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From YouTube: Committee on Finance 6-5-2017
Description
The Committee on Finance of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Monday, June 5, 2017 to hear testimony on the following:
170432 An Ordinance constituting the Fourteenth Supplemental Ordinance to the General Gas Works Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1998 (the "1998 General Ordinance"); authorizing the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (the "City") to sell, either at public or private sale, one or more series of Gas Works Revenue Bonds (the "Bonds") and Gas Works Revenue Bonds to refund such Bonds, and one or more series of Gas Works Revenue Notes (the "Notes") and Gas Works Revenue Bonds or Notes to refund such Notes; to pay the costs of certain capital projects and other Project Costs; authorizing the City to obtain credit enhancement for any Series of the Bonds or Series of Notes; making certain determinations and covenants relating to Gas Works Revenues and the payment of interest and principal; and authorizing covenants and actions in order that the Bonds and Notes shall not be arbitrage bonds; all under certain terms and conditions.
170433 An Ordinance approving the Fiscal Year 2018 Capital Budget providing for expenditures for the capital purposes of the Philadelphia Gas Works (including the supplying of funds in connection therewith) subject to certain constraints and conditions, and acknowledging receipt of the Revised Forecast of Capital Budgets for Fiscal Years 2019 through 2023.
170434 An Ordinance authorizing, generally, the continued issuance and sale by the City of Philadelphia of Gas Works Revenue Notes of the City, prescribing the forms of notes and providing for their execution and payment, pledging certain revenues of the Gas Works as security, adopting a rate covenant and directing the imposition and collection of rates and charges sufficient to comply therewith, prescribing the conditions precedent to the issuance of specific series of notes, including a resolution passed by the Bond Committee providing for establishment of credit support for notes, providing for designation of a fiscal agent and sinking fund depository, providing for establishment of a sinking fund and its management, providing remedies upon default, and providing for amendments and modifications.
161061 An Ordinance authorizing City Officials to File Articles of Incorporation to establish a Non-Profit Corporation that shall be called The Philadelphia School Teacher's Reimbursement Fund, Inc., for the purpose of reimbursing personal money spent by teachers of the Philadelphia School District for the purchase of supplies, materials, and equipment needed for their classrooms.
170365 An Ordinance amending Chapter 19-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "City Funds - Deposits, Investments, Disbursements," by amending Section 19-201, entitled "City Depositories," by authorizing the City Treasurer to deposit funds in Santander Bank, National Association, under certain terms and conditions.
170438 An Ordinance approving a Lease Agreement between Philadelphia Gas Works by Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation, solely in its capacity as operator and manager of the City-owned Philadelphia Gas Works, and Germantown Realty Investment Group, LP for certain premises located at 212-214 W. Chelten Avenue.
170515 An Ordinance amending Chapter 19-3200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Keystone Opportunity Zone, Economic Development District, and Strategic Development Area," to provide for extension of certain benefits, under certain terms and conditions.
170519 An Ordinance amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Real Estate Taxes," by creating a tax foreclosure diversion program that requires housing counseling assistance, updating tax installment payment agreements to help taxpayers with financial hardships, and other related items; all under certain terms and conditions.
170555 An Ordinance authorizing the Director of Planning and Development, on behalf of the City, to file applications with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for a Community Development Block Grant; to file applications to participate in the HOME Investment Partnership program and the Emergency Solutions Grant program; and to apply for a Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS grant; and to file applications with the Commonwealth to obtain grants under the Act of April 12, 1956, P.L. 1449, Section 4, as amended, to prevent and eliminate blight; authorizing the Director of Planning and Development and the Director of Commerce to file applications to obtain other grants from the Commonwealth; authorizing the Director of Commerce to use the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program; and authorizing the Director of Planning and Development and the Director of Commerce to enter into all understandings and assurances contained in such applications and take all necessary action to accept the grants; all under certain terms and conditions.
A
A
We
will
now
call
the
Finance
Committee
into
order.
We
do
have
a
quorum
to
my
left,
councilman
Greenlee
to
his
left,
Councilwoman,
Parker,
councilman,
Dom
and
Councilman
green
as
well
as
myself.
That
gives
us
a
quorum
and
we
are
now
happy
to
begin
our
hearing.
We
will
ask
the
clerk
to
read
the
title
of
before
we
do.
Let
me
say
that
bill
number
one,
seven,
zero
365
will
be
held
at
the
request
of
the
sponsor.
That
is
one
seven:
zero.
A
B
To
obtain
credit
enhancement
for
any
series
of
the
bonds
or
series
notes,
making
certain
determinations
and
covenants
relating
to
the
gasworks
revenues
and
the
payment
of
interest
and
principal
and
authorizing
covenants.
And
in
order
that
the
bomb
note
shall
not
be
arbitrage.
Bonds,
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions
and
1704
34
and
ordinance
authorizing
generally.
The
continuous
issuance
and
sale
by
the
CEO
philadelphia
of
gasworks
revenue,
notes
of
the
city
prescribing
forms
of
notes
and
providing
for
their
execution
and
payment.
B
Pledging
certain
revenues
of
the
gasworks
as
security,
adopting
a
rate
covenant
and
directing
imposition
and
collection
of
rates
and
charges
sufficient
to
comply.
Therewith
prescribing
conditions
precedent
to
the
issuance
of
specific
series
of
notes,
including
a
resolution
passed
by
the
bond
committee.
Providing
for
establishment
of
credit
support
for
notes
providing
for
designation
of
fiscal
agent
and
sinking
fund
depository,
providing
for
south
establishment
of
a
sinking
fund
fund
and
its
management.
Providing
remedies
upon
default
and
providing
for
amendments
and
modifications.
A
C
Four
three
four
bill
number
one:
seven:
zero
four:
three:
two
constituting
the
fourteenth
supplemental
ordinance,
which
authorized
the
Philadelphia
gas
words
working
with
the
office
of
the
city,
treasurer
to
issue
up
to
three
hundred
million
dollars
of
gas
works,
revenue,
bonds
and
gas
work.
Revenue
notes.
Program
for
capitols
needs
an
aggregate
central
amount
up
to
120
million
dollars.
C
Capital
is
needed,
eliminating
the
need
to
reinvest
bond
proceeds
in
the
current
interest
rate
environment
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero,
four:
three:
four
who
authorized
will
provide
authorization
to
continue
the
Philadelphia
gasworks
existing
working
capital,
commercial
paper
revenue
program
in
aggregate
principal
amount,
not
succeed.
One
hundred
and
fifty
million
dollars
designed
to
provide
access
to
liquidity
in
a
potential
case
of
a
shortfall
bill
number
one,
seven,
zero.
Four
three
four
seeks
an
additional
authorization
of
five
years.
C
Although
the
gasworks
has
not
drawn
on
this
program
since
2009
in
the
event
of
an
unforeseen
financial
crises
or
liquidity
event,
the
commercial
paper
would
provide
working
capital
financing
and
short-term
interest
rates.
I
would
like
to
respectfully
request
the
suspension
of
the
rules
to
allow
for
first
reading
of
the
bill
at
the
next
meeting
of
the
council.
This
concludes
my
testimony
and
I'm
happy
to
answer
any
questions
at
this
time.
Thank.
A
F
E
A
B
One:
seven:
zero
four
three:
three:
an
ordinance
approving
the
fiscal
year;
2018
capital
budget,
providing
for
expenditures
for
the
capital
purposes
of
fill
up.
Your
gas
works,
including
the
supplying
of
funds
in
connection
therewith,
subject
to
certain
constraints
and
conditions
and
acknowledging
receipt
of
the
revised
forecast
of
the
capital
budget
for
fiscal
years
2019
through
2023
and.
B
1704
three:
eight:
an
ordinance
approving
a
lease
agreement
between
Philadelphia
Gas
Works
by
the
Philadelphia
facilities
management
corporation
solely
in
its
capacity
as
operator
and
manager
of
the
city-owned
Philadelphia
Gas
Works
and
Germantown
Realty
Investment
Group
LP
for
certain
premises
located
at
212
through
214,
west
shelf
and
Avenue
and
1705
one
five.
An
ordinance
amending
chapter,
19
3,200
of
the
Philadelphia
code
and
title
keystone
opportunities,
own
economic
development,
district
and
strategic
development
area
to
provide
for
extension,
of
certain
benefits
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
B
A
A
J
J
J
Thank
you
so
beginning
with
bill,
one:
seven,
zero.
Four,
three:
three!
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
present
this
testimony.
Chairwoman,
Blackwell
members
of
the
committee
on
behalf
of
the
Philadelphia
Gas
Commission.
We
have
submitted
written
testimony
which
I
will
not
read
into
the
record,
but
I
would
like
to
summarize
if
I
may
and
attach
to
the
testimony
I
would
note,
are
as
a
copy
of
the
gas
Commission's
order
in
this
matter
and
setting
forth
in
full
its
recommendations
to
City
Council
regarding
PGW
fiscal
year,
2018
capital
budget.
J
These
recommendations
were
adopted
at
the
gas
Commission's
public
meeting
held
on
April
25th
of
this
year.
We,
of
course,
are
here
today
to
urge
council
the
committee
and
then
Council's
approval
of
the
bill,
and
we
are
requesting
a
suspension
of
the
rules.
So
first
reading
can
occur
at
the
next
session
of
council.
In
brief
PJ
w's
total
requests
for
the
coming
fiscal
year
was
about
118
million
dollars.
This
included
reauthorization
of
about
2.8
million
dollars
in
unused
spending
authority
from
its
fiscal
2016
capital
budget
and
so
after
review.
J
When
all
was
said
and
done
that
what
the
gas
Commission
is
recommending
to
Council
is
a
budget
that
is
about
3.6
million
dollars
less.
That
is
about
a
hundred
and
fourteen
point
four
million
dollars.
This
I
would
note
is
about
four
point:
eight
million
dollars,
then
the
current
fiscal
year
2017
capital
budget.
It
does
maintain
higher
levels
of
investment
and
accelerated
cast-iron
main
replacement
similar
to
last
year.
This
is
funded
by
a
surcharge.
I
know
you're
familiar
with
the
distribution
system
improvement
charge.
J
It
generates
about
33
million
dollars
per
year
towards
accelerated
cast-iron
main
replacement,
enabling
PGW
to
replace
an
additional
13
to
15
miles
per
year.
On
top
of
the
old
baseline
18
mile
per
year,
program,
PGW
also
has
submitted
written
testimony
from
mr.
Moser,
which
of
course
goes
into
an
additional
detail
about
the
specific
projects
in
the
budget.
Just
to
highlight
two
other
issues.
J
If
I
may
one
is
that
the
gas
Commission
is
once
again
recommending
that
City
Council
would
approve
its
an
updated
set
of
capital
budget
guidelines
that
we
have
brought
to
you
for
a
number
of
years
now
for
approval
in
conjunction
with
the
annual
capital
budget.
We
call
them
the
capital
program
protocols,
and
this
has
all
the
standards
and
conditions
and
rules
that
apply
to
the
capital
budget
has
approved
the
other
area.
I'd
like
to
touch
on
briefly,
as
usual,
is
the
DBE
participation
forecast
in
conjunction
with
the
capital
budget.
J
So
what
you
are
seeing
here
and
we're
seeing
in
the
last
12
months
on
a
rolling
12
month
basis,
a
14%
actual
vbe
spend
that
is,
it
may
sound
a
little
bit
lower
than
the
city's
goals.
But
again
we
are
focused
on
spend
and
not
just
contracts
which
are
being
wet
and
offer
an
opportunity
for
participation
for
fiscal
2018.
J
J
The
other
thing
and
really
just
hot
off
the
press
as
of
earlier
this
afternoon
is
the
first
disparity
study.
That's
been
conducted
for
PGW
by
E
console
with
the
Milligan
group,
and
so
literally
that
just
came
into
our
hands
earlier
today.
So
we
haven't
had
a
detailed
opportunity
to
to
review
it
yet.
But
my
high-level
review
indicates
that
it
shows
that
there's
still
some
untapped
opportunity
there
to
increase
participation,
but
also
a
need
to
develop
yet
more
granular
data
about
the
specific
sub
industries
in
which
ready,
willing
and
able
vendors
do
exist.
J
Who
may
or
may
not
be
being
tapped
yet
so
I
think
it
kind
of
sets
the
stage
for
additional
efforts,
and
this
is
really
an
ongoing
work
in
progress
for
PGW.
So
those
are
a
few
of
the
comments
we
wanted
to
share
with
you
today
and
of
course,
mr.
Moser
myself
be
happy
to
answer
any
questions
you
may
have.
Thank
you.
J
If
you
want
to
look
at
it
that
way
of
a
lease
for
PGW
use
customer
service
center
in
the
Germantown
section
of
philadelphia,
it's
a
long-standing
site
of
a
customer
service
center.
The
Commission's
did
approve
the
lease
at
its
meeting
held
on
April
25th
of
this
year
and
is
recommending
that
council
do
likewise
again,
we
are
asking
for
a
suspension
of
the
rules.
So
first
reading
can
occur
at
the
next
session
of
council
and
again,
additional
details
are
contained
in
PG
w's
written
testimony.
J
Substantively
the
lease
is
really
virtually
identical
to
the
one
that
both
City
Council
and
the
gas
Commission
approved
in
2013
and
the
first
year.
Rent
I'm
happy
to
note
will
be
the
same
as
the
current
rent
no
increase
in
year,
one
through
the
course
of
our
review
and
PGW
entered
into
some
additional
negotiations
with
the
landlord
and
was
able
to
have
the
annual
rent
escalator
reduced
from
three
percent
to
two
percent.
J
So
it
is
a
fairly
straightforward,
really
renewal
of
a
leaf
and
and
it's
a
fairly
busy
site
as
I
think
you
may
be
aware
for
PGW
customer
traffic
for
various
forms
of
assistance
with
bills
and
programs
like
the
low
income,
Home
Energy,
Assistance
Program,
and
we
favorably
commend
approval.
The
lease
to
this
committee
we'd
be
happy
to
answer
any
questions
you
may
have.
Thank.
A
20%
goals
were
2017
17%,
so
you
say:
you've
spent
some
thousands
more,
but
during
this
time,
where
it's
so
important
and
we're
fighting
so
hard
for
jobs
and
inclusion
and
all
neighborhoods,
we
wonder
why
it's
gone
from
20%
to
17%
again
what
you
expect
in
2018
and
what
we
can
expect
in
the
future.
I.
C
Believe
the
the
goal
of
the
20%
was
a
aspirational
kind
of
goal
was
probably
a
little
bit
higher
than
we
were
going
to
be
expected
to
achieve,
but
we
wanted
to
set
the
bar
high
for
ourselves
to
be
able
to
try
and
strive
for
that.
The
17%
goal
is
probably
the
realistic
kind
of
goal
that
we're
going
to
be
able
to
to
achieve
well.
A
You
know
it
may
be
aspirational
if
you
did
it
higher
than
you
expect
it,
but
it
is
your
goal,
and
during
these
times,
where
we're
really
giving
all
the
businesses
universities
were
holding
their
feet
to
the
fire,
we
really
expect
to
have
real
numbers
and
increase
in
participation,
not
decrease
in
participation,
and
we
wonder
when
we
can
expect
that
when
can
we
expect
increase
in
these
numbers?
I.
C
Think
is
missed.
Irish
have
indicated,
we
just
finished
the
disparity
study,
which
will
help
us
to
drive
our
program,
find
out
the
help
to
determine
those
areas
that
we
can
expect
greater
participation
and
we're
committed
to
trying
to
achieve
a
higher
goal
and
trying
to
achieve
a
greater
participation
on
those
levels
and.
J
I
would
add
chairwoman
if
I
may
I
mean
your
point
is
well-taken
know
you
look
at
the
numbers
when
you
look
at
as
an
aspirational
statement
and
even
taking
into
account
the
fact
that,
as
I
mentioned
I
mean
each
year's
goal
is
driven
by
the
specifics
of
the
budget.
So
sometimes
there
are
certainly
more
opportunities,
for
example,
for
professional
services
to
be
engaged
because
PGW
has
a
large
one-time
project,
and
that
offers
an
opportunity.
It
doesn't
recur
here.
J
So
you
will
see
some
fluctuation
from
the
year
to
year,
but
putting
that
aside,
the
goal
is
certainly
to
do
better
to
do
more,
and
that
is
why
the
focus
of
the
gas
commission
has
been
on
trying
to
give
PGW
direction
in
that
vein
to
drive
towards
a
more
detailed
analytics,
so
they
actually
know
and
can
analyze
their
vendor
basis.
That's
why
you're
seeing
this
disparity
study
for
the
first
time?
So
are
we
there
yet
100%,
no
I
mean
I,
wouldn't
say
that
and
I
don't
think
PGW
will
tell
you
that.
J
Are
we
moving
in
the
right
direction?
I
think
yes
staying
focused
on
the
fact
that
what
you're
seeing
here
cannot
directly
be
compared
to
the
city's
numbers,
because
it
is
actual
spend
and
not
a
percentage
of
contracts
which
are
being
left
so
where
it's
a
little
difficult
to
compare
apples
and
apples.
Unless
you
are
pairing
apples.
A
E
E
E
C
E
So
then,
the
city
of
Philadelphia
essentially,
is
the
shareholder
right
of
PGW,
it's
owned
by
the
city
directly
right,
and
so
we've
seen
our
revenues
go
down.
But
my
question
that
I've
been
asking
about
this
for
the
last.
Whatever
time
I've
been
here,
we
have
several
buildings.
The
city
owns
know
if
there's
18,
20
or
25
buildings
that
are
not
using
PGW
using
an
alternative
source
and
I.
J
C
E
We
have
to
a
convene
a
meeting.
They
have
that
plan
in
writing,
because
otherwise
this
is
going
to
will
be
here
in
2020,
talking
about
the
same
thing,
I,
what
a
grocer
and,
in
the
case
of
PDW,
in
order
to
find
new
revenue
versus
raising
the
rates
we
need
more
customers
and,
as
long
as
the
city
of
these
buildings,
it
seems
to
me
they
should
be
on
PGW,
okay,
I'll,
angry.
J
I
Following
up
to
Councilwoman
chairwoman,
Blackwell's
question
I'm
curious:
you
state
in
your
testimony
that
you
secretly
a
number
of
ways
to
honor
what
you
put
on
paper
with
regards
to
DPW
de
participación.
Do
you
currently
have
any
joint
ventures?
You
have
here
joint
venture
arrangement
with
the
DBE?
Are
there
any
joint
ventures
currently
with
the
DBE.
I
C
J
I
I
B
I
I
B
C
Responsibility
for
supplier
diversity
of
PGW,
just
almost
exactly
two
years
ago,
I
can
tell
you,
you
won't
find
a
person
who
is
more
dedicated
really
into
building
relationships
and
look
and
this
she
has
a
real
passion
for
this
in
this
area
and
and
we
do
a
lot
to
support
or
we're
looking
to
anywhere,
we
can
to
find
any
opportunity
to
increase
our
spend
with
with
women,
minority
and
disabled
owned
companies.
Okay,.
B
Yes,
there's
a
lot
of
moving
parts
in
our
development
or
building
that
foundation
for
our
supplier
diversity
program,
just
as
miss
Paris,
that
the
disparity
study
is
kind
of
hot
off
the
press.
So
from
a
data
analytics
perspective,
that
will
be
that
component
that
we
will
need
to
kind
of
digest
that
information,
along
with
building
such
easier
partnerships
and
continuing
to
add
additional
resources
and
tools
that
will
help
us
along
the
way.
So
the
kind
of
whole
or
kind
of
finalize
our
program
so.
K
You,
madam
chair,
and
just
a
quick
follow-up
of
the
Councilwoman
Blackwell
and
Councilman
Reynold
Brown
ders
comments
relative
to
of
the
diversity
and
inclusion.
Let
me
also
first
just
commend
you
for
even
getting
the
process
started
and
being
proactive,
because
the
way
things
have
happened
in
this
body
because
I've
been
a
member
of
it
and
even
when
I
was
in
Harrisburg,
is
usually
we
don't
get
to
the
diversity
and
inclusion
discussion
until
something
requires
us
to
do
so
and
to
take
action.
K
So
as
you're
working
on
recruitment
and
you're
using
these
very
particular
entities,
we
also
want
to
make
sure
that
we're
reaching
out
to
churches
and
and
and
use
it
any
vehicle
that
may
not
normally
be
a
part
of
the
recruitment
process.
Right
because
it
can
only
add
value
to
your
recruiting
Network.
Oh
absolutely,.
B
B
We've
built
that
relationship
with
ovo
we
meet
with
them
quarterly
and
in
addition
to
that,
I
OMA
Harper
has
also
included
us
on
several
committees,
such
as
the
EO,
our
C
committee,
which
we
will
take
part
in
upcoming,
also
on
Leo's
committees
that
they
have
on
a
regular
basis
as
well
to
bring
their
local
entity
inclusion
so
that
we're
all
on
the
same
page
as
it
relates
to
building
strategic
partnerships
in
growing
our
programs
individually
by
doing
it
from
a
collective
perspective.
Yes,.
K
A
D
For
forty
six
properties,
the
Koz
program
was
created
in
1999
to
stimulate
private
investment
on
vacant
or
underutilized
properties.
This
coordinated
program
allows
for
state
and
local
business
taxes
to
be
waived
on
targeted
sites
approved
for
participation
by
both
levels
of
government.
The
Koz
program
was
has
been
modified
several
times
over
the
last
19
years,
with
many
new
properties
added
and
the
benefit
term
of
each
of
other
properties
extended.
D
Applying
for
extension
of
Koz
benefits
for
selected
properties
will
allow
the
city
to
maximize
the
impact
of
the
kov
program
for
those
businesses
that
are
currently
considering
a
significant
investment
by
the
city.
The
Department
of
Commerce
is
actively
working
with
several
companies
considering
new
development
in
the
city.
Two
of
these
businesses
are
expected
to
make
location
decisions
within
the
next
two
months
and
have
identified
sites
in
the
city
that
are
in
active
competition
for
those
development
opportunities.
D
Each
of
these
location
decisions
could
result
in
the
construction
of
major
new
facility
and
decreased
number
1,000
permanent
jobs.
In
each
case,
the
value
of
k
of
the
benefits
will
be
critical
in
determining
whether
those
site
in
Philadelphia
is
selected
for
the
investment
Loic
businesses
making
imminent
site
decisions
will
be
seeking
a
full
10
years
of
koz
benefits.
The
only
way
to
provide
that
term
is
to
seek
an
extension
of
the
que
hace
designation
for
the
selected
sites.
The
city
will
only
make
an
application
to
the
state
for
the
extension
of
que
hace
benefits.
D
Once
a
business
has
been
identified,
that
is
ready
to
invest
and
create
jobs
in
the
city.
We
are
seeking
the
ten-year
k
of
the
extension
to
assure
that
auto
Fiat
the
preferred
location
for
these
businesses
into,
in
addition
to
the
5k,
as
the
property
is
being
considered
for
these
two
immediate
attraction
candidates,
the
Department
of
Commerce
is
requesting
permission
to
extend
39
additional
koz
properties
throughout
the
city,
except
for
the
two
privately
owned
properties
in
the
northeast
being
considered
as
preferred
site
for
one
of
the
imminent
business
opportunities.
D
All
pilots
will
be,
in
effect
for
the
life
of
the
Kay
of
the
designation.
This
concludes
my
testimony.
I
respectfully
request
the
community
support
for
bill,
one
seven,
zero,
five,
one
five
and
requested
you
voters
did
a
lot
of
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
ask
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
to
allow
for
a
first
reading
at
councils
next
scheduled
discussions.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration.
I'd
be
happy
to
answer
any
questions
you
may
have.
A
E
D
E
E
Other
question
I
had:
is
you
on
the
first
page
of
testimony?
You
talked
about
1.7
billion
in
new
private
investment,
since
the
implementation
of
the
Kaos
ease.
You
have
any
idea
of
what
the
percentages
of
the
total
invest
in
the
city
is
that
five
percent
of
the
investment
ten
percent?
That
would
help
understand
the
impact
and
measuring
that
the
impact
of
the
Koz
I.
D
E
D
G
M
G
D
C
D
D
E
You
ma'am
Jerome
I,
have
one
other
question
those
two
companies
that
want
to
come
to
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
being
a
Koz
yeah,
which
of
our
taxes,
are
the
most
onerous
for
them.
Have
they
identified
to
that
to
you
like
of
all
the
taxes
we
have
in
the
city,
which
one
would
be
the
biggest
factor
for
them
not
to
comment,
they
can't
get
into
a
Koz.
So.
D
E
D
State
taxes
are
also
waived
by
Koz,
which
is
one
of
the
reasons
we
want
to
put
calcium
in
in
place
here,
because
it
it
requires
that
the
state
also
waive
its
taxes.
So
so
state
corporate
taxes,
for
example,
in
certain
cases,
could
be
the
most
onerous
tax.
The
city,
the
one
of
the
taxes
that
is
weight,
is
real
estate
tax,
but
we
already
have
a
10
year
tax
abatement,
which
effectively
sort
of
takes
care
of
that
tax.
D
Can
be
again,
I
I,
think
much
of
this
depends
on
the
type
of
company.
The
two
examples
that
we
have
here:
they're
confidential
companies
that
haven't
named
themselves.
Yet
one
would
be
a
corporate
headquarters
function
again
with
over
a
thousand
jobs
and
the
other
one
would
be
a
distribution
center
and
they
have
very
different
sort
acts
implications,
so
the
net
profit
would
on
the
headquarters.
E
D
B
1705
on
nine,
an
ordinance
amending
chapter,
nineteen,
thirteen
hundred
of
the
Philadelphia
Code
entitled
real
estate
taxes
by
creating
a
tax
foreclosure
diversion
program
that
requires
housing,
counseling
assistance,
updating
tax
installment
payment
agreements
to
help
taxpayers
with
financial
hardships
and
other
related
items
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
Thank
you.
G
Afternoon,
chairwoman,
Blackwell
and
members
of
the
Committee
on
Finance
I
am
Frank
Breslin
revenue,
commissioner
and
chief
collections
officer.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
on
bill
one
seven:
zero,
five,
one
nine,
which
seeks
to
help
our
most
vulnerable
homeowners,
avoid
foreclosure
and
remain
tax
compliant.
The
administration,
and
particularly
the
Department
of
Revenue,
are
in
complete
agreement
that
helping
homeowners
stay
in
their
homes
is
a
moral
and
financial
obligation
we
have
through
our
residents.
G
Several
years
ago,
the
Department
of
Revenue,
the
law
department,
community
legal
services
and
city
council
were
collaboratively
for
approximately
18
months
to
develop
the
owner-occupied
payment
agreement.
We
call
OPA
for
most
homeowners.
Hoopa
ties
their
monthly
payment
for
delinquent
real
estate
taxes
to
their
ability
to
pay.
G
Now
that
we
have
a
few
years
experience
with
Rupa,
we
can
see
that
there
are
still
some
gaps
in
the
safety
net,
in
particular
low-income
honam
homeowners,
who
cannot
afford
to
pay
the
current
year
bill.
A
requirement
under
OPA
are
still
struggling
bill,
one
seven,
zero
five,
one
nine
offers
a
starting
point
for
the
team
that
developed,
OPA
and
others
to
come
together
again
to
design
a
solution
that
will
protect
these
homeowners.
We
met
last
Thursday
with
council
president
staff
about
ideas
to
develop
these
initial
proposals
into
a
successful
program.
G
We
discussed
how
to
engage
more
stakeholders
like
the
legal
services
and
housing,
counseling
agencies,
various
city
departments,
community
and
civic
leaders
and
the
homeowners
themselves
into
the
process
of
designing
a
program
to
meet
our
shared
goal
of
keeping
homeowners
in
their
homes
and
avoiding
the
threat
of
tax
foreclosure.
We
look
forward
to
collaborating
on
this
effort.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
this
afternoon,
I'm
happy
to
answer
any
questions.
Thank.
E
E
G
Possibly
there's
other
there's
other
opportunities,
as
I
said
in
my
testimony.
One
of
the
things
that's
a
requirement
of
is
to
use
the
$25
a
month.
Example
a
taxpayer
who's
in
that
agreement
and
paying
$25
a
month
when
their
new
year's
tax
liability
rolls
on
the
requirement
is
to
state
current
on
that,
and
that
has
been
a
an
obstacle
for
some
taxpayers
to
remain
current
in
their
rufa
agreement.
G
Now
that,
although
the
the
law
doesn't
require
me
require
it,
the
department
we
made
aware
of
those
situations,
we've
been
allowing
the
tax
payers
to
remain
in
Opa.
We've
basically
been
taking
their
current
year
liability
when
they
can
show
a
hardship
and
inability
to
pay
and
putting
them
and
putting
that
balance
into
the
ephah
and
allowing
them
to
just
continue
to
make
their
$25
a
month
payment.
So.
G
G
Some
of
the
things
discussed
would
be
to
formalize
that
ability
to
roll
really
current
your
taxes
into
the
into
the
u-boat
agreement.
That
would
allow
the
current
program
to
exist
with
revision,
as
opposed
to
designing
a
completely
separate
deferral
program.
But
really
the
goal
is
I
mean
this
was
one
meeting
and
you
know
a
little
bit
of
brainstorming,
but
we
really
want
to
get
all
the
stakeholders
into
a
room
and
really
discuss
what
the
options
are.
G
I
mean
we
really
committed
doing
that
that
18
months,
where
we
were
doing
oopah-
and
we
you
know
very
frequently
and
for
a
long
period
of
time
and
came
up
with
a
program
that
has
been
very
effective,
I
believe
but,
as
I
testified,
you
know
and
as
has
been
exhibited,
it
still
left
some
gaps
in
not
safety
net
and
we
are
committed
to
try
to
close
those.
They.
E
E
E
H
A
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
F
A
R
Madam
chairman
members,
the
committee
I'd
like
to
a
thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
speak
and
support
of
this
bill,
which
is
an
immensely
important
bill,
I'm
with
full
of
legal
assistance
where
I've
worked
for
the
last
22
years,
I've
been
an
attorney
representing
low-income
homeowners
attempt
to
prevent
them
from
losing
their
homes
to
tax
and
mortgage
foreclosure.
For
the
past
42
years,
I
would
like
to
first
applaud
the
testimony
of
their
revenue,
commissioner,
mr.
Breslin
and
his
recognition
that
the.
R
The
robust
protections
that
are
in
place
currently
for
preventing
low
income
homeowners
from
who's
in
their
homes
has
some
gaps.
There
are
holes
in
the
safety
net
through
which
people
are
falling
and
the
people
in
our
experience
that
are
falling
through
those
safety
net
are
the
most
vulnerable,
the
people
most
in
need
of
affordable
housing,
the
minority
homeowners
and
it's
our
experience
running
the
savior
home
silly
hotline,
which
is
supported
by
the
department
of
housing
community
development
in
the
city
of
philadelphia.
We
run
the
hotline.
R
It
was
originally
a
hotline
designed
to
protect
homeowners
from
mortgage
foreclosure
as
part
of
the
city
Philadelphia's
mortgage
foreclosure
prevention
program
and
as
part
of
the
first
judicial
districts.
A
mortgage
foreclosure
diversion
program
in
recent
years,
tax
foreclosures
have
now
far
outstripped
mortgage
foreclosures
as
the
primary
source
of
people,
low
income
people
losing
their
homes.
I
have
attached
I'm,
not
going
to
read
my
testimony,
I'm
going
to
try
to
summarize
it
I've
attached
to
my
testimony.
I,
don't
know
if
council
members
have
had
that,
but
there
are,
there
are
two
charts
and
a
map
attached.
R
The
graph
number
one
shows
that,
in
around
2012
or
2013,
tax
foreclosures
began
to
exceed
mortgage
foreclosures
as
the
kinds
of
properties
we
were.
We've
been
seeing
graph
number
two
shows
dramatic
increase
in
tax
foreclosures
from
the
period
2010
through
through
2015
at
the
beginning
of
2016,
and
the
map
at
the
end
of
my
testimony,
I
think
dramatically
demonstrates
part
of
the
problem
with
the
present
tax
foreclosure
sale
practices
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
I.
R
A
fairly
cursory
look
at
that
map
demonstrates
that
the
overwhelming
number
of
properties
they're
being
sold
for
tax
sales,
and
this
is
residential
properties
as
a
map.
As
best
it
could
be
determined
of
the
residential
properties
that
are
being
so
that
are
subject
to
petition
tax
sale.
Petitions
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
for
the
year
2016,
the
vast
majority
of
them
are
in
minority
majority,
minority
census,
areas
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
85
percent
or
84
percent
of
the
properties
that
are
subject
to
tax
petitions.
R
Residential
properties
are
in
minority
majority
census,
tracts
of
the
city,
which
means
it's
our
experience,
and
this
is
anecdotal
experience
from
the
people
who
we
see
coming
to
us
for
help.
It's
our
experience
that
the
tax
sales
that
are
actually
taking
place.
Our
tax
sales
of
people
were
falling
through
the
safety
net
because
they
are
infirm.
R
R
Decimated
and
transferred
to
private
business
interests
so
and
closing
I'd
like
to
once
again
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
to
speak.
I
want
a
particular
thank
councilman
council
president
Clark
for
inviting
me
to
address
this
bill
and
to
share
our
experiences
on
the
hotline
with
what
we're
seeing
and
be
happy
to
answer
questions
in
an
hour
at
the
end
of
the
panel's
testimony.
H
Good
afternoon,
members
of
the
committee
I'd
like
to
thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
speak
today
in
support
a
bill.
17:05
1-9,
Community
Legal
Services
strongly
supports
this
bill,
which
adds
two
very
significant
protections
to
our
city's
most
vulnerable
homeowners.
When
they're
struggling
to
pay
their
annual
real
estate
taxes
owed
are
their
most
valuable
asset,
their
homes.
First,
the
bill
creates
a
property
tax,
foreclosure
diversion
program
similar
to
similar
to
Philadelphia's,
nationally
renowned
mortgage
foreclosure
diversion
program.
H
Tax
delinquent
homeowners
would
be
referred
to
housing,
counseling
and
legal
services
agencies
early
and
often
during
the
collection
process,
for
assistance
applying
for
programs
such
as
the
homestead
exception,
the
senior
tax
breeze
and
the
unoccupied
payment
agreement
program.
Second,
the
bill
creates
a
property
tax
deferral
program
which
would
allow
our
most
vulnerable
homeowners
families
Liberty
in
deep
poverty,
the
elderly
people
who
are
physically
and
mentally
disabled
to
defer
payment
of
real
estate
taxes
owed
on
their
homes.
H
This
would
allow
these
homeowners
to
remain
in
their
homes
rather
than
losing
their
homes
at
a
tax
sale
and
pushing
them
into
the
city,
shelter,
system,
nursing
homes,
hospitals
and
streets,
sometimes
at
a
net
cost
to
the
city.
I
am
a
supervising
attorney
at
Community
Legal
Services
in
Philadelphia,
where
we
provide
free
legal
services
and
representation
to
low-income
Philadelphians.
When
I
began
working
at
CLS,
my
work
focused
on
defending
homeowners
facing
mortgage
foreclosures
or
predatory
lending
by
private
banks.
H
We
can
estimate
that
there
are
at
least
20,000
residential
homestead
properties
with
tax
delinquencies,
outstanding
and
I
believe
the
number
is
probably
closer
to
25
thousand.
Not
all
these
home
owners
are
necessarily
low-income.
However,
in
a
city
where
26%
of
philadelphians
live
in
poverty
and
184,000
Philadelphia's
live
in
deep
poverty
on
less
than
850
dollars
a
month
for
a
family
of
three,
we
can
safely
say
that
there
are
thousands
of
low
income
homeowners
we're
struggling
each
month
with
a
choice
to
pay
for
either
food
water
or
property
taxes.
H
Many
of
these
poorest
homeowners
are
elderly
and
living
on
fixed
Social,
Security
benefits.
Others
like
mr.
lebryk
Ayano,
are
surviving
on
disability
benefits.
These
are
the
most
vulnerable
homeowners
who
are
slipping
through
the
city's
current
safety
net
bill.
1705
1-9
is
a
significant
step
towards
improving
the
safety
net
in
two
important
ways.
First,
it
broadens
the
net
by
creating
the
tax
diversion
program
that
will
allow
the
Department
of
Revenue
to
quickly
refer
eligible
homeowners
to
housing,
counseling
and
legal
service
agencies
as
early
as
possible.
H
These
agencies
can
provide
advice
and
assistance
and
applying
for
payment
plans
or
other
tax
reliefs.
Perhaps
relief
programs
or
help
homeowners
deal
with
the
threat
and
anxiety
of
a
tax
foreclosure
filing
against
their
own.
A
tax
diversion
program
will
need
to
be
paid
for
and
funded,
but
cost
should
be
reduced
since
Philadelphia
already
has
an
active
system
of
housing,
counseling
and
legal
service
agencies
in
place.
Under
the
current
mortgage
diversion
program,
any
new
costs
will
involve
expanding
the
current
system,
not
simply
creating
it
out
of
whole
cloth.
H
Additionally,
every
time
I
propose
diversion
program
helps
the
taxpayer
enter
into
a
payment
plan
or
resolve
litigation.
The
city
will
save
on
considerable
time,
expense
in
court
costs,
attorney's
fees
and
other
charges
of
litigation.
We
will
be
submitting
a
set
of
proposed
amendments
to
the
bill,
which
should
clarify
that
access
to
housing,
counseling
and
legal
service
agencies
should
occur
early,
often
and
throughout
the
process.
H
These
referrals
should
begin
when
the
initial
bills
are
sent
out
in
November
or
December
throughout
any
foreclosure
litigation
and
even
after
the
sale,
so
homeowners
can
be
advised
of
their
right
of
redemption.
Nevertheless,
we
applaud
the
fundamental
idea
that
expanding
the
safety
of
expanding
the
safety
net
by
using
the
system
of
local
agencies
we
already
have
in
place
throughout
the
neighborhoods
in
Philadelphia
to
help
all
homeowners,
not
just
the
forest,
successfully
pay
their
property
taxes
and
to
access
tax
relief
programs
like
the
homestead
exemption
and
the
owner-occupied
payment
agreement
program.
H
The
deferred
taxes
would
accrue
interest
and
come
due
when
the
homeowner
dies
for
the
property
is
sold.
The
bill
also
caps.
The
total
of
annual
deferrals,
allowing
the
city
to
annual
accurately
predict
the
maximum
financial
cost
of
the
program
for
homeowners
living
in
deep
poverty.
A
full
or
partial
deferral
may
be
the
only
way
they
can
afford
to
rein
them
in
their
homes
living
on
less
than
$750
a
month.
Mr.
labraccio
no
struggles
the
paÃses
bills
each
month,
I
have
other
elderly
clients
who
are
surviving
on
food,
stamps
and
meals.
H
On
wheels,
but
simply
have
nothing
left
over
at
the
end
of
the
year
to
pay
their
annual
property
taxes.
Some
of
my
clients
suffer
from
physical
and
mental
disabilities,
which
makes
paying
the
bills
even
more
challenging.
The
proposed
deferral
program
would
help
make
many
of
these
homeowners.
We
help
many
of
these
homeowners
to
shelter
in
place,
sometimes
a
considerably
less
cost
to
the
city
than
if
they
were
forced
into
the
shelter
system.
For
example,
mr.
Liberace
Otto's
home
was
sold
to
collect
less
than
six
thousand
dollars.
H
Total
in
water
and
tax
bills
without
CLS
has
helped
set
aside
the
sale.
If
Rocco
lebra
siano
had
been
ejected
and
moved
into
the
shelter
system,
even
at
the
lowest
cost
of
$40
per
night
per
Abed
for
a
shelter
bed,
mr.
Luciano
would
have
cost
the
city
fourteen
thousand
six
hundred
dollars
annually.
That's
a
net
loss
to
the
city
of
eight
thousand
six
hundred
dollars.
If
he
was
elderly
or
had
children
or
required,
hospitalization
or
other
social
services,
the
cost
to
the
city
could
have
been
dramatically
higher.
H
The
proposed
extra
tax
deferral
program
recognizes
that
in
certain
situations,
it
is
simply
more
cost-effective
for
the
city
to
allow
some
homeowners
to
shelter
in
place
in
their
homes,
rather
than
to
foreclose
on
them
for
a
relatively
small
amount
of
money
and
incur
greater
costs
later
on.
We
urge
the
committee
to
vote
in
favor
of
this
bill.
H
Property
taxes
affect
us
all,
but
in
a
city
with
one
of
the
highest
rates
of
lower
home
low
income
homeownership
in
the
nation
property
taxes
have
the
most
impact
on
Philadelphia's,
poorest
and
most
still
most
vulnerable
homeowners
without
programs.
Without
the
programs
contained
in
this
bill,
the
city's
increased
collection
efforts,
though
well
intentioned,
threatened
to
substantially
reduce
the
City
stock
of
affordable
housing.
H
The
diversion
program
in
the
deferral
program
proposed
by
this
bill
go
a
long
way
to
set
a
policy
that
says
to
these
vulnerable
homeowners
you're,
not
just
a
source
of
revenue,
you're
all
part
of
Philadelphia's,
neighborhoods
and
communities.
Each
of
you,
each
individual,
each
family
has
a
value.
Thank
you.
Thank.
E
H
E
H
I
think
to
go
back
to
your
the
commissioners.
Early
response
to
you
I
think
it's
important
to
understand
that
with
Oba
you
don't
just
pay
$25
a
month.
It's
that
there
are
tears
of
payments,
so
those
with
the
lowest
level
of
income
30%
of
area
median
income
in
Philadelphia
they
might
someone
living
on
735
a
month.
They
might
pay
$25
a
month
towards
delinquency.
They
still
have
to
maintain
the
current
taxes
in
full.
So
if
their
yearly
tax
bill
is
$2,400,
they
need
to
be
saving
another
200
a
month
on
top
of
that
25.
H
So
there
what
I
usually
explain
to
clients
is
your
house
bill?
Your
rent
to
stay
in
your
home
is
really
that
$200
for
next
year's
taxes
plus
another
$25.
On
top
of
that,
what
we're
running
into
is
some
people
are
able
to
do
that
they
can
make
those
2
monthly
payments,
but
now
we're
running
into
the
people
whose
incomes
are
so
low
and
money
is
so
tight.
They
can't
afford
to
save
up
next
year's
tax
bill.
It's
simply
too
tight,
so
simply
lowering
the
monthly
payment.
Is
it
going
to
solve
the
problem
so.
R
If
I
could
there's
a
couple
issues,
one
important
distinction
is
that
uber
is
backward.
Looking
this
one
backward
looking,
the
the
amendments
in
this
bill
are
forward-looking,
so
OPA
is
designed
as
originally
designed
to
address
tax
delinquencies.
It
wasn't
designed
to
address
the
current
obligation
to
pay
taxes
as
Monti
described.
So
when
you
go
into
an
uber
agreement
and
they
say,
okay
for
the
lowest
tier,
you
can
pay
25
dollars
a
month
to
the
back.
Taxes
essentially
what's
happening.
R
R
They
can
be
big
and
in
many
areas
of
Philadelphia,
which
once
were
moderate
and
low-income
areas,
they
are
not
growing
and
often
dramatically
growing,
so
looking
forward,
what
we're
seeing
or
people
who
one
simply
can't
afford,
as
Monty
described,
may
not
be
able
to
afford
any
significant
amount
of
taxes
simply
if
they're
living
on
$70
a
month,
because
they're
on
Social,
Security
or
SSI
you've
had
a
lifetime
of
work.
You've
paid
off
your
mortgage,
and
this
is
the
point
I
want
to
make.
R
Most
of
these
houses
are
houses
in
which
people
have
lived
for
lifetimes
and
paid
off
their
mortgages.
These
are
people
who,
for
some
reason,
after
they've
paid
their
mortgages,
has
limited
income
drastically
reduced
income
because
of
age
or
disability,
or
some
other
problem,
and
now
can't
because
there's
no
mortgage,
when
there
was
a
mortgage
to
taxes,
are
being
paid
now,
there's
no
mortgage
taxes
aren't
being
paid
so
so
people
there
are
people
who
can't
afford
even
modest
taxes,
sometimes
often
can't
afford
rapidly
rising
taxes.
R
Often
don't
have
the
wherewithal
to
object
when
the
city,
sometimes
wrongfully,
dramatically,
increases
the
value
of
the
property
without
actually
looking
at
the
property
to
justify
the
increase.
So
you
have
people
that
that
are
the
least
able
to
defend
themselves
against
a
sale
and
what
we
see
is
that's
whose
houses
the
city
you're
settling.
You
know
it
may
be
the
city's
also
selling
some
commercial
properties.
But
you
know
the
people
walk
into
our
doors.
R
Are
the
people
who
can't
even
get
it
together
to
take
advantage
of
woopa
and
all
these
other
things
that
perhaps
for
the
mitigate
their
taxes?
So
so
this
is
a
forward-looking
bill,
and
this
forward-looking
bill
does
two
things.
One
is
to
permit
prospectively,
the
deferral
of
part
or
all
of
the
taxes
based
on
the
person's
situation,
and
that
the
bill
is
currently
written
is
acquires
a
year-by-year,
serve
decay,
a
recertification,
forward-looking
and
presumably,
if
the
pass
has
ever
sold,
then
then
the
taxes
would
be
come
out
of
the
processor
shell.
R
R
The
other
very,
very
important
piece
of
this
is
to
get.
Is
the
this
bill
creates
a
right
on
the
part
of
each
homeowner
to
assistance
either
from
a
housing
counselor
or
an
attorney
early
in
the
process,
and
this
assistance
early
in
the
process
can
often
accomplish
what
councilman
would
you
counsel
and
Don
was
suggesting
getting
it
becoming
aware
of
these
alternatives,
where
there
might
be
some
money
taking
advantage
of
them
to
the
extent
possible?
One
of
the
problems
we
see
is
also
a
problem
which
we
haven't
been
of
a
resolve
yet
and
I'm
hopeful.
R
We
will
be
able
to
resolve
with
the
revenue
department,
and
that
is
the
way
the
revenue
department
collects
taxes
it
generally,
except
with
great
difficulty
when
it
accepts
taxes.
It
applies
them
to
the
oldest
taxes
that
are
due.
So
it's
very
difficult
to
get
the
revenue
department
to
take
a
payment,
even
a
partial
payment
that
could
be
applied
to
the
current
year's
taxes,
which
would
enable
the
homeowner
to
take
advantage
of
the
tax
that
the
state
tax
rebate
program
and
the
city
is
losing
out.
R
H
E
H
E
H
H
Not
because
he
hasn't
been
able
to
pay
up
he's
paying
his
current
taxes
and
installments,
so
he
hasn't
paid
in
full.
What
a
rebate
program
that
her
wounds
describing
would
do
is
advanced
him,
the
funds
so
that
he
was
his
taxes,
would
then
be
paid
in
full,
and
then
the
city
would
be
able
to
get
that
rebate
back
from
the
state.
Okay,.
H
E
Is
just
in
my
mind,
I'm
trying
to
figure
something
out:
some
houses
might
have
mortgages
on
them.
So
take
an
example
of
a
hundred
thousand
dollar
home
with
an
$80,000
mortgage
and
the
city
does
a
full
deferral
program.
Is
that
lender
have
any
rights
or
they're
going
to
be
upset
with
us,
because
we're
pushing
their
position
on
the
property
higher
up
cause
we're
first
we
come
before
the
mortgage
company.
Did
they
have
any
legal
action
against
us
that.
R
They
have
no
legal
action.
I
can
see
against
the
city.
When
you
say
I'll
see
me
the
city
yeah.
Would
they
be
unhappy?
I
I
can't
speak
to
what
could
they
be
happy
or
not,
but
I
could
say
that
if,
if
the
process
was
one
in
which
their
present
position
was
not
threatened
by
the
possibility
of
an
immediate
foreclosure,
I,
don't
think
it
would
change
significantly
what's
happening
now.
I.
E
Could
see
where
they
might
be
upset?
Take
this
example
of
under
thousand
dollar
town
I,
also
in
the
fifty
thousand
dollar
mortgage
and
someone's
in
deferral
for
how
long
time
and
the
mortgage
is
still
in
the
books
and
that
the
pearl
exceeds
the
value
of
the
property
they're
going
to
get
wiped
out.
Well,.
H
I'm
telling
some
counsel
and
I
think
most
lenders
would
advance
the
funds
to
protect
their
interest.
They
would
want
themselves
to
be
in
a
first
position.
They
typically
most
mortgages
to
cover
that
funds,
and
then
we
have
to
deal
with
a
homeowner
who
comes
out
come
to
us
with
a
mortgage
foreclosure.
The
population
we're
talking
about,
there's
300
people
that
have
come
to
see
LS
those
people
by
and
large
are
folks
the
mortgage
has
already
paid
off,
or
there
never
was
a
mortgage.
H
M
I
just
want
to
make
two
brief
points.
First
of
all,
thank
you
for
giving
me
the
opportunity
to
testify.
As
you
know,
housing
counselors
are
key
to
the
success
of
the
ordinance,
so
we've
especially
urge
you
to
appropriately
fund
this
program,
specifically
the
housing
counseling
component,
with
resources,
above
and
beyond
what
Philadelphia
can
derive
from
CDBG.
As
you
know,
current
administration
in
Washington
is
threatening
to
take
CDBG
at
zero.
M
Also,
as
you
saw
today,
issues
related
to
tangled
title
make
it
difficult
for
housing
councils
to
work
on
these
issues.
So
supporting
them
is
ever
more
important,
especially
in
high-end
communities,
where
these
type
of
tangle
title
issues
are
very
high
and
those
are
communities
where
foreign-born
residents
live
and
limited-english-proficient
populations
of
the
number
of
limited
English
Proficient
people
in
Philadelphia
is
increasing,
and
so
is
a
number
of
immigrants.
It
economic
impact
of
immigrants
and
the
realm
of
housing
is
substantial.
You
want
to
tap
tap
tap
that
and
keep
it
alive.
M
Immigrants
occupy
about
eighty
thousand
of
the
more
than
600,000
owner-occupied
units
in
the
city.
Fifty
percent
of
immigrants
in
the
city
are
we
living
in
owner-occupied
housing
and
even
unauthorized.
Immigrants
are
doing
their
part
as
fourteen
thousand
of
unauthorized
immigrants
in
the
city
live
in
a
home
they
own
according
to
the
migration
policy
institute.
So
we
are
excited
that
city
council
is
working
on
this.
We
support
this
effort.
We
want
to
continue
to
work
with
the
city,
especially
as
it
ensures
that
LEP
populations
are
not
left
out
from
accessing
it.
Thank
you.
K
You,
madam
chair,
and
let
me
start
by
thanking
each
of
you
for
your
testimony.
First
or
one
I
want
to
go
to
your
testimony.
You
include
and
I.
Thank
you
so
much.
This
is
the
first
time
that
I've
seen
a
copy
of
this
since
the
council
president
first
distributed
its
subtitle
and
I
appreciate
your,
including
a
copy
of
the
map
that
I
tech
staff
develop
shown
in
2016
property,
tax,
foreclosure
violence
and
the
list
of
home
holders.
K
The
entire
ninth
Council
Matic
district
that
I
represent,
is
in
this
map,
but
listen
to
this,
my
district
has
one
of
the
most
highest
home
ownership
rates
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
The
city's
average
is
52
percent.
The
ninth
is
about
60
to
61
percent
and
we
have
regions
that
have
up
to
77
to
78
percent
home
ownership
rate.
So
when
we
think
about
the
people
who
are
being
impacted,
I
hope
you
will
help
us
change
the
narrative.
K
So
folks
know
these
are
not
people
sitting
home
twiddling
their
thumbs
waiting
for
government
to
give
them
a
hand
down.
They
were
once
proudly
a
part
of
our
working
class.
Moving
on
up.
You
know
in
the
socio-economic
world
and
all
of
a
sudden,
God
struck
and
said
we're
going
to
allow
you
to
golden
grace.
The
grow
aid
grow,
older,
okay
and
become
more
seasoned.
K
Now,
you're
retired
you
don't
almost
earn
the
same
amount
of
income
that
you
used
to
earn
and
now
you
can
barely
afford
to
care
for
what
was
your
greatest
asset
so
help
us
change
the
narrative
about
who's
being
impacted?
And
you
start
by
making
sure
you
distribute
this
man
wherever
you
go,
so
that
when
people
begin
to
say,
tax
foreclosures
reverse
mortgages
going
into
foreclosure.
This
only
impacts
for
people.
K
You
show
them
that
this
man
and
you
show
them
that
this
impacts
black
white
brown
people
in
neighborhoods
across
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
and
it
doesn't
discriminate
by
zip
code.
Okay,
they
make
a
nickel
over
the
income
guidelines,
so
they
usually
aren't
eligible
for
any
program
that
are
offering
and
now
they
are
about
to
lose
their
greatest
asset.
Thank
you
and
thank
council
president
Clark
with
leadership
on
this
issue.
Thank.
R
K
H
R
R
R
And
it
seems
to
me
that
the
Distilled
the
way
that
it's
fashioned
addresses
a
number
of
issues
in
actually
a
very
elegant
way,
because
it
really
encompasses
what
the
loop
program
was
trying
to
do,
and
a
number
of
other
programs.
By
allowing
there
to
be
a
a
deferral
of
some
or
all
of
the
taxes
based
on
person's
economic
circumstances.
R
Prospectively
and
if
properly
structured,
it
could
be
a
fairly
efficient
way
of
simply
addressing
those
needs
and
also
addressing
the
people
who
find
themselves
in
neighborhoods
that
are
increasing
in
value
or
gentrifying
or.
However,
you
want
to
call
it,
and
but
it
could
be
a
bill
that
could
very
much
allow
people
to
stay
in
those
neighborhoods
in
increase
the
diversity
of
those
neighborhoods
and
offset
some
of
the
tensions
that
we're
seeing
in
some
neighborhoods
as
they
change
and.
I
B
Under
the
Arctic
april,
12
1956,
section
4,
as
amended
to
prevent
and
eliminate
blight
authorizing
the
Director
of
Planning
and
Development,
and
the
director
of
commerce
to
file
applications
to
obtain
their
grants
from
the
Commonwealth
authorizing
the
director
of
commerce
to
use
the
section.
108
loan
guarantee
guarantee
program
and
authorizing
the
director
Planning
and
Development,
and
the
director
of
commerce
to
enter
in
all
into
all
understandings
and
assurances
contained
in
such
applications
and
take
all
necessary
action
to
accept
grants
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
Thank.
F
Afternoon,
Councilwoman
Blackwell.
Thank
you,
remember
the
Finance
Committee
and
City
Council
I'm
Frederick
four.
Now,
deputy
director
of
housing,
community
development
and
I'll
present
testimony
on
behalf
of
the
administration
on
bill
number
one:
seven:
zero:
five:
five:
five,
which
permits
the
city
to
apply
for
the
federal
CDBG,
home,
HOPWA
and
ESG
funds,
and
for
state
funds
from
DCED
to
receive
this
funding
from
HUD.
The
city
is
required
to
submit
an
approved
consolidated
plan
to
her
by
August,
15th,
2017,
Beth
and
Sally.
F
The
city
anticipates
thirty,
eight
point:
eight
zero,
seven
million
dollars
in
CDBG
funds
and
eight
point:
four:
zero:
two
million
in
home
funds.
We
anticipate
Housing,
Trust,
Fund
earnings
of
eleven
million
dollars
by
the
end
of
FY,
FY
18,
the
county
to
plan
2018
for
2018
through
2022,
and
the
annual
action
plan.
2017
2018
outlines
our
spending
plans,
as
required
by
heard.
The
consolidated
plan
also
includes
a
housing
and
homeless
needs
assessment,
a
housing
market
analysis
and
a
strategic
plan.
F
Our
goals
and
strategic
actions
are
designed
to
meet
Philadelphia's
high
priority
for
Housing
and
Community
Development
needs.
They
are
creating
affordable
home
ownership
and
rental
housing
opportunities,
preserving
existing,
affordable
homeownership
in
rental,
housing,
reducing
homelessness
and
expanding
special
need,
housing
opportunities,
foster
open
access
to
all
housing
and
community
resources
and
programs
address
the
education,
economic
and
income
needs
of
people
and
neighborhoods
strengthen
community
assets
and
manage
vacant
land
to
improve
quality
of
life,
promote
fair
housing
and
access
to
opportunities
for
all
Philadelphia.
F
F
Today,
PhD
C
has
a
backlog
of
over
7400
homes
in
the
basic
systems,
repair
program,
weatherization
and
adapted.
My
programs,
PhD
C,
has
already
begun
started
work
on
these
backlog
by
the
end
of
the
summer,
over
6
million
dollars
in
home
repair
duct
repairs
will
be
underway
over
the
next
three
years.
60
million
dollars,
combined
with
existing
levels
of
CDBG
and
HTS
funding,
will
largely
eliminate
the
backlog
of
all
three
housing
preservation
programs
and
allow
thousands
of
families
stay
in
their
homes,
as
I
discussed
with
many
of
you
and
I
want
to.
Personally.
F
F
We
will
be.
We
will
be
developing
a
reporting
template,
so
you
can
keep
track
of
as
keep
track
as
and
we
make
progress
to
eliminating
backlog
preservation
of
existing
affordable
housing
is
also
a
high
priority
to
preserve
rental
units,
nearing
the
end
of
their
compliance
period
or
in
need
of
capital
investment.
The
city
has
awarded
funding
to
support
seven
preservation
projects
in
FY.
F
18
city
has
allocated
an
additional
1.5
million
dollars
and
CDBG
for
neighborhood
based
rental
preservation
project
again
targeted
at
those
projects
with
expiring
tax
credit
commitments,
turn
off
your
homeowners
continue
to
face
mortgage
and
more
recently
tax
and
reverse
mortgage
foreclosures.
Our
war-winning
foreclosure
prevention
program
has
saved
more
than
10,000
homes
from
foreclosure
and
will
continue.
We
are
working
with
the
reinvestment
fund
to
develop
a
strategy
around
reverse
mortgage
foreclosures
and
we
look
forward
to
working
with
council
president
Clark's
office
and
your
office
to
address
facts.
F
Foreclosures
these
strategies
help
keep
homeowners,
meaning
many
of
whom
reside
in
Philadelphia
middle
market
neighborhoods
in
their
homes,
about
one
in
seven
renters
are
experiencing
eviction
in
Philadelphia
and
FY
18.
The
city
will
make
funds
available
to
develop
a
strategy
to
help
renters
avoid
eviction
and
remain
in
their
house.
F
Other
programs
are
will
continue
and
level
funding
in
FY
18,
affordable
housing
and
special
need
housing,
production
programs,
cleaning
and
greening
of
vacant,
lots
to
the
Philadelphia
and
care
program,
business
and
community
based
organization
assistance,
job
training
through
YouthBuild
and
tenant-based
rental
assistance
to
increase
economic
opportunity.
The
city
will
continue
to
use
CDBG
to
fund
to
support
programs
aimed
at
small
businesses
and
neighborhood
commercial
corridors,
including
technical
assistance
to
micro
businesses,
small
business
loans,
business
attraction,
expansion
activities
and
organizational
capacity
building.
F
The
plan
includes
7.3
million
dollars
from
the
housing
opportunities
for
persons
with
AIDS
program;
mental
assistance
to
allow
700
people
with
HIV
to
rent
their
own
apartment
or
homes,
the
greatest
need
and
the
largest
single
use
of
our
hopple
program
funds.
The
city
anticipates
3.5
million
dollars
in
emergency
solution,
grant
funds,
these
funds
administered
by
the
office
of
homeless
services
and
our
match
was
3.5
million
dollars
in
city
general
funds
to
support
emergency
shelter,
homeless
prevention,
rapid
rehousing
and
how
the
retention
services
and
programs.
F
It's
important
to
note
that,
while
our
federal
funding
remains
level
for
FY
18,
the
threat
of
substantial
cut
to
CDBG,
home
Hoppa
and
ESG
is
a
serious
concern.
We
will
continue
to
work
with
our
partners
to
highlight
our
achievements
with
these
funds
and
also
to
work
to
identify
new
revenue
sources.
I
want
to
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
present
this
testimony.
F
F
A
S
Good
afternoon
chairwoman
Blackwell
members
of
the
Committee
on
Finance,
my
name
is
Lauren
Asher
I
am
a
supervising
attorney
at
Philadelphia.
Vip
I
first
want
to
express
our
gratitude
to
DHCD
in
the
city
for
your
continued
support
of
the
IPS
homeownership
work.
The
IG
provides
free
legal
services
to
low-income
philadelphians
by
referring
them
to
private
attorneys
who
handle
their
cases.
Pro
bono,
we
recruit,
train
and
support
those
volunteer
attorneys.
The
funding
provided
for
D
HPD
allows
us
to
assist
over
500
clients
per
year
with
tangled
title
real
estate
tax
and
mortgage
foreclosure
issues.
S
The
city
general
funding
supports
the
tangle
title
fund.
What
we
refer
to
as
TT
F,
which
pays
for
legal
and
administrative
costs
associated
with
clients
obtaining
title
to
properties.
Through
our
work,
we
see
the
prevalence
of
tangled
title
issues.
We
estimate
a
minimum
of
14
thousand
homes
in
Philadelphia
has
tangled
title
problem.
Many
of
those
folks
also
owe
back
real
estate
taxes
from
July
2016
through
April
2017,
the
IP
assisted
172,
tangled
title
clients,
over
half
of
whom
has
real
estate
tax
issues
as
well.
We
also
do
mortgage
foreclosure
work.
S
We
support
volunteer
attorneys
who
provide
ongoing
and
emergency
assistance
in
the
mortgage
foreclosure
diversion
program
from
July
2016
to
April
of
this
year.
We
matched
46
mortgage
foreclosure,
clients
with
volunteer
attorneys
who
work
in
tandem
with
housing
counselors
and,
in
addition
to
these
numbers,
VIP
supported,
volunteer
attorneys
in
over
250
cases
that
were
already
referred
at
the
start
of
this
fiscal
year.
The
tangle
titles
fund
pays
for
cost
associated
with
clearing
title.
The
biggest
expenses
are
probate,
filing
fees
that
The
Register
of
Wills
and
especially
transfer
taxes.
S
Since
fiscal
year,
2012
2013
the
tts
had
been
50,000
per
year,
but
in
2016
2017
CTF
received
only
30,000
which
ran
out
in
April,
although
we
did
find
out
on
Friday
that
we
will
be
receiving
an
additional
20
K
for
the
remainder
of
this
fiscal
year.
So
we
want
to
express
our
gratitude
for
that.
Since
2014
we've
seen
a
dramatic
increase
in
dollar
amounts
of
CTF
disbursements
when
a
VI
took
effect
because
probate
filing
fees
and
transfer
taxes
are
based
on
property
values
in
2014-2015.
More
than
24,000
was
spent
on
transfer
taxes
alone.
To
date.
S
This
year
we
spent
21,000
on
transfer
taxes.
The
current
proposed
TPS
budget
for
2018
is
30,000,
which
means
there
will
only
be
a
few
thousand
dollars
left
to
pay
any
expenses
other
than
transfer
taxes.
If
the
TPS
budget
does
not
increase,
clients
will
have
to
either
abandon
their
hope
of
getting
title
to
their
home
or
will
have
to
take
money
from
their
budgets
for
food
and
utilities.
Things
like
that
to
pay
title
cost,
since
the
CDBG
money
cannot
be
spent
on
TPS.
S
N
Impress
upon
you
how
your
mission
and
our
mission
at
senior
loss
Center
align
under
the
proposed
consolidated
plan.
There
are
seven
core
goals
identified
by
the
city
and
we're
ready
to
assist
the
city
to
achieve
several
of
these,
the
first
preserve,
affordable,
homeowner
and
rental
housing.
So
for
the
third
year,
City
Council
has
funded
the
senior
law
centers
triage
program
in
the
residential
mortgage
foreclosure
diversion
program,
which
is
an
efficient,
effective
model
to
give
senior
homeowners
coming
in
to
mortgage
foreclosure,
legal
assistance
and
assistance
to
their
DHCD
funded
housing.
N
Counselors
senior
law
Center
also
leads
the
effort
to
inform
seniors
about
the
free
home
home
repair
programs
that
the
city
and
state
have
available.
We've
created
a
flier
to
circulate
this
information,
but
we
don't
stop
there
seniors,
frequently.
Contact
us
after
they've
had
a
reverse
mortgage
to
pay
for
home
repairs
and
are
not
satisfied
with
those
repairs.
We
testified
about
this
problem
in
March
before
City
Council.
N
We
have
two
practice
groups
in
the
Philadelphia
community,
pursuing
contractor
fraud,
claims
against
contractors
who
are
taking
money
from
seniors
and
not
making
the
needed
repairs
or
making
shoddy
repairs.
Recently,
philadelphians
have
been
alerted
through
articles
in
The
Inquirer
to
the
growing
problem
posed
by
tangled
title
properties,
especially
in
judge
gentrifying
neighborhoods.
The
point
was
made
that
the
cost
that
cost
three
hundred
thousand
dollars
to
build
a
single
unit
of
affordable
housing,
the
city
will
never
solve
its
housing
problems
with
new
construction.
Therefore,
the
reinvestment
fund
has
suggested
another
approach
estimate
the
fund
estimates.
N
The
second
goal
reduce
homelessness
and
expand
special
needs.
Housing
opportunities
for
closure
of
reverse
mortgages
is
a
uniquely
senior
problem,
since
borrowers
have
to
be
62
years
of
age
or
older,
and
it's
an
ongoing
problem
and
fell
Delphia
with
649
reverse
mortgage
foreclosures
filed
between
2007
and
September
2016,
the
US
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development,
who
ensures
these
loans
understands
the
stress
these
homeowners
are
under
with
these
foreclosing
loans
and
forcing
the
relocation
of
these
seniors
may
contribute
to
hastening
the
death
of
these
borrowers.
N
So
HUD
carved
out
an
exception
to
foreclosures
for
borrowers
who
are
80
years
old
and
older,
who
are
suffering
long-term
physical
limitations.
Senior
law
center
is
uniquely
qualified
to
advocate
for
these
frail
elderly
seniors
and
get
their
foreclosures
stopped
and
keep
them
in
their
homes.
In
2016,
senior
law
worked
on
86
delinquent
property
tax
cases
for
Philadelphia
seniors.
While
we
are
proud
of
these
efforts,
we
realize
that
many
frail
and
elderly
homeowners
may
be
losing
their
homes
to
tax
foreclosure.
N
As
was
mentioned
earlier
and
senior
law
center
looks
forward
to
working
with
the
city
to
explore
the
creation
of
a
similar
protection
for
seniors
facing
real
estate
property
tax
foreclosure.
We
hope
the
city
will
follow
the
lead
of
the
federal
government
and
recognize
that
foreclosing
tax
delinquent
properties
resided
in
by
disabled
seniors
may
harm
their
health
and
must
be
avoided.
N
The
goal
foster
open,
open
access
to
all
Housing
and
Community
Resource
Program
Senior
Law
Center
conducts
community
education
provides
telephone
counseling
about
all
available
senior
resources.
We
take
seriously
our
role
as
protector
of
senior
rights
and
we
frequently
educate
throughout
the
city
on
senior
housing
topics
such
as
reverse
mortgage
pitfalls,
property,
tax
assistance,
program
for
senior
homeowners,
the
importance
of
untangling
title
to
the
family
home
and
the
need
to
write
a
will
in
order
to
keep
the
title
from
getting
tangled
when
ownership
is
passed
to
the
younger
generation.
N
We
also
appear
on
panels
and
senior
centers
in
throughout
the
community,
presenting
information
in
English
and
Spanish
on
how
to
protect
yourself
from
deep
fraud
and
how
to
hire
a
repair
contractor.
We
enroll
seniors
in
tax
programs
over
the
phone
while
they
are
in
diversion
court
lowering
their
real
estate
taxes
and
making
it
more
likely
they
can
afford
a
monthly
mortgage
payment
that
will
permit
them
to
reside
in
their
homes.
N
Promote
fair
housing
and
access
to
opportunity.
Just
last
week,
I
spoke
about
reverse
mortgage
servicing
problems
at
the
National
Consumer
Law
Center's
mortgage
conference,
which
was
held
here
in
Philadelphia.
Some
of
the
mortgage
problems
dealt
with
simple
servicing
issues
such
as
mortgage
companies,
failure
to
provide
large
print
notices,
so
they
are
legible
to
seniors
with
failing
out
eyesight.
Some
are
more
onerous,
such
as
enforcing
short
deadlines
on
seniors,
who
are
often
overwhelmed
and
unable
to
respond
on
time
with
increased
financial
support.
N
We
hope
to
bring
the
servicing
issues
to
the
government's
attention
by
filing
administrative
complaints
with
HUD,
so
through
representation,
education
advocacy,
we
serve
over
5,000
seniors
each
year.
We
and
our
work,
save
homes,
fight
abuse,
protect
rights
and
it's
a
wise
investment,
as
are
the
grandparents
senior
veterans,
older
homeowners,
family
members
and
residents.
We
are
proud
to
serve.
Thank
you.
N
L
D
L
D
O
Afternoon,
I'm
Julie,
Ann,
Schrader
ortega,
I'm
the
vice
president
and
chief
of
programs
at
the
Pennsylvania
Horticultural
Society.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
appear
before
you
this
afternoon
to
share
the
dramatic
support
that
DHCD
funding
makes
in
neighborhoods
across
Philadelphia
through
the
PHS
Philadelphia
Landcare
program.
I'm
joined
today
by
my
colleague,
Keith
Greene
who's.
The
director
of
the
Philadelphia
Landcare
program
PHS
exists
to
connect
people
with
horticulture
and
together
create
more
beautiful,
sustainable
and
healthy
communities.
O
We
work
collaboratively
with
people
and
organizations
of
all
backgrounds
to
tackle
the
toughest
challenges
through
plants
gardens
and
gardening.
The
Philadelphia
Landcare
program
is
a
strategic
partnership
between
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
the
Pennsylvania
Horticultural
Society
for
the
last
17
years.
The
land
care
program
has
been
cleaning
greening
and
maintaining
vacant
land
in
neighborhoods
throughout
the
city.
Currently
PHS
maintains
12
over
12,000
vacant
lofts,
which
is
over
30%
of
the
vacant
land
in
Philadelphia.
The
van
share
program
also
serves
as
an
incubator
that
helps
develop
small
businesses
and
creates
jobs.
O
17
Landscape,
Contractors
and
18
community
organizations
participate
in
this
work
and
together
they
employ
close
to
300
people
every
season.
Additionally,
hired
contractors
reflect
the
diversity
of
the
communities
they
serve.
40
percent
of
the
participating
Landscape
Contractors
are
minorities
certified
and
another
30%
are
minority-owned.
O
The
18
community
organizations
that
participate
in
program
hire
local
residents
from
their
neighborhoods
to
perform
the
maintenance
work,
giving
them
a
direct
role
in
keeping
their
new
communities
clean
and
safe,
and
since
the
start
of
the
program
over
900
parcels
close
to
10%
of
the
vacant,
lots
man
have
been
developed
into
new
homes,
commercial
businesses,
neighborhood
parks
and
gardens
helping
to
restore
the
urban
fabric
of
neighborhoods
throughout
the
city,
as
demonstrated
in
numerous
studies.
The
land
care
treatment
is
a
low-cost
high-return
solution
that
improves
health
and
safety
outcomes
for
neighborhood
residents.
O
Every
dollar
invested
in
the
vacant
lot.
Remediation
returns,
three
hundred
and
thirty
three
dollars
to
society
at
large
and
reduce
gun
violence,
and
this
treatment
has
been
shown
to
significantly
reduce
crime,
lower
stress
and
increase
exercise.
Studies
have
also
found
that
Landcare
increases
the
values
of
homes
nearby
the
lots
that
are
cleaned
and
green
by
an
average
of
forty
one
thousand
dollars,
which
means
that
for
every
dollar
spent
to
clean
and
green
vacant,
land
housing
wealth
increases
by
two
hundred
and
twenty
four
dollars.
O
Additionally,
land
care
has
improved
access
to
green
space
for
over
forty
five
thousand
residents
and
intercepts
over
two
million
gallons
of
stormwater
runoff
each
year
for
the
second
year.
In
addition
to
some
and
carrots
work
and
community
development,
PHS
is
facilitating
our
reentry
initiative,
which
creates
pathways
from
prison
to
entry-level
positions
and
landscaping
and
horticulture
fields.
Through
this
initiative,
PHS
has
placed
eighty
returning
citizens
over
the
past
two
years,
many
of
whom
were
hired
last
year
and
are
returning
this
season
and
we
maintain
2,000
additional
Philadelphia
land
bank
sites.
O
Over
the
last
two
months,
24
individuals
have
graduated
from
a
five-week
paid
intensive
training
in
horticulture,
landscaping
and
workplace
leadership
skills.
Most
of
the
graduates
have
been
hired
by
land
care
contractors
and
community
organizations
and
have
been
working
since
the
start
of
the
season
in
April.
Since
January
PHS
has
placed
close
to
40
individuals
through
this
initiative,
new
graduate
Camille
Torrence,
who
received
a
supervisory
role
on
the
landscape
crew
at
the
brewery,
John
jars,
would
community
Civic
Association
has
said
this
about
the
training
and
placement
program.
The
bootcamp
opened
doors.
O
For
me,
it
helped
me
to
get
a
better
job
and
maybe
start
my
own
business.
Currently,
the
level
of
funding
for
FY
2018
does
not
include
the
$500,000
necessary
to
continue
the
land
care
reentry
initiative.
We
are
asking
that
this
funding
be
restored
to
allow
us
to
continue
the
supporting
program
that
trains
and
connects
returning
citizens
with
available
jobs
and
landscaping
fields,
in
addition
to
placing
40
individuals
in
landscaping
positions.
O
This
funding
also
enables
us
to
maintain
2,000
additional
Philadelphia
land
bank
parcels
and
supports
five
community
land
care
organizations
that
were
added
last
year
through
this
initiative,
all
of
which
are
crucial
to
the
success
of
the
program
and
help
us
deliver
on
our
mission
to
connect
people
with
horticulture
and
together
create
healthy
and
sustainable
communities
from
reducing
blight
in
neighborhoods
to
building
the
capacity
of
local
small
businesses
and
connecting
returning
citizens
with
available
landscaping
positions.
Phs
is
proud
to
work
with
ght
TD
to
improve
our
city.
O
M
We
also,
however,
as
good
friends,
are
not
sigh
about
constructive
criticisms
due
to
our
shared
and
mutual
interest
and
commitment
to
equitable
community
development.
We
look
forward
to
building
on
the
relationship
that
we
have,
which
the
G
D
for
years
to
come,
especially
as
the
Latino
community
continues
its
rapid
growth.
M
We
have
to
give
credit
where
credit
is
due
in
terms
of
DHCD
for
listening
to
us,
as
we've
butted
heads
literally
over
the
last
four
six
months.
Nine
months
issues
related
to
language
access
to
their
credit.
They
supported
the
in
service
for
housing
counselors
regarding
their
need
to
abide
to
the
Charter
change
of
federal
law
to
provide
an
equal
access
to
people
who
are
limited,
English
Proficient.
M
We
commend
again
city
council
for
attacking
that
list
and
addressing
that
list,
but
we
want
to
both
remind
DHCD
and
PhD
C
to
please
are
incorporate
the
needs
of
limited
English,
Proficient
populations
and
addressing
that
list
and
in
keeping
the
list
open,
we
are
committed
to
working
with
the
city
I'm
the
on
the
success
of
the
HCD
and
in
the
home
repair
program,
and
we
look
forward
to
continuing
to
be
constructive
critics
and
helpful
hands.
Thank
you
for
your
attention
to
this
matter.
I
I
want
to
highlight
and
celebrate
the
work
of
the
PHS
program
and
thank
you
for
your
detailed
testimony,
but
thank
you
more
for
crafting
a
program
that
really
goes
to
the
spirit
and
the
tenor
of
a
lot
of
concerns
raised
by
council
members
that
we
look
out
for
returning
citizens
and
immigrants
who
live
in
Philadelphia
local
residents
and
that
you
are
intentional
and
making
sure
that
those
you
do
contract
with
are
also
from
our
city
and
so
with
regards
to
returning
citizens.
Is
there
an
age
limit.
Q
C
I
C
Training
is
about
a
month
long
and
what
we
do
is
train
them
in
basic
landscaping:
how
to
use
weed
whackers
lawnmowers,
riding
mowers,
walk
behind
a
desk
of
training
them
how
to
identify
weeds
in
plant
material,
and
then
we
also
identify
employers
that
want
to
play
a
part
in
this
on
this
program,
and
I
will
also
say
that
all
the
people
that
participate
in
the
program
are
all
local
small
businesses
and
that
they
hire
more
than
just
one
a
lot
of
them.
A
male
employee,
either.
I
I
C
C
O
Phs
ism
working
at
the
prison
since
2006
and
we
have
a
different
landscaping
or
have
done
landscaping,
training
and
please
folks,
jobs
or
hearing
citizens
and
jobs
throughout
that
program
right.
This
has
been
a
real
last
two
years,
we've
been
really
marrying
our
land
care
initiative,
with
returning
criticisms
in
a
new
way,
I.
Clearly.
I
Remember
in
my
second
term,
when
there
was
a
lot
of
friendly
debate
on
how
we
could
do
better
with
regards
to
those
returning
from
or
leaving
making
a
transition
from,
the
prisons
back
into
the
real
world
and
where
the
opportunity
was,
and
the
notion
of
landscaping
actually
was
a
part
of
a
friendly
debate
here
so
now
see
that
it's
real
into
tangible
initiatives
is
admirable.
So
thank
you
for
your
work.
Thank.
A
A
A
P
Hi
there
I'm
max
Rae
reek
I'm,
a
member
of
a
crowd
Philadelphia.
This
is
my
first
time
doing
this
so
I'm
a
little
nervous
good
afternoon,
chairperson
black
fellow
members
of
the
committee.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
give
testimony
I'm
a
member
of
act
at
Philadelphia
and
act
up
is
concerned
with
ending
the
AIDS
crisis,
which
is
still
a
crisis
and
becoming
even
more
so
in
the
last
few
years,
despite
major
medical
advancements.
One
main
driver
of
the
crisis
now
and
the
reason
I
am
here-
is
housing.
P
The
city
of
Philadelphia
recently
released
the
first
needs
assessment
for
housing
for
people
with
HIV
and
AIDS
in
over
20
years.
People
living
with
HIV
and
AIDS
according
to
this
needs
assessment
are
about
three
times
more
likely
to
experience
homelessness
than
the
general
population
with
women,
African
American
and
Hispanic
people
and
transgender
individuals
at
disproportionately
high
risk
of
experiencing
homelessness.
P
Estimates
indicate
that
there
nearly
600
philadelphians
living
with
hiv/aids
currently
experiencing
homelessness
in
Philadelphia,
and
only
about
400
slots
in
the
housing
assistance
for
people
with
AIDS
program,
all
of
which
are
filled
and
which
rarely
turn
over
for
homeless.
Individuals
with
HIV
waiting
times
for
permanent
housing
are
six
months
or
more
for
people
considered
not
officially
homeless.
The
waitlist
will
close
on
July
1st,
with
wait
times
for
those
currently
on
the
list
estimated
at
7
to
8
years.
P
This
means
the
waitlist
is
closed
for
people
living
on
a
relative
or
friend's
couch
or
floor
without
their
own
key
people,
trading
sex
for
a
place
to
sleep
people
playing
50
than
90
percent
of
their
income
for
rent
and
people
living
in
a
home
that
is
making
them
sick
through
mold,
damp,
infestations,
etc.
For
people
with
HIV.
These
situations
are
particularly
dangerous.
In
addition,
HIV,
like
tuberculosis
and
hepatitis
C
is
a
communicable
chronic
illness.
P
When
someone
can
access
medication,
their
viral
load
increases
and
they
can
pass
HIV
on
to
others,
while
safe,
stable,
affordable
housing
helps
people
use
drugs
or
have
sex
more
safely.
The
biggest
benefit
of
housing
is
that
it
reduces
the
individuals
and
the
community's
viral
load.
Health
is
prevention
and
how
the
is
health,
a
study
in
Buffalo
New
York,
just
confirmed
that
permanent
supportive
housing
programs
reduce
viral
load
and
increase
cd4
count.
An
older
study
from
Philadelphia
confirmed
that
for
people
with
HIV,
safe,
stable,
affordable
housing
reduces
emergency
room
visits
and
healthcare
costs
in
Philadelphia.
P
According
to
a
recent
study
by
the
Federal
Reserve
Bank
from
22,000
to
2014,
we've
lost
23,000,
affordable
rental
units,
one
project
home
last
week,
open
a
first-come,
first-serve,
affordable
housing
building
with
just
88
units.
Hundreds
of
families
spent
the
night
lined
up
around
the
block,
hoping
to
get
a
slot.
Recently,
several
properties
funded
under
the
low-income
housing
tax
credit
are
coming
up
on
their
20-year
time
limit
and
developers
can
have
it
current
tenants
and
sell
the
apartments
at
market
rate.
P
Finding
new,
affordable
housing
could
be
displaced,
tenants
is
through
very
difficult,
and,
finally,
the
opioid
crisis
in
Philadelphia
is
underscoring
the
need
for
housing
solutions
that
save
lives
even
for
people
in
active
addiction,
housing,
first
programs
locally
and
nationwide
have
had
higher
success
rates
and
transitional
housing
programs.
They
require
sobriety
to
earn
permanent
housing.
In
short,
we
have
an
affordable
housing
crisis
in
Philadelphia
and
for
people
with
communicable
chronic
illness.
P
Mental
health
struggles,
and/or
addiction,
it's
a
deadly
project
problem
impacts
the
community's
health,
so
I'm
here
to
urge
council,
as
you
considered
bill,
one
seven,
zero
five:
five:
five
to
consider
taking
three
additional
steps:
increase
the
funding
available,
specifically
for
affordable
housing
in
Philadelphia
programs
like
density
bonuses
and,
finally
finishing
our
inclusionary.
Zoning
law
are
important.
P
Other
resources
to
look
for
it
include
pilots
or
payments
in
lieu
of
taxes
from
large
nonprofits
capping
the
ten
year
tax
abatement,
creating
a
fund
paid
into
by
entities
phasing
out
of
the
tax
abatement
period
to
begin
paying
their
first
year's
taxes
slowly
over
time
or
voluntarily,
paying
an
additional
tax-deductible
donations
over
time.
Considering
a
distributed
level
tax
on
home
improvement
products
like
cans
of
paint,
there
will
have
minimal
impact
to
the
individual
consumer,
but
will
help
low-income
Philadelphians
share
in
the
wealth
of
our
housing
boom.
P
The
second
thing
is
to
focus
more
city
funding
on
affordable
housing
through
the
Housing
Trust
Fund,
or
a
new
additional
mechanism
on
support
for
tenants.
Current
programs
of
the
Housing
Trust
Fund
are
focused
on
developers
and
homeowners,
but
we
must
also
focus
on
homelessness
prevention
for
tenants
and
scatter
site
pencil
based
tenant-based
rental
assistant
programs,
scatter
site
tenants
based
rental
assistance
is
key
to
housing
first
and
any
permanent
supportive
housing
programs,
because
individuals
can
move
into
neighborhoods
of
their
choice
case.
Managers
can
build
relationships
with
individual
landlords
and
not
in
my
backyard.
P
Problems
are
avoided
for
people
with
drug
and
alcohol
addiction,
mental
illness
and
communicable
chronic
illness.
This
kind
of
housing
support
is
vital
and
finally
use
housing
as
a
tool
for
healthcare.
By
this
we
mean
prioritizing
individuals
with
communicable
chronic
illness
across
all
housing
programs,
including
PHA,
the
housing
trust
fund,
etc.
Coordinate
between
the
health
department,
LHS
PB
HS,
to
keep
track
of
data
on
community
health
and
tie
it
to
housing
work
with
Medicaid
and
ensures
to
reimburse
as
much
supportive
housing
service
as
possible
as
we
possibly
can.
P
Q
Q
Q
What
I'm
speaking
on
today
is
I
represent
a
Black
Caucus
coalition
of
Haddington,
which
represents
14
city
blocks
of
black
actors.
Our
boundaries
are
from
52nd
to
55th
Market
to
race,
and
we
have
been
together
for
approximately
18
years.
We
started
out
by
being
funded
by,
we
append
Foundation
to
our
children's
future.
Without
later
we
rejoin
Scott,
because
the
funding
Scott
Scott
actually
is
the
most
beautiful
program
that
we
represent.
All
of
these
different
communities,
churches
and
and
different
organizations
that
we
give
help
to
our
community
and
our
children.
Q
Should
go
back
but
create
just
now
in
2010
has
more
less
than
more
like
privatized
and
it's
been
joined
by
a
group
called
community
umbrella
agencies
which
we
say
is
coolers
the
coolers
acts
we
have
taken
over.
Basically
our
funding
justice
this
year
two
months
ago,
the
caller's
advised
us
that
they
were
taking
20%
of
our
funding.
Q
That
was
already
advocated
to
them,
but
they
also
said
that
we
were
not
going
to
have
our
picnic,
which
is
a
big
thing
that
we
have
been
doing
for
the
last
25
years
or
more,
which
actually
is
one
of
the
big
events
that
we
give
to
our
poor
community.
My
question
is:
there
was
no
real
meeting
of
where
the
20%
went
to,
and
how
do
you
do
this
when
it's
a
contract?
Q
My
end
of
my
nobody
can
tell
us
what
is
going
on,
but
my
question
is
it's
my
money,
and
so
we
should
have
been
able
to
use
the
our
money
to
hack.
What
we
always
had
was
a
picnic
for
our
children
and
with
more
and
more
art,
since
all
these
different
groups
have
come
in
supposedly
to
help
our
community
we're
finding
out
that
we
no
longer
have
a
voice.
Q
We
seem
to
be
not
at
the
table
when
all
these
things
are
negotiated,
but
the
fact
is
we're
being
told
what
we
can
do
or
what
we're
not
going
to
do
and
the
bottom
part.
Is
it
it's
it's
our
money
and
it's
our
time
and
we
spend
so
much
trying
to
actually
help
our
community,
because
this
$5,000
grant
maximun
has
not
been
increased
for
the
last
20
years
and
everybody
don't
get
that,
but
the
bottom
line
is
we
have
to
spend
our
money
before
we
could
reimburse
and
it
as
an
agree.
Q
Umber
sment
sometimes
does
not
necessarily
meet
their
criteria,
so
the
money
comes
out
of
our
pocket.
But
that's
not
why
I
am
so
outraged.
My
outrage
is
we
really
do
not
know
what
part
we
play
with
the
coolers.
The
coolers
basically
is
an
adoption
at
frosty
air
and
and
then
we
basically
have
our
own
stock,
and
then
we
were
told
to
join
with
our
epics,
our
epics
and
our
coolers
have
not
merged
together.
So
we're
not
even
sure
what
part
we
play.
Q
But
the
bottom
part
is
our
scott
family
love
our
community,
and
we
use
all
our
resources
to
make
our
community
and
our
children
who
get
nothing
to
get
what
little
resources
we
get
to
make
it
hack
work,
and
my
question
also
is
I
would
like
to
understand
the
accountability
of
why
we
have
to
remind
you
must
show
money
and
where
it
goes,
but
there's
no.
We
do
not
know
how
the
cooler
or
any
of
the
other
groups
supposed
to
be
helping
us.
It
doesn't
happen.
Q
Q
We
need
to
understand
where
our
monies
are
spent
in
our
community.
That's
fascinated,
according
to
the
census,
track.
What
why
do
some
communities
get
nothing
or
very
little,
and
some
gets
a
lot
of
different
programs
and
supports
from
our
other
groups,
and
our
children
is
criticized
and
their
parents
are
criticizing
for
not
being
on
target
when
the
fact
is
only
the
different
groups
of
us
who
love
our
children
in
our
community
is
not
made
whole.
Q
We
had
no
tribe
no
problem,
because
our
children
are
glad
to
be
there
and
they
know
how
to
behave,
and
they
know
we
love
them.
But
it's
not
fair.
It
really
is
not
there
clip
4
for
people
to
take
away
from
our
what
we're
inside
of
zoo
and
blame
us
for
the
condition
that
you
placed
us
in.
Thank
you
for
listening
to
me.
Q
A
Thank
you
very
much
we're
going
to
ask
the
chief
Education
Officer
to
hold
up
a
minute
because
we
have
the
the
president
of
the
retired
teachers
association
school
district.
Who
has
to
leave
so
would
you
come
forward
and
then
we'll
have
ODIs
happening
chief
Education
Officer,
the
mayor's
office
of
Education,
to
testify.
I
And
members
of
City
Council
on
the
finance
committee
for
providing
the
opportunity
for
me
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
one
six,
one:
zero
six,
one,
the
Philadelphia
teacher
reimbursement
fund,
my
name
is
Emily
Taylor
and
I'm,
a
retired
educator,
having
served
as
a
teacher
and
teacher
Support
Specialist
for
art
education
for
thirty
nine
years
with
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia.
During
my
career,
I
have
spent
thousands
of
dollars
for
supplies
to
support
my
art
program.
I
was
provided
a
budget
to
start
and
build
a
program
at
the
two
schools
of
my
employment.
I
As
teacher
support
specialist
for
art
education,
I
became
increasingly
aware
of
the
need
for
monies
for
supplies
at
schools
suffered
from
reduced
funding,
schools
hired
art
teachers
with
little
to
no
funding
for
their
programs
as
schools
closed
or
the
art
departments
quickly.
The
art
department
quickly
redistributed
art
supplies
to
be
given
to
schools
in
need.
Teachers
have
conducted
methods
to
raise
funds
such
as
artists,
art
programs
and
exhibitions,
auctions
and
community
fundraisers
to
supplement
their
school
budget.
I
Despite
these
efforts,
teachers
continue
to
spend
their
own
money
for
materials.
They
would
quickly
spend
a
$100
allotment
provided
by
the
district
which
is
available
to
every
teacher.
This
is
not
the
way
to
support
our
students
and
programs
in
our
communities.
There
is
a
need
for
equal
opportunities
for
teachers
and
schools
to
receive
reimbursement
for
purchase
materials
outside
of
the
school
allotment.
There
is
a
need
for
a
vehicle
or
fine
support
that
directly
connects
with
the
teachers.
I
I
You
for
your
participation
and
for
paying
attention
to
an
issue
that
all
of
us
here
on
City
Council
care
about
when
it
comes
to
finding
innovative
ways
to
figure
out
how
we
can
deliver
what
all
of
our
young
people
and
children
deserve.
Arts
education
we
I
must
add
I
feel
compelled
to
ask:
are
you
aware
of
of
another
is
called
the
fund
for
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
that
which
currently
exists
and
my
limited
understanding
of
it
allows
for
the
support
for
support
services
and
programs
within
the
school
district?
I
Are
you
aware
that
that
funding
currently
exists?
No
actually
I
became
more
aware
of
it
just
through
this
process
and
learning
what
is
available
through
the
introduction
of
the
reimbursement
fill
a
bill
by
Councilman,
oh,
but
as
a
teacher,
many
of
us
are
not
aware
of
programs
such
as
that,
especially
if
it
goes
directly
to
the
school
and.
K
M
M
I
T
Thank
you
good
afternoon.
My
name
is
Otis
Hackney
and
I'm.
The
chief
Education
Officer
for
the
mayor's
office
of
education
I
would
like
to
begin
by
thanking
Councilwoman,
Blackwell
and
Councilman
o
and
the
members
of
the
Committee
on
Finance
for
inviting
me
to
offer
testimony
today
on
bill
number
one.
Six,
one
zero
six
one
which
would
establish
a
non-profit
corporation
to
reimburse
School
District
of
Philadelphia
teachers
for
a
portion
of
out-of-pocket
expenses
spent
on
classroom
supplies
and
equipment.
T
I
appreciate
the
importance,
the
important
issue
that
this
bill
seeks
to
address
and
I
applaud
efforts
to
support
our
amazing
teachers,
because
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
does
not
receive
sufficient
state
funding
to
meet
the
comprehensive
needs
of
our
schools.
Educators
often
spend
their
own
money
on
classroom
supplies.
I
experienced
this
firsthand,
both
as
a
teacher
when
I
was
a
teacher
at
Germantown
high
school
and
also
as
a
school
administrator
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
especially
at
South
Philadelphia
high
school.
T
However,
this
bill
creates
a
potential
duplication
of
services
for
supporting
teachers
across
the
district.
Earlier
this
year,
I
joined
the
board
of
directions
for
the
fund
for
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia,
the
fund,
an
independent
501,
C
3,
not-for-profit
organization
that
raises
and
administers
philanthropic
contributions
to
provide
support,
services
and
program
within
district
schools.
The
fun
existed,
the
funds
existing
organizational
structure
can
be
utilized
to
fulfill
this
task
and
lure
creating
a
new
nonprofit
entity
to
provide
a
similar
service
I.
T
K
You,
madam
chair,
and
thank
you
mr.
Hackney,
for
your
testimony.
I
just
wanted
you,
particularly
because
of
Miss
Emily
Taylor's
comments
in
response
to
the
Councilwoman
Reynolds
Brown
question
regarding
her
knowledge
of
the
fund
for
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
is
fund
and
the
potential
duplications
of
services
in
her
response.
In
addition
to
that
appreciate,
your
acknowledging
the
out-of-pocket
expense
that
occurs
on
a
natural
basis
for
those
who
are
in
the
classroom,
teachers
and
administrators.
K
K
G
T
To
work
with
the
council-
yes,
all
right
as
I
think
you
know,
you
know
with
me
being
here
talking
about
what
resources
are
available
or
the
infrastructure
that
exists
to
getting
the
word
out
to
teachers.
So,
as
I
was
sitting
here,
hearing
that
teachers
may
not
know
about
the
fund,
how
do
we
make
sure
that
they
are
aware?
You
know
the
teachers
and
building
principals
of
how
to
utilize
that
so
that
way,
we
can
cover
the
cost
of
different
projects
or
expenses
that
teaching
occur.
T
I
can
tell
you,
as
a
former
teacher
and
principal
I've,
come
out
of
pocket
many
times.
My
wife
reminded
me
over
the
weekend
when
I
was
thinking
about
today.
How
much
we
spent
over
the
years.
In
terms
of
you
know
the
instructional
supplies,
but
also
helping
children
like
buying
shoes,
clothes
food,
that
I
know
that
we
have
done
that
companies
have
done
over
the
years,
including
principal
Hackney,
and
in
terms
of
helping
to
close
the
gap
on
different
programs
that
we
always
come
out
of
pocket.
T
Often
so
how
do
we
better
utilize
dollars
in
our
schools
to
so
that
way?
We
can
cover
the
cost
from
creative
ways
that
I
was
able
to
get
when
I
was
able
to
get
philanthropic
dollars,
contributed
to
South
Philadelphia
High
School.
We
would
do
things
small,
like
mini
grants,
so
that
way,
a
principal
a
teacher
could
put
in
a
request
and
ask
for
a
certain
amount
and
really
be
thoughtful
about
how
they
would
utilize
those
dollars
in
the
classroom.
So
there
are
ways
to
be
really
responsive
and
to
the
needs
of
teachers.
L
You
chairwoman
and
Thank
You
councilman
Parker,
and
thank
you,
you
know,
chief
executive
officer.
What
is
hackneyed
you
you
are,
you
know
just
a
great
reputation
as
a
principal
and
as
a
teacher
I
will
say
my
concerns
are
this:
I
am
I
am
very
happy
to
work
in
any
way.
I'm
just
one
of
17
legislators,
but
I
also
have
to
do
my
part.
My
concern
is
one
that,
starting
with
this,
that
the
issue
of
teachers,
spending
their
own
money
and
and
for
the
most
part,
is
the
problem
for
our
schools.
L
L
First
of
all,
we
don't
expect
employees
to
supply
their
own
material,
let
alone
for
the
schools
to
purchase
basically
fundamental
necessary
items,
but
they
do,
and
there
has
not
been
a
satisfactory
mechanism
to
account
for
that
record.
It
make
it
transparent
to
the
public
and
even
I
as
a
councilman,
don't
know
how
much
money,
teachers
and
even
parents
are
spending
to
support
schools,
classrooms
and
other
things,
the
the
thing
that
has
been
available
to
teachers
that
they
seem
to
all
know
about,
and
it
is
not
any
other
reimbursement
program
than
$100
for
the
year
again.
L
For
the
second
time
that
we've
had
a
hearing,
we
just
happen
to
go
out
to
a
fast-food
place.
It's
actually
Burger
King
for
kids,
my
wife
buying
food
for
all
of
them
in
a
cousin,
you
know,
costs
forty
seven
dollars.
Forty
seven
dollars
for
Burger
King
teachers,
getting
reimbursed
$100
for
30,
kids
or
more
for
the
year
is
woefully
tragically
horribly,
inefficient
and
I.
Understand
that
you
know
there
are
big
fish
to
fry.
L
All
I'm
saying
is
trying
to
fry
all
these
big,
fresh
and
salt
solve
the
entire
school
district
problem
to
me
is
I'll,
say
inadequate.
A
if
the
fund
for
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
will
commit
to
establishing
a
separately
created
fund
that
its
sole
and
only
purpose
is
to
reimburse
teachers
up
to
five
thousand
dollars
and
that's
been
a
point
of
contention.
You
know
people
say
like
five
thousand
dollars:
yeah
five
thousand
dollars
up
to
five
thousand,
not
by
that,
but
one
hundred
dollars.
Five
hundred
dollars
is
completely
inadequate
and
I
understand.
L
There's
challenges
about
funding
the
creation
of
a
fund
to
reimburse
teachers
is
just
the
creation
of
the
entity.
There
has
been
no
allocation
of
money
for
this.
It's
not
costing
the
school
district
or
the
city.
Anything.
If
you
create
the
entity
solely
dedicated
to
reimbursing
teachers
up
to
five
thousand
dollars
vetted
and
and
looked
at
by
former
teachers,
then
the
challenge
is
upon.
L
Answers
been
no
and
it
seems
to
be
around
the
amount
of
money
number
one
which
I
can
understand.
Secondly,
the
the
administration
and
I
understand
and
I
can't
say
you
could
correct
me
if
I'm
wrong,
the
the
fund
for
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
yeah
has
not
committed
to
creating
a
dedicated
funding
source
to
reimburse
teachers.
There
are
a
lot
of
things
on
that
plate
and
teachers,
reimbursements,
historically,
have
been
very
low
priority.
I
would
just
say
that
you
know
from
the
top
point
of
view
of
fixing
the
school
district.
L
That's
a
huge
enormous
challenge
that
I
know
a
lot
of
good
people
are
working
on,
but
it's
just
a
huge
challenge,
but
on
the
ground
level
classroom
to
classroom
school
to
school,
we
have
teachers
and
to
me
the
teachers
are
the
the
things
that
the
people
that
fill
the
the
cracks
and
my
question
is:
can
you
either
commit
to
reimbursing
teachers
in
a
way
other
than
like
$100
or
200
bucks?
You
know
a
year.
If
not,
what
is
the
opposition
to
creating
this
fund?
You
said
potential
duplication
to
my
knowledge,
there's
no
duplication.
L
Yet
you
know
they're.
The
the
fund
for
the
school
district
has
not
created
a
reimbursement
process,
so
so
it
may
create
a
reimbursement
process,
but
it's
just
one
of
a
zillion
things
the
fund
is
doing
and,
and
then
there's
the
school
district
itself
and
we're
not
getting
into
has
nothing
to
do
with
that.
The
contract,
negotiation
or
anything
as
I've
said
before
I've
been
I've
had
communications
with
some
entities
that
are
interested
in
funding,
but
you
know,
but
not
not.
We
can't
go
further
if
we
don't
have
a
fund
so.
T
T
I
can
say
that,
on
behalf
of
the
mayor,
the
mayor's
office
the
mayor
has
set
up.
You
know
his
he's
been
very
public
about
the
luxury
boxes
in
the
stadiums
that
he
has
set
up.
So
that
way,
the
funds
go
to
the
fund
for
Philadelphia,
for
the
school
district
Philadelphia
to
support
schools
and
teachers
in
those
efforts,
and
so
how
do
we
just
make
sure?
How
do
we
ensure
that
that
information
is
out
to
teachers
and
they
know
how
to
access
those
resources
and/or?
T
How
do
we
make
sure
that
those
that
would
like
to
donate
contribute-
and
you
know,
philanthropic
dollars
towards
the
fund,
so
that
way
that
those
monies
can
be
earmarked
for
teachers
and
no
supplies
or
special
projects?
We
can
meet
and
figure
out
what
would
be
a
reasonable
amount.
I
can
I
can
put
my
current
lense
on
it,
but
also
my
printable
lens
and
teacher
in
terms
of
when
you
know
when
you
talk
of
like
really
large
amounts
of
money.
T
Is
that
when
we
are
in
adequately
funded,
it
makes
those
choices
very
challenging,
not
just
for
the
teachers,
but
at
the
principal
level,
when
you
have
to
make
decisions
around
how
much
money
is
left
in
operating
to
buy
those
supplies,
and
it
does
vary
from
school
to
school.
When
you
think
about
some
schools
that
have
different
resources
or
internal
external
resources
or
friends
of
groups
that
can
help
close
those
gaps
and
other
schools.
T
T
It
is,
it
is
a
reality
and
it's
a
reality
that
we've
existed
in
dealt
with
for
a
long
time,
but
the
inadequacies
in
the
state
funding
and
when
those
budget
cuts
hit
and
I
was
a
sitting
principal
at
the
time
when
the
last
round
of
when
a
billion
dollars
was
cut-
and
we
saw
I
mean
paper-
was
a
premium
resources,
pencils
for
testing.
All
of
those
things
became
a
batteries
for
calculators
before
testing.
All
of
those
things
became
an
extreme
premium,
let
alone
the
resources
that
you
would
need
just
to
run
the
class.
T
You
know
your
classroom
on
a
daily
basis,
so
you
know
disagreement
in
terms
of
the
need,
but
it's
just
making
sure
if
we
have
a
you
know,
an
organization
that
is
ready,
willing
and
Rd
staff
and
has
the
resources
and
the
means
and
the
know-how
to
do
this.
To
do
it.
That's
why
I
would
you
know
just
be
advising
on
how
we
can
better
partner
with
the
existing
structure.
Let.
L
Me
say
that
I
don't
want
to
waste
time
and
I'm
not
directing
this
towards
you
I'm,
try
not
to
make
it
negative.
What
I'm
saying
is,
if
we're
just
going
to
BS
around
this,
let's
just
kill
it
today
and
move
on
to
something
else.
You
know
I,
don't
want
to
have
a
discussion
about
something
about
something;
in
other
words,
the
the
reimbursement
to
teachers
predates
the
billion
dollar
cut,
I
mean
before
the
billion
dollars
cut.
There
was
teachers
there
were
teachers
spending
their
own
money.
L
It's
been
an
ongoing
issue
and
it's
it's
not
like.
It
happened
five
years
ago
or
ten.
It's
just
been
an
ongoing
thing.
It's
just
been
exacerbated
by
the
current
situation
and
the
school
district
is
looking
at
a
seven
hundred
million
dollar
deficit
and
a
whole
bunch
of
other
issues.
For
me,
the
creation
of
a
separate
fund
means
the
only
thing
that
fund
is
for
is
to
reimburse
teachers
that
money
does
not
go
anywhere
else
can't
go
for
something
else,
something
more
important.
L
So
there's
theoretically
up
to
four
hundred
eighty
five
thousand
dollars
available,
simply
to
reimburse
teachers
I,
don't
know
where
that
money
is
going,
I'm,
not
saying
that
that
money
should
go
into
this
fund.
All
I'm
saying
is:
there
has
been
money
identified,
but
at
the
end
of
the
day
it's
woefully
inadequate
and
there
has
to
be,
at
least
in
my
opinion.
If
we're
going
to
be
serious
about
this,
a
commitment
to
reimbursing
teachers
and
one
of
the
things
I'm
concerned
about,
is
you
know,
people
fund
different
things.
L
Quite
frankly,
when
someone
says
to
me,
you
know,
should
I
give
a
contribution
to
the
SRC.
My
answer
is
no
I
mean
not
five
thousand
dollars,
that's
not
going
to
make
any
difference,
but
if
you'll
go
to
a
school
or
I'll,
go
to
a
school
and
we'll
see
what
they
need
and
we'll
purchase
the
materials
that'll
make
a
difference
with
your
five
thousand
dollars.
L
If
there
was
a
serious
interest
in
creating
a
teachers
reimbursement
fund
within
this
fund
for
the
school
district,
there
would
be
a
proposal
and
there
isn't
there's
a
discussion.
Then
it's
got
to
be
voted
on
and
then
you
know
it's
not
going
to
be
dedicated
and
then
how
much
are
we
talking
about?
What's
the
mechanism
I
would
just
say,
like
here's,
the
best
I
can
do
I'm
just
a
legislator.
The
mayor
is
another
elected
official.
He
can
propose
something,
and
you
know
the
SRC
could
propose
something
and
everybody
could
propose
something.
L
This
is
just
what
I
proposed
and
I've
not
seen
a
counter
proposal
similar
a
dedicated
funding
thing.
We
know
how
much
money
is
in
basically
vetted
by
former
school
Philadelphia
school
teachers
who
know
what
the
difference
is
and
in
an
effort
to
get
money
into
it,
so
that
we
will
and
they
will-
and
everybody
will
know
that
the
money
in
there
is
for
reimbursing
teachers
and
addressing
inequity
in
our
school
system.
But
thank
you
very
much.
Thank.
A
S
Leslie
grace
I'm
art
teacher
at
Nevinger,
elementary
and
I
would
like
to
begin
by
thanking
chairman
Blackwell
councilman
Oh,
and
the
members
of
the
committee
on
excuse
me
on
Finance
for
this
opportunity
to
offer
testimony
today
in
support
of
bill
number
one
six
one.
Oh
six,
one
I
feel
like
I'm
really
fired
up
sorry
I'm
waiting
for
so
long.
I
would
like
to
emphasize
some
of
the
points
I
made
when
I
previously
spoke
in
support
of
this
bill.
Currently,
the
only
form
of
reimbursement
for
teachers
is
a
one
hundred
dollar
allotment
offered.
S
Furthermore,
though
there
are
programs
like
the
fund
for
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia,
that
does
not
directly
support
all
classroom
teachers
in
all
subjects,
especially
areas
where
we
serve
all
children
like
special
their
stated
majority
on
their
stated
major
priority
of
establishing
libraries
in
all
kv-3
classrooms.
So
significant
and
obviously
important
does
not
help
support
all
teachers
in
the
district
and
does
not
help
support
all
of
the
classroom
needs.
S
This
bill
would
not
create
a
duplication
of
service,
and
if
there
are
multiple
vehicles
for
funding,
then
I
say
all
the
better
$100
and
that's
it,
and
if
any
one
in
front
of
the
classroom
or
who
has
a
child,
knows
well
that
that
$100
does
not
go
far.
Furthermore,
the
Philadelphia
education
supplies
fund
to
United
Way
estab,
established
by
Michel
Mayor
Nutter
and
going
all
backwards
here.
S
Mayor
Michael
Nutter,
in
which
the
school
district
applied
on
behalf
of
all
schools,
is
no
longer
effect
in
effect,
even
if
it
was,
it
was
not
something
that
all
teachers
had
equitable
access
to
regardless
this
bill
is
just
to
establish
a
transparent
profit
to
help
support
our
city's
hard-working
teachers
who
spend
their
own
harder
hard-earned
dollars
on
their
students.
Why
is
it
accepted
and
expected
as
the
norm
for
teachers
to
pay
out
of
their
wages?
Teachers
are
professionals
and
we
should
be
treated
as
such.
S
If
we
spend
our
own
money
on
our
students,
we
should
be
in
reimbursed
I
fail
to
see
why
this
bill
would
not
be
supported,
as
it
would
be
a
non-profit,
and
it
would
only
do
good
to
help
raise.
The
equity
of
education
in
our
district.
I
have
personally
paid
for
over
12,000
dollars
of
supplies,
furnitures
and
technology
for
my
classroom
over
the
past
four
years.
S
In
addition
wanting
to
ensure
that
my
students
have
an
equitable
education
to
that
of
their
counterparts
in
more
affluent
areas
or
districts,
I've
had
to
hustle
and
grovel
for
funding,
as
well
as
paying
out
of
my
own
pocket.
I've
spent
countless
hours
fundraising
for
my
room,
begging,
family
members,
friends
and
the
greater
community
and
in
total
I've
raised
over
$20,000
in
the
past
four
years,
though,
I'm
grateful
for
my
$100
allotment.
That
amount
clearly
cannot
support
a
classroom.
Please
do
not
pause
for
cause.
Please
do
not
take
a
step
back.
S
This
is
a
fund
that
is
urgently
needed
to
support
all
teachers
all
classrooms
and
would
have
a
direct
positive
effect
on
all
students
at
no
loss
to
the
city
and
no
loss
to
the
school
district.
If
we
want
to
ensure
the
equitable
education
of
our
city,
students
and
this
bill
needs
support,
we're
losing
great
teachers
in
our
city
to
more
affluent
school
districts
where
they
are
provided
with
budgets,
fundamental
supplies
and
are
valued
in
their
role
as
a
professional
educator.
S
I
would
also
like
to
submit
into
the
records
a
petition
with
231
signatures
and
growing
I
might
add
in
support
as
bill
1/6
106
1.
Please
show
your
support
of
our
city's
teachers
in
schools.
Please
vote
to
move
this
bill
out
of
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity.
I
My
name
is
Vivian
Hansberry
and
I
am
a
retired
teacher
of
25
years.
I
am
also
the
president
of
the
Philadelphia
public
schools,
employees,
retirees
Association
and
the
Regional
Director
of
the
Pennsylvania
State
Association
of
retirees
when
I.
When
my
other
innovations
heard
about
councilman
olds
bill
I
was
amazed.
I
said
to
myself:
oh,
the
clock
has
reversed
to
over
25
years,
and
here
teachers
are
still
required
to
use
our
personal
funds
to
provide
the
necessary
materials
that
children
need
innovation,
especially
children
with
special
needs.
I
So
my
organizations
are
here
to
support
bill
one
six,
one.
Oh
six,
I
think
the
teachers,
the
mere
fact
that
teachers
are
willing
to
still
use
personal
funds
for
basic
classroom
supplies
is
a
testament
to
their
dedication
to
the
students,
but
also
an
indictment
of
a
system
that
puts
them
in
a
position
that
requires
them
to
use
personal
funds
for
basic
supplies.
I
I
I
You
are
cheese
because
we
teachers
taught
you
the
skills
that
you
need
to
achieve.
How
dare
you
say?
You
cannot,
prime
the
horse
ever
bad.
The
points
for
children
to
achieve
this
is
an
excellent
bill
and
we
encourage
you
to
pass
the
bill.
My
two
organizations
are
willing
to
do
anything
that
you
deem
necessary
to
ensure
that
this
bill
I.
Thank
you
so
much
for
your
time
and
we
are
looking
forward
that
Monday.
We
will
see
on
the
internet
that
this
bill
has
passed.
Thank
you
so
much.
Thank.
A
C
I
will
be
very
brief
in
my
presentation
and
my
request
for
the
support
of
bill.
16,
106,
1
and
I'd
say
I'd
like
to
say
good
afternoon
to
their
person
council,
lady
Blackwell,
and
to
the
honorable
council
members
who
were
present
and
as
a
test
employee
of
the
Philadelphia
public
school
system.
I
fully
support
this
bill
could.
A
C
They
had
thought
fungo
and
they
had
provided
funds
for
his
education.
Fortunately,
we
have
had
to
supplement
some
of
that
because
they
did
a
number
of
very
special
things.
They
had
exchange
program
that
had
to
be
funded
and
forth.
That
was
provided.
Some
of
the
teachers
provided
fun
for
that
I.
Also,
as
the
grandmother
helped
to
provide
that
the
generous
proceeds
from
the
teachers
pocket
was
greatly
appreciated
and
it
was
beneficial
to
not
only
my
grandchildren
but
to
the
other
students
in
that
classroom.
C
A
B
Seven:
zero
four
four
six
resolution
authorizing
the
chameleon
clients
to
hold
hearings
to
examine
the
city's
annual
reports
requirement,
as
it
relates
to
every
City
office
department,
board
and
Commission
that
issues
any
permit
licenses
or
any
document
for
which
a
fee
is
charged
in
order
to
ascertain
and
discuss
with
the
administration.
The
current
availability
of
these
reports
and
going
for
a
schedule
which
sets
out
when
these
reports
can
be
made
available
to
counsel
for
this
fiscal
year
and
every
fiscal
year
thereafter.
M
M
Understanding
is
the
intent
of
the
resolution
is
to
ensure
that
the
city
has
emplaced
policies
and
procedures
to
ensure
that
is
charging
the
appropriate
level
of
fees
for
services
provided
by
city
government
could
mean
undertaking
periodic
analyses
to
determine
whether
the
fees,
the
city
charges
cover
the
cost
of
services
being
provided.
To
the
extent
that
those
analyses
resulted
in
appropriately
higher
fees,
they
could
either
lessen
the
pressure
to
increase
taxes,
provide
funding
to
improve
the
health
of
the
pension
fund
or
the
city's
general
fund
or
fund
additional
services.
M
E
Goal
of
this
is
to,
as
we've
talked
about,
is
to
figure
out
if
we're
charging
the
right
fees
for
the
services
we
provided
the
city
and
making
sure
that
we've
included
all
the
cost
of
those
fees
from
every
department
of
the
city
and
that's
the
big
overreaching
goal,
because
we've
seen
in
testimony
during
council
that
some
of
the
pees
date
back
to
the
court
system
was
1984.
Some
of
those
were
2006,
so
we
just
want
to
make
sure
that
they
reflect
the
current
cost
of
the
services
were
providing
today.
E
M
A
Thank
you
any
other
comments
or
questions.
Thank
you
very
much.
Is
there
anyone
else
here
who
would
like
to
testify
on
any
of
the
bills
or
this
resolution?
Thank
you
much
seeing
none.
Then
this
will
end
our
public
hearing
and
we
will
enter
into
our
public
meeting.
The
chair
will
ask
Councilwoman
Blondell
Reynolds
Brown
to
read
a
copy
of
emotion
or
bill.
Number
174.
I
K
A
Has
moved
and
seconded
that
bill
number
1,
7,
0
4
3
to
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended.
Sorsa
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill,
F
in
this
section
as
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
was
signify
by
saying
aye
aye,
those
pose
say
next.
The
ice
abbot
and
the
motion
carries
in
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero.
A
Four
three
two
will
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
a
request
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
to
permit
first
reading.
At
our
next
session
of
council,
the
chair
recognizes
Councilwoman
Councilwoman
Reynolds
Brown
for
a
motion
with
regard
to
dill
number
one:
seven,
zero
for
the
readers.
Thank.
I
A
It
has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero
four
three
three
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and,
furthermore,
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
as
to
permit
first
reading
at
our
next
session
of
council,
all
those
in
favor
say:
aye
aye,
those
opposed
the
I
Sabbath
and
the
motion
carries
from
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero.
Four
three
three
will
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
disabled
recommendation
and
a
request
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
to
permit
first
reading
at
our
next
session
scallop.
K
A
Is
removed
and
properly
seconded
that
bill
number
one:
seven
zero
four
three
four
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
disable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
was
signify
by
saying
aye,
all
those
opposed,
nay,
the
eyes
have
it,
and
the
motion
carries
and
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero.
K
E
A
Has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
Seb
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero
five
one
five
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
as
to
permit
first
reading
of
the
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
say
aye
opposed.
The
i7
and
motion
carries
in
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero.
E
A
Has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero
five
one
nine
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
as
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
was
signify
by
saying
aye,
those
opposed,
nay,
the
ice
habit
and
the
motion
carries
and
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero.
A
L
L
Sorry,
I
I
go
all
the
way
back.
Thank
you,
madam
chair
I
move
that
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero:
five:
five:
five
B
reporter
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
roles
of
counsel
be
suspended
to
mark
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
If.
A
We
have
a
second:
it
has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero,
five,
five
five:
they
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
as
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
will
signify
by
saying
aye
those
opposed
the
i7
and
the
motion
carries
and
bill
number
one:
seven,
zero.
A
Five
five
five
will
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and,
furthermore,
that
the
rules
of
council
are
suspended,
be
suspended
so
to
permit
first
reading
at
our
next
session
of
council.
The
chair
now
recognizes
councilman
tho
four
motion
on
the
amendment
to
bill
number:
one:
six:
one:
zero
six
months.
Thank.
L
E
A
S
A
A
L
E
D
A
A
The
nays
have
it
and
the
motion
fails
and
bill
number
one:
six
one
zero
six
one
as
amended,
will
not
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
let
me
further
say
that
for
all
these
votes,
councilman
Greenlee
lets
us
vote
for
nay
on
this
bill
and
I
on
all
the
other
bills.
I
think
that
concludes
our
business.
For
today,
this.