COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - - - Room 696, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, May 13, 2003 3:03 p.m. - - - BILL 030215 - an Ordinance authorizing the Philadelphia Housing Authority for Industrial Development to file an application with the Office of the Budget... BILL NO. 030218, an ordinance amending Section 19-1303 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Discounts and Additions to Tax... - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL, Chair COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN TASCO, Vice Chair COUNCILMAN MICHAEL NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN O'NEILL COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY - - - V A R A L L O, INCORPORATED LITIGATION SUPPORT SERVICES 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 I N D E X BILL 030215 PAGE ROBERT FINA, PIDC, PAID ...................... BILL 030218 NANCY KAMMERDEINER, Revenue Commissioner ..... 23 DONNA BLATCH ................................. 30 3 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215
I hope my colleagues will hold up. We have Committee on Finance with regard to Bill 030215, a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Grant, and also Bill No. 030218 which extends the date for property taxes and reduces penalties and interest. Thank you very much. The Finance Committee is called into Session. We have a quorum. To my right, Vice Chair Marian Tasco; to her right, Councilman Nutter; and we have Councilman O'Neill. A quorum present, we will ask the Clerk to read Bill 13 No. 030215. And we note that Bob Fina, Senior Vice President of PIDC is here who will then testify. Thank you.
Bill No. 030215, an Ordinance authorizing the Philadelphia Housing Authority for Industrial Development to file an application with the Office of the Budget, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, under the Redevelopment Assistant Capital Program in an aggregate amount not to exceed $76,092,000 to assist in the development of the Center for Human Advancement, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, CORA Services, Drexel University, Independence Park 4 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 Institute, Mann Music Center for the Performing Arts, National Museum of American Jewish History, New Cortland Elder Services, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia University, Project Home, Red Cross House, Settlement School of Music, Walnut Street Theater, Woodmere Art Museum and the Zoological Society of Philadelphia Carnivore House.
Thank you. We note that it's Mann Center for Performing Arts as opposed Mann Music Center for Performing Arts. Just a small correction. Mr. Fina, would you identify yourself and begin your testimony?
Good afternoon, Chairwoman Blackwell and Members of the Finance Committee. My name is Robert Fina. I am Senior Vice President of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, PIDC, and I am appearing on behalf of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, PAID. Here with me is my PIDC Colleague Erin Murphy. I am here today to testify in support of Bill No. 030215, authorizing PAID to apply for Redevelopment Assistance Grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the aggregate amount 5 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 of $76,092,000 for 16 redevelopment assistance projects that were just read by the Clerk, and I won't read those in the interest of time. They were all correct with the corrections that the Chairperson made. Bill No. 030215 would authorize PAID to, one, enter in agreements with the grant recipients to apply for state funding; two, enter into grant agreements with the Commonwealth's Office of the Budget to carry out of purposes of the Bill; three, designate the City and/or the grant recipient to fulfill the program requirements of providing the full match for its project; four, designate the City and/or the grant recipient to reimburse the Commonwealth for its share of any expenditures found to be eligible by the Office of the Budget; and five, obligate the City and/or the grant recipients to complete the projects per the Office of the Budget's necessary approvals and within the time frame mutually agreed upon by the Office of the Budget and PAID, including requested reasonable extensions. Exhibit A of the Bill No. 030215 provides project descriptions for each of the 16 6 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 projects seeking funding from the Commonwealth. I will not include these descriptions in my testimony. However, I will briefly identify each project, its location, and the amount of the grant that we're seeking funding for. Then I will briefly explain how PAID engages in the application process with the Commonwealth. The projects are: The Center for Human Advancement, formerly known as the Urban Education Development Research and Retreat Center, located in the complex at 4601 Market Street. This project seeks $1,500,000 of Redevelopment Assistance funds. Children Hospital of Philadelphia located at 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard seeks $5 million of Redevelopment Assistance funds. CORA Services currently located at 733 Susquehanna Road and building its new service facility at 8540 Veree Road seeks $3,742,000 of Redevelopment Assistance funding. Drexel University's Research Enterprise Center, located on the 3100 block of Market Street seeks $8 million of Redevelopment Assistance funding. Independence Park Institute, planning to 7 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 locate adjacent to Independence Visitor's Center at Sixth and Market seeks $1 million of Redevelopment Assistance funding. The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, located in the west corner of Fairmount Park near the intersection of 52nd Street and Parkside Avenue seeks $3,500,000 of State funding. The National Museum of American Jewish History, located 55 North Fifth Street, seeks $2 million of Redevelopment Assistance funding. New Cortland Elder Services Germantown Home Facility, located at 6950 Germantown Avenue, seeks $1 million of State funding. Philadelphia Museum of Art, located at the Ben Franklin Parkway and 26th Street, seeks $25 million of Redevelopment Assistance funds. Philadelphia University, formerly Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, located at the intersection of Schoolhouse Lane and Henry Avenue, seeks $5 million of Redevelopment Assistance funding. Project Home, whose learning center will be located on the 1900 block of Judson Street, seeks $1 million of Redevelopment Assistance funding. 8 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 Red Cross House, located at 40th and Powellton Streets in West Philadelphia, seeks $2,300,000 of Redevelopment Assistance funding.
Settlement Music School's Mary Louise Curtis Branch, located 416 Queen Street, seeks $1,250,000 of State funding. Walnut Street Theater, located at the corner of Ninth and Walnut Street, seeks $5 million of Redevelopment Assistance funds. Woodmere Art Museum, located on the corner of Germantown Avenue and Bells Mill Road, seeks $5 million of Redevelopment Assistance funds. 8 million of Redevelopment Assistance funds. They're the 16 projects. To apply for a Redevelopment Assistance Grant the three principal actions occur: First, the Commonwealth's Legislature must name the project and the amount of funding in the approved State Capital Budget. Second, the Commonwealth's Office of the Budget or the Governor's Office must authorize PAID, Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, to submit an application to the Office of the Budget 9 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 on behalf of the authorized project. Third, City Council must approve an ordinance, which is Bill No. 4 030215 presently under consideration. In addition to these three principal requirements, the grant recipient must provide documentation that the State funds are matched dollar for dollar with non-State funding. When PAID submits a project's Redevelopment Assistance Grant application to the Budget Office of the State, the grant recipient must demonstrate that at least 50 percent of the matching funds that, again, are non-State funds are secured at that time. The Office of the Budget reviews the application materials extensively with its team of consultants in PIDC. Based upon this review, the Office of the Budget drafts and executes the project's grant agreement that includes specific conditions that the grant recipient must satisfy before receiving any funding. The Commonwealth only funds those projects with approved applications, executed grant agreements with conditions met and those projects would have to be in compliance with the program requirements. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital 10 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 Program operates on a reimbursement basis for all eligible project expenses, such as construction and acquisition costs. Throughout the process, PAID acts as the applicant grantee and the grant recipient is referred to as the sub-applicant or the sub-grantee. All would be referred to as the 8 sub-applicants. 9 Similar to PIDC, other financing 10 programs, PAID, PIDC, acts as a conduit lender or 11 funder, that is when the Commonwealth releases the 12 grant fund, it is paid by a check made out to PAID, 13 Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, 14 and we in turn disburse to the designated approved 15 recipient those funds or sub-recipient. 16 The disbursement process is closely monitored by the project auditors in the Commonwealth's Budget Office and by my colleagues at PIDC. No funds are disbursed unless all projects have met and have documented their compliance program requirement. 5 billion. I am pleased to advise you that these 50 projects were completed, are presently under construction, or about to commence construction in accordance with the Commonwealth's requirements. I, again, request the Finance Committee's favorable consideration of Bill No. 10 030215, and that the Rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading at the next regularly scheduled Session of City Council. I thank you for your consideration. Should you have any questions, I would be pleased to answer them. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Fina. You stated in your testimony there may be times when the City may be designated to reimburse the Commonwealth for its share of expenditures that have been found ineligible by the Office of the Budget. Does that mean that we're guaranteeing grants?
Technically, you would be by this as you've done in every other piece of legislation, but what happens is that in the 12 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 application we prove that funds are available prior to approval by the Commonwealth. They send in a consultant to review all the documentation on the project to make sure all the costs that compose the project are legitimate and eligible costs. And finally, the State only provides funding on a reimbursement basis. So the project must expend the dollars first, and then they get basically 50 percent or no more than 50 percent of the dollars from the State. So therefore there's never been a problem with the City having to provide this guarantee or this form of guarantee.
Do you know how a non-profit would know when or how to apply?
How it really happens is through the State Senator or State Representative and they discuss the project with them. It could be they could come to you as their District Councilperson and you would contact the appropriate State Representative to make certain that that project then appears in the Capital Budget. And then it's the normal process in Harrisburg of approving the Capital Budget. I must say that many more projects are 13 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 approved in the Capital Budget than funds are ever available for in the State funding.
Councilman, that's formed by the various State Senators and State Representatives putting a project that they find appropriate and worthy in the Capital Budget. That normally means in an informal basis that any one of these projects' representatives would contact their legislative representative in advance to present their ideas, their project to the representative. And then the representative would put that project in the Capital Budget or attempt to have the project approved in the Capital Budget -- the State Capital Budget, not the City's. It could be the reverse, that the representative has an idea, would go to a local community group and say, "This is my idea. What do 14 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 you think?" And it could occur that way also. That has happened in the past on a couple of occasions. Usually, it's the other way around, Councilman.
Is this list already approved in the State Capital Budget?
Yes, it is. All projects 8 had been, not only in the Capital Budget, but 9 they've been authorized by the Governor or by the 10 Budget Secretary for PAID to submit an application 11 for funding. 12
And is it automatic 13 when PAID submits the application, will the grants 14 be authorized? They're not grants immediately paid, 15 as I understand from what you're saying. It's 16 merely a promise by the State that it will pay half of the billing it gets for certain expenditures involved in the project; is that right?
The latter part of your question is generally correct. The former part of your question, not all applications are approved, although, our experience at PIDC is that every application that we've ever submitted we've eventually approved by the Commonwealth's Budget Office. 15 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215
Is there any time limit within which it must be accomplished?
Each Capital Budget may have different requirements. Normally, it's five years from the date of the Capital Budget approval that the dollars have to be encumbered.
Yes. Many times that's five years from the date of the grant agreement being executed by the Commonwealth.
Whose money is it that gets reimbursed? Is it the project's money or does PAID provide the money?
It's normally the project's money. Occasionally PIDC has provided interim financing for a particular project when they could not find the State funds. They could find the match, but they couldn't find the State funds. We occasionally loan money as the match for a project. That happens infrequently, but it does happen. But normally, it is the project sponsors or the project recipient of the State funds that provide the funds that the State dollars match. 16 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215
I've got to ask you to go over that. Does the money that's paid out for the work done initially, which is later reimbursed, does that money have to come from donations or money that the project is already allocated, or can that also be government-sponsored money?
Could be the City of Philadelphia, it could be PIDC, it could be equity or grants to the project, and it could be a construction loan from a commercial lender.
Are there any figures based on experience as to what money is provided by the City of Philadelphia?
We have that information, but I don't really have that available. We haven't calculated that, but we could easily do that.
And could you furnish it to the President of Council for distribution?
Yes. I'd like to know whether -- as you stated originally, it sounded as if the State was demanding a 50 percent match to be obtained by the original project developers.
But they have great freedom as long as it's not State money.
So that, for example, if they applied to PIDC for that 50 percent, that also would meet the State's requirements.
Providing we weren't using the State source of funding to match that, yes, sir.
We were not using State 18 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 dollars. There are State loan programs that we use, so I could not use state dollars, correct.
If it were not State dollars but Philadelphia through various other grant programs provided all the money, so that a project could in fact be developed a hundred percent with government money.
Yes, that's true. The norm, I would say, just speaking without having data in front of me, is that most of the projects find other grant sources and there'd be Federal dollars, sometimes City, but mostly Federal and other non-profits, such as the William Penn Foundation, because all these recipients have to be non-profits because of the nature of the dollars that the State provides. They cannot be for-profit businesses.
Sometimes it's a bit difficult to tell what they are by the salary ranges they provide. There's no limitation, for example, on salaries to staff members, is there?
That is not part of the statute or any of the regulations of the program.
What do you call this program? 19 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215
This program is identified as the State Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
How much do we get on average per year in the way of projects, State money for projects?
On an annual basis, I think for the last five years will be somewhere between 50 to $100 million per year.
Now, we've had projects which received more than that, such as the Kimmel Center. So an average over the last five years would be correct.
Would you know offhand on the Kimmel Center what was privately arrived at through donations, what was State money, and what was other government money but not State money?
I don't have those numbers for the Kimmel Center at hand. The grant was 63.5 20 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215 million. Actually, the technical name is the Regional Performing Art Center. I did mention earlier in my testimony that we did have a figure of 400 million has been received -- over 400 million has been received by the program so far. And that's not every year because some years there isn't any new money.
That's correct. You cannot be a for-profit commercial business.
Well, a government entity can actually receive the funds also. 21 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030215
So that if, for example, the School District could convince the State that it needed money for rebuilding schools --
I believe educational facilities that are public schools are exempt from the program.
Health centers are eligible. We've had a number of City projects over the years. We've had Fairmount Park Commission's Manayunk Canal, the recreation center known as Lonnie Young, Dorothy Emanuel, and the Northeast Neighborhood Center. So we've had a number of City projects, including one here I mentioned for the zoo, and previous to that we did the Primate House at the zoo under the same program.
Community groups often find need as they develop for community centers run by community organizations. Would that be a kind of project that might be available?
All right. Thank you. 22 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 Who would we go to, PAID, to find out more about it?
You can find more about the general parameters of the program just as we have explained in a hand book that the State issues. But you really need to go to your State Representative, your State Senator to start the process of getting the particular project in the State Capital Budget that's approved.
Thank you very much. Any other questions? (No response.)
Thank you. The Clerk will read the title of Bill No. 030218. And while he is reading the title, we ask Nance Kammerdeiner, Revenue Commissioner, to come forward.
Bill No. 030218, an ordinance amending Section 19-1303 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Discounts and Additions to Tax," by extending the due date for payment of 23 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 real estate taxes and by revising the provisions for additions to tax, penalties and interest if such real estate taxes are paid after the due date, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you very much. Ms. Kammerdeiner, would you identify yourself for us and then begin your testimony? And thank you for your patience.
Good afternoon, Councilwoman Blackwell and Members of the Committee. I'm Nancy Kammerdeiner, Revenue Commissioner. I do have some copies of my testimony here. I'm pleased to be with you today to present testimony regarding Bill No. 030218. This ordinance will amend Section 19-1303 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Discounts and Additions to Tax," by extending the due date for payment of real estate taxes and by revising the provisions for additions to tax, penalties and interest if these taxes are paid after the due date. These changes would be effective with the 2004 tax year. Before commenting upon the legislation itself, I would like to briefly address the 24 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 authority that this Council has to alter the existing procedures for real estate tax collection. As you know, the authority for levying and collecting real estate taxes is established within state law. It is my understanding that in accordance with a legislation, City Council has been given the authority to change some, but not all of the provisions regarding due dates and additions, interest, and penalty. One item that it's addressed in this Bill that we believe is set in state law and cannot be changed at the discretion of City Council is the rate of the penalty that is levied after the real estate tax becomes delinquent. This is the rate referenced in Section 19-1303(4)(C) of the proposed legislation. Otherwise, we believe that you have the authority to change the items addressed in this legislation. At the present time, real estate taxpayers receive a percent discount if they pay the current year tax by the last day of February. The period for paying without a discount but before any additions are added to taxes is in the month of March. Under this legislation, the discount period 25 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 would remain the same, but the period for payment without a discount would be extended to include March, April, and May. In other words, that would change the tax due date from March 31 to May 31. That would have a significant impact on the City's cash flow. Not only would most of the current year tax that is now paid in March be delayed until May, but it is likely that a significant portion of the money that comes in during the discount period before the end of February would be delayed until May as taxpayers are apt to see more benefit in retaining the use of the funds for three months then in receiving the 1 percent discount. This delay in revenue would prolong the period during which the City is in a very low cash position, a period that now ends in February but would extend at least until business tax payments come in during April. During this low cash period, vendor payments may be delayed and the City may be required to borrow additional funds in order to meet expenses. I should also note that each year the City must borrow funds to bridge the gap between when expenses are incurred and when a significant 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 portion of the City's tax revenue is received, namely, the period between February and May. Known as a Tax Revenue Anticipation Note, or TRAN, these funds must be repaid before the close of the fiscal year, generally no later than May 31 of each year. A delay in the receipt of real estate taxes would jeopardize this City's ability to pay the TRAN by May 31. To negotiate a TRAN with a June payment date would require the payment of a significant interest rate premium, thus increasing the cost of the entire borrowing. With a March 31 due date, additions to tax are levied at the rate of 1 1/2 percent per month beginning on April 1 and continuing through January 1 when those additions totaling 15 percent are added to the tax principle and the total amount is liened. Under the proposed legislation with a May 31 due date, additions would not begin until June 1, and they would be levied at the rate of 1/2 percent per month.
The total additions to be added to the principle on January would be 4 percent. That would effectively remove the incentive that taxpayers now have to pay their real estate taxes timely. Collection rates in the first 27 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 year that are now approximately 90 percent of the tax due would fall off and the cost of collection would increase. In addition, the proposed legislation would reduce the penalty that is levied from February through August of the first year from 1 percent to 1/2 percent. This is the levy I mentioned earlier as being set in state law without authority for change at the local level. Lastly, the proposed legislation would reduce the interest rate charged on delinquent taxes from 3/4 percent per month or 9 percent per year to 1/2 percent per month or 6 percent per year. In 1997, the real estate tax rate was increased from 6 to 9 percent because it was felt that the City was financing taxpayers' other debt. That is, real estate tax was the last payment made by a taxpayer since the interest rate on real estate tax was lower than the interest on any other debt. Returning to a 6 percent annual interest rate would remove yet another incentive for taxpayers to pay the real estate tax liabilities and to pay them on time. Each payment incentive removed increases the number of accounts that become delinquent or stay delinquent for a longer period of time. Credit 28 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 card companies and cable companies know that high interest rates provide payment incentives. Even in this era of low interest rates, percent is not a 5 high interest rate for consumer debt. For these 6 reasons, the Administration is not prepared to 7 support this legislation at this time. 8 This concludes my testimony, and I'll be 9 happy to answer any questions.
Thank you very much. Are there any questions? Councilwoman Tasco.
Ms. Kammerdeiner, we called you to have a discussion with you about this legislation, and we did not have the courtesy of discussion. It would have been helpful had you all talked to us prior to this testimony.
At the time that I got the call, I indicated we were just in the process of looking at the legislation and did not yet have a position on it. And I will confess that it was really today when the position all came together. That's why I didn't present testimony in advance. And I believe some other members of the Administration had made an effort to reach you 29 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 without success in the last day or two.
I believe the Director of Finance had tried to reach you. She indicated to me she had tried unsuccessfully to reach you.
When you talk about that you believe that we don't have the authority, under what -- do you have a legal opinion that we don't have the authority?
It was actually the revenue technical staff that reviewed the state legislation provided that advice to me. I have mentioned this to the Law Department, and they were also going to take a look at it to see whether they concurred with the Revenue technical staff's opinion on this.
Thank you. Ms. Donna Blatch, resident. Thank you for your 30 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 patience. Ms. Kammerdeiner, the Councilwoman asks that you remain. Thank you. Ms. Blatch.
Before I begin, will the Sergeant-at-Arms please come and pass my testimony to Councilpeople?
Would you identify yourself again and spell your last name?
Thank you. Begin your testimony. Thank you again for your patience.
My name is Donna Blatch, and I live in Councilwoman Marian Tasco's 9th District. I have come this afternoon to ask for your help. I am asking for an immediate change in the property tax burden that the majority of Philadelphia's middle class residents are experiencing. Our property taxes have soared in the past few years. And because of the high taxes, many of my friends and neighbors have left this City. I believe more will leave if you do not provide an 31 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 extension of property tax payments to the middle class homeowners. I am requesting that the collection dates of the property taxes be changed in year 2004. The Philadelphia Department of Revenue requires homeowners to pay all property taxes by February 28th for a discount or March 28th with no 9 penalties. Not only are we faced with the continuous demand of City property tax payments by March 31st, we must also worry about the payments of Pennsylvania State taxes and federal income taxes by April 15th of each year. I am suggesting that you vote this year to change the final collection date of property taxes from March 28th to May 31st. The extended time just might provide refund money from the Federal Government to pay the property taxes for some retired or middle class residents. The May date will also provide some form of monetary relief and less stress in our life-style. We won't have to buy less food and medicine, miss paying a bill nor would we have to seek financial help from a bank or a predatory lender just to pay our taxes during the month of February or March. 32 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 I am asking today for a fair payment plan, an extension of property payments to the middle class will provide significant relief to the people in Philadelphia, tax base well worth keeping and defending. Give us more time to pay taxes on these 60-year-old or older homes that we love and cherish. Our homes have aged just as we have and they are requiring large portions of our income for repairs. The list of Sheriff's sales across the City for back taxes continue to grow every month, and we don't want to see our homes listed in the monthly publication of the Philadelphia tax lien Sheriff's Sale Guide. We will pay our taxes; just give us until the end of the month of May. Let your retired seniors and middle class residents continue to keep Philadelphia a City of neighborhoods, not a City of boarded up homes because individuals couldn't pay their property taxes on time. Councilmembers, please help solve this problem by granting us a permanent extension for final payment of property taxes from March to May. Thank you.
Thank you very 33 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 much. Any questions for Ms. Blatch? Councilwoman Tasco.
Actually, this legislation comes as result of a discussion I had with Ms. Blatch and some other people who were in my home and talked about the burden of having to pay the tax by March 30th and then pay the income tax by April 15th, and they wanted a little more time in order to pay their property taxes. So it was no 12 real great idea of mine; it was in response to Ms. Blatch and some other women who were in my home one evening. And we came back see if this could be possible. And I would have thought that we could have some conversation with the Administration about this to see if they will try to accommodate the taxpayers, particularly the taxpayers that I represent in the 50th Ward and the 10th Ward. We have such a difficult time trying to get resources from the City to help the residents up there with home maintenance, home preservation. I thought this was a small way to try and address their concerns to not further stress them out. What I'd like to do today -- I don't 34 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 have any questions of Ms. Blatch and I'll yield to any other Councilmembers who may have questions. What I'd like to do is hold this Bill in Committee, but I did want the testimony so you wouldn't have to come back, so that I can further discuss with the Administration this Bill and then determine what I might need to do to adjust some of the figures or not. But at least have some further discussion with Ms. Kammerdeiner and the Administration so that we can see what way we can help. But barring that, we will bring it back before the Committee for a vote.
Thank you very much. The Chair notes that Councilman Kenney is, likewise, here and we call on him for a question.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would be interested in Ms. Kammerdeiner, if she feels comfortable enough, giving us some kind of initial reaction to what I think was very well presented and written testimony. It's some of the best I've heard from a citizen. I was wondering if you had something to say initially. 35 05/13/03 - FINANCE - BILL 030218 You had comments already?
I've already presented some testimony which should be there. But I would welcome the opportunity to talk about dealing with the issues that are underlying the legislation that was proposed and to see whether there's a way we can provide some relief without creating the cash flow and collection problems that we see with it as it's currently structured. And I would welcome that opportunity.
Thank you very much. Anymore questions? (No response.)
Thank you very much. This will end the public hearing part of our meeting. - - - 36 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - - - Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Finance, held in Room 696, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILLS 030215, 030218. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL, Chair COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN TASCO, Vice Chair COUNCILMAN MICHAEL NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN O'NEILL COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY - - - 37 05/13/03 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING
We will enter into the public hearing part of our meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill for a motion with regard to Bill No. 030215 with the suspension of the rules.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 030215 be reported out of the Committee with a favorable recommendation, and also a recommendation that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to allow first reading at our next Session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 030215 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation, also a recommendation for a suspension of the Rules so as to permit first reading at our next Session of Council. All in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. This Bill is passed. 38 05/13/03 - FINANCE - PUBLIC MEETING As requested by the Bill sponsor, Bill 3 No. 030218 will be held. We thank all Members of the Committee for being here. Thank you very much. This hearing is adjourned. (Council adjourned at 3:42 p.m.) 39 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of May 13, 2003, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE ON FINANCE ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public