Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, September 28, 2017 10:40 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN AL TAUBENBERGER MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
Good morning. We're going to get started now. If the members will take their seats and the visitors and guests retire behind the rail, we will get this show on the road. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Shane Claiborne of The Simple Way. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Oh. I would ask all members, guests, and visitors to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.)
Thank you. It's an honor and a delight to be here. It's great to have one of my friends with me, also a block captain, Miguel Diaz, 3200 block of Potter Street, where we've been living and working for the last 20 years, a little community near Kensington and Allegheny. And I brought something with me that we made. We are always praying. On our front door, it says "God, heal our hearts, heal our streets, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 world," and this is a plow that we made out of guns. We've started taking guns from our streets and melting them down and beating them into plows after that beautiful text. We'll beat our swords into plow shears. So you keep sending us guns and we'll keep making some garden tools. So let's pray together. Dear God, we do pray for this world. We thank you for our city. We thank you for creating a perfect world, and we ask that you would forgive us for the mess that we've made of it. We pray for those who suffer today, especially our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico. We pray for those who suffer from violence, remembering the sin of violence that goes all the way back to Cain and Abel where you said the blood cries out to you from the ground. We pray for all the lives lost, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 natives, for Africans, for all those whose blood cries out from the land, for Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Eric Gardner, Anthony Smith. You know their names, your children whose blood cries out from the ground. So heal the wounds of our streets and have mercy on us. We remember that you said that we're to welcome the foreigner as if they were our own flesh and blood, for we were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. And so today we pray for immigrants and refugees, women, men, and children, for the victims of war and persecution, for the addicted on our streets, for the homeless, for the imprisoned and the tortured, for the widows and orphans so special to you. We know that when we welcome them, we welcome you. So forgive us for choosing ourselves over others, for prioritizing the rich over the poor, for turning Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 enemies, and for trusting in the sword and the gun instead of your cross. Forgive us for disrespecting the earth, for creating a world where so many have so little and so few have so much. Forgive us for building prisons rather than schools, for building walls instead of bridges. Forgive us for forgetting the most vulnerable among us. And heal us, God. Deliver us from the tyranny of greed and pride and power. Deliver us from the contagion of fear that is rampant across our land. Forgive us and heal us from the idolatry of nationalism, the ugliness of racism, the cancer of hatred. Deliver us from the ghettos of poverty and the ghettos of wealth. And I pray for these, my brothers and sisters, leaders of our city, that you would break their hearts with the things that break yours, that you would give them eyes to Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 unnoticed, that you would give them courage to overcome evil with good. Help them disagree well when they disagree. Help them to look for truth where they might not expect to find it. Give them imagination that they might think outside the box, and give them a vision for justice that is big enough to heal both the oppressed and the oppressors. Give them compassion for our most vulnerable citizens, oh God.
Give us dreams for our city, dreams that you talk about in scripture where the last are first and the first are last, where the mighty are cast from their thrones and the lowly are lifted up; where the poor are blessed and the peacemakers are the children of God; where we will beat swords into plows and spears into pruning hooks and guns into farm tools; where every person will have this day their daily bread, so may this be a city of Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 all are welcome, no matter who they are or where they come from; where we can live without fear as your family. In Jesus' name, amen. )
Thank you so much for those very inspiring words. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Again, thanks for those inspiring words. The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, September 21st, 2017, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, September 21st, 2017 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Journal of the meeting of Thursday, September 21st, 2017 be approved. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. The next order of business is requests for leaves of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the majority, there are no requests of leave of absence today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair now recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 republicans, there are no requests for leave of absence.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. At this time, I would like to dispense with the regular order of business and I would like to welcome and I want to thank everyone who has taken time out of their busy day to come down to witness their government in action. We hope your stay here today is a very knowledgeable one but, more importantly, a pleasurable, so much so that you come back again. So, again, thank you so much for coming in. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones, who will present a resolution recognizing Minority Enterprise Development Week, also known as MED Week. Would Mrs. Iola Harper, Deputy Director of Commerce, and those accompanying her please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
And joining Councilman Jones we have Councilwoman Blackwell, Councilman Greenlee, Councilman Domb, Councilwoman Reynolds Brown, Councilwoman Parker, Councilman Taubenberger, Councilman Johnson, Councilman Oh, Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez, Councilman Green, Councilman Squilla.
So I bring you greetings back from the City of Seattle where progressives live and play and make laws and do things. They make Bill Greenlee look like a hard-core conservative out there. But one of the discussions and they were talking about human rights and they were talking about civil rights and they were talking about inclusion, both economic and political, and one of the sidebar conversations, which are best at these conferences, is that some of the older civil rights advocates, some of the Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 in the day said that it's like Back to the Future in this country, Back to the Future Part 2, if you would. And I started looking at that analogy and remembering it was one of my favorite movies, and there was a character in that movie called Biff Tannen. Everybody remember Biff Tannen? And so if you didn't, I want to give a description of Biff. So Biff is a towering, violent, and selfish bully who obtained whatever he wanted by intimidation of others and getting others to do work for him or by cheating. And I brought a picture of Biff, and it's eerily familiar. It's almost separated at birth. And so when you talk about going back to the future, the future that I want to go back to is when people of every color, good people, fought for what is right and made a stand and did what they could in the field that they could. And in the City when you think of that, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 the late great Lucien Blackwell, who is one of the fathers of affirmative action in this town. You cannot not think of Dr. Edward Robinson. And for you young people, you better Google him, because he was one of the fathers of affirmative action in this town, along with -- from the Northwest. Yes, you're right. And the third leg of that stool has to be our Mayor, former Mayor Wilson Goode. And I understand -- I hope I'm not letting the cat out of the bag that his son is going to receive an advocacy award, and I think that's truly appropriate for one of our own to receive that. So on March 5th, 1969, Richard Nixon wrote an Executive Order. And this shows that it is a bipartisan effort, that republicans can be a part of those good people that want to do good things, and we exhibit that every day with our fellow republicans here. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 to be a part of this that I had to X out my part to make sure my sister Maria got her portion in there. But this is to acknowledge the 2017 MED Week celebrations in this town, where we have had our ebb and flow of inclusion, and I will bring forth my sister, and our prayers are with Puerto Rico, to begin this citation.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. We have to celebrate our progress and remind us that there's still a sense of urgency about how much more we should be doing. This is a resolution supporting the National Minority Business Development Agency and recognizing October 2nd through October 6th, 2017 as Philadelphia Minority Enterprise Development Week, which provides critical information, resources, opportunities and inspiration to the minority business community. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
Since 1983, the U.S. President has proclaimed a National MED, or Minority Enterprise Development, Week observance to recognize the outstanding achievements of Minority Business Enterprises, or MBEs, and to honor those corporations and financial institutions that support minority business development; and
And whereas, annual regional conferences and activities are organized by the United States Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Government Contracting and Business Development;
Whereas, the MED Week celebration was started locally in Philadelphia in 1984 to honor and promote minority-owned businesses in the Philadelphia area. The organizers of the first MED Week activities were Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Cox, former Director -former Managing Director Mayor Wilson Goode -- the organizers of the first MED Week activities were Barbara Daniel Cox, former Director of Mayor Wilson Goode's Women's Commission, and Bilal Abdul Qayyum, Assistant Deputy Director of the City Commerce Department; and
Whereas, the 33rd Anniversary of Philadelphia MED Week is sponsored by corporations, local colleges, universities, hospitals, local and regional government agencies and organizations that are committed to supporting the opportunities for minority businesses; and
Whereas, the sponsors include the African American Chamber of Commerce, Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast Chamber of Commerce, the City of Philadelphia's Commerce Department, the Mayor's Office of Diversity and Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Inclusion, and the MBDA Business Center of Pennsylvania; and
And whereas, it is during MED Week that the City of Philadelphia also recognizes the critical role of OEO leadership and officers in assisting departments in helping them meet their broad responsibilities for developing policies, programs, practices and strategies all designed to achieve its goal regarding M/W/DSBE participation in City contracts;
Whereas, small businesses in Philadelphia and across the country are the cornerstone of economic growth, creating two-thirds of net new jobs in the country and comprising 50 percent of America's employment; and
Whereas, the sources of capital, technical resources, and contracting opportunities are essential to the development, growth, and prosperity of minority businesses and MED Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 of the most prominent contracting organizations and resource providers that stand for the success of the small business community; and
Whereas, Philadelphia MED Week has grown exponentially since its inception and this year includes over 40 sponsors offering more than 30 workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities across the region: "City of Philadelphia Open for Business Expo", "REBUILD: We Will Work", "Meet the Lenders", "PHL Airport 2017 Annual Business Opportunity Forum", and "Lighting of the Torch"; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that it hereby supports the National Minority Business Development Agency and recognizes October 2nd through October 6th, 2017 as Philadelphia Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, which provides critical information, resources, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 the minority business community. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Philadelphia MED Week Committee as evidence of the strong support and sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
Before we bring up representatives from MED Week, I would be remiss, Mr. President, if I didn't recognize titans in this Chamber. She's not up here, but she should be. Councilwoman Bass fought hard during the Rebuild process to make sure inclusionary language was in the Rebuild legislation, and I want to, as she talks to our republican colleague, just recognize Cindy Bass for her contribution during Rebuild and all she did to keep this hope alive in Rebuild. Also, everybody voted for it, but particularly Councilwoman Parker who also, with Councilwoman Brown, were the Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 and others to make sure that all people were included in this process. So I would be remiss. We ran out of whereases, that's all, but whereas, you were here when it counted.
That's called cleaning it up. The Chair recognizes Ms. Harper for remarks.
It is indeed an honor for the Office of Economic Opportunity to lead Philadelphia's 33rd Annual Minority Enterprise Development Week. Nationally, minority-owned firms employ millions of workers, and they generate more than one trillion dollars in economic output. These businesses play a huge role in revitalizing and stabilizing our community, and we are proud to support Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 resources, information, and access that they need to grow in scale. The theme for this year is All Roads Lead to Inclusion. To live up to that theme, we have planned a week jam-packed with events designed to connect minority, women, disabled-owned enterprises to the billions of dollars in economic opportunity in this region. The City of Philadelphia co-sponsors this event with the African American, Asian, and Hispanic Chambers, as well as the Minority Business Development Agency, and there are 50 organizations and leaders that have come together to disseminate information on how to plug into opportunities with Schuylkill Yards, Rebuild, Navy Yard, PGW, Philadelphia Airport, just to name a few. There are also sessions for those interested in hotel ownership, doing business with educational and Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 institutions, and there is even a meetup for young entrepreneurs in the City. We have programs that are available that list all of the activities. And for those in City Council, we left you a gift on your table. For the first time ever, we are offering MED Week coupons. So we hope that you will visit the businesses on the corridors in the City of Philadelphia and actually use these coupons. We are piloting this for the first year in West Philadelphia, and if these coupons are actually used, we will spread this throughout the City. So we hope you use those coupons. In closing, I'd like to ask the Office of Economic Opportunity officers to stand up. So if you're an OEO officer and you're here, please stand. (Applause.)
I'd like to ask the staff members of the Office of Economic Opportunity to also stand. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 (Applause.)
And then, finally, I'd like to ask all of our partners with MED Week to stand up as well. (Applause.)
And I want to say that these are the individuals that are out here every single day fighting, advocating, supporting, and making sure that women, minorities, and disabled business owners actually do receive their fair share of the pie. So we are excited about MED Week, and we certainly hope that you will join us. (Applause.)
Thank you very much. And our next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant-of-Arms delivers the Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 to the Chief Clerk. Mr. Decker, would you please read those messages.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on September 26, 2017, I signed the following bills which were passed by Council at its session on September --
Mr. Decker, hold on one second. Folks, could you all please hold it down. Thank you.
I am pleased to advise you that on September 26, 2017, I signed the following bills which were passed by Council at its session on September 14, 2017: Bill Nos. 170406 and 170468. And I am submitting herewith for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution approving the action of the Boards of the Philadelphia Industrial Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development to sell Parcel G, located at Island and Bartram Avenues, in the Eastwick Urban Renewal Area - Stage "A" Industrial, containing approximately 20 and eight-tenths acres to the City of Philadelphia; and An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 359 by relocating the southwesterly houseline and curbline of Byberry Road, from The Roosevelt Boulevard to a point northwestwardly therefrom; and An ordinance amending Section 2 of an ordinance (Bill No. 130355) approved June 17, 2013, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the plotting upon a portion of City Plan No. 58 of a two feet wide area for public pedestrian use extending along the southerly side of Pearl Street, from Tenth Street to a point approximately one-hundred Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 thirty-eight feet westwardly therefrom," by extending the period for compliance with the terms and conditions stated therein; and An ordinance authorizing the relocation of the southerly curbline of Carpenter Street, from Broad Street to Fifteenth Street on City Plan No. 15S, a variable distance southwardly, so as to widen the cartway of said Carpenter Street, all under certain terms and conditions.
Those messages will be printed in today's Journal. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional communications?
Thank you very much. And the next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning. I offer one resolution co-sponsored by members Green, Parker, Gym, Bass, and Sanchez, and one bill. Thank you, Mr. President.
An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," to revise certain provisions of Chapter 14-600, entitled "Use Regulations," by amending the green roof calculations.
And a non-privileged resolution urging the President of the United States to Affirm the "Clean Water Rule."
That will be on next week's Final Passage Calendar. And the Chair recognizes Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I introduce one non-privileged resolution.
A non-privileged resolution calling on the United States Congress to fight hunger in Philadelphia by opposing any efforts to block grants, reduce funding, or structurally change the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in any way that would negatively impact its recipients, and oppose efforts to cut other federally funded nutrition programs.
And that will be on next week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I offer one bill.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Girard Avenue, 6th Street, Berks Street and 10th Street.
Referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I have one bill and one privileged resolution.
An ordinance to amend Title 11 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Streets," by revising certain Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 provisions of Chapter 11-600, entitled "Construction, Encroachments, and Projections Over, On, and Under Streets," to amend the encroachment regulations for signage, all under certain terms and conditions.
And a privileged resolution recognizing October 2017 as Manufacturing Month in The City of Philadelphia.
And that will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have one bill and one privileged resolution co-authored by Henon, Taubenberger, Domb, Oh, and Blackwell.
Thank you, Councilman. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
An ordinance amending Chapter 14-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, (entitled "Historic Preservation") to establish a temporary demolition moratorium with respect to properties in the area of Ridge Avenue between Wissahickon Creek and Northwestern Avenue.
And a privileged resolution hereby declaring the week of October 1st through October 8th as the second annual "Philadelphia Legacy Week," which will be set aside to commemorate major contributions by Philadelphia individuals and institutions by honoring Walter P. Lomax, John Chaney, Ruth Wright Hayre and David Shulkin.
And that will be on this week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
Council President, I have four resolutions and two bills.
An ordinance establishing an amended parking regulation change in the vicinity of: Elmwood Avenue and 68th Street.
And an ordinance authorizing the relocation of the southerly curbline of Carpenter Street, from Broad Street to Fifteenth Street on City Plan No. 15S, a variable distance southwardly, so as to widen the cartway of said Carpenter Street.
And a privileged resolution honoring and recognizing City Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Year Greater Philadelphia for its 20 years of service to the City of Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution honoring the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall on the 50th Anniversary of his swearing-in to the United States Supreme Court.
And a non-privileged resolution approving the action of the Boards of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development to sell property in the vicinity of 76th Street and Holstein Avenue in the Eastwick Urban Renewal Area - Stage "A" Industrial, containing approximately two acres to Pio Construction & Roma Concrete.
And Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 that will be on next week's Final Passage Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution also naming Chelwynde Avenue, between Bialy Street and South 74th Street, "Akyra Murray Way."
That will also be on next week's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, Council President. I have one resolution. I wish to be recognized after the title of the bill [sic] to speak on it and to ask for a rules suspension.
A non-privileged resolution urging President Trump, the United States Congress, and its leadership at the House and Senate to act Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 quickly in their federal relief efforts to assist the over 3.4 million United States citizens who live in Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
I move for the suspension of the rules of Council to allow -- to permit second reading and passage on today's Calendar. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that will be on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Green.
You want to speak now? I'm sorry, Councilwoman.
Thank you, Council President. I want to thank all of my colleagues who over the last week have reached out personally, e-mail, text, and particularly those of you who attended the parade on Sunday, Councilmen Johnson, Oh, Squilla, Councilman Green, Councilwoman Gym, and Councilman Greenlee and everyone. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 This afternoon at 5 o'clock the Mayor is hosting a press conference with the congressional delegation, Congressmen Brady, Boyle and Evans, along with Senator Casey, and we have gotten a public statement by Senator Toomey. While I am puzzled and bewildered by public policy through Twitter, I do want to recognize that this morning through Twitter the President is issuing a ten-day waiver of the Jones Act, which is one of the pieces of legislation we'll be speaking to at 5 o'clock. But it is not enough. The Naval Hospital that is being shipped to Puerto Rico as part of the relief efforts is still nine days away. So giving us a ten-day reprieve is not sufficient. And I want to thank Governor Wolf, who also joined us on Sunday and made a personal pledge of $15,000. The Mayor made a pledge of $5,000 for local relief efforts. The situation in Puerto Rico is Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 dire. Let me repeat that. The situation in Puerto Rico is dire. Federal officials who oversaw the Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans say it is much more devastating, and at this point in the relief efforts, they had tens of thousands of boots on the ground from the federal government. We are nowhere near this. As the President has acknowledged, Puerto Rico is surrounded by an ocean, a big, big ocean, two oceans actually, but I'm not going to correct that at this point, and it's not -- does not have access through roads, and it's for this reason that the ten-day waiver is not sufficient. With the group with our congressional leadership and Unidos PA'PR, which is led by Representative Cruz, Vazquez, and myself and many leaders, including former Councilman Ortiz, who will join us this morning in our relief efforts, what we're calling Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 for is an immediate, immediate allocation. FEMA is still in its assessment before it can issue a report, before it can develop a budget, before it can ask for an allocation. That is two to three weeks away. That is not enough. And so we're asking for an immediate FEMA allocation for relief efforts in Puerto Rico. S. Virgin Islands do not have to abide by the Jones Act. So we are literally a 45-minute boat drive, and they have abilities that we don't in Puerto Rico to activate relief. S. Army of Engineers to immediately oversee the dam that has been breached, and those of us who remember Katrina, the dangerous situation that that creates, and the possible relocation of 70,000 people. We want them to take leadership in that. We want the deployment and the activation of thousands of emergency Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 responders, and we want to break the bottleneck that exists both at the airport and on the naval base. I know there's discussion that there's products at the port that can't get to folks. Folks, I need to put this in context. At the port we have a million liters of water. 4 million people on the island. What is on the port is not sufficient. And so that is why it is important that we get an immediate release of the Jones Act, not for ten days but at least a year, which is what our Senate counterparts are requesting, Schumer and Casey, and our Puerto Rican congressional delegation of Velazquez, Gutierrez, Serrano, and Darren Soto are requesting. This is dire. Yes, we are going to be, whether it's coordinated through FEMA or not, bombarded by Puerto Ricans once commercial flights are up and going.
There's only ten commercial flights a day, as the air tower is not Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 functioning. So I want to again recognize all of my colleagues for co-sponsoring this resolution, for understanding the dire needs that exist on the island of Puerto Rico, and I can say that the American citizens on Puerto Rico need immediate action. And everything -- no one is doubting the level of commitment of the folks who are on the ground. I think what we are lacking is the leadership to say that what we're doing on the ground is not enough. So thank you all, thanks for the folks, every single non-profit leader, every -- you have young people, folks in colleges. Everybody wants to help. Right now we don't have the capacity to store stuff, to ship stuff. Even our own Salvation Army through the efforts of the Mayor and the work we are doing, we finally got some relief. Things shipped yesterday. So we're not even prepared to take stuff to be able to Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 ship to Puerto Rico. So I want to thank all of you and particularly the congressional delegation for their support and standing with the 150,000 Puerto Ricans in Philadelphia and the 400,000 Puerto Ricans that are here in Pennsylvania. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilwoman, for your continued commitment. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. I want to thank Councilwoman Sanchez for her update on the information regarding Puerto Rico and for offering her advocacy regarding this important issue. I have two privileged resolutions. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Health & Human Services to hold hearings regarding board and leadership diversity among foundations and non-profit organizations in Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Special Committee on Criminal Justice Reform to hold hearings regarding the role of a bail fund in Philadelphia.
This week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I offer one privileged resolution that is primely co-authored by Councilman Brian O'Neill along with Councilmembers Jones, Oh, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Taubenberger, Henon, Green, Greenlee, Domb, and Gym, and I wish to be recognized to comment after the title is read.
A privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Labor & Civil Service to hold hearings regarding the State's recent legalization of medical marijuana and to address questions related to medical marijuana's potential impact on employers and employees in Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. It is no secret that we in the Ninth Councilmanic District, along with residents in the Stenton Avenue area, had the issue of medical marijuana on our radar beginning this spring as it related to the potential of a medical marijuana dispensary being Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 located in a residential area. I want to give a special thanks to the residents in that area for their activism, but also give a special thanks to all of my colleagues, and in particular I want to say thank you to you, Councilman Brian O'Neill, for your support. You may remember that we had to pass legislation after Council passed its law regulating the zoning of medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of Philadelphia. We had to pass a bill clarifying the legislative intent of this body to prohibit a dispensary from being located within 500 feet of any type of school and other places where children congregate such as parks, pools, libraries, recreation centers and, equally important, day cares. And whether it was by omission or we thought we were sort of functioning in a court with state law, but we learned that the very bill that we as a Council thought we Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 did our due diligence in passing was the actual tool that was used against us during our fight in zoning. And I wanted to say a special thanks to Councilman Brian O'Neill, because I think maybe it was your legal prowess and/or your years of experience relative to zoning where you knew that the fix was needed for this body. So I want to say thank you. But during this time, Mr. President, and for the benefit of all residents in the City of Philadelphia, instead of thinking we know what's best, another issue came up from the community that I hadn't given a lot of thought to, and that was relative to employment in the City of Philadelphia and how the medical marijuana industry would impact employers and employees. Now, everyone was overwhelmingly supportive, particularly the residents that I communicated with, and I've seen various polls, but the question of what will happen to employees Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 who are also medical marijuana patients but whose employers do drug testing, and when this issue was raised from the community, I immediately heard phones in the offices of District Councilmembers sort of ringing with folks questioning if that occurs when it is implemented. You know, I was fired wrongly. I am a patient receiving this much-needed medicine. And unfortunately the law, the act in and of itself, has not effectively answered the question, and this is why this resolution calls for a hearing on medical marijuana's potential impact on employers and employees in Philadelphia. And we knew we were there when we read an article in the Legal Intelligencer that was written by an attorney named John McQueary and he highlighted these same concerns, and I want to just quote him for the record. "The imprecision of the Medical Marijuana Act's statutory language addressing employment injects Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 " Now, this is a product and a medicine that we know will help our constituents, but the unintended consequences, unless we hash them out, could be this legislative body or local legislative bodies across the Commonwealth introducing a litany of bills and resolutions regarding the issue when we should really be asking the private sector to help us drive the discussion so we can forward our recommendations to our Governor, along with our both republican and democratic leaders in Harrisburg, and we can begin to give a guide to our residents on how we should proceed relative to employment and employees.
And you heard me say that I don't think government should literally drive this discussion, which is why I'm extremely pleased that the Chamber, our Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 they are having a forum on this very issue coming up shortly, so that we will use the information that is gathered from the private sector to inform our efforts here in Council, and we will be dependent on your legal expertise and prowess, Councilman O'Neill, to help us through this process, along with all of our colleagues, so that we can try to do whatever we need to do right the first time and not have to come back and fix anything. So thank you, Mr. President, for your leeway. And again to my colleagues, thank you for your support.
Thank you, Councilwoman. And that will be on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Good morning, Council President. I have one privileged resolution co-sponsored by Councilmembers Parker, Brown, Green, Taubenberger, Oh, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 and Squilla.
A privileged resolution honoring and congratulating the honorees of the 2017 Stellar StartUps competition.
And that will be on today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym.
Good morning, Council President. No bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Taubenberger.
Good morning, Council President and colleagues. I have two privileged resolutions, and once the title is read, I'd like to speak on the one briefly. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless to hold hearings to discuss the impact of squatting in Philadelphia, the victims of squatting and additional measures and best practices to prevent squatting.
-- a word on that. Owning your own home is the American dream. Losing your home to squatters is really an unbelievable nightmare. I have witnessed three times over the summer and having my office work on a fourth situation, which is very, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 very, very difficult. I then spoke to Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and Councilman Allan Domb and Councilman Brian O'Neill during this process, and that resulted in today's request for a hearing as a privileged resolution. And I really want to thank all my colleagues, including yourself, for co-sponsoring with me on this. I think it's very, very important that we get to the bottom of it, because the people that are squatting, for the most part, are very organized and they're using it as a bit of a crime spree, and it has added a degree of lawlessness. This also originated with State Representative John Taylor in a home only four doors from his own home as well. So it's something we as a city government need to take a very, very serious look at. Council President, thank you. And, colleagues, thank you for your co-sponsorship. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
Thank you, Councilman. That will be on today's Final Passage Calendar.
And a privileged resolution recognizing the 70th Anniversary of Temple University's Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Red Diamond Battalion and honoring its tradition of excellence in providing quality Officers to the United States Army from the City of Philadelphia.
Today's Final Passage Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 359 by relocating the southwesterly houseline and curbline of Byberry Road, from The Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Roosevelt Boulevard to a point northwestwardly therefrom.
Referred to committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer one bill and one privileged resolution.
An ordinance amending Section 2 of an ordinance (Bill No. 130355) approved June 17, 2013, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the plotting upon a portion of City Plan No. 58 of a two feet wide area for public pedestrian use extending along the southerly side of Pearl Street, from Tenth Street to a point approximately one-hundred thirty-eight feet westwardly therefrom."
Referred to committee. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
And a privileged resolution congratulating and honoring the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Philadelphia Flower Show on winning the Grand Pinnacle Gold award for best overall event In The World from the International Festival and Events Association.
This week's Calendar. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
An ordinance revising parking restrictions on Maplewood Avenue, between Greene Street and Wayne Avenue.
That will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. I offer one bill, and may I be heard on it after the title is read?
An ordinance amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity," Chapter 10-800, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section 10-840, entitled "Squatters," establishing and clarifying procedures to remove squatters from real property, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you very much, Council President. Last week on Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Thursday I told the story of a pastor and his wife who went on a brief vacation, came back and found that the church's home for pastors that he doesn't live in, the adjacent home for the church, was occupied by a woman. They asked her to leave. She refused to leave. They called the police. The police came, and then the police told the woman she had 48 hours to leave. The pastor said, you can have 72. After 72 hours, when he came back, the locks had been changed, and he called the police again. The police came. They didn't know what to do. They weren't sure because she said she was renting through Craigslist. And so he contacted the DA's office for an informal piece of advice from the Assistant DA. The Assistant DA, according to the officer, said tell them to file in Landlord-Tenant Court, which is what he did. Two and a half months later, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 without any resolution to this problem and the damage of property, I spoke on the floor and said I am seeing the District Attorney tomorrow. I did. Friday I went to see Kelley Hodge, our DA, sat down with the Deputy Chief, and we discussed this matter. And by the end of the day, the police, Northwest Detectives, came out to the home with an arrest warrant. She fled the building. The pastor and his wife are in possession of the property. In our discussion, what I learned is, there is no squatters' rights law in Philadelphia. I have heard from numerous police officers that are friends of mine, Oh, that's Philadelphia squatters' rights bill or law. And I thought there was. I talked with Councilman Derek Green last week about, hey, let's work on this ordinance. There is no ordinance. It's an urban myth. It's an urban legend. I'm not sure where it came from, but I don't think it's Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 evenly applied. I believe that there are situations where in the wealthier sections of Philadelphia, there is no problem. People are removed if this ever happened. But in poorer neighborhoods, when someone occupies a building, a home, there is confusion. I'm not blaming the police, because even it appears the Assistant DA who responded did not know what the answer is. So I'd like to say there's no such thing as a squatters' rights bill in Philadelphia. It's just a criminal trespass, a burglary, and the person occupying the home should be removed. If they have a lease, if they have evidence that they are properly in the building, if there is a dispute, that goes to Landlord-Tenant Court, and certainly Philadelphia is very sympathetic to tenants, but it should not shield criminals. To clarify this for the police and for our authorities, I'm introducing Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 a bill, a civil bill, because I think the problem in that case is really this, that when the police came out, they didn't know what to do, and so without criminal action and guidance, they could not act. They didn't know what to do. In the meantime, they didn't have any identification of this person, and now two and a half months later, they don't know who she is. And there's no incentive for this person to leave, and there's no expeditious process. So what I'm introducing, a bill that does prohibit people from scamming keys for cash from occupying real property that does not belong to them under the guise of being a tenant when in fact they are not. And what this bill provides is that the owner of record shall be presumed the actual and current owner, that the person in the building will be able to rebut that presumption with bona fide evidence, and that the penalty for improperly occupying a Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
OF BILLS building of this nature shall be a fine of not more than $300 or imprisonment of 90 days or both. That's a very typical type of civil penalty. However, once they have been notified by the police officer who is required to get their identification from a driver's license or anything like that, they have 48 hours to leave, and if they don't leave, they incur a fine of $300 for every day that they're in the building that they're not supposed to be there, and there will be an expedited civil court date, which I will work out with the court, that if there is a dispute, that we'll have a hearing within 30 days. The reason I think this is so critical, Council President and colleagues, is we can imagine that if someone came to a home that was the home of, for example, a deceased aunt and found someone in the building who didn't belong there who refused to leave and the Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 police could not or would not remove them, that we can end up in a very deadly situation, and I think for everyone concerned, we should clarify between tenants and those who have a legal dispute from people who are simply violating the law and taking possession of property. I've heard from folks all over the City about horrendous stories and about people who occupy homes and sell drugs and they can't seem to get anyone to remove them, and I think the process has to be established by this Council body. Thank you very much.
That bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions. We have no Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 2ND READING committee reports today, so we will move towards the consideration of the Calendar. There are no bills on the First Reading Calendar today, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee for the purpose of calling up resolutions and bills on the Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today: Nos. 170735, 170519, and 161106. All other resolutions and bills are being held.
Thank you, Councilman. Before considering the bills and resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, we will have our public comment session. It will go as follows: If there is a bill or resolution that is on the Final Passage Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Calendar today, if you have not already done so, you may sign up at the table to my left. When your name is called, you will go to the podium in the middle of the Council Chamber. There's a device on that podium. When the light turns green, it will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks. When the light turns red, we will ask that you please adhere to the guidelines and conclude your remarks. You will have three minutes to testify. Mr. Decker, please call the name of the first individual testifying today.
Charles Gibbs and Tianna Kalogerakis, commenting on Councilman Johnson's Thurgood Marshall resolution. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Mr. President, members of Council. As the President of the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, I join my voice with Councilman Johnson and thank him for this resolution. Fifty years ago, Justice Marshall was sworn into the Supreme Court of these United States. His career was admirable on the court, but what he did before he got to the court as a lawyer in Brown versus the Board of Education, as a lawyer who lost cases on purpose so that he can make laws of the land so that we all could be free and equal, and that under the eyes of the law, he is deserving of every honor that we can give him, and we will ask that all of Council support Justice Marshall's resolution sponsored by Councilman Johnson. Thank you.
Tianna Kalogerakis. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 (No response.)
Good morning, Honorable Council President Clarke and Honorable members of our Philadelphia City Council. Thank you for allowing me to briefly address the issue of Puerto Rico's humanitarian crisis and highlight some steps towards the relief that this body can effect, not only for the people currently suffering in Puerto Rico but also for your constituents here in our city. Close to 150,000 Puerto Ricans live in Philadelphia, representing approximately 8.5 percent of our population. Almost all have not just one but several family members in Puerto Rico as well as friends and other loved ones. There are also 250,000 Puerto Ricans spread throughout this state, primarily the cities of Reading, Allentown, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Bethleham, Lancaster, and York. As such, Puerto Rico's plight is being acutely felt in our Commonwealth and in our city. As a result of this Category 5 hurricane called Maria, Puerto Rico has suffered a complete loss of its basic infrastructure. This loss is comparable to the effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Currently, there is no electrical infrastructure left on the island, and it is expected it will take four to six months to restore it. Most of the island has no capacity for communication, either internally or externally. We are deeply concerned that seven days into this event, we still don't know if four hospitals in the western part of the island are open. We do know that four functioning hospitals are overwhelmed and are partially working due to a lack of power of the basic resources. The Puerto Rican and Hispanic Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 community elected officials of Philadelphia are of one accord, State Senator Tartaglione, State Representative Cruz and Vazquez, and Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez. We ask that our City Council add your voice to theirs and hundreds of others asking Congress to pass a supplemental appropriations bill to ensure that there will be adequate resources in the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Disaster Recovery CDBG Grant. We also feel that ten days for the Jones Act is not enough and it needs to be extended. We feel the tremendous urgency of this situation and the need for immediate action. More than half of our organization, Esperanza's staff and stakeholders, are Puerto Rican or married into Puerto Rican families. Most of them have still not been able to hear from their loved ones a week into this catastrophe. Economic conditions on the Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 island are well past the breaking point. We ask that you encourage the Treasury Department to ensure there is enough cash delivered to the island to address the economic situation. We also ask that you ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take on the threat of breach in Guajataka. Finally, we can ask what can City Council and the City of Philadelphia do directly. Can we consider matching what New York City is doing, as they have pledged to send over 1,500 volunteers, starting with 100 firefighters and police rescue workers. If the American citizens in Puerto Rico are not assisted, they will need to migrate in unprecedented numbers to the mainland of the United States, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia will need to receive hundreds, if not thousands of people, fleeing the uninhabitable conditions on our island. How do we as a city prepare? I Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 believe our first responsibility is to repair the island of Puerto Rico quickly, and anything our city and state can do to aid in this repair should be considered an investment in our mutual prosperity. Thank you, Council.
Good morning. Thank you, President Clarke and members of City Council. I haven't spoken on this floor for a very long time, and I'm very angry today, because Puerto Rico is being treated with contempt by the federal government, being treated with contempt by the President of the United States. People are dying in Puerto Rico. It's no longer a matter. You see it every day on CNN and MSNBC and every Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 TV station. Ten days waiver of the Jones Act is laughingly stupid. It takes ten days from one boat to reach Puerto Rico from Jacksonville, ten days. Puerto Rico because of its colonial situation cannot get food from any other source. Food has to be delivered to Puerto Rico. Food is scarce in Puerto Rico. The whole agricultural business of Puerto Rico has been destroyed. We are a colonial property of the United States. Wall Street right now wants $72 billion to be paid, $72 billion. There's no money for Wall Street in Puerto Rico, and Congress has to act on that. And this Council and this party and this city has to stand up behind the Puerto Rican people. And we have to say to our congressional delegation, to our people, the debt that is owed to Wall Street has to be eliminated. Aid has to be introduced immediately in the House of Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Representatives. Today, Wyden still has not introduced a bill for emergency aid to Puerto Rico today. Trump has not asked the House of Representatives for a certain amount of money of aid to Puerto Rico. We as a body, the representatives of the City of Philadelphia, we have to stand together behind Governor Wolf, behind the Puerto Rican community of this city, behind the community of this nation. We are five million strong in the continental United States, and what they're trying to do, I believe, is ethnic cleansing of Puerto Rico. The real estate has become very valuable. Gentrification of Puerto Rico will be taking place. People will have to evacuate the island, because there is no jobs and no future there. We need what we call a Marshall Plan for Puerto Rico, and we need the government of the United States and the Congress to be responsible for 118 years of colonialism Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 that have perpetuated this situation. We ask. We are not begging. We're demanding. Puerto Ricans have died in every war that United States has fought in the last hundred years. Martin Luther King said that there's a check that is to be given to the African American community. There's an uncashed check to be given to the people of Puerto Rico. And we have to demand it, not just as Puerto Ricans from the City but as citizens of the City of Philadelphia, that we stand up and we say stop it, Mr. Trump. The ocean is big. The island is surrounded by water, because that's what islands are. They are surrounded by water. And we speak Spanish, but we're not Mexican. So don't confuse us. You can't build a wall around Puerto Rico. We already have an ocean. And you cannot prevent us from coming in, because we are citizens of the United States. We were made citizens in 1917 so we could fight Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 in your wars. So now we're asking. We're not begging. We want what is given to us, what is owed to the people of Puerto Rico. We don't want evacuation and gentrification of the island. We need the people of Puerto Rico to be able to stay in Puerto Rico and build a future with Puerto Rico. So I ask this Council to stand up and challenge Trump and the House and the Senate in Washington and say give to the Puerto Ricans what they're owed. (Applause.)
Good morning. Good morning, Council President Clarke, Councilwoman Parker, and members of City Council. My name is Darrell Davis, Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 Manager of Local Government and Civic Affairs at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. Thank you for offering the opportunity to submit public comment today on the resolution that authorizes City Council to hold hearings regarding the Medical Marijuana Act. The Chamber's mission is to attract, retain, and grow jobs for the City and region. We follow principles of economic competitiveness to guide our public policy, and we'll work with other organizations to advance the agenda leading to economic growth and prosperity. The Medical Marijuana Act was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on April 17th, 2016 after approval by both the State House and State Senate. The law allows for the removal of criminal penalties for medical marijuana usage in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and became effective May 17th, 2016. To assist businesses and Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 organizations in the Greater Philadelphia region comply with the newly passed state Medical Marijuana Act, the Chamber is hosting a workshop for businesses and civic organizations on October 18th at the Chamber offices at 8:00 a.m. The workshop will educate attendees on the provisions of the Act as well as discuss how medical marijuana impacts employment law. HR professionals, counseling, employers are encouraged to attend. For additional information, please speak with myself or my colleague, Liz Ferry. We look forward to using what we learn at the October 18th event to inform our testimony for the upcoming City Council hearing on medical marijuana's impact on employers and employees in Philadelphia. Thank you for the opportunity to submit public comment today.
Samira Harris. (Witness approached podium.) Stated Meeting September 28, 2017
Good morning. Good morning, Council President Clarke and members of Council. My name is Samira Harris and I'm here to comment on the resolution that Councilwoman Cherelle Parker introduced today calling for a hearing on medical marijuana's potential impact on employers and employees in Philadelphia. I am a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Einstein Medical Center of Philadelphia. I'm an active member in the Einstein Nurses Union and I'm also a member of the Executive Board for the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, which is also known as PASNAP. I'm also a resident of Mount Airy and I live directly across the street from where the medical marijuana dispensary Councilwoman Parker spoke of was to be built. As a medical professional, I Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 support the medicinal use of medical marijuana for patients in need. However, I do have some concerns about how employers may handle employees who are also medical marijuana patients. For example, PASNAP has thousands of members, and it stands to reason that some of them will be medical marijuana patients. PASNAP members also work for large hospitals that employ drug testing upon hiring and on a random basis after hiring. And of course this is with good reason. A medical professional should never be at work while under the influence of any prohibited substance. However, what about a medical professional who is also a medical marijuana patient and only uses medical marijuana during their off hours? As you may be aware, marijuana stays in one's system for up to 30 days, and drug tests don't distinguish whether you consumed marijuana during or outside of work hours. What are these employers going to Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 do if one of their employees test positive for marijuana but said employee is a medical marijuana patient with a valid prescription? It is because of unanswered questions like these that I applaud Councilwoman Parker for introducing her resolution today calling for a hearing on medical marijuana's potential impact on employers and employees in Philadelphia. I look forward to the hearing later this fall. It is imperative that we get some of these questions answered before medical marijuana becomes a reality early next year. Thank you.
Harry Barnum. (Witnesses approached podium.) MR. BARNUM (through interpreter): Well, it's almost noon, so Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 good afternoon, Councilmembers, Council President. I'm speaking on 170408, and I understand that this is a strict penalty suspending students in grades one to five, and I think those students should be disciplined in the school, supported in the school rather than being suspended. When they're suspended and sent home, they have the opportunity to get into trouble. The parents aren't there. Everything can go awry. They need to be educated. I think it's important to teach these students in grades one to five, especially students who are disabled, blind, deaf, hard of hearing. When they're punished and sent home, that is not good. They need to have skilled counselors and teachers and principals who know how to deal with these children and discipline them correctly in the school so that they can improve and encourage them to improve their lives and support them. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 It's a teacher's responsibility to teach and support these students rather than to punish them and suspend them. I think the students need to be kept in the school. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Greg Brinkley, commenting on 170408. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Councilman. I wasn't really planning on speaking today. This was an impromptu appearance by me, but I do support the bill by Council Lady Helen Gym on permanently -- I'm against them suspending children one through five, one through fifth grade, because of the disparities that happen in the school. This is a known fact that a lot of African American students are dealt with differently. I do support finding other Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 ways to address their behavior. But I think consistent with this issue, I wanted to talk about an issue that's on my heart. I meant to speak two weeks ago on the issue of police brutality, and I wasn't able to make it down here, and I had prepared text. So I'd kind of like today, because I was down here to do something else, and I was directed here. I had a meeting to go to that got cancelled. So I need to say what I need to say. I've been an advocate fighting against police brutality for years. And I say, with all due respect to the African American Councilpeople in here, whether I respect you or not, this issue needs to be addressed, and I don't hear enough of that coming from the African American elected officials about what's going on with the police and the shootings. Every day I worry about my grandchildren walking out here, being Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 shot down by some -- by some of the bad police officers. I'm not anti-law enforcement. I'm a retired corrections officer. But what I'm saying is, when I see Councilmen Henon, Squilla, and Brian O'Neill attend a rally on taxpayers' time to support the political bully John McNesby, they stood up and said what they had to say. My question to them is, did you have black constituents in your neighborhoods? So do we matter? Don't we matter? And I don't understand how could African American Councilpeople specifically -- your children are being subject to that. How do you not say anything when the majority of what goes on in the Police Department affects us? How do you not say anything about that? It doesn't make sense to me, and at some point, at some point, you've got to grow -- you've got to say something about that, because we can have an effect on that as black people, as black police officers, as black Councilpeople. We got Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 to start saying something about that. And I needed to say that. That's on my heart. It's not going to go away, Council President Clarke, whether you arrest people, whether you throw them out of here or not. It's not going to go away, because we're not going to let it. They're killing our children, and we need to do something about it.
Thank you. And we will continue the dialogue. Thank you for your testimony.
Joe Danihel, commenting on 170641 and 170735. (Witness approached podium.)
Okay. This is an official decree of the people in writ of mandamus quo warranto and, as such, requires immediate action and remedy. Every week this Council, Mayor, and others transfer private property to the government, probably illegally. Last week, Council noted theft of property rights is not right. It is a big, big Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 problem, and it is a degree of lawlessness. Last week, Council noted district attorneys are violating your sworn duty, oath, and law by refusing to prosecute theft of property rights crimes. These are new cases. Council, Mayor, and others cannot take on new theft of property rights case until they resolve my repeatedly avoided theft of property rights case. This will clearly violate equal treatment causes and be cruel and unusual punishment. This Council, Mayor, and others cannot discriminate and must be first come, first-served. Avoiding a known duty or task is a clear violation of your oath and law. If police, firemen or veterans took decades to perform their sworn duty, there would be hell to pay. Council, Mayor, and others cannot remain above the law. Council, Mayor, and others are required to provide immediate remedy. Constitutions require immediate remedy of Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 this breach of law, breach of close, breach of judiciary duties. Your oath of office requires you 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 11, 26 PACSA 703, 705, 708, 709, 712, 713, 716, and other laws listed in SCOTUS 15-8965, 14-1330, 14-4056 appeared violated. I call for the federal and Commonwealth governments to perform their constitutional obligations to investigate and prosecute all involved in the illegal theft and deed transfer of my home, 1038 West Wyoming. The denial of God-given 42 USC 1982 property rights for 23 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 Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 9/28/17 - STATED - 2ND READING compliant government is installed. Public servants cannot refuse their sworn duty to act any more than a fireman can refuse to fight a fire. The sovereign people require Constitution and laws be enforced. Jail is required for all who violate oath or law. I remind Council, it takes a lot of cooperation to create and allow monumental corruption.
There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar. And, Mr. Decker, if you can read the title of 170735.
A resolution Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 9/28/17 - STATED - 2ND READING calling on the United States Congress to fight hunger in Philadelphia by opposing any efforts to block grants, reduce funding, or structurally change the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and oppose efforts to cut other federally funded nutrition programs.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of Councilwoman Blackwell, I move that Resolution No. 170735 be withdrawn. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that Resolution 170735 be withdrawn. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 9/28/17 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it. 170735 is withdrawn. Mr. Decker, 170519.
An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Real Estate Taxes," by creating a tax foreclosure diversion program that requires housing counseling assistance, updating tax installment payment agreements to help taxpayers with financial hardships, and other related items.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm offering an amendment to Bill No. 170519. It's been circulated to all members. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that amendments to 170519 be approved. All those in favor say aye. Stated Meeting September 28, 2017 9/28/17 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)