PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL IN REVIEW - FEBRUARY 2016

Looking back on Philadelphia City Council’s work and accomplishments from February 2016:

Philadelphia City Council’s legislative efforts from February included:

Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (3rd District) and Councilwoman Helen Gym (At Large) held joint hearings of the Committees on Education; Children and Youth to hear testimony on the state of Philadelphia’s public schools. | Watch video
Council President Darrell Clarke (5th District) announced the Philadelphia Energy Campaign, an initiative to leverage $1 billion in public and private investment in energy efficiency and clean energy projects over 10 years in neighborhoods across the City.| Watch video.
Council President Clarke also introduced an ordinance to amend the definition of “Diverse Workforce” in the Philadelphia Code to include residents of the City of Philadelphia. Clarke summed up the ordinance’s intent with the following: “If you want to do business in the City of Philadelphia, that’s great. Welcome. But if you want a tax break to do so, we will require you to pay a fair wage, to employ a workforce that reflects our City’s diversity, and to hire locally.” | Read the ordinance
Councilmen Curtis Jones Jr. (4th District) and Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) were named to the new Special Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, created by Council President Darrell Clarke to study and make recommendations on overhauling Philadelphia’s criminal justice system. Jones will serve as one of the Committee’s co-chairs alongside former Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel and Keir Bradford-Gray, chief of Philadelphia Defenders Association. | Watch video.

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown (At Large) held her 4th Annual African-American History Month Celebration in Council Chambers at City Hall on February 25, 2016. The celebration included readings, music and other inspiring performances. | Watch video.
Councilwoman Cindy Bass (8th District) presented a special resolution honoring the Imhotep Charter High School Panthers and their coaches on their Pennsylvania AAA Championship. The Panthers also became the first Philadelphia city school to win 15 games in a single season. | Watch video
Council President Darrell Clarke, Councilman Mark Squilla and Mayor Jim Kenney helped break ground on long-awaited renovations to Philadelphia’s iconic Love Park. The renovated park is expected to reopen in Spring 2017.