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.
Session Recap:
Today’s Council session was a quick one, but featured a number of noteworthy bill introductions from members.
Councilmember Derek Green introduced a package of bills and resolutions related to ethics, campaign finance and elections today. A pair of Charter Change proposals would lower the age requirement to serve on Council and Mayor (both currently 25 year age minimum) and make permanent the Office of Inspector General. The Inspector General is charged with rooting out fraud, corruption and misconduct in all departments and agencies under the entities under the Mayor’s jurisdiction. This position was created through Mayoral Executive Order, meaning that the existence of the office is at the pleasure of the Mayor and that the jurisdiction of the office is limited to only those serving under the Mayor. (Here’s a link to a previous article I wrote about the benefits of enshrining the Inspector General in the Charter).
Councilmember Green also took aim at the city’s current campaign finance scheme to provide for the public financing of elections. Green cited the poor turnout of voters in Philadelphia during non-Presidential years as a motivator for introducing this package, one designed to excite voters and improve participation our civic duties.
Councilmember David Oh surprised most Council-watchers with the introduction of a bill that would end the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax at the start of the city’s next fiscal year. The Councilman cited the recent convictions of labor leader John Dougherty and former Council colleague Bobby Henon as part of the motivation for the introduction of the bill. The Councilman stated that reporting on the trials of Dougherty and Henoon showed that the “origin of this tax was vindictive and self-serving.” Oh also noted that he was a full. supporter of the programs currently being funded by the tax, Pre-K and Rebuild, “but taxing our poorest residents isn’t the way to pay for them.”
Update: Council Redistricting Process
With a deadline to draw new lines for its ten councilmanic districts quickly approaching (February 12th), City Council held its first public hearing on the proposal. The redistricting proposal, introduced by Councilmember Cherelle Parker on behalf of Council President Clarke, was the result of closed doors negotiations amongst the district members. From a purely legal perspective, the new maps must take into account the population shifts that naturally occur over time to provide for relatively equal populations in each district. Other factors, including compactness, avoiding splits in neighborhood and commercial corridor boundaries, as well as political considerations also play a role in the map making process.
Yesterday’s hearing was the first opportunity for the public to provide direct comment to City Council regarding the proposal. A few common concerns about the proposal emerged from the testimony.
The Map Drawing Process
As reported by the Inquirer, “Many residents who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting said they were unhappy that Clarke only unveiled the map to the public last week after more than a month of behind-closed-doors talks, leaving little time for the public to digest and comment on the proposal before the hearing.”
The Splitting of Communities Across Multiple Districts
While the new map maintains the general shapes of the existing districts, there are some proposed changes that split or further cleave existing neighborhoods into multiple districts. Pat Christmas, Policy Director for the Committee of 70, highlighted a number of splits in his public testimony observing, “The proposed map inexplicably transfers division 29-10 from the 5th District to the 3rd District, splintering a piece of Brewerytown south of Jefferson St and west of 30th St.” The Fishtown neighborhood, already represented by two District Councilmembers would be further cleaved into a three-way split, frustrating some residents who testified at yesterday’s hearing.
Failure to End Prison Gerrymandering
Lastly, advocates called for Council to end the practice of prison gerrymandering, a system which counts individuals as residents where they are incarcerated, rather than where they are from. This results in overrepresentation in areas home to correctional facilities and corresponding underrepresentation in communities with high incarceral rates.
Council did not pass the redistricting bill out of committee, choosing instead to recess the hearing until Wednesday, February 2nd at 10 a.m. This recess will give Council the opportunity to make amendments based on public comment. However, given the intensive data analysis required to address the prison gerrymandering issue, it is unlikely that the new map will resolve that issue, or that we will see any major shifts in the current proposal.
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 repealing Bill No. 210865, “Far Northeast Overlay District” and making changes to height and parking minimum requirements. (O’Neill)
🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition
Resolution authorizing Land Bank disposition of properties in the 1st District. (Squilla)
Resolution authorizing Public Property to transfer land to the Land Bank located in the 1st District. (Squilla)
Resolution authorizing Public Property to transfer land to Redevelopment Authority of land in the 5th District. (Clarke)
Resolution authorizing Land Bank disposition of properties located in the 8th District. (Bass)
📜 Charter Change
Bill amending the Home Rule Charter by revising the age requirements for the election of City officials. (Green)
Bill amending the Home Rule Charter by establishing the Office of Inspector General. (Green)
Resolution related to the age requirement Home Rule Charter amendment. (Green)
Resolution related to the Office of Inspector General Home Rule Charter amendment. (Green)
💼 Business Regulation
Bill amending pandemic paid sick leave requirements. (Brooks)
🚦Streets
Bill establishing no truck parking in the 4th District. (Jones)
Bill establishing no truck parking in the 10th District. (O’Neill)
😇 Ethics / Campaign Finance
Bill revising the rules related to Conflict of Interest of public officials. (Green)
Bill providing for the public financing of campaigns. (Green)
Bill amending the provisions related to Campaign Finance limitations for City elections. (Green)
💸 Finance / Budget
Bill repealing the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax. (Oh)
⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Global Opportunities to hold hearings on the findings of the Fashion Taskforce. (Oh)
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)
Resolution - Authorizing Land Bank disposition of properties in the 1st District.
Resolution - Authorizing Public Property to transfer land to the Land Bank located in the 1st District.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
Bill - Establishing no truck parking in the 4th District.
Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)
Resolution - Authorizing Public Property to transfer land to Redevelopment Authority of land in the 5th District.
Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)
Resolution - Authorizing Land Bank disposition of properties located in the 8th District.
Councilmember Brian O’Neill (R-10th)
Bill - Repealing Bill No. 210865, “Far Northeast Overlay District” and making changes to height and parking minimum requirements.
Bill -Establishing no truck parking in the 10th District.
Councilmember Kendra Brooks (I-AL)
Bill - Amending pandemic paid sick leave requirements.
Councilmember Derek Green (D-AL)
Bill - Charter Change revising the age requirements for the election of City officials.
Bill - Revising the rules related to Conflict of Interest of public officials.
Bill - Related to the public financing of campaigns.
Bill - Amending the provisions related to Campaign Finance limitations for City elections.
Bill - Charter Change - Creating the Office of Inspector General.
Resolution - Companion resolution to age requirement charter change.
Resolution - Companion resolution to Office of Inspector General charter change.
Councilmember David Oh (R-AL)
Bill - Repealing the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax.
Resolution - Authorizing the Committee on Global Opportunities to hold hearings on the findings of the Fashion Taskforce.
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
🏆 220011 (Parker): Recognizing January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
🏆 220014 (Gym): Honoring and celebrating trailblazing writer, actor, and comedian Quinta Brunson for her creation of Abbott Elementary.
🏆 220015 (Jones): Honoring and celebrating Philadelphia’s Living Legends: Leon A. Williams, Esq., Michael Coard, Esq., Rasheedah Phillips, Esq., George Burrell, Esq., and Keir Bradford-Grey, Esq., who are all respected and distinguished leaders in the field of law, as part of the commemoration of Black History Month.
🏆 220016 (Jones): Also naming the 6300 block of Lancaster Avenue as Absalom Jones Way, to commemorate Reverend Absalom Jones and his legacy as an abolitionist, clergyman and the founder of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, the first African Episcopal Church in The United States.
🏆 220017 (Johnson): Honoring the life and legacy of comedy legend Bob Saget, a Philadelphia native and Temple University graduate, on the occasion of his passing.
🏆 220018 (Johnson): Honoring the life and legacy of music legend, activist, and Philadelphia native James Mtume, on the occasion of his passing.
🗣️ 220019 (Johnson): Calling on the U.S. Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
📛 220020 (Johnson): Confirming the appointment of Adara L. Combs as Victim Advocate.
🏆 220021 (Green): Recognizing the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf on the 200th Anniversary of its founding.
🏆 220022 (Domb): Honoring the life of Jeff Guaracino Chief Executive Officer of Visit Philly, who brought the City into the national spotlight as a destination for tourism and whose work championed the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and welcomed all to Philadelphia.
🏆 220023 (Squilla): Proclaiming May 2, 2022 as John Fryer Day in the City of Philadelphia for his contributions to Philadelphia and the LGBTQ Community.
🏆 220024 (Squilla): Recognizing and Congratulation Shen Yun on the occasion of their 15th year performing in Pennsylvania as the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company.
⚖️ 220### (Oh): Authorizinig th
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Wednesday, February 2nd
Committee of the Whole, 10:00 AM - City Council will take testimony on the proposed revisions to boundaries of the ten Councilmanic Districts. (Bill No. 220003)
Monday, February 7th
Commerce and Economic Development, 10:00 AM - Council will examine diversity and inclusion in contracting by the City and related public sector agencies, including the School District of Philadelphia, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation.