city council initiatives and accomplishments

8/20/2019 City Council Initiatives and Accomplishments

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Initiatives& Accomplishments

Term Report April 2015

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Contents

Cover photo: B. Krist for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

About City Council

Finding New Revenue Sourcesand Improving GovernmentEfficiency

1

24Letter From City Council

Engaging The Community

2

28Creating AffordableNeighborhoods and PreservingHomeownership

Philadelphia City CouncilStanding Committees

4

32Promoting a Safeand Healthy City CouncilmemberContacts

8

33Enhancing Commerce And Economic Opportunity District Map

13

34

Refining Our EducationalEnvironment

16 Enhancing The OverallQuality Of Life

20


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The 1951 Home RuleCharter establishedCouncil as the legislativearm of Philadelphiamunicipal government,consisting of 17 members.Ten members are electedby district and seven areelected from the City-at-large. Each is elected fora term of four years withno limitations as to thenumber of terms that canbe served. Members electone of their number toserve as Council President.

The rules require Councilto hold weekly public

sessions, usually on

Thursday mornings at10:00 a.m., in Room 400,City Hall. Every proposedordinance is in the formof a bill introduced by aCouncilmember. Beforea bill can be enacted byCouncil, it must be referredby the President ofCouncil to an appropriatestanding committee ofCouncil, considered at apublic hearing and publicmeeting, reported out bythe committee, printed asreported by the committee,distributed to the membersof Council, and madeavailable to the public.

Passage of a bill requires the

favorable vote of a majorityof all members of Council.

A bill becomes law onceapproved and signed bythe Mayor. The Mayor mayallow a bill to become law

without his signature asa sign of disapproval. Or,the Mayor can veto a bill.Council may override the

veto by a two-thirds vote.

The functions of CityCouncil influence a widerange of public affairs inPhiladelphia and directlyimpact the quality of life forits citizens.

About City Council


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The 2012 Term City Council embraced a

strategy with the ultimate goal of ensuringPhiladelphia meets its projected destiny as

America’s next great city. This means safe streets,abundant housing options, thriving commerce, first

class schools and access to quality amenities like well-maintained parks and recreation facilities. No

neighborhood can be left behind.

With this goal in mind, Council has been moreproactive than ever before. As a legislative body, wehave turned out an unprecedented level of work since2012 with over 750 bills and resolutions enacted. This

document highlights many of these efforts.

Fully understanding disparities that exist in

our city across several demographics, Council isaggressively addressing the issue of income-equality.Examples include ensuring residents can earn a living wage, ensuring all who want to live here can afford

to do so, allowing workers the opportunity to earnpaid sick leave and finding sustainable funding for the

Philadelphia School District.

In addition, Council has consistently reduced wageand business taxes, enacted measures to build smallbusinesses and create jobs, improved public safetyand found alternative methods, beyond taxes, to

generate revenue for the City’s general fund.

Letter From

City Council S E A L

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Philadelphia City Council


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Philadelphia City Council 3

Mark Squilla 1 st District

Bobby Henon 6 th District

Brian J. O’Neill

Minority Leader10th District

Dennis O’Brien At-Large Councilman

Kenyatta Johnson 2nd District

Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez 7 th District

W. Wilson Goode, Jr.

At-Large Councilman

David Oh Minority Whip

At-Large Councilman

Jannie Blackwell 3rd District

Cindy Bass 8 th District

William K. Greenlee

Majority Deputy Whip Atw -Large Councilman

Blondell Reynolds Brown Majority Whip

At-Large Councilwoman

Curtis Jones, Jr. Majority Leader

4 th District

Darrell L. Clarke Council President

5th District

Marian B. Tasco

9th District

Ed Neilson At-Large Councilman


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4


ACHIEVEMENTS

Property Tax Relief When homeowners received

drastically higher property tax bills

for 2014, Council also sent notice

of a bevy of tax relief programsto help them out. The new Actual

Value Initiative (AVI), which

reassessed real estate properties

in Philadelphia at their full value,

caused the jump in property taxes.

The change from the old system

of partial value assessments was

potentially devastating for the

40 percent of City homeowners

earning less than $35,000 a year.

To protect residents, Council quickly

pushed through a package of tax

breaks and payment programs to

offset some of the hike.

Key AVI Tax Relief Programs■The Homestead Exemption

reduces property assessments by

$30,000 for qualifying Philadelphia

homeowners, shaving up to $402

off their yearly tax bill. Some

218,425 homeowners qualified for

the tax break in 2014. Philadelphia

homeowners were previously

barred from this exemption by

state law. Council worked with state

legislators to make the exemption

available to Philadelphians for the

first time ever.

■The Longtime Owner-Occupied

Relief Program (LOOP)

saved 17,486 homeowners an

average of $700 off their 2014

property taxes. LOOP reduces

assessments for qualifying owners

who have lived in their homesfor more than 10 years and meet

financial eligibility requirements.

■ An Installment Payment Option

is available to elderly and low-

income homeowners who

may be able to pay their yearly

property taxes in full. The plan

which required a change in state

law, will be especially helpful for

the estimated 40 percent of cityhomeowners who do not have

mortgages and who may be unable

to pay their yearly property taxes

in full. Some 17,100 homeowners

opted for the installment payment

plan in 2014.

The 2,000 New AffordableHousing Units InitiativeCouncil put a plan in place to

increase housing affordability andencourage a greater supply of

new housing in Philadelphia. The

program encourages and supports

development of 1,000 rental

and 1,000 homeownership units

affordable for households earning

between 80 to 120 percent of

Area Median Income, also known

as “workforce housing”, on City-

owned land in blighted and

gentrifying areas.

The plan takes advantage

of the thousands of publiclyowned real estate parcels and the

City’s ability to access untapped

federal resources and creates

Neighborhood Opportunity Zones

in areas with high volumes of

such land. The zones are then

targeted for subsidies thus making

Creating AffordableNeighborhoods and PreservingHomeownership


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Councilman Mark Squilla supported property tax relie legislation.

(continued on next page)


them attractive for development.Council estimates the addition of

these housing units in these zones

will add roughly $179 million in

value to the property tax base

and generate $36.6 million in

economic activity during the

construction phase.

For more information on

Council’s 2,000 New Affordable

Housing Units Initiative visit

phlcouncil.com

Councilman

Mark Squilla

1st District

Elected in 2011, Councilman Mark Squilla

represents City Council’s 1st Council District,

a diverse and growing area that includes

portions of South Philadelphia, Center City,

Chinatown, Northern Liberties, Fishtown,

Kensington and Port Richmond.

The populous district is home to severalexciting new development projects such

as demolition of an entire block between

Market to Chestnut and 11th and 12th

streets to make way for a mixed-use

development. The nearby Gallery Mall

also is closing for a two-year renovation,

and a luxury hotel is planned at Broad

and Spruce Streets. These projects will

heavily impact adjacent neighborhoods.

Councilman Squilla acts as intermediary

between the developers, nearby residentsand businesses.

A prolific legislator, Councilman Squilla

has introduced at least 270 pieces of

legislation since 2012.

He spent considerable time and money

informing constituents about the tax relief

measures Council put in place to mitigate

the impact of the Actual Valuation Initiative.

His office also educated constituents on howto appeal their property assessments before

the Board of Revision of Taxes. Additionally,

he sponsored legislation to allow property

owners appealing their new assessments

to delay paying their 2013 property tax bill

until their appeal was decided.


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The CommunitySustainability InitiativeCity Council fervently believes

Philadelphia’s ability to grow

and prosper in the 21st century

requires that every neighborhood

become a Community of

Choice; safe, stable, sustainable

communities where current

and prospective residents

would choose to live. To that

end, City Council created the

Community Sustainability Initiative

(CSI) – an unprecedented

and comprehensive strategic

framework to guide the work

of City Council in making every

neighborhood in Philadelphia “A

Choice Community.”

This initiative tracks

information on school

performance, mortgage

foreclosures, tax delinquency,

crime, shifts in population,

location of amenities such as

libraries, parks, retail shopping,

and more. The comprehensive

“data snapshot” will regularly be

compared against certain goals in

each category creating a context

to measure legislative efforts and

an evaluation tool to assure that

Council’s actions move the City

closer to its goals.

The PhiladelphiaLand BankCouncil created this land

repository to streamline the

process of turning often-vacant

city-owned real estate into

productive developments. The

Philadelphia Land Bank is starting

with 8,000 City-owned parcels and

began soliciting proposals from

developers in January

2015. “This Land

Bank will finally give

Philadelphia the toolsneeded to reclaim our

neighborhoods from

blight, abandonment,

and tax delinquency,

and to get properties

back into productive

reuse,” said Maria D.

Quiñones-Sánchez,

who wrote the bill.

The Land Bank has the

authority to acquire vacant and tax-

delinquent properties

through Sheriff’s Sale

to build its inventory.

The Land

Bank opened for business in

January 2015 with the transfer

Darrell L.

Clarke

Council

President &

5th District

Councilman Clarke does double-duty as

representative for the 5th Council District and

Council President. As Council President, the

forward-thinking lawmaker has advanced a

progressive legislative agenda that includes

promoting economic and neighborhood

development, ensuring the availability

of affordable “workforce” housing and

improving the overall quality of life of all

Philadelphians among its top priorities.

Council President Clarke fervently

believes Philadelphia’s ability to grow and

prosper in the 21st Century requires that

every neighborhood within the City be

safe, stable, sustainable communities that

current and prospective residents would

choose. Toward this end he has launched

the Community Sustainability Initiative (CSI),

the 2,000 Affordable Housing Units Initiativeand School Based Family Service Centers.

Together these three programs address

some of the City’s most critical issues – a

severe shortage of affordable housing and

workforce homeownership opportunities,

the need for more jobs that pay a living wage,

and the need to grow the tax base.

“While Philadelphia emerged from

the Great Recession intact, we still have a

ways to go in moving our City forward,”said Council President Clarke. “As elected

leaders, tackling income-based inequality in

Philadelphia is a mandate.”

The 5th District includes much of North

Philadelphia and a portion of Center City.


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Councilwoman Quiñones-Sánchez was instrumental in expanding access to property tax relie programs or

low-income homeowners.


Maria

quinones-

sanchez

7th District

The first Puerto Rican to be elected to a

District Council seat and the first Latina to

join the legislative body, Councilwoman

Quiñones-Sánchez made history when

she was elected by a landslide vote of 80

percent in 2007. As a Council member,

her focus has been on creating and

preserving family-sustaining jobs, businesstax reform, and keeping owners in their

homes.

Her business tax reform changes help

local businesses by reducing their liability

on sales made outside the city. She helped

mitigate the burden of the Actual Value

Initiative’s (AVI) property tax hike for

just under 10,000 small businesses by

providing a $2,000 tax-exemption for the

Use and Occupancy Tax.

The councilwoman is spearheading

the City’s efforts to secure diverse

hiring and language access policies as

well as providing access to municipal

identification for residents, making sure

that all Philadelphians have access to city

jobs and services. She also sponsored an

amendment to the City Charter to ensure

language access is provided by all city

agencies.

In addition, she introduced a bill

reforming the process for collecting

delinquent taxes, making payment plans

truly accessible and affordable to low-

income homeowners, and led the effort

creating the Philadelphia Land Bank.

of 17 parcels in the 1600 block

of Bodine Street in North

Philadelphia. Those parcels were

chosen as the Land Bank’s first

because they are in an area with

new development, Councilwoman

Quiñones-Sánchez said. The landis envisioned as rental or owner-

occupied housing. Furhter land

deposits are expected in the near

future. For more information go to

philadelphialandbank.org

“This Land Bank will finally

give Philadelphia the

tools needed to reclaim

our neighborhoods from

blight, abandonment, and

tax delinquency, and to

get properties back into

productive reuse,” said Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez,

who wrote the bill.

Call 215-686-9200 for moreinformation on these programs.


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Promoting aSafe and Healthy City

ACHIEVEMENTS

Public Safety Video CamerasCouncil made the City’s 162

playgrounds safer with a $3.6

million initiative to install

surveillance cameras and

nighttime anti-loitering systems.

Councilwoman Cindy Bass led

the initiative. Councilwoman Bass’

vision is to improve and elevate

City recreation facilities and create

more opportunities for young

people after school and in the

summer.

Protecting Immigrants fromScamsImmigrants seeking U.S.

citizenship in Philadelphia

now have more protection

from exploitation by con artists

and frauds under a new law

approved by Council. Effective

June 19, 2015, the so-called

Notario Fraud bill drafted by

Councilman At-Large Dennis M.

O’Brien and cosponsored by

Councilwoman Quiñones-Sánchez,

defines standards and practices

for immigration-

assistance servicesand sets penalties

for violators. It also

requires immigration

service providers to

register with the City

and provide a $500,000

performance bond. This

new regulation of

immigration assistance

services is a first for

Philadelphia. “There aremany good providers

who are serving immigrants

well,” said Councilman O’Brien.

“Unfortunately, exploitative and

fraudulent providers are known to

leave immigrants in financial ruin

and their families and businesses

in disarray. Unqualified providers,

regardless of intent, can do the

same.”

ATV ControlPhiladelphia police officers

confiscated numerous all-terrain

vehicles and dirt bikes which

violate a City law banning

operation of the vehicles on

public property, including parks,

recreation centers and public

sidewalks. Council passed the law

in 2013, to crack down on reckless

use of ATVs. Under the law, police

can impose a $2,000 fine or

confiscate the offending ATV and

dispose of it in a way that ensures

it won’t return to Philadelphia’s

streets. Councilwoman ReynoldsBrown sponsored the legislation

as a first step toward reducing

the number of injuries and deaths

resulting from reckless ATV use.

“The next step is to convene a

task force to bring in ATV riders,

the Parks Department and others

to figure out how we can find

appropriate venues for this

emerging sport,” she said.

Preventing Youth GunViolenceCouncil approved a number of

actions aimed at reducing gun

violence, especially among youth.

In 2014, 2nd District Councilman

Cameras help keep playgrounds sae.

ATVs cause auto accidents on city streets.


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Kenyatta Johnson addressed the

issue of youth gun violence with

legislation banning the sale of

realistic toy guns to minors and

boosting fines imposed for the sale

of pellet guns to minors.

Making Vacant Property Safer

Following a 2012 fire on York

Street that killed two firefighters,Councilman O’Brien successfully

pushed through legislation

establishing protocols to inventory,

inspect, secure, and track large

vacant commercial and industrial

properties.The legislation created

a new inventory of empty

buildings and lots in the city, as

well as a task force to monitor

them. He also proposed a mandate

for regular inspections of suchproperties. The legislation

provides a comprehensive strategy

on vacant land safety.

HEARINGS

Reducing Violent Crime At the start of the term,

Councilman Johnson called for a

Council hearing to investigate the

traumatic effects of gun violence

on Philadelphians and the City’s

plan to reduce violent crime.

Improving BuildingDemolition Practices A deadly building collapse in

Center City caused Council

President Clarke to call for a

Special Investigating Committee

on Demolition Practices. Eight

people were killed when a

contractor demolishing a building

Kenyatta

Johnson

2nd District

Councilman Johnson’s 2nd District is one

of the City’s most rapidly changing areas.

This presents exciting opportunities for new

development, but also challenges to ensure

that the character and history of an area is

maintained.

The first-term Councilman worked

to help long-time residents stay in theirhomes and promote equitable development

that creates strong, safe and diverse

communities. He played an integral role

in implementing tax-breaks to offset

the financial impact of higher property

assessments under the Actual Value

Initiative. In addition, he was the first

District Councilmember to work with the

Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to

use publicly owned land as a subsidy to

support construction of affordable housingin gentrifying neighborhoods.

A strong advocate for public education,

Councilman Johnson supported legislation

to provide $80 million in additional

public school funding. And, he introduced

legislation to provide a wage tax credit to

working families who enroll their children

in quality early childhood education.

In 2014, he addressed the issue of youth

gun violence with the passage of legislationbanning the sale of realistic toy guns to

minors and boosting fines imposed for the

sale of pellet guns to minors.

He also has worked with the Community

Life Improvement Program to clean over

3,000 lots since 2012.

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson leads community protest against youth gun violence.

Councilman Henon (lef), and Councilman Kenney

during investigative hearings on demolition saety.



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at 22nd and Market caused a wall

to collapse on a neighboring

property. The hearings produced

71 recommendations for the

Department of Licenses and

Inspections to strengthen

oversight and enforcement of

the construction and demolition

industry.

Council Questions Safetyof CSX RailsFollowing a train derailment

that left two tank cars loaded

with crude oil hanging over

the edge of the 25th Street

Bridge, Councilman Kenyatta

Johnson introduced a resolution

authorizing Joint Committees on

Transportation and Public Utilities

and Public Safety to look into

the cause of the accident and

the safety of the transportation

infrastructure owned by CSX in

the City. Although CSX testified

that the bridge was structurallysafe and was not the cause of

the accident, the rail company

moved up planned improvements

to the bridge, and committed to

increasing track inspections on the

bridge and other main rail routes

where crude oil trains operate.

Councilman

At-Large

Dennis o’brien

Councilman O’Brien joined Council in 2012

after serving as a State Representative for

35 years, including a term as Speaker of the

House. In Council, he is a tireless advocate

for public safety, justice and individuals with

disabilities.

Some of his first-term achievements include:

• Following a 2012 fire on York Street

that killed two firefighters, Councilman

O’Brien successfully pushed through

legislation establishing protocols to

inventory, inspect, secure, and track

large vacant commercial and industrial

properties. This proven approach will

save lives and neighborhoods.

• His legislative package boosting

constitutional protections for the rights of

abused and neglected children and low-income defendants in the criminal justice

system was enacted into law.

• Council also passed Councilman O’Brien’s

ordinance removing the words “mental

retardation” from The Philadelphia Code,

replacing them with the more appropriate

term of “intellectual disability”.

• He worked with the Philadelphia Autism

Project to establish a task force that

created a strategic plan to streamline

connections to critical services for

individuals with an Autism Spectrum

Disorder and their families.

CSX train derailment over Schuylkill River prompted Council hearing.

Councilwoman Quiñones-Sánchez addresses hearing


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Councilwoman

Cindy Bass

8th District

Councilwoman Bass represents the

8th Council District, which includes

Chestnut Hill, Mount Airy, Germantown,

Nicetown, Tioga, Logan, and parts of North

Philadelphia.

Councilwoman Bass is a hardworking

legislator, who has introduced 58 successful

bills and resolutions since 2012. As Chair of

Council’s Committee on Parks, Recreation,

and Cultural Affairs, she works tirelessly

to improve and elevate City recreation

facilities and create more opportunities

for young people after school and in the

summer. In her first term, Councilwoman

Bass spearheaded a $3.6 million initiative to

install surveillance cameras and nighttime

anti-loitering systems in Philadelphia’s 162

city playgrounds,

In her district, she has committed $2.2million to stabilize the vacant Germantown

YWCA, and secured funding to renovate

Vernon Park and Pleasant Playground. She

also plans to bring equipment for adult

fitness and children with developmental

disabilities to these parks and other areas

around the district.

Acting on her campaign promise,

Councilwoman Bass opened an office in

the heart of the 8th District. For the first

time in over a decade, constituents don’t

have to come downtown to meet directly

with constituent services staff. The office,

which maintains hours on evenings and the

weekend, also allows residents to meet with

representatives from the District Attorney’s

office.

Councilman Dennis O’Brien ought or laws protecing immigrants and children with disabilities.

Councilwoman Cindy Bass led the fight or park improvements.


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ACHIEVEMENTS

The Sub-ContractorMinimum Wage and BenefitsOrdinance As part of its effort to reduce wage

inequality, Council expanded the

required minimum wage for direct

City contractors to include sub-

contractors. Councilman W. Wilson

Goode Jr. sponsored the bill. The

required minimum wage for all

employees on City contracts is

now $12 an hour. “People working

for the minimum wage are oftenbeing exploited, so public money

shouldn’t be invested in poverty

wages,” said Goode.

First Source Jobs PolicyOne of the first bills Council

passed at the start of the new

term in 2012 requires contractors

and businesses subsidized by the

City to give first consideration

to job applicants registered with

Philadelphia Works Inc., the City’s

workforce development program.

Under the program, contractors

and businesses doing more than

$25,000 in City work must inform

the City of new entry-level jobs

and the minimum requirements

for those positions. Businesses

must spend 10 days interviewing

qualified candidates from the

list for any open positions and

report their hiring decisions to the

City, before beginning to recruit

candidates beyond the list.

Business Tax ReformTo benefit local and small

businesses, Councilwoman

Quiñones-Sánchez and

Councilman Bill Green led a

successful reform of Philadelphia’s

Business Income and Receipts Tax

(BIRT). The measure reduces the

net income tax rate and shifts the

balance of BIRT toward the gross

receipts tax thereby lowering the

burden on local businesses. Thelegislation also creates a Single

Sales Factor Tax Credit allowing

businesses to exempt 100% of

their sales outside of Philadelphia,

supporting local manufacturing.

Supporting Commerce

And EconomicOpportunity

Councilman Goode pushed through higher minimum wage or workers on City contracts.


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Councilman

At-Large

w.wilson

goode, jr

An At-Large Councilmember since 2000,

Councilman Goode is the primary sponsor

of over 135 ordinances, 78 of them

introduced in the last four years.

Councilman Goode is recognized as one

of the city’s leading authorities on urban

economic development. He kicked off the

current term with a bill providing business

tax credits for job creation to enhance

Philadelphia’s existing employment stimulus

program.

He has since introduced numerous

other bills that have become law. They

include: budget appropriations, revenue

increases for public education, civil service

preference for local residents, a living wage

and benefits standard for City-supported

employees, a labor peace requirementfor Philadelphia International Airport and

City-supported hotels, annual economic

disparity analyses, enforcement of diversity

goals for city contracting, fair lending

plans and community reinvestment goals

from banks holding City deposits, contract

enforcement of economic diversity goals,

reduction of the business gross receipts tax,

and investment in neighborhood economic

development. In addition, he established

the only campaign contribution limits formunicipal elections in Pennsylvania.

Councilman Goode is a recipient of

a National Achievement Award from the

National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

Further, the new policy gives

small businesses a $100,000

tax exemption which, upon full

implementation, will give 60% of

such businesses $0 tax liability.

Promoting Healthy Familiesand WorkplacesThousands of Philadelphia

workers are now eligible to

earn paid sick leave from their

employers. A new law approved

by Council will help more than

200,000 Philadelphians who

previously did not get paid sick

leave, according to federal laborstatistics. These workers are

those often forced to choose

between staying home to care

for themselves and sick kids and

losing a day’s pay, said Councilman

Greenlee. “Now, they no longer

have to choose.” The new law

applies to businesses with five or

more employees. Workers can now

earn at least one hour of paid sickleave for every 40 hours worked to

accrue a maximum of 56 hours.

Pushing for More Diversityat the Top

Council passed a bill requiring

contractors bidding on City

contracts to disclose gender,

race and demographic data on

the makeup of their boards

and executive staff. The bill

aims specifically at disclosing

the representation of women

and minorities in these(continued on next page)

Workers packed Council chambers to show support or the earned paid sick leave bill sponsored by Council-

man William K. Greenlee, seated ront row lef.


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Councilman

At-Large

william

greenleeMAJOrity

Deputy Whip

Councilman Greenlee is a champion for

Philadelphia’s low-wage workers and victims

of domestic violence and has been since first

taking office in 2006. During the 2012-2015

term he successfully spearheaded legislation

providing earned paid sick leave for as many

as 200,000 Philadelphians beginning in May

2015.

In 2013, Greenlee also was the proud

sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

requiring employers to provide reasonable

accommodations to pregnant women, such

as extra work breaks. Greenlee said while

most businesses were receptive, the hammer

of legislation and fines were necessary in

order to help pregnant women. New York

City previously passed similar legislation.

Councilman Greenlee worked withCouncilman Kenyatta Johnson to secure

$3 million in funding for the City to open

a second shelter for victims of domestic

violence. The facility opened in October

2014. Councilman Greenlee previously

sponsored bills protecting domestic violence

victims from eviction or punishment from

employers. The 100-bed shelter, named

Carol’s Place, doubled the amount of shelter

space available for women and children

affected by domestic violence.

Councilman Greenlee is Council Majority

Deputy Whip, chair of the Rules and Law and

Government Committees and the Vice-Chair

of the Public Property and Transportation

Committees.

positions. In introducing the bill,

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown

noted that 41 percent of boards

in Philadelphia have not one

woman sitting at the table. Worse

yet, women of color represent

less than one percent of the board

seats in the City, she added. While

the bill does not set specific

quotas as a qualifying condition,

companies must provide goals for

inclusion of females in executive

positions and full boards, along

with a plan on how to achieve

those goals. Council’s hope is that

mixed gender boards will lead

toward greater diversity in terms

of contracting. The bill was based

on findings resulting from public

hearings held in 2012.

Decriminalizing MarijuanaThe possession of a small amount

of marijuana is no longer a crime

that will get you arrested and

jailed in Philadelphia. The new lawpassed by Council in 2014, lowers

the penalty for possession of less

than 30 grams of marijuana to a

$25 fine. The bill’s chief sponsor,

then Councilman Jim Kenney, said

83 percent of the people arrested

each year for possession of small

amounts of marijuana are black

or Latino, most with no previous

criminal record. An arrest record

for marijuana possession can

prevent these individuals from

getting a job, obtaining financial

aid for college or joining the

military, Councilman Kenney

observed.

HEARINGS

The Economics of GenderDiscriminationThe Committee on Commerce and

Economic Development took up

the issue of Women’s Economic

Health and Gender Inequality

in a public hearing pursuant

to a resolution sponsored byCouncilman Greenlee.

Councilmen Johnson and Greenlee celebrate the opening o Carol’s Place, a shelter or abused women and

their children.


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Councilman

At-Large

David OhMinority Whip

As the first Asian American member of

Philadelphia City Council and the only

current member who is a military veteran,

Councilman Oh, has become the advocate

for those communities. His broad interest

in stimulating job creation through

international trade and investment, as well

as creative and innovative economies, made

him the natural choice to Chair Council’s

Committee on Global Opportunities and the

Creative/Innovative Economy. He also serves

as Council’s Minority Whip.

Councilman Oh provides a bold vision

for Philadelphia as a world-class city with

a thriving creative sector and a globally

competitive workforce. To accomplish

this vision, he has sponsored legislation

establishing an International Trade and

Investment Authority.

Councilman Oh also:

• Added budget reduction amendments

to the City operating budget: $48

million for the 2013 budget year and

$74 million for the 2014 budget year,

as well as a delinquent tax collection

bill.

• Launched the widely acclaimed PHL

Live Center Stage initiative that provided

performance opportunities for localemerging artists and demonstrating

the job creation potential of the music

industry.

• Sponsored a new law creating a

business tax credit for employers who

hire returning military veterans.

Councilman Oh speaks with a board o directors.

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown pushed for gender equality.

Minority Hiring by CasinoLicenseesCouncil’s Commerce and

Economic Development

Committee held hearings toexamine the minority participation

goals and strategies for the hiring

of minorities by applicants for

casino licenses in Philadelphia.

Councilman Curtis Jones Jr.

sponsored the resolution.

Increased Minimum Wagefor Philadelphia?Chronically low wages hurt

the City’s economy, so Councilcontinues to explore the possibility

of an increased minimum wage

for all Philadelphians. Councilman

Johnson sponsored a hearing to

explore the option before the

Committee on Commerce and

Economic Development.


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16


ACHIEVEMENTS

Bad Neighbor InitiativeProperty maintenance issues and

illegal activity cause property

values to drop, the quality of

our neighborhoods to decline

and community pride to fade.

City government agencies like

the Department of Licenses and

Inspections and CLIP (Community

the City’s Community Life

Improvement Program) have

been fighting blight and property

maintenance problems for years,

but their budgets have been

slashed significantly in recent years

even as the challenges facing our

communities continue to grow.

To meet this challenge

6th Dist. Councilman Bobby Henon

developed the Bad Neighbor

Initiative. It is a comprehensive

and focused effort to target bad

neighbors and landlords and

to bring them into compliance

with basic community standards.

The Initiative targets the “worst

of the worst” property owners

and makes them accountable.

Councilman Henon also has taken

direct action on vacant property

through education campaigns,

legislation and efforts like the

Problem Properties Advisory

Committee.

Enhancing the

Overall QualityOf Life

Councilman Henon developed the Bad Neighbor Initiative to help neighborhoods fight blight and property maintenance problems.


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Councilman

Bobby

Henon

6th District

Councilman Henon was elected in 2011

to represent the 6th Council District in

Northeast Philadelphia, which includes

Mayfair, Tacony, Holmesburg, Bridesburg,

Port Richmond, East Torresdale,

Wissinoming and Rhawnhurst.

Since taking office, he has focused on

issues surrounding quality of life, job

creation and public health, while making

his office more accessible. This includes the

development of the first-of-its-kind City Hall

iPhone app and opening a 6th District Office

at 6730 Torresdale Ave.

Highlights of his first term include:

• Creation of the Bad Neighbor Initiative,

to hold the ‘worst of the worst’ property

owners accountable.

• Passing legislation to toughen regulation

on bandit signs, streamline the zoning

notification process, tighten demolition

and construction licensing, allow

residents to set trash out early and the

first re-write of the property maintenance

code in decades.

• Launching Philly Play, aimed at reducing

childhood obesity across Philadelphia

through play-themed events and activities.More than 3,400 kids participated in

2014.

• Serving as co-chair of the Manufacturing

Task Force, composed of business, civic

and educational leaders from across

the region, and helping to secure an

expansion of the Dietz and Watson plant

in Tacony, which added hundreds of jobs.

Supporting ImprovementDistrictsImprovement Districts are an

important economic development

tool because they provide a

way for property owners and

businesses to cooperate to keep

their commercial and residential

areas competitive.

Council has approved a

number of such districts over the

years to raise the quality of life

in neighborhoods throughout

Philadelphia and from time

to time the law requires their

authorization to be extended.

Since 2012 Council has extended

the lifespan of Neighborhood

Improvement Districts (NID)

in Mt. Airy, Port Richmond,

Roxborough, and the Aramingo

Avenue Shopping District ensuring

these vibrant retail areas would

continue promoting economic

and general welfare of their

communities. The Chestnut Hill

Business Improvement District

(BID) was continued as well.

In addition, Council approved

new or amended plans for

Special Service Districts (SSD) in

Manayunk, Old City, Germantown

and Old City.

Improvements and services

within these districts are funded

either by an agreed upon fee, or by

voluntary contributions made by

property owners, institutions, or

businesses within the defined area.

Guns Banned From CityParks and Recreation Centers

Council made it illegal for

unauthorized persons to carry

firearms and deadly weapons

in or around City-owned or

City-occupied facilities. The bill

Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. commemorates the Venice Island project completion with Kay Sykora, Manayunk Development Corporation’s ounding executive.


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18


introduced by Council President

Clarke is aimed at reducing the

incidence of gun violence at

the City’s parks and recreation

facilities.

Improved PropertyTax Freeze for OlderHomeownersCouncil, at Councilman Brian

O’Neill’s behest, amended the

City’s Senior Citizens Property

Tax Freeze Program, to make the

“freeze” impervious to increases

in the tax rate or property

assessment. The amendmentallows elderly homeowners

enrolled in the program to

automatically benefit from any

reduction in the assessed value

or the tax rate. The change

eliminated the need for enrollees

to reapply for the benefit.

Protecting Community

GardensCouncil approved the transfer

of three community gardens

in Washington Square West to

the Department of Parks and

Recreation (DPR). Council

and DPR want to protect the

community gardens that have

been in place for decades

from the possibility of private

development. DPR plans to take

other community gardens underits protection.

Fine-Tuning the NewZoning CodeMaintaining the integrity of

residential neighborhoods

is an important quality

of life issue. Councilman

O’Neill won approval of a

bill prohibiting businesses

with employees andcustomers from operating

out of single-family

homes in residential areas

without obtaining a zoning

variance, in addition to

14 other ordinances to

improve the City’s new

Zoning Code.

HEARINGS

Restored Funding forHEMAPCity Council added its

voice to others across

the Commonwealth in

demanding the governor

Councilman Neilson, lef, tours industrial site.

Councilman

At-Large

ED Neilson

Since taking office in August of 2014,

Councilman Neilson has built a reputation

as a hard-working, issues-oriented elected

official who stays on top of constituent

service. Prior to his election to an At-

Large Council set, he served as a state

representative for the 169th Pennsylvania

House District.

Councilman Nielson and his team hit the

ground running, assisting almost 7,000

constituents with issues in his first 6 months

in office.

As a member of Council, the former

state representative has focused on jobs

and economic issues that will benefit

Philadelphians. He has won approval of

legislation to:

• Provide a wage tax refund to U.S. military veterans who serve the City of Philadelphia

as police officers, firefighters, paramedics

or correctional officers.

• Create a special committee of City Council

to identify the causes of income disparities

in Philadelphia, analyze the economic

trends impacting the sources of household

and business income under changing

economic circumstances, and offer data-

informed recommendations. The special

committee would submit a full reportincluding its findings and recommendations

to the Council and the mayor.

• Combat human sex trafficking by

preventing hotels from renting by the hour

and maintain a room registry. Hotels also

must train employees to identify human sex

trafficking activities and victims.


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restore funding for the state’s

Homeowners Emergency

Mortgage Assistance Program

(HEMAP) in 2012. The mortgage

aid program was defunded in2011 leaving many desperate

homeowners with no place to

turn. A resolution sponsored by

Councilwoman Tasco asked the

governor to restore funding using

the state’s $55 million share in a

state-federal settlement with the

nation’s five largest mortgage loan

servicers. The governor agreed

and HEMAP was back in business

by the summer of 2012. HEMAPhelps homeowners who have

fallen behind on their mortgage

through no fault of their own.

An investigative hearing, also

sponsored by Councilwoman

Tasco, found that 7,500

Philadelphia homeowners had

received aid from HEMAP since it

opened in 1973.

Reducing JuvenileRecidivismCouncil’s Committee on Public

Safety held an investigative

hearing in June 2012 to judge how

Youth Courts, or Teen Courts as

they are called in Philadelphia,

could reduce juvenile recidivism

rates, violence in schools, bullying,

and ultimately reduce the cost of

incarceration. Councilman Jones, who proposed the hearings,

said he believed the Teen Courts

operating in seven Philadelphia

public high schools should be

expanded.

Councilman O’Neill, right, is responsible or 15 bills amending the new Zoning Code.

Councilman

brian j.

o’neill

Minority leader

10th District

Councilman O’Neill is best known for

providing a high level of constituent services

to residents in the 10th Council District,

which includes Parkwood, West Torresdale,

Somerton, Normandy, Millbrook, Morrell

Park, Bustleton, Fox Chase, Burholme, and

Rhawnhurst in Northeast Philadelphia.

Councilman O’Neill emphasizesaccessibility to his constituents. He

maintains weekly District Office meetings on

Monday nights where citizens meet with him

personally.

Some additional services provided to his

district during this term are:

• The opening of a second neighborhood

office in 2012 at FOP Lodge #5

Headquarters at 11630 Caroline Road

(215-437-9167) and a third in Fox Chase

at 432 Rhawn Street (215-685-6431) in January 2015.

• Opening the new Junod Playground

and sprayground on Dunksferry Road

in Parkwood and the new Champions

Park Playground at Verree Road and

Susquehanna Road, the first and only

playground in the City designed for

children with physical and intellectual

disabilities.

Councilman O’Neill works to maintain

the integrity of the district’s family-orientedneighborhoods. He passed legislation

prohibiting businesses with employees and

customers from operating out of single-

family homes in residential areas without

obtaining a zoning variance, in addition to

14 other ordinances to improve the City’s

new zoning code.


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20


ACHIEVEMENTS

Funding for SchoolsOver the last four years, Council

has provided more than $4.1

billion to the School District of

Philadelphia’s General Fund, an

increase of $327 million, at a time

when the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania’s contribution has

decreased its annual funding by

approximately $150 million to

$4.9 billion. Council continues to

search for sustainable funding to

support the City’s public schools.

Local School RevenueIncreases 2012-2015■Fiscal Year 2012 – Property Tax

increase generated $60 million;

City Grant raised $10.3 million;

parking revenue increases yielded

$6.2 million

■Fiscal Year 2013 – $20 million

property tax increase through

City Grant; $20 million from

authorizing the School District to

impose a Use and Occupancy Tax

on any building in the City

■Fiscal Year 2014 – Expanded

tax collection efforts—revenue

neutral real estate tax rate increase

in first year of the Actual Value

Initiative; increased collection of

delinquent taxes by $14.7 million

■Fiscal Year 2015 – Sales Tax

increase generated $120 million;

Cigarette Tax of approximately

$49 million for partial year; an

additional $30 million City Grant;

and improved collection of $13.6

Refining Our

EducationalEnvironment

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 20142009

$550,000,000

Local And State Funding Comparison

Philadelphia School District 2000 to 2014

Growth in Local Funding

Growth in State Funding

$500,000,000

$450,000,000

$400,000,000

$350,000,000

$300,000,000

$250,000,000

$200,000,000

$150,000,000

$100,000,000

$50,000,000


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Councilwoman

Jannie

blackwell

3rd district

Councilwoman Blackwell wants to see the

City of Philadelphia regain local control

of its public schools. To that end, she

introduced a bill to appear on the May 19,

2015, primary ballot to abolish the School

Reform Commission and return the School

District of Philadelphia to local board

control. She also introduced a second ballotissue amending the Philadelphia Home

Rule Charter to provide for an independent

commission on universal pre-kindergarten.

The five-term councilwoman works

non-stop to move her West Philadelphia

community forward. The district is home

to several major universities and hospitals,

making it an integral part of the City’s

economy. Using the tools of public policy,

legislation and public involvement, thecouncilwoman has supported construction

of numerous projects. A partial list includes

the Spectrum Health Center, the Juvenile

Justice Center, the 4601 Market Street

Public Safety Services campus, and The

Porch at 30th Street Station,

Councilwoman Blackwell also is

committed to improving West Philadelphia

parks and recreation centers. She

supported funding that brought newrestrooms at Friends of Malcolm X

Memorial Park, new floors at Christy

Recreation Center and new plans for the

former Conestoga Recreation Center.

million in property taxes.

School Based Family ServiceCenters

Council is moving forward ona plan to establish a citywide

system of School-Based Family

Service Centers that will be in or

near public schools. The Service

Centers will assist students who

need far more than books, desks

and pencils to thrive academically.

Roughly 40 percent of school-

aged children in Philadelphia live

in poverty. About 30 percent live

with chronic ailments like asthmaand often lack such essentials as

adequate food and healthcare.

The Service Centers will act as

intake points to ensure students

and their families have access to a

comprehensive range of medical,

behavioral health and social

services to fit their needs.

SUPER: School-University

Partnerships and EducationResourcesInstead of pressing for Payment

in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT),

Council President Clarke has

proposed a formal program to

further encourage all colleges

and universities located

in Philadelphia to become

involved in initiatives helpful

to neighboring communities.

Colleges and universities coulduse institutional resources such as

student involvement, purchasing

power, educational expertise

and employment in ways that

benefit the wider community.



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22


Councilwoman

At-Large

Blondell

Reynolds

Brown

Majority Whip

Councilwoman Brown is serving her fourth

term and is the only woman to win an At-

Large Council seat since 1999.

As Majority Whip, she is a powerful member

of Council’s leadership. Since 2012, she

has passed meaningful legislation and

supported valuable community programming

that positively impacts her core issues:children and youth, women, arts and culture,

education, small business development, the

environment and sustainability. She currently

chairs the Committee on the Environment

and is vice chair of the Education Committee.

Here are just a few of her recent legislative

accomplishments:

• A bill enacted to require contractors

seeking to do business with the City

to disclose demographic information,including the gender, race and

geographic data of their board members

and executive staff.

• Legislation authorizing the Philadelphia

Authority for Industrial Development

(PAID) to borrow an additional $30

million for the School District of

Philadelphia.

• Amending the Philadelphia Code to

provide additional penalties for criminal

conduct motivated by hatred regardingsexual orientation, gender identity, and

disability.

• A law restricting the use of off-road

vehicles on public sidewalks or private

properties unless authorized by law, and

allowing vehicle confiscation and fines.

The benefits of such partnerships

include strengthening small

businesses, establishing amenity

retail, and improvements to the

physical environment through

capital investments, community

educational programs and housingreinvestment subsidies. These

School-University Partnerships

should involve the City Commerce,

Managing Director and Planning

departments, working alongside

district councilmembers. Visit

phlcouncil.com to learn more

about this initiative.

HEARINGS

Council Studies Up on PublicSchool IssuesInvestigative hearings are

Council’s version of homework

and there was lots of studying to

do. So, when the School District

of Philadelphia proposed massive

cuts in staffing, after-school

programs and school closings

in 2012, Council unanimously

supported Councilwoman

Blackwell’s call for public hearings

on the changes and their impact

on the adjacent neighborhoods.The Committee on Education also

heard testimony on the School

District’s zero tolerance discipline

policies.

In March 2013, Councilwoman

Blackwell called for a Committee

on Education hearing to review

the findings of the Boston

Consulting Group report for the

School Reform Commission. Theconsultants advised the SRC to

immediately close 50 schools,

plus another 20 over the next five

years. Council also scrutinized

the School District’s budget plan

through 2017.

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown sponsored a bill providing an additional $30 million in school undi


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That was followed by fall hearings

on whether Philadelphia should

have a locally elected Board of

Education. Also in 2013, Council’s

Committees on Education andGlobal Opportunities and the

Creative/Innovative Economy

heard testimony on several

resolutions looking into best

practices in public education

at home and abroad, and

whether those practices can be

implemented to create a world-class public school system here.

Councilman Oh proposed the

hearings.

Councilwoman Blackwell called or Council hearings to investigate how the state unds public schools.

Councilman

Curtis

Jones, jr

majority leader

4th District

Since 2008, Councilman Jones has proudly

served the 4th District, which stretches from

Manayunk to Overbrook Farms and from

East Falls to Wynnefield. The district includes

quaint neighborhoods, bustling commercial

corridors and generous stretches of

Fairmount Park.

Councilman Jones’ achievements

during his second term reflect the diverse

demographics of the district. He has

introduced more than 219 bills and

resolutions since 2012.

On the community front, Councilman

Jones was instrumental in the commitment

of over $5 million to repurpose and improve

existing playgrounds and recreation centers.

New spray parks and play equipment at

McDevitt Recreation Center in East Falls

and the transformation of a once vacant

lot in Wynnefield renamed Triangle Park

are just two examples of the completed

projects. Similar makeovers are underway at

Shepard Recreation Center in Haddington,

Papa Playground in Overbrook and Rose

Playground in Overbrook Park.

In addition, work is slated to start this

spring to give aging facilities at Granahan

Playground at 65th and Callowhill Streets,a major overhaul. Councilman Jones has

invested $500,000 to build a skateboard

park with new play equipment, benches, a

sprayground and many other amenities.


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24


Finding New Revenue Sources

and Improving GovernmentEfficiency

ACHIEVEMENTS

Municipal MarketingBased on a 2014 plan proposed

by Council President Clarke,

the City initiated a marketingprogram, hiring two firms to sell

advertising space on municipal

property – buildings, vehicles,

street furniture, etc. Council

believes the Municipal Marketing

Program has the potential to bring

in millions of dollars to support

much-needed public services and

projects. It’s money that doesn’t

need to be taken from taxpayers’

pockets or borrowed from Wall

Street, the Council President noted.

Other major cities like New York,

Chicago, Boston and San Francisco

are generating millions fromsuccessful municipal marketing

programs.

Sale of Surplus SchoolsNets $53MThe City netted $53 million from

the sale of 22 vacant School

District of Philadelphia’s buildings

as of April 2015. The District

handed over the sale of 60 surplus

properties to the City in 2013 in

exchange for an upfront payment

of $50 million in emergency

funding. Council President Darrell

Clarke proposed the deal, whichallowed the Philadelphia Authority

for Industrial Development (PAID)

the City’s real estate arm, to handle

the sales. Councilmembers helped

bring many interested buyers to

the table, speeding the return of

the vacant buildings to the tax

rolls.

Council’s idea to have the City’s real estate arm sell surplus school netted $53 million in less than two years.


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Councilwoman

Marian B.

Tasco

9th District

This is the seventh and final Council term

for Councilwoman Tasco, who is widely

recognized as one of Philadelphia’s most

influential, politically savvy, and pro-active

public officials. She represents close to

155,000 residents in an area that includes

sections of Northeast and Northwest

Philadelphia.

Some highlights from the current term are:

• A Community Zoning Meeting was held

on August 13, 2014, at The Masjidullah

Center for Human Excellence. The

meeting provided a forum for West Oak

Lane residents to voice their opposition

to building plans for a retail store in their

community.

• The grand reopening of the newly rebuilt

Sturgis Playground in 2014 was longoverdue. However, the new facility lived

up to the community’s expectations. The

5.7-acre facility and playground were

redesigned to enhance play areas with

the addition of a sprayground, a newly

constructed recreation center and a new

soccer/football field with more outdoor

lighting.

• The new Lawncrest Community Action

Center opened its doors on Dec. 17,

2014. The new office is located next

door to the Lawncrest Recreation

Center at 6000 Rising Sun Ave. Staff

from the District Attorney’s Office and

Councilwoman Tasco’s office provide

services to the community from this site.

Selling ad space on public property will bring in more revenue.

As chair o the Finance Committee, Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco led the investigation into the City’s

efforts to collect delinquent taxes.


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Councilman

At-Large

William J.

Green iV

Although he left Council mid-way through

his second term to head the School Reform

Commission, Councilman Green left his

mark.

In his last two years on Council, he

successfully pushed through business

tax reforms and ethics reforms like the

registration of lobbyists. He also joined

Councilwoman Sánchez in reintroducing the

Philadelphia Land Bank Bill, which was later

approved by Council and enacted into law.

His business tax reforms, in part, included

bills requiring non-profits pay Business

Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) on

commercial activities that are not directly

connected with the corporation’s charitable

purpose. A second bill requires non-profits

that own tax-exempt properties to certifyannually that the property is still being used

for its tax-exempt purpose.

Councilman Green also introduced

legislation calling for the development of

an annual information technology strategic

plan that evaluates the current state of the

City’s telecommunications and information

technology infrastructure and details – as

well as analyzes the costs and benefits

of – the City’s plans for the acquisition,management, and use of telecommunications

and information technology over the next five

fiscal years.

Public-Private PartnershipsPhiladelphia City Council has been actively involved in the national

discussion about public-private partnerships. City assets, such as the

Philadelphia Water Department and Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), have

enormous potential to partner with private capital on new projectsthat protect consumers, preserve existing jobs, and allow taxpayers to

retain long-term ownership. A special committee was created in 2014 to

investigate ways to achieve Council’s objective of making Philadelphia

an energy hub. Enhancing the financial and operational performance of

PGW is also a top priority.

Collecting Delinquent TaxesIn 2013, Council approved a top-to-bottom overhaul of the city’s

property tax collection system. Changes are designed to encourage

payments from delinquent taxpayers and bring Philadelphia’s revenue

collection efforts up to contemporary standards. The new collectionprocedures have been modestly successful, but tons of money is still

being left on the table. Council President Clarke introduced a bill to

expand the City’s ability to sell commercial tax liens. The bill would

allow the sale of some $79 million in commercial property tax liens to

outside collection agencies in exchange for up-front revenue that could

be used to fund public schools.

Expanding the Tax BaseDevelopment initiatives have the potential to generate a significant

amount of recurring revenue in the form of property taxes and, in the

case of rentals, wage and business taxes from property management.

Councilmembers gather in a sidebar discussion during Council’s weekely meeting.


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Councilman

At-large

James Kenney

Before resigning his At-Large Council

seat on Jan. 29, 2015, to run for Mayor

of Philadelphia, Councilman Kenney won

passage of bills decriminalizing possession

of small amounts of marijuana and

providing for equal treatment of all persons

regardless of gender identity under the

Philadelphia Code.

Under the law that took effect in October

2014, the possession of less than an

ounce of marijuana is a civil rather than a

criminal offense. Instead of the mandatory

arrests of over 4,000 people a year for this

minimal offense, police will confiscate the

marijuana, and issue a citation of up to

$100 to the individual.

Councilman Kenney changed the

Philadelphia Code to provide for equaltreatment of all persons in the City of

Philadelphia regardless of gender identity or

sexual orientation. In addition to redefining

the terms “Life Partnership” and “Life

Partner”, to include and protect the rights

of same-sex partners, the bill authorized

a tax credit to encourage employers to

expand certain health benefits and require

all City forms and online websites to be

gender neutral.

In introducing the bill, Councilman Kenny

said it was the right thing to do, adding:

“This is not special rights, it’s equal rights.”

The City gained 1,404 real estate accounts from 2015 to 2016. These

accounts added a total market value of $1.3 billion, of which $756.3

million is immediately available.

Making Government More EfficientCouncil passed several bills pushing the City to acquire the technology

to improve government efficiency and delivery of services. As a result,

citizens and businesses can apply for most City licenses, permits and

programs online at www.phila.gov. The same goes for payments of

bills, taxes, fees and fines, or obtaining documents. Councilman Bill

Green passed a bill requiring the Finance Director to submit an annual

information technology strategic plan along with the Mayor’s proposed

annual operating budget beginning with the Fiscal Year 2016. In addition

to increasing efficiency and service, paperless electronic transactions

reduce transactional costs.

Informed Decision MakingCouncil established a mechanism to help it make more informed

decisions. The Finance Director must now submit a report on the cost

and effectiveness of the functions funded with the annual Operating

Budget. The Finance Director and City Controller also must provide

Council with information on the fiscal impact of pending legislation.

Defining Ethics for City EmployeesCouncil strengthened the ethics rule that bars City officers and

employees from receiving gifts from anyone seeking business or official

action. The bill, which amends the Philadelphia City Code, prohibitsemployees from accepting any form of cash or substantial non-cash gifts.

Council President Clarke


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ACHIEVEMENTS

Neighborhood BudgetHearingsCouncil is making it even easier

for members of the public to

participate in public hearings,

especially those related to budget

issues. Starting in 2012, at least two

budget hearings a year are held at

neighborhood locations duringevening hours. The goal is to open

the process to people who are

unable to make the trek to City Hall

for hearings during business hours.

Budget CenterThe City Council Budget Center,

Budget Central, is an online hub

where citizens can access timely

information on the pending

City budget. The site includes

documents, transcripts and video of

City budget hearings. Follow on

phlcouncil.com/budgetcenter .

Veterans AdvisoryCommission OfficeMoves

Council’s Veteran’s AdvisoryCommission (VAC) has opened a

new office in a more visible and

accessible location on the first floor

of City Hall in Room 127, adjacent

to the courtyard. Contact the office

at 215-686-3256 or 215-686-3257.

Engaging

The Community

From lef, Councilwoman Bass, CFO Folasade Olanipekun-Lewis, Council President Clarke andCouncilmembers Tasco, Henon and Greenlee listen during neighborhood budget hearing.


31/40


New District CouncilOffices and New Media

Residents can now, more than ever,

access their local government.

New convenient district offices

have been opened throughout the

city. In addition, Councilmembers

can be reached via social media like

Facebook and Twitter, links to

which are provided on Council’s

revamped website phlcouncil.com.

Those who do venture to City Hall

can also take advantage of free WIFI

on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors of

Council, which include Council’s

Chambers and Caucus Room.

For further convenience Council’s

weekly sessions and public

hearings are broadcast live on

Channel 64, which also runs

Council’s new issues and answers

program Inside Philadelphia City

Council. Council encourages all to

get to know your city government!

Councilman O’Brien believes that investing in kids pays big dividends.From lef, Councilmembers Oh, Clarke and Blackwell join other City officials tocelebrate the opening o the Veteran’s Advisory Commission’s new office.

Councilwoman Bass’ newest District Office is at 4439 Germantown Avenue is just eet rom Wayne Junction Station


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30


Councilwoman Blackwell celebrates her birthday by eeding the homeless. Councilmen Goode and Oh

Councilmembers Squilla, left, and Neilson, fourth from left, greet constituents in local pub.


33/40


Councilman Mark Squilla

Council President Clarke, lef, and Councilmen Oh, right, and Jones, rear, toured Hyundai Rotem railcar plant in South Philadelphia.

Play pals help Councilman O’Neill cut the ribbon at opening o new recreation acility in

Northeast Philadelphia.

Councilwoman Tasco visiting with Teresa Rollins and a young

riend rom Need in Deed


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32



Standing Committees

Committee of the Whole(The entire Council)

Commerce and Economic Development (All matters relating to the Department of Commerce)

Education (All matters relating to education in the publicschools of Philadelphia)

Ethics(Investigations of individual members of the Council)

Fiscal Stability & Intergovernmental Cooperation (Investigations of individual members of the Council)

Global Opportunities & Global/Creative Economy

(All matters relating to finance, taxation and theindebtedness of the City)

Labor and Civil Service(All matters relating to labor relations, the CivilService Commission, the Personnel Director, and theBoard of Pensions and Retirement)

Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs(All matters relating to the Department ofParks and Recreation)

Legislative Oversight(All matters relating to City property and buildings)

Rules(Designed to improve and expedite the business andprocedure of Council)

Transportation and Public Utilities(All matters relating to transportation facilities of anykind and the charges, regulations and their operations)

Appropriations(All matters relating to the appropriation of funds)

Disabled and Special Needs(All issues regarding the City’s disabled population)

The Environment (All matters relating to air and water quality;environmental initiative)

Finance(All matters relating to finance, taxation and theindebtedness of the City)

Housing (All matters relating to the creation and maintenanceof housing within the City, as well as all matters

relating to the alleviation of homelessness and servicesprovided to homeless individuals within the City)

Law and Government (All matters within the scope of the Law Department)

Licenses and Inspections(All matters relating to licenses and inspections)

Public Health and Human Services(All matters relating to the public health, and the AirPollution Control Board)

Streets and Services(All matters relating to the Department of Streets andits departmental boards)

Technology and Information Services(All matters relating to City information technology)


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Councilmember

Contacts

Mark Squilla

District 1City Hall, Room 332Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3458, (215)686-3459

FAX: (215) 686-1931

Kenyatta Johnson

District 2City Hall, Room 580Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3412, (215)686-3413FAX: (215)686-1932

Jannie Blackwell

District 3City Hall, Room 408Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3418, (215) 686-3419FAX: (215) 686-1933

Curtis Jones, Jr.

Majority Leader

District 4City Hall Room 404Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3416, (215) 686-3417FAX: (215) 686-1934

Darrell L. Clarke

(Council President)District 5City Hall, Room 313Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3442, (215) 686-3443FAX: (215) 686-1901

W. Wilson Goode, Jr.City Hall, Room 316Philadelphia, PA 19107(215) 686-3414, (215) 686-3415FAX: (215) 686-1928

William K. Greenlee

Majori ty Deputy WhipCity Hall, Room 508Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3446, (215) 686-3447FAX: (215) 686-1927

Ed Neilson City Hall, Room 312Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3420, (215) 686-3421FAX: (215) 686-1930

Dennis O’Brien City Hall, Room 582Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3440, (215) 686-3441FAX: (215) 686-1929

David Oh

Minority WhipCity Hall, Room 319Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3452 (215) 686-3453Fax: (215) 686-1925

Blondell Reynolds Brown Majority WhipCity Hall, Room 581Philadelphia, PA 19107(215) 686-3438, (215) 686-3439FAX: (215) 686-1926

*James Kenney resigned from Council 2015

*William J. Green IVresigned from Council 2014

Bobby Henon

District 6City Hall, Room 484Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290(215) 686-3444, (215) 686-3445

FAX: (215) 686-1935

Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez


Cindy Bass


Marian B. Tasco


Brian J. O’Neil

Minority Leader


district council Members council Members at-large


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34



By District

Mark Squilla District 1

Kenyatta Johnson District 2

Jannie Blackwell District 3

Curtis Jones, Jr.District 4

Darrell L. Clarke

District 5Bobby Henon

District 6

Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez District 7

Cindy Bass District 8

Marian B. Tasco District 9

Brian J. O’Neil District 10

At-Large Council Members

W. Wilson Goode, Jr.

William K. Greenlee

Ed Neilson

Dennis O’Brien

David Oh

Blondell Reynolds Brown *James Kenney

**Bill Green

*resigned from Council in 2015

** resigned from Council in 2014

Legislative Summary 1/2012–2/2015

Total Bills and Resolutions 2,331

Total Bills Introduced 1,045

Bills Enacted 764

Bills Vetoed and Sustained 3

Bills Withdrawn 3

Total Resolutions Introduced 1,286

Resolutions Adopted 1,238

Resolutions in Committee 31

Resolutions Withdrawn 8


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