Stated Meeting, October 31, 2024

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, October 31, 2024 10:00 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILWOMAN NINA AHMAD COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN CURTIS J. JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN RUE LANDAU COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY M. LOZADA COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN NICOLAS O'ROURKE COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILMAN JEFFREY YOUNG, JR. ELIZABETH McCOLLUM NAZARIO, INTERIM CHIEF CLERK

Good morning, everyone. (Good morning.)

Good morning, everyone. (Good morning.)

I note that the hour has come and that a quorum of this Council is present. Will all Councilmembers please take your seats and all visitors please retire to their seats outside the rails. Before proceeding, I will ask all those present to please set your cell phones to silent and please take all sidebar conversations outside of the Council chambers. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes the Venerable Rath Muni, Chief Monk/CEO of the Preah Buddha Rangsey TempleKhmer Buddhist Humanitarian Association, Inc. He is here today Councilmember Nina Ahmad. I will ask all members and guests to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests and visitors rise.) MONK MUNI: Thank you.

You can begin, sir. MONK MUNI: I'm very great. Appreciate to be here with all of you and to pray as well as to express my appreciation to the city of Philadelphia, to all of you, that working really hard for our community. Well, as you all know that the understanding bring peace even in difficult situation. Be grateful for the little things and find peace in them. Let go of reasonful thought and find true peace. If you love yourself, you won't harm others. So we all come to work for peace, prosperity as all our politicians try hard to build peace and harmony among our community. So I would like to take this little time to pray for peace, prosperity for all being. As a Buddhist in ancient language, (Pali translation). Thank you.

The Chair thanks Venerable Rath Muni for his invocation. Council will now be at ease. (Council at ease.)

The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 24, 2024. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 24, 2024 be approved. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, October 24, 2024 stand approved. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the Journal is approved. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brian O'Neill.

Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for leave from the rest of the Council session and as aye on all bills, resolutions and amendments to bills or resolutions.

It will be duly noted and granted. Leave is granted. Thank you very much, Councilmember O'Neill. The next order of business is request for leaves of absence. And the Chair recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the Majority, a leave of absence is requested for Councilmember Squilla.

The Chair thanks the Councilmember. Leave will be granted. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the Minority, there are no requests for leaves of absence today.

The Chair thanks the Councilmember. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion regarding certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of today's session of Council and that were not listed on the Calendar circulated prior to today's session.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this session of Council and, as required by law, subsequently published on an amended agenda consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first reading, the reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, amendments to bills re-called from the Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a motion to withdraw a bill or resolution that is not on the Calendar and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that is not listed on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included on the Calendar that was published prior to today's session. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the legislative matters stated by Councilmember Gilmore Richardson may be added to the agenda for today should those matters arise during the course of this session of Council. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. 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 your taking the time to join us as we attend to the legislative affairs of our great city. We certainly invite you to come again. At this moment the Chair recognizes Councilmember Kendra Brooks for acknowledgement.

Thank you, Council President and colleagues. I want to recognize Councilmember Valerie BossmanQuarshie from the City Council of the City of London. She's here to support in advance of this crucial and historic election.

Could you please stand? (Applause.)

We welcome you. The Chair also recognizes State Representative Elizabeth joining us today as well. (Applause.)

At this time the Chair recognizes Councilmember Rue Landau who will present a resolution honoring and recognizing Sunrise Movement Philadelphia for their outstanding work and contributions to the fight to confront climate change and ensure that the generations to come have a sustainable future. Would Erica Brown and those accompanying her please join the Councilmember at the podium. Also joining Councilmember Rue Landau are Jamie Gauthier, Councilwoman Kendra Brooks, Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada, Councilmember O'Rourke, Councilmember Young, Councilmember Phillips. And I would ask our Councilmember Isaiah Thomas to stand in for Councilmember -- I'm sorry, Councilmember Young. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)

Good morning, everybody. I'm here today, we are honoring and recognizing Sunrise Movement Philadelphia for their outstanding work and contributions to the fight to confront climate change and ensure that the generations to come have a sustainable future.

Whereas, Sunrise Movement is a movement of young people dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to clean air and water, full pantries of food, affordable housing, free public transportation, good and meaningful jobs, vibrant community centers and lives filled with joy; and

Whereas, this work is guided by their founding principles, including growing power through organizing in communities, being rooted in what they're fighting for and continuing the journey to become better organizers, leaders and people.

Whereas, nationally, Sunrise Movement has redefined climate politics, ensured the passage of historic climate legislation and continue to transform communities. Sunrise Movement strives to build a coalition around climate change, which is a vital step in the climate action towards clean energy; and

Whereas, Sunrise Movement Philadelphia, the local chapter of the national movement, is a group of young Philadelphians dedicated and winning a green new deal that ensures every Philadelphian has access to good jobs, stable housing, clean air and water and green community spaces; and

Whereas, the young people organizing with Sunrise Movement Philadelphia have proven their dedication to equitable, sustainable -- to an equitable and sustainable future by supporting legislative efforts to fund libraries and rec centers, create renewable energy, ensure access to fresh food, build affordable housing, stop gun violence and more. This has led to the growth in the clean energy sector in the addition of quality jobs offering family-sustaining wages; and

Whereas, due to the continued Sunrise Movement, legislation across the state addressing the climate crisis has gained momentum. Pennsylvania House Bill 103, commonly referred to as Solar for Schools, championed by State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler in partnership with Sunrise Movement Philadelphia will create a grant program to help school districts across Pennsylvania fund and install solar panels on school grounds and;

Whereas, the future of youth-driven community organizing for neighborhood facilities, fresh food, stable housing, clean air and water, green community spaces and renewable energy sources is bright; now, therefore, be it Resolved that the Council of the City of Philadelphia honors and recognizes Sunrise Movement work and contributions to the fight to confront climate change and ensure that the generations to come have a sustainable future. Be it further resolved, that an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Sunrise Movement Philadelphia as evidence of their sincere sentiments of this legislative body. Congratulations. (Applause.)

The Chair recognizes State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler and Erica Brown for remarks. STATE REPRESENTATIVE FIEDLER: Good morning, everyone. I am State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler. I represent 65,000 constituents in South Philadelphia east of Broad and south of Wharton. Thank you, Councilmember Landau. Thank you to the full Council for me to speak about one of my favorite topics, solar for schools. I'm honored to be here, also to help recognize Sunrise Movement and your amazing climate advocacy. Congratulations again. (Applause.) STATE REPRESENTATIVE FIEDLER: Back in April I was invited to come before this legislative body because Councilmembers Gilmore Richardson and Gauthier were kind enough to introduce a legislation supporting solar for schools. This legislation will create a new state grant program to help K through 12 public schools and community colleges install solar panels on the roof of their building or on their grounds. The program will help school districts save tens of year eventually adding up to millions of dollars in savings. It will also create good-paying local construction jobs and of course benefit the environment by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and allowing schools to generate their own electricity. Thank you, City Council, for approving that resolution unanimously back in April. And I am here to say with good news that this legislation passed the State House and the State Senate back in July and now is a $25 million appropriation. (Applause.) STATE REPRESENTATIVE FIEDLER: The Governor signed the bill into law and applications for the new program start tomorrow, November 1st. (Applause.) FIEDLER: This round of funding, what we see is a pilot program, should support around 60 Solar for Schools projects statewide and my hope as a Philadelphian certainly is that we will see about half a dozen schools right here with the School District of Philadelphia receiving state funding and putting up solar arrays next year. (Applause.) STATE REPRESENTATIVE FIEDLER: I mean, I'm excited. I am also here of course to support the resolution honoring Sunrise Movement. Sunrise was one of the very first supporters of Solar for Schools. I have the early letter they sent hanging on my wall in my office. Sunrise even joined me on one of the very first tours of a school called Steelton-Highspire. It's near Harrisburg. They took an landfill, put solar panels on it and now are able to power their school and their electric buses. I was grateful to Sunrise for their early support of Solar for Schools and for all the work that they are doing. Over and over every school I go to, urban, suburban, rural, it is the young people in the crowd who speak up without any hesitation, making clear that climate change is real and that for them, this isn't just a theoretical concept. They know it's their lives. It's my understanding that Sunrise Movement here in Philadelphia would like to see a similar program created for City municipal buildings, solar for rec centers, solar for libraries. I think this is a fantastic idea and anything the state can do to help support the City's endeavor, please you again for having me and thank you, Councilmember Landau and the Council, for having me. (Applause.)

The Chair recognizes Erica Brown.

Thank you. I'm not used to being up here. Thank you, Councilmember Landau, for fighting for rec centers, libraries and renewable energy. I almost wasn't born because my dad was shot on the Market-Frankford Line, so every time we got a news report of a shooting on the TV, he would tell me to stay inside. But when he felt it was safe, we would go to the park and run around, play baseball, throw a frisbee, and he enrolled me in aftercare because he had to work really late. And I was lucky that that aftercare I had so many to act. I learned how to do magic. I learned how to do arts and crafts. And unfortunately, a lot of people in Philly only know half of that story. They only know the half with violence and fear. And so, when I was 16, I joined the Sunrise Movement because I want my parks to keep existing. I love nature. I love animals. I love fresh air and clean water, right. But, young people, we have to learn at a young age that that's not a guarantee for us. And unless we fight back, it's going to all be gone. And so, starting in 2023 we started the Green Spaces Active Places campaign to make sure every rec center and library in the city gets fully funded, fully staffed and can run on renewable energy. (Applause.)

And thankfully, I met with a lot of the City Councilmembers standing right behind me and in front of me. And we want to keep working with you. It's been a great opportunity to work with Councilmember Landau. And I went on the City Council website and I saw all the different committees that you chair. And I wrote down how we could work together and we're going to be following up with all your offices right after this to figure out how that could be -- okay. Where to start. Okay. Majority Whip Thomas, Chair of the Education Committee, we can figure out how to make sure that schools and rec centers and libraries are connected so that way librarians can go into schools and schools can come back to rec centers. Also, thank you that hearing with the AFSCME Union. Councilmember Squilla, Chair of Appropriations, we can figure out how to make sure that funding goes to these rec centers and libraries so we can actually have the staff. Councilmember Gauthier, Chair of the Environment, want to keep working together so we can make sure that there's beautiful gardens at every rec center and library. Councilmember Jones, Chair of Public Safety, this is the main way we keep each other safe. This is how we replace fear is by creating community and really appreciate you getting money for the Shepard Rec Center this past year. We love that rec center. Councilmember Young, Chair of Streets, to ensure that there aren't potholes and that there can front of these rec centers so kids don't have to worry about and parents don't have to worry about being hit by cars. That's a big fear in some places. Councilmember Driscoll, Chair of Licensing and Inspections, to make sure that all these buildings are up to code so that there's not mold and there's not paint chipping off these buildings. Councilmember Lozada, Chair of Public Property, right, these are public buildings, that we want to make sure that they get the funding they need, and really appreciate you talking about your tours and how we're seeing that these places can really use some renovations. Councilmember Bass, the Rules Committee, I don't know that much about City Council rules. But I imagine --

I'm sure there's a way that we can use that to our benefit. And then, Councilmember Phillips, already met with your legislative staff recently to go on tours and make sure that we can change the staffing rules at these places. We can use the funding that we have. Councilmember Ahmad with public health, this is how -- these are the centers of public health. This is where people can go when we get another text on our phone about the water being contaminated, where if we can have water stations we can have health care right there. Councilmember Harrity, Chair on Labor, we need so many jobs created, so many jobs that we can work with IBEW and all these unions to repair these spaces. And, Minority Leader Brooks, Chair of Special Needs and Aging Affairs, young people love rec centers, old people love rec centers. And so, we can make sure that there's programs. We can make sure that there's ramps so that people can get easy access to these places. And finally or not finally, second to last, Minority Leader O'Rourke, Chair on Global Economy, I really appreciate you introducing the No Fossil Fuel Treaty and want to make sure that we can continue that. And okay, save the best for last. Council President Johnson, we would love for you to coordinate all this. (Applause.)

So we can get this done, right. Rec centers and libraries are the heart of our city and they're the key to replacing violence and fear with community. thank again Councilmember Landau for allowing us to -(Applause.)

There are two more young leaders in the Sunrise Movement who want to quickly speak and share their experience, Aster Chau and Sultan Smalley. (Applause.)

Hi. My name is Aster Chau. I'm a junior at the Academy of Palumbo and I'm also 16 years old. I'm here -(Applause.)

I'm here with the Sunrise Movement, an organization I've been a part of since my freshman year of high school. I'm missing a bit of school to be here today but I felt like I needed to be here. I've been organizing with the Movement since I was 14, and being a part of my perspective on a lot of things. Today I wanted to share something with the Councilmembers as a reminder but also an affirmation for the youth. Last Thursday I was organizing outside of City Hall and I heard words that I really needed to hear. A fellow organizer told me not to lose hope. As a young person in the city, I can acknowledge that things need to actively change to better our communities that unify the city. I've seen change be made and I still see change being fought for within schools, neighborhoods, across movements and all people. The youth who will live with these decisions that our elected official are making are watching in anticipation. It's something that I carry with me, but Rue Landau heard the cries of the communities that are actually open, asking for libraries with adequate, well-paid staff that can run programs, advocating for the youth in the city to have these resources in an environmentally friendly way. It is a two-way street. Landau recognizes the efforts of Sunrise Philly and we recognize her for seeing our community. It brings me pride to see an elected official stand alongside a community activating -- oh, sorry, advocating for safe green spaces. When our elected officials hear the people and their actions stand by that, that's democracy and that's what the city needs. Thank you, Rue Landau, and the space offered for me to speak today. (Applause.)

Hello. My name is Sultan Smalley and I'm a And thank you to Rue Landau for inviting us today. So I joined Sunrise last spring in my senior year of high school. And the first thing I did as a member was bike around the rec centers in my neighborhood with Erica. We did this to hear the perspectives of rec center staff and it was a fruitful endeavor despite the fact that we got caught in the rain, which is not fun when you're biking next to Philly drivers. But the reason it was worth the rain was because I learned a lot about our public spaces and the people who run them day-in and day-out. I learned that Philadelphia only spends about half the amount per person that Pittsburgh and Baltimore spends on Parks & Rec, and I learned about the basketball programming being McIlvain Playground. Despite a lack of funding, hardworking people at our Parks & Rec centers across the city continue to persevere as they build and serve our communities from the front lines. And that's what I love about Sunrise, is that as an organized bloc we have the power to advocate for all these incredible working-class heroes and call for full investment in our public spaces. There's no other way I'd rather use the free time afforded to me as a 19-year-old college student. So once again, thank you to Councilmember Rue Landau and I hope City Council joins us in fighting for working people. Thank you.

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

At this time the Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young, who will present a resolution honoring and congratulating the NAACP Philadelphia ACT-SO Olympians for winning 10 gold medals at the National NAACP ACT-SO Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Applause.)

Would Catherine Hicks, President of the Philadelphia NAACP; Vee Norris, the ACT-SO Committee Chair and also my good friend and member of the ACT-SO Committee, Wylie Emanuel Smith, along with those accompanying them, please join the Councilmember at the podium. Joining Councilmember Young for his presentation will be Councilmember Rue Landau, Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, Brooks, Councilmember Jim Harrity, Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke, Councilmember Ahmad, Councilmember Phillips, Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. (Councilmembers and guests approach podium.)

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young.

Thank you, Mr. President. It's a tremendous honor to stand here today and recognize these incredible young people. The accomplishments --

Mr. Young, Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

Can we have all sidebar conversations taken out the Councilmember Young as he has the floor. Councilmember Young.

Thank you, Council President. Again, it's a tremendous honor to stand before you all today to recognize the incredible accomplishments of these young people for the NAACP Philadelphia ACT-SO Olympians, right. As you heard, there were 10 gold medals and countless other awardees as well at this competition. The ACT-SO program, the Afro-Academic Cultural Technological and Scientific Olympics, has a longstanding tradition of uplifting young Black students, guided them to expand their horizons and sharpen their skills to pursue excellence. Was founded by journalist and author 1978. ACT-SO has provided a platform for thousands of talented young people, encouraging them to achieve academically, scientifically and artistically. It's an initiative that goes beyond competition. It is movement that empowers youth to believe in themselves and reach their highest potentials. And with that today, I'm going to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the young scholars who are here today. But I want to recognize the leadership of Chairperson Ms. Veronica Norris who I've known my entire life, right, and whose commitment to young people has been instrumental in their success. And I can tell you firsthand that she has always been dedicated to young people, to She has always poured into us to make sure that we achieve greatness. And so, I just want to honor her again today. And she has helped these Olympians on the national stage. And so, with that I want to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these students. So whereas, the NAACP ACT-SO Competition was founded in 1978 by author and journalist Vernon Jarrett and is intended to provide recognition to young people who have demonstrated academic, scientific and artistic achievements; and

Just for the record, I would like to say that I'm an ACT-SO former participant and -(Applause.)

In original oratory humanities I got it, so this is quite fitting. Whereas, ACT-SO which stands for Afro-Academic Cultural Technological and Scientific Olympics aims to provide students with the necessary skills to establish goals and acquire the confidence in training to make a successful contribution to society; and

And whereas, over the course of each year students work with local volunteers and mentors to develop projects and participate in enrichment opportunities, including workshops, tutorials and field trips to their competitions; and

Whereas, with over 30 areas of competition in several major categories, including STEM, Humanities, Performing Arts, inspires young Black students to expand their horizons and sharpen their skills; and

Whereas, the NAACP Philadelphia ACT-SO 2023-2024 year rolled out an impressive and an amazing slate of talented youth from across the city; and

Whereas, NAACP Philadelphia ACT-SO represented the City proudly winning 10 gold medals at this year's ACT-SO Competition in Las Vegas; and (Applause.)

Whereas, two local medalists secured double gold highlighting 10 Olympians across 12 categories at this year's competition; and

Whereas, under the leadership of Norris, the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP ACT-SO Program won three National Medals; and

Whereas, Germantown Friends Senior Joshua Matthews, won the National Bronze for Chemistry/Biochemistry, while Central High School Junior Abdullah Mahmoud won the National Bronze Medal for Mathematics; and

Just a point of privilege, as a lifetime member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the NAACP, I have watched Ms. Vee and our President here work so hard for all our children. So whereas, Sumriah Mungin, a junior at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Arts won the National Silver Medal for Vocal Contemporary; and

And whereas, a win at the National a win for all branches of NAACP across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and Whereas, in alignment with the founding principles of ACT-SO which focuses on recognizing young individuals for their exceptional achievements in the arts, academics and sciences; therefore, be it Resolved by the Council of the City of Philadelphia that this esteemed body honors and congratulates the NAACP Philadelphia ACT-SO Olympians for winning 10 gold medals at the National NAACP ACT-SO Competition in Las Vegas. Let's give them a round of applause please. (Applause.)

And be it Further Resolved, that an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the NAACP evidence of the true and sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body. Congratulations to you all. You guys have done an amazing job representing our city. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

The Chair first acknowledges State Senator Sharif Street who's also joining us today. (Applause.)

And so, Sharif Street, will you take the podium. And then next, we'll have the President of the NAACP, Ms. Catherine Hicks. And then next, we will have Chair of the ACT Committee, Ms. Norris. SENATOR STREET: Mr. President, thank you, the honorable members of Council, thank you for having us. And Ms. Norris, look, I just want to say as a former ACT-SO student who's been involved with you since -- you've been doing this since about 30 years. I just want to thank you for all the work you've done. When you said you were getting honored today and I saw we had the time to be here, wanted to be here to join Council in celebrating the work you've done for these young people for so long. And thank Council for acknowledging ACT-SO and all the students. You're doing great work and you represented our city so well. Thank you so much. God bless. (Applause.)

Good morning and thank you. Thank you all for being here. I'm Catherine Hicks, President of the Philadelphia Branch NAACP and I'm just so proud and honored. I want to thank of the Councilmembers, Council President for this honor today for our students. ACT-SO is such an important part of the NAACP and what we do for students and kids. I'm honored just to be here and see these students because witnessing them in Vegas this past year, just having them win the medals for of course the Philadelphia Chapter was just very inspiring. It shows what our children can do. And I just want to bring to the podium the woman behind it along with Wylie Smith who has been a long-time part of our ACT-SO Competitions. But Ms. Vee, she is instrumental in not just ACT-SO in our branch but so many other portions of what we do. So this is really an honor for her. Ms. Vee. (Applause.)

Testing. Okay, good. Good morning everybody and everybody good morning. I just want to give a shout-out to Councilmember Jeffrey Young who I've known from 9, 10 or whatever. I knew you were going to do great things and here you are, a lawyer and a Councilmember, so thank you. So I want to thank everybody and, honorable Councilmembers as yourselves, give yourselves a hand for all the hard work you're doing. You know where this is going, right. I'm going to be asking for donations. You know that, right. So also, I'm a proud member of the NAACP. I carry my card and my voting card everywhere I go. So here's my NAACP lifetime membership. And thank you so much, Honorable President Kenyatta who's -- I'm not going to name all the names when we do our Philadelphia Activities Fund. Most of you give and I want to thank you. I'm not going to name any names. I wasn't raised like that shout-out. But if you want to see me after this is over with, please do. Give yourselves a hand. Thank you. (Applause.)

As they mentioned what ACT-SO is, when I say ACT, you say SO. ACT -(SO.)

ACT -(SO.)

I just want to make sure everybody's awake and they hear everything I'm saying, so great job. So let me just look back here. As we went to Las Vegas, it was good to represent the city of Philadelphia. A lot of countries, we were competing against hundreds and hundreds of African American youth. And here the City of Philadelphia three times, like the BET Awards, I was done. My eyes were swollen and everything. I mean, really. And we competed in STEM. We had some STEM we walked away with, which we're trying to build in the folks of color to build. And STEM because that's where the money is, right. That's where the money is. I mean, yeah, legislation and all that is good, but STEM is excellent. Humanities, we had Visual Arts and we have Performing Arts and Entrepreneurship. Business which went big when we was in a pandemic, everybody wants to be self-employed to make money to survive. So I am proud here to say thank you to our parents who's a foundation, who got them up and go -- parents, where are you for ACT-SO? They're over there? Okay. (Applause.)

So I'm going to be brief because I want to recognize -- I want to thank our Madam President's leadership, and Wylie Smith is here, Co-chair emeritus and also under the leadership, the late Jerry (inaudible) emeritus. Yes, so give them a hand. Wylie's back there, Co-Chair. (Applause.)

So let's talk about who's here, our youth that's here. I'm just going to recognize them. Let's see, let's start with Samriah Mungin. Give her hand, our Vocal Contemporary Silver $1,500 and she's still getting money from everywhere else. (Applause.)

Samriah, just raise your hand because we're on Council chamber's time, yes. Denae, guess what. She went to Julliard, free scholarship to Julliard. She's a classical violinist. (Applause.)

We have Jemma Richardson, double gold in tap dance. I was going to have her tap dance but we don't have that kind of time, and vocal classical. Yes, right. (Applause.)

And who else do we have there. We have Brandon McDonald, poetry written. Gold, yes. (Applause.)

And Barch -how do you say your last name again? (Tashami.)

Tashami, yes. Welcome. And he did poetry performance. Very good. (Applause.)

At 69 you can't remember all the names. Sometimes you can't remember what you ate the day before. Okay. So again, I want to welcome -- thank you to the young lady from London, but we got some people from Washington D.C., Director of Youth and College, Derek Lewis, from National NAACP and the lovely Maria, National Director of Communications. Welcome them from Washington D.C. Not as far as London, but still good. (Applause.)

So anyway, I just want to thank everyone. Did I miss anybody? I got everybody. Okay. So I want to thank you so much for the opportunity to receive Yes, I'm the motivator. As you can tell I'm hyped. I'll be 70 March the 18th. I was born in 1955. That's too much information, isn't it. So thank you, Honorable Sharif Street, who's always there, always giving and kind donations. So again, thank you so much. And thank you. And one of our ACT-SO participants is on The Voice. Yes. Okay. All right. So just really quick alumni Leslie Odom, Jr., who I judged in 1996. We had also Jada Pinkett. Also, what's his name from Black-ish, Anthony Anderson. Okay. My mind is still good honey, no dementia. So, yes, you might know a few of those people, yes. So thank you again for this opportunity and I appreciate every one of you. Give yourselves a hand. Thank you for this. (Applause.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

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. Will the Chief Clerk read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications in her possession.

To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I'm submitting herewith for the consideration of your Honorable body the following proposed ordinance: Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into a Philadelphia Municipal Authority for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 1 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into a lease agreement with 2401 Walnut LP for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 2401 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into a lease agreement with AC HSS Office Ventures II, LLC for the use by the City of a portion of the premises 1930 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145, under certain terms and conditions; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to convey to the Philadelphia Housing Authority all or a part or parcels of land containing approximately 23,595 square feet located in and about the area bounded by Market Street, 39th Street, Ludlow Street and 40th Street, under certain terms and conditions; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest by purchase, dedication, donation, condemnation, agreement in lieu of condemnation or otherwise, in or all to a portions of certain along the west bank of the Schuylkill River in and around an area generally bounded by South 58th Street, as extended to the bulkhead line of the west bank of the Schuylkill River; South 61st Street; and West Passyunk Avenue for public park, recreation and transportation purposes, under certain terms and conditions; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee simple title or lesser real estate interest by purchase, dedication, donation, condemnation, agreement in lieu of condemnation or otherwise, in and to all or portions of a certain parcel of land known as 923 West Butler Street, under certain terms and conditions; and Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 30 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions; and An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority, for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 1600-26, John F. A. and Republic First Bank as authorized financial institutions in which the City Treasurer may deposit funds, all under certain terms and conditions. And I am pleased to advise you that on October 30, 2024 I signed the following bills which were passed by Council at its session on October 17, 2024: Bill No. 240422, Bill Nos. 240660, 240663 and 240667.

And to the President and members of the Council of City Philadelphia, my Administration intends to submit a contract proposal to the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, which will start the collective bargaining process 111. I hereby request pursuant to Chapter 17-2300 of The Philadelphia Code that Council comply, promptly schedule a public hearing concerning the City's contract proposal in order to permit the City to begin the bargaining process. If Council is unable to schedule such a hearing in the next 30 days, I request that Council President certify to the Office of Labor that Council is unavailable to do so, which will satisfy the requirements of Chapter 17-2300 of The Philadelphia Code and allow the City to move forward with its proposals and contract negotiations. There are no other communications in my possession, Council President.

Thank you. The messages will be printed in the Journal. The next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Phillips.

Thank you, Council President. There are no bills or resolutions for introduction today.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Thank you, Council President. Today I offer three bills on your behalf and one resolution on my behalf, which is privileged.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the titles of the bills and privileged resolution.

An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into a lease agreement with 2401 Walnut LP, for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 2401 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease agreement with AC HSS Office Ventures II, LLC, for the use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 1930 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19145, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And an ordinance amending Chapter 19-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "City Funds - Deposits, Investments, Disbursements," by amending Section 19-201, entitled "City Depositories," to remove Citibank, N.A. and Republic First Bank as authorized financial institutions in which the City Treasurer may deposit funds, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And a privileged resolution authorizing City Council's Committee of the Whole to hold public hearings required pursuant to Chapter 17-2300 of The Philadelphia Code ("Public Hearing Prior to Execution of a Labor Agreement Concerning Police Employees Represented by the Fraternal Order of Police"), which Code Chapter requires that Council hold a hearing in connection with the City's contract proposal in anticipation of collective bargaining between the City and the Fraternal Order of Police.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage calendar. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jamie Gauthier.

Thank you, Council President. Today I have five bills for introduction.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the titles of the bills.

An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to convey to the Philadelphia Housing Authority all or a part of parcels or parcels of land containing approximately 23,595 square feet located in and about the area bounded by Market Street, 39th Street, Ludlow Street and 40th Street, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And an ordinance amending Section 2 of an Ordinance (Bill No. 220188) approved August 31, 2022, entitled "An Ordinance Authorizing the striking from City Plan No. 269 and an abandonment of a portion of a certain right-of-way for drainage purposes and water main purposes in the vicinity of the northwesterly side of Civic Center Boulevard, northeast of Osler Circle," under certain terms and conditions, by extending the period for compliance with the terms and conditions stated therein.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And an ordinance authorizing POSEL WOODLAND ASSOCIATES, L.P. or a subsequent owner to install, own and maintain an encroachment at 4116-18 Chester Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And an ordinance amending Chapter 12-2700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Permit Parking Districts," by changing certain boundaries and establishing new permit parking districts, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.

And an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City, to acquire fee simple title or lesser real estate interest by purchase, dedication, donation, condemnation, agreement in lieu of condemnation, or otherwise, in and all to or portions of certain parcels of land located along the west bank of the Schuylkill River in and around an area generally bounded by South 58th Street, as extended to the bulkhead line of the west bank of the Schuylkill River; South 61st Street; and West Passyunk Avenue for public park, recreation and transportation purposes, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Thomas.

Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. No bills or resolutions today.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones.

Thank you, Mr. President. One privileged resolution today.

Thank you. Will the Chief Clerk please read the title of the privileged resolution.

A privileged resolution honoring and recognizing the Domestic Violence Unit in the City of Philadelphia during Domestic Violence Awareness Month for their exemplary service and commitment to the fight against domestic violence.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Rue Landau.

Good morning, Council President, colleagues. No bills or resolutions today.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada.

Good morning, Council President. I offer one non-privileged resolution.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the title of the non-privileged resolution.

A non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 1766-72 North Bodine Street; 2244 and 2246 Hope Street; 218 Cecil B. Moore Avenue located in the 7th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young.

Thank you, Mr. President. No bills or resolutions to offer this morning.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Kendra Brooks.

Good morning, Council President. I have one privileged resolution and one non-privileged resolution to introduce today.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the titles of the privileged and non-privileged resolutions.

A privileged resolution congratulating Director Keli McLoyd, Noelle Foizen, and the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity on the success of the Overdose, Prevention and Awareness Canvassing Program, which has knocked on over 100,000 doors in Philadelphia and for earning recognition from the White House for its innovative and evidencebased public health approach to combating the overdose crisis. (Applause.)

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar.

And a non-privileged resolution calling on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to establish an oath of Public Healthcare Advocate within the Office of the Attorney General.

This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity.

Council President, I have no bills or resolutions today.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please -- the Chair recognizes Councilmember O'Rourke.

Thank you, Mr. President. And for the record, happy belated birthday, sir.

Thank you, sir.

I have one privileged resolution to -- you're welcome. I have one privileged resolution to introduce.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the title of the privileged resolution.

A privileged resolution honoring the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, PABJ, for its 50th anniversary and ongoing commitment to serving Black journalists, increasing the number of Black media professionals in the Philadelphia area and combating racism in the media.

This resolution will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll.

Morning, Mr. President. I have one bill for consideration.

Thank you very much. Will the Chief Clerk please read the title of the bill.

An ordinance amending Chapter 12-3400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Use of an Automated Speed Enforcement System to Improve Safety," by providing for the use, administration and enforcement of automated speed cameras on State Route 13 within the boundaries of Philadelphia and amending the Internet website notice requirement, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of Councilman Squilla, I offer one bill.

Will the Chief Clerk please read the title of the bill.

An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 1 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions.

This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.

Thank you, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions, but I do have a request for a leave of absence and on all bills and resolutions.

Leave is granted and the vote aye recorded will be duly noted. Thank you very much. The next order of business is reports from committees. The Chair recognizes Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson for a report from the Committee on Law and government.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Law and Government reports out two bills and one resolution with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Would the Chief Clerk please read the report.

The Committee to which were referred the following bills and resolutions: Bill No. 240004, an ordinance amending Title 11 ("Streets") and Title 21 ("Miscellaneous") of The Philadelphia Code, to amend requirements concerning publication of notices and newspapers, all under certain terms and conditions. And Resolution No. 240834, a resolution proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Charter to provide for the creation of the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and the Office of Prison Oversight and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia, respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill and resolution to Council with a favorable recommendation. 240817, an ordinance providing for the submission to the 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, relating to the creation of the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered and amended the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable recommendation. There are no further bills or resolutions to report from the Committee on Law and Government, Council President.

The Chair recognizes the Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson for a motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading this day of the bills just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of Bill Nos. 240004 and 240817 just read by the Chief Clerk at today's session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The bills will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. Resolution No. 240834 will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for consideration at the next session of Council. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young for a report from the Committee on Streets and Services.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Streets and Services reports out one bill with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Will the Chief Clerk please

The Committee on Streets and Services to which was referred the following bill: Bill No. 240931, an ordinance authorizing and directing the changing of the name of Taney Street to LeCount Street, from West Toronto Street to West Somerset Street; from Ridge Avenue to Cecil B. Moore Avenue; from Master Street to Aspen Street; from Pine Street to Bainbridge Street, from Catherine Street to Christian Street, from Dickinson Street to Morris Street; and authorizing and directing the changing of the name of Taney Terrace from Point Breeze Avenue to Jackson Street to LeCount Terrace, all under certain terms and conditions, respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached bill to Council with a favorable further bills to report out from the Streets and Services Committee, Council President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young for a motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the first reading of this bill just read into the record by the Chief Clerk. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the consideration of Bill No. 240931 just read by the Chief Clerk at 2ND READING today's session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. This bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. The next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. I note that the bills just reported from Committees with the suspension of rules have been deemed to have been read a first reading. These bills will be placed on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars for the next session of Council. As there are no additional bills on the First Reading 2ND READING Calendar, the Chair recognizes Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars.

Thank you, Mr. President. The following bills and resolutions are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 240974, 240978, 240979, 240980, 240981, 240985, 240990, 240992, 240993, 240994, 240997, 240999, 241000, 240499, 240656, 240661, 240613 and 240662. The following bills and resolutions on the Calendar are being held: 240724, 240242, 240427, 240612 and 240304.

Thank you. Before considering these bills and resolutions, we will consider public comment as follows: Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars for possible action at today's Council session. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up for today's session, please do so now by giving yourself -- by giving your name to Ms. Hasson at the table outside the rails to my left. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet. Under ideal circumstances, public commenters each will have three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from session-to-session. Due to today's volume, the time limit will be 1 minute. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the one-minute limit. When you begin speaking, you will see a green light on the podium. When there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, the light will turn yellow which is your reminder to conclude your remarks. Once your minute has passed, the light will turn red and the Sergeant-at-Arms will disconnect the microphone. At that point, please yield the podium to the next speaker if you have not already done so. I also reserve the right pursuant to our rules of Council to limit repetitious comments on the same subject matter. I would now ask the Chief Clerk to please read the name of our first speaker.

May Kate Perez make her way to the podium. Albert Knight, Jenny Zhang and Aileen Haggerty also make their way to the podium please. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Rue Landau.

Thank you so much, Council President. I just wanted to take a second to address all of us here, Councilpeople and the public, to say that public comment is a very important part of the work that we do. It is -- we don't always have to agree on the ideas that are being presented, but it's very important that we have this forum, that we listen to people and we give them the opportunity to be heard. As the former Director of the Commission on Human Relations, I know that even though issues could be fraught and hard and difficult to hear, that it's important that we all collectively work through it and that we give everybody the respect that they deserve in order to express themselves. And I for one and I believe my colleagues are all here for it. So thank you very much.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Would the Clerk please call the first speaker.

Kate Perez.

Many businesses in Philadelphia fall under non-conformities and there is no bigger offense than selling weapons to an illegal occupation that is targeting civilians with the intention of ethnically cleansing the indigenous population and selling their land. Keller Williams Realty has already been caught breaking international law by selling properties in the occupied West Bank. Israel is (inaudible) us into a nuclear war by bombing the capitals of Iran and Lebanon, and our mainstream presidential candidates have pledged to prolong their genocide at the expense of the American people. FEMA announced their $9 billion shortfall on the same day our government approved 8.7 billion in military funding for Israel. Last week I told you that Israel had the Indonesian Al Awda and Kamal Adwan Hospitals completely besieged. The IOF has since shelled all three hospitals. With Day & Zimmerman being the sole provider of Israel's three most used tank shells, who knows how many of these shells were purchased in Councilmember Young's District. How many civilian deaths could have been prevented if you had already shut down this non-conforming business. Just like Lozada convinced the landlord to evict Savage Sisters, O'Neill can stop the helicopters and Johnson can stop the AI-powered robot dogs from leaving the city. Philly teachers like Ridgeway are put on leave during a shortage for even discussing Gaza while our School Board runs into a private room to unanimously grant Keystone tax abatements to a weapons manufacturer to use our ports to ship even more weapons from our city. You have the power to evict these non-conforming businesses and save millions. The entire Council must call for a complete arms embargo and I invite other speakers to end their speeches with Free Palestine. (Applause.)

Albert Knight. Jenny Zhang and Aileen Haggerty and Rhicki Santos also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

All right. Good morning, everybody. My name's Albert Knight.

Begin, sir.

My name's Albert Knight and I'm here to tell my testimony because we need help. We need help. We need information in the communities about the drugs. The Fentanyl is killing everyone. And I have like eight family members and friends that's actually dead because of the Fentanyl. I was blessed to get help, but I couldn't find help. It was hard. It was really hard for me to even get help to fight. We need to knock on people's doors and let them know, you know. We need to like be up close in person and let them know because life is valuable. And I had a speech but I can't get to it. But, yes, we need a lot to help us fight Fentanyl. (Applause.)

Jenny Zhang. Aileen Haggerty, Rhicki Santos and Vivian Chang also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Thank you. Good morning. My name is Jenny Zhang and I live in Chinatown. I'm speaking to oppose Resolution 241000 that would create the neighborhood improvement district and start the process of destroying our Chinatown. As a member of the Chinatown community, I was appalled when I first found out about the so-called CBA. I know that this body tried to pass a resolution years ago that said in part that a CBA must be negotiated by communities. It was passed unanimously, which meant that both then Councilmember and now Mayor Cherelle Parker and Councilmember Mark Squilla believed in that bill. It was unfortunately vetoed by Mayor Kenney. Yet you are looking at the beginning of a process where legislation is being pushed forward without the consent or any agreement of the community most affected. Some of you say it is Chinatown's fault for not being at the table to negotiate CBAs. The only table that the city created was for the people who are pro-arena. The only seat we could even get at the table was to say, come take my home. So when CBAs were announced, that included a (inaudible) $5 million for our community, 1 million in the form of extra cleaning because of the arena that would create -- because of the trash that the arena would create, 3 million in the form of a loan for small businesses to offset the damage of the arena that won't begin until 2032 and our businesses will be already killed off by then. Vote no against 241000. Thank you. (Applause.)

My name is Aileen Haggerty. I live in the Whitman neighborhood in South Philadelphia. I'm a library worker and proud member of AFSCME District Council 33, but today I'm here speaking on my own behalf. I oppose Resolution 240999 because TIFs and PILOTs are financial instruments that allow billionaire developers to get away without paying property taxes. They will steal millions of dollars from critical City services. Why is Council giving handouts to billionaires instead of making sure that the City actually benefits? Philadelphia has aging facilities and an underpaid municipal workforce. The result of it closed libraries and understaff rec centers depriving all of us of the necessary spaces that provide safety and security for our City's residents. We heard earlier from Sunrise Movement speakers how important these spaces are. I'm a neighbor of Mifflin Square Park, a park that Councilmember Squilla consistently supports. We are finally getting a new playground that has taken multiple outside grants and a six-year process. Our community is literally jumping the fence to get to enjoy the safe and new space. If a development was threatening our park and neighborhood, we would be out there fighting it and I guarantee you Councilman Squilla would have our backs. This resolution advances the arena and that means it drains money from the pockets of the rich. All of these resolutions benefiting developers or supposedly causing less harm to Chinatown are unnecessary because the solution is right in front of us. Say no to the arena. (Applause.)

Rhicki Santos. Vivian Chang and Lorenzo Cannon Umpstead, please also make their way to the podium.

Hello. My name is Rhicki Santos and I'm a medical student here in Philadelphia. I oppose Resolution 241000. I got into medicine because I knew I wanted to be an advocate. I wanted to stand up for my patients and treat them holistically as opposed to just treating them as a disease or a symptom. And as a medical school student, I stand here today to advocate for them. This resolution rushes the arena through City Council, but we need City Council to put patient and public health over billionaire profits. It's absolutely unthinkable that the City is considering a project that would do so much harm to access to health care in this city. Arena traffic would gridlock vehicles in the exact intersections that ambulances travel through to get patients to the hospital to reach people in emergency. But it isn't just about patients. It's about blood for someone getting surgery. It's about organs for transplants. Organs and blood do not wait and they do not care if there's a basketball game. If the tissue dies, the patient receiving the organ also dies. Big money from one of the same developers building this arena already shut down one hospital in Center City and it made the work in other hospitals even more difficult. It harmed the lives of people seeking medical care in Philadelphia. An arena will certainly harm Chinatown but it will also have a negative impact on nearby hospitals. And I'm urging City Council today, please put patient health over profits. (Applause.)

Vivian Chang. Lorenzo Cannon Umpstead and Debbie Wei, also make their way to their podium.

Vivian Chang, resident of Chinatown North. I oppose this resolution, right, same as everyone else. This is stealing money from our city, right, trying to give $400 million in public subsidies even though the arena developers have said they're not going to take any public money. You got to see through the lie. This disgraceful deal does nothing for our city, our youth. We have students who go to schools in Philly, right, Academy of Palumbo, they've experienced multiple floods, electrical fires, gas leaks. It's disgusting. Our schools need $10 billion in repairs and what is Council considering, giving free money to billionaires. How does this do anything for anyone who really cares about Philly who's actually from here and isn't a billionaire developer who doesn't even live here? So I urge Council to vote no on these two resolutions. Vote no on 240999. Vote no on 241000. Instead give our schools air-conditioning, libraries, playgrounds, invest in our youth. (Applause.)

That's right. No to the arena. No to this crappy deal. Thank you. (Applause.)

Good morning, Council President, Council guests, Council neighbors and workers of the City of Philadelphia. Good morning. My name is Lorenzo Cannon Umpstead. I'm from 215 People's Alliance. I am a worker, a West Philadelphia native and a resident of West Philadelphia and a member of Black Philadelphia for Chinatown. I oppose Resolution 241000. The proposed Community Benefits Agreement is a joke. It makes a mockery out of what neighborhood improvement actually is and what it should look like in the city of Philadelphia in the year 2024. This process is way too rushed. This process and project is a reactionary response to the years of gross neighborhood negligence of the so-called leaders in the city, and the current Council needs to do is due diligence on this arena issue. Our city should not be pushing to a bad deal that mostly benefits the elite and wealthy developers. David Adelman, one of the Sixers' owners behind the arena has already done damage to our community. He's the CEO of Campus Apartments, which pushed out Black people out of the Black Bottom, which is the community I'm from. Josh Harris, another 76ers Place developer, might I add also the owner of the New Jersey Devils, owns the corporate investment firm that shut down Hahnemann Hospital. This arena will not create good jobs for Black workers. The Building Trades historically are ripe for racism in Philadelphia, and I can tell you that personally by how me and my people was treated outside of this building last Thursday. Okay. 80 percent of steel workers, 77 percent of sheet metal workers and 74 percent of carpet installers in the city are White, but Black people are the majority in our city. But shoutout to the Black guys on union jobs. Representation matters, right. Meanwhile in our city Black people are underrepresented and underpaid or they're overrepresented and underpaid and temporary jobs across the city -I'm about to wrap it up, big man. The work inside the arena at ticket counters and concession stands is highly seasonal and exploits workers by subjecting them to poverty wages, inequity and wage thefts. The kind of jobs that this arena will offer do not lift the people out of poverty. It would keep them trapped in it. My name is Lorenzo. Thank you. (Applause.)

Debbie Wei. May Kaia Chau, Jeremy Blatstein and Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

My name is Debbie Wei. I am an award-winning educator and principal, a lifelong Philadelphian, a community activist, the founder of Asian Americans United and the Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School and a resident of the 2nd Councilmanic District for over 30 years. I'm here to ask you to delay any vote on resolutions related to advancing the Sixers Arena. Public hearings on this bill begin in less than two weeks. There is no reason to rush this process with so many questions remain outstanding. If even this reasonable request cannot be made, I ask you to use your vote as your voice and to vote no to both Resolution 240999 and 241000. Last week before I was dragged out of City Council and violently thrown out of City Hall for merely holding up a sign and chanting, I was enraged to hear Council President Johnson claim that there are channels through which you can be heard. For more than two years, we in Chinatown have begged to be heard. Not once have we had even the courtesy of a community meeting with the Mayor and community members. President Johnson, for over two years we requested visits with you. Not once have we had a meeting. Councilmember Squilla publicly promised he would give the community 30 days' notice before submitting legislation to advance the arena. Well, he did not give even one day notice on those resolutions or any of the bills he introduced last week, one of which doesn't even have text attached to it. It's blank. It's no surprise -- Council President Johnson, you did not return my call and I am your constituent. I ask for the time to be able to say what happened to me last week. Thank you. (Applause.)

The paper was blank and it is no surprise you have before you an arena deal and a CBA that the public considers a disgrace. Last Thursday counterterrorism police units patrolled your hallways. Building Trade union members harassed, shoved and spewed racial epithets at Asian community members. Up in the balcony young people, including my 22-year-old daughter and members of the public, had signs ripped out of their hands. Is this the people's house? Is this the public process you laud while it is our lives and our communities at stake? I am 67 years old. Many of you know me. I stood before you last year as I was honored by this very body for my life's work. But when I came here last week, I was treated as a target. Within a minute of my standing up, Sheriff's deputies yanked me out of my chair causing me to fall and told me it's time for you to go. Even though numerous people were chanting, they targeted no one but me. One deputy even pulled out his baton wielding it in a threatening manner towards someone who was worried for me. You know what they said to me on the elevator? Now, are you going to behave? I don't want to do this, but you need to behave. Do you know how it feels to be a woman of color in a closed isolated space hearing men with power that you need to behave? When we got to the first floor, they dragged me to the door and told security I was not allowed to re-enter the building. Then they shoved me outside and pulled the doors closed. I have never been this disrespected and I have protested in these chambers for decades. As personally hurt as I am by what happened, I feel like this is the way that Chinatown and communities all across this city have been treated, literally thrown out of here while you roll out the red carpet and rush a process you don't understand for a bunch of billionaires who will never live here, never send their kids to our schools and who would take as much as you will give. This morning when I signed in at the northeast entrance, security took my ID and called someone. While I waited outside the northeast entrance, John Fenton came out and asked me if I would behave today. If I didn't say I would, he wouldn't let me in. I asked him how he even knew me or that I was here, and he said he was called. I asked him why I was targeted and he said, Council President Johnson wanted quorum. Yes, this is American democracy at its best, a litany of telling women of color to behave. I was brutalized but not silenced. My community was ignored but not bowed. People are attempting to sell off our city to the lowest possible bidders. Who will you stand for? Don't vote yes today and come up to me afterward apologizing for this shameful and frankly unconstitutional process. Vote no. Bring common sense and some humanity to this body. The city is watching, the resistance is growing and your actions or lack of actions will not be forgotten. (Applause.)

Kaia Chau. And then Jeremy Blatstein, Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela and then Rainah Chambliss also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

My name is Kaia Chau. I am a founder of the Ginger Arts Center, a community youth and arts center in Chinatown. I ask you to use your vote as your voice and vote no on both Resolution Nos. 240999 and 241000, two bills relating to advancing the Sixers Arena which will start the process of destroying Chinatown. After months of being told by this body that you were waiting for the impact studies, the developer-funded studies came out a year late. The delay was their own fault, and yet there has not been a single hearing, a single briefing or a single question from this body about the findings, not one. Do you even know what the studies say? Do you even care that our 150-year-old community, the only social, cultural, spiritual, linguistically accessible community in the entire region for Asian Americans is being sacrificed for a billionaire land grab? Did you read the community impact study? It said there is evidence for indirect displacement of small businesses and low- and fixed-income individuals through gentrification and loss of cultural identity in Chinatown, and the arena should be considered a significant potential risk to Chinatown's core identity. And Chinatown's core identity could be significantly diminished or lost. You are responsible for ensuring that people can be heard regardless of the language they speak or the color of their skin. You are responsible for performing due diligence and looking deeply at the studies you said were waiting for before legislation can be considered. You are responsible for the fiduciary oversight of projects set to cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars. And, yes, you are responsible if you allow our 150-year-old community to be destroyed. You are responsible if you stifle free speech, trample on protests, refuse to meet with affected communities, choose to support a project that the vast majority of the city opposes. You are responsible to show young people like myself what it means to govern with integrity. Stop this shameful bullying, disguising legislative process and answer our questions before you allow this to continue. Vote no on these resolutions today. (Applause.)

Jeremy Blatstein, Marissa JohnsonValenzuela, Rainah Chambliss and Junior Brainard also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Hello, Philadelphia City Council. Happy belated birthday, Council President Johnson. My name is Jeremy Blatstein and I'm here in support of Bill No. 240978, which will move land out of the Philadelphia Land Bank to build homes through the Turn the Key program. The Turn the Key program is a successful program that is building homes for home ownership. The average person that has a Turn the Key home is paying $1,300 a month. That means that somebody making $22 an hour can afford that home. Part of the Turn the Key program is 40 minority developers. This is success. All right. Let's do it. Raise your hand if you wrote SEPTA to City Hall today. Not even you, Councilwoman? Councilwoman Gauthier, did you ride your broom today? No, didn't ride SEPTA today or just posted about it? Okay. Cool. Council President Johnson, we'll put that to another time. Councilman Jones, next week me and you are riding it together and then I'm going one-by-one. We're going to ride it together. The last piece I will say, the arena is good for Philadelphia. The stunt queen over here can say what she wants but that's not what happened. Bill Nos. 240999 and 241000 is the next step to really changing Market Street. Market Street around the Fashion District is a failing area and needs to change. The arena is what is going to be the catalyst for this, and I just want to say thank you for supporting this and moving it along through the process. Thank you.

Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela, Rainah Chambliss, Junior Brainard and Hannah Sassaman. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Greetings. My name is Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela. I'm the secretary of the Faculty and Staff Union of Community College of Philadelphia. We at AFT 2026 share a vision of a Philadelphia for us all. We support what folks from Sunshine, folks from the Stop the Arena said. We don't think that Philadelphians should be -- anyway should be kept out of this. I'm kind of ad-libbing, but we are actually here though to thank all of you, the City Councilmembers, staffers and citizens for supporting Community College of Philadelphia, the college that educates the most Philadelphians. And our students are the college students in the city who are the most in need and deserving of our support. We thank you for your support on the resolution that's passing today. We thank you, your letters of support which we will take to our bargaining session tomorrow. Like many of you, we share a vision for Community College of Philadelphia for all working conditions, our learning conditions. And after four decades of disinvestment, the time has come to invest in faculty staff and students at Community College of Philadelphia. Again, we are Philly's college. Thank you. (Applause.)

Good morning. Rainah Chambliss, Co-president of the Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia. I'm speaking on behalf of 240974. It's an important resolution that was brought to this floor. With inflation and interest rates still on the rise, it's a wonder how anyone even survives. I will tell you a story. I'll keep it real short. At my previous job, the one I had before, after 12 years I was laid off making 45k and that was before getting my bonus pay. With a high school diploma and not one degree, I found myself temping at CCP. I applied and I landed a permanent spot excited and so glad I gave it a shot. But then came the offer. I lost some of that glow. I could not believe the rate was so low. And when I attempted to have some kind of say, I was told that I could not negotiate pay. So I took it because I really needed a job and I kept the part-time gig I did on the side. I liked the college, the work and I hoped for the best, thinking I'd get promoted like I did before this. If you're wondering what happened thinking how did she do, well, I have an Associate's and a Bachelor's too. As for pay I'll say this and you might be surprised, after 17 years my annual has not hit 45. There's an increase in funding that should increase our wage. There's a whereas it states, it's right on the page. So that is my story, yes, that is my tale. Thank you for making sure 240975 -4 prevails. Thank you. (Applause.)

Junior Brainard, Hannah Sassaman, Queen Judith Robinson and Ella Bruce also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Junior Brainard. Good morning. I'm Junior Brainard. I'm a faculty member at Community College of Philadelphia as well as Co-president of our local union AFT 2026, which represents 1200 faculty and staff and I'm here to testify in support of the resolution calling on the Board of Trustees at Community College of Philadelphia for increased wages for all faculty and staff. The working conditions of faculty and staff directly impact student learning conditions. What we want for ourselves is what we want for our students, dignity, respect and wages that allow families to thrive. The City Council of Philadelphia has allocated an additional 5 million in operating funding to CCP for this fiscal year, making the largest single-year increase in operating funding CCP has ever received. CCP is also sitting on an unprecedented $80 million in reserves. Unfortunately, Community College of Philadelphia's Board of Trustees has not yet directed their bargaining team to agree to any proposals in bargaining to use this money. We need to make CCP a place that can recruit and retain the talented and diverse faculty and staff our students need. Over half of staff at CCP do not make a living wage, which means most of our staff and many of our faculty work second and third jobs to make ends meet or leave the college for better jobs. Our students want to be able to show up and learn, but this is a challenge when their immediate needs for transportation and child care are not met. We need smaller class sizes, smaller caseloads and full staffing so that students get the support and learning conditions they need to graduate and move into their jobs in Philadelphia. And we oppose the arena in Chinatown because good jobs for ourselves and our students lift up rather than destroy communities. It's time for CCP's Board of Trustees to take concrete steps to provide support that our students, faculty and staff need each day by agreeing to three fair contracts. (Applause.)

Hannah Sassaman, Queen Judith Robinson, Ella Bruce and Lynn Landes. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Hello. My name is Hannah Sassaman. I live in West Philadelphia and I've worked at an office in Chinatown since about 2019. And I'm here in opposition to Resolution 241000. And I want to talk about this a little bit personally. I was hoping that Councilmember Squilla would be here, but I know this will be recorded so hopefully he'll see it too and to all of you. I've talked to a lot of you and a lot of your offices. I know how much you care about serving your constituents. I know how particularly important that is to Councilmember Squilla. He's incredibly responsive on email and really wants to help folks in the neighborhood. And I want to address you from that perspective and the love and care that you have for the city, the things that only you see and know about, like the place in the community where you see the flowers bloom in the spring. When we build an arena in Chinatown, we have a really strong chance of destroying all of those little things that people see and know and love and to create something that people really, really don't want. And I don't want all of the members of Council in 10, 20, 30 years when you're back as a private citizen to think and reflect that something that you cared about, that you loved, that those residents loved was destroyed because you didn't take the time to listen to them, so I hope that you will vote no against this resolution and any other resolutions that would authorize this arena quickly. Thank you. (Applause.)

Queen Judith Robinson, Ella Bruce, Lynn Landes and Noelle Foizen. (Witnesses approached podium.)

I would like to say -- the gentleman is telling me I -- my name is Ella Bruce. I took off work to be here. I'm getting emotional. I have this one piece of paper to read and I would like to be able to read it without being interrupted. I am in opposition of the Resolution 24000. I want to ask why are we here. Week after week this exercise is repeated. The bills are introduced. The public is allowed to make comments. Council votes. Not only does Council vote, but some members leave the meeting wanting to be recorded as aye on all bills and resolutions. How can you vote aye on anything without truly considering the public comments? Is this body truly listening to the resident voters, constituents? Those of us who live here have to fight for everything. I get the image of someone talking to me and nodding their head while their fingers are crossed behind their back. I am speaking specifically on any bills introduced with regard to the Sixers Arena. As a resident of Philadelphia, more specifically Council President Johnson's District, it seems that transparency is lacking in this process. We're being told that there will be a robust discussion with regard to this arena. And yet this body appears to be doing -what this body appears to be doing is clearing the way to shove this beast down our throats. The word folly comes to mind. Because the Mayor wants to get to yes, sometimes the answer is no. The community of Chinatown trusts this city to do right by them. I was on the Planning Commission's call for this project. And while Chinatown may be the nearest neighbor to propose this arena, many more neighbors will feel the effects of its inappropriate presence. The studies have not been looked at, at a large enough radius within the location that will be affected. Where are the studies that include the more southern surrounding tributaries? Not enough information has been gathered in this regard. How will this affect the cultural community of the city, specifically the theater district? Just because the developers want an arena at 11th and Market does not mean it belongs there. This is a shiny thing being waved around as if it doesn't present the potential for driving people away who already patronize events in Center City. It would create jobs wherever it's built. Will these jobs created be a wash because of the jobs that are lost by those who work at the Fashion District? This arena isn't even fully thought out by the developer. Does Philadelphia have a real plan for this city? It used to be the 2035 Plan. We deserve better than a concept of a plan. (Applause.)

Lynn Landes, Noelle Foizen. And may Keli McLoyd and Julie Ward Carnegie also make their way to the podium.

My name is Lynn Landes of safestreetsphilly.org. I support the resolution which asks for state enforcement of laws against the sale of liquor at cornerstore establishments pretending to be restaurants. The language of the bill is impassionate and I quote, "The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania must confront the rampant illegal sale of liquor in these establishments with unyielding resolve," which is all well and good. But where I ask is City Council's unyielding resolve when it comes to its own local laws and policies such as its sanctuary city policy that has allowed and encouraged the free flow of illegal immigrants, human child and sex trafficking and fatally addictive drugs into Philadelphia in general and Kensington in particular, a neighborhood I thought had been cleaned up. So last Saturday afternoon my husband and I took a ride on Kensington Avenue and were shocked to see within a span of 10 blocks at least 200 people, addicts sitting and lying on the sidewalk passed out and surrounded by trash with no police in sight. My request today is that City Council apply to itself the same unyielding resolve to enforce the law that it now demands of our state legislators in this resolution. Thank you. (Applause.)

Hi. Good morning. Noelle Foizen. I want to thank Councilmember Brooks for sponsoring the resolution for the Door-to-Door Overdose Prevention Campaign, this little program that could. Every fatal overdose is heartbreaking because every overdose is preventable. Today in the city of Philadelphia the most likely person to overdose is a 45-year-old Black male in his home. This is a man who grew up during the war on drugs who may be at least likely to seek help. How do we get him the support he needs? I remember the day Keli, who you're going to hear from in a second, first brought this idea to me. It was so simple yet so perfect, door-to-door canvassing targeting communities with the highest rates of overdose, knocking on every door on a block. No need to raise your hand and say I use drugs or I love someone who uses drugs. The program had the goal of sharing information with everyone on the block to try to get Narcan in every single medicine cabinet like aspirin or Pepto Bismol. We have phenomenal partners at CEO who were all in on day 1 and understood the importance of the moment and fully embrace the opportunity to save lives. CEO has worked tirelessly to get this program up and running in those communities with the highest rates of fatal overdoses. The door-todoor canvassers though are the real heroes of this program. I have no doubt the work they do every day saves lives and reduces the stigma by ensuring our neighbors know we see them, we love them, we care about them and we want them to not only live but thrive. I'm going to ask the CEO team and all the door to-door canvassers to please stand up from Philly Counts so we can give them a round of applause please. (Applause.)

Thank you so much. Thank you again for this honor. I'm way over time. Sorry. (Applause.)

Keli McLoyd, Julie Ward Carnegie. And may Melody Wong and Anthony Wyatt make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.) MS. McLOYD: Hi, everybody. Thank you so much for allowing me to speak. My name is Keli McLoyd. It's Swahili for peppery and persistent. So first, I would like to thank Councilwoman Brooks for sponsoring this resolution. And I want to just remind everybody and echo what my colleagues have stated. First of all, Albert, we are so incredibly proud of you and we know you can keep going. Please keep going. I secondly want to echo Noelle and giving a shout-out to the Philly Counts crew. When this project came together, we had no idea what the reaction would be. When we went into primarily Black and Brown neighborhoods to talk about drugs, we were expecting anger and we were expecting trauma, but what we actually got was welcome, we got heartbreak and we got tears. So much so that we had to re-allot time at the doors because people were so eager to have these conversations. We have a fantastic report here that we are asking everybody to look at. And one more thing that I just want to end with. In the city of Philadelphia as well as nationally we have seen a decrease in overdose deaths. We celebrate that every single day, but I want to remind everybody that this decrease did not apply to Black and Brown folks either throughout the United States or in Philadelphia specifically. We need more support and we need to keep up the attention. And again, Albert, we are so incredibly proud of you. (Applause.)

Julie Ward Carnegie, Melody Wong, Anthony Wyatt and Denise Ross. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good day, City Councilmembers, Council Clerk, Mayor Cherelle Parker, Governor Shapiro, Harrisburg Senators, State Representatives and assembly of people present. My comments are in regards to Bill 240999. I digress for a moment regarding Bill 240999. Being that it is that the testimony that was heard and the expressions that I saw on Councilmembers as well as Council President's face is an indication that a lot that was stated was not known. And so, with respect to Council and Council President, I'm sure that our Commissioner will probably look into that further regarding what happened to one person as they were on the elevator. Resolution 240992, recognizing the devastating impact acts of Hurricane Helene and Milton calling on Congress to immediately pass sufficient funding for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, requesting of Councilmembers to include a budget for Philadelphia that provides additional medic units, vehicles and to the obtainment of records become accessible ASAP as it pertains to complaints regarding uncooperative tenants across county lines of Pennsylvania. I want to mention also the name Paul V. Carnegie and many people knew him as Brother Khalifed Eil(ph), both were legal names, legal binding, who provided a binder of both homeland security and also who provided an overview for the record of Pennsylvania -the records of Pennsylvania also reflect Paul V. Carnegie soared through the FEMA test. And two, the testimony of his nephew David Ewing as well as Town Watch Executive Director Murphy -- cannot think of his first name, Anthony Murphy, thank you, can also provide credence of his testimony. Regarding Resolution -Bill, beg your pardon, 24099, please consider the following: Please review any stipulation that just might be including Philadelphia County in the small print of the Crozer Delaware County receivership. With that having been said, it will probably be necessary to have a combined City Council meeting session with Pittsburgh. And I say that because a lot always falls downhill to Philadelphia and it wouldn't surprise me if because the Crozer Medic Unit is shutting down in Delaware County, that at the last minute they'll come stomping through these doors and saying, well, Philadelphia, you did not consider in that Bill 240999 the fact that medics will be needed. And also lastly to say, that regarding Resolution 240612 include review of any highway restrictions conflicting with County line jurisdictions that impose upon Philadelphia residents and to review inadequate transportation options due to canceled lines into staggering timelines. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Melody Wong, Anthony Wyatt, Denise Ross and Wanda Walker. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Hello. I'm Melody Wong. I live in West Philadelphia. I've been a lifelong Chinatown community member. My parents arrived in Chinatown in the 1970s. I've worked, volunteered and have been an active member in the community since. My parents instilled in me we need to remember where we got our start. Therefore, I oppose Resolution 241000. I am a card-carrying Union member and understand the importance of unions and jobs, but an arena built anywhere in the city will still provide union jobs. It doesn't have to come at the cost of a historically and strategically undervalued community. We are witnessing the strategic undervaluing of our community today with a proposal of this arena. Profits over community and profits over people, is that really who we are, Philadelphia? In the regards to the NID, I was once mainstream manager of Chinatown and one of the goals was to form a NID in Chinatown. After talking to property and business owners, the plan did not succeed because the community does not want it. A few years later the NID for north of Vine was proposed, also shot down. Furthermore, why is Chinatown not part of Center City District? Because the community doesn't want it. Something I still remember during those oppositions is the community chanting no taxation without representation. And to many, the NID is a proposal as additional taxation without proper representation. I am just one voice here, but there are many who you have heard that feel exactly the same as me today. I implore you, Councilmembers, consider the people, your constituents. The majority of people don't want this. Thank you for your time. (Applause.)

Anthony Wyatt, Denise Ross, Wanda Walker and Phillip Lockett. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good morning. I'm Anthony Wyatt, Community Engagement supervisor at CEO, Office of Community Empowerment Opportunity. I along with my Co-supervisor Andre Cheney under the direction of Robin Walker, our Deputy Director, we were charged with leading our Philly Counts canvassing team on the Overdose Response Project. We're the team that knocked on over 100,000 doors in the city. (Applause.)

I know a lot of you came out and walked with us and knocked on some of the doors with us in your areas and some outside of your areas that you are charged with covering, but we're going to keep this effort going. We've gotten some people in recovery, some people would say they're ready, but they're not really ready. We get their information and later we found out that, hey, that person did actually go in, you know. We've had parents tell us that my son, I want y'all to talk to my son, like they did with Denise Ross who's going to speak after me. We doing this work and we definitely need everybody to help. We're going to educate the community on these overdoses that are happening outside of Kensington. People are dying in their homes. They're buying them wherever they're getting them from and they're going home and dying. So we have to get these harm reduction kits in every household. Like it was said earlier, you have these in your household just like you have aspirin or your Tylenol. You don't take it every day, but you use it when you need it. So we have in our home reduction kits, we have Narcan, we have Fentanyl test strips. We have resource material that the City has to offer that a lot of people in our communities don't have access to. So we're going to keep going door-to-door knocking. And when you see us out there, if you want to come out and join us, you can come and contact the Office of Community Empowerment Opportunity. You can come and walk with us and see what it's like. (Applause.)

Denise Ross, Wanda Walker, Phillip Lockett. Then Ogbonna Hagins. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good morning. My name is Denise Ross and I'm just piggybacking off of my supervisor Anthony Wyatt. I am a foot soldier. I am one of the people that knocked on over those 100,000 doors. Educating people is very important. I go out, every day I knock on doors. I speak to individuals, even those individuals that do not believe that they have family members that have some type of addiction or problem. And it's not about them. I educate them and I school them and let them know that it doesn't have to be a family member, but we all have family members. Maybe you don't know about it, but they are using some form of substance. I educate them. I teach them on how to use the Narcan. I educate them on how to use the Fentanyl test strips, which are very important. Because you can't stop the drug usage, but at least we can stop the dying here in the city of Philadelphia with so many people that are dying from overdosing. So what we're here to do is try to do preventive measurements. And moving forward, just help as many people as possible. We'll continue knocking on those doors. We'll continue speaking to people and we'll continue to get the message out so that we can know to let Philadelphia count. (Applause.)

Wanda Walker, Phillip Lockett, Ogbonna Hagins and David Alexander Jenkins.

Good morning, beautiful people. My name is Wanda Walker. And I'm going to ask how right before it's time to vote are you all so arrogant and cocky that you're going to tell people they only have one minute to speak? It wouldn't matter if it took until 4 or 5 o'clock. You should want to hear your citizens. This is a serious topic and we don't have all the answers and you're trying to shove something down our throat. People, you all need to remember this come election day. It is 17 City Councilpeople in here and 14 of them are Democrats. All you have to do is start voting differently, then they'll listen. That's one way we can do it. Now, I'm going to come here every single Thursday like I said before, don't really want to be here, but we need to talk about our seniors. Philadelphia used to be number one in Black homeownership. Now, we're not. We're the number one poorest big city. We need to stop this. If you can pay a mortgage for 30 years and taxes for 30 years, there should be something on the books that says seniors don't have to pay taxes, period. Nobody's property should be getting taken. We should also have a moratorium on all sales until more investigations are done as how these houses are being taken from people. Most of our wealth is held with our seniors so it's very important to protect our seniors, like Ray Johnson at 17th and Christian. This stuff has to stop. These people are saying they don't want something, you're not listening. So we're not going to vote for you come next time it's time to have an election. And this is pretty much all I have to say because this is ridiculous saying the same thing and y'all aren't listening. Like how are so many people getting this upset and then you're limiting how much someone can express themselves. We're paying for parking. We're taking off from work. We're coming down here and y'all really aren't hearing us. Now, it might be a good idea but until you prove it to us, the answer's no overwhelmingly. And as far as properties stop, every single week I come here y'all are giving out 50 or more properties to the Land Bank, like make it makes sense. And the taxes are going up. You run on one thing and then do another. We're tired of you. We're going to start voting differently. (Applause.)

Phillip Lockett, Ogbonna Hagins, David Alexander Jenkins. (Witnesses approached podium.)

Good morning, Council President and good morning to Council. My name is Phillip Freedman Lockett. And I'm here to give kudos to my Councilwoman Cindy Bass for Bill 240724. She put some teeth in that bill to help us seniors down here who's fighting to stay in our homes. We got a lot of seniors that's falling by the wayside because the powers that be is overtaking us. And I give her a round of applause for that bill that she introduced. Also, I want to just mention Bill 240992. Councilman O'Rourke went way beyond the call of duty and he called up Congress to recommend immediate money for the hurricane victims down South. Well, he need to do the same thing for the Freedmen. We got devastation all over the place because we're out of our status. And I can't believe that we can get one Councilperson to talk to Congress about a concern Down South but can't get one to pick up the (inaudible) for the Freedmen. So I'm going to ask him again could he help us out to get this powerful legislation on the book so we can get started. And I thank you all for the day and I'm going to leave you alone so y'all can come back next Thursday.

Ogbonna Hagins and then David Alexander Jenkins.

Good morning. Obgonna Hagins, fourth generation chattel slavery survivor. Ladies and gentlemen, we stand at a crucial critical point. The 2024 Presidential election has become a diddy party for big money donors, whether Democrat or Republican. It doesn't matter. American Freedmen will be left behind once again. Neither party is interested in completing the work of reconstruction. There's no urgency to define and outlaw the badges, vestiges and incidents of slavery. Councilmember Bass' Resolution 240724 highlights the need for Pennsylvania to strengthen the enforcement against illegal merchants, their activities which devastates our neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Yet both parties are too focused on the interest of the elite to prioritize those urgent issues. Both parties misuse the 14th Amendment allowing immigrants to exploit birthright citizenship instead of the children of enslaved mothers. This further marginalized the Freedmen community and neither party will secure reparations we deserve. Today I invite all American Freedmen and those who support the ideals of Charles Sumner to join the new political movement, a new political movement Reconstruction 2.0. No more Democrats, no more Republicans. Let us say no to both major parties. Let's focus on our neighborhoods, protect our communities and reclaim our righteous and rightful status of American Freedmen. Ogbonna Hagins. Hey, Council President, you ain't paying attention. How was your party last night? How was the Diddy party you ain't invite me to and you told me to my face you were going to call me back (inaudible).

David Alexander Jenkins.

Will the next speaker please take the podium.

(Inaudible).

You can begin, sir.

David Alexander Jenkins. Mr. President, happy birthday. Members, I rise for the resolution that begs the Board of Trustees at one of the fine institutions to take corrective measure by raising the salaries of its employees to a standard commiserate with its offerings, but I pause to reflect with this body on how we honor this request, which we must in sincerity without addressing the identical inequality with rudimentary education throughout our city. Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony Watlington informed us in January in his address that the budget shortfall of more than 400 million, declining enrollment, low test scores, aging facilities and a persistent teacher shortage were everpresent issues that we are grappling with in the City of Brotherly Love. In March, Chief Financial Officer Michael Herbstman presented a preliminary budget in for 2025 showing escalating shortfalls over the next five years of nearly $88 million in 2025 and ballooning to $745 million in 2029. We rank 20th in the list of 26 large school districts and performance and unsurprisingly, 27th in per pupil spending. Of those same cities, we rank 23rd in salaries offered to educators. Is anyone else hearing a correlation here? Today we saw the power of what investment in education does with the NAACP's presentation and what the effects of a lack of education at the alternative options do to create a less than legal behavior amongst us in a resolution from Councilmember Bass. Our guests from the city of London will recall the words of the great Thomas Moore. If you suffer your people to be ill-educated and corrupt their manners from infancy and then charge them for the crimes which their first education disposes of them, what else can be concluded but that you have first made the thief only to punish it. We are -- are we a city of investing in our primary education of our citizens, educators and thusly our future or are we a city which performs the perpetual stress test that creates the very behavior we later seek to admonish. It is right, indeed that we would ask for the adjustment of spending to create an equitable reality in the labor force that educates the largest amount of our citizenry, but we must not forget to clean our house while begging others to do theirs. (Applause.)

Council President, there are no further speakers for public comment. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

Thank you very much. This ends public comment. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)

We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240974.

A resolution calling on the Board of Trustees at Community College of Philadelphia for increased wages for all faculty and staff, including full-time faculty, part-time faculty and classified staff.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Phillips for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240974.

Thank you, Council President. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING I move for the adoption of the resolution enthusiastically. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240974 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240978.

A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING conveying fee simple title to 713 North 35th Street, 719 North 51st Street, 711 North Preston Street, 713 North Preston Street, 710, 726, 730, 732 and 736 Wiota Street, 3518 Wallace Street, 5234 Walnut Street, 5039 Market Street, 5045, 5047 Market Street, 4222 Powelton Street and 1115 North 41st Street in the 3rd Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405 of The Philadelphia Code.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Phillips.

No.

Sorry. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Gauthier for a motion 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING regarding Resolution No. 240978.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240978 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Chair will please read the title of Resolution No. 240979.

A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Bank to dispose of 666 and 674 Union Street, 3842, 3844, 3851 and 3855 Aspen Street, 747 North 39th Street, 3902, 3903 and 3906 Brown Street located in the 3rd Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Gauthier for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240979.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240979 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.) 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240980.

A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1118 North 39th Street, 3864 Pennsgrove Street and 4701 Sansom Street in the 3rd Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING to Section 16-405 of The Philadelphia Code.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Gauthier for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240980.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240980 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240981.

A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 1532 South Stillman Street, 1534 South Stillman Street, 1536 South Stillman Street and 1730 Manton Street located in the 2nd Councilmanic District, pursuant to the requirements of the Commonwealth Land Bank Act.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Gauthier for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240981.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240981 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240985.

A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 3148 North 24th Street, 129 North 58th Street, 134 North 58th Street and 2942 West Wishart Street 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING located in the 4th Councilmanic District, pursuant to the requirements of the Commonwealth Land Bank Act.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240985.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240985 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240990.

A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 1517 West Stiles Street and 1518 West Stiles Street located in the 5th Councilmanic District pursuant to the requirements of the Commonwealth Land Bank Act.

The Chair recognizes Council Jeffrey Jay Young for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240990.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240990 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries and the resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240992.

A resolution recognizing the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton calling on Congress to immediately pass sufficient funding for FEMA Disaster Relief Fund and reaffirming the City of Philadelphia's commitment to ensuring that its disaster 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING preparedness measures meet the challenges posed by the worsening climate disasters.

The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Rourke for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240992.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240992 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING carries and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240993.

A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2201 East Tioga Street located in the 6th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Mike Driscoll -

Thank you, Mr. President. I --

-- regarding Resolution No. 240993.

I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING seconded that Resolution No. 240993 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240994.

Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Land Bank deeds conveying title to 149 Ashmead Street, 1520-1540 West Venango Street and 1600-1620 West Venango Street located in the 8th Councilmanic District pursuant to the requirements of the 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Commonwealth Land Bank Act.

The Clerk -- the Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240994.

Thank you, Mr. President. We move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240994 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240997.

A resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass legislation prohibiting the sale of large capacity magazines in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Ahmad for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240997 -- oh, I'm sor --

(Inaudible).

Yes. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Gilmore Richardson for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240997 on behalf of Dr. Nina Ahmad.

On behalf of Dr. Nina Ahmad -- and thank you, 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilmember Cindy Bass -- I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240997 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240999.

A resolution agreeing to participate in the amended "Gallery at Market East Tax Increment Financing District," if it should be amended by the Council 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING of the City of Philadelphia in accordance with the Tax Increment Financing Act of July 11, 1990, (P.L. 465, No. 113) as amended in the Center City Redevelopment area, in an area currently generally bounded by Filbert Street on the north, 8th Street on the east, 11th Street on the west and Market Street on the south, and designating the Mayor and her designee as the City's representative for purposes of meeting with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, pursuant to Section 5(a)(2) of the Tax Increment Financing Act.

For the record, regarding Bill No. 240999, this is only a procedural vote. This is not the final vote on the arena proposal set forth before members of City Council. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilmember Isaiah Thomas for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240999.

Thank you, Council President. I just want to echo your sentiments that today's vote is not an actual vote on the arena or anything like that. Today's vote is a resolution that's required as it relates to the process in order to put us in a position to be able to have a conversation. I also want to note for the record that based on today's public testimony myself and other members of City Council, we did listen to everything that was said. And I know myself and other members of City Council are specifically committed to meeting with the residents of Chinatown and other parties and stakeholders who truly 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING care about this issue prior to the actual hearing. So with that being said, Council President, on your behalf I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240999 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (Nay.)

The ayes have it -- wait, we'll do a voice count. Call the roll.

Do we need to make a motion for --

Councilmember Phillips. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)

Councilmember -- you can do it, Chief Clerk.

Sorry. Councilmember Gilmore Richardson. (Aye.)

Councilmember Gauthier.

I would like to say a few words before I register my vote. I have not yet taken a position on the arena. I have been meeting with everybody on every side. My goal is to make sure that if there is a CBA, that it's good for Chinatown, that it protects Chinatown from displacement. My goal is to make sure that the EOP is real and that all of the jobs that are being claimed for Black and Brown people are actually real. I can't vote for 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING these resolutions today. I don't think this process has gone the right way. And I want to be clear that I'm undecided, but I really object to the process. Nay. (Applause.)

Councilmember Thomas.

Aye.

Councilmember Jones.

Aye.

Councilmember Landau.

Council President, I'd also like a second to speak. I too am deeply concerned about how quickly this process is going, especially at a time when our democracy is on the line and we should all be spending our precious moments clocking out and going and doing the good work. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING And for the reasons of the process moving too fast and needing to spend more time, I have a list of questions that have been submitted. More questions are being submitted have to have answers. I'm going to have to vote nay too. (Applause.)

Councilmember Lozada.

Aye.

Councilmember Young.

Nay.

Councilmember Brooks.

Nay.

Councilmember Harrity.

Aye.

Councilmember O'Rourke. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

Nay.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Aye.

Councilmember O'Neill had previously stated aye. Councilmember Squilla is absent. Councilmember Bass.

Aye.

Councilmember Ahmad also voted aye previously. And, Council President Johnson.

Aye. The ayes are 11. The nays are 5. The resolution passes. Will the Clerk please read the title of -- will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 241000.

A resolution initiating action to approve the amendment of an existing neighborhood improvement district 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING currently in the area generally bounded by and including 11th Street to the west, Filbert Street to the north, 8th Street to the east and Market Street to the south with the exception of certain condominium units at 801 Market Street Condominium, not included in the district known as the Gallery Neighborhood Improvement District, to remove certain portions of such property generally bounded by Filbert Street on the north, 10th Street on the east, 11th Street on the west and Market Street on the south from such district and authorizing and directing the Committee on Rules and the Chief Clerk of Council to take all actions that are required by the Community and Economic Improvement Act prior to enactment of an ordinance that would formally amend the District. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Thomas for a motion regarding Resolution No. 241000.

Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)

Roll call vote on this bill as well? (Same vote.)

Let's just do it for the record. Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll.

Councilmember Phillips.

Aye.

Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.

Aye. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

Councilmember Gauthier.

Nay.

Councilmember Thomas.

Aye.

Councilmember Jones.

Aye.

Councilmember Landau.

Nay.

Councilmember Lozada.

Aye.

Councilmember Young.

Nay.

Councilmember Brooks.

Nay.

Councilmember Harrity. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

Aye.

Councilmember O'Rourke.

Nay.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Aye.

Councilmember O'Neill voted aye previously. Councilmember Squilla is absent. Councilmember Bass.

Aye.

Councilmember Ahmad voted aye. And, Council President Johnson.

Aye. The resolution passes. Would the Chief Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 240499.

An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Locust Street, 8th Street, South Street and Broad Street.

This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is should the bill pass finally. Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll.

Councilmember Phillips.

Aye.

Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.

Aye.

Councilmember Gauthier.

Aye.

Councilmember Thomas. 10/31/24 - STATED - 2ND READING

Aye.

Councilmember Jones.

Aye.

Councilmember Landau.

Aye.

Councilmember Lozada.

Aye.

Councilmember Young.

Aye.

Councilmember Brooks.

Aye.

Councilmember Harrity.

Aye.

Councilmember O'Rourke.

Aye.