Colored Convention in 1830, and the Black organizers who for centuries have been at the heart of the American labor movement.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity.

Good afternoon, Council President. I have one privileged resolution today.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing the third week of September 2026 as National Construction Appreciation Week in the City of Philadelphia, honoring the contribution of the construction industry to the vitality of our City.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. Chair recognizes Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke.

Good morning, Mr. President. Thank you. I have one non-privileged resolution and two privileged resolutions to introduce today.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the titles of the resolutions.

A privileged resolution recognizing September 2026 as Hunger Action Month in the City of Philadelphia in order to raise awareness about food insecurity in our communities and to mobilize us to act in the movement to end hunger.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings examining the City's oversight of correctional health care contractors and the circumstances leading to disruptions in medical care in Philadelphia jails.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a non-privileged resolution, unequivocally standing with unionized workers by endorsing the boycott of Starbucks call for by Workers United-SEIU by encouraging residents, neighborhood local councils, and Philadelphia City Council to refrain from purchasing Starbucks products until Starbucks finally finalizes a fair union contract.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council. Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll.

Good morning, Mr. President. I have one non-privileged resolution today.

Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A non-privileged resolution also naming the 3300 block of Solly Avenue as 'Father Judge 27 Way' to honor the 27 graduates of Father Judge High School who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council. Chair recognizes Councilmember Brian O'Neill.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills and resolutions today.

Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Good morning, Mr. President. I offer one bill, three privileged resolutions and one privileged resolution on your behalf.

Thank you very much. Chief Clerk, please read the titles of the bill and resolutions.

An ordinance 7 amending amending Chapter 12-900 (“Parking Regulations and Penalties”) of The Philadelphia Code to include the Eighth Councilmanic district in the regulation of parking of certain large vehicles, including boats, motor homes, house coaches, house trainers, truck campers, recreational cargo trainer, and recreational trailers, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a privileged resolution recognizing September 2026 as “Deaf Awareness Month” in the City of Philadelphia and further honoring Pennsylvania School for the Deaf for its historic leadership, educational excellence, and unwavering commitment to empowering Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and advancing Deaf culture and community.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. Very well done, Member Bass. Chair recognizes --

(Inaudible).

-- the Chief Clerk.

And a privileged resolution honoring and celebrating United Lutheran Seminary on its 200th anniversary and commemorating the Seminary's longstanding presence and service in the City of Philadelphia.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Licenses and Inspections to hold a hearing to examine the implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations governing nuisance businesses, including Stop and Go establishments, signage, and window coverings, and to assess how enforcement practices can improve public safety, strengthen community trust, ensure due process, and reduce neighborhood conflict

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged resolution honoring Dr. Molefi Kete Asante for his distinguished academic career as the founder of the theory of Afrocentricity on the occasion of WURD Radio's feature on his local and global legacy through the Freedom Journeys initiative.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.

Thank you, Council President. I'm introducing three privileged resolutions.

Chief Clerk, please read the titles of the resolutions.

A privileged resolution recognizing and honoring the Miss Philadelphia Scholarship Organization on its 105th anniversary, celebrating all current and former title holders and the organization's longstanding commitment to scholarship, service leadership and the empowerment of women in Philadelphia.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged resolution recognizing September 2026 as Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia, and commending the Rosenblatt Family CVI Center at Overbrook School for the Blind, for its commitment to improving care, education and research for the children with CVI.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a privileged resolution recognizing September 22, 2026 as World Perimenopause Day and the month of September 2026 as Perimenopause Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. There being no reports from committees today, we will now have the consideration of the Calendar. The next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. The Chair recognizes the Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion concerning bills on the First Reading Calendar.

Thank you, Mr. President. The following bill on the First Reading Calendar is being held: Bill No. 260298.

The Chair recognizes Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion concerning resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the following resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar today: Resolution Nos. 260715, 260716, 260717, 260718, 260719, 260728, 260729, 260739, 260748, 260740, 260749 and 260750. The following resolution 9 on the Calendar is being held: 260741. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded -- thank you, Member Jones -- that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the resolutions just read by Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT 2ND READING JOHNSON: Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries and we will consider the Resolution Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair recognizes the Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion concerning additional resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar and bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.

Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions are being called up from the Final Passage Calendar and the following bills are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Resolution Nos. 260730, 260738 and 260747. The following resolutions and bills on the Calendar are being held: 250768, 250807 and 260706 -- 076.

Before considering the resolutions and bills, we would consider public comment as follows: Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars for possible action at today's Council session. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up, please do so now by giving your name to Ms. Hasson at the table outside the rails to my left. 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, public commenters each will have three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from session to session. Today, the time limit will be two minutes. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the two-minute limit. When you begin speaking, you will see a green light on the podium. When there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, the light will turn yellow, which is your reminder to please conclude your remarks. Once two minutes have passed, the light will turn red and the Sergeant-at-Arms will disconnect the microphone. Please respect the Sergeant-at-Arms. He is only doing his job. At that point, please yield the podium to the next speaker. If you have not already done so, I also reserve the right, pursuant to our rules of City Council, to limit repetitious comments on the same subject matter. I will now ask the Chief Clerk to please read the name of our first speaker.

Will Melissa Dragnac, Matt Bujak, Anthony De Alba, Evelyn Munguia-Alvarez, Shonda Bear Moralis, Courtney Schulnick. (Witnesses approached podium.)

John McAuley, Jeremy Blatstein, Bethany Nikitenko, Lynn Landes, and David Jenkins. Please make your way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good morning, Council President, members of City Council, friends, fellow Philadelphians. My name is Melissa Dragnac. I am the Head of School at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. I've been there for 10 years. And in four years in this 11 position, on behalf of the School 12 for the Deaf, I want to thank you 13 for this recognition during Deaf 14 Awareness Month. 15 For more than 200 years, 16 the Pennsylvania School for the 17 Deaf has been preparing deaf and 18 hard-of-hearing students to thrive academically, socially and professionally. We provide and very proudly provide a language rich, bilingual environment where American Sign Language and English work together to unlock learning, confidence and opportunity. At the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, we believe every student deserves a school where they are fully seen, fully included and fully able to communicate. Access is not a special accommodation. It is a fundamental right. Our students come from diverse backgrounds across Pennsylvania. What unites them is the opportunity to learn in an environment where deaf culture is celebrated. Individual strengths are nurtured and every student is empowered to reach their fullest potential. Today we celebrate not only Deaf Awareness Month and International Week of the deaf, but the achievements. The leadership and the contributions of deaf individuals throughout Philadelphia and beyond. Thank you to our Representative, Councilwoman Bass and all of City Council for recognizing our students, our families, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader deaf community. Thank you. (Applause.)

Hello and good morning everyone. My name is Evelin. I am a senior at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. The community is great for me as a student because I'm much more connected to other deaf people. It is easy to feel isolated with the absence of communication. And that is how it felt before coming to SWD. But using sign language there, I can express myself. I can build friendships, be a part of activities and continue to learn and grow without barriers. The teachers use American Sign Language with me so I have direct communication with them, not through a third party or an interpreter. They've taught me to be proud of my identity as a deaf person, as a Latinx person too. And I've learned so much. I also know that for deaf students, what's really important is the ability to have full inclusion and access to all of our communication. Thank you to City Council, and we appreciate your recognition of the school and your support for Deaf Awareness Month. Thank you.

Hi. My name is Anthony. I'm a senior at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Thank you for having me here today. It is special to be here. I can talk a little bit about starting at SDE in the Early Childhood Center as a deaf kid. I didn't use spoken language, so I was signing and the school gave me a chance to learn more about that. I continued to learn and practice there and SDE has given me opportunities to grow in the classroom and outside the classroom. In sports, I've learned and through track and field and in different settings and professionally grown as well, in ways that will support me in the future. Thank you to SDE teachers, to staff, and to the other deaf students. I have access there in sign language and we can overcome communication challenges because the school supports us setting goals and deaf students can have dreams, skills and abilities. Just like all of you, deafness is not limiting for us. We are able to make our dreams real because we are a part of this community. Thank you for honoring us and celebrating our Deaf Awareness Month and the deaf people in the Philadelphia community. (Applause.)

Good morning, Councilmembers. My name is Shonda Moralis. I am a psychotherapist, Menopause Society certified practitioner and consultant working to bring perimenopause education into workplaces across our region. Alongside my friend and colleague Courtney Schulnick, I want to thank Councilmember Ahmad for introducing the resolution to recognize World Perimenopause Day and Perimenopause Awareness Month and for her leadership on Bill 250849, which requires workplace accommodations for menstruation, perimenopause and menopause starting January 2027. That law lays an important foundation. Real change continues in the day-to-day, in conversations at home, at the workplace, in our doctor's office. And that starts with education. It took me seven years to connect my symptoms sleeplessness, brain fog, joint pain, deep fatigue to perimenopause. And I'm not alone. Nearly half of people report being unaware their symptoms are related to perimenopause, let alone that treatment is available. That experience is why I do this work now educating, advocating and supporting others so they don't lose years to confusion and silence. This resolution gives us something just as necessary as the law itself. Visibility. It puts perimenopause on the calendar, in the public record, and in open, stigma free conversation on behalf of women and workplaces we serve every day. Thank you, Councilmember Ahmad and your team for your leadership on this issue. I urge Council to support this resolution. Thank you. (Applause.)

Good morning. My name is Courtney Schulnick. I'm an attorney. Good morning again. My name is Courtney Schulnick. I'm an attorney. I practice as a litigator for nearly two decades right here in Philadelphia before transitioning full-time into my work as a mindfulness teacher, speaker, and workplace performance consultant. Together with my friend and colleague Shonda Moralis, I work with organizations to deepen awareness and education around perimenopause and menopause in the workplace. This work is also deeply personal to me. I was at the height of my legal career when I began experiencing symptoms related to perimenopause. I credit my mindfulness practice with helping me become more aware of what I was experiencing and giving me practical tools to better manage my symptoms. It allowed me to continue performing at a high level and I honestly believe it helped me to do some of my finest work of my legal career. That's why this resolution matters. By recognizing World Perimenopause Day and Perimenopause Awareness Month, we bring greater attention to a transition that is natural and impacts so many women. And with greater awareness comes greater opportunity to share education, resources and practical tools with those experiencing perimenopause and with the workplaces that want to better support them. Thank you so much, Councilmember Ahmad, for bringing greater visibility to this important issue and for your continued leadership. MR. McAULEY: Good morning, everyone. My name is John McAuley. I'm with a grassroots organization called Flip Philly Red. We're here to offer you something different because you've been voting Democrat for the mayor's office for the past 70 years. And regarding Resolution 3 No. 260738, this is a resolution 4 asking the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass House Bill 1678, a bill that taxes big techs like Google, Facebook and Amazon on digital ads that give property tax relief to seniors 65 and up. On its surface, it sounds noble. This is how you tell a politician from a fighter, because who's going to be the first constitutional representative in Philly to fight for the elimination of school property taxes for all ages. Across the board in Philly, we have a 1.5 million population and over 700,000 are living in rental properties, but that's what a poverty pimp does. They don't want you to create generational wealth. They want you to keep you on the hook. I wish Councilmember Jay Young tell you guys the truth, that Google, Facebook and Amazon will never eat the cost. They'll just raise the price of ads the small businesses use to advertise online, and your local businesses and consumers will eat the tax. It's always a conversation of property tax rebates, property tax relief programs. Never a conversation of property tax elimination. 350,000 working adults age to 45, paying 16 rent in a tax system built around 17 homeowner breaks that they don't 18 get. Pew Research has Philadelphia 19 with one of the most regressive tax 20 systems for non-subsidized renters 21 in the entire country. That's the difference between me and these other influencers. I'm not focused on Israel. I'm not focused on Iran. I don't have Trump Derangement syndrome. I understand the politics is local and it's the Democrat politicians that keep us in a chokehold. State Senator Dawn Keefer has a bill to eliminate property taxes. Look her up.

Hello, Philadelphia City Council. My name is Jeremy Blatstein. 10,685; 10,685, that's how many cars have been stolen in Philadelphia this year. That is 40 cars a day, one every 40 minutes. So let's make sure that we are talking about the people that are actually impacted and helped with these automatic license plate reader cameras. The cameras are a tool that our law enforcement can use to catch people that are stealing cars. Yes, privacy is important. Yes, there should be guardrails. But just like any tool, we shouldn't just go. If there's people abusing it, we shouldn't say no, stop it. We should be putting the guardrails in place so that they can't be abused. My concern is also about equity. Cameras should not only be for the wealthy, right. The wealthy have cameras. They have gated communities. The people that aren't speaking up are impoverished communities that can actually use these cameras to make them safer. So before we go and ban these cameras, let's have the conversation about what makes Philadelphia a safer place to live. And last, I can't believe none of you talked about the national security issue that's going on in Philadelphia today. I care about my country, Philadelphia. And they're messing with our tailgates. What are we doing, people? Come on. I can't believe none of you have a resolution today speaking up about the Eagles and the tailgate lots. It's crazy. We need to protect the tailgates. And last but not least, we're talking about SEPTA. We saw the accelerated program. We need to continue to fund SEPTA. We have to continue to build density along our transit corridors. Ride the ride. Grow Philly to 2 Milly. Thank you.

Chair recognizes Councilman Driscoll.

Madam Chair, I ask to be excused to attend to pending business. And I'd like to be voted aye on all bills and resolutions today.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Duly noted. Proceed.

Good morning. My name is Bethany Nikitenko. I'm Vice-president of Philly VIP. A longtime volunteer, an attorney with Feldman Shepherd. And I'm here to talk about Philly VIP's 45th anniversary. Philly VIP has a unique place alongside Philly's amazing legal aid organizations because we focus entirely on training and supporting the private bar in providing pro bono service. We enable lawyers who spend their days on work that rarely reaches a family's kitchen table to dig into something different. They defend homes against lawsuits and predatory debt. They help families hold onto the wealth that they've worked for. They help small businesses keep growing. In 1981, the federal government cut off legal aid. Philly lawyers decided they would intervene and Philly VIP was born. Thank you to Councilmember Landau and colleagues for honoring what grew from that decision. Philly VIP is one of the most important pro bono legal organizations in the city because we protect ordinary Philadelphians every day. We protect their livelihood, we protect their income, we protect their home and we protect their families. Without Philly VIP, so many would have suffered and fallen by the wayside. Councilmember Landau, thank you for your support and thank you for supporting this resolution. (Applause.)

Will Callie Perrone, Nikki Grant, Jabina Coleman, Jenna Anger, Alison Macrina, Linnea Bond, Tracey Welson-Rossman, please make your way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good morning. I'm Lynn Landes of Philly's Republican Network. And while I support the resolution 17 calling on Congress to take action against childhood cancer, what about City Council? For example, City Council has yet to enforce its own 2021 law, the Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces Act, that bans the use of toxic herbicides in our parks and public spaces, but which our last two mayors have ignored. And what about the toxic artificial turf and its forever chemicals that are in various parks throughout the city, putting children at risk. Also, there's the Mayor and City Council support for almost any vaccine. None of which have been tested for their potential to cause cancer. And particularly the COVID vaccines, which have been linked to what are called turbo cancers. And then there's the incineration of Philadelphia's waste, a process well-known to cause cancer. So rather than wait for Congress to act, why doesn't City Council take action itself. Thank you.

Madam Chair and members and guests, David Alexander Jenkins. And I rise for the Resolution 260730 as presented by Member Landau. To the Hall, bonjour, mes amis; buenos dias, mi amigos; (inaudible) akwaaba, konnichiwa, dobry den, zhongxiao(ph). To the Hall, of the 180 different languages that are spoken in this globe of Philadelphia, and the few I could stand before you today and speak with proficiency in the presence of our very own Ambassador Giordano, I have chosen today to deliver this address to you in the communal language of fact. You see, outside of pretty words that can be mistranslated misspoken. When two or more are gathered from different understandings, facts have a way of bringing about a kind of Pentecost into halls of governance, raining down on us like fire with the truth we can call and understand. Remember, Rue Landau focuses on a set of facts and the kind of truth in her aforementioned resolution about surveillance that I would like to lean into today. Truth, automatic license plate readers treat every single driver, every single neighborhood, and every single citizen like a suspect on a spreadsheet. They turn our vibrant, interconnected public streets into cold, automated checkpoints, fact. Truth, the foundation of this technology is built on a lie. The corporations and governmental agencies selling these systems to us told us that they were here for our protection. Jeremy Blatstein wants us to believe that these cameras are being used primarily to help people track stolen cars. Nevertheless, the truth is these cameras quietly feed data to federal agencies like ICE and others that behave like the secret police of Nazi Germany, dismantling our communities and our very trust in institutions and governments as a whole. Truth right now, your journey today from your home to this Hall has been painstakingly documented without your permission, and there is absolutely nothing that you can do about it. The digital privacy of every Philadelphian is utterly exposed. So may this resolution serve as a line in the sand, a line that demands that the states either ban these tracking networks entirely or build unbreakable legal binding guardrails around them. I beg this Council, stand firm and pass this resolution 1 with the clarity of language that needs no translation. Let us protect the privacy of this global Philadelphia and the city and every individual in its place that we call home. (Applause.)

Good 10 morning. My name is Callie 11 Perrone, and I'm reading a 12 statement on behalf of 13 Philabundance's Chief Executive 14 Officer, Loree Jones Brown. Good 15 morning, City Councilmembers, and 16 thank you, Councilmember O'Rourke, 17 for introducing this proclamation 18 designating September as Hunger 19 Action Month in the city of 20 Philadelphia. 21 Philabundance, a hunger 22 relief organization serving the 23 Greater Philadelphia area. Our 24 team works tirelessly to serve our neighbors in need, and this past year distributed nearly million 4 meals in the city alone across more 5 than 200 Philadelphia-based 6 community partners. 7 Each September, Hunger 8 Action Month is recognized around 9 the country as a time to raise 10 awareness and take action in the 11 movement to end hunger. It's a 12 time to encourage everyone to play 13 a part, as every action, big or 14 small, is one step closer to a 15 nation where no one's hungry. 16 This September, it is 17 exceedingly important that we stand 18 together in this common goal. As 19 more of our community members are 20 struggling to put food on the table, in 6 Philadelphians are 22 facing food insecurity and the need 23 for food assistance continues to 24 grow as a result of unprecedented 1 federal cuts to essential programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP. As a result of this federal disinvestment, over 40,000 Philadelphians have already lost access to SNAP benefits since the start of the year, with even more cuts looming. Our communities are facing a hunger crisis, and food banks like Philabundance are left with less resources to fight it. As the charitable Food Network has also lost access to substantial federal funding, food banks can't do it alone, as federal policy changes have led to increased need and fewer supports. It's even more essential that our city steps up, as City Council and Mayor Parker did during the government shutdown and SNAP lapse last fall, and as Council President Johnson is doing now through the Food and Nutrition Security Task Force. That's why Philabundance enthusiastically supports a resolution designating September as Hunger Action Month. We're grateful for City Council's commitment and we look forward to our continued partnership in the fight to end hunger. Thank you. (Applause.)

Good morning, Councilmembers. My name is Nikki Grant and I'm the Co-director at Amistad Law Project, where we fight to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania and imagined community safety in Philadelphia beyond the current carceral systems. Thank you, Councilmember Landau, for introducing the resolution calling for the state legislature to ban automated license plate readers or ALPRs, Flock. ALPRs are not just high- tech traffic cameras. They are deeply invasive, AI-powered tools that can track, store, and share data about individuals' travel patterns, and that data can be accessed by any law enforcement agency or private company for the right price. They are also inaccurate 10% of the time, which has meant that innocent people have been pulled over and subject to police violence because of these tools. Until they are banned and this tech is regulated, there are no real safeguards to stop ALPR from being used by known bad actors. We know that they have been used by ICE to kidnap our neighbors. We know that they have been used by jurisdictions that have stripped people of their reproductive rights to track down women seeking abortion care. We know that ALPR have been abused by police officers to terrorize their exes. From the federal level to the hyper local, ALPRs are bad news for vulnerable communities. What's worse is for every dollar that is spent on this harmful tech, that money is not going to the things that we know keep our communities safe. Mass surveillance does not keep us safe. Investments in health care, in schools and jobs, and in spaces for our young people to gather safely, that's what keeps us safe. As our study calls on the state to do the right thing and ban APLRs, we must also take action here at home and pass a moratorium on data centers. Now, data centers are the physical place where ALPRs and all the AI tools that surveil us live. Over 200 municipalities have canceled or refused to contract with Flock or similar companies, and over 300 local governments have enacted moratoria to slow the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers nationwide. Let Philly be next. City Council must act now to protect us from unaccountable developers and billionaires ready to build in the engines of mass surveillance and mass incarceration of our communities. Thank you. (Applause.)

Good morning, Councilmembers and guests. My name is Jenna Anger. I am a dancer, a researcher, a volunteer, a dental student at Temple University, Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry and Miss Philadelphia 2026. Today I have the privilege of representing not only the title that I hold, but the 105 women who have stood before me and carried the Miss Philadelphia legacy throughout the past 105 years. I also represent the young women who continue to see the education opportunities, the opportunities to grow, to serve their community and make a meaningful difference in the city of Philadelphia. This year, the Miss Philadelphia Scholarship organization is celebrating 105-year anniversary, a milestone. This represents not just a passing of time, but how it changes lives, creates opportunities for young women to pursue higher education, develop leadership, professional skills and encourage generations of women to give back to the city that they call home. I'm incredibly honored to be a part of this Miss Philadelphia legacy. This is not just about the scholarship dollars or the crown that I have on my head. I have been surrounded by people who believe in the importance of education, service, leadership, and community, and I am grateful for every person, my former Miss Philadelphia sisters included, who have supported me and the opportunity for this organization to continue to flourish. To the members of City Council and Councilwoman Ahmad, thank you for recognizing the Miss Philadelphia Scholarship organization and celebrating this incredible 105-year legacy. It means so much to have our organization recognized by the city that we call home. I'm honored to carry this title, grateful to serve the city and excited to write this new chapter in the Miss Philadelphia story. Again, thank you for having us here today and, Councilwoman Ahmad, for this recognition. Thank you. (Applause.)

Will Emaleigh Doley, Rev. Gregory Holston, Campbell Simmons, Todd Reeves, Beth Ramella, Aaron Couch, Jay Finkelstein, Senia Lopez and William Small, please make your way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Hi. My name is Linnea Bond, and I'm here on behalf of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania to support Councilmember Landau's resolution on Flock because preventing expansion of surveillance and protecting health go hand-in-hand. Working for a watchdog organization in a fossil- fuel state, I've observed the federal government attacking free speech in order to expand profits for tech and fossil fuel companies, profits that come directly from our pockets and our bodies. PSR works to support the health of communities that are directly impacted by industry, like fracking, gas buildout, plastic production, and garbage incineration. These industries want the least regulation possible, and they want to be able to violate those regulations without being found out to avoid financial loss. So that looks like Mariner East forcing construction of a gas pipeline in Downingtown, where people were taking pictures of residents in their homes who had easements on their property and following people home, or when a whistleblower who worked for the fracking waste treatment facility- led PSR PA and Senator Muth to the facility to show where radioactive waste was being sent through the outfall into the Susquehanna River. And Senator Yaw was on the phone with state troopers and a worker was served with a trespass order or ReWorld now being sued by a worker who was fired for refusing to falsify emissions records. These industries have every interest in protecting themselves at the risk of our rights and they have the current administration's full support. A federal government that just repealed limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants, by the way. We're seeing the same use of surveillance to limit First Amendment rights in Philadelphia. The Intercept reported that records show Philadelphia police are tracking social media of people opposed to data centers. Two months ago, I responded to a community ICE watch text that one of my neighbors was ripped from their car and I had to go to the street to investigate to figure out who they were so we could contact the family. And I'm looking at the broken glass, thinking that I don't know if that person committed a crime or was just not White and speaking with an accent like my in-laws. When my Argentina, Vietnamese, and Iranian friends are telling me how familiar our government's actions look to the fascism they know well, I call on City Council to use its power to oppose expansion of the surveillance state, both through this resolution and by preventing the data centers that enable state violence and fossil fuel expansion through a data center moratorium. Thank you. (Applause.)

Hello. My name is Todd Reeves and I'm very privileged to be the Executive Director of the Overbrook School for the Blind. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, one of the first impressions I had of Philadelphia so far away was actually a quote, a very common quote misattributed to William Penn. And that being, that we pass through this world just once, let us not certainly delay, do all the good that we can because we may not pass this way again. And that's particularly meaningful for me, because this is my 10th and final year at the Overbrook School for the Blind. And the most good that I believe I can do right now is express to you ten years' worth of stories and gratitude that fills my heart. The reason why I come before you with a heart full of Thanksgiving, I can't tell you all the stories, but I'll tell you one. And that is that many of you are aware that a microburst came through our fine city during the summertime. Will that happen during extended school year when our students were going to prepare on that Monday morning to be back in school? If you look at the track of the intensity of that microburst, you will see directly underneath the most intense pathway is the acres of the Overbrook 12 School for the Blind. 13 And when I got up the 14 next morning to do the damage 15 assessment, saw trees down, trees 16 leaning precariously against walls, 17 the evidence of PECO coming in 18 during the dark of night 19 reconnecting wires. And what 20 happened on Monday morning is all 21 of our students attended school on 22 time and that cannot -- what I'm 23 saying next cannot be avoided, 24 cannot be jumped over, gone underneath or gone around. And the reason why that happened is because we have a City Council working with the Mayor's office, working with other departments in city government, working with private utilities, working with the state on the things that matter most. And one of them is emergency management. I've worked for two governors in Washington state. I've been in Seattle, Portland. I've spent time in Honolulu, and they're great cities. But in those cities on Monday morning, students wouldn't be in school. And what also makes this particularly important is in those great cities, and I'm fortunate to have served in so many different capacities, I was never invited into City Council to be a representative of the students I serve. And what you do when you have resolutions and you have proclamations is that you resolve and proclaim to my students what I can say to them at the point of graduation that when they leave the Overbrook School for the Blind, they will always be recognized by a great city. Thank you. ) REV. HOLSTON: Good morning. My name is Rev. Gregory Holston. I'm the Executive Director of Just Nation. I'm here to talk about burning trash in Chester. First, I want to thank Councilmember Gauthier for all of her great advocacy around this issue. I heard the Managing Director say that only 15% of the trash being burned in Chester comes from Philadelphia, as if that was not that much. 15% of the trash, 15% of the toxins, 15% of the poisons, 15% of the asthma attacks, 15% of the cancers, 15% of the cancer deaths, 15% of the radiation treatments, 15% of the chemotherapy. 15% is a hell of a lot. And to say that with such a degree of callousness, I simply can't comprehend. For so much of this administration has said that they understand the sense of poor Black people in this city, so much of their policies have been talking about saying over and over that they care deeply about the needs of poor Black people. But when you see poor Black people in Chester being poisoned and Southwest Philadelphia being poisoned, you do nothing but put the same contract back in and keep on moving. And if not for the Councilmembers here pushing, you would have just put that contract in and kept on moving. Yes, absolute shame when your policies are not matching your rhetoric.

I was told by some leader in this city that they should be challenged on that. Well, I'm challenging you on that. Your policies are not matching your rhetoric. You say you care for the least of these, but your policies keep saying something else and we have to stop. Thanks so much. )

Hello. My name is Dr. Beth Ramella and I'm the superintendent and CVI specialist at the Overbrook School for the Blind. Cortical visual impairment is the leading cause of visual impairment for children in the United States. CVI can affect people through premature birth, stroke, seizures, brain injury and other neurological conditions, a person. And I say a person because unfortunately it can affect any one of us in this room, may impact your ability to see an object, not recognize it, especially in a cluttered space, in a busy background, in a classroom. And that's what we do at the Rosenblatt Family CVI Center. That's important because we work with those children in clinics and in classrooms with children birth to to create accessible 22 materials, technology create environments where they are successful. We specialize assessments, practical strategies for families and provide guidance to educators and professionals. Most importantly, we empower families. We teach them to advocate for what their child needs to be successful learners, and we provide those clinics at no cost to children outside of our own students. So please check out our website because it's -- we have a brand new website, but also because we can do that for kids throughout Philadelphia. We are doing this every day. Our work directly benefits our kids. And our reach, like I said, is not just throughout Philly, but across the country. We want to make sure that we thank you for the recognition that you provide us, but also for the work that you're doing every day. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Emaleigh Doley and I am the Deputy Director of the Neighborhood Gardens Trust. Walk through almost any Philadelphia neighborhood and you'll find it, a vacant lot that was abandoned and blighted for years until the neighbors decided enough was enough. They cleared it, planted it, and made the whole block a better place to live. Some of these green spaces in our neighborhoods have been in existence so long that people assume they're official city parks. They aren't. Many of the gardeners and the land stewards don't control the land. And after years of work, access can be restricted and it can be taken for development or other uses. Neighborhood Gardens Trust was founded in 1986 to solve this exact problem and we've preserved 63 gardens since. And today I'm here to support two more on your agenda. Resolution No. 9 260749 from Councilmember Squilla will protect the Huntingdon Emerald in Kensington. And right now, a graffiti-covered fence locks out the very neighbors who turned this large, vacant lot into a gathering place. Once NGT takes ownership of the land, we will take the fence down and give that space back to the community that it belongs to. Sorry, I lost my other Resolution 21 No. But it is in Councilwoman Gauthier's office and it supports the preservation of Leidy Avenue in Parkside at a garden that has been in existence since 1985, which is only two years younger than me. And I want to thank Councilman -- both Councilmembers here today for supporting the permanent preservation of both of these spaces. And I look forward to returning here and doing the same thing with all of the other Councilmembers in your districts. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

My name is Aaron Couch, and I'm here to support Councilwoman Landau's resolution to ban Flock and other ALPR cameras as well as introduce and pass a moratorium on data centers in Philadelphia. I come to you not only as a Philadelphia native, but also as an expert in government cyber security. As an engineer, I have directly contributed to whitehouse.gov under Obama Healthcare, healthcare.gov, data.gov and many other federal level websites. I've worked directly on building secure infrastructure and systems, having obtained authority to operate on FedRAMP, moderate and high systems, I not only object to ALPR for the obvious reasons, I'm horrified that my daughter is growing up in the type of surveillance state that I used to read about in science fiction books as a kid. However, given my background and experience in government technology, I'd add that I have zero trust in companies like Flock to keep this incredibly sensitive surveillance data secure. We've already seen cases of abuse in which unauthorized individuals have gained access to Flock cameras to stalk and track. Recently, a 404 Media article detailed how easily it is for white hat, in which white hat hackers were able to gain access to a camera and its footage. Not only should this data not be collected, but I have zero trust in companies like Flock to secure it. These companies are driven by investment capital to extract value from us as citizens. They have shown that the security of their surveillance data is an afterthought. Flock in particular, has shown that they are not up to the task. However, I call on Council to ban all ALPRs. Additionally, we need an immediate moratorium on data centers. Yeah, the city is better than this. We have the resources to say no to companies like Flock and data centers. Thank you. (Applause.)

Will Diana Murray, Anita Dixon, Brittany Alston, Leah Allen, Ogbonna Paul Hagins and Wick Savage please make your way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Okay. Good morning, Councilman and President. I am Veronica Bell and I am a part of Make the Road. I'm here today to speak in favor of Resolution 17 260730 because I am against Flock cameras in our neighborhood. Our Flock cameras are being used to monitor our communities without our knowledge and our consent. Flock Safety collect information about our travel, stores that information in a database and allow law enforcement agencies with Flock contracts to access it. Think about that for a moment. People you have never met could potentially have access, information about where you go, where you are, when you are there and what places you visit, information that in some cases, not even your family or friends may not know. This is bigger than just a few cameras and a few streets. These cameras are a part of a growing system of mass surveillance and we need to ask ourselves how much privacy we are willing to give up in the name of public safety. We have already heard concerns about misuse of this system, including reporting involving people using surveillance to tools to monitor their ex-partners and concerns about information being used in immigrant enforcement. These are examples that should make us stop and ask who has protected who have information and how are they being used and what safeguards are actually being in place to protect ordinary people. We should not wait until our privacy disappear before we decide enough is enough. We're the people of the birthplace of democracy. That means we should be setting an example when it comes to protecting our rights, privacy and our freedom. Our community deserves safety but should not require to give up our right to privacy. I urge the city leaders to take a serious look at the Flock cameras, the data collected, they collect and who can access the data and safeguard our surrounding. And those safeguards should not -- should be strong enough. And if they're not, they should not be allowed in our City of Philadelphia. Thank you. (Applause.)

Can you say your name? Excuse me. Can you just say your name again for the record please?

I'm Veronica Bell. I'm with Make the Road organization of PA.

Thank you very much.

Hello. My name is Senia Lopez and I will be speaking in support of Councilmember Landau's resolution 22 to block Flock and other automatic license plate readers across Pennsylvania. And as a deeply concerned resident of Northeast Philly in District 10, I am asking Council to introduce a moratorium on data centers in Philadelphia. These surveillance tools are weaponized by ICE to kidnap our neighbors, abused by police and put in our communities under 24/7 watch. Five officers were just charged for misuse yesterday in Indianapolis. Automatic license plate readers are more invasive than traditional traffic cameras. They are constantly recording and saving data to be shared with mass surveillance databases. Hyperscale data centers are the physical home where these surveillance technologies like Flock Live. Data centers raise our utilities. Pennsylvania has already paid $1.2 billion in extra energy costs because of data centers alone in the past year. Personally, I learned that my home, which is just two miles from the potential site that the Planning Commission identified, would be affected by constant low frequency sound. These are physical vibrations that I would feel are linked to things like sleep deprivation, ear damage and general irritability, and I am already irritable enough. Frankly, I am just tired of constantly learning about new big tech companies or massive corporations trying to come into our neighborhoods, usually under our noses and without community input. Don't get me started on Waymo. We don't want our home, our city to be a playground for big tech. Please push pause on all of this. I am calling on Council to support Resolution No. 260730 to ban automated license plate reader cameras. I also beg for Council to listen to the thousands of Philadelphians who have already signed a petition to protect our city from data centers with a moratorium. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

Good afternoon, Council President and members of Council. My name is Diana Nicole Murray, and I am the founder and president of Barren Fruit, a Philadelphia organization supporting women affected by infertility and reproductive health challenges. I thank Councilmember Ahmad for bringing this resolution 21 forward concerning perimenopause awareness, and I speak in support of it. I am 45 years old and in the age range when perimenopause often begins. I have spent years advocating for women living with endometriosis, fibroids, infertility and other reproductive health conditions. We live in a world that has normalized our pain and made a poor quality of life seem acceptable. Many women suffer in silence, with little knowledge of what they are experiencing or where to turn for answers and care. Too often reproductive health conversations focus on whether someone can have a child. But our health matters before, during and long after childbearing years. We matter, our quality of life matters. Awareness is a first step. We should not have to prove our pain before someone can take it seriously. As we learn more about women's bodies as we should already, we are also bringing into the open what too many have endured in silence for far too long. We deserve answers and care, not another reason to doubt what we feel. This resolution names gaps in education and the disparities affecting Black women and others who have too often been left out of these conversations. I hope this recognition leads to more opportunities for people to understand and can ask more questions and advocate for themselves. On behalf of Bearing Fruit, I support recognizing World Perimenopause Day and Perimenopause Awareness Month in Philadelphia. Thank you. (Applause.)

Greetings. My name is Donita Dixon, a member of the Philly Black Workers Project. Here to support the resolution to honor the legacy of Black labor history. We must recognize that our most underappreciated and overexploited Black workers deserve better. Temp worker laborers labor for months and years without any guarantee of job security and we can no longer stand for it. My late husband worked for a law firm -- a temp agency at a law firm. After graduating from the University of Penn Wharton School after two and a half years of outstanding work, he was not granted a permanent position. While he was searching for work, he was arrested on a murder charge, which later turned out to be mistaken identity. However, he spent 18 months in lockup before being completely exonerated. Well, while ship clergyman Isaac Myers and Black workers were pushed out of the labor force during the Civil War. They founded the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company. Following in those footsteps, my husband and I opened our own newsstand. One night when he was on his way home from the stand, he was mugged and shot five times. He became a paraplegic where he later moved down South and lived. But I often wondered how our lives would have been if he had a permanent position in a firm. We demand that the City Council supports our resolution because we deserve better. (Applause.)

Good afternoon, Council President and Councilmembers. My name is Brittany Alston, organizer and Executive Director of the Philly Black Worker Project. We're a worker center that builds power alongside Black workers. I appreciate Councilmember Brooks and your support of the resolution 10 honoring the legacy of Black labor organizers. And it is not only our role to honor them. It is also our duty to advance the groundwork that they laid down and continue fighting for Black workers. At the project, we talked to thousands of workers. You all got boxes with a thousand signatures from those workers. And we hear so much of the same. While one job should be enough to sustain a family, for too many workers it simply is not. As wages stagnate in, the cost of living continues to rise. More workers are turning to the contingent workforce, taking temp jobs through staffing agencies, gig work and other forms of non-traditional jobs. For some workers, temp work is a short-term bridge in between jobs or just some extra money. But for far too many temp workers, temp work becomes the only work available. Staffing agencies often market these jobs with promises of flexibility, opportunity, pathways to permanent employment only for those promises to never materialize. So who is being asked to tolerate instability, uncertainty and low wages in the temp industry? Overwhelmingly that who was Black workers who is formerly incarcerated workers. It's immigrants and it's moms trying to provide for their families. This is an industry that concentrates its model around workers with the fewest options and the least economic security. And because (inaudible). This is an industry that concentrates its motto around workers with the fewest options and the least economic security. Because of this worker exploitation, it runs wild and without clear industry standards, meaningful oversight and strong worker protections. We are allowing Black workers to be treated as disposable and kept in a second-tier employment structure. If we are truly living in the legacy of the Freedom Fighters who we're honoring, then we know that these conditions facing temp workers must change. That's why we've launched our All Due Respect campaign. You have information about that in the boxes, fighting for dignity and respect for temp workers in the city. Raising the standard for temporary work means refusing to accept a two-tiered workforce and fighting for bold legislation that protects Black workers and holds employers accountable. We need your support to make that happen and we hope that you'll walk alongside us as we carry the torch for Black workers organizing in light of so many people who came before us. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

Hi, Councilmembers and Council President. My name is Shelia Allen and I am a member of the Philly Black Worker Project. I'm also a social worker. So advocacy for me is not only a part of my profession, it's a value I carry with me every day. And I believe people deserve support when they may not feel like they're able to advocate for themselves. Today too many temporary and formerly incarcerated workers face unequal pay, unsafe working conditions, limited benefits, and inadequate worker protections. Black and Brown workers are often represented in these types of jobs. And when your paycheck is your livelihood, speaking up about unfair or unsafe conditions can feel like risking everything. And my first connection to this work goes back to my very first job. At 15, I worked for Philadelphia Freedom Schools as a junior servant leader. And I thought I was going to be a summer camp counselor. Instead I was introduced to organizing political education and youth advocacy. That summer, our theme was Pipelines-to- Prison. We studied, reflected in creative projects and organized a march with hundreds of young people around the Youth Study Center. At 15, I learned that young people can organize and I learned that our voices matter. I later worked several minimum wage jobs alongside many Black and Brown workers, including people who were formerly incarcerated. The jobs were physically demanding and stressful and they offered little flexibility or support. At that time, I didn't have the language for everything I was saying. But today as a social worker and key leader in this project, I understand those experiences differently. I understand how important it is to create space for workers to be heard, and that's what I see in the All Due Respect campaign. It advocates equal pay for equal work, safer working conditions, benefits and meaningful worker protections. This work also continues a long Philadelphia tradition. In 1830, Philadelphia hosted the first Colored Convention at Mother Bethel AME Church, Black leaders like Isaac Myers organized workers and fought for economic opportunity. A. Philip Randolph later organized with the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and helped Black workers secure a collective bargaining agreement with Pullman. I urge City Council to formally honor the legacy of Black labor in Philadelphia. With all due respect, we deserve better. (Applause.)

I just want to take a moment to acknowledge Isaiah Thomas and the work that he has done with the Freedom Schools. And I know he's sitting there like a proud papa, listening to this young lady give a very outstanding presentation and testimony regarding her role in Freedom Schools and how it helped her become a key organizer. Please proceed, sir.

William Small and I am a member of Flip Philly Red, and today I am opposed to Resolution 260076 because I really just want to get straight to the point. I see a lot of property being moved to the Land Bank. I see a lot of priorities being put before our public school system. Now, during the primary elections, there was a lot of talk about schools. We was down Broad Street. We was kicking doors in and all that. But since the primaries is over, I don't hear no 12 energy about these schools. We got museums closing. That should be priority. These schools -- and quite frankly, 260076, I mean, we're talking about any -- and respectfully, Councilwoman Ahmad, we're talking about anything to do with elections, I don't trust anyone who wasn't born in America talking about anything, about anything to do with elections -- (inaudible).

Good morning. My name is Ogbonna Hagins, President of the Philadelphia Reparations Coalition for American Freedmen. I'm speaking in regards to 260730 for American Freedmen, government surveillance and the ability to monitor our movements must be understood in the context of history. When government is surveilling and monitoring the progeny of the emancipated, that is a badge of slavery. It is a continuation of the kind of governmental control over movement that American Freedmen have historically experienced. So we have to ask, what is being collected, who has access? This is precisely why we need an Office of Freedmen Affairs. Councilmember Curtis Jones introduced Resolution 250781 to establish the Office of Freedmen Affairs in Philadelphia. The city needs to address what has already been put before it and live up to the intent of that resolution at the state level. Senator Sharif Street will be introducing legislation to establish an Office of American Freedmen Affairs when the General Assembly reconvenes. We are asking the Commonwealth to get on board, because American Freedmen need an agency specifically equipped to address surveillance and other badges of slavery. Philadelphia has already been presented with the opportunity through Resolution 21 250781. Now, the Commonwealth has the opportunity to do the same. We need an Office of Freedmen Affairs at the city level and at the state level to protect the rights of the progeny of the emancipated. Ogbonna Hagins. Over and out. Thank you. (Applause.)

Honor to our Council President, this concludes our list for public comment today.

That concludes today's public comment period. Thank you. We will now consider today's resolutions on the Consent Agenda. I will ask the Clerk to read the titles of all the resolutions on the Consent Agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the resolution on the Consent Agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the resolution 24 will be immediately removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on our regular Final Passage Calendar. The Clerk will now read the titles of the resolutions on the Consent Agenda.

Resolution 8 260715, a resolution honoring public servant Frances Adams by renaming the 1800 Block of South 22nd Street to "Frances Adams Way" in recognition of her dedication to violence prevention in South Philadelphia. Resolution 260716, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 7120 Yocum Street located in the 2nd Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260717, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2045, 2047, 2051 South 56th Street located in the 3rd Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260718, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 4203 Leidy Avenue located in the 3rd Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260719, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 225 South 52nd Street located in the 3rd Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260728, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1718-26 North 52nd Street, located in the 4th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260729, a resolution renaming the 6000 block of Market Street "Sharif El-Mekki Way" to honor Sharif El-Mekki and his decades of distinguished service to Philadelphia's students, educators, schools, and communities. Resolution 260739, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 916, 920, 922, 924 West Auburn Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260740, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 855 North Orkney Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. Resolution 260748, a resolution also naming Fourth Street between Hoffman and Dudley streets in honor of Henry "Hank" Gonski, III. Resolution 260749, a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1941-47 East Huntingdon Street located in the 1st Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code. And Resolution 260750, a resolution also naming the 1100 block of West Rockland Street in the Logan neighborhood as "Officer Melvin Kilgore Way" in honor of the life, legacy and extraordinary community service of Officer Melvin "Kil" Kilgore. There are no further resolutions on the Consent Agenda, Council President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion to adopt each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda. (Duly seconded.) 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

It has been moved and properly seconded that each of the resolutions on the Resolution 6 Consent Agenda be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and each of the resolutions on the Resolution Consent Agenda has been adopted. We will now consider resolutions on the regular Final Passage Calendar. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 23 260730.

A resolution 1 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING calling on the General Assembly and the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to pass bipartisan legislation to ban the use of Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras like Flock cameras across the Commonwealth and ban or develop strong guardrails for the use of automatic license plate reader technology.

The Chair recognizes 14 Councilmember Landau for a motion 15 regarding Resolution No. 260730. 16

17 Thank you, Council President. 18 I move for the adoption 19 of the resolution. 20 (Duly seconded.) 21

It has been moved and 23 properly seconded that Resolution 24 No. 260730 be adopted. 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 15 260738.

A resolution 17 urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to enact House Bill 1678 to tax digital advertising receipts and provide additional property-tax relief for eligible senior households.

Chair recognizes 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilman Jeffrey Jay Young for a motion regarding Resolution No. 4 260738.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption.

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution 11 No. 260738 be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 24 260747. 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

A resolution 3 urging the United States Congress to support and enact the Ahmad Butler Pediatric Cancer HOPE for a Cure Act and calling for federal action to recognize and respond to pediatric cancer with national emergency-level urgency while also calling upon the President of the United States to consider declaring a national emergency concerning pediatric cancer under the National Emergencies Act.

Chair recognizes Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson to make a motion on Resolution No. 19 260747 on behalf of Councilman Mark Squilla who isn't here today.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilmember Squilla, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution 8 No. 260747 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read any additional resolutions on today's Calendar.

A privileged -- 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

Excuse me one second. Council will be at ease. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips and then Councilmember Jim Harrity.

Thank you, Council President. I just want to be recorded as aye on all bills and resolutions that I just missed on the Consent Agenda as well as the others.

Thank you very much, Dr. Phillips. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity.

That was earlier. I wanted to respond to --

I think your light is 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING still on, sir.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Press that button, sir. Thank you very much, sir. Will the Clerk please read any additional resolutions on today's Calendar.

A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Streets and Services to hold hearings to examine the City's implementation of its Vision Zero Action Plan, evaluate progress toward eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries, and identify opportunities to improve roadway safety throughout Philadelphia, including through daylighting, traffic calming, pedestrian infrastructure, and other such measures. Introduced by 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilmember Jamie Gauthier on behalf of Council President Johnson.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Jamie Gauthier for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.) 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

The resolution has been adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing, congratulating and celebrating Philadelphia VIP for its outstanding contributions to Philadelphia on the occasion of its 45th anniversary. Introduced by Councilmember Rue Landau.

Chair recognizes Councilwoman Landau for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING JOHNSON: It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Saint James Lutheran Church on its 100th anniversary and celebrating its centennial as a pillar of faith, community service and providing spiritual guidance. Introduced by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada. 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada for a motion on the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing and honoring distinguished Latino leaders and community advocates in the City of Philadelphia during Hispanic Heritage Month. Introduced by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution honoring the legacy of Black labor in Philadelphia, including the first Colored Convention in 1830, and the Black organizers, who for centuries have been at the heart of the American Labor movement. Introduced by Councilmember Kendra Brooks.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Kendra Brooks for a motion on the resolution. 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution has been adopted. Will the Chief Clerk please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing the third week of September 2026 as National 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Construction Appreciation Week in the City of Philadelphia, honoring the contribution of the construction industry to the vitality of our city. Introduced by Councilmember Jim Harrity.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING JOHNSON: Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing September 2026 as Hunger Action Month in the City of Philadelphia in order to raise awareness about food insecurity in our communities and to mobilize us to act in the movement to end hunger. Introduced by Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings examining the City's oversight of correctional health care contractors and the 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING circumstances leading to disruptions in medical care in Philadelphia's jails. Introduced by Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.) 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

The ayes have it. The resolution has been adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing September 2026 as "Deaf Awareness Month" in the City of Philadelphia and further honoring Philadelphia -- Pennsylvania School for the Deaf for its historical leadership, educational excellence, and unwavering commitment to empowering deaf and hard-of-hearing students and advancing deaf culture and community. Introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass for a motion on the resolution.

9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution honoring and celebrating United Lutheran Seminary on its 200th anniversary and commemorating 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING the Seminary's longstanding presence and service in the City of Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Chair recognizes Councilwoman Cindy Bass for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution has been adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the next resolution.

A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Licenses and Inspections to hold a hearing to examine the implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations governing nuisance businesses, including Stop and Go establishments, signage, and window coverings, and to assess how enforcement practices can improve public safety, strengthen community trust, ensure due process, and reduce neighborhood conflict. Introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass. COUNCIL PRESIDENT 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING JOHNSON: Chair recognizes Councilwoman Cindy Bass for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution. 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING

A privileged resolution honoring Dr. Molefi Kete Asante for his distinguished academic career as the founder of the theory of Afrocentricity on the occasion of WURD Radio's feature on his local and global legacy through Freedom Journeys initiative. Introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass on behalf of Council President Johnson.

Chair recognizes Councilwoman Cindy Bass for a motion on the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing and honoring the Miss Philadelphia Scholarship Organization on its 105th anniversary, celebrating all current and former title holders and the organization's longstanding commitment to scholarship, service, leadership and the empowerment of 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING women in Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilmember Nina Ahmad.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING JOHNSON: The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing September 2026 as Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia, and commending the Rosenblatt Family CVI Center at Overbrook School for the Blind, for its commitment to improving care, education, and research for children with CVI. Introduced by Councilmember Nina Ahmad.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution has been adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the next resolution.

A privileged resolution recognizing September 22, 2026 as World Perimenopause Day and the month of September 2026 as Perimenopause Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilmember Nina 9/24/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Ahmad.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad for a motion on the resolution.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.

There are no 6 further resolutions in my possession, Council President.

Thank you very much. That completes our Calendar for today. Any speeches on behalf of the Minority? Chair recognizes Councilmember Kendra Brooks.

Thank you, Council President. As we head into this fall season, Philly families are facing record-high prices for basic necessities like energy, groceries and medical care. I want to thank Minority Whip Nicolas O'Rourke for stepping up to tackle our city's affordability crisis with the Cost of Living Task Force and Affordable Philly Now Report. The report gives us facts, analyses and concrete solutions from Philadelphia's foremost experts on housing, utilities, transit and food access. I applaud Councilmember O'Rourke and I look forward to working with my City Council colleagues to implement some of these valuable proposals in the report. Today I introduced a resolution to honor the legacy of Black labor in Philadelphia. The resolution points to centuries of Black organizing for equal wages and dignity in the workplace. The latest chapter of that story is taking shape here in Philadelphia with the Philly Black Worker Project and the All Due Respect campaign. This campaign is very personal to me. I know what it's like to be at a job where you're not respected. Before I was elected into City Council, I worked temporary jobs, part-time jobs and jobs where I was doing the work that no one else wanted to do. I know about the exploitation of temp workers, Black workers and formerly incarcerated workers. It is a major problem here in Philadelphia. With all Due Respect Campaign, Black workers are coming together to demand better equal pay for equal work and an end to discrimination against formerly incarcerated workers and clear health and safety standards for temp workers. I am honored to join them today in recognizing and celebrating the centuries of Black labor organizing that has led us to this moment we are here today and to this campaign. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

Thank you very much. Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke.

Thank you, Mr. President. A couple of things that I wanted to lift today. First, I want to just state that Starbucks workers have been fighting against the odds for nearly five years. And I'm just talking about the workers. I feel like I have been a part of some struggle related to Starbucks for the better part of ten years at some point. I think it's high time that their employer did what decent employers are supposed to do and negotiate a fair union contract. Until then -- (Applause.)

As you can tell, some of the folks are in the room. Until then, I don't see how one could call Starbucks a decent employer or why anyone would support them. This has gone on far too long and I would definitely -- we definitely need to see an end to this matter. And I'm happy to stand with workers today and every day we will continue to struggle on and see what the end will be. I also want to say that today I introduced legislation calling for hearings focused on our Department of Prisons, because they face some major changes that have hardly been discussed in public, and which I know the Administration hasn't fully briefed this body on yet. In June, we shifted jail health care providers for the first time in 30-odd years because Yes Care, the old contractor, went bankrupt. Because of the bankruptcy, the city terminated its contract with Yes Care five weeks early and transferred local medical staff to the payroll of CFG Health, PDP's new provider. Health care workers on the inside went without pay for weeks. Staffing was dangerously low for days. And one night back in May, there wasn't a single nurse on the overnight shift in CFCF, not one, not a single nurse. " Once Yes Care's bankruptcy was announced in early May, the city moved quickly. But I was asking about whether this was a vendor Philly could trust a whole year before even that. In April in 2025, I asked our Prisons Commissioner if, given all the lawsuits against them and the health care challenges documented in reports on our prisons, this was a partner we should continue working with. That was the question. Since we stuck with them until the bitter end unfortunately, you can imagine that he didn't share my concerns at that time. Now, we know that those concerns were timely and we've waited too long to have this discussion openly. Thank you, Member Thomas, for continuing to advance the work of prison oversight on this body and in this city and allowing me to do that with you. I'm looking forward to bringing this issue to the Committee on Legislative Oversight because we need a transparent breakdown of how this transition was managed, why we stuck with Yes Care for so long, despite many warning signs that had been raised, and what the future of health care in our presence looks like. Colleagues, I've said it before. I'll say it again. Our incarcerated constituents don't just rely on us. They are at our mercy. I use that word intentionally. They are at our mercy. We set the conditions for their lives on the inside, we do. And frankly, we contract a lot of that work out. If that's the route we're going to take, these should be the most scrutinized contracts signed by the most scrupulous providers. Anything less is playing with people's lives, as too many people's deaths have shown us. We need real prison oversight in the City of Philadelphia. It's the moral and ethical thing to do, for sure, for our neighbors on the inside. Continuing on with a few other things. This is a bracing moment in the fight against hunger. Many folks are aware of what's happening at the federal level because the federal government is fighting to be less accountable for feeding neighbors in need. At the same time, we all know that groceries are facing steady inflation. Mr. President, you are fully aware of this. So I want to thank Philabundance for working with my office to introduce this resolution, to make sure that we dwell on these facts. I applaud our Governor for increasing what our state spends on SNAP, but we are still facing a steep struggle, particularly with next year's supposed "reforms" in mind. To all the organizations fighting to end hunger in Philadelphia, for the smaller acts of care Philadelphians perform every day across all of our neighborhoods, I want to say thank you. I believe that God smiles on you for being mindful to feed those who are hungry.

Few things are holier than feeding those who are hungry and we are a better city, thanks to Philadelphians who join into that holy work. My team recently joined sharing excess in that work at one of their food giveaways. And I'm proud to say that food access is one of the points of focus in the Philadelphia Cost of Living Task Force's report. George Matysik and the Share Food Program led that piece of the report for us and included the insight he gained through his work and participation on Philly's Food and Nutrition Security Task Force. Again, shout-out to the President for your unwavering focus on this issue for some time. George was one of the nine experts who helped my office draft this report and I want to share some more about it before I wrap up. Everybody's talking about fighting the affordability crisis. But my office wanted to do what the WFP does and make that very material, not just lip service, make it very concrete. So every proposal in the report is something that the City of Philadelphia can do unilaterally. No waiting on Harrisburg, no 9 waiting on Washington. And for that reason, colleagues, I hope that you give the report a thorough read. We put a copy on everyone's desk last week. I know we had an eventful last week. But hopefully, you can find that somewhere in the pile of your notes and give it a gander, because there are so many steps that we can take to continue to address the cost of living in Philadelphia. I just want to recount that some of the task force members included; Sister Mary Scullion, Art Steinberg, Professor Ash Richards, Eva Gladstein, Dr. Tyra Bryant- Stephens, Marianne Fray, Dr. Najja Orr, Vikram Patel, George Matysik. If that resonates with any of you, their work, their intellects, their mind, their expertise, experience went into putting this together. This is real good material and good reading for those of us who are in the business of making law. I want to thank the members of the Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative Innovative Economy and their staff for your early input and feedback, and I want to thank the entire task force for their participation. And I want to thank my colleagues in advance for reading and considering the proposals in the report. Our hearing on this report comes next week, so this won't be the last that you hear of it. Lastly, I want to thank my team for your hard work over the summer finalizing the report. And an extra note of gratitude is due to Sara Rivera, a former intern in our office, who has led the design for the entire Affordable Philly Now initiative to date, and also formatted and designed the entire report for us. Even when she didn't have to do that and she was gone about her business, she thought it not robbery to put forth her artistic skills, to make sure that what you were reading also looked appealing to the eye. So thank you, Sara. I know that you hear us. Thank you, Mr. President, for the time. I'll see you all next week. )

Thank you very much. Speeches on behalf of the Majority. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues and listening audience, every now and then, if we're patient enough, if we're persistent enough, if we stay on our grind enough, good things happen. We have come to the end of the road for illegal gambling machines in the City of Philadelphia. The City Solicitor's office through the Mayor, this body standing steadfast, Governor Shapiro not wavering on the issue, we have come to the conclusion that they are not games of skill. They are games of chance and deserve to be out of our neighborhoods. And as of the second week of October, we get to work with the Nuisance Business Task Force to begin the removal, the removal of those machines. Mr. President, there is not a district, not a district in the City of Philadelphia that has not been dealt with, had to deal with these machines, some worse than others. In a VFW, that's all right. I'm okay with people of adult-consenting age, but in a corner store 500 feet away from a school, it's unacceptable. When Mrs. Johnson, Grandma Johnson, who is on Social Security, goes in there and the ATM is right next to the gambling machine where they take a stool and don't have to move and watch their Social Security go down the drain on a pipe dream, that's criminal. And it is now really criminal. So I look forward to being a part. If any of you have ever watched The Untouchables, there's a scene where Eliot Ness goes in and starts removing gambling machines. I intend to be a part of that, be a part of that party. But I would say to you and to all of you, we have to deal with a number of issues all the time. But if we stay persistent and stay on it, good things happen. Quetcy Lozada, who had to deal with that, she could have easily ignored it, but she stood ten toes down to improve the quality of life of her neighborhood. Kathy Gilmore Richardson walked in those doors and you don't want to really walk in stores with Kathy, I warn you. She is a Wynnefield girl that is unafraid and goes toe to toe about what is right for the conditions of the school. Cindy Bass, who fought against Liquor by the Drink. All of this is a continuation of that. And if we are patient enough, the heroes become the villains and the villains become the heroes. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Very well said, Member Jones. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity.

Thank you, Council President. First, I want to thank Quetcy too for yesterday. I had been in such a good mood from yesterday morning all day. Nobody's ruined it yet except that idiot that just got up and messed with me. He got lucky. I would have been suspended again or something because I was about to light him up. But the Council President seeing fit to be the higher power didn't recognize me. But just want to let people know that we had to postpone the Wellness Expo this week because of the rain, but we did get a new date. It will be Tuesday, October 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in City Hall Courtyard. All the vendors will still be out there. We've had over 30 vendors sign up. So please come out and check us out Tuesday. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young.

Thank you, Mr. President. First, I want to echo some of the sentiments of my colleague Councilmember O'Rourke when it comes to Starbucks. Folks know last year on this floor I called Starbucks the world's largest legal drug dealer, right. And they make a whole lot of money selling drugs to our community, to our people. And so, I think they should do right by the people who sell their product ultimately. I want to thank my colleagues for passing a resolution 19 today where we are transferring land to historic Fairhill to preserve for open space in North Philadelphia. They're going to use this open space for a lot of their programming. They have the great programming for our youth of North Philly and that Fairhill section. Just glad to be able to support that community. I know last week we had a day so I didn't get a chance to say everything that I wanted to say last week, but I want to just talk about some of the things that we did over the summer. Throughout the summer, our office hosted Quality of Life town halls throughout the district bringing residents together with community, with city departments to address issues like sanitation, public safety, parking, vacant properties, development and everyday issues that shape how people experience their communities. We also partnered with organizations to host housing resource workshops, helping residents navigate rising property assessments, tax relief programs, appeals and other resources that help them maintain their homes. Of course, Philadelphia welcomed the world to FIFA Fan Fest, which is in the 4th District, but I share that interest in that neighborhood with Councilmember Jones. We've also had the Summer Night Light series in the 22nd Police District, which created positive spaces for young people and our families in North Philadelphia. We celebrated major investments in our public spaces after seven-plus years of closures. We spent money to open up two pools in our district at 12th & Cambria and Amos. These are more than just swimming pools. These are places where children can learn, families can gather and seniors can stay active. Amos Rec Center specifically has a senior swim time where the seniors were able to enjoy the pool. Over the summer, we also celebrated renaming Jake & Sarah Adams Way near the new Barbers Hall to recognize a family legacy that is deeply connected to North Philly. , with which we will be passing that resolution next week. Our neighbors continue to demonstrate what community looks like through celebrations like the Spring Garden Sunflower Fest. We also had Strawberry Mansion Day. We have also moved into a different phase in the development of the Cecil B. Moore Library, right. We held a meeting to talk about those improvements. And I'm urging the community to stay active in that. We want to make sure that this building can remain safe, accessible and open to the public for years to come. We had a meeting with the Free Library capital projects capital programs office. And I want to thank everyone who attended, everyone who asked questions and everyone who continues to be an advocate for the future of this essential neighborhood institution. I know the community wants more for this library and so do I, right. Our residents deserve a 21st century welcoming space that supports literacy, education, technology, and opportunity. And I'm glad that we are continuing this important conversation and moving forward with the critical improvements for this library. And on a personal note, one of my staffers over the summer left our office. And I just want to say congratulations to Haley Anderson. From the beginning, Haley has been one of my office's most dedicated and impactful advocates for residents. Haley is a native of Fairmount in the 5th Council District. She brought compassion, professionalism, and persistence to her work and the countless constituents benefited from her commitment to helping people navigate very, very difficult situations.

While I'm sad to see her leave, I'm proud that she has moved on to my alma mater, to Girard College, an institution that helped shape my own life. And I'm especially glad to know that she will remain nearby and continue to serve young people here in the 5th Council District community. Today we also introduce legislation that would amend the 5th District Overlay in the areas near the Ben Franklin Parkway, including a parcel where the Academy of Natural Sciences to restrict land usage to cultural and civic purposes. This legislation, in addition to the hearing that was introduced with my colleague Councilmember Nina Ahmad, is part of our commitment to explore every available path to preserve the Academy as a place where Philadelphia can learn, discover and connect with our natural history. It's important that we preserve our history, right. Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to take my son on a neighborhood tour that was sponsored by the Philadelphia Cultural Center. This was a North Philly Civil Rights History and Freedom Tour, and we rode through North Philadelphia learning about all the different spaces in North Philly that are historic specifically for Black Philadelphians. And we ended the tour at the museum on Girard College's campus. And it's so crazy that they have an exhibit on me in that museum where my son was able to see that, right. That's history. That's culture, right. So if we continue to take away these learning spaces from our babies, how will they learn this history, how will they learn this culture, right, if it's gone. The Academy has been here for over 200 years, right. It's dedicated to civic and cultural education, to science. If we take that away, how will our kids learn. And so, I'm going to continue to be an advocate, continue to fight for the public good that the Academy brought to our City of Philadelphia. And we're going to again explore every avenue, every option that is available to us to make sure that we maintain learning spaces in the City of Philadelphia. I want to thank my colleagues for passing the resolution today, urging the General Assembly to enact House Bill 168. We've heard commentary from some folks today about this legislation, but ultimately it's to provide our seniors who are being priced out of neighborhoods that they help build, opportunity and relief from property taxes. And just to be bipartisan with those folks too, this body, you know, I introduced a resolution that this body passed supporting a proposed bill by Republican Doug Mastriano that would exempt eligible seniors from having to pay property taxes at all, right. I am a supporter of our seniors not paying taxes. Because for the most part when they're retired, they're on Social Security, they will never earn another dime again. So to have their taxes continue to go up, I think is criminal. So I do think we need to work on ways to help our seniors out. I do think our Senior Tax Freeze that we have here in this city is too low. We should explore other programs that we can base that program off of, because our seniors are literally the backbone of our communities. They've helped build this city up and they deserve the honor and dignity to stay in their homes as long as they choose to. And last but not least, Mr. President, I have a couple of announcements. Last week we held our Intergenerational Game Night at The LENNI on Ridge Avenue. It was a great time. There were young people as young as 4 years old and our seniors as old as you can think of as a senior at this place all together, playing games, interacting, talking. I mean, my son was playing bingo, right. It was amazing. It was a great time to be there, to see different generations of people interacting and building community. I look forward to our future intergenerational game nights that we have in North Philadelphia. Today we are continuing our Quality of Life Town Hall series in Strawberry Mansion hosted by the Strawberry Mansion Faith- Based Coalition.

This will be at 5:30 today at 31st and Cumberland. We will be outside today talking to community, providing them information to help them maintain their communities. That's again today at 5:30 at 31st and Cumberland. This weekend we will be at Broad and Green to rename Green Street after Coach Kenneth Ham, who was a legendary coach, mentor and educator for Ben Franklin High School. And at the time of his retirement, he had the most wins out of any coach in the Philadelphia Public League history. So we want to honor that history at Ben Franklin. And of course, next weekend, October 3rd, Norf Philly Day The Family Reunion is taking over Chalmers Playground. I look forward to joining residents, businesses, the artists, the community organizations, the families to help celebrate North Philadelphia culture, history and what makes North Philly special. Again, that's October 3rd, Norf Philly Day, 29th and Chalmers. We hope everyone can come and make it out. Thank you, Mr. President. )

Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.

Thank you, Council President and colleagues. Happy World Perimenopause Day and Perimenopause Awareness Month. As we get closer to January 1, 2027, when my Bill 11 No. 250849, which guarantees reasonable accommodations for those of us who silently suffer from menstruation, perimenopause and menopause as well as protection from discrimination when seeking those accommodations, goes into effect. I want to continue to uplift this often unacknowledged condition that so many of us go through between our late 30s and early 50s. World Perimenopause Day and Perimenopause Awareness Month both happen in September and they're established to raise awareness and to share knowledge about this transitional phase many people experience. I also want to shout out all my colleagues who read through my legislation and voted unanimously in favor of the legislation. We are the first municipality in the country to take action on menstruation, perimenopause and menopause, and that is in part because of your support of this bill. I am so very grateful. I would also like to say that today was a beautiful day in Council chambers, especially beautiful because we were joined by many current and former powerful and engaging Miss Philadelphias. These incredible women are an example of what it looks like to be your whole self. These are women who do it all. They're accomplished, have pursued education and careers and are leaders in their communities. They are role models. And I want to thank the Miss Philadelphia Scholarship Organization on its 105th anniversary for supporting these women with longstanding commitment to scholarship, service, leadership and empowerment of women. I also introduced a resolution recognizing September 2026 as Cerebral Visual Impairment Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia and commend the Overbrook School for the Blind, which officially launched this in 2025 for your commitment to improving care, education and research for children with CVI. Many people don't quite understand CVI. It is a brain- based vision condition where the eyes can see, but the brain struggles to process and interpret the visual signals. This is often an underrecognized condition, and 10.5% of all children with developmental disabilities have CVI. Early detection and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes, as CVI impacts learning, social relationships and quality of life. This week I had the privilege of attending the Special Committee on Gun Violence that the Council President convened. It was an honor to participate in this conversation and to hear from our gun violence experts in the city. I was proud to also raise up in the conversation of the intersection of gun violence and sexual assault and domestic abuse. We cannot talk about gun violence without exploring all the ways that it harms Philadelphians, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and city officials to better protect residents from violence. I have also continued to work behind the scenes on the closure of the Academy of Natural Sciences. And I want to commend my colleague Councilmember Jeffrey Young for introducing the Overlay bill today. And we are still fighting. And we will save the Academy. I plan to share updates on our next steps for this critical work soon and I encourage everyone to stay tuned for more. Thank you, Council President and my colleagues. And I yield back my time. (Applause.)

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Lozada.

Thank you, Council President. I'd like to begin by thanking my colleague Councilmember Jimmy Harrity as well as Representative Danilo Burgos, members of the Philadelphia Police Department and the Peace Day Philly Committee for joining our schools John Welsh, Esperanza Charter, Julia de Burgos and Pan American Charter School for our International Day of Peace, an event that I have had the honor of coordinating and planning and participating in for over 15 years, long before I became a Councilmember. My colleagues often times tell me, Quets, don't read the social media comments, don't read the posts because it's going to -- it's not going to make you happy. But I can't help it, because just like I read the posts, young people in my community read the posts as well. Many of those comments, while many were positive, some were really frustrating, right. Many of the comments asked, you know, who's raising those kids, why are those bad kids or those bad-behind kids walking for peace when they're creating havoc in other places, right. It's easy to be a keyboard bully. It's easy for you to stand up in certain spaces and talk about what somebody is doing and they're not doing. And it's easy to point the finger, right. I will say publicly to those individuals who have so much to say about what our youth is and is not doing, to get up off their tush, turn off the computer, go find a young person or two in your community and be the light for them, mentor them, have conversations with them, provide them guidance with positive things to do and connect them with opportunities that will allow them to be better future leaders of our community. The kids in my community, many of whom live within a block or two from where we walked, experience many, many challenges, like many other young people in this community in our city, but in that community specifically where the homicide and the shootings were up for a really long time, every day experiencing challenges. And for them to stand up and decide that they are going to choose peace over violence, regardless of what is happening around them, says a lot about them. I can't wait to see what those young people will do in the future with all that they have experienced. All they need is a little bit of light. All they need is a little bit of guidance. And so, I will continue to stand with them and fight for peace in our community, regardless of what those who are cyber bullies have to say. I also would like to invite all of you, you all have this flyer on your desk, it shows all of the upcoming events for this weekend while we're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month until October 15th. This weekend is Puerto Rican Festival Week. You will see many beautiful Puerto Rican flags in the community. I invite you to join me this evening for our Puerto Rican Festival Mass at St. m. You don't have to be a Catholic to participate. It is a beautiful Mass to partake in. I also invite all of you to stand with me tomorrow as we raise the Puerto Rican flag right here in the North Apron with many of our brothers and sisters from all around Latin America. m. m. It is a vibe, it is a whole vibe. So you want to make sure that you don't miss it. Please let me know if you're coming and I'll make sure that we make the appropriate accommodations for that. m. And so, I invite you all to take the opportunity to get to know some of the Latinos who are working in city government and all of the contributions that we make, not just to government, but to the City of Philadelphia. Thank you, Council President. )

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips.

Thank you, Council President. Greetings to all of our colleagues here today and most importantly to the neighbors across Philadelphia. We and I am for sure absolutely tired of hearing people say there is nothing out there for young people to do. I'm absolutely tired of hearing from parents and caregivers who want to connect their children with opportunities, but do not know where to begin. One year ago, we released a report of our Parent and Guardian Engagement Task Force. The report was shaped by direct conversations with families about what they needed to help their children thrive. One of the clearest messages we heard was that programs and resources may exist, but families often struggle to find them, access to them and get their children there. So we listened. And Philly After School Hype was born from that work. So this Saturday, September 26th, in partnership with Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, the School District of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Youth Basketball, and also thanks to all of the members of Philadelphia City Council who have been supportive of this, we are proud to present the second annual Philly After School Hype, Philadelphia's largest Out-of- School Time fair. It's going to be from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Sixth Man Center, located at 4250 Wissahickon Avenue. Families are going to be able to connect with afterschool programs that include mentorship, athletics, arts, culture, academic enrichment, workforce development and other opportunities for our young people. There will be activities for families to engage in workshops, food and plenty of opportunities to explore. Last year families told us transportation was a barrier. And so, we heard you and this year we delivered a free roundtrip bus transportation from five locations across Philadelphia, that is free roundtrip bus transportation from five locations across Philadelphia. Thanks to other Councilmembers who helped us. We extended the transit transportation registration deadline and there are still seats available at Edison High School in Councilmember Quetcy Lozada's 7th District, West Philadelphia High School in Councilmember Jamie Gauthier's 3rd District, McDaniel School in Council President Kenyatta Johnson's 2nd District, the Lowell School in our district, and West Oak Lane Charter School also in our district. So I want to thank all of our colleagues for helping us connect families across the city with this opportunity. Parents and caregivers take advantage of the remaining seats. Register for transportation. Bring your children and make sure our young people are in the building this Saturday, September 26th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Sixth Mann Center. I will now just conclude by saying this: We will be having most likely a special guest making an appearance for our young people that you don't want to miss. Also, as the Chair of Committee Children and Youth, I believe we have a responsibility to listen to families and turn what we hear into action. Philadelphia After School Hype is what that commitment looks like. Colleagues and neighbors, please help spread the word. Let's fill the building this Saturday and show our young people that Philadelphia is ready to invest in them. Thank you, Council President. (Applause.)

Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Rue Landau.

Thank you, Council President. Today I introduced a resolution recognizing Philadelphia VIP for their 45th anniversary. This organization has served as a beacon of community empowerment, whether it's housing, family income or so many more basic needs. They've been there to serve as the necessary civil servants, giving their legal expertise to those most in need. Our Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson has worked so hard on tangled title work with VIP as well. So thank you to the Board Vice-President for being here. And their anniversary party is this weekend. Additionally, I'd like to remind everyone that I'll be holding a briefing immediately after Council session, very soon, in the Caucus room. This briefing is held in partnership with Community Legal Services and will cover the impending changes to Medicaid in 2027. We're seeing major infrastructure changes and what those changes will be, a lot of confusion from constituents. So I hope to see you all there as we learn how to navigate these new waters. And finally, my resolution calling for guardrails at the state level around the use of automated license plate readers like Flock passed today. Thank you, colleagues. Emerging technologies are huge risks to our civil liberties if left unchecked. Flock is just one of the names we've seen in this space. But there are more out there and more coming. This technology is widely unregulated, unknown and unencumbered. It's here and Harrisburg needs to step up to the plate to control it. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. And good afternoon, everyone. I wanted to remind everyone about a few events taking place this weekend. m. And Happy Hollow is the oldest playground in the City of Philadelphia, so we're very much looking forward to that. m. That's going to be at the intersection of Haines and Morton Street. So we want to encourage folks to come out and please keep an eye out on our social media for any weather- related updates, as it might rain. We think we'll be fine, that the rain will come later. But just in case, please check our social media throughout the day. We do intend to be at Haines and Morton in Germantown for the Donna Reed Miller Street renaming ceremony. And I also just wanted to take a second and give thanks to It Takes a Village. Last night they had their Hunger Village awards and I received their Civic Award, myself and Mayor Parker. Both were acknowledged for our work in government around food insecurity and hunger issues, primarily for myself stemming from the pandemic when we jumped into action and started giving peanut butter and Bologna sandwiches and anything and everything to make sure that when the city shut down, when things shut down, that there were opportunities to make sure that there were food resources in North Philadelphia and throughout our neighborhoods. And so, I just wanted to give thanks to the founder, the Mr. Mark Wainwright and his Executive Director Brian Williams. So big shout-out to them and thank them for acknowledging our work yesterday. And also, thanks to the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. We're proud to have this historic institution in our district and grateful for the dedicated educators and staff who served deaf and hard-of-hearing students. And today, we recognize September 2026 as Deaf Awareness Month in Philadelphia. And we honor the school for its historic leadership, educational excellence, and commitment to empowering students and advancing deaf culture and community. Also, a shout-out to other United Lutheran Seminary celebrating its 200th anniversary. Philadelphia has been central to the Seminary's history since 1864. And for generations, its Mt. Airy campus have prepared pastors, chaplains, educators, advocates, and public leaders who serve Philadelphia and communities around the world. And finally, we introduced a resolution today authorizing hearings on chronic nuisance businesses, signage and window covering laws. These hearings will examine how these regulations are being implemented and enforced, including issues involving repeated violations, business signage, window coverings, neighborhood appearance, pedestrian visibility and public safety. The Committee on Licenses and Inspections will also examine current enforcement practices and potential legislative or administrative changes. Mr. President, I know the stop-and-gos, these nuisance businesses have been a real problem in our communities for a very long time. We passed our Nuisance Business bill back in 2016. We passed our Stop-and-Go legislation in 2017, and we're still at this fight. We still have not been able to sort of crack this code to be able to figure out how do we, as a city, get in front of this issue that really plagues a lot of our neighborhoods and stops other businesses from wanting to come in on commercial corridors because of what they see happening in these particular businesses. I was at a meeting last night, a community meeting, and heard from residents about why we can't do certain things on some of our corridors. And to be quite honest, one of the reasons is if they see open narcotic sales from what looks like a convenience store grocer, you know, a corner store, whatever, if they see these narcotic sales are happening, people are coming on a regular basis. It's a steady flow of traffic. They don't want any parts of that. And it's hard to recruit businesses when they see that kind of activity. So we've been working closely with the Philadelphia Police Department.

We want to bring L&I back to the table, and we also want to bring the Health Department back to the table, because some of these folks have restaurant licenses. And the products that are being sold are definitely detrimental to our community. So we look forward to having that conversation. So thank you, Mr. President. )

Thank you very much. This concludes speeches for the day. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Isaiah Thomas for a motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stands adjourned until Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that City Council stand adjourned until Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Anyone opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you all very much. - - - (Stated Meeting adjourned at 1:25 p.m.) - - - C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. ________________________________ TANEHA CARROLL