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WEEKLY REPORT: COUNCIL CONTINUES TO DO THE WORK OF THE CITIZENS OF PHILADELPHIA WHEN IT COMES TO FINAL CONSIDERATION OF BILLS & RESOLUTIONS THIS YEAR

In Anthony Phillips, Brian O'Neill, Cindy Bass, Council Meetings, Council News, Curtis Jones, Jr., Featured, Isaiah Thomas, James Harrity, Jamie Gauthier, Jeffery Young Jr., Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Kendra Brooks, Kenyatta Johnson, Mark Squilla, Michael Driscoll, Nicolas O'Rourke, Nina Ahmad, Quetcy Lozada, Rue Landau by Khara Garcia

City Council of Philadelphia Weekly Report logo

Philadelphia City Council approved a variety of bills and resolutions during its October 17 City Council session. Council has only six sessions scheduled to take place before the final session for 2024 happened on December 12.

Council approved Bill #240655 (introduced by Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, At-Large, on behalf of City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, 2nd District) that provided an extension of the Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) at the new Bellwether District (former Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery) until 2048. The Philadelphia Board of Education must also approve the KOZ before it can be extended.

Philadelphians dressed up as circus clowns sat in the chamber and gave public testimony against the KOZ.

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Councilmembers approved Bill #240660 (introduced by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, 3rd District for Council President Johnson) entitled “Homestead Exclusion,” to revise the deadline by which applications for designation of property as homestead property are due, and making conforming changes; and Bill #240663 (introduced by Councilmember Rue Landau, At-Large, for Council President Johnson) entitled “Real Estate Taxes,” to provide for a mechanism for informal review of individual property assessments.

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Finally, Councilmembers approved Resolution #240904 (introduced by Councilmember Nicolas O’ Rourke, At Large) that is calling on the Pennsylvania State Senate to pass Pennsylvania State House Bill 999 of 2023-24 that would abolish the death Penalty in Pennsylvania. The House bill, sponsored by Philadelphia State Rep. Chris Rabb, is still awaiting a final vote in the Pennsylvania House. City Councilmember Brian O’Neill (10th District) voted no to the resolution.

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The other resolutions and bills that were approved on final passage on October 17 were #240894 (introduced by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, 7th District); #240895 (Lozada); #240896 (Lozada); #240897 (introduced by Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr, 5th District); #240909 (introduced by Councilmember Mark Squilla, 1st District); #240910 (Squilla); #240911 (Squilla); #240912 (Squilla); #240913 (Squilla); #240667 (O’Neill); and #240422 (introduced by Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr., 4th District)


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PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT KENYATTA JOHNSON AND COUNCILMEMBERS JEFFERY YOUNG, JR. AND CURTIS JONES, JR. INTRODUCE HISTORY LEGISLATION CHANGING THE NAME OF TANEY STREET TO LECOUNT STREET

Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) and Councilmembers Curtis Jones (4th District) and Jeffery Young, Jr. (5th District) introduced in the October 17 Council Bill #240931 that will rename the more than 30 blocks of Taney Street citywide to LeCount Street.

The Taney Streets stretches from South Philadelphia to North Philadelphia and ends in the Allegheny West neighborhood. The streets are in Johnson, Jones and Young’s Council Districts.

After nearly five years of passionate advocacy by the Rename Taney Street Coalition and extensive community debate, the renaming would replace the name of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, infamous for the 1857 Dred Scott decision that denied citizenship to African Americans, with Caroline LeCount, a Philadelphia civil rights pioneer and educator.

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The renaming to LeCount Street would honor Ms. LeCount, the first Black woman to pass Philadelphia’s teaching exam and a trailblazing principal in the late 19th century. LeCount, a champion of civil rights, worked alongside her partner Octavius Catto in the fight for desegregation and equality in education and public services. Renaming the street in her honor would highlight her enduring legacy and contribution to the fight for civil rights.

A press conference announcing the legislation was held in City Council chambers earlier this week that was attended by the leadership of the Rename Taney Coalition and Philadelphia Streets Commissioner Kristin Del Rossi.

Johnson said the bill will be assigned to the Streets and Services Committee, chaired by Young, for a yet to be scheduled hearing. The goal is for the bill to have a final passage vote before Council’s December 12 meeting.

If the bill is approved by Council, it is believed to be the first time that a street in Philadelphia will be named after an African American woman. The new signage on the streets could be posted sometime in 2025.


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A DECISION IS COMING SOON CONCERNING MAYOR CHERELLE PARKER’S 11 PIECES OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A PROPOSED NEW SIXERS ARENA IN CENTER CITY

Members of City Council continue their review of the 11 proposed bills or ordinances Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has given to them to try and make the proposed new Sixers Arena (76 Place) in Center City a reality before the end of this year.

The 11 proposed bills or ordinances are available for public review here.

Councilmember Mark Squilla (1st District), whose District includes the proposed site of the Sixers arena, has gathered feedback from Philadelphians since September 25 before deciding whether to introduce the 76 Place legislation in Council. He did not introduce any Sixers Arena legislation at the October 17 Council session. The earliest the legislation could be introduced in Council is Thursday, October 24.

If or when the Sixers Arena legislation is introduced, it will be assigned to a yet-to-be-determined Committee by Council President Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District). The Committee will then have a series of public hearings on the bill, which could be held sometime in November.

No dates have been set for the hearings, nor has the number of hearings been determined by Council. Resolutions are voted out of committee by a simple majority of committee members.

After a bill or resolution is voted out of committee, it needs to be read aloud at two different City Council sessions before a final vote is taken. The final City Council session for this year is scheduled for December 12.

The Sixers have said they need approvals for the project by the end of the year — so the arena can open for the 2031-32 season. The agreement reached by the Parker Administration keeps the Sixers in Philadelphia until at least 2061.

A bill or resolution just needs nine of Council’s 17 members to pass. After a bill passes, it goes to the Mayor for her signature or veto.


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PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL’S LATEST PROPERTY TAX WORKSHOP WAS HELD IN KENSINGTON THIS WEEK

City Council’s property tax relief workshop continued this week with one taking place at the West Kensington Ministry in the Kensington neighborhood. Close to 100 people attended and it was co-sponsored by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (7th District) and Council President Kenyatta Johnson.

At each workshop held throughout the city since early September, representatives from the Office of Property Assessment (OPA), the Revenue Department, Community Legal Services, the Register of Wills, and the Recorder of Deeds were on hand to answer questions and sign people up for programs on the spot.

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The purpose of the events was to give Philadelphians important information about the various Tax Relief Programs designed to help residents stay in their homes and relieve financial burdens. The workshops were open to anyone living in Philadelphia. As of this moment, no additional Council property tax workshops are scheduled.

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.

For more information about applying for tax relief programs, contact your District or At-Large City Council Office, or call the Department of Revenue at (215) 686-6442.

Council’s public campaign to inform Philadelphians about the property tax relief programs continues including billboards that are up in neighborhoods now, radio ads in English and Spanish, and letters that have been sent to thousands of homes citywide.


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THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER AND VOTE IN THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER 5 PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania for the November General Election is 11:59 P.M. on Monday, October 21. For more information, visit the City Commissioners Website at vote.phila.gov or call 215-686-VOTE (8663).

The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 29. Visit vote.phila.gov/votebymail and apply. Philadelphians who have already received their mail-in ballots can start sending them back now. All mail ballots must be received (not postmarked) by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day November 5.

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The City Commissioner’s Satellite Election Offices (SEO) across Philadelphia are also open, providing voter registration and in-person mail ballot services. These offices are open seven days a week until Election Day. A full list of SEO locations is available at vote.phila.gov/seos. Mail ballot drop-off location information is available at phila.gov/voting.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pennsylvania voters will select a President and Vice President of the United States; United States Senator; members of the U.S. Congress, Pennsylvania State House and Senate; Pennsylvania Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer.


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THE NEXT COUNCIL SESSION WILL BE ON OCTOBER 24

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 24, 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.