Stated Meeting, May 15, 2008

And Bill No. 080406, an ordinance amending Chapter 12-2400 of the Philadelphia Code by the addition and changing of towing zone locations, all under certain terms and conditions.

The Chair agrees.

And Bill No. 080408, an ordinance granting permission to Howard Foreman, owner of the Island Caribbean Restaurant, 1338 to 44 Rising Sun Avenue, for a raised-deck encroachment for accessory seating for the restaurant, under certain terms and conditions.

The 5/15/08 STATED - SECOND-READING CALENDAR Chair agrees. That concludes our first-reading calendar for today. * * *

The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for the purpose of calling up bills on the second-reading and final-passage calendar to be considered today.

Today, Bill No. 080407 is being call up for second reading and final-passage calendar for today.

All other bills are held.

All other bills will be held.

The Chief Clerk will please read the title of 080407.

An ordinance authorizing the City's Chief Information Officer, on behalf of the City, to enter into multi-year 5/15/08 STATED - SECOND-READING CALENDAR contracts with one or more providers of online legal-research services to be used by various City and City-funded agencies, all under certain terms and conditions.

This bill having been read on two different days the question now is: Shall the bill pass finally? The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.

Councilwoman Blackwell?

Aye.

Councilman Clarke?

Aye.

Councilman DiCicco?

Aye.

Councilman Goode?

Aye.

Councilman Green.

Aye. 5/15/08 STATED - SECOND-READING CALENDAR

Councilman Greenlee?

Aye.

Councilman Jones?

Aye.

Councilman Kelly?

Aye.

Councilman Kenney?

Aye.

Councilwoman Krajewski?

Aye.

Councilwoman Miller?

Aye.

Councilman O'Neill?

Aye.

Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown?

Aye.

Councilman Rizzo? 5/15/08 STATED - SECOND-READING CALENDAR

Aye.

Councilwoman Sanchez?

Aye.

Aye.

Councilwoman Tasco?

Aye.

Council President Verna?

Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. That completes our calendar for today. * * *

Are there speeches on the part of the Minority? (No response.)

Are there speeches on the part of the 5/15/08 STATED - SPEECHES/ADJOURNMENT Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.

Thank you, Madam President. I would like to seize the opportunity to commend the leadership of this Council and the Mayor for the enormous progress made this week on our city's '09 budget. However, I want us to be mindful that the School District, as we know, continues to face serious deficits. And while their situation has improved over the many years, still more remains to be done. We all know that this Council and our mayor have shown a willingness to do the City's share in supporting the School District, including, I guess, in a big way Councilman Goode's real-estate tax millage to the tune of 18.4 million, which further benefits the School District. 5/15/08 STATED - SPEECHES/ADJOURNMENT So my hope is that we can be as thoughtful and eager in working with the Mayor to ensure that the School District reaches a better place with regards to the budget shortfall that still exists. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd just like to recognize some visitors that are here in the Council today, and they are the family of my legislative aide, William Eshneiwat and it's the Shadeed from Rockville, Maryland. And I believe they're sitting here.

Okay, are they here?

Yes.

5/15/08 STATED - SPEECHES/ADJOURNMENT Please stand. (Applause.)

Thank you.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

Thank you, Madam President. Senator John Edwards made history this week, and it wasn't just because of his endorsement of Barrack Obama. He came to Philadelphia, to a small church in North Philadelphia in particular, to announce a national campaign entitled "The Half in Ten Campaign." That campaign is designed to reduce poverty by half in the next ten years. This Council did a good job, a prudent job, and an important job of taking the first step to pass its budget. In so doing, we had to make 5/15/08 STATED - SPEECHES/ADJOURNMENT some compromises, and one of them was the Cohen wage tax, but we can't -and it was the right thing to do. But we need to also make sure that we don't rescind from our effort to eliminate poverty in the City of Philadelphia and join with Senator Edwards in his worthwhile goal to reduce some of the burden onto 300,000 working poor in the City of Philadelphia and to make sure that every aspect, every department of this government makes it their mission to, in some way, impact that statistic in Philadelphia. Last year, unemployment -- the unemployment rate was higher than the City of New York, higher than the City of New York. So we've come a long way and we're on the right track, but we can't forget that portion of our city's population. Thank you, Madam President. 5/15/08 STATED - SPEECHES/ADJOURNMENT

You're welcome. Are there any other speeches on the part of the Majority? (No response.)

Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until 10 a.m., Thursday, May 22, 2008. (Motion duly seconded.)

It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, May the 22nd. All in favor will say aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. (Proceedings end at 5/15/08 STATED - SPEECHES/ADJOURNMENT 11:11 a.m.) * * * C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings of the Stated Meeting of the Philadelphia City Council are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me on Thursday, May 15, 2008, and that this is a true and correct statement of same. __________________________________ JOSEPHINE CARDILLO Registered Professional Reporter (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's.)