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From YouTube: Councilwoman Parker Honors the Memory of PA Legislative Staffer Karen S. Coates, Esq 1-24-2019
Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, January 24, 2019:
Councilwoman Cherelle Parker (9th District) honors the memory of Karen S. Coates, Esq., the first woman to serve as Chief of Staff and Counsel to the Pennsylvania Legislature's Speaker of the House.
More information: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/01/remembering-top-house-staffer-karen-coates-she-understood-the-glass-ceiling-she-was-breaking.html?outputType=amp
A
Thank
You,
mr.
president.
Mr.
president,
it
is
with
a
heavy
heart
and
the
sincerest
respect,
admiration
and
sympathy
for
the
Coates
family
that
I
am
honored
to
join
with
you,
as
our
president
councilman
Kenyatta
Johnson.
As
a
former
member
of
the
Pennsylvania
House
and
Republican
members
grind
on
Neil
alt,
album,
burger
and
David
O
to
introduce
this
resolution
celebrating
the
life
of
Miss
Karen
as
Coates
Esquire
for
many
here
in
City
Hall.
Mr.
A
president,
the
name
Karen
as
Coates
doesn't
ring
a
bell
but
Karen
as
coats
matters
to
her
Whetzel
to
have
to
you
to
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia,
because
we
here
in
this
city
of
Philadelphia
working
very
closely.
This
City
Council,
along
with
our
Republican
colleagues
and
the
Pennsylvania
House,
would
not
have
been
able
to
get
significant
legislation
that
we
needed
passed.
The
place
Philadelphia
on
sound
economic
footing.
Had
it
not
been
for
Miss
Karen
coats
Esquire
now.
Mr.
A
president,
for
the
record,
I
just
want
to
note
that
while
she
broke
significant
glass
ceilings
in
the
Pennsylvania
House
of
Representatives,
when
she
became
the
first
female
chief
of
staff
and
the
chief
counsel
to
the
Pennsylvania
Speaker
of
the
House
of
Representatives
speaker,
tears,
I
always
called
her
in
private.
Mr.
president,
the
Republican
mighty
lioness.
Now
we
didn't
get
things
done
during
that
time,
mr.
president,
in
front
of
a
camera
or
on
social
media,
but
we
did
have
some
knockdown
drag-outs
on
issues
behind
closed
doors
and
we
may
have
disagreed
99
percent
of
the
time.
A
But
it
was
that
1%
mr.
president,
that
1%
that
gave
us
the
enabling
authority
to
enact
loop
that
councilman,
squealing,
councilman
Johnson,
know
and
needed
so
well,
and
we
don't
get
the
support
of
our
colleagues
in
Harrisburg.
Philadelphia
doesn't
have
the
authority
to
enact
that
program.
The
ability
to
come
elect
additional
delinquent
property
taxes,
that
is,
we
introduced
it
just
to
help
Philadelphia.
But
when
we
introduced
it,
municipalities
across
the
state
said
wait
this
can't
just
be
for
Philadelphia.
We
want
to
be
able
to
lean
properties
of
owners
outside
of
our
respective
municipalities.
A
In
addition
to
that,
we
codified
the
ability
to
make
payment
arrangements,
and
we
will
all
remember
that
much-needed
cigarette
tax.
That
was
not
a
sexy
tax,
and/or
sexy
vote,
but
we
couldn't
get
it
done
as
Democrats
alone
unless
we
worked
in
a
bipartisan
manner
with
our
Republican
colleagues.
So
it
is
with
that
spirit
of
mine.
Mr.
president,
that
I
thought
it
was
fitting
for
this
body
to
acknowledge
the
life
and
legacy
of
miss
Karen
Coates,
the
mighty
Republican
lioness,
because
she
was
born
here
in
Philadelphia.
A
However,
she
was
really
a
raised
and
considered
to
be
a
native
of
Bloomsburg
speaker,
tar-zhay
leader
Cutler
leader
Dermody
whip
Harris.
All
staff
on
both
sides
of
the
aisle
and
the
Pennsylvania
House
of
Representatives
know
that
this
legislative
body
sends
you
our
deepest
sympathy.
We
thank
you
all
for
sharing
the
intellect
savvy
and
compassion
of
the
mighty
lioness
and,
despite
all
of
the
political,
partisan
gridlock
coming
out
of
Washington
DC.
Now
that
doesn't
make
much
sense
at
all
to
move
America
forward.
A
We
will
continue
to
work
in
a
bipartisan
manner
to
get
what
we
need
to
get
done
here
in
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
and
our
great
city
of
Philadelphia.
We
love
you
respect
you
and
thank
you,
Karen
Coates
and
we'll
be
sending
a
formal
copy
of
our
resolution
to
her
family
so
that
they
can
have
it
as
part
of
the
sincere
respect
and
admiration
of
this
legislative
body,
the
city
of
her
birth,
Thank
You.
Mr.
president,
Thank
You
Councilwoman
that
will
be
on
today's
final
passes.
Calendar.