The Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred Bill No. 200479, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-3500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards,' by amending definitions, revising restrictions, and amending and clarifying remedies"; and Bill No. 200593, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 10-2000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Use of Three-Dimensional Printer to Manufacture Firearms,' to change the Chapter title, Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 definitions, to add additional prohibitions on the use of three-dimensional printers, to impose prohibitions relating to the transfer, use, or conversion of unfinished firearms and certain equipment, the manufacture of firearms, and to prescribe additional penalties for violations of this Chapter," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bills to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading of these Bills No. 200479 and 200593. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bills No. 200479 and 200593. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and these bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier for a report from the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless reports out one bill with a favorable recommendation.
Can Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 second? (Duly seconded.)
I'm sorry. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Decker, read the report.
The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless, to which was referred Bill No. 200616, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Landlord and Tenant,' to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the novel coronavirus of 2019 pandemic, including but not limited to periods of applicability of various provisions, such as the applicable period of the eviction diversion program, and timeframes applicable to qualification for certain provisions," respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bill to Council with Stated Meeting December 3, 2020
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gauthier.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 200616. (Duly seconded.)
There's my second. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading this day of Bill No. 200616. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. None opposed. This bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar today. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 2ND READING That concludes our reports from committee, and our next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from committee with a suspension of the rules have been deemed to have had a first reading. These bills will be placed on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading Calendar today, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker for the purpose of calling up resolutions and bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Nos. 200491-A, 200664, 200666, 200668, 200669, 200670, 200671, 200672, 200132, 200133, 200134, 200135, 200271, 200272, 200567, 200162-A, Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 200574-A, 200425-A, 200416, 200588, 200589, and 200590. All other bills and resolutions are being held.
Thank you. Thank you very much, Councilwoman. Before we proceed with the consideration of the public comment, we're going to take a brief maybe fiveto ten-minute recess to give our technology professionals some time to connect the speakers that we have for today. So we'll take a brief break until that gets done. (Short recess.)
Thank you. Okay. We're going to get started with our public comment process. Now that everyone is connected to the meeting and before considering the resolutions and the bills we have before us today, we will consider our public comment. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 The public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for possible action at a session of Council. A speaker on any of those matters must sign up in order to testify. You must call 215-686-3406 by 5:00 p.m. the day before the session to sign up for public comment. When you call, we will take your name, phone number, the number of the legislative item you are commenting on, and whether you are in support or against the legislation, and add you to the list. We will then telephone each person on the list during the Council session and invite them to our remote meeting. Now, under ideal circumstances, they will each have three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from time to time. Today we have a significant amount of individuals on the list, so to ensure that everyone has an opportunity, we're going to have a Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 two-minute limit. So please adjust your testimony to meet that timeline. In order to be fair, I want to say that we intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit. Once invited to the meeting and you're asked to begin your testimony, a timer will be started and we will monitor your remaining time throughout your testimony, and when there are 30 seconds remaining, at that time you will be reminded, and once your allotted time has passed, you will be asked to conclude your remarks, and shortly thereafter you will be muted and disconnected from the remote session. We also reserve the right to limit the number of speakers where repetitious comments are being made on the same matter and to limit the scope of testimony to only certain items on the agenda during the emergency, which could affect callbacks for public comment at this meeting. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 So you must also please be aware that this public meeting is being recorded. So because the meeting is public, participants and viewers have no reasonable expectation of privacy. So by continuing to be in the meeting, you are consenting to being recorded. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please read the name of our first speaker today.
Good morning, Council President Clarke and other honorable members of City Council. My name is Jihad Ali. I am providing testimony on the legislative package of Bills 200588, 200589, 200590, collectively known as the Dr. Walter P. Lomax, Jr. Transparency and Business Act. These bills will disclose the demographics in the labor pool, the Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 executive team, staffing demographics, and salaries of contractors on City contracts. I am in support of these bills. I agree with Councilwoman Parker that we have a right to know this information, that the contractor, the contract, and the labor pool information have traditionally and currently not been disclosed to the public. As pointed out by Councilwoman Parker, Philadelphia has a majority minority community. However, this majority means the minority portion of the wealth these contracts generate. These legislative bills named in honor of a distinguished African American, Dr. Walter P. Lomax, Jr., will provide transparency of the City's business to African American and other large minority communities. This transparency will reveal the discrepancies we face in the awarding of contracts, executive positions, and staffing on City contracts. It will be Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 another tool to dismantle and remove the systemic racism from the granting of City contracts. In closing, I want to offer my condolences to the family of Joey Temple. He was a citizen who was dedicated to advancing the African American community concerns and stood up on multiple issues confronting our community. Thank you.
Thank you very much for your testimony. We appreciate you.
Good morning. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Duncan Gromko. I'm a resident of Philadelphia living in District 2. I'm a member of Philadelphia's Democratic Socialists of Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 America Chapter and Chair of our Green New Deal Commission, and I'm speaking in favor of the green recovery resolution, 200666. Thank you to Councilmember Richardson and others for sponsoring this resolution. However, we need much more to ensure that our city receives the green recovery it needs. Many working Philadelphians are struggling with COVID, and the city, state, and federal government have let them down time and time again. More than 90 percent of workers in Unite Here lost their jobs. Workers have struggled to access entirely insufficient unemployment and other public benefit programs. Sanitation and healthcare workers were asked to go back without proper PPE. The District provided a chaotic reopening process for teachers and students and had to reverse their clearly unsafe plan. SEPTA workers have gotten sick and died and have been denied hazard pay or death benefits. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 We now need investment in green infrastructure to support our workers and to make our city healthier and safer. We can rebuild our toxic schools to protect our children and teachers and create green jobs for electricians and other building trades. SEPTA faces a massive, massive budget shortfall, and funds can help keep our city connected. Our parks, pools, libraries, museums, and other public spaces can be made into vibrant community centers. These are just a few examples of how COVID recovery funds can kick off a green new deal for Philadelphia, and I hope that there's community consultation to determine how these funds are used for a green recovery. While federal COVID funds will help, the City needs to get serious about its own budget, as it's facing enormous shortfalls in the coming years. The Philadelphia Police Department has a huge strain on resources, and these funds Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 should go towards other social services. Millionaires and wealthy corporations should pay their fair share. We should end the tax abatement and force wealthy non-profit, in quotes, organizations like universities and hospitals to pay PILOTs. We can't rely only on the federal government to rebuild the green Philadelphia that we need. Thank you very much.
My name is Timothy Leonard. Good morning. My name is Timothy Leonard, a resident of Ward 21, speaking in support of the green recovery resolution, No. 200666. I'd like to thank Councilwoman Richardson and Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 all others sponsoring this resolution. Starting some time around the second or third week of the pandemic back in March, it became fashionable to describe our conditions as the new normal. The unspoken meaning of this is generally that we now live in a country with a federal government that has given up any responsibility it has to its citizens, especially the most vulnerable, and that people have to decide between risking their health and well-being as well as their family's by going to work or risk staying home and not affording next month's rent. Resolution 200666 is a start to creating a new "new normal," one that values the well-being of everybody. However, it is only a start. While Councilwoman Richardson recognizes the solution to our current situation is forward, that COVID has shown us how our environment is inextricably linked to our health and economic security and how Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 systemic racism exacerbates even those further as outlined in the resolution, I encourage the Council to pursue an even bolder vision for the City. The resolution being considered today lays the groundwork for easing the financial toll the pandemic has had on your constituents by creating good green jobs and affordable housing, but it should also lay the groundwork for more democratic control over the local environment and democratic ownership over the recovery from this pandemic. The Council should aggressively pursue public investment in green infrastructure and give its constituents a voice in directing that investment. The private sector has failed to provide a way out of our current predicament for both COVID and climate change, and I fear without truly transformative policy, even on our local level, we will be stuck complaining about the old new normal. Thank you. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020
This is Lena Smith. Hello. I'm here to speak today in support of two agenda items, Resolution 200666 and Bill No. 200425-A. I'm representing Penn Future. I'm the Campaign Manager for Clean Water Advocacy. COVID-19 and the federal government's lack of response has laid bare the fragile foundation that our political economy was built upon. A state and local strategy reliant on fossil fuels and extracted economies has created divestment from the people and neighborhoods that make this city great. Something the pandemic has Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 exposed is that our communities are also not prepared to withstand the impacts of climate change. We saw flooding in Eastwick and a summer with 22 degree temperature differences in historically redlined communities, a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. Meanwhile, the only way to stay safe from the pandemic was to stay home. That's why the green recovery resolution is so important. Philadelphia needs to prioritize climate action and environmental justice to these ongoing COVID-19 recovery efforts. One strategy for a green recovery among many is to rebuild and grow our economy to invest in some green space. Philadelphia has seen success in creating green space with our Green City, Clean Waters program. It's an innovative approach to stormwater management, investing in historically neglected communities and increasing access to green space. It's creating jobs and economic opportunities for Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Philadelphians and reducing blight and improving safety. The program is not only a linchpin, but -- is not the only linchpin to solve our problems, but it is an investment to address the crises we face. And while we invest in our green spaces, these also need to be spaces healthy for children and families to play and recreate. So we are also supporting the Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces bill, which is also important to improve the water quality in the Delaware River basin, a source of drinking water for Philadelphia. A shift to organic land management may seem scary and unattainable, but many also thought this about the City's huge shift from gray to green infrastructure. Today Green City, Clean Waters is one of the most thoughtful programs in the history of our city, and I know that we can take the steps needed to create healthy, Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 accessible green spaces. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony.
The next speaker is Jonathan Leibovic, commenting on 200666.
Thank you, and thank you, Councilmember Gilmore Richardson and all the co-sponsors of the resolution. As a member of Philly Thrive's Green Recovery -
My name is Jonathan Leibovic and as a member of Philly Thrive's Green Recovery Circle, we've spent the last seven months of this pandemic studying policy proposals that could make a big difference in the lives of working-class black and brown Philadelphians. So we're excited to speak more with Councilmembers about Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 these job-creating policies for housing, transportation, and education, but the intent to prioritize is not enough. We have to make some tough choices. We don't currently have the funds to pay for the green recovery that we deserve and need, and it's going to require significant up-front investment, even though it will pay for itself in the long run. But some big things in our city's budget need to change. The police budget, as already mentioned, is bloated. The PPD has a pattern of overreaction and escalation. It's been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post. They gassed peaceful protesters, they murdered Walter Wallace, Jr., they smashed Rakia Young's van and posed with her baby on social media as if they were saviors. There's no excuse to continue funding millions of dollars of overtime pay for officers who have become a national disgrace. So if you really Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 intend to prioritize climate action and environmental justice, you have to stand up to the bullies at the FOP and de-fund the police. Developers' pockets are loaded. New construction is still booming throughout the City. We have to end the ten-year tax abatement and we have to do it now. Advocates have been demanding this for years. It's not time to wait. It's time to do it now and City Council to prove that you really represent the people and not the developers. And by the way, Allan Domb must recuse himself from any vote regarding the tax abatement due to his clear conflict of interest as a real estate developer. And then there are the non-profits in name only. The University of Pennsylvania, my alma mater, made headlines when they promised a hundred million dollars, but their endowment is $15 billion, and Amy Gutmann's salary is $6.3 million. Penn must pay more, and so Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 must Drexel and Jefferson and all the other non-profits in name only. Thank you very much for my time.
Good morning, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson and all Councilmembers in this meeting. This is Lynn Robinson speaking. I'm the Director of Neighbors Against the Gas Plants and a resident of (inaudible). I am speaking in support of green recovery Resolution 200666, but I also do support the Healthy Outdoor Spaces bill. This resolution provides the clear high road to a healthier economy while improving public health beginning right now. COVID-19 recovery in itself is a short-term goal, but a green recovery will have long-term effects. Hopefully we'll no longer have to accept Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Philadelphia as normal as the nation's large cities' cancer and asthma capital. One gem in the resolution is the promotion of a circular economy, which honors the dignity of all involved. A circular economy, which builds environmental justice and climate action, will better protect people from falling through the cracks and becoming part of what we politely have been calling the most vulnerable. An environmental priority will begin to lift health burdens from certain zip codes in our city, where lower average life expectancy was widely publicized and accepted as inevitable before the pandemic began. COVID, as a threat of contagion, has forced the general public to admit who suffers the most from chronic diseases. Now we have to see that our city and nation's health is only as strong as our weakest link. It's not a trickle-down theory Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 resolution. It's just the City's official perception, away from the idea that the salvation and backbone of our city relies on an influx of high-income residents and comes to term with the reality that our future, while including new people, rests on the diverse population whose ancestors (inaudible) decades to centuries ago. That includes with equity the 23.3 percent under the federal poverty line. I'm running out of time. Before you lose interest in my applause, there's a fly in the ointment, not in the resolution but in past history. Up until the recent City Council elections, any time City Council thought about anything environmental, they followed the lead of the Mayor's Office. Now we have four new members. We'll see if you're willing to ruffle feathers with the City Administration's fossil fuel advisors, friends, and colleagues. I have to cut it short? Okay. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 I don't know if you cut me off.
No. Just your time is up, but thank you. We appreciate your testimony.
Yes. Hi. I'm here. This is Meenal Raval with the Sierra Club. I support Resolution 200666. For years I've spoken on the need to lead on climate. Leading on climate cannot be an afterthought but the lens through which Council makes each decision. COVID-19 has pushed the pause button for us and shown us who is affected by the virus, who is the most vulnerable, and who is the most essential amongst us. I'm talking about the young and the old and the essential workers who cannot work from home like most of us. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 COVID-19 has also shown us that the safest spaces are outdoors. COVID-19 is a message from earth, inviting us back to her garden. For us to venture outdoors, though, we need to make our streets safe from police violence. We also need to improve our air quality, often being unsafe due to pollution from fossil fuel. In addition, we need to stop polluting our green space. I'm referring to the Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces bill. If we consider carbon pollution for each of our decisions, we would find ourselves aware of our car-centric culture and craft policies that encourage walking, cycling, riding, and transit, as well as policies that encourage electric vehicles and public charging infrastructure. If we consider carbon pollution for each decision, we would consider banning the sale of new gas appliances in Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 our city, especially for new construction, and work to retool the PGW workforce for the needed electrification. If we consider carbon pollution for each decision, newly trained staff would ensure that every street in our city would be tree-lined with trees cared for. These are just some examples. Overall we need to ensure that we do not approve any new fossil fuel projects, no matter how tempting. They're bad for children and other living beings. No new fossil fuel projects is an international call, and it means no new combined heat and power plants like the SEPTA gas plant, no new liquefied natural gas facilities, no LNG export terminals for plastic manufacturing elsewhere, and no new gas hook-ups. Our guiding mantra should be electrify everything and power it all with clean energy. This could translate to using tax abatements solely for climate solutions so that we further Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 the tax reduction only for net-zero buildings.
We need greater transparency for PGW, and every budget decision made by this body must concern air quality and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ms. Raval, your time is up. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony.
Good morning, Councilmembers. My name is Kendra Mohr, the Government Relations Manager for the Sustainable Business Network for Greater Philadelphia, and I'm calling in support of 200666. As a network, we are pleased to Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 see that Katherine Gilmore Richardson introduced this in resolution and received support from her colleagues. Its language largely mirrors SBN's vision and values, and over the past 20 years, SBN has supported thousands of local independent businesses across the region that practice and measure success by the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profitability, and we've long called for investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency transportation system improvements that minimize greenhouse gas emissions and nature-based stormwater management. We also believe that the City should invest in workforce training and placement for millions of construction, manufacturing, and maintenance jobs that support climate-resilient infrastructure. We should invest in restoring and strengthening local food systems, a known growth industry for our region, and of Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 course prioritize small business development. Given our members' deep commitment to rebuilding our economy with strong focuses on localism, equity, and climate resilience, we look forward to working closely with Councilmember Gilmore Richardson and the rest of Council, as well as the Administration, to bring this resolution into action. These goals will require intentional stakeholder engagement, planning, budgeting, and hard work, and we're eager to support that effort. Thank you.
Thank you. My name is Julian Boggs. I'm a resident of Philadelphia. I wanted to speak up today as others have in favor of Resolution 200666 by Councilmember Gilmore Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Richardson. I want to echo what a lot of the previous speakers have said, and so I will just briefly say maybe a couple additional pieces. I think one thing that has happened over the last decade that some of the members on the Council perhaps are less familiar with because it's been an absolute sea change since you first came on the Council is that the underlying economics of shifting to clean energy have dramatically changed in the last ten years. There are -- earlier this year you had oil companies like BP saying that we've reached oil and shifted resources to clean energy. Solar and wind are the cheapest sources of new electricity across the globe. It's happening. The question for Philadelphia and for all of us is how fast and who will benefit, and that's why the action now as we rebuild over COVID and action now, as I know so many of you are thinking deeply about equity and Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 justice across the City, are so critical. The question is, who is going to benefit and are we going to invest in gas fossil fuel infrastructure that is just going to be torn out in 15, 20 years or are we going to put the money into heat pumps, geothermal systems, and green jobs programs for folks across the City who deeply need it. Those are the real questions, and I urge you to not just let this be words on a page but commit real dollars, following up on Council President Clarke's clean energy campaign commitment of a billion dollars and continue to invest real dollars in the transition so that all of Philadelphians benefit.
Good morning, President Clarke and Councilmembers. My name is Amy Steffen. I am a member of Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Toxic Free Philly and I support Bill 200425. Thank you so much, Councilwoman Bass and the co-sponsors, for introducing this important legislation, and thank you to the Public Health Committee for voting it unanimously out of committee. For many years, I've helped with native plant restoration and removed invasive plants. I saw supposedly safe herbicides cause unexpected damage, killing mature trees. I saw how invasive plants came back again and again, even after being sprayed with glyphosate. A safer approach is needed. Currently, there is no policy to reduce herbicide use in Philadelphia. It is sprayed around basketball courts and tennis courts where people put their backpacks and water bottles. It's sprayed along Forbidden Drive to kill invasive plants as children and families walk by with no warning. It is sprayed on poison ivy while schoolchildren stand downwind. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Without your leadership to mandate change, the City would continue to apply these toxins and jeopardize our health. We now know the toxic herbicides are dangerous. The evidence is overwhelming, as you heard and saw in the testimony. And during COVID-19, we know all too well that black and brown people are at increased risk from environmental toxins. Critics may be nervous about changing their landscape practices because they may not know another way, but there is another way. Organic land management works. It's working all across the country. It's effective, and it creates safe jobs. A waiver process with public oversight can accommodate rare instances when pesticide use may be necessary. We need your leadership to pass this bill. Without a mandate from you, the City would continue to jeopardize our Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 health. Philly can do better. Thank you so much for improving our health now and for future generations by voting on this bill yes. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your testimony. Appreciate it.
My name is Thakiyah Ahmad-Yankowy and I've been asked to testify on the behalf of the Friends of Fernhill Park to address the Philadelphia City Council Bill 200425, Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces, Committee on Public Health and Human Services. I am also a 13th Ward committee person, a member of Neighbors Against the Gas Plants, a community liaison for Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Philadelphia Job Corps, co-block captain for West Abbottsford Avenue, and a wife and mother of three, and I can tell you that our community is in support of the Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces bill introduced by Councilwoman Cindy Bass. I've lived across the street from the Fernhill Park for the last 17 years. The park is a green space used by not just our community but the community at-large. It is located in the Southwest Germantown section of Philadelphia, so it's used by those neighbors, as well as East Falls neighbors, Nicetown neighbors, and by the John B. Kelly Elementary School, the Wissahickon Charter School, which uses the park on a regular basis for recess, physical education, and as a conducive resource for the students' emotional and physical development. They also help with park cleanup. I'm here today to ask you to please consider non-toxic methods to treat our parks and green spaces. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Testify there are very serious concerns. The children of our Nicetown community have the highest asthma rate in the entire City of Philadelphia, and they rank within the top ten of our country. Unfortunately, when pesticides are used, they don't just stay in place, and even if they did, our children don't. These chemicals, spread with the wind, could become a part of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and they are tracked into ours homes and they cover our children's hands and feet. So today I ask you, please open your hearts to making Philadelphia a healthier place for all of us, especially to create a healthier future for our children. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify, and have a great day.
The next speaker Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 is Drew Toher.
Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I am Drew Toher, Community Resource and Policy Director at Beyond Pesticides. I am here representing our members and supporters in Philadelphia. We appreciate the Council taking up Bill No. 200425, Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces, also known as HOPS. Beyond Pesticides supports this legislation and urges its passage. We applaud the Council for its diligent work on this bill, including amendments adopted at the last hearing providing for a waiver review process that allows exceptions only in limited circumstances when public health is at issue or ecological balance is threatened by invasive species. We remain hopeful that in the future, the Council will consider further restrictions that broaden the reach of HOPS to include not just herbicides but Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 all toxic pesticides used in lawn and landscape management as well as prohibit the use of synthetic fertilizers that are harmful to soil ecology. In the meantime, Beyond Pesticides is prepared to work with the City to provide the education and training necessary to establish a firm foundation for successful transition to organic land management. The Council's action on this issue comes at an incredibly important time. As the science on the dangers pesticides pose to health and the environment continues to accumulate, a weakened EPA has continued to register and reregister toxic pesticides. COVID-19 is causing higher rates of disease among people of color in proportion to their percentage of the population, and pesticides using turf management can exacerbate underlying conditions and increase vulnerability to COVID and other diseases. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are dying off, and the pesticides that harm these important species also contaminate local waterways. We again thank Councilmember Bass and the rest of the Philadelphia City Council for its work on this issue at such a critical time and urge the passage of HOPS. I appreciate the opportunity to speak, and happy to answer any questions if you have them.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony, sir.
Good morning, Ms. Smith. COUNCIL SUPPORT: The next speaker, please. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020
The next speaker is Dr. Francie Rubin, commenting on 200425-A.
Good morning. My name is Dr. Francie Rubin. I'm speaking in favor of eliminating herbicides and fungicides from Philadelphia's public green spaces. I'm a veterinarian and owner of the Rockledge Veterinary Clinic located just outside of Northeast Philadelphia. I've been a veterinarian for 31 years. My veterinary association, the AVMA, reports that one in four dogs dies of cancer every year. Almost one in two dogs over the age of ten develops cancer. These are alarming statistics. When I walk my own dog during this clean summer, I can smell the lawn chemicals that many of my neighbors have applied. I see the little almost invisible signs that the companies like Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 TruGreen leave in the lawn. I often experience burning in my eyes and nose and a sore throat during these walks. These little signs, often inconspicuous, will say don't walk on this area until dry. Who are they kidding? Do they think the dogs won't absorb the chemicals through their foot pads or inside their noses when they sniff the lawn once it's dry? Dogs' feet are the only part of the body that sweat. The pads are porous, and that means that all kind of nodules can be easily absorbed through their feet, wet or dry. In addition, dogs lick their feet, thereby increasing their exposure by ingesting more toxic products. Most of the chemicals in these lawn applications have not been evaluated for their long-term health effects. With our dogs' life expectancies being shorter than ours, they are Guinea pigs. As their cancer rate increases, we need to ask ourselves hard questions, why is this Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 happening, what are the causes. I can tell you it's not because they live longer. More younger pets succumb. They live in a toxic world. Better life through chemistry? I'm not so sure. I hope that you will vote in favor of banning all of the potentially dangerous chemicals in our public spaces and set a precedent so that I can start a movement in my own community. Our children are pets. Helpless bees deserve our efforts to protect them from these dangerous chemicals. Thank you.
The next speaker is Michaela Majoun, commenting on 200425-A.
Yes, we hear you. State your name for the record and just proceed with your Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 testimony.
Thank you. I support the Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces bill to stop the City from using toxins in public places, but I'm here today to read the comments of another Philadelphia citizen. His name is John Janick. He's owned Good Host Plants Nursery for the past five years and he's participated in many public land restoration efforts throughout Philadelphia over the past ten years. And here's what John says: I strongly support passage of this bill. I designed and planted many gardens over the years in the City, most of which first required removal of invasive species, and I've never used herbicides. I've always found mechanical removal to be the most successful technique. Even the most aggressive invasive species like Japanese Knotweed can be eliminated using organic gardening techniques. In October 2019, I worked with Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 about 50 students, and in just two hours, we removed English ivy from an entire block from the sidewalk to about 50 feet deep in the woods. The students learned about ecology and horticulture, and our work allowed native species to thrive and provide essential food for migrating birds. I recently moved to a property in Mount Airy that contains all of the invasive species that are found throughout Fairmount Park. Starting this past summer, I've been documenting what just one person can do to restore a critical wildlife habitat without the use of herbicides and pesticides. I believe the same techniques can be applied on a larger scale to our public spaces with buy-in from the City. Thank you for your time.
The next speaker is Logan Welde, commenting on 200425-A. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020
I'm Logan Welde. I am staff attorney at Clean Air Council. Good morning. I am also a co-block captain and a committee member in the 14th Ward. I am lucky enough right now to be in Ludlow, and I'm looking out my window and I'm seeing a lot of litter. So today I want to comment on both 200425 and 200666. In my opinion, both of these bills are -- this resolution and this piece of legislation are no-brainers. They should both easily pass, and I assume they will. We have to look towards the future. We've got to protect our citizens in Philadelphia. Pesticides being sprayed in common places where children are playing and, as you heard, animals are wandering Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 is dangerous for public health, and these are simple things that we should be able to approve of as a society to get rid of these things. You also heard today someone mention new gas hook-ups. In Oakland, California they were the most recent municipality to ban new gas hook-ups for residential and commercial. We have a goal in Philadelphia to reduce our greenhouse gases, and one of the best ways to do that is to ensure that our buildings are more energy efficient and do not use fossil fuels to heat and cook with, and reducing that is going to take a lot of guts from City Council and it's going to be a long-term plan, probably 20 years in the making. We need to start now by reducing new residential and commercial gas hook-ups in Philadelphia. So I encourage City Council to pass both of these, 200425 and 200666, and if you've got any questions, I know Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 you all have the ability to reach out to me. Thank you very much. Have a good day.
The next speaker is Dr. Naomi Johnson-Booker, commenting on 200580.
Good morning. My name is Dr. Naomi Johnson-Booker and I am one of the co-founders of the African American Charter School Coalition. Our coalition is made up of 22 black-founded and led schools and parents from across the City of Philadelphia and represent close to 15,000 children and working-class families. The purpose of our coalition is to create a non-biased system of public charter school oversight, renewal, and expansion, which currently does not exist today. For over ten years, Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 black-founded and led schools have succeeded in providing a high-quality, culturally rich educational program for students that celebrate a child's heritage and ethnicity, but we have also suffered many times through the process of just existing and being recognized as an important part of the educational landscape here in Philadelphia. There are inequities that exist between white and black-led schools when it comes to funding, resources, and support. Examples of this include the School District renewals and expansion, approvals, and philanthropic resources and distribution. We continue to fight to stop budget cuts as the same state and city officials who advocate for the dissolution of public charter schools without fully understanding or appreciating the consequences of closing a public charter and how that not only impacts the neighborhood it serves but Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 also the children and working-class families who attend these schools and who are also your constituents. Our schools have selectively dealt with racism, discrimination, inequity, and bias when it comes to our schools' oversight, expansion, and renewal opportunity. Councilwoman Gym's resolution, which supports House Bill 526, sends a strong message to all of us that you support forcing parents to pay for access to a public educational option that many of these families currently receive for free. The only people hurt by this are the people who can't afford to pay the bill. We all know and agree that the charter -- the state charter school law needs to be revamped, but trying to hide those quick fixes that negatively impact and hurt poor people does not work. It's not equal and it's not just.
Therefore, we are asking that you please vote no to Councilwoman Gym's resolution. Thank you.
Good morning. My name is -- thank you. My name is Larry Jones and I'm one of the co-founders of the African American Charter School Coalition. Based on Philadelphia School District data, there have been 23 charter schools recommended for closure within the past ten years, and 20 of them were black-led or minority-led schools, representing an 87 percent number. There's also a recent Johns Hopkins study that illustrates that Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 nationally charter school authorizing policies create disproportionate barriers for African American and Hispanic charter operators. Our Black Schools Matter campaign is a new initiative to highlight the importance of black-led schools and raise awareness of inequities that exist between black and white-led schools. Our goals are to correct misinformation, highlight what fits our schools apart from others, and demand equity when it comes to funding, renewal, and expansion. Our schools collectively serve a larger number of disenfranchised children and working-class families who deserve the same options and opportunities as anyone else, which is why we must have a non-biased system of public charter oversight, renewal, and expansion. The Charter Office must be revamped to ensure fairness, transparency, and equity when it comes to Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 evaluation and oversight. The authorization outcomes shouldn't be different for different schools. We want to work with the School Board and the Charter Office to address these issues, because we can no longer be silent. Our voices matter, and we hope all members of Council will support our efforts as we continue to move our Black Schools Matter campaign forward. Additionally, we know Councilmember Gym's resolution supporting House Bill 526 is non-biding, but it is symbolic in nature. It sends the wrong message to parents and working-class families who wish to exercise their right to have a free public option where to send their child to school. This was a right afforded to many of you that you are now attempting to deny other families. This is not fair nor equitable, and to suggest parents need to pay to have their child attend a public school option that they currently receive Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 for free during a global pandemic and job loss is shameful. We support the revamp of the charter school law, but this is not the way to do it. Therefore, we are asking you to please vote no to Councilwoman Gym's resolution. Also, in the future please consider reaching out to our coalition on issues impacting public education or public charter school policies so we can provide our valuable insight. Thank you.
There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.
Thank you. That concludes our public comment session. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, would you please read the title of Resolution No. 200491.
A resolution calling on the Kenney administration to develop a plan to be more inclusive of City Council when creating and implementing emergency public safety measures and restrictions.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh for an amendment to Resolution No. 200491-A. (No response.)
Here I am, Council President. Sorry. I've been having a little technical difficulty just now. Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to offer an amendment to Resolution No. 200491-A. A copy of the amendment Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING has been circulated to all members of Council and I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. All in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and Resolution 200491-A has been amended. Resolution No. 200491-A, as amended, will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200664.
A resolution recognizing and honoring the dedicated and loyal service of Marcel S. Pratt, Esquire.
Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200666.
A resolution declaring the intent to prioritize climate action and environmental justice Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING in the ongoing COVID-19 recovery effort.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Mr. President. I enthusiastically move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200668.
A resolution Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING recognizing Thursday, November 19, 2020 as Children's Grief Awareness Day and honoring the work of Uplift Center for Grieving Children to meet the emotional needs of grieving children in the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200669.
A resolution honoring and expressing gratitude to the University of Pennsylvania for pledging one hundred million dollars to the School District of Philadelphia over the next decade.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200670.
A resolution honoring and congratulating Ed Hurtt for his work with youth in the community and for being awarded the 76ers Jr. NBA Coach of the Year Award.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200671.
A resolution honoring and congratulating the Northeast High School Boys Soccer team, on their successful 2019-2020 season and overall 12-1-1 record in the Philadelphia Public League.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution in the spirit of honoring our champion of the week. (Duly seconded.) Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200672.
A resolution proclaiming November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200132.
A resolution appointing Gosia Primavera to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200133.
A resolution appointing Valerie Lyons to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Squilla. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200134.
A resolution appointing Kathryn Bittner to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.
The Chair again recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200135.
A resolution appointing Jonathan Dubrow to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.
And the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200271.
A resolution appointing Jack Soloff to the Board of Directors of the Center City District.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200272.
A resolution reappointing Randall Scott to the Board of Directors of the Center City District.
Thank you, Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 200567.
A resolution appointing Angela Val to the Board of Directors of the Center City District.
And the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion.
Thank you Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING again, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 200162-A.
An ordinance amending Section 12-701 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Designation of Bicycle Lanes," to authorize a buffered bicycle lane on Spruce Street, from 2nd Street to 22nd Street and on Pine Street, from Front Street to 18th Street. Stated Meeting December 3, 2020 12/3/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.