Aye. The ayes are 17. The nays are 0. Majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider any additional resolutions on today's Calendar.
A privileged resolution honoring and recognizing the Senior Council of Golden Age Living Accommodations (GALA), Melvin Price, Betty Johnson, Claire Higgins, Dale Hunter, Corinne Days, Joy Humbert, Denny Samen, and Sandy Moore, for their advocacy on behalf of the residents of GALA, and for demonstrating that having a voice 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING matters, civic engagement matters, and no Philadelphian should ever be afraid to voice their concerns. Introduced by Councilmember Anthony Phillips.
Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips. Thank you, Councilmember, on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.) 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.
A privileged resolution congratulating JEVS Human Services on their 85th anniversary, and commending the organization for its longstanding commitment to expanding opportunity, strengthening communities, and helping Philadelphians pursue independence and economic security. Introduced by Councilmember Anthony Phillips on behalf of Council President Johnson.
Chair recognizes 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilmember Anthony Phillips for a motion.
Thank you, Council President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.
A privileged 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING resolution authorizing the Committees on Children and Youth and Education to hold a joint hearing examining the School District of Philadelphia's school meal policies and practices, including quality and nutrition, food preparation and procurement, kitchen infrastructure, student participation, and the school dining experience. Introduced by Councilmember Anthony Phillips.
I think I may have to amend that bill to add vegan options to your resolution, sir. Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips.
Thank you, Council President. We will most certainly add vegan to the conversation. I move for the adoption 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Great work, Member Phillips. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution please.
A privileged resolution recognizing November 2026 as National Adoption Month in the City of Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilmember 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
Chair recognizes Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion on the resolution please.
Thank you, Council President. On behalf of all of the adoptees in the City of Philadelphia, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Anyone opposed? 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.
A privileged resolution authorizing City Council’s Committee of the Whole to hold the public hearings required pursuant to Chapter 17-2300 of The Philadelphia Code (“Public Hearing Prior to Execution of a Labor Agreement Concerning Police Employees Represented by the Fraternal Order of Police”), which Code Chapter requires that the Council hold a hearing in connection with the City’s contract proposal in anticipation of collective bargaining between the City and the Fraternal Order of Police. Introduced by 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
Chair recognizes the Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Anyone opposed? (No response.) 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.
A privileged resolution honoring Share Food Program on the occasion of its 40th anniversary and recognizing four decades of extraordinary service addressing hunger, advocating food security and food justice and ensuring access to nutritious food for individuals and families throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Introduced by Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr.
Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.
A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Finance to conduct hearings on the Housing Opportunities Made Easy, known as the (H.O.M.E.) Plan. Introduced by 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilmember Kendra Brooks.
Chair recognizes Councilmember Kendra Brooks for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the motion -- I'm sorry. I move for adoption of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution honoring the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on their 20th Anniversary and recognizing their dedication to life-saving work and leading role in transforming animal welfare in Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass on behalf of Council President Johnson.
Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING JOHNSON: It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Chief Clerk, please read the title of the resolution.
A privileged resolution congratulating the Imhotep Institute Charter High School football team on winning the Philadelphia Public League Championship and recognizing the coaches, school leadership, and student-athletes whose hard work and perseverance highlight the 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING power of team sports in strengthening young people and communities. Introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass.
I felt a little geographical about this one, but Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass for a motion on the resolution.
Maybe next year, Mr. President, yes. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution is adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.) 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it and the resolution adopted. Congratulations to the students from Imhotep. Chair recognizes the Chief Clerk to read the resolution 12 please.
A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold a hearing to examine the City of Philadelphia's strategies, laws and policies for protecting victims of abuse and domestic violence within the justice system, including the Courts, the Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office and the Philadelphia Police Department. Introduced by Councilmember Nina 10/29/26 - STATED - 2ND READING Ahmad on behalf of Council President Johnson.
This is our Part 2 to follow up on the case of Kada Scott. Chair recognizes Councilmember Ahmad for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution on your behalf. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
There are no 7 further resolutions in my possession, Council President.
Thank you very much. Any speeches on behalf of the Minority? Chair recognizes Councilmember Kendra Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. As a CCP alum, I want to take a moment to thank all of the CCP students for joining us today in City Council. It has been a pleasure to connect with Maisha Smith today and learn a little bit more about her interest in communications and media studies. When I was a student at CCP, I never imagined that one day I would become a legislator. But I hope that the students in the room 5 today understand that these seats are not out of reach for you. And today I'm joining my colleagues Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, O'Rourke and Thomas and calling on a hearing of the Committee of Finance on the H.O.M.E. Plan. When we were first considering this plan a year ago, I voiced several concerns. I was concerned that we were rushing a rubber stamp to an extremely large commitment of public dollars without clear benchmarks or accountability measures. I was concerned about the lack of details Council had until very late in the discussion on the program that were being created or considered, and I was concerned that not enough of the funding would be going towards housing supply. Now, this week we're hearing from The Inquirer about the challenges of getting the bond spent. This communication is once again not coming from the Parker Administration. As a City Council, we have the authority and responsibility to investigate when problems happen. And we're talking about getting a program right that will spend nearly $1 billion and that all of the Council was told was urgent to approve. And when our city commits to investment bonds, the goal is to do big things and get the money out the door faster than the normal budget process, which requires Council approval. I'm done waiting for outreach about how Council could work with the Administration on housing. That's why I'm calling for a hearing to get those answers. Leadership in both the Majority and Minority parties are calling for this hearing, and I hope that we can use it to understand what's going on with these dollars and how we can put them to work building affordable housing. I also want to take a moment to highlight the paid parental leave legislation, signed by County Executive Sarah Innamorato last week. And in Pittsburgh, soon large and medium companies in Allegheny County will be required to offer 12 weeks of paid sick time to workers. That's 12 weeks when parents can stop worrying about work and focus on what really matters, family. For countless working parents in Philly, myself included, a policy like this would have been lifechanging. This is what is possible when local electeds lead. They get a popular policy that delivers real benefits for working families. Allegheny County is the first county in Pennsylvania to adopt paid parental leave. But it shouldn't be the last. I applaud Allegheny City Council for their leadership on this issue and I look forward to continuing the conversation here in Philly. Finally, I want to remind everyone about Spooktacular. This afternoon we will be at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy costumes, fall crafts, free archery and trail of treats. Thanks again to all my colleagues who are participating. And as we head towards Election Day, I want to invite everyone to join me in the Dress to Elect challenge on social media to highlight the joy of voting. This Tuesday when you head to the polls, dress up, take a photo or a video, tag my office on social media. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the looks and celebrating how Philly shows up on Election Day. Thank you so much and have a great day.
Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke.
Thank you, Mr. President. Continuing in the second point that the Minority Leader made, I think this week and every single week we ought to give thanks to God for caretakers, for people who see it as their responsibility and calling to care for people. The Cost of Living Task Force focused on local action that we can take on the care economy. But if we were exploring state-level solutions, paid family leave would be high on the list and I'm sure others would agree on that front. We've got to give Allegheny County more huge kudos for becoming the first county in the country to move forward on county-level paid family leave. That is a big freaking deal. As Joe Biden would have said, they're doing this locally so it's worthwhile to explore what could be possible in Philadelphia proper. Voters in PA believe this is a good use of their tax dollars and it's challenging for me to understand how anyone would believe otherwise. I simply must agree. Secondly, I'm not really sure about how others feel. I know from me and myself when I order myself a crispy chicken salad with some ranch dressing out of Chili's over here on the corner, I appreciate the human hands, I said the human hands, that are delivering my order to me. For generations, workers have delivered us the nourishment that we need to survive and shuttled us to our desired destinations all the way back to the milkman. For those that grew up around that time when the milkman came to the house or the horse and buggy that got you what you needed today, big corporations will replace you with a robot if it saves them a nickel, maybe a penny. I appreciate Councilmember Harrity for always standing ten toes down behind labor and introducing this Automated Services Displacement tax. The revenue from this bill 9 could go towards the Zero Fare program, so you know I'm a fan on that one. Moving right along on that point, I want to say, or to another point, I want to applaud the Mayor and her office of Panhellenic HBCU and Fraternal Organization Engagement, along with all the agencies in the networks who have been a part of this week of celebrating HBCUs in the city. I, as the resident Midwesterner on the Council, or at least have been shaped there for many years, and repping CSU, I'm so glad I went to Central State. It is a blessing. And I grew up surrounded by the culture and community HBCUs foster. So I'm grateful for the focus that the Mayor has put on this and elevating this in the city, making this bad boy the classic of the Eastern Seaboard. It's a big deal. I hope Philadelphians have been able to take advantage of the week. m. There's a job fair at the Linc at 2:00. Go there, get you a job. I'm glad Philly can lead with service, as HBCUs have done for generations. Lastly and not least, before we go I want to wish every single Philadelphian a safe, cheerful, candy-filled Halloween. If you're Christian, you're scared about that. Remember that All Hallows' Day is a Christian holiday, an observance of those who have gone on and we remember them. That having been said, spread some good vibes and good times. Even if you're dressed as a super villain, and I don't get scared easily personally, but whether it's Halloween or not, ahead of next Tuesday, I will say there's nothing more terrifying than sitting this election out. And I hope I have a witness in this room. So I know that we've all been saying this as civic representatives, but one last time, Philly: Make and know your plan to vote for Tuesday. Make sure you know how you're getting to the polls, that you know the mail-in ballot rules and that you support your neighbors if they need some encouragement to exercise their right to vote too. When we vote, things change. Elections also have consequences and everyone and many on either side of the ideological spectrum can understand that. But again, when we vote, things can change. And don't we need some changes right about now. Mr. President, that's all I had to say today.
I would like to be excused, if you don't mind, for the balance of the speeches, to go be with my mother for the afternoon for a quick little lunch, if that's all right, man. Bless you, Mr. President.
You are excused, sir. Speeches on behalf of the Majority. Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just a couple of things I wanted to discuss. And the first is I wanted to just follow up on my colleague's remarks regarding voting. I also wanted to make sure that people knew if you show up to vote at your polling place and you are not for whatever reason listed and that is your polling place, do not leave without voting. There is a thing called a provisional ballot and it allows you to vote and they will sort it out after everything is said and done. It will be sorted out, but your vote will still be counted. So if you show up to vote on Election Day and they do not see your name on the roll, please do not leave without voting by a provisional ballot at that location, no matter where it may be in the city of Philadelphia. Just a couple of things I wanted to mention. PGW is having a conservation workshop. We want to make sure that folks know about it, that they're there. It's going to be tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. You can register today. It's going to be hosted with the Allegheny West Foundation. We do a lot of work with them in the North Philadelphia area. The location is 2850 North 22nd Street and we really want folks to come out, get information on how to conserve energy, especially right now. The price of everything is so extremely high. We want you to save energy, stay comfortable and lower your gas bill. All very important points right now. And also on your behalf, Mr. President, I know that we'll be welcoming, ready, willing and able, this afternoon their new Executive Director Adonis Banegas. And that's going to be today, Thursday, October 29th from 2:00 to 4:00 here in Room 401. And so, we just want to make sure everyone knows please try to stop by, especially for our colleagues. Please try to stop by this afternoon today from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. right here. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity.
Thank you, Council President. And thank you, colleagues, for co-sponsoring my bill today, Automated Service Displacement tax bill. I just want to make it clear for everybody what the bill 9 actually does, which is creates a tax on service done by automated devices in place of human workers who used to do those jobs. It covers sidewalk delivery robots, driverless vehicles, taxi robots, automated shuttles and driverless freight charges, the companies behind the machines, anyone who owns, operates or sells the service, including apps and platforms. Why this matters? Hire a person and skipped a tax so if they keep people on, then they don't have to actually pay the tax, but applies when a company puts an automated device in place of a human worker. Work done by people isn't covered and neither are tools. A person directly controls a company that keeps hiring humans never owes a dollar. So whether the tax applies is the company's decision, not the city's. Robots do not pay into the city they work in. Replace a worker with a machine and wage tax, Business Income Receipts Tax revenues go with them. Companies keep the profit and Philadelphia keeps the bills the companies deploy. These machines gained substantial economic benefits here while workers, families and city absorb the costs. And to be honest, the money goes back to the people. The revenue will go towards the Zero Fare program, which is going to be in next year's budget and we don't have a funding mechanism for that. So this will give us a funding mechanism. I've said it. This isn't about a tax. This is about keeping jobs that my neighbors are doing right now, right. In the 7th Council District, there are countless people who do these jobs, right. I'm not saying that these companies and technology is bad. Technology is definitely a good thing. But when they replace a worker with that technology, we have to look at it. We have to figure out how we're going to replace that income also. And as I said, if they keep a person in the vehicle, they don't get hit with the tax. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank my colleagues today for passing legislation renaming the Penrose Recreation Center to the Shirley M. Kitchen Recreation Center in the 5th Council District. That really means a lot. As Councilman Harrity knows, that really means a lot to the people of that section of North Philadelphia. I also want to thank my colleagues for --
Just a moment of clarification. Member Young, it means something for the people of North Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia as a whole.
And I also want to thank my colleagues for passing a bill today that would allow a multi-year agreement for the use of the Saucer building in Love Park. You know, patrons and residents and visitors alike come to Philadelphia and Love Park is a staple. Folks go there from all over the world. And we will finally have somewhere where we can get something to eat, somewhere we can get some lunch, some coffee, somewhere to just rest while they are visiting our Love Park. So I'm looking forward to working with the Department of Parks and Recreation as we continue to support this concession stand here at Love Park. I also want to take a moment to recognize the amazing pop-up trunk or treat that we held last night in partnership with the Sharswood Grocery Outlet on Ridge Avenue, Strawberry Mansion Community Concern and Shadow Trax Media Arts. We had so much fun out there just dancing and giving out candy and seeing the creativity that our young people brought with their costumes. But what I particularly loved was seeing our older babies, right, some of our young teenagers out there just enjoying the moment, smiling, joining in just for an opportunity for them to be kids again, right. Because we tend to try to force our younger -- our teenagers to be adults when we know they're just kids too. We expect them to grow up too fast, but they deserve these moments of joy, as they should. They should feel welcome to be celebrating with us. This is what I mean when I say let kids be kids, right. Our young people deserve safe spaces to have fun with caring adults around them and opportunities to make good memories right in their own neighborhood. So thank you to our partners. Again, thank you to everyone who's decorated. Thank you to my staff. That would not have gone off without you. To every parent, grandparent, caregiver who joined us, I hope you had just as much fun as I did. Mr. President, we know this past Monday we held a hearing on the announced closure of the Academy of Natural Sciences, the public museum portion of it and what options are there to preserve the scientific and educational mission for that public access. So I want to thank my colleagues who joined us at that hearing, Chair Councilmember Thomas, Vice-Chair Landau, Councilmember Phillips Councilmember Lozada, Councilmember Harrity, Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, Majority Leader and also of course, Councilmember Nina Ahmad. While Drexel and the Academy sent representatives, I was deeply disappointed that the Mayor's Administration sent no one to answer questions about the city's role in the institution's future. I think Philadelphia families deserve to know what is being done, who is responsible and how our young people can potentially regain access to a vital learning institution. So I am committed to getting those answers and exploring every option that we have, Mr. President, regarding the Academy. I want to make some quick few announcements. On Tuesday, we had a packed room for our Quality of Life Town Hall at Celestial Word Ministries. So I want to thank Bishop Speakes, in the 29th Ward, Leader Michelle Brownlee for hosting us at our Quality of Life Town Hall. We are continuing to bring this series to communities to hear from residents, to connect our communities with the resources and the city departments that can make a difference in their lives. Our next stop is November 6th at Midtown Parish, 700 West North Street, from 6:00 to 7:30 and will be bringing that conversation to the 20th ward to discuss the issues that affect our blocks, from public safety to sanitation to property maintenance to city services. And also, Mr. President, my office is tentatively scheduling a Quality of Life Town Hall in the Rittenhouse Square area.
Continuing to build on those conversations and ensuring residents that to have a direct line to their City Council, these town halls are about connecting residents with people, resources and the follow-up that's necessary to move concerns toward solutions. And I encourage everyone to come out, ask questions and make their voice heard. And finally, as my colleagues mentioned, Tuesday is Election Day. Please make a plan to vote. Encourage your family, encourage your friends, encourage your neighbors to do the same. Your vote really does matter. If it didn't, people would not be fighting so hard to keep you from voting. It matters. The decisions made by elected leaders affect our schools, our neighborhoods, the resources that we rely on every single day. Your vote determines who makes those decisions and whose priorities are at the table. I saw Councilmember Blondell Reynolds Brown here earlier today and she'd like to say, if you're not at the table, you're on the menu, right. gov to confirm your polling place. Find your nearest drop box. If you already completed your mail-in ballot and also find other voting information, our community deserves to be heard. So please let's show up and make your voice count. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.
Thank you, Council President. Good afternoon, everyone. I just want to start by thanking our CCP students here, Legislator for the Day. She sat through the entire process today. And I turned around and asked her, and she found it interesting. She is Tiffany White, a sophomore at CCP, continuing her education to become a lawyer and she also is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and I wish her well and hope we see her when she's a lawyer and potentially a future legislator. I also wanted to just thank my team for an event we hosted yesterday, my Reproductive Freedom inperson community forum at the VA Recreation Center. And I was proud to say it was a big hit. We had two incredible panels present to connect with residents on my legislation and to help them better understand how Bill No. 1 250849 will tangibly impact their lives starting January 1, 2027. This has been a very, very busy week. We had the Legislative Oversight Committee hearing. And while we got some information, there's more to come. I also introduced a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to create a task force to study the future of the Academy. So all of the information we're getting in these hearings, because we're having a second continuation of the hearing on November 16th, will give us data to understand what the future of the Academy looks like. And that's what the task force is going to deal with, including having options to keep the museum open, its contribution to public health and community well-being and its role in science education for all Philadelphia's children. I want to just remind everyone and invite everyone next Friday, November 6th, starting at 4:00 p.m. We are going to be celebrating Philadelphia's history from 1971 where members of Philadelphia's Bangladeshi community, which I'm from, and local Quaker activists and the International Longshoremen's Association Union put their bodies and livelihoods on the line to blockade ships carrying weapons to suppress the Bangladeshi War for independence. And it is free to everyone. There's going to be a screening of a documentary made by a young person. You can see part of it, you can see all of it. There's going to be food and entertainment and art-making music. Please join us. It's going to be again on November 6th starting at 4:00 p.m., if you want to see the documentary. And the actual event will start at 5:30, located at the Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street on the third floor. Thank you, Council President. I yield back.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilmember Rue Landau.
Thank you, Council President. Today I introduced my Click to Cancel legislation. The idea is simple. If it's easy to sign up, it should be just as easy to cancel. My legislation would require businesses to be upfront about subscription costs, get consumers' consent before automatically renewing services, and make cancellations simple, free and accessible. We've all been there. Signing up for a subscription takes seconds, but trying to cancel it can mean suddenly you're navigating endless menus, sitting on hold or jumping through hoops just to stop paying for something you don't want anymore. No hidden fees, no 15 endless runaround. No more trapping people in subscriptions they don't want. At a time when so many Philadelphia families are watching every dollar, we should be protecting people's hard-earned money, not allowing bad actors to take advantage of them. And before I finish, I know everybody's been talking about Election Day. Just a reminder, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and make sure you get out to vote.
Thank you very much. Chair recognizes Majority Whip Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, Chair of Education.
Good afternoon, Council President. Very briefly, I don't want to be repetitive so I just want to echo the sentiments of my colleagues as it relates to Election Day. That was one thing I want to say. Thank you to Javon, who's my CCP shadow person for the day. It's actually ironic because Javon and I met this summer at a rec center when he was very upset with members of government because we weren't doing what we needed to do for him and his young people there. And so, I immediately did what they asked me to do. And the irony of seeing him here today. So that's a testament, right, do the right thing because you never know when you'll see these young people again. Speaking of doing the right thing for young people, we're having a rally today at 3:00 p.m. outside.
3:30 -- thank you, Council President -- outside of the school district building. We are still fighting to make sure that these 17 schools do not close. It's unfortunate that the school board is unwilling to return to the table. So now, we're asking the Mayor to get involved at the rally today. We'll be asking the Mayor to get involved, to help us figure this out and to put us in a position where we could come up with a plan that everybody's happy with. Clearly, there are a lot of folks in this body as well as other legislative bodies as well as community organizations, labor leaders, students most importantly, who are very upset about the school closure plan. This rally is really important because anybody who has a child who's in 8th grade, you know that your child right now is trying to decide a high school. That window closes November 24th. And if we do not do something now, right, those schools that are on the closure list will not have an opportunity. Even if we change our mind after November 24th, they'll miss a whole window of potential 8th Graders who will be going to 9th grade next year that now can't choose Those schools. So we're rallying today because we recognize if November 24th comes and goes and there's no 3 change to this facility plan, even if there is a change after November 24th, that damage is irreversible. So I have my Lincoln shirt on today, but it's not just about Lincoln. We have young people coming from the Parkway schools, Paul Robeson, a bunch of schools across the City of Philadelphia, and we're begging the school board to come back to the table. Council has always been open to negotiating, but unfortunately, it's been months now at this point, Council President, and the school board hasn't been willing to come back to the table. So at our rally today, we're asking the Mayor, please, Madam Mayor, please get involved in what's going on with the schools. We need your help to put us in a position to get some of these schools off of our school closure plan. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Member Thomas. As there are no more speeches, I just want to say, can we give all of our young people a round of applause for being here, and my Junior Council President Jackie over there. (Applause.)
But also, all the young people who stuck out this Council session, we thank you for your participation, but most importantly, we look forward to your future leadership. I recognize that you are the future leaders of now, so continuing to not only get involved, but stay involved. And with that being said, the Chair recognizes Councilmember and Majority Whip Isaiah Thomas for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move -- and please pay attention to the date, the public. I move that Council stands adjourned until Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stands adjourned until Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you all very much. - - - (Stated Meeting adjourned at 12:42 p.m.) - - - C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. ________________________________ TANEHA CARROLL