Okay. Good morning. My name is Jose Luis. I live in North Philadelphia and I own and run a food truck. I arrived in the city of Philadelphia in 2013. I've always worked in hotels that have Michelin stars. I live in North Philadelphia, and I own and run a food truck. And I support Resolution 250658, that recognizes the cultural and financial aspect of music in Philadelphia. Music moves our city at all times and one cannot talk about culture and finance without also mentioning food. Food trucks are part of our nightlife. They are a part of that aspect of life in our city. Above all, we are a source of income for working families. Proposed Ordinance 250292 limits access to the food we sell between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. This endangers our ability to earn a living. We harm no one. We are not a problem. We are part of a solution serving a community that needs us. Often when talking about business, only big businesses in center city are considered. But Philadelphia's economy also depends on small businesses, on those of us in forgotten neighborhoods. But we paid for permits, we generate jobs, we make the economy run, and we contribute to our community. In addition to the party goers, we also serve workers getting out of their late shifts, students coming back from studying, musicians, artists and performers after their event. If the law that impedes us working at night is passed, not only will we lose our income, but also the opportunity to continue contributing to the city's economy. That is why I ask that City Council reconsider proposed Bill 250292. We cannot build a prosperous city if we restrict small businesses that give it life in neighborhoods that need work and good flavors the most. Those of us owning and running food trucks are part of Philadelphia. We are not a problem. We are part of the solution. God bless America.
Good morning to the city of Philadelphia. All the people that are present here today. My name is -- my name is Edward Bonia. And I would like to make some comments about food trucks in the city of Philadelphia. I understand that we want a safe city. I also understand that crimes has come down, and I understand that we also need to support the workers in the city. I've had to cut down the hours for my workers. And if they don't work and have less hours, they have less money to support themselves. I've been working in Philadelphia for the past 17 years and even before that in my country, since I was a child. I've worked hard and I've seen myself being forced by what's happening. And while I respect the goal of safety, and I understand and accept the resolution that will be passed, I ask that you take us in consideration in terms of the hours, the schedule. So I have to tell you that I've been running food trucks. In 2021, I was making about $1000. And with this restriction now I barely make $200. This is all I have to say. And I hope you take us all into consideration. We all want a safe city. Thank you.
Kate Perez. Speaking against the approval of Philadelphia's five-year plan, that increases police spending by hundreds of millions of dollars following our historic crime rate decrease that was made possible with an understaffed PPD and by investing into social programs. Instead of giving 69,000 to a cop to harass and sweep homeless people, we could use that money to instead house that person for three years and provide much needed stability in this crumbling economy. They claim to lack resources, but you can go to one of the weekly Day & Zimmermann protests every Thursday at 4:30 and see four blocks of cops sleeping or smoking cigars in their official vehicles. It is not a lack of resources, it's a lack of prioritization. The PPD spends hundreds of thousands of our dollars overprotecting the business that sells the most bombs to a military best known for the amputating, orphaning, imprisoning and murdering of the most children than any other conflict in modern history. Dropping more bombs than Hiroshima. We're giving the PPD millions to buy more drones while our teachers are buying their own textbooks and students are losing bus routes. Every house in Gaza has a martyr and has been displaced multiple times. There's nowhere left to go and they're bombing Gaza City right now. And we have paid for every single one in our tax dollars. And as of July 1st, the Pennsylvania Treasury Department will have invested $64.5 million into Israeli bonds. We watched them force an entire country into states of irreversible famine, by maintaining their illegal blockade since March, starving more than 400 adults to death. And Stacy Garrity decided to invest an additional $25 million to support their colonization campaign instead of bolstering our struggling school systems or collapsing SEPTA. They have drone struck civilian ships carrying aid in international waters twice now, and even bombed our allies in Qatar to prevent mediation talks. Our city budget should support proven methods of crime reduction. And our contract should have a clause that the PPD is not allowed to partner with militaries that maintain apartheid occupations. Apartheid has no place in Philadelphia. We have a responsibility to stop weapons from leaving our ports to end our sister city relationship and to ensure that the occupation is not welcome to play here in the 2025 FIFA Cup. Just like Russia was banned from playing, and our city pension divested from them because of violence, we must finally separate ourselves from this unthinkable cruelty. There is no world where you can say, “Sniping children, collecting aid, or bombing thousands of residential towers is selfdefense.” Stop letting arms leave this city. We need an arms embargo now. Free Palestine.
We have Lynn Landes, Jeremy Blatstein. May Jennifer McDonald, Vincent Nelson, David Alexander Jenkins, and Greg Holston also make their way to the podium.
Good morning, I'm Lynn Landes of SafeStreetsPhilly.org. The amendments to the Fair Criminal Records Screening Standards, if passed, will be yet another reason why businesses may not want to locate in Philadelphia, as they deny employers the right to know the complete criminal history of job applicants. It states that, “It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for a city agency or private employer to knowingly and intentionally make any inquiry or to take any adverse action against any person on the basis of any arrest or criminal accusation made against such person, which is not that pending -- not then pending against that person, and which did not result in a conviction.” And even if pending, the employer can't do anything, “Unless they can prove that the employee presents an unacceptable risk.” These standards are impractical and unfair, and deny employers a right to protect themselves from someone with a problematic relationship with law enforcement. It makes more sense for the city to provide or encourage other employment opportunities for these individuals. I would also like to say that I value the right to speak at City Council meetings as part of our free speech rights. And offer my condolences to the friends, families, and supporters of Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated yesterday for exercising his right to free speech. Thank you.
How are we doing. Hello. Good morning. My name's Jeremy Blatstein. Good to see you, Council President. And I'm here to talk about -- no, no. Sorry. Not yet. I want to talk about the Philadelphia Land Bank and its essential mission, turning vacant properties into vibrant community assets. We know that Philadelphia has long grappled with unused land and the Land Bank is supposed to be the tool to fix that.
I don't have in front of me. It is the bill on Quetcy Lozada with the Land Bank, sir.
All right. Thank you. All right. I'm going to start from the top just so we're clear that -- what we're talking about. We're talking about the Land Bank, right. And it's supposed to be the tool to fix that problem by putting land into productive use. Now, it's crucial that we see this mission through. The Land Bank should not just hold onto land. It should ensure that properties are developed for the benefit of our communities. And that brings us to a project in the 7th District, and the leadership of Councilmember Quetcy Lozada. In the 7th District, the Land Bank controls about 1,400 lots, with around 760 available. Recently, Councilmember Lozada wrote a letter in opposition of a project that would've created 30 new homes through the Turn The Key program. Turn The key is a program that this body passed and says they support. Just look at the allocation of dollars in Mayor Parker's home initiative. But Councilmember Lozada noted, “There's a concern that some city employees might earn too much to qualify under current rules.” That makes no sense if other concerns in that letter were too high AMI levels. To be clear, the AMI levels in the legislation passed by this body is up to 100 percent AMI. But on average, the AMI has been 57 percent. But while eligibility details are important, we must not let that stop us from moving forward. The Land Bank's core mission is to put these parcels into use and serve as many Philadelphians as possible. We need to ensure that these projects proceed fulfilling both Mayor Parker's vision and creating 30 new homes for ownership. Let's make sure that we're not letting perfection become the enemy of progress. Thirty lots, 30 homes, only four percent available lots in the 7th District. And let's make sure the Land Bank Board is following the disposition policy of qualified applications, and that your appointees are not interfering with that. And last but not least, let's discuss the hot topic of the summer and one that I've been talking about since last year, SEPTA. All right. Let's do it. Let's do it. Raise your hand if you rode SEPTA to City Hall today, City Council. Oh, no hands. All right. Let's raise your hand --
Let's raise -- raise your hand if you rode SEPTA in the -- let's raise your hand if you rode SEPTA in last week. I walked, sir. Let's raise your hand if you rode SEPTA in the last week. Okay. No hands. Let's raise -raise your hand if you rode SEPTA.
Thank you, member Blatstein for your testimony today, sir.
There are issues that -- with SEPTA being worked on. If you're not riding on a regular basis, how can you see it? The time is now to show everybody that you care about SEPTA. Ride the ride at least once a week. Ride the ride. Grow Philly to 2 Milly. And I don't appreciate you interrupting me, sir. Thank you.
I'd like to say this for SEPTA, just for the wider public. You know, all the liberal folks that support SEPTA. Most of the people inside this room, particularly that represent this body, we grew up in the city of Philadelphia. We grew up riding SEPTA. So it's not all of a sudden become a thing, right. We didn't grow up with cars and one, two, three, four cars in our households, right. We all come from impoverished neighborhoods, right. So we grew up. So it's not like a thing to us all of a sudden now. Just wanted to state that in case some folks forgot, all of a sudden. It's the progressive thing to do. We always rode SEPTA all our lives. Didn't have a car as a kid growing up in my household. We rode SEPTA. So with that -- with that being said -- with that being said, I'm going to ask for Chief Clerk to call the next person.
We have Jennifer McDonald, then Vincent Nelson, David Alexander Jenkins, Greg Holston. And may Jessica Saxton and Tanawah Downing also make their way to the podium.
Good morning. What an act to follow. My name is Jennifer McDonald, and I direct the city's work initiative at the non-profit Institute for Justice. We're here in support of Resolution 250658, which recognizes the cultural and economic importance and impact of music on the city of Philadelphia. Unfortunately, another piece of legislation, Bill No. 250292, will go into effect today and will harm that very same economic vitality by limiting access to food, medication, and other essentials between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. in the 7th, 8th, and parts of the 1st City Council District. We've worked with entrepreneurs for over 30 years, and we partner with cities across the country to increase access to small business owners for communities that have been disenfranchised in the past. My job is to elevate the voices of community members and small business owners who feel like their opinions may not have been heard by their elected representatives. And over the past few weeks, we've made several trips in Philadelphia to walk through Kensington and Nicetown, Frankford, Germantown, and other neighborhoods in the northern part of the city, to spread awareness of this bill that will impose a curfew that will have some very real consequences for businesses. And we've spoken with hundreds of people and dozens of business owners who will be impacted by these curfews, but many of them can't be here today because they are busy running their businesses. And so I would like to read a few quotes from those business owners and from community organizations that have an opinion on this bill. Mitesh Patel is the owner of The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Kensington, who said that, “Some of my -- aspects of my business, such as providing medicine for area hospices after -- operate after 11:00 p.m. We serve patients who are dying at 5:00, 6:00 in the morning. Would we get fined?” The executive director of the Mount Airy Business Improvement District said that, “While we wholeheartedly support efforts to crack down on nuisance businesses, we cannot support this bill which will have unintended consequences. This legislation will discourage businesses that add value to our commercial corridor and community from locating in Mount Airy and beyond. We do not believe that a business curfew is the most effective way to crack down on nuisance businesses. We fully support that the city allocate resources to enforce its existing nuisance business laws, which allows the city to suspend licenses for businesses for non-compliance with applicable regulations.” The business development manager at Germantown United CDC walked up and down Chelten Avenue with us and had this to say, “The ordinance will not do anything to stop violators during the day. This bill will harm more than fix the issue of 24-hour stores. Let's do what we already have in place before adding more work for L&I.” So I just want to wrap by saying, we understand that nuisance businesses are a very serious problem. And we want to help work with the city to come up with a policy solution that will at attract -- fix those nuisance business issues without harming the community trust and economic vitality of our small business owners. You all have my testimony, my contact info. We'd be happy to work with you. Thanks for hearing us this morning.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to ask the speaker if she could articulate as to her location of residence in the city of Philadelphia and how it would directly impact her.
So we are a national nonprofit located in Virginia. We partner with cities across the country.
So we've been working with our business -Oops, excuse me -- with our business owners that are here. And we've heard from lots of them who said, “We want to make sure that our voices are heard, but we're working, so we can't come to City Council.” So we wanted to make sure that their voices were represented in the hearing.
Okay. Chair recognizes Councilman Jones, then Councilmember Quetcy Lozada.
You say that, but you're not the one who had to stand out at 54th and Burke Street dealing with nuisance businesses that are enablers of some of the young thundercats that are doing some of the bad deeds. You say that, but you aren't out there when Cindy Bass had to deal with liquor-by-the-drink. And some of those establishments, not only on the tail end stay open, but are open at 7 a.m. like 7-Eleven to make sure that they feed into people's addictions. You say that, but you don't deal with drug -- heroin usage at gas stations. You say that from Virginia. I say that from 54th and Burke Street. And I say that we have to regulate and separate the wheat from the chaff. Good businesses, we want to stay open. Businesses that enable bad actors, we close it. Period.
Thank you, Council President. I just want to respond to Councilmember Bass's question. They are not in Philadelphia. I want to say that first. They are not in Philadelphia. Nationally, there's a lot of things happening nationally, right? But that's -- but the realities of what is happening in our communities, in a district like the 7th Council District, who represents three of the five most violent district -- police districts in the City of Philadelphia. We have to do something. In order for businesses to choose the 7th Council District as a place where they want to bring their business, we need to do something now. We need to reduce violence. We need to stop trash. We need to stop open air narcotics. No one -- no one is going to bring their business to the 7th Council District in the conditions that we are in today. And everybody wants Quetcy Lozada to use data. We have data. It says that 80 percent of violent crime went down in the target area. So now you don't want me to use data. We want to talk about small businesses and commercial corridors being the economic engines of neighborhoods, but you don't want it to be the economic engine of my neighborhood. We want economic opportunities for all except in the 7th. For the love of God, when is my community going to catch a break? We have got to do these drastic pieces of legislation in order to bring structure and order and discipline back into my community in order for us to be able to start again and welcome businesses. In order for us to say, we want commercial quarters to be mixed use spaces, but the people that live above those spaces can have quality of life and they can raise their families in those spaces. They can't sleep at night with nuisance businesses at the bottom. These individuals -- this institute said that they surveyed my community. They didn't survey my community. They walked around and offered people basic information about the legislation and then said they surveyed and told people sign on. And when you call those people in that list that they brought to my office -- by the way, they never reached out to my office. I found out that they were communicating with people thanks to Majority Leader Richardson, who forwarded me an email, and then they touched base. So let us be -- let us be transparent. Let us be honest about this process. We are going to continue to put legislation on the floor that is going to protect my community, that is going to welcome responsible businesses into the community. And those that don't want to be responsible, you can leave. You can leave. And you can go to other neighborhoods, see how long you're going to last. That includes food trucks, that includes barbershop, beauty salons, restaurants, smoke shops. I don't care who you are. If you are a responsible business, you are welcome. We are open for business in the 7th Council District. If you don't want to follow the laws, if you don't want to follow permitting processes, then please take your business elsewhere. But my community, we're going to continue to fight for quality of life. I don't care if it's a national group or not.
We have Vincent Nelson, David Alexander Jenkins, Greg Holston, then Jessica Saxton, Tanawah Downing. And may Candy Owens and Obonna Hagens also make their way to the podium.
Hello and good morning, Council Members. My name is Vincent Nelson and I live in Montgomery County. I'm thankful for the opportunity you have given me here today to be able to speak. And I stand at the very old age of 18 years old. Now, I don't come here today as a policy expert or an expert in anything to be honest. But that doesn't shy me away from taking part in civic engagement through the legislative process. And because of exactly that, I'm here to express my concern that Philadelphia's five-year financial plan shouldn't only balance the books, but also help protect security for the future of transportation. Now, I know we have all heard almost ubiquitously the issue SEPTA is facing right now, but let it not lose its meaning, because the consequences have been dire. As the Washington Post explains, even after SEPTA has reached a budget agreement, riders are still facing 21.5 percent price increases. Experts go on to explain that these price hikes disproportionately hurt low income, elderly, and handicap riders. Meaning that we take the most vulnerable among us in this community and leave them dead in the water. Not only this, but the solution that has been given is overtly temporary. About $400 million are being taken from capital funds. That is money that is needed for the future of infrastructure and money that is needed for emergency infrastructure. Because of this and all the above, it is evident that urgency is needed. But what specifically can this resolution do in order to prevent further catastrophe in the future? It can first lock in sustainable city contributions for SEPTA, effectively eliminating the future possibility of price hikes to the extent for which we deal with in the status quo. And next, it can set a needed precedence that transportation funding is a top priority issue by labeling it as essential infrastructure inside the legislation. These two small revisions will not only help the security that SEPTA needs in the future, but will finally give security for the millions of riders who, as I speak right now, are in the dark. Once again, Council Members, thank you for the opportunity you have given me here today. And I hope you understand the angle in which I speak and the angle in which we speak.
And he's 18 years old. So can we give him a round of applause for having knowledge about the issue and taking time out of his day to come to City Council to speak on the SEPTA issue. Keep up the good work young man. Next speaker, please.
Good morning, council president, members and guests of the chamber. I am David Alexander Jenkins. And I rise in support of Resolution 250656. As I adjourn to the chambers this morning in the hustle and bustle of the vibrant metropolis, I'm privileged to call and live in home. I found myself with every footstep towards the white marble pillar of democracy we are sat in today with a steep, deep set, unwavering grin from ear to ear, a grin bathed in the sunlight of gratitude for this place of brotherly love. You know it, because you live here too. This is also your home. It's a place where cultural institutions say free libraries, sports, world renowned museums, parks, music, food are each enshrined in the fabric of our hearts. It is a city where we acknowledge work to have yet to be done, to create the more perfect union we designed here some 250 years ago. Work which includes protecting marginalized communities with budgeting programs focused on pathways to a fair and equitable housing, work focused on health and human services, safety and education. None of this, however, would be possible without the fiscal responsibility required to operate this city. So it is with deep inset grins that I stand with you to defend the very backbone of our city's future. Senate Bill 527 would repeal the Sterling Act, a nearly century old pillar of Philadelphia's fiscal independence. And if enacted, it would strip away as much as $172 million a year from our operating bond budget. Those funds as aforementioned are used for institutions to keep us safe, our communities thriving. The Sterling Act was designed that residents who are not really living here -- who are coming to earn their living here, would contribute to the services that they use while here. You know them, police, fire protection, transit systems, infrastructure. And to unravel that balances to ask Philadelphia's residents who do live here to burden and shoulder that responsibility on their own. It is a ripple effect on families and neighborhoods who rely on those resources every single day and it would be unprecedented. So I stand with you to remind the Senate that it is our city, ours, which is the economic engine of this commonwealth. And that to weaken it is to weaken Pennsylvania. I stand here to say that Senate Bill 527 would not only destabilize our finances, it would diminish, if not halt the progress we have made so far as a magnet for jobs, for investments, for innovation. So protecting Philadelphia dear one is fiscal health for our entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It's that, that I stand with you in urging the General Assembly to reject this bill and I yield back.
Good morning. My name is Reverend Gregory Holston. I'm the executive director of organization called Just Nation, dedicated for racial justice here in the City of Philadelphia. I stand here to oppose the bill that creates the city's financial five-year plan. And why I oppose it is a simple one. The City of Philadelphia has a 31 percent poverty rate for black Philadelphians. Sixty percent of all black Philadelphians either live in poverty or near poverty or low income. The reality is that this five-year plan does not address fully that level of poverty, does not address the 64,000 deeply affordable housing units that are in need to meet the crisis that is still -- we're still present with. Does not meet all of the needs of people who are living in poverty each and every day, some sections of the city of Philadelphia suffering 50 to 60 percent levels of poverty. I know all of you or many of you. I've worked with many of you over the years before you were in Council, before you were in the positions you are in. I know how deeply you care about the issue of poverty. It was striking to me that this plan did not have even a goal in mind of what we're going to do and what is our goal to get there. We could have said, 30 percent poverty reduction over the next five years is our goal, and we're going to do everything possible we can to make that happen. But it does not even say that. It does not even sketch out a plan. It does not even begin to put a structure plan together. There are many ideas out here that can help reduce poverty. One is a simple one. If we paid every municipal worker a living, a family sustaining wage, it would actually reduce black poverty by four to six percent. Just paying the workers in this city to work at the municipal level in this city, a wage that is fair and judged, even if it's a wage on level with police officers in this town, it would reduce black poverty by four to six percent. We can do stuff. I don't care what the federal government does or doesn't do. I don't care that we have a state government that sometimes gets tied up in its own racism. This city -- this city of council members, many of you built by the Black Political Power Movement over the last four years -40 years to help put you in the office you have. You have a responsibility and you do have the ability to reduce black poverty in the city if you make it a priority each and every day that you are in this office. I still believe in you. I still believe in your work. I still believe the times we marched together and stood together and fought together. And I'm not giving up on you. I'm going to stay on you as much as I can because I believe in our city and I believe we can address this poverty together. Thank you so much.
We have Jessica Saxton, Tawana Downing, Candy Owens, Obonna Hagens. And may Sharif Hanford and Elaine Petrosian also make their way to the podium.
Thank you so much. My name is Jessica Saxon. I'm a civil rights advocate and litigator from Washington DC. I am here to provide notice. This is in accordance with USCS Rules of Civil procedure as well as Rule 17 and Rule 20 of the United States Supreme Court. The Constitution for the United States is the overarching requirement that every state must follow. I don't think anyone here will disagree with that. States are not able to enact their own alternative legislation and substitute that for the guarantees of the Constitution. That would mean that your state laws are more powerful than the Constitution. That was simply unlawful. Clause 1 of Amendment V to the United States Constitution says that no person should be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on presentment or indictment by a grand jury. However, the state of Pennsylvania has enacted its own alternative legislation that permits its prosecuting attorneys, its police officers, it's law enforcement to charge by way of information as opposed to indictment. And that is simply illegal. An emolument violation is when you pay public officials to commit this crime against the supreme law of this land. There are two areas of the Constitution that reinforce the emolument violation, and that is Article 1, Section 10. Where it says that no state shall create any law that shall impair the obligation of a contract. So your police officers, your prosecutors, your judges, they are all under a contract. That's a contract to perform based on the oath of affirmation that they took to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. So when your state enacted a law and then directs their agents to disobey that supreme law of this land, that is an emolument violation and it is a violation of Article 1, Section 10. The second area that reinforces this is the 14th Amendment, and that's where it says, that no state shall create or enforce any law that shall abridge the privileges or immunities of United States citizens. Privileges and immunities of United States citizens are at a minimum those that are enumerated within the Bill of Rights and the first 10 amendments. The state of Pennsylvania has enacted a law in its inferior constitution that is permitting your public officials and law enforcement whom you guys all pay, to violate the Constitution of the United States. As a result, we have an inordinate amount of people that are currently incarcerated here in this state illegally, unlawfully and unconstitutionally. Mr. Tanawah Downing is preparing to litigate this on behalf of 700,000 people currently incarcerated across America illegally. I'm here to provide notice today to all of you that you cannot continue to pay public officials to commit crimes against the citizens of this city. Unfortunately, criminal sanctions can come from that if you continue to go down this path. That's not where we want to go, but it can happen. So I'm asking you, please take a look at Clause 1 of Amendment V, confirm what I'm saying to be true, where it says that no person should be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime and then go out and direct your public officials --
Is this related to the five-year plan that you're speaking on? MS SAXON: Yes it is, sir. Because you guys have a budget that is paying your police officers to commit crimes against the constituents of this city.
I do have a notice that I would like to put on the record, please. Thank you so much.
You're welcome. Sergeant at arms, could you take the information for the record, please.
Have I been noticed? Okay. Good morning. My name is Tanawah Downing. I'm the civil rights litigator that Ms. Saxon was just talking about. I need to step up here and provide this a little bit of clarification so we can understand what was just happened, what was said, and what we're actually asking from all of you. So I have approximately 46,000 criminal affidavits on behalf of victims that have been charged by way of information as opposed to indictment from right here within the state of Pennsylvania. Many are from within your city. All right. So again, no state can create its own alternative legislation, substituting that for the guarantees of constitution, then go out and enforce that as though that is constitutional. That is directly unconstitutional. So if your police are relying upon an inferior state statute that permits them or directs them to charge by way of information as opposed to indictment as required by Clause 1 of Amendment V, then that officer is committing a crime. It's called deprivation of rights under color of law. So these affidavits, they identify two different crimes. The first is Title 18 USC, subsection 242, which is deprivation of rights under color of law. What that statute says is that any person who under the color of any state statute, ordinance, custom or regulation deprives any person of any rights secured by the constitution commits that crime. The second crime is Title 18 USC subsection 241, which is conspiracy to deprive of rights. What that states is that when two or more persons conspire with the purpose of depriving any person of any rights secured by the constitution commits that crime. Now the laws of criminal conspiracy with regard to public officials. What it states is that any person who, having knowledge of any of the wrongs conspired to be done, and who have the power to prevent or aid in the prevention of a commission of the same neglects or refuses to do so, may be joined to dispense the action. So upon having -- been provided with this notice, letting you know that you're about to provide a budget -- approve a budget that's going to be paying people to break the constitution of United States America.
So if this budget that you're about to approve is going to --
-- be paying people to abridge their obligations coded by the Constitution of United States of America, then you need to not approve this budget because otherwise you are complicit in that criminal conspiracy. All right. Now, I know that you're going to go and you're going to ask your attorney as soon as we're done, whether or not what I'm saying is true, and that attorney's going to point you to a case from 1884 called Hurtado v. California. And before you choose to rely upon that as the foundation, I must remind every single one of you that the Constitution of the United States of America is the foundation, not a judge made ruling. The Supreme Court of the United States has no constituted authority to be able to alter men or destroy any of the provisions or guarantees of Constitution because that must be done by an authentic act of the people in accordance with the special amending procedure of Article V. Furthermore, judges cannot legislate from the bench --
-- because Clause 1, article 1 says, all legislative powers vested in Congress in the United States --
So I want to finalize by saying that an erroneous view of the law would be that in your legal contemplation that the lowest form of law, being a judge made ruling is in -- is in legal contemplation superior to the Constitution of the United States of America, the object which your fidelity's bound, that would be an erroneous view of the law. And therefore, according to the United States Circuit Court, an automatic abuse of discretion will have occurred if you continue to pay these public officials to commit crimes against people of the United States. Thank you, guys.
Before you -- before you go sir, I know you're from another town, Washington DC. We have a chairperson of Public Safety. I just recommend that you follow up with him, so as a -- as a follow up to having a platform to talk about this issue. We can talk about something substantive with the chairperson of Public Safety regarding this issue. His name Councilmember Curtis Jones.
This is -we're not trying to get you guys into trouble. We want you legislators to understand that I understand that you don't pay -- you don't direct those agents to law enforcement to do their job, but you do pay them. And so we want to work together to fix this problem because if you continue to pay them, you will be complicit within this criminal conspiracy. We're not trying to get even your law enforcement into trouble, but we -but we need to get this addressed. If we don't --
-- then we are going to have a very messy public manner. Thank you, guys.
Thank you very much, sir. Chair, call the next speaker, please.
We have Candy Owens, Obonna Hagens, Sharif Hanford and Elaine Petrosian. SERGEANT: State your name.
Good morning. My name is Viola Owens. Everybody know me as Candy.
Hi, I'm from the Danny Everett Rumph Foundation. And I'm here to thank City Council for everything that you-all have done for me for the last 20 years. I really appreciate you-all being there and supporting us the way that you have. Our organization -- we have a basketball tournament that we started this organization so we can put defibrillators in the recreation centers. Thanks to the Philadelphia Fire Department, we was able to put a defibrillator in every recreation center in Philadelphia. This year, we accomplished putting in every -- we put a defibrillator in every PAL -- no every Boys and Girls Club. This year we were able to put a defibrillator in every Boys and Girls Club in Philadelphia. We also do heart screenings. We partnered up with CHOP. We do heart screenings for kids ages 5 to 22. This -- our slogan is Save the Next Bright Star. And this is so important now because our children do not get EKGs at their doctor's appointments, unless you request them. And I'm asking you, please request them because every heart screening, we found a child with a problem. And we need to start making Philadelphia heart safe. That's the next thing that we would love to work on, that everybody has a defibrillator available to them so there won't be no problem, because I have been in nursing homes that don't have them. And that's sad. So we need to really start working on our slogan, Save the Next Bright Star and start doing for our kids what needs to be done. Thank you.
Thank you. Keep up the good work too, ma'am. Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass. Come on back, Ms. Owens. Come on back to the podium. The sponsor of this legislation, Councilmember Cindy Bass.
Hey, Candy. You know, I just really wanted to make mention because, you know, I know it's Candy from the neighborhood. But one of the things that was not mentioned is that Candy lost her son with whom Danny Rumph program --
-- is named after. Before that we called it Mallory, but now it's be officially renamed as Danny Rumph. And, you know, Candy did not mention Danny's story, so I hope it's okay if I just say a little bit.
That we lost him. He was the bright, young, rising star. You know, future NBA player from the neighborhood who -- whose heart failed while playing basketball at the center. And I believe that they had to bring a defibrillator at that time because there were so few. They had to bring it from like South Philadelphia.
They had -- the fire department had to come from South Philadelphia.
The fire department came from South Philadelphia to Germantown.
So he didn't have a chance. But now through their efforts, they've made sure that there is a defibrillator in every single recreation center in the City of Philadelphia. And so, you know, we owe you a huge debt of gratitude. Thank you.
Hello. Good morning. My name is Elaine Petrosian, and I speak in my personal capacity today. So my remarks are my own and not from my ward or my civic association. I've happily volunteered to help elect many of you in this chamber and to activate all Philadelphia voters. So I'm really happy to be here today. I come today to speak in support of all the resolutions and bills that have been introduced by among others, Majority Leader Kathy Gilmore Richardson on the matters that we are calling nuisance businesses. I live in the North Broad Street corridor. When we call them, “Nuisances” or smoke shops, it does not truly capture what we have going on here. What we have is a real and growing flood of storefront drug dealerships whose main mission is to sell unregulated intoxicants and bootlegged weed. I am a supporter of legal cannabis for adult recreational users. I myself have a medical card. I have no issue with legal and equitable, and I hope thriving cannabis businesses in the future for the tax base of this city. However, these shops are near schools, near youth shelters, near churches, next door to homes. We need a new playbook to address this new reality. They are harming community, they are harming youth. Since the Council's recess in June, I've seen at least seven of these shops pop up within a walking distance to my house. And I will give you a head scratcher. On the 1500 block of Fairmount, this city contracts with a shelter. And that shelter is to provide safe space for young people who need a roof over their head, right. It's called -used to be called the YES Shelter. On the same block is now a 24-hour smoke shop that's prime business are these unregulated substances, 24 hours a day. Help it make sense. Also, across the street on Broad -on North Broad, you can find multiple instances of these shops opening up adjacent to each other or across the street from each other within just a couple feet outside of the 500-foot boundary of several schools, daycare centers and pre-Ks. So here's what I also want to share before I close. Within 48 hours of that 24-hour smoke shop opening up on the same block of the youth shelter, the known drug sellers who work outside, a few blocks away, had operated -- had set up satellite operations in front of that store. So when we sit and think about nuisance businesses, we have to rethink and this is a new breed. Thank you.
Good morning, everyone. Ogbonna Paul Hagins, fourth generation chattel slavery survivor, and I'm the president of the Philadelphia Reparations Coalition for American Freedmen. I had the honor of hearing Alfonso Deal speak as the keynote at my sixth-grade graduation at Elverson Elementary School. Even then, it was clear that he was a man whose words carried weight and whose life carried purpose. Today we honor him in a way that is permanent and visible. The 1500 block of Gerard Avenue will now bear the name of Alfonso Deal Way. Alfonso Deal was more than just a public servant; he was a bridge between the community and the institutions meant to serve it. He founded the Guardian Civic League in 1956 and served as a leader in the NAACP, always fighting to ensure that American Freedmen had a voice, representation, and access to justice. His work was about creating agency, empowering American Freedmen to protect their own liberty and rights. Today we honor him with the street naming, but we can also honor him by giving agency to the people he fought so hard for: the American Freedmen. Right now, American Freedmen in Philadelphia do not have a formal office in this building representing their interests. While other groups such as the Office of African and Caribbean Affairs and the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, the creation of the Office of Freedmen Affairs is not only long overdue, it is constitutional. It is necessary to uphold the promises of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the 14th Amendment, which guarantees both equal protection and birthright citizenship for the American Freedmen only. An Office of Freedmen Affairs would ensure that American Freedmen finally have recognized agency, the ability to protect their rights, opportunities, and voices, just as Alfonso Deal championed throughout his life, naming the street after him is a great thing, but it's constitutional for the American Freedmen to have an Office of Freedmen Affairs just like every other group. Ogbonna Hagins, over and out.
We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the second reading and final passage's calendars. Will Chief Clerk please read the title of Resolution Number 250214?
A resolution providing for the approval by the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a revised five-year financial plan for the City of Philadelphia covering fiscal years 2026 through 2030 and incorporating revisions with respect to Fiscal Year 2025, which is to be submitted by the Mayor to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, pursuant to an intergovernmental cooperation agreement by and between the City and the Authority.
The Chair recognizes Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion regarding Resolution Number 250214.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I move that Resolution Number 250214 be placed on the suspension calendar.
It has been moved and properly seconded. The Resolution Number 250214 be placed on the suspension calendar. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. Would Chief Clerk please read the title of Resolution Number 250656.
A resolution urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to reject Senate Bill 527, which would repeal the Sterling Act and have a devastating impact on the City of Philadelphia's fiscal stability, therefore financially crippling public services and regional leadership.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion regarding Resolution Number 250656.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution.
It has been moved and properly seconded. The Resolution Number 250656 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will Chief Clerk please read the title of Resolution Number 250658.
A resolution authorizing the creation of the Philly Is a Music City Task Force by the Committee of Legislative Oversight to develop and maintain the cultural and economic impact of music in Philadelphia.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Deputy Whip -- no, Majority Whip, Isaiah Thomas, for a motion regarding Resolution Number 250658.
Thank you, Council President. Before I take a motion on that, I would like to be recorded as aye on all bills and resolutions that I might have missed. And with that being said, Council President, I move for the adoption of the resolution.
It has been moved and properly seconded. The Resolution Number 250658 be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted, and you'll be duly recorded on voting aye on all bills and resolutions. Will Chief Clerk please read the title of Resolution Number 250661.
A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2847 Boudinot Street, located in the 7th Councilmanic District, in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of the Philadelphia Code.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada for a motion regarding Resolution Number 250661.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution.
It has been moved and properly seconded. The Resolution Number 250661 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will Chief Clerk please read the title of Resolution Number 250663.
A resolution also naming the 1500 block of Gerard Avenue as Alfonso Deal Way.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Young for a motion regarding Resolution Number 250663.
Thank you, Mr. President. I also want to thank Mr. Haggins for that testimony on this resolution, but I move for the adoption.
It has been moved and properly seconded. The Resolution Number 250663 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will Chief Clerk please read the title of Resolution Number 250668.
A resolution amending and restating Resolution 120184 to appoint two additional business community members to the Economic Opportunity Review Committee.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad for a motion regarding Resolution Number 250668.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution.
It has been moved and properly seconded. The Resolution Number 250668 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will Chief Clerk please read the title. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jim Harrity.
On Bill No. 668, for the record -Resolution Number 668 -- 250668, Councilmember Kendra Brooks is a nay for the record. Will Chief Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 2506 -- 250333.
An ordinance amending Title 14 Zoning Code of Philadelphia, Section 14-409, entitled SP-CIV, Civic, Educational and Medical Special Purpose District, and amending Title 14-602, entitled Use Tables, by allowing Religious Assembly uses in certain Special Purpose Districts, all under certain terms and conditions.
This bill had me read on two different days. The question now is, should a bill pass finally? Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 16, nays are zero. Majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Would Chief Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 250530-A?
An ordinance authorizing an increase in the non-electoral indebtedness of the City within Pennsylvania Constitutional limit, authorizing the Bond Committee to sell bonds at public or private negotiated sale to provide funds toward various capital municipal purposes, providing for appropriations to the Sinking Fund Commission for the payment of such bonds, and authorizing agreements to provide credit or payment or liquidity sources for the bonds in connection with the issuance of the bonds and other actions.
And this bill had me read on two different days. The question now is, shall the bill pass finally? Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll?