Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) led a gathering of City Councilmembers who attended the funeral of the Philadelphia Police Officer Jaime Roman yesterday (September 19) at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Center City.
Among those attending the funeral service were Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel, officers from the 25th Police District, the Police Department Executive Team, Roman’s family and friends, and law enforcement personnel nationwide.
“Philadelphia has lost a husband, father, and a six-and-a-half-year veteran of the Police Department,” Johnson said. “Members of Philadelphia City Council wanted to show our respect for Officer Jamie Roman’s family by attending his funeral. It was important to the City Council Leadership to cancel this week’s Stated Meeting in Roman’s honor. He was shot in the line of duty protecting our city and a grateful city mourns his passing.”
He was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant during the funeral mass. Roman’s police officer badge number 6064 and sergeant badge number 238 are being retired so no other Philadelphia police officer will wear those numbers again.
Officer Roman, who was assigned to the 25th Police District in Kensington, had been hospitalized and valiantly fought for his life after being shot during a traffic stop in Kensington back in June. He died on September 10.
According to the Philadelphia Police Department, since 1828, more than 260 Philadelphia Police officers have given their lives in the line of duty, the ultimate sacrifice for the Police Department and the City of Philadelphia they served.
PROPOSED SIXERS ARENA IN CENTER CITY HAS THE SUPPORT OF PHILADELPHIA MAYOR PARKER
Mayor Cherelle. Parker on September 18 announced her support of the Sixers’ proposed arena in Center City, calling it “the right deal for the people of Philadelphia.”
Parker has not released details of the proposed agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the Sixers for the 76 Place project. Parker is expected to unveil the legislation soon and her office can submit the legislative package to Council as soon as the September 26 meeting.
City Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose First District includes the proposed site, has promised to make drafts of the bills public for 30 days so he can hear feedback from Philadelphians before he officially introduces them. That means that none of the proposed legislation can be officially introduced on the Council floor until sometime near the end of October at the earliest.
Under the Council Rules, Council President Johnson would then send the Sixers Arena bills to a yet-to-be-determined Committee for consideration.
Any proposed Sixers Arena bills would have to be voted out of committee by December 4 for the full 17-member Council to be able to vote on them by the end of 2024. Council’s final session before its holiday break is scheduled for December 12.
CITY COUNCIL HELD SEVERAL COMMITTEE HEARINGS THIS WEEK, FINAL PASSAGE ON THESE BILLS COULD HAPPEN BY EARLY OCTOBER
Council’s Licenses and Inspections and Streets and Services Committees held hearings earlier this week on various bills.
The Licenses and Inspections Committee voted out of committee bills #240304 (sponsored by Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr., 5th District), and #240674 (sponsored by Councilmember Nina Ahmad, At-Large). Bill #240471 (sponsored by Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., 4th District) was held.
The Streets and Services Committee voted out of committee Bill #240673 (Councilmember Cindy Bass, 8th District) and Bill #240670 (Squilla). Bill #240532 (Young Jr.) and #240583 (sponsored by Brian O’Neill, 10th District) were withdrawn.
Bills #240670, #240673, and #240674 are scheduled to have a first reading at the September 26 Council session and could have a final passage vote as soon as the October 3 Council session.
All Bills approved during the September 5 and 12 Council sessions have been delivered to Mayor Parker for consideration. Bills can either be vetoed, signed into law or allowed to become law without her signature.
PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL CONTINUES TO HOST PROPERTY TAX WORKSHOPS CITYWIDE
Philadelphians have been calling and emailing City Council offices with concerns about notices they received by the City’s Office of Property Assessments (OPA) in recent weeks citing an increase in property taxes.
City Council members continue to hold property tax relief workshops throughout the various Council Districts to give the public important information about the various Tax Relief Programs designed to help residents stay in their homes and relieve financial burdens. Hundreds of people have attended each workshop.
This week, Council President Johnson held a workshop at Ezekiel Baptist Church in Southwest Philadelphia and Councilmember Young Jr. held two workshops at Dendy Recreation Center and Honickman Center in his Fifth Council District.
Young will host additional workshops next week on Monday, September 23, at Freire Charter High School, 2027 Chestnut Street (in partnership with Council President Johnson), and Tuesday, September 24 at Saint Andrew Lithuanian Roman Catholic Church Hall/Community Space at 19th and Wallace Streets. Both events will take place from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day.
More workshops are coming throughout the city in the next few weeks, and they are open to anyone in Philadelphia. At each workshop, representatives from OPA, the Revenue Department, Community League Services. Register of Wills, and the Recorder of Deeds will be on hand to answer questions and sign people up for programs on the spot. Citizens are asked to bring their ID, proof of income, and property tax assessment letter, if available.
Property tax increases can significantly impact household budgets, and Council members are committed to helping Philadelphians. City Council has approved various Tax Relief Programs over the years designed to help residents stay in their homes and relieve financial burdens.
Among the programs available for residents are the Homestead Exemption, Longtime Owner-Occupied Program (LOOP), Senior Tax Freeze, and the Low-Income Tax Freeze. The public can find details about each program by going to PHLCouncil.com and clicking on the top link.
If you believe your home value assessment is incorrect, an option to appeal is available by either filing for a First Level Review (FLR) or a Board of Revision of Taxes (BRT) appeal. The FLR process is an informal appeal, while the BRT appeal is more formal and involves a hearing.
For more information or to apply for these programs, please contact the Revenue Department at 215-686-6442 or email [email protected]. You can also contact your District Councilmember or any At-Large Councilmember for assistance.
CITY COUNCILMEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN A HUNGER ACTION MONTH EVENT AT PHILABUNDANCE
September is Hunger Action Month – a nationally recognized time to raise awareness and inspire everyone to act in the movement to end hunger. During Hunger Action Day (September 10), Philabundance, in partnership with The GIANT Company, hosted a special volunteer shift and press conference to raise awareness and highlight collaborative efforts to end hunger. Volunteers packed essential food items for distribution to those in need. The volunteer shift featured remarks from Philadelphia City Councilmembers Ahmad, Jones Jr., Squilla, Young Jr., Quetcy Lozada (7th District), and Rue Landau (At Large).
City Council designated September as Hunger Action Month in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA ACTRESS ERIKA ALEXANDER TO BE HONORED WITH A CEREMONIAL STREET RENAMING ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
Councilmember Young Jr. will be hosting an event on Saturday, September 21 at 3 p.m. in front of the former New Freedom Theater (corner of Broad and Master Streets) in North Philadelphia to ceremonially rename Master Street between Broad Street and Carlisle Street as “Erika Alexander Way.” The event will happen rain or shine.
Alexander, who is expected to attend the event, was born in the small town of Winslow, Arizona in 1969 but her family moved to East Mt. Airy in Northwest Philadelphia in 1983, and she graduated from Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1987 (Class 231). She joined the New Freedom Theatre in North Philadelphia when she was 14 years old.
Alexander would receive her breakout role in 1993, being cast as high-powered attorney Maxine Shaw on FOX TV’s Living Single, a role for which she would receive multiple NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. She would portray Ms. Shaw for five years until 1998 and her character has served as an inspiration for many Black female lawyers and leaders nationwide, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
POINT BREEZE NIGHT MARKET ON SEPTEMBER 25
Join Council President Johnson and Pennsylvania State House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris (186th District) at the Point Breeze Night Market on Wednesday, September 25 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting at Point Breeze Avenue and Dickinson Street in South Philly. The event is a rain-or-shine event.
The event is in partnership with the Point Breeze Business Association. The event will feature food vendors, music, fun, and a whole lot more.
THE NEXT COUNCIL SESSION RETURNS ON SEPTEMBER 26
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time at Philadelphia City Council Chambers, Room 400 (Fourth Floor), Philadelphia City Hall. Tune in by watching Xfinity Channel 64 and Fios Channel 40 if you have cable TV in Philadelphia, stream online at www.PHLCouncil.com/watch or listen to WURD Radio (900 AM/96.1 FM) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
