Aye on all bills. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative for each of the bills, the bills on the Consent Agenda are passed. We will now consider the bills on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 080954.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING changing the zoning designations in certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Broad Street, 15th Street, Oxford Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
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 Resolution No. 080765.
A resolution proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide within civil service regulations for the posthumous promotion to the next rank for any Philadelphia police officer or firefighter who is killed or who dies in the line of duty.
The 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell for a motion.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
This will require a two-thirds vote of the majority. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Oh, roll call. I'm sorry.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Bill No. 080748.
An ordinance providing for the submission to the 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING 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 to provide within the civil service regulations for the posthumous promotion to the next rank for any Philadelphia police officer or firefighter who is killed or who dies in the line of duty.
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. 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 080645.
An ordinance amending Chapter 12-1100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Miscellaneous Regulations and 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING Penalties," by adding a new section prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile telephone by a person operating a motor vehicle or other vehicle on a City street.
Thank you, Madam President. I'll be offering an amendment to this bill. It's basically technical in nature. It was distributed to all Councilmembers, and I move the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 090014.
An ordinance amending the provisions of Section 12-918 of The Philadelphia Code, which regulate the provision of on-street parking restricted to vehicles owned by car sharing organizations.
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 passes. The final bill to be considered is Bill No. 090120.
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan Nos. 107 and 130 by striking from the City Plan and vacating the legally open portions of 47th Street from Fairmount Avenue to 4/2/09 - STATED - 2ND READING Brown Street, all under certain terms and conditions.
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 passes. That concludes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the minority?
Point of information, Madam President. Did I miss -- did you call up the bill for amendment?
Are there speeches on the part of the majority? Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, last Friday Judge Allan Tereshko made an interesting decision that removed front-running candidate Seth Williams from the ballot for the upcoming democratic primary for District Attorney. Having won 46 percent of the votes in the 205 democratic primary for District Attorney and submitting approximately 10,000 signatures for the primary election this May, Mr. Williams is viewed by many as the frontrunner in this election. Judge Tereshko's decision is interesting because he views campaign-related expenses that Mr. Williams incurred that was reimbursed by his campaign as income. Although Mr. Williams has appealed this decision to the Commonwealth Court, my concern is the potential impact that this decision and elected officials. In just about every election, the candidate themselves go into their own pocket to pay for campaign-related expenses. In fact, they are the ones who usually spend the initial money to get the campaign started. In comparison, elected officials also incur various political expenses that are reimbursed by their Political Action Committees. Following Judge Tereshko's decision, does this mean that the reimbursement should be included on a candidate or elected official's state and federal income tax return as income? On April 8th, the Commonwealth Court will hold a hearing on Mr. Williams' appeal. Accordingly, I hope that our state appellate judges settle and clarify this issue so that we as elected officials, candidates and the public know what is and what is not income. Thank you very much.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Last Saturday we attended the meeting where new members of the SRC Board were introduced to the public and were nominated. Next week we'll try to have a resolution prepared congratulating them and we'll ask all members of the Committee on Education to co-sponsor. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. Like my colleague, last week we were involved with a school tour that went to Randolph Skills Center up on Henry Avenue. We were accompanied by two Ackerman and Sandra Dungee Glenn, former Chair of the SRC. The idea of that tour was to try to connect the dots between green jobs, a green economy and a green city. Today, we are continuing that with hearings related to a green tax abatement, which will be considered by this body at some point in time. It is important not only to connect these dots, but to create a pathway of green jobs to green opportunities within the City of Philadelphia, and I would hope that we continue to walk it like we talk it when it comes to greening our environment. And these are tough times ahead and tough decisions that will have to be made, and I stand on the shoulders of giants of all of my colleagues here who have a concern about it, whether it is Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown or Councilman Kenney, who has a concern about the environment as well, along with other Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. I just want to thank you for holding hearings last night out in Councilman Clarke's district, in the 5th District, and commend Councilman Clarke and Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez for taking this body to North Philadelphia, listening to what the people had to say about the People's Budget. And I'd just like to quote Louise Cleveland, somebody who testified before us last night: "Our backs are strong, but we don't need to put all the load on the little backs. To Council, if we ever needed you, we need you now." Thank you, Louise. We heard you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Madam President, I'd like to underscore and additionally seek to compliment both Councilman Clarke and Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez. The testimony was informative, the testimony was instructive, and the testimony, from where I sit, sought to reaffirm the enormous challenges and decisions Council has to make. It was important to hear the perspective of citizens who will ultimately be impacted by these decisions. So, again, I do congratulate my colleagues. Thank you, Madam President.