City Hall Roll Call: April 15, 2021

Session Recap:

The Mayor delivered his long awaited budget address today, outlining the top priorities of his Administration, now in its 6th year. These budget priorities centered on “creating a safer and more just city, investing in quality education, fostering inclusive economic growth, improving health equity and ensuring a diverse, efficient and effective government.”

Without the $1.4 billion in federal resources coming to the city, the Mayor acknowledged that he would be presenting a very different budget. Instead, he has the opportunity to make investments, rather than cuts. Here are some of the bigger items coming out of today. Some of these investments are for this fiscal year, while others are spread through the course of the Five-year plan:

• Accelerated Wage and BIRT tax cuts

• $13.2 million to provide 911 operators with co-response and mobile crisis teams

• $250 million to Community College, with $54 million for the Octavius Catto Scholarship

• 700 new pre-K slots

• $1.38 billion in funding over the FYP for the School District

• $2.9 million to restore Library services, including after school programing

• $6.9 million to Parks and Recreation for pools and programming.

• $132 million to Streets Department in FY22 for repaving and ADA ramps

• $62 million over FYP for mechanical street sweeping.

• $750k in commercial corridor investment

• $5 million for various workforce development programs

• Additional resources for anti-violence programming and for safe space making (lighting, maintenance, etc.)

• $1 million for Opioid epidemic response.

After the Mayor delivered his budget address, some Councilmembers weighed in on the presentation. Councilman Green shared that he didn’t think the plan unveiled by the Mayor was bold enough and that the City needed to think bigger and work harder. Councilwoman Parker expressed concern over the proposed tax cuts noting that she would need demonstrable evidence that tax cuts would put people back to work or create more jobs before she could sign-off on the plan. Councilman Domb echoed Councilman Green’s disappointment on the lack of boldness and channeled Winston Churchill in urging the City to do more to not waste a good crisis.

City Council will be releasing its public budget hearing calendar in the next few days. Stay tuned for our Monday Morning Quarterback newsletter where we will dig into the Mayor’s budget in greater detail.

Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Subject Matter)

Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.

💸 Taxes and Finance

• Bill - Appropriations transfer for FY2021 (Admin)

• Bill - FY2022 Capital Budget (Admin)

• Bill - FY2022 Operating Budget (Admin)

• Bill - BIRT Tax Cut (Admin)

• Bill - Wage Tax Cut (Admin)

• Bill - Budget bill (Admin)

• Resolution - Revised 5 Year Plan FY2022-2026 (Admin)

👷 Labor

• Bill - Modifying retirement code death benefits related to Covid (Henon)

• Bill - Establishing reporting requirements for changes in ownership for longterm care facilities or hospitals (Thomas)

🏘️ Housing

• Bill - Amending the Fair Practices Ordinance to require the use of uniform screening practices for rental applications (Brooks)

• Bill - Amending Landlord Tenant Law to regulate the application and selection process for housing units (Brooks)

🚦 Streets and Right of Way

• Bill - Prohibiting street vending on certain portions of East Passyunk (Squilla)

• Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 1st District (Squilla)

• Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 1st District (Squilla)

• Bill - No truck parking (Henon)

• Bill - No truck parking (Henon)

⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings)

• Resolution - authorizing hearings to determine how Philadelphia should use federal dollars to eliminate homelessness and create affordable housing opportunities (Clarke)

• Resolution - Authorizing Committee on Licenses and Inspections and the Committee on the Environment to hold hearings on building decarboninzation.

Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Member)

Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.

Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-1st)

• Bill - Prohibiting street vending on certain portions of East Passyunk

• Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 1st District

• Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 1st District

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd)

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd)

• Resolution - authorizing hearings to determine how Philadelphia should use federal dollars to eliminate homelessness and create affordable housing opportunities (Clarke)

• Resolution - standing in solidarity with the residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in light of the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano

Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)

Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)

Councilmember Bobby Henon (D-6th)

• Bill - Modifying retirement code death benefits related to Covid

• Bill - No truck parking

• Bill - No truck parking

• Resolution - Recognizing Donald McGrogan for his union leadership

Councilmember Maria Quinones-Sanchez (D-7th)

• Bill - Appropriations transfer for FY2021 (Admin)

Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)

• Resolution - Honoring the 1 million Black Women program supported by Goldman Sachs

• Resolution - Calling on NCAA to reevaluate policies related to gender equity and work to close gender gaps in sports

Councilmember Cherelle Parker (D-9th)

• Bill - FY2022 Capital Budget (Admin)

• Bill - FY2022 Operating Budget (Admin)

• Bill - BIRT Tax Cut (Admin)

• Bill - Wage Tax Cut (Admin)

• Bill - Budget bill (Admin)

• Resolution - Rebuild project statement

• Resolution - Revised 5 Year Plan FY2022-2026

• Resolution - Honoring Frank L. Stevens, Jr.

Councilmember Brian O’Neill (R-10th)

Councilmember Kendra Brooks (I-AL)

• Bill - Amending the Fair Practices Ordinance to require the use of uniform screening practices for rental applications

• Bill - Amending Landlord Tenant Law to regulate the application and selection process for housing units

Councilmember Allan Domb (D-AL)

Councilmember Katherine Gilmore-Richardson (D-AL)

• Resolution - Authorizing Committee on Licenses and Inspections and the Committee on the Environment to hold hearings on building decarboninzation.

• Resolution - Honoring and recognizing community garden leaders.

• Resolution - Calling on Fleet management to issue RFP for electric vehicles and charging stations

• Resolution - Recognizing Earth Day

• Resolution - Honoring and thanking the Philadelphia Energy Authority

Councilmember Derek Green (D-AL)

Councilmember Helen Gym (D-AL)

Councilmember David Oh (R-AL)

Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (D-AL)

• Bill - Establishing reporting requirements for changes in ownership for longterm care facilities or hospitals

• Resolution - Congratulating Boys Imohotep basketball team on their season.

Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session

Resolutions:

• 🏆 210296 (Gilmore-Richardson and Bass): Resolution recognizing and supporting the health and wellness of Black mamas and birthing people by acknowledging April 11-17, 2021, as “Black Maternal Health Week”.

• 🗣️ 210297 (Gym, Henon and Brooks): Resolution urging the United States Senate to pass Senate Bill 1306, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 (also known as the “PRO Act”), and affirming the right of workers to form unions and organize for higher wages, family-sustaining benefits, as well as safety, dignity, and respect at their workplace.

• 🏆 210298 (Jones)": Resolution recognizing and honoring James Harry Calamia for his exceptional service to the Roxborough Community as the Executive Director of the Roxborough Development Corporation.

• 🏆 210299 (Jones): Resolution recognizing and honoring Keir Bradford-Grey for her astounding, impactful, and incomparable service to the City and its citizens as Chief Defender of the Defender Association of Philadelphia and congratulating her on her new role as Partner at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP.

• 🗣️ 210300 (Johnson): Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to support the Biden Administration’s American Jobs Plan, a multi trillion-dollar plan to invest in American infrastructure and jobs over the next 8 years.

• 🏆 210301 (Green): Resolution recognizing April 2021 as Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia, and commending the Eagles Autism Foundation and Divine Providence Village for their vaccination initiative.

• 🏆 210302 (Green): Resolution recognizing and congratulating Gail Harrity for her 24 years of dedicated, effective, and transformative leadership as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

• 🏆 210303 (Green): Resolution recognizing and celebrating Mental Health Partnerships on the 70th Anniversary of the organization’s founding.

• 🗣️ 210304 (Thomas): Resolution council calls on The Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives to grant Philadelphia the ability to provide needed regulatory relief to local bars, restaurants, and other liquor licensees. Regulatory relief in the form of extended bar hours and increased happy hours will allow establishments hit hard by state and local coronavirus related closures and capacity restrictions to make a full recovery and preserve thousands of local jobs.

• 🏆 210305 (Thomas): Resolution honoring and congratulating the West Catholic Preparatory High School Girls Basketball Team, the Lady Burrs, on winning the school's first ever PIAA state title against Mohawk with a 67-56 victory.

• 🗣️ 210306 (Squilla): Resolution to bring to Philadelphia the main celebrations of the 250th Anniversaries of the Navy and Marine Corps.

• 🔏 210307 (Squilla): Resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, identified by house number and street address as 1824 East Huntingdon street; and authorizing the Redevelopment Authority to execute the redevelopment contract with JR Complete Construction Inc. and to take such action as may be necessary to effectuate the redevelopment contract.

• 🏆 210310 (Bass): Resolution recognizing April 24, 2021 as the 20th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day to provide a safe and effective option for the disposal of unwanted, unused, or expired controlled substances; and to minimize the incidence of drug abuse and fatal overdoses in the City due to non-medical prescription drugs found in the homes of family and friends.

• 🗺️ 210311 (Bass): Resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon situate in the Eighth Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405 of The Philadelphia Code.

• 🗣️ 210312 (Oh): Resolution calling on the School District of Philadelphia to help combat anti-Asian hate by providing Asian American history lessons during Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage month in May to further educate and inform students of the rich history and contributions of Asian Americans.

• 🏆 210313 (Oh and Quiñones-Sánchez): Resolution honoring and congratulating Dr. Carmen Febo, the longtime Executive Director of Taller Puertorriqueno Inc., on the occasion of her upcoming retirement.

• 🏆 210314 (Oh): Resolution honoring and recognizing Paul S. Beideman, the longtime President and CEO of Avenue of the Arts Inc., for his years of service in strengthening Philadelphia’s internationally recognized arts and culture scene upon the occasion of his upcoming retirement.

• 🏆 210315 (Oh): Resolution recognizing qFLIX Philadelphia - the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the mid-Atlantic region - and its parent organization qFLIX USA, and calling on Facebook to unlock the organization’s qFLIX Worcester account.

• ⚖️  210### (Clarke): Resolution authorizing hearings to determine how Philadelphia should use federal dollars to eliminate homelessness and create affordable housing opportunities.

• ⚖️  210### (Gilmore-Richardson): Resolution authorizing Committee on Licenses and Inspections and the Committee on the Environment to hold hearings on building decarboninzation.

Bills:

• 🏗️ 210078-A (Quiñones-Sánchez): An Ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” by revising and clarifying certain provisions and making technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions.

   

📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings

(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)

Friday, April 16th

• Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention, 9:00 a.m. - A continued hearing to address Philadelphia's enduring plague of gun violence by facilitating coordination among stakeholders and formulating a comprehensive gun violence prevention strategy.

Monday, April 19th

• Committee on Rules, 10 a.m. - The Rules Committee has nine (9) bills on its meeting agenda:

  • Creating the West Chestnut Street Overlay District. (200348)

  • Changing the zoning designations of land located within an area bounded by Lehigh Avenue, Frankford Avenue, Master Street and 6th Street. (200713)

  • Revising provisions related to the collection of hotel rental taxes in connection with private short term rentals. (210081)

  • Amending the Retail Sales Use Category and Use-Specific Standards. (210159)

  • Changing the zoning designations of land located within an area bounded by Cottman Avenue, the Montgomery County Line, the Bucks County Line, Interstate 95, Grant Avenue, and Roosevelt Boulevard. (210207)

  • Establishing and adding a new sub-area within the CTR Center City Overlay District Broad Street Area, entitled “South Broad Street Gateway.” (210225)

  • Changing the zoning of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Spruce Street, 5th Street, South Street, and 8th Street.(210228)

  • Changing the zoning of certain portions of the land located within an area bounded by Delaware Expressway, Richmond Street, Lewis Street, Delaware Avenue, and Castor Avenue. (210246)

  • Changing the zoning of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 63rd Street, Lansdowne Avenue, Felton Street, Haddington Lane, Edgewood Street, Lansdowne Avenue, 54th Street, Girard Avenue, 59th Street, and Callowhill Street. (210247)

  Wednesday, April 21st

• Committee on Law and Government, 10 a.m. - The Committee on Law and Government will hear the following bills and resolutions:

  • Ballot question, non-binding referendum calling on Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to legalize recreational marijuana. (210206 / 210215)

  • Expanding existing domestic violence protections to cover coercive control (210249).

Thursday, April 22nd

• Committee on Law and Government, 1 p.m. - The Committee on Law and Government will hold hearings examining the decision to permanently move sheriff sales online, and further to explore the ramifications of and any unintended consequences that may arise from this decision. (210295)

Friday, April 23rd

• Committee on Public Health and Human Services, 1 p.m. - The Committee will assess the City of Philadelphia’s efforts, as coordinated by the Managing Director’s Office and human services departments, to prevent and treat abuse, addiction, and disease related to the use of opioids; and to assess the City’s response to the 2020 Restorative Investment Plan for Kensington Residents. (200403)

Monday, April 26th

• Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless, 10:00 a.m. - The Committee will hold a hearing to examining the race gap in home appraisals and its impact on homeownership and wealth accumulation in Philadelphia. (210208)