Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A Members of Council having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter for a motion on resolution 020059.
Madam President, I'd love to make a motion about something, but I'm not exactly sure what the motion might be. Is this fiscal stability?
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Resolution 020059 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution 020059 be adopted. All in favor will signify by saying aye.
Point of information. And I apologize for forgetting about this particular resolution, but it is quite important. Could the Chair give some information with regard to the nature of Resolution 020059? resolution out of the Fiscal Stability Committee. It's approving the five-year plan.
Right. There were a number of quizzical looks about the resolution.
Very minimal. We had already voted on the changes. This the resolution to adopt it.
Councilman, just respond, there were amendments and the Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation and those amendments were approved in the committee. This is the resolution as approved out of committee.
I believe a motion was made and seconded. All in favor of the adoption of Resolution 020059 will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. And Resolution No. 020059 has been adopted. That concludes our calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the minority? Are there speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. I'd just like to give some additional information regarding the very exciting event that has taken place in Greensboro, North Carolina, my hometown, but more importantly for Bennett College which is a women's college in Greensboro for African-American women. There are two of these colleges in the country, Spelman and the other one is Bennett College. And we had a search process going on to find a permanent president. We were fortunate on Saturday, as Chair of the Board of Trustees we voted to appoint Dr. Jonetta Cole as president of Bennett College, the 14th president. and we know Bennett has a bright future. And to those listening, we're still taking students. Thank you very much.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam President. I will try to be brief. Madam President, it is often said that you should not criticize people who buy their ink by the tanker. And my comments may potentially be a mistake, but I've made other mistakes and tried to survive afterwards. I don't normally make comments with regard to various news stories, whether they're good, bad, or indifferent, but I feel compelled this morning, Madam President, to make some comments about a media report that shines an inappropriate light not only on this body in general but some of our colleagues as well as other elected officials, whether currently in office or previously in office. The only connection that I can possibly figure out between the story in today's paper about who works on whose payroll or where is there was a bill introduced last year that seeks to set a policy of relatives by elected and appointed officials. The unfortunate aspect is that none of the individuals mentioned either for current relatives or past relatives would be directly affected by this particular bill and it appears that a story was created or manufactured around that particular issue and hooked in some way, shape, or form to essentially report fairly old news in almost every instance. There's a picture of one of our colleagues who appears to be about 15 years old. The picture from the time line would indicate that this was back in the early 1980s. There's another picture -- I will not try to figure out how old Councilman Rizzo is in this particular photo, but he is younger. And it is certainly clear that there is -- it's undetermined what the age may be of either Councilwoman Blackwell or former Councilman Blackwell, but we'll leave that where it is. I first want to apologize personally to every one of my colleagues and other elected officials who may be in this particular story. The story was not requested, was not encouraged. There are comments, quotes from myself that are at least old back at a time when there was a hearing about a particular matter. The story waits until about halfway through to make mention of, I think, the very important fact that -- and I quote, The payroll review was restricted to better-known political families and did not extend to the lower government ranks. Nor did it determine how the family members got their jobs, which I think in essence, Madam President, is the big problem with this kind of story, if not, this kind of journalism. And I'll point out some of the facts. First of all, it is certainly an insult to the President, an elected official in her own right, to make reference to her father who served in this Body, who tragically died 27 years ago and that somehow, some way is inappropriate for our now Council President to serve here as a member. Councilwoman Brown who I consider a friend and who is a neighbor, references made to her husband who happens to be, I believe, a certified public accountant, has his own business, and is qualified to do the job. I don't know what the Councilwoman may have done or may not have done with regard to the position and it's none of my business, have any impact on that. There is no need to continue to talk about Florence Cohen who does not work here, happens to be married to our colleague. Dennis Cohen, his son, I supported for judge. And there are numerous judges who are made reference to with the smallest asterisk I've ever seen in print that says, Oh, by the way, all judges are elected. So I don't think Councilman Cohen put Dennis Cohen on the Court of Common Pleas. I think that we supported him. He also, by the way, happens to be a constituent. Mark is an elected member of the State House of Representatives who got elected in his own right. Mayor Street on his staff hired his brother's former wife's nephew.
You would need a serious family tree to keep track of the brother's former wife's nephew. This is a stretch. Former Mayor Rendell whose wife has been confirmed by the United States Senate to be a member of the Federal Judiciary. I don't know what the purpose, Madam President, is other than to create confusion if not As I said earlier, the bill that was introduced would have no affect on any individual that's mentioned in this particular story whether the pictures or in the box that has a number of people who, again, have either judges or other people. They did not hire these individuals on their staffs. Councilwoman Krajewski, her son has worked at the Housing Authority for 19 years at the bottom and worked his way up. So we are left with the -- I guess the final question is what is the purpose other than to try to take a shot. There is no timeliness to this particular story. There is no movement on that particular bill. There is no discussion about this particular issue at this point in time. There were numerous discussions about this issue. It sits in committee like 8 million other bills and it will have its time. So, again, I wish to apologize to my colleagues for any discomfort that may have been generated by the connection of disparate facts and pieces of information hooked into a matter that is sitting in a Council committee, and I just wanted to this floor. I will be writing to the paper about this particular matter, but since the story came out today and it's a Council day and our colleagues are here, I thought it appropriate to raise this matter, Madam President, and I appreciate the time. For anyone whose name I did not mention specifically, it is certainly no slight to you or no intention to ignore your situation, but there are a lot of people in here and I do not wish to talk for the rest of the day nor would you want to hear that. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. Does anyone else want to be recognized? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. I want to salute my colleague Councilman Nutter for his well-placed remarks and provide a friendly amendment on the facts. My husband is a tax accountant by trade, credentialed for the position he holds at the Philadelphia Housing Authority. And it's stories like this that renew his distaste for the world that I work in. Nonetheless, I want to salute Councilman Nutter for
Thank you. Anyone else want to be recognized? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Krajewski.
Madam President, I also want to compliment my colleague Councilman Nutter. The story I thought today was totally unfair. These are qualified people. I'll take my son, 19 years he's worked with the Philadelphia Housing Authority. He's worked there from the bottom and he's worked himself up. Does that mean that he's not qualified because I happen to be a Councilwoman, or any of us here? I think it was totally unfair. Thank you.
Thank you. Does anyone else want to be recognized? The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madam President. Also, I want acknowledge Councilman Nutter. And I want to thank my father for grooming me and teaching me and preparing me for this job which I do very well. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam President. I just want to note for the record, my son Mark who is a member of the State Legislation was elected in 1974, that's 28 years ago, at that time at which I was not even a member of this body. Secondly, I want to commend Councilman Nutter for his remarks. And I think he is also entitled to an apology by the press because of the linkage between his resolution and the article which had no basis in fact at all. Finally, on another matter -- it deals with much more substance than this article does. I think that Congressman Brady ought to be congratulated for what appeared in that same newspaper -- I won't mention it a by name today -in which he called for enough assistance by the federal government to put an end forever to the lead paint poisoning problem that our youngsters have. It seems to me, having made my first speech on that more than 30 years ago in City Council, it really is time to protect our kids and I think we owe Congressman Brady thanks, but we also want to urge upon him continued vigilance. It's really no reason poisoning, which is a threat to our youngsters, can't be eliminate immediately. There are no difficulty in hiring enough people to clean up lead paint poison. The money is being spent in many useful ways, and this, I think, would be the most useful way money could be spent to indicate that we're serious when we say this is the time to protect our children. That's what government is about, to give our kids the opportunity to live better lives than we have lived. So Madam President, I think this Council has to think of actions that it initiates in order to see that we never again have to discuss lead paint poisoning as a problem affecting children in Philadelphia. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. Any other speeches? The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Madam President. This is the first opportunity I had to see the article in today's paper, and it mentions my former wife. Just for the record, when -- actually, I had two former wives thanks to this job. And much of it has to do with this job. And I mean that with cheek, but it's the truth. All of you who are married or have been married know that these jobs are not the best jobs conducive to a marital relationship. But she did get the job after we were divorced. And for the milk carton that's going around, the compliments I believe of Local 98 this morning, if you call my office do not expect a reward if you find me in City Hall today. Thank you. And the Porsche actually cost 50,000, not 40.
Thank you. Does anyone else want to be recognized? The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. I actually wanted to thank the Daily News for dispelling the myth that I was born by immaculate conception. While I was not born by immaculate conception, I was born from a woman. I think as we approach Mother's Day, it's about time that people give mothers credit, like Carmella Rizzo and Velma Goode for the success of their sons. (Applause.)
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I don't currently or in the past have a member of my family that is a member of City government, but I must tell you when my daughter -- and it's going to be a ways out, but when my daughter graduates from medical school and she becomes the Health Commissioner of the City of Philadelphia, I guarantee you I will not have unduly influenced that selection.
Does anyone else want to be recognized? Seeing no one, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, May 9th, 10:00 a.m., 2002.
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday May 9, 2002. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? The ayes have it. Council stands adjourned until May 9th. (Council adjourned at 11:25 a.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of May 2, 2002, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: STATED MEETING ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public