Point of information. Thank you. One of the problems, again being the author of this initial 152 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. legislation, the problem that we have -- and it's no disrespect to the Philadelphia Police Department or the Administration. You hit it right on the head. It wasn't managed properly.
If a police officer came to the scene of an accident and there was, quote, a wreck chaser at the scene, that made them happy and they said everything is fine here and left the scene of the accident and there was no 14 management. The rotational towing system was put into place to give everybody working in the City and amended it so it would in fact include everybody.
And not just people listening to the scanners, not even the guys wreck chasing, just the officers themselves not using the system. There are times that vehicles are just left in the middle of the street that could be called over rotation and they just don't do it. So I don't want to put blame on 153 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. people wreck chasing. It's about the officers themselves utilizing the system.
I understand that, but in fact the officer on the street being so very busy, when they saw a tow truck, that satisfied their need. They didn't care whether it was X, Y, Z. It was a tow truck that cleared the intersection and onto the next assignment. If it was done the way it was designed, one of you would have been dispatched to the scene of that accident and appropriately handled the situation.
And under this legislation, one of them will be dispatched by the Parking Authority and they won't have to worry about the police being overworked. Councilman Kelly.
There's other cities that have dealt with wreck chasing and all illegal practices, and they never used the Parking Authority. And I'd just 154 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. like to say that on the expressways, on 95 and on 76, the Parking Authority does the towing exclusively. They have cut us out of that business. We are completely out of that business. We can't even tow up there. What do you guys have to say about that?
I would say go talk to your State Representative and your State Senator, because that's who did it.
Well, that's why we're here. Now there's an issue in the City and we're coming up to you to help us with that.
I have no 18 control over the State Police or PennDot.
But you have control right now in the City of Philadelphia and you're trying to give it to the Parking Authority so they can control it, and by the time you know it, they'll have total control over it, they'll cut us out and they'll be doing 155 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. the towing. (Applause.)
Right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to be clear on something that Councilman Kenney has addressed, some of the problems that consumers have. What is your hours of operation?
Yes, we do take credit cars, and I am available hours 20 a day for towing. The office itself is 21 9:00 to 5:00, but my order of operation 22 is 24 hours a day. 23
Would you 24 happen to know if most of your colleagues are the same? 156 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC.
Well, I can't speak for my colleagues. I participate in the program, and most people, yeah, you know what, most people do tow hours a day, 6 yes. 7
It's not 12 the towing. The 24-hour towing is not 13 the issue. It's getting the car out. 14
We don't have any 17 problem if it stays with the current 18 system to have extended hours. We're 19 open for ideas like that. 20
Well, in 21 other words, if it's 6 o'clock in the 22 evening, how does a person obtain their 23 car? Can they? 24
Like I said, we don't have any problems with offering 157 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. extended office hours to address that issue, yes. Most people won't show up to pick up their vehicles anyway, but I can understand the possibility, and, yes, we can make the office available hours a 7 day, if that would answer your question. 8
In other 9 words, there would be somebody there or 10 someone that they could contact to get 11 their car out that same night? 12
If that's one of 13 the issues, I'm sure that can be 14 addressed. We can work on that. 15
18 Councilwoman Miller, do you have any more 19 questions? 20
Thank you 22 very much for your testimony. 23 Mr. D'Angeles, Mr. Elliott and 24 Mr. Johnson, please. (Witnesses approached witness 158 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. table.)
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record.
I'm the owner of George Smith Towing. George Smith has been around for 50 years and I've operated the business the last eight years. My expertise is in the illegal park towing industry. We also are involved in roadside assistance, and today I'm here to speak on behalf of all of the towing industry, which includes different facets of towing, if everyone wasn't aware of that, such as transport, roadside assistance, accident recovery, 159 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. repo and illegal park towing. There are over 300 licensed tow companies operating in the City of Philadelphia, many of which have multiple tow trucks. This would indicate that there are thousands of jobs at stake in the towing industry, many of them filled by minorities, along with many dollars of tax revenue created by small business. Bill 100536 indicates that the PPA, an agency of the government, will be taking jobs from these private businesses by controlling everything from pricing to doling out jobs to enforcement. We as an industry feel that we should not be regulated by an agency that is governmental/private and is also a competitor. This is another example of Big Brother taking over. (Applause.)
We also disagree with some of the finer points of the bill, but we'll save that for a later time. 160 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. Council, I'd like to ask you to please take these points into consideration when it's time to vote on Bill 100536, and if you could please take into consideration revisiting Bill 7 100213, which pertains to ticketing vehicles illegally parked on private property owned by private citizens. Please vote no on these bills. I would like to thank Council for your time and consideration.
Please pull that microphone close to you, whoever is going next. Thank you. Please identify yourself for the record, whoever is up.
My name is Jordan Johnson. I'm a tow truck operator of 14 years in the City of Philadelphia. Being honest, I don't have any speech or anything prepared for you guys, but I'm more so here to address certain 161 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. things that came up that, in my opinion, were false as far as tow truck agreements being signed. Once they're signed, we can just take them wherever we want to go, that's totally false. It's not the practice, as the Councilwoman was asking earlier. There was a little bit of misunderstanding, but I want to clarify any questions or anything you guys might have about our practices as tow truck operators.
My name is Ralph Elliott. I run Siani's Towing in Philadelphia. There's a lot of testimony this morning about key points to this bill. I'd like to focus on the impact that this bill is going to have on the towing industry. There's a lot of companies out 162 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. here with very expensive equipment and high dollar insurance payments that are going to be affected and lose a lot of revenue if this bill is passed. My company that I run has nine tow trucks that run hours a day. That's 27 8 drivers with eight-hour shifts, has 9 people employed in the office, mechanics, 10 and people that run the yard. We're 11 going to have to downsize considerably 12 due to the loss of business if this bill 13 is passed. Most of the companies in this 14 industry are larger than mine and are 15 going to be affected even more so by 16 this. 17 By handing this over to the 18 Parking Authority and allowing them to 19 collect the storage on these vehicles -- 20 my lot holds almost 400 cars. Each of 21 those cars produces storage every day. 22 There's going to be a large loss of 23 revenues for many of the companies in the 24 City. You were talking about the 163 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. towing agreements. The towing agreements were given to us. The City itself mandated what was supposed to be on these towing agreements. We have to print them. They are a standard across-the-board towing agreement that is the same for every company that designates where the car is to be towed from and where the car is to be towed to, and the rates are set by the City. Companies that are charging other than that, that needs to be enforced, but not against the entire industry. There's good and bad people in every business. (Applause.)
If this bill is passed, the vehicles will be towed to the Parking Authority lot. The Parking Authority charges a minimum of $150 for towing to get your vehicle released, even if you go there directly from the accident scene. Insurance companies these days are not willing to pay more than $75 for a tow for a vehicle. So 164 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. these people involved in an accident are, right off the bat, subjected to paying an extra $75 out of their pocket to pay for this tow. Then they have to pay to have the vehicle towed from the Parking Authority to their shop of choice, which, again, is an out-of-pocket expense, that basically they're being muscled into using this Parking Authority and paying these fees. (Applause.)
It's been suggested that a professional license, such as a plumber's license or a contractor's license, be put into effect, you know, mandating that you have a current driver's license and have been trained properly in the industry. That's one good idea. There are many ideas that are used in other cities and states across the country that have had this problem before, like the person said earlier, that have not used a government agency to take care of the problem. 165 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. If L&I does not have the manpower to handle the towing licenses and you're not confident that the Police Department is inspecting these vehicles the proper way, then why isn't the focus on making that situation better instead of putting us out of business? (Applause.)
The rotational system that's in effect right now, I'm not going to mention names, but there are certain companies that receive five to six calls, seven calls a week for this rotation system. My company receives one to two calls per month. If this is the situation, my company will be out of business. If I can't go out and solicit business free-lance like a car salesman, a lumber salesman, a building contractor, anybody else, I'm going to be forced to go out of business. (Applause.)
I'd like to answer any questions that that Council 166 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. has in reference to this.
Seeing none, thank you very much for your testimony. Who else is left to testify? Well, who else besides the three? Anyone else? (No response.)
That will be our last panel. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Brendan Alan Burke and I would say good afternoon, Council. Thank you for having us here today. I just have a few things I'd like to go over, some key points on the 167 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. fact that I've been a tower in the City of Philadelphia for years and I have a 4 few things I'd like to go over before 5 this bill is passed or it's even taken 6 into consideration. I want you to hear a 7 few things I have to say. 8 Has anyone spoke to any of our 9 police officers or done ride-alongs to 10 see for themselves what's happening on 11 the streets of our 21 districts or are we 12 basing everything on media sensationalism 13 or complaints? If so, what's our 14 complaint ratio compared to the PPA's? 15 I'd love to see that on paper. 16 (Applause.) 17
What happened to freedom of choice? This is America. (Applause.)
Who cleans up the debris which becomes road and walkway hazards? We take all accident debris 168 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. with us for proper disposal. Who drives the people involved in an accident home if they can't get a ride at 3:00 a.m., or sets them up in a hotel or motel if they are from out of state? We do. Not the police, not the PPA and not the salvers. A vast majority of our business is billed to insurance carriers directly, utilizing what the consumer has paid for. In the instance where charges are made such as consumers with liability insurance that are at fault, we are open to negotiation, and charges are many times waived or discounts are given. Has that ever occurred at the PPA? Not that I've ever heard from anyone or seen on Parking Wars. We are living in very tough economic times, and, sure, our industry has had its recent share of problems. However, does that justify uprooting an 80-year-plus-old industry by ratifying this bill? It is not free -- is it not 169 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. free enterprise, along with the freedom of choice, that America's foundation was built upon? (Applause.)
We are blue-collar, hard-working, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens that know changes must be made, and with the help of L&I, along with Philadelphia Police Truck Enforcement Division, we believe, given a chance, a fair and organized system can be found.
My name is David Wakowski and I'm a tower in Philly. We have like certain things you were saying, like when you say "we" as working on trying to make the system better, who is "we"? You and Vince from the PPA or is it "we" as like -- I don't understand when you keep saying "we." 170 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC.
It's the City Administration, the Parking Authority, the Police Department, Department of License and Inspections and members of City Council.
Now, you said with the rotation system now, you stated that a lot of people shouldn't be on this rotation because they don't pay taxes, their taxes ain't paid up and all. Well, isn't it true that the Parking Authority don't pay no taxes in the City of Philadelphia? Anything they generate, revenue, they pay nothing, except for maybe wage taxes. But they pay for nothing. They're supposed to pay for our schools and stuff like that. They barely do that without a fight, and that's on record everywhere you go. (Applause.)
So now you want to give them more money, let them collect the storage, let them put any fee they want to do or parking tickets and all, 171 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. like they should have the right to do and -- a person shouldn't even have to pay a parking ticket if they don't do what they're supposed to do. They don't take care of our city. Then you're talking about revenue. If these cars go back to a Parking Authority lot -- our taxes are eight percent here. If I'm an insurance adjuster and I got cars at this lot 12 and they're hit for $10,000 and I got to 13 pay either Philadelphia -- send them to a 14 body shop in Philadelphia to pay 800 on 15 taxes or I can send them to Springfield 16 or Huntingdon Valley and pay 600, and if 17 I got like maybe a hundred cars a month 18 there, I'm saving hundreds of thousands 19 of dollars. I'm sending all the work out 20 of here. So not only are you going to hurt the towing industry, you're going to hurt the body shops, because all the work is going to go out of our city. You're going to hurt the revenue and you're going to hurt parts people, paint people, 172 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. everybody. So, I mean, there's more to it than just you saying about revenue. That's good you brought that up, because Parking Authority don't pay taxes for nothing. (Applause.)
I mean, there's a lot more issues. You talk about charges. You talk about people getting gouged with prices. I got a copy of the Parking Authority's fees right here. Maybe you should look at these gouges right here. They get -- if somebody is in an accident, they got a recovery service. If they got to send a manager there, they get 150 an hour. And then if he ain't smart enough to flip a car over, which they're very not -- you can ask the State Police, we got to help them -- then they'll send the supervisor for another hundred an hour, and then if they need another truck, it's 125. Then if they 173 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. need another man with that truck, it's 85 an hour. So now you just turned a tow that we get 150 for, you just made them a thousand dollars. So they could do all this stuff, but if we try to charge for cleaning the highway, we're not allowed. They can get for oil dry, using a strap, $250 to use a $7 tarp to cover somebody's stuff. If I tow a car back to my lot and say I got a brand new Range Rover and the window is busted on it and all and I use a tarp and I cover it up so it don't get wet inside and destroy their car, I don't charge them nothing. They get $285. I mean, so there's a big difference here. Like we want to know like why is it so interested to give this to PPA when they don't pay our city taxes and they don't do nothing we do. And there's a lot of companies that are going to hurt. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. 174 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. Could you please identify yourself for the record.
Sure. Lawrence Clark, Founder of the People Choice Movement. The People Choice Movement had a testimony on this Philadelphia Parking Authority this past Saturday, October 16th, 2010. In the process, we gathered over hundreds of testimonies in one hour saying that the Philadelphia Parking Authority and the BAA, which the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication, with their illegal towing and the unjust ticket practices. So our support in this bill, we are against, because the PPA is unjust with their practices and illegal towing. We oppose this bill that gives the PPA the authority to violate the citizen consumer right of choice by geographic limits as the enforcement agency shall specify. This bill should be abolished until Council can introduce an ordinance 175 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. to establish a reasonable financial hardship program to release one's vehicle. This violates the consumer by denying the right to choose who will service they vehicle or tow in the time of crisis. This bill shows no compassion for the owner, operators or the vehicle, who is in the hospital, also have to deal with the possibility of unpaid prior parking tickets, impound to be released to the auto bodies or the collision shops. Council should not pass this bill 14 to further enable the Philadelphia Parking Authority the right to use law to entrap citizens to collect fees through deceitful practices. (Applause.)
In closing, I respectfully say to this committee, do not give an enforcement agency this much power or authority to take hostage a person vehicle because of parking tickets. Parking tickets should not carry more weight than a moving 176 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. violation. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions for the witnesses? Councilwoman Brown.
Yes. Good afternoon, gentlemen. Please share with me your view, your perspective about the current rotation system as it currently exists.
As far as the rotation system in Philly goes, I mean, it's a good system if it works. But now if there's problems with it, why don't we just -- like we're willing to do things to help correct the problems. If we got to get these different licenses per 177 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. driver, if you got to have each driver, like a cab driver has a chauffeur license, if each tow truck driver has to have one, then you can identify who that person is more and you can do different things to check and to make sure everything is okay with this guy and make them pass the test, make them more accountable. And if you hold the businessowners -- and I'm a businessowner. If you hold them more accountable for who they hire and have strict fees on it, then we would have less problems in there, because I'm not going to hire somebody that just walked out of prison or anything like that. I'm going to do a check first on who I'm hiring or see how things go before I put this individual in one of my trucks if I'm held accountable for that.
And I do believe Mr. Chairman said that you all -- the process will lead to an operator's license. So that will help remedy some 178 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. of what I'm hearing. And you are in favor of an operator's license?
Oh, yeah. I'm in favor of it for that, but I'm not in favor for PPA giving that license. They have no right to give that. That should come from L&I. Here's the situation. He brought up about these tow trucks, these pickup trucks. I have a few dualies that are rated the same as an F-350 tow truck, 11,000 pounds, 12,000 pounds and all, and last year the Philadelphia Truck Enforcement, which is our agency for checking trucks, made us all go to the place that manufactures the backs that slide into these trucks that are legal in about 30 other states that use them that I know of and we had to get them all certified to the truck. They're registered to that VIN number. They're certified, which now makes that truck a tow truck. Whether they know that or not, I paid 1,150 a truck, $1,150 a 179 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. truck. Out of ten of them I got to get them all certified. So now when you talk about doing things out, I paid 11,500 last year. So every year they do something different, I got to throw these trucks away now. And some of them -- like I got loans on a lot of them, 50,000, 60,000. I can't just trade it into a bank and go get a loan on an $80,000 truck now, because then they're going to say you're out of equity. I'll be broke. I'll be out business in a matter of a day if something like that goes through. And it's not just me. There's other people that have them. There's a lot. And, like I said, they're used in the streets. But there's cops and there's laws. If somebody is flying through the streets whether -- PPA does it. If you look, I don't know if you're ever sitting in traffic on 676 or 95 and all. If there's an accident there, they fly up the shoulder and they beep their horns, 180 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. got their lights on. They got cop horns in the PPA tow trucks, like the cop sirens and all. They're in PPA tow trucks. How can they have that? PPA don't have a tow license. None of their trucks get inspected by Truck Enforcement for that. They don't use tow license and they don't have to sign a towing agreement. A towing agreement that people asked about was passed and made so that we have that sign. All's that does -- the person could have their car towed from here to Florida if they want. It's their choice. They come up with an agreement right there, like customers know where their going is going before they sign that paper. The City of Philadelphia and the cops made us do these towing agreements that said -- because years ago, tow trucks were supposedly stealing cars. So now if you don't have this towing agreement signed and you get pulled over, they want to 181 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. lock you up, take your truck until they get a hold of the owner of the car to find out did they give you permission to tow it.
So now if you're on your way to work in the morning and I tow your car and I say -- Ms. Clark, is it?
Ms. Brown, if I say I'm going to tow your car to the mechanic for you, Yeah, okay, Dave, tow my car down to Pep Boys. All right. I got to get on the subway. I got to go to work. You got no reception. If I'm towing your car and I get pulled over, now I can get locked up for having your car until you somehow or another want -- like somebody gets in touch with you and says, Yeah, did you give Dave from Select permission to tow your car? 182 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. Yeah. Okay. Well, he's been locked up for ten hours because we couldn't get a hold of you.
So that sounds like a gap in the system that needs to be fixed going forward. Could I hear your view about -- thank you for your testimony -- your view about the rotation process.
I think the rotation works. I just don't think there's enough business on the streets for all these tow companies to take advantage of. I'm what you so-call a wreck chaser, which I don't even like to use that terminology. I'm a body shop consultant or an accident recovery specialist, and that's what I do and I've been doing it for 20 years, professionally by the way. Four different companies smeared us all. For the 20 years I've been doing this, we've had very few 183 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. incidents. These recent incidents, which I do agree, they're definitely negative, I don't have no dispute with that. Something does need to be done. However, upon us here that are here with us today, we have some ideas that we want to go over that are going to remedy that problem. It's going to keep people that are on parole and convicts out of these trucks. People are going to have valid OONs that are checked every six months, and we're able to sustain that with our own industry. We're actually paying revenue in. With the PPA we want to keep them out a hundred percent. They already took the highways from us, which really was a huge detriment to us. We clean up 95 and 76. We took care of that for years. There was no problems. Once PPA took it over, that cut 40 percent out of our salaries. We don't really make enough money. So onto the flip side of that 184 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. coin, M band and the rotation does work. However, I just don't think there's enough business for all these tow companies. So there is guys that do solicit business. I do myself. But I don't have any -- you look at my complaint record compared to PPA's, I think it's going to be a pretty lopsided victory right there for me. I barely have any complaints. All my towing agreements are signed. I'm very professional, and I don't have any complaints. If there is complaints, we release the vehicle, what's stated on the towing agreement, which I have signed every time, and an officer receives a copy of that towing agreement every time.
Again, that's speaking on the citizens of Philadelphia who have been victimized by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. I think 185 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. this bill need to --
No, I understand, but she's asking you about the rotation system.
I'm going to say it. I think this bill should give them the opportunity to be part of this decision before a bill is passed. (Applause.)
I don't think that government should get involved without giving y'all the opportunity to be part of that decision.
We all basically think the rotation, it does help out a 186 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. lot, and basically if everybody works together, as us with City Council and the Police Department and L&I, if we all work together, we can make it work perfect. It's just everybody has to work together instead of doing things differently.
If the people that are involved in the accident are disabled and they choose not to use someone that's on scene such as myself, then they have the option to use the rotation. They should have the freedom of choice.
If you're not called on the rotation list, how do you get there?
Very simple. We listen to scanners like you had stated, and there's nothing illegal about that. It says we're allowed to have scanners on our tow licenses. 187 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC.
And even though the Police Department changed it to an MDT, you moved over to the Fire Department band?
It's not a matter of moving over. It's all -- see, there's free airwaves in the world.
Very simple. Because I'll tell you -- I'll answer that very clearly for you, Councilman Kenney. 188 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. Because I probably have gotten three to four calls in three months. How am I going to feed my family with that? Am I going to live off of $450? (Applause.)
Keep in mind, Councilman Kenney -- let me also say this: I appreciate what you're trying to do with this bill. You're trying to clean up our industry. However, I pay for my own fuel. It cost me $100 a night to run my truck. How am I supposed to survive on the rotation if I'm making $150 every two weeks?
But it's clear in our Code that you're not allowed to use municipal radio to solicit business. It's in our Code. We passed that a long time ago.
It's in one of 189 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. your bulletins. I'll bring you in a copy --
I'll bring it to your office, a copy of it, or have it faxed over.
It's been passed over on news bulletin and all. It says on some Code and bill number that any licensed tow truck in the City of Philadelphia may monitor police radio as long as it has a valid tow license.
And in 1992 or '93 or 4 we passed an ordinance that prohibited it.
You never passed that ordinance to prohibit it. And also in 1983, there was a bill listed for a 190 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. rotation system in Philadelphia, and it wasn't fair -- if it wasn't going to be legal and fair for everyone in the tow business to have the tow license, then they were supposed to never have a rotation system in Philadelphia. That was passed in 1983.
Bill 10 100498, -- this is the current law. This is not the proposed law. Current law. Section 4, Subsection (a), Upon the City's establishment of a rotational towing system, no person shall engage in towing from the scene of an accident or with respect to a disabled vehicle that is either impeding traffic or on the shoulder of a limited access highway, unless that person has been either selected through the operation of such rotational tow system, established under this Subsection, or has been selected or permitted to perform such a tow from a state highway by the State Police. 191 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC.
It don't say nothing about scanners in there. Am I right or wrong? It don't say nothing about scanners.
Unless you're dispatched to the scene, you're not supposed to be there under current law.
We're dispatched to the scene by the customers a lot of times.
That's not fine, because you're saying that you're taking that right away from those customers by having the PPA take it. (Applause.)
What happened to free enterprises and all? Whatever 192 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. happened to free enterprises? And also, like I explained to you I think on Monday when I talked to you at our little meeting in your office, there's things we used to do, like we used to patrol 95, 76, 676. That all went to Parking Authority. If there's a disabled there and all, Parking Authority -- the State Police, they don't care if you stopped to help that person out, because they know it's going to take them 45 minutes to an hour for Parking Authority to get there. So they don't care if the car is broke down. If it's an accident, they demand they're going to wait, block traffic for an hour or so. But our thing is, a lot of us don't even stop now to help the disabled. So imagine if it's one of your family, husband, your kid there that's disabled with a flat. We won't help you now, stop to help you, because we don't -- we're never called for nothing on there. Some drunk driver or somebody comes, blasts 193 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. you and hurt someone in your family, imagine how you'll feel. They took the highways from us, so we don't even want to help them out.
That just happened to me on 76 a couple months ago and a big green PennDOT truck came and changed my tire.
I just blew out my tire and he was there in less than a minute.
Check all your complaints about the State Police and PPA on 76.
It doesn't happen that fast. PennDOT is only out in the daytime. They're gone after 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock. So I wouldn't say that, because they're not there 24 hours a day. We used to be out there 24 hours 194 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. a day.
I hear you. Any questions for these witnesses? (No response.)
Seeing none, that will conclude our public hearing for the day. We will now engage in our public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee for a motion on Bill No. 13 100554 -- I'm sorry; on the amendment to 100554.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move the adoption of the amendment to Bill No. 100554. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. -- excuse me. Bill No. 100554, the amendment 195 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. has been approved. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Greenlee on a motion on the amended bill.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 8 100554, as amended, be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and rules of Council be suspended to allow for first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 100554, as amended, reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes 196 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. Councilmember Goode for a motion to approve the amendment to Bill No. 100498.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move the amendment to Bill No. 100498 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. The amendment to Bill No. 14 100498 has been approved. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Goode on the amended bill.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill 100498, as amended, be reported out of the Committee with a favorable recommendation and the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and 197 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. seconded. All in favor? (Aye.)
Excuse me. Excuse me. We're in a public meeting, please. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor? (Aye.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 100498, as amended, reported out of this Committee favorably and a request made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brown on the amendment to Bill No. 100538.
Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 100538 be amended. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and seconded. 198 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. All in favor? (Aye.)
There are none opposed. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brown on the amended bill.
Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 10 100538, as amended, be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 100538, as amended, reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council session. 199 10/20/10 - RULES - BILL 100498, ETC. Bill No. 100536 will be held to the call of the Chair. Thank you for your attendance and your cooperation. (Committee on Rules adjourned at 12:55 p.m.) - - - 200 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 October 20, 2010, 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.)