Philadelphia City Council 2023 Stated Meetings of Philadelphia City Council, 19 Jan 2023

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From YouTube: CM Phillips Floor Speech 1-19-2023

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From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held January 19, 2023.

Councilmember Anthony Phillips (9th District) floor speech.

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Say: greetings to all of our colleagues as we work earnestly to deliver for the needs of all the residents of the city of Philadelphia.

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I was compelled to speak today, because I want to make something very clear about why why I do the work that I do and why I love to serve for the past couple of few weeks or so I visited residence in neighborhoods throughout our district, the 9th district from Fern Rock to Logan to Northeast to East Oak Lane Mount Airy, West, Oak, Lane, Borough, Home, Oxford, Circle, Castor, Gardens, lawncrest Lawndale, you name it.

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We throughout this time, as I was visiting different neighborhoods I became overly aware of why I really really wanted to be the servant of the Ninth District and most, most importantly, be the voice of our of our people in this area, and it has to do with the fact that I truly believe that when it comes to legislation when it comes to initiatives that come out of our district, it should not come from the heart of what Anthony Phillips believed should happen.

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It should not come from the heart of what a few people believe should happen.

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It should come from the heart and the soul and the ideas of what the majority of the Ninth District wants from its leaders so I'm here today, because I have always believed in collaboration, I've always believed in listening and, most importantly, I've always believed in excellence and full execution of ideas and initiatives, and so, during my travels I've, come to learn that the Ninth District wants a presence of their council member and I vow to be very present amongst all among all the neighborhoods in Ninth District.

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You also want the council member to listen and I vow to listen, and not only to also do they also have made it very clear that quality of life issues great standard of living. It's something that's really important to our to our district.

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So with that being said and listening, I have come to understand that we have a serious truck parking issue in our district semi-tractor trailers.

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That is why I've been glad to work with councilman, O'neill and councilman Driscoll on initiatives that are not only affecting my district, but also their districts and other positions in the city of Philadelphia, because what what I've come to understand is that there is nuisance in truck parking in the city of Philadelphia and what's happening is that they're ruining Pavements they're, also ruining people's property value and they're also creating blight, and it's not safe for our children. I've walked behind trucks at night and I've seen how dangerous this is.

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So this legislative session I'm hoping that we are able to get I'm, not open, I'm, asking I'm, demanding that we read this problem: a semi-attractive trucker semi-tractor trailers in the city of Philadelphia, because there are places to park, and we will definitely find more places apart for our truckers. But we can no longer allow for people to get away with doing illegal activity when they know it's illegal.

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In addition to that was also important to our neighbors. Is that they're concerned about Abandoned cars, they're concerned about loitering they're concerned about dumping and they're concerned about Public Safety, just like all of us and when it comes to Public Safety?

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What I've heard is that they're interested in mental health programs but they're also interested in youth quality, youth programs, they're they're interested in going back to Leon Sullivan days and doing something around jobs over crime and they're, also interested in finding ways of how we can do more Town watches, which will require not as much legislation as much but more funding but also more initiatives.

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Starting with me, as their representative I, see myself, not as a undarted figure in a way that I am the dictator of the Ninth District I, see myself as a facilitator of ideas, making sure that all of us all of our voices are heard. I just want to say that I'm excited about this new year and what this new year has come and I. Thank all of my colleagues, especially the more seasoned ones who have been here for welcoming me, including you, council, president and helping me, become adjusted to this very, uh very different.

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Auspicious body of work when it comes to city council, because one of the things that I'm also uh serious about is figuring out ways how to make the city much more efficient and effective and responsive to our neighbors I, come from a background of being an executive and non-profit working with young people, and we had whatever it takes approach to everything that we did.

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We stayed up all night all day, just to get things done, and things got done and um I am have I have that mentality when it comes to city council, but I also want to thank people for helping me become more uh acquainted with this body of work and I. Think because I have a service background, this hasn't been that hard of an adjustment, but what has but and that's why I continue to be Earnest with the work that I'm doing uh so with that being said, uh thank you all.

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So much and I look forward to presenting more ideas that comes from the voices of the people of the night District because I'm, a representative of that voice and I believe in collaboration. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman.