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From YouTube: Committee on Public Safety 12-2-2021
Description
The Committee on Public Safety of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Thursday, December 2, 2021, at 2:00 PMto hear testimony on the following item:
210923 An Ordinance amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions,” by adding a new Chapter 9 5700, entitled “Prohibition on Certain Gambling Machines and Skills Games,” to prohibit the operation of any casino style or skill game that accepts cash payment for the chance of a cash reward and is not otherwise regulated by the State of Pennsylvania, all under certain terms and conditions.
B
C
C
Due
to
the
current
public
health
emergency
city,
council
committees
are
meeting
remotely,
we
are
using
microsoft
teams
to
make
these
hearings
possible
instructions
for
how
the
public
can
view
and
offer
testimony
at
public
hearings
of
council
committees
are
included
in
the
public
hearing,
notices
that
are
published
in
the
daily
news,
inquirer
legal
intelligencer
prior
to
the
hearings
and
can
also
be
found
on
phl
counsel,
dot
com.
Everyone
who
has
been
invited
to
this
meeting
to
testify
should
be
aware
that
this
meeting
is
being
reported,
because
this
hearing
is
public.
C
Participants
and
viewers
have
no
reasonable
expectation
of
privacy
and
by
continuing
to
be
in
this
meeting,
you
are
consenting
to
being
reported
additionally
prior
to
councilman
jones,
recognizing
members
for
questions
or
comments
they
have
for
witnesses.
I
will
know
for
the
record
at
this
time
that
we
will
use
the
chat
feature
available
in
microsoft
teams
to
allow
members
to
signify
that
they
wish
to
be
recognized
in
order
to
comply
with
the
sunshine
act.
The
chat
feature
must
only
be
used
for
this
purpose.
Thank
you.
D
C
C
Bill
number
210923
amending
title
ix
of
the
philadelphia
code
entitled
regulation
of
businesses,
trades
and
professions
by
adding
a
new
chapter.
950
700
5700,
entitled
prohibition
on
certain
gambling
machines
and
skills
games
to
prohibit
the
operation
of
any
casinos,
casino
style
or
skill
game
that
accepts
cash
payment
for
the
chance
of
a
cash
reward
and
is
not
otherwise
regulated
by
the
state
of
pennsylvania.
All
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
B
B
B
Every
time
I
watch
that
movie,
I
I
shudder
to
think
how
people
thought
about
us
then,
but
I
fast
forward
to
now
when
I
had
the
opportunity
to
go
up
and
watch
the
city.
Solicitors
group
argue
before
the
commonwealth
court
a
piece
of
legislation
that
we
passed
that
deals
with
reporting
guns
that
are
lost
or
stolen,
and
one
of
the
three
judges
said
a
comment
that
was
kind
of
eerily
similar
they
said
well.
B
Philadelphia
has
a
whole
bunch
of
problems,
and
maybe
they
should
spend
more
time
addressing
those
local
problems
that
they
have
jurisdiction
over
versus
coming
up
here.
Tampering
with
the
second
amendment
took
me
a
bet,
but
even
in
people's
negative
comments,
there
is
a
a
ring
of
truth
often,
and
that
ring
of
truth
is
that
we
should
take
advantage
of
the
authorities
that
are
giving
us
within
the
city
charter
to
govern
ourselves
to
safeguard
ourselves.
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
You
cannot
overstep
your
battles,
and
so
they
did,
and
so
they
stopped
it.
And
so
we
are
waiting
for
someone
to
rescue
us,
but
I
would
suggest
to
you
that
we
are
who
we
are
waiting
for.
So
now
some
people
might
say
that
this
happened.
You
know
almost
organically,
I
would
say
it
did
not.
I
would
say
that
there
are
particular
neighborhoods
that
are
targeted,
that
I
would
suggest.
B
Or
you're
not
going
to
find
them
in
chestnut
hill
or
other
places
of
wealth,
but
you
will
find
them
in
north
philly,
west,
philly,
south
philly
and
beyond.
This
is
not
by
chance:
they
figure,
we
don't
care
and
we
don't
govern
our
own
abilities
to
do
it.
19132
north
philly
overwhelmed
with
these
machines.
B
B
B
B
B
D
B
E
E
I've
represented
that
ward
close
to
two
decades,
and
since
I've
been
in
that
position,
all
I've
tried
to
do
is
make
things
better
for
the
community
that
I
represent,
I'm
not
going
to
go
into
all
the
things
that
I've
accomplished,
but
I
think
that
the
seriousness
of
this
discussion
is
really
it's
not
up
there
with
gun
violence,
because
people
aren't
dying
from
gambling,
but
they're
hurting
their
homes.
They're
hurting,
I
mean
listen.
E
We
all
know
that
the
sixth
ward
is
one
of
the
poorest
poorest
wards
in
the
city
and
as
councilman
jones
in
his
introduction
about
the
godfather
and
the
powers
to
be
using
the
black
community
to
drop
all
these
negative
things.
We
got
all
these
stopping
goals.
Okay,
we
got
drugs
coming
in
and
out
of
the
community,
you,
you
guys,
know
the
history
of
los
angeles
when
they
dropped
all
the
crack
cocaine
and
then
it
spread
out
throughout
the
country.
E
So
I
was
on
the
avenue
41st
in
lancaster
about
three
weeks
ago,
and
one
of
the
brothers
asked
me
did
you
know
the
gambling
means
that
are
not
inside
but
outside
and
they're
accessible,
24
7..
So
my
thought
immediately
was.
I
got
people
that
can't
even
pay
their
rent.
They
can't
buy
food,
they
can't
send
it
kids
to
daycare
and
they
got
access
to
machines.
E
That's
only
a
dream,
just
like
the
councilman
was
talking
about
his
grandmother,
his
mother
playing
numbers
and
it's
just
a
fixed
situation
where
you
don't
make
out
and
you
subtract
from
poverty
that
already
exists,
so
I
was
just
leveling
about
it,
so
I
couldn't
be
done
about
it
because
he
was
there
councilman.
You
know
rodney.
He
and
I
talked
about
it
and
I
talked
to
representative
brown
about
it.
So
I'm
here
now
to
ask
council
to
push
this.
This
has
to
be
regulated
and,
quite
frankly,
the
folks
that
I've
talked
to
in
my
war.
E
They
don't
want
it
now.
You
know,
I
don't
know
the
regulations
that
exist,
the
permits
that
are
involved,
I'm
not
familiar
with
the
l.
I
issues
that
may
be
attached
to
these
machines
being
placed
into
communities
that
are
downtrodden
and,
like
the
councilman
mentioned
councilman
jones,
you
mentioned
the
stick
up
guys
they're
waiting
for
these
people
to
be
lucky
enough
after
they
pour
all
their
hard
earned
money
into
these
machines
to
walk
out
and
be
robbed
and
possibly
shot.
E
E
B
F
Chair,
I
just
want
to
acknowledge
that
I'm
present.
Oh,
thank
you!
Yes,
and
we
will
duly
note.
Yes,
do
you
have
anything
to
add
at
this
point?
Yes,
I
just
wanted
to.
First
of
all,
thank
you,
the
council
sponsor
for
this
bill
for-
and
I
want
to
thank
all
the
guests
who
are
here
today
to
testify
about
this.
F
If
you
know
anything
about
me,
you
know,
I
have
long
believed
that
the
exploitation
and
the
profiting
off
of
communities
by
entities
multinationals,
mostly
from
the
gambling
industry,
has
been
nothing
less
than
an
attack
on
communities
of
color
on
young
people,
college
students
and
others
on
seniors
who
have
given
us.
You
know
this
sold
us
this
idea
that
extraction
of
dollars
out
of
communities
and
out
of
people's
pockets
is
somehow
supposed
to
be
couched
as
economic
development
for
the
state.
F
I've
always
thought
that
that
was
a
gross
misrepresentation
of
economy,
economic
development,
like
emphasis
on
development
and
of
a
modern
society.
A
modern
society
doesn't
count
cash
in
coffers,
regardless
of
where
it
comes
from.
A
modern
economy
understands
that
when
communities
get
poorer
and
somebody's
else's
coffers
get
get
richer,
something
has
gone
horribly
wrong,
and
so
I
really
want
to
thank
you
for
tackling
this
issue.
I
also
want
to
emphasize
that
I
think
many
of
us
on
here
worked
really
hard
to
say
to
the
state
one.
F
I
oppose
state-sponsored
gambling
period.
I
think
it's
like
an
abomination
of
state
responsibility,
so
I'll
just
put
that
out
there,
but
that
being
said,
there
was
supposed
to
be
a
limit
to
casinos.
They
were
supposed
to
be
isolated.
They
had
to
get
the
request
of
they
had
to
be
cited.
They
had
to
get
clearance,
they
had
to
get
licensed.
F
There's
no
question
about
that.
So
this
is
a
very
serious
conversation
about
the
quality
of
our
neighborhoods.
It's
a
serious
conversation
about
wealth
and
wealth
preservation.
It's
a
conversation
about
exploitation
and
extraction
of
dollars
out
of
black
brown
and
immigrant
communities.
Asian
americans
have
one
of
the
highest
gambling
addiction
rates
amongst
communities,
and
it's
no
question
that
it's
one
of
the
reasons
why
you
will
see
strong
advocates
for
controls,
for
responsible
government
intervention
and
for
what
the
initial
vision
was
supposed
to
be,
which
was
very
limited
casino
gambling
in
the
state
of
pennsylvania.
F
F
F
I
hope
that
you
might
also
weigh
in
this
is
very
specifically
on
these
games,
and
I
understand
that
they
can
make
their
way
through,
but
one
of
the
other
new
means
of
expansion
of
gambling
beyond
you
know,
beyond
beyond
the
casinos,
but
was
supposed
to
be
specifically
limited
to
casinos
is
off
track
sports
betting.
Those
things
are
also
moving
their
way
through
they're
moving
their
way
through
your
neighborhood
restaurant.
F
It's
not
related
to
this
conversation
that
the
council
member
has
but
I'm
interested
in
hearing
whether
some
of
the
speakers
have
believed
that
there's
a
consistent
like
issue
around
off
track
sports
betting,
as
there
would
be
with
these
types
of
machine
games
that
are,
you
know,
potentially
present
in
stop
and
goes
and
delis,
and
your
7-eleven
and
wawa.
So,
thank
you
very
much,
mr
chair,
and
I
want
to
thank
again
all
the
testifiers
today.
G
I
first
wanted
to
say
that
I
am
in
agreement
with
both
sets
of
remarks
from
the
chair
and
also
councilwoman
kim
and
everything
I'll
say
moving
forward.
We
can
just
add
the
betting
to
it
as
well,
because
for
me,
gambling
is
gambling,
so
today
I
want
would
like
to
testify
in
favor
of
passing
bill
number
210923.
G
As
a
member
of
the
cox
creek
community.
I
am
against
anything
that
does
not
promote
the
health,
wellness
and
safety
of
our
communities.
These
machines
and
any
kind
of
betting
gambling
are
overwhelmingly
placed
in
our
communities.
I
just
want
to
share
something
from
the
an
article
that
just
came
out
october,
15th
of
this
year
with
the
gateway
foundation.
It
says
black
people
represent
some
of
the
most
significant
rates
of
gambling
disorders.
Studies
show
that
black
people
have
over
twice
the
rate
of
gambling
addictions
compared
to
white
people.
G
Black
youth
are
also
considerably
more
likely
than
white
youth
to
engage
in
gambling
activities
leading
to
problem
gambling
and
addiction
later
in
their
lives.
Overall,
young
black
males
are
associated
with
the
highest
rates
of
gambling
disorders
in
the
united
states.
Studies
have
shown
that
black
people
with
lower
general
health
measures
living
in
disadvantaged
neighborhoods
with
the
lowest
income
brackets
are
the
most
likely
to
be
affected
by
gambling.
Additionally,
black
people
with
gambling
disorders
are
more
likely
to
develop
higher
rates
of
anxiety
and
personalities
disorders.
G
They
might
even
develop
substance
abuse
so
when
in
our
communities,
when
our
communities
are
impacted,
like
this,
safety
is
an
issue
whether
it's
on
our
business
corridors
or
in
our
homes,
causing
discord
and
violence.
Safety
is
a
problem.
Our
communities
do
not
need
another
reason
to
be
further
destroyed
as
we
battle
to
find
ways
to
stop
the
murders
in
our
city.
We
should
see
this
as
a
part
of
the
solution.
G
G
And
if
so
and
they
died,
would
you
not
feel
some
responsibility
just
because
you
kill
me
slowly
doesn't
mean
you're,
not
killing
me
poverty,
poor,
education,
failing
health,
high
crime,
murders,
high
unemployment,
food
deserts
and
gambling?
Someone
is
definitely
trying
to
kill
me
before
you
allow
another
casino
right
machine
or,
as
they
match
themselves
as
games.
That
looks
like
into
to
allow
it
to
infiltrate
a
community
that
looks
like
mine.
A
Jones
good
afternoon
councilman
and
our
servant
council
people
who
have
brought
this
wonderful
bill
and
necessary
build
to
us
and
to
our
community.
I
don't
have
a
whole
lot
of
statistics
and
I
don't
have
a
whole
lot
of
anything
other
than
what
I've
seen
as
a
pastor,
and
I
also
need
to
say
just
like
drinking.
I
don't
have
a
problem
if
my
people
have
a
cup
of
wine
or
something
like
that
with
dinner,
I
do
haven't,
have
issues
with
alcoholism.
A
I
do
have
a
issues
with
gambling
addiction.
I
have
seen
it
increase
in
my
community
and
in
my
parish,
I've
seen
it
increase
among
our
seniors
and
sadly,
I've
seen
it
increase
amongst
our
young
people.
I've
also
seen
an
increase
in
addiction
to
just
gambling
online
in
every
capacity
that
leads
to.
If
the
same
addiction
is
available
down
the
street,
it
would
be
almost
like.
Every
time
we
looked
up,
there
was
beer
available.
A
There
was
crack
available.
I
would
suggest
and
hope
and
know
that
we
can
find
better
ways
of
raising
revenue
than
next
door
gambling.
It
would
be
dif
it's
difficult
for
us
to
regulate,
who
gets
a
cigarette.
So
to
do
something
like
this
will
be
detrimental
to
the
health
and
safety
of
our
city.
It
also
demonstrates
to
us
to
our
children,
a
lack
of
creativity.
A
There
are
a
billion
ways
to
raise
revenue
without
raising
it
on
the
backs
of
the
vulnerable
and
the
desperate.
We
know
what
has
happened
in
our
community
with
the
stores
that
do
the
the
quicken,
the
quick
loans,
the
payday
loans.
We
know
that
that
has
been
devastating
to
our
families,
because
once
you
get
one
you
get
more
and
more
and
more,
we
have
families
that
get
addicted,
and
then
they
can't
stop
with
crack.
A
We
see
it
with
cocaine
and
we
see
it
a
lot
with
people
who
have
had
trauma
in
their
lives.
These
are
triggers,
so
we
can
use
our
creativity
to
come
up
with
safer
ways
over
time.
The
one
statistic
I
did
look
at
was
that
these
solutions
are
short-term
cash
solutions,
just
like
payday
loans,
this
short-term
cash
solutions,
but
what
ends
up
happening
is
they
have
long-term
benefits,
and
if
you
talk
to
the
good
people
at
cbh,
that
has
a
wonderful
program
for
people
with
addictions.
A
They
started,
including
gambling
addiction-
you
know
within
the
last
two
decades,
so
how
we
have
agencies
of
service
to
our
community,
sponsored
by
our
city,
working
against
something
and
that
we're
seeking
to
increase.
So
I
support
your
work,
your
bill,
anything
else.
We
can
do
to
keep
our
community
safe
and
stop
the
exploitation
of
our
people
and
the
most
vulnerable
citizens
of
philadelphia.
B
Thank
you
reverend.
Let
me
just
say
for
the
record:
let's
separate
the
right
and
wrong
of
gvts
to
separate
that,
whether
you
for
we
don't
receive
a
dime
in
revenue
from
those
machines,
somebody
offered
a
back
of
the
truck
dropped
them
off
at
the
store,
and
that
relationship
is
between
the
machine
operator
and
the
owner
of
the
property.
B
C
B
B
B
D
B
B
D
Before
we
get
into
the
public
man,
I
just
had
a
question
and
you
provide
some
information
in
the
beginning,
and
I
definitely
thank
you
for
bringing
on
this
legislation.
It
reminds
me
of
when
we
had
to
take
out
beer
legislation
some
years
ago
that
was
sponsored
by
senator
williams.
I
just
want
to
make
sure
that
I
understand
that
we
at
a
local
level
are
not
preempted
in
any
way
in
addressing
this
issue.
D
B
We
have
found
out
that
the
state
police
attempted
to
remove
these
machines
from
unregulated
places
other
than
truck
stops
and
were
sued,
and
what
the
discussion
revolved
around
was.
There
is
no
legislation
at
the
state
level
or
any
of
the
local
levels
governing
this,
which
opens
the
opportunity
for
us
to
create
that
those
regulations,
the
industry
outside
of
truck
stops,
is
not
regulated
by
any.
D
B
C
B
F
Councilmember
green
regarding
one
of
the
questions
you
know
with
off
track,
but
sports
betting,
one
of
the
arguments
is
whether
the
casino
legislation
allows
for
this
is
unrelated
to
the
current
bill.
To
be
clear,
which
was
very
sites
specific
for
casino
licensing
would
have
would
allow
a
casino
to
contract
with
an
entity
not
on
its
site,
to
allow
for
sports
for
to
allow
for
sports
betting,
and
I
think
that's
one
of
the
areas
where
an
ongoing
question
of
whether
you
know
the
state
is
not
actually
sticking
to
its
rules
and
regulations.