It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted. We will now consider Resolution 110484.
A resolution honoring The Math, Civics & Sciences Charter School Basketball Team for winning the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A State Championship on March 25, 2011.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 110485.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Point Breeze Urban Renewal Area, designated as Parcel Nos. 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113 and 114.
Madam President, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution 110486.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Thirty-Sixth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Madam President, I move for the adoption of the 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution 110488.
A resolution authorizing Council's Committee on Education to hold hearings concerning the Free Library of Philadelphia's policy on "floating collections," in order to ensure the preservation and continuing enhancement of the unique and historical collections of local neighborhood libraries. 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution 110489.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING portion of the Washington Square West Urban Renewal Area, Unit No. 2, designated as a portion of Parcel No. 4 also sometimes identified by house number and street address as Unit No. 5, Walnut Towers Condominium, 800 through 834 Walnut Street.
The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING We will now consider Resolution 110490.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Twenty-Eighth and Forty-Third Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
Those 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution 110491.
A resolution recognizing the accomplishments of Ollie Johnson, director of Athletics at Community College of Philadelphia since 1991.
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Bill No. 080474-A.
An ordinance enacting a new Chapter 9-3300, entitled "Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces," to provide that certain employees are entitled to paid sick leave, all under certain terms and conditions.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke and/or Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. I once again offer an amendment to Bill No. 080474-A. For those of you who are keeping score, that's 19 changes that we have done at the request of the business community. After a while, your back hurts trying to bend over backwards to help people. 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING The amendments have been distributed to everyone, and I would move the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendments be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. We will now consider Bill No. 110370.
An ordinance adopting an Amendment to Section V of the Articles of Incorporation of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development by increasing the Authority's term of existence to a date fifty years from the date of approval of Articles of Amendment by the Secretary of the 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING Commonwealth.
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.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 100755.
An ordinance amending Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code by creating a new Chapter 21-1800, entitled "Foster Care," to provide for standards and procedures for approving foster parents and the placement of children in foster care.
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.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 110304.
An ordinance amending Title 21 of The Philadelphia 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING Code by adding a new Chapter requiring the Department of Human Services to report on its compliance with a policy that requires that a summary of children's rights to be free from abuse be communicated to all children who are the subject of an investigation into a credible report of child abuse or who are being placed in another home, foster home, group home, or other facility.
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.
Councilman DiCicco. 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please read the title of Bill No. 110374.
An ordinance amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses," to require tobacco retailers to obtain permits for the retail sale of tobacco products and certain other products containing 6/9/11 - STATED - 2ND READING nicotine.
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.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read any additional resolutions on today's Calendar.
A resolution declaring June 10th, 2011 as Homeless Children's Awareness Day in Philadelphia.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Are there any other resolutions?
Thank you. 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 majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. I'd just like to say that we are looking forward to the discussion about how to deal with the issue of the School District and their need for more dollars. I think what has been lost in this --
I think what has been lost in this debate is that the problem is not of a making of Philadelphians, of the Mayor's Office, of City Council, even of the School District in Philadelphia, with the exception of some choices that have been made and some fiscal management issues. The problem comes from Harrisburg. It is a result of huge cuts statewide which are affecting disproportionately large cities and rural areas where these dollars are most needed. I read with interest the statement by the School District that they were going to sign an accountability today. Three weeks ago the City Council began asking questions about accountability from the School District. When they testified, we made clear, whether you were for or against taxes, everybody made clear that we wanted accountability. In my letter to the Administration on Monday, I specifically requested that any accountability agreement include the ability of City Council to hold the School District accountable in a way we saw fit and specifically asked that we be a party to any accountability with the School District since it is us who has to finally appropriate any dollars. I have checked with you, Madam President. I have checked with other members of Council. I'm not aware that any member of this body has seen the accountability agreement, which is supposed to be signed by noon today. I think that is inappropriate, and I hope see a copy of the accountability agreement, get to contribute to it and become parties to it prior to taking anything else under consideration with respect to the School District. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
I'd like to rise to piggyback off of my colleague's point made about the importance of the education system and that I agree with him, that we did an article which gave an analogy of parents at a dinner table and a child at the dinner table waiting to eat, and the parents were arguing about the bills and who is responsible after payday for paying them. But the child didn't understand the complexity of the household economy and what was going on. All they wanted to do was to eat. to say that many of our students in the City of Philadelphia, what they want to do is not just eat but to learn and learn how to produce for themselves. And President Obama said that the nation that out-educates you today will out-compete you economically tomorrow. I think that's true for states and I think that's true for cities. So our commitment to those young people and their ability in the future to learn and to be able to do for themselves stays consistent. He also cited that it is a national priority and it is a security interest, because 50 percent -- and I quote from the United States Army Ascension Command -- that 75 percent of young people in America today between the ages of 17 and 24 are unable to enlist in the military because they have failed to graduate high school or have criminal records or are physically unfit. It is a invest in this. And then, finally, we will pay now or we will pay later. We will pay by promoting more graduates or we will pay by having more parolees in the future. It's a direct correlation that has been proven by sociologists, that if you invest in education today -- Councilman Goode has been a long-term proponent of investing in education so that we don't have to invest in prisons later. So I go back to the analogy, the kids at the table. All they're waiting to do is eat. All they're waiting to do is learn. And at the end of the day, this body will be called upon not to just point fingers, and rightfully so, at the state, but to do what we need to do to assure that they can do for themselves in the future. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Madam President. I agree that we should have -- with Councilman Green in terms of having part of the Mayor's agreement with the Superintendent to come before the Council. But we already have authority to have the School District to come before this Council. At the end of the day, it is the City Council that has to appropriate the funding for the School District. So through the years, we have not exercised that power. I think we have the right to do it. We don't need the Mayor's permission or intervention, although if he wants to include it in his agreement, that's fine. But I think we have our own authority and power to demand that she come in and talk to us quarterly about what she's doing at the School District, as well as the SRC, and I think we need to exercise that power. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam President. At the risk of beating a dead horse, I'm going to be a little techie in my remarks and play catchup with those who do this well already. As we debate the issues swirling around the School District, it is imperative for us to remember what's at stake. Our decisions should not be influenced by the personalities or politics involved. The importance of the issue is transient in individual or institutional ego. Let us remember that mayors, superintendents and, quite frankly, Councilmembers come and go. Who are left behind are the young people and their families in our school system. They are the ones we must continuously focus on, as Councilman Jones has eloquently stated already, for all the reasons that we know. 70 percent of our school children living below the poverty line and, again, Philadelphia educates 60 percent of our Commonwealth's children, let's not submit them to a poverty of goodwill, reason and good faith. Let's park our individual agendas at the door. I think Quincy Jones said it best, to check your egos at the door, and remember that at the end of this discussion, the centerpiece of the discussion is what will we do in the best interest of our young people, Madam President. And I would like to seize the moment again to remind my colleagues to join us next door as we sit with the members of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Madam President. Thank you.