Title
Proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation, appointment, powers and duties of a Jobs Commission; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, The unemployment rate in Philadelphia as of September, 2010 was a staggering 10.2 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the unemployment rate in many of Philadelphia's neighborhoods far exceeds even that level. An unprecedented rise in long-term unemployment nationwide means that these rates are likely to remain high as the nation slowly recovers from a brutal recession; and
WHEREAS, The loss of a job and the inability to find employment are devastating experiences for the individual and his or her family, particularly at a time when the nation's safety net is increasingly shredded. Unemployment frequently leads to the inability to pay one's mortgage and the loss of one's home to foreclosure, contributing to the blighting of neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, The long-term vitality and attractiveness of Philadelphia as a place in which to live and do business depend upon having a diverse and ample supply of employment opportunities in the private sector, sufficient in number to provide jobs to current residents while attracting people to move here; and
WHEREAS, Growth in the supply of jobs would in turn lead to a critically needed expansion of the City's tax base, which would enable City government to provide essential services while retaining its commitment to responsible tax reduction; and
WHEREAS, City government and other public, quasi-public and non-profit organizations play essential roles in spurring the creation and retention of private sector jobs, but, without adequate coordination or attention to the unintended consequences of their policies, can also impede the growth of the private sector and our local economy; and
WHEREAS, Under Section 6 of the First Class City Home Rule Act (53 P.S. §13106), an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter may be proposed by a resolution of the Council of the City of Philadelphia adopted with the concurrence of two-thirds of its elected members; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the following amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter is hereby proposed and shall be submitted to the electors of the City on an election date designated by ordinance:
Strikethrough indicates matter deleted by these amendments.
Bold italics indicates matter added by these amendments.
ARTICLE III - EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE BRANCH - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 1 OFFICERS, DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND
OTHER AGENCIES
§3-100. Executive and Administrative Officers, Departments, Boards, Commissions and Agencies Designated.
The executive and administrative work of the City shall be performed by:
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(e) The following independent boards and commissions, which, except for the Board of Trustees of the Free Library of Philadelphia, are hereby created:
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Youth Commission; and
Zoning Code Commission; and
Jobs Commission.
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CHAPTER 8 INDEPENDENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
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§ 3-809. Jobs Commission.
(a) Composition. The Jobs Commission shall be composed of seventeen members, nine of whom shall be appointed by the Mayor and eight of whom shall be appointed by the Council President, provided that Council may from time to time provide by ordinance for a different composition or method of appointment.
(b) Initial appointments. All appointments to the Commission shall be made within thirty days after the Commission is first created.
(c) Vacancies. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled within thirty days by the appointing authority who originally appointed the member whose seat has become vacant.
(d) Compensation. Members of the Commission shall not be compensated.
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ARTICLE IV
EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE BRANCH -
POWERS AND DUTIES
The Mayor, The City Representative and
Departments, Boards and Commissions under the Mayor
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CHAPTER 16
JOBS COMMISSION
§4-1600. Powers and Duties.
(a) Within sixty days after its creation, the Jobs Commission shall convene its first meeting. Thereafter the Commission shall meet at least monthly, at such times and at such places as determined by the Commission, provided that the Commission shall hold at least two public meetings in the Council chambers to receive testimony from the public. All meetings shall be open to the public and such meetings shall be publicized through a notice that will specify whether there will be an opportunity for the public to comment.
(b) The purpose of the Commission is to determine how City government and other public, quasi-public and non-profit agencies can best marshal their resources in a consistent, comprehensive, and coordinated manner to create and preserve private sector jobs for Philadelphians. To that end, the Commission shall identify all entities that play a significant role, either directly or indirectly, in influencing the growth of the local private sector economy; evaluate the effectiveness of those entities, including, but not limited to, the extent to which their respective initiatives are coordinated with each other; articulate the key factors that contribute to or impede the growth and retention of private sector jobs for Philadelphians; identify successful job creation policies and initiatives used in other jurisdictions; develop a set of principles to guide future decision-making with respect to job creation initiatives; and, through the application of those principles, develop specific recommendations for reform. The analysis undertaken by the Commission shall encompass, but not be limited to, the following areas of concern: job training; workforce development; economic development, including land acquisition and disposition; education; licensing, zoning, and other regulatory processes; and tax policies.
(c) The Commission shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director and such other staff or consultants as may be required for the proper conduct of its work (provided that the appointment of an executive director shall require a vote of two-thirds of all the members of the Commission).
(d) All departments, boards, commissions and other City agencies shall cooperate fully with the Commission in the performance of its duties and responsibilities and shall provide any and all documents, data, analyses or other information related to the creation and preservation of private sector jobs requested by the Commission, except documents the nondisclosure of which is legally privileged or which have been prepared for or by the Law Department for use in actions or proceedings to which the City is or may be a party, and provided that the Commission shall maintain the confidentiality of any documents, data, analyses or other related information upon the written request by any City agency that the material being provided to the Commission be treated as confidential.
(e) On or before January 31, 2012, unless Council by resolution approves an extension, the Commission shall by a vote of two-thirds of all members of the Commission adopt a written report containing its findings, and providing specific recommendations aimed at accelerating the creation and preservation of private sector jobs for Philadelphians, including a description of proposed legislation that may be required. The Commission shall provide copies of its report to each of the Commission's appointing authorities and to each member of Council and to the Clerk of Council, and the Commission shall see to it that copies are provided to all public libraries in the City and that a copy is posted on the City's official website.
(f) After issuing its report, the Commission shall thereafter be reconvened only as directed by a resolution of the Council. Within thirty days after adoption of such a resolution, new members of the Commission shall be selected in accordance with the selection process set forth in Section 3-809 unless Council provides by ordinance for a different selection process, provided that any former member of the Commission may be reappointed as a member of the Commission.
(g) The Jobs Commission shall exercise such other powers and duties not inconsistent with this section that Council may from time to time vest in it by ordinance.
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End