Leveraging public dollars to generate even greater private investment. This is precisely the type of innovation and partnership which characterizes our City government in this new era as we deliver services more effectively and efficiently. As a matter of fact, in the coming weeks, we will hire an efficiency expert to take a thorough look at the operating costs and revenue collections DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com and recommend ways for us to do things more efficiently and at less cost to the taxpayers. And while we're on the subject of revenue collections, we also know that there are many folks out there doing business, making money and not paying any taxes. Well, if anyone has information on these tax cheats, please call our tax fraud hotline 215-686-3852 to anonymously report this information, and our tax fraud investigators will be out to get what is owed to the citizens of this city. We will also be creating an innovative new program to help deal with blight in our neighborhoods by giving citizens a single online point of entry to find and purchase City-owned vacant properties. This will encourage greater investment and ownership in many communities and reduce the problems caused by vacant land. And, finally, we are, in DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com President Clarke and City Council, looking for ways to generate new non-tax revenues for our city. Last month we announced our intention to solicit bids from private companies for the Philadelphia Gas Works, a proposal on which we continue to work diligently and carefully. And we will also work with City Council to explore the idea of generating revenue by pursuing other asset sales and permitting advertising on certain City properties. As we continue to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government and look for new sources of non-tax revenue, we must also become smarter and more creative in the ways in which we partner with others to provide services to Philadelphians. And it is in that spirit of innovation and partnership that I'm excited to make this next announcement. Work is underway to create a partnership between the City of DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the world's premiere children's hospital, to build a brand new, multi-million-dollar health center to provide children's and adult healthcare services in the increasingly diverse communities in South Philadelphia. This new facility would be built on the site of the current City Health Center No. 2 at Broad and Morris, paid for by CHOP, outfitted by the City and CHOP, allowing us to work together to provide services for the residents in that neighborhood. As we work with CHOP to finalize an agreement to build a world-class health center for this community, I am also excited that, subject to securing further and additional resources, these plans could include rebuilding the South Philadelphia Branch Library and creating a brand new recreation center to replace the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com The possibility of integrating these three new facilities - health center, library and rec center - would allow us to provide coordinated services that include much-needed health and wellness programming and literacy training. At the same time, we will continue to expand the City's dental care, mammography, prenatal care and a wide range of other children's and adult healthcare services. With this new potential arrangement, we can save taxpayers money, the community gets more services and new, state-of-the-art facilities and we're better able to meet the expanding needs of a demographically changing South Philadelphia. (Applause.)
Peter Grollman, CHOP's Vice-President of Government Affairs and Community Relations, is here representing the hospital's CEO, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com Altschuler, who could not be with us today. Please recognize CHOP for their outstanding commitment in the City of Philadelphia by providing excellent medical care, major economic development projects and programs that help improve the lives of children throughout the City. Peter, thank you. (Applause.)
Forming partnerships with citizens and outside organizations is at the heart of my Administration's approach to government. City government is not simply a provider of service. It can also play the role of facilitator. That's what is being done through our Philly Rising program, which is expanding and is transforming communities all across our city, providing youth activities, music workshops, community cleanups and job training fairs. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com I am pleased to report to you that in the first four Philly Rising communities - Hartranft, Haddington, Market East and Frankford we have seen an average 16 percent drop in violent crime during the time that we've been working in those neighborhoods. In Haddington in West Philadelphia, the 4th District, that drop was almost 22 percent. The credit for this progress lies with the people in these neighborhoods. You see, the key to Philly Rising, and to our approach to government, is partnership with the community, working with the people in a particular neighborhood to define their priorities, and then working to bring in organizations and individuals who can help tackle the problems or provide the opportunities that the community has identified. In Point Breeze, for instance, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com that a lack of youth engagement and positive activities for young people has led to crime, violence and disorder in their community. Through Philly Rising, we brought folks together to provide youth activities six days a week in Point Breeze. One of these activities, created in partnership with Dominic McFadden from McFadden Music Productions, is the Philadelphia Youth Music Program, a free six-week music industry training program for young people in Point Breeze to receive instruction from Grammy award-winning artists and producers at a recording studio at PHA's Wilson Park Community Rec Center. Dominic is here with us today. Can we please recognize him. (Applause.)
I visited the program myself in January, and let me tell you, it won't be too long before the next DJ ?uestlove or Black Thought is DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com of South Philadelphia. In Strawberry Mansion, Principal Kala Johnstone of the LP Hill Elementary School told us that one of her major challenges was filling her school library with books. Through Philly Rising, we created a partnership between the school and the Widener Branch of the Free Library, giving the school dozens of free books to fill their library and a commitment that excess books will be regularly delivered to LP Hill. Principal Johnstone from LP Hill Elementary and Lisa and Christina from the Widener Branch have also joined us here today. Please give them a big, big round of applause. (Applause.)
And it's not just Philly Rising. Through our Citizens Planning Institute, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission is giving residents the planning and zoning expertise they need to make positive changes in their DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com Smith from East Parkside is also with us today. She applied for the Planning Institute because she is looking for the tools to help build and grow her own neighborhood association, the Viola Street Residents Association. Joyce is using the skills she developed during her CPI classes to work with developers to ensure that new projects are the right fit for East Parkside and to help her community work with the City to deal with abandoned properties through a new program created by the Viola Street Residents Association called Project Reclaim. Please recognize Joyce for the great work she's doing in East Parkside. (Applause.)
This really is the new way for City government to operate - establishing partnerships, communicating differently, working with the community rather than trying to impose one-size-fits-all solutions, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia so that citizens can take ownership of their own communities. Joyce, Dominic, Principal Johnstone, Lisa and Christina are just some of the many thousands of people across this city who are stepping up, taking responsibility and working to improve their communities and the lives of their fellow Philadelphians. They've stepped up, and now we must not let them down. We must redouble our efforts to make this a safer city. The measures that I have announced today are yet further progress towards that goal. We must get out there and fight to bring every single job we can to Philadelphia and to help the folks who are doing business in our city to grow and prosper, and the tax cuts that I reaffirmed today, together with our ongoing efforts to make Philadelphia a DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com city, will help us do just that. We must rebuild and invest in all parts of this city, from the heart of downtown to the neighborhoods at the farthest reaches of our city boundaries, and the investments contained within this budget are a significant down-payment on that commitment. And we must continue to innovate and find new ways to bring people and ideas together to relentlessly drive Philadelphia forward. This is what the 21st century city government in a 21st century city looks like. Smarter, more efficient, focused on the fundamentals. A government that citizens can trust to act honestly, openly and to spend their tax dollars wisely and carefully. A government that makes investments in our people and in our DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com neighborhoods, ever focused on ensuring that we have a safer city, a smarter city, a more sustainable city, a city that continues to attract visitors, residents, businesses and jobs from all over the world. A government that is innovative, creative and brings everybody together around the same table to create partnerships that will improve the lives of all Philadelphians. A government that ensures that no person, no neighborhood, no community gets left behind as we transform this international city. We're all in this together. It's one city, it's one Philadelphia. I want to thank you, God bless you, and God bless the great City of Philadelphia. (Standing ovation.)
Okay. I'd like to get back to our regular order of business, please. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com Folks, I'd like to ask you all to leave as quietly as possible. We still have business to conduct. (Pause.)
Okay. I'd like to have your attention. We still have business to conduct. So those that are leaving, I would ask that you please leave relatively quickly. And please feel free to stay, but we're going to ask you to keep your voices down as much as possible. Thank you. Actually, before I call for speeches, I would like to recognize Councilman Greenlee. We have some information on a long-term member of City Council.
Thank you, Mr. President. First of all, she thought that all these people were here for her today. I don't know.
Councilman, if we had moved along a little quicker, they would have been. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com
As a long-term staff member of myself, I admit I must be a little bias in this, but I believe Council has been very fortunate with the quality of individuals that have served on our staffs. I further believe that when one of those people who has served so very long and so very well are leaving us, they deserve a special mention. Marlene Goss has worked 24 and a half years in City Council, first with Councilman Cohen, where we worked together, then with Councilwoman Reynolds Brown, and for the last five-plus years, luckily for me, in my office. In that time, she has demonstrated all the necessary qualities to do this job - intellect, hard work, dedication, a pleasing personality and, of course what we all need in this place, good humor. She's touched many people in a positive way. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com tomorrow, and while I do believe we will see her around every now and then, we will all miss her and those qualities that I just mentioned. And on a personal note, I'll miss one of my very best friends. Marlene is here and I'd request that we all recognize her for her career here in City Council. (Standing ovation.)
Thank you. I knew she'd do with all that boohooing. I knew that was coming.
You know what, Marlene, I guess we're kind of in charge right here, so this may be a little out of order. Would you like to say a couple of words. Come up.
It's like winning the Academy Award. I didn't write a speech. Twenty-four and a half years ago I came to this beautiful building with no idea of how Council or the City DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com ran, but I've had the great opportunity to work with really wonderful people in this building. Councilman Cohen... What else can you say but Councilman Cohen. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, who took me under her wing for a few months, and then, of course, my -how many people get to work with their best friend who just happens to be their boss, you know? And Bill and I are good friends and I intend for that to continue, along with everybody in here. It's like my family. I've raised some of you. I've seen your grand-kids, seen your -- Councilwoman Tasco and I have had our grand-kids here together, and it's just been a wonderful trip, and I really, really appreciate you all. And I love you very much, and I'll be around. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. (Standing ovation.) DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com
Thank you so much, Marlene. We'll miss you. Okay. We'll now get back to our regular order of business. Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Are there any speeches on the part of the majority? And I see that Councilwoman Brown is first to push her button.
You pulled that back. So we will now go to Councilman Jones, who jumped up to number one. There you go, sir.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise to applaud one of the freshmen, the Serious Six, Councilwoman Bass, for her astute attention to the voter ID bill that threatens to be passed in Harrisburg. I also acknowledge Councilwoman DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com Sanchez, who a year ago alerted this body of this pending danger and disproportionate impact on minorities, on women, on people of color, on the Spanish, on the young as a voter suppression bill. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I think they believe it is not 1964 when the Voting Rights Act was passed. They want to turn back the clock back to the good-old days when poll taxes and grandfather clauses prohibited many people from actually exercising one of the crown jewels of this democracy, their right to vote. Many in Harrisburg now think that they're no longer -- we are no longer Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but Philadelphia, Mississippi. It is nothing more than voter suppression in a presidential election year that you go to these measures to discourage, dissuade people from exercising this most basic, basic American right. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com republicans that had the heart to cross the aisle and support or try to turn back this devastating piece of legislation Senator Greenleaf, Senator Vernango (ph) and Senator Earll of Erie. I commend them for having the courage to go against their party, to go with the American Civil Liberties Union to brace for the legal challenge that this bill will probably result in. It is amazing to me that in today's times when we are at an all-time low of voter participation that we would add on another layer, another way to dissuade people from being part of the democratic process. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Green.
Thank you, Mr. President. I am not going to speak DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com budget address. We have months to go over the budget, and there's many details in there we need to review. I just wanted to speak briefly about Harrisburg. I will concur with Councilman Jones's comments and say that I don't think we need to worry here in Philadelphia, because we know what civil disobedience is and I think it will be the judges of election and other people in our polling places that will have to ask people for voter ID's or not. And so hopefully if this bill passes, which we all hope it does not, we can make them come down here and try to enforce it themselves, because I hope we don't intend to. In that regard -- but Harrisburg has done something that went into effect today that has a very negative impact on Philadelphians, Mr. President, and, that is, today the cell phone ban that was passed by this DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com body, which was a ban preventing you from holding your phone when you are in the car, has been superseded by state law which prevents you from texting. The impact of that, according to law enforcement officials and according to data from other states where they have a texting ban only, is that the only time tickets are issued for texting bans are when there has been an actual accident and they bother to get the cell phone records of the people involved in the accident and then issue citations or penalties for the fact that the accident was caused by someone proven to have been texting by their cell phone records. Law enforcement officials have made it clear, including our Police Commissioner, that it is too easy to just say, I was e-mailing, I was making a phone call, I wasn't texting, and there is nothing they can literally do to enforce this law. It is a meaningless law. It is a law supported by money cell DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com highly paid lobbyists in order to allow people to be on their phone to make money on our highways and on the streets of the City of Philadelphia that they can't make if they can't talk on their phones. That's what this is about. It is under the guise of protecting Pennsylvanians, but it puts Philadelphians at risk. There is blood on their hands, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to first start by thanking Councilwoman Sanchez for having the forethought to fight against and be the lead sponsor against House Bill No. 934, the voter suppression bill, and also thank Councilman Jones as well for being a co-sponsor of that legislation. But this bill, which this body DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com rebuked, is the product of a right-wing agenda being advanced to disenfranchise seniors, people with disabilities, poor people, students and minorities by requiring every voter to possess and display state-issued identification. This bill has become known across the nation as the voter ID bill, but, Mr. President, I believe we ought to call it what it really is and stated by Councilman Jones, the voter suppression bill. In fact, national studies show that 11 percent of eligible voters, more than 21 million individuals, do not have government-issued photo identification. The populations I spoke of previously are disproportionately affected. Furthermore, Mr. President, this effort will cost the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania an unnecessary $11 million in a time when we are making tough budget choices. So, Mr. President, I urge this DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com prestige and clout to speak out loudly against this bill and to educate the public on the importance of voting rights. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Councilwoman. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Tasco.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just add to that, the $11 million could be better spent someplace else. As I mentioned this morning, the HEMAP program. And certainly we know that when the body politic wants to do something, they do it. And with all the cuts in Harrisburg that will impact on the citizens of Philadelphia and other citizens across this state, $11 million could better be spent, because they've got to provide the wherewithal for people to get their identification. And the whole bill was built on myth and innuendo and it really DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com to suppress the vote. The other thing I'd like to say is that we'd like to wish Councilman David Oh happy birthday. It's his birthday today.
And, thirdly, I'd like to remind my colleagues there will be a briefing at 1 o'clock today in City Caucus Room, and you have to bring your own lunch. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to take this opportunity to commend one of my colleagues from the Serious Six, as has been named from our Majority Leader, to commend her efforts in opposing the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com just Philadelphia but this region. If you recall, we're still all having these vivid memories of hanging chads in the 2000 election with the presidency. So what we do around here directly, in this Philadelphia area, directly affects the state legislation and then to the presidency, because I don't think we have the same agendas about people. We care about people who we represent. Being disenfranchised and voicing our concerns and our issues that directly affect the people we represent in Philadelphia is extremely important to us. When you leave Philadelphia with 450 or 475 thousand vote pluralities, it can turn major elections. In turn, can result in 20 to 30 percent cuts to our social services to the City of Philadelphia, and I don't think we should stand for that, and I applaud your efforts in moving forward, along with Councilwoman Sanchez and this body. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Kenney.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just again I'd like to reiterate my continued plea to Harrisburg that whenever they have these cockamamy bills that suppress voter rights, that pick on immigrants, that pick on women, if they could just exempt us out, cities of the first class exempted from any cockamamy legislation that they come up with in Harrisburg. I think as a blanket rule, we'd wind up with a whole load of people coming here that are immigrants that come and live in our city, and they can just leave us alone, because they don't consider us part of the Commonwealth anyway. So cities of the first class should be exempt from all crazy legislation. Thank you, Mr. President. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com
Thank you, Councilman. I really like that word, "cockamamy." Thank you. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to also echo the sentiments of my colleagues regarding the voter suppression bill. Being a winner of the 2nd Councilmanic District by only 46 votes, I definitely know the importance of everyone having the opportunity to vote, and our forefathers fought for everyone to have the opportunity to vote. But also I wanted to personally acknowledge you, Mr. President. Being a former legislator in Harrisburg, I do want to commend you on how, under the context of the budget address today, how you conducted yourself as it relates to how we conduct business in this house. So I do want to thank you. I encourage you to keep up the good work. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com much.
Thank you so much. Any other speeches? (No response.)
There being none, the Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Brown for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March 15th, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and seconded. All in favor? (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com
The ayes have it. m. Thank you all very much. com 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 March 8, 2012, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. com 140:23 medical 40:24 41:8 minority 107:6 much-needed 127:2 128:6 129:2 mammography 41:9 42:2,11 109:9 134:7 113:18 121:7 Net 8:3 27:11 121:11 52:19 53:8,23 minute 56:25 multi-million-doll... m 147:7 77:1 78:1 78:15 136:22 regulations 65:9 47:15,18,20 51:17 READING/BILLS 139:14 141:9 rehabilitate 94:6 79:16 93:13,20 Q 36:1 142:18 144:5 rehabilitation 63:7 109:18 110:17 qualified 28:5 reaffirm 110:8 145:5 146:12 reignite 25:8 proposing 28:8 29:2 qualities 131:19 reaffirmed 127:24 recognizing 15:8 reimburse 64:7 prosper 127:23 132:5 real 8:12,15,20,22 32:17 75:19 78:9 reiterate 144:9 protect 63:5 91:14 quality 89:15 131:6 9:4 27:3,23 recommend 118:2 relates 145:22 102:11 quasi-governmen... com repealing 8:4 27:12 45:17,20,21 46:11 10:3 18:8,15 65:5 secure 33:4 68:3 46:21,24,25 48:22 26:22 117:25 run 55:5 securing 120:21 repeatedly 97:23 48:23 49:15 50:14 118:6 119:11,17 see 24:15 38:16 replace 120:25 50:15,25 51:7,8 revenues 119:4 S 62:25 84:16 replacing 93:4 55:15,22 56:8,11 review 19:3 137:5 sacrifice 107:15 104:16 107:3 115:2 56:18 57:15,16 Revised 7:13 28:18 safe 42:10 96:5 111:14 112:13 report 33:19 34:5 58:9,19,22,23 revision 10:13,18 101:21 104:22 116:4 123:15 118:12 123:3 59:19 60:4,5,24 31:11 105:8 132:3 134:11 reported 35:19 61:10,14 62:5,15 revitalize 115:16 safer 102:16 104:15 seeing 56:22 reporter 148:23 62:21 67:11,21 revitalized 90:8 106:24 127:16 seek 103:16 reports 33:1,17,24 75:18 76:6,16,17 revolting 23:14 129:3 seeking 40:7 34:1,15 77:4 78:7,8,17 Reynolds 1:17 70:4 safety 13:14 33:2 seeks 41:11 58:24 represent 24:18 79:3 72:14 75:3 131:15 61:16 64:23 65:2 seen 85:5 123:6 86:9 143:12,15 resolutions 11:15 133:7 88:15 102:2 133:16,16 Representative 11:20 12:3,10 re-launch 47:5 salaries 96:9 self-esteem 15:11 50:2,3 56:19 14:3 15:22 17:2 ribbon 114:24 sales 109:24 119:12 75:22 59:22 83:6,10,13 17:10 19:21,23 Richardson 85:18 Sanchez 12:18 self-insurance 83:16 25:24 30:9 32:10 Ridge 34:12 15:19,20 58:6,7 97:20 representatives 36:19,22 37:4,8 right 4:4 20:20 70:2 72:12 74:25 sell 115:14 24:12 60:9 94:20 43:4 75:17 79:5 22:25 32:2 40:2,6 135:2 139:18 Senate 24:21 31:21 represented 84:23 resources 86:13 87:12 91:8 93:8 143:25 Senator 136:6,6,7 representing 120:22 93:17 100:14,15 sanitation 96:2 send 66:7,10 121:25 respect 80:9 81:11 100:22 108:6 sat 24:22 senior 20:8 112:12 reproduction 82:3 95:3 100:17 114:2 116:21 satisfied 104:19 seniors 20:7 140:4 148:20 100:23 125:2 126:12 save 94:13 121:15 sense 102:9 Republican 53:20 respectful 24:6 132:17 135:16,25 saved 48:6 66:17 sentence 63:25 55:4 80:19,24 101:3,7 rightfully 140:2 saw 56:25 83:18 sentenced 63:12 republicans 5:20 respectfully 34:15 rights 22:20 53:16 saying 22:12 41:11 sentences 63:17 55:6 136:2 respond 89:22 135:10 141:5 Schmidt 84:14 sentencing 65:8,20 request 5:15 132:8 response 5:11 35:12 144:11 school 8:11,13,17 sentiments 145:9 requests 5:20 6:4 42:24 44:9 45:15 right-of-way 10:6 8:25 9:3 15:13 SERGEANT-AT...