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From YouTube: Pittsburgh City Council Public Hearing (Tax, Budget, & Citizen Participation) - 12/13/21
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A
Good
morning
and
welcome
to
pittsburgh
city
council
cablecast
public
hearing
on
the
budget
participation
part
of
our
bill.
B
Bill
number
2171,
ordinance,
amendment
pittsburgh
quoted
title:
2,
fiscal,
article,
7,
business,
related
taxes,
chapter
246,
home
rule,
tax,
section,
246.03
declaration
and
payment
of
tax
as
subsection
d,
so
as
to
fix
the
rate
of
interest
on
delinquent
home
rule
tax
for
the
year
2022
bill
number
2172
ordinance
amendment.
If
it's
for
a
quota
title
to
fiscal
article,
7
business,
related
taxes,
chapter
245,
earn
income
tax,
section,
24503
declaration
and
payment
of
tax
at
subsection
d,
so
as
to
fix
the
rate
of
interest
on
delinquent
earned
income
tax
for
the
year
2022.
A
Thank
you
very
much.
I'm
ricky
burgess
city
council,
president
pro
tem
other,
although
we
are
recording
this
and
other
members
can
see
you
remotely.
There
are
some
that
will
be
joining
us
cory
and
councilman.
Lavelle
are
already
councilman
cory,
connor
and
dave
lavelle
already
on.
Other
members
will
be
coming
with
us
from
time
to
time
periodically.
A
Now
we
will
move
to
testimony
for
registered
speakers
once
your
name
is
called.
Please
state,
your
full
name
and
address
for
the
public
record.
Each
speaker
will
have
three
minutes
to
address
counsel.
If
you
do
not
register
in
advance,
we
will
up
testimony
after
we
exhausted
the
list
of
regular
speakers.
Non-Registered
speakers
will
receive
one
minute.
Please
keep
in
mind.
This
is
the
opportunity
for
council
to
speak
for
a
community
rather
to
speak
directly
to
pittsburgh
city
council,
about
the
issues
at
hand
and
then
time
for
counsel.
To
listen.
A
C
C
As
this
body
knows,
budgets
are
mission
statements
and
a
testimony
of
the
policy
priorities
and
level
of
investment.
The
city
wants
to
make
for
its
residents.
Pcrg
applauds
most
of
the
elements
in
this
budget.
I
do
want
to
take
this
opportunity
to
highlight
a
few
budget
items
of
particular
interest.
C
C
D
Hi,
my
name
is
lisa
scales,
president
and
ceo
of
greater
pittsburgh
community
food
bank.
Our
warehouse
and
offices
are
located
at
one
north
linden
street.
In
duquesne.
We
have
a
network
of
more
than
150
city
of
pittsburgh-based
agencies
serving
thousands
of
pittsburgh
residents.
We
also
serve
pittsburghers
directly
through
our
monthly
drive
up
distributions
of
which
we
have
held
27
since
the
start
of
the
pandemic
at
10
different
locations.
D
One
in
five
pittsburghers
experience
food
insecurity,
meaning
that
a
fifth
of
the
city's
population
is
limited
by
economic
and
social
conditions
that
affect
their
ability
to
access
adequate
and
nutritious
food
food.
Insecure
people
often
are
unable
to
afford
food
and
may
also
experience
barriers
to
physically
accessing
food.
Food
insecurity
has
serious
repercussions
for
people
throughout
their
lifespan.
D
It
increases
health
problems
among
children
and
seniors
and
also
decreases
productivity
for
working
age,
adults.
It
often
forces
hungry
pittsburghers
to
choose
between
pain
for
food
and
other
essentials,
such
as
rent
heat
and
medicine.
Food
insecurity
is
a
significant
problem
with
severe
impacts,
and
we
don't
expect
city
government
to
assume
complete
responsibility
for
its
solution.
That's
why
the
food
bank
engages
individuals,
businesses,
nonprofits
and
foundations
in
support
of
our
efforts.
D
We
also
work
with
state
and
federal
government
to
maximize
the
benefits
of
anti-hunger
programs.
What
we
ask
of
you
is
your
continued
commitment
to
do
what
you
can
through
the
cdbg
program
to
address
hunger
in
pittsburgh.
We
recognize
the
hard
choices
council
must
make
to
allocate
scarce
resources
we
and
the
people.
We
serve
appreciate
what
you
have
done
in
past
years
under
difficult
circumstances.
D
F
E
Colin
mcwhorter
yep,
okay,
thanks
good
for
me
all
right.
Good
morning,
I'm
colin
mcwhorter
from
the
community
human
services,
food
pantry
in
south
oakland
and
I'm
a
resident
of
morningside
I'd
like
to
thank
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
today
about
the
importance
of
the
community
development
block,
grant
funding
to
food
pantries
like
ours
and
how
it
impacts
the
families
we
serve.
E
Each
month
we
serve
around
400
families
at
our
lawn
street
food
pantry
in
south
oakland,
and
this
time
of
year
we
see
an
increase
from
that
as
more
families.
Look
for
food
resources
around
the
holidays
when
they
are
celebrating
with
their
loved
ones.
One
of
the
main
goals
of
our
pantry
is
to
offer
choices
to
families
when
they
shop
with
us.
We
strive
to
have
a
multitude
of
fresh
produce
options,
as
well
as
protein
and
dairy
options.
E
Having
choice
in
what
they
select
adds
dignity
to
the
shopping
experience
and
reduces
waste,
as
families
choose
the
options
that
they
really
want.
We
love
to
see
the
excitement.
Families
have
when
they
shop
with
us
and
see
the
selection
that
they
can
choose
from
the
support
for
our
pantry
allows
us
to
serve
families
with
a
legitimate
shopping
experience
not
far
off
from
going
to
a
grocery
store.
E
G
E
We
hear
from
families
we
serve
repeatedly
that
they
keep
coming
back
to
our
food
pantry
when
they
are
struggling
because
of
the
options
we
have
the
fresh
produce
and
protein
options
we
can
provide
through
this
support
changes
the
dynamic
of
a
family
meal.
Instead
of
preparing
a
meal
with
shelf-stable
options,
families
can
serve
something
fresh
and
nutritious
without
incurring
the
high
price
of
fresh
produce
that
a
grocery
store
would
have.
E
We
serve
a
community
in
oakland
that
does
not
have
easy
access
to
affordable,
fresh
food,
but
we
are
also
open
to
the
entire
city
of
pittsburgh,
which
covers
a
vast
array
of
people
who
may
be
food
insecure
at
different
points.
Throughout
the
year
we
see
both
young
and
old
families
at
our
pantry,
as
food
insecurity
can
hit
a
family
at
any
time.
As
we've
seen
in
the
past
year,
unexpected
changes
can
result
in
families
looking
for
support.
They
never
thought
they
would
need.
E
H
I've
also
been
employed
in
various
roles
at
the
food
bank
since
2008,
which
was
just
before
the
start
of
the
great
recession,
including
overseeing
our
produce
to
people
program
for
over
a
decade
which
had
four
sites
in
pittsburgh,
and
so
I've
seen
firsthand
the
impact
of
cdbg
funding
on
our
pittsburgh
neighbors,
who
are
experiencing
some
temporary
need
for
food
assistance,
people
who
are
willing
to
line
up
in
the
cold
crowds
of
800
or,
more
sometimes
in
the
south
side,
sometimes
in
homewood,
in
order
to
be
able
to
put
food
on
the
table
for
their
families,
their
kids,
their
senior
parents,
spouses
veterans
with
disabilities,
I've
heard
their
stories
and
I've
seen
the
impact
that
this
funding
makes.
H
Cdbg
funding
helps
us
and
our
member
agencies
to
augment
donated
foods
that
we
rescue
from
retail
stores,
farms,
shippers
and
distributors
with
high
value
purchased
items
that
are
sought
by
the
people.
We
serve
meats,
dairy
products
and
shelf-stable
pantry
items
like
pasta,
beans
and
peanut
butter.
I
heard
produce
mentioned
earlier.
We
spend
we're
going
to
spend
about
a
million
dollars
this
year
on
sourcing
produce
for
for
our
neighbors
in
need
as
well.
H
In
a
typical
year,
we
purchase
about
a
third
of
the
food
that
we
distribute
with
about
a
third
of
our
food
being
donated
and
another
third
being
government
commodities,
usually
from
the
usda
of
course.
Last
year,
the
amount
that
we
spent
to
buy
food
about
tripled
from
previous
years
as
a
result
of
increased
demand
from
the
pandemic
and
increased
demand
for
pre-packed
shelf
stable
boxes.
So
we
could
facilitate
those
new
touch,
drive
distributions
and
supply
chain
issues
that
everyone
heard
about,
of
course,
from
manufacturer
processor,
shutdowns,
the
docks
being
closed
shortfalls
and
trucking.
H
We
could
not
have
kept
up
with
those
increases
in
both
demand
and
price
over
this
year
and
last
without
our
government
allies,
keeping
pace
to
extend
additional
funds
to
us
and
we're
more
grateful
than
ever
for
the
support
of
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
with
the
cdbg
funding
that
we
received
over
these
past
two
years,
as
we
continue
to
see
price
increases
and
supply
shortfalls,
we
appreciate
your
continued
support
and
look
forward
to
continuing
to
ensure
that
our
neighbors
in
pittsburgh
don't
go
to
bed
hungry.
Thank
you
for
your
time
and.
I
Yes,
good
morning,
my
name
is
erin
spengler.
I
live
in
highland
park
in
city
council
district
seven.
I
am
a
nutritionist
at
greater
pittsburgh
community
food
bank.
Thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
comment
in
support
of
the
city's
continued
funding
of
community
development
block
grants
that
help
support
the
mission
and
vision
of
greater
pittsburgh.
Community
food
bank
and
its
partners
in
the
city
of
pittsburgh.
I
The
food
bank
and
its
partners
use
cdbg
funding
to
source
a
wide
variety
of
high-value
foods.
The
people
we
serve
consistently
request
fresh
and
nutritious
foods,
including
fruits,
vegetables,
milk,
meat
and
eggs.
These
foods
are
considered
high
value
because
they
have
high
nutritional
value,
but
also
because
they
generally
cost
more
at
local
stores
and
because
they
may
be
hard
to
find
in
many
neighborhoods.
I
We
know
that
health
and
well-being
can
be
predicted
by
a
variety
of
factors,
including
access
to
health
care,
individual
health,
behaviors
and
even
our
own
family
history.
However,
social
factors,
including
education,
employment
and
income
level,
access
to
transportation
and
even
where
we
live,
have
the
most
significant
impact
on
health
and
well-being.
I
These
factors
are
known
as
the
social
determinants
of
health
people
experiencing
food
insecurity
are
more
likely
to
have
negative
health
outcomes
related
to
the
social
determinants
of
health
organizations
like
the
food
bank
and
its
partners
can
redress
this
inequity
and
ensure
that
all
people
experiencing
food
insecurity
have
access
to
healthy
food.
Cdbg
funding
helps
us
do
that.
In
march,
2020
the
food
bank
launched
the
stakeholder
engagement
initiative
to
engage
the
community
in
discussions
about
how
we
can
make
our
work
even
more
effective.
I
Through
this
initiative,
I've
had
the
opportunity
to
speak
with
hundreds
of
stakeholders
across
our
entire
service
area,
including
regional
leaders,
government
officials,
volunteers,
donors,
our
non-profit
partners
and,
most
importantly,
the
people
we
serve.
There
was
strong
consensus
across
all
stakeholder
groups
that
the
food
bank
must
continue
to
prioritize
the
distribution
of
healthy
foods
that
better
reflect
the
dietary
and
cultural
needs
of
individuals
and
communities.
I
Cdbg
funding
from
the
city
of
pittsburgh
helps
the
food
bank
and
its
partners
support
the
overall
wellness
of
pittsburghers
by
improving
resource
access
to
the
high
value
foods.
The
people
we
serve
want
and
need
in
closing
I'd
like
to
thank
you
for
your
time,
your
consideration
and
for
all
the
support
you've
provided
to
the
food
bank
and
the
pittsburghers
that
we
serve
every
day.
J
Hello,
my
name
is
joanna
deming.
I
am
the
executive
director
of
fine
view
and
perry
hill
top
citizens,
council
and
a
resident
of
perry
hilltop.
Thank
you
so
much
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
with
you
yeah.
So
I
wanted
to
thank
the
council
for
the
mayor's
office
for
investing
in
affordable
housing
and
I'm
looking
forward
to
discussing
ways
to
increasing
funding,
to
address
the
shortage
of
affordable
homes
and
preventing
displacement.
J
Sidewalk
improvement
I'd
like
to
see
a
systematic
block
by
block
approach,
paving
we'll
have
some
streets
for
the
spring
quincy
way:
suffolk
and
lanark
streets
and
biking
infrastructure.
Additional
bike
lanes,
bike
rental
stations
up
on
the
hilltop
and
other
opportunities
for
biking.
So
those
are
my
comments.
Thank
you
so
much
and
have
a
wonderful
holiday.
A
K
K
The
food
policy
council
is
a
network
of
over
100
organizations
from
across
the
food
system,
including
farmers,
impacted
and
concerned
residents,
emergency
food
providers,
restaurant
owners
and
workers,
anti-hunger
advocates
universities,
policy
experts,
food
retailers,
cooperatives
and
many
others
who
work
together
in
our
region
to
to
bring
healthy
food
into
our
communities.
Together,
we
work
to
build
a
just,
equitable
and
sustainable
food
system.
I
wanted
first
this
morning
to
thank
city
council
for
your
ongoing
work
and
dedication
to
food
initiatives,
as
we've
heard
already
this
morning.
K
K
A
special
thanks
to
I
wanted
to
share
a
special
thanks
with
councilwoman
kale
smith
for
her
leadership
in
calling
for
a
public
food
coordination
task
force
to
develop
further
recommendations
for
food
systems,
coordination
and
investment
across
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
as
well
as
thanks
to
councilwoman
gross
for
cheering
task
force
and
councilman,
burgess,
krauss
and
o'connor
for
their
ongoing
work.
K
K
A
food
justice
fund
would
increase
our
city's
ability
to
produce
food
support,
food
businesses
and
workers
and
unlim
uplift
community-led
solutions
to
food
security,
particularly
in
communities
that
the
city's
feed
pittsburgh
reports
defines
as
healthy
food
priority
areas,
healthy
food
priority
areas
are
identified
by
their
levels
of
high
household
poverty
and
diet,
related
chronic
disease
and
low
rates
of
vehicle
ownership
and
low
rates
of
fresh
food
store.
Walkability.
K
These
pittsburgh
communities
are
places
of
highest
need
and
require
focused
coordinated
effort
and
investment,
while
it's
of
course
disappointing
to
not
have
yet
had
the
inclusion
of
the
food
justice
fund
in
this
year's
budget,
we
remain
committed
to
working
with
each
of
you
to
determine
the
best
pass
for
best
path
forward
for
this
fund,
because
the
needs
remain
and
the
potential
impact
of
investment
and
increased
coordination
with
city
partners
remains
great.
We
envision
city
of
pittsburgh,
city,
council
and
administration
working
in
deep
partnership
with
the
food
policy
council.
K
Community
and
business
leaders
and
others
in
order
to
promote
food
equity
in
pittsburgh.
Coordinated
investments
in
communities
of
great
need
would
yield
increased
food
production,
affordability
and
availability
by
investing
in
strategies
that
are
laid
out
in
existing
community
plans
and
the
regional
plan,
including
the
greater
pittsburgh.
A
L
Thank
you,
I'm
councilman,
reverend
burgess.
It
was
a
great
try.
I
struggled
with
it
at
first
too,
it's
a
jammu
with
saberu,
I'm
rockweed
bay,
a
resident
of
homewood
and
I'm
the
founder
and
executive
director
of
the
black
urban
gardeners
and
farmers
of
pittsburgh
co-op.
Thank
you
city.
I'm
excuse
me,
and
I'm
also
a
shay
tree,
commissioner,
for
the
city
of
pittsburgh.
Thank
you,
mayor,
peduto
and
city
council
for
that.
L
Thank
you
for
hearing
me
city,
council
and
those
of
you
all
who
have
been
working
to
end
food
and
security
in
our
in
our
homes
and
food
apartheid
in
our
areas,
special
thanks
to
councilwoman,
deb
growth
and
teresa
cal
smith.
For
creating
this
task
force.
You
hear
the
words
food
deserts
and
you
hear
the
word
food
apartheid,
I'm
supporting
healthy
choice,
communities.
L
We
are
attentionals
about
our
words
and
we
save
food
apart
time
because
it's
more
than
a
lack
of
a
grocery
store,
it's
very
few
healthy
options
in
black
and
brown
communities
and
low-income
communities.
Food
apartheid
also
points
to
the
discrimination
of
communities
of
black
and
brown
people.
When
it
comes
to
economic
opportunities,
we
call
it
what
it
is.
What
we've
done
at
bugs
is
create
a
green
print
for
food
access
to
these
food
departments,
communities
such
as
farming,
the
homewood
food
access
working
group
in
2018,
the
hill
district,
food
access
working
group.
L
We
have
partners
from
hazelwood
and
bell
super
who
are
marin
or
green
print
to
end
food
apartheid
in
our
communities.
Please
consider
with
my
colleague,
dawn
plummer
from
the
pittsburgh
pool
policy.
Council
just
stated
to
you
all
that
10
million
dollars
laid
out
by
the
pittsburgh
food
policy
of
council
and
other
groups
such
as
the
black
urban
gardeners.
This
fund
will
provide
funding
to
support
necessary
investments
in
our
local
food
system,
regardless
of
all
the
how
hard
work
we've
done.
This
our
food
system
is
broken
and
the
whale
needs
repair
on
it.
L
L
Without
a
doubt,
large-scale
divestments
for
cooperative
grocery
stores
there
we
are
creating
in
homewood
called
its
name:
freedom
foods
after
reverend
eugene
freedom,
blackwell
is
paramount.
We've
been
without
a
grocery
store.
Since
1995.
L
we
have
22
evacuary
committee
made
members
made
up
of
homewood
residents,
farmers,
cooperative
experts,
food
justice
activists
and
stakeholders,
and
we
are
asking
the
funds
to
be
put
aside
before
this
received
this
plan
to
make
food
apartheid,
family
and
in
pittsburgh.
L
I
understand
that
there
this
task
force
has
been
created
and
we're
grateful
for
that,
but
we
also
want
to
include
in
this
task
force
members
of
another
organization
that
has
been
doing
this
work
boots
on
the
ground
to
eliminate
food
or
poor,
that
in
our
community.
Thank
you.
A
A
F
Good
morning,
council,
my
name
is
xena
scott
I've
been
a
homewood
resident
for
over
50
years.
I
have
served
in
the
last
six
months
as
part
of
the
pittsburgh
food
equity
ambassador
program.
F
That
program
has
set
up
suggestions
and
amendments
that
we'd
like
to
give
to
council
and
that
will
be
presented
at
a
later
date.
This
morning,
I'm
coming
to
you
with
the
concern
of
black
and
brown
communities
throughout
the
city
of
pittsburgh
that
have
been
underserved
for
decades.
F
Thanks
to
the
city,
communities,
companies,
churches
and
non-profits,
who
came
to
our
aid
at
a
very
high
rate,
but
it
should
not
have
been
that
way.
We
should
have
had
equal,
if
not
better
services
from
the
city
in
order
to
maintain
our
health
and
not
be
in
the
position
and
condition
that
our
communities
are
in.
F
I
ask
again
in
showing
the
concern
for
black
and
brown
communities
that
the
budget
be
adjusted
for
the
needs
of
the
insecurity
of
food
in
this
community
reverend
burgess.
I
commend
you
for
the
work
you've
done
with
giant
eagle,
but,
as
you
know,
giant
eagle
is
a
big
business
and
they're
out
to
make
money.
F
A
Miss
gomez,
if
you
can
hear
me,
you
have
an
older
version
of
zoom
if
you
would
go
into
a
different
device
or
up
or
download
a
newer
version
of
zoom
either.
One
of
those
will
get
you
into
our
meeting.
That
takes
us
no
maria
cohen,
that
takes
us
to
jennifer
lyons
jennifer.
Are
you
with
us.
M
I
am
hello
hello,
my
name
is
jennifer.
I've
been
a
resident
of
pittsburgh
for
the
past
10
years
and
I
live
in
the
neighborhood
of
friendship.
I
was
recently
engaged,
I'm
looking
to
buy
a
house
and
I
really
wish
I
was
calling
into
this
city
budget
meeting
to
talk
about
things
like
property
taxes.
However,
I'm
and
unfortunately
my
neighbors
are
dealing
with
something
much
more
somber
see.
Friendship
is
the
neighborhood
in
which
jim
rogers
was
recently
murdered.
I
actually
live
only
a
few
blocks
away
from
where
that
happened.
M
Jim
rogers
was
a
black
man
who
was
tased
to
death
and
denied
medical
care,
his
only
crime
seeming
to
be
that
he
was
riding
a
bike
and
there
is
really
realistically
no
justice.
That's
going
to
be
able
to
be
served
for
mr
rogers.
His
life
is
not
going
to
be
able
to
restored,
but
to
add
insult
to
injury
is
the
way
that
the
current
proposed
pittsburgh
budget
is
rewarding
the
pittsburgh
city
police
for
their
really
years
of
inaction.
M
M
A
Thank
you
very
much
that
takes
us,
I
believe,
to
matthew
rubin.
N
Hello,
thank
you.
My
name
is
matthew.
Rubin
I
live
in
beach
view
and
want
to.
You
know:
ask
this
council
to
think
seriously
about
what
the
budget
that
you're
passing
is
a
budget
is
a
moral
document
it
it,
you
know,
lays
out
the
ethics
of
our
city,
and
I
think
that
the
ethics
laid
out
by
this
budget
are
atrocious.
N
I
think
that
this
budget
that
this
council
needs
to
think
seriously
about
actually
passing
some
amendments
on
this
budget
for
once,
not
just
rubber,
stamping
mayor
peduto,
we
need
to
take
steps
to
reduce
the
funds
that
we're
putting
towards
our
police
force.
Nearly
doubling
the
police
budget
in
the
past
eight
years
is
not
a
good
direction
to
go
in
for
many
of
the
reasons
that
ever
been
stated,
and
we
can
use
those
resources
to
actually
help
people
in
need
and
to
make
our
communities
safer.
N
N
The
city
of
pittsburgh
can
actually
just
use
resources
to
feed
people
who
need
help
and
when
our
neighbors
are
facing
such
hard
times,
pittsburgh
can
should
and
must
help
feed
them
while
working
towards
eliminating
the
larger
goal
of
or
towards
the
larger
goal
of
eliminating
food
apartheid
in
pittsburgh,
we
need
to
fund
social
services
and
non-violent
non-police
responses
to
emergencies,
to
help
people
in
need,
rather
than
police
them
to
criminalize
them
to
brutalize
them,
and
you
know
we
need
alternatives
to
police
that
people
can
call
for
help
without
fear
of
police,
violence,
criminalization
or
intimidation.
N
A
recent
report
from
the
abolitionist
law
center
said
that
found
that
more
than
60
of
the
time
that
pittsburgh
police
use
force
it's
against
black
people,
despite
making
up
23
percent
of
the
pittsburgh
population,
black
people
of
traffic
stops
71
of
all
frisks,
69
of
all
warrantless
searches
and
seizures
and
63
of
arrests,
worse
83
of
all
warrantless
searches
and
seizures
for
people
ages,
11
to
18,
that's
83
and
100
of
all
warrantless
searchers
and
seizures
for
children,
10
and
under
the
city.
In
the
past.
N
You
know,
since
2014
has
spent
over
seven
million
dollars
just
on
settlements,
for
lawsuits
brought
against
police
for
excessive
force.
The
police
are
not
making
our
community
safer.
Police
presence
is
unnecessary
to
deal
with
what
is
labeled
most
criminal
activity.
The
abolitionist
law
center
report
stated
that
recent
data
had
from
a
handful
of
cities
shown
that
about
one
percent
of
9-1-1
calls
about
violent
crimes.
Overall
police
spend
less
than
four
percent
of
their
time
on
violent
crime.
N
Eighty
percent
of
state
criminal
doxes
are
dockets,
are
for
misdemeanors
and
we
just
can
do
much
more
to
actually
keep
people
safe.
If
we
focus
on
housing
people
on
feeding
people
and
on
responses
to
emergencies
that
are
geared
around
helping
people
rather
than
policing
them.
A
Thank
you
very
much,
elena
gomez,
we're
going
to
go
back
to
her.
I
know
that
you
came
in
and
came
back
out,
but
now
came
back
in
hopefully
on
the
newer
version.
Can
you
get
on
now.
O
Yes,
I'm
here.
Thank
you
good
morning,
council,
I'm
eliana
gomez,
I'm
testifying
today
on
behalf
of
just
harvest
which
works
to
which
works
towards
building
a
just
system
of
food
access
in
allegheny,
county
and
throughout
pennsylvania.
O
We're
joining
our
allies
today
at
the
pittsburgh
food
policy
council
advocates
and
experts
who
work
on
addressing
the
city's
rampant
hunger,
food
and
security
and
asking
you
to
establish
a
food
justice
fund
with
an
investment
of
10
million
dollars
over
four
years.
This
fund
will
increase
our
city's
ability
to
produce
food
support,
food
businesses
and
workers
and
uplift
community-led
solutions
to
food
security.
O
This
fund
would
support
investments
in
projects
and
infrastructure
that
addresses
root,
causes
of
hunger,
such
as
poverty
and
access
to
healthy
food.
Without
addressing
root
causes,
the
emergency
food
system
has
to
stretch
to
meet
the
needs
of
our
cities.
This
is
an
incredible
incredibly
unsustainable
method
of
addressing
hunger
in
the
region,
and
we
have
the
opportunity
to
improve
current
food
infrastructure
to
ensure
that
each
regis
each
resident
in
each
neighborhood
of
pittsburgh
is
food.
O
The
food
justice
fund
will
allow
the
city
to
be
more
transparent
in
funding
new
solutions
and
more
equitable
and
how
much
money
is
being
given
to
development
projects
for
communities
in
need.
The
fund
will
build
collaboration
with
the
community
into
the
city
budget
so
that
it
is
commonly
practiced
rather
than
an
afterthought.
O
You
can
make
an
incredible
impact
on
food
infrastructure
in
the
city
by
financing
food
resale
spaces
like
salines
in
the
hill,
the
development
of
the
proposed
food
co-op
in
homewood
and
other
retail
options
as
they
arise
in
the
future.
We
advocate
for
increased
city
investment
in
the
food
bucks
initiative
to
give
shoppers
using
snap
benefits,
additional
resources
for
purchasing
fresh
food
for
their
family.
O
Finally,
we
recommend
funding
for
a
staff
person
in
the
mayor's
office
to
manage
and
oversee
the
food
justice
fund
to
ensure
proposals
are
granted
equitably
and
funds
are
dispersed
throughout
the
communities
with
the
most
need.
We
look
forward
to
working
together
with
city
council
to
design
equitable
investments
in
our
local
food
system.
Thank
you
for
your
time.
P
Hello,
yes,
hi,
I'm
john
hanrahan.
I
live
at
434
kotoma
street
in
fine
view.
I
am
an
incoming
member
of
the
board
of
directors
of
the
fine
view.
Citizens,
council,
council,
member
wilson,
hello
from
district
one
wednesday,
is
the
79th
anniversary
of
the
opening
of
allegheny
dwellings,
which
is
the
public
housing
community
built
here
in
fineview
to
house
war
workers
and
their
families
and
later
low-income
people.
P
It
has
been
eight
decades
since
our
neighborhood
last
saw
new,
truly
affordable
housing
on
that
transformative
scale,
and
so
in
our
neighborhood,
as
in
others,
the
cost
of
a
home
grinds
up
and
up
now
we
could
just
build
more
public
housing.
That
is
what
the
moment
demands,
but
we
all
know
that
circumstances
for
the
time
being
won't
allow
it
so
plan,
b,
plan
c
and
so
on.
Here,
in
fine
view,
we
are
working
with
the
city
of
bridges,
community
land,
trust
to
build
and
renovate
homes
that
will
house
our
neighbors
comfortably
affordably
and
permanently.
P
We
have
to
accelerate
this
work
and
we
need
your
help
to
do
so.
We
appreciate
the
jolt
in
funding
for
the
pittsburgh
land
bank
from
the
american
rescue
plan.
We
need
to
see
a
reliable
permanent
source
of
funding
for
the
land
bank.
The
ura
received
a
one-time
block
of
funding
for
community
land
trust
work
from
the
arp.
P
I
also
saw
that
the
ura
got
a
one-time
boost
of
funding
to
protect
so-called
naturally
occurring
affordable
housing,
which
we
have
in
spades
here
in
findview.
This
must
also
become
a
permanent
fixture
in
the
budget,
with
funds
for
stabilizing
and
rehabilitating
these
structures,
instead
of
demolishing
them
or
just
leaving
them
to
rot
and
then
to
protect
those
stuck
struggling
to
pay
for
market
rate
homes.
You
must
allocate
a
significant
amount
for
housing,
legal
aid
council.
This
will
be
a
precursor
to
you,
moving
in
2022
to
finally
guarantee
attendance
right
to
council
in
housing
related
proceedings.
P
I'll
also
note
that
you
heard
earlier
from
find
you
and
perry
hilltop
citizens,
council,
executive
director,
joanna
deming.
I
will
echo
her
request
for
increased
funding
for
the
department
of
mobility
and
infrastructure
for
a
block
by
block
publicly
funded
sidewalk
program,
as
well
as
improved
bike
infrastructure
in
our
neighborhoods.
P
People,
do
walk
and
bike
around
our
hilltop
neighborhoods,
believe
it
or
not.
And
lastly,
as
for
where
these
funds
might
come
from,
I,
like
so
many
other
pittsburghers
and
keeping
an
eye
on
that
bloated,
ballooning
police
department
budget.
I
can
see
about
120
million
ways
to
make
the
math
work
here.
Thank
you
for
your
time.
Q
So
I'm
not
public
speaking,
isn't
my
strong
suit.
I
basically
just
want
to
reiterate
what
I
feel
like
the
last
five
or
so
speakers
have
said.
We've
heard
a
lot
about
the
needs
for
housing
for
food.
These
are
really
critical,
especially
at
this
point
as
we
are,
you
know,
hopefully,
in
the
late
stages
of
this
pandemic.
We
have
this
upcoming
potential
increase
of
evictions.
Q
We
are
still
dealing
with
apartheid
city
in
terms
of
food,
and
you
know
we've.
We
were
all
talking
a
year
or
so
ago
about
that
report
about
how
pittsburgh
was
one
of
the
worst
cities
for
black
people,
especially
black
women,
but
we
really
haven't
seem
to
have
taken
action
about
it.
I
really
think
we
should
fund
the
police
to
the
extent
that
we
can
address
these
problems
in
a
more
meaningful
way.
Q
The
last
time
we
were
talking
about
this,
I
recall
the
city
council
saying
that
they
literally
couldn't
defund
police
for
political
reasons,
which
struck
me
as
an
incredibly
absurd
thing
to
say,
because
city
council
is
a
political
body.
Anything
that
you
choose
to
do
in
terms
of
funding
or
defunding
is
a
political
decision.
By
definition-
and
so
I
I
just
hope
that
we
can
finally
make
some
progress
on
this,
and
also
please
stop
having
these
meetings
on
monday
mornings.
Q
A
Thank
you
very
much
that
takes
us
to
seth
sorensen.
G
Hello,
my
name
is
steph
sorensen
and
I
live
in
greenfield
in
district
5..
Last
year
I
gave
comment
at
this
council's
2021
budget
hearing,
calling
on
you
all
to
defund
the
massive
police
budget
and
use
the
money
for
social
services
and
non-violent
alternatives
to
policing.
G
Five
new
police,
colonel
positions
are
being
created
at
an
expense
of
over
six
hundred
thousand
dollars,
and
three
hundred
fifty
thousand
will
go
to
new
police
recruits
that
money
could
do
so
much
work
not
going
to
salaries
for
cops.
Pittsburgh
is
already
one
of
the
most
heavily
policed
of
all
medium-sized
u.s
cities.
With
more
than
double
the
median
number
of
officers
per
10
000
residents,
we
have
34
officers
per
10
000
in
pittsburgh
versus
17.
G
per
10
000
in
similar
sized
cities.
I'm
calling
on
council
not
to
go
back
on
promises
made
last
year
to
reinstate
the
police,
hiring
freeze,
the
248
officers
eligible
for
retirement
this
year
should
retire
and
they
should
not
be
replaced
that
will
bring
us
closer
to
the
average
level
of
policing,
but
we'd
still
have
many
more
cops
per
resident
than
other
similar
cities.
G
There
were
212
eviction
filings
last
week,
a
number
that
has
been
rising
steadily.
Please
fund
rental
assistance
and
help
people
access
it,
especially
black
women,
who
make
up
the
majority
of
applicants
for
assistance,
but
who
have
received
help
at
a
much
lower
rate
than
their
white
counterparts
fund,
free
legal
representation
for
people
threatened
with
eviction.
It's
shameful
that
this
isn't
already
in
place.
G
The
parks
and
recreation
department.
Food
distribution
program
has
rolled
out
incredible
community
food
access
initiatives
since
the
pandemic
began,
but
there
is
still
a
gap
in
their
coverage
and
pittsburghers
are
still
going
hungry,
fully
fund
this
program
to
close
the
gap
and
feed
everyone
in
need
in
our
city.
This
one
is
particularly
egregious
as
the
department
themselves
has
said
that
they
only
need
enough
funding
to
be
able
to
staff
a
few
more
food
distribution
locations
to
fully
meet
the
city's
needs.
Not
doing
so
is
a
conscious
choice.
G
This
council
is
making
to
keep
people
in
pittsburgh
hungry.
I
have
personally
lived
with
the
stress
and
worry
of
food
insecurity
at
different
times.
In
my
life,
no
one
should
have
to
live
like
that.
Please
make
a
different
choice
and
finally,
just
like
last
year,
I'm
asking
you
to
please
make
these
meetings
accessible
for
working
class
people
by
offering
more
opportunities
for
public
input
and
by
scheduling
these
in
the
evenings
and
on
the
weekends
when
working
people
can
actually
attend
further.
G
A
Thank
you
very
much.
Most
of
us
are
on
councilwoman,
theresa
smith,
who
I
did
not
mention
earlier,
is
also
on
remotely,
and
so
the
vast
majority
of
council
is
online
next
austin
deal.
R
Hi
everyone,
my
name,
is
austin
dill
and
I'm
a
resident
of
lawrenceville.
I
wanted
to
speak
to
you
today
to
voice
my
concerns
about
the
proposed
budget
and
the
message
its
misplaced
priority
is
send
our
community
increasing
the
police
budget
will
not
help
the
residents
of
our
city,
but
will
actively
hurt
them.
R
R
Unfortunately,
twenty
percent
of
the
proposed
budget
is
going
to
policing
the
money
that
could
go
towards
these
real
issues
is
instead
going
to
the
police
department
a
solution
in
search
of
a
problem.
While
crime
has
steadily
declined
in
pittsburgh,
the
police
department
has
remained
larger
than
police
departments
in
similarly
sized
cities
throughout
the
country.
R
We
now
have
more
than
twice
the
median
number
of
police
officers
per
capita
than
other
cities
our
size.
Frankly,
what
are
we
getting
for?
It,
not
community
members
that
feel
safer,
but
a
police
force
emboldened
to
disproportionately
harass
black
people,
a
police
force
that
goes
over
budget
regularly.
Using
community
members
money
not
to
help
their
neighbors
but
to
arrest
them
across
the
country,
we've
had
60
years
of
steadily
rising
police
budgets,
but
the
crime.
Just
statistics
from
the
fbi
itself
shows
that
there's
no
correlation
between
increasing
police
budgets
and
lowering
crime
rates.
R
I
would
like
to
see
a
budget
that
puts
the
needs
of
the
community
first.
I
would
like
to
voice
my
support
for
continuing
the
police
department,
hiring
freeze
to
reduce
the
budget
share
of
the
police
department
and
to
reallocate
those
funds
to
rental
assistance,
affordable
housing
and
food
distribution
programs.
R
A
Eric
eric
are
you
with
us
all
right
see,
no
eric
that
takes
us
to
anna
coleman.
A
S
Hi,
my
name
is
anna
coleman,
I'm
the
environmental
justice
organizer
at
pittsburgh,
united
and
a
resident
in
point
breeze.
I
coordinate
the
our
water
campaign,
a
coalition
of
organizations
and
individuals
working
to
ensure
a
more
just
and
safe
public
water
system
in
our
region.
The
budget's
priorities
are
of
great
interest
to
the
progression
of
this
work.
S
For
the
reasons
outlined
by
others
today,
among
many
others,
specifically
I'll,
speak
to
the
importance
of
funding
housing
investments,
there's
not
just
a
need
to
provide
more
affordable
housing,
but
new
and
existing
housing
must
be
safe,
healthy
and
energy.
Efficient
people
need
to
be
able
to
drink
their
water
and
let
their
children
play
outside
without
fear
of
lead.
Poisoning.
S
People
need
to
be
able
to
keep
themselves
warm
and
dry
inside
their
own
homes.
They
need
to
be
able
to
keep
their
homes
clean
and
mold
free
without
the
persistent
threat
of
basement
backups.
For
far
too
many
of
our
citizens,
cities,
redis
city's
residents,
housing
insecurity
and
the
state
of
their
housing
is
a
threat
to
their
well-being.
S
Fortunately,
we
know
the
ways
these
issues
can
be
fixed.
We
know
the
areas
that
investment
can
make
a
huge
difference,
namely
investing
in
green
spaces
and
green
infrastructure
to
give
children
access
to
safe
outdoor
spaces
and
mitigate
flooding.
We
know
how
effective
air
filters
and
mitigation
of
lead
sources
can
be
for
improving
health
outcomes.
Investments
in
the
air
in
these
areas
can
address
many
of
the
racial
health
health
disparities
that
have
played
pittsburgh
residents
for
too
long.
The
solutions
exist.
We
just
need
the
means
by
which
to
enact
them.
S
Additionally,
these
funds
must
have
space
for
community
input.
I
and
others
have
repeated
this
sentiment,
but
it's
too
important
of
the
point
communities
know
what
they
need.
This
is
true
in
regards
to
how
health
hazards
in
the
home
ought
to
be
addressed,
as
well
as
how
communities
ought
to
be
involved
in
this
budget
process.
S
Again,
people
know
what
they
need,
and
it
is
a
waste
for
this
expertise
to
not
be
more
central
to
how
the
budget
city
budget
is
designed,
revised
and
ultimately
implemented.
Specifically,
there
ought
to
be
a
means
of
providing
input
beyond
two
forums
a
year,
and
budget
priorities
ought
to
be
shaped
by
a
community
survey.
S
These
are
two
easy
steps
that
could
immediately
greatly
improve
this
process.
However,
there's
still
room
to
increase
community
involvement.
Even
in
this
year's
in
this
year's
progress
process,
the
city
ought
to
provide
the
data
necessary
for
citizens
to
hold
the
budget
accountable
to
its
promises.
We
see
the
money
that
is
moving
through
these
different
priorities,
but
there
must
be
a
way
for
community
members
to
follow
up
on
these
processes.
S
It
is
one
thing
to
say
something
and
fully
another
to
do
it
specifically,
including
ways
to
measure
the
success
of
funded
projects
such
as
year-over-year
indicators
and
impact
impact.
Metrics
would
be
hugely
hugely
useful,
involving
community
members
in
this
process,
additionally,
showing
detailed
budget
data
on
publicly
available
web
platforms
that
provide
line-by-line
budget
information,
how
funding
connects
to
city
and
community
priorities
and
which
neighborhoods
funding
is
going
to
would
allow
communities
to
use
their
personal
experience
and
expertise
alongside
the
commitment
of
elected
officials
to
make
our
city
better
for
everyone.
Thank
you.
A
T
Hello,
can
you
hear
me,
can
you
hear
me?
Yes,
oh
thank
god
praise
the
lord
everyone
and
thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
speak.
I'm
pastor
little
love,
I'm
the
pastor
of
praise
deliverance
church
in
the
great
hazelwood
community,
I'm
here
representing
the
great
hazel
coalition
against
racial
and
ethnic
disparities,
which
is
a
coalition
of
grassroots
organizations
made
up
in
the
made
up
from
the
residents
from
the
great
ayswood
area
and
the
surrounding
community.
It's
a
subsidiary
to
another
organization
called
poor
law.
T
I'm
here
to
talk
about
supporting
the
bugs
movement
and
the
food
movement
overall,
we're
in
the
process
right
now
of
putting
a
grocery
store
cut
a
co-op
at
the
grocery
store
in
hazelwood
determine
the
feasibility
of
that
and
we
support
bugs
and
what
they're
doing
we
just
recently
joined
their
committee
and
hopefully
become
a
regional
committee.
T
If
everyone
is
working
to
establish
food
in
community
dealing
with
apartheid,
which
is
a
real
issue
as
early
as
stated,
we
also
support
the
establishment
of
the
10
million
dollar
fund,
but
we
only
ask
that,
when
that
fund
is
different
form
the
majority
of
the
stakeholders,
just
on
that
committee
to
determine
where
that
fund
the
money
be
used,
be
from
grassroots
and
community-based
organizations
or
residents
that
are
made
of
black
brown
women
and
hispanics
people
that
are
surely
suffering.
T
We
also
ask
that
more
support
be
given
to
the
black
farmers
movement,
because
we
believe
that,
contrary
to
what
many
people
believe
we
need
black
brown
people
would
like
to
grow
our
own
food
and
support
the
people
healthy
food
issues
in
our
community
and
asking
the
city
to
make.
We
want
resources
available
man
as
well
as
funds
to
allow
more
workforce
developments
in
the
area
of
creating
food
markets
and
food
fields
in
a
lot
of
the
land
that's
vacant
in
that
community.
T
I
greatly
appreciate
taking
this
opportunity
and
we're
talking
fast,
but
I
know,
like
you,
said:
three
minutes
go
fast
and
I'd
like
to
commend
you
guys,
yeah.
I
really
recommend
now
I
say
guys
and
two
good
women
too.
I
think
that
you're
on
the
right
track.
I
think
this
council
is
going
to
do
great
things
in
the
city
and
then
with
our
new
mayor.
T
I
know
that
we're
going
to
move
fast
and
steady
forward,
so
the
greater
hazel
community
wants
to
be
part
of
that
movement
with
our
councilman
connor
as
part
of
as
well,
and
I
commend
him
for
the
work
he's
doing
with
the
rest
of
you
guys.
Thank
you
for
giving
me
this
opportunity
and
god
bless.
You
and
your
family
have
a
safe
and
blessed
holiday,
bless.
U
Yes,
hi,
my
name
is
andrew
cole
and
I'm
a
long
time,
president
of
the
hazelwood
community,
and
also
I
have
a
non-profit
grassroots
organization
called
poor
law
stands
for
people
of
origin,
rightfully
loved
and
wanted,
and
I
am
in
support
of
sister
queen
as
well.
Hazelwood
as
well
as
homewood
have
been
a
food
desert
for
many
years
now
before
1995
and
at
one
point
we
had
three
grocery
stores
in
our
community.
U
So
I
would
ask
that
the
vote
do
go
to
the
10
million
dollars
of
support
of
funds
that
we
would
need
to
continue
to
do
the
work
that
we
are
doing
in
our
community
as
grassroots
organizations.
U
Again,
I've
been
in
this
community
for
over
40
years
and
we
know
what
we
need.
You
know
and
I
believe
that
it's
that
time
now
for
real
change,
and
I
believe
that
you
guys
who
sit
and
are
able
to
make
those
decisions,
also
know
that
it
is
about
that.
It's
that
time
for
real
change.
So
I'm
asking
for
the
support
for
you
guys
to
just
support
the
10
million
10
million
dollars
to
help
the
food
apologize.
U
A
V
Hungry,
so
sorry,
for
that
I
had
it
open
in
firefox
and
I
was
having
trouble
clicking
the
permissions
dialogue
good
morning.
My
name
is
gregory
adam
norsey,
I
am
an
anti-fascist
computer
hacker
living
in
squirrel
hill.
Thank
you
to
those
city,
council
members
who
chose
to
attend
this
city
council
meeting.
I
don't
like
speaking
directly
to
politicians,
but
today
I'm
going
to
make
an
exception.
V
I
attended
upper
sinclair
high
school
class
of
2006,
go
big
or
go
home
and
I
grew
up
in
scott
township
before
that,
where
I
was
an
altar
server
in
our
lady
of
grace's,
first
mixed
gender
ultra
serving
class.
Later
I
went
on
to
get
my
bachelor's.
This
is
going
too
long.
Sorry,
I
didn't
realize
it
would
take
this
too
long
to
speak
during
the
g20.
V
I
saw
some
really
severe
police
violence
when
I
was
simply
trying
to
go
about
my
day
as
a
student
and
the
things
I
saw
and
heard
since
then
have
ignited
firing
me,
I
have
not
felt
since
the
bush
administration,
which
inspired
me
to
spend
a
decade
learning
to
fade
the
panopticon
after
I
saw
their
armed
agents
assault.
My
fellow
citizens.
V
Ten
years
later,
we
were
able
to
evolve,
evade
police
violence
and
advocate
for
pittsburgh's,
first
black
mayor
through
the
use
of
strong
privacy,
enhancing
technologies
to
organize
peaceful
activism
and
evade
police
violence.
I
urge
you,
in
these
strongest
possible
terms
to
extend
the
police
pittsburgh
police
hiring
freeze.
I
also
urge
you
fund
nonviolent
alternatives
like
therapy,
drug
treatment
and
jobs,
training
in
education
rather
than
reactive
measures
like
police
patrols.
Please
find
affordable
housing,
rental
assistance
and
ensure
that
free
legal
representation
is
given
to
anyone
facing
an
eviction
in
this
city.
V
Please
also
schedule
these
meetings
at
a
time
when
working
class
people
can
attend
them
and
make
their
voices
heard,
and
finally,
please
never
again
gaslight
the
city
by
making
a
specific
promise
like
a
hiring
freeze
and
then
failing
to
follow
through.
We
are
not
friends,
we
are
not
partners,
we
are
citizens
who
deserve
accurate,
truthful
statements
from
our
elected
officials
have
a
wonderful
day.
A
Hey,
thank
you
that
now
exhaust
our
registered
speakers
are
there
other
people
who
are
on
that
need
to
be
given
one
minute,
and
I
you'll
have
to
help
me,
madam
clerk.
If
there
are
others.
A
W
Pastor
little
I
really
enjoyed
hearing
him.
I
I
love
that
he
has
confidence
in
this
council.
I
do
as
well.
I
do
look
forward
to
the
next
two
to
four
years
at
least
I'm
working
with
the
same
council
overriding
message
I
keep
hearing
and-
and
you
know,
if
we
dropped
the
ball
anywhere
when
we
were
designating
the
arpa
funds,
I
feel
was
with
food
security,
and
we
hear
it
here
today.
I've
heard
it
on
the
street.
W
I
wish
we
could
do
a
little
more
with
that,
hopefully,
before
we
vote
on
the
line
item,
but
but
I
agree
with
all
those
callers
and
there's
so
many
different
avenues,
so
many
different
ways
you
could
put
money
into
food
security
and
things
we
can
do
to
help
others.
So
I
think
we
dropped
the
ball
with
that
and
if
I
found
the
budget
or
the
arpa
fund
allocations,
mostly
responsible,
you
know.
I
know
there
was
a
lot
made
of
you
know
the
different
amounts
that
went
two
different
places.
W
But
again,
if
I
feel
like
we
came
up
short,
that
was
the
only
place
and
I
hope
we
could
do
with
something
with
that.
So,
thanks
to
the
callers.
X
Thank
you,
mr
coghill.
Thank
you
also
to
the
people
who
called
in
I.
I
support
the
call
for
food
justice
fund.
I
do
think
that
the
arpa
allocations
were
then
and
still
are
intended
for
coveted
relief.
X
That's
in
the
federal
legislation
it's
listed
on
the
federal
website
go
to
the
treasury
website,
but
I
want
to
note
that
while
we
have
stark
food
need
today
and
our
own
parks
and
rec,
as
was
mentioned,
did
a
really
great
job
of
re-configuring
itself
and
doing
food
distributions
for
people
to
have
at
home
both
for
children
and
especially
for
seniors.
X
We
can
do
more
and
we
heard
that
testimony
last
budget
season
and
this
budget
season,
and
I
really
support
that
learning
lesson
that
we've
done
during
covet
right
that
we
can
allow.
We
can
send
food
home
to
people
so
that
all
of
their
household
is
able
to
to
be
fed,
and
we
we've
learned
that
lesson.
We
didn't
do
that
before
kobed.
X
The
really
important
point
that
we
were
before
kobe.
We
were
not
sending
meals
home
with
people,
and
it
has
made
a
critical
distance
difference
in
those
hungry
households,
but
I
also
heard
the
caller
say
it:
isn't
that
isn't
enough,
so
it's
important
and
we
should
do
more,
but
that
is
not
everything.
What
I
hear
is
people
calling
for
food
secure
communities.
X
They
actually
want
to
see
us
support
and
uplift
what
they're
already
trying
to
do
in
the
grassroots
way,
the
cooperative
grocery
stores,
the
cooperative
gardens,
the
expansion
of
all
sorts
of
food
businesses
that
are
local
businesses.
This
council
has
supported
many
calls
for
action
to
help
support
our
local
businesses,
including
many
of
us,
have
called
for
making
our
own
permits
licenses
and
inspections
more
small
business
friendly.
We
felt
that
pain
that
we
are
too
often
the
obstacle
instead
of
the
assistance,
and
I
think
this
is
not
incompatible.
This
is
actually
overlapping
policy.
X
So,
as
I
spoke
to
last
week,
some
members
heard
me
say
this
last
week
in
session,
I'm
also
going
to
be
asking
the
ura
to
look
backwards
for
its
last
few
years
of
the
kinds
of
technical
assistance
grants
loans.
What
kinds
of
support
do
they
do
that
is
already
to
the
food
system
so
that
we
can
know
what
it
is?
We
can
assess
how
it's
working.
X
We
can
see
whether
it's
reaching
the
right
people,
the
right
communities
or
where
we
need
to
do
better,
and
so
we
all
have
that
same
information
in
front
of
us,
the
community
and
the
members,
and
we
can
and
we
can
try
to
fill
any
gaps
or
expand
and
uplift
what's
working
and
do
better
and
that's
what
I
keep
hearing
is
both
the
problems
with
the
healthy
food
priority
areas.
We've
already
had
the
studies.
We
know
where
there
is
a
lack
of
food
systems
in
neighborhoods,
so
they
are
food
deserts.
X
We
have
really
excellent
policy
suggestions
from
the
work
of
the
food
policy
council
and
our
own
city
planning
department,
and
we
just
need
to
fund
it
so
I'll
be
working
with
members.
We
have
some
meetings
actually
today
and
I'll
be
working
with
members
to
see
if
we
can,
if
we
could
start
pulling
together
these
funds.
Thank
you.
Y
You
know,
I
think
it's
critical
for
the
public
to
provide
input,
and
I
just
want
to
take
that
opportunity
to
thank
them
looking
forward
to
the
next
well
today,
and
then
I
believe
we
have
a
little
extra
time
to
do
some
amendments,
and
hopefully
we
can
address
these
concerns.
Thanks.
A
Thank
you.
Other
members.
A
All
right,
I
first
of
all
we
thank
citizens
for
participating.
A
We
as
a
council
hope
next
year
to
enlarge
and
expand
this
process
of
citizen
participation,
both
at
the
not
just
in
the
budget
process,
but
ongoingly.
We
we
hope
to
have
a
more
robust
public
participation
process
with
council.
A
One
of
the
things,
though,
that
and-
and
I
I
am
you
know-
I've
always
been
supportive
of
of
of
food
issues.
The
first
ministry
at
the
church
when
I
came
in
1984
was
a
food
bank.
My
wife
and
I
have
spent
the
last
30
years
in
various
ways
doing
food
distribution.
Although
we
don't
talk
about
it,
not
just
the
food
bank,
we've
served
dinners
to
high-rises
going
back
to
their.
You
know,
early
late,
80s,
early
90s,
we've
done
thanksgiving.
We
did
not
do
the
last
two
years
because
of
kovic,
but
on
thanksgiving.
A
A
A
And
so
we
have
time
in
that
time
to
kind
of
address
these
food
issues,
knowing
that
it
is
not
a
primary
function
of
city
government,
but
a
primary
function
of
county
government
that
is
their
primary
function,
is
not
our
primary
function
locally,
but
we
can
give
some
support,
but
I
am
I
am.
I
am
concerned
that
giving
money
to
a
fund
without
a
vehicle
to
provide
them
the
grassroot
organizations
that
money
will
not
go
to
local
people
on
the
ground
doing
the
work.
A
Rather,
it
will
go
to
larger
advocacy
agencies
who
have
the
fiscal
wherewithal
to
receive
these
funds,
and
I
think,
there's
a
disconnect,
and
so
before
I'm
willing
to
put
money
on
to
organizations.
A
I
have
to
be
assured
that
the
people
who
actually
say
they
want
this-
the
funding,
the
local,
especially
for
you,
know
the
african-american
participation
people
who
I've
talked
to
and
saw
their
work
that
there
is
a
direct
way
of
funding
their
work,
and
so
that's
just
that's
a
concern,
and
so
again
we
thank
everyone
for
for
coming.
I
do
think
that,
and
the
last
thing
I'll
say
is:
I
will
be
not
in
favor
in
any
way
of
until
the
next
administration
comes
of
touching
the
arp
money.
A
I
think
that
should
that
should
occur.
If
we're
going
to
reallocate
those
fundings,
they
should
be
done
in
a
holistic
way,
with
the
support
and
the
coordination
and
participation
of
our
incoming
mayor.
That's
sort
of
my
my
perspective
on
it.
Councilwoman
smith,.
Z
Thank
you
reverend,
and
I
apologize
for
not
being
there
in
person.
As
you
know,
I
was
having
some.
My
children
were
having
child
care
issues
today,
like
a
lot
of
america,
but
I
just
want
to
say
that
I
hear
all
the
comments
about
the
food,
the
food
groups
and
I
think
that
one
way
that
we
can
fund
them
is
by
putting
in
the
community
gardens
the
urban
farms
that
we
talked
about,
that
we
legislated
for
each
council
district.
Z
So
I
think,
would
be
helpful
to
our
residents
to
allow
to
empower
them
by
getting
their
own
food
and
having
their
own
thing,
but
at
the
same
time
we
could
also
pay
these
organizations
that
are
doing
a
lot
of
work
and
are
helping
our
communities
to
help
maintain
the
farms
and
to
help
organize
and
bring
things
in
that
we
need
to
have
bought
in
I
just
and
to
organize
volunteers.
So
there's
a
lot
of,
I
think,
there's
a
lot
of
ways
that
we
can
engage
the
groups.
Z
I
think
we
have
to
think
it
through.
I
think
putting
it
in
place
a
plan
on
how
we're
going
to
get
the
dollars
to
the
groups.
Z
I
think,
as
you
mentioned,
is
really
important,
but
I
I
I
you
know
I
do
I'm
very
supportive
of
making
sure
that
we
help
the
groups
that
have
helped
us
get
through
a
pandemic,
but
I
also
very
concerned
that
we
don't
just
give
to
anybody,
but
we
look
into
the
into
the
non-profits
that
were
that
are
applying
for
funding,
but
I
also
think
you
me
you
and
councilman
gross
payton
both
mentioned
that
there
are
some
issues
with
the
ura
giving
a
lot
of
a
lot
of
the
loans
to
to
small
businesses,
but
I
think
that's
part
of
the
problem,
because
if
you
have
the
money
to
have
a
loan
to
get
a
loan
and
to
pay
a
loan,
you
don't
really
need
the
ura.
Z
You
can
get
it
from
a
lot
of
places.
What
the
ura
needs
to
do
is
look
into,
and
I
know
that
they
frown
upon
this,
but
some
grant
funding
just
to
help
start
up
some
of
the
business
I
know
for
one
ebony
lunsford
in
our
district
does
an
amazing
job.
She
teaches
kids
how
to
how
to
garden
and
how
to
you
use
the
produce
to
make
healthy
meals,
and
she
does
amazing
things,
but
she
can't
for
her
to
get
another
loan.
It
would
be.
It
would
be
ridiculous.
I
mean
it
would
put
her
under.
Z
I
really
love
to
work
on
that
with
every
member
that
wants
to
do
that
and-
and
I
thank
councilman
gross
for
leading
that
charge
on
the
task
force,
but
I
also
think
I've
heard
a
lot
of
comments
about
defunding
the
police,
which
I
think
everybody
knows.
My
concern
is
not
defunding
the
police.
My
concern
is
making
sure
we're
hiring
and
we're
screening
in
the
in
the
hiring
process,
officers
that
that
that
understand
the
value
of
our
residents,
and
so
with
that
said,
I'm
not
supportive
of
that
at
all.
Z
But
I
am
supportive
of
of
hiring
quality
people
and
that's
it
for
me,
but
I'm
willing
to
work
with
the
council
members
and
I
do
think
that
we
need
we
will
schedule
when
we
open
the
budget
again,
I'm
sure
we'll
schedule
additional
meetings,
and
I
and
I
do
want
the
idea
of
of
having
an
evening
or
weekend
meetings
so
maybe
both
so.
Thank
you.
Z
Everyone
thank
you
for
all
the
members
who
are
there
and
thank
you
to
all
the
people
who
came
out
to
participate
and
and
talk
to
and
address
council
and
for
all
the
emails
that
we're
receiving.
We
appreciate
your
feedback,
we
really
do.
Thank
you.