Councilwoman Krajewski is voting aye. Councilwoman Miller is voting aye. Councilman O'Neill. 11/17/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 110517.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into a lease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority for a certain portion of a parcel of ground located at the Northeast Water 11/17/11 - STATED - 2ND READING Pollution Control Plant located at 3899 Richmond Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The record will note that earlier Councilman O'Neill did indicate that he was abstaining. So please continue to call the roll.
Wait 11/17/11 - STATED - 2ND READING a minute. I'm sorry. We cannot hear up here who is saying yes or no. Let's start again, please.
Councilman Kelly is voting aye. 11/17/11 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilman Kenney.
Councilwoman Krajewski is voting aye. Councilwoman Miller is voting aye. Councilman O'Neill is abstaining. Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Aye. The ayes are 13, the nays are two, and we have one abstention. The Clerk will please read any additional resolutions on today's Calendar.
Thank you. That concludes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Good afternoon, Madam President. Today I rise to make my colleagues aware that tomorrow -
Just a moment, sir. I think you deserve a little more respect than that. Anybody having conversations, do so in the corridor, please. That applies to everybody.
Thank you, Madam President. Tomorrow the Mayor's Commission on Aging will present a report. It is called Philadelphia's Commitment to Making This City a More Age-Friendly Place. This is a result of a summit that was done in conjunction with WHYY, the Mayor's Commission on Aging, AARP to talk about policies affecting the baby boomers and the generations moving into senior status. As a result of this, we want to kind of connect, if you would, the fact that there is another looming deadline dealing with the Deficit Reduction Committee or the Super Committee, better known, with their deadline of reducing the massive budget deficit by Wednesday, November 23rd. Now, there are many things on the chopping block that are being considered, but one that we need to pay particular attention to is the one Security, Medicare and some of the COLAs, which are cost of living allowance increases, for our seniors. As we look at naturally occurring retirement communities, meaning that these communities because of the age of their residents are becoming a more senior place naturally, some of those people, many of them are on fixed incomes relying on Social Security. To the degree that Social Security is the principal source of income for nearly two-thirds of older American households that receive those kinds of benefits, they depend on that fixed income, and to not allow for increases to keep pace with inflation is to condemn those communities to gradual poverty. But worse than that, in Philadelphia, right here in River City, there are many grandparents that also have dependents because of the economy or other tragedies that live in their households, whether they're their children or their children's children. So you're not condemning one demographic, but many. So we want to pay particular attention to that and remind us that half of the senior citizens 65 years or older live on an income of less than $18,500 a year, that this is serious business, and they've already been devastated by losses in their pension funds, 401(k)s, losses in the value of their home because of bad debt and mortgage foreclosures. To have them add insult to injury by having this committee look at them in any serious way to cut them is a travesty to seniors around this nation, but in particular Philadelphia. So we're going to look with anticipation as to what things they put on the chopping block. Again, I salute the Mayor and his Administration for having forward thinking to do the conference and to come up with particular hold many of the departments to in the upcoming budget discussions. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd just like to commend the Administration, the School District of Philadelphia and the state Department of Education on their plan to move forward on agreeable standards for measuring charter schools and hopefully on an agreement as to what will happen to non-performing charter schools where they'll be quickly and immediately bid out to other charter providers or closed down. I was excited by this news. The only thing that we truly need from the School District now, if we can accomplish these agreed-upon standards over the next three or four months, is a lifting of the ban on new charter schools and their applications. That ban violates state law. It is time to lift it. It is time for the School District to accept applications for charter schools so we can continue the experiment and competition for a free quality public education in Philadelphia. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. I will be brief. A few words about Occupy Philadelphia. On the major issue of whether they should stay or leave, I believe that they should stay. The tents should leave. But, more importantly, their demonstration today I found to be kind of strange. I find it strange that they showed up only on one issue, the curfew. on a number of progressive issues over the last few weeks. They've taken on the living wage and benefits. They've taken on equal benefits. We've discussed business tax reform. They could have come out for or against that. They haven't even taken on the issue of Dilworth Plaza itself. They're actually in negotiation to move for a 50-some million dollar project for the sake of jobs. Did they ask for those jobs for Philadelphia businesses, Philadelphia workers? Did they ask whether the businesses that would benefit from that will be Philadelphia businesses? Have they asked about the diversity related to that City money being spent? No. So I'm all for protests, but as eloquent as they were about the curfew issue, if this really is about economic opportunity, they need to up their game. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Madam President. Speaking of charter schools, I'd just like to congratulate the West Oak Lane Charter School, which is located in the 9th District at Washington Lane and Stenton Avenue. They had an open house last night. They have extended and expanded the facility. It is now quite visible and can accommodate more students there. I want to commend the Board under the leadership of Charmain Matlock-Turner and I want to make a special shout-out to my friend Dwight Evans, who was the leader on the whole charter school movement in this City and who throughout this City has provided many good works, and he led the fight for the West Oak Lane Charter School. And we want to thank all of them for their leadership, the staff and the faculty and the students and the parents.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. First I would like to note that the African Language Families booklet that was put on your desk is certainly gratis the Echoes of Africa today, and we hope that you will enjoy it or pass it on, as are the key rings, the pen animal key rings that you see that has Echoes of Africa on them. This booklet, the students on the front are students from Kaduna. They are students from Essence International School, and I've introduced you to Delores Muhammad who wrote this and who is from Philadelphia but been in Nigeria for some-40 years. I've introduced you to her when she's here, and certainly I wanted to share this with her, and we will also share it with the Mayor's Caribbean Immigrant Affairs. I would also like to next congratulate all members of City Council who were elected or reelected to City Council on Tuesday, November 8th. I likewise commend all who have served our body for so many years and who have decided not to move forward. We commend you, President Verna, and all the others, Councilman DiCicco and Councilman Rizzo and Councilman Kenney, who has gone on, and all of those who -(Laughter.)
Sorry. Kelly, not Kenney. I stand corrected. would not have even noted had everybody not laughed. Thank you. So we want to thank all of you. Jim Kenney, you and I will still work together next year. And I certainly thank all of the individuals in my district who reelected me overwhelmingly so that in January I may begin my sixth four-year term, after serving five terms under the late and great Lucien Blackwell. Lu's slogan was, "Leaders must lead." And this is an exciting time for leadership in the City of Philadelphia and in the City Council of Philadelphia. I'm proud to have served eight years as Majority Leader during a time when three women President Anna C. Verna, Honorable Marian B. Tasco who was Majority Whip and myself - changed history in leading our Council forward as President, Majority Leader and Minority Whip. We changed the history of our city by being the first hold these leadership roles. In January, there will be many new officials on Council, many who have served and many who were just elected. I will continue to form alliances with individuals on various issues that I deem important to service my district and my city, which I love so much. I've decided to give others an opportunity to serve in leadership roles and, therefore, will not seek election to a leadership position this term. Thank you very much.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President, and thanks to Occupy Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for making us all hungry beyond lunch. This is the appropriate time to then make this announcement. Sandwich Day on November 3rd, South Philly-based Primo Hoagies hosted the "With Love Primo Hoagies Invitational" to determine what ingredients will be used to build Primo's new With Love hoagie, available at all 80-plus stores across the region for one year. The Manetti With Love, Michael Manetti, a resident of Conshohocken, won all three competitions. His recipe included hot Capicola, home-style turkey breast, thinly sliced pepperoni, hot pepper cheese and mozzarella. The hoagie is topped with lettuce, tomato, light oil and salt and pepper. Inspired the creativity of the amateur chefs of the Philadelphia region, Primo Hoagies has decided to create a second With Love hoagie, the With Love Italian. The hoagie includes natural-casing Genoa Salami, hot Sopressata, Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella cheese and roasted peppers. welcome the With Love Hoagie into the Philadelphia community, Philadelphia City Councilmembers are today offered the first taste of the Manetti as well as the Primo's most popular variety, the Sharp Italian. With Love hoagies are just one of the many ways consumers can experience the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation's With Love promotion launched in 2009. GPTMC's With Love Philadelphia XOXO Campaign appeals to many different audiences throughout through various letters addressed to travelers. Penned by the City itself, the letters let a bit of Philadelphia attitude through while extending the invitation to visit. So enjoy the hoagies and enjoy the rest of the day. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. Councilman Green, you want to recognized?
Thank you, Madam President. Paying close attention once again to Councilman Kenney's efforts, I want to congratulate him on this extremely substantive, important speech that he just gave. Thank you. (Laughter.)
I just would caution Councilman Green to chew his hoagie thoroughly so he doesn't choke. Thank you. (Laughter.)
The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.
Madam President, I don't know how to follow one, but I have to say, Madam President, I listened to the great debate on 610 sports talk show. Maybe now it's changed to -- what is it now, Councilman?
94.1 when Councilman Kenney got into a debate with Angelo Cataldi and the rest of the individuals about whether or not it was the hoagie or the cheese steak. So my question, Councilman, is this in response to the folks on 94.1?
My point is the hoagie deserves as much love as the cheese steak, because it actually has a longer history in the City, a longer history than the cheese steak, and I think both of them could live and coexist together.
There we go. And, Madam President, with that note, to call for an adjournment, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, November 17th, 2011, 10:00 a.m. -- oh, I'm sorry. They gave me the wrong one. December 1st.
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 1st. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m.) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on November 17, 2011, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)