Title
Calling up
on Governor Tom Wolf and the General Assembly to enact the proposal of the Philadelphia Parking Authority in order to provide new capital funding for the School District of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia ("District") has a capital deficit of no less than $5.5 billi
on dollars; and
WHEREAS, The District's buildings, even in the last few years, have experienced acute dangers and minor threats to human inhabitants, including a boiler explosi
on, n
onfuncti
oning climate c
ontrol systems, lead paint chipping, asbestos exposure, and pest droppings; and
WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia has held investigatory hearings regarding the physical safety of the District's buildings and addressed c
oncerns about lead exposure through school water fountains, and its members have joined parents, activists, and other c
oncerned parties in attempting to assist in the remediati
on of building problems; and
WHEREAS, Even the best efforts of District staff, in cooperati
on with the public, would be impeded by the severity of the infrastructure maintenance backlog; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Parking Authority has proposed replacing its annual 1% assessment
on taxicab medalli
on owners' annual gross operating revenue with a 50-cent-per- ride taxicab fee that would also cover digitally hailed services; and
WHEREAS, The vast majority of the revenue from the impositi
on of such a fee should be allocated to the School District's capital budget to address its maintenance needs; and
WHEREAS, Leveling the playing field between taxicab services regardless of how they are hailed to assist the District in providing safer, cleaner, better buildings for our school children is a win-win propositi
on; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby call up
on Governor Tom Wolf and the General Assembly to enact the proposal of the Philadelphia Parking Authority in ord...
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