Additionally, the Councilmember’s Previous Legislation Supporting Small Businesses Passes City Council
(PHILADELPHIA) November 19, 2020 – Today, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At Large) introduced a resolution declaring City Council’s intent to prioritize climate action and environmental justice in the ongoing Covid-19 recovery process. The “green recovery” resolution was co-sponsored by 11 members of City Council, including the entire Committee on the Environment – Councilmembers Bass, Brooks, Gauthier, Green, Gym, and Henon – which Councilmember Gilmore Richardson chairs, Council President Clarke, Appropriations Committee Chair Councilmember Maria Quiñones Sánchez, Majority Leader Cherelle Parker, Fiscal Stability Committee Chair Councilmember Allan Domb, and Streets and Services Chair Councilmember Isaiah Thomas.
“We cannot wait any longer to put climate action at the forefront of our agenda,” said Councilmember Gilmore Richardson. “We have heard from residents that we must address the multiple ongoing crises in our city, including climate change, systemic racism, and poverty as we work to rebound from Covid-19. This resolution states plainly that City Council has heard the voice of the people and will use our ongoing recovery and future budget processes to create an equitable, green, affordable, safe City. Thank you to the more than 60 advocates and community members on my Civilian Environmental Advisory Committee for their hard work and continued engagement, and to my colleagues for their support of this strong statement. I look forward to our continued work to turn this vision into a reality.”
In addition to today’s introduction, Councilmember Gilmore Richardson’s bill expanding the allowable items newsstands can sell passed City Council.
“Bill No. 200591 will allow newsstands to sell products like masks and hand sanitizer, which is even more important as the number of Covid-19 cases in the City rises and small businesses continue to struggle with shutdowns,” said Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.
This legislation was developed with the support of the Newsstand Association of Philadelphia.
“Over the past several years, the sale of products such as newspapers, cigarettes, and soda have declined,” said John Rocco, President of the Newsstand Association. “We believe the addition of the products indicated in this bill will help to offset those losses and allow our members to maintain a standard of living that they have historically enjoyed while conducting business in the city of Philadelphia.”
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