COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA CAPITAL PROGRAM & BUDGET HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, February 9, 1999 9:30 a.m. - - - Bill 990021 - An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six fiscal years 2000-2005 inclusive. Bill 990022 - An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2000 Capital Budget PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA, Chair COUNCILWOMAN AUGUSTA A. CLARK COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO COUNCILMAN ANGEL L. ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK DICICCO COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO CHARLES MCPHERSON, Chief Financial Officer - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 2 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings I N D E X Dean Kaplan, City's Budget Director . . . . . 5 Barbara Kaplan, Executive Director. . . . . . Planning Commission 6 Emily Bittenbender, Director, CPO . . . . . . 24 Lawrence Moy, Streets Commissioner. . . . . . 42 Pete Hoskins, Philadelphia Zoo. . . . . . . . 68 Joseph Resta, First Deputy Director, CPO. . . 83 William Hankowsky, President, PIDC. . . . . . 94 Thomas Nestel, Deputy Police Commissioner . . 111 Louis Applebaum, Procurement Commissioner . . 167 Charles Isdell, Acting Director of Aviation 184 Vincent Costello, Director. . . . . . . . . . 199 Comm. and Engineering Denise Goren, Deputy Mayor, Transportation. . 209 Eric Iffrig, Director . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Planning and Construction, Recreation Depart. Dina Mendros, Member. . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Philadelphia Community Access Coalition, Gretchen Clausing Member. . . . . . . . . . . 239 Philadelphia Community Access Coalition, Karen Talarico, Executive Director. . . . . . 242 Friends of the Free Library John Christmas, Esquire, Law Department . . . 248 3 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings P R O C E E D I N G S
Good morning everyone. Sorry for the delay. The Committee of the Whole public hearings are ready to begin on Bill No.'s 990021, 9900022, 99023, 990024, 990025, 990026, 990027, and 990028. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read the titles of the bills. We'll take testimony today on Bill No. 990021 and 990022.
Bill No. 990021, an ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six fiscal years 2000-2005 inclusive. Bill No. 990022, an ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2000 Capital Budget. Bill No. 990023, an ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year 2000. Bill No. 990024, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Business Privilege taxes," by decreasing the rates of the tax based upon gross receipts. Bill No. 990025, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Wage and Net Profits Tax," by decreasing the rates of the tax. 4 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Bill No. 990026, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "School Tax Authorization," by amending Section 5 19-1801 to further authorize the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia to impose a tax on real estate within the City of Philadelphia. Bill No. 990027, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "School Tax Authorization," by amending Section 19-1806 to further authorize the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia to impose a tax on the use or occupancy real estate within the School District of Philadelphia. Bill No. 990028, an ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "School Tax Authorization," by amending Section 19 19-1804 to further authorize the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia to impose a tax on net income from real property and tangible and intangible personal property of residents of the School District of Philadelphia.
Thank you. I would also like the record to reflect that a 5 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings quorum is present. Good morning.
Good morning. And thank you, Madame President. This morning's panel is here to testify on the FY 2000 Capital Budget Proposal and the Proposed FY 2000-2005 Capital Program. I'm Dean Kaplan, the City's Budget Director. With me, to my immediate left is Emily Bittenbender, the Director of the Capital Program Office. To her left is Barbara Kaplan, the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission. And to her left is Ernie Leonardo, Chief of the Comprehensive Planning Division within City Planning. As is our tradition, City Planning will make the initial presentation today, and then Capital Program will follow with some additional detail. With that, I turn it over to Barbara Kaplan. (Councilman Cohen addresses Council President Verna off-mike.)
I'm sorry, Councilman, I can't hear you. 6 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
Written testimony was filed with Council on the normal schedule. I believe it should be available and hopefully here.
Extra copies are being distributed. Councilman Kenney, would you approach the table. (Councilman Kenney assumes the Chair.)
Good morning, Council President Verna and members of Council. I'm pleased to present to City Council the 2000-2005 Capital Program and the 2000 Capital Budget, as recommended by the City Planning Commission. And I'm also pleased to be able to show some of the progress we have made using capital funds and will continue to make toward the renewal of our physical plant. This is a $3.7 billion Capital Program.
Miss Kaplan, I'm sorry, you haven't identified yourself for the record.
Barbara Kaplan, Executive Director of the Planning Commission. I thought 7 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Dean had identified me; that's why I skipped it. This is a $3.7 billion Capital Program that builds on the initiative that began at the beginning of this Administration of substantially increasing the rate of investment in the City's capital stock of buildings, streets, recreation centers, libraries, and the numerous other facilities which serve our citizens. There are 156 projects in the six-year program, and 129 of these are proposed for the budget year. Our sustained fiscal health allows us to present a Fiscal 2000 Capital Budget that requires $125 million in new tax-supported loan funding and $49 million in reallocated funds previously borrowed through PICA. This investment is supplemented by self-sustaining federal, State, and other non-tax-supported funds, resulting in a total proposed budget spending of $845 million -- an increase of more than $100 million over last year's appropriation. My testimony will focus on FY 2000 since the budget year funding represents an actual appropriation and is usually subject to minimal changes throughout the year. The projects and 8 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings priorities for the next five years of the program will be revisited next year and each year thereafter and may be expected to change significantly. (Ms. Kaplan begins to present slide show.)
The first category of projects is the neighborhood improvement projects. This is about percent of the budget year 11 funding. And we focus here on basic renewal of 12 community facilities, such as streets, water 13 facilities, recreation, fire, police, library, and 14 health facilities. 5 million for site improvements in support of housing initiatives to be undertaken by both of the Office of Housing & Community Development and the Philadelphia Housing Authority. This is the Richard Allen Holmes public housing development in the eastern part of the North Philadelphia. And this is kind of the before, and this is the under-construction. And 9 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings actually having been out there myself, this slide really doesn't do it justice. This housing development is really going to look like any garden apartment development that you would see in a suburban community. You'll also notice a widened and newly-constructed street, and that's where the capital funds are used to support the federal dollars that we get for the housing rehabilitation. This is one of a number of public housing developments that are going to be either totally rehabilitated -- as is the case here -- or demolition and a reconstruction, as is the case with Schuykill Falls and the Martin Luther King project and Southwark in South Philadelphia. So we're really remaking our stock of public housing, and we're using capital funds to replace the infrastructure for the next 50, 100 years. We also use some of the site improvement money for other neighborhood housing developments. This one happens to be in North Philadelphia, at 17th and Susquehannah, where we put in new curbs, sidewalks, street light when we do intensive rehabilitation or new construction in 10 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings a neighborhood. And this one is in West Philadelphia, at 40th and Parrish. We've been embarking on major renewal of our health centers, trying to make them more attractive, trying to make them more like private-sector doctor's offices. This is the health center for District 4, at 4400 Haverford Avenue. It's an example of what we've done to the outside on some of our health centers to make them handicap-accessible, to make them more attractive and welcoming to the public that uses them. And this is an example of the interior at District 10 in the 2200 block of Cottman Avenue in the Northeast. Also in the Northeast -- in fact, right next door to the health center -- is the regional library for the Northeast. And this has received major renovation under the library's Changing Lives Campaign, where they have run a tremendously successful capital campaign, and the City has provided $5 million a year for five years. In fact, this year 2000 program will be the end of this five-year program to restore all of the 11 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings branch libraries. This is in South Philadelphia, the Passyunk branch, in the 1900 block of Shunk Street. The outside. The inside. One of the main features of this branch library program has been a tremendous upgrading of the computer infrastructure in all the branch libraries, with a special focus on the children's reading areas and computer areas. And this is the Southward branch in the 900 block of South Seventh Street, also the children's reading area. We also have provided $11 million in the Recreation Department for the upgrading of neighborhood recreation facilities. This is at 11th and Mifflin, an example of new play equipment in a tot lot. And we've also been working on renewing our swimming pools. We have more than 80 swimming pools under the jurisdiction of the Recreation Department. This is at 33rd and Diamond, at the Mander Rec Center. This is an example of a rehabilitated pool. A lot of our pools were built in the 1960s and '70's, and they need major 12 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings rehabilitation.
This is the (unintelligible) fields along the Parkway, at 23rd and the Parkway, and we have money in there for restoring the fields for the surrounding sidewalk and landscape and for new play equipment. This is under the jurisdiction of Fairmount Park. Also under the jurisdiction of the Park, the mouth of the Pennypack ball fields were completed in 1997. )
This is the only toilet facility right now, and this field is used by hundreds of people, this area. And we have money in the program. Unfortunately, this is a very expensive project because we have to bring in the water AND sewer lines from State Road, and I think it's about a half a mile. So this is going to cost us about $900,000 to equip this area with bathrooms, mainly because of the cost of bringing in the lines to the area. In economic development, 51 percent of 13 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings the budget year funding from all sources is being dedicated to this area. One of reasons that it is such a large percentage of the total is that we have a major program underway at the airport, about $347 million in the budget year alone. We're going to be building three new passenger terminals: Terminal 1, to be used for international passengers; Terminal F, to provide more modern service for commuter aircraft; and Terminal G, which is for domestic flights. In addition, we're also expanding Terminals D and E, to provide additional gates. We added 3,000 workers at the airport last year. As a result of this expansion, we've now gone from being the 24th busiest airport in the country to the 21st busiest airport, and we continue to find new markets. In the area of tourism and hospitality, we're making some repairs to the Chinatown Gateway, which has been in place for about 15 years and needs some restoration. This is an example at Fifth and Lehigh of some of our site improvements that go into neighborhood commercial strips. This year, we're 14 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings pleased to have more than doubled the amount of money that we're allocating for neighborhood commercial strips. 5 million, which is more than twice as much as we had last year. This is in Germantown Avenue and Armat, which is another area where we will be making site improvements in a commercial area. And this is in South Philadelphia -- East Passyunk Avenue, where there will also be streetscape improvements. And South Street, west of Broad. These are just a few examples. Some of these will be started with funds that we already have on hand from previous years, and others will use funding from what is newly allocated. This is in North Philadelphia, at Sixth and Berks. This is the Gateway Shopping Center that is being developed by APM, the largest community development corporation in the City. And this also received site improvements money from our neighborhood commercial center line. This should be opening, I think, pretty soon, this spring. 15 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings And this is an example of some of the improvements at the airport, with the new express walkway. In addition to adding facilities, we will have also been improving the facilities we have, making them more attractive, more comfortable. We have the Marketplace Mall that opened in the past year and the express walkway. Also down in the airport, this is another place that we've used money for site improvements through PIDC to provide the street infrastructure to make possible the expansion of the PNC facility in that vicinity. And this is on American Street. This is an example of how we used some money from the Capital Program in combination with funding that we get from the State and the federal government for brown fields remediation. This was a site that was seriously contaminated. The funds were used for environmental remediation, and it's now a site for the relocation expansion of Asia Foods. Infrastructure renewal is an area where we provide funding for those facilities that are used by everybody in the city. They're not necessarily in anybody's neighborhood, but 16 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings nevertheless, they're important to everyone. We have money in there for the continued restoration of the Manyunk Canal. " Some of the money will be used to make this area safer and more accessible for all the people who want to go fishing here.
This is the view of the middle area, where you can see how the water is stagnant. One of the goals of this project is to get the water moving again so that we don't have a lot of algae and we don't have an unpleasant odor. And this is at the lower independent of the canal. The Art Museum. We've been involved in a major program to renew the landscape and the setting for the Art Museum. This is an example of the new access road that was developed with capital funds. And the first phase of the landscape project was -- this was part of the first phase of the landscape project, which was completed. The second phase is in the budget for the current year, which is the rebuilding -- 17 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings replacement really -- of Eakins Plaza at the front, which is a gathering place for a lot of events. And then there's money in the coming next two years of the program for later phases of the landscape renewal. This is behind the Art Museum. This is the water works. This is about a $5 million project. Most of this is State money. This is the construction. This is at the bottom of that same site, where we've put in an application for federal transportation enhancement money, which, hopefully, we'll be successful at receiving in order to put a boat dock here. Also in Fairmount Park is the Ohio House, which is an example of one of the Park House mansions. People think about the park as essentially an outdoor experience, but the park is really the caretaker for dozens of historic structures that need a lot of care and renewal. We have over $1 million in the budget year in Fairmount Park for the restoration of historic structures located within the park. At the Zoo, this was the Primate House 18 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings under construction, which is scheduled to open on July 1st. We're all looking forward to that. And then we have a lot of other projects at the Zoo that are not so glamorous. This is in the Reptile House; this is sort of the front of the main show that everybody sees. This is the back-of-the-house function, where we have the kind of basic infrastructure at the Zoo that needs constant upgrading. This is where we're going to replace a tank and the filtration system that provide the water for the Reptile House. We also have another project at the Zoo that will pay for the demolition of the monorail and deteriorated cabling. The Zoo needs the space that was formerly occupied by the monorail in order to undertake other projects and to install a modern communications network and other pathway improvements. We have about $3 million overall in the program in the budget year for Zoo improvement projects. A major part of our infrastructure renewal on a continuing basis is the resurfacing of streets. 5 million in the budget 19 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings year, which is a substantial increase over the million we had previously for the continued 4 renewal and resurfacing of neighborhood streets. 5 This is in addition to the money we 6 have for the major arterials that are on the 7 Federal Aid to Highway System, where they're 8 eligible for federal and State funds and where the 9 City's share of the cost is much smaller. These 10 are the local streets where we pay the full cost 11 of the restoration. 12 The Streets Department has been using 13 some new methodology where they actually take up the existing pavement; and through a process involving heat and fire, are able to reuse that material and lay it back down. It seems to be a very cost-effective technique. " There's also much less disruption to the traffic network. Our bridges also need constant work. This is the Strawberry Mansion Bridge of the first phase which is underway. 5 million. Phase II will be another $3 million. This is the work in progress. This is Chestnut Street, which, I think 20 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings we are all looking forward to see reconstructed and reconfigured.
This is the sorry state of some of the paving material. The first phase will begin in early spring, and the whole thing should be completed by early summer of 2000 -- coincidentally, in time for the Republican Convention. This is a $15 million project. This is the Frankford Transportation Center at Bridge and Pratt. This is the current condition of the outside, of the inside. And this is the future. This, I think, will be a truly monumental transportation improvement -- not only for the SEPTA network and for the people who use it, but I think it's going to make a major statement and be a major boost to economic development in this area of the city, in the Frankford area. This is going to get started in the current year. This is the Erie Torresdale Station, which has just been finished for $13 million. And this is the Manayunk Station, which is just about complete. This was a major project involving not only the station but also the Crescent Street viaduct and the bridge over the 21 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Schuykill River. This was a $10 million project altogether. On the PATCO line, the DRPA is refurbishing the station. This is an example of the 12th and Locust station. The City is paying for the areas that are owned and maintained by the City, which is the area outside of the turnstile. And we have about $1,300,000 in the budget year for this -- about 600,000 of which is City money; the rest is federal money. There's also a major project that SEPTA's undertaking to redo the viaduct -- to rehabilitate the viaduct and the bridges that lead from Suburban Station out to 30th Street. This will be a $42 million over the next few years. In the area of improving government effectiveness, a lot of this are projects that take advantage of modern technology and new techniques to make government more effective and more efficient. This is the Wister School at Eighth and Poplar, which was vacated by the School District -- oh, I think at least 15 years ago. And this is going to be redeveloped for forensic labs and 22 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings offices of the Scientific Services Division of the Police Department. 6 million project to be funded in the budget year. This is the Geographic Information System. We have funding here both in the Mayor's Office of Information Services and in the Records Department, and there's also funding in the Streets Department as we continue to develop this geographic information network so that it's available and accessible to more and more City departments. In the area of health and safety will be about $7 million in the budget year. We're including basic funding for improvements to the City's elderly care facilities at Riverview and the Philadelphia Nursing Home and the City's homeless family shelters. We also provide money here for underground tank removal and replacement for hazardous material abatement and for handicapped accessibility. And we also have one kind of special project that we've been looking forward to for a long time, which is, we've allocated $1 million to replace one of the City's fire boats. This one is 23 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings 50 years old. And this is kind of a custom -- you can't just go out and buy one of these; this is a custom-designed effort. I tried to give you some of the highlights of the budget. I'll be available, as will members and heads of other City departments to respond to more detailed questions. I would just like to say in conclusion that the Planning Commission believes that this recommended program and budget will allow us to continue on the course that we laid out at the beginning of this Administration to revitalize the City's neighborhoods and its economic base by continuing to renew our physical plant.
This Capital Program provides for a high level of investment in Philadelphia's future; and at the same time, strategically allocates our limited resources so as to ensure the City's capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver needed public services. Thank you.
Thank you very much for your testimony. At this, we'd ask Miss Bittenbender to give her testimony and then open 24 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings up the floor for questions. (Emily Bittenbender comes forward.)
Good morning President Verna and members of City Council -- or Councilman Kenney, I should say. My name is Emily Bittenbender, and I'm the Director of the Capital Program Office for the City of Philadelphia. And I'm here today to present our request for our Operating and Capital Budgets for Fiscal Year 2000. The request includes an appropriation of $2,450,345 in the Operating Budget, with an additional request of $6,146,000 in the Capital Budgets. The ongoing operations of the Capital Program Office are supported by both budgets because accounting rules only permit certain types of costs to be charged as capital. 3 million for the purchases of City services, including: 25 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Design services to support the CPO's yearly general requirements contracts. These requirements contracts are used for the prepare and maintenance of City buildings; Cost estimating services that support the yearly Capital Budget requests; Space planning services to support the City's real estate consolidation efforts; Employee development services; Staff training, software, and maintenance required to support the PEGA System IT initiative for the enhancement of our budget and project management capabilities; And $110,000 for materials, supplies, and equipment upgrades. 3 million -- attributable to a shift in funding for field tank compliance projects that are now contained in the Capital Budget of the Office of Fleet Management. The CPO Fiscal Year 2000 requests includes dollars to support 79 positions, as well as the cost for consultants to provide technical 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings assistance to our five project-management teams. These teams oversee all capital efforts, from budget development through construction, for public, safety, health and human services, criminal justice, Fairmount Park, as well as the Center City government buildings that are leased. $250,000 for environmental remediation involving asbestos abatement. $100,000 to continue the City's efforts to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. By approving the appropriations that we are requesting today, City Council will assist the Capital Program Office in its mission to maximize the value of taxpayers capital investments in public facilities through careful budget planning, proper financial controls, and informed, timely, and cost-effective project management of design and construction. Prior support of the Council and the Administration has afforded the CPO an opportunity to realize the ongoing achievement of the following goals: The CPO has completed 300 construction 27 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings projects, equaling over $450 million since its creation in August 1996. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 1998, there were 137 backlog projects funded prior to Fiscal Year 1997. To date, the CPO has completed 124 of these backlog projects and fully expects to complete the remaining by the end of the Fiscal 9 Year. 10 The Capital Project duration has been 11 reduced from an average of 938 days in Fiscal Year 12 '96, to the current Fiscal Year '99 average of 13 477 days. With continued support from this Council, the CPO could realize its ultimate goal of completing our capital projects within the fiscal year that they are funded. The CPO is dedicated to keeping control of its yearly design costs, reducing the time it takes to conform professional services contracts. Prior studies indicate that the average conformance duration was 387 days. The CPO now averages 33 days to conform a contract. And by promptly paying our design consultants' invoices, we significantly reduced the fees of our professional design services on capital projects. 28 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. 9 in Fiscal 6 Year '99.
7 The CPO has consistently maintained its 8 commitment to the City's anti-discrimination 9 policy by increasing the percentage of minority 10 business participation on our professional 11 services contracts -- from 17 percent in Fiscal 12 Year '97 to 34 percent in Fiscal Year '98 to 39 13 percent in Fiscal Year '99. In addition to its management of capital projects, the CPO also has the responsibility to manage the design and construction and employee relocation into consolidated leased office space. The CPO has successfully managed the movement of 3,467 employees into four leased facilities -- located at the One Parkway Building, the Land Title Building, 990 Spring Garden, and 1101 Market Street. In the two years since this effort began, the CPO has managed over 635,000 square feet of leased space consolidation projects. And this is 29 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings on top of the capital projects. The CPO has initiated the design of a new information technology system named "PEGA System" that will combine the project management and budget management functions of the Capital Program Office into a single integrated user-friendly computerized environment. PEGA System will allow for the improved operation efficiencies, enhanced tracking of work flow and process, timely and consistent reporting, and will ultimately permit the CPO to better manage the City's projects and funds. In closing, I would like to state that the Capital Program Office has worked diligently to improve the process by which capital projects are accomplished in the City. We look forward to living up to the expectations of this Council in the next millennium. Our Fiscal Year 2000 performance goals, which are attached for your information, clearly reflects the emphasis and the mission with which we have been entrusted. Thank you, and I will be happy to answer any questions. 30 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
Thank you very much for your testimony. As per the Council President's instructions, we will begin questioning of these witnesses on a five-minute interval. And the Chair recognizes Councilmember Nutter.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Miss Kaplan, from reading through your testimony, I'd like to ask you a couple questions. In the first line, you say, "I am pleased to present to City Council the recommended 2000-2005 Capital Program and the 2000 Capital Budget." Can you -- what's the -- in that context, what's the definition of "recommended"?
It's being recommended to the Mayor and to City Council by the Planning Commission.
Actually, it's already been recommend to the Mayor, and the Mayor is sending it here.
Okay. And can you explain the process that the Planning Commission 31 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings utilizes to develop this recommended program and budget?
Well, the process begins in the early fall. The Finance Department puts out a budget, calls all the departments, and asks them to submit their requested projects for the budget year and for the six-year program. We review all of those requests at a staff level at the Planning Commission. We have a meeting with every sitting -- with every City department that has made a budget request. Typically, these meetings are about an hour in duration. And in addition, the meetings are run by the staff of the Planning Commission. I'm present at all of these meetings. I chair each of these meetings. We also have Emily Bittenbender and her staff, members of her staff present at these meetings. And most of the time, we also have the Budget Director and people from his staff present at these meetings. And that's an opportunity to review every single request that's made by every department, to ask a lot of questions about each 32 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings request, to understand why they want the money, what they would do if they were given the money, how it relates to money that may have previously been appropriated for a similar type of project or a continuing project, how this fits into the overall picture for that department, sometimes how one department's projects relate to another department's projects in cases where that's relevant. We always get substantially more in terms of requests than we do -- than we have borrowing capacity. But we attempt to try to come up with what we call "a balanced program," where we have -- there's a geographic balance, there's a balance among departments. We try to meet the most critical needs. I mean, if roofs are falling in and heating systems are failing, those things certainly get addressed. We're always, you know, mindful of the opportunity to leverage other funds. If we know that there are federal funds coming, as in the case with SEPTA, and we need a relatively small match to secure a very large amount of federal and 33 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings State funding for SEPTA projects, those projects do get priority. I mean, there are very few projects that SEPTA requests that get cut because I think leverage this year, in terms of City funding verses funding from State and federal sources is about 27 times the City money that goes in. So those are some of the considerations that go into the staff. Then coming up with a program that we recommend to our Commission, and we usually discuss the program with the Commission at least three times during the course of -- the staff will discuss it with the Commission at a public meeting at least three times in the preparation of the budget. And once we have --
Is there kind of a first-cut list made to determine if you have more demand than you have dollars to supply which projects are more than likely going to be in and which projects are going to be out?
Well, there's several cuts. I mean, you know, to try to get it down where we want it. We give the departments an 34 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings opportunity to review what we initially think should be the cuts. We'll send that back to the departments in usually early December and give them a week or so to say, Look, this is the way we see your budget. You know, let us know if you can't live with that, you know. And we do, you know, kind of take appeals from the departments.
And where is the City Council in this part of the process at that point in time?
Well, the Budget Director meets with staff of City Council and sometimes with individual members of City Council to determine, you know, some of their projects and preferences. There's also money allocated to City Council that each District Councilperson has an opportunity to allocate to individual projects. Mostly, those are -- for the most part, those go to projects in the Recreation Department, but some Councilpeople allocate those funds to other projects and other departments as well.
All right, okay. I know I just got the beep. 35 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings I'm trying to figure out where the two projects that I expressed the most interest in to the Department and to the Administration representatives, where they were in the book. Actually, they're not in the book, so I'm trying to figure out what happened to them, but I'll come back.
Thank you. I wanted to ask, you know, every year -- in fact, I ran into Audrey Johnson Thornton with regard to Belmont Mansion. I'm concerned about that. Every year we come, and every year they still seem to be threatened with trying to force them to move, etc. even though, in spite of their contract with the City as one of the Fairmount Park homes. So I'm asking that also look into that and report back. And also the Paul Robeson House. That is one of the newer exciting buildings and homes in our city, and they've been trying to get 36 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings on the register so that when people come to the City, they could --
And they're trying to get on the City's register as one of the historic sites that people come to visit. And also, they're still not -- they're newer, one of the newer historic homes, but they're still out of the loop. I mean, they do more bake sales and more sale sales and more begging sales than anybody I know. We would absolutely like to have them mainstreamed into the City's historical sites and ask that you would in both areas look into those and get back to us. Thank you.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember DiCicco. 37 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Miss Kaplan. Miss Kaplan, good morning. Last year when you were here in front of Council, we had discussed some resources going into the Avenue of the Arts -- North Broad Street and South Broad Street. I think last year, it was something in the range of about $5 million for the North Broad Street streetscape improvements. We never came to any -- I don't think we identified any dollar amount for the south of the Avenue of the Arts -- meaning from Washington Avenue, going south to Oregon or Patterson. But you had indicated at that time that that would be something that we would be looking into. Is there anything in the budget this year for that streetscape improvement?
Is there any reason why? I mean, because we did discuss this last year. I think we looked at some -- what you originally said last year was that you were looking into maybe not a full streetscape 38 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings improvement, but to identify certain high-traveled intersections -- Passyunk Avenue, Washington Avenue, Snyder Avenue.
It wasn't requested by any department in the budget process, so it was not included. It's possible that some of the money that's allocated for neighborhood commercial strips could potentially, you know, be devoted to that. But there wasn't a specific request to do that.
Again, I was under the impression from our conversation last year that even though we had not allocated a specific dollar amount to the streetscape improvement on South Broad Street, given the fact that we're investing about 5 million on the north side, on North Broad Street, that we would look into dedicating some funds. I had a conversation not too long with Denise Goren. She's shaking her head yes. What is the process now for us to see if we can get some money for that streetscape improvement? What do we need to do? When I say "we," I'm obviously talking about myself and 39 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Councilwoman Verna, because Broad Street is the boundary between the two districts.
Well, funds could be reallocated from another project for that, or some of the money that you allocated from your District Council appropriations could go toward that.
Aside from my District Council programs, where else would I be able to get that money reallocated from?
Well, I would say probably, you know, that some of the money from the neighborhood commercial strip line would probably be the best bet. It might be possible -- I don't know this without looking at it -- but, you know, I think Broad Street's eligible under the Federal Aid Highway List. Whether there's some money in the Streets Department under that line item, that could also go toward that; I'd have to discuss that -- well, we could discuss that with the Streets Department.
So there is no 25 plan, though. 'Cause I was under the impression, 40 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings again, when we spoke last year that the Planning Commission was looking into identifying particular intersections and coming up with some sort of a streetscape plan for those intersections at the very least. I mean, I had talked about additional lighting.
I guess there was a misunderstanding. I did not realize that that was something that you had expected the Planning Commission itself to take a look at. I thought that that would be something that either the Commerce Department or the Streets Department would do or would request.
Well, the Streets Department has come up with some budget at least on the additional street lighting, but as far as the other improvements -- whether it's planters, any other kind of more elaborate kind of streetscape improvement -- I was under the impression -- again, it might have been a miscommunication between you and I that that would have been something that would come out of the Planning Commission. But that not being the case, I guess we 41 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings need to talk further on this.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Tasco.
Talking about street lights, some years ago, there was a plan developed to increase the lighting on all of the street lights. Is that plan still on the table? I mean, is it still ongoing?
Perhaps somebody should speak to that from the Streets Department because I'm not --
It was supposed to be a ten-year program. 42 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
Well, we were going to redo a lot of the electric light fixtures because there was a safety hazard. I recall that, but I don't recall the program that you're referring to.
Perhaps the Streets Commissioner could refresh all our memories. (Commissioner Lawrence Moy comes forward.) COMMISSIONER MOY: This is Larry Moy, Streets Commissioner. Councilwoman, we're in the final two years of that program. You have a good memory there. We are finishing up the group replacement program for street lights throughout the City.
Well, could you tell us where the lights -- was that a citywide project or a targeted area? COMMISSIONER MOY: It was a citywide 43 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings project. I believe the last areas are in the -- I think they're in the lower northeast, I'm not positive. I could let you know where the last areas are that we're trying to --
Was that to change all of the lights on every street? COMMISSIONER MOY: Actually, it's an upgrade -- yes, an upgrade of the lamping to a more efficient light system, and we're probably about 80 percent complete there.
It's not. COMMISSIONER MOY: It's about 80 percent complete throughout the City.
Okay. Should we see a difference in the lighting? Are the streets brighter? I'm talking about the illumination. COMMISSIONER MOY: Yeah. The luminaires are being changed, so it is a more efficient light, so you should see more light on the street. That does not mean, though, that you're going to see supplemental lighting if there are holes in the system -- if that's what you're asking. If there are missing street lights, that's not a part of that program. 44 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
Okay. Well, there are streets where the lighting is not very good. And I'd like to know if you install a new fixture, would the lighting be better, or would you just have a safer fixture but the lighting is not -- the illumination is not any brighter? COMMISSIONER MOY: The illumination is slightly better. If there's a missing street lamp, though, well, I mean that's a different situation. If there's a gap, this doesn't really cover that.
Back to Miss Kaplan -- Mrs. Kaplan. I understand that there is a Brown Fields Task Force. Have you given any thought to looking at Logan as possibly a brown fields area to help with what we're trying to do over there to remediate the problems?
It hasn't -- it hasn't been looked at to this point, but we're in the process of getting information from the Army Corps of Engineers who have been undertaking a study of Logan in order to tell us, you know, what can be 45 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings developed there. And, in fact, I did get just last Friday a preliminary report of their findings. I think that's an excellent suggestion, that once we have that data from the Army Corps, that the Brown Fields Task Force ought to consider that site for possible funding. It doesn't appear that there's anything on that site that's that toxic. But the preliminary conclusions indicate that we're going to have to remove four or five feet of soil from the entire site before we can develop anything because there's been so much construction debris that's been put back onto the site. So it seems to me that that definitely fits into the category that should be considered by this Brown Fields Task Force. Of course, you know we have an additional problem in Logan, which is the subsidence problem, and I'm not so sure whether or not, you know, that's a different kind of an issue, but I think in terms of the removal of soil and the replacement of that soil with clean fill, which is going to be a precondition to any 46 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings development, certainly that deserves some kind of consideration. You know, the task force ought to take a look at that. I think that that's an excellent suggestion.
Do you provide any technical assistance? I guess what assistance do you provide to a special services district? We're trying to work out a program with Cheltenham.
We have somebody on our staff that is familiar with the laws and the process for establishing a services district, and we certainly can, you know, have that person talk to the people and give them some advice, the people who are interested in establishing that district. We would be glad to do that. We can't actually -- we don't have the staff to actually go out and do the organizing that would be required door to door to get people 47 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings to participate, but we certainly can give some initial information about what it takes to do a district and that kind of thing.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Krajewski.
Thank you. Miss Kaplan, do you have anything in the budget as far as the Police Academy or the 8th or the 15th District?
I believe there is -- let's see. . . We have -- on , there's going to be a new modular building provided. This is actually -- this is not in the first year, it's in the second year of the budget for training facilities at the Police Academy. I think that's the only thing that's at the Police Academy. And what was the other question?
Let us get back to you. Some of the sites are not listed. The majority of them are, but it does not appear at this moment that they're here. We'll come back to you.
Thank you. I would like to go back to the Police Academy. Wouldn't it be a lot less expensive to add on to the Police Academy than putting these modulars and trailers and what have you.
Not necessarily. There was a double modular that was actually constructed about two or three years ago called "Valor Hall" that, I believe, the Police Department is happy with. And it provides a cheaper level of construction, and the construction can happen rather quickly. And I think that the Police Department was pleased with that facility and, therefore, 49 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings asked for another modular. I believe I'm correct. Is there anyone here from the Police Department?
There are no 6 plans for the interior of the Police Academy as far as the. . .
Well, I'm sure a lot of departments don't request.
No, they're not shy; they usually ask for way more than we can give them.
They have a budget as well, as we all know. But I would like to invite you, if possible, to go through the Police Academy in the 15th District 'cause I've been up there and I know that they need an awful lot of work up there.
I think -- obviously, we'd be happy to do that. In addition, one of the reasons that the modular approach was taken the first time was that with the Crime Bill officers being brought on line, there was a necessity for getting the facility out very quickly. 50 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings There was also a peak because we increased the number of classes we were putting through the Academy each year. We're expecting that now to reduce a bit to a more steady level, and I think that will give us a chance to look at the kinds of different approaches that --
Because I understand they were having problems with their air-conditioning and also with their heating system. Half of them were freezing in there at one time. But, again, I would like to make an appointment. Maybe we can --
Councilwoman, I'll make an appointment with you, and we'll go up and check out the facility.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Rizzo.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is to Barbara Kaplan. What 51 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings criteria do you use to strategically allocate our limited resources as between the neighborhoods and economic development?
I don't think we kind of do it as an either/or situation. We try to address the most pressing needs, wherever they occur. I mean, if we have, you know, a building that is failing in some way, or if there's a health and safety hazard, that gets the first priority -- whether it's, you know, a neighborhood facility or a citywide, you know, kind of facility. And as I said, we also give high priority in cases where a small amount of City money is going to leverage federal funds or funds from other sources. We -- we really feel that -- you know, we depend on the departments to identify the needs in the neighborhood facilities that they operate -- the recreation centers, the health departments, the libraries. We feel that the departments, you know, are running those facilities and that, you know, they know what the conditions are. That goes for police stations and 52 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings fire facilities as well.
Well, what Councilwoman Krajewski just pointed out is a perfect example of what I hear constantly -- the deplorable condition that our police officers have to work in, not just at the Academy and the 8th and the 15th but in most of the police districts. So are you suggesting that the budget of the Police Department is so fat that they don't need to come to you? They feel as though they can deal with this?
No, they do come to us, and pretty much, we have satisfied the requests that they made. I mean, we really gave them almost all of the money that they requested. The other thing is that there was a study undertaken by the Police Department several years ago that surveyed all of their facilities to try to identify, you know, what the most pressing needs are. And we have been working our way through that report. Each year the Police Department, you know, gives us a request, and in large part, because it's been previously identified as a need. 53 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings And then if other things come up since that study -- if other things have come up since that study was undertaken, they request those things as well.
Councilman Rizzo, I think I can probably help to answer part of your question. The Capital Program Office, the Police Department is one of our client agencies, and we work daily with them during the design and construction of previously funded capital projects. But we also work with them throughout the year to put together a list of priorities of projects that we are going to request to the Planning Commission at budget call. And before budget call happens, the Capital Program Office works with them to identify a list and to develop the scopes and the schedules and the cost estimates, and we help to prioritize that list.
Well, I happen to agree with Councilwoman Krajewski. Mr. Kaplan said that this building, this modular building isn't planned for the second year, so we have a 54 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings lot of time here to build a permanent facility. I just can't understand why we build a temporary modular facility -- especially when this thing's not even on the drawing board yet. We're talking, what, two years away?
No, they're not necessarily temporary; they actually have a life span of about years. 10
Well, I hope our 11 Police Department plans to be here more than 25 12 years. But it seems as though that is not a very 13 good decision, as far as I'm concerned, to suggest 14 that the Police Department or the training 15 facility can operate in a modular building. 16 Granted, some of these modular 17 buildings are fine, they're very nice, but I think 18 it sends a message that I don't particularly 19 like. That we need a permanent structure there 20 and we're wasting money building a permanent 21 structure that you just stated has a life 22 expectancy of 25 years. 23 And based on my experience touring the 24 city and seeing the condition of our police 25 stations, I'd be embarrassed to take a visitor to 55 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings any police station in the City of Philadelphia. They're disgraceful, they're dirty, and it's just -- they're unsightly. I don't have any more adjectives to use to describe some of those facilities. Thank you.
You should visit 24th and Wolf -- it's not too bad. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Mariano.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This pretty much is really to the Streets Commissioner, but maybe you can help Mr. Moy out. We spoke a little bit yesterday about the hot in-place paving, and I was wonder if -- Commissioner, could you help us with that? Can you give us some information, the cost, the difference between doing that or saving on that and the projected costs for the life span of these streets? COMMISSIONER MOY: Good morning, Councilman. The hot in-place recycling, you're asking the relative costs? 56 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
It's obviously cheaper to do this, right? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes.
But will it last as long? 'Cause we've never had it before. And the streets that I visited, now, they may have been the worst ones, but they weren't working out too good, 'cause they've only been a year or so. I mean, I visited Somerdale Avenue in my district, and that one worked fine 'cause that's a very, very wide street, and it goes for miles and miles. But the other ones -- a couple up in Mayfair I looked at, and we spoke about this yesterday, where there's intersections, and all the people I know in construction have concerns about the diameters and intersecting street. We don't have any data saying how long this will work, correct? COMMISSIONER MOY: Right. What we did was, this year, we began a pilot program with the hot in-place recycling, and we did start in the Northeast, the lower Northeast, some portions of Oak Lane, and then down into Center City. There were some things that we proved 57 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings through that pilot. We're going to work on a program this year, trying to address some of those problems and concerns that we experienced over the summer. We're confident it's a good program, though.
Good. And we spoke yesterday, and I want to officially ask you, could I get a cost breakdown of what we save doing this now as opposed to doing it the other way as a projected savings over five or ten years. The streets should last ten years? COMMISSIONER MOY: Depending on the volume, yeah, that's a --
Now, we don't really know if this new hot repaving -- I mean, it makes a lot of sense. I mean, it really does -- if it works. We don't know if it really works, and the first indications are that it doesn't work as well as they may think it works, or that the people that sold us this idea works. COMMISSIONER MOY: Well, we have some testing and we will be glad to furnish that and the pricing to you.
But can I get the 58 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings pricing and cost estimates over ten years, what we save by doing it this way, what it would be if we had to do it the other way? Like, we don't know. I mean I don't think we know if it lasts ten years, we have to wait and see. If we're going to go back in five years and do something double that we might have done once for a little bit more money but may have lasted -- do you understand what I'm asking? COMMISSIONER MOY: I understand what you're asking, and we'll try and --
Can you get that to me and every member of Council? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes, we will.
Thank you. The next question would be the street lighting, to touch onto what Councilwoman Tasco started. We talked about replacing lamps. We're putting new modern than lamps that have a different luminous effect? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes.
Correct? But we're not doing any -- I mean, as long as you have been Streets Commissioner, have we replaced any 59 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings new street lights? 'Cause there's a lot of dark spots and new spots that never had a light. COMMISSIONER MOY: Right. That's not the rule. We do not have funding for regular replacements of missing --
So if a community group comes to me or one of the other Councilpeople and says, "This is a bad spot here, this is a spot where people have been getting raped, people have been getting mugged, carjacked." It's been my experience that we don't get new lights, it's been my experience from the Streets Department Lighting Division that there's no money for new lights. Now, maybe I'm wrong. Can you help me with that? COMMISSIONER MOY: There is there is no 18 dedicated funding for any large-scale program, Councilman. We would try to -- if you had a specific acute situation, we would try to help you and address that.
Well, in a city of this size, as neighborhoods change and old neighborhoods rebuild, you know, we're always adding more money to infrastructure. 60 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Is there any way we could put money, Miss Bittenbender or Miss Kaplan? Is there any way we could put any money away looking at this plan in the future? Where as neighborhoods change in a crime area, an area where the lighting was sufficient. I mean, I understand they're putting new light bulbs in, and that's fine. But new lamps in -- "lamps" in is the correct word. But there's areas where things are changing, and it may be an area where we never had anything. There's nothing projected for that in this five-year budget?
There's nothing in this budget, you know, that specifically provides for that. I think, as the Streets Commissioner was indicating, when there are circumstances that arise, certainly there's an opportunity to discuss that on a case-by-case basis with the Streets Department. I think, you know, if you're suggesting that maybe there ought to be dedicated funding to do this --
I think it's 61 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings better to be proactive than reactive. If something happens somewhere, then we say, "Geez, if there was a street light here. . . " There's no villains here; I'm just looking to be proactive.
I mean, we haven't included that in this budget because that's just not -- as I said, that's sort of not been the program up to now.
Well, I think that's something that maybe the Streets Department ought to think about and perhaps make that request next year if they think that there's a need for dedicated funding for that purpose.
Could we do that, Commissioner Moy? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes, we can, Councilman.
Next year? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes, sir. 62 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings
Thank you very much. I just have a few questions on the first round, and then we'll go to Round 2. And these are for -- Commissioner, there's a couple questions for the Streets Department. One is to follow up on Councilmember Mariano's questions on hot in-place recycling on street paving. I need, in addition to what he's asked for, any information we have on the environmental or pollution problems associated with this process going on the way it does. We've gotten complaints from people in Center City and other areas that the fumes and everything else that's created as a result of this has given them some concern, and we'd like to have that looked at. Secondly, the areas that are paved around manhole covers are in terrible condition. Even stuff that's been paved over the last few months has already broken down and is creating both pedestrian and vehicular potential hazards. And the third thing, and I think 63 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Councilman Mariano alluded to it, was the size of -- when the street is a wide street, it seems like it works. But when streets are narrowed for either turning lanes or other things, there's areas that are not being paved at all, and the process is not contiguous. When we come back and do another process, it doesn't create a bond that allows for one smooth paving. Larger streets are okay, but smaller streets and Center City streets just don't seem that they're getting the right treatment. So that's a real concern for a number of us. Secondly, street signs. I had thought originally when I started to see street signs that faded, that someone, some vandals were climbing up poles and spray-painting them in order to change the name of the street or to do -- as I've gone through the City, in many, many parts of the City, it seems as if these signs have simply faded to the point of not being able to read them at all. Who provided those signs? Is there some type of way to recover the cost for the defective signage? I mean, outdoor street signs should last in weather, and it seems as if weather 64 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings and rain or whatever is what has caused these signs to fade. And in many neighborhoods, they're totally useless now. I assume they're going to have to be replaced. Who is the contractor and what warranty or what way of recovery can we find to get those signs paid for again? COMMISSIONER MOY: Are you talking about traffic regulatory signs?
No, I'm talking about street signs. COMMISSIONER MOY: The street designation --
The green street-designated signs. COMMISSIONER MOY: They --
In areas of the Northeast and in some other areas, they are just completely faded. And, again, originally, I thought it was vandalism but I can't believe they climbed on every pole on Harbison Avenue and spray-painted all of the signs green. COMMISSIONER MOY: No, I think that's a part of their normal life process for some of 65 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings these signs.
But these just went up. I mean, these have been up less than two years. I mean, they're brand-new green signs. COMMISSIONER MOY: We'll have to get with you and get that --
And I see it more -- I mean, I see it all over the City, not just the Northeast. COMMISSIONER MOY: Okay, we'll look into that.
Third, what do we currently have allocated, appropriated for alley light installation? Which I understand has not been totally completed. And what monies do we have currently appropriated or proposed to be appropriated for alley light maintenance? COMMISSIONER MOY: I don't have the exact figures in front of me, but the last part of the process there is Center City, Councilman. We have some remaining alleys to be addressed there. We expect to get that funding and have a contract in place to complete that this summer.
I guess 66 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Councilwoman Tasco in the second round can raise that if she desires, but I mean, I know she has indicated that not all of the lights that she had expected to be installed have been installed -- even from the first go-around of appropriations. COMMISSIONER MOY: Ell, in terms of the alley lights and in that district --
Oh, she is here, I'm sorry. COMMISSIONER MOY: We had a policy in which we were not necessarily replacing alley lights exactly where they were. I think there was a better placement of lights where we were trying to address largely the portals first, where you enter the alleys. And so there may have been -- if there were four lights there, there could have been three replaced because there was more efficient lighting, better lighting. And this is the pattern that we've developed throughout the City. Now, I thought there were a couple locations that we had addressed that the 67 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Councilwoman had concerns about last year. Were they taken care of?
No. So what do we have as far as maintenance is concerned into the future? COMMISSIONER MOY: We have some residual funding still remaining from the PECO credit there to address maintenance.
Okay. Are we requesting any additional funds for -- COMMISSIONER MOY: Not at this time.
So you have enough for how long? COMMISSIONER MOY: Enough for -- I'd have to check how long the credit will last. It's at least this year, though, Councilman.
Okay. And just one final question as it relates to the Zoo and the monorail. The last time I was on it, I agree -- it was not too long ago. I did agree that it was in pretty bad condition and now the decision has been made to remove it. Has there been any discussion about potential upgrade or replacement as an attraction 68 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings to bring people into the Zoo and to create maybe a revenue stream that isn't there because of the condition of the monorail now? (Pete Hoskins comes forward.)
All of the developers are coming in -- Disney and Simon and others. Maybe we could have an innovative attempt made at creating an attraction for the Zoo, as opposed to removing the monorail, or replacing it might have been in order.
My name is Pete Hoskins, from the Philadelphia Zoo. I'd like the record to show that Councilman Kenney is the only person I know that actually remembers all of the words to the original advertisement for the Talking Story Book keys.
And I'm not going to sing it for you. No, I want, no. 21 (Laughter.)
In answer to your question about the monorail, the system is 30 69 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings years old. It was installed 30 years ago, December of 1968. And it was a contract that was intended to be extended to about 30 years. And at the end of that period, the system basically was really no longer able to be upgraded to a safe state. And so we reluctantly agreed that the safety was actually the most important thing here and that we would not be able to replace it in kind. So we will be demolishing the system as part of the master plan. And in terms of other rides, the plan that it looks like we're moving to now would be rides on the lake in addition to the rides we have with the animals, of course. So we appreciate the nostalgia that goes with that, but I think safety here is probably the most important issue.
Okay, thank you very much. (Council President Verna returns to the Chair.)
Thank you, Madame 70 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Chair. So, Miss Kaplan and Mr. Kaplan -- although, to the best of my knowledge, you're unrelated Kaplans. Is that -- (Laughter.)
I'd like to talk about three specific projects. Actually, one was raised earlier that was on my list, which is Belmont Mansion. It's my understanding that the Fairmount Park Commission either directly or indirectly, and one of the commissioners who happens to be the president, expressed interest in the Belmont Mansion for its completion. I believe that's upwards of $1 million. Last year at budget time, I specifically asked about two projects -- the 21st Ward ice rink and the Wynnefield Recreation Center. In budget hearings, we subsequently had 71 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings discussions with the Recreation Department about those two projects and a discussion with Mr. Kaplan and Mr. Rost. Ms. Kaplan, can you tell me what happened to those projects over at the Planning Commission?
No, you were not. Were they presented to the Planning Commission as items of interest or discussion based on the process that you laid out earlier?
We did not include it in the budget year or in the program because we have spent, I think, over a million dollars already on Belmont Mansion, and I guess we were not persuaded, when we looked at it in combination with some of the other projects, that to spend another million or more dollars on it seemed excessive in terms of how much we had already 72 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings spent and --
And what the nature of the facility was. Well, I think the solution to this was that I believe the Capital Program Office agreed to make an independent evaluation of it, to make a determination of what they thought was really needed there, to see if we could meet the essential needs of that facility without spending that much money.
Well, I'm not advocating for a particular dollar figure. What I'm advocating for is that the project be completed. It was initially allocated a certain amount of City dollars in conjunction with foundation dollars. The early estimates apparently were not adequate. The project is not complete. So I'm not sitting here asking for a million dollars if a million dollars is not needed. What I'm asking for is the sufficient dollars to complete the project and get it over with so that we can all go 73 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings on with our lives. That's what I'm asking for. Miss Bittenbender, do you have something you wanted to add to that?
The previous project that was completed was the Caretakers House, and the dollars that were requested this year was for the mansion.
And as Barbara had said, we had agreed to take on engineering study and cost estimate to see what the phases of those renovations would actually entail in a more detailed review.
Well, isn't there material already in existence about that from the Fairmount Park Commission?
We did not include it in the budget because, I guess, compared to other 74 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings projects, we were not convinced that the amount of money that was being requested was -- was really going to yield the kind of benefits that you would expect from putting a million dollars into that project, and we felt that it should be reevaluated independently by the Capital Budget Office. I think a lot of us were, you know, somewhat -- "dismayed," I guess, is the best way to express it. When we had put in the money which was going to be used in combination with private funds, we had thought it was going to go into the Mansion, where we thought, you know, there would be, you know, more -- more public use, more benefit. But -- and then we later found out that it all went in to the Caretakers Cottage. And we're not sure whether that was because, you know, the overall cost of the project was not adequately, you know, understood at the beginning, and we just never -- we're not satisfied that we're really getting our money's worth.
Right, I 75 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings understand.
-- you know, for that project. And compared to a lot of the other projects that were requested, we just felt that it didn't compete well with those projects, but we agrees that --
Well, I appreciate your sense of dissatisfaction. And you have to understand that I'm dissatisfied that the project's not done. Let me ask you this question: How much money do we have in the Regional Performing Arts Center -- for past years and last year?
I don't know what the total dollars are. I can get that figure for you.
Okay. And that's a project that still has a funding gap; is that correct?
Okay, all right. 76 2/9/99 WHOLE COMM. - Budget Hearings Mr. Kaplan?
How do we determine that we were going to issue $124 million in debt to fund this year's Capital Budget? And what's the debt ceiling?
The overall -- I don't have the debt ceiling with me at this moment, but it's in the range of about a billion, 200 million.
It's in the range of about a billion, 200 million, and I don't have that number in front of me. Our goal over the past several years has been to limit our general obligation portion of the Capital Budget to about $125 million a year for two reasons: one is that that would leave us under the debt ceiling for at least until the middle of the next decade -- perhaps longer depending on how real estate assessments turn out and give the City some time to make up for the several years where there was no capital borrowing.
But the more important issue is the ability to afford debt service on the operating side of the budget.
Right. Last year, did the Mayor propose a Capital Budget at one amount; and during the course of the budget hearings, was that amount changed?
I don't think we changed the amount. I think we redirected the appropriations from defense conversation to libraries.
Okay. So there is an ability to move dollars around, even after the recommended budget is proposed?