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Archive for “City Council” news
Freaked Out By the Gender-Neutral Bathrooms in Jim Kenney’s LGBT Bill?
By Liz Spikol 4/17/2013
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Last Thursday, a City Council committee approved Councilman Jim Kenney's LGBT equality bill, which offers spousal partnership benefits to non-married life partners—hospital visits, "next of kin" designation, retirement benefits, even a tax-credit incentive to employers. Some of what's in the bill has been discussed by Philadelphia's City Council before, and some of it even passed in 1998—only to be struck down by the state Supreme Court.
Major LGBT Rights Bill Coming to City Council
By Simon van Zuylen-Wood 4/10/2013
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Tomorrow At-Large Councilman Jim Kenney will announce a piece of sweeping LGBT rights legislation. Here's what he's proposing:
* Create the first in the U.S. “Equality Tax Credit” to incentivize employers to deduct the cost of employee health benefits when adding new plans that do not discriminate against LGBT employees and their life partners.
* Require the Mayor to report on the state of LGBT equality in Philadelphia, which must identify government services and policies providing unequal treatment to LGBT Philadelphians.
* Guarantee spouse-equivalent treatment in hospitals and banning discrimination in medical decision making.
* Require accessibility for LGBT families on city forms (ex.
The Battle over NFL Concussions Will Be Fought in Philadelphia
By Simon van Zuylen-Wood 4/10/2013
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The fate of the NFL's concussion problem is in the hands of a Philadelphia judge. Yesterday in federal court, lawyers representing 4,200 former NFL players (about 1/3 of all retired footballers) made their case in federal court to judge Anita Brody that they should be able to sue the league for brain injuries sustained on the playing field. By glorifying violence, encouraging injured players to ignore injuries, and suppressing medical evidence, they argue, the NFL should be held liable for what has become a disturbing pattern of brain injuries. The NFL argues that the risk for such injuries are essentially
Add Paid Sick Leave to List of Stuff NYC Does that Philly Doesn’t
By Simon van Zuylen-Wood 4/04/2013
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For the second time in his Mayoralty, Michael Nutter has vetoed a paid sick-leave bill, claiming it would render Philadelphia's business climate uncompetitive, especially compared to its suburbs, which don't enforce the policy. Bill sponsor Bill Greenlee has 11 votes in the bag, and is still desperately seeking the twelfth that would override Nutter's veto. But hope is slim. New York City, which has long been in the same boat, has finally garnered enough council support to override Mayor Bloomberg's veto of a similar bill. For good measure, here's some research on why San Francisco and Connecticut in fact grew
AVI: Also Screwing City Council Members
By Simon van Zuylen-Wood 3/22/2013
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City Paper has compiled a handy chart documenting how each City Council member will get affected by the city's Actual Value Initiative (provided the current assessments and 1.32% tax rate hold steady. Big winners: Marian Tasco and Bobby Henon each save about $1,400. Bill Greenlee is the biggest loser, as his Fairmount taxes will rise by more than $1,500. Jim Kenney, Maria Quinones-Sanchez, and Darrell Clarke, all of whom live in gentrifying/gentrified neighorhoods, would pay more than $1,000 each. The full chart is here, which you can print out and scour for conspiracy theories, based on who proposes which kind
Council Bans Guns From City Parks, Rec Centers
By Joel Mathis 3/21/2013
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CBS Philly reports:
Philadelphia City Council has given final approval to a measure that authorizes the mayor to ban guns in city parks and at recreation centers.
The vote was 15-to-2 as Council authorized Mayor Nutter to create regulations for city parks and recreation centers that explicitly prohibit carrying firearms there even if the person has a legal “carry” permit (see previous story).
“I want to make sure our facilities for our youngest citizens are safe,” said the measure’s chief sponsor, 8th District councilwoman Cindy Bass. “And this, I believe, will go a long way. I think it will spread the
Councilwoman Owes Back Taxes On Property
By Joel Mathis 3/21/2013
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More bad news for Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. City Paper reports:
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown has had a rough few years. In the midst of a divorce, she was fined by the Ethics Board and tied to a scandal that resulted in her former campaign manager pleading guilty to wire fraud. Reynolds Brown has also stated that she has had financial troubles. It would seem that those problems have spilled over to her former home at 601 N. 33rd St. It is now a rental property that she previously claimed as a source of income on financial-disclosure forms — and it is
The City’s Sick Leave Bill Is an Insult to Employers and Employees
By Gene Marks 3/21/2013
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James is a client of mine who runs a 30-person roofing company in Northeast Philadelphia. Last week, one of the people in his office wasn’t feeling well and called in sick. It was no big deal. She got paid for the day. The next day she was back at work. Just like she’s been for the past 10 years. This is typical of most of the clients I work with. People get sick. They take time off to get better (which is better for everyone in the office). They come back to work.
Councilwoman Pushes Increased Female Presence On Corporate Boards
By Joel Mathis 3/18/2013
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Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown—last seen pleading to ethic violations involving the misuse of her campaign funds—has decided there aren't enough women on corporate boards. Newsworks reports:
A Philadelphia politician wants to require that companies hoping to do business with the city disclose how many women executives and board members they have.
City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown said the bill is the product of a great deal of number crunching.
"Less than -- I repeat -- less than 1 percent of boards in the city of Philadelphia have women of color sitting on their boards," said Reynolds Brown. "Eleven percent, or 36 of the
Berks County Investigating Campaign Donation to Bill Green
By Simon van Zuylen-Wood 3/08/2013
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Berks county officials are looking into donations made to Bill Rubin and Bill Green when both were Philadelphia City Council candidates.
To prove a violation of state law, the Board would have to demonstrate that Local 98 told Spencer to spend the money on the City Council races. [Newsworks]
The Berks County Board of Elections is investigating two $10,000 contributions that Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer made to Philadelphia City Council candidates in 2011 -- the day after Spencer received a $30,000 contribution from the political committee of the powerful electricians' union in Philadelphia.
