Aye. SECOND READING - BILL 010369 The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes The clerk will please read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 010369, an ordinance amending Section PM 309.0 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Emergency Nuisance Abatement Program," by amending the designated area in which properties must be located in order to be eligible for participation in the Emergency Nuisance Abatement Program, all under certain terms and conditions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes the the are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 010527
An ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter which would establish a process which would authorize the privatization of the administration, operation, and management of the School District as approved by resolution of the City Council, fixing the date of a special election for such purposes, prescribing the form of the ballot question to be voted on, and authorizing appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes the 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. (Applause.)
The clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 010523.
An ordinance amending Chapter 2500 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Councilmatic Districts," by revising the boundaries of the Councilmatic districts, under certain terms and conditions
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? I'm sorry, Councilman Ortiz, do you want to SECOND READING - BILL 010523 be recognized?
Madam President, after Tuesday the 11th, many things that we do here and other places really lose a lot of importance and perspective, and they maybe even seem as trivial. But if anything, what Tuesday proved in essence was that we as a country are a people of many colors and many cultures, and we all want to be part of what this thing that we have here that is called America. Traditionally, many of the ways that new groups in this country, as they reach our shores and they establish their residence and they begin working to get the piece and achieve the American dream -the Italians, the Irish, they had their time, they built their neighborhoods. In Philadelphia, the Latinos have done that. Puerto Ricans came, grew, resided, and took a neighborhood that previously had been inhabited by Polish, Ukrainians, Russians, and made it their own. And as they prospered, they moved, as other immigrant SECOND READING - BILL 010523 groups in this city have done. And the City, with other groups, began to reflect the nature of this city, the mosaic that it was. For a long time, this city has always been characterized in two terms: Black, white. Well, we're no longer a black and white city. We're a city that speaks Spanish, that is bilingual, that talks in other and celebrates in other languages. Ten years ago, in 1991 -- and I haven't said this publicly, and I have to say it on behalf of the Latino community, a plan was introduced in this Council for redistricting. It was a bad plan, a disrespectful plan to the Latino community. It divided us into different districts and really took the cohesiveness. It did not look at the neighborhood that we had made. In essence, it said to us, that plan, we don't want you to be a part of this city. Wilson Goode, Sr. made a promise and he kept it. Some of my friends were here, some of my colleagues, took chances and risks and sustained that promise. We were able to deliver a different plan, a plan that recognized that this community, after 40 years here -- and people think that we have just SECOND READING - BILL 010523 arrived, but the tobacco workers in the 1920s that moved into South Philadelphia were Puerto Ricans. We've been here since the 1890s, but in big numbers, we started to be here since the '40s and '50s. And now we're going by other Latinos: Dominicans, Colombians. And they moved into the places where we have been, just as we moved into the places where the Russians and the Ukrainians had lived. 9 -- still doesn't do, although we have worked, and Councilwoman and President Verna, you and I have worked very, very long and hard, but we still are not there. It is still not what the community wishes it to be. In the last ten years in this city, the Latino community grew by 45 percent. The only other community in this city that grew was the Asian-American community. We were able to sustain our State representation, our Congressional representation because of the numbers of Latinos that moved in. Twenty percent of others left the City. We're not leaving the City. We are growing with the City. The Latino community is not saying that they SECOND READING - BILL 010523 need a district that they need to elect someone, but we represent at least 10 percent or more of the community right now of the City of Philadelphia, and we will represent a bigger percentage in the years to come. What we're saying is that this has to be an opportunity for us to be a decisive factor on who represents that community and that there should be lines in any redistricting proposal that demonstrates and keeps with the growth of that community and the cohesiveness of that community and where that community is going. Although this plan is much better than the 1991 plan -- and it's not really -- that other plan, like I said, was disrespectful to us. This tries and strives, but it doesn't get where the Latino community wishes to be. I wish we could have done more, I wish we could do more.
It is my hope that during the next few years or weeks or months, that we'll be able to readdress this issue. But the plan, as currently structured, after consultation with the people that testified here -- and it was very interesting that the only individuals who testified before this City SECOND READING - BILL 010523 Council were Puerto Ricans. It seems no one else cares about redistricting. But the plan doesn't achieve the goals that I would like it to see, and I would hope that we can strive during the next year or so to make it better Thank you, Madam Chair.
The question still remains: This bill having been read on two different days, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes 15, the nays are 2. A majority of SPEECHES all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. That concludes our calendar for today.
Are there speeches on the part of the minority? (No speeches on the part of the minority.)
Are there any speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Mariano.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, after the vote we just did on the redistricting, after much time and thought -and first of all, I'd like to thank the Council staff, Councilmembers 'cause only we know -- and the community groups and the voting rights groups that came in, 'cause only they know the blood, sweat, and tears that went into this process. Even to the two members that voted against this, a lot went into this As the District Councilman that represents that district that we seem to be trying to help one way or the other, depending on what side you're SPEECHES looking at, I'm going to look into the possibility -I'm asking any of the other Councilpeople within the next couple weeks and the next month to look for legislation to create 15 District Council seats and 2 at-large seats. We might want to get that question on the May '02 primary ballot Because one thing I learned out of this whole process, there is a group of people that somehow feel that they're not represented correctly in this Council, and I know I for one and everyone -and probably everyone in here came here to try to help people, and this is not for political reasons, but maybe that's someone we as a Council -- and I would challenge my fellow Councilmembers to try and help me work on that legislation to try to change the Home Rule Charter to get 15 Council Districts and 2 at-large districts. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you the Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madam President. In the week of the terrorist attacks, there's been a big increase in the number of false SPEECHES 9-1-1 bomb threats. In a normal week, we get a few, but in the week following the terrorist attacks, there were close to 100. And, you know, obviously, they're very bad, they distract our firefighters and police officers from the job that they have, and they create a very dangerous situation The first offense for this is a misdemeanor, and I think we need to do something eventually about that, and the second offense is a felony. And depending on the circumstances, ethnic intimidation and terroristic threats charges can also be brought. So any activity like this is just so unacceptable. The point that I'm going to try to make today, and hopefully the people listening and watching this will get the word out that if people think that this is something that's anonymous, it's not. Callers are able to be traced by the Police Department. The technology there is very enhanced. If they have what they believe to be private numbers that don't normally show up on caller ID, that data is available to the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Police Department will dispatch police to the source of those calls and conduct an investigation SPEECHES and make an arrest if necessary. And also, for people that -- especially in our Arab community that may receive a threat, again, the technology, they must be aware that Verizon, the telephone company here in this region, provides a service where those calls can be traced. And, again, they need to know about that. And the police have made it clear that these types of false calls will not be tolerated. They don't want to discourage anyone from making legitimate calls when they believe that there is a significant problem in their neighborhood or their community. So I just wanted to restate the Police Department's condition and the concern that we all have and the jeopardy that we put our police and firefighters in every time one of these false calls from into police radio Thank you.
Thank you. the Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. Just a few words about redistricting and SPEECHES empowerment independent politics. I am no stranger to either. In fact, a couple years ago, the day after the primary election, most people thought that my election was a major upset. I don't know who was supposed to be upset, because my family has been involved in empowerment independent politics for three decades As I talked about it on the campaign trail, I gave my first political speech at age 5. For show-and-tell, I wore a Hardy Williams-for-mayor button and talked about empowerment politics then to a group of 5-year-olds. It was not until I was 18 that this City elected its first African-American mayor. At that point, the African-American population in Philadelphia was 38 percent. The black voter registration at that point was 39 percent. But we won with a multi-racial coalition with the black community as a major base in that effort. In 1999, the City elected a second black mayor. The black population was slightly over 40 percent. I ran citywide in that election. My district was the entire City. I was not endorsed by my party, I was not endorsed by my future colleagues SPEECHES who I have come to know, but I was convinced that empowerment politics and independent politics, the years we put into that movement created an opportunity for me. Empowerment politics, though, is independent politics; it's the politics that have elected many of us here. There were no district designs for our victories and no special elections in which we were hand-picked. It was hard-core grassroots politics. No electoral victory can be decided in this chamber by just 17 members. That's actually up to the voters themselves. Our job is to protect the voting strength associated with every demographic voting bloc that we can, not to deliver victories. Those of us who have to win our victories independently are still for principle in this process. It should be noted that majority and minority members, black white, women, men, younger, wiser members of this Council stood up protecting every demographic voting bloc in this city, protecting but not trying to deliver any one group, any one district. In the end, empowerment politics, SPEECHES grassroots politics, independent politics is not going to be decided by the status quo, but by the future leaders. The opportunity for future minority political empowerment has been protected here, but it has to be seized, not given to anyone Thank you.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, over 1500 community organizational leaders, elected officials, and citizens-at-large will be attending a call-to-worship service dedicated to praying for the world and supporting the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. This Sunday, September 23rd, at 10 a.m.in the grand ballroom of the Marriott Hotel located at 12th and Market Street, I am pleased to note that thus far that Councilmembers Blondell Reynolds Brown, Wilson Goode Jr, Angel Ortiz, and I have confirmed our attendance. An open invitation has been extended to the public, all members of City Council, and elected officials throughout the region SPEECHES This service is being hosted by Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, which is led by their pastor, and my friend and then our friend who was here this morning, Reverend Dr. Alyn E. Waller I ask that all of my colleagues confirm their attendance by contacting my office for logistical purposes. I want to thank you and invite the public to join this service for support for the American Red Cross
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode -Councilman Cohen. (No immediate response.)
Yes. I was just interested in my other name, "Councilman Goode." That would give me about 50 more years in Council, I would hope. (Laughter.)
I wanted to mention that with respect to the legislation we've passed for the referendum on the privatization of the schools that the exact language may be a bit confusing, but I want to make it very, very clear that those who support a SPEECHES public school system are going to be asking for a strong "no" vote. The reason for the resolution is to give people in Philadelphia an opportunity to be included in the process, because so far, the public has been excluded. Decisions have been made without people's involvement, so that the electoral process on November the 6th will enable people to say, Do you favor the concept of privatization? Or do you think the public schools ought to remain public? And I just wanted to add the note to make it very clear that those who favor public schools are going to be working very hard to secure a massive "no" vote. With respect to the comment made by Councilman Mariano to increase the number of districts to 15 and the number -- and to reduce the number of at-large seats to 2, I just want him to know he's fighting history, he's fighting the whole purpose of the Home Rule Charter by such a proposal. The main architect of the Home Rule Charter was Richardson Dilworth, and Richardson Dilworth, because he felt that citywide issues ought to prevail in the City Council, always urged upon the electorate SPEECHES to have one more Councilmember-at-large than the number of District Councilmembers. So I just thought, Councilman Mariano, in addition to fighting the change in the current districts, you would be fighting history, and I think it would be an unsuccessful fight. Thank you. And, incidentally, because directing is very important to the Councilmembers-at-large as well as to the District Councilmembers, but it is the responsibility of Councilmembers-at-large to examine the whole district proposal to see to it that such things as ethnic groups feel fully represented in government, that all sections of the City are treated equally, even though it's the concern of the District Councilmembers, of course, about each of their districts. Thank you very much.
Council President, to Councilman Cohen, I appreciate the history lesson, ADJOURNMENT but I just need the Councilman to remember one thing: It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog. Thank you. (Laughter.)
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for the purpose of making a motion.
Well, I'm sure we're going to have a dog fight. (Laughter.)
Madam President, I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, October the 4th, 2001, at 10 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that City Council stand adjourned until Thursday, October 4, 2001, at 10 a.m. All in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you all very much. (Proceedings end at 11:19 a.m.) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, September 20, 2001, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. RE: STATED MEETING _______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)