COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, November 3, 2005 10:20 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN JUAN RAMOS COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO PATRICIA RAFFERTY, CHIEF CLERK V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670
Good morning, everyone. I note that the hour has come and that a quorum of this Council is present. Members will take their seats, and visitors will retire to the seats outside the rails. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair welcomes Reverend Monsignor Timothy Senior of the Catholic Archdiocese. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Ramos. At this time, I would ask all members and guests to please rise. (Everyone rises.)
Thank you, Madam President, and good morning, everyone.
Today in the Catholic Church, we honor a Saint, Martin De Porez, who in the early part of the 18th Century as a man of color, Dominican priest, ministered to African slaves with great compassion and courage. Martin De Porez is celebrated in a particular way in the African-American Catholic community, and it is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the richness of diversity in God's vision for humanity, the vision that includes respect and appreciation for the rights of all and building a community of love and fellowship. Let us pray. Loving God of all, we praise and thank you for the gift of life, for the richness of the diversity of the human family. In a particular way, we celebrate the diversity of your people in the City of Philadelphia. Lord, help us to serve them at every stage of their lives, in every condition, so that in so doing, we may reflect your love, as did Martin De Porez and so many other people of courage and love and justice. We ask your blessing upon the Council today, of all who serve our City in government, our state and this country. Let them all have the same appreciation of the dignity of the human person, the richness of your diverse plan, and help us to commit ourselves to the principles of peace and justice in all that we do. We thank you for the gift of freedom, for the opportunity to serve you by loving and serving our sisters and brothers. Bring peace to our world, peace to our community, and may the gathering of this body, our City Council, reflect your vision of respect and love. We praise and thank you, oh, God of peace and justice, now and forever. Amen.
Amen. The Chair thanks the Monsignor for his very inspiring invocation. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
The of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 27, 2005, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 27, 2005 stand approved. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 27, 2005 stand approved. All in favor will please say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 27, 2005 is approved. The next order of business is absence, and at this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. On behalf of the Majority, a leave of absence is requested for Councilman Rick Mariano.
Leave will be granted. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Madam President, on behalf of the republicans, there are no requests for leave of absence.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. 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 City Council, I welcome you to our Council session. We appreciate your taking the time to join to the legislative affairs of our City. We certainly invite you to come again. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco, who will introduce some special guests that we have with us this morning.
Good morning and thank you, Madam President. This morning I have the pleasure of introducing 19 guests from 19 countries, from Bangladesh to Iraq to Zimbabwe. They're here today with Nancy Gilboy, who we all know, and they are the guests of the State Department on a program entitled Accountability of Government and Business, with the Philadelphia theme of Ethical Practices in Local Government and Law Enforcement, very appropriate. So they're here today this morning, Madam President. I'd like them to stand to be recognized.
Thank you. We certainly welcome you and hope you enjoy your visit to Philadelphia. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, last week Rosa Parks passed, and we all know her history and the great outstanding stand she took. I'd just like for this Council to stand for a moment of silence in her memory.
Certainly. At this time, I would ask everyone to please stand for a moment of silence for Ms. Parks. (Everyone stands in silence.)
Thank you very much, Councilwoman. I'm glad you did that. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo, who will present a resolution recognizing the 85th 19th Amendment. Will Ms. Isabelle Clouser and those accompanying her please join the Councilman at the podium. I see that the Councilman is being joined by Councilwomen Krajewski, Miller and Tasco and Blondell.
Thank you very much. I appreciate that. How about Councilwoman Blackwell?
Good morning, Isabelle. Isabelle is the past President of the League of Women Voters. Recognizing, honoring and celebrating the 85th anniversary of a great American milestone - in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed giving women the
Whereas, progressives for years, nay decades, nay well more than a century, struggled mightily to secure for women the right to vote and political equality, fulfilling the promise of the Declaration of Independence; and
Whereas, American women now compose more than half of our nation's voting-age population; and Whereas, the non-partisan League of Women Voters was founded shortly before the 19th Amendment was passed to educate women about the importance of the right to vote and the exercise of that franchise; and
Whereas, the League began as a mighty political experiment designed to help 20 million women carry out their responsibilities as voters, encouraging them to use their new power to policy.
And whereas, the League currently continues to encourage women to use their new power to help shape public policy. Members are encouraged to educate citizens about, and lobby for, government and social reform legislation; and
Whereas, Philadelphia's National Constitution Center and the National Women's History Project of Santa Rosa, California have co-sponsored Women Win the Vote: 85 Years and Beyond.
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that City Council hereby recognizes, honors and celebrates the 85th anniversary of a great American milestone - the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed giving women the right to vote. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be of Women Voters of Philadelphia as further evidence of the sincere admiration and gratitude of this legislative body. And to receive this resolution today is the past President of the League of Women Voters, Isabelle Clouser. (Applause.)
I am here representing our current President, who is working and who has an ill mother, and members of our Board, who are also working. So it's up to the very senior past President to receive this commendation and in recognition of the work that we have been doing to encourage people to vote, not only women but all people. And certainly the membership of the City Council is proof of the fact that women have indeed earned their right in government. Thank you very much.
The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Tasco, who will present a resolution honoring the Shawbotics Team and the Shaw Middle School. Will Ms. Janet Hudson and those accompanying her please join the Councilwoman at the podium. Councilwoman Tasco is being joined by Councilwoman Blackwell. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Good morning and thank you, Madam President. This is a great story that really hasn't been properly told. Hopefully we can get some more PR about this wonderful team here. But we are pleased, Councilwoman Blackwell and I. The school is in her district. Carol Smith is our friend, but I knew about the program through her. Honoring the Shawbotics Team of Shaw Middle School for representing Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the First Lego League/First Japan No Limits Challenge in Aichi, Japan. Whereas, Joseph Daniel, Patricia Parker, Sa'ood Abdul-Basit, Amber Reid, Ashley Reid and Corey Edmonds are members of the Shawbotics Team and students at Shaw Middle School, and the Shawbotics Team was assisted by Shaw Middle School Teacher and Robotic Competition Project Manager Janet Hudson, Engineering Coach Keith Sevick, Drexel University Mechanical Engineering Professor Bradley Layton, and Coach Ward McCrae.
Whereas, the Shawbotics Team represented Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the No Limits Challenge in Aichi, Japan against some of the best young minds in the world who are fellows 9- to 14-year-old students from various countries, included but not limited to, Korea, Singapore, China, Thailand and Japan; and
Whereas, with just two weeks to plan and prepare, the Shawbotics Team built, programmed, tested and reprogrammed their Lego robot to perform nine missions aimed at aiding people with disabilities and, through the assistance of Janet Hudson and Bradley Layton, the Shawbotics Team used the Frederick O. Hess Lab at Drexel University to prepare for the challenge.
And whereas, during the challenge, the Shawbotics Team was tested in the areas of team spirit, team work and team research and earned top honors and medals in the team work section of this competition. Therefore, be it resolved that
By the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that we hereby honor the Shawbotics Team of Shaw Middle School for successfully representing Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the First Lego League/First Japan No Limits Challenge in Aichi, Japan. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Shawbotics Team as evidence of the sincere sentiment of this legislative body. Certification, this is a true and correct copy of the original resolution adopted by the Council of the City of Philadelphia on the 27th day of October 2005. It is signed by President Verna, introduced by Tasco and Blackwell, and supported by all members of City Council. (Applause.)
Good morning, everyone. I would really like to thank all of City Council, Council President Verna, Mayor John Street and Councilwoman Blackwell and Councilwoman Tasco for facilitating and encouraging the kids and bestowing this honor upon them in such a prestigious environment here and full of visitors as so prestigious. It was indeed an honor to represent our country, the State of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia. We know that our Mayor is really for technology in general. He's really trying to make sure the School District of Philadelphia infuses that through all the curriculum. But our First Japan experience was a revolutionary experience. It was a new awakening, I think, for the kids here especially and their parents, because it provided them with an opportunity not diplomates first for their country because their behaviors and their representation was first and foremost, but it also allowed them to acquire skills needed for them to be the next generation of explorers, either working in the NASA environment or for this country in general, and I think that that was the most important part when they had an opportunity to visit the Expo 2005, which was formerly the World's Fair, and see the world state-of-the-art technology. It was more than just a competition. They were there competing, but also the Japanese government and the Japanese First Japan opened up their country to them and really honored them while they were there, and they were very nice and taught them a lot about skills and different things, and the kids from the other countries also. There are two students here that would like to just make a short comment, but we would like to thank all of you for being in presence here, and I just wanted to recognize very, very quickly the people who without their support financially and -- because there were people who donated to the cause, and without their support and working administratively, we could not have done this, and that is, first and foremost, Mayor Rendell for providing the funds -I mean Governor. I'm sorry. Well, Mayor, that was a prerequisite. I'm sorry. But Governor Edward Rendell; Mayor Street; Joseph Certaine, the Director of Governor Rendell's Southeast Regional Office; the Gear-Up Program, the Federal Gear-Up Program sponsored by Councilman Chaka Fattah -- Congressman; V. Chapman-Smith, a Regional Administrator of the Midatlantic Region of the National Archives; Leslie Simon. Many of these people are present here, so if I named your name, please stand up. And I'm almost done Simon, the Director of the National Archives; Carol Smith, the Mayor's Commission on Technology, because she actually sponsored the team, her organization did, that Department, because we needed a sponsor. Several members of the Fund for Philadelphia, which helped to facilitate the funding, manage the funding, who are Karen Leslie Garrison, Trudy Wright and Orisha Pringo; Dr. Mun Choi from Drexel University; Dr. Bradley Layton from Drexel University, who donated his lab for practice space; Mr. El-Mekkii, Principal of Shaw Middle School; Senator Anthony H. Williams' office, who actually expedited and facilitated financially the process of them getting their passports in less than a week actually, his office was very instrumental in doing that; and Ward McCrae and Keith Sevick, who were coaches that went along also; and Amber Hudson Robeson, who went along as a mentor; and all, the team's parents, because five of the parents actually went as escorts also, and they were phenomenal during the whole time while we were there in Japan. So I wanted to thank all those persons.
And Ashley Reid, who is the manager of the team -- well, first I'm going to allow Corey to say something real quick, Corey Edmonds, who was one of the members of the team, and then Ashley Reid will speak on behalf of the team real quick. Corey. COREY EDMONDS: My trip to Japan was exciting and educational, and I enjoyed the people in Tokyo, Okinawa and Tokushima. The Japanese citizens spoke nice, and I hope one day I could speak Japanese and study Japanese and learn their history, and one day I want to live there, because it was nice. Thank you. )
And now Patricia, who was a Chief Engineer. PATRICIA PARKER: My name is Patricia Parker and I attend Dr. Anna Howard Shaw Middle School. On the Shawbotics Team, I am known as the Chief Mechanical Engineer. My trip to Japan was very interesting and successful. Thank you for inviting us here. I appreciate all the love you gave us, and I also appreciate what you've done for Shawbotics. I thank you for recognizing our team. I want to recognize my mom, dad, brother and Umie for supporting me. Going to Japan affected my career by making me want to become an engineer. Thank you. (Applause.)
And for closing remarks, we'll have Ashley Reid, who is actually now a sophomore at Girl's High. She graduated from Shaw, but she was the while they were in Japan. ASHLEY REID: Good morning, Governor, Governor's Office, Mayor John Street, Councilmembers and sponsors. My name is Ashley Reid. I was the Manager of the Shawbotics Team 2004-2005 school year. We want to take you on a brief trip to Japan with us. It was wonderful. We saw things like Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. We interacted with Japanese, Singaporean, Chinese and other students from other countries. We shared precious moments where we signed our names and well-wishes on other teams' shirts and their ours. I am no longer a member of Shawbotics because I now go to Girl's High, but I still go to Shaw after school and help with robotics when needed. I even go to their competitions as a guest. The team is still going strong. That was evident in their last members remained in the program during the 2005-2006 school year. I know it gives them a great deal of hope for the future that they might one day use this technology to improve the world. We would like to give a personal thank you to our Governor, Ed Rendell; Joseph Certaine; Mayor Street; to First Japan and Ms. V. Chapman-Smith; the Mayor's Commission on Technology; Lego League; Midatlantic Regional Archives; Senator Williams; Drexel University; WURD; Cody Anderson; and Ms. Janet Hudson for her support and generosity. Their gift to us was more than money. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, for which we are very thankful. Thank you very much. (Applause.) ASHLEY REID: On behalf of the Shawbotics Team, we would like to present our signed T-shirts to Councilwoman Tasco and Mayor Street, if you can make sure he would like to give a shirt to Councilwoman Blackwell.
If we have any parents in the audience of the youngsters who are up here, I would really love you to stand so that we can recognize you. Congratulations. (Applause.)
The next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant-At-Arms deliver the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk will read the messages from the Mayor.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body a draft of a resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority, the City of Philadelphia, for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area designated as Parcel 79 and 80; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area designated as Parcel No. 81 and 84; and A resolution approving the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area designated as Parcel No. 82 and 85; and An ordinance approving the sixth amendment of the redevelopment proposal for the Point Breeze East Urban Renewal Area; and An ordinance approving the 17th amendment of the redevelopment proposal for the South Central Urban Renewal Area.
Thank you. The messages will be printed in the Journal. The Chief Clerk will please read any other communications in her possession.
Thank you. The next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell for a motion.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended in order to permit the immediate consideration of resolutions at their time of introduction. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit immediate consideration of resolutions at the time of introduction. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. On behalf of myself and Councilwoman Reynolds Brown, I offer one resolution.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution authorizing City Council's Legislative Oversight Committee to hold public hearings for the purpose of investigating the presence of an overwhelming number of violations present in and around licensed liquor establishments.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will please say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution will be referred to the Oversight Committee. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Today I introduce eight resolutions on my behalf, one which was co-signed by all members, save one, of this body, two on your behalf and one on behalf of Councilman Mariano.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first resolution. Councilwoman, I'm just being told we have two ordinances, too.
I just wanted to make sure that you were in agreement.
Before the Chief Clerk reads the title of the first bill, Councilman DiCicco, your light is on. Did you want to be recognized?
At the appropriate time, I'd like to speak on one of the resolutions that Councilwoman Blackwell is introducing, the one concerning the BRT.
Very well. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first bill.
An ordinance approving the 17th amendment of the redevelopment proposal for the South Central Urban Renewal Area.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance approving the sixth amendment of the redevelopment proposal for the Point Priest East Urban Renewal Area.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority deeds located in the 7th and 19th Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Madam 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 will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area.
Thank you, Madam 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 will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area, Parcel No. 79 and 80.
Thank you, Madam 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 will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. Not yet? I just got my light on, I'm ready to go.
All those in favor of the adoption of the resolution will say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area, Parcel No. 81 and 84.
Thank you, Madam 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 will say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution calling on the Board of Revision of Taxes to delay raising real estate tax assessments on Philadelphia property owners under the Board's Full Valuation Project.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded, and at this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Madam President. I would like to ask the sponsor of this resolution to withdraw it for possible consideration at another time, but before I go any further, let me make it perfectly clear. I am not in favor, I am not in support of the BRT's Full Value Project. I think I understand Councilwoman Blackwell's reasoning behind this resolution. She's scared about what the BRT's Full Value Project will mean to her constituents. Quite frankly, I sit here today and I'm scared, too, but just because we're afraid doesn't mean we should not fully explore other options. When I first introduced my resolution exploring the BRT's proposal, I thought about introducing a similar bill. I wanted to understand this issue. I wanted to be able to look at what options we have, and I wanted to have a constructive conversation. I thought we might be able to unite around a single issue and actually come up with something that we can all agree on. Again, I am not in support of the BRT's Full Value Project. I do, however, recognize that their proposal does have some merit. More importantly, we may find ourselves in a situation like our neighboring counties where the courts may force us to go full value. For that reason alone, it may make more sense for us to move to full value sooner rather than later. However, if we do so, it should be under our terms and not the court's terms. But in reality, none of that really matters, because City Council has no control over whether the BRT enacts full value assessments or not. So rather than the conversation be about how we stop full value, I've decided to focus on how to mitigate its effects on our constituents. I've decided to ask for a constructive conversation. I've decided to find real answers to real questions, real solutions to real problems. This is about the livelihoods of our constituents, and I promise all of them, as I know all of the folks in this room, my colleagues, do, to do our damnedest to protect them. And if their taxes still go up despite our best efforts, I pledge today, and I'm certain all of my colleagues here as well, on the record, we'll pledge to do our best to help our constituents fight the BRT's reassessment, because that's our job. So I would respectfully ask that the Councilwoman at this particular time withhold this resolution, because at some point in the future, if through all of our conversation and all our debates should we not come up with a program that we're all comfortable with, I will be in full support of this resolution. I will fight for it. But I just think we need a little bit more time to go through this process and see if we can find some mechanisms and techniques that will soften the blow to our constituents all across the City, rich and poor, no matter what section you live in. So, again, I respectfully request that the Councilwoman withdraw this resolution for the time being.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I will be voting for this resolution, because in listening to the testimony that has been given before this body -- while I may not have been here on the floor, I was listening to it in my office -- I'm very perplexed about why we're doing this. As I understand it, we were to do it 50 years ago. I don't know who is pushing to have the fair market value assessment done. The court has not charged us in all the 50 years to do it. I look at my district and what would happen if we go to the fair market value. It would have a very, very devastating -- my area would be one of the 50,000 properties, homes in my area, that would receive a very sharp increase in property taxes and including my own home. So, I mean, there's some selfish reason here also, as you look at what it would do to family members who are struggling to make it daily and also dealing with this whole heating issue. So I think we need some time to really figure out how we come to a resolution on dealing with property taxes. We know there was a meeting in Harrisburg on Tuesday with the representatives to bring this issue in conjunction with their discussion about property taxes. The other thing is, the other explanation given for the movement on this was that it makes it simpler. Well, I'd rather have what we've had for the last 50 years, while it may sound complicated, than having a fair market value tax and then I'm paying $7,000 or $8,000 so I understand it better. The rationale for raising these taxes or changing the process by how we assess properties just doesn't hold water with me, and I think it's going to be very devastating on the people in Philadelphia who are really trying to stay here and to maintain their properties. I have a lot of predatory lending issues in my district, as well as City-wide. So there are many issues that could be impacted by raising these taxes on property owners. So I think right now we need to take a few moments and look -- while we may not have any control over it, I think in some way we do, and I think we ought to do whatever we can do. So I'll be supporting this.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Let me say that proponents argue that full valuation is a good policy and that it may be good for government, but certainly the working families of our City continue to tell me and many of us that it would be terrible for them. Many property owners feel that full valuation is a tax hike, pure and simple. If this tax was going to be such a good deal, as proponents have claimed, why would taxpayers need caps, homestead exemptions, buffers, deferrals and other so-called tax-relief measures? So no matter where I go, I've heard it around this City, as have all of you, that this is not something that we support, and we feel it's bad legislation. Having said that, I'm willing to -- and this resolution was signed by all members, save my colleague, Councilman DiCicco, but I am willing to defer it for a month so that by the first week in December -- this is the 3rd today -- so that whatever our first voting day is somewhere around this time next month, and that gives him and all the proponents a chance to certainly come up with something that they think would be helpful. We try to be fair to everyone on this Council and work with them, but we certainly agree with the statements made by Councilwoman Tasco. And everywhere I go in this City, I mentioned it at a ward meeting the other night and every committeeman in my ward clapped for me. So this is a real, real big issue, but we will try to give my colleague time to certainly do whatever he feels he needs to do to make it more palatable or to appeal to the BRT, or whatever he feels is necessary. So I'm happy to then defer our voting on this for one month.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. I understand Councilwoman Blackwell is holding the resolution for a month. I just wanted to say that this body at some point in time should be on the record as to this train that's coming down the track, and the further it gets down the track, the harder it's going to be to stop. And I understand the nuances and the legalities, that the BRT is not in our control and we can't do anything about it, but in the end, this body and the members of this body are going to be held accountable for the tax increase that people have to pay. Now, we'll be able to say, They did the hundred percent valuation, but we lowered your taxes, we lowered the millage rate. They don't care. They're going to get a tax bill in their envelope at their door which is going to be substantially higher than they're used to paying or they've seen before, and in the end, despite Dave Glancey's assurances, despite the hard work of the staff of the BRT, despite all the hard work that we could put in here, we're the ones who are going to have to hold the bag when it comes to this tax increase which people are going to experience. And if we lose and we can't control it and it happens, I think we should at least be on record being opposed to the process. Now, if people want to work with the BRT and try to make the process better, that's certainly understandable and laudable, but I want to be on record as saying I don't trust this process. I think it's going to be a disaster, and I want to be on record now as being opposed to it. If we have to do something later on as a body and go to court to stop it, I think we have to do everything we can. But I think that the bills that people are going to get when this process is over are going to be shocking to some people. They say some people's property taxes will go down. I find that hard to believe, and I think that the best we can do in this process is try to keep it as a zero sum gain so that there's no increase, but I think a substantial number of people are going to experience a substantial increase that's going to sticker shock them, and they'll be back in this body in a year or two holding us accountable for something we had no control over. So I think at some point, a month from now or a couple months from now, we need to be on record as being opposed to this process, because I don't trust where it's going. Thank you.
I totally agree with you, Councilman, and at this time, I recognize Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you again, Madam President. I agree with all the comments that have been made, and I want to make it perfectly clear again, I am not a proponent of full valuation. As Councilwoman Tasco suggested that a significant number of property owners in her district would be affected, I'm well aware of that. In '03, 35,000 property owners in my Councilmanic District out of about 60 City-wide were impacted by the reassessments. I held town meetings. It was a very long year for me. We were able to get the BRT to reconsider all, if not the majority, of those increases and we were able to satisfy our constituents. I don't know where we wind up. I just don't know, but I do know one thing, based on the meetings that we had, the three public hearings that we had here last week and as recent as Monday, that if one taxpayer feels as though they're being aggrieved by the present system, all they need to do is to walk into a court and file a suit. That will then trigger the mechanism for the courts to figure out how Philadelphia will have to do its taxing, whether it's full valuation or some formula thereof. I don't want the courts to decide. I want for us to try to figure that out. We may, at the end of the day, not come up with a reasonable solution, may not come up with a solution that is acceptable to the majority of this body and/or the Administration. I don't have that answer today. The reason for those three meetings was to get some information as to why we wound up here. I know it's about three years that the BRT has been talking about this, and I guess we had so many other things, myself included, to deal with, we kind of just realized maybe this day wasn't coming. But it's here. So I appreciate the sponsor holding off for at least a month. I'm going to have some bills ready. They may not be the bills that at the end of the day we all agree on. I don't know. I'm not going to try to be the hero in this, but I am going to get slammed in my district.
Well, we all will. I think if I look at some of the things that are going on my district, I think I'll probably get slammed the worst if full value were to become a reality without any mechanisms or tools to make reasonable adjustments. I'm a realist. I understand that. And I get stopped on the street. I have people knock on my door at home, no exaggeration, telling me, You can't allow this to happen. They don't even know what they're talking about when they say "you can't allow this to happen," but they're afraid, because they read the paper, they hear on the news where full valuation may triple, double, quadruple their taxes, and they have every right to be afraid and scared about that. So, again, thank you, Councilwoman Blackwell. We'll work as hard as we can. And, again, if all else fails, I will support this. I will fight for it in the end, as well as you and everyone else. Thank you.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Yes, Madam President. I agree that this is a disaster on a fast track waiting to happen, and it's going to hit every Councilmember in this room right in the face when those envelopes go out, and you try to explain that the sucker punch of the hundred percent evaluation was coupled with the donkey punch of the increases in value that's being done through all the new computers. It's tough enough to do one of those things right all by itself and to deal with the ramifications of just one of those two items, either the hundred percent or this enormous revaluation that's being done City-wide, and whether it's buffering, caps or whatever all the possibly ways of dealing with it are, but to try to do it together is absolute insanity, and there's going to be a price to pay. And from what I can understand, we still have a two-term limit on the Mayor, and Council is permitted to run for re-election. There's absolutely no reason both of these things should be done at once. In fact, the hundred percent should be the second one done after some period of time where we're pretty sure everyone is around the same fractional level, whether it's 70, 71 percent. You can't have people that you know are at 50 percent, other people you know are at 75 and try to go to 100 percent. Just trying to get them to 70 percent -- and we now have the equipment to do it and the technology to do it. Then we have to figure out how to make that affordable for people. But to do it both at the same time is just a plan for disaster that I hope none of us buy into. Thank you.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. Let me first thank Councilwoman Blackwell for the resolution, because something had to be done to slow down this process, and something will continue to have to be done to slow it down. I don't believe the process in the end should be stopped. Without speaking fully in favor of full valuation, I will say that the current system is unfair. There are neighborhoods that are overassessed and there are neighborhoods that underassessed. Keeping things just the way they are does not make things fair, but the process as laid out is not one that essentially will equalize it automatically. Part of the problem in this whole scenario is related to certain bills that were potentially going to be introduced as part of the tax reform package, one that would dissolve the BRT and put the whole process of property assessment under the control of the Executive Branch, so that essentially between Council and the Administration, we would have a little bit more control over this process. I think with all the things that we need to do in this process, whether it's homestead exemptions, whatever other mechanism we will use to protect people, we still have to take into consideration there needs to be some equalization in the end, because right now, some people still are carrying too much of the burden.
Thank you. Does anyone else care to be recognized on this issue? (No response.)
Seeing none, Councilwoman Blackwell will hold her resolution until a later date. Does that complete our resolutions?
Madam President, the Committee on Appropriations --
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution honoring Sister Kathleen Touey on being awarded the National Catholic Educational Association Distinguished Principal Award.
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 please say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of 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 indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank you, Madam President. Today I offer one resolution.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution recognizing members of the Philadelphia Local Organizing Committee for their leadership in coordinating participation and support for the Millions More Movement events of October 2005 and commending their efforts to bring attention and awareness to important issues addressed on that occasion.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will please say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first bill.
An ordinance amending Title 17 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Contracts and Procurement," by adding provisions requiring certain disclosures by persons seeking or awarded competitively bid contracts or concessions, and prohibiting persons from entering into such contracts or concessions if they or certain related parties have made certain contributions to elected City officers or candidates for City offices, all under certain terms and conditions.
The 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 providing for the powers and duties of the Board of Ethics and the imposition of civil penalties, and providing for the compensation of the members of the Board of Ethics, all under certain terms and conditions.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer three resolutions.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first resolution.
A resolution celebrating the 20th anniversary of Paul Robeson Cultural Center.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution recognizing the Faith in Families' foster parent recruitment effort as a compelling way to introduce and engage Philadelphians of faith and concerned citizens to the plight of foster youth.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution honoring the life and memory of Stefan Presser, 1953 to 2005.
It has been moved and properly 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 Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. I have no bills or resolutions.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ramos.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer four bills and one resolution, and I'd like to -- may I have remarks on the casino legislation bill? I'd like to offer some remarks.
When the bill is read for the casino district, I'd like to have the opportunity for some remarks.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first bill.
An ordinance amending Section 2 of an ordinance, Bill No. 050204, approved June 2, 2005, entitled, "An ordinance amending Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code," entitled "Philadelphia Building Construction and Occupancy Code."
I move for the adoption of the resolution. I'm sorry. That's the bill, right? I apologize. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. That wasn't the casino bill.