So please vote down Bill 181063 when it comes up for a vote. I'm also here to speak about Bill No. 181067 introduced December 6th of last year by Councilmember Reynolds Brown. This bill calls for public hearings about executing the Mayor's Municipal Energy Master Plan which calls for all of the City's municipal facilities to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2030. By the way, 12 municipalities in Greater Philadelphia have passed resolutions to transition their energy use to 100 percent renewable community-wide, public and private. We can offer a presentation to any of you who want to learn more about the Ready for 100 Renewable Energy Campaign. Thank you. (Applause.)
Nelida Sepulveda, commenting on 190194. (Witness approached podium.)
Buenos tardes. My name is Nelida Sepulveda. I am a 51-year-long resident of Philadelphia. Much of that time was spent in District 7, but for the last 20 years, now I am living in District 9. I am here to comment on Bill 190194, which authorizes a study on the impact of certain taxes. I'm also here to ask that City Council continue to support the beverage tax, as it directly benefits thousands of threeand four-year-olds. We need to have more opportunities for children, not less. It is clear and the data supports that children in early learning opportunities do much better than those children that do not have those opportunities. It is the most important investment we can make to ensure that our children are growing up to be contributing members of society and leaders in our communities. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 I wish to thank my City Councilmember, Cherelle Parker, for standing by the 2,200 children right now who are in Philly pre-K and for not co-sponsoring the bill to repeal or reduce the beverage tax. Thank you.
Sheila Armstrong, commenting on 180729. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. This microphone is not for me. I'm already a loud mouth. How y'all doing, everyone? My name is Sheila Armstrong. I'm here to speak about the ordinance -- what did I write down on that paper? It was the Ordinance 18029 -- all right. I lied. Okay. My name is Sheila Armstrong and Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 I'm here today because I'm just here to serve Councilman Clarke his papers for the hearing tomorrow. Okay? I'm running against him, and it's hard to try to track you down, sir. Okay? So here is me officially serving you your -- because I'm challenging you since you're challenging me. Tit for tat. Hi. You should have just left me alone. Here you go. So one of y'all court people, can y'all give him -- oh, all right. Thank you. That's all I needed.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Ms. Armstrong talking without the microphone.)
Oh, talk in the mic. Okay. Still my time. All right. I live in a low-income community, ladies and gentlemen, and all this conspiracy that is going on in this city has not hit my community. It has not been there. In the past three years Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 we've been holding the title of the poorest urban city in the whole nation, and that is a disgrace to me. Okay? Because all of y'all been here more than three years, more than five years, and some of y'all ten years. So how we going to have a plan to address poverty for my community? That's just wrong. Maybe because y'all didn't care so much. Maybe y'all didn't want to do so much or anything like that. I don't care. I'm not even here. The problem -- the reason why I'm here, sir, is because I'm tired of the politics and games. All I want to do is run my race. I told everybody I wanted to run my race. Everybody you got call me, I told them I ain't want nothing. I was running my race that God purposed on my heart. I told you that when I met with you at Dunkin Donuts, and I told you the other day when you and Greenlee -hey, Councilman Greenlee. Remember me? Sheila Armstrong, when you were standing Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 on the corner supporting your friend? Support your friend at that hearing tomorrow too. Okay? And also -- because this is just wrong. I'm not scared. I always spoke up for what was right. I am a woman of faith and a woman of God, and I do what he purposed on my heart. He told me to run this race, and that's what I'm gonna do. I asked you to leave me alone, just let me run the race, because it's a message I had to give to the people, but you made it about you, sir. It was never about you. I told you it was never about you. It was about the people I serve in my low-income community that ain't getting the services. But y'all helping y'all friends do something. I'm tired of this. Enough is enough. Enough is enough.
Thank you. (Ms. Armstrong talking without Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 microphone.)
Joe Danihel. (Ms. Armstrong talking without microphone.) (Witness approached podium.)
Thank you. (Ms. Armstrong talking without microphone.)
Okay. Good afternoon. This is an official decree of the people in writ of mandamus quo warranto and, as such, requires immediate action and remedy. Every week Council, Mayor, Governor, and others transfer private property to the government, probably illegally. The U.S. Attorney General McSwain correctly identified the failure to perform a known duty or task is illegal and causes great harm. No attorney people know this action is treason. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 For over 90 times in this very room, I have decreed government officials to act and have suffered greatly from their failure to perform a known duty or task. Council Chambers are usually occupied by the Philadelphia Police. In fact, the Police Commissioner has been in Council recently. The State Police, upon discussions, have ceded their authority to the armed Philadelphia Police. The Philadelphia Police have witnessed in their presence in my case over 90 times a conspiracy to deny numerous God-given rights, including among other things I'll name, 42 PA CS 8902, conduct which imperils my personal security or private property rights. It is, therefore, decreed to the police officers to perform their duty to arrest every Councilperson and staff. The constitutions requires immediate remedy of this breach of law, breach of close, breach of fiduciary duty. Your oath of office requires you Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 to act or face prison. 42 USC 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 18 USC 241, 242, 2381, 2384, PA Constitution, Article I, Sections 1 through 28, 26 PA CSA 703, 705, 708, 709, 711, 712, 713, 716, 902, and other laws listed in SCOTUS 15-8965, 14-1330, 14-4056 appear violated. I call on the federal and Commonwealth governments to perform their constitutional obligations to investigate and prosecute all involved in the theft and illegal deed transfer of my home, 1038 West Wyoming Avenue. The denial of God-given 42 USC 1982 property rights for 25 years is egregious, extraordinary, oath-violating, and requires immediate remedy. A just government must obey the rule of law. This color of law government must have its Charter to govern revoked until a constitutionally compliant government is installed. Public servants cannot refuse Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING their sworn duty to act any more than a fireman can refuse to fight a fire. The sovereign people require oath, Constitution, and law be enforced, and jail is required for all who violate oath, Constitution or law. I remind Council, it takes a lot of cooperation to create and allow this monumental corruption.
There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.
Thank you very much. That concludes our public comment session, and our next order of business is bills and resolutions on our Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 190188.
A resolution urging the United States Congress to Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING reject President Trump's proposed budget cuts to the United States Department of Education.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and Resolution 190188 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 190189.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 2337 through 2345 West Berks Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 190189 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 190192.
A resolution also naming Federal Street, between 19th Street and 20th Street, "Arizona C. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING Stemons Way", in honor of Arizona Leedonia Cleaver Stemons, the initiating Founder of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, one of the largest organizations for women in the country.
Council President, I proudly move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 190192 is adopted. (Applause.)
Congratulations. Mr. Decker, 190194. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
A resolution authorizing City Council to hire and retain an independent third party to conduct research and produce a study on the fiscal and economic impact of certain taxes and fees; and authorizing the Committee on Appropriations to conduct hearings to consider such a study.
Thank you very much, Council President. In 2016, I was proud to be part of a legislative body that passed 13 to 4 a bold investment in children, communities, and neighborhoods that have too often been left behind. Pre-K, Community Schools, the rebuilding of our public spaces are bold investments in fragile institutions for whom there are far too few lobbies. When we passed this bill, we knew that we could no longer talk about the crisis of disinvestment and neglect in children or in our neighborhoods in Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING terms of charitable ventures, hopes and possibilities, but we had to take big actions, major investments, because we know that combatting poverty will never, will never be cheap. And this week my own Councilmember, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, held a hearing in which we talked about how the children of Philadelphia are poisoned in our city at rates that are higher than Flint, Michigan. We had to take a stand. Pre-K, Community Schools, Rebuild remain a legacy achievement for this Council, but from the moment we even breathed this idea into possibility, we have been under relentless attack by the American Beverage Association, which has spent millions of dollars to divide us, and I know that they will spend millions more. They will not stop. It is their millions that put us in litigation for years and held up the expansion of pre-K to less than a fraction of what it should Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING have been by this time. It was their millions that held up the keeping down of the Community Schools initiative to half of what it should be by this time. And it was their millions that prevent -- or only now just allowed for the first ribbon-cuttings to be allowed for the Rebuild program. Now, let me be clear, because a lot of people wonder what's wrong with a study. We've had plenty of studies that examine the impacts of the beverage tax. We've had it from the National Bureau of Economic Research, expert economists. The City Controller put one out. And in December I supported, along with this Council, Resolution 18116 [sic] calling for a study and hearings on the beverage tax. But how long are we going to allow this to continue? And how long are we going to allow this body to be used for the mere interest of one particular lobby? So I am going to vote no Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING against a duplicative resolution clearly drafted and peddled by the Beverage Association as a companion to a pre-K killing legislation, and I'm going to urge my colleagues to vote no, because combined with a pre-K killing legislation, this is not an honest study. This resolution calls for an independent study, but it does not call for a neutral one. And I am not interested in facilitating the creation of a so-called independent study. I am interested in one that examines this tact from a neutral standpoint, that can see the positive benefits of this tax for years to come. Economists around the country are studying the benefits of pre-K and this tax. Let's wait and debate their work. Now, I am as good government a person as anyone in this city. I have fought for transparency and accountability for struggling institutions all my life, but I have done Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING so from the belief and the understanding that we have to bring a sense of purpose and investment to fragile institutions long neglected and underfunded. And I can tell you that I can see through a charade whose purpose is to drum up opposition that will only breed cynicism and distrust on the signature initiative in this city. So that is why I'm voting no. Because I'm thinking of the families in our communities, the Rebuild ribbon-cuttings, our growing Community Schools, and I'm thinking of the families and the children whose lives hang on the balance, and I'm not going to let them down.
So I'm going to buy into this narrative and vote no. Thank you. )
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Councilwoman Gym, for sharing your very well-meaning and heartfelt comments. I too am going to be voting no on this resolution, and my rationale is less about the beverage industry, because I respect my colleagues who were a no when we voted on this. B. Du Bois called the double consciousness, a double consciousness. I stand by my vote that was cast for the tax, and I do that unapologetically, and for those who were against it, you had a right to be. But this idea of now using this legislative format to put this issue on an agenda so that it can be used as a form of Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING political weaponry against our colleagues who were for it is a little insulting to me. And I say it to you, Mr. President, because what I immediately thought about was the third-party independent audit/review/study that we just conducted of the Office of Property Assessment. I thought about the independent third-party study that we did of retirement security for private-sector workers in the City of Philadelphia and, Mr. President, both of them were done without a resolution. Both of them were done, Mr. President, with all due respect, by your power and authority as the leader of this body. And any of us who are interested in acquiring a third-party independent study or audit of anything, we have the ability to garner up the support of our colleagues and we can go and request one, and we do that with you. In addition to that, Councilwoman Gym already referenced the studies that had taken place already. I Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING say to each of my colleagues who cast a vote, we will vote on many different things in this body and we will make some tough choices. For those of us who have chosen -- and some of us are coming under what appears to be an insurmountable amount of heat because you chose to take the tough vote -- I say thank you for standing up and not allowing this issue -- because it's the timing for me, Mr. President. Now, you see, if this were introduced -- and you talked about the resolution that was passed some time ago, but if this was done, let's say -- this is '19 -- '16, in the middle of '17, you know, I probably would have thought about it a little differently, but to do it now and not only do it when you're calling for a third-party independent study/audit/review, but at the same time to introduce a bill that could, in essence, repeal it. So wait. Are you telling me that you think you know what Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING the results of the data is going to be before you get it because you introduced an instrument that could, in essence, repeal the tax? I say to residents in the Ninth Councilmanic District -- open up the phone, because I want to note this for the record. I want to specifically say to all of my pre-K providers, because you've been calling me since this was introduced, we have 16 centers in the Ninth Councilmanic District; 359 were the total slots that were allocated; 347 were filled, and that's an average fill rate of 97 percent. I want to say to you all of, particularly the African American women small business owners who I fought very hard for during this process so that you could get back-room technical support to professionalize your home-based businesses that were supporting our community, I am not going to abandon you. I respect the right of my colleagues to be where they are going to Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING be, but I do not have a double consciousness about my decision. In addition to that, I really, really want to affirm the timing that this was introduced at the same time that the bill and that is used as a form of political weaponry, and to my colleagues and particularly the two who I know are feeling it the most right now, thank you for your consciousness. Thank you for your integrity.
Thank you for your morality and standing for what you believe in. Thank you, Mr. President. )
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Council President. I'm going to give my colleagues the respect that they aren't willing to give to me and allowing me to use the vote, the vote of Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING confidence that my constituents, when they vote for me, give me to sit here and support and defend them. Ensure, Similac, and other products have been unintended consequences of what folks -- and I have been adamantly against this from day one, because I spent 11 years in this Council promoting and changing the trajectory of business tax reform in the City of Philadelphia, the BRT tax, use and occupancy tax, single sales factor. So I am against regressive taxes across the board. Shame on us, and I consider myself a progressive, shame on us if we believe that funding good things only comes at the expense of poor people. (Applause.)
I will not fall for that. The timing of this is appropriate because it is until recently that this has been declared lawful. And if it's going to be part of a portfolio Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING of revenue, whether I'm for or against it, we should look at unintended consequences. I'm okay with people disagreeing on my strategy and my tactic. I do not take it personal. But please, please don't question my motivation. Please do not question when I sit here and defend the people in deep poverty in this district and question my commitment to public education. I have taken a whole lot of difficult votes here around public education and my support for young people. It's not an either/or. So thank you very much, Council President.
I ask all of my colleagues to continue to support a process. We don't have to be comfortable with it. We don't always have to agree with it, but we do have to be respectful that we come here Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING representing interests, and my interests are poor people in my community, store owners who are now being audited against for this legislation. So I will stick to process that I got elected to serve. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just very quickly. I'll be voting for this resolution. I understand some of the concerns that were raised. I think it, in fairness, could be called duplicative of some other studies that are being done, but I don't think it necessarily should be a bad thing to ask for a study. I will say, though, that it should not be interpreted in any way that some of the members that might be voting Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING for this resolution are in any way in favor of undoing the soda tax. I want to state for the record, if the vote came up again, I'd vote the same way I did the last time. I think the soda tax was necessary. I understand some of the concerns about it, but, again -- and I would certainly not be for a bill to undo it at this point. But I think it is -- we have asked for studies on a lot of things over time, and I think it's reasonable, although I understand the concern, to ask for this particular study, and I would, with some hesitation, vote for this resolution. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Yes, Mr. President. I am trying to be as tight with my comments as possible, and Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING so let me start where Councilman Bill Greenlee left off. If the vote came up again, I would be for the soda tax. The record should reflect, however, that when we had the discussions of the soda tax X number of months ago, it was my office that looked for alternatives. We looked at what other municipalities were doing, and we learned late that the container tax was a possible alternative, but because my staff and I did not do our homework early enough, we could not secure the vote for the container tax. And the jury is still out on whether or not the container tax may have indeed achieved the same end, with less onerous outcomes and circumstances to small business. I have learned as a teacher that data matters. Data, research matters, be it 9 o'clock in the morning or midnight, and it's my understanding, yes, agreed that a number of studies were done before the initiative was Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING implemented. Now we have data during the actual execution of that initiative, and that data should inform us on how and what we do going forward. And so I am for subsequent research that gives us information that we did not have but for the soda tax. Secondly, I actually took a tour of Shop Rite with Jeff Brown, and I was disheartened to learn that seniors are being taxed with the Ensure and parents who have children who take Similac are being taxed with the sugar in Similac. So that is an unintended consequence. Yes, we should continue the soda tax, but there is value in looking to see how and if it is necessary for us to exempt some of those unintended consequences. So, yes, research has value. I don't care what time it is on the clock. And the hope is that now that this important measure has been put in place and has given us -- because I did ask for Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING the data on how our councilmanic districts are faring. Children are benefiting. Parents are benefiting. It was a necessary action, not a comfortable one, but a necessary action. We took it. We need to stand by it. However, there's still value in getting subsequent information based on the new evidence that that research will give us. So I'm for it now. I'm for it later. I'm always for data and research, because we can never have too much information upon which we use to make responsible decisions. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Oh, are you good? Never mind?
Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to say a Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING couple of things, and I know that there's been a lot of conversation in the last week about the bill and the resolution around soda tax, but I just wanted to address a couple of things. The first is that just today, Ernest Owens from Philadelphia Magazine came out with what I think is an excellent article around soda tax and the disparities in how we have this mixed message of saying that, well, we want you to keep drinking soda and have this unhealthy habit to pay for these programs and, at the same time, we want you to stop drinking soda because it's unhealthy and we'll figure it out some other kind of way. It's a really strange, mixed message. So I just really want to encourage folks to check that article out for themselves, and I really think it will give a lot of people a whole different perspective on this argument in terms of who is actually paying the tax. And as I've said before, it's almost as Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING if for folks in poor communities, it's saying, okay, well, we're going to help you with your children, we're going to fix your children, but y'all going to pay for it. And so that's something that really needs to be looked at. As far as the vote and the timing of the vote, I do take exception with suggesting that the timing of the vote is an issue because it's election time. You are who you are who you are. You should have your conscience on at all times. I believe as a member of this body that how we would vote today should not differ if it was coming up on Election Day, if it was the day after Election Day. Where you are and where you stand should not be relevant as it relates to a particular time of year or election season. And the one last thing I wanted to point out is that as far as I know from speaking with my colleagues, everyone who has signed onto the bill and Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING the resolution have agreed that the programs are important. The programs should stay. How do we fund them is the question, and that is what folks are going to be looking at, how do we make sure that we keep universal pre-K, how do we make sure that we keep Rebuild and we keep our Community School programs but, at the same time, find a better and more stable way to pay for them. So I just really wanted to be on record with just a couple of things, and I look forward to voting for this resolution. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Council President. I think everyone on this Council is in favor of pre-K and Rebuild. I don't think that's the Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING question. From my perspective, when I introduced the resolution back in December to look at this, I had a different theory on this and I just wanted to take a look at it, and that is called the theory of elasticity, where because at some point -- because there's been studies done, independent studies, three economists, I think Yale, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, that showed that 42 percent of the beverage sales in Philadelphia were reduced. This is an independent study, not paid for by beverage or the Administration. Yet within zero to six miles of the county road, 42 percent of the sales were increased. And so my interest is knowing if we were to adjust the rate, could we still get the same revenue and should we study that, because I'd rather have -- if people are going over and driving to Bucks County or South Jersey or the Main Line, at least I'd rather have the business in our city, I'd Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING rather have the jobs in our city, and I'd rather have the taxes in our city. So my question is, if we study this, could one of the questions be on the elasticity of the rate, if we lower it to one and a quarter, one, or 0.8, whatever it is, can we achieve the same revenue and not have people drive over the line. So thank you, and I hope that's part of this study. Thank you.
All right. Well, I'm not supposed to speak up here, so I won't. There's some limitations of being the Council President. Okay. So we have a motion. Did we do the motion? We need a motion. Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on 190194.
It's been moved and properly seconded. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
I think the ayes have it, unless somebody is requesting a voice vote. The ayes have it. 190194 is adopted for the purpose of getting an independent third party to conduct research and produce a study. Thank you. Mr. Decker, 190198.
A resolution urging Governor Wolf to make appointments to the Pennsylvania Charter Appeal Board, and calling for a moratorium on its proceedings until all board members are duly appointed and confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate to serve in four-year unexpired terms.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and Resolution 190198 is adopted. (Applause.)
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Pennsport Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 1218 South Second Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 190199 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 180864.
An ordinance amending Chapter 17-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Annual Disparity Study and Participation Goals," by providing for further detail relating to, among other things, North American Industrial Classification System Codes.
The Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Oh, I'm sorry. I got a little thrown off by the debate. This bill has been heard on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING Squilla.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 190062.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest to all or a portion of a parcel or parcels of land, together with the improvements thereon, in and about the area bounded by Trenton Avenue, East Auburn Street, Tulip Street and East Rush Street.
This Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING bill has been heard on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President Clarke. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution Honoring Philadelphia's Philanthropic Women Leaders in Recognition of Women's History Month, introduced by Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
And a resolution congratulating and honoring the Crispin Cheerleading Team on the occasion of their successful season, culminating in a win at the 2019 National Cheerleading Competition, introduced by Councilman Henon.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution recognizing and honoring Phil Martelli for his many years of diligent service and success, both on and off the basketball court, during his tenure as Head Coach of the St. Joseph's University Hawks Men's Basketball team, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution congratulating and honoring Frederick L. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING Voigt for 50 years of dedicated service to the residents of Philadelphia on the occasion of his retirement from the Office of the Philadelphia City Commissioners, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Again, Mr. President, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution recognizing March 25th through March 29th, 2019 as Immigrant Business Week in the City of Philadelphia, introduced by Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 3/21/19 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution declaring March 31, 2019 as Trans Day of Visibility in the City of Philadelphia, introduced by Councilwoman Gym.
Thank you Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 much, Council President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you very much. Are there any speeches on behalf of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. I just wanted to note that I put a flyer on every Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 them, because we are in Martial Arts Week. We had a kick-off, nice kick-off, on Monday in the courtyard where we had demonstrations and we had matches, and it was a lot of fun. But some of the schools are offering open houses: the Juniper Muay Thai Gym on March 20th, the Philadelphia Aikido on March 20th and 24th, Copwera (ph) on March 21st and 23rd, Red Tiger Taekwon-Do March 22nd, Yawara Force Judo and Sambo March 22nd, Gracie Academy Jiu-Jitsu March 23rd. And for any members, if you come at 11 o'clock, I will be there to host you. So come on by. And Main Line Judo March 24th and 31st. So everybody enjoy the week, and we hope to do a bigger and better one next year. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. Speeches on behalf of the Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. Data-driven and research-based information is always important, but the simple facts are too. And just for the benefit of any seniors from the Ninth Councilmanic District who may be watching us today, I want you to note for the record that the Ensure that Dorothy Parker, my grandmother, used to drink and many of you drink -- and I'll see you all at the West Oak Lane Senior Citizens Center in a few minutes -- it is not taxed, but you do know that the very specific milkshakes that some doctors prescribe, that is what is referenced. So, again, the cans of Ensure, Councilman Johnson, that I used to go to Pickwell for to get for my grandmother, they are not taxed, because facts matter too. In addition to that, to the pre-K providers and all of the mothers Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 this debate, I want to note for the record that baby formula is specifically exempted. If you go anywhere and they are taxing your Similac or your Enfamil, they are doing it against this law, because this law specifically exempts baby formula. And I just thought that it was important while we want to ensure that we have a data-driven and research-based process and the last study -- and elasticity of the tax, Councilman Domb, I think getting that data is going to be good. We went through it for the cigarette tax, so I'm well aware of that kind of process, but the misinformation that is often distributed and then I have to go out and talk to my constituency today and will have to undo when a senior citizen says to me, I know you did it in '16 and I know what you said the reason was or why you did it, Cherelle, but I didn't know that my regular Ensure was being taxed. That's wrong. In addition Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 that, this baby formula is specifically exempted. And I want to just note for again the record, I will never, ever question what is on the inside of my colleagues and what drives us, but there is nothing that anyone can tell me to make me believe otherwise that the timing of this legislation being proper -- and I'm referencing both the bill along with the resolution -- that the timing is so that it will significantly impact those people particularly in Council districts who have opponents that are being funded from the industry, and if somebody wants me to think otherwise, you're going to have a whole lot of convincing to do. I know that all is fair in love, war, and politics. Nobody gets that better than me. I done lost a whole lot, so I know what that feels like, but when you're going to tell the truth about why you do what you do, say it. And if I wanted it, Council President, I probably Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 you, sir, to say the process that we used to get the independent third-party audit that we just did that I think was very helpful, Mr. President, of our Office of Property Assessment, I would have probably said can we use that process. But everyone takes the strategy and you use the vehicle and we do have a right to that, and I respect the right that we have to move legislatively, but don't like tell me it's not raining and I'm feeling and what I feel with the timing of this, and some of us are feeling it more than others. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Council President. It sounds like a whole lot of profits over people conversation going on in this room, and I Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 we represent and who we are as a body and as a legislator and the constituent service. And it also sounds like if people are selling products and illegally taxing them, it sounds like a class action suit to me, and I hope that this City pursues in that venue, if that is the case, because profits will never supersede people in the City of Philadelphia. That being said, talking about people, I had the pleasure of joining Coaches for Cancer again, as I do almost on an annual basis with the Building Trades and Local 98 as one of the sponsors, and we honor -- we had a resolution here honoring Phil Martelli from our colleague Councilman Jones in his departure in tenure, 24-year tenure at St. Joe's. And we have Fran Dunphy, who is at Temple. So we're losing two I think very well respected on and off of the court in their way they communicate and engage with the communities, engage Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 girls clubs and charity events. So the Big Five is losing two icons here in the City of Philadelphia. The Big Five also is ranked number one in the nation for raising funds for Coaches for Cancer. Number one, by far. Nobody can ever touch them in their philanthropic and their endeavors in the fight for cancer. So I want to commend them and their efforts of doing that, because it isn't all about basketball a lot of times. We get caught up in the hype and the wins and the losses, but they're winning every single day. And speaking of Big Five and wins, we do have Nova Nation. They're on at 7 o'clock tonight. They're the only one left in the Big Five that's going to be playing. So they're going to be on at 7 o'clock, and hopefully Nova will continue on in the tournament. I think we had a great parade. So I have shirts Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 celebration of our Big Five and encouraging Villanova in its fight to the next round. So thank you for your time. Go Nova.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Yes. I just want to offer a friendly reminder to my colleagues and staff to please join us next door as we lift up and celebrate the Zetas and the new street that is being celebrated in Councilman Kenyatta Johnson's district. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. While you have the mic, can you please call for an adjournment.
Sure. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March 28th, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Stated Meeting March 21, 2019 (Duly seconded.)