COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, April 25, 2006 10:25 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL, CHAIR COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JUAN RAMOS COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO BILLS 051105, 060108, 060109, 060185 and 060181 - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2
Good morning. Thank you all for your patience. Thank you, everyone. The Committee on Finance is now in session. The Chair notes we have a quorum. We have Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Councilman Frank Rizzo, Councilman Frank DiCicco, Councilman Darrell Clarke, Councilman Jack Kelly. Thank you all for being here. Let me note for anyone who is here, and I don't see anyone here, with regard to Bill Nos. 060108 and 060109 dealing with the Water Department's Biosolids Recycling Center, these bills are not being called up today. They will be held, subject to the call of the Chair. I'm sure none of you are here for the Water Department issues, but Bill 21 Nos. 060108 and 109 will be held. So anything in that regard will not be held today, and that will be recessed, those two bills, subject to the call of the Chair and agreed to by the President, in 3 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. whose district the area is. Clerk, please read the title of Bill 051105, Councilman Clarke's bill.
Bill 051105, an ordinance authorizing the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development to file an application with the Office of the Budget, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, under the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, in an amount not to exceed $500,000 to assist in the development of Moore College of Art and Design; and authorizing the City to enter into an agreement with PAID in furtherance of grant requirements; all under certain terms and conditions.
Would you also read the second bill that also deals with PIDC. That is Bill No. 21 060185.
Bill 060185, an ordinance removing a portion of the property known generally as the Byberry State Hospital from the Philadelphia 4 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. Keystone Opportunity Zone, subject to the request and consent of the owners of said property, under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Mr. Paul Deegan of PIDC and Krista Williams, PIDC. We'll ask that you identify yourself for the record, unless someone on the Committee has a statement to make first. If not, we'll ask you to identify yourself for the record and begin your testimony.
I think we'll do the Redevelopment Assistance bill first, the Moore College bill first.
My name is Paul Deegan, D-E-E-G-A-N, and I represent the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development. I 5 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. would like to introduce my colleague, Krista Williams.
As Paul said, I'm Krista Williams with PIDC. May I start my testimony?
Good morning, Chairwoman Blackwell and members of the Finance Committee. My name is Krista Williams and I'm here today to testify on behalf of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, PIDC, and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, PAID, in support of Bill No. 17 051105. This bill authorizes PAID to apply for a Redevelopment Assistance Grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the amount of $500,000 for renovations to the Moore College of Art facilities in Center City Philadelphia. Moore College intends to 6 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. renovate their facility to provide expanded and upgraded space for educational programs, exhibits, conferences and special events at a total project cost of $6 million. Redevelopment Assistance Capital Grants are funded by the State's Capital Budget and sponsored by the local State legislator. The recipients of the grants are typically non-profit organizations, such as colleges, museums, hospitals and social service providers. The State provides the funding through each county's industrial development authority. In this case, it's PAID. The recipient of the grant must at least match the grant amount with funding from non-State sources. After the legislature approves the Capital Budget, the Governor, through the Office of the Budget, authorizes PAID to submit applications on behalf of the recipients. I request that the Committee 7 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. report this bill out with a favorable recommendation at the next regularly scheduled meeting of Council. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this bill.
Real briefly, I'm just going to ask this question. Do we have any other Redevelopment Assistance Grants coming down the pipeline? I know there were several announcements. One was actually in my district for Progress Plaza. Has that already been authorized or is this --
It has been 8 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. authorized, and we actually had our introductory meeting yesterday. So that is in the works for Progress Plaza.
In terms of the disposition of these dollars from PIDC to the grantee, what's that process?
It's a reimbursement program. And while the State or Governor authorizes the funds, the recipient is still required to go through an application process. PAID provides technical assistance on that process. We act as the actual grantee, and then the client is the subgrantee. So we work with the client to gather all the material so that we can assemble the application, submit it to the Office of the Budget for review. Once the Office of the Budget deems our requirements satisfied, then they authorize the client to begin drawing funds.
From the State? 9 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC.
Thank you very much. Are there any other questions or statements with regard to either of these bills?
On the other bill, this bill removes 80 acres of the Byberry Hospital site from the KOZ. We intend to develop this residentially. The City originally put it in the KOZ because we thought it would be a light industrial or office use, but with the booming residential market, thanks to the 10 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. ten-year tax abatement, it looks like a very good site for new residential construction. We purchased the property from the Commonwealth in 2004. We have a development team of Westrum and Brandywine selected, and it's going to be a mixed-use development, 50 acres of office on Roosevelt Boulevard and 80 acres of residential. So we ask that the residential development be removed from the KOZ. It's always been City policy not to do residential in KOZ. We ask that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading at the next session of Council.
Thank you very much. Any other questions? (No response.)
Thank you. The Clerk then will read the title of Bill 060181. 11 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC.
Bill 060181, an ordinance amending Section 19-203 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Payroll Deductions," by adding a new subsection permitting City employees who are bargaining unit members of Fraternal Order of Police, Philadelphia Lodge 5, to authorize payroll deductions for contributions to COPPAC, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you very much. The Chair invites Bob Eddis, President of FOP, Lodge No. 5; Eugene Blagmond, Press and Public Relations, FOP, Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge No. 18 5, and all of our other guests, all who are here. Just identify yourself to the record and begin your testimony. Thank you for being here and your patience.
Good morning. 12 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC.
Good morning, members of Council. We come in front of you today requesting your support in an area that we feel is significant. We feel that we as police officers need to have a voice within the community, and we feel we should be entitled to the same right as every other citizen. It's our hope that you will take this under consideration and give us the opportunity to enter into the process that's so important around us by enabling us to have a PAC fund so our members can take an active role. We feel that we, like we said, are a significant part of the community and we want to have impact on what the future of Philadelphia holds.
We absolutely love you. So that goes without saying.
Gene Blagmond, Director of Public and Press Relations for the FOP. 13 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. If you have any questions, I'll answer them.
Thank you. Are there any other statements or questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)
The Chair notes that Councilman Juan Ramos, a member of this Committee, is also here. Did I not introduce anyone? Thanks. I think I already mentioned that Frank DiCicco is here. He was here earlier. All right. Thank you very much. Any other questions, statements? (No response.)
That will end our hearing. We will enter a stated meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilman 14 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. DiCicco. Would you give me a motion for Bill No. 060185, with a suspension on all three bills, gentlemen. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 060185 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 14 060185 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and, furthermore, that the rules be suspended so as to permit first consideration at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and so the bill is reported 15 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. out. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ramos with regard to Bill No. 051105, with a suspension of the rules.
I move that Bill No. 051105 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 15 051105 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and, furthermore, that the rules be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The 16 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. ayes have it and so the bill passes and is reported out. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo with regard to Bill No. 060181.
Madam Chair, Bill No. 060181 I would like to come from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and suspend the rules, please. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 060181 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and, furthermore, that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration at our next session. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Those three bills are reported out, we're happy to say. And, again, the last two bills dealing with Biosolids will be held, subject to the 17 4/25/06 - FINANCE - BILL 051105, ETC. call of the Chair. This ends our Committee hearing. We say thank you all, and we're happy to turn this over to Councilman Darrell Clarke for Public Property. Thank you all. (Committee on Finance adjourned at 10:35 a.m.) - - - 18 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on April 25, 2006, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)