COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Monday, March 18, 2002 2 o'clock Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, PA - - - FY '03 OPERATING BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA, Chair COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK J. DICICCO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN ANGEL L. ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 2 - - - - - (Council proceedings now being stenographically recorded by Meghan Martella.) - - - - -
The budgets in this portion regards the witnesses. I would just like to let everyone know it's my understanding that we have approximately 34 witnesses that would like to testify. In order to get everybody ample opportunity to do that, I am going to ask that each witness -- we will give you five minutes for each witness so that we will be hearing testimony this evening at 6:00. I would like those coming in at 6:00 to also have that same opportunity. Mr. McPherson, would you please call the first witness? MR. McPHERSON: Ranetta Slaughter.
And after Ranetta is -- MR. McPHERSON: Justin Armstrong.
If Justin Armstrong is here, perhaps he could also come to 3 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the witness table.
Good morning, Mayor, Chambers and Members of the Council Board Committee.
Yes, I have. My name is Ranetta Slaughter and I am a parent and a mother. I've been out in the city, I've been seeing all the stores, the water departments, the day cares, the places they're building as dealing with children and people and everything else, and I see that people on the street, I don't see where they're funding that for the homeless. I don't see where the food, I don't even see where all the money goes. These people -- I talked to everybody that came in this door they still want 4 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing money. I know the City and the Councilpeople gave out money and the people that got the money are not giving it to the people. I see people out here crying, sleeping, because you all want more money. I just talked to somebody, they got a day care they got 500 children and want more money, want grants, but where's the children, where are the parents, where's the mother, you all still want money out here. And the people are on the street crying every day. Open up your eyes and look. You always want money, guess what, you all shouldn't get no money from the City Councilmen because the water department, we pay our water bills and they get money. So why do they need money. The electric company, we pay our electric and they get money. We pay our telephone bills and they get money. We pay every bill in the household, they get money. We pay our water bill but they have to come to the Council and the board and get money. No, they don't have no more grants; you took them all. I've been to the schools my whole life; I deal with these schools; I went to 5 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the schools, you all haven't been here. They don't even have school books. They don't even have pencils, but you all still want money. Because I've been in them. Every school, you can ask every teacher and every principal, but you all want money. I've been in day cares and all of that, welfares give you money and welfares give you day care and I've been in the day cares, but you all still want money. You have grants out for that, you have the Welfare grants for day care, and all of that. Then you come back and still want money, but there are people out here starving, the people that are on the street. I'm talking to everybody individual. Everybody wants money. But guess what, I'm going to tell you now I know that there ain't no 19 more money and you ain't got no more, and see how you live with this because I know they ain't none out here now. Okay, now what they have to do is you all have water bills, everybody pays their bills, but we can't even get a grant to keep our bills on, so where is the money going. The 6 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing schools, I can't even take my kids to the day care. Where is the money going? Where is it going? This is called a budget plan. Budget ain't for you all to keep coming and asking for money. So I think we have to put the money back in the community. Every place in here is called taxes. Pay percent of every 10 person pays. Thank you, and have a nice day. I'm finished.
Thank you so much. MR. McPHERSON: Justin Armstrong.
I have two specific requests today. I'm here to talk about recycling. My name is Justin Armstrong. I've been doing some community organizing and kind of 7 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing grass roots lobbying just to help the recycling in the city, help divert some of the material because I care about the issue. It's disgusting seeing all the garbage on the streets, but also just looking at the numbers, amount of garbage that we produce here in the city. And I think that we should be looking towards recycling. The two requests that I have, have to do with two of the voluntary programs that I've helped to set up and have been running. One of them was with the stadium --
Oh, yes, I remember receiving a letter from you.
I appreciate your response on that. It is an important place to be recycling, it's a lot of visibility, it's a lot of material that goes through the stadium. A lot of it is paper and plastic which are pretty easily recycled, and from my understanding, it 8 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing would be very easy to set up a recycling program at the stadium. All the systems are in place including the compactor, including the people that know how to work the equipment to do the recycling, and also, including some companies that have been willing to help the stadium take the recycling away for a real minimal charge or even free. And all that would do is just cut down the amount of trash the city has to pay to take away. And for some reason or another it just hasn't happened for years and years. I have, fortunately, gotten a good response from your office and I do appreciate that. I did get a response, the stadium said that they will be recycling starting April 5th, the home opener for the Phillies. And I would just like to request to City Council make sure it's not just lip service. Make sure that it does actually happen. Because I feel it's an important thing and it's a pretty good thing to do.
I want to thank you, Mr. Armstrong, for your interest and 9 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing I see that the Streets Commissioner is in the audience and his office is putting on quite a campaign for recycling. And Commissioner, since we have the audience who I think will be extremely interested in what is being proposed, if you could just take a minute or so to explain, I think, Mr. Armstrong, you are going to be very happy with what you hear the Commissioner say. (Commissioner Johnson comes forward.)
Good afternoon, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Good afternoon, Madam President, Members of the Council. My name is William Johnson, Streets Commissioner. With regards to the first question that was asked recycling at the stadium, we have been in contact with the Recreation Department and worked out a program to start recycling at Vets Stadium and that is going to start next month. With regards to the exciting 10 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing recycling campaign, we held a press conference this morning with the secretary of the Department of Environment from the State and kicked off a massive media campaign to encourage people to participate in the recycling program. That campaign will include televisions spots, radio, print media and a very aggressive grass-roots effort to meet with community groups, to meet with men involved, the School District and educating, and arising the awareness of recycling throughout the City. The state contributed about $2 million to help support this campaign and will continue with upgrading the campaign over the next three years. We are looking for a sustained program and our goal is to impact behavior in the City and raise the awareness of recycling issues throughout the City in order to get more people to participate in a recycling program.
And Commissioner, I think you had indicated that we would have pick-up for recyclables the same day as we have trash pick-up and that will be a 11 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing weekly basis? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, we are currently working on some conceptual plans to try to move the City towards at least getting recyclables picked up on the same day as trash.
I think that would be very successful, I really do. Because people don't remember for the most part what week they're supposed to put out the recyclables. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Right, the thing is that right now most of the city is every other week and we haven't reached any conclusion on whether we'll be able to increase the frequency, but we are in the process right now of rerouting to try to get at least on the every other week schedule, the recyclables picked up the same day as trash collection so that people won't have to remember different days of the week and that kind of thing to put their recyclables out, and make one trip to the curb and that's the same day that they put their trash out.
To support what's 12 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing going on the other thing that I wanted to speak about was a bin distribution program that I have in some of the grocery stores where I stand there and actually speak to people on an individual basis as I hand them a recyclable bin. And I see about, usually, 200 people a month, two grocery stores, and the three things that I always hear is one, I can't remember when my recycling day is because it's every other week or they skip weeks, the holidays. When is this --
I know people who have the same feeling you do about that.
The second thing is when are we going to get plastics picked up at the curb? That's a consistent question I get. And the third thing is people just asking me, you know, we just moved into town; why doesn't it seem like there's much recycling going on? It seems to be an important issue with a lot of people and just kind of a quality-of-life issue. And I want to thank the program you're setting up, Commissioner. 13 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Thank you, Madam President. Commissioner, I want to speak strongly in support of the proposal made by the president. I wasn't sure whether you said you were moving in that direction, would achieve it, or whether you were going to have every-other-week collection of recyclables? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Right now we will continue with every-other-week collection of recyclables, but we're trying to reroute the city, so that whenever you place your trash out that's also the same day that we'll collect your recyclables on that every-other-week schedule. Right now it's every other week, but in some areas, in many areas it's a different day than your trash collection day which only adds to the confusion. So we're moving towards trying to simplify the use of the program as much as possible.
Well, I think there's some movement by what you're suggesting, 14 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing but I don't think it's going to deal with the problem until you get to the point, at least what the president spoke about, of having it at the same time so nobody has to wonder is it this week, last week, or next week. And then I would like to hear something if possible, Commissioner, about having it collected efficiently at the same time. I think it would not only be the same day, but it ought to be the same vehicle and the same people involved in collecting it. To me that seems to be the economy of operations that we need that will help role back the cost of recycling. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Yes, Councilman, we have for the last six to seven months been testing a program where we were testing equipment that would purportedly allow us to do that. So we're coming to the end of that process and we have run into some issues with the type of equipment that's out there. Some of the equipment is not capable of allowing us to finish the routes, especially in areas where we have the highest participation rate. 15 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing So we are still evaluating the possibility of doing something like that, but at this point it doesn't appear that that's going to be successful.
Well, how about on the question of the same day, what's the problem on that? What is the problem with weekly rather than biweekly collections? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, we have to find enough efficiencies in the system to make the economics of a program like that. We have a number of ideas that we are evaluating right now and pursuing. Hopefully, we will be able to work something out, but if not, we will at least get the recycling on the same day as trash collection.
Well, I have to say, I was the principle sponsor of the original recycling bill in the City Council many years ago. We were very proud. I think we were the first city in the nation at that time, and then finding that currently we're near the bottom of the major cities and our recycling effort is a great shock. And therefore, we welcome you with 16 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing open arms because we know it's your long-term commitment to recycling. We would hope that one way or the other the program could be speeded up because while I welcome the PR Campaign, I think that what's needed is more than just PR. It isn't just education, it's a commitment which I think has been lacking until your coming aboard, a committent to recycling as an efficient, economical, useful, environmentally protecting method of dealing with waste and converting much of waste into useful objects again. So we're looking to your administration to bring about basic change in how Philadelphians approach recycling. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, Councilman, as you know, recycling is expensive, it costs money. And what we're trying to do is find efficiencies to bring the cost of it down and to allow us to be able to do more to encourage people to participate on a more regular basis.
Is your program being considered part of the Blight Program? 17 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Because more than anything else, I think your department has the capacity to influence people's responses to the Blight Program. It seems to me that one of the really bad blights in Philadelphia is the way in which we get complaints in the Council offices of the method of the trash collection; the apparent indifference of many people to letting some trash remain on the streets after it's collected; the way in which citizens seem to just throw things on the pavement because they don't think anybody really cares whether they do or not. And we're looking to see that some of those habits begin to change. And I think government has to be the leader in that effort. And that's why the recycling effort is vastly important of itself, but it also is a model for the kind of better quality of life and an end to blighted areas. I think it can be a very effective approach with that whole problem. Thank you, Commissioner.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo. 18 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Mr. Armstrong, thank you, and keep up the good work.
Commissioner, just so I understand, there are some sections of the City northwest that recyclables are picked up every week? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: That's correct.
So same day, like Fridays trash day, every Friday? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: That's correct, Councilman. That started as part of a Pilot Program to try to see what impact that would have on participation rates. And what we found is that on average in those communities where recycling was already high, we were able to increase the number of people participating as much as 40 percent.
Commissioner, a bit of confusion. I've gotten calls and I've observed where some people are very 19 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing conscientious how they put their trash out. They put it out carefully, they tie things just to make sure that it won't get away. When people put out bulk newspaper, like a week's worth or publications, sometimes they'll put them in a trash bag to stop them from blowing all over. And I guess it's difficult if it's in a clear bag that the people that do the recyclables realize that it's newspaper and they just leave it. Then you get the call they didn't pick up my recyclables. How should the public deal with bulk newspaper on recycling day? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, quite often I see people put out their bulk newspapers and they'll tie them or bundle them. They will also put them in paper bags so that -- the open top paper bags, so that it's easier to see that it's recycle material, but if it's in a dark-colored trash bag it may be hard for the operator to know that that's recyclables and sometimes they may be picked up as trash by mistake.
But it will get 20 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing picked up? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Yes, it should get picked up.
It seems as though the problem -- I don't know whether the trash -- is there a plan, does recyclable come before the trash? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Yes, often times the trash may be picked up before the recyclables, and my guess is that by the time the recycle truck comes by, perhaps the operator isn't aware that that material is actually recyclables. And it may be left behind by the recycle truck because it's in a dark trash bag and it looks like trash.
So the important thing is to put it out so that people can identify that it is something that they want the recycling truck to pick up versus the trash? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: That's correct.
Great. Good job, it's good to see this thing on track now because it was not for a lot of years. Thank you. 21 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Thank you, Madam Chair.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I agree with all that has been said and we thank you for including us in the various programs you have and press announcements, even though we've been here tied to this budget. But it is an idea whose time has come and has been said over and over through the years, nobody remembers -- not nobody, some of us do not remember when it's not on the same day as trash day and that's going to make such a big difference. So we thank you for your leadership in this area, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Thank you.
Thank you, Commissioner. Are there any other questions from the members of the committee? Our next witness is -- MR. McPHERSON: Jane Borgerhoff and 22 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Other Victim Service Organizations.
Good afternoon. I call Councilmember's attention to an envelope that was delivered to your desks and chambers with a packet of materials. Good afternoon, I'm Frank Cervone. I serve as director of the Support Center for Child Advocates.
I'm Leslie Seymore. I'm the director of Northwest Victim Services.
I'm Lorri Thomas. I'm director of Development for Women Against Abuse.
With us today as well are the directors of the other remaining victim services --
Oh, she's not going to testify? 23 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Thank you. We come today as representing the 8 city-wide and Neighborhood Victim Service 9 Organizations and ask for your continued support 10 for our work. You know that you bear some 11 portion of the costs that are small, in fact, 12 small portion of the costs of our services to the community. Our agencies are award-winning agencies with outstanding staff and a tremendous presence among people who are hurting. We are volunteer organizations and so we connect to a larger good both in involving the community in our work and in expanding or leveraging the dollars that you offer us. We are community-focused and community-based. We give back to the City about $2.8 million in staff time, in volunteer services and in recovery of crime victim compensation dollars. What we give back is more impressive in the real pay-back, 24 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the wholeness we help to restore to children, to families, to neighborhoods. Certainly healing and recovery are priceless gifts to victims of crime and mistreatment. Our referrals continue to rise. We are strained in our ability to provide services which so many clients need. For many of our agencies the courts move of preliminary hearings to the CJC has that increased cost. We're stretched by greater and more complex demands for our service. Health care and health insurance hurdles, the rising incidents of domestic violence and neighborhood crime, and certainly Welfare cut-backs which are hitting all of our communities so hard. In summary, we need $743,000 and we've outlined by agency those costs. We have laid out for you as well, a history of your generous funding to us as well as, I think, a detailed accounting of the benefits we provide to this community. We certainly would be glad to take questions from the Members of Council.
Are you 25 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing asking for an increase, and if so, how much?
Yes, last year, Council, as you may recall our funding comes through the District Attorney budget --
-- in a line item for Victim Services. And last year we received a total of 628,900. $628,900, our total request this year is for $743,900. Some of our agencies feel that we are able to get by with little or no increase. Other agencies bearing their particular costs have asked for higher allocations. We do not ask the member agencies to tow the line by any set rate. We ask them what their true costs are and we present those to you.
Have you expressed to the District Attorney what your needs are?
Well, we've spoken to 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing her not on the dollar amount, but certainly in the level of services that we need. And we will communicate just as we have with you today with her office today.
And would you please let us know the outcome of that meeting?
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I want to pursue this question of the preliminary hearings being moved from divisional courts to CJC. And I ask you what your experience is in terms of neighborhood folks and how this move affects them?
I can tell you as a neighborhood-based victim service agency that we have lost all of our volunteers. Volunteers are no longer willing to come all the way down to Center City, there's no place to park, there's no place to get anything to eat and go back to 27 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the hearings. One of the issues surrounding this move to CJC is that Victim Service Agencies was never spoken to. We were never encouraged to participate in the process. All they did was decide that something was going to be done and then go ahead and do it without even coming to Victim Service Agencies and asking how this process could be made more efficient from our perspective. So our volunteers are gone and for most of us we use volunteer time as a match for our other grants that we get, that we have to provide a certain amount of money back for these grants and we use volunteer time in order to do that. So we have lost all of our volunteers. The court advocate is there by themselves in the courtroom unless we can get another advocate to go there and assist them during the day. One of the other issues is that for most of us, some of us only went two days a week, had preliminary hearings two days a week. My agency had preliminary hearings four days a week. So for agencies that were only scheduled 28 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing two days a week, they now have to provide coverage in the courtrooms five days a week. So that's more staff time used for that purpose. There's not enough time to do paperwork in your particular agency because they spend all of their time in the courtroom in CJC. The court seems to be reluctant in working with us or listening to compromises to this move to CJC. And whether it's efficient for the court system and District Attorney, it has not been for victim services. And there are ways that we can help alleviate some of the overcrowding, some of the problems that goes on down there if anyone would bother to ask us for our input.
Thank you so much. In fact, that is what we've been talking about. Well, you gave us the specific responses to an issue we've been talking about. We see the quality of life being threatened and we've been asking again and again to have a full discussion. And in fact, we're going to have a day where we hope Judge Seamus McCaffrey will 29 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing come to talk to Council, because we believe ultimately it has to affect the budget. An article in today's paper even indicates another million point eight just to implement this change and now I see where the costs are. As you mention having to staff someone downtown five days a week when it didn't exist. And overall, there's so many ways and there are so many tangents, so many issues that this whole move in so many ways impacts our system. And let me say to Ms. Seymore from Northwest Victim Services, I know of your history and all the work you've done. We want to thank all of you and certainly my director in West and Southwest, Phyllis Gibson and her folks who are here and people across the city. Madam President, this is a vital service, and during these days where we have so many victims, for them to offer everything from counseling to burial, they do an absolutely wonderful job.
Absolutely fabulous job. 30 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
And Mr. Cervone, when you meet with the District Attorney, I'm sure that this is one issue that you're going to take up with her?
Thank you. The Chair at this time recognizes Councilman Ortiz.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon. This is one issue that really doesn't help the victims and it doesn't help those that are accused that might not have targets that are worthwhile bringing up a lot of poor people to be held over for trial if they cannot afford bail and so on to be incarcerated for months on end. And then when they go to trial at Common Pleas they're dismissed. The case is totally dismissed. 31 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing So it's creating hardships for the victims services that we have. It's also creating an incredible backlog that is going to hold up the fair acquisition of justice for people. It is going to incarcerate a lot of poor people that should not be incarcerated. So it's sort of like who thought of this thing. I mean whose idea was this, because obviously, there are no savings and there is pain that is distributed overall. So we made this case and this situation when the District Attorney was here last week. And by the way, Mr. Cervone, the District Attorney gave us one-page testimony and she said they do not require any extra money for any of it. They're holding the line on everything. They did not require one extra cent for victim services, for more attorneys, for more individuals to go after the drug dealers and so on across the city. They did not request; are you aware of that?
Councilman, I want to be fair to Ms. Abraham. Her staff requested more than a month ago that we advise them of our 32 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing needs --
Well, the point is that she already has come before and said that they do not plan to request -- because we asked the question about victim services, both Councilwoman Blackwell, President Verna, myself and others. We asked the question about why is there no increase in several areas and she said this is the way we want to hold the line. So I wish you luck when you discuss this with her today.
I'm glad for the heads-up for the forthcoming meeting and may we suggest that we come before her.
Could you tell me where we are at right now because we have gone through -- thank you, Mr. Nutter. Councilman Nutter just -- this is a testimony.
Councilman, the District Attorney has been a friend of these 33 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing organizations and I certainly would be remiss if I didn't say that.
I'm not saying to you that this is what is requested of us here and presented to us. We spent a lot of time trying to get coalition funded, established and running. It was my hope that this thing would have been going on in full flight by now. From your side could you give me why it isn't and what is going on?
My understanding is that there have been several -- this is the issue, for Members of Council who are not familiar, this is the coalition of the various public agencies and one quasi-public entity, the Philadelphia Children's Alliance for the investigation of child sex abuse cases, and in particular, the interviewing of victims entrepreneurs? At present, those interviews happen at three separate locations: at the Sex Crimes Unit, the Special Victims Unit of police of DHS and in West Philly. The notion is that they 34 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing would be collocated in one building. The present -- the latest proposal is that that facility be located on the grounds of the Old Episcopal Hospital.
And you and I and others toured the building and found it to be most suitable. The architects have proceeded with preliminary drawings, unfortunately, there seems to be a major hurdle in the negotiation of the lease, lease terms between the City of Philadelphia and Temple University. My understanding that DHS and the police both are committed to the idea of living together. Certainly from the child's point of view this is the state-of-the-art. The tensions of reinterview --
Do we have anybody from Public Property here to find out why the lease is not yet signed on this?
Is anyone 35 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing from Public Property here? Apparently not.
This has been over a year. I mean we toured this last January, right; not this January, but last January we toured Episcopal Hospital?
It's been in process for a lot longer than that as you know.
Mr. James, why don't you pull up a chair toward the table, please? Identify yourself for the record.
Good afternoon. My name is Joseph James, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Public Property. I have heard the discussion and in response to that, Councilman, and Council President, I am not involved in the lease negotiation. The Commissioner directly has been. This was brought up at our testimony hearing on the operating budget and he was aware of that. There was some particulars too that he was going to be investigating it back to, I believe yourself and to the Chair. Other than 36 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing that, I really don't have any other --
I understand that. Since I don't have the specifics, I will take this particular issue back to the Commissioner and ask him to respond back to Council President and yourself.
I would appreciate it. I think we need to have police, DHS, all of the relevant agencies in one area that really can begin expediting this. And we labored hard to create these changes just to have the cultural change that took place in the Police Department alone; it was monumental. And I have to thank Mr. Cervone and the people that are here that participated in the hearings that we had because the process of negotiation with Commissioner Timoney and his hierarchy was very, very tough and not easy to change the psyche, the way of doing business as such. And we managed to do that and now we can't implement this because we have a glitch 37 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing that cannot be resolved. I mean we toured this. A glitch should not take over a year to resolve. One small little problem should not take that long and we talked about it last budget period. And here we are at this budget period and I imagine that -- and I would hope that we're not here next budget period still talking about this.
Well, Councilman, I would hope not either, and based on the discussion, at least in an operating budget testimony, the Commissioner said it had nothing to do with the agreement or the logistics of the operating departments and the Victim Services Unit to work together to allocate it. It was more along a lease issue of which I don't have the substantial details, but it didn't appear to be an issue that was immaterial or small in nature.
But it's over a year since we've been discussing the lease of that area.
It should not 38 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing take a year to negotiate a lease. Even in its very material, either it becomes so material that we then seek out another place in that time or we resolve it, but it should not take a year to resolve a lease question, a contractual aspect. That to me is almost inconceivable that we are taking this long to resolve a matter of leasing with Temple Hospital.
Well, again, I can only apologize not having the specifics of it, but I will take this back to the Commissioner and we will respond back to the Chair and to yourself.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Mr. Cervone, what did you say was the total budget of your agency?
These are agencies. My own budget is 1.4. The combined budgets of our 12 agencies, I would very roughly estimate somewhere near the $5 to $10 million range.
It just seems to 7 be such a small sum of money for such a 8 tremendous amount of work that has to be done. 9
We appreciate that 10 support, Councilman. This is indeed a burden on 11 us for fund-raising, for volunteer service. All 12 of our systems across our agencies are antiquated in their computer systems. We live in a stretched economic environment in our own shops. Some of these 12 agencies rely largely on these public dollars to survive. They don't have fund-raising staffs, they don't have the ability to reach into the legal community as I do. They need these dollars because they provide a public function. And you're right, in the overall order of City budget this is small fry. It makes a world of difference to these small agencies.
Well, we hear so frequently the mention of victims' rights. When 40 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing it comes to sentencing defendants, there's no 3 limit to what is demanded of sentencing of defendants, but when it comes to the real dollars needed for support of victims it seems as if that public will get weakened suddenly. And I think we would like to hear from your agency, sort of coalition -- however you refer to it -- as to what we can do to bring about a whole different orientation. I think you all do wonderful work. You get all the volunteers contributing and they're usually fairly low-income people who could better serve their own interests if they went out and got a paying job, but instead, they're dedicating themselves to improving the life of the community and helping victims. And yet, the public bodies, instead of giving full support, seem to squeeze them to the tiniest amount of dollars possible. We would like to reverse that. And I would like to congratulate you. And the Council is very much interested in this problem. I clearly join with the President, with Councilwoman Blackwell, with 41 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Councilman Ortiz and the others in Council who have expressed the feeling over time and we are stunned by the slowing delay such as that which Councilman Ortiz pointed out. Is it because children and women largely are involved as victims that there is this slowness of action? We think it deserves a much better response and we want to help you get that response.
Thank you, Madam President. According to the sheet that we received from Mr. Cervone, it's a little more than $100,000.
$114,000 increase which doesn't seem to be an enormous amount of money. So I am hopeful that we can either receive a response to you, or else, that the D.A. will be available for call-back. Because certainly we are asking Judge Seamus 42 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing McCaffrey to call back anyway and we can work out --
I asked Mr. Cervone after his meeting with the District Attorney today to please get back to us so that we know exactly what the outcome was.
I wonder if anybody at the witness table or whether the president's office has found who is responsible for the change in hearing locations. I hear the name of Judge McCaffrey. Did he personally make the decision, do you know or -- I don't know whether Municipal Court has a board of judges like the Common Pleas Court has.
As an attorney you practice before this Bench and I'd be reluctant to speak unkindly of the Bench. And I would advise my colleague directors similar caution. There certainly is the Administrative Governing Board of the First 43 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Judicial District which is comprised of the several President Judges and I believe the court administrator. I have to imagine that the Administrative Governing Board has responsibility for matters such as the location and scheduling of these proceedings. The Municipal Court itself, of course, is an entity onto itself by state law. And Judge McCaffrey leads that court.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell who I think may have some knowledge on this.
Yes, I had talked with Judge McCaffrey personally with regard to this issue when I first heard about it. It is under his purview, although I am told that the Board of Judges has not formally voted on it. I've also contacted the President Judge and asked him to defer any decision that they might make until Council has at least had the opportunity to talk with the Judge as to how this affects our budget and how it affects the judicial district's budget that comes before us. And that it is one of the ways that we're 44 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing affected, I say to my colleague because, it will affect the budget. We read everyday in the paper the amounts of money that it cost to implement this program and in a long-term that it will cost. I've seen figures as high as $17 million. And so we are absolutely upset about such an issue that it would so negatively impact neighborhoods. There have already been articles in the paper about the difficulty for getting in CJC and it's because of this added pressure. We've heard of many cases where victims are not heard or where judges have dismissed cases because victims can't get to the rooms, the courtroom, because they can't get in the building. And certainly, as we said last week, I received a response from the D.A. where she asks for a new entrance, but obviously in the short-term that will not help victims of crime and will not solve the problem. So in answer to your question it was Judge Seamus McCaffrey, I've personally spoken with him and invited him to come before us to 45 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing deal with this issue. And we just hope, given the fact that there is so much overwhelming lack of support for this move that he will reconsider. We've talked to the police Commissioner, we've talked to everyone concerned who supports our point of view with the exception of the D.A. herself. The police Commissioner, everyone else, realizes that this is just a nightmare for neighborhoods.
Thank you very much. Thank you all very much. Councilman Cohen?
Mr. McPherson is a budget officer. Whether he has been able to locate anywhere in the forthcoming budget that we're considering the additional expenses in the First Judicial District that will result from this activity? MR. McPHERSON: No, I have not.
I just think it's an urgent matter that we have to deal with. It's affecting in a very unfair way our whole society in the city. I'm really stunned when I 46 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing hear that maybe Judge McCaffrey -- because he's been the strongest advocate, I thought, of having hearings at the location where there are problems in the neighborhoods, at Vets Stadium and to suddenly find a reversal on his part, to believe in centralization of all hearings seems incomprehensible to me and I would certainly like to hear from him, but I don't think we can just wait, Madam President.
No, we're not going to wait. I think I said earlier, I think I said it on more than one occasion, since Mr. Cervone's been at the table. They are meeting with the District Attorney today, this afternoon. I ask that he report to us as to the outcome of that meeting. And whether the $114,000 will be additional monies will be addressed by the District Attorney's office. He will get back to us. And if she's not willing to do that, then we're going to have to do our own thing. He will let us know.
Madam President, we should bring her back to explain --
Well, 47 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing she's going to come back anyway so that's why I want him to inform us of the outcome of this meeting today. So please make certain that you do that. Thank you so much. We support you completely. I just want to remind everyone we are already running behind schedule. Each group will be given five minutes to testify. Our next witness is -- MR. McPHERSON: Alma Kappler.
Is Ms. Kappler here? MR McPHERSON: And the next panel will be Lauren Bornfriend, Beth Ounsworth and James Brown.
If they will take a seat in front of the rail I would appreciate it. (Witness comes forward.)
Good afternoon, and welcome. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. 48 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Elma?
Elma, you're going to have to pull the microphone closer to you and talk into the microphone, please.
I'm here in regards to the police getting the decimal level meters. I'll start at the beginning. I live in a row house and the people next door to me have something like surround sound or some kind of a system that they play on that low bass, high decibels. And these people are in their 60's or 70's, they're a little bit older than I am, I know the man is. I mean, I'm 63 years old and these people are not deaf, nor do they have any difficulty with their hearing ability. We share a fire wall in an open staircase which really isn't another wall, it's an open staircase. And we share that back-to-back. And the noises and the vibrations that bounce off my walls, my ceilings, my 49 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing floors, even whenever I lay down on the bed. And I have spoken to these people about the noises and the vibrations, but they deny it's coming from their house. So I've called the police several times about this racket and vibration, but they say if they can't hear it of course they can't do anything about it, but they know exactly what I'm talking about. You have to live in this kind of noise to relate to it and I've spoken to the City ordinances, L&I, City Council, police captains, et cetera, but they all keep passing the buck. And that's all the symptoms that I suffer fearsomely from these terrible noises and vibrations. I mean it takes my heart completely out of rhythm. It causes my heart to beat erratically, makes my eyeballs quiver and the pressure go up in my eyeballs. It keeps my ears panting badly and clogged, feeling tight; and my stomach, it keeps it real tight and nervous, a loss of appetite, a sizable amount that I've lost, and forget sleep because I can't get any sleep. 50 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Lately I've been experiencing awful heartburn daily because I've been exposed to this noise. It's every night, every day. My quality of life is ruined by that noise and that vibration. What I'm asking is if you could please provide our police officers with the proper tools and the training they need to detect these noises and racket, especially when people play it at low bass, high volumes which is difficult to distinguish the sounds unless you live in it for some time. The devices and tools I'm speaking about are called sound level meters, I believe, and after all, how can the police do their job without the proper tools. And not only that, like I said, they can't hear it so they say they can't do anything, but they know what I'm talking about. And I know a small county like Bensalem, P.A. has these tools and I can't understand why we can't have something to protect our hearing and our health, which is my hearing and my health. I have wrote to City Council's 51 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Office, I wrote to a Mr. Johnson, a Police Commissioner. I can't take this noise, I can't take it. Thank you.
Is there anyone from the administration here that could help Ms. Kappler? And maybe she could go to the side of the room and --
I did receive a reply from a gentleman in Mr. Rizzo's office and I remember Mr. Rizzo's dad.
The Health Commissioner is standing. If you will see him, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to take all of the information and certainly try to address your problem. Thank you so much for coming in. I do hope we're able to help you.
Thank you, dear. MR. McPHERSON: The next witnesses are Lauren Bornfriend, Beth Ounsworth and James Brown. And the next witness after this panel are the Friends of the Philadelphia Parks.
Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
I am Lauren Bornfriend the Director of Friends of Philadelphia Parks.
I am Beth Ounsworth, President of the Board of Friends of Philadelphia Parks.
I am James L. Brown, the Director of Parks at Historic Preservation Corporation.
Good afternoon, Council President Verna, Members of Council and guests. We are here to ask you to increase the operating budgets of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. And to talk to you about three agendas we believe must go hand-in-hand with increased budget allocations. These are the issues of visionary leadership and the 53 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing appointment of Fairmount Park Commissioners in June. The need for city-wide comprehensive strategic planning process for all of Philadelphia's parks and open space and new sources of revenue for Philadelphia's parks. Park constituents are pleased that in Fiscal Year 2003, they city is planning to fund five volunteer coordinator positions and will contribute an additional 350,000 to ensure funding for Fairmount Park Rangers. We thank 12 Mayor Street, Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown and 13 City Council for their support of these 14 essential programs and we hope to build and 15 sustain them in the coming years. 16 As these programs are important to 17 Fairmount Park, Philadelphia's Department of 18 Recreation Parks have essential maintenance 19 needs of their own. We ask you to guarantee 20 funding, wage increases and full-time year round 21 status for Seasonal Maintenance Attendants or 22 SMAs in the Department of Recreation Parks. 23 We remind you that in Peter Harnik's 24 book "Inside City Parks" he shows in his comparison of park related expenditures per 54 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing resident by City that the average expenditure for the eight highest-density american cities, including Philadelphia, is $64, the average expenditure for the largest American cities' 6 is $80, and Philadelphia's expenditure in 7 comparison is only $47. 8 In his comparison of 30 American 9 cities park related expenditure, per acre by 10 agency, Philadelphia's combined expenditure for 11 the Commission and the Department of Recreation 12 is $6,600, which is $3,000, 31 percent below the 13 average. 14 Once again, we ask you to make a 15 commitment to find a way to invest vision and 16 dollars in Philadelphia's parks so that 17 Philadelphia will not be left behind. Our 18 extraordinary open space can play an essential 19 role in making Philadelphia a first-class city. 20 In June 2002, the Fairmount Park 21 Commissioners will be at the end of their terms. 22 President Dixon and Commissioner Ballard will be 23 completing their final terms after many years of 24 dedicated service. 25 Friends of Philadelphia Parks along 55 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing with volunteer and professional stakeholders from across Philadelphia have been examining the issue of what citizens have a right to expect from their park leadership and from those who appoint them. In your copy of our testimony you will find a complete list of the criteria we have established for the appointment of Fairmount Park Commissioners. They include knowledge of and passion for our parks; a commitment to a comprehensive strategic planning process; to effective fund-raising and exploration of additional sources of park revenue; to acting as a spokesperson with an articulate vision for Philadelphia's parks; and to strategic collaboration with park stakeholders, city agencies and businesses. Thank you. The Friends of Philadelphia Parks would like to thank Councilwoman Reynolds Brown for her support in the strategic planning process. We would also like to thank Councilman Nutter for calling for an increase of $300,000 for City Council's Fiscal Year 2003 Operating Budget to fund the development of a strategic 56 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing master plan for Fairmount Park. This is a good beginning.
However, Friends of Philadelphia Parks and a growing coalition of parks constituents believe that any planning process that is undertaken must be comprehensive and city-wide and it must encompass all Philadelphia's parks and open space; that is, recreation parks, Fairmount Park and other green space. Most importantly, in order for this plan to be effective, key park's stakeholders must be integrally involved from the inception in the process. The time is right for the city to retain a consultant to facilitate a city-wide strategic planning process for Philadelphia's parks and open space that re-brands and positions them as more than green space and recreational facilities. The current climate presents a unique opportunity and a need for holistic and a broad-based plan that will incorporate the burgeoning role of citizen organizations; the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative; strong foundation, media, and growing corporate 57 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing interest; and the powerful parks movement throughout the United States. This plan should address the issues of leadership, and capacity building, accountability, performance standards, organizational structure, governance, and sustainable revenue sources. It should reflect the impact of urban parks on neighborhood stabilization, economic and community development and reinvestment, and health and well-being. It should recognize the role of parks as sites for education, job training, creative expression, cultural events and tourism. The plan should also recognize that our parks and green space are a regional asset and amenity with a wide range of users, meaningful in the attraction and retention of students, homeowners and businesses. This plan must recognize the need to build on existing assets, those that are human, such as friends groups and users; those that are natural resources such as rivers and urban 58 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing forests; and cultural institutions such as museums and historic houses, and existing plans and studies. It must also provide a framework and rationale for fund-raising and resource-building. Most importantly, this flexible planning process must address and balance the viewpoints, concerns, goals and objectives of various interest and user groups, stakeholders, experts, philanthropists, and city agencies, thereby creating a plan that is used and not put on the shelf. Thank you.
I'm here today as a board member of Friends of Philadelphia Parks to ask for increased budget allocations for the Fairmount Commission and the Department of Recreation. I'm also here to say that in order for our city's parks to reach their potential and fulfill their role, new resources must supplement increased budget allocations. Parks, and this is one of our recommendations, parks' assets must be used carefully to address revenue generated in parks 59 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing to support parks. Possible ways of doing this are: fees, concessions, sweat equity, public/private partnerships, corporate promotions, and dedicated funding streams, such as nuisance tax or parking revenues. Improved relationships with corporations and foundations as well as communication, cooperation and alignment with city, state, and federal agencies can only strengthen and broaden opportunities for additional resources for Philadelphia's parks. In other words, the Park Commission will have any capacity to carry out events within the park and that money to stay within the Parks budget versus the City regular budget itself. I'd like to give some examples of these ways in which other cities are generating revenue for their parks. Automobile parking is the single biggest source of fee revenue for New York and Chicago, the largest fee generating park agencies in the United States. The New York Department of Parks and Recreation owns Shea Stadium and gets revenue 60 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing from parking. Parking at Grant Park in Chicago grosses $18 million annually for parks. Post Office Square in Boston is an example of a successful public/private partnership. The park is financed solely through the revenues generated by its underground parking garage. The city receives $1 million annually for the ownership interest and another million in annual fees. Post Office Square has transformed the business district, boosted property values, and significantly enhanced quality of life. Corporate promotions are another source of revenue for parks. Disney's Company paid $1 million to the park department in New York to launch the film "Pocahontas" in Central Park. Golf courses can be extremely lucrative. All of New York City's 13 gold courses are run by concessionaires, they net $13 million annually for the parks. In a new era for Philadelphia parks, a goal of strategic planning process and a responsibility of park and city leadership must 61 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing be to identify existing revenue enhancement approaches from other cities that can be adapted here, and to create new and innovative revenue opportunities unique to Philadelphia. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Brown. Now, before I call on my colleague, Councilman Nutter, let me thank you for all the work that all of you do, but certainly to Jim Brown who is head of Parkside Historical Preservation Coalition. And many of you know that the newspaper has been running a series on East Parkside and talking about all the great things it is and that it can be, and that is because of Jim Brown and his leadership. And his is the picture you saw on the front page, but we say thank you for all that you and your family has done and are doing in East Parkside.
Thank you, Madam Chair. 62 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing I also would echo the comments of the Chair to Mr. Brown. It is quite a wonderful site to see the transformation that has already taken place on Parkside Avenue. As you know, Councilwoman Blackwell and I share the benefit of your work. The physical buildings are in Councilwoman Blackwell's district as much as I try to get them -- try to convince you to put some of those buildings on a flatbed and move them across Belmont Avenue, you continue to refuse to do that, but I've enjoyed working with you over the many years. And you make our park and the neighborhood a wonderful place to be. Ms. Ounsworth, I wanted to make one comment about your testimony. I thank all of you for your testimony. I appreciate your comments with regard to any work that I've done with the parks, but I do want to say that the overwhelming and alliance share of any recognition with regard to strategic planning process, and you did mention it, but I also want to comment upon it. And it really does go, Councilman Reynolds Brown. 63 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing As Chair of the committee with oversight for Fairmount Park and her, I would say laser-like focus on the issue of strategic planning has helped, I think, to bring that issue to a head. My suggestion, and whether it's helping Council to fund it or -- and I know that the councilwoman along with the park director and the managing director and others, maybe in the foundation community have been working down a particular path. I think that if -- I'm left with the impression that they're not that far away from where they want to be down -- from where we all want to be down that particular path, and whether Council dollars are possibly used for a strategic plan, or there has also been a discussion about the need for a full facilities assessment of all of the various buildings and structures in the Fairmount Park system. I'm quite honestly less interested in so much which we fund as that we help to provide funding for some component of what goes on with Fairmount Park. So if a foundation or the State can 64 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing assist us in getting the strategic plan done, that is certainly fine. We never mind spending other people's money. And at the same time if there are other needs for the park that need to get higher up on the radar screen, and if Council funding can support that then certainly that's okay as well. So I want to thank you for all of your support for parks, the encouragement of raising the parks issue. The ideas and the testimony are many things that we should probably get additional information on, but I want to continue to encourage you to work with my colleague and certainly the rest of us will be supportive in those efforts. I think getting the strategic plan done is important, getting an assessment of our buildings done is important, and also finding out what should be, I won't say the true funding level because all of us would certainly like more money to go to a whole host of facilities, but certainly an adequate and appropriate funding level for Fairmount Park, which I hope would come out of the strategic planning process 65 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing and possibly some other changes with regard to whether some dollars can be set aside. Mr. Brown's testimony about golf courses, I mean we have golf courses that are part of the park system. Generally all the money from all the facilities kind of goes into a big pot and then gets redistributed. Not necessarily by way of parody or what you bring in going back out to you. Maybe we need to revisit some of those issues internally to figure out what is right and what is wrong. I don't know whether the library gets to keep all of the many pennies from late fees or not, but I mean there are a number of agencies that might want to jump onto that bandwagon of well, I generate X amount of dollars so we should be able to keep them.
And you will potentially create a bit of a theftdom situation which we have to have some ability to direct dollars where they really should go and not have people trying to kind of hold onto them on the other hand, people that use the park often do pay some fairly serious money for the opportunity to use the 66 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing park and their use of the park creates a bit of a wear and tear, from particular events, on the park. And so I think the legitimate question is whether or not some portion of funding for major events in the park system should in fact be targeted back to the park as a way of increasing revenue. You ought to be commended for your efforts and I thank you.
Thank you. And the planning process is that we would take a look at this and evaluate for different sources of funds for the parks, but also, I just wanted to point out that we would like not only Fairmount Park, but we think it's really necessary that this be a city-wide comprehensive plan also.
And we do thank you. And definitely also thank Councilwoman Reynolds Brown for helping us push this plan.
And a number of other Councilmembers. 67 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon. Let me first underscore the remarks made by Council Chairman, Jannie Blackwell, and my colleague, Councilman Nutter, to first thank you for your work that you do. I need to assure you that we all believe, those of us on this side of the table and those of you who live and breathe park's issues assure you that it will be a collective process. I have learned from you and have worked with you and need you to help us be thoughtful and very circumspect as we move towards crafting a strategic plan. And let me say, also, that I had been up to this point, and will continue to be, 68 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing a proponent of a public/private arrangement with government and park advocates. And as I said before, the business community has been mysteriously absent. So we need to find a way to embrace them and bring them to the table so that it is a comprehensive analytical process. And finally, it will require, as Mr. Brown has pointed out, us being creative and innovative and thinking out of the box when it comes to finding out how we are going to maintain the kind of activities that go on in the park. So give us time to be thoughtful, but be assured that it will be a comprehensive opportunity for all of us. We will not leave anyone out who cares about parks. And I'll do what I can from where I sit to see that that happens. And let me thank my Councilman colleague Michael Nutter for indicating that we have been working on this for a long time, for the months that I've been here, and we are 23 finally beginning to see -- with the work that 24 they did prior to me coming here and the work 25 that we've done since I've been here, seen some 69 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing tangible reality changes when it comes to the parks. So the work continues because of both Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller who's not here and cares a lot about the parks. Councilman Clarke who actually sits on the Fairmount Park Commission and Councilman Nutter who knows how to do with a laser-like focus look at the numbers and move us to a place where we can see what's doable. So thank you very much. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. It's very encouraging for the parks. Thank you Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon. I have a quick question, it kind of centers around this discussion in the strategic plan for the parks. As you know, I represent the Parkway, which is actually a part of the park system. And I wanted to ask during that discussion among friends groups, is there any interaction or any discussion about the Parkway 70 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing itself? There's been a number of proposals submitted for the Parkway. I heard Mr. Brown talking about parking. There are actually two proposals right now for underground parking on the Parkway, condominiums. I mean we've gotten all kinds of requests. I was wondering, is there any discussion? Because I don't hear it as I talk to the residents in the surrounding areas, and as I talk to the Center City District, and as I talk to the Planning Commission, I don't really get a sense that the park -- the Friends of the park have a lot of interaction with those groups? I don't know who wants to answer that, I just want to get a sense if you are all in that discussion?
I think until this point the conversations have been very general about the organizational structure of the plan rather than focusing on particular sites, but we hope that people will step forward and that any relevant area will be considered or issue will be considered. 71 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Yes, I guess I'm asking you to get involved in that discussion, because I'd like to hear people who are more traditional park users as to people who are just simply interested because of the proximity of their community to it, or people who have a strategic plan related to Center City, or a plan because that's their job, working for the Planning Commission. But I would really like to get you all involved in that discussion because I like to hear all facets of that. That will be helpful to me.
Yes, in following up on the question of the strategic planning, does that include the coverage of all of these small little units that are run by Fairmount Park, administered by them; like for example, 72 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Kemble Park in West Oak Lane, Wister Woods, which seems scattered over a number of sites in the West Oak Lane section. There's a number of other areas like that. Does the strategic planning involve the questions of the best use of those kinds of parks? Because they seem to get very little attention on a day-to-day basis --
-- to get them cleaned or kept up to date. We have tremendous problems.
Yes, the strategic plan should definitely address all of those parks, all of the green space that we have in Philadelphia and come up with a good plan for -- that's also why we want to be sure to include all of the people -- as many people as we can who are parks -- what we call stakeholders, the people who live near the parks and the heads of the individual parks, Friends of Parks organizations. So that we can include all these people so that we know what the needs are when we evaluate it. 73 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Because I think beyond the vast beauty of the whole park and the tremendous services it offers, the small areas of ground often in very crowded parks in the city really offer a tremendous need for the people of Philadelphia.
The folks from the neighborhood parks have been very involved in this discussion. So it's really -- "we" as an organization, are talking to stakeholders from around the city in both recreation parks, Fairmount Parks and even some independent green space.
And the Recreation Department really needs a tremendous face-lifting in the sense of additional employees, additional programs, additional care and attention to the basic facilities in which these programs are carried out. And we hope the strategic planning covers recreation as well as Fairmount Park.
Thank you, Councilman. Are there any other questions? (No further questions.)
Thank you very much. MR. McPHERSON: The next person is Peggy Amsterdam, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Then after her will be Amy Dougherty, Friends of the Free Library. (Witness comes forward.)
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and begin.
Good afternoon, my name is Peggy Amsterdam. I am the Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. The Alliance is a Regional Arts Advocacy Organization. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and our city's additional investments in arts and culture. 75 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Philadelphia boasts a wealth of cultural organizations that are vital to our social and economic quality of life. 5 million in Philadelphia sales and wage taxes. Cultural and historic sites are the lifeblood of our city's tourism industry, and entice businesses and residents to stay within our borders. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce revealed that 69 percent of area business leaders view our cultural attractions as the top strengths of the region. But beyond their substantial impact on our economy, the arts also revitalize Philadelphia's neighborhoods by creating a community where every person, regardless of his or her social, ethnic, or economic background, can contribute as an equal and succeed. I applaud the City for its current and past investments in the cultural sector, and urge 76 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing their continued growth through the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, and other arenas such as the City's and the Redevelopment Authority's Percent for Art Programs. This year, the Cultural Fund saw a modest increase in its appropriations, which enabled it to support additional neighborhood arts organizations. Yes, Philadelphia still ranks only 7th of the nation's ten largest cities in government's per-capita operating support for the arts. City support of arts and culture is critical to ensuring that our cultural institutions from the Academy of Natural Sciences to the Village of Arts and Humanities can continue to serve Philadelphia's residents. The Cultural Fund provides general operating support, the type of funds most difficult for nonprofits to raise. Yet, it is operating funds that enable organizations to survive while offering low- or no-cost programing that revitalizes neighborhoods and 77 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing provides safe and enriching after-school activities for our children. Through the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, arts organizations can work with developers to revitalize buildings for community cultural activities, and to beautify vacant or abandoned properties throughout the City. The Percent for Art Programs, the first in the nation, enables developers in our region to give back to our City residents. I applaud the Council for its unaminous passage of a recent resolution 15 supporting this issue, and urge your continued vigilance as the trustees of our City's heritage. I'd like to take a brief moment to thank Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown for introducing that resolution, and Councilman Nutter for his letters of support to the Redevelopment Authority. I'd also like to thank Councilman DiCicco for his support as the project in question is located in his district and he has long been a supporter of the Arts in 78 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Philadelphia. Thank you all for your continued support. On behalf of the Cultural Alliance's more than 230 member organizations, many of which receive City support, I thank Council for its past investments and respectfully ask: than you continue your committent by increasing the Cultural Funds FY03 appropriation to $2 million; that you establish the Fund's continued growth in the City's five-year plan to $5 million in FY07; that you incorporate arts and culture into the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, and that you uphold our Percent for Art Programs. Cultural organizations invest heavily in their neighborhoods. We care. We want Philadelphia to be an exciting, interesting, healthy, and vibrant place to live and work. We hope that our City shares this vision. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. Are there any questions? Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: The next person is 79 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Amy Dougherty, Friends of the Free Library. And the next one after that will be Colleen McCauley, PCCA, on lead contamination.
Good afternoon, we thank you for coming. And my good friend Jerry White, it's always a pleasure. We thank you. Please identify yourself for the record and begin your testimony.
Amy Dougherty, Executive Director of the Friends of the Free Library.
Madam Chair and Members of City Council, I'm pleased to be here again to testify on behalf of the Free Library of Philadelphia. I've been involved in community development and human development in Philadelphia for a number of years, and as we rebuild our neighborhoods, reform education, create jobs and provide training, we must ensure that the knowledge enhancement tools such as the 80 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Free Library and the experiences that the Free Library brings about remains easily accessible and free to the residents of the City. I believe that a healthy and a real-time library system is required in order for us to achieve and maintain the quality of life that we all aspire. And I just want to underscore the word "real-time". Real-time means that what we are doing today, that people have access to that information and those opportunities, but real-time also means that you have to invest in your future ability to provide real-time services to the residents of Philadelphia. And the library, probably more so than any other institution, except for the public schools, has to make a significant investment as technology and communications and the advancement of knowledge expands as a result of the Internet digitalization and communication. The Friends of the Free Library has been a long-tern strategic supporter of City Council. We've come before you and we have provided you with information related to library 81 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing issues. Sometimes our perspective agrees with the administration, sometimes our perspective agrees with the library, sometimes our perspective doesn't because we represent what people in their communities feel that are important, and sometimes those views do not necessarily coincide. But all-in-all, City Council has wrestled with some very difficult decisions, and over the years have been very supportive of making sure that quality library services remain in the district. And the support that you've given at times when budgets were being cut in the library, you stepped forward and added money back into the budgets, and the Friends and your constituents are grateful. But also, I'd like to let you know that the Friends do our part as well. There are over 3,000 active Friends members at 30 branches. And I was driving Midvale Avenue last weekend, and there's a branch in Falls Church, and I saw out in front of the library there were about between 15 to 20 82 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing people just picking up the trash and the paper and the leaves out in front of that library. And all across the City you see branch Friends doing that kind of work because they care about the library systems and the services it provides. So today what I'd like to do is to raise three issues and also point out that we have some members that represent some branch libraries here. Loti Gottlieb from Walnut West; Marie Jones from George Institute; Lea Guttman and Cynthia Issman from Independence Branch, and others. The first issue I'd like to raise to your attention has to do with the youth programs. The LEAP Program, which is a program that provides homework assistance, computer assistance and cultural enrichment, at each branch library five days a week, September to June. In addition to providing those services the library is able to hire students that act as role models for these children and provide views of opportunity that they can pursue as they engage in academic pursuit. 83 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing In 1988, my understanding is when this project started it was pretty much funded by private sources, but over the years as those private sources have waned, the City of Philadelphia has picked up those programs. And in fact, the City of Philadelphia has picked up 46 of those programs, which leaves six remaining programs to be funded. And our understanding is that within this current budget those six programs are not proposed to fund those.
The affected branches are the Wynnefield Branch, the Bushrod branch, South Philadelphia, the 1700 South Broad Street Branch, West Oak Lane, Haverford Avenue and Wyoming. And what is the impact of not funding these: teen-agers will lose their jobs, but 18 the reality, the bottom-line reality in addition to people losing their jobs, and the fact that there will not be any homework assistance provided, you will have thousands of children who will not have access to this important program. And we think that City Council should ensure that all the branches have this important program and make sure that the money is 84 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing restored. The second issue I'd like to raise has to do with the Independence Branch, and I would like to thank Councilmembers for their support to open the Independence Branch. It was open at 7th and Market on February 28, 2000. It serves Chinatown, Society Hill, Queen Village, Old City and Washington Square West. Within six months after opening, the branch has a consistently higher circulation of any branch in the City. The circulation was over 165,000 for the first 11 months and the branch has issued approximately 3,500 new library cards in the same period. So we have a really vital energized library branch happening there. It has a very strong active Friends group. My understanding is the group has raised over $200,000 to ensure that the collections, the languages, and information is provided above and beyond what the City can provide, and it has the second largest gay and lesbian public library collection in the country. But as you can see as this grows they're outgrowing their 85 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing space. And we have been advised by the Friends group that the building that the library is in is up for sale. And there are some creative people in this Friends group who understand finance, who understand business, and they believe that given what the City pays in lease payments, if that was creatively structured along with some creative financing, that the City could purchase this building, have room for expanding the space and engage in other kinds of economic development activity at that site. So we are encouraging the administration to look at the possibilities of saving money and avoiding a potentially more costly investment in the future. Another facility that I'd like to raise your attention to is the George Institute. We have completed 50 of the renovations in 50 of the libraries. We have 54 including the Central Library. Remaining we have the George Institute, Weidner, Walnut West and the Central Library. George Institute is located at 1461 86 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing North 52nd Street, and currently renovations are at a standstill. George has been closed since June 2, 2001 leaving this neighborhood without library services. This community is comprised of predominately low/moderate income African-American residents whose public schools do not have good operating libraries. Bids were put out for the renovation of this library and it came in approximately 800,000 over budget. And there's some negotiations that are going on back and forth between the people who put the bid out of the City and the contractors so we could come to a reasonable cost for doing this renovation. I've been informed that the people have been waiting for 30 years -- over 30 years to get this done and we're so close to getting this thing done that we would like as a Friends, overall Friends group, to put all of our support behind the City Council and administration to negotiate an appropriate amount of additional resources for this project so that Elliott and his staff can get this thing done. We've done a very good job getting 87 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing our neighborhood libraries up and running and we just like to make sure that this one does not fall between the cracks. The next point I'd like to raise has to do with staffing.
We understand the rationale of the administration for imposing hiring freezes, but we think that you need to understand the impact of the hiring freezes on the library system. During the first six months of this year a little over 3 million people visited the library system. It is our expectation that number will rise over the next six months and we will probably have about 7 million people who will have visited the libraries. According to the Mayor's report on City services, when the library was rated in terms of consumer satisfaction, 81 percent of the people who interacted with the library system indicated that they received outstanding service. It is the highest level that the library's received in about 36 years. Now, what we have are people coming in for service, service to get access to books, 88 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing CDs, information, et cetera, and they are walking out of the library feeling good about that experience. But the only way we achieve that is having a certain level of funding for staff with shutting down, hiring. What we have now are library positions vacant, 13 8 full-time equivalent assistants vacant and also 9 guard vacancies. 10 On a day-to-day basis what this 11 means is, the flow of service and the 12 constituence is either being diminished in terms 13 of the amount of service or actually cut back all-in-all. And the point I wanted to raise to City Council here today is that when the summer months click in we will have more people using the library and we will have more and more backlogs and more and more complaints from people in service. And I think you really need to understand that the investment, the hundreds and millions of investments that we made in the library can -- if we don't pay attention to the staffing requirements -- can go down the drain. 89 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing The last point I'd like to make has to do with the Central Library. And I was pleased to learn that Councilman Clarke is turning the Central Library, the actual facility's 75th Anniversary celebration. Because it's important that we raise the level of understanding of the importance of the Central Library. And the choice, Councilman Clarke, I think is a good one. The branch of the Free Library is absolutely 100 percent behind the complete renovation and expansion of the Central Library on the Parkway. I have personally been involved in the discussions about the expansion, what's required, the programming and the cost. I'm also fully aware of the issues related to the capital budget, related to capital expenditures, but we'd also like to say that the investment that we made in all these branches can only come to fruition if the Central Library's actually completed and we get the kind of technology and information in that Central Library that we need. Without it it's 90 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing like your body operating without a brain. So in summary, what we would like to say is, we support Council's continued vigilance in making sure that we do not lose ground in terms of library services in the City. We think that as we move forward with the renovation of the Central Library and services, that Council continues with that vigilance and support to make sure that that happens. And on behalf of the Friends of the Free Library, I'd like to thank you for this opportunity.
Thank you, Madam Chair. First I'd just like to say, Jerry, thanks for all the great work and your offer of assistance for various neighborhood projects. I also want to say you knew me before I was a Councilman so it's okay for you to call me Daryl. Thank you, Madam Chair.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell. 91 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing