►
Description
WURD Host Vincent Thompson talks to Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. (4th District) about issues facing Council during the FY2019 Budget process.
City Council Spotlight is a joint production of Philadelphia City Council and WURD.
www.phlcouncil.com
A
Welcome
back
to
Philadelphia
City
Council
live
here
on
radio
96.1
FM
and
900
a.m.
I'm,
your
host
Vincent
Thompson.
We
are
two
minutes
past
the
hour
of
noon.
We
will
go
in
till
one
o'clock
here
on
the
council.
Show
normally
council
goes
longer,
but
it
has
not
gone
longer.
It's
always
a
it's
always
something
with
the
clock
here
sometimes
council
starts
late
goes
late.
Sometimes,
council
starts
late
and
early.
This
is
one
of
those
situations
where
they
ended
early.
A
Now,
let's
update
listeners
out
there
as
to
what's
happening
earlier
today
about
10
o'clock,
Eastern
Time,
10:00
a.m.
Eastern
Time.
The
committee
of
the
whole
made
up
of
all
council
members
had
a
hearing
on
the
new
legislation
for
mayor
Kenny's
rebuild
program:
that's
the
500
million
dollar
initiative
to
fix
up
Park
recreation,
centers
and
libraries.
A
At
that
time
there
were
members
of
council
who
had
indicated
that
they
did
not
want
to
pass
this
legislation
out
the
ordinance,
1
8,
0
108
and
resolution
1
801
2
4
until
they
got
basically
papers
in
writing
in
hand
of
the
redevelopment
authorities,
memorandum
of
understanding
the
legislation,
the
paperwork,
the
MOU.
According
to
the
administration
has
been
signed
off
by
the
building
trades
and
the
Redevelopment
Authority,
but
not
signed
on
the
dotted
line.
A
So
council
members
want
that
agreement
a
signed
agreement
before
they
vote,
so
council
has
recessed
that
committee
of
the
whole
hearing
until
1:30
Eastern
Time
today.
They
have
also
resets
the
council
session
until
1:30
p.m.
hopefully
the
possibility
of
getting
the
committee
of
the
whole
to
vote
it
out
of
committee
and
then
have
a
first
reading
on
the
floor
today
at
1:30.
Now
we
account
see
that's
what.
A
That
it
doesn't
hurt
to
be
a
former
chief
of
staff
of
this
building,
where
I
can
figure
that
thing
out.
So
what
we're
going
to
city
council
live
is
we
will
only
carry
our
coverage
up
to
1:00
p.m.
Eastern
Time?
You
will
hear
keeping
it
real
without
sharpening
at
its
normal
time.
If
you
are
interested
in
watching
the
rest
of
the
hearing
go
to
phl
council
comm,
you
can
watch
it
online
there.
You
can
also
watch
it
on
Channel
63
on
Comcast
or
FiOS
channel
40.
A
So
we
want
to
welcome
to
our
microphone
the
councilmember
for
the
fourth
council,
Matic
district
Curtis
Jones.
So
again,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
you're
listening
and
watching
Philadelphia's
City
Council
live
from
your
host
vincent
thompson,
principal
at
thompson,
medium
and
communications
and
I'm.
The
host
of
the
City
Council
live
radio
show
airing
every
Thursday
onward
radio
96.1
FM
at
900,
a
I'm
here
in
Philadelphia
joining
me
now
is
councilman
Curtis
Jones
he's
the
fourth
district
councilman
he's
our
council
person
of
the
week
councilman
Jones,
thanks
for
being
with
us
Thank
You
Evan.
A
As
we
talk
about
the
rebuild
initiative.
What
is
the
big
hang-up
with
council
I've
been
really
surprised.
That
council
has
asked
the
administration
for
information
over
the
past
few
weeks
and
it
seems
to
be
coming
to
you
guys
and
council
in
a
snail's
pace.
If
they
wanted,
this
legislation
approved
I
would
think
they
would
give
you
all
the
information
and
now,
as
we
get
ready
for
this
1:30
hearing,
there's
still
additional
information.
Are
you
surprised
by
them
not.
B
At
all,
this
is
an
important
process.
We're
talking
about
a
half
a
billion
dollars
worth
of
capital
improvements,
infrastructure
improvements,
libraries,
rec
centers
and
the
like
in
our
neighborhood
net
in
and
of
itself,
is
important.
But
what
is
also
important
is
the
young
man
sitting
in
a
barber
shop
right
down
the
street
from
the
rec
center
that
wishes
they
could
find
a
living
wage,
a
active
tree
so
that
they
could
provide
for
their
families,
and
that
is
an
imperative.
B
So
what
you
heard
was
Councilwoman
Parker,
councilman
council
president
Clark
Councilwoman
Cindy
bass
raised
this
issue,
which
is
quite
frankly,
not
the
first
time
it
was
raised.
Where
are
the
agreements
between
the
17
trades
that
will
go
into
making
these
infrastructure
investments
and
where
they
add,
on
inclusion,
making
sure
that
it
is
a
diverse
workforce
that
builds
those
buildings
and
I
think
it
was
Councilwoman
Parker?
Who
put
it
best
that?
What
good
is
it
if
you
have
a
brand
new
rec
center?
B
But
you
don't
have
opportunity
for
the
kids
that
grow
up
in
that
rec
center,
and
so
this
is
a
not
just
symbolic
pumping
of
the
brakes
to
make
sure
that
that
detail
is
in
there.
I'll
give
you
the
analogy.
If
we
were
at
a
settlement
table,
we
were
transferring
property
from
once.
You
know
you
told
me
well,
the
settlement
check
is
on
its
way.
Just
trust
us.
B
With
the
settlement
transfer
the
title
on
good
faith
well
for
maybe
99%
of
the
people
out
there
that
that's
probably
true
but
we're
in
government
we're
dealing
with
millions
of
dollars,
and
we
want
to
see
that
agreement
that
becomes
a
part
of
this
legislation
before
we
pass
it
out
of
committee,
because
if
we
keep
kicking
this
can
down
the
road
and
not
having
those
assurances
in
writing.
What
is
the
the
best
predictor
of
future
performance
is
past
performance.
B
A
There's
not
that
council
members
want
the
rebuild
program;
they
want
rec
centers
and
libraries
fixed
in
their
district,
but
before
the
legislation
is
signed
off
and
approved,
they
want
to
make
sure
everything
is
right
and
you
do
have
some
time.
I
mean
the
last
session.
A
council
isn't
until
June
21st,
so
it's
not
like
it
has
to
be
approved
today
or
tomorrow.
Is
that
no.
B
You're
right,
there's
no
sense
of
urgency
today,
except
for
the
fact
that
we've
been
waiting
on
two
years
to
be
included.
That's
the
urgency
right,
and
so,
if,
if
some
members
have
some
anks,
if
some
members
are
a
little
bit
the
doubting
Thomas,
it's
not
unwarranted,
and
so
you
know
you
know,
there's
there's
at
least
nine
of
us
in
my
opinion
that
want
to
see
that
document.
But
can
we
go.
A
To
settlement
right
and
the
administration's
got
to
bring
it
to
you
again,
you're
listening
to
a
councilman,
Curtis
Jonesy's
council,
member
of
the
fourth
Council
Matic
district,
some
other
questions
are
going
to
ask.
We
have
a
laundry
list
of
questions.
We
haven't
had
a
chance
to
really
have
a
council
person
of
the
week
in
a
couple
of
weeks
because
of
council.
So
a
lot
of
the
questions
I
get
to
ask
you,
and
this
is
right
up
your
alley.
A
District
attorney,
Larry
crasner
recently
came
to
Council
and
he
wants
counsel
to
increase
his
budget
by
five
million
dollars
next
year.
Mayor
Kenney
only
added
an
increase
of
about
900
thousand
next
year.
Do
you
think
Larry
krasna
will
get
that
five
hundred
five
million
dollars?
That's
a
lot
of
money
to
ask
for
from
a
department.
Well.
B
I,
don't
know
that's
going
to
be
a
negotiation
that
then
might
go
up
to
the
last
day
of
City
Council,
as
we
set
our
priorities
in
different
departments.
Do
we
take
care
of
the
school
district?
Do
we
look
out
for
firemen
and
policemen?
All
of
these
things
have
to
be
balanced
out,
so
it's
his
first
year
we
try
to
accommodate
new
elected
officials
to
give
them
the
ingredients
for
success.
However,
you
know:
5
million
is
a
lot
of
money,
so
somewhere
between
900,000
and
a
5
million
will
probably
be
where
where
he
goes.
B
B
But
if
we're
talking
about
people
who
have
relapses
and
petty
thefts,
which
one
do
you
want
to
make
sure
to
assure
the
public
safety,
my
priority
is
on
murder
investigations,
armed
robberies,
rapes,
assaults,
not
on
you
know,
Pookie,
had
a
relapse
and
we're
gonna
put
him
away
for
six
months
at
a
hundred
and
sixty
dollars
a
day.
We
should
be
at
a
$50
a
day
rehab.
So
when
you
start
to
look
at
criminal
justice
reform
and
what
of
the
District
Attorney's
role
is,
if
you,
if
you
know
we're
closing
in
prison,
we're.
B
Projected
that's
gonna,
be
in
11
million
dollar
a
year
savings!
Well
some
of
that
money
that
we
save
from
that
can
help
to
further
justice
by
giving
some
extra
resources
to
the
district
attorney.
The
defenders
association,
the
pre
entry
kinds
of
programs
to
parties
to
those
kinds
of
things
that
keep
people
out
of
the
system,
so
we're
looking
at.
How
much
do
we
give
back
to
the
general
fund
for
potholes
right
and
how
much
do
we
reinvest
in
justice
to
keep
those
savings
coming.
A
But
in
your
conversation
just
yet
you
said
it's
probably
a
sweet
spot,
so
does
that
sweet
spot
include
five
million
dollars
for
in
any
land
sweet,
but
so
so
what
we're
hearing
right
now
is
there
will
probably
be
an
increase
in
Larry
kraznys
budget,
but
he
probably
shouldn't
expect
to
get
five
none.
You.
A
Right,
let's
ask
you
about
the
the
budget
fiscal
year,
2019
budget
council
still
debating
it.
One
of
the
big
issues
about
the
budget
is
how
to
pay
for
schools.
Mayor
Kenny
is
asking
for
4%
property
tax
increase
in
next
fiscal
year
budget
to
help
pay
and
close
a
nearly
1
billion
dollar
deficit
at
the
school
district
expected
they
have
over
the
next
five
years.
Do
you
support
a
4%
property
tax
hike?
Every
council
member
I
speak
to
says
they
can't
see
a
four
percent.
A
B
Reluctant
to
every
year
and
I've
been
here
a
couple
of
years
now
there
is
a
almost
ritual
where
I
go
to
a
schoolyard.
They
grab
some
kindergarteners,
they
put
a
metaphore
gun
to
their
head
and
say
if
you
do
not
increase
property
taxes
on
people
with
fixed
incomes,
the
elderly,
the
working
poor,
we're
going
to
cancel
recess
and
every
one
of
those
times
I
voted
affirmatively
for
that
increase.
B
A
B
And
so
my
feeling
is
that
and
in
particularly
in
the
fourth
District
I
have
the
largest
number
of
seniors
or
fixed
incomes.
They
can't
go
move
somewhere
else.
They
are
stuck
to
pay
the
bill.
I
am
NOT
going
to
not
go
in
another
door
where
I
say
hi,
I'm,
Curtis,
Jones,
jr.
and
I
just
increased
your
taxes
again,
so
we
have
to
find
some
other
creative
ways
to
do
it.
We're
closing
prisons
right
we're
saving
money.
B
A
So
as
of
right
now
councilman
you
would
not
be
voting
for
a
property
taxes,
I
would
say
no
okay.
Do
you
get
a
sense
that
mayor
Kenny
has
nine
votes
on
council
as
of
this
time,
for
any
property
tax
increase
your
your
well
plugged
in
you
used
to
be
the
majority
leader?
Do
you
get
that
sense
that
he
has
not
I
would
say
no
okay,
so
he
still
has
a
lot.
You
saw
has
a
lot
of
work
to
do.
He.
B
A
B
A
How
much
of
a
shock
was
that
to
you
as
a
councilmember
to
other
councilmembers,
when
you
heard
the
city
controller,
Rebecca,
Reinhardt,
and
even
going
back
to
the
former
city
controller
saying
there
could
be
33
million
dollars
at
the
city
can
account
for
whether
it's
the
but
the
books,
maybe
not,
balancing.
That's
a
pretty
shocking
number.
When
you're
dealing
with
a
council,
that's
trying
to
look
under
every
pillow
look
under
every
Rock
for
money
for
this
budget
that
has
that
changed
the
game
for
the
discussion
about
the
budget.
I
think
we're
still
in.
B
Shock
I,
you
have
not
heard
on
that
floor,
the
kind
of
interrogation
that
will
ensue
as
we
start
to
get
closer
to
that
proposed
tax
increase.
Do
you
I
got
some
council
members
like
councilman
damu,
who
really
spent
a
lot
of
time
on
the
finance
side
of
our
budget.
The
accounting
side
of
our
budget
and
I
do
not
see
one
happening
without
some
reconciliation
about
the
other.
So.
A
What
do
you
see
this
budget?
Looking
like
I've
always
said
that
you
know
the
first
couple
of
budgets
that
mayor
Kenny
put
in.
He
got
most
of
what
he
wanted.
You
know
he
if
he
was
a
poker
player,
he
went
all-in
when
it
came
to
education.
He
got
the
beverage
tax,
he
got
other
things,
but
this
third
budget,
a
lot
of
things,
are
hitting
at
the
same
time,
don't
know
if
the
beverage
tax
is
going
to
survive
a
legal
challenge.
Other
issues
are
happening.
A
B
B
Is
easy
and
with
the
possibility
I
would
only
add
one
other
thing
that
is
difficult.
If
you
read
in
the
paper
today,
there
was
a
serious
issue
about
young
people
getting
exposed
to
environmental
hazards
at
school.
If
you
read
the
facilities
management
report,
some
of
our
children
are
going
to
schools
in
some
environmentally
dangerous
conditions.
We
cannot
kick
that
can
down
a
road
either.
So
to
that
extent
we
have
to
figure
out
where
we
prioritize.
B
A
Speaking
with
council
men,
Curtis
Jones
he's
fourth
district
council
person
he's
our
council
person
in
the
week,
you're
listening
to
Philadelphia
City
Council,
live
or
radio
96.1
FM
and
900
a.m.
I'm,
your
host
Vincent
Thompson.
This
is
our
way
of
letting
folks
know
about
the
council,
people
how
they
feel
about
certain
things:
councilman
Jones.
We
have
a
brand
new
segment
that
we're
here,
we're
just
kicking
it
off
with
you.
We
haven't
had
a
chance
to
kick
it
off
with
other
council
members,
because
we
haven't
had
a
lot
of
time.
It's
called
the
council
five.
A
These
are
five
questions.
I'm
going
to
ask
every
council
person
every
week
to
let
listeners
know
about
their
council
member.
These
are
things
that
we
have
also
agreed
to
do
with
councils,
social
media
team.
That's
why
we
are
videotaping
these
events
now
so
you'll
start
seeing
them
on
your
YouTube
channel
somewhere
in
the
near
future.
So
stay
tuned,
I'll,
let
you
know
when
they
are.
So,
let's
start
with
the
council
five
questions.
The
first
question
is:
what
are
your
top
three
priorities
and
areas
in
this
fiscal
budget?
Criminal.
B
Justice
reform
we
just
closed
a
prison
and
I
want
to
continue
to
reduce
these
census
on
State
Road
close
down
the
school
to
Prison
Pipeline,
that's
number
one
number
two
of
my
priorities
is
economic
development.
One
of
the
reasons
why
people
go
to
jail
is
lack
of
income
revenue
and
ability
to
provide
for
themselves
in
their
family.
We
just
invested
50
million
dollars
at
59th
and
market,
bringing
300
jobs
immediately.
Turnkey
and
another
100
to
be
recruited
wants
to
place
open,
so
economic
development
is.
B
B
Want
we
want
one
of
those?
My
third
priority
is
education,
I!
Think,
if
you
look
at
what
we
did
at
overwrote,
we
put
a
brand
new
television.
Radio
studio
invested
a
couple
of
million
dollars
in
there,
so
that
young
people
move
to
a
situation
where,
when
I
graduate
I
am
going
to
earn
money
at
X
and
have
a
realistic
vision
that,
and
when
you
do
that
for
a
young
person
you
know,
I
could
make
them
go
to
school.
They
want
to
go
to
school.
A
B
Economic
development
is
easy:
I'm
working
with
my
partners
at
the
state
level,
Thank
You,
representative,
Cephas
and
Thank
You,
senator
Hughes
for
matching
our
dollars
to
be
able
to
do
that.
That's
Morgan's!
He
continued
yes
by
way
of
education.
Thank
you
again,
state
partners.
We
need
some
more
money
to
come
down
that
Turnpike
to
help
solve
some
of
these
things.
Unfortunately,
our
budget
ends
before
their
budget,
so
we
have
to
show
our
hand
by
we
have
our
financial
commitment
before
they
ever
show
theirs.
B
So,
in
past
years,
they've
gotten
us
bluffed
us
and
been
able
to
say
if
you
don't
put
this
money
up,
we're
going
to
cancel
Kenny
garden
and
so
we've
we've
had
to
show
our
hand
first,
hopefully
in
this
budget
cycle,
we
won't
have
to
do
that.
So
that's
how
that
impacts
that
crime
prevention?
We
are
working
with
our
state
partners,
again:
PCC
D,
Pennsylvania
crime
and
delinquency
Wetzel,
who
is
the
head
of
the
prison
system
up?
There
is
working
with
us
on
re-entry
pre-entry
and
things
like
that,
so
it
kind
of
works,
works
together.
B
Doing
a
budget
cycle
and
I
include
my
priorities
in
that
budget.
So
certain
departments,
when
you
see
me,
question
them,
I'm
digging
deeper
to
look
for
how
are
you
going
to
reduce
the
census
population?
How
are
you
going
to
invest,
invest
in
infrastructure
in
our
schools
so,
and
all
of
it
doesn't
get
solved
by
throwing
money
at
it?
Having
a
plan
helps
too
so,
yes,
I
can
write
you
a
check,
but
what
am
I
paying
for
and
that
level
of
detail
is
a
part
of
our
responsibility
as
council.
A
People
as
we
continue
with
our
council
five
questions.
My
second
question
to
you
is:
what
do
you
see
as
the
greatest
obstacle
for
residents
becoming
engaged
with
their
city
government?
And
what
do
you
do
to
combat
that
I
know
your
office
does
a
lot,
but
people
think
I
can't
get
involved
in
government.
If
I
talk
to
a
councilmember,
it's
just
noise
in
the
air
people
don't
hear
anything.
So
what's
the
greatest
obstacle,
what
what
has
to
be
done
to
get
people
more
involved
in
government
I
say
it
on
the
radio
all
the
time.
B
B
We
did
that
to
give
you
context,
maybe
seven
years
ago
for
New,
Market
West
and
what
people
wanted
and
not
all
of
it,
but
a
lot
of
it
was
represented
in
that
50
million
dollars
that
we
were
able
to
get
each
part
of
my
district
has
a
responsibility
through
their
leadership
through
their
civics
through
their
other
elected
officials
such
as
ward
leaders
and
committee
people,
to
figure
it
out
now,
I
can
do
it
from
City
Hall.
My
view
isn't
as
clear
as
their
view.
B
B
They
know
they
can
talk
to
me
and
they
don't
mind
at
all
six
at
ShopRite,
getting
in
my
ear
when
I
do
something
right
and
they
don't
mind,
let
my
ice
cream
melt
if
I
did
something
wrong
and
they
give
me
a
year
full
of
it
and
I
need
that,
because
at
the
point
that
I'm
not
willing
to
accept
that
feedback.
Well,
if.
A
Been
in
counts,
you've
been
in
government
a
long
time,
but
you
know
being
a
council
member
is
different
and
always
say
that
the
10
district
council
members
really
reflect
their
dicks.
Well.
I've
always
thought
that
the
10
members
of
council
are
really
kind
of
a
microcosm
of
their
district.
But
for
you
what's
been
your
biggest
surprises,
so
I
had.
B
This
mystery
belief
that
when
I
was
sworn
in,
they
want
to
take
me
in
a
room
and
they
were
gonna.
Give
me
this
instruction
book
and
then
we're
going
to
bequeath
it
to
me
say:
councilman
go,
do
good
and
then
another
ham.
They
wouldn't
give
me
a
set
of
keys
to
the
Treasury
and
say
here's
where
you
go
pay
for
how
much
doing
good
you
want
to
do.
B
I
got
none
of
that
and
then
I
reflect
on
what
then
Mayor
Nutter
told
me
that
you
really
aren't
going
to
know
what
you're
doing
until
your
third
term,
because
nobody
is
going
to
tell
you
in
there
because
it's
even
though
it's
current,
it's
camaraderie
its
competitive,
the
50
million
I
got
somebody
else,
didn't
get,
and
so
they're
not
gonna.
Give
me
an
unfair
competitive
advantage.
So
even
if
you've
already
been.
B
I
had
to
figure
out
the
code
to
the
bathroom.
No
one
told
me:
yeah
I
was
banging
on
the
door.
No,
if
you,
if
you
will
humble
yourself,
I
rode
around
with
president
Clark
in
my
first
year,
president
Clark
counts.
Well,
Matt
Blackwell
have
had
a
long
history
of
development
in
their
community
I'm
getting
stuff
done
and
building
things
so
I
wanted
to
see
how
it
was
done
and
I
took
the
time
to
listen
and
a
reality
is
if
it
takes
long
in
a
private
sector.
B
A
B
B
When
you
shift
gears
and
go
back
to
your
district
and
see
what
has
happened
in
the
time
you've
been
down
here,
so
potholes
get
worse,
treats
this
gets
worse.
We
do
neighborhood
tours
I've
done
tours
in
Winfield,
where
they
take
me
around
20
different
sites
and
say
we
we
need
this
fixed
and
they
expect
it
fixed
I've
done
tourism
in
Ridge,
Allegheny
and
hunting
part.
B
Would
it
take
you,
you
walk
through
alleyways
and
driveways
and
get
to
see
the
possums
up
close
and
personal,
and
you
have
to
figure
out
solutions
that
I'm
looking
forward
to
doing
a
retreat
with
representatives
from
the
lower
ended
of
38
for
the
upper
end
at
a
28
you
are
talking
wards
and
which
is
streetwise,
24th
and
Allegheny.
Okay,
that's
trip
alone.
There
needs
a
lot
of
work
and
it
needs
to
be
a
lot
of
coordination
of
city
and
state
services.
B
We're
going
to
spend
some
quality
time
figuring
out
what
to
do
with
the
rec
centers
figuring
out
what
to
do
with
the
schools
figuring
out
what
to
do
on
Lehigh
Avenue
by
we
have
enhancements
capital
improvements
and
safety
improvements.
That's
so
summer
times
are
the
the
training
camp
of
football
basketball.
She
would
set
up
when
I
come
here
in
the
fall
I
hit
the
ground
running,
I
know
what
I
want
to
get
done
and
accomplished
in
a
legislative
session.
B
So
what
the
misconception
is
is
that
yeah,
you
see
me
at
the
front
of
the
parade
and
I
like
that.
I
love
it,
but
I,
don't
like
the
teddy
bear
memorials
where
a
young
person
is
prematurely
been
killed
and
that's
the
other
end
of
the
coin.
So
you
may
see
me
on
channel
64
and
you
know
I'm
fun-loving
and
all
that
good
stuff,
but
there's
a
part
of
this
job
that
is
serious.
That
I
had
no
idea
would
be
as
serious
and
I
can
legislate.
A
lot
of
things
can't
legislate
life
and
death.
Councilman.
A
Curtis
jones
fourth
District
councilman,
Curtis
Jones,
say
thanks
for
being
our
council
person.
We
appreciate
that
again.
I'm
your
host
Vincent
Thompson
principal
at
Thompson
media
man,
communications
in
Philadelphia,
listeners
and
viewers,
can
find
out
more
about
City
Council.
By
going
to
council's
website,
which
is
phl
council
comm,
you
can
also
listen
to
the
city
council.
Radio
show
every
Thursday
when
councils
in
session
from
10
a.m.
to
1
p.m.
with
the
rebroadcast
from
10
p.m.
to
1
a.m.
onward
radio,
96.1,
FM
and
900
a.m.
thank
you
again.
Councilman
in
Philadelphia.