The next witness is Natalie Padilla. (Witness comes forward.)
Hello. Peggy's sick tonight and she asked me if I could take her place if that would be okay with you.
Thank you. Just identify yourself for the stenographer and begin your testimony and welcome.
My name is Barbara Martin, I am a Town Watcher, and I am also with C.B. Kimmens of the anti-drug program. Now, what they are saying about the needle exchange program, I was also given these pamphlets for myself, and I was up there protesting against it. They get the needles, they go down on the railroad tracks, they shoot up, they leave the needles down there. They do not go back and exchange 'em. Little kids play down there, they're in danger of getting hurt, getting diseases. Not only that, the needles that they do 2370 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET have -- Councilman Rizzo, you brought up a very good point: Why do they have to have one for one? When they go in with the needles and they hand them needle back? No, that's not right. 6 'Cause they go down the corner and they sell the 7 needles for $3 apiece. I know this for a fact. 8 Now, what gets to me is all the little 9 kids in the neighborhood. All this is doing is 10 bringing more undesirable people into the 11 neighborhoods that we are trying to clean up. And 12 I'm getting sick and tired of having 'em in there, 13 and a lot of other of our neighbors are too. 14 We're fighting to try to clean this up, and the 15 drug exchange program is just bringing more and 16 more in. 17
Thank you very 18 much. 19 Any questions? 20 (No questions.)
The next witness, Elizabeth Zack. (Witness comes forward.)
Good evening. 2371 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Please identify yourself for the record and begin your testimony.
My name is Elizabeth Zack. I'm here to ask for your support of the Mural Arts Program. I live in Bella Vista, at Ninth and Bainbridge Streets, and there is a mural painted by David Gwynn (ph.) on the corners of Tenth and Bainbridge. When David began to paint the mural a couple years ago, soon after we moved into our home, I was taken by its beauty and how it improved our neighborhood. So I asked David how I could have a mural painted on the side of our house, and he put me in touch with the Mural Arts Program, and we're now in the process of painting a mural on the side of our home. Not only do David's murals beautify the neighborhood, it had many other unexpected benefits as well. While David was painting, I met a lot of other neighbors who were admiring his work, and also the planning of the mural on the side of our home has allowed me to meet and get to know a lot of neighbors that I hadn't known prior to it. The meetings we've had have created a 2372 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET better sense of community among the neighborhood, and we appreciate any and all support City Council can give to the Mural Arts Program. It's a worthwhile cause.
Thank you very much. And as you've heard, we love the Mural Arts Program. And we happily support it.
Thank you very much. Any questions? (No questions.)
Good evening, welcome. Please identify yourself for the record again for the record and begin your testimony.
My name is Vivian Vanstory. Good evening. I'm delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the budget 2373 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET hearing for the Fiscal Year 2002. I wish to thank Anna Verna, President of City Council, and City Councilmembers for hosting this needed hearing. My name is Vivian Vanstory, and I am President and Founder of the Community Land Trust Corporation, which is a multipurpose organization, which primary objective is environmental plan and design. I have served my community for more than ten years. I have come before you today to describe the needs of environmental education, and I am also a member of the Recycle Alliance of Philadelphia, a community-based discussion. And surveys of members of the organization, individuals working to promote recycling in Philadelphia have identified the following priorities as they to improve the City's recycling program: to increase residential neighborhoods' participation, to implement strategies, to improve City programs, services, and increase residential and neighborhoods participation, to improve services, weekly collection, implementation of a weekly citywide collection program, starting with this year. 2374 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Buckets -- make large buckets available to all residents while offering small buckets to those who want them. Materials collection. To improve information available to residents about what materials currently can be recycled, including, tires, household hazardous waste, and appliances. And how to use plastics. To increase educational efforts. To increase educational efforts, this project will establish a fundamental necessity for attitude change concerning the environment in the community about recycling programs. To improve community participation in recycling programs, enable residents to address issues and take actions in litter control and preservation of illegal dumping. To work with existing community-based organizations to expand educational outreach efforts. And to improve cooperation with communication among public and private and nonprofit recycling stakeholders. In closing, to expand facilities to increase availability of recycling to cover more of the City. To implement recycled's in schools, City facilities, institutions, public housing, 2375 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET parks, and recreational centers. Increase members of -- numbers of businesses, stores, apartments, and office buildings that may recycle and provide recycling to be used. I think that people take lightly of the environment and how it's deteriorating the quality of life in our communities, that the budget, without a clean and safe and healthy environment and to be more concerned about where do we dispose of trash is very important. It's important to the quality of life. And I'm here today to ask City Council to put more money into recycling education. Thank you so kindly.
Thank you very much. We appreciate your coming in to testify.
Good evening. My name is Isaac Shomer, and I am a student at Central High School in the 10th grade, and I'm also a member of the Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley 2376 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Association of Rail Passengers, and I'm here to testify also about student tokens and also to talk about the position of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers on the position of the Student Union about lowering the prices of school tokens. The Delaware Valley of Rail Passengers -- well, here's a statement from Donald Nigro, the President, saying that they would support the City, State or federal government in providing extra funds to subsidize student fares, but SEPTA should not be expected to just eat this loss. And I have some other testimony from a member of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers -- it's not from the organization, and this person is, by the way, not a student. And she asked, is it true that once a student turns 18, is that student no longer eligible for school tokens? And she says that with the movement toward ending social promotions and more stringent graduation requirements and earlier cut-of age to enter kindergarten, there will be more 18-year-olds still in high school in the future. It would be a shame to cut off this type of 2377 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET assistance to someone, especially a high school senior on track to graduate that school year, especially if this is the difference between being able to afford to stay in school for that short period of time or not be able to afford that. So I hope that that's given consideration that all people in high school should be able to get student tokens and to get their reduced-price fares to get to school so they'll be able to graduate. And I guess are there any questions?
Okay. Thank you for listening to my testimony, and have a nice evening.
Our next witness is Yvonne Money. (Witness comes forward.)
Good evening, Council President and members of the Board of Council.
My name is Yvonne Money and 2378 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET I serve as First Vice President of the Albert W. Christie Advisory Council. During the past three years as I have served on this council, we have had a large number of students, especially boys, who have attended. We have classes ranging from art classes, basketball for boys and girls ceramics, dance class, which is modern and ballet, double dutch, which we came in second place Statewide, exercise class, Golden Age Community Association, ham operator classes, Karate, Operation Latch Key, and tumbling. The reason why I'm here this evening 'cause I do want to advise you of the importance of continuing on with the activities over at the Recreation Center. Juvenile offenders from ages 10 to 16 years of age with violent assaults, robbery, and intimidating students, aggravating assaults has, and is still, constantly on the rise. I do advise the Council to continue on supporting us. And just -- I understand on the 16th, Councilman Darrell Clarke had mentioned the necessity of Council to become involved with the 2379 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET advisory council, which I do think is very important, so they way, you know, they will know exactly what's going on. Thank you.
Thank you so much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you very much for coming in, and certainly, we respect the job that you do with Christie. I'm sure if Mike Carpenter knew you were here, he'd be right here, and you know we're working on the air- conditioning for the gym, and our Recreation Commissioner is back there who works very well with us. So we're final trying to get some air in that beautiful gym.
And I do thank you, Councilwoman Blackwell, for your continuous support.
Thank you again. 2380 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Our next witness?
Great. Good evening. I'm here this evening on behalf of all of the boards of citizens for our district public health centers. My name is Sheila Harper. And with me also is the chair of Health Center Number 10, I'm the Chair of Health Center Number 9. We are here this evening to just bring some things to your attention after having had an opportunity to review the budget that was submitted for the Health Department, and we have some concerns. The first concern that we have is, we reviewed the Ordinance No. 1601, section 703, that specifies that appointments should be available to all patients on an average of 14 days, and we've 2381 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET been observing that it's anywhere from 21 to 35 days, where people are obtaining appointments at our health centers. That is of great concern to us, and we feel as though based on it being a City ordinance, that it ought to be adhered to. And so that's the first point that we'd like to mention. The second point is dealing with the growth rate of the uninsured. We noticed in looking at the same ordinance in 1990, when it was implemented, that the percentage of uninsured at that time was reported as 66 percent, but we also noticed that in the recent testimony provided by the Health Department, it's still 66 percent. Nationally, it's grown a lot, the percentage of uninsured. That concerns us, and we do not want to diminish the magnitude of the problem of the uninsured in Philadelphia. We're concerned what that actually does to the budget, if it is in fact underestimated. We have seen reports that have come from the MIS system that at times have reflected as high as 75 percent. I know at Health Center No. 9, our uninsured rate is 80 percent. So it concerns when we say that it's 66 percent. 2382 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET I don't believe it. I'm surprised if it hasn't changed in years. 4 The third point that we would like to 5 reflect on is with regard to the provision of 6 medication and the pharmacy hours. According to 7 the same ordinance, and the section is indicated 8 in the handout that we gave you, it indicates that 9 prescriptions are to be filled within the same 10 day. That is an exception. It does not happen the same day. Often, you go to certain health centers and the pharmacy is closed, period. We have people coming back two and three days at a time, trying to get medication. That concerns us. Another concern, in the testimony that was submitted, we understand that there is a three-day supply of medication that's provided to prison releasees, okay, for those who have AIDS. That concerns us, if in fact there's a three-day supply given and we have a waiting period of to 21 35 days to be seen at our health centers, what 22 happens? I know there is Health Center No. 1, 23 they can walk in, but it concerns us that we would 24 just leave it up to the prisoners to walk into 25 Health Center No. 1 and sit there and wait to get 2383 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET their prescriptions filled. We feel as though there should have some specific mechanism put in place in order to deal with those prisoners as they're released from prison in order to get their required medication. Our third issue that we would like to bring up is with regard to staffing vacancies. We've noticed that there are a larger number of budgeted staff positions in comparison to those that are filled. We are concerned about that. We feel as though we should be given the same priority as the fire and police departments because we are also -- the health centers are also dealing with the health, welfare, and safety of Philadelphia citizens. So we, therefore, would like to have the same priority, and we would like to have our vacancies filled. We also noted that on the testimony that there was $1 million that was earmarked for capital expenditures for Fiscal Year 2002. I don't know if that's sufficient. The reason I'm concerned, Health Center No. 9 and No.
4 were both promised to have renovations done in two phases because our needs were above and beyond the 2384 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET current renovation project. $1 million, I can't imagine is going to take care of the renovations of both of those centers, along with whatever ongoing needs are required at the other health centers. The other issue is the nursing coverage. We've noticed that there's been a significant decline in nursing, which is provided at the health centers. One of the biggest complaints that our patients have is the waiting time. If there are not nurses and support staff in place to support patients and the doctors, it's going to be a continuing delay in patients being seen. We notice that there was, maybe 5 years ago, anywhere between around 25 nurses on staff at any one given center. Now that's down to anywhere between 4 and 5. Nationally, we're aware that there is a nursing shortage. However, it seems to be an ongoing problem. The other issue that we would like to bring to your attention is the per-capita rate that is currently being paid by the State of Pennsylvania underneath something called the County Health Act. 50 per patient, and it has not been increased in anywhere between to 4 years. That concerns us. 50 as it was 20 years ago 7 because, of course, costs have increased. That 8 would also help to offset our operating costs for 9 the Health Department. 2 percent increase in African-Americans 12 with AIDS. That concerns us because it's 13 contradictory to everything that we're hearing 14 from the American Medical Association. I would 15 request that the Health Department review those 16 numbers, in addition to the numbers of the 17 uninsured that was mentioned earlier. 18 Regarding the med screening and 19 treatment, we are calling on -- when we were here 20 the other day, we heard some numbers tossed around that there were 32 houses that were actually cleaned and there were 1100 that were identified, and we don't understand what the variance is. We don't know if it's a funding issue or what the issue is, but we are requesting that the issue be 2386 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET addressed because lead poisoning is obviously affecting a lot of our children who normally would have, you know, normal lifestyles. The other issue that we would like to address and we are deeply concerned, if the Health Department is committed to the goals of Healthy People 2010, which deals with infant mortality, we've noticed that they have increased the amount of funding from the federal government in a request that was made to cover, I believe, lower North Philadelphia. I am concerned when I look at a statistic that was put out by the Maternal and Child Health Department in 1999 that shows Council District No. 8, the Northwest section of the City as having the second highest infant mortality rate. I've had discussions with -- I believe it was Sue Lieberman, with regard to trying to address the matter, and I was deeply concerned when I found out that there was a proposal that was submitted that was did not address the matter. That's also something that we would like to make certain is dealt with. Finally, we are requesting that the City of Philadelphia, combined with the Health 2387 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Department, submit a formal request to the State of Pennsylvania with regard to the tobacco settlement funds. We missed the opportunity to file suit ourselves. We understand that New York City and Los Angeles have filed their own individual suits. Our concern is, yes, it appears that the hospital lobby force is going to be getting some of the tobacco funds. The health centers -- and, unfortunately, the way it looks, it stated hospitals and clinics. They're not referring to our clinics; they're referring to hospital clinics. We are concerned. I myself am a smoker. The uninsured that we see at our centers, again, looks like around 75 percent to 80 percent.
If some of those people who have tobacco-related illnesses are not covered, we're concerned. And we feel as though a formal letter should be requested, both from the City Council and the Health Department to go to the State of Pennsylvania. And, finally, we also just have a couple of questions. In reading the testimony of the Health Commissioner, it referred to something 2388 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET called Report Card 2000, and we would like to know how we can obtain a copy of that. I'm assuming it kind of, you know, rates the City health centers. And, finally, what is the specific plan to immunize the 7300 unimmunized children in the City of Philadelphia? Those are our concerns. We would like to have them addressed. We are deeply concerned. Sue and myself are volunteers, and we have a group of volunteers that work with us. We'd like our concerns specifically addressed, and we'd like again for City Council to request formally to the State to go up to the -- I think we sent 1,000 names up to the State of Pennsylvania on a petition with regard to the tobacco settlement funding. That's the end of my testimony. And if Sue has something else. .
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz.
Thank you, Madam. I'm sorry for being so late, but I was out. In terms of staffing of the health centers, I've heard that the waiting for 2389 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET appointments has lengthened, that the staffing positions are not being filled. Is this true? And do you have a list of positions in health centers that have not been filled and that you can make available to us?
I'm not certain if the testimony that Dr. Tsou submitted and all of the documents that were attached included that, but I know that by health center, I know Health Center No. 9, we could provide that to you.
Well, I know that they didn't tell us what positions are not being filled though.
Oh, and we're concerned because it's budgeted. You know, so if it's not filled and, you know, the services are not being provided, we can, I think, assimilate that information between all of our centers.
Thank you very 2390 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET much. Madam President, what I'd like to request is that the Health Department respond to this young lady's testimony, specifically regarding issue no. 1. This is for me. Issue no. 7 2, issue no. 3, issue no. 5, issue no. 6, and some of the other areas we're going to take care of in public hearings, but those are the issues that I would specifically like them to respond to you to come to the Council.
Do you want that response in writing, or did you want them to come in and testify.
Okay. Also, I'd like to request an opportunity to meet with the Chair of the Health Committee, myself along with the other board chairs, to discuss some of these concerns if possible after she's submitted -- Mrs. Tasco, we were wondering if we could have an opportunity, all of the board chairs, to meet with you to 2391 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET discuss whatever outcome you get in terms of the feedback that you get with this. Okay, thank you.
And after Joan Preston is Kevin Murphy. So if he would be near the witness table, we could hear him immediately after. (Witnesses come forward.)
Good evening. I'm Joan Preston, and I'm a representative of the Time Deliverance Television Ministry, where Pastor Benjamin Smith is the President of the organization.
And we're here to remind Council and discuss briefly about how important we feel the implementation of public access is to the 2392 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET City of Philadelphia and to its citizens. There are some concerns that if public access became a reality in Philadelphia, it would encourage pornography and other immoral stances that could serve as destructive to our communities. We strongly disagree with this concept. There are numerous reasons why society is decaying. It has been proven in other cities that public access linked have brought many communities and cities together. The cities of Pittsburgh, D.C., New York, California, and Chicago. Does Council ever plan to give us the reason why public access has not been implemented? How can you in good conscience continue to turn your back and refuse to do what is right? How difficult is it? You are depriving the citizens of this city of a vast resource that would create jobs and a variety of technical training. You are depriving the citizens of a right. I remind you that the ordinance 23 defining the nonprofit which would operate Philadelphia's public access channels were approved by former Mayor Wilson Goode. I also 2393 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET remind you that our former President of City Council, the Honorable Mayor John Street, stated in this room that Council wanted to do the right thing, but do you? The right thing is to do what is right by the people, especially when it has been written and decreed as an ordinance. Question. We are not going away, but the question is, why has Comcast been permitted to discriminate against the citizens of this city? Yes, discriminate. Council is aware that there is a fee for Philadelphia and a lesser fee for the suburbs. Why? This should not be. We heard the media's report regarding how sorry you are about RCN giving up and deciding not to operate in Philadelphia. That was a smoke screen. I sat in this room and witnessed Mr. Burnside being badgered, all because RCN has proven that they are people- and community-oriented. We want RCN in this city. In this same room, a representative from one of our major TV networks testified against the disgraceful behavior that Comcast has displayed toward them, including debts. Why is this permitted? 2394 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET We are the citizens, the residents of this city. We vote. When you are on the campaign trail, you consistently -- we consistently hear you talk about all of the good you would do if elected, and when you are elected, it is business as usual. Nothing favorable happens for the citizens. Most of what is done is not for the benefit of the constituents. And it is election time again. In closing, I say to you, this law does not change, it is still righteousness that exhaulted a nation and sent as a approach to any people. Therefore, truth and righteousness will prevail, whether the law is obeyed or not. Thank you. (Applause.)
I'm going to speak on behalf of Kevin Murphy. My name is George McCullough, and I'm here on behalf of the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition. We are a coalition of community groups and individuals like 2395 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Joan here from all across the City, and we've come together to urge the City to establish public access television, as was man dated in City Ordinance 1963. And we have in the past clearly demonstrated broad community support and have testified about its benefits. Though most Councilmembers see public access as a good thing, we've had difficulty moving forward. In recent weeks, it's been increasingly clear that something or someone has been blocking our efforts. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about RCN's troubles about going up against Comcast. It's no wonder that citizens like us have had such a hard time. I feel, and I'm speaking on behalf of myself, that the whole process has broken down. For instance, when Comcast and former Mayor Ed Rendell held a secret briefing with Councilmembers that one Councilmember characterized as "an attempted brainwashing," and that's the kind of stuff we've been going up against. All we've been asking for is a fair hearing, for you guys to hear us out. And everyone here tonight gets real excited about the 2396 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET possibilities of public access. Over the last few years, we've been researching what other cities have been doing, and the possibilities of what public access offers is totally amazing. And we would like to have an opportunity to meet with you, Council President, to share with you some of those possibilities. And one of the reasons why we do want to meet with you is that finally, we've come across the articles of incorporation, which you and Mayor Street, you're the ones that are going to have to sign this, and that's why we'd like to have an opportunity to meet with you. Thanks.
Thank you. Does anyone else wants to testify in your group? Please approach the witness table.
My name is Tanya Wanger, and I work with the Wages for Housework Campaign, but I'm going to be speaking on behalf of Dina Mendros. She says: My name is Dina Mendros, and I am here today speaking on behalf of Citizens for Consumer Justice. I'd first like to thank members of City 2397 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Council for allowing me to speak. Citizens for Consumer Justice has become the State's largest consumer organization and coalition working on preserving and strengthening Social Security and Medicare, lowering prescription drug prices for consumers, passing a strong Patient's Bill of Rights, preserving access to our civil justice system, winning clean-money elections, and more. We have also been involved in fighting for public access here in Philadelphia for approximately three years. I come to today's budget hearings to ask the City to fund public access television and to make good on the promise to implement public access that was over 15 years ago. As you've been told many times before, Philadelphia is the only major city in the United States without public access television. And for the three years I have been involved in the fight to establish public access in our city, I still can't imagine why there's such disinterest by City government for what could be one of the greatest public resources for Philadelphia residents. 2398 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET In other cities, public access has come to be more than access to producing and airing television programs, although the ability for an ordinary person off the street to get training and produce a show about anything they want for all the community to see in and of itself is extremely valuable. However, there are so many other ways to benefit, citizens and City government from public access. And the cost of implementing public access is extremely low compared to the dollar value you would get from it. We could, like other cities, create neighborhood media centers. These could even become a prominent part of our City infrastructure. They could become resource centers where students of all ages have access to all types of media and communication training, as well as access to Internet and other information technologies. In addition, they could be centers where people within a neighborhood could come to connect with one another and support each other, and where, through communication technologies, people from different neighborhoods could connect with one another across distance. 2399 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Before I close, let me make one other point. Every so often, the cable companies must come before City Council in order to negotiate a franchise agreement with the City. They must do this in order to negotiate the use of the public right-of-way. That's right, it's the public's right-of-way. As our representatives, you are supposed to protect our interests in these negotiations. Yet you are not representing our best interests when you allow this most valuable resource, access to the airwaves, to be out of the public's reach. Philadelphia has made great progress to become a first-class city, but without this basic right to access to the airwaves, a right that all other first-class U.S. cities have. We will never really attain that goal. Please provide funding for public access and show Philadelphia residents that it's not just the rich that matter to our government, but that ordinary citizens matter too. (Applause.)
Good evening, City Council. 2400 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET
My name is Barbara, and I'm speaking to you as an ordinary citizen, I'm not a part of any particular public action committee, and it's all relatively new to me. But I do remember when this first started in the City of Philadelphia about years 9 ago, when it was Wade that was in West 10 Philadelphia. And one of the major selling points 11 I seem to remember of having cable even coming 12 into the Philadelphia was the public access that 13 it would provide to the community, and it was 14 ballyhooed with all of the potential benefits that 15 it would bring to the ordinary citizens in Philadelphia that would have access to the airways, people who normally couldn't afford this. And for these past 15 years. It seems to have become a forgotten issue, and it seems as there is though no longer any interest for the community to have this access. And what I would really like to say is I am a Comcast subscriber, and their fees are high, and I just don't seem to understand how they can use those eight channels for their own 2401 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET financial benefit when it's a public trust that's entrusted to City Council to manage. And it seems to me that if it was managed properly that it would generate its own funds and it would pay for itself. And basically that's all I wanted to say to you, and I hope that you will consider what I said to you and implement public access for the citizens of Philadelphia.
We have one more question. We'd like to know whether or not Madam President is willing to meet with us after these hearings.
Not this evening. I've been here since 6:30 this morning, and we do have budget hearings next week. I will meet with you at a later date, but I certainly don't want to meet this evening.
Yes. Hello. My name is Pete Tredish. I am from the Prometheus Radio Project, a West Philly-based nonprofit access group that helps building radio stations across the country. Somewhere around four years and seven months ago, myself and five friends around my kitchen table launched a pirate radio station in West Philadelphia. We launched it in defiance of the federal regulations that require that citizens have licenses to operate radio stations. We defied those regulations because we saw that the media in this country is coming to be owned by a smaller and smaller number of hands. At that point, 10 corporations owned 50 percent of all media. That includes radio, TV, book publishing, magazines, the large portions of the Internet, large portions of the movie industry, music publishing. At this point, 6 corporations own 2403 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET 50 percent of all media. We, in the tradition of our heroes Ghandi, Martin Luther King, committed civil disobedience by putting a radio station on the air without a license and telling the FCC that they had to do something to change the way that the airwaves were regulated. About three months later, we had 60 programmers, and for every one of those programmers that played music, from hip hop to big bands, and we had programmers of all sorts of different nonprofit organizations around the City, there were ten that wanted to be on our station that were ready to break the law and risk imprisonment and fines in order to have a voice in the electronic media. And eventually, after a about a year and a half, the FCC broke into our building and took away the radio station that we operated. But at the same time, remarkably enough, they admitted that we were right and they were wrong. And now, two years ago later, we are building 250 radio station across the country, community radio stations like we operated in West Philadelphia. 2404 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Talk about an industry that was made in Philadelphia, in the traditions of Philadelphia. This is the City where the First Amendment was born, and this is where our politicians really need to be supportive of our citizens' right to speak and our right to speak in the public media. The First Amendment was not written so that I could talk to you. It was not written so that I could stand on the street and hold a puppet. The First Amendment was created so that citizens of a democracy could have a voice in creating public opinion, so that public opinion could inform public policy, and that our elected representatives could know what the people wanted. And what we have in Philadelphia is, we have a dramatic lack of access to the airwaves, a lack so great that people are willing to risk arrest and fines and imprisonment. Now, what kind of City Council do you want to be? Do you want to be the types of politicians that ask the people of Philadelphia to shut up and vote? Or do you want to be the kind of politicians that encourage those public forums, that encourage the people's voices to come and 2405 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET speak forth on issues of public importance and create an environment where our public officials can know what it is that the people want. That is what public action access is about in cities all across the country. In a lot of cities, public access is like the public libraries. In fact, it's in the public libraries in a number of cities. There are community media centers that include a vast range of technology and it's all based around the public access. And what we what we're simply asking is for you to recognize you're in government.
If you want this city to be a leader in communications, you know that there cannot be a successful private sector without a significant, vibrant public sector that creates -- and a sector where there is not just the market forces at work but there are incubators, places where people learn skills, where people communicate directly with their communities, and that is what creates success in the private sector as well. So what I'd ask you to do is take a hint from the FCC. Reevaluate your stand on public access. Think about how much money it is 2406 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET for just what Philadelphia is going to get. And one more thing. I sit here before you. I've told that that I've broken laws, I've created civil disobedience for freedom of speech in this country. What you as City Council right now, you are doing the reverse. You are committing civil disobedience in favor of media concentration of ownership, in favor of a closed media system that is shut off from its citizens by not going ahead, following the laws that the well-informed public officials of years ago put 13 in motion to fund public access in Philadelphia. 14 I'd like to thank you a lot for 15 listening and I hope you hear one of our radio 16 stations sometime soon. ) 18
Thank you. 19 Thank you very much. 20 (Witness comes forward.)
To the creator, the ancestors, and to this prestigious body, good evening. My name is Mamie Young, nurtured, educated, worked, retired, and returned to work 2407 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET part-time and involved in civic and community issues and concerns for 56 of my 60 years in the City of Brotherly Love and sisterly affection, recently labeled "The City That Loves You Back." Tina turner sang, "What's love got to do with it?" Well, if you really love the people of Philadelphia, give the citizens the ability to have public access. This was passed as a City Ordinance Bill No. 1963 in 1983. This ordinance 12 provided establishment a citywide public access training center and two neighborhood training centers in each of the four cable districts, instruction for citizens, community groups on proper use of the equipment. Other cities also provide training and access for Internet equipment free or at low cost. Living in Philadelphia has become very expensive. Utilities, real estate taxes, water and sewage, everything is escalating, with little incentive to stay in the City. Cable is very expensive. I can't afford it. The information that we would receive by having public access is knowledge. Provision 2408 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET of public access would allow City government forums, religious, community, educational, cultural, et cetera. Modern technology, this digital divide, this is something that has to be remedied very soon. It is essential for progress in this great city. It is incumbent upon the City and the current cable companies to fulfill the agreement which has been ignored for over 150 years or more. I conclude with this: We live in the richest country, the fifth largest city in the nation. Yet, these excellent resources are going to waste for lack of implementation. Thank you for this opportunity to speak on this issue.
Do we have anyone else to testify? We have gone through our list. Is there anyone else who wishes to testify? Please approach the witness table. (Witness comes forward.). 2409 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET
City Council President Verna and members of City Council, thank you for this opportunity to testify regarding Mayor John Street's budget for Fiscal Year 2001 and 2002. My name is Sally Kennedy and I'm representing the Greater Germantown Recreation Network, which is co-sponsored by the Germantown monthly meeting of the Religious Society of Friends and Recreation Advisory Council representatives from some of the centers and playgrounds of Recreation Districts 3 and 4. As you know, in addition to focusing on the needs of Greater Germantown, we are interested in supporting and improving the citywide recreation system. Also, I work as substitute teacher for the Philadelphia Public School District. This brings home to me daily the need for a strong, supportive recreation system, especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods, to provide opportunities and supervision for children and 2410 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET youth at risk. There's a tendency to exclude those who need it most -- in communities with single parents and hard-working parents at the bottom of the economic ladder and those who have had educational and developmental opportunities. It is time we stopped sitting around saying parents need to do a better job. Of course, they do, but we all need to do a better job in making sure that children who lack proper home guidance and sufficient economic resources to be exposed to a larger world do not fall between the cracks. It is they who hang out in the streets, take and sell drugs, et cetera, and make life dangerous for everyone. If they are not going to get the discipline and nurturing needed in their own homes, society's institutions must step into the breach. But how can they when they are so under-funded? Like the school system, the Recreation Department has a ridiculously low adult-child or youth ratio. In the after-school program, we do not pay enough to attract the caliber person, with some notable exceptions, not only to work with the children but to recruit, coordinate, and give 2411 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET direction to the number of volunteers needed to provide the one-on-one attention so desperately needed. I was not able to be present to hear Commissioner Richard's presentation to City Council, but I have had had the opportunity to read it. First, I wish to commend Mayor Street for selecting someone to be commissioner who has energy and vision, some prior experience in recreation, and a strong administrative background. The application of Commissioner Richard's knowledge and skills is already having a positive impact. I have had the opportunity elsewhere to hear him speak and believe that his vision for the children and communities served by recreation centers is very similar to that of the Greater Germantown Recreation Network. However, he cannot realize that vision without sufficient resources. I applaud the Commissioner's responsiveness and understanding of the City's current delicate fiscal situation and his willingness to be a team player, but he is simply not asking for enough money. Of course, he's 2412 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET asking for what the Mayor tells him to ask for. It is not enough, and you do not have to listen. Commissioner Richard a good manager. If you come up with several hundred thousand dollars more, I am sure he would know what to do with it. The youth initiative needs some real money. The after-school program and maintenance, which has improved since the infusion of money two years ago are still major concerns. The Commissioner states that his budget request allows the Department to maintain its current level of service. He is imaginative and things will improve, but the current level of service is not good enough.
5 million for approximately 130 centers to cover a slight increase in pay for community workers -- people pay more than $10 an hour to have their houses cleaned -- plus $20 an hour to hire a person in each center program, asking for higher qualifications and relevant, plus $50 per center for additional supplies. What has happened to the $4 million the Mayor planned to allocate for after-school 2413 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET programs? Has the Recreation Department seen any of it, or does that amount include what is already being spent on after-school programs in the Recreation Department? Right now, all centers and playgrounds are understaffed. Two and one half program staff members in an A center in a rough neighborhood just doesn't cut it. Staff ends up babysitting the building instead of being free to organize a number of programs that the building could handle if there were more staff. The designated B centers have one and a half persons in C playgrounds, one half a person, as I understand it. Some centers need to be redesignated upwards. To add one and a half more staff to A centers, one to B centers, and a half staff center to C playgrounds, plus something more for training and supplies, you would need to increase the program budget by about $5 million. Needs for centers in our areas of Recreation Districts and include replacing tile floor in the community room and five blackboards and rims on the basketball courts -- oh, I failed to write down which center I'm 2414 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET talking about there. I think that's Barrett. ) playground, which should be upgraded to a B, stage and window curtains for Lonnie Young, facility improvements for Morris Estate, stage curtains and trophy case at Bellfield. Stenton Park could use a whole new center and so too Pleasant Playground, which needs more staff, as there are needy children and poor adult involvement in the neighborhood. Zeiler Playground needs a new roof badly. (Indiscernible) needs improved outdoor lighting for its sports areas. Waterview needs its painting to be completed and almost all of the floors retiled. I could keep going. Recreation for the rich in the form of sports stadiums can be funded. How about some of the profits being reallocated to the communities that supply the cheap labor for the concessions in the stadiums? This country is in a crisis, performing 22nd- and in comparison with other developed nations in fields of higher education, with overloaded jails and people everywhere afraid to go out alone at night. We need to set our priorities straight. City Councilmembers are 2415 2/27/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET elected to do that. May we count on you? Thank you.
Do we have anyone else to testify? (No response.)
Seeing none, this concludes the hearings. This committee will stand in recess until Tuesday, March the 13th, at 10 a.m. Thank you very much. (Adjourned 8:30 p.m.) 2416 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Tuesday, February 27, 2001, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BILL NO. 010005 __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter