Stated Meeting, April 3, 2003

Aye. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE THE

Councilman DiCicco.

Aye. THE

Councilman Goode.

Aye. THE

Councilman Kenney.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Krajewski.

No. THE

Councilman Mariano.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Miller.

No. THE

Councilman Nutter.

Aye. THE

Councilman O'Neill.

No. THE

Councilman Ortiz.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

No. THE

Councilman Rizzo.

No. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE THE

Councilwoman Tasco.

Aye. THE

Council President Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 9, the nays are 7. The bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 030073. THE

An ordinance amending Section 19-1502 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Imposition of Tax," by providing for reductions in the rate of wage and net profits tax, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally? The Clerk will please call the roll. THE

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye. THE

Councilman Clarke.

Aye. THE

Councilman Cohen. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE

Point of information. I'm not clear what the impact of this bill has on the vote we just rendered. Would the sponsor of the bill please explain what impact, if any, this bill will have on the bill we just voted?

Can Councilman Nutter answer that for me. He just did such a good job on the other questions is. (Laughter.)

Councilman, I'm not sure what impact it has on that bill. What I do know is if the property goes above percent of the below percent, then you get a 2 percent rebate on your City wage tax -- not a rebate. What's the word? Reduction; not rebate, reduction.

Can Councilman Nutter take his version as to the impact of this vote on the vote we just had?

Councilman Cohen, I think the short response is the bill 14 passed 9 to 7. So I don't know what possible impact bill 73 will have on that bill. I'm supporting Councilman 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE Mariano's bill. At the moment, I don't believe that there is any conflict between the bills. What Councilman Mariano is seeking to do is, I believe, is almost a slight variation on Governor Rendell's proposal which is contained within the City of purview that if there is an increase in the over all amount of property taxes above a certain growth rate that the wage tax would be reduced by that total amount. I don't know that we have any particular examples at the moment, but that's the fundamental concept here. I think your question goes to, if bill 14 goes into effect -- bill 14 deals with the actual homeowners' liability in terms of their tax bill. For instance, if a person had a 1900 dollar tax bill last year, regardless of how much their assessment went up, that taxpayer would know they would maximum pay $190 increase in their property tax. Councilman Mariano's bill looks at that same situation in terms of the total growth in property taxes, I believe actually, Councilman, citywide. If the growth rate is over a certain percentage on the total assessed value of properties in the City, when they do the calculation, if it's over percent growth -- let's say it's percent, the City and 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE School District would get whatever they get out of the 2 percent increase. The 1 percent, whatever the total amount of that was, say it was $50 million, then the wage tax -- the rates would be reduced by an amount that equals $50 million. And then taxpayers would pay whatever that rate is. Councilman, is that -

That's correct Councilman Nutter. And I just wanted you to know that Rendell stole this idea from me. I had it first. (Laughter.)

Without Councilman Nutter's bill, if it didn't pass, it would be $40 million over five years of the Five-Year Plan, 16 million a year. Now, with that, they'll work in tandem. His is a cap and mine is actually a reduction.

Councilman Cohen.

I want to thank both Councilmembers for their help, but I must say I'm still at sea and can't quite figure out the relationship between the two bills. I'm concerned that it may be that the second bill negatives the 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE first bill and that would not make very much sense or be very good for the taxpayers of the Philadelphia. I would like to ask if Councilman Mariano would hold the bill for a week?

It doesn't do that, Councilman.

Well, if everybody understands and I don't, I'll go along.

Councilman, I would suggest that there is not much conflict -

The two bills are separate, is that right.

Yes, Councilman.

Okay. I'll accept that version today, but it had better be right. (Laughter.)

Sorry for the more complicated explanation. We believe there's no conflict between the bills.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Mariano.

I'm done. Thank you. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.

One brief matter, Madam President. And I know we took the vote on the prior bill. But the statement was just made about one bill impacting on another bill is exactly the case that I was trying to make about the Governor's proposed bill where potentially the bills in the budget is passed on the State level could in fact impact on what we're doing here locally which was why I was trying to attempt to get us to kind of hold off on our legislation until we get a sense of what the Governor's budget was going to do, because I think that at end of the day they will have some impact one way or another. But the vote is taken. I understand that and I'm clear with that and I'm comfortable with that. But I just wanted to make that point. That's the point, Councilman Cohen, that I was trying to make earlier on where the State budget could in fact have some impact on the City's budget.

Thank you.

The Chair again recognizes Councilman Nutter. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE

Thank you, Madam President. I appreciate that. Councilman Clarke, I do appreciate your comments, and they are certainly the appropriate comments to make. I would only add, though, that at least with regard to the previous bill and its vote, and I'm not absolutely certain about the bill before us, whatever the Governor's proposing would not be, at least in my view, bill 14 would not be any conflict with any of the Governor's proposals because all of his proposals are for the next tax year. Bill 14 only deals with the current tax year. The Governor proposals don't do anything in the current tax year; they're only for the tax year going forward. The vote has taken place. We don't need to continue debate about a bill that we voted on, but I did want to make sure the record is clear that Bill 14 only deals with the current tax year and anything that the Governor does is for future tax years.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.

Madam President, I hate to keep doing this, but I've just got to 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE clarify my position. Although it may not impact directly on that particular budget, it's still going to impact on the City's revenue source. That's my point. I continue to say whatever action we take in this Council will ultimately affect our ability to collect revenue. Pure and simple. Just because something happens in one particular year, it doesn't mean it's not going to impact the following fiscal year, period.

Point of order, Madam President.

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.

If the discussion is not on the present bill and on the past bill, that bill was voted. That discussion on that bill should not be held. The bill is passed. The discussion should be on this bill.

Majority whip speaks. I think in a very nice way she's telling me to stop talking. I'm shutting up, Madam President. (Laughter.)

Thank you. Councilman Nutter your light is on. Did 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE you want to be recognized?

Under the circumstances, Madam President, Councilman Clarke have taken his admonishment like a man, I'm just going to back out and have nothing to say.

Thank you the Clerk will please call the roll.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally? The Clerk will please call the roll. THE

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye. THE

Councilman Clarke.

Aye. THE

Councilman Cohen.

Aye. THE

Councilman DiCicco.

Aye. THE

Councilman Goode.

Aye. THE

Councilman Kenney.

Aye. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE THE

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye. THE

Councilman Mariano.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye. THE

Councilman Nutter.

Aye. THE

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye. THE

Councilman Ortiz.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

Aye. THE

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Tasco.

Aye. THE

Council President Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE majority of all Members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 020813. THE

An ordinance amending section 19-1303 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Authorization to Offer Exemption from Real Estate Taxes on Improvements to Residential Properties," by amending a definition of eligible residential property, 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 Clerk will please call the roll. THE

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye. THE

Councilman Clarke.

Aye. THE

Councilman Cohen.

Aye. THE

Councilman DiCicco.

Aye. THE

Councilman Goode. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE

Aye. THE

Councilman Kenney.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye. THE

Councilman Mariano.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye. THE

Councilman Nutter.

Aye. THE

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye. THE

Councilman Ortiz.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

Aye. THE

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Tasco.

Aye. THE

Council President 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all Members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill being called for consideration is Bill No. 030018. THE

An ordinance authorizing the installation of all-way stop signs at the intersections of Valley Avenue Renz Street and Valley Avenue and Shalkop Street.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally? The Clerk will please call the roll. THE

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye. THE

Councilman Clarke.

Aye. THE

Councilman Cohen.

Aye. THE

Councilman DiCicco.

Aye. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE THE

Councilman Goode.

Aye. THE

Councilman Kenney.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye. THE

Councilman Mariano.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye. THE

Councilman Nutter.

Aye. THE

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye. THE

Councilman Ortiz.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

Aye. THE

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Tasco.

Aye. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE THE

Council President Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 16, the nays are 0. A majority of all Members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Bill No. 030019. THE

An ordinance authorizing the installation of all-way stop signs at the interest of Parkwood Lane and Summit Avenue.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally? The Clerk will please call the roll. THE

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye. THE

Councilman Clarke.

Aye. THE

Councilman Cohen.

Aye. THE

Councilman DiCicco.

Aye. THE

Councilman Goode. 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE

Aye. THE

Councilman Kenney.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye. THE

Councilman Mariano.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye. THE

Councilman Nutter.

Aye. THE

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye. THE

Councilman Ortiz.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

Aye. THE

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye. THE

Councilwoman Tasco.

Aye. THE

Council President 4/3/03 - STATED - 2ND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE Verna.