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From YouTube: Committee on Law and Government 2-5-2019
Description
The Committee on Law and Government of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at 10:00 AM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following items:
180820 An Ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to change certain gender specific references to gender neutral references, as approved by Resolution of the City Council; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot question to be voted on; and, authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
180943 An Ordinance amending Chapter 9 1100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Fair Practices Ordinance: Protections Against Unlawful Discrimination," by adding a new section prohibiting retail establishments from refusing to accept cash as a form of payment, all under certain terms and conditions.
190007 An Ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter establishing and defining the responsibilities of the Office of Immigrant Affairs; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot questions to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
180357 Resolution authorizing the Committee on Law and Government to hold hearings regarding the use of THC screenings for people on probation or parole in Philadelphia.
180834 Resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to change certain gender specific references (such as "councilman," "councilmen," and "Councilmanic") to gender neutral references (such as "councilmember," "councilmembers," and "Council"); and providing for the submission of the proposed amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
190028 Resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation of an Office of Immigrant Affairs, to provide for the powers and duties of such Office, and to otherwise provide for incorporation of the Office into the City government; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
Committee on law and Government
Chair: Councilman Bill Greenlee (At Large)
Vice Chair: Councilman Derek Green (At Large)
A
B
Number
one:
eight
zero,
nine
four:
three:
an
ordinance
amending
chapter
9-11
hundred
of
the
Philadelphia
Code,
entitled
fair
practices,
ordinance
protections
against
unlawful
discrimination
by
adding
a
new
section
prohibiting
retail
establishments
from
refusing
to
accept
cash
as
a
form
of
payment,
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
Thank.
A
A
This
note
is
legal
tender
for
all
debts,
public
and
private,
but
we
have
found
recently
that
there's
a
number
of
places
and
they
seem
to
be
growing-
that
you
can't
go
in
and
get
a
cup
of
coffee,
a
salad,
a
sandwich
and
and
not
and
on
you
would
not
be
able
to
get
it.
If
you
just
had
cash,
you
have
to
have
a
credit
card.
There's
something
really
seems
wrong
with
that.
A
Basically,
because
the
people
who
are
shut
out
of
that
process,
that
don't
have
credits
are
that
are
what's
called
unbanked,
overwhelmingly
or
low-income
minority
immigrants
and
when
you
start
separating
people,
even
if
it's
not
intentional,
for
basic
services
for
basic
rights,
even
if
you're
not
doing
it
intentionally.
In
my
opinion,
that's
discrimination,
and
that's
why
we
put
this
bill
in
all.
We're
asking
folks
to
do.
Businesses
to
do
is
accept
the
green
stuff
that
had
been
accepted
for
centuries.
A
Okay,
it
doesn't
stop
anybody
from
using
credit,
does
stop
any
business
from
accepting
any
credit
they
want,
but
they
also
have
to
take
cash
for
basic
consumer
services.
So,
okay,
so
with
that,
unless
there's
any
other
comments
from
the
from
the
committee
miss
Marconi
what
you
call
first,
two
people.
A
While
they're
coming
up
I
just
want
to
make
a
general
statement,
which
is
almost
always
ignored,
if
you
have
written
testimony
you
could
you
do
not
have
to
read
the
whole
testimony.
It
will
be
put
made
part
of
the
record.
The
whole
testimony
be
part
of
the
record,
and
you
could
summarize
your
statements
if
you
see
fit.
Thank
you
very
much
who
ever
like
to
go.
First,.
C
Good
morning
everyone
Thank
You,
chairman
Greenlee
councilmember,
can
you
know
Sanchez
some
members
of
the
committee
and
loan
government
for
giving
me
the
opportunity
to
testify
regarding
bill
number
one.
Eight,
zero
943
prohibiting
establishments
from
refusing
to
accept
cash
as
a
form
of
payment,
I'm,
rule
and
I
owe
executive
director
of
the
Philadelphia
Commission
on
human
relations.
The
Commission
enforces
the
city's
fair
practices
ordinance
that
law
that
prohibits
discrimination
and
employment,
housing
and
public
accommodations
and
the
delivery
of
service
city
services,
and
this
law
will
be
amended
by
this
bill.
C
Philadelphia
has
led
the
nation
in
its
civil
rights
initiatives
over
the
years,
amending
the
fair
practices,
ordinance
and
other
laws
to
provide
stronger
protections
for
groups
who
experience,
bias
and
discrimination,
harassment
and
hate
or
experience
exclusion
as
a
result
of
opportunity.
Inequalities
as
we
embrace
the
changing
trends
towards
a
digital
ecommerce
economy,
characterized
by
conveniences
like
online
purchases,
ride-sharing
phone
apps
and
digital
wallets
on
our
smart
phones.
We
are
quick
to
appreciate
the
innovation
and
entrepreneurship
that
makes
such
advances
possible.
C
Yet
we
also
must
acknowledge
that
we,
the
trend
towards
a
cashless
consumer
experience,
is
not
inclusive
and
accessible
by
all.
Presently,
a
significant
number
of
Philadelphia
residents
who
are
unbanked
or
underbanked
for
a
variety
of
social
and
financial
reasons
have
been
excluded
from
doing
business
with
cashless
establishments.
C
Understanding
the
many
reasons
city
residents
are
unbanked
or
do
not
use.
Bank
cards
is
important
to
knowing
why
solely
promoting
and
supporting
access
to
bank
accounts
is
not
a
solution
to
create
equity
in
people's
cash
versus
cashless
purchasing
power.
Many
of
these
unbanked
households
must
overcome
obstacles
such
as
poverty,
unemployment,
inefficient
state
issued,
ID
and
documentation,
reintegration
into
the
community
from
prison,
language
barriers,
financial
and
technological
literacy
or
a
general
distrust
of
banks
and
plastic
spending.
C
Studies
have
shown
that
barriers
to
banking
disproportionately
impacts,
blacks
and
Hispanics,
as
holds
business
models.
Only
accepting
cashless
transactions
can
disproportionately
impact
already
struggling
and
marred
marginalized
residents
by
excluding
unbanked
consumers.
Cashless
business
models
may
have
have
the
potential
for
advantages
such
as
increasing
efficiencies,
revenues,
safety,
customer
convenience
and
even
environmental
sustainability.
C
While
this
economic
trend
moving
toward
a
future
with
a
greater
reliance
upon
digital
online
and
bank
card
purchases,
may
be
inevitable.
Considering
the
number
of
unbanked
residents
in
our
city,
the
ability
to
access
and
enjoy
these
conveniences
only
benefits
the
more
privileged
consumers
in
our
city.
We
must
first
assure
that
residents
and
visitors
in
Philadelphia
are
treated
equally
and
not
excluded
from
purchasing
goods
and
services
from
cashless
establishments.
C
A
D
Obvious
good
morning,
chairman
Greenlee
council,
women's
Canyon,
Oh
Sanchez
and
the
members
of
the
committee
on
lawn
government,
my
name
is
Sylvia
Howard
and
I'm.
First
deputy
at
the
Department
of
Commerce
I'm
here
today
to
provide
testimony
on
bill
number
one:
eight,
zero,
nine
four
three
I
would
like
to
start
by
thanking
councilmember,
Greenlee
and
councilmember
quinones
Sanchez
for
opening
up
this
important
dialogue.
D
We've
had
a
number
of
discussions
and
we
appreciate
the
time
that
we
were
provided
to
research,
the
matter
as
well
as
your
consideration
of
our
suggestions
and
feedback,
including
the
amendments
incorporated
today.
The
bill
highlights
the
challenges
that
come
with
modern
is
this
bill
highlights
the
challenges
that
come
with
modernization,
although
cassius
retail
establishments
do
not
exist
in
significant
numbers
today
in
Philadelphia
fewer
than
many
of
our
peer
cities
based
on
our
research,
we
are
confident
that
this
business
model
will
proliferate
in
the
near
future.
D
Indeed,
many
of
our
transactions
already
reflect
our
increasing
preference
for
online
shopping,
Amazon,
uber,
lyft,
grocery
and
other
delivery
services.
In
fact,
according
to
studies,
only
five
to
ten
percent
of
Millennials
choose
to
use
cash.
Today,
in
China,
entire
cities
are
cashless
and
in
India
the
country
has
an
initiative
called
cashless
India
to
prepare
all
of
its
residents
for
the
future
economy.
We
have
a
significant
population
in
Philadelphia
that
is
unbanked
and
underbanked
and
cannot
access
critical
financial
resources
such
as
a
mortgage,
educational
or
small
business
loans.
D
The
Federal
Deposit
Insurance
Corporation
found
that
5.8
percent
of
households
in
the
Philadelphia
Camden
moment
in
metropolitan
area
were
unbanked
and
twenty
two
point
three
percent
were
under
banked
in
2017.
5-Year
estimates
between
2013
and
2017
show
that
fifty
seven
point,
two
percent
of
households
in
the
MSA
that
earned
less
than
fifteen
thousand,
were
unbanked
or
underbanked.
This
statistic
is
alarming
and
is
something
we
must
work
to
dress
as
a
city.
In
our
conversations
council
members
green,
linking
Eunice
Sanchez
expressed
their
desire
to
and
to
ensure
that
all
philadelphians
have
access
to
every
retail
option.
D
This
is
certainly
a
goal
that
we
commend
and
sher.
We
also
believe
that
this
bill
alone
will
not
address
the
core
issue
of
the
financial
barriers.
Far
too
many
Philadelphians
base.
If
philadelphia
decides
to
press
pause
on
this
business
model,
the
city
must
also
accelerate
our
efforts
to
develop
policies
and
programs
that
will
get
our
communities
banked,
so
they
will
have
access
to
the
cassius
economy
when
it
becomes
a
norm
in
the
US
and
globally.
As
a
city,
we
constantly
seek
to
strike
the
balance
of
growing
our
economy
while
ensuring
our
growth
is
inclusive.
D
This
issue
is
at
the
heart
of
that
challenge.
At
some
point,
probably
in
the
near
future,
a
ban
on
cashless
businesses
could
impact
our
competitiveness
as
a
city
which
would
negatively
impact
those
that
are
already
the
most
disadvantaged
and
because
we
know
that
inclusion
is
very
difficult
to
achieve
without
growth,
we
must
prepare
a
city
for
the
rapid
pace
of
modernization.
D
With
this
end
in
mind,
Commerce
stands
ready
to
work
with
City
Council,
other
city
agencies,
the
financial
empowerment
center
and
community
nonprofits
to
find
solutions
and
strategies
that
create
access
to
the
modern
economy,
just
as
India
is
doing
for
its
people
under
the
umbrella
of
the
smart
city
task
force,
announced
through
an
executive
order.
Just
yesterday,
we
will
redouble
our
efforts
to
research
and
monitor
trends
in
modernization,
so
that
Philadelphia
is
best
positioned
to
thrive
in
this
rapidly
changing
world.
Thank
you
for
providing
me
the
opportunity
I'm
happy
to
answer
any
questions.
Ok,.
A
Thank
you
just
a
couple,
quick
questions.
It's
Howard,
you
say
your.
We
also
the
city
also
believes
this
bill
alone
will
not
address
the
core
issue.
Financial
barriers.
I.
Think
everybody
agrees
on
that.
We're
not
saying
this
bill
solves
every
problem,
obviously
of
the
of
the
unbanked
underbanked,
but
is
it
fair
to
say
right
now
there
is
a
significant
portion
of
Philadelphians
that
are
shut
out
of
regular
consumer
or
regular
ability
to
access
certain
businesses,
because
they
don't
have
a
credit
card.
Is
that
a
fair
statement.
D
A
D
F
F
This
council
discounsel
has
had
hearings
about
municipal
bank
and
helping
the
if
they
come
back
and
I
would
hope
that
the
smart
cities
Task
Force,
look
at
that
as
part
of
its
challenge
about
how
do
you
really
get
there
right
and
and
I
think
there's
the
market.
We
can't
control
the
private
market,
but
we
can
absolutely
in
right
what
we
do
as
the
government
and
I
just
want
to
remind
folks
from
the
record.
You
know
when
we
use
our
community
block
grant
money
to
build
infrastructure
in
the
city.
F
It
really
does
speak
to
our
values,
about
people
having
access
to
everything
right
and
so
sending
a
message
that
everyone
is
welcome
is
hugely
important
as
a
city
and
I
think
it's
a
value
that
this
council
shares
and
and
I
look
at
this
as
I.
Don't
want
anybody
to
feel
excluded
anywhere
right.
So
it's
really
important.
So
I
appreciate
your
work
on
this
always
appreciate
you.
A
E
You
mr.
chair
and
thank
you
councilman
Sanchez,
to
bring
up
the
issue
municipal
bank,
our
public
banking,
that's
an
issue
that
I've
been
discussing
with
the
city
and
administration
for
some
time,
I'm
glad
that
the
administration
issued
the
RFP
a
few
weeks
ago,
so
that
we
can
bring
in
some
research
to
further
explore
the
concept.
Public
banking
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
but
councilman
Sanchez
brought
the
issue
of
cashless,
India
and
I
know.
E
D
My
understanding
that
the
perspective
that
the
government
of
India
is
taken
and
I
think
it's
the
third
most
impoverished
country
in
the
nation
in
the
world
is
that
they
need
to
rather
than
you
know,
try
to
stop
modernization
from
happening
their
country
they
need
to
as
a
government
bring
their
people
along,
which
is
what
I
would
like.
Yeah
I
would
love
for
Philadelphia
to
be
in
that
place
that
we're
bringing
people
towards
my
modernization.
D
So
you
know
I
think
that,
basically,
what
they're
doing
is
they're
giving
out
I
think
free
cards.
So
you
know
right
now
you
can
get
a
prepaid
credit
card
which
is
not
you
don't
have
to
have
credit,
you
can
just
go
and
buy
it,
and
then
you
can
go
to
7-eleven
or
Walgreens
CVS
and
refill
that
karp.
You
have
to
pay
a
fee,
so
I
think
in
India
they
don't
charge
a
fee
to
have
that
card.
So
they're
really
trying
to
get
all
people
to
have
access
to
that
I.
D
Don't
know
you
know
how
far
along
they
are
in
the
process,
but
I
will
point
out.
One
thing
the
city
of
Philadelphia
also
has
this
business
practice
in
the
city
fed
up.
You
cannot
get
use
cash
or
personal
cheque
to
get
married
and
there's
other
fees
and
permits
where
we
don't
accept
cash,
so
we're
telling
businesses
they
can't,
but
we
do
the
same
thing.
A
E
Also
you
mentioned
Africa,
and
it
made
me
reflect
on
and
also
technology,
because
I
accept
two
friends
from
college
that
live
in
Africa.
One
Mike
has
been
in
since
9
1995
a
Steve's
been
in
since
2001
and
I.
Remember
when
Mike
first
moved
there
in
order
to
get
a
landline,
it
was
about
to
year
two
and
a
half
year
wait
and
technology
was
still
in
its
infancy
and
then,
when
cell
phones
became
more
more
prominent,
most
people
said
why
don't
even
need
a
cell
phone
I
mean
I,
don't
even
need
a
landline.
E
I'll
use
my
cell
phone,
and
you
made
a
reference
to
the
fact
that
people
are
using
technology
more
and
more
for
transactions,
think
about
institutions
like
Ramin,
Bank
and
other
cities
and
technology,
and
so
you
talk
about
future
competitiveness.
And
do
you
see
a
concern
in
reference
to
how
technology
and
some
people
are
now
using
their
phone
as
their
bank
and
for
all
kinds
of
transactions?
E
D
Some
of
you
know,
I
lived
in
Ecuador
for
five
years
is
a
similar
thing
where
a
lot
of
the
rural
communities
didn't
have
landlines
and
the
cost
for
the
government
to
put
in
the
infrastructure
for
landlines
was
so
expensive
that
most
people
just
skip
straight
to
cell
phones,
when
cell
phones
came
into
place
and
it
saved
the
country
money
and
it
was
at
the
end
of
the
day-
was
what
everybody
was
using
anyhow
I
mean
I
think
that
the
reality
is
people
are
moving
to
using
their
phones.
For
anything
specifically
can
I
mean.
D
Obviously
not
every
single
person
has
a
phone,
but
the
vast
majority
do
and
in
places
like
Africa
and
India
in
developing
countries.
Those
countries
have
used
technology
to
help
provide
people
access.
So
in
Africa
there
are
people
in
rural
communities
that
are
getting
Bank
they're
getting
loans
and
they're
paying
them
back.
Literally,
even
flip
phones
they're
paying
them
back
through
their
phones.
They
don't
have
to
go
to
a
bank.
They
don't
need
to
travel
long
distances.
D
E
E
And
then
one
final
question:
I
know
that
C
is
engaged
and
said
we're
talking
about
Indian
Africa.
The
city
is
engaged
in
doing
some
type
of
branding
from
a
global
perspective,
and
how
do
you
think
this
impacts
that
issue,
considering
that
you
would
have
a
conversation
on
competitiveness
and
other
concerns,
so.
D
That
was
one
of
my
initial
concerns,
because
when
we
did
a
study
of
social
media
media
and
indices
about
how
about
the
affairs
in
terms
of
perception,
we
found
that
Phillip
is
perception,
lags
its
performance
and
that
Philadelphia,
based
on
that
research,
is
not
well
known
in
Brookings
Institution
to
that
research
that
we're
not
well
known
as
a
place
to
bring
your
business
to
innovate
or
to
invest
in,
and
so
you
know,
my
initial
reaction
was.
This
is
gonna,
make
us
look
like
a
less
attractive
place
to
innovate
because
we've
put
barriers
around
innovation.
D
D
E
E
D
D
Maybe
through
septa
I
know
it's
SEP
the
debit,
the
septa
key
card.
If
you
register
it
within
30
days,
you
get
your
$5
back
and
if
you
maintain
a
certain
balance,
you
don't
have
to
pay
fees.
Maybe
we
can
work
with
septa
and
come
up
with
a
solution.
Since
most
people
have
septic
key
cards
or
are
getting
septic
key
cards,
I'm
hoping
that
you
know,
there's
I,
think
there's
a
lot
of
technological
solutions,
potentially
at
some
point.
D
As
these
businesses
proliferate,
somebody's
gonna
come
up
with
an
app
now
that
doesn't
necessarily
solve
the
prompt
or
if
people
don't
have
phones
but
I,
think
you
know
those
are
some
of
the
quick
answers.
I
have
but
I
think
we
need
to
really
explore
this
and
I'm.
Not
an
expert
in
this
field.
I
think
I
would
love
to
work
with
our
you
know:
partners
or
nonprofit
partners
and
financial
literacy
partners
to
tip
it
to
get
the
answer
that
question:
okay,.
A
A
D
A
G
A
G
You
very
much
I'll,
be
brief.
I
want
to
thank
the
sponsors
of
the
legislation
for
for
moving
forward
on
this
important
issue.
I
also
wanted
to
point
out
that
I
believe
that
a
number
of
different
organizations
and
groups
have
signed
on
in
support
of
this,
including
community
legal
services,
to15
Pennsylvania,
Alliance
jobs
with
justice,
a
number
of
groups
representing
our
immigrant
communities,
including
the
Asian
Americans
United
Viet,
lead
and
restaurant
opportunities
centers.
G
It's
also
worth
noting
that
Massachusetts
and
New
Jersey
New
Jersey
yesterday
imposed
a
statewide
ban
on
cashless
businesses.
Massachusetts
has
an
anti
cashless
business
provision
in
its
in
its
state
code,
so
I
want
to
make
it
clear
that
what
we
are
embarking
on
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
is
something
that
a
lot
of
important
statewide
initiatives
are
actually
looking
at,
not
just
for
municipalities
but
across
the
state
and
I.
Also,
you
know
just
want
to
be
thoughtful
that
we
don't
confuse
technological
gadget
REE
with
modernization.
G
Inequality
is
not
progress.
Refusing
and
speeding
forward
when
your
communities
are
incredibly
poor
and
that
people
struggle
with
poverty,
not
just
whether
they
have
a
bank
card,
but
they
actually
struggle
with
with
poverty.
So
we
have
to
be
careful
that
promoting
ideas
that
are
desperately
create
or
expand
inequality
is
not
anyone's
definition
of
what's
modern
or
should
be
progressive.
It
is
certainly
technological.
G
You
know
gadgetry
that
is
in
play,
and
so
you
know,
as
we
move
forward
on
this
conversation,
I'm,
definitely
interested
in
hearing
I'm
sensitive
to
the
ideas
of
what's
at
issue
in
terms
of
perception,
but
I
do
think
that
concern
and
the
main
you
know,
impetus
behind
this
legislation
is
to
deal
with
the
fact
that
we
cannot
afford
to
exacerbate
inequality
in
the
city
intentional
or
not
the
outcome.
If
the
outcome
is
the
same,
it
is
not
something
that
the
city
should
be
advancing,
especially
now.
Thank
you.
A
H
You,
mr.
chairman
and
I
to
join
the
chorus
of
members
members
who
support
at
least
bidding
this
idea,
some
of
the
issues
that
I
have
and
I
come
from
a
background
of
dealing
with
commerce
and
economic
development
from
way
back
to
my
PC
DC
days
or
my
minority
business
enterprise
days,
and
so
I
speak
from
an
experience
of
dealing
with
that
constituency.
There
is
a
place
in
my
district
between
58th
and
59th
and
market.
It
is
called
a
crimson
cafe
and
if
you
are
a
soul,
food
connoisseur,
you
have
entered
into
paradise
they-they-they.
I
H
Looking
for
a
healthy
alternative,
don't
do
not
do
not
go
there.
The
point,
though,
for
a
very
long
time
knew
struggling
business.
They
did
not
accept
plastic.
They
could
not
accept
plastic
for
whatever
reasons
they
were
excluded
from
that
particular
medium.
They
could
not
accept
a
smartphone
technologically,
they
weren't
there.
They
could
not
get
swipes
or
anything
like
that.
What
they
could
accept
is
the
traditional
tender
of
the
United
States
of
America
and
its
treasury.
H
Their
cash
comes
in
irregularly,
so
they
can't
maintain
those
kinds
of
banking
relationships
that
they
should
have,
and
so,
when
they
get
money,
while
working
odd
jobs,
they're
usually
paid
in
this
counter
currency
and
they
then
go
to
an
establishment
or
that
accepts
this
type
of
currency.
As
we
create
these
rungs
of
allowing
people
they
use
these
young
people
Millennials
and
I
have
so
many
of
them
use
cash.
Apps.
H
They
use
cash,
apps
and
other
devices
now
and
are
slowly
evolving,
but
their
parents
and
their
grandparents
still
have
cash
under
the
bed
mattress
and
still
use
it.
As
such.
We
are
not
there
yet
to
be
able
to
go
to
that
kind
of
medium
to
exchange
goods
and
services.
We
do
need,
as
you
said,
to
press
the
pause
button
to
allow
more
people
to
catch
up
to
the
rest
of
the
world,
both
businesses
of
my
dad
and
an
end
consumers.
H
H
See
that's
how
easy
it
can
happen,
so
we
have
to
be
careful
as
we
evolve,
because
every
you
don't
have
to
wait
for
one
new
cycle,
we're
one
big
consumer
company
says:
oh
by
the
way
somebody
stole
all
my
information
and
your
stuff
is
out
there.
So
I
want
us
to
allow
technology
to
provide
different
rungs,
a
letter
for
people
and
before
we
outlaw
cash
we
should
consider
how
many
more
options
we
can
involve.
Thank
You,
mr.
chairman
Thank.
J
Thank
you
very
much.
I
oppose
the
bill
primarily
around
the
fact
that
I
don't
think
it's
a
role
of
government
to
tell
business
people.
What
to
do.
You
can
innovate,
you
could
take
risk,
it
might
work,
it
might
not
work
I.
Don't
really
think.
That's!
That's
our
role.
I
understand
the
good
purpose.
I'm
just
saying
I
disagree
with
it,
but
what
I
do
want
to
understand
so
from
a
January
15th
Wall
Street
article,
the
article
pointed
out
that
for
every
hundred
dollars
in
cash
the
handling
fees
are
11.4%
by
not
using
cash.
J
Put
in
a
hundred
dollars
get
your
card
without
cost
I
understand
you
can
open
a
bank
account
at
Broad,
Street
ministries,
but
but
from
what
you're
saying
that
the
way
that
countries
around
the
world
who
have
been
dealing
with
poverty
are
going
to
use
technology
to
provide
better
spending
power,
greater
options
to
those
who
are
poor,
less
need
to
handle
and
have
cash
less
risk
of
robbery.
Other
things
is
something
that
resonates
with
me
as
I
study,
the
global
economy.
J
Everything
you've
said
indicates
to
me
that
you
have
an
opinion,
however,
you're
opinio
is
that
the
opinion
in
the
Commerce
Department,
because
it
seems
like
the
Commerce
Department,
is
saying
we
don't
really
have
an
opinion,
we're
not
saying
yea
or
nay,
but
everything
you
said
sounds
like
an
aide
to
me.
Could
you
clarify
that.
D
J
Listen
I'm
friends
with
people
on
on
council.
I,
plainly
say:
I
disagree
with
them.
They
plainly
say
they
disagree
with
me.
It
does
not
cuz
I'm
a
bad
person.
We
obviously
have
disagreements,
it's
not
a
big
deal.
Then
we
vote
and
somebody
win
someone
but
I
think
honesty
about
what
you
think
is
very
important.
We
want
to
deal
with
poverty.
I
think
this
is
a
bad
way
to
do
it.
They
think
it's
a
great
way
to
do
it.
What
does
the
Commerce
Department
think.
D
We've
had
we
both
you
and
I.
Both
had
a
lot
of
debates
about
this,
and
we've
talked
to
a
lot
of
people
about
it,
and
it's
not
a
black-and-white
situation.
I
know
for
some
people.
It
is
but
there's
certain
certain
people
that
that
we've
talked
to
that
have
said.
Why
would
you
ever
do
that?
Why
would
you
prevent
modernization
and
there's
other
people
say?
D
D
You
know
we
initially
talked
about
potentially
having
a
sunset
on
this
I
think
that
we
would
love
to
have
a
sunset
that
week,
so
we
can
revisit
it,
but
you
know
regardless
we
can
always
revisit
it
and
at
some
point
it
might
be
that
the
pressure
cause
us
to
revisit
it.
We
would
ideally
like
to
focus
more
on
getting
people
access,
but
if
we
need
to
press
pause
to
protect
people
so
that
they
can
have
access,
while
we
work
on
that,
then
we
just
need
to
do
that
really
quickly.
C
C
My
10
years
in
my
position,
I,
have
never
had
so
much
discussion
about
what
would
be
a
one
line
item
amendment
to
her
law.
Ever
it's
been
a
lot
of
conversation,
a
lot
of
people
falling
in
many
different
categories,
including
some
surprising
people
who
you
would
think
think
one
way
and
think
another
way
it's
a
complicated
issue.
The
great
news
is
that
I
do
think
that
this
has
brought
elevated
a
conversation
that
we
need
to
have
as
a
city,
and
it
is
really
about
who's
being
left
behind
the
unbanked,
the
underbanked.
C
What
are
the
barriers
to
them?
Why
are
they
on
unbanked
or
underbanked?
Is
it
okay
to
be
unbanked
and
for
those
who
want
to
get
into
a
more
cash
list
world?
How
do
we
get
them
there
and
how
do
we
make
it
equal?
This
is
nobody
wants
people
excluded
from
establishments
or
any
opportunities
in
the
city,
and
this
if
tomorrow
we
woke
up
and
and
every
business
in
the
city
was
cashless.
We'd
have
a
very
serious
problem
here,
so
it's
a
it's
a
good
measure
that
were
we're.
That's
addressing
an
issue
for
now.
H
D
A
J
A
A
K
J
And
so
we
were
very
interested
in
this
legislation
because
we
to
recognize
that
it's
a
problem
for
folks
who
are
unbanked
and
underbanked
to
be
able
to
access
not
just
cashless
businesses,
but
also
to
be
able
to
more
cheaply,
be
able
to
manage
their
finances
day
to
day
and
to
be
able
to
do
so
in
safe
and
affordable
ways
and
safety
looks
like
a
lot
of
things.
I,
like
the
analogy
from
before
that,
you
can't
become
a
$20
bill,
but
you
can't
become
a
piece
of
plastic.
J
Don't
have
monthly
maintenance
minimums
have
waivable
monthly
charges
have
waivable
statement
charges
so
that
way,
folks
can
actually
use
banks
for
cheaper
than
their
alternative
financial
products.
And
so
we
recognize
that
folks,
who
are
in
property
and
do
live
even
worse
than
paycheck
to
paycheck
oftentimes,
have
problems
accessing
mainstream
financial
products,
but
don't
believe
that
the
answer
is
to
keep
them
out
is
to
lower
the
barriers
for
them
to
enter.
Ok.
A
K
We
we
are
one
of
them
does
we
think
that,
and
we
think
that,
in
its
current
form,
I
think
that
it
is
important,
like
we
said
earlier
in
testimony
to
both
understand
the
disparity
in
the
need
that
exists
in
certain
populations
and
especially
in
certain
communities.
How
how
this
might
have
an
impact
on
specifically
black
and
brown
communities
under
privileged
and
underserved
communities
is
something
that
we
have
to
as
we
march
forward
to
the
future
March
for
it
responsibly
grow
equitably.
K
So
it
is,
it
is
a
way
in
which
we
have
to
think
about
how
do
we
both
provide
opportunities
for
equity
and
inclusion
for
individuals?
There
should
not
be
an
opportunity
for
an
individual
to
look
at
a
merchant
and
say
I
can't
go
there
because
of
X,
Y
or
Z,
and
we
understand
that
it
is
important
nuanced
situation,
because
there
are
examples
in
which
a
policy
or
procedure
or
a
practice
exists
with
a
merchant
that
it
impacts
a
certain
population
differently.
K
You
go
to
a
bar
downtown
and
a
bar
might
have
a
policy
that
they
might
not
carry
a
brand
like
surah
or
Hennessy.
Right,
you
could
say,
that's
a
purchase,
insist
discretion,
but
to
some
folks
they
feel
this
really
targeted
to
a
particular
population
based
on
taste
who
might
come
in
that
might
choose
Syrah
or
Hennessy.
K
But
when
you
talk
to
people
who
are
looking
to
enter
those
places,
they
oftentimes
see
those
practices
is
targeted
and
so
I
think
it's
good
that
we
take
the
time,
like
our
colleagues
of
Commerce's,
to
take
a
time
to
make
full
advantage
of
this
pause
and
grow
with
the
responsibility
and
increase
equity
in
our
growth.
All.
J
J
I
mean
snap:
does
it
and
then
we
have
a
program
and
then
the
program
gives
people
a
paycheck,
which
means
they
got
to
go
cash
at
some
place
as
a
check,
check,
cashing
or
go
to
a
bank,
and
you
know
to
me:
if
we're
gonna
go
cash.
If
we're
going
to
talk
about
cash,
then
it's
cash
for
everybody,
and
you
know
what
the
message
it
sends
to
me
is
that
if
you
want
to
open
a
certain
type
of
business,
open
and
outside
of
Philadelphia
and
and
I,
think
what
how
we
help
people
is
we'll
get.
J
We
give
them
jobs,
we
help
with
jobs,
and
there
is
a
lot
of
technology
happening.
You
know,
unfortunately,
they
are
taking
up
jobs.
You
know
every
time
we
got
a
kiosk
or
things
like
that.
That's
another
person
not
working
and
listen
I
walk
into
a
bank
and
there's
like
one
person
behind
the
counter
anymore,
but
but
that
is
what
is
happening
and
trying
to
get
on
top
of
that
and
providing
to
communities
that
are
poor.
The
ability
to
be
on
top
of
the
technology
curve.
J
I'll
just
end
with
this
that
that
I
was
watching
an
old
Korean
movie
about
a
guy
who's
on
an
island
and
he
gets
back
to
civilization
and
he's
got
no
money
and
I
just
wondered
how
he
was
going
to
pay
for
the
bus.
He
had
charged
up
his
self
via
cell
phone
and
he
paid
for
it
with
his
phone.
As
Sylvie
was
saying,
a
lot
of
countries
are
just
moving
right
to
the
options
of
purchasing
off
of
your
phone
banking
receiving
funds.
Even
funds
from
you
know
of
support
programs.
J
You
know
they're
moving
away
from
going
to
a
machine
and
taking
out
a
ticket
a
token
or
whatever
it
is
I
do
see.
You
know
kind
of
the
issue
of
dealing
with
poverty
around
education,
training
jobs,
but
the
the
thing
about
the
technology
that
has
been
so
good
for
seniors,
very
elderly
people,
persons
with
disabilities
is,
you
can
press
a
button
and
a
wheelchair,
accessible
vehicle
shows
up.
You
don't
need
to
know
English
it'll.
Take
you
to
where
you
need
to
be.
J
You
know
the
price
it's
all
paid
for
there's
a
lot
of
things
that
the
technology
can
do
and
I
just
don't
know
that
telling
businesses
you
can't
do
this
or
that
I
think
the
customers
will
tell
them
it'll
work.
It
won't
work
and
we're
trying
to
like
mandate
that
everyone
should
be
able
to
participate.
But
I
do
think
that
if
we're
going
to
do
that,
we
should
we
should
look
at.
You
know
kind
of
like
the
cost
of
what
it
means
to
our
economy,
jobs
and
other
things.
J
F
So
I
had
a
couple
of
questions,
and
one
of
the
statements
that
was
made
earlier
was
that
there
was
a
lot
of
concern
about
the
city
being
competitive
and
that
that
was
the
rationale
for
not
necessarily
having
a
very
strong
opinion,
one
way
or
another
that
the
city
wanted
to
be
competitive.
But
I
guess.
My
big
concern
is
that
the
city?
F
What
I
see
is
that
this
will
be.
You
know
some
will
call
it
progress,
I,
see
it
as
an
african-american
woman
who
was
born
and
raised
in
North,
Philadelphia
I
see
it
as
a
way
that
you're
able
to
discriminate.
You
know
that
you're
able
to
discriminate
against
less
desirable
customers
that
you're
able
to
you
know
to
kind
of
pick.
Your
customers
and
say:
well,
you
know
you
can
pay,
but
we
just
don't
want
you
here
and
that's
the
way
it
feels
to
me.
F
I
can
only
speak
for
myself,
and
so,
as
we
talk
about
cash-only
businesses,
one
of
the
questions
that
I
have
is
excuse
me
about
not
cashing
only
businesses
but
about
these
businesses
that
are
going
to
accept
only
plastic
and
not
cash.
My
question
is:
when
we
talk
about
doing
the
work
in
our
neighborhoods
and
looking
at
this
device,
can
you
go
into
some
of
the
programs
and
things
that
have
been
done
and
policies
that
the
administration
has
looked
at
to
bridge
that
gap?
F
K
We
also
work
with
Philadelphia
youth
network
and
sort
of
financial,
coaching
and
empowerment
to
connect
young
people
to
banks
earlier
on,
and
then
we
also
sort
of
mitigate
sort
of
stressors
and
our
benefit
access
work
to
make
sure
that
folks
have
enough
money
in
their
pocket
to
be
able
to
manage
money
more
effectively.
So
those
are
some
of
the
things
that
we're
doing
around
the
city,
but
we're
also
working
nationally
with
our
partners
and
our
cities
for
financial
empowerment,
cities
like
Miami
and
New
York
and
st.
Louis,
really
promoting.
K
What
we
see
is
a
financial
justice,
imperative
sort
of
what
you're
talking
about
Councilwoman,
to
sort
of
look
at
those
systems
and
institutions
that
continue
to
create
disparity
on
our
most
vulnerable
and
connect
continues
to
disconnect
over
time.
Councilman
Green
talked
about
the
cost
of
being
poor,
but
also
looking
at
that
cost
and
then
the
ramifications
of
on
one's
credit,
fines
and
fees
in
which
you
are
more
and
more
disconnected
from
catching
that
rung
up
and
creating
the
financial
future.
That
you'd
like
to
say
so,.
F
Appreciate
the
work
that's
being
done,
I
also
want
to
again
call
to
your
attention
that
you
know
this
divide.
It's
it's
huge
and
one
of
the
things
that
I've
noticed
in
a
lot
of
our
neighborhood
stores
is
your
hair.
You
know
a
cash-only
business,
that's
operating,
but
that
says:
okay,
if
you
don't
have
cash,
if
you
want
to
use
plastic,
then
you
have
to
use
a
three
or
four
dollar
ATM
machine.
That's
in
the
back
of
the
store,
so
you
know
like
it
seems
to
me.
F
If
you
can
have
the
technology
to
set
up
an
ATM
machine,
then
you
should
be
able
to
have
the
technology
to
be
able
to
accept
either/or
and
it's
another
way
that
folks
are
taking
advantage
of.
So
just
as
you
look
at
you
know,
bank
accounts
and
bring
folks
into
you
know:
mainstream
making
banking
just
making
sure
that
people
aren't
taking
advantage
of
on
any
level,
no
matter
how
they
choose
to
make
their
purchases
I.
Think
that's
something
that
needs
to
be
looked
at.
Okay,.
G
On
give
just
one
brief
sentence:
Cash's
legal
tender,
so
until
there
is
some
massive
change
in
the
way
that
we
are
recognizing
legal
money,
cash
as
legal
tender,
it
should
be
accepted,
is
completely
different.
We
are
not
telling
businesses
that
they
cannot
conduct
business.
It
is
a
privilege
to
do
business
in
the
city
and
we
are
grateful
for
them,
but
until
something
changes
where
cash
is
no
longer
recognized
as
legal
tender,
I
think
that
it
needs
to
be,
it
needs
to
be
upheld.
So
thank
you.
Thank.
J
D
Know
I
don't
make
those
decisions,
but
there's
certain
transactions
where
we
say
that
we
don't
accept
cash,
so
you
know
there's
I
guess
the
thing
is:
is
that
we're
moving
towards
an
economy?
You
know
uber
and
lyft.
You
can't
give
cash
to
your
driver,
we're
moving
towards
economy
where
certain
purchases
are
done
through
online
and
other.
You
know
through
other
ways
of
transacting.
Cash
is
definitely
still
eager
tender,
but
I
can't
I
can't
speak
to
the
decision
around
the
city.
Accepting
cash
out
there's
certain
transactions
where
apparently
we
do
not
accept
cash.
Okay,.
A
Thank
you,
yeah
councilman,
a
councilman.
Just
add
to
that,
in
my
opinion,
that's
wrong.
Okay,
we
can't
tell
other
bits:
let's
do
that
in
the
city
can't
do
it
so
think
we're
gonna
have
to
work
together,
get
the
city
to
start
taking
cash.
In
my
humble
opinion,
so
that's
down
the
line.
Okay,
okay,
there
you
go
caps,
we
know
and
I
agree
on
something
for
the
record
counsel.
Oh
and
I
totally
agree
on
that
point.
Thank
you
all.
Thank
you
very
much.
Miss
Marconi
I
think
we
have
two
more
Kevin.
A
Please
Pro
chin
identify
yourself
is
there
anyone
else
that
wants
to
testify
on
this
bill.
Other
needs
two,
gentlemen,
okay
good,
because
we
do
need
to
move
on
just
answer
both
of
you
please
to
be
as
brief
as
possible,
because
we
have
about
10,
more
people
on
a
few
other
bills
and
mr.
Gonzales
I
think
you're
contesting
on
another
one
too.
So
yeah,
please,
whoever,
like
you,
go
first
identify
yourself
proceed:
Thank.
L
You
councilman
Greenlee,
Councilwoman,
Sanchez
and
all
of
his
distinguished
members
and
attendants.
My
name
is
Kevin
Thomas
jr.
I'm,
the
associate
director
of
operations
and
asset
building
for
the
building
wealth
and
Health
Network
a
trauma
informed
financial
literacy
program
run
by
the
Center
for
hunger-free
Communities
at
Drexel
University.
Over
the
past
few
years
we
have
worked
with
over
500
low
to
no
income
philadelphians
to
help
get
them
banked,
build
their
assets,
lift
their
credits
and,
more
importantly,
lower
their
depression
and
break
the
isolation
that
many
of
us
feel
within
the
community.
L
Our
goals
have
always
been
to
seek
solutions
to
poverty
that
are
based
on
empirical
evidence
and
human
experience.
We
know
that
one
of
the
most
important
drivers
of
poverty
is
exposure
to
violence
and
trauma.
So
all
our
solutions
to
address
poverty
must
include
time
in
healing
for
repair.
Our
program
combines
trauma-informed
care
with
financial
literacy.
The
connection
of
the
two
is
simple
for
us.
L
You
can't
separate
money
from
life
if
we
hope
to
develop
each
other
financially,
we
implicitly
must
consider
each
other's
life
experiences
and
other
traumas
I've
been
invited
today
to
discuss
the
discriminatory
practice
of
businesses
going
cashless
and
how
the
trend
will
negatively
impact
citizens
of
Philadelphia.
When
I
told
my
team,
I
would
appear
here
to
discuss
the
topic
at
hand.
L
They
asked
me
if
the
city
went
cashless,
how
what
we
give
$1
to
the
homeless
guy
outside
and
if
we
did,
where
would
he
go
to
spend
it
I
think
their
response
perfectly
encapsulates
the
concerns
that
we
have
about
this
trend.
It
doesn't
consider
all
of
us
more
explicitly.
It
discriminates
against
a
good
portion
of
us.
Philadelphia
has
400,000
citizens
that
live
at
or
below
the
poverty
line.
That's
over
a
quarter
of
the
city
and
studies
show
that
poor
citizens
are
more
likely
to
use
cash
than
wealthier
citizens.
There
are
reasons
for
this.
L
Many
of
the
other
members
have
said,
have
been
disenfranchised
from
the
financial
system
and
can
no
longer
get
a
bank
account
solid-state
electronic
payments.
Some
may
consider
prepaid
cards
as
the
solution
to
this
problem,
but
those
who
do
are
ignoring
the
enormity
of
fees
associated
with
prepaid
cards
and
industry,
notorious
with
predatory
practices.
Digital
apps
do
go
a
long
way
to
help
ease
this
issue,
but
that's
under
the
assumption
that
you
have
a
smart
phone
or
access
to
a
computer
at
its
core.
The
issue
of
prepaid
cards
goes
beyond
fees.
L
Prepaid
cards
are
a
form
of
mental
captivity
on
the
community.
They
create
the
illusion
of
inclusion,
as
citizens
can
shop
online
and
in
stores
without
establishing
a
relationship
with
the
bank
or
building
credit.
This
means
they're
included
in
the
commerce,
but
not
in
the
ownership,
as
they
won't
be
able
to
leverage
their
relationships
to
credit
leverage,
leverage,
their
relationships
or
credit
to
access
the
capital
needed
to
buy
homes,
start
businesses
or
to
take
advantage
of
investment
opportunities.
L
We
must
also
consider
the
process
of
loading
a
prepaid
card
and
where
someone
would
do
this,
how
do
you
put
cash
on
your
cart
late
at
night,
when
you
need
to
buy
formula
for
your
baby
where's
that
machine
located
so
prepaid
cards
are
not
a
solution.
Prepaid
cards
are
just
another
way
to
leave
people
behind
under
the
guise
of
caring
and
in
helping
people
living
in
poverty.
L
Some
may
argue
that
the
world
is
going
cashless
and
you
can't
stop
innovation
from
happening.
Nor
do
I
think
you
should
my
support
for
this
bill
isn't
about
preventing
the
inevitable
it's
about
making
sure
that
all
of
our
citizens
are
occluded
in
our
future.
We
need
innovation
to
create
pathways
for
everyone,
so
that
everyone's
money
is
valuable
to
every
business,
so
that,
when
a
business
makes
a
decision
that
they
believe
will
help
their
business,
they
can
do
it
in
a
way
that
doesn't
discriminate
or
isolate
our
citizens.
L
A
few
years
ago
to
government
switch
from
analog
to
digital
TV,
and
while
it
was
the
somewhat
bumpy
ride,
they
made
sure
most
of
the
citizenry
was
ready
to
move
in
a
direction
that
the
technology
was
going.
They
gave
deadlines
and
then
extended
them
to
make
sure
that
as
many
people
as
possible
didn't
lose
access.
We
should
do
the
same.
This
bill
stops
discrimination
and
gives
innovation
and
inclusion
a
chance
to
catch
up.
L
It
gives
opportunities
for
new
ideas
such
as
No
Fee,
start
up
bank
accounts,
broader
and
more
appropriate
financial
education,
and
perhaps
a
city
owned
credit
union,
especially
designed
for
families
with
low
to
no
income.
Some
are
concern
that
a
ban
on
cashless
business
will
err
away
businesses
and
stop
businesses
from
coming
to
the
city
so
which
I
acts.
L
If
there
was
a
place
with
1.5
million
people
and
one
of
the
fastest
growing
job
the
housing
markets
in
the
country,
wouldn't
you
find
a
way
to
do
business
there,
or
would
you
ignore
the
potential
profits,
because
you
had
to
operate
your
business
and
be
antiquated
as
of
this
month,
method
of
accepting
cash,
any
big
business
that
uses
the
ladder
opens
the
door
for
small
business
to
step
in,
and
small
business
is
generally
more
in
tune
with
our
community
as
a
city.
We
cannot
let
businesses
disguise
discrimination
as
efficiency.
L
M
Is
the
yes
good
morning
my
name
is:
will
Gonzalez
I'm
the
executive
director
of
sabers
sabers
mission
is
to
promote
the
economic
development
and
financial
inclusion
of
the
Latino
community
through
collaborations
and
advocacy
aimed
at
ensuring
equal
access
to
quality
housing?
Thank
you
for
giving
me
the
opportunity
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
number
1809
43.
We
believe
that
at
this
time
it
is
necessary
to
protect
people
who
have
yet
to
acquire
the
skills
or
access
to
some
technologies.
At
the
same
time
that
council
is
prohibiting.
M
We
hope
that
it
also
seizes
this
opportunity
to
think
about
the
future
that
you
build
capacity.
Building
capacity
is
very
important
not
only
for
people
of
color,
but
also
for
seniors,
for
low-income
people
and
for
people
who
are
limited,
English
Proficient.
It
is
important
to
the
future
of
Philadelphia
that
we
not
only
keep
pace
with
technology,
but
that
we
make
progress
and
lead
in
that
area.
We
have
tools
to
make
that
happen.
We
have
a
healthy
housing,
counseling
up
group
of
agencies.
We
have
many
entities
that
provide
financial
literacy.
M
However,
we
do
not
have
the
focus
of
making
sure
that
that
financial
literacy
component
also
teaches
about
FinTech
that
teaches
about
cybersecurity
privacy,
enhancing
digital
skills
and
promoting
financial
literacy
in
the
modern
age.
It's
very
different
to
talk
about
financial
literacy
in
terms
of
balancing
a
checkbook
instead
of
talking
about
financial
literacy
when
it
comes
to
using
a
smartphone.
M
We
also
understand
that
the
future
is
going
to
lead
to
the
use
of
smartphones
and
we're
blessed
that
to
know
that
the
use
of
smartphones
is
increasing
at
an
exponential
rate
and
that
when
you
look
at
what's
happening
in
third
world
countries
where
people
are
using
smartphones
to
replace
the
use
of
other
instruments,
that
we
need
to
promote
that
and
embrace
that
we
are
not
looking
to
exacerbate
poverty,
but
to
help
lift
people
out
of
poverty
when
we
try
to
build
their
capacity
to
go.
Cashless
again.
I
support
this
bill
today,
but
I.
M
Ask
that
council
the
illustration
and
other
stakeholders
seize
this
moment
to
talk
about
this,
to
try
to
push
forward
the
building
of
capacity
of
businesses
and
of
people
to
use
new
technologies.
The
reality
is
that
brick-and-mortar
banks
are
the
way
out,
and
the
other
thing
is
that
there's
issues
related
to
check
cashers
ATM
fees.
So
we
want
to
promote
this
technology,
but
we
need
to
be
deliberate
about
it
and
we
need
to
start
thinking
about
it
now
and
pushing
it
forward.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify.
Okay.
A
Thank
you,
Michigan
psilocin,
we
agree,
I
think
we
said
in
the
beginning
that
we're
not
saying
this
bill
is
the
be-all
and
end-all.
That
way
we
do
know
things
we
have
to
keep
moving
forward,
but
we
have
to
do
it
as
for
everybody,
not
just
for
some
people,
okay,
seeing
none.
Thank
you
both
very
much.
Thank
you
for
your
patience
hanging
in
there
again.
Nobody
else
testify
on
this
bill.
Finally,
we're
gonna
go
next.
One's
miss
Marconi.
Please
read
the
titles
bill
resolution.
B
Bill
number
one:
nine:
zero,
zero,
zero;
seven,
an
ordinance
providing
for
the
submission
to
the
qualified
electors
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
of
an
amendments
that
they
Philadelphia
Home
Rule.
Charter.
Establishing
and
defining
the
responsibilities
of
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
fixing
the
date
of
a
special
election
for
such
purpose,
prescribing
the
form
of
ballot
questions
to
be
voted
on
and
authorizing
appropriate
officers
to
publish
notice
and
to
make
arrangements
for
the
special
election.
B
One:
nine
zero
zero
two
eight
resolution
proposing
an
amendment
to
the
Philadelphia
Home
Rule
Charter,
to
provide
for
the
creation
and
office
of
immigrant
affairs
to
provide
for
the
powers
and
duties
of
such
office
and
to
otherwise
provide
for
incorporation
of
the
office
into
the
city
government
and
providing
for
the
submission
of
the
amendments
to
the
electors
of
Philadelphia.
Okay,.
F
You
I
want
to
thank
councilman,
Janie
Blackwell
and
Councilwoman
Helen
Kim
who've
worked
with
the
administration
around
discussions
of
how
do
we
make
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
permanent
and
I
want
to
thank
the
administration
for
the
the
meetings
not
only
with
with
us,
as
colleagues
here
on
council,
but
with
advocates.
For
me,
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
is
about
policy.
Every
single
department
should
view
the
role
and
the
expertise
of
the
office
of
immigration
to
inform
and
ensure
that
we
are
really
providing
full
access
to
every
citizen
and
resident
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
F
N
Morning,
good
morning,
councilman
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
committee
on
law
and
government
I
am
Mariam
Enriquez.
The
director
of
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
for
the
city
of
Philadelphia
with
me
today
is
Johanna
little
cruise
deputy
managing
director
for
community
services
I'm
here
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
number
one:
nine,
zero,
zero,
seven
and
resolution
number
one:
nine
zero,
zero,
two
eight
introduced
by
Councilman
iake
Nunez
Sanchez,
which
would
make
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
a
permanent
part
of
city
government
by
providing
a
proposed
amendment
to
the
Home
Rule
Charter.
N
N
Excuse
me
this
morning,
in
addition
to
recognizing
Councilwoman
quinones
Sanchez,
for
her
leadership
and
guidance,
we
would
like
to
acknowledge
and
thank
Councilwoman
Helen
gam
and
Councilwoman
Janie
Blackwell
for
their
continued
support
both
on
this
legislation,
as
well
as
other
related
initiatives
that
they
have
each
championed
over
the
years.
Our
office
has
had
the
opportunity
to
work
with
all
of
these
council
women
and
their
staff
and
a
number
of
joint
efforts.
We
are
grateful
for
their
partnership.
N
We
have
been
fortunate
that
a
number
of
other
City
Council
members
have
also
shown
interest
and
have
advanced
issues
important
to
our
office.
The
engagement
between
council
and
the
administration
on
immigrant
related
issues
has
been
great
and
we
have
achieved
some
measurable
outcomes
as
a
result.
By
way
of
brief
brief
background,
the
city
office
dedicated
to
issues
facing
our
immigrant
communities
was
established
by
then
Mayor
Nutter
through
executive
order
in
2013
it
was
called
the
mayor's
office
of
immigrant
and
Multicultural
Affairs
or
Moyna.
For
short.
N
At
that
time,
leading
cities
like
Boston
New,
York,
Chicago
and
San
Francisco
had
established
a
framework
for
municipal
operations
and
policy
for
immigrant
issues
and
we're
advancing
innovative
programs
that
caught
the
eye
of
Philadelphia
in
2016
Mayor
Nutter
wanted
to,
and
excuse
me,
mayor,
Kenney,
wanted
to
ensure
that
our
city's
immigrant
communities
continue
to
have
a
voice
within
city
government.
As
a
result,
he
established
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
because
one
of
his
goals
is
to
have
efficient
and
effective
government.
N
He
moved
the
mayor's
office
from
the
mayor's
office
to
the
managing
directors
office
to
ensure
direct
line
of
communication
with
operating
departments.
Mayor
Kenney
also
wanted
the
office
to
be
more
policy
focused
to
assist
in
responding
to
both
federal
and
at
times
state.
Immigrant
policy
agendas
that
affect
our
community
in
Philadelphia.
Immigrants
have
helped
revert,
verse,
50
years
of
population
loss,
strengthening
our
city
in
some
Philadelphia
neighborhoods.
The
influx
of
immigrants
have
prevented
destabilizing
blight,
improve
public
schools
and
helped
spur
growth
in
neighborhood
commercial
quarters.
N
Today,
our
city's
total
foreign-born
population
totals
232
thousand,
which
is
about
15%
of
our
total
population.
That's
an
increase
of
69%
since
2000,
and
the
15%
is
the
highest
that
we
have
seen
since
the
1940s.
Furthermore,
immigrants
make
up
about
19%
of
workers,
14%
of
those
living
in
poverty
and
more
than
a
quarter
of
Philadelphians.
In
recent
years,
estimated
around
three
hundred
and
ninety
thousand
residents
were
either
immigrant
or
u.s.
natives
with
immigrant
parents
together
compromising
a
population
with
significant
potential
to
shape
this
city.
N
They
include
nearly
76,000
children
under
18
or
one
in
four
children
in
Philadelphia,
the
city's
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
or
oh
I,
a
as
it's
often
referred
works
to
promote
the
well-being
of
Philadelphia's
ever-growing
immigrant
communities.
Oh
I
recommend
and
helps
develop
policies
and
programs
to
provide
opportunity
and
access
to
services
and
information,
and
a
major
goal
of
our
work
is
to
ensure
that
successful
inclusion
of
immigrants
into
the
Civic
economic
and
cultural
life
of
the
city.
N
In
order
to
accomplish
this
goal,
our
work
focuses
on
three
main
areas:
policy
and
programs,
economic
development
and
cultural
programming
and
outreach,
and
now
to
listen
to
Councilman.
Greenlee
I
will
summarize
the
rest
of
my
testimony.
A
policy
work
really
focuses
around
responding
to
federal
threats
that
come
down
from
Washington
DC,
for
instance,
Dhaka
TPS
public
charge,
also
local
policy
responses,
for
instance,
response
to
the
pars
agreement
with
ice
ice
access
to
our
local
prisons
and
with
our
welcoming
city
policies.
N
We
also
contributed
information
to
the
amicus
briefs
that
support
the
travel
ban,
that
supported
other
cities,
challenges
against
the
travel
ban,
the
census,
2020
and,
of
course,
again
Dhaka.
The
city
has
a
significant
linguistic
diversity,
with
nearly
100
languages
spoken
and
as
a
result,
language
access
is
a
requirement
of
our
city.
Oh
I,
a
managed
is
the
city,
language,
access
programs
and,
as
many
of
you
know,
its
charger
requirement
that
all
city
departments,
offices
and
commissions
are
required
to
provide
services
and
information
to
Philadelphia
in
their
native
language.
N
This
is
done
through
bilingual
staff
in
person,
interpretation,
telephonic
interpretation
and
document
translation,
o
IA
manages
the
vendor
contracts
that
provide
these
services,
but
in
addition
to
managing
the
contract,
oh
I
also
lens
technical
support
to
departments
in
the
writing
and
implementing
of
their
language
access
plan.
Oh
I
also
train
city
employees
from
leadership
to
frontline
staff
without
language
access
currently
42
language
access
plans
are
post
posted
online
and
have
been
implemented.
Every
city
department
office
board,
commissioned
under
the
mayor's
administration,
has
set
up
the
use
of
language
access.
N
Oh
I,
a
has
also
engaged
offices
independent
of
the
administration,
including
the
District
Attorney's
Office,
the
controller's
office,
the
sheriff's
office,
the
register
wills
and
City
Council.
The
city's
progress
in
language.
The
access
policies
is
evident
in
our
data
citywide.
We
have
seen
a
consistent
increase
of
seven
to
ten
percent
every
fiscal
year
for
cause
and
minutes
that
departments
use
telephonic
interpretation
to
provide
services
in
other
languages.
Over
the
last
three
fiscal
years,
city
wide
departments
have
served
over
80
different
languages
and
dialects
through
the
use
of
telephonic
interpretation
and
document.
N
To
date,
Oh
ia
has
trained
over
a
thousand
employees
from
over
30
different
departments
and
offices
across
the
city
and
we're
currently
piloting
and
testing
an
online
interactive
version
of
language
access
training
that
will
be
available,
2,000
of
them
thousands
of
employees
through
the
city's
learning
management
system,
beyond
policy
and
programs
and
language
access.
Oh
ia
also
focuses
on
economic
development.
N
We
have
been
focusing
our
work
on
workers
rights
as
well
as
employer,
know
your
rights
trainings,
the
workers
academy,
the
immigrant
workers,
a
cat
focuses
on
many
different
topics
to
train
our
communities,
some
being
some
city
policies
like
sick
leave
and
wage
theft,
as
well
as
other
curriculum,
focusing
around
workplace
norms.
Discrimination.
How
to
advocate
for
yourself
and
in
response
to
both
city,
council
and
residents,
business
owners
we
recently
launched
employer,
know
your
rights
trainings
around
I
nine
audits
and
how
to
respond
to
ice
in
your
workplace.
N
52
teams
and
that
will
continue
to
grow
as
the
years
go
on,
recognizing
that
we
are
not
a
direct
service
office.
One
of
oh
I
ease
major
goals
is
to
act
as
a
connector
and
a
convener
in
this
capacity.
Oh
I
a
hosts,
a
series
of
meetings
throughout
the
year
to
keep
our
communities
and
organizations
appraised
of
what
is
happening
in
our
city
as
it
relates
to
immigrants.
Cities
are
at
the
forefront
of
change,
and
local
government
can
make
much
needed
change
a
reality.
N
I
hope
that
our
immigrant
communities
will
continue
to
be
a
priority
for
our
future
administration,
elected
officials
and
residents.
That
kind
of
leadership
is
essential.
However,
this
legislation
provides
a
strong
statement
and
safeguards
to
ensure
that
our
immigrant
communities
continue
to
have
a
voice,
a
supporter
and
a
champion
within
city
government.
This
includes
my
testimony
and
I'll
be
happy
to
respond
to
any
questions
at
this
time.
Okay,.
A
G
You
very
much
I'm
I'm,
proud
to
be
a
supporter
of
the
Charter
change
and
to
make
oh
I
a
a
permanent
part
of
the
city
government.
I
did
just
want
to
put
on
the
record
some
of
the
things
that
have
been
discussed
before,
in
particular
with
regard
to
language,
access
that
there's
a
need
to
do
more
than
just
training
and
offering
of
services
that
we
need
the
office
to
do
proactive
engagement
with
review
of
an
oversight
when
were
there
clear
problems.
G
This
is
particularly
apparent
when
we
have
concerns
around
Public
Safety
from
our
immigrant
communities
and
language
access
rights
when
people
contact
9-1-1
or
police
departments
for
issues.
So
if
there
are
any
questions,
discrepancies
that
we
certainly
heard
one
in
a
hearing
a
year
and
a
half
ago
about
that,
oh
I,
a
needs
to
be
at
the
forefront
to
be
able
to
review,
departmental
practices
and
proactively
review
language
line,
documentation
to
make
sure
that
that's
actually
being
used,
not
that
it's
just
available,
but
that
it's
actually
in
use.
G
We
have
a
chance
to
make
sure
that
we
do
not
have
to
wait
for
commissioners
to
ask
whether
there
need
to
be
there
needs
to
be
language
translation,
but
that
we
already
know
where
people
live,
where
there
are
high
pockets
and
that
there
should
be
a
proactive
effort
to
ensure
that
those
divisions
and
those
polls
are
actually
provided
proactively
with
the
language
access
they
need.
So
we
can
relieve
the
pressure
on
the
commissioners
to
have
to
think
this
through
on
their
own.
N
Councilman
I,
thank
you
for
your
support
and
just
to
note
that
all
of
those
concerns
that
were
brought
up
we
have
started
to
look
into
them
were
started
before
our
conversations,
but
based
on
our
conversations,
we've
continued
that
the
police
department.
We
are
working
with
to
change
the
training,
training
detectives
as
well
as
upper-level
leadership
in
the
police
department,
in
order
to
understand
and
change
the
culture
understanding
what
language
access
is
we
went
to
911
sat
through
in
the
call
center
to
see.
Where
can
we
minimize
any
time?
N
We've
now
connected
the
operators
directly
with
the
interpreter
and
cut
out
that
middle
person
to
save
30
to
60
seconds?
We
continue
to
do
that
work
and,
as
far
as
the
voting
we
have
engaged
the
city.
Commissioner.
How
do
we
increase
our
number
of
interpreters,
the
trainings
and
really
to
do
outreach
to
our
communities
so
that
we
can
have
people
from
the
communities
being
interpreters
and
also
getting
the
word
out
that
they're
entitled
to
an
interpreter
when
voting?
Thank
you
thank.
A
A
I'm
gonna
try
this
again.
If
you
have
written
testimony,
please,
because
we
are
really
running
behind
here
and
we're
gonna
be
bumping
up
against
another
hearing
very
soon.
So
please
just
be
brief.
I
think,
I'm,
fair
to
say,
you're,
not
gonna,
have
any
opposition
in
this
year
in
this
committee.
Okay,
so
please
try
to
make
your
statement
as
brief
as
possible.
Thank
you.
A
A
B
You
very
much
I
apologize
counsel,
women
and
council
men
and
chairman
Greenlee.
Thank
you
so
much
for
allowing
me
to
submit
testimony
in
support
of
bill
number
one:
nine:
zero,
zero,
zero
seven.
My
name
is
Katherine
Miller,
Wilson
and
I'm.
The
executive
director
of
highest
Pennsylvania
I
speak
on
behalf
of
highest
Pennsylvania,
as
well
as
the
Nationality
Services
Center
Esperanza
immigration,
legal
services,
the
welcoming
center
for
new
Pennsylvanians
Catholic,
social
services,
immigration,
legal
services,
the
Southeast
Asian
mutual
assistance
associations,
coalition
coalition,
also
known
as
CMAC,
and
the
African
Cultural
Alliance
of
North
America,
incorporated.
B
All
of
these
groups
enthusiastically
support
bill
number
one:
nine,
zero,
zero,
zero
seven,
which,
if
passed,
will
ensure
that
a
measure
to
change
the
city
charter
so
as
to
include
the
establishment
of
an
office
of
immigrant
affairs
is
included
on
the
ballot
in
the
two
short
ears
that
the
current
mayor's
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
has
been
in
existence.
The
difference
that
it's
made
in
the
lives
of
the
thousands
of
immigrants
who
live,
work
and
contribute
to
the
city
is
immeasurable.
B
Oh
ia
has
improved
language
access,
although
I
agree
and
appreciate
Councilwoman
Givens
comments
and
Miriam
and
Rica's
is
response
across
all
city
offices.
It's
worked
with
the
mayor
in
the
city
solicitor's
office
on
sanctuary
policies,
it's
convened
all
of
the
major
immigration
refugee
resettlement
groups
in
the
city
several
times
in
an
effort
to
provide
assistance
to
all
of
us
in
to
all
of
our
clients.
It's
worked
on
municipal
ID
efforts.
B
It's
collaborated
with
the
Philadelphia
Bar
Association
and
several
other
nonprofit
organizations
to
create
free
civil
rights
convenings
to
help
ensure
that
all
Philadelphia's
citizens
are
well
informed
about
their
rights
and
to
provide
a
mechanism
for
expanding
the
capacity
of
the
city's
public
interest
bar
to
provide
critical
naturalization
services
to
low-income
Philadelphia
immigrants
who
are
eligible
to
naturalize
time
and
time
again.
Oh
I
a
has
mobilized
on
behalf
immigrants,
ensuring
their
protection
from
overreaching
federal
officials
and
doing
everything
in
its
power
to
make
Philadelphia
welcoming
city
to
immigrants.
B
These
activities
are
critical
not
just
to
our
Philadelphia
immigrant
residents,
but
to
their
neighbors
colleagues
and
communities
who
benefit
from
all
that
immigrants
bring
to
this
city.
Study
after
study
shows
that
immigrants
revitalize
neighborhoods
economically,
they
create
jobs,
they
pay
taxes,
they
participate
and
make
good
and
active
citizens.
In
short,
they
are
just
what
Philadelphia
needs
to
continue
to
grow
and
thrive.
Therefore,
making
Philadelphia
welcoming
city
that
protects
immigrants
and
encourages
celebrates
what
they
bring
and
supports
their
business
creations
is
a
critical,
full-time
and
ongoing
task.
B
Making
Oia
a
permanent
fixture
of
city
government
recognizes
this
and
makes
it
possible
on
behalf
of
all
of
us
who
work
with
immigrants
and
refugees
every
day.
We
cannot
stress
enough
how
important,
oh,
I
a
has
been
and
continues
to
be
in
the
lives
of
our
clients
in
our
communities
as
americans.
Of
course,
other
than
native
americans.
We
are
all
immigrants,
while
some
were
unwilling
immigrants.
Ultimately,
we
all
have
stories
to
tell
of
navigation
challenges.
B
Language
barriers,
discrimination
and
fear
of
the
unknown
having
a
permanent
government
office
created
to
help
with
those
challenges
is
simply
the
creation
of
a
permanent
office
of
integration.
In
short,
it
is
simply
good
sense,
the
sooner
that
those
challenges
can
be
overcome,
the
sooner
that
our
immigrant
neighbors
can
strengthen
the
fabric
of
our
city
and
ensure
that
Philadelphia
continues
to
grow
and
thrive
for
generations
to
come.
Thank.
A
P
You
very
much
I'm
Tom
Ginsburg
from
the
Pew
Charitable,
Trusts
and
I
will
summarize
my
comments
and
keep
them
short.
Just
to
be
clear.
We
are
a
501c3
non,
partisan,
independent
research
organization.
We
take
no
position
on
the
legislation
here.
I
just
wanted
to
give
an
up
highlights
from
our
report
last
summer
about
immigration
to
Philadelphia,
from
2000
to
2016
immigrants
increased
by
ninety
five
thousand
in
Philadelphia,
while
the
u.s.
born
population
fell
by
forty
four
and
a
half
thousand
that
let
left
immigrants
representing
at
that
point
about
fifteen
percent
of
the
population.
P
Our
research
found
that
immigration
immigrants
between
2000
and
2016
boosted
the
number
of
children,
college
graduates
and
business
owners
in
many
neighborhoods.
At
the
same
time,
they
have
added
to
Philadelphia's,
already
large
number
of
low-income,
less
educated
and
limited
English
residents
by
continent
of
origin
where
they
come
from.
Immigrants
in
Philadelphia
are
diverse
compared
to
the
country.
Overall.
Here
the
biggest
number
in
2016
was
not
from
Latin
America,
but
from
Asia
a
very
broad
geography.
P
They
have
settled
all
across
the
city
in
many
places,
yet
they're
still
biggest
concentrations
are
in
Northeast
and
in
South
Philadelphia
research
has
shown
that
it
is
the
second-generation
immigrants
those
born
in
America,
with
immigrant
parents
that
tends
to
make
the
biggest
leap
economically
and
educationally.
Our
research
has
estimated
that
the
second
and
first
generations,
together
in
Philadelphia,
numbered
about
three
hundred
ninety
thousand
in
2016,
that
was
about
27
percent
of
a
city
at
that
time,
that
included
more
than
55,000
second
generation
children
under
18
on
jobs.
P
In
the
economic
front,
immigrants
growth
has
been
striking,
foreign-born
residents
accounted
for
about
twice
as
much
growth
in
the
city
labor
force,
as
did
us
born
residents.
Immigrants
were
twice
as
likely
as
natives
to
report
being
self-employed
business
owners.
Some
industrial
sectors
in
Philadelphia
and
the
region
were
more
dependent
on
immigrants
than
others.
P
Construction,
for
example,
was
disproportionately
dependent
immigrants,
the
the
Ed's
and
meds
sector,
the
largest
in
the
city,
employed
the
most
the
biggest
number
of
immigrants
at
about
39,000
in
2016
when
it
comes
to
poverty
and
income
in
other
cities
and
around
the
country.
Overall,
immigrants
tend
to
be
poorer
or
lower
income
than
the
u.s.
born,
but
not
in
Philadelphia.
Here
the
foreign-born
and
native-born
were
pretty
close
economically
when
it
came
to
poverty
rates
and
median
income
and
I'll
close
by
saying
our
research
included
a
public
opinion
poll
conducted
in
mid-2016.
P
Q
Good
morning
my
name
is
Bhavik
Javits
a
I
came
to
Philadelphia
in
1990
I
currently
had
the
African
culture,
Alliance
of
North
America,
the
lightest
or
African
and
Caribbean
immigrant
serving
organization
in
his
state,
if
not
in
the
United
States
I
am
here
today
to
support
this
or
charter
that
will
make,
or
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
permanent
I
also
represent.
The
mayor's
Commission
and
I
have
been
authorized
to
commit
all
of
his
leadership
before
2005
African
and
Caribbean
immigrants.
Q
I
am
a
resident
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
had
been
historically
left
out
of
everything,
including
public
benefit
and
city
or
services,
even
though
they
equally
pay
their
taxes
like
any
other
resident
of
the
city.
The
resulting
effect
was
that
they
had
no
voice
in
city
affairs,
though,
through
the
leadership
or
cancer.
Imagining
Blackwell
the
mayor's
Commission
on
African
and
Caribbean
immigrant
Affairs
was
created
to
advance
our
men
to
advocate
for
the
inclusion
of
all
residents,
including
immigrants
in
all
affairs
of
the
city.
Q
The
commission
also
set
out
to
promote
trade
and
commerce
between
the
United
States,
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
and
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
As
we
speak
today,
the
African
trade
between
the
United,
States
and
Philadelphia
has
double
one.
Major
accomplishment
of
the
commission
include
presenting
fruitful
dialogue
about
how
to
strengthen
multilateral
relationship
among
all
the
peoples
and
support
the
city
of
Philadelphia
in
its
motor
culture
and
international
global
objective
care
towards
promoting
the
city
of
Philadelphia
as
a
City
of
Brotherly,
Love
and
sisterly
affection.
Q
The
male
Commission
on
the
African
immigrant
affair
is
composed
of
representative
from
many
organizations
dedicated
to
the
advancement
of
the
of
the
African
task
for
people.
Some
of
the
Commission
founding
members
organization
includes
a
coalition
of
African
and
Caribbean
immigrant
or
coalition's
the
African
and
communitive
organization,
AFRICOM,
the
african
cultural
alliance,
econo
jamaican
collision,
elaborate
association,
lab
the
Ethiopian
irritant
Association
and
a
Sudanese
community
Association.
Q
Since
its
creation,
a
commission
has
expanded
its
outreach
and
brought
together
over
25
additional
organization,
all
of
whom
a
member
of
the
Commission
today,
therefore,
city
agencies,
as
a
result
of
this
work
and
all
stakeholders
of
the
cities,
have
been
encouraged
from
depth
going
forward
to
include
immigrants,
especially
African
immigrant,
in
the
affairs
of
the
city.
Additionally,
city
officials
have
been
encouraged
to
involve
immigrant
in
a
development
of
economic
resources,
such
as
a
promotion
of
new
businesses
and
civic
participation
in
city
assess
and
educational
opportunities
for
all.
Q
These
works
have
expanded
upon
their
original
purpose
and
intent
of
the
mayor's
Commission
on
African
and
Caribbean
immigrants,
affairs
and
generated
and
guarantee
their
well
being
of
immigrant
community
and
all
groups
in
the
city
to
have
it
or
access
to
city
services.
The
mayor's
Commission
on
African
and
Caribbean
immigrants
addressed
support.
This
very
important
drive
to
institutionalize
the
great
achievement
made
possible
through
the
work
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
office
of
immigrant
affair.
We
are
here
today
your
honor
to
support
that
pepper.
Q
Q
However,
let
the
record
reflect
that
our
community
is
action
for
inclusion
of
for
inclusion
of
a
provision
which
recognized
the
work
of
the
African
and
Caribbean
immigrant
Affairs
to
be
imputed
in
a
language
in
each
other
to
safeguard
broader
administrative
access.
We
are
only
asking
for
it
not
to
be
a
one-sided
thing.
West
one
community
is
disadvantaged
by
the
other
community.
I
hope
that
such
language
will
ensure
comprehensive
participation
of
all
the
subsidiary
permissions
and
organization
with
similar
goals.
Q
Recent
study
revealed
that
a
city
of
Philadelphia
has
over
100,000
African
and
Caribbean
immigrants,
many
reside
in
west
and
southwest
Philadelphia,
where
they
constitute
57%
of
the
population.
They
are
lawyers,
they
are
law-abiding
citizens
who
are
business
owners,
academics
and
professional,
such
as
medical
doctors,
legal
professional,
mental
health
workers,
engineers
and
nonprofit
executive,
who
have
make
a
meaningful
contribution
to
the
city
of
Philadelphia
I
want
to
in
a
pan.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration,
sir.
M
M
We
are
a
city
that
is
proud
of
our
heritage
and
diversity.
We
embrace
our
theny
as
blue-collar
working-class
people.
We
celebrate
our
highs
and
agonize
over
our
lows
together
as
one
whether
we
are
immigrants,
our
families
lanten
it
in
Philadelphia
decades
ago.
We
live
similar
lives,
we
go
to
work,
we
go
to
school,
we
pay
taxes
and
we're
committed
to
raising
our
families.
Here
in
Philadelphia,
we
share
the
same
heartaches
poverty,
discrimination,
loss
of
employment,
illness,
violence
and
the
loss
of
life.
This
city
celebrated
as
one
when
our
Eagles
won
the
Superbowl.
M
M
Immigrants
want
desperately
to
be
a
part
of
our
city
culture.
The
city
needs
to
provide
the
pathway.
Sometimes
we
don't
do
not
know
how.
But
if
you
make
it
easy,
we
will
my
father
and
mother
as
first
generation
immigrants
exhibited
that
same
desire.
He
would
bake
a
turkey
for
the
Chinatown
Fire
Department
every
Thanksgiving.
It
was
a
show
of
his
appreciation
to
the
city
which
welcomed
his
family.
M
Today,
my
P
CDC
colleagues
helped
our
families
and
small
business
owners
navigate
City
Hall,
because
our
clients
did
not
speak
English
well,
are
afraid
to
engage
with
City
Hall.
Our
services
run
the
gamut
from
helping
clients
with
OPA
to
LIHEAP
and,
in
conclusion,
the
timing
to
incorporate
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
is
now
I
support.
This
legislation
because
acknowledges
the
service
delivery
gap
and
sets
expectations
to
eliminate
that
gap.
Philadelphia
is
a
gateway
for
immigrants
and
has
been
vocal
and
it's
welcoming
of
immigrants.
M
A
A
O
Good
morning,
my
name
is
Blanca
Pacheco
and
I'm,
representing
new
century
movement
of
Philadelphia
and
I'm
thankful
for
consume
and
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
Canadian
government,
and
also
to
Councilwoman
quinones
Sanchez
for
introducing
this
resolution,
which
will
make
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
a
permanent
city
a
permanent
part
of
the
city's
government.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
for
letting
us
speak
new
century
movement
is
a
Philadelphia
interfaith
multicultural
immigrant
rights
organization
and
we're
representing
30
faith
congregations,
both
immigrant
and
not
even
born
in
Philadelphia.
O
We
organized
for
a
more
welcomed,
unjust,
City
and
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
has
a
critical
resource
for
our
immigrant
members.
The
office
knows
the
Philadelphia
status
of
a
Century.
City
is
not
just
a
word,
but
is
it
they
are
practicing
that
every
day
and
they
do
it
together
with
other
with
organizations
in
the
city,
without
action
being
a
sanctuary
city.
This
is
an
empty
rhetoric.
O
O
O
Oya
has
opened
a
light
of
communication
and
engagement
when
members
were
getting
left
on
the
side
of
the
road
because
of
Philly's
lifestyle
program,
we
engage
with
Oya
community
members
had
a
seat
at
the
table
to
talk
with
OA
when
I
started,
picking
people
outside
of
court
or
probation
hearings
or
police
officer
detained
a
man
from
Brazil
as
US.
He
called
the
police.
Oh
yes,
there
to
listen
and
engage,
and
to
act.
There
also
open
up
venues
of
community
to
meet
directly
with
mayor
Kenney.
O
This
doesn't
automatically
solve
the
problem
or
guarantee
they
agree,
but
the
engagement
to
the
access
is
imperative.
The
Trump
administration
is
systematically
working
to
deport
all
immigrants
of
color
from
this
country.
We
see
this
every
day,
as
we
see
it
in
people's
kitchens
and
listen
to
mothers
left
alone
with
their
kids
and
a
broken
heart
and
their
supposed
being
sent
to
York.
O
So
here
has
been
a
leader
in
challenging
these
races
and
xenophobic
policies
with
City
Council
and
the
mayor
and
the
mayor
pass
laws
and
policies
that
really
see
and
hear
immigrants
that
honor
the
dignity
and
humanity
of
all
people,
regardless
of
immigration
status.
This
is
an
act
of
resistance,
but
we
need
more
than
resistance
right
now.
We
need
to
continue
working
to
to
do
to
work
on
pro-immigrant
policies
that
that
that
keeps
promoting
keeps
promoting
the
values,
and
then
we
hold
dear
and
set
an
example
and
how
this
country
shall
be
governed.
O
Oya
has
work
day
and
day
is.
His
pardon
must
be
a
permanent
part
of
the
city
of
the
city's
chapter,
as
the
government
continues
to
try
to
deport
all
immigrants
of
color.
We
also
like
need
to
not
only
be
against
the
physical
world
that
he's
trying
to
build,
but
like
also
dismantle
all
the
walls
that
might
be
that
might
be
blocking
access
to
immigrants
in
the
community
to
the
to
the
government.
O
Anacin
believes
that
being
a
sanctuary
and
a
welcoming
city
is
central
to
who
we
are
as
a
city
and
as
people,
and
we
must
be
in
the
Charter.
It
cannot
be
left
to
depend
on
each
administration
to
decide,
as
we
are
painfully
learning
with
Trump.
A
new
administration
thing
wipe
out
all
the
good
work.
Making
oil
someone
making
oil
a
permanent
part
of
the
city
says
clearly
to
the
immigrant
community.
We
have
your
back.
O
M
When
is
he
has
a
good
morning?
My
name
is:
will
Gonzales
I'm
the
executive
director
of
saber
saber?
Is
a
community
based
organization
in
the
Latino
community
of
Philadelphia,
which
promotes
economic
development
and
financial
inclusion
of
the
Latino
community
through
collaborations
and
advocacy
aimed
at
ensuring
their
access
to
quality
housing?
M
We
believe
that
the
office
of
immigrant
affairs
is
doing
a
great
job.
However,
it
needs
more
resources,
it
has
only
three
staff
and
it's
a
lot
to
ask
for
them.
They
need
to
strengthen
their
enforcement.
Their
oversight
and
hold
a
better
accountable,
the
city
agencies
that
they
look
at.
This
is
not
about
compliance
by
these
agencies.
This
is
about
changing
the
DNA,
the
culture
of
these
institutions.
M
We
are
sad
to
say
that,
for
example,
the
office
of
homeless
services
and
its
reports
that
it
gives
gave
to
the
city
for
the
last
two
reports
so
that
they
were
zero
people
according
to
their
counts,
who
were
LEP.
That
is
unacceptable
and
at
the
same
time,
it
is
a
lot
to
ask
for
three
people
in
one
office
to
have
to
look
at
multiple
reports
and
then,
at
the
same
time
carry
out
the
other
functions
of
that
office.
We
hope
that
this
legislation
is
not
only
seeking
to
make
it
permanent,
but
to
make
it
stronger.
M
M
Commissioners
office,
the
city
commissioners
office,
for
example,
not
only
has
to
comply
with
the
city
charter,
but
also
has
to
comply
with
section
203
of
the
Voting
Rights
Act,
which
says
that
whenever
there
is
a
limited,
English,
Proficient
population
of
at
least
that
reflects
5%
of
the
population
or
10,000,
all
materials
must
be
provided
in
that
language
Philadelphia
right
now,
the
only
language
that
that
applies
is
for
Spanish
speakers
and
that
is
federal,
right
and
believe
it
or
not.
The
city
commissioners
office
still
has
challenges
and
the
way
that
it
meets
that
federal
mandate.
M
So
you
can
imagine
when
it
comes
to
meeting
a
city
mandate,
so
I
agree
with
Councilman
women
Jim
that
need
more
needs
to
be
done,
but
I
think
that
it
falls
on
the
city
commissioners
office
itself,
with
the
support
of
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
and
not
the
other
way
around
again.
This
is
not
about
compliance.
This
is
about
serving
the
customer
and
it
has
to
be
built
in
I
also
want
to
highlight
that
not
only
is
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs,
an
important
entity
for
immigrants,
but
it's
also
important
for
other
native-born
limited-english-proficient
populations.
M
M
Last
but
not
least,
I
want
to
invite
you
all
to
muscle
on
the
board
of
the
Hispanic
Bar
Association
of
Pennsylvania
on
the
28th
of
December
in
conversation
Hall,
which
is
upstairs
we're
going
to
be
honoring.
The
head
of
the
office
of
immigrant
Affairs
Miriam
Enrique's,
that's
gonna,
be
at
5:30
p.m.
because
we
recognize
the
work
that
she
has
done
and
we
are
here
to
support
her
and
to
ask
that
her
office
be
strengthened.
Muchas
gracias,
thank.
A
B
Bill
number
one:
eight
zero,
eight,
two:
zero,
an
ordinance
providing
for
the
submission
to
the
qualified
electors,
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
of
an
amendment
to
the
Philadelphia
Home
Rule
Charter,
to
change
certain
gender
specific
references
to
gender-neutral
references,
as
approved
by
resolution
of
the
City
Council
fixing
the
date
of
a
special
election
for
such
purpose,
prescribing
the
form
of
ballot
question
to
be
voted
on
and
authorizing
the
appropriate
officers
to
publish
notice
and
to
make
arrangements
for
the
special
election
and
resolution.
One.
Eight
zero.
B
Eight
three
four
resolution
proposing
an
amendment
to
the
Philadelphia
Home
Rule
Charter,
to
change
certain
gender
specific
references
such
as
councilman,
councilman
and
council,
Maddock
to
gender
roof
general
neutral
references
such
as
councilmember,
councilmembers
and
council,
and
providing
for
this
submission
that
the
proposed
amendment
to
the
electors
of
Philadelphia.
Thank.
E
K
E
A
O
Morning,
chairperson
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
committee
on
lawn
government,
my
name
is
Jasper
Katz
and
I
am
a
law
student
at
Temple
University
and
a
legal
intern
with
the
mayor's
office
of
LGBT
affairs.
I
am
also
non-binary,
meaning
that
I
am
neither
a
man
nor
a
woman.
As
a
non-binary
law,
student
I
have
dedicated
myself
whenever
possible,
to
transgender
communities,
mentoring,
other
law,
students,
training
staff
and
faculty
on
transgender
competency
and
presenting
papers
on
legal
issues
affecting
transgender
people.
O
I
am
excited
to
be
here
today
to
testify
in
support
of
this
legislative
package,
an
increased
representation
of
non-binary
people,
Thank
You,
councilmember
green,
for
introducing
this
Charter
change
and
for
the
opportunity
to
support
this
legislation.
This
legislation
and
your
support
of
it,
will
have
a
profound
impact
on
non-binary
people.
It
gives
us
a
chance
to
see
ourselves
reflected
in
the
world
around
us,
even
when
we
might
not
know
anyone
else
who
shares
our
identity.
O
Our
identity,
I,
was
23
and
in
my
first
year
of
law,
school
before
I
met
a
non-binary
person
older
than
me,
and
when
I
finally
did
I
cried
without
realizing
it
I
had
always
assumed
I
would
be
the
oldest
non-binary
person.
I
know
discovering
that
wasn't
true
lifted.
A
burden,
I
didn't
even
know,
I
was
carrying
and
enabled
me
to
have
an
envision
a
future
for
myself
with
an
abundance
of
possibilities.
In
short,
this
legislation
gives
non-binary
people
a
chance.
O
Non-Binary
people
gave
me
the
language
with
which
to
talk
about
myself
and
the
skills
to
be
confident
enough
and
who
I
am
to
come
today.
This
legislation
is
an
opportunity
for
the
city
of
Philadelphia
to
do
the
same
on
a
much
broader
scale,
to
pull
up
an
extra
seat
at
the
table
and
invite
non-binary
folks
to
sit
down.
O
This
legislation
will
show
us
that
we
are
not
just
included
not
just
tolerated,
but
also
needed
and
wanted
I
wholeheartedly
support
bill
number
one:
eight,
zero,
eight
two
zero
resolution
number
one,
eight,
zero,
eight,
three
four
and
any
measures
to
affirm
and
support
women
and
non-binary
people.
This
is
a
simple
change
with
an
incredible
impact.
Thank
you
to
councilmember
green
chairperson,
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
committee
Committee
on
law
and
government
for
your
time
and
effort
addressing
this
important
issue
that
impacts
non-binary
Philadelphians.
O
G
Afternoon,
chairperson
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
long
government
committee,
my
name
is
sage.
Burge
I
am
an
undergraduate
at
Arcadia,
University,
studying,
sociology
and
I'm.
Also
a
policy
fellow
with
the
mayor's
office
of
LGBTQ
Affairs,
which
develops
priorities
for
the
city
on
issues
including
Public,
Safety,
education,
economic
development,
health
and
city
services
and
civil
rights
regarding
LGBTQ
Philadelphians,
Thank,
You,
councilmember
green,
for
introducing
this
legislative
package
and
for
the
opportunity
to
support
this
legislation
that
introduces
more
gender
inclusive
language
in
reference
to
City
Council
members.
G
As
a
person
who
lives
outside
the
gender
binary,
the
words
man
or
woman
do
not
fit
me.
I
often
find
myself
being
ascribed
to
gender
labels
that
don't
properly
represent
my
identity.
Titles
such
as
councilman
create
an
environment
in
which
women
and
non-binary
people
have
to
carve
out
a
space
for
themselves
and
ways
that
men
do
not.
G
G
Representation
of
marginalized
communities
and
positions
of
leadership
is
invaluable
in
addressing
the
needs
of
those
communities
creating
a
culture
in
which
non-binary
people
can
be
properly
identified
and
affirmed
within
city
council
roles
fosters
positive
representation
in
the
city's
government
for
Philadelphia
to
actively
include
gender-neutral
language
in
one
of
the
city's
oldest
governing
documents,
with
set
a
monument
monumental
precedent
for
others
to
follow.
This
action
would
also
demonstrate
our
recognition
of
the
changing
landscape
of
our
society.
G
Working
in
the
office
of
LGBTQ
affairs
marks
one
of
the
first
times
in
my
life,
where
I
felt
truly
validated
in
my
identity.
For
this
to
extend
to
other
areas
of
city
government
would
further
show
the
city's
commitment
to
supporting
LGBTQ
plus
communities
I'm
in
full
support
of
bill
number
one.
Eight
zero,
eight
two
zero
resolution
number
one,
eight,
zero,
eight,
three
four
and
any
measures
that
protect
and
affirm
women,
trans
and
non-binary
individuals.
Thank
you
to
councilmember
green
chairperson,
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
committee
on
lawn
government.
G
A
A
What
we're
going
to
do
is
temporarily
go
us,
go
out
of
our
public
here
and
go
into
a
public
meeting,
so
we
can
vote
the
on
the
bills
and
resolutions
that
we
just
heard.
Those
of
you
who
are
here
for
the
th,
they
hang
in
there,
five
more
minutes
or
less
and
we'll
be
with
you.
Chair,
recognizes
councilman
we're
now
in
a
public
meeting
we
have
a
quorum.
Chair,
recognizes
councilman,
Greene,
Thank.
E
E
A
E
E
E
E
A
E
A
A
E
A
Favor
opposed
hearing
none
resolution,
one
eight
zero,
eight
three,
four
as
a
minute
reported
out
of
this
committee
with
favorable
recommendation
that
completes
our
business
of
the
meat
of
the
meeting
of
the
Committee
on
law
and
government.
I'll
get
this
right
eventually
and
we
will
now
go
into
our
public
back
into
our
public
hearing
and
I'll.
Ask
miss
Marconi
to
read
the
title
of
the
resolution
before
is
today.
B
E
You
mr.
chair,
this
conversation
is
something
that
thing
is
important
that
we
have
have
at
this
time.
The
administration
working
with
First
Judicial
District
has
been
moving
to
reduce
the
number
of
people
who
are
in
cars
for
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
We
recently
closed
house
Corrections
and
we're
taking
other
steps
to
make
sure
that
institution
is
permanently
closed.
E
However,
in
fall
of
last
year,
Governor
wolf
made
a
statement
regarding
it
was
a
need
to
have
a
serious
conversation
regarding
whether
we're
going
to
have
recreational
cannabis
here
in
the
Collins
Pennsylvania,
and
it
seems
somewhat
contradictory.
We're
going
to
start
that
conversation
and
that's
a
conversation
we'll
have
at
a
later
time
in
this
committee
that
we're
still
looking
at
THC,
which
is
an
element
in
cannabis
to
be
used
for
whether
someone
is
violation
violating
their
probation
and
and
or
parole,
especially
considering
that
we
currently
have
medical
cannabis
in
the
comments.
E
Pennsylvania
and
a
number
of
states
are
also
moving
forward
in
the
space
of
recreational
cannabis
in
this
nation.
So
it
seems
somewhat
contradictory
that
in
one
sense
we're
allowing
medical
cannabis
to
be
used
for
people
that
have
ailments,
but
in
another
sense
we're
still
using
an
element
in
cannabis
to
violate
someone
on
probation
parole,
especially
considering
that
the
cost
of
having
someone
in
jail
is
about
$42,000
per
year.
E
And
when
you
look
at
the
fact
that
we
have
a
major
over
your
crisis
in
the
city
of
Adelphia,
we're
then
taking
people
who
may
have
a
screen
of
THC
and
send
them
to
some
type
of
treatment
which
probably
better
use
for
those
who
are
dealing
with
opioid
addiction.
So
I
think
this
is
an
important
conversation
to
have.
We
will
continue
to
engage
all
the
relevant
partners
in
this
debate,
especially
as
we
go
into
the
budget
hearing
and
we'll
have
a
opportunity
to
engage
the
first
judicial
district
regarding
its
policy
going
forward.
Thank
You
mr.
E
R
R
I
think
it
is
probably
very
well
known
by
people
who
are
here
that
there
is
no
such
thing
as
a
physiological
addiction
to
marijuana
that
marijuana
kills
absolutely
no
one,
while
a
legal
substance
that,
frankly
many
of
us
enjoy
alcohol
kills
people
by
the
hundreds
of
thousands
every
year.
Those
are
the
facts
that
is
the
reality.
The
slogan
gateway
drug
is
a
lie.
None
of
that
is
true,
and
yet
for
reasons
that
are
essentially
political
for
a
very
long
time.
R
This
country
is
turned
away
from
the
sound
social
policy
of
having
medical
and
recreational
marijuana
for
adults
because
of
the
reality
that
it
is
far
safer
than
something
that
so
many
of
us
use
beer
brown
liquor
why
it
just
is.
If
we
look
at
the
states
where
there
has
been
a
legalization
of
marijuana
such
as
Colorado,
we
find
they
have
a
school
system
that
is
swimming
in
money.
R
In
one
year
in
2017,
there
were
1.5
billion
dollars
in
marijuana
sales
in
Colorado
and
the
tax
revenues
that
flowed
from
that
were
247
million,
nearly
all
of
it
earmarked
for
education.
The
revenues
were
even
higher
in
California
that
same
year,
Pennsylvania
is
standing
in
between
the
two
can
expect
something
on
the
order
of
three
or
four
hundred
million
dollars
in
tax
revenues
that
could
be
entirely
dedicated
to
public
education.
R
Coming
from
the
legal
sale
of
marijuana
and
many
many
other
positive
benefits,
just
one
of
them
being
that
in
Colorado
they
experienced
a
25%
reduction
in
fatal
opioid
overdoses
once
marijuana
was
readily
available.
It
is
a
much
better
thing
to
take
when
you
are
suffering
from
pain.
So
there
is
a
sound
social
policy
behind
the
efforts,
including
the
efforts
of
our
lieutenant
governor,
to
seek
recreational
marijuana.
You
will
have
it
in
New
Jersey
within
probably
12
to
15
months.
R
You
will
have
it
and
what
you
will
see
is
all
of
the
money
that
could
go
for
this
public
school
system
going
to
New
Jersey
Pennsylvania
does
not
always
have
to
be
the
last
and
dumbest
one
to
come
to
the
party.
We
should
get
that
money
for
our
public
schools
and
we
should
do
it
now
because
it's
going
to
happen
anyway.
The
other
piece
of
context,
of
course,
is
the
situation
of
probation
and
parole
in
Pennsylvania
and
in
Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania
is
the
second
worst
state
in
the
United
States
for
supervision
on
parole
and
probation.
R
These
second
worst
in
the
United
States.
It
is
the
second
worst
in
the
United
States
for
all
forms
of
incarceration
and
supervision.
Second,
worst
in
the
u.s.,
it
has
been
that
way
for
a
long
time.
It
is
the
only
state
in
the
United
States
that
allows
you
to
have
a
period
of
probation.
That
goes
all
the
way
up
to
the
maximum
for
the
misdemeanor
offense
you
might
receive.
R
Frankly,
a
lot
of
our
laws
are
out
of
whack,
and
that
is
how
we
got
to
have
a
state
that
has
eight
times
that
has
eight
out
of
percent
of
its
old
jail
population
rather
than
the
National
atrocity
of
five
hundred
percent,
and
that's
how
we
got
to
be
so
famous
for
having
the
most
excessive
parole
in
the
United
States
and
the
second
most
excessive
supervision.
But
Philadelphia
is
a
particularly
disturbing
case
study.
R
I
applaud
the
efforts
here
to
look
more
deeply
into
the
problem
of
having
this
supervision
and
therefore
having
it
become
a
basis
for
revocation
there's
a
lot
more
that
we
have
to
do
on
the
probation
and
parole
front
and
I'll
conclude
just
by
saying
this
perhaps
first
and
foremost
is
we
need
to
slash
the
number
of
people
supervised
on
probation
and
parole.
It
should
not
be
difficult
when
New
York
City
has
12,000
people
for
us
to
go
from
40,000
people
to
20,000
people.
R
That
should
not
be
a
hard
thing
to
do,
and
it's
actually
a
good
thing
to
do.
That
makes
us
all
safer
when
we
realize
that
the
science
around
this
and
I'm
speaking
of
science,
not
the
perception
but
the
science
around.
This
is
that,
when
people
are
on
probation
and
parole
for
more
than
three
years,
they
are
more
likely
to
end
up
back
in
jail
for
exactly
the
same
offense.
I'll
say
it
again.
R
When
you
go
past
three
years,
you
are
more
likely
to
have
people
fail,
lose
their
jobs,
go
back
to
jail,
commit
new
crimes,
because
it
is
such
an
overwhelming
burden
when
you've
got
your
life
together
to
have
to
keep
reporting,
they
have
to
keep
paying
supervision,
fees
and,
frankly,
to
do
things
that
never
would
have
come
to
anybody's
attention,
like
not
smoke,
weed
five
years
after
a
conviction
for
a
pretty
insignificant
offense.
So
I
applaud
the
efforts
here
to
get
monitoring
of
THC
out
of
the
supervision
for
probation
parole.
R
I
We
wanted
a
system
that
accomplished
three
goals:
one
that
made
effective
use
of
taxpayer
dollars
two
that
was
fundamentally
fair
me
to
treated
people
the
same,
no
matter
what
color
or
social
economic
background
you
were
and
and
the
last
one
was
we
wanted
one
that
promoted
public
safety.
Well,
the
testing
and
violating
people
for
smoking
marijuana
achieves
none
of
those
goals,
and
so,
if
it
doesn't
achieve
any
of
those
three
goals,
why
are
we
doing?
It?
I
I
By
doing
this,
we
realized
that
it's
something
that
just
creates
a
burden
on
our
already
overtaxed
system
it.
It
does
not
allow
us
to
use
our
limited
resources
on
the
people
that
are
using
drugs
that
make
them
more
desperate
that
are
more
addictive
in
nature,
and
that
are
more
problematic
for
us
for
our
city,
and
for
that
reason
we
believe
that
they
should
not
test
probation
and
parole
errs
for
cannabis.
We
try
to
get
information
about
how
much
we
spend
on
just
a
testing
alone.
We
were
unable
to
do
that.
I
We
try
to
get
information
about
how
many
people
were
tested,
because
sometimes
the
drug
tests
don't
even
match
up
to
the
original
offense.
If
you
stole
a
car,
you
are
going
to
be
drug
tested
for
drugs.
Marijuana
is
one
of
them
if
your
original
offense
had
nothing
to
do
with
your
use
of
merit,
but
we
are
using
that
as
part
of
our
screening,
these
are
wasting
taxpayer
dollars
and
I
know.
All
of
you
know.
I
Our
criminal
justice
system
uses
a
lot
of
our
local
taxpayer
dollars
in
lieu
of
funding
the
things
that
really
prevent
crime
to
begin
with,
I
want
to
give
you
a
information
from
an
insider's
point
of
view,
for
some
of
the
things
that
we're
doing
now
recently
through
the
MacArthur
and
Safety
and
justice
challenge
in
Jim
Julie.
Who
knows
about
this
very
well.
I
That's
fifty
three
percent
of
the
people
that
we
use
intensive
resources
for
were
for
marijuana
violations.
That
means
that
they
are
now
in
a
program
where
they
have
to
go
see
or
go
to
intensive
outpatient
treatment
three
to
four
times
a
day.
These
are
people
that
work
that
take
care
of
families
that
have
all
these
other
life
challenges
and
we
are
forcing
them
to
go
into
a
intensive
program
treatment
for
for
three
to
four
times
a
day
for
marijuana
usage.
I
Well,
we
can
be
using
that
those
resources
for
people
who
are
really
addicted
to
higher-level
drugs.
The
waste
is,
is
evident,
I
don't
have
the
exact
numbers.
It
would
be
great
if
we
can
get
those
exact
numbers
because
I'm
sure
they
would
be
alarming,
but
what
we're
finding,
even
when
we
ask
the
people
that
we
represent,
who
are
going
in
on
who
are
testing
positive
for
marijuana?
Many
of
them
are
reporting
using
marijuana
to
sleep
better
at
night.
That's
not
a
crime
or
kernel
genic
tendency,
that's
not
something!
We
have
to
worry
about
we're
fine.
I
If
people
want
to
sleep
and
wake
up
and
have
a
very
good
day,
many
of
them
are
using
it
for
PTSD
and
trauma.
Many
of
them
are
using
it
for
pain.
So
these
reasons
are
benign
in
terms
of
our
notion
of
public
safety,
and
this
is
why
we
are
creating
endless
cycle
of
probation
for
people
who
are
being
tested.
This
way,
I
would
really
love
for
our
court
system,
our
laws,
our
statutes
to
catch
up
to
societies
to
society.
I
It
just
makes
no
sense
that
we
are
not
going
to
deter
something
but
we're
going
to
keep
regulating
and
we're
going
to
keep
using
our
law
enforcement
arm
for
something
that
has
provided
no
understanding
that
it
has
reduced
the
number
of
people
who
use
marijuana.
So
it's
it's
a
process
that
we
have
used
it's
a
process.
I
However,
many
of
the
people
that
we
see
in
our
system
for
marijuana
uses
who
are
testing
positive
for
that
are
black
and
brown
people.
So
if
we
want
to
have
a
system,
that's
fundamentally
fair,
then
we
will
take
out
the
things
that
create
disproportionate
outcomes
when
it
serves
no
other
value,
but
for
creating
a
disproportional
outcome.
So
with
that,
I
will
close
and
say.
Thank
you
so
much
for
introducing
this
resolution.
Thank
you
for
having
me
here
to
testify
and
I
really
do
hope
that
we
are
able
to
come
out
to
a
great
result.
Thank.
A
A
O
As
you
know,
as
councilman
mayor
Kenny
was
instrumental
in
leading
the
2014
effort
to
decriminalize
possession
of
small
amounts
of
marijuana.
In
addition,
this
administration
was
recently
supportive
of
the
council's
recent
passage
of
bill
number
one:
eight,
zero,
six,
nine
nine,
which,
in
addition
to
a
number
of
other
things,
also
decriminalized
purchasing
or
attempting
to
purchase
a
small
amount
of
marijuana
in
line
with
the
goals
of
the
McArthur
Safety
injustice
challenge
with
the
chief
defender
reference
to
safely
reduce
our
jail
population,
which,
as
of
today,
is
down
a
forty
two
percent
from
2015.
O
We
know
that
one
of
the
major
drivers
and,
in
fact
the
largest
driver
of
our
jail
population
in
general,
is
those
who
are
incarcerated
on
some
form
of
tina,
which
includes
county
probation
violations
into
that,
and
we've
been
working
collaboratively
for
a
number
of
years
on
various
strategies
to
reduce
the
number
of
people
who
end
up
incarcerated
on
violations.
I
was
going
to
talk
about
the
deaf
program,
but
the
defender
brought
it
up.
O
I
will
say
that
we
have
been
proactively
working
to
make
sure
that
the
people
refer
to
that
program
are
suffering
from
an
actual
substance,
use
disorder
and
not
being
referred
because
of
use
of
marijuana.
Use
of
marijuana
alone
should
not
be
a
cause
of
mandatory
treatment
or
incarceration
for
anyone.
At
the
same
time,
we
do
greatly
respect
the
independence
of
the
judiciary
and
the
individualized
circumstances
of
each
defendant,
so
we
look
forward
to
working
with
them
and
all
of
our
partners
to
implement
appropriate
reforms.
A
You
thank
you
all.
You
really
work
brief.
You
much
briefer
than
the
folks
I'm
impressed
just
one
question.
They'll
turn
over
to
everybody
else.
I
heard
what
you'll
said.
It
all
makes
perfect
sense
that
ruin
people's
lives
for
for
marijuana.
It
makes
no
sense,
but
particularly
mr.
Krasny,
you
made
the
correlation
with
alcohol.
Obviously
there
is
a
point
where
alcohol
impairs
you
to
drive
a
vehicle
or
do
other
things
and
I
know
there
are
times
where,
through
the
court,
somebody's
is
ordered
to
undergo
alcohol
rehabilitation.
You
know
that
kind
of
thing.
R
R
In
your
blood,
even
though
none
of
it
is
psychoactive,
and
none
of
it
affects
your
driving,
that
makes
you
DUI.
That
is
an
absurdity
that
goes
back
a
long
way,
but
I
am
completely
in
agreement
that
there
should
be
a
DUI
standard
for
marijuana.
Just
like
any
other
substance
that
can
impaired
driving,
including
prescription
medicines,
okay,
gotcha.
E
You
mr.
chair,
thank
you
all
for
being
here
and
in
your
comments
and
definitely
echo
all
the
statements
you
made
and
I
want
to
I'm
curious
in
reference
to
miss.
Bradford
Grady
talked
about
trying
to
get
data
from
the
first
Judicial
District
and
I'm
curious
about
your
inability
to
get
that
data.
That
data
and
what
has
been
response
from
the
first
Judicial
District
and
I
said
that,
because
this
is
a
real
disparity,
that's
going
to
become
more
and
more
prevalent
in
our
city
and
in
our
Commonwealth.
E
The
fact
that
you
could
be
a
person
s
on
probation
and
parole,
but
because
you
have
resources,
you
can
get
a
recommendation
from
a
physician
to
get
a
medical
cannabis
car
to
deal
with
an
EM
when
they
do
an
ailment
that
you're
dealing
with,
say,
post-traumatic
stress
or
pain.
As
you
made
reference
to
in
your
testimony
that
people
did
something
to
kill,
you've
dealt
with
how
it
dealing
with
challenges
and
sleeping.
E
That
does
come
up
with
FCA's
THC
screening
and,
as
a
result,
they
may
get
violated
and
have
to
go
back
to
jail.
So
there's
clearly
a
disparity
here.
What
I
think
is
being
promulgated
by
how
we
currently
have
on
the
campus
laws
in
the
Commonwealth
in
reference
to
municipal
and
National?
Have
we
use
TAC
and
screening
for
probation
and
parole?
So
I'm
curious
in
reference
to
because
of
this
discrepancy?
What
have
been
the
commentary
you
received
from
the
first
Judicial
District
and
breakfast
to
getting
access
to
that
data?.
I
We
got
the
information
to
testify
here
relatively
recently,
and
so
we
did
reach
out
to
probation
parole.
We
did
also
reach
out
to
the
first
Judicial
District
and
what
we
were
told
is
that
they
could
not.
They
didn't
have
enough
time
to
get
the
information
that
we
needed
to
testify
for
this
hearing.
So
I
don't
think
it's
an
unwillingness.
I
I
would
be
giving
them
the
credence
that
they
deserve
and
in
terms
of
saying
that
it
was
a
timing
issue,
but
I
do
think
that
information
is
really
important
to
figure
out
how
much
we're
spending
yearly
on
just
testing
for
marijuana
and
where
could
that
money
be
used
to
really
put
in
resources
and
treatments
that
we
seem
to
have
a
scarcity
of
for
some
of
these
other
drugs
that
are
really
creating
more
desperation
in
people.
Yeah.
E
Thank
you
for
that
that
clarity,
because
I
want
to
make
sure
that
it
was
a
timing
perspective.
But
the
timing
is
also
perfect.
Now,
considering
that
the
mayor
will
be
given
a
budget
address,
I
believe
in
March
7th,
all
the
various
on
departments
and
entities
that
receive
dollars
from
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
where
we
testify
in
budget
hearings
toward
the
end
of
March
throughout
April.
So
that
gives
us
the
opportunity
to
make
that
request
in
writing
prior
to
their
time
to
testify.
E
So
we
can
answer
to
get
information
prior
to
it
and
ask
additional
questions
at
those
budget
hearings
from
everyone
on
the
panel
I'm
curious
on
what
you've
seen
in
other
cities
and
how
they
deal
with
this
issue
and
what
other
states
have
done
and
changes
to
not
using
TAC
for
screening
if
they
stopped
doing
it
a
long
time
ago
or
during
the
process
of
moving
towards
not
doing
it.
And
what
were
some
of
the
reasons
they
made.
Those
decisions
if
you're
wearing
I.
I
Mean
I
know
I
know
for
one
California
has
been
a
pretty
much
a
model
for
this
recreational
marijuana.
I
know
Colorado
has
too,
but
we
looked
at
California
in
terms
of
the
laws
that
they
were
creating
around
this
as
well,
some
of
the
things
that
they
did
in
terms
of
just
not
testing
it
and
not
prosecuting
at
all.
They
also
looked
at
records
and
in
expunging
papers
records
reentry
as
a
relation
to
that,
because
this
is
now
becoming
a
business
there,
many
law
firms
that
are
fixing
up
their
practice
to
become
regulatory
sites.
I
There
are
many
people
that
are
understanding
the
economics
that
are
involved
in
this,
and
now
there
are
still
many
people
that
are
excluded
from
that
opportunities
or
those
financial
opportunities,
and
so
California
has
created
an
opportunity
for
people
to
get
pardoned
for
their
just
possession
of
marijuana
usage
and,
of
course,
expunged.
If,
if
that
is
an
option
in
that
state,
but
I
think
we
need
to
look
at
the
back
end
to
all
the
people
that
have
been
kind
of
suffering
for
exclusion
of
job
exclusion
of
other
qualities
of
life.
I
R
If
I
might
just
add
to
that,
there's
a
bigger
structural
issue
here,
also,
which
is
that
many
states
are
not
even
permitting
you
to
go
back
to
jail
for
a
technical
violation.
That's
what
this
is.
This
is
a
technical
violation
of
a
condition
of
your
probation
parole.
That
says,
you
cannot
use
drugs
they're,
not
permitting
it
at
all,
not
for
popping
wheelies
not
for
smoking,
weed
not
for
things
that
fall
short
of
the
commission
of
an
actual
crime.
R
So
part
of
what
we're
seeing
here
is
that
there
is
this
culture
of
violating
people
for
jaywalking
or
violating
them,
for
you
know
really
minor
things
that
a
judge
finds
offensive
that
are
only
these
kind
of
technical
violations.
That's
not
even
available
in
other
places,
and
what
the
public
defender
said
is
is
absolutely
correct.
R
Not
only
are
we
seeing
that
there
is
a
reluctance
to
violate
people
for
simply
having
a
positive
result
for
THC
in
their
system,
we're
seeing
things
like
the
district
attorney
in
Syracuse,
announcing
that
they
want
to
go
back
in
time
and
eliminate
the
convictions
that
people
actually
had
in
the
past.
This
has
been
done
and
it
got
done
in
San,
Francisco,
it's
being
done
in
San,
Francisco
and,
frankly,
something
Baltimore,
it's
being
done
all
over
the
country.
This
is
what
we're
talking
about
here.
R
This
notion
that
you
violate
people
on
probation
and
parole
for
marijuana
use
is
really
a
relic.
I
mean
not
only
is
a
lot
of
the
statutory
basis
for
this
in
Pennsylvania
bizarre,
but
the
levels
of
supervision
are
bizarre,
and
this
notion
that
you
can
put
people
back
in
jail,
for
this
is
really
pretty
much
of
an
outlier.
E
O
E
Thank
you
and
I
know
that
my
colleagues
also
have
additional
question
I
just
make.
One
last
point
is
that
in
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania,
I
believe
by
2022,
the
male
cannabis
industry
will
be
a
2
billion
dollar
industry
nationwide
will
be
about
twenty
two
billion
dollar
industry
and
I
find
it
very
concerning
that
we're
talking
like
reading
huge
sources
of
resources
that
can
be
used
for
things
like
education,
other
things.
E
But
then
we
have
people
who
are
still
being
incarcerated
because
of
them
using
the
same
substance
and
we're
creating
this
kind
of
once
again
Tale
of
Two
Cities.
Those
that
have
the
resources
can
access
to
either
create
a
new
industry,
create
business
opportunities,
provide
resources
for
themselves
and
their
families
and
others,
and
creating
generational
wealth,
but
in
others,
are
using
the
same
product,
aren't
gonna,
be
and
continue
being
incarcerated
and
those
type
of
things
and
so
I
think
there's
been
a
movement
and
I
think
a
defender,
great
Bradford
gray,
made
reference
to
that.
E
There's
definitely
a
move,
and
then,
if
we're
gonna
have
this
type
of
medical,
cannabis
and
recreational,
we're
also
need
to
make
sure
we're
doing
things
from
an
expungement
perspective,
as
well
as
looking
at
screenings
and
other
things
that
way
make
sure
that
not
just
one
part
of
our
community
can
benefit,
but
on
the
other,
people
are
being
detrimental
impacted
by
the
same
product.
Thank
you.
F
Thank
you
I
want
to
thank
councilman
green
for
bringing
this
issue
up
in
and
echo
his
sentiments
that
we
will
be
asking
departments
of
every
department
as
part
of
the
siege
apt
world.
What
the
financial
impacts
in
consequences
are
for
these
kinds
of
policies.
I
wanted
to
ask
Julie
from
the
administration
part,
so
we've
been
working
a
lot
around
diversity
and
access
to
employment
and
jobs
and
found
that
marijuana
and
marijuana
testing.
F
We
spent
quite
a
bit
of
money
as
a
city
on
it
and
it
is
a
tool
that
has
been
used
to
exclude
people
from
employment
to
city
government.
What,
if
anything,
is
your
department
looking
at
that,
and
will
we
see
that
more
reflective
and
policies
moving
forward,
because
well,
every
single
department
will
tell
you
this
has
become
a
barrier
to
getting
highly
qualified
people
into
the
city.
O
Thank
You
Councilwoman,
our
council
person,
I
guess
I,
should
say
now.
I
know
that
this
is
a
topic
that
the
mayor
has
spoken
on.
I
know.
There
are
also,
obviously
certain
job
classes
within
the
city.
That
marijuana
just
would
be
an
exclusion
like
certain
other
things
would
but
there's
a
vast
majority
that
it
probably
shouldn't
be
an
exclusion
for
I
know
it's
something
that
the
chief
administrative
officer
and
HR
as
under
her
purview.
You
know,
have
begun
to
explore.
I,
don't
know
the
status
of
those
conversations,
but
we're
happy
to
get
back
to
you.
O
F
Can
you
also
look
at
what
happens
when
people
test
for
a
drug?
First
of
all,
how
much
money
are
we
spending
on
marijuana
testing
right
for
applicants
as
a
system
and
then
what
hapenned
T's
when
folks,
for
whatever
reason
get
tested
on
the
jobs,
I
really
I,
think
we
have
to
and
I
agree
around
the
restorative
practices
and
how
we
go
back,
and
you
know
with
folks,
but
even
as
we
move
forward
that
were
being
somewhat
consistent
and
how
we
apply
apply
the
application
of
this
as
a
city
sure.
S
Hi,
my
name
is
Alyson
Neff
I'm,
the
clinical
director
of
the
UPenn
Centre
for
coastal
communities,
which
is
a
community-based
reentry
organization
that
serves
people
returning
home
from
incarceration
and
I'm.
Also,
an
assistant
professor
at
the
Graduate
School
of
Social
Work
at
West
Chester
University.
Thank
you
for
having
me
I
know
it's
been
a
long
morning.
I'll
be
brief
in
my
comments.
I
think
the
panel
covered
a
lot
of
the
really
important
points,
and
so
I
just
want
to
emphasize
a
couple
of
things
that
weren't
mentioned
during
the
panel.
S
One
of
those
things
is
that,
in
addition
to
increasing
legal
risk
for
people,
probation
testing
of
marijuana
can
also
increase
physical
risks
and
safety
risks
for
people.
One
trend
that
we've
seen
over
and
over
is
that,
while
marijuana
is
a
low
risk
substance,
as
the
DEA
noted,
it
also
stays
in
your
system
for
a
very
long
time
so,
30
days
after
using
marijuana,
it
can
still
turn
up
as
positive,
because
people
are
fearful
of
incarceration.
S
As
a
result
of
that,
many
people
have
chosen
to
use
a
drug
called
k2,
not
sure
if
you're
familiar
with
that
people
refer
to
it.
As
synthetic
marijuana,
but
it's
actually
a
very
different
drug
than
marijuana
and
it's
a
very
dangerous
drug
and
side
effects
of
using
k2
can't
include
psychotic
episodes
and
hallucinations
seizure.
Like
symptoms
body,
convulsions,
I
worked
in
an
ER
here
in
Center
City
for
about
five
years,
and
we
saw
repeatedly
people
coming
in
with
major
medical
problems
as
a
result
of
k2
use.
S
But
k2
is
not
a
substance,
that's
tested
by
probation.
There
are
a
few
reasons
for
that.
One
of
them
is
it's
difficult
to
test,
because
it's
a
constantly-changing
substance.
We
don't
always
know
what
it
is.
It
also
is
a
very
expensive
test,
so
people
who
are
for
legal
reasons
unable
to
safely
use
marijuana,
often
use
k2
and
put
themselves
great
physical
risk
as
a
result.
S
So
that's
one
of
the
concerns
that
we
have
in
terms
of
marijuana
testing
I
also
want
to
mention
that,
in
terms
of
the
legal
risk,
one
of
the
sort
of
patterns
that
we've
seen
happen
is
when
people
have
used
marijuana
and
they
know
that
they're
likely
to
be
tested
at
a
probation,
visit
and
they're
fearful
of
being
detained.
They
become
reluctant
to
go
report,
and
so
then
what
we
have
is
a
situation
where
someone
is
considered
an
abscond,
er
I,
think.
S
For
that
reason
it
would
be
great
to
hear
the
numbers
from
probation
but
I
think
it's
very
difficult
to
know.
Actually
the
true
number
of
violations
that
really
stem
from
marijuana,
because
many
times
people
are
actually
absconded,
and
so
what
we
see
is
that
it's
called
absconding,
but
without
marijuana
testing.
S
So
I
think
this
process
of
fear
ends
up,
resulting
in
a
lot
higher
risk
behavior
from
people
than
we
would
see
if
they
were
not
being
tested
for
marijuana.
I
did
include
a
few
narratives
of
people
who
we
work
with
in
our
community
that
I
wanted
to
share
very
quickly.
That
I
think
can
kind
of
speak
to
this
issue.
The
first
one
is
a
someone
named
Terry
he's
a
31
year
old,
Army,
veteran
and
he's
on
probation
he's
drug
tested
on
a
bi-weekly
basis
for
marijuana
and
other
drugs.
S
As
a
result
of
his
probation,
he
was
deployed
twice
overseas
for
his
military
service
and
he
has
a
diagnosis
of
PTSD.
He
did
try
prescription
medications
to
treat
PTSD.
He
was
having
a
lot
of
side
effects.
He
was
finding
it
difficult
to
function
at
the
level
that
he
wanted
to
so
he's
been
smoking
marijuana
in
an
attempt
to
manage
his
PTSD
symptoms.
He
was
violated
as
a
result
of
this.
In
2017
he
was
detained
at
the
end
of
November
was
incarcerated.
He
missed
the
holidays
with
his
family.
He
missed
its
mother's
birthday,
his
son's
birthday.
S
He
lost
his
job.
He
finally
got
in
front
of
a
judge
in
February,
and
the
judge
said
this
isn't
a
reasonable
reason
to
be
incarcerated
and
he
was
released
at
that
time.
But
all
of
this
damage
was
already
done,
also
to
speak
to
the
issue
that
chief
defender
Bradford
Graham,
mentioned
in
terms
of
the
intensive
outpatient
when
he
was
released,
he
was
ordered
to
participate
in
intensive
outpatient
treatment.
Tents
about
patient
treatment
is
three
days
a
week,
two
to
three
hours
a
day
and,
as
you
mentioned,
council
person
green.
S
This
is
a
treatment
spot
that
could
go
to
someone
with
a
really
serious
addiction
problem.
There's
really
no
evidence
that
IOP
is
effective
in
reducing
marijuana
use
and
I
think
it
could
honestly
increase
risk
because
we're
cope,
we're
cohorting
people
who
are
recreational
marijuana
users
with
people
with
very
serious
addictions
and
treating
those
as
if
they're,
the
same
so
I
think
in
addition
to
the
cost.
It's
also
just
clinically
inappropriate.
S
Another
concern
I'd
like
to
share
from
just
a
clinical
treatment
perspective
and
almost
finished
I
promised
is
that
there
are
things
that
we
know
about
what
is
what's
helpful
for
people
when
they're
trying
to
change
things
in
their
lives
or
to
work
on
things
like
reducing
marijuana
use,
harm
reduction
is
a
strategy.
That's
been
found
to
be
very,
very
successful
in
that
effort,
and
what
that
requires
is
small,
incremental
change
where
people
have
small
successes
and
they
build
on
those
over
time.
S
It's
sort
of
like
any
kind
of
change,
we're
trying
to
make
in
our
lives.
If
we
try
to
do
everything
all
at
once,
we
tend
to
fail
and
when
we
have
the
risk
of
incarceration
looming
over
a
person's
head
every
day,
instead
of
being
able
to
focus
on
this
sort
of
meaningful
change
process
that
we
know
works,
what
we
have
to
do
instead
is
frantically
in
sort
of
the
mist,
panicked
away,
try
to
figure
out
how
to
get
people
to
stop
instantly
so
that
they're
not.
S
S
Testing
for
marijuana
is
I
think
a
very
important
racial
justice
issue.
That's
been
touched
on
already,
so
I
won't
spend
a
ton
of
time
on
that.
But
we
are.
This.
Decriminalization
of
marijuana
in
Philadelphia
I
think
has
successfully
reduced
the
numbers
of
new
arrests
for
marijuana,
but
it
really
is
not
doing
anything
to
help
people
the
over
40,000
people
who
are
already
on
probation
in
Philadelphia,
who
are
mostly
people
who
are
black
and
brown.
So
we
have
this
really
problematic
dichotomy.
S
I
think
it
now
where
we
have
wealthy
people
who
have
access
to
open
these
dispensaries
and
are
making
a
lot
of
money
off
of
marijuana
and
simultaneously
we're
still
incarcerated
people
of
color.
Who
don't
have
the
means,
as
you
said,
councilperson
green,
to
get
those
medical
marijuana
cards
and
I'll
just
finish
with
one
more
one:
more
story:
chris
is
a
27
year
old
who's
been
on
supervision
in
Philadelphia,
since
2012
for
also
like
a
nonviolent
offense
to
begin
with,
so
we
are
looking
again
at
these
very
long.
S
Probation
sentences
and
I
will
just
add
that,
in
terms
of
the
legal
risk,
one
of
the
things
we
see
over
and
over
and
over
is
testing
positive
for
marijuana
becomes
a
reason
to
extend
someone's
probation
sentence,
and
we
have
in
fact
recently
had
judges.
Who've
said
I
will
never
end
your
probation
as
long
as
you're
testing
positive
for
marijuana.
S
So
even
when
people
reach
the
end
of
their
probation
sentences,
they've
completed
all
other
requirements,
they're
hearing
you
cannot
leave
probation
while
you're
testing,
positive
and
so
just
to
mention
that
as
well
he's
been
using
marijuana
off
and
on
throughout
his
time
on,
probation
he's
also
been
working.
Parenting
he's
been
coming
to
CBT
groups,
he's
been
attending
college
at
Community,
College
of
Philadelphia
and
he's
just
generally
been
a
wonderful,
productive
and
contributing
member
of
our
community
he's
been
using
marijuana
recreationally
since
his
teens.
S
He
struggles
with
anxiety
and
depression
in
2016
probation
violated
him
for
a
positive
marijuana
screen.
He
was
reincarnated
in
the
PPD.
He
was
unable
to
finish
his
semester
in
college,
so
he
received
failing
grades
for
all
of
his
classes.
He
lost
his
job.
He
missed
treatment
for
that
period
of
time,
so
there
was
a
gap
in
treatment.
He
wasn't
able
to
be
present
with
his
son
and
parent
has
done
very
close
with.
He
was
incarcerated
that
time
for
nine
months
after
coming
home.
He
is
now
still
on
probation.
S
He
still
intermittently
test
positive
for
marijuana.
He
is
pursuing
a
medical
marijuana
card
and
which
we
believe
clinically
he
would
qualify
for
and,
however,
there
are
lots
of
barriers
to
this
process
there,
only
a
few
doctors
who
can
do
that
they
often
charge
very
high
fees
for
that,
and
it's
been
really
difficult
so
just
to
kind
of
share
some
of
the
experiences
of
our
community
members
and
thank
you
so
much
for
taking
time
to
hear
about
this
support.
S
A
S
E
S
Absolutely
I
mean
I
think
there's
been
a
huge
surge
in
the
use
of
k2
and
it's
really
commonly
known
as
like
the
drug
that
you
can
use
when
you're
on
probation.
So,
as
you
know,
anecdotally
for
patients
I've
seen
in
the
emergency
room
and
certainly
in
our
community
and
the
people
we've
encountered,
it's
that's
the
common
usage
and,
and
it
just
it
varies
so
wildly
that
there
are
these
bad
batches.
People
are
dying
from
using
k2
and
they
wouldn't
be
using
k2
if
they
weren't
being
tested
for
marijuana,
so
I
think
it.
E
That's
one
of
what
you
may
reference
to
one
of
the
concerns:
I
have
synthetic
drugs
because
these
synthetic
or
deliver
drugs.
They
have
all
kinds
of
impact
on
people
that
people
don't
really
know
impact
because
they
are
designer
drugs.
That
people
are
constantly
changing
the
chemical
components
in
all
different
ways,
which
makes
them
very
dangerous
in
a
lot
of
ways.
E
E
S
Honestly,
I
couldn't
I
couldn't
give
you
very
detailed
information
in
terms
of
what
some
other
cities
have
done.
We
do.
We
do
know
that
it
does
represent
a
significant
proportion
of
probation
violations
and,
as
the
district
attorney
mentioned
in
Philadelphia,
people
are
be
incarcerated
as
a
result
of
technical
violations.
So
I
think
we
it's
safe
to
say
that
we
know
that
ending
marijuana
testing
on
probation
would
significantly
drop
the
number
of
reincarnation
zand.
We
have
a
really
big
problem.
E
Just
a
close
mixture
I
think
the
storage
you
gave
are
a
perfect
example
of
the
impact
of
THC
screenings,
where
people
who
may
have
had
a
situation
to
past
but
now
trying
to
move
forward
with
their
lives
and
trying
to
have
some
type
of
stable
income
provide
for
families,
but
because
they're
dealing
with
some
type
of
pain
they
haven't
deal
with
that.
It
can't
deal
with
any
some
type.
Some
means
of
managing
that
pain.
E
Using
has
to
do
that
and
then
becoming
violated
on
probation
or
parole
situation
going
back
in
jail
and,
as
a
result,
now
are
not
able
to
provide
for
the
families
and
then
when
they
come
out,
are
still
not
able
to
provide
for
the
families,
because
I've
been
put
in
some
type
of
treatment
program.
That
really
is
not
for
them
right.
S
E
So
it's
almost
like
a
an
additional
offense
or
I
will
say
incarceration,
but
there's
no
punishment.
Even
when
you
really
you
get
released
to
have
to
go
to
these
treatment
programs
they're,
really
not
going
to
impact
people
or
benefit
you
and
we're
taking
that
slat
away
from
someone.
That
really
does
mean
it
could
be
dealing
with
a
different
type
of
action.
Yep.
S
And
I
think
that,
from
a
human
level,
people
just
feel
sort
of
defeated
like
I've
done
all
these
things,
I'm
working
I'm,
taking
care
of
my
family
I'm,
a
productive
citizen,
and
this
one
thing
means
that
I'm
still,
you
know
incarcerated
it
like
it's.
None
of
those
other
sort
of
achievements
or
things
they've
worked
on
really
matter.
So
we
don't
want
people
to
feel
that
you
know
that
hard
work
they're
doing
to
turn
their
lives
around
is
insignificant.
S
A
A
A
A
T
It
causes
a
stoppage
and
then
be
able
to
attend
the
program
oftentimes
they
have
to
be
out.
You
know
to
go
to
court
to
deal
with
violations
to
deal
with.
You
know
the
back
and
forth.
You
know
different
Court
dates
rescheduling
all
this
takes
away
time,
the
date
that
they
could
be
in
the
program
be
a
pal,
for
you
know,
working
on
those
skill,
development
working
on
a
career
pathway.
T
You
know
working
on,
you
know
trying
to
improve
their
overall
situation
often
times
you
know
over
the
years,
I've
probably
worked
with
I,
don't
know
thousands
and
thousands
of
young
people
many
times
the
first
charged
first
introduction
into
legal
system
was
marijuana
like
going
back
to
when
I
worked
at
the
EPA
I.
Don't
know
people
remember
CDP
with
the
disciplinary
school
here
in
Philadelphia.
T
You
know
you
had
kids
thrown
into
a
disciplinary
school,
you
know
or
sent
to
placement
for
marijuana
and
it
began,
like
you
know,
a
constant
tug,
O'war
of
being
connected
to
the
legal
system
and
not
really
being
able
to
get
free.
You
know
we
fit
a
meetings
and
we
talk
about.
You
know
the
different
barriers
that
young
people
are
facing
in
the
city.
You
know
you
know
trying
to
figure
out
why
you
know
some
of
the
city's
leading
nonprofit
organizations.
T
Education
works
included.
Why
we're
not
able
to
totally
eradicate
certain
things,
but
you
know
barrier,
that's
the
main
reason
why
we
cannot
get
young
people
to
move
forward.
Any
barrier
that
you
can
remove
from
a
young
person
between
18
to
26,
in
my
opinion,
is
going
to
pay
out
incredible
dividends
in
the
long
run.
You
know
oftentimes
we're
talking
about
young
people
that
are,
you
know,
struggling
with
trauma.
You
know,
I've
dealt
with
a
lot
of
different
personal
things
that
have
you
know,
caused
them
to
to
lean
on
that
method
of
treatment.
T
You
know,
they're,
not
leaning
on
percocets
are
not
leaning
on
some
of
the
other
drugs
that
most
other
people
have
the
opportunity
to
they're.
Just
smoking
weed
they're,
trying
to
get
through
their
day
they're
trying
to
go
to
their
program
they're
trying
to
go
to
college
they're.
Trying
to
you
know,
move
in
the
right
direction,
but
you
know
they're
bound
up
by
probation.
One
powerful
member
comes
to
mind
that
he
was
an
assistant
crew
leader
for
us
had
gone
through.
The
program
became
an
assistant
crew
leader,
doing
everything
he
needed
to
do
completed
his
probation.
T
He
had
probation
that
carried
over
for
him
to
be
I,
guess
he's
like
18
at
the
time
18
19
two-time
probation
carried
over
from
juvenile.
He
completed
it
coming
out
of
a
corner
store,
got
arrested
with
small
amount
of
marijuana
at
this
particular
time
he's
in
alignment
for
fellowship
at
the
Philadelphia
water
department,
and
he
was
concerned
that
all
this
was
going
to
be
in
jeopardy.
T
Luckily,
we
have
a
new
administration
and
they
had
a
diversion
program
and
he
was
able
to
get
into
that
diversion
program
and,
to
date,
he's
now
at
the
Philadelphia
water
department.
You
know
fifth
month
and
working
on
his
fellowship
in
an
alignment
for
full-time
employment.
Those
are
the
kind
of
the
opportunities
that
Evan
wants
to
be.
You
know
able
to
have
when
we
were
talking
about
like
trying
to
close
the
wealth
gap,
and
we
talked
about
closing
the
wealth.
T
We
have
to
remove
barriers
that
are
preventing
people
from
getting
employment
here
in
power
poor
often
times
we
have
qualified
young
people
that
want
to
send
to
the
city
Philadelphia,
but
they
don't
meet
the
minimum
requirements.
The
drug
test,
unfortunately,
and
they're
not
tough
and
positive.
For
anything,
egregious
usually
marijuana.
T
You
know.
Luckily,
you
guys
are
positioning
yourself
on
the
right
side
of
history
here
in
Philadelphia
to
have
the
power
to
make
sure
that
we
can
make
these
incremental
changes.
That
will
allow
people
to
have
the
opportunity
to
move
forward,
we're
asking
young
people
to
move
forward
within
them
and
move
in
the
right
direction.
But
we
have
to
be
mindful
the
different
barriers
that
we
need
to
remove
in
front
of
them.
So
they
can.
You.
T
L
Myself
Dominic
speech
I'm,
currently
a
crew
leader,
a
parkour
phot
and
a
member
of
a
Penn
serve
advisory
board,
I'm,
currently
serving
tenure,
probation
sentence
and
one
of
the
things
that
I
witness
to
close
friends
and
even
friends
that
I
have
that
our
probation
officers
a
lot
of
the
violations
that
I
often
see
are
from
marijuana
use.
So
those
are
some
of
the
things
that,
like
my
friends,
struggle
with
and
also
being
a
crew
leader,
a
lot
of
the
members
that
come
in
one
of
the
things
that
they
do
struggle
with
are.
L
The
marijuana
usage
and
a
lot
of
things
that
would
go
through
as
far
as
like
peers,
PTSD,
even
pain,
chronic,
chronic
pain
that
they
have.
Some
of
the
members
have
been
shot.
One
of
my
friends,
my
closest
friends.
He
was
shy,
August
2017
and
he
was
afraid
to
leave
the
hospital
because
he
knew
they
were
going
to
prescribe
home
of
opioids
and
he
didn't.
He
didn't
want
to
be
on
the
opioids,
but
because
he
was
on
probation.
He
had
a
hard
time
with
the
medical
marijuana
and
he
was
in
the
process
of
getting
it.
L
Luckily,
for
home
he
ended
up
getting
off
probation
after
he
was
off
probation.
He
ended
up
getting
a
medical
cart,
so
those
are
like
some
of
the
things
that
I
witnessed.
I,
don't
I,
don't
necessarily
deal
with
any
American
marijuana,
but
a
lot
of
members
that
are
that
I
serve
on
the
daily
basis.
These
are
the
problems
that
they
have
and
I
live
in,
like
the
frank,
free
consent
section,
so
it
was
like
a
bad
open.
Your
academic
going
on,
but
but
sigh
right
beside
that
is
the
k2
young
lady
just
spoke
about
the
k2.
L
The
case
of
thing
and
one
of
the
things
that
my
grandma
it's
like
her
biggest
concern,
was
like
the
k2
like
that's
that's
the
main
drug.
That's
around
it.
It's
not.
The
opioids
is
the
k2
and
majority
of
those
people
that
are
using
the
k2
are
on
probation
and
there's
they're
not
being
tested
for
the
kids
who
they're
being
tested
for
marijuana,
so
they
dismiss
in
the
marijuana
and
using
the
k2
to
stay
I,
guess
free
out
of
prison.
So.
A
E
I
just
want
to
say
thank
you
for
the
work
you're
doing
with
power
core
phl
and
also
being
here
to
testify
to
give
you
a
story,
I
think
both
of
your
stories
kind
of
really
crystallized
why
we
need
to
make
a
change
and
going
forward
to
have
people
like
yourself
being
able
to
move
forward
and
be
an
inspiration
which
you
are
an
inspiration
for
others
and
the
workers
you're
doing
every
day.
So
I
think
it's
a
great
conclusion
to
this
hearing.