City of Philadelphia - File #: 140527

• File #: 140527
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 6/5/2014
• In control: Committee on Law and Government
• Final action: 9/18/2014
• Title: Submitting to the electors of the City an amendment to Article VIII, Chapter 5 of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, entitled "Referenda Approved by the Voters," by adding a new section providing that the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools, as proposed by a petition filed with the Council.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Blackwell
• Indexes: PHILADELPHIA HOME RULE CHARTER, SCHOOL REFORM COMMISSION

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
9/18/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED	Pass	15:1
6/19/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	ORDERED PLACED ON FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR FOR NEXT MEETING.
6/18/2014	0	Committee on Law and Government	HEARING NOTICES SENT
6/18/2014	0	Committee on Law and Government	HEARING HELD
6/18/2014	0	Committee on Law and Government	NO RECOMMENDATION, RULE SUSPENSION
6/5/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Referred	Pass

Title

Submitting to the electors of the City an amendment to Article VIII, Chapter 5 of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, entitled “Referenda Approved by the Voters,” by adding a new section providing that the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools, as proposed by a petition filed with the Council.

Body

WHEREAS, Under Section 6 of the First Class City Home Rule Act (53 P.S. §13106), amendments to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter may be proposed by a petition presented to the Council signed by not less than twenty thousand registered electors; and

WHEREAS, Such a petition has been presented to the Council, and after review of the petition by the Clerk of Council, the petition has been accepted for filing with the Council; and

WHEREAS, The First Class City Home Rule Act requires the Council President, upon the filing of such a petition, to submit for the consideration of the Council, by resolution, the question as to whether the amendments proposed by the petition shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the City for their approval; now, therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the following amendment to Article VIII of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, as proposed by a petition filed with the Council, shall be submitted to the electors of the City on an election date designated by ordinance:

ARTICLE VIII

PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

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CHAPTER 5

REFERENDA APPROVED BY THE VOTERS

*            *            *

§8-504. Restoring Local Control of Philadelphia's Schools.

We, the citizens of Philadelphia, believe the state's takeover of our schools through the School Reform Commission has weakened the voices of parents and community in the operation of public education in Philadelphia. We call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools. All appropriate City officials are hereby vested with the duty and the responsibility to take all appropriate steps, to the fullest extent allowable under law, to promote and defend the will and mandate of the people.

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Note:

Italics indicate matter added by this amendment.

End