Okay. The numbers I've just stated represent 42 percent of the entire citywide budget up to 2042 for reconstruction of water infrastructure. Councilman Jones has in several meetings promised to Stated Meeting 102 05/23/2024 advocate for us, and I'm here today chiefly to thank him for that advocacy. He strengthened the bill and certainly included many of the protections that were lingering in an agreement into that bill. There's a couple more amendments we'd really like to discuss. One of the previously approved amendments in the bill has dropped off. I just think it's a typo. So we look forward to a couple more meetings so we can get this bill passed and just have -- and continue working with you. Appreciate your help. Thank you.
Reverend Greg Holston, Chantay Love MHSA, Reuben Jones. (Witnesses approached Stated Meeting 103 05/23/2024 podium.)
Good morning. My name is Reverend Gregory Holston. I am one of the co-facilitators of the 57 Block Coalition. Proud to wear my t-shirt with you today. Glad to be here to support this resolution asking the Pennsylvania State legislature to support more school health supports and health centers in our schools. I will tell you though it's difficult to go back to the state as many of us who are here, members from EMIR, members from Mothers In Charge, members from Frontline Dads, all a part of this 57 Block Coalition that have been to Harrisburg already. And they asked us, Harrisburg is giving $100 million to gun violence, $50 million that go to the City of Philadelphia and many other mental Stated Meeting 104 05/23/2024 health supports, and they're asking us when is the City going to do as much as the state. We give about $13.5 million to community-based gun violence prevention organizations in last year's budget and we're not budgeted for much more than that this year. When the 50 million came from the state, as we have said over and over and over again, immediately gun violence went down in this City and has gone down for the last 20 months. It has gone down because there's more investment in these organizations on the ground. And until this City which at one time had as little as $775,000 go to these organizations, until we invest at the same level that the state invests, we will never solve this problem. One time I came to you six Stated Meeting 105 05/23/2024 years ago and I said, if we invest $100 million, we will reduce gun violence to the lowest levels it would ever have been. And many who were here at that time laughed when I said that. Well, that's exactly what is starting to happen with the little bit of investment that the City is doing and the more investment that the state is doing. And if the City could raise its level up to $50 million and support a strategy like 57 Blocks that is led by these community organizations, we can reduce it 247 which was the lowest number in 50 years, but we can go even further. We can reduce it below 200. We can reduce it below 100. We can be like Boston has been that only had two homicides in the first three months of this year. We can do that, but you guys got to be willing to take a Stated Meeting 106 05/23/2024 further step up and invest more. It doesn't take a lot. $6 billion budget. Find $50 million more and match the state's level and we can make a change.
Thank you, Council President and Councilmembers. As co-founder and president of EMIR Healing Center that stands for Every Murder is Real, as you know I've stood before you many of times speaking of the loss of loved ones due to gun violence. I stand with me with my team members, and this is just part of them because today we had to be split up. We had to be -- we are at Imhotep today because of the loss of the homicide of our Stated Meeting 107 05/23/2024 brother. We are also at Wagner today because of the shooting. And also, we were at Universal because of the level of violence. We also were at Global Leadership, Martin Luther King High School, Sankofa, go to Harrisburg just for the same thing. And we promote not only traumainformed care but community-base doing the work. You witnessed it yourselves. You saw it change. Match that same power and level up also. We want to level up with you. We're looking for the courage of you to say we're going to make a difference and a change. What we're seeing now is that in our schools, that the level of pain -even though you may prevent violence today, we have got to mend the hearts of those who have been exposed and witness. It's going to Stated Meeting 108 05/23/2024 take a commitment of years, and we need you to commit to that. I am one of the leaders at 57 Blocks and a nonviolent, a non-law enforcement approach, but also the leader of Area 32, also the leader of Northwest Coalition, community groups that band together to make a difference. You just recognized one of my colleagues as Share Food. I want you to imagine this, that you have a community without us, that we don't supply food. We don't supply trauma care. We don't supply crisis response and it's just you and the police officers. We're all in this together and we got to do it together. Thank you. (Applause.)
Good morning. Stated Meeting 109 05/23/2024 I'll be very brief because I actually have to run and I won't go through my credentials. I just want to share. Yesterday I was at a site. Two Black men had a verbal altercation. And while I'm intervening, the one person called someone who came with the intent of committing violence against this other person, who came with a gun on his hip ready to pull out, who came because we had two Black men who had mental health problems. One of them was probably high, full of anger and had no conflict resolution skills. I'm looking around this room. I see young people. I brought two of our young people with us. I want all these young people under 18 or in high school to stand up, because I'm not here to advocate for 57 Blocks or Frontline Dads. I'm here to Stated Meeting 110 05/23/2024 advocate for these young people who walk over blood stains every day to get back and forth to school, who normalize loss, pain and trauma. And we're standing here on their behalf to say can we at least, can we at least invest into their mental wellness, into their mental well-being. We started a project back in '21, School Safe Path, because a young man was killed outside of Rhodes Middle School, a middle school, a middle school. And we volunteered there for a whole year. Didn't ask the City for a dime, didn't get a dime. But not one of those children was offered grief counseling, therapy, other than the preventions that we provided. So whoever wants to talk about the millions of dollars that the state is offering or putting up, I'm just here to advocate for Stated Meeting 111 05/23/2024 the City to do the same thing. Meet it halfway. Half the people in this room if the Eagles lose, we're depressed the next day. Imagine these children who's going to school every day and never have their trauma and their pain addressed. That's all my plea is. Thank y'all for the time.
Dorothy Johnson-Speight. Can Reverend Jeanette Davis, Renee McDonald, Reverend James Fordam and Rikeyah Lindsay also make their way to the podium. Dorothy Johnson-Spreight.
Speight. I'm sorry. (No response.) Stated Meeting 112 05/23/2024
Reverend Jeanette Davis, Renee McDonald. Reverend James Fordam.
Okay. Rikeyah Lindsay, Braheem Douglas, Oren Gur. (Witnesses approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Oren Gur. I am Director of the District Attorney's Transparency Analytics Lab and a co-facilitator of the 57 Blocks Coalition. We as a city do not have a comprehensive place-based, non-law enforcement strategy for reducing gun violence and addressing --
Can we pause this real quick. Excuse me, Oren. And you know I'm all supportive of the activists Stated Meeting 113 05/23/2024 because we work together. But just on the sake of staying on task, the resolution does talk about, and it's my resolution, calling on the General Assembly to provide funding for school-based mental health, so tie it in, in some aspect. Just want to be consistent.
Absolutely. So we are advocating for a placebased, non-law enforcement strategy and providing a framework and that strategy would seek to prioritize investing in the schools that are located on the 57 blocks with the most gun violence in the City of Philadelphia. There are place-based non-law enforcement strategies that have been shown to work but have never been taken to scale. They have been shown to work in Philadelphia but have never been taken to scale, including mental Stated Meeting 114 05/23/2024 health resources in schools. To complement the criminal legal system, we need a strategy that seeks to address the underlying harm and restore communities independent of the criminal legal process. Unaddressed trauma can lead to more trauma as you've heard. And the 57 blocks first identified by the Philadelphia Inquirer in September 2021 and all Philadelphia communities that have suffered disproportionate gun violence deserve holistic, place-based services and long-term trauma support as well as intentional investment to counter racist policies of the past and present. And we have the data and the strategy to help Philadelphia prioritize those communities. I'm wearing a pin that says no data, no change. We have the Stated Meeting 115 05/23/2024 data. We need the change and the bills and the checks. Thank you.
Leigh Goldenberg. Lindsay Smiling, Fe Hall and Gareth Hall also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)
Hi. I'm Leigh Goldenberg, Managing Director of the Wilma Theater. This is Lindsay Smiling, Co-artistic Director of the Wilma. We're here with the good news and the great thanks for honoring the Wilma's Tony Award for Regional Theater. The Wilma was founded as an artist collective in the '70s, establishes the Wilma Theater by Blanka and Jiri Zizka, two refugees from the Czech Republic. In the Stated Meeting 116 05/23/2024 late '90s we were established as the First New Theater on the Avenue of the Arts, and we continue today 45 years later.
Yes, our mission at the Wilma Theater is to create living adventurous art -oh, sorry. My name is Lindsay Smiling. I am one of the Co-artistic Directors of the Wilma Theater. I also want to say I'm just very moved by being here and everybody who has spoken today. It's exactly the stuff we're trying to wrestle with at the Wilma Theater. This adventurous art that I spoke of in our mission statement, there's not a day that goes by that we're not contemplating the social issues and having conversations with our audiences, with our other community partners. And so, this work of art is so important in Stated Meeting 117 05/23/2024 bringing community together and wrestling with these issues that don't have easy answers. We have an actor's cohort that is invested in by the Wilma, which is rare for any theater company in the country. Through the pandemic we were able to pivot and keep artists employed which enabled a production of Fat Ham that won the Pulitzer Prize went to Broadway. And then now we've been recognized with the Tony Award. But this is really an award that is represented of what happens in Philadelphia and its art scene.
Yes. We are grateful to be the first in Pennsylvania to have received this recognition. But as you see us, there are hundreds of artists, dozens of companies in our region that demand your support beyond the great work that we do on stage. We Stated Meeting 118 05/23/2024 are economic drivers. We are bringing billions of dollars of economic impact to the City and the region and we thank you for the support of the arts, and we ask you to do more. Federal funding for the arts is one thing that helped us keep going. That is going away, and we look to you to make sure that we can keep bringing great stories to our stage, keep artists and audiences connected here in Philadelphia. Thank you.
Fe Hall, Gareth Hall. May Christina Thomas and Samuel Soliman also make their way to the podium.
First off, may I just point out that my wife's name is /Fa/, not /Fe/. Stated Meeting 119 05/23/2024
Our names are Fe and Gareth Hall. We're the parents of Christian Hall. We are here to testify in support of Resolution 240077 introduced by Councilmember Nina Ahmad honoring the life of our son and urging the State Senate to pass House Bill 1305 during this Mental Health Month. On December 30, 2020, Christian called 911 about a suicidal person at the bridge. My son was heartbroken over a breakup. He was between counselors. And the world around him, the world around us was in the midst of lockdown, isolation, fear, chaos and uncertainty about COVID. That call was a cry for help. Instead of getting help, my son was shot and killed eight -- my Stated Meeting 120 05/23/2024 son was shot and killed. I believe that the outcome could have been different if the call was to 988, and the responder was someone appropriately trained in a mental health crisis. It has been 3 years, 145 days since then, and waking up without my son every day is a profound pain that I would never wish upon any parent. In spite of our pain, we remain relentless in advocating for better mental health support in Pennsylvania and the funding of 988. If resources like 988 are properly funded, we can avoid tragedies like the one we are living through.
We are honored by the introduction of this resolution and encouraged by the dedication of the City Council to our son's memory. As parents, friends, family and members of our Stated Meeting 121 05/23/2024 communities, we should all be compelled to advocate for change and for the passage of HB 1305. House Bill 1305 would fund 988 through a small cellphone fee and ensure that the counselors and staff are properly trained and educated. Pennsylvania can be a place where mental health services are readily accessible and known. We have an obligation to our communities, to our loved ones, to use our voices to prevent the loss of more precious lives.
We cannot bring our son back, but we can continue to work tirelessly to ensure that his life and memory are never forgotten and that no one child or adult has to endure a mental health crisis alone. We thank Councilmember Nina Ahmad and every Councilmember here, every volunteer Stated Meeting 122 05/23/2024 who has worked tirelessly and walked this advocacy with us. We ask you today to pass House Bill 1305 to make sure that 988 is properly funded and counselors are appropriately trained and educated. Thank you.
Christina Thomas, Samuel Soliman, Stina Ramanauskus and Jane Gagliardo also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)
Good morning City Councilmembers. My name is Christina Thomas and I am here as a volunteer with APIPA and to speak about Resolution 240477, honoring Christian Hall's life and urging the PA Senate to pass House Bill 1305. When I first heard about Stated Meeting 123 05/23/2024 Christian's story, I was absolutely devastated. And those feelings only amplified when I learned more about him as a person. He was an Asian American like me and he was a kid my age dealing with mental health issues, which I can unfortunately relate to. I imagined myself in his situation making that call, reaching out for help and the prospect of getting killed in return is horrifying. What happened to Christian should never happen to anyone. Sadly his experience isn't a unique one, as too many Pennsylvanians have been met with hostility, aggression and fear instead of receiving care when calling the police for help. Parents should not have to mourn the death of their child, and a child should never have to handle a mental Stated Meeting 124 05/23/2024 health crisis alone. No one should. And yet all across Pennsylvania people are left with no safe resources. During Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American Pacific Heritage Month, Philadelphia has to face this growing crisis. People need access to mental health services in their times of vulnerability. Not only should these resources be available, but the people of PA must be guaranteed safety when they are experiencing a mental health heal crisis. As a resident of Philadelphia, I urge you to pass this resolution because the best person to help a loved one going through a mental health crisis is a mental health professional. Thank you. (Applause.) Stated Meeting 125 05/23/2024
Good morning everyone. My name is Samuel Soliman and I sit on the Board of Directors for Touchstone Foundation. It's a nonprofit that's dedicated to providing young people with mental health resources that they need. And today I'm here to support Resolution No. 240477 and House Bill 1305, which honors the life of Christian Hall and provides a stream of funding for 988, the suicide and mental health hotline. Coming from an immigrant household where mental health is just something you don't talk about or if you work hard enough you won't have these issues, I've struggled with dealing with depression and anxiety undiagnosed for a big portion of my life. My Stated Meeting 126 05/23/2024 junior year of high school is when everything inside of me grew and culminated me in experiencing my first mental health crisis and the first time I experienced suicidal thoughts and decided I was ready to leave this life I was living behind. At the time my father was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and I was in the midst of planning out the next steps of my life. And at the time, the pressure of just being alive felt like too much. My familial support system at the time was focused on my dad, and I had a lot of shame feeling like this because I was taught that these emotions I was experiencing weren't real, so discussing them with friends was something that I just didn't want to do. I felt like I had no help or support. And all it was going Stated Meeting 127 05/23/2024 to take was for someone to just talk to me and listen. And fortunately, I was stopped by a friend who texted and called me. When you're in this head space, you're not only a risk to yourself but also a risk to others knowingly or unknowingly. Christian Hall should be alive today. And to know that there's still a possibility that someone experiencing mental health crisis will encounter someone not equipped with the skills to deal with the situation is a scary thought and it shouldn't be a thought at all. 988 should be funded, and I urge everyone to support this bill and provide people going through similar situations as Christian Hall with the resources when they need it and not just become another statistic. Thank you. (Applause.) Stated Meeting 128 05/23/2024
Hi. Good morning. I'm Stina Ramanauskus. I am here to testify in support of Resolution 240477 introduced by Councilmember Nina Ahmad, and it honors the life of Christian Hall. I'm here as an ally, advocate and a friend of the Halls. And I know that Asian Americans are the least likely racial group to reach out to professionals for help with their mental health and are more likely to reach out to friends and family. However, not all Asian Americans have a strong support system and have difficulty expressing their challenges due to mental health challenges being stigmatized or even not being able to speak the same language as people within their community. Stated Meeting 129 05/23/2024 Today a person experiencing a mental health crisis is more likely to encounter law enforcement than to receive treatment or crisis intervention. Due to lack of access to alternatives, law enforcement can spend one-fifth of its time responding to and transporting individuals with mental illness to emergency departments or jails. Again, I am here as a friend, ally and advocate and I call for you to pass Resolution 240477. Christian Hall should be alive today. Thank you. (Applause.)
Good morning. My name is Jane Gagliardo and I am here in support of the Christian Hall Justice for Christian Hall. I urge you please to pass Resolution 240477 in regard to this tragic death of this young Stated Meeting 130 05/23/2024 man. I look around this room and I am also a fellow Councilmember of the East Stroudsburg Borough Council, but I'm not here for that today. I'm here because I'm a grandmother of two Asian little girls. And as I said, when I look around this room that horrible tragic day on that bridge could have been any one of us and it could have been my grandchildren. So please I urge you to please pass this resolution. It is a tragic thing that we continue to do this. Growing up in a home of mental illness and abuse myself all those years ago, here we are today in the 21st century and still do not have the funding that is needed to help people with mental illness. So again, please consider passing this resolution and this urges the PA Senate to pass House Bill 1305. Stated Meeting 131 05/23/2024 Thank you. (Applause.)
Brittany O'Neill. Can Charles Miller, William Kevesh and Lynn Landes also make their way to the podium. (Witnesses approached podium.)
Good morning, City Council. My name is Brittany O'Neill. I work at Mental Health Partnerships. I'm here in support of resolution 240477, which honors the life of Christian Hall and urges Pennsylvania State Senate to pass House Bill 1305 and celebrate Mental Health Month. House Bill, introduced by State Rep. Stephen Kinsey would provide a dedicated fund to 998 through a small cellphone fee. The first step is creating a 988 program. The second step is calling on Harrisburg to fully fund Stated Meeting 132 05/23/2024 this program. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has yet to fund this program. It remains one of the few states that has. About 10 years ago, I survived a suicide attempt. Since then I have learned that mental health is a continuous process. It does not end after leaving an inpatient facility. We always need your support. Here today I battle depression, bipolar disorder and suicide ideation on the weekly. Recently I was faced with new challenges. Even with a job working in mental health I turned to 988 for them to help me when I need it most. A crisis worker named Billy provided me with immediate assistance and reassurance when I needed it most. Suicide is a pressing issue, a public issue and an issue that faces our Philadelphians here Stated Meeting 133 05/23/2024 today. This bill not only helps the thousands of people in this room or hundreds of thousands of people, millions of people across Pennsylvania, but it helps your kids, your family members. Ensuring 988 is properly funded means anyone in Philadelphia at any time can get the critical help they need. It saves lives including mine. By investing in this, we're investing in the future of our well-being and future of Philadelphians. Thank you so much for your consideration. (Applause.)
Charles Miller, William Kavesh, then Lynn Landes and James Petricone. (Witnesses approached podium.)
My name is Charles Miller and I'm here with my Stated Meeting 134 05/23/2024 friend Dr. Kavesh. We're representing the Germantown Jewish Centre who is very grateful for the members of this Council to support creating a special boundary in our community. The purpose of which will make it much easier for young families to fully participate in the life of our community. And we'd like to especially thank the office of Councilmember Cindy Bass and Rue Landau who made this possible, and we're very grateful. Thank you.
I'm Dr. William Kavesh, a member of the Germantown Jewish Centre. I just want to add that I'm personally aware of a number of families who would like to move to the vicinity of Germantown Jewish Centre, and passage of this ordinance will facilitate their capacity to move to our neighborhood. Stated Meeting 135 05/23/2024
James Petricone. Robert Harris and Nadira Griffin also make their way to the podium.
Good morning. I'm Lynn Landes of Healthalertphilly.com -- I'm sorry, .org regarding Resolution 240484. Many people are concerned about the proliferation of pot smoking as well as the secondhand effect it has on the public health. Marijuana is not a harmless herb. It is addictive. It has psychological and physical negative impact on its users. It may also have some medicinal benefits. But if so, should be prescribed by a doctor. In my and many other neighborhoods and frankly throughout the nation, the public is now routinely exposed to marijuana smoke. Friends of mine who live in the City as well Stated Meeting 136 05/23/2024 as in the suburbs are being exposed to their neighbors pot-smoking. A close relative and her children who lived in Port Richmond where their next door neighbor daily smoked pot that could be smelled inside of her home, she recently moved to Pennsport where again her near neighbor smokes pot and it drifts into her house. We need to take a long, hard and honest look at the use of marijuana and its serious harmful side effects on the public health, which is why I also recommend the book Tell Your Children The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence, by Alex Baronson. Thank you very much.
Good morning, everyone. Respect and Stated Meeting 137 05/23/2024 gratitude to all of you speaking out for a more just and peaceful society. My name is James Petricone. I am here on behalf of a fellow citizen in support of Bill No. 240118. This bill affects any person, corporation, trust or any other legal entity that provides any commodity or service, both tangible or intangible. Presumably, the provision of college degrees and all associated services fall within that purview. This bill aims to discourage engaging in any fraudulent or deceptive conduct which creates a likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding. This directly applies to university president sending out communitywide emails rifed with misinformation and disinformation. From Drexel's President Fry falsely claiming that he had ever tried to Stated Meeting 138 05/23/2024 establish communication with the Drexel student encampment or to Penn's Interim President Jameson falsely calling the encampment there a danger to the community. Money that could have funded hundreds of scholarships was instead used to unleash hundreds of riot police against sleeping students at 5:30 in the morning at UPenn encampment. They shredded medical supplies, tents, even laptops directly into a trash compactor and an incredible misuse of taxpayer dollars. University encampments like these bring attention to the encampments in Palestine such as the Jabalia refugee camp which is at this moment being bombed. The people residing there have already been displaced three or four times. Many have lost family due to Israeli bombing or artificial Stated Meeting 139 05/23/2024 famine. Today encampment residents are being torn to shreds in the streets. Their families unable to retrieve their bodies. There's no functioning hospital --
James, how you doing, sir. Could you stick to the topic that's germane to 240118, which is protection for consumers bill sponsored by Councilmember Rue -
Bill 240118 penalizes those who ignore, obstruct and fail to promptly grant their consumers request to cancel a service or product subscription. The student organizers, your constituents, wish for their tuition to no longer fund the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Section 2 of Bill 240118 states that this ordinance shall become effective immediately. As soon as Stated Meeting 140 05/23/2024 this bill is passed, there must be an immediate investigation and action filed against universities who lie to our communities and profit from war crimes. Ceasefire now. Solidarity forever. Liberty and justice for Palestine and oppressed people the world over. Thank you.
Robert Harris, Nadira Griffin, Ogbonna Hagins and Tsehaitu Abye. (Witnesses approached podium.)
Good morning, Council President and Councilmembers. My name is Robert Harris. I'm the Vice-president and Legislative Director for AFSCME District Council 47. I'm here to speak on the resolution introduced Stated Meeting 141 05/23/2024 this morning about return to work introduced by Councilmember Harrity. The members of AFSCME District Council 47 seek your support in retaining alternative work schedules, including hybrid work schedules. We were disheartened to hear about the Mayor's Office and their implementation to return to fulltime on-site work for municipal employees who have worked hybrid work schedules for many years. The union stands firm that alternative work schedules are negotiable subject of bargaining. For decades there have been productive conversations and negotiations between the City of Philadelphia and its employees regarding exploration of alternative and flexible work schedules, which may improve the Stated Meeting 142 05/23/2024 delivery of public services, attract diverse candidates to City employment and improve the morale and productivity of City workers. Mayor Parker has commented that the people of Philadelphia deserve a government they can see, touch and feel, and that it's impossible to do this if our unparalleled City workers are working virtually. This comment fails to consider the many municipal employees positions that have successfully served the City of Philadelphia pre-COVID and during the pandemic. To fully understand and appreciate the perspective of the City workers regarding the returnto-work and return-to-office policy, it is imperative for the Administration, City Council to have good faith discussions with the City workers and the community Stated Meeting 143 05/23/2024 to understand the cost and the benefits of the return-in-theoffice policy. We ask that you support and vote to pass this resolution and that you support us in our conversation with the City of Philadelphia during that public hearing. Thank you. (Applause.)
Nadira Griffin, Ogbonna Hagins, Tsehaitu Abye. (Witnesses approached podium.)
One second, Ogbonna. Here's Nadira right here.
Okay. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen -oh. Good morning, Council. Hi. My name is Nadira Griffin. I am the Philadelphia Community Ambassador for All City Council Stated Meeting 144 05/23/2024 Councilmanic districts. Today I am here to speak on the Resolutions 240183, 240184 and 240191. I am in report of the resolutions. It is talking about parking. Well, parking is important to all of us. With this regentrification and the copious amount of buildings that are built here in Philadelphia is causing problems for the long-term residents. It's causing problems for people who have been living, born, raised and reside in Philadelphia for years, for decades. I know myself, I experienced sleep deprivation because there is a hard time getting parking. We're asking Council to make some kind of provision, some type of regulations where people who have lived, resided in Philadelphia for long Stated Meeting 145 05/23/2024 periods of times, for years, that we can park in front of our doors. Often if I am not able to get to my home by 4:00 or 5:00, it takes me 3, 6 hours and sometimes 8 hours causing me to stay the night over family members' homes. And I know that there are many people who are experiencing this as well. Also, you have where now cars are being removed from our homes. Well, many people are leaving their vehicles parked on their blocks because if you go off to work five days a week, you come back and you can't get parking. Sleep deprivation causes mental health illness. Sleep deprivation causes circulation problems and heart problems. So we're asking that you all give us a quality of life while you're permitting people to come outside into our City, redlining us here in Stated Meeting 146 05/23/2024 Philadelphia and building homes, these real estate moguls. What about the people that already reside here? We need a quality of life here in Philadelphia, so we're asking you to be cognizant. We're asking you to incorporate some regulations where we park in front of our doors because we need a quality of life. Thank you.
Before I start, can I request something, Council President? You know how I speak, right. A lot of times when I speak, the subject is not in the beginning so I'm asking that you don't interrupt me because you throw me off. Okay. Thank you. Stated Meeting 147 05/23/2024 Appreciate it. All right. My name is Ogbonna Hagins. You all know me. I'm the unseated Council President here in Philadelphia. All right. What's so funny? I mean, see, the thing is people are getting murdered --
No, ain't no please proceed, Council President, because your colleagues are laughing and we getting people mur -- people are being murdered every day in this City and it's no laughing matter. You have a colleague over there. I don't know who he is. He's laughing when I come up here and announce who I am and I don't appreciate it. Structural racism prevention month is a month to let Stated Meeting 148 05/23/2024 all citizens of Philadelphia know exactly what structural racism is. You do remember the Roadmap to Safer Communities which was published in 2021, which indicated with no uncertain terms that the root cause of gun violence is structural racism and the solution is large scale investments in the areas that have been decimated by crime, violence, unemployment, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Councilwoman Nina Ahmad, welcome to Council. You're an immigrant in this country and so is Kamala Harris, the Vice-president. You and all immigrants of all so-called color owe the American Freedmen a debt of gratitude for being here so I demand that you add an addendum to this resolution to include structural racism prevention month as part of this resolution because the root cause Stated Meeting 149 05/23/2024 of all this gun violence, according to the study, is structural racism. So how do we even address these issues if the citizens don't know what structural racism is. You guys have been ghosting me for months now. And by the way, Councilwoman Ahmad, I called you three weeks ago and I left a message in your office and I didn't get a return call, as well as Councilwoman Cindy Bass. I was told that I may get a call back. Is this how you treat your constituents in this City? And by the way, thank you, Councilwoman Gauthier, for having the Reparations Task Force. But the task force should be funded, and the task force should be fully funded. And the Mayor, the American Freedman Mayor, she should be ashamed that she was not there yesterday. Stated Meeting 150 05/23/2024 Imagine if she was LGBTQ and there was a LGBTQ event that was the first of its kind. She would be there. The American Freedman Mayor needs to represent the pain that the descendants of slavery who saved this country by winning the Civil War. You need to respect that and everyone needs to respect what the American Freedmen men have done. Ogbonna Hagins, fourth generation chattel slavery survivor and the unseated Council President and an American Freedman. Thank you.
Tsehaitu Abye. Hello. Again, my name is Tsehaitu Stated Meeting 151 05/23/2024 Abye. It's like say hi to. First, I'd like to thank you all for providing -- I'm sorry. First, I'd like to thank you all for providing an opportunity for public comment on the Cannabis rescheduling resolution introduced by Councilmember Kendra Brooks. Again, my name is Tsehaitu Abye and I'm an Ethiopian American native in Philadelphia. My journey began with me growing up between Philadelphia and Hawaii. The unique personal experiences in my upbringing led to my advocacy in adulthood around reshaping perceptions of cannabis. Due to cannabis-related activities, my father was deported leading to a painful 20-year separation. Ironically, it was only through my work on illegal cannabis farm years later in California that I was able to reunite with him in Ethiopia of Stated Meeting 152 05/23/2024 course. Today as the owner of Black Dragon Breakfast Club and a leader in the Black and immigrant social justice space, I advocate for equitable treatment and opportunities for marginalized communities. While I do not support the classification of cannabis as a scheduled drug, I firmly advocate for the decriminalization of cannabis possession in Philadelphia. Furthermore, I wholeheartedly support the rescheduling resolution because I believe that equitably distributing cannabis sales revenue is more than a matter of economic gain. It is a necessary stride toward societal progress. Cannabis possesses medicinal and therapeutic properties that can improve the lives of many when used responsibly Stated Meeting 153 05/23/2024 and with proper knowledge. Despite my disagreement with the commodification of nature's medicine, I acknowledge the economic value of cannabis in our society. The resolution's intent to ensure an equitably distributed cannabis sales revenue that restores and repairs communities historically targeted by the war on drugs deeply resonates with me. However, to truly achieve equity I urge we implement the following recommendations: Number one, community reinvestment programs. I ask that we allocate a significant portion of cannabis tax revenue to programs that support public schools, affordable housing, job training and health care services in communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. Number two, equity programs Stated Meeting 154 05/23/2024 for business ownership. I ask that we allocate resources to programs that provide financial assistance, technical support and regulatory assistance to Black entrepreneurs seeking to enter the legal cannabis industry. These programs should prioritize equity in business ownership and participation. Number three, expungement and legal aid services. I ask that we allocate resources towards expungement programs and Legal aid services to assist individuals with past cannabis-related convictions in clearing their records and addressing legal barriers. Number four, workforce development and training. I ask that we institute workforce development programs tailored to the cannabis industry offering training and job placement assistance to individuals from Stated Meeting 155 05/23/2024 marginalized communities, including Black populations. Number five, community ownership and cooperative models. I encourage the development of community-owned cannabis businesses and cooperative models that prioritize collective ownership and decision-making, ensuring that profits from the cannabis industry directly benefit social residents. And two of the most important and lastly, number six, social equity licensing policies.
Make sure we implement social equity licensing policies that prioritize individuals from communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs when awarding cannabis business licenses, including fee waivers, priority processing and set aside for equity applicants. Number seven, transparency Stated Meeting 156 05/23/2024 and accountability measures. Establish transparent reporting mechanisms to track the allocation and distribution of cannabis tax revenue, ensuring that funds are used effectively to benefit Black communities and implement oversight committees or advisory boards composed of community representatives to provide input and oversight on fund allocation. By implementing these recommendations, policymakers can ensure that cannabis taxation revenue is equitably distributed. True equity must address historical injustices and foster economic empowerment and social equity within Black and other harmed communities. Thank you very much. And again, my name is Tsehaitu Abye.
Council President, there are no other names Stated Meeting 157 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING for public comment.
That concludes today's public comment period. We will now consider today's bill consent agenda. I will ask that the Chief Clerk read the titles of all the bills on the consent agenda. After each title is read, any member may object to the inclusion of the bill on the consent agenda. Upon such an objection and without debate, the bill will be removed immediately from the consent agenda in place on our regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars. The Clerk will now read the titles of the bills on the consent agenda.
Bill No. 240119, an ordinance authorizing encroachments in the nature of two Stated Meeting 158 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING new light poles and three existing light poles in the vicinity of the southeast and northwest corners of John F. Kennedy Boulevard and North Broad Street and the northeast corner of John F. Kennedy Boulevard and North Juniper Street, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 240183, an ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of Hoffman Street between South 19th Street and South 20th Street; Pierce Street between South 17th Street and South 18th Street; Pierce Street between South 21st Street and South 20th Street; Sigel Street between South 22nd Street and South 23rd Street; McClellan Street between South 18th Street and South 17th Street; McClellan Street between South 19th Street and South 18th Street; McClellan Street between South 20th Street Stated Meeting 159 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING and South 19th Street; Jackson Street between South 15th Street and South 16th Street; Jackson Street between South 19th Street and South 20th Street; McKean Street between South 20th Street and South 21st Street. Bill No. 240184, an ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of South 18th Street between Reed Street and Wharton Street; South 18th Street between Dickerson Street and Reed Street; South 18th Street between Tasker Street and Dickinson Street; Oakford Street between South 24th Street and South 25th Street; Oakford Street between South 22nd Street and South 23rd Street; South 19th Street between Dickinson Street and Tasker Street; South 21st Street between Tasker Street and Morris Street; Manton Street between South 20th Street Stated Meeting 160 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING and South 19th Street; Bancroft Street between Tasker Street and Morris Street; Alter Street between South 22nd Street and South 21st Street. 240191, an ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of Norris Street between Belgrave Street and Gaul Street; Ritter Street between Dauphin Street and Norris Street; York Street between Mercer Street and Thompson Street; Hagert Street between Cedar Street and Gaul Street; Wishart Street between Frankford Avenue and Emerald Street; Delancey Street between South 2nd Street and South Front Street; Front Street between Spruce Street and Pine Street; Spruce Street between South 2nd Street and South 3rd Street. 240221, an ordinance authorizing the Procurement Stated Meeting 161 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Commissioner to enter into a contract for the construction of a sewer and appurtenant work required to provide public sewer service in the 600 and 700 blocks of Hendren Street, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 240239, an ordinance authorizing encroachments in the nature of a sidewall café in the vicinity of 2201 Christian Street, Philadelphia, Pa property, under certain terms and conditions. 240240, an ordinance amending Section 9-203 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sidewalk Sales," to revise and clarify certain provisions related to City parks and recreation facilities and make related technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions. 240243, an ordinance authorizing an encroachment in the Stated Meeting 162 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING nature of a staircase in the vicinity of 1951 East Monmouth Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19134, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 240250, an ordinance authorizing the installation, ownership and maintenance of various encroachments along the 700 block of Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19106, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No.
240282, an ordinance granting permission to Germantown Jewish Centre to demarcate the boundaries of a Germantown eruv district, to construct and maintain a clear nylon cord and/or plastic tubes and other ancillary device facilities, including a maximum of 10 poles long over and in certain public rights-of-way and City streets and/or to attach such demarcation Stated Meeting 163 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING facilities to existing facilities owned by other entities authorized by other City ordinances, subject to such owners consent; all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 240301, an ordinance authorizing encroachments in the nature of a sidewall café in the vicinity of 6516 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa 19149, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 240302, an ordinance establishing a no parking regulation on the south side of Wises Mill Road between Henry Avenue and Forbidden Drive. 240329, an ordinance establishing a no parking regulation on the west side of North 34th Street between Indiana Avenue and Clearfield Street. Bill No. 240331, an ordinance amending Section 9-215 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled Stated Meeting 164 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING "Streeteries," modifying requirements related to the City's revised standards and requirements associated with the use of portions of right-of-way for outdoor dining. Bill No. 240334, 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. 240335, an ordinance amending Chapter 12-2700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Permit Parking Districts," by extending the authorized duration of temporary parking permits and setting new permit application fees, all under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 240118, an ordinance amending Title 9 Stated Meeting 165 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING ("Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions") of The Philadelphia Code to add a new chapter concerning protections for consumers against unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices and providing remedies, all under certain terms and conditions.
These bills having been read on two different days, the question for each bill now is shall the bills pass finally. The Clerk shall call the roll. And upon being called, each Councilmember shall vote aye on each of the bills, nay on each of the bills or indicate those bills for which the member is voting aye and those bills for which the member is voting nay. Will the Clerk please call the roll. Stated Meeting 166 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilmember Stated Meeting 167 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Lozada.
Aye on all bills. Stated Meeting 168 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye on all bills. The majority of all the members having voted in the affirmative for each of the bills, the bills on the consent agenda are Stated Meeting 169 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING passed. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Will the Clerk please read the title for Resolution No. 240477. 240477, introduced by Councilmember Ahmad, resolution honoring the life of Christian Hall, urging the Pennsylvania State Senate to pass House Bill 1305 and recognizing both Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.
The Clerk recognizes Nina Ahmad for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240477.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of this resolution. (Duly seconded.) Stated Meeting 170 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240477 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries and the resolution is adopted. (Applause.)
Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240484.
A resolution celebrating the removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and recognizing the urgent need for equitably distributed cannabis Stated Meeting 171 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING sales revenue that restores and repairs communities historically targeted by the war on drugs and calling on the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to legalize and equitably tax cannabis.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240484.
Good morning, Council President. I move for the adoption of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240484 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Stated Meeting 172 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING 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. 240486.
A resolution renaming the 2700 block of Germantown Avenue "Leo Rosenblum Way" to honor Leo Rosenblum for his significant contributions to the community and his outstanding legacy in business.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Harrity for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240486.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly Stated Meeting 173 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING seconded that Resolution No. 240486 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 240012-A.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Queen Lane, Wissahickon Avenue, Roosevelt Boulevard (extended) and Henry Avenue and to amend Section 14-524 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/FDO, Fourth District Stated Meeting 174 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Overlay District," and make related changes, all under certain terms and conditions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Will the Chief Clerk please call the roll.
Councilmember Stated Meeting 175 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Jones.
Aye. Stated Meeting 176 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17. The nays are 0. The majority of all members having voted in the affirmative the bill passes. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 240220.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Stated Meeting 177 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Red Lion Road, the Montgomery County Line, the Bucks County Line and Roosevelt Boulevard.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember O'Neill for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 240220. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council, and I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.) It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 240220 be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. Stated Meeting 178 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the bill has been amended. This bill will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for our next session of Council. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 240376.
Being held. Okay. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 240119.
Okay. The Clerk will please read any additional resolutions on Stated Meeting 179 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING today's Calendar.
A resolution recognizing and congratulating Olney High School teacher Luz Marcela Alva de la Rosa for being honored with the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundations Award for Distinguished Teachers introduced by Councilmember Phillips.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Phillips for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will Stated Meeting 180 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and recognizing Philadelphia Freeway by declaring June 1, 2024 Philadelphia "Freeway Day" in the City of Philadelphia celebrating the outstanding contributions of Philadelphia Freeway and his organization Freedom Thinkers Academy introduced by Councilmember Thomas on behalf of Council President Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. Stated Meeting 181 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution honoring and congratulating April Verrett the first African American woman to become President of the Service Employees International Union, SEIU, introduced by Councilmember Thomas. Stated Meeting 182 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Council President. I would like to thank my colleague Councilmember Jamie Gauthier as well as the Chair of our Labor Committee, Councilmember Harrity. And of course, congratulations to April. We move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Stated Meeting 183 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to explore existing partnerships between cultural institutions and schools in the City of Philadelphia and to evaluate the benefits of expanding these partnerships, introduced by Councilmember Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. This is an issue that we're going to look to explore as it relates to making sure that we have the proper partners with our schools. So we want to assess where some gaps might be. I'm Stated Meeting 184 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING looking forward to working with my District Councilmembers to identify areas in schools who don't have those arts and culture institutions working with our academic places so we can make sure young people and families have support. So with that being said, Council President, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Stated Meeting 185 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A resolution declaring the month of May in 2024 as Mental Health Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia and further honoring Dr. Taliba Foster for her work in the field of mental health, introduced by Councilmember Jones.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.) Stated Meeting 186 05/23/2024 5/23/24 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold public hearings to examine, understand and unveil the resources website developed as a result of the Parent University 2.0, introduced by Councilmember Jones.