Stated Meeting, June 9, 2005

Aye.

Councilman Kenney.

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye.

Councilman Mariano.

Aye.

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye.

Councilman Nutter.

Aye.

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye.

Councilman Ramos.

Aye.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown.

Aye.

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye.

Councilwoman Tasco voting aye. Council President Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 17, nays are zero. Majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 050497.

An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the department of streets on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into an agreement with Transriver Marketing Company.

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

Madam President, I'd like to speak on the motion.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.

Madam President, this is the bill which people from Chester are concerned about Philadelphia using Chester as a dumping ground. And in my opinion, their concern and their charges are exactly correct. The amount of trash involved which Chester people have historically opposed to have Philadelphia use Chester as dumping ground is a small amount of the trash that Philadelphia accumulates daily. It's somewhere between 11 and 12 percent averaging about 350 tons daily out of a collection of 3,000 tons. There is no showing whatever of any inability on the part of Philadelphia to dispose of that 350 tons. It's a matter of choice. And Philadelphia is choosing to align itself with the worst forces and punishing a small community in Pennsylvania, which together with the community of Camden seem to surround Philadelphia and act as our conscience. We think of Philadelphia often as a troubled city financially, but compared to Chester or Camden, Philadelphia is a rich company. Chester and Camden represent the worst in the way we consider economics in the United States. They have fewer resources. Their populations are almost totally a minority. And they have no vital funds to back them up. And they cry out for help as do our poor metropolitan areas in the United States. Philadelphia is the one place they have to look forward to. And to come to Philadelphia and to be so summarily rejected indicates we think of ourselves as a big powerful corporation having only the contempt that big corporations usually have for poor people. The request made to Philadelphia was a simple one, incur no extra cost, incur no inconvenience of any kind of significance at all. They ask that a delegation from Philadelphia go visit Camden and see what the complaint is, the same kind of request minority people and others economically hurt by society often make when they call upon the conscience of richer communities to investigate the harm the richer communities inflict upon them by using them as dumping grounds. We're even saying no to that. It doesn't cost us a penny to do that. It doesn't cost us a penny in the way of extra cost. There's no showing at all that there's any kind of shortage of landfill space. We can easily make up the 350 tons if we so decided by increasing the amount of trash which probably each of the three other companies would welcome, and we'd get rid of this monster around our neck which shows how selfish we in Philadelphia are. We're just as bad as every other rich group that cares nothing at all about the poor vulnerable people. So I'd like to move, Madam President, that this bill be held and that the recommendation of the minister from Chester that we investigate be done. It will create no problem whatever, cost nothing for us to carry out that investigation. And then thereafter make a decision based upon information rather than based merely upon our uninformed thoughts about whether we should continue to use Chester. Chester's been crying out now for nearly ten years for relief from this. I think it's time we listen and granted their request at least to the point of looking and examining and then being free to say we saw it with our own eyes and the decision we made came about as a result of careful consideration rather than because of thoughtless indifference. So, Madam President, I move that this bill be held until such investigation be carried out. Thank you, Madam President.

If that's a form of a motion, I don't hear a second, sir. (Duly seconded.)

Okay. It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 050497 be tabled. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please call the roll.

Councilwoman Blackwell.

No.

Councilman Clarke.

No.

Councilman Cohen.

Aye.

Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: No.

Councilman Goode.

No.

Councilman Kelly.

No.

Councilman Kenney.

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski.

No.

Councilman Mariano.

No.

Councilwoman Miller.

No.

Councilman Nutter.

No.

Councilman O'Neill.

No.

Councilman Ramos.

No.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown.

No.

Councilman Rizzo.

No.

Councilwoman Tasco voting aye -- bills only, bills only. Council president Verna?

Aye. I'm sorry. It's no. No.

The ayes are two, the nays are 14. The motion to table fails.

Thank you. This bill having been read on two different dates, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll.

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye.

Councilman Clarke.

Aye.

Councilman Cohen.

No. Is that loud enough to defeat the other 14?

Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye.

Councilman Goode.

Aye.

Councilman Kelly.

Aye.

Councilman Kenney.

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye.

Councilman Mariano.

Aye.

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye.

Councilman Nutter.

Aye.

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye.

Councilman Ramos.

Aye.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown.

Aye.

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye.

Councilwoman Tasco voting aye. Council President Verna.

Aye.

The nays are one, the ayes are 16.

A majority of all Council members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 050498.

An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the department of streets on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into an agreement with the Waste Management Systems of Pennsylvania.

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

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye.

Councilman Clarke.

Aye.

Councilman Cohen.

Aye.

Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye.

Councilman Goode.

Aye.

Councilman Kelly.

Aye.

Councilman Kenney.

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye.

Councilman Mariano.

Aye.

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye.

Councilman Nutter.

Aye.

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye.

Councilman Ramos.

Aye.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown.

Aye.

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye. Councilwoman Tasco voting aye. Council President Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are zero. A majority of all Council members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 050499.

An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the department of streets on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to enter into an agreement with the Republic Services of Pennsylvania.

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

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye.

Councilman Clarke.

Aye.

Councilman Cohen.

Aye.

Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye.

Councilman Goode.

Aye.

Councilman Kelly.

Aye.

Councilman Kenney.

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye.

Councilman Mariano.

Aye.

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye.

Councilman Nutter.

Aye.

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye.

Councilman Ramos.

Aye.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown.

Aye.

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye.

Councilwoman Tasco voting aye. Council President Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are zero. A majority of all Council members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 050059.

An ordinance adding Chapter 21-1600 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Housing Fund Trust," all under certain terms and conditions.

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

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye.

Councilman Clarke.

Aye.

Councilman Cohen.

Aye.

Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye.

Councilman Goode.

Aye.

Councilman Kelly.

Aye.

Councilman Kenney.

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski.

Aye.

Councilman Mariano.

Aye.

Councilwoman Miller.

Aye.

Councilman Nutter.

Aye.

Councilman O'Neill.

Aye.

Councilman Ramos.

Aye.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown.

Aye.

Councilman Rizzo.

Aye.

Councilwoman Tasco voting aye. Council President. Verna.

Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are zero. A majority of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. (Applause.)

The next bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 050294.

An ordinance authorizing the director of housing and community development on behalf of the City to file an application with the United States department of housing and urban development for a community development block grant, all under certain terms and conditions.

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

Councilwoman Blackwell.

Aye.

Councilman Clarke.

Aye.

Councilman Cohen.