Thank you. I likewise wanted to again thank them for the work they're doing and also to recognize Lottie Gottlieb from my area. Great to have you, Lottie.
I just want to make sure that as these freezes have taken place and other budgetary restrictions or contractions may take place, that we're kept informed as to -- we've spent a lot of time in this Council for over the last ten years making sure that library hours were extended and open, and that be available for school kids to go after school and spend a lot of time. And Councilman Cohen and I actually won a couple of awards in several neighborhoods trying to prevent the closing of several libraries. And we want to make sure that those hours that we fought so hard for, and that even in those days in which the City was going through very dark days in terms of this budget, we understood that having the libraries open 92 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing after school, late, saved us money.
Saved us money because it kept kids very busy during that period of time. And it was the first, really, afterschool program that was done really quite -- volunteered. So we want to be kept aware of any cuts in hours and closings of certain libraries and certain times, and so on, and I wish that you keep us informed of that.
Thank you. Are there any other questions or comments? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon. Let me underscore first, the comments of Councilman Ortiz. We do care about after-school programs. In a magnificent way, we are encouraged by the 93 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing tremendous increase, but we still know that there are still 100,000 young people in the City not in afterschool programs. So to see anything that wreaks of a decrease in programing activity would be bothersome. You mention in your testimony the notion of leaning on economic development activities as a way of bolstering the Free Library activities. Shall we assume by that, that your board has embraced that concept or that notion that that's a reasonable way to go?
I think that -- depends on which board you mean. I think that it's been proven, not in other cities, that the library can function as an economic anchor in neighborhoods. And that the traffic can relate to retail, can relate to professional services, and that libraries can effect, be a magnet for economic development. My comment, specifically related to the Independence Branch, is that if that particular building is in fact purchased with creative financing, that there's opportunities to create an economic base there that supports 94 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing the library as well, covers the expansion and provides for some economic development activity. But I'm in agreement with what was said by the parks -- the Friends of the Parks. We need to allow the entrepreneurial people within that division to be creative. Now that doesn't mean they're not checked, but if we allow them to be creative, because we need those creative juices in times where you're cutting money, you're cutting budgets. One other point, I think on the point around youth programing we definitely want to see the City pick up those additional six branches for funding and I think it's about between $28,000 and $30,000 -- $28,000 or $30,000 per project. But I think overall, what gets under-valued is the work that the library does as the place where a lot of kids go after school because they have no other place to go and that's your point. And so when you have hiring freezes, what happens is, you see a gradual, slow decline in services. It's like a disease and it just starts a little bit, and all of a sudden, you 95 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing wake up and your face is -- your hair is falling out. And what we're saying is, don't let us get to the point that our hair is falling out. We don't have enough librarians, we don't have enough librarian assistants, and it's starting to cause backlogs and delays with customer service. So if you wait another year, my feeling is you're going to have a serious problem. We'll have a serious problem. I'm part of this problem too. We'll have a serious problem.
Okay. With the independence example you presented has that been considered and/or discussed by your board?
Yes, right. But we have not brought back a specific proposal related to that. The ideas have been discussed, the vision has been discussed. Because we have branches that are very entrepreneurial. We have a 96 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing bookstore, they're always -- that we sell used books right above the Parkway. Books that come in from the library, and people denote books, we recycle them as a sales tool. So what we're saying -- the point I'm making is that the entrepreneurial spirit that exists within the Friends groups to figure out how to raise money, how to pursue facilities, collections, expand libraries is something that we need to encourage rather than de-courage. Discourage, excuse me.
Very well. We would look to your leadership though.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just one question. Mr. White, you heard over the last 97 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing couple of months we've had a substantial discussion about wage tax, decreases, number of bills, relating tools, wage tax discussions; understanding that depending on whose train of thoughts you follow it could impact somewhat on City services --
-- and it's always talked about. The libraries being first or within that first tear on the hit list. Has your organization gotten involved in this process or do you anticipate being involved in these discussions and the hearings that we will be having?
I think we have to get involved in those discussions. We haven't formally brought it up, but the idea of exploring economic policy in the City with the wage tax, the gross tax and all those other taxes, incentives for doing business, I think all those things, if Council has a full hearing and really looks at what our economic policy is in the City, I think that that has a direct bearing on what happens in places like the 98 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing library. Because, you know, I've been involved in economic and business development for a long time. If we can straighten out the economic policy framework in the City, I think we can generate additional revenues to deal with some of these City services. And we can encourage more business development and revenues than we discourage. So I think that if what you're saying is you think we ought to definitely, it's on our agenda.
Very strong suggestion, because I am concerned. I mean there's so much money to go around, and when people look at potential cuts, traditionally people look at what they call some of the peripheral services, some people suggest that, but the basic services like police, fire, some of us politicians don't dare even discuss that. But some people look at libraries and some people look at rec centers and some people look at some of the other ancillary type of services. And I really encourage that you get in the forefront of this discussion. 99 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
I must confess, I get a little scared when I hear the emphasis on entrepreneurial development with respect to government services because I can picture the day when there will be a sign saying, "Budweiser's Free Library of Philadelphia", "Coors Philadelphia Stadium" or maybe "Coors City Hall." I think we have to know that commercialization of public service ideas is very attractive to the private sector for good reason. Because it gives them a wonderful opportunity to do their advertising and influencing of people's minds where they can be most effective. And I just want to express the concern that public services have to be unadulterated and pure so that we develop in youngsters the ability to an analyze, to think independently, to question before they come to 100 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing decisions. Because that is the heart of democratic functioning. So I just express that. Book sales are wonderful, anything to get more books to the community, but if you expand to side methods or say that these cultural institutions or social service groups, like libraries, are not worthy of public expenditures of money, and therefore, they must go out and hunt for private sources of funding, I think you get into very dangerous territory. I'm just urging upon you and the wonderful work you grouped out because in the battles to save the libraries during time that Councilman Ortiz conferred when the City was thought to have terrible financial problems, it's very important to have an educated support group like the Friends of Free Library. And they did a marvelous job then and I'm sure they're doing it now. But just a few words of caution on the entrepreneurial spurts.
Right, a real brief comment on that. I think that you are absolutely correct. And I think that there is -- in the 101 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing context of who owns it, who owns what we're doing, who owns the public mission, who owns the public purpose of what these things are for. I think you're absolutely correct, that we have to make sure that we don't slip in our integrity in that regard. But I do think that in engaging and being able to maintain and grow that we have to encourage people to think out of the box, so to speak, and come up with some ideas that can be discussed publicly to encourage that. Like I mentioned, the book sales, I agree with you. I think recycling books is absolutely what we need to do. I think that in the Friends we have people doing bake sales, we have people doing all kinds of things that are what I consider to be our entrepreneurial ways of supporting services. And it's local, it's grass roots and it's very clear. And that's where we're coming from.
May I ask one other question? I visited a number of Philadelphia housing developments. Almost all of them are terribly in need of and openly 102 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing crying for libraries, local libraries where youngsters can begin to get hold of books and begin to read them. And it appears that that's not a major concern of PHA. At least over the years there has been no evidence of any concentrated effort to build libraries, but I think that the public library could take on a tremendous program by making sure that each of the Philadelphia Housing Authority Developments have adequate libraries. And I think we would do a great deal for the future membership of the free public libraries systems if you could develop maybe small branches to be operated, both by library employees, but by employees of PHA, and that could bring their youngsters in the direct contact of books at a very early age. I would just like to suggest that.
Thank you, Madam 103 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Chair. David, Barnes & Noble's and the other great book store chains have become incredibly profitable because they sell more than books. They have pastry and coffee and people go in and use the books and stay and read a little bit. And maybe our libraries, different neighborhoods, not that you are going to open up a chain of Starbucks --
But that can be run by the library. And going back, because we've gone through very hard times here in the City economically and we fought the battles to prevent the closing of libraries because Councilman Clarke said that some people consider the library and parks not as essential as police and fire. Well, I consider them as essential as police and fire. They're not peripheral. Because if they're not functioning we are really going to need more police. We are really going to need an army to come in and take care of that. And the issue in terms of how it 104 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing is, I think the economic issues that are going to be discussed in this Council really go to the heart of where we maintain the status quo or we begin to generate more revenue like what you're talking about, and how do we generate more revenue and how we go about that, and how we maintain a certain budgetary in terms of the priorities that we have. Because if we close the libraries that will give one more reason for people to leave the cities. And one of the things that we always have and we always have had in this City is a system of parts that have been unequal, but also of libraries that have been unequal across the Commonwealth. So I believe that yes, we can discuss the economic issues, but just because we discuss the economic issues does not mean that we are going to be talking just about the cutting of services. We are going to be talking about generating more revenue. Thank you, Madam Chair.
You're welcome. 105 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon, Mr. White. Is that Ms. Dougherty?
On your testimony, I was looking through the budget book, tell us a little bit more about the LEAP Program. And what I'm taking from the testimony is that there are presently 52 sites where LEAP is operating, but going forward it's only anticipated that 46 will operate?
LEAP is at every branch right now except for the George Institute which is closed. So every operating branch has a LEAP Program. There are six of these LEAP Programs that are currently funded by private funds which will not be true in the next Fiscal Year.
What private funds are funding them? Was there a grant or something?
We can provide you the 106 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing information.
And do I also take from the testimony that when you say the 46 have been observed and funded, are you talking about by the City?
My understanding is that when the library system presented its budget in the line item for youth services, they included the services in that line item. And it was proved as part of the line item in the library's budget. Elliott, is that correct? Not lined that way, but it was in the City's budget.
Well, it would be helpful to understand, actually, where the 107 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing City funding is for the 46, because I didn't see a youth line in the library system. So I do actually need to know --
-- what is the source of funding or who is funding it?
Well, actually, I need to know from the government since it's the government's budget. Who decided that the six were not going to be funded?
What I would suggest, Madam Chair, is that since the question the Councilman is raising pretty much goes to the administration, maybe we could have one of the library's representatives come forward.
We see Mr. Elliott Shelkrot back there; we do say welcome. So many people love the free libraries and I am enternally grateful for West Work as you know, and for all the other branches where you work so hard and do a great job. So we are 108 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing happy to welcome you and have you respond. Please identify yourself technically for the record.
Sure. I'm Elliott Shelkrot, President and Director of the Free Library. Over the years the initial funding for the afterschool LEAP was privately funded through grants from various foundations. And those grants have been renewed for several years, but over the last, I believe it is six budget years, several of the programs, because of the unavailability of renewed grant funds, those afterschool programs have been adopted into and moved into the City's budget through various proposals and administration program.
Mr. Shelkrot, where are they in this year's budget or where are they in last year's budget? What is the funding source?
Well, in the initial years -- every year that there were new branches moved into the budget it initially is made through a proposal that we make and then it is 109 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing adopted in the line items specifically related to staffing, so it's an increase in the Class 100. Sometimes some increases in 200 and 300 is where the books and materials come from. So it's an increase in those lines that incorporate the LEAP Programs.
Well, can you tell me or point me to what page in the library's budget in the budget book, would cover this particular item, or are you saying that it takes in LEAP and possibly a number of other services?
It's my belief that in the -- well, let me just check. Most of the funding would be on what we have as -17, I'm assuming. And I just don't know whether yours is formatted in the same way that ours is formatted, but what I'd be happy to do to save time --
Okay. And you'll find that over the years as these programs have moved into the City budget, they have been 110 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing through expansions to this area. This is the division of the library extension service is what you see up near the top on the right and that's the branch and regional libraries where the vast majority of these programs are.
Well, tell me how have these libraries, when you say moved over into the City funding, how did that happen? Over what period of time? Who decided which branches were going and what happens with these last six?
What has happened is that we have proposed in the last several budget preparation times that the programs be moved in the City funding because of the increased difficulty in getting foundations and the organizations that initially fund them to continue it.
All right, stop right there. In the FY03 budget, are there any libraries moving into the City system as a result of the FY03 budget?
No, there are no new LEAP Programs this year moving into the City's 111 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing budget.
So does it mean that at the end of this Fiscal Year the program will end at those six libraries?
What it means is that we will desperately try to find new sources, private money because there's no -- this year's budget cannot provide for additional programs.
Well, let me ask this question; in your testimony -- you were here last week, right?
In your testimony from last week you talked about in FY02 the City funded 46 LEAP Programs. Your testimony says that private dollars are supporting seven additional programs so that LEAP is now offered five days a week in 53 libraries across the City. Then you go on to talk about how many kids served and the like. Is there somewhere here in your testimony that I missed that mentions that the seven are not going to be funded after FY03? 112 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
We will make every effort to find the money to continue those programs.
I appreciate your response, but that was not responsive to the question I asked. You were here last week --
-- we had an extensive discussion about a wide variety of items. You put in your testimony that you have these programs going on, that 46 of them are being supported by the City, seven are being supported privately, leaving us with the impression that there would be 53 programs across the City, that is not true, correct?
Councilman, I only can say that I understand the concern that the Friends have because there is no guaranteed funding for those programs. I will do 113 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing everything I can to find new sources of private money to continue those programs.
Mr. Shelkrot, I appreciate your concern about the Friends groups. You were not here with the Friends last week, you were here with us last week?
What I'm trying to convey is if you come to a budget hearing and put testimony on the record that a certain number of programs are being supported, whether they are solely being supported by the City or solely being supported by foundations, you left the record with the impression that going forward there would still be 53 programs. That is now not the case, at least on the City's side, because it is crystal clear from the testimony today that those seven programs are not going to be funded by private sources and you have no new funding, nor, apparently by your own testimony earlier have you sought to include those six in the City funding has been the case in the past. My question was: don't you think it 114 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing would have been appropriate to tell City Council that last week, because you leave us with the impression that we are having programs. The fact of the matter is that unless the list is incorrect and the list only has six, so you can tell me where the seventh one was, Wynnefield, Bushrod, South Philadelphia, West Oak Lane, Haverford Avenue and Wyoming, and I don't know what the seventh one is?
Okay. Well, you're not going to have a program in a place that's closed so let's talk about the sixth.
They're still 115 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing open, right?
Did you make a request this year for funding these programs at these six libraries, is that a part of your FY03 request?
During the initial discussions on our budget, it was my hope that we would be able to move those six programs into the City's budget. This year is an especially difficult year as we all know in the City operating budget. And this was not a year that those programs -- that additional programs could be moved into City funding. And for that reason it didn't show up in the documents that you have. We are, as I said --
I understand that, but before the documents get to us my question was: did you make the request? And I'm not sure that I completely understand your perspective that this year is so much more difficult than any other budget year?
Well, there's a variety of discussions that take place with the 116 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing budget office.
And initially, it was our proposal that those programs be moved into the City budget, the City operating budget, but it was crystal clear that that could not happen this year.
It's $25,000 to $30,000 per branch program, per LEAP Program. So that would be --
So you are saying for $150,000 we're not going to have -- it's called a LEAP Program, right?
For teen employees and afterschool programs for kids for $150,000, six branches are not going to have service, is that your testimony today?
No, my testimony is 117 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing that I will be diligently searching for new private funding for those because the City's budget this year cannot accommodate it.
That's all I need to know. Let me just say, Mr. Shelkrot, and I appreciate you giving all the information, if you have a situation where you're providing testimony about programs, please tell us not only about the ones that are going to happen, but also about the ones that may not happen. I mean you're going to do your job as best you can, you're not alone here in the government. There are a lot of us that actually work here and would like to try to provide some assistance and support, but if we only find out about it at this stage it's that much more difficult. I mean you had a budget call, what, 118 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing back in November, December?
And so now we're finding out about it in the course of the budget process?
You are correct, however, I must tell you there are a lot of things on our hopes and desires as we go into a budget process. And we understand that there are limits to the City's funding ability.
Well, I understand that. We all have our various hopes and desires and dreams and aspirations. One day I'm hoping my hair is going to come back, but it's probably not going to happen. I mean, far be it for me to spend much time quoting the President of the United States, we don't agree on very much, but I cannot be involved in a situation where we will literally leave some children behind. I mean, who gets to make the decision about whether 46 get it and six don't? I mean, are the children in Wynnefield, or Castor Avenue, or South Broad Street, or 119 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Washington Lane, or Haverford Avenue or East Wyoming Avenue, are they any less deserving of these kinds of services than the other 46 neighborhoods? I mean, who made that decision?
I assume that's a rhetorical question because -- of course not. They're all deserving.
Then I think we need to figure out a solution to this particular problem. I'll be glad to work with you, and whether you go to a private route, or the public route, or some combination of the two, you've known me long enough to know that the bottom line on this one is these programs should exist in the other six neighborhoods and they should not be left behind. That's my only issue. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Are there any other questions? Thank you. We have a representative on Lead Paint Contamination. I understand there are a 120 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing panel of people here. Please come forward. Good afternoon, we welcome you. Thank you for your patience. Please identify yourself and begin your testimony.
Carla Campbell, pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. McPHERSON: My name is Sheila McPherson.
We didn't hear you. MS. McPHERSON: Sheila McPherson.
Thank you. MS. McCAULEY: My name is Colleen McCauley from Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth.
Oh, yes, I have your name. They told me Ms. McCauley, you would be here. Thank you. MS. McCAULEY: I also want to take a moment, there's a woman that's with us today, but because of time constraints isn't able to testify. Ms. Margaret West is over here in the red sweat shirt. 121 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Welcome, Ms. West. MS. McCAULEY: She's a grandmother and great-grandmother of three children who recently have been lead-poisoned. Again, because of time constraints she is not able to testify --
Thank you, again. MS. McCAULEY: -- but she's here to show her support.
Good afternoon. My name is Jules Zacher I'm a private attorney and represent a lot of children who have been poisoned by lead paint.
Good afternoon, Councilwoman Blackwell and other Councilmembers, I thank the Council for the opportunity to testify in support of a proposed City-wide Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition to request of Council additional funding to make homes of children with lead poisoning lead-safe. S. Department of Health and Human Services on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention. I also serve as a pediatric consultant to the Philadelphia Public Health Department. In my work with the National Committee I've developed a national perspective on this problem and I've realized that across the country colleagues are joining me in determining ways in which we can effect positive change for children and families impacted by lead poisoning both nationally and here in our home communities. Lead poisoning is a major environmental health problem of children both nationally and here in Philadelphia. Over the years, research findings have suggested lower and lower blood lead levels at which there is concern for the adverse effects of lead exposure on children's development, ability to learn, and 123 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing nervous system function. This can be translated into how well children will function, be able to get an education, support themselves, seek gainful employment and become responsible and contributing members of society when they become adults. There really is a payoff as a society for preventing this problem. The societal cost of lead exposure due mainly to decreased future productivity have been estimated $37,000 for each child having a blood lead level of ten or higher. We have made great progress in our ability to detect children with elevated blood lead levels by doing blood tests and finding medicines that can take some of the lead out of their bodies and in following up with these children. However, by the time we detect an elevated blood lead level, damage may already have occurred. The most difficult part of treating a lead-poisoned children is removing the lead hazards from their home. Therefore, this is as much a housing problem as a medical problem. 124 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Without the de-leading of the child's home environment, the other maneuvers we do are not effective. The child will continue to be exposed to lead and may suffer more damage to the nervous system which is often subtle, sometimes not recognized until long after exposure, and which appears in most cases to be irreversible. With environmental remediation of the child's home, the recognition of the elevated lead level and any medical treatment needed can be complemented by action that can prevent further harm to the child. This is really the most specific and most important treatment that a lead-poisoned child can receive. In these situations we doctors may be very tempted to pull out a prescription pad and write a prescription for a lead safe home. " That's the kind of prescription we would like to give as physicians who are 125 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing treating children with lead poisoning to every lead-poisoned child. Unfortunately, it's not the kind of thing I can give to a parent and have them take to the local pharmacy. That would be very easy. And it makes it all the more difficult as we physicians and other medical providers try to treat children with lead poisoning. It just isn't as easy a problem as other medical issues. Having the environmental remediation done expeditiously may make outpatient treatment of lead poisoning possible and will certainly aid in establishing a safe discharge environment for the child who needs to be admitted to the hospital for treatment. All too often that is hard to accomplish. Expanded funding for environmental abatement is vital towards improving the environments of many Philadelphia children and would be an efficient use of funds to prevent further damage to these children.
Therefore, I do request that we consider, number one, fixing the 1,400 homes that are in the backlog of properties identified with lead hazards and that 126 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing are housing lead-poisoned children; number two, that we also need to keep up with the lead hazard reduction work that will be needed each year in new children that are identified with elevated blood lead levels; and finally, if we act to protect pregnant women and newborn babies, we can effectively carry out primary prevention, that of preventing lead exposure from occurring in the first place, which is the wave of the future for lead poisoning prevention. And I must add, much more cost-effective in the long run. I have seen countless children over the years who would have benefited from expeditious cleanup of their lead-contaminated environments, and many whose blood lead levels did not go down or actually shot up higher due to lack of environmental action. Now is the time to act, to improve our children's environments. If not, there will be more Philadelphia children in the future who may have problems with learning, development, behavior or intelligence due to the lead exposure that really could have been prevented by some simple 127 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing action on our part. Let's make the year 2002 the year in which we acted responsibly here in Philadelphia to protect our most cherished treasure for the future, our children. Thank you.
Thank you, very much. MS. McPHERSON: Good afternoon, City Council. My name is Sheila McPherson. I'm a mother of a free preschool age children who have been lead poisoned. Like most moms, I never thought that any of my kids would ever be lead-poisoned. I was about six months' pregnant with my third child when I found out that my two-year-old twins, Sharif and Shiquelle, had high levels of lead. Sharif's lead level was 36 and Shiquelle's lead level was 44. Both were higher than just a little bit high. I cried and cried at the doctor's office that day. As a mother, I felt responsible for them being sick. I felt like I had let them down. I never thought the house I lived in would have a high amount of 128 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing lead in it. I learned that lead was probably the reason that Sharif and Shiquelle acted uncontrollable. They screamed and hollered and had temper tantrums. They also bruised easily and didn't like anyone to touch them. They also had problems listening. They just looked at you as though they did not understand what you were saying to them. While I was dealing with my twins, I learned that lead could also harm and hurt my unborn son and cause him to be born early and small. Makel did come three weeks early and weighed only four pounds and eight ounces. He weighed less than what my twins weighed when they were born. I had Makel tested for lead at six months old, which is earlier than children are usually tested. His first test was and 20 high enough to have the City come out and 21 inspect my home for lead again. 22 I had to move four times in the last two years because the houses I lived in were infested with lead. Because I couldn't find a safe home for my kids, I am now living with a 129 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing family member. But the City recently tested this house and told me that it was also poisoned. In January, they came out to the house to do a "super-clean" to clean the walls and pick up the lead dust. They said that the house needed to be repainted, but then they said it might not really be worth spending $2,000 to have it pained because there were bigger problems with the house that would make more lead dust and that could harm and hurt my children and make them sicker. I really don't have any other place to live. The family member was my last resort. I didn't have a lot of money to go from place to place. It's been hard for me to keep a job while I take care of my kids and their special needs. I regularly run to the doctor's every three months to have their blood checked for lead. The doctor also wanted to see my children between visits for check-ups. Most recently, my kids' doctors told me that they discovered that Sharif and Shiquelle have poor vision which may be caused from their lead poisoning. As soon as I found out about the 130 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing twins being poisoned, I looked for programs for them. They were first involved with Childlink. But now they are older, they go to services in Elwyn at the elementary school where they go for preschool. Both of the children have speech problems that they get help with. My two-year-old son, Makel, just started special instructions at Warren E. Smith. A staff member from Childlink also works with him twice a month. I went through the Yellow Pages looking for help for housing. I found TAG, the Tenant's Action Group and I spoke with Ms. Jackie Dixon who is helping me now to find another place to live. I want my children to be successful. I want them to learn the best. I want them to be confident and disciplined. I want my children to look up to me when they get older. I want to be able to work and have an income. People should know that houses poison kids and that parents need to help to make their house safer. I don't want another parent to have 131 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing to go through what I've gone through. My children are dying before they can live.
I am here to ask City Council to do the right thing and help parents like myself get lead paint out of their homes and help kids from ever being poisoned. Thank you.
Thank you, and we are so sorry about all you have gone through. Thank you, thank you for having the courage to come out today, to care enough about other people as well. God bless you. MS. McCAULEY: Good afternoon. My name is Colleen McCauley. I'm a health associate at Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth working on childhood lead poisoning prevention. Certainly after listening to Ms. McPherson's experience, it is evident that the City must take the necessary actions to make Philadelphia a safer place for children by reducing the number of kids who are poisoned by lead. We are here today to ask the City to take three steps to decrease the number of 132 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing children poisoned by lead. We want the City to: Number 1, prevent kids from ever being poisoned; Number 2, keep current with completing home hazard reduction work for poisoned children identified every day; and Number 3, wipe out the backlog of the 1,400 homes waiting for hazard reduction work. Number 1; we want the City to take action to prevent babies from ever being injured by lead by supporting and expanding the home visiting program to pregnant women to identify measures that will protect babies from being poisoned. Also, developing a separate fund of $1 million out of NTI, to conduct super-cleans and hazard reduction measures when the home-visiting programs identify poisoned homes. With these funds, the City could spare an estimated 800 newborns and their families from the devastating effects of lead poisoning next year. Number 2; we want the City to keep up with lead hazard reduction work that needs to be completed on the homes of new poisoned 133 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing children who are identified every day. To do this, the City must hire additional work teams to keep up with the demand for work on the approximately 600 new homes identified as containing lead each year. This action will prevent new homes from being added to the backlog as well. 5 million, which would be used to hire an additional five work teams. And Number 3; we want the City to wipe out the backlog. There are more than 1,400 homes with an estimated 2,100 children living in them on the City's waiting list. The City must commit to wiping out the backlog. Within the next two years, the City must dedicate the funds, energy, and resources to stopping the continued poisoning of children. $750,000 this Fiscal Year could wipe out half of the homes on the backlog and another $750,000 next year would put an end to the waiting. 134 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing It's time to protect the nearly 100,000 zero to five-year-old children at greatest risk in the City. And it's time because in 2002, we know about the detrimental health and social consequences caused by lead. We know that lead poisoning can cause a reduction in intelligence, shortened attention span, hyperactivity, learning problems, and delinquent behavior. It's time because we know it's less expensive to take measures to stop lead poisoning from ever occurring instead of treating the condition after it occurs. We can spend about $2,000 to take interim measures to protect one child from lead poisoning or spend about $135,000 to try to help the child get treated after he or she has been damaged. It's time because we know that many pregnant women live in homes that will be dangerous to their children. Yet, we know how to prevent newborns from being poisoned; reduce lead contaminants in their homes. It's time because the City has made a strong commitment to revitalize communities 135 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing through its Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. NTI can assist hundreds of property owners, rehabilitate old, deteriorated homes many of which contain lead. It's time because this government has made a significant commitment to the children of Philadelphia. Reducing lead poisoning will dramatically strengthen these efforts and improve children's health and well-being.
Philadelphia can take a giant step and move from being one of the most dangerous cities for children to being one of the safest. We know what needs to be done, we just need to do it. Philadelphia can be a leader in preventing children from being permanently injured by lead poisoning. Children in the families in the City need your commitment and support to make Philadelphia a safer place for them to grow, to thrive, and to reach their maximum potential. I thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this afternoon about this serious 136 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing and pressing issue. PCCY and members of the City-wide Childhood Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention Coalition would look forward to working in partnership with City Council to make the City safer for children by taking these three major steps this year.
Thank you, Madam President. I think it's been very clear. I think the hearings we had with the Commissioner here, the history of lead poisoning in the City is one that is tragic because government after government, administration after administration, has known about the problem; has promised to put the personnel and the programs together. And usually other priorities always come into play that take precedence over the children. Somebody used the word "peripheral" and the children have become peripheral in terms of this. If this was the first time that this problem was being mentioned here, it should be enough to spur us into action. And after all, 137 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing we have a budget over $3 billion. And what you're talking about is in essence $2,800,000, to really impact on the problem immediately, instead of the piece meal way and the hand-wringing way that we constantly do every year about this time. $2,800,000 shifted from certain areas of the City budget towards this struggle that we have ongoing, I don't think that's too much money to put into this budget this year. We look at -- and Councilman Nutter was talking about eliminating six programs and six libraries at a cost of $150,000. That's chump change compared to what we gave Jeff Lurie and the Phillies. So I for one, I think, join some of my colleagues because I'm tired. I've been in this Council now for a long time and I've been talking about it. In fact, the first hearings I ever had in this Council was when I was chairing the Health Committee and it was about lead. And nothing really has changed. I mean administration promised programs and monies, we shifted the monies, they were not used. I think it's time that we do it. I think 138 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing it's time that at least this Council take it very seriously and that we really show the commitment because we cannot afford babies, Sharif and your other kids, to go through this thing. If it is preventable, and it is, $2,800,000 buys us preventing other tears from coming from other mothers. And I think this is a serious thing that I'm going to be looking at with my colleagues here to try to begin seeing where that money is in this budget, not just in NTI, but right where we can begin looking at it, that it is spent being. So I think you have my commitment. I'm looking to see where the money is going to come from, and we'll debate it here on the floor of City Council. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. McPherson, thank you for your commitment to your children and for sharing with 139 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing us a small part of your life. Both your testimony, and more importantly your story, I think, helped to better focus us on in this issue. As Councilman Ortiz said and may have said earlier, I think two weeks ago when the Health Department was in, we had a significant amount of discussions about this particular issue. I'm hoping that before the budget hearings close, I'm quite confident before they close, but even if we could possibly hear something today in terms of an update, many Councilmembers ask for a plan that would in fact take care of the backlog as well as the cases that we know. I think my recollection is that the money we have allocated for the upcoming year, I think will only deal with 100 of the 600 homes that will become a danger to children next year that we know of. And a lot of the discussion was around, if we already know that 500 more houses are going to add to the backlog, how do you ever get to the backlog if you just keep adding to it. I mean it's a cyclical, almost kind of madness that we often go through 140 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing here in the government. I have the full confidence that Managing Director Richman and Health Commissioner Domzalski and others, will come up with a proposal that not only makes sense, but gets the results that we need to have happen. The one question that I wanted to ask you was, I know from reading the testimony you're working now with TAG, and do I understand that you are in the process of moving? MS. McPHERSON: No, it's not official yet, but we're on it with Ms. Jackson Dixon. Ms. Jackie Dixon, I'm sorry. I mean it's not for sure yet.
I understand. And also, as your testimony that the place where you are now had been inspected, but even if the dollars were spent for the $2,000 clean, I know -- MS. McPHERSON: There's other stuff that's added on --
Many other things that are wrong with the property? MS. McPHERSON: Yes. 141 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
One, I certainly hope that you're able to find or nail down the place where you're trying to get; and two, obviously, to the extent that any preinspection could take place, to make sure that it also will not contribute to the problem with your kids would only make sense. And I'm sure that any of us who can be helpful in that, we'll do our best to help you out. And again, I do appreciate your -- MS. McPHERSON: I appreciate it too.
-- testimony and your commitment to your children. Let me just ask you one question. On of the testimony you talk about -- it say's "it's time because we know that many pregnant women live in homes that will be dangerous to their children. Yet, we know how to prevent newborns from being poisoned, reduce lead contaminants in their homes," which naturally, is obvious. What I wanted to ask you was the surveys that get done that the City does, I'm left with the impression that they come as a 142 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing result of -- Commissioner Domzalski took us through the process, maybe a child gets seen by their care provider, or a test is taken, then obviously, they have lead and we now know that that place is a problem. What I take from this portion of your testimony though is there needs to be a way to prevent the newborn, not wait until there's been -- I don't want to call it an infection, but a poisoning, and then find out and then try to treat it. So my question back to you I guess is: has either PCCY or anyone else given some thought to -- I mean is there some kind of either an early warning system, because I mean obviously, we don't know when someone is going to get pregnant. I mean generally, that's a pretty private matter, and that can happen at any time. And then the next thing you know you have this other situation in your house. I mean, do we need to at least talk about or think about some form of a city-wide assessment or some kind of lead certification? We had some of this discussion a couple weeks ago with the house commissioner, which is really not their line of work, but in a 143 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing real estate transaction, for instance, we talked about whether or not, as a part of that sales transaction, some inspection and certification has to be provided as to what the condition of that property is. Again, that doesn't necessarily solve the problem if there's not a transaction, but I'm just trying to get to how do we, up front, prevent more and more of these situations from happening, whether someone in the household is getting pregnant or not, because you never know when that house is subsequently going to be sold to someone who -- maybe the pregnancy started in one place and they moved to another place and the baby comes home to a totally different place that they don't know what the circumstance or situation is. Do you have any thoughts about that? MS. McCAULEY: Actually, I have some exciting news to report. And I know that Dr. Campbell wanted to respond as well. To start with, the dollars -- the funding that we are asking for is to expand something that already exists which is very exciting. We think that it's unique in fact to Philadelphia. The 144 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Health Department is working with its home visiting programs, specifically Healthy Start and the Family Nurse Partnership. These are two prenatal home visiting programs. Healthy Start has been running for years. In the fall the home visitors were trained by the Health Department to test the homes of pregnant women for dangerous levels of lead. So it's after conception, but it's before the child gets into the home. So it's one way we can intervene preventatively.
Just walk me through the rest of that. Let's say the parent is in the second or third month, the home health person comes providing whatever service, they test the house, you're three months into a pregnancy and you find out that your house has lead poisoning, what are you going to do then? MS. McCAULEY: Again, this is a very exciting pilot project and it's in its pilot stage, essentially since we just started in November, but at this point --
It's in the conceptual stage? 145 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing MS. McCAULEY: Right. At this time the Health Department is following up at every home. They're sending their inspectors to every home that has tested as having dangerous levels of lead in the home. They're sending their staff in to do a more thorough assessment. And in fact, they have currently -- there are somewhere around 40 homes that have been tested by home visitors and about 10 percent of those homes inspectors have had the opportunity to get into, and those houses have in fact received -- have begun to receive super-cleans. So again, the City -- the idea is that the City will treat them as they treat the homes of children who already are poisoned, but in fact, as I've stated, they don't have the capacity to add this new -- to do this on a larger scale. But it's a great idea.
And I'd like to just respond as well, Councilman. I'm glad you asked the question. It's a great question: how do you prevent this problem from happening in the first place? And to date, really, the U.S. Public Health Service, most health departments, have 146 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing really looked at the problem from a secondary prevention standpoint. So we go in, we check the children's lead levels, age one, age two, et cetera, and by that time we're basically screening for a problem. We're not screening for the potential for exposure, we're trying to indicate children that have already been damaged to some extent. There is now a focus in the country, it's growing slowly. This national committee that I made reference to is developing a document that we hope will be quite useful for cities like Philadelphia and cities all over the country to really move toward what we call "primary prevention." That is really looking at the housing, screening the housing, surveying the housing, looking for dangerous lead, hazardous housing, and doing something about it before you get a family, a child, family after family moving in. And I would be delighted as that work develops, in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control and HUD, be delighted to really look and make a study further about how Philadelphia can really even move further 147 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing along that reasoning. Because I think it's really vital for this City and many others, but we're here in the City and we have to deal with what's going on here. So thank you for your question.
Well, I'm glad you're here. I guess my last comment on this is that in a more adult environment, work places, offices, other buildings, I mean virtually anywhere where adults are, and I'm sure even school age children -- I mean if someone says that there was -- if you find out that there's asbestos in a building, I mean the area is cordoned off, you have people running around in all kinds of suits and helmets. I mean you can't go in there, you are evacuated or a whole host of other substances. But somehow lead seems to not be that big a thing. I mean part of this, I'm sure, is a big public education campaign, but I mean you really should not be able to either transact business or transfer a known health danger which is that building, that property. As lovely as the home may be, and people fall in love with 148 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing real estate all the time, it's wonderful, but if you just keep passing it on and passing it on and passing it on without someone stepping in and saying: Wait a minute, you wouldn't be able to do this with a whole host of other known toxic dangerous substances, why are you allowed to do it with lead, and in many instances with children around? So I think that -- I mean we are going to have to be a lot tougher about it. There may be financial considerations for a whole host of people that are involved in it who are transacting property. But as you said, the cost in the back end, I mean, so far outweighs whatever you have to do up front that it really doesn't make much sense. But please keep up the good work. We are hoping that as you've shared good information and good news with us, that hopefully before the end of this Fiscal Year leading into next we will be able to share some good information with you.
I just wanted to thank you for your consideration of all our comments. 149 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
We really are running way behind in our time schedule. So I would ask the witnesses to please try to be as concise as possible.
And if you have written testimony we will be more than happy to give it to the stenographer. She will transcribe it in full. And I would ask that you abbreviate. Thank you. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Maurice Sampson. I am the director of Development for Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, or PENNFUTURE. I'm working here in collaboration with Clean Water Fund and the Clean Air Council. I had the opportunity to prepare a document 150 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing which was funded by the William Penn Foundation, Citizens for Recycling Collection in Philadelphia. That was done at the request of members of the Citizens Advisory -- I'm sorry, the Philadelphia Recycling Advisory Committee. For purposes of looking into the ideas and approaches for both trash and recycling that the new Streets Commissioner -- actually, I guess he's not new anymore, but the Commissioner, William Johnson, had proposed, to modernize the department and to implement a series of efficiency measures he presented to us that the City would perceive a host of benefits, experience double digit recycling rates. After just a few brief comments here I wanted to share with you just some of the findings in that report. Now, Philadelphia's had a recycling policy since the passage by Council in 1987. At the time it was the nations first mandatory recycling act passed by an urban municipality. And despite a lackluster performance, after 14 years recycling in Philadelphia is enormously popular as an expected constituent service. 151 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing When you look across the country, recycling has become an American institution, from a few hundred programs in 1970 to more than 9,000, in every state in the nation, more than 139 million Americans participating. In the United States more people recycle than vote. And so popular is recycling in Philadelphia that every Saturday some city residents voluntarily deliver plastic containers, cardboard, materials that aren't collected curb side, to one of the number of city-run partner recycling programs operating two Saturdays per month for just four hours. Now the sites that I visit in Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill, from the minute they open until they close there's a constant flow of traffic. And these residents are so committed to recycling as much as they can. They're willing to take the time to save and separate and transport materials that could just as easily been put out for trash. Now during the Second World War, Philadelphians joined other Americans in recycling for their country. Today recycling 152 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing allows them to express that same commitment for the environment. Now recycling has a host of other benefits I think it's important to remember. Of course it saves resources, energy, and because you're not using virgin materials, it has a rather dramatic impact on global warming. The 50 thousand tons that we have recycled in Fiscal Year '99, just over $2 million in reduced disposal fees. Recycling also supports jobs and business. 9 9 billion. 4 billion. The employment payroll and sales numbers were more than any other state in the union. Specifically, Pennsylvania leads in glass, metals, plastic and rubber industries. 8 billion and a direct impact on the tax base contributing $305 million. Now, in Philadelphia one of those companies is Newman Paper Board. They're based on Tacony Avenue, lower Northeast. It's a company that has $200 million in gross receipts a year. The third generation has been making their product from recycled newspaper and office paper since 1917. They employ 200 people there, most of them from Philadelphia. They are also one of PGW's largest customers in terms of natural gas. So this is an item that actually is a strong point for the City. It's also important to know that very little of the newspaper they use at that plant comes from Philadelphia. Now, despite its popularity and its benefits, recycling is at a very real cross-roads. As I studied the programs that models the kind of things the Commissioner wanted to do here, it really became clear that the cost of providing recycling service is a real issue everywhere. C.
twice have cancelled recycling services, citing costs in the face of budget crisis. Last year Mayor O'Malley of Baltimore proposed closing that City's budget gap by cancelling the City's recycling program. In January, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City announced postponement of New York City's program, perhaps, never to return due to the severe budget problems following the September 11th tragedy. Now at the same time that that's happening, there are other cities, among them are Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Oakland that have figured out not only how to maintain their recycling programs and have them stabilized, but in some cases they've even managed to reduce their waste cost. What's happening in other cities, and really I'm painting a broad picture here for what the Commissioner has been talking to us about, but what they were talking about is making their collection services more efficient. Essentially, doing recycling in solid waste. And I'm not talking about two separate things 155 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing here, but looking at this service and modernizing it. Doing what industry has done, treating it like a business, looking at where we can use technology to do more with less. Now I've published a -- there's a report that was written on this. I'm not going to go into detail on it. It's been passed out to every Councilperson's office. I'm more than willing to come and sit down and talk to anyone about that. But there are several elements in there that I think are concepts that are easy for us to grasp and that sort of underpin what I see happening here in the City. Those two things are automation, and truly integrating recycling and trash as a single service. Now, automation: if you think about it, the only real change in the way that we collect trash in the City since 1921 is that instead of a horse and buggy we have a truck. The men are still doing exactly like the horse and buggy did: they're picking up and they're tossing that material into a container. We have to end -- we have to come to an end of manual collection. We can look at it as a work or 156 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing safety issue. The length of a waste collector's career is really based on how long his body holds out. And the amount of injuries that people have, it was common across the country, in terms of arms and shoulders it's very high. And the idea of automating and providing a container that the truck can lift and empty it does a whole lot of things. First of all, with the truck that lifts it, you can lift a whole lot more. Right now we have a limit of 50 pounds per container, you can put out five containers. So figure those that are following the letter of the regulation, means that the worker goes five times back and forth to that truck. Well now you roll the container out once, put it on the truck and empty it. Right away you can see the efficiencies of time and motion -- when it's done properly. You determine just how much waste we put out on average, what the resident puts out is what fits in that can. So that the lid on that can means that instead of our very unsightly trash in the City -- and I really recommend when you're visiting another city, 157 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing find out their trash day and just drive around and look, because we're so used to the way Philadelphia looks that we don't see this, but with the bags and the containers and four or five different kinds of stuff blowing up and down the street, with a container with a lid, when you look down the street -- and if you looked at any of the pilot areas that we did during the dual collection, they were like soldiers straight down in a row. Not a single piece of paper on the ground, because everything is in the container. It makes sense. You're talking about larger set-outs; we're talking about a cleaner looking City. Now the idea of integrating, the other concept, you're talking about looking at trash recycling as one operation.
When we talk about the cost of trash in this room -- and I've come for seven years and we debate about how much per ton that it costs. You know, when you buy a loaf of bread you don't price it based on the pound, not the weight of the flour to make the bread, we buy it based on what it cost per loaf of bread. It would be really interesting 158 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing for us to start to explore the cost per resident to deliver services and ask what are we getting for our money. I think, if we start to look at it that way, it changes the whole spectrum of how we talk about what are we getting at the door of every household, what are we paying.
I'm sorry, I find your testimony extremely interesting, but I did indicate very early on that each witness would have five minutes. You are well over 12, so if you can conclude your testimony --
-- testimony I would appreciate it. And I know the Street's Commissioner is in the audience. He is very, very eager to do something very positive. And I think that if you were -- I don't know if you've had the opportunity to sit down and talk to him about some of your ideas. If you haven't, I would suggest you do so, because as I said, he's very eager to go forward with a recycling program.
Give me just a minute to say this: I'm a fan of the Commissioner. It 159 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing isn't so much of my caring, my ideas with him, I'm learning from the Commissioner about how this is done. I believe that where we are right now is that it's important, while we have someone as talented as the Commissioner, to make sure that he gets the kind of support that he needs. There's not a lot of money in this system. I mean, quite frankly, after the last presentation there's no money in the system. But what this Commissioner talked about was if he has a budget that's fixed and he has time he can make this transformation it will just take longer. If there's one thing that I would ask for City Council to look for is to see that the Streets Commissioner gets a budget that stays the same so that he can make his plans and we can see what the fruits of those things are. This is a very exciting time as far as I'm concerned. I've been pushing and playing this for 15 years. I really feel there's an opportunity to see this happen, but we all have to play different roles, and for my part and from my friends who are from the other activist 160 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing organizations, it's really time for us to start talking to the people in the City about what it is we all need to be doing in order to see this happen because we have a role and a responsibility. So I'll stop with that.
Thank you so much. Our next witness. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good afternoon. I'm Laura Cohen and I'm a Policy Analyst from Clean Air Council. I also am co-coordinator with the Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia. And I will be brief. I just wanted to say that Clean Air Council does welcome the efforts by the new Streets Commissioner, Johnson, and recycling coordinator, Robinson, to improve recycling in Philadelphia, but we do want to express concern over their use of an advertising campaign to get the message out about the recycling in Philadelphia. We are worried that it's going to be viewed as a kind of magic bullet to improve 161 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing everything that is wrong with recycling in Philadelphia. What we need is improved services here. We need, as we stated earlier, weekly collection of recyclables on the curb side on trash day. We need enforcement of commercial recycling regulations and recycling in municipal buildings and we need a strong neighborhood based educational program. I lived in my house now in Bella Vista for over a year and have never received anything from the City on how to recycle. Recycling keeps waste off of our City streets, it keeps them out of the landfills that are changing the landscape of Pennsylvania, and it keeps waste out of incinerator that are threatening the health of low income communities that so often have to deal with incinerators. So I would encourage City Council to keep the Streets Commissioner and the recycling coordinator, keep their feet to the fire and make sure that they are completing what they promised. Thank you.
My name Julia Krall. 162 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing I'm a program organizer with Clean Water Action, and I echo all the sentiments made here this afternoon about recycling. I'd like to thank the City Councilmembers that earlier made remarks in support of recycling. Obviously, as you can see from my written testimony we have a lot of the same concerns. I'd like to respond to one of the comments that the Commissioner made. We can't wait until recycling is cost effective to make it easy for people to participate. What's going to make it cost effective is participation by people, so we want it to be easy. Weekly, same day as your trash day is the best way to go. The Streets Department and Recycling Office have done studies that show that. So it's a fact, it's not something that anybody is disputing, so we just have to move forward with that. The one point that I would like to make in front of City Council this afternoon, is that we need to keep the pressure on the Streets Department to move forward. They have a lot of innovative ideas and they've set forth a 163 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing strategic plan, which I do believe you all received last week or two weeks ago when they were before City Council. I would really encourage City Council to request a presentation by the Streets Department about the strategic plan. There's a lot of really good information in here, there are a lot of really good goals and ideas, but unfortunately, the history of the Streets Department has been, we'll set a strategic plan and we'll set these goals and then they will never be attained. And right now they are already falling back on time lines that they've set for themselves. So we would like to keep and encourage City Council to hold the Streets Department and the Recycling Office accountable to the plans that they've made. Thank you.
Thank you. I would say that it's a new day and I think that the Streets Commissioner as I said earlier, is very, very serious about the recycling plan. And I'm certain that next year this time -- Commissioner, we're looking at you, hopefully. As I said, it's a disgrace that at 164 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing this point in time I think we're recycling only percent of our trash. That has to be improved 4 immensely. And I know that hopefully next year 5 this time we'll be here saying: well, we're 6 collecting 25 or 35 percent.
Let's try to get it up to 50. But I have full confidence in the Commissioner and I know he is going to do a great job. Thank you so much. The next witness. MR. McPHERSON: Peg Robb.
Is Peg Robb here? MR. McPHERSON: Yes. And then next will be the Friends of the Dell East.
Are the Friends of the Dell East here, if you would just raise your hand? Friends of the Dell East? Who would be next, Mr. McPherson? MR. McPHERSON: After that would be Angie Logan, Childcare Matters and Paula Jackson. 165 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
Why don't you take a seat up front here. Good afternoon, please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Peg Robb. I just want to say that I've been here since 1:00 and I think this is one of the most edifying afternoons I've spent anywhere. And it just turned out that all the favorite things that I like, the Free Library and recycling and the park came up. And I also want to thank the Councilmembers for their concern for the City. Having said that, I'm going to make some observations. The first one is who would work in conditions that I observed in my 12 years as a volunteer at the 6th Police District at 11th and Winter Streets. The conditions that I've noticed are, there's a tiny room with one window and there are six police officers at desks with 166 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing computers. One year they didn't have any air-conditioning, however, somebody from the City came and painted the sky-light above them in this room with six people at the desk with computers, and painted it black so that they would not get the intensity of the summer sun. In this room there's no privacy, and when one officer gets a cold it just goes around the room. The officers eat at their desks and when the officers that are outside working on the streets, when they come in and have their lunch they sit in a main room that has three desks lined up at something similar to this and that's where they eat their lunch. The officer's lockers are in the basement. The basement floods during rain storms. Another thing I've noticed in these 12 years is that there's a lack of support from other agencies. I guess the first one would be, for several weeks there were three desks that the officers who are off-duty eat at. Well, they were taken up with used computers and used typewriters. And somebody from the City was supposed to come in and take them out to repair. 167 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing It was just several weeks this mess was there. One time it was around Christmas and I had a client, my volunteer work is connected with Youth Aid Panel, we deal with first offenders under 18-years-old, and I was trying to get a certificate to this youngster so that he could fill it in and return it to me. The officer in charge of my program said, I sent it out to be mailed. I said, Out to be mailed? Why not from here? She said, No, we send everything to the Round House. So I called the Round House and I spoke to the gentleman in charge. He said, No 14 mail is going out from any of the police districts. I said, Why not? He said, Because we don't have any money for the meter. We will get money after the first of the year. Now I just think that was -- I thought that was incredible.
I would say -- I can probably document it closer. I have an officer that I'm working with now. It's probably about six or seven years. 168 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
God bless 6 you. I think that's wonderful that you would 7 volunteer your time like that. I think that's 8 marvelous. We applaud you for that. 9
Thank you. It goes on 10 all around the City. You know, there are about 11 25 stations that have people. I have six people 12 that work on the committee that I'm on.
And I only go once a month now, the others go twice. Then the last thing was that one time -- okay, in this 6th police district, the panel, we've come up with a survey that we want to send to our clients after they've completed their contract successfully, assessing the way they thought they were treated in the three months with the monitor and the interview and the work assignment that they had. So I ask the officer in charge would she send the letter out, 169 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing so I suggested that perhaps she put an envelope with a return stamp, because perhaps the client, which are youngsters under 18, would return the survey. And she said, Well, you know, I'll have to pay for -- this is the officer -- I'll have to pay for the envelope and the stamps. They don't give those envelops and stamps to us. Then we go and we sit at a table like this and we have chairs. They are the dirtiest and filthiest upholstered chairs I've ever laid my eyes on. They're rickety. Some of the chairs -- I mean, for example, the arm chairs are comfortable, but dirty. But then we have rickety wooden chairs. If you don't have a backache when you come in you have one when you've left. I'm going to make a couple of suggestions: I'd like to see the officers that have protected me, my family and our home since 1971 have just a pleasant environment to work in as some of the Councilmen's offices that I've gone to. Or I had the mishap of going to the Water Bureau Office by mistake one time, it's just paradise there. I can't see how people who 170 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing are doing what our officers are doing live like that. I'd like to suggest not only in the 6th police district, but other offices, district offices, that the officers can have a room where they can go and relax; that they can sit and talk about the Phillies, they can eat their lunch in peace. Maybe there would be a microwave oven that they could heat up soup. And then do away with some of those machines that I see there, Cokes and peanuts and candy. And then finally, I looked up in my book about the word "respect," and I think we really have to respect these people. Respect says, "to hold in high regard, to feel or show honor or esteem for." So often I've seen in the newspaper when an officer dies and a widow is weeping and the little children are holding onto the mother's skirt, I see some political person there, and I'm thinking if I were that widow, and I knew how my husband lived and worked, I just couldn't even bear to be with that. That's all I have to say. Thank you very much.
Thank you 171 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing so much for coming in. I know that Councilman Rizzo has had his light on. If you don't mind waiting, I think the Councilman wants to be recognized.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Robb, the President of the United States was here last week and he suggested to all Americans volunteer for 1,000 hours over their lifetime. Sounds like you're going to double and triple the President's request.
But, Madam Chair, I know we're running late, but it's interesting you bring this up. Last week I brought the same issue on the condition of our police facilities and it was explained when there's a capital project that there's new furniture. But, Madam President, I think that really this Council needs to do something because this is not just a lone voice. I'm hearing it from police commanders. Captains move in and out, they don't have an opportunity to really deal with 172 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing some of the issues, before they get their feet on the ground, they're moved on. From what I understand -- and you heard Public Property say that the Police Department handles their own maintenance -- from what I'm hearing, and I try to visit as many police stations that I can, that they're dirty, that the chairs are in the condition that were described, that in many cases don't have chairs. I don't know what this Council can do, but I would think that we need a really independent look at our public buildings, where I guess second to some of our Council offices, the work environment in the police stations is not the best. I say that in gest; the President knows what I'm referring to. We really need to figure out how to approach the police stations. And again, the majority of the people that go there aren't really looking for clean chairs and -- I'm talking about the prisoners taken there. Then there are folks like us that go and expect to see a little bit better environment. And I don't know how to approach this. The Police Department is on their own island. When it 173 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing comes to this, they claim they take care of their facilities. If they need a chair they have to ask, but I understand that those requests fall on deaf ears. So, President Verna, I don't know what we can do to be helpful, but I think something has to be done, and I don't know the process to approach so maybe you can help me with that.
We will discuss it before we vote on the budget, hopefully.
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Hi, yes. My name is Angie Logan. 174 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Angie Logan and I'm the Assistant Child Care Director for Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth, the advocacy partner for the Child Care Matters Childhood Initiative. I am here today to urge your continued support for the City's Child Care Health and Safety Fund. The Health and Safety Fund provides small grants to child care programs, to help them meet fire safety codes, improve playground safety and make accommodations to serve children with special needs. More than 5,000 of Philadelphia's children have benefited from this program. Child care programs often lack resources to make even minor improvements to address basic health and safety standards. They rely on parent fees to operate, and more often than not, undercharge for these services. The choice often becomes delaying needed repairs or increasing costs to parents. The Fund is critical for helping resource-poor programs meet quality health and safety standards. Without 175 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing this fund, programs would have delayed making basic improvements to protect children's safety. More than 44,000 Philadelphia children are in child care programs every day. The Health and Safety Fund is a cost effective way to ensure that these children are not at risk of injury or disease. There have been many issues addressed by the Health and Safety Grant Program concerning the health and safety of children in day care. In my testimony, if you follow along, you will find photos of some of the stories I will tell you. In Philadelphia, there are three departments whose job it is to inspect, regulate and watch over child care programs. The City Department of Health and the City Department of Licenses and Inspections and the State Department of Public Welfare. The City of Philadelphia has more stringent regulations than is found throughout the rest of the state. We are proud of the City's lead in ensuring children are safe while their parents are at work. However, programs need help to comply 176 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing with these often expensive city codes. In every section of the city there are child care programs in such disrepair that they are borderline dangerous for children. On a visit to a West Philadelphia Child Care Center, a licensing representative was looking at their fire escape and he remarked to the child care provider, "That's dangerous, I wouldn't step on that". The provider did not receive a violation for this since she wasn't officially being inspected. In the event of a fire where the primary escape route was not an option, this fire escape would be the only option for children which could be potentially dangerous for them. The Health and Safety Fund will provide $8,000 to repair this fire escape. The $8,000 in this case actually covers the costs for replacing the fire escape. In most cases, however, the grant covers only a small portion. Grants are only $1,000 for family day care homes, $2,000 for groups and $5,000 for child care centers. Bigger programs can receive an additional $5,000 grant if they are using the funds for fire detection systems. In most 177 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing cases, however, the Health and Safety Fund does not cover the full costs of purchases or repairs. Child care providers often raise outstanding funds by soliciting donations, fund-raisers or bake sales. Fire detection systems are a high priority when it comes to the children's safety in child care. For this reason, fire safety items are priority one in funding decisions. In this photo you can see an updated fire alarm system. This system can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $20,000 depending on the size and space of the programs and the sophistication of the detection system. Grants have also covered the costs of fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide and fire detectors, fire safety doors.
Many items that neither you or I have in our own homes, but items that ensure that children are safe in the event of a fire. Health standards such as an air filtration system for asthmatic children, accessible areas for staff and children to wash their hands, and proper food and storage facilities, are also addressed by this fund. If 178 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing you look at the pictures on the next page you will see a broken down toilet, a dingy sink, and an adult size urinal. These bathroom facilities are unacceptable and a health risk for children. This particular program was cited by the City's Health Department and received priority funding to fix the $2,500 broken toilets and sinks. When repairs are made, the Eastern Frankford Program will receive an additional $2,500 and some of its own funds to make this bathroom accessible for children with special needs. Assuring this safety for our youngest children is one of the reasons why child care programs are inspected by City agencies. Many grants have been issued to programs to ensure safe environments so children can learn. Philadelphia has some of the oldest housing stock in the country. The Health and Safety Fund strives to make space appropriate for kids. Sometimes it means installing sturdy steps, radiator covers, a solid wall, a banister so children don't fall, a fire door, and in some facilities complete renovation is needed. In these photos you will see provider repaired 179 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing steps, installed radiator covers and added a banister for the children. The photos on the next page show a child care center that received a violation because these steps were cracked with holes and has asbestos tiling. These steps are in such disrepair a child could easily be injured. Indoor and outdoor safety surfaces are imperative in reducing injuries to our young children. Nationally, every two and a half minutes a child is injured on unsafe playground equipment. A National study on injuries and child care programs found that 87 percent of injuries in child care programs occurred because of unsafe playground equipment. Safe playground surfacing, however, is expensive and can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $17,000 depending on the size. Child care programs have used Health and Safety grants to help pay for fencing outdoor space, fearing animals roaming the neighborhoods or fast moving cars on busy streets. Fencing outdoor space allows child care programs to safely let children play 180 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing outdoors, and the Department of Public Welfare regulations do mandate that children spend at least some time outdoors every day, weather permitting. As you can see from the photo on the next page, this program choose an aesthetically attractive fence so as not to stand out in their neighborhood. I hesitate to think what these programs would have done without funding. These photos and stories illustrate how important this fund is in preventing injuries and protecting children. The Health and Safety Fund is a small grant program contracted out by the Child Care Resource Developers. Last year the program had $300,000 to spend. Applications came from every Councilmanic District in the City. In two years 204 programs received grants, now more than 5,000 children are in safer programs. Unfortunately, 61 percent of eligible applications were turned down. In every district more grants were declined than funded because money ran out. Currently, 289 applications requesting $834,000 were received, but there is only $176,000 available. 78 181 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing percent of the amount requested will not be funded in the grant cycle. The Mayor and City Council have made children's issues a priority for the City. We ask that you invest $300,000, a small amount that goes a long way.
Most child care programs serve the very youngest children, children who cannot be relied on to stay away from the dangers of exposed wires, faulty stairwells, dangerous playground equipment, burning hot radiators, busy streets, or numerous other potential health hazards. They rely on us and so do their parents. Investing $300,000 is not a lot to ask for when it comes to preventing injuries and making programs safer for our youngest children. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Are there any questions? Thank you. Is Paula Jackson with you?
Did she leave her testimony? 182 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing
That's fine. Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: The next witness is Fred Maurer.
Good evening. My name is Fred Maurer. I'm going to make it very short. I have heard testimony and I'd rather give it to you and let the clerk enter it into the minutes and I'll distribute copies to several of the Councilmen that will have an opportunity --
First, I want to thank Mayor Street for vetoing Bill 629. It gives me the privilege now to speak before City Council as a taxpayer, that's who I'm representing today 183 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing a taxpayer. My testimony is basically from a taxpayer's standpoint of view. I'll make it very short. I attended the Friends of Philadelphia Parks conference when they talked about the conditions of parks, and I read Peter Harnik's book and I made my own policy declaration of how we should handle it. Every one is talking about strategic programming. The strategic program we have really was created by Fairmount Park in 1983 as a master plan. That 1983 plan is still relevant. The only problem with it, the section on funding was never addressed and we are paying for it by taxpayer volunteers. We pay $4.5 million of volunteer work to make the park. That means our park is unfunded by $4.5 million at least. There are ways we can solve our problem and I have outlined a strategic outline in it. I do not have a budget for it, but I have identified things that can create income for the park or at least divert park money. We need what's called dedicated funding, but for me I call it irrational tax policy. Our City must have a 184 3/18/02 FYO3 Budget, Public Hearing rational tax policy to fund all parks. In my written testimony, I've outlined the needs and the opportunities that are there. Principally, I say that the City Planning Commission operates many facilities including Vet Stadium. Let's make these facilities work toward paying for our parks. We need a rational tax policy that funds all recreation, that includes Camp William Penn and things like the Atwater Kent Museum, all those things are taxable things. All we need to do is have our City adopt a rational policy where we no longer have to talk about funding. We change our system from a system of programming where we probably budgeted according to the programs -- Fairmount Park is a program. But we don't have that system, we have a mixed system now and we have to change the system into a rational tax policy. And I would recommend City Council consider my opportunity to speak here before you.