COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, March 4, 2010 10:10 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN MARIA QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO MICHAEL A. DECKER,
Good morning. I note that the hour has come and that quorum of this Council is present. Council will please come to order. Members will take their seats, and visitors will retire to the seats outside the rails. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Reverend John M. Teagle, Interim Pastor of Mt. Sinai Tabernacle Baptist Church. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Clarke. I would ask all members and guests to please rise.) (All members and guests rise.)
Our Father and our God, thou who knowest all about us, know more about us than we know about ourselves, we come invoking thy presence here today that thou wouldest not only cover us with thy spirit, but give us understanding. We come praying for this awesome body, the President of this Council and the Councilmembers and their staff, that thou wouldest bless them as they go forward in this great work, and that what is done here today may be of such that thou can put thy stamp of approval upon it and bless us as we go forward on our way. Keep us and we shall be kept. Save us and we shall be saved. We ask it all in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost, we pray. Amen. (Amen.)
The Chair thanks Reverend Teagle for his very inspiring invocation. Thank you so much. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 25th, 2010. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 25th, 2010 stand approved. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 25th, 2010 stand approved. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. business is requests for leave of absence, and, again, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. On behalf of the majority, there are no requests for leave of absence today.
The Chair thanks the Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Madam President, the republicans have no requests for leave of absence.
Thank you. 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 Council, I welcome you to our Council session. We appreciate your taking the time to join us as we affairs of our city. We certainly invite you to come again. We have many distinguished visitors with us today, including elected officials, heads of departments, boards and commissions and many representatives from the Administration. Please know that we appreciate you being with us today. We want to extend a warm welcome and to offer our thanks for all the good work that you do, and we all say thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
The next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant-At-Arms deliver the messages to the Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk will please read the messages from the Mayor.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am transmitting herewith your honorable body 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 2011 through 2015; and An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2011 Capital Budget; and An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2011 through 2016 inclusive; and An ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2011; and An ordinance amending Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finance, Taxes and Collections," by adding a new Chapter 19-3600, entitled "Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax"; and An ordinance amending Section 19-1801 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Authorization of Tax," to further authorize the Board of Education of Philadelphia to impose a tax on real estate within the City of Philadelphia; and An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "School Tax Authorization," by amending Section 19-1806, entitled "Authorization of Realty Use and Occupancy Tax," to further authorize the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia to impose a tax on the use or occupancy of real estate within the School District of Philadelphia; and An ordinance amending Chapter 10-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Refuse and Littering," by providing for a sanitation services fee; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to extend the term of a sublease agreement between the Philadelphia Municipal Authority as landlord and The City of Philadelphia as tenant for mailroom 1628 JFK Boulevard; and An ordinance authorizing the City Treasurer, on behalf of the City, to enter into an agreement with Wachovia Bank for the provision of payroll banking services to the City; and An ordinance amending Chapter 19-3500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "General Acute Care Hospital Assessment," by clarifying its applicability to High Volume Medicaid Hospitals, by revising due dates, by making changes to conform amendments to State law, and making technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you. The messages will be printed in the Journal. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please read any other communications in his possession.
I've been informed that a special guest has joined us. I'd like us all to recognize Mayor John Street. (Applause.)
The next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and at this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. With your co-sponsorship, I offer one resolution.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution urging PIDC to rename the Philadelphia Navy Yard as the Honorable John P. Murtha Navy Yard.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney for a motion.
I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
The Chair thanks the Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Krajewski.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer one resolution.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, I offer six bills and one resolution on behalf of the Administration. I offer eight bills on behalf of City Council and two resolutions. I have one bill and one resolution, and I'm offering one resolution on your behalf.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will begin to read the first six bills, please.
An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2011 through 2016 inclusive.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2011.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finance, Taxes and Collections," by adding a new Chapter 19-3600, entitled "Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax."
This bill will also be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "School Tax Authorization," by amending Section 19-1806, entitled "Authorization of Realty Use and Occupancy Tax," to further the authorize the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia -
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Section 19-1801 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Authorization of Tax," to further authorize the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia to impose a tax on real estate within the City.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance authorizing the City Treasurer, on behalf of the City, to enter into an agreement with Wachovia Bank for the provision of payroll banking services to the City.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 20-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Political Contributions and Expenditures," by providing that expenditures incurred in the printing or distribution of sample ballots shall not be considered a contribution for purposes of the contribution limits of that Chapter.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 20-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Political Contributions and Expenditures," by permitting a candidate for elective office to establish a litigation fund to receive contributions and make expenditures for the defense of certain proceedings relating to the candidate's campaign.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of a proposed amendment of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter set forth in a Resolution approved by Council relating to restrictions on the political activities of City officers and employees.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Title 20 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Officers and Employees," by revising the penalties for violation of various ethics and ethics-related provisions.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation of an Office of Inspector General, to provide for the powers and duties of such Office.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 20-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Political Contributions and Expenditures," by authorizing the creation of inauguration and transition committees and providing separate limitations on contributions to such committees.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 20-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Standards of Conduct and Ethics," by establishing standards of conduct regarding the political activities of City officers and employees.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Title 20 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Officers and Employees," by adding a new Chapter requiring the registration of lobbyists and their principals.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation of an Office of Inspector General.
This resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to restrictions on the political activities of City officers and employees.
This resolution will also be referred to the appropriate committee.
And 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 2011 through 2015.
This resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground, with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Thirty-Sixth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion on the resolution.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank you, Madam President. Today I offer one bill and one resolution.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development a deed conveying, for nominal consideration, fee simple title to the parcel measuring approximately 58,402 square feet which is located at 5326 Pulaski Avenue.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution proclaiming March 8, 2010 as "International Women's Day."
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. I have no bills or resolutions.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. Today, no bills or resolutions.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer no bills or resolutions today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. No bills or resolutions this morning.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I offer one bill.
An ordinance amending Chapter 10-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Refuse and Littering," by providing for a sanitation services fee, under certain terms and conditions.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam President. I have five bills, two co-sponsored by Councilman Goode.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first bill.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to extend the term of the sublease agreement between the Philadelphia Municipal Authority as landlord and The City of Philadelphia as tenant for mailroom operations space at 1628 JFK Boulevard.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Temple University, by allowing for the construction of additions to Pearson and McGonigle Halls.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 17-1600 of The Philadelphia Code entitled Economic Opportunity Plans by modifying the monetary threshold triggering the requirement of an economic opportunity plan on city funded projects or contracts.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 17-1600 of The Philadelphia Code entitled Economic Opportunity Plans by establishing minimum standards of "best and good faith efforts" to be employed in the development and implementation of Economic Opportunity Plans.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 19-3500 of The Philadelphia Code, "General Acute Care Hospital Assessment," by clarifying its applicability to High Volume Medicaid Hospitals.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you. The next order of business is reports from committees. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee for a report from the Committee on Law and Government.
Thank you, Madam President. The Committee on Law and Government reports one bill and one resolution with a favorable recommendation.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee on Law and Government, to which was referred Bill No. 090519, entitled "An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of the proposal set forth in a Resolution approved by Council proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter confirming Council's power to enact ordinances that require City contractors and recipients of City financial assistance to submit and comply with economic opportunity plans addressing the participation of disadvantaged business enterprises and workforce diversity, and that provides remedies for violations"; and Resolution No. 090529, entitled "A resolution proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter enact ordinances that require City contractors and recipients of City financial assistance to submit and comply with economic opportunity plans addressing the participation of disadvantaged business enterprises and workforce diversity, and that provides remedies for violations," respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bill and resolution to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 090519. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of the bill just reported from committee. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the bill just read will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. Resolution No. 090529 will be placed on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for next week. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode for a report from the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.
Thank you, Madam President. The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development reports one bill with a favorable recommendation.
The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, to which was referred Bill No. 100009, entitled "An ordinance amending Section 19-2604 of The Philadelphia Code, relating to tax, rates and credits for the business privilege tax, by amending the credit for contributions to community development corporations to allow a business that terminated a contribution agreement to remain eligible for future tax credits under the provision that permits two businesses to apply jointly for the tax credit, all under certain terms and conditions," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 100009. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of the bill just reported from committee. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the bill just read will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from committee with the suspension of rules have been deemed to have had a first 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING reading. There are no other bills on the First Reading Calendar. Therefore, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for the purpose of calling up bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar to be considered today.
Thank you, Madam President. Bill Nos. 100003, 100014, 090833, 100005, 100006, 090878, 090879, 100001, 100002 and 100063 are being called up for Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today. All other bills are being held.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100003.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Marsden Street, Friendship Street, Keystone Street and Tyson Avenue. 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100014.
An ordinance amending Section 14-1638, entitled "Central Delaware Riverfront Overlay District," by establishing no height limit and by making technical changes.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING 090833.
An ordinance amending Chapter 19-3100, entitled "Attorney Fees in Collection Matters; Retention of Private Attorneys," by providing for imposition of attorney and collection agency fees in connection with certain collection activity.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100005.
An ordinance constituting the Thirteenth Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as supplemented.
This 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 100006.
An ordinance authorizing, generally, the continued issuance and sale by the City of Philadelphia of Gas Works Revenue Notes of the City.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 090878. 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 within the General Fund from the Department of Public Property and the Department of Public Property - Telecommunications to the Managing Director - Division of Technology.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 090879.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 from the General Fund to the Grants Revenue Fund, the Managing Director - Division of Technology. 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100001.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 within the Grants Revenue Fund from the Director of Finance - Federal Stimulus Funding to certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100002.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 from the General Fund to the General Fund, certain or all City offices, departments, boards and commissions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye. 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100063.
An ordinance amending Chapter 21-1700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Publication of Notices by City," by revising provisions concerning how and when 3/4/10 - STATED - 2ND READING required notices shall be published and advertised.
Pursuant to the Home Rule Charter, Bill No. 100063 requires a two-thirds vote. At this time, I would ask the Chief Clerk to please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A two-thirds majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The time has come for us to consider the Mayor's presentation of his annual Budget Message. The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter states that the Mayor shall submit to Council, no later than 90 days before the end of the fiscal year, his Operating Budget Message and Proposed Operating Budget Ordinance for the ensuing fiscal year. At the same time, the Mayor shall submit to Council the Recommended Capital Program and Capital Budget as received from the City Planning Commission, to the extent approved by the appoint the following committee to escort the Mayor into the Council Chambers: Councilwoman Tasco, Councilman Clarke, Councilman O'Neill and Councilman Rizzo. (Pause.)
Madam President, the Mayor has arrived. (All members and guests standing.) (Applause.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, Mayor Michael A. Nutter. Mr. Mayor. (Applause.)
Good morning, Madam President, Majority Leader Marian Tasco, Majority Whip Darrell Clarke, Minority Leader Brian O'Neill, Minority Rizzo, all members of this great Philadelphia City Council, District Attorney Seth Williams, City Controller Alan Butkovitz, President Judge Pamela Dembe, any other elected officials, members of the General Assembly, and I understand that Mayor Street is here as well. Ladies and gentlemen, please recognize Mayor John F. Street. (Applause.)
All my fellow Philadelphians and our friends in the region. If the President will allow, just a personal moment. Madam President and the members of this great body, I do still very much love this place, and every time I come here, I'm reminded, and especially this morning, of the great feeling of that I felt the first time I walked into these Council Chambers literally 29 years ago. Great memories, people like John Anderson and John White, Augusta Clark, Lucien Blackwell, Thacher Longstreth and so many, many others who have served this body and this city so well. And so it's a wonderful opportunity to be back in this great Chamber, this great body, the people's hall, the place where the people come to have the people's business done. To our Chief of Staff Clay Armbrister, my fellow public servants in our City government, you know, every evening when I finish my work, whatever time that might be, I take some time to reflect on the earlier day. I seek to review the things that I've done, the things that we've done as an Administration, the things that all of us do in City government. And I think about the good things that we've accomplished ribbon, breaking ground on a new project, starting a new jobs program, reforming a part of the government, solving a senior citizen's painful challenge or reading to a classroom of children. But every night I also have the same thought no matter how well that day has been. I think about those that we didn't help, those without a job, without a good education, those who live in fear, those who might be incarcerated or who are homeless, some with no hope for the future. As we cope with double-digit unemployment and a system of education and training that still allows far too many to fall through the cracks, we must not allow the present to be our future. We're better than that, Philadelphia. For two years now, our Administration has been on high alert, organized and energized to create new jobs, preserve the jobs that we have and people for productive lives in the future. We've had some successes, but we still have much more work to do. Confronting the effects of a recession every day, we've become a battle-tested Administration. Every day we're fighting to expand the job prospects of all Philadelphians. And every day I'm living, working and fighting in the present for Philadelphia's future. I believe that Philadelphia is uniquely positioned for greatness in this new century. We're at the right place at the right time, and we have what it takes to create a huge economic growth and prosperity for our city, a city that is safe, smart and sustainable. I have a clear vision for the City's future and a plan to make it real. I see a future where Philadelphia prepares all of its children for the new global economy. Philadelphia will be a place, because educated and motivated people do not commit crime. I see a city where many Philadelphians are able to find jobs in a diverse economy with large and many small minority, female and disadvantaged businessowners actively engaged in businesses that are sustainable. It's an economy anchored by our great institutions of higher education, health and life sciences research and the hospitality industry. And I see a city where a vast army of green-collar workers is transforming a 20th century carbon-based economy that grossly wasted energy into a sustainable marketplace with energy-efficient buildings, enhanced public transportation, renewable energy, more parks, trees and, yes, even more bicycles. For years now, Philadelphians have been engaged in a great internal debate between our better angels who have hope, who see possibility and who want change, and those whose cynicism and lack of imagination freeze them in a past of low expectations.
" Yes, we can be a spotlight on the path toward prosperity, but I want our government to be more than that. It must be a strong, active partner with the private sector, with our schools, the residents we serve, the Commonwealth and other governments in our region. It is our responsibility to drive down the cost of government to improve City services, to increase the value of taxpayers' hard-earned dollars that they send us, and to encourage people and businesses to partner with us. My vision for Philadelphia is based on our fighting spirit. We're a gives up. We're a city that works together. And there's no better proof of that than how Philadelphia is fighting the worst recession in the last 75 years. Now, in no way do I minimize the pain that afflicts thousands of families and businesses in our city. We feel your pain each and every day. The recession has closed businesses. It has taken jobs and homes. It has stressed marriages and relationships and has been the backdrop of violence. There are too many Philadelphians who are hungry every day and too many who get by on empty calories and unhealthy food. Nevertheless, in the face of this unprecedented recession, Philadelphia has moved forward on many fronts. Across our great city, there are unmistakable signs of the new Philadelphia and new jobs and a better future: the new health-related construction out at Penn and Temple, the high-rise condominiums at Rittenhouse Square and South Broad Street, the new supermarkets at Progress Plaza, in West Parkside in West Philadelphia and West Oak Lane near LaSalle, and the start of a major retail development in Northern Liberties at the Schmidts site, the huge investments by two rail carriers that will strengthen our port, the emergence of a clean energy campus at our Navy Yard, the grand expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the recent opening of the new Kimpton Hotel Palomar. Billions of dollars in investment, with more to come, and in every project, what do you see? Progress. Progress. Progress that is based on strong partnerships among developers, neighborhoods and our City government. The City of Philadelphia has partnerships in Harrisburg with our General Assembly and strengthened our already great bonds with our governor, Governor Rendell. Their work last summer and the fall was essential to stabilize our finances and to prevent massive service cuts and layoffs, and for that, we owe the Governor and the General Assembly a big round of applause. Can we please recognize them. )
Back home here in the Philadelphia region, five Pennsylvania counties - Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties - have banded together in a great metropolitan caucus, where we found new ways to cooperate, including joint requests for federal funding to create a huge energy-efficiency program throughout the Philadelphia region. That kind of strong working relationship also exists between this our Administration. Together, we're moving this city forward. You saw it last year as we developed a City budget that preserved our core services and then during the hard days of the summer into the fall, when the City united as we petitioned together the General Assembly to give us the tools we needed to get through this incredible recession. And you see it on a wide-ranging progressive agenda from this City Council. Council President Verna should be recognized for her leadership on the budget, taking tough stands on tax collection and her ability to find consensus. Majority Leader Marian Tasco has done great work on the mortgage foreclosure prevention program here in our city. Majority Whip Darrell Clarke has been a leading force on the historic Park and Recreation and his focus on the development process here in our city. Minority Leader Brian O'Neill has been an active, active, active member of the Zoning Code Commission and its rewriting of our Zoning Code. Minority Whip Frank Rizzo, Jr. has overseen improvements in the police radio communications and has pushed for the cell phone lot that we now have at the Philly International Airport. Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell should be recognized for her great work with PHA, on the issue of homelessness and particularly the dramatic decrease in on-street homelessness here in Philadelphia. Councilman Frank DiCicco has been a great leader on waterfront development, sustainability and the creation of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. Councilman W. Wilson Goode has voice on minority and small business development and accountability, as well as ensuring the reintegration of ex-offenders into our society. Councilman Bill Green worked very hard on the reform of the Board of Revision of Taxes and the cell phone ban for motorists. Councilman Bill Greenlee worked very, very closely with us on the issue of unpaid leave for domestic violence victims and has worked to protect owners from property loss due to the recording of fraudulent deeds. Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. works closely with us on the oversight of millions of dollars from the Federal Recovery Act. And Councilman Jack Kelly continually expresses his deep concern for animal rights and protection throughout Philadelphia. Councilman Jim Kenney has with us on developing the City's green strategies and the integration of immigrants into our incredibly diverse city. Councilwoman Joan Krajewski was the leading voice on the tax amnesty program, as well as ensuring that police and fire response times are appropriate to emergencies here in our city. Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller has focused on public safety and has worked with us and was a leading proponent of minority participation and the diversity in the construction trades. Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez has been focused on tax policy, prevailing wage and improved neighborhood services. Last, but certainly not least, is Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, a leader, along with Councilman Clarke, on the Park-Recreation merger, but she's also focused on menu labeling and LEED certification for new City construction. great work of our City Council. (Applause.)
We have worked with City Council every step along the way, and we'll continue to do so. Across the City, thousands of Philadelphians are acting in partnership with their government, giving back to communities, volunteering in town watch, mentoring children, spending time at hospitals, recreation centers and much more. Each one is living the ideal of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, Philadelphia, the city of service. Zurrell Toney is a high school dropout who became an AmeriCorps volunteer logging more than 900 hours rebuilding homes for low-income families. I met him at his graduation from Youth Build Philadelphia Charter School where he was the valedictorian. He's now in college, with dreams of owning a business. Please recognize Zurrell. (Applause.)
For eight years, Linda Watson-Patterson has volunteered at Greater Philadelphia Cares. She runs Discovery Project every Saturday during the school year at Sheppard Elementary School in Kensington. The third and fourth graders learn science with hands-on experience. Linda has a blast, and Philadelphia one day may produce the next Einstein, Edison or Gates. And Lorette Feltoon, a retired psychologist, volunteers at the Philadelphia Municipal Court's Dispute Resolution Center where she helps to resolve small claims, private criminal cases and trains law students to participate in this program. Please recognize both Lorette and Linda for their great work as well. (Applause.)
When volunteers like these fine people and many others and City Council and our Administration work together to solve problems, taxpayers are the winners. In these extraordinary times, we've met the challenge of recession. We've innovated, we've reformed and we've preserved basic services that Philadelphians want and deserve. The numbers are truly astounding. Overall, City government has made $2.4 billion worth of painful budgetary changes. We've shed more than 800 filled positions. Between FY08 and this year, overall spending has declined by $159 million, excluding pensions and debt service. At the same time, overall spending has been reduced -- overtime spending, rather, has been reduced by $50 million. We've gotten tough on tax collection. Our new programs have recently brought in eight and a half far, and we continue to pursue every dollar that is owed to the City of Philadelphia. We've cut our City fleet and dramatically reduced take-home car privileges. Let me highlight some of the work that we've done for you, the taxpayers, of this great city. Armed with a smart crime-fighting strategy, Police Commissioner Ramsey and the Philadelphia Police Department have achieved striking reductions in crime. Homicide is down eight percent last year and nearly 23 percent in the last two years, and violent crime is down nine percent. (Applause.)
The Department is now rolling out a new neighborhood policing model that we hope will encourage communities to work more closely with the police and other City agencies to clean up our crime problems. And we've reduced crime while as well. This year the Department has a target of $40 million in overtime, $30 million less than it was in 2008. L&I Commissioner Fran Burns and her team have put L&I on track to become one of the nation's leading code enforcement agencies. After sustaining a 20 percent reduction in her budget and the loss of ten percent of her department's workforce, L&I has actually become more efficient, providing better service and reduced overtime by almost 60 percent. Over-the-counter wait times that used to be two hours have been reduced to less than 15 minutes. Quick, courteous service, including help to people with limited English, is now the customer standard. In the Fire Department, Fire Commissioner Ayers has developed a firefighting strategy delivering efficient, yet highly effective significantly reducing costs. At the same time, the Department's dedicated public servants have continued to meet national response time standards, to engage the public in fire prevention strategies and education, and last year had the lowest number of fire deaths in recorded history in Philadelphia. Please recognize them. (Applause.)
The Streets Department, what can I say about the Streets Department? From top management, Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler and Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson to the men and women out on the streets each and every day, they have done an incredible job. (Applause.)
Fighting the largest amount of snow in recorded Philadelphia history, they have truly demonstrated what snow-fighting is all down the East Coast. But that's just part of the story. In 16 months, the Streets Department reduced its budget by almost 14 percent through efficiencies and reductions, and what have they achieved? The Department deployed 500 Big Belly solar-powered compactors and 210 public recycling containers, and we're getting more of them placed in our neighborhood commercial corridors all over the City utilizing economic recovery funds. Our weekly, single-stream recycling effort achieved a diversion rate of 18 percent in December, saving in that month alone $600,000 in landfill fees. That rate is now double the 7.5 percent rate when we came into office two years ago. The recession brought also unfortunately a 20 percent reduction in both Fairmount Park and the Recreation Departments, but under the leadership of Commissioner of Parks and Recreation DiBerardinis, Recreation Director Sue Slawson and Fairmount Park Executive Director Mark Focht, the two departments are moving toward a seamless merger that will result in more value for taxpayers and better service. Despite the budget cuts, the summer camp program was roughly the same size last summer. We were only able to keep 46 of our swimming pools open last summer with the help of the Splash and Summer Fund, but this upcoming summer we'll have all of our functioning pools open. (Applause.)
Let me say that one more time. All functioning swimming pools, 69 of our 72 pools, will be open this summer. (Applause.)
We're going to launch at least a half a dozen new urban farms in support of our Greenworks Philadelphia goal of increasing fresh Philadelphians, and later this year, we'll open Hawthorne Park, the first new park in our city in a decade. For the first time in years, the Philadelphia Prison System has had a sustained decline in prison population, about ten percent less than the previous year. This translates into almost $15 million in savings that could not have come at a better time. And I want to thank our Criminal Justice Advisory Board, created and headed by Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison and Co-Chair Common Pleas Court Judge Pamela Dembe, for developing innovative ways to expedite the processing of inmates. These innovations have led to faster disposition times, which reduce an inmate's length of stay. And under Prison Commissioner Louis Giorla's leadership, the prisons are better deploying their staff, with overtime spending down more than eight percent and sick time reduced by 25 is also leading an initiative to open Day Report Centers, which will allow non-violent offenders an alternative to prison incarceration. (Applause.)
And let me take a moment to more formally welcome into the leadership of our city a new partner in crime fighting, District Attorney Seth Williams. (Applause.)
District Attorney Williams has his own thoughts and innovations about how we can help make Philadelphia a safer city and reduce our costs, and we are excited about our new partnership. Last September, Commissioner Bernie Brunwasser and the Water Department released a revolutionary plan to deal with an age-old urban problem, storm water, which creates flooding and basement sewer back-ups, just to name a problems. The Department's game-changing plan proposes to use the landscape itself to cope with surging rainwater. Instead of using gray infrastructure - giant pipes and tanks and tunnels - the Department will develop green infrastructure, from green roofs and rain barrels to street tree trenches and wetlands, to reduce the amount of storm water that enters our combined sewer system. These benefits will mesh perfectly with our sustainability goals of Greenworks Philadelphia. In the response to the global credit crisis that led to the demise of many financial institutions, our City Treasurer Rebecca Rhynhart has dramatically reduced the City's fiscal risks by restructuring $1.5 billion in variable-rate debt into fixed-rate debt, saving the City millions of dollars. These are just some of the reforms and efficiencies that this during the worst economic downturn in 75 years. Indeed, Philadelphia City government has been transforming itself right before your eyes. But unfortunately -(Applause.)
But unfortunately, the recession continues to batter our economy, hurting businesses, discouraging investment in some areas and leaving vast numbers of Philadelphians with little or no work. Our situation calls to mind the words of the great American patriot, Thomas Paine, who in 1776 said, "These are the times that try men's souls." Later I'll have more to say about that comment, but there's no doubt that we've all been facing trying times. And it should come as no surprise to anyone that Philadelphia fiscal hurdle, a deficit that could have been more than $120 million in the upcoming fiscal year without the corrective actions that I'll be talking about in a few minutes. This new budget gap has many different causes, including a drop-off in projected wage and sales tax revenues, owing to the recession, an increase in payouts from lawsuits and the record-breaking snowstorms. We do have to pay for them. There's also the cost of salary increases in the recent FOP arbitration award, which included the historic long-term restructuring of healthcare and pensions, two major cost drivers in our entire City budget. After considerable review, we concluded that the long-term gains of pension and healthcare benefit reforms outweigh the short-term pain of dealing with the cost of salary increases. Overall, this award was fair to our brave to the City. And I'm asking you one more time to recognize our great Philadelphia Police Department. (Applause.)
Meanwhile, we continue to pursue similar pension and healthcare reforms and cost savings with our other three bargain unions, and I look forward to concluding those negotiations and the resulting contracts that are fair to both our employees and our taxpayers. Let me take this moment to recognize four great leaders in our city, our union leaders - Bill Gault, Pete Matthews, John McNesby and Cathy Scott. To each of you -- please. (Applause.)
To each of you, I say thank you for your dedication and commitment in representing your members, our great public employees, and I look forward to working with each of you as we collectively work to make Philadelphia at the moment is that we're faced with a budget hole that exceeds $120 million and that will balloon into a $500 to $700 million shortfall over the course of our Five Year Plan. Some may ask, what will you do? I say we must act swiftly and boldly. Last year, Philadelphians demanded that the City's core services be maintained, that we protect the vulnerable populations who depend on our city services, and that we all share in the painful solutions to our budget crisis. Neither the continuing recession nor the attitudes of Philadelphians have changed on those issues. We heard you then and we hear you now. (Applause.)
In the spirit of partnership and respect with this City mutual friendship with each other, let me suggest what we must not do. First, we cannot completely rely upon cutting our way out of this deficit, because the enormous reductions required would devastate our basic service, from police to fire to parks and libraries and recreation and every other service that we have. (Applause.) UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Say it again.
I will a little later on. That said, it's also true that our Administration has consistently sought less expensive ways to deliver services, and we will continue to ask the tough questions about every service that we provide and how we're doing it, whether efficiently or should we continue to do it or not. In fact, in partnership with the Private Sector Outreach Board, a consultant on a pro bono arrangement to assess how our departments work and are staffed, with an eye toward streamlining how we do business, reduce our costs and improve service. But after all we've done in the last 16 months in preserving core services for Philadelphians, the deep budget cuts required to fill the deficit would force massive layoffs and a very noticeable reduction in services. It is a path we must avoid. Second, I will not propose to increase the rates in the five major taxes that fuel our city government. Let me say that one more time. I will not propose any increase in the tax rates for the City of Philadelphia in this budget. (Applause.)
Across-the-board wage and business tax increases make no sense in the midst of this recession. The real estate tax system requires major reform and is simply not a viable option. transfer tax is one of the highest in the nation, and we already raised the sales tax last year. Our options, therefore, are limited, but let me be clear. I will not let the recession deter us from moving toward our goals for a safe, healthy and prosperous city as we protect the City's fiscal standing. Now, I've said this a couple times before, that nothing worth having in life is free. We all know that as surely as the sun sets, the cost of living continues to rise. I don't have a magic wand. You know we don't print money here like the federal government. But I do have a vision of where this city needs to go, and I've been fighting for that vision my entire public career. I firmly believe that we have the will and the skill to make Philadelphia great. What we need is a new way, a creative solution that helps this recession that has decimated our municipal finances, that gets us to a more long-term sustainable fiscal position and that prepares us for economic recovery. In my proposed $3.87 billion budget that begins July 1st, I propose further budget reductions and cost savings of about $33 million. I'm also proposing a new source of revenue, the Keep Philly Clean Service fee. This is not just a trash fee. It's an annual service charge to each property in the City that will allow us to preserve, restore and expand a variety of services, including trash collection, recycling, vacant lot cleaning, graffiti removal and restored services like street leaf collection. We believe this charge will generate approximately $107 million annually. In addition, I'm requesting the creation of a Healthy Philly Initiative that would impose a tax on retailers who based on their annual sales volume. This tax will generate about $77 million annually and be in place for the second half of the upcoming fiscal year. These carefully targeted proposals would generate enough revenue to accomplish two critical goals. First, the new funding will enable the City to begin restoring some services previously terminated or reduced, such as mechanical leaf collection and recycling, the vacant lot cleaning program, citywide neighborhood cleaning crews who will clean vacant lots and support neighborhood cleanups. And we'll also initiate a desperately needed program, a smart, concerted fight against obesity, which is ravaging our children and adults throughout our city. Second, with these new revenues, we can begin providing better services and avoid devastating budget cuts. All of our libraries will be open. health centers will be open. All of our recreation centers will be open. There will be no layoffs of police officers or firefighters or loss in public safety coverage. It means the services that we've fought so hard to preserve will remain in place for Philadelphians who deserve them. (Applause.)
So, yes, we'd pay a little more, but we'd preserve our city services and we'd get more. And when the economy recovers, this city will begin to take off. Let me talk a little bit about the Keep Philly Clean Service fee. For a little less than $6 a week, each property in the City that receives trash collection service on a weekly basis will continue to do so and, as I said, will benefit from additional services. Qualifying low-income households will be charged less than $4 a week, and we're exploring other options for seniors on make this program most affordable. Properties will receive an annual bill, with 60 days to pay. Delinquent bill payers will be charged penalties and interest, and we will do everything within our power to make sure that everyone pays their bill. We propose to increase the rate for small commercial properties, putting them at least on par with residential property owners. Property owners who can document private trash collection will be exempt from this fee. Philadelphians, of course, can also offset a little bit of that cost of the Keep Philly Clean Service by fully participating in the City's new Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program. Residents who recycle each week and get their neighbors to do the same can easily save a hundred dollars a year and as much as $400 in rewards points, including discounts at supermarkets, entertainment and clothing venues. That's real value to help purchase real goods that you want or need. If you consider the value of the discounts and rewards from recycling, they will or almost will cover the out-of-pocket costs of the cleaning services fee. Let me turn to one of the most serious public health issues facing our city. In recent years, Philadelphia has been very aggressive in promoting health by adopting smoke free legislation, menu labeling legislation and a ban on trans fat used in the preparation of food. Two weeks ago, a Robert Johnson Foundation report ranked Philadelphia dead last among the 67 counties in the Commonwealth for overall health of its population, and First Lady Michelle Obama came to Philadelphia to talk about her national initiatives regarding obesity. Last week, Councilmembers Blondell Reynolds Brown convened a Council hearing to investigate the health threats posed by obesity. The facts are alarming. Philadelphians are becoming overweight in astonishing numbers. Sixty-four percent of adults and 57 percent of our children were overweight or obese in 2008. In just six years, between 2002 and 2008, the percentage of overweight or obese children between the ages of 6 and 17 jumped 18 percent. Without effective intervention, most of these children will grow up to be obese. And what awaits them as adults is a litany of chronic disease and possible death from heart disease, many forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Though obesity is a problem in all communities, it is an even greater problem in the African American and Latino communities and worst in the poorest neighborhoods in our city. these facts on the ground, we're looking forward to working with members of Council to launch a comprehensive program for obesity prevention, starting in January 2011. We must do all we can to make healthy foods more available to Philadelphians. We must discourage the consumption of unhealthy foods and we must encourage Philadelphians to be more active. S. Centers for Disease Control to support an obesity prevention program, and we have hopes that the CDC will see merit in supporting that program right here in Philadelphia. The tax we're proposing is a two-cent-per-ounce levy on retailers based on their annual volume of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Our hope is that the tax will be passed on by costs for sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, non-100 percent fruit drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks. In turn, consumers will respond to the price increase and buy more healthy beverages. And so I'm calling on the retailers in Philadelphia to show their concern for Philadelphia consumers by apportioning this new tax to these sugar-sweetened beverages and not to spread the cost across other items and products. If they follow our lead, these beverages could see an increase between 20 and 40 percent while more healthy drinks become much more attractive. Beginning in July 2011, we propose to spend $20 million in revenue from the Healthy Philly Initiative to support this program to promote healthy eating and physical activity. As responsible public servants, I believe we're obligated to do all we can to ensure healthy outcomes for the lives of adults. Of course, nothing promotes health better than a steady paycheck. In this Budget and Five Year Plan, we make long-term and short-term investments and undertake new initiatives aimed at moving the City on the road to recovery and more jobs for Philadelphians. I'm pleased to announce that we're proposing at this time to restore in FY14 the wage and business tax reduction schedule that was halted last year. )
We're fighting to get back to reducing our taxes and spur development and job creation. Once again, we must act boldly to give businesses the assurance of a steadily improving environment in which to invest. I also recently announced that we're establishing two pilot programs, one to explore the adoption of single for certain life sciences and other research and development firms, and a second program to explore market-based sourcing in connection with computer system design firms. We're also doing everything possible to make business more friendly in Philadelphia, creating online business and development portals and turning L&I into an agency with a customer service ethos that makes getting permits and licenses quick and easy. Last month, I set out our goals for growing more and larger minority-owned female and disabled businesses. These small businesses can be major job generators, particularly in minority neighborhoods. Our strategy is called Inclusion Works, and it has a twofold purpose: increasing the contracting opportunities for these businesses in City government and helping them compete in the regional economy. Tuesday, Inclusion Works received an incredible boost with the announcement that Angela Dowd-Burton, a former top executive with Rohm and Haas who served with distinction as our city's Procurement Commissioner in the late 1980s, will head up our Office of Economic Opportunity. She brings an incredible business and government experience to this critically important effort, and Philadelphia is fortunate to have Angela come back to City government. In addition to breaking down barriers to business development, the City will make major new investments through its capital program. Following last year's Executive Order consolidating all information technology functions from 33 different agencies into the new Division of Technology, we're proposing an unprecedented six-year $120 million investment, including $25 million in capital in FY11, which will move us away government toward a more efficient, high-speed system. We may not be completely paperless, but we'll definitely use less paper. We're also moving ahead with plans to build out our recently purchased broadband wireless network that will improve public safety with enhanced video surveillance capabilities and government efficiency. Philadelphia will almost double its street-paving program, and we need it, to 17 and a half million dollars, and our tree planting program run by Fairmount Park will have two and a half million dollars. And the new cooperative agreement with District Council members will increase funding for Recreation facility improvements. And I want to again thank City Council for its investment in our facilities. Improving the business climate technology to lower costs are crucial to growing a job-rich economy, but getting Philadelphians the education and training they need for the demands of this new economy is even more important. We're fighting for every possible Federal Recovery grant that enables us, our city, to improve our workforce development and our partners, working in conjunction to make jobs available in the Philadelphia region. Let me mention one of the new innovative workforce programs we've developed. We call it PhillyWorks. Using multiple funding sources, this program will help Philadelphians who are working part time to move into full-time, family-sustaining work. As they continue their part-time work, they'll participate in a program that will increase their job skills with training, contextualized or real-life learning and career coaching. into a new job, full-time employment with a Philadelphia-based company that's partnering with us.
PhillyWorks will give these participants the helping hand they need to move forward with their lives. In addition to our recently launched PhillyGoes2College effort, we're also kicking off in the coming months two important education initiatives that we expect will prepare a large number of Philadelphians for work and success. Literacy is at the heart of the skill-set required for success in the 21st century. There are fewer and fewer decent-paying jobs that do not require high levels of literacy, including a firm grasp of technology. We face an enormous challenge in Philadelphia. There are more than 200,000 adults without a high school diploma and more than 500,000 adults who need to improve their literacy skills. help people get their GEDs, improve their literacy skills and complete college, they'll be able to boost their marketability and income and be positive role models for their children. Twenty-seven years ago, Mayor William Green established the Mayor's Commission on Literacy and appointed Marciene Mattleman as its first director. In the last five years, the Commission has not functioned to the standards that I expect in our city government. It has been without an executive director, a working advisory commission or a strategy to deal with the City's huge literacy challenges. In recent months, we've been working hard to fix all of these components, and so I'm pleased to announce today that working with the Free Library Foundation and literacy and workforce advocates, I will rebuild this commission with a new, dynamic leadership, hire an executive director, reach out to the corporate community for support and employee participation as mentors, and we will launch an aggressive literacy program that produces literate, lifelong learners who are ready for the new economy. )
Two years ago, I set an ambitious goal of increasing the high school graduation rate, because without that degree, gainful employment and a prosperous future is less and less likely. But truant children rarely ever graduate. In fact, research shows that sixth graders who attend school less than 80 percent of the time are almost certain not to graduate from high school years later. And most juvenile offenders are also chronically truant. In Philadelphia, about 15,000 students are absent each day. That's ten percent of the entire student body, and them have no valid excuse. For a year, a team of representatives from the School District and Dr. Ackerman, the courts, the District Attorney's Office and our Administration has been developing a new strategy and a funding plan to sharply reduce truancy by strengthening programs that work, and in the spring we'll launch that effort. Finally, one of the City's largest and often untapped resources is the goodwill and energy of Philadelphians. If we as a city can dramatically increase volunteering and direct that resource toward our key goals, then we will move Philadelphia closer to our goal of being a safer, smarter and more sustainable city. Philadelphia recently won a competitive grant from the national Cities of Service, a program funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. We were one of only ten cities in America to win this allow us to recruit the City's first ever Chief Service Officer, whose goal will be to bring all of our partners and resources together so that we can greatly increase the role of volunteering and attract many more thousands of Philadelphians to this life-fulfilling work. I've had a great deal to say here today, and you've been tremendously patient and kind with your attention. We politicians often turn to the world of sports to make a point. Let me recall a comment from one of my idols, the great NFL coach Vince Lombardi, who once said, "Leaders aren't born. They are made. They are made just like anything else, through hard work." As a former member of this legislative body and having worked with you the last two years as Mayor, I can say without reservation that each and every one of you has worked very hard behalf of the citizens of this city. You are leaders, because you've been willing to work hard and you've made some very tough decisions. For my part, let me say that the Office of the Mayor -- and Mayor Street knows this -- is a very humbling place and I've made some mistakes, and for that I say that I am sorry. But I hope that we can also remember our scripture in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not lest ye be judged." (Applause.)
I ask your forgiveness for any mistakes, but I also ask for your continued support as we all strive to serve together the citizens of our city with our own God-given talent and ability, and I will let you know, I am trying hard each and every day. You know, I often talk about being a lifelong learner. It's one of my major messages to young people when I go out to talk to them, and I do my best to And I can tell you, I am always learning something new in this job. One lesson I believe we've all learned is just how painful and politically volatile these times are. People are hurting, and they look at us as leaders to find a safe path to a better future. I understand that pain. I see it every day, and I know you do also. I believe our job is to solve today's fiscal problems with a plan that best positions us for the future. The Athenian Oath reminds us that we have an obligation to our children, to leave them a city better than we found it. As leaders, we have to be straightforward with those who elected us. Some say that Philadelphians can't handle the truth. I say they can. Getting to a better place is never a pain-free journey. Coping with one of the worst not and will not be without cost, but I do believe that it has strengthened us. In the last two years, we as a government have proven that we are responsible stewards of the taxpayers' dollars. Philadelphians have been very clear that they want a basic level of services that includes protecting the most vulnerable among us. We heard that message, and we've preserved those basic services. We've cut where we had to, and we're leaner and more efficient as a result. Through innovative new programs like Greenworks Philadelphia, Philly Works and Inclusion Works, we're preparing Philadelphia, the city that works together, for a prosperous future. In this Proposed FY11 Budget and Five Year Plan, I've recommended against devastating cuts or major tax increases. There must be new ways to problems. If we want a safer city, a smarter city, a more sustainable city, we must act boldly now, because a safer city is a clean city, and that's why we need the Keep Philly Clean Service fee. A smarter city is a city that takes on a health crisis right in front of us and faces it, and that's why we need the Healthy Philly Initiative. And a sustainable city is a city with leaders willing to make the tough decision that ensure a great future, and that's why we must work together. The proposed Keep Philly Clean Service fee and the Healthy Philly Initiative will attract certain naysayers and some will complain. Some will be very loud, but I believe this is the best course for our city at this time. Starting tomorrow and in the days and weeks to come, members of my Administration and I will visit live, where they work, where they gather to talk about this proposed budget and Philadelphia's future. I want to invite City Council members and all elected officials to join us on this historic journey. And now allow me to return to Thomas Paine's comment December 23rd, 1776. Earlier I read just a part of it, but here's a little more. "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. " There is no doubt in my mind that this recession has had a tyrannical hold on our city and we must defeat it. Philadelphians, we are not sunshine patriots. In the face of this recession, we created a crime-fighting strategy that is working. We are not summer soldiers.
In the face of the recession, we moved our city forward, fighting for more educational opportunities and training programs, sustainability and reform and for jobs. And when we do the right thing, we'll deserve the thanks of our fellow men and women of this great city. Now, I'm aware that there's some serious heavy lifting required of all of us who deserve to be called leaders. I ask you to keep an open mind. I ask for your serious consideration and analysis. I'm asking for your help and support to lead our city out of recession and into recovery. We must explore creative options to fully fund the services that Philadelphians want and deserve, because the old model just won't work in these modern times. " Well, we must not break faith with each other. We must allow a bright future to engulf us, and the light of our faith in each other must shine brighter than ever before. I believe our job as responsible public servants is to shine that light on the path ahead and act decisively with common sense for the common good for our city's uncommon future. It's a bright future in front of us, and we must hold it with all our might and fight to succeed. Members of City Council, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow Philadelphians, we were hit hard and we almost went to knees, but through hard work and faith in each other, we're back on our feet, ready to fight some more for Philadelphia, and we are going to win. Thank you very much. ")
I would ask our visitors to please leave very quietly so we can continue on with our session. (Pause.)
Please, those that are leaving, do so quietly. We are still in session. Thank you. I would ask all members to please return to their desks. Please, we're still trying to conduct business. Thank you. Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. Last week we had the privilege in the City of Philadelphia of hosting a retail clinic summit that was their 10th annual clinic, primarily sponsored by Jefferson Hospital. We passed a resolution in Council, Resolution 090608, which dealt with retail health clinics. As we look at the next stage and healthcare becomes front and center and the administration at the federal level is going to make a decision, we too locally have an option to contribute, an option to be a part of, an option to give choices to people who do not otherwise have healthcare, particularly poor people who have used our emergency rooms as retail health clinic providers are looking at Philadelphia and urban areas as outlets, affordable outlets, for parents that cannot wait the six hours or pay the high fees of emergency rooms, and I think this is going to be a Godsend to people who are underutilizing healthcare in inner cities, in places like ShopRite in my district where we have three outlets ready to go. We are welcoming them. And this resolution today -- I mean last week that we sponsored is going to put us on that track, and it's a job well done. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Just a reminder that our Partnership for Prescription Assistance table is outside for any folks need help with their prescriptions or for offices who can let their staffs know for their constituencies. Thank you.
Thank you. Are there any other speeches on the part of the majority? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March the 11th, 2010, 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March the 11th, 2010. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.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 March 4, 2010, 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.)