Welcome to Thursday’s City Hall Roll Call, powered by The Committee of Seventy.
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Welcome to City Hall Roll Call, a summary of City Council’s weekly Stated Meeting. Reminder, the information provided below is not an official or complete record. City Council’s official legislative database can be accessed through Legistar.
For a full play-by-play of the Council session, including speeches and public comment, be sure to follow me on Twitter. Also, don’t forget to tune in on Tuesday mornings at 10:25 a.m. to WURD Radio and Reality Check’s “City Council Calendar with Lauren Vidas.” Show host Charles Ellison and I preview the issues and break down the legislation that Council will tackle at its Thursday meeting.
Session Recap:
After taking last Thursday off for a rare holy days convergence of Easter, Passover and Ramadan, Council returned to its virtual chambers today for its weekly Stated Meeting.
Councilmember Helen Gym (D-AL) introduced a local “Commuter Benefits Bill,” which would require employers with fifty (50) or more full-time employees in Phialdelphia to offer a benefit program, which can be used for public transit passes and fares, van-pooling, and pending federal authorization, bicycle expenses. “Bringing new riders into Philadelphia’s public transit network is critical both to our city’s recovery and safety,” said Gym. “This program will make our transit system more accessible to countless Philadelphians — and we know that a busier transit system is a safer transit system.”
With eight co-sponsors, the proposal has the support of the majority of Councilmembers as well as a number of other stakeholder organizations including transit and environmental advocates groups like the Transit Forward Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia1 , 5th Square and the Clean Air Council.
The bill, if enacted, would allow workers to use pre-tax income to cover commuting costs. Gym anticipates that under her legislation, “A typical city rider purchasing a monthly transpass from SEPTA would save over $20 a month and $250 a year, with users of more costly rail passes potentially saving up to $1000.”
The mechanism for calculating the amount of the benefits employers are required to provide is set forth below from the text of the bill.
Similar measures have been adopted in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Habitat for Humanity Project Gets Long-Awaited Green Light
After months of delay resulting from near neighbor concerns over parking and vermin, Council voted on Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)’s amended resolution authorizing Habitat for Humanity’s Page Street affordable homes project in North Philadelphia to move forward. Over the past few weeks, future residents of the yet-to-be-constructed affordable single-family houses testified in City Council asking for passage of the resolution authorizing the transfer of land and redevelopment. Currently, the land is being used as an unofficial parking lot by local residents. The original Habitat proposal and resolution provided for seven affordable homes. Over the last few weeks, Council President Clarke convened stakeholder discussions, and “[t]he talks resulted in Habitat downsizing the project from seven to six single-family homes, which will leave a section of the paved lot in city hands.” The amended resolution was adopted unanimously and will allow Habitat for Humanity to get-started on these desperately needed, shovel-ready affordable homes.
Council stands adjourned until Thursday, April 28th.
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.
🏗️ Construction / Zoning
Bill revising zoning code for the 4th District Overlay. (Jones)
🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition
Resolution authorizing the transfer of land located in the 4th Councilmanic District.
💼 Business Regulation
Bill amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions,” by adding a new Chapter entitled “Employee Commuter Transit Benefit Programs,” to require certain employers to provide a mass transit and bicycle commuter benefit program. (Gym)
📛 Board / Commission Appointments
Resolution approving the appointment of Deborah McCarty to the Water, Sewer & Storm Water Rate Board. (Clarke)
⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)
Resolution calling on PA General Assembly to use Federal Covid Relief monies to fund freedom schools (Thomas)
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 Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
Bill - Revising zoning code for the 4th District Overlay.
Resolution - Authorizing the transfer of land located in the 4th Councilmanic District.
Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)
Resolution - Approving the appointment of Deborah McCarty to the Water, Sewer & Storm Water Rate Board.
Councilmember Helen Gym (D-AL)
Bill - Amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions,” by adding a new Chapter entitled “Employee Commuter Transit Benefit Programs,” to require certain employers to provide a mass transit and bicycle commuter benefit program.
Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (D-AL)
Resolution - Calling on PA General Assembly to use Federal Covid Relief monies to fund freedom schools (Thomas)
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
🔏 220248-A (Clarke): Approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area, identified by house numbers and street addresses as 1604-1608 Page street, 1610 Page street, 1612 Page street, and 1614 Page street; and authorizing the Redevelopment Authority to execute the redevelopment contract with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, Inc. and to take such action as may be necessary to effectuate the redevelopment contract.
🗺️ 220324 (Clarke): Resolution conveying fee simple title to 2100 N. 6th Street and 2104-06 N. 6th Street in the Fifth Councilmanic District to the Philadelphia Land Bank.
🏆 220325 (Parker): Resolution recognizing Rick Bloomingdale upon his retirement as President from the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.
🏆 220326 (Clarke): Resolution honoring and congratulating Philadelphia natives, Questlove, Jazmine Sullivan, and the Philadelphia Orchestra for a stellar 2022 award season, collectively winning an Oscar and four Grammys for outstanding contributions to music and film.
🏆 220327 (Gilmore Richardson): Resolution recognizing April 22, 2022 as Earth Day in the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 220328 (Gilmore Richardson): Resolution celebrating the Selection of My Broken Language: A Memoir, written by Philadelphia-born, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Quiara Alegría Hudes, for the 2022 “One Book, One Philadelphia” Program.
🗣️ 220330 (Domb): Resolution calling on Mayor James Kenney, Governor Tom Wolf, and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to use all powers of their offices to declare a state of emergency and seek available emergency relief resources from the state and federal governments through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address the humanitarian emergency in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia…
🏆 220331 (Clarke): Resolution honoring and congratulating Dawn Staley for coaching the 2022 Women's NCAA Championship basketball team, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
🏆 220332 (Thomas): Resolution honoring and congratulating Champion of the Week, Northeast High School Wrestling team, on their successful 2021-2022 season and winning the Public League Championship title.
🏆 220333 (Oh): Resolution recognizing and honoring Judge Doris Smith-Ribner for her years of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the first Black woman elected to a statewide judicial seat on the occasion of Women’s History Month.
🏆 220334 (Oh): Resolution recognizing and honoring Michael McGady and Matthew Mulholland - police officers in the 39th District - for their swift, lifesaving response to a fire in North Philadelphia.
🏆 220### (Oh): Celebrating May 7th as the first annual Jawn on the Lawn Day at the High School for Creative and Performing Arts.
🏆 220### (Oh): Honoring Korean American Association of Philadelphia for hosting a “Korea in Philly Celebration”
🏆 220### (Oh): Recognizing April 30th as Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Day.
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Thursday, April 25th
Committee on Appropriations, 1:00 PM - The Committee will consider Bill No. 220291 authorizing transfers in the General Fund amongst various departments.
Monday, April 25th
Committee on Rules, 10:00 AM - The Committee will hear bills matters related to zoning and the Manayunk Special Services District.
Friday, April 29th
Joint Committees on Finance & Transportation and Public Utilities, 9:00 AM - the joint committee will hold hearings regarding the sustainability and diversification of the Philadelphia Gas Works.
Monday, May 2nd
Committee on Labor and Civil Service, 1:00 PM- the committee will hold a hearing on Bill No. 220186 which adds new provisions related to workforce housing programs, Bill No. 220261 which clarifies that temporary residence outside the City does not prevent a person from meeting the residence requirement, and Resolution No. 220249 to examine the enforcement of and the City’s response to worker misclassification.
💸 📆 Budget Hearing Calendar (as of 4/5/22)
Tuesday, April 26th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Police
District Attorney’s Office
Defender’s Association
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
First Judicial District
Law Department
Sheriff
Wednesday, April 27th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Register of Wills
City Controller
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
Licenses and Inspections
Water Department
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Mural Arts Program
Free Library
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
SEPTA
Parks & Recreation
Wednesday, May 4th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
School District of Philadelphia
Community College
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
Public Testimony - School District
Monday, May 9th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
Office of Property Assessment
Board of Revision of Taxes
Afternoon (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM)
Public Testimony ‒ Tax Bills
Tuesday, May 10th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Managing Director’s Office
Mayor’s Office of Children & Families
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
Planning and Development
Wednesday, May 11th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Streets Department
Fire Department
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
Prisons
Tuesday, May 24th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Department Callbacks
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
Public Testimony
Wednesday, May 25th, 2022
Morning (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Department Callbacks
Afternoon (1:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
Department Callbacks
Disclosure: I am a dues paying member of both the Bicycle Coalition and 5th Square.