Aye. The ayes are 14, the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. That completes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the Minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. Almost six years ago at my first Council session, I introduced a resolution calling for an annual review of small business lending by the City Controller. The Controller's office will soon release the latest report, which indicates that disparities and low availability between poor and richer communities continue to improve in 2004 slightly. The period from 1998 to 2003, the percentage of loans in low- and moderate-income communities grew from 39 percent to 52 percent in terms of the number of loans to small businesses. In fact, there was a huge jump from 40 percent to 52 percent in one year. the jump occurred in 2003, the first year this City Council required City depository banks to set annual goals for small business lending in those neighborhoods. In 2004, the percentage of loans in low- and moderate-income communities grew slightly from 52 percent to 54 percent in terms of the number of loans to small businesses, and from 47 percent to 53 percent in terms of the amount of loans to small businesses. In fact, there's a 4.5 percent increase in loans made to all Philadelphia small business last year. The Controller's office concludes in its report that while it's heartening to note that the number and amount of loans increased in 2004, equitable access remains a challenge. Council has commissioned a more comprehensive study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition to look at lending disparities by race, gender, both small business loans and home loans. Stay tuned. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mariano.
Thank you, Madam President. Simon Wiesenthal, the Holocaust survivor who helped track down Nazi war criminals following World War II and spent the later decades of his life fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice amongst all people, died Tuesday at the age of 96. There was a movie about Wiesenthal. I forget the name of it, but he was a very great humanitarian. Wiesenthal helped find one-time SS Leader Adolf Eichmann and the policeman who arrested Anne Frank. He died in his sleep at his home in Vienna. as the conscience of the Holocaust and the way he became the permanent representative of the victims of the Holocaust, determined to bring the perpetrators of the greatest crimes to justice. He was a personal survivor of five Nazi death camps. Wiesenthal changed his life's mission afterward, dedicating himself to tracking down Nazi war criminals and being a voice for the 6 million Jews who died during the onslaught. He himself lost 89 relatives in the Holocaust. Wiesenthal spent more than 50 years hunting Nazi war criminals, speaking out against neo-Nazism and racism and remembering the Jewish experience as a lesson for humanity. Through his work, it is said that some 1,100 Nazi criminals were brought to justice. When history looks back, he would have wanted people to remember that Nazis weren't able to kill get away with it, he said. Calls of condolences are coming in from all over the world, but the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Wiesenthal brought justice to those who escaped justice. He acted on behalf of 6 million people who could no longer defend themselves. The Ministry speaker of Israel, Mark Regev, said on Tuesday that the State of Israel, the Jewish people and those who oppose racism recognize Simon Wiesenthal's unique contributions to making our planet a better place. Austria's parliament speaker said, An important voice for remembrance and humanity has been silenced. I think maybe we can offer two seconds or two minutes of silence on his behalf in his passing. (Pause for silence.)
Thank other speeches on the part of the Majority? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to adjourn.
Madam President, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, September the 29th at 10:00 a.m., 2005. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, September 29th at 10:00 a.m. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.) 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 September 22, 2005, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)