Council President Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Clarke.
The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, can you read the title of 160013.
An ordinance amending Chapter 10-100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Animals," by providing requirements relating to the retail sale of certain animals.
This bill has been heard on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Blackwell.
Councilwoman Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Parker.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 160202.
An ordinance amending Title 4 of The Philadelphia Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Code, Subcode "PM" (The Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code), Chapter 3, "General Requirements," to require inspections of certain bridges, to impose reporting, remediation, and other requirements in connection therewith.
This bill has been heard on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Squilla.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, 160113.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire certain land in the 30th Ward of the City of Philadelphia, located along the Schuylkill River between South Street and Christian Street, known as 624 Rear Schuylkill Avenue.
This bill has been heard on two separate days. The question is shall the bill pass Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution honoring Kathy Black on the Occasion of Her Retirement from AFSCME District Council 47, introduced by Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption and pleased to say that Councilman Bill Greenlee was my co-sponsor. Thank you. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and remembering the late Ed Snider, co-founder and owner of the Philadelphia Flyers for nearly 50 years who passed away Monday, April 11, 2016 at the age of 83 after a long battle with bladder cancer, introduced by Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution and it's co-sponsored by Councilman Henon and Councilman Squilla. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded, and we shall take the vote by a Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING standing vote. (All Councilmembers standing.)
And a resolution recognizing the month of April as Financial Literacy Month in the City of Philadelphia and authorizing the Joint Committees on Children and Youth and Education to hold hearings in order to discuss the issue of financial literacy amongst Philadelphia's youth and the possibility of implementing financial literacy classes in Philadelphia's public schools, introduced by Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Mr. President. Also co-sponsored by Councilwoman Blackwell and Councilwoman Gym. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution Acknowledging and Recognizing the American Jewish Committee for their Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism Initiative and commending Mayor James F. Kenney for his support of this initiative by adding his name to the list of more than 300 U.S. Mayors and municipal leaders from 48 states and the District of Columbia who have supported this important initiative, introduced by Councilman Domb.
The Chair again recognizes Councilman Domb. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution Commemorating the Unveiling of a Statue of Corporal Michael J. Crescenz, Philadelphia's Only Medal of Honor Recipient of the Vietnam War, at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, introduced by Councilman Oh.
Thank you. I Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution Recognizing and Honoring Herman Frazier for His Gold Medal Career in Track and Field and Athletic Administration, introduced by Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much. I have to recognize Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., who I am learning every day is a very significant person in Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia in track and field. And so with that, I'd like to move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
I heard the second. I was just contemplating what the Councilman said. Is that because of your daughter?
Council President, Herman Frazier is a Gold Medal Olympian and a Pan-American Gold Medalist. He was in the '76 Olympics, and I've worked with a lot of the track and field people and I learn more and more that many of our champions have been coached by Curtis Jones, Jr. So he's got a talent there.
All right. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING (Applause.)
Awesome. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Thank you very much, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing May 2016 as Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month in Philadelphia to celebrate and commemorate the proud heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their invaluable contributions to enhancing the City's culture, economy, and the founding ideals of independence and democracy, introduced by Councilman Oh.
The Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. And, of course, joined and coauthored by Councilman Helen Gym, I'm proud to move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and recognizing San Mateo Carnavalero for the 10th Anniversary of the Festival del Carnaval de Puebla in Philadelphia, introduced by Councilman Oh. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 4/14/16 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you very much. With Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Councilman Mark Squilla, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 for today. And are there any speeches on the part of the minority? And the Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. I just wanted to notify everyone in Council and throughout the City that on September 17th of last year, this Council body passed a resolution declaring 2016, this year, as the year to combat the heroin epidemic. And there will be a hearing on Friday, May 20th before the Public Health and Human Service Committee chaired by Councilwoman Cindy Bass. In preparation of that hearing, I have spoken to numerous experts throughout the country and within our city, but I think one of the important things that we must do is hear from people in our community. And, therefore, I placed on every Councilmember's desk a Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 hearings, and we have reached out to the offices, but if there is a hearing in or near your district that affects your district, please let me know to co-host this with me. It's an exploration of how the heroin epidemic is affecting people in our communities. And also because the experts inform me that one of the best ways to deal with a heroin epidemic in a large city like Philadelphia is to rely on smaller groups of local community members to provide the energy and leadership and information in working in smaller ways throughout our city. I appreciate all the efforts that have been done. I first was made very seriously aware of the heroin epidemic or heroin use when I was in the District Attorney's Office and then as a defense counsel. At this point in time, the effects of drug abuse are rampant, and it's very sad. We deal with a lot of great things, happy things in this body, Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 of sad things, none more so than the wasting away of human beings and their human potential with a very unhappy life and a very slow way to bring themselves to their demise. And so if there's any way we can help and those parents and family members and community members, please come and share your experience, your knowledge, and your suggestions on how we as a city can work together coordinating our departments more effectively to address and resolve, I hope, this type of devastating epidemic. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. On behalf of the majority -- I see one more minority. The Chair recognizes Councilman Taubenberger.
Council President, thank you very much. Last Friday we had a great opportunity to celebrate with the Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 national championship, but I think the celebration also constituted a great effort by the City of Philadelphia. Personally I'd like to congratulate Mayor Kenney and his staff, Philadelphia Police Department, the Fire Department, the Streets Department, and also our City Representative, Sheila Hess, who put together a wonderful parade and celebration at really only a couple days' notice. At the end of that parade, I had the opportunity and really a great honor to personally congratulate Coach Jay Wright, but the reason for my remarks today is Coach Jay Wright also said to us as I was introduced, as a member of this legislative body, he wanted to thank City Council personally and, hence forth, the reason for my remarks today. It really was a remarkable day. The team was very impressed and the coach was greatly honored by that celebration. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016
Thank you very much. And on behalf of the majority, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. Two quick points. Number one, I want to join the Council particularly about CLS today. They have taken on the cause or reengaged on the cause of some of the individuals that come down here every week about the Sheriff Sale system, and they're working with a lot of them to deal with individual cases while Councilwoman Bass and I look at some of the systematic things that we can improve. But I want to thank CLS for taking that responsibility. The second thing that I want to talk about is that everyone knows that we will on April 26th have an election. It will be for the nominees for the President of the United States, both Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 for congressional. It will be for row offices at the state level, but also a piece of work -- a couple of pieces of work that the City Council put forth on the ballot initiative. One of them that I rise to speak about today is the African American Male's Commission. And I would urge everyone within the sound of my voice to fight for that. It doesn't take long once you've attended one of our hearings dealing with justice or whether we talk about the award that was given for revamping justice how many African American males wind up in that system or in that violence, and we need to figure out why. Councilman Johnson invited me up to Graterford to meet with a group of long-term inmates there, and these were intelligent, bright men that have run afoul of the law. I also next month will be, God Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 willing, attending Lincoln University's graduation because my track daughter is graduating from there with a Master's degree. Now, two different outcomes dealing with a population of males, and we need to figure out why one trajectory happens versus the other. It could be that many of the men that we met with up Graterford come from single head of household homes. It could be that education may have failed them along the way and they could not read up to par and got and ran afoul of the law. It could be a number of things. But the point of the Commission is to find out why. And if we do that and if we make it permanent, as the ballot question offers, we will have time to study this. I often, too often according to my staff, talk about if there were 300 wales that washed up on the shore of the Delaware, every marine biologist in the world would want to know why, but 300 men Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 due to gun violence and it's a new normal. Well, we need to take a look at that. We need to study that. We need to reverse those trends and get positive outcomes for that particular at-risk population. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Council President. I don't have much of a speech, but on a happy note, it is somebody that's a friend of all of ours and colleague's birthday today, and I'd like to recognize and wish him, Councilman Domb, a very happy birthday, and keep up the good work. We're proud to have you here in this body and call you our colleague. Happy birthday. (Applause.)
Thank you for Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 wishes, and here's my birthday wish: Earned Income Tax Credit. And I just want to make this one quick announcement, that we have until April 18th. We're four days into it. And I don't want to leave that hundred million dollars in Washington, DC. I want it in Philadelphia helping those 40,000 people. So anyone here today, the press, anybody can tell people about it. I figured out if anyone makes anywhere from $8 or 7.50 an hour up to $20 an hour and they have children, they could qualify. So this is a lot of people that could qualify. So let's try to get this money in their hands. And thank you very much.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I just have one small announcement, but I want to also just be Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 colleague, the Chairman of Public Safety, comments, Councilman Curtis Jones, regarding our national efforts to address the issue of youth gun violence. And he always used the analogy of if so many wales washed up on shore, how we would address the issue, and it should also be the equivalent of how we address the issue of youth gun violence. But also I'm going to bring it home as well and look at how recently the Center for Disease on the national level has issued a call to urgency, as well as President Barack Obama to address the Zika virus. On the federal level, they have transferred over several million dollars that was left over from looking at the Ebola virus to begin looking at the Zika virus, and they also are requesting $1.9 billion to address the Zika virus. So if you will see far more young people being shot and murdered on the streets of Philadelphia and Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 a day-to-day basis than you will actually see individuals passing away and dying from the Zika virus, and that's the same level of urgency that we need to have when we see not only just the issue of youth gun violence in urban areas, but even when you look at Sandy Hook and other little counties throughout this country where people are dying as a result of gun violence. And I just recently sent to my colleagues today a gun that was confiscated, an assault rifle. You see the clip, the magazine clip on the gun. That's here in the City of Philadelphia. That was confiscated this weekend. I'm a firm believer that we have to take personal responsibility and encourage our young men to not pick up guns in the first place. But there are no Uzis made in Point Breeze or Strawberry Mansion. That gun came from somewhere. And so I just want to follow up Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 my colleague as we address this issue of youth gun violence and make sure we keep this the number one priority here in the City of Philadelphia. I want to invite everyone out this Saturday to the Second Annual Point Breeze 5K Walk and Run and Health Fair. I am doing this event in partnership with Sky Community Partners and Councilman David Oh, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, and Councilman Derek Green, all in the effort to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer but, most importantly, encourage people to come on out and take advantage of and take control of improving their health. And so it's going to take place on Saturday at 24th and Wharton at 8:00 a.m., and so I encourage and challenge everyone to come on out. If you don't want to run, you can walk, but come on out and start focusing on improving the quality of your health. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 much, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you for your good work. (Applause.)
Thank you very much, Council President. This week the Committees on Children and Youth and Education held a hearing on the state of services in our public schools. Among the things that came forward has been Council's serious attention to the issue of teacher vacancies and the impact that it has had on young people and on the school communities, among them being the fact that thousands of young people will be going into remedial programs this summer or will need to seek credit recovery because they have not had a teacher in the classroom or a certified teacher in the classroom for more than Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 We have thousands of children in grades K to 3 that are in split grades. We have a disastrous $34 million Source4Teachers contract that has ravaged many of our school communities. But the one thing that I wanted to say is that I hope that Council doesn't see this as being a situation of hopelessness, but that our attention to this issue is actually bringing some change. Among them the fact that we were able to guarantee a full-time nurse and counselor in every single District public school in September, no matter what the Governor's budget says, and that we made that a priority. We're pushing the District to eliminate split grades, and Councilman Johnson is helping make sure that we get an answer on that Source4teachers contract. These things are moving the District slowly towards the priorities that matter for every single child across Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 last thing I wanted to add is, the most important thing that we should see as a huge lift, an opportunity for our city, which is the fact that the School District of Philadelphia is looking to hire 800 jobs for teachers, probably the best job that we can bring to the City. And, honestly, if a company were coming here saying that they promised an average of $50,000 a year jobs, highly educated, to come to this city, many of us would be doing everything we can to make that happen, but I think we can also do that today by trying to figure out different ways to be creative about attracting teachers here, about making sure that they can live in the communities in which they teach, that we can embrace a whole approach and understand that schools are economic engines and drivers, that they can help rebuild our neighborhoods. They can bring new life and vitality to our Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 to thank all my colleagues who are doing everything in their power to drive attention to and focus the District on its core mission, which is the teaching and learning of our young people. Thank you.
Thank you, Council President. I will be very brief. Many of you have probably seen the news reports regarding the unfortunate situation that happened to Ms. Bonnie Moran, a letter she received from someone who was not quite neighborly regarding her autistic son. I want to commend Ms. Moran. I had a chance to talk with her the other day, and also commend her neighbors who Stated Meeting April 14, 2016 neighborly, who really worked and encouraged her in reference to that issue. I know she's been in conversation with Councilman Henon and his office regarding that issue. And when you have unfortunate things like this happen, especially during Autism Awareness Month, we need to have more autism acceptance, and the fact that we do have strong neighbors here in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection that were able to work with Ms. Moran and her family and let her know and her children know that this is not what Philadelphia is about. So thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. That appears to conclude our speeches on the part of the minority and majority. With that, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown for a motion to adjourn. Stated Meeting April 14, 2016
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, April 21, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Council stand adjourned until Thursday, April 21, 2016, 10:00 a.m. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)