1  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  SCRANTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING  HELD:  Tuesday, December 11, 2007  LOCATION: Council Chambers Scranton City Hall 340 North Washington Avenue Scranton, Pennsylvania  CATHENE S. NARDOZZI- COURT REPORTER    2  1  2 CITY OF SCRANTON COUNCIL:  3 4 5  MS. JUDY GATELLI, PRESIDENT  6 MS. JANET E. EVANS  7 8  MS. SHERRY FANUCCI 9 MR. ROBERT MCGOFF  10 11  MR. WILLIAM COURTRIGHT  12 MS. KAY GARVEY, CITY CLERK  13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. NEIL COOLICAN, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK  MR. AMIL MINORA, SOLICITOR    3  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  (Pledge of Allegiance recited and  moment of reflection observed.)  MS. GATELLI: Roll call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. Mrs.  Fanucci.  MS. FANUCCI: Here. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Here.  MR.. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Here. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. MS. GATELLI: Here. Dispense with  the reading of the minute.  MS. GARVEY: THIRD ORDER. NO  BUSINESS AT THIS TIME.  MS. GATELLI: Before we go into  Fourth Order I have a few announcements, I gave out the website address several weeks ago about Christmas cards for our soldiers at the Walter Reed Hospital and I was watching television the other evening and they had a report on that, Walter Reed was not accepting any cards for the soldiers and for people not to send cards to that address, which is unfortunate, so I went    4  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  onto NBC's website, and if you go on there, there are several places where you can send packages, post on message boards to the soldiers and there was a new address. The Red Cross is going to distribute to the cards personally and the new address for that is, "We Support You During Your Recovery, Care of the American Red Cross, Post Office Box 419, Savage, S-A-V-A-G-E,  Maryland, 20763."  I'11 ask Kay to have this put on  Channel 61. I - do apologize for the thousands I'm sure and millions of people that received that e-mail and have sent cards over the last several weeks, but that is the new address and if you go on www.NBC.com you will see the article and there are several places where you can send packages or, like I said, post different  messages for the soldiers.  MS. GARVEY: I did talk to Melissa at  61 regarding that today and she said she was going to take care of it as soon as  possible.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you very much.    5  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  The other thing I have is the Scranton Public Theater is having a production of Snow White for the children for Christmas. It will be this Saturday the 15th and Saturday the 22nd at noon at the 01d Brick Theater on Market Street next to Stirna's. You can get tickets at the door or you can  call 344-3656.  Neil just handed me a fax that just  came in, Pennsylvania American Water will be completing a maintenance on a 16-inch water main on Luzerne Street this evening. The work will begin at 8:00 p.m. with crews working throughout the night. It is anticipated that water service will be restored by 4:00 a.m. They have water tankers stationed at two locations.  The following streets will be  affected, and please bear with me because there is quite a few: Amnick Court, Arlington Way, Briggs, Christopher Drive, Crisp, Dale, Deerfield Division, Fawnwood Drive, Forest Glen, Francis, Frank, Frink, Glinko, Horatio, Hudson, Jackson, Jamesway, Keyser, Lafayette, Lauer, Linda, Loop,    6  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MaryAnn, North South Road, Newton Road, Norfolk Way, Norton Avenue, Oakwood Drive, Overbrook Circle, Park Edge, Patterson, Phyllo, Price, Quay, Ridgeview, Swetland, White Birch, Whitetail, Williamsburg Lane, Winchester Way, and the Stauffer Industrial Way. Customers may experience low water pressure, cloudy water or a temporary service outage. When service is restored the residents should turn their water until  clear before use.  To ease the inconvenience, water  tankers will be placed at the Keyser Valley Community Center at the corner of Keyser and Jackson and at the Beverage Store at the corner of Keyser Avenue and Loop Street. Customers are asked to bring their own container when visiting the tanker for drinking water. Any further information 1-800-565-7292, and I'm sure that will probably on the 11:00 news tonight, but for people that are watching now the work will  be starting at 8:00.  And I just have two more items, I'd  like to wish happy birthday to my grandson    7  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Joey, he is at seven years old today, and his friend Isabella, she will be 11 tomorrow, sO just happy birthday to them. Does anybody else have any announcements?  MS. EVANS: Once again as I did last  week, I'd like to inform everyone that the Community Intervention Center will be holding it's second annual denim drop this Saturday, December 15. Anyone wishing to donate new or even slightly used men's clothing to benefit the homeless in Scranton is asked to bring all clean clothing to the Community Intervention Center at 537 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 noon. A11 clothing collected will go to directly to the homeless in the Scranton area. Items needed most include, but not are not limited to, pants, shirts, socks, and all types of winter clothing. If you have any questions or need further information please contact Jason Griffiths  at 558-7133 or e-mail him at  J6riffithseCommunityinteryentionCenter.ors.  And just one more announcement,  there will be an exit conference concerning    8  1 2 3 4 5 6  the independent city audit for the year 2006 on Wednesday, December 12, that is tomorrow, at 12:30, and the conference, the exit conference, will be presented by  representatives of Robert Rossi and Company.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Anyone  else? Just one more thing, I did talk to Jeff Brazil about Forest Glen Drive and they are there at least 4 or 5 times. He fills it with modified and it keeps sinking. He had the Office of Surface Mines there, it is a - mine subsidence. They are going to try to work it out amongst themselves because surface mines said if they do it, it would  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  take at least a year to repair.  MR. COURTRIGHT: They were there  this week and they did fill it in, it hasn't sunk yet, so they might have gotten it  fixed.  MS. GATELLI: Yeah, it is a  subsidence. A11 right. The first speaker  is Mr. Sbaraglia.  MR. SBARAGALIA: Andy Sbaraglia,  citizen of Scranton. Fellow Scrantonians, 7-C, I brought this up last week, this 501    9  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  project over there, I think it's South Washington Avenue, it's called 501, are they in litigation for bankruptcy? Does anybody  know?  MS. FANUCCI: I know that if they  were in litigation for bankruptcy that they could not comply to get this loan. They would not in compliance so, obviously :  MR. SBARAGLIA: They are in default.  You are taking the loan and you are actually erasing it off the books. Okay. There is subordinate, a subordinate loan to a bank you would never say : you are going to say this loan and say it's - they satisfied it,  and that was $250,000 bucks.  MS. FANUCCI: Right.  MR. SBARAGLIA: Okay, and are they in  litigation? Is this loan being defaulted to  litigation?  MS. FANUCCI: I don't believe  that's :  MR. SBARAGALIA: Or for some other  reason?  MR. MINORA: I think I looked into  that for you last week and explained to you    10  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  that they have personal guarantees. The loan was issued on personal guarantees, sO any individual's personal assets are at risk to pay the loan. The releasing of this property which is being sold at an amount way below what the bank is owed which is in front of the us as far as the loans concerned is virtually meaningless to the city because the sale or foreclosure would amount to a zero in any event. This way it keeps the property on the tax rolls and in a productive capacity and maintains personal guarantees by the people that took out of  is  the loan years ago.  MR. SBARAGLIA: I asked this question  before, if they are selling the building that means you would have to sue to get your money back if they give a personal guarantee, is the city going to sue these  people?  MR. MINORA: The loan is current. MR. SBARAGLIA: Is it completely  satisfied? You said it wasn't satisfied.  MR. MINORA: The loan is current,  it's not in default.    11  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. SBARAGLIA: It's not in default,  but you are satisfying it now so they can  sell the property.  MR. MINORA: No, we are releasing the  property as security for the loan and maintaining the personal guarantees of the  loan.  MR. SBARAGLIA: In other words, they  are still paying on this loan like you said,  in other words?  MR. MINORA: I'11 be glad to talk to  you about it later, you are way past your  two minutes.  MR. SBARAGLIA: I figured that much. MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mr. Quinn? MR. QUINN: Ozzie Quinn, President  of the Scranton Taxpayers' Association. First of all, did you receive, Judy, any comments from PEL on the mayor's 2008  budget?  MS. GATELLI: No.  MR. QUINN: I'm glad because I'm  hoping that they will incorporate Mrs. Evans' budget into the mayor's 2008 budget. The Taxpayers' Association commends    12  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Mrs. Evans for this good, good proposed budget to help the taxpayers in the City of Scranton. You are commended even though, you know, already at the caucus I know it's not going to go anywhere. Okay, last week I was here and I was talking about House Bill 1275 also known as the School Property Elimination Tax of 1970. Our local representatives Shimkus and Smith have not signed on for this here and this will eliminate all school and property taxes forever, okay, and eliminate all debt that school district currently has forever, and it will eliminate the wage tax, the city's wage tax. The city's wage tax will come down 1 percent under this bill.  So, please, the mayor should be  riding the front horse on this here, okay, because this is unbelievable. It's an opportunity to do something to really reduce the people's taxes out there, you know, if you get rid of that school tax which we all know and all of the legislators know is very archaic, okay, and it's not meeting it, they réalize that the sale's tax because it was--    13  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  the idea of the sale tax when it was adopted was to school : fund the schools. Now, that's what they plan on Act 1275 to fund all schools equitably and fairly across the state, the 501 districts equitably and fairly with the sales tax, so please, please arrange a meeting with and help us  taxpayers. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Kay, I meant to ask  you this before the meeting, and he just jogged my memory, I know you met with PEL and I don't know if you have met in the last couple of weeks, but do they have an opinion  on the budget, have they :  MS. GARVEY: No.  MR. COURTRIGHT: : made any mention  of it?  MS. GARVEY: They mentioned here and  there throughout some of the meetings, but  nothing in particular in that.  MR. COURTRIGHT: No approval or  disapproval.  MS. GARVEY: No.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Thank you.    14  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Spindler. MR. SPINDLER: Les Spindler, city  resident. I want to talk about the budget. Mrs. Fanucci, Mrs. Gatelli, and Mr. McGoff, the three of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Last week while you were passing the budget on the Seventh Order to be okayed this week you were okaying a $13,000 raise for two men that sit behind a desk while our brave firemen and policemen were fighting a general alarm fire in the freezing cold temperatures risk their lives, and you are passing along a $13,000 raise for people that don't do anything. It just shows you have a lack of appreciation for these people and you just do whatever the  mayor wants you to do.  Now, I have a comment on some things  the mayor said in the Doherty : Mayor Doherty said, "My budget is fair. If you make cuts she asked for, " meaning  Mrs. Evans, he said, "Maybe it will save a  million dollars."  A million dollars is a lot of money  to the people in this city. He makes it    15  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  sound like it's nothing.  Next thing he says, "When I came in  there were three secretaries and seven janitors." So he cut a few secretaries and a few janitors, but he hired Ray Hayes, he hired Mark Seitzinger and he hired other people along with consultants which comes out to a lot more than a couple of  secretaries or janitors.  He goes onto say, this is the  seventh budget he's produced where as hers, meaning Mrs. Evans : well, Mr. Evans had a good budget last year and the Doherty three wouldn't even look at it and the same is probably going to happen this year. Thank  you.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Bolus.  MR. BOLUS: Good evening, Council,  Bob Bolus, Scranton. It's kind of a shame you only get two minutes to talk about the future of the City of Scranton, but I'm looking at this budget here that I believe Mrs. Evans work right on top has the sale of the golf course, that is using the proceeds, the balance that's left, well, wasn't it    16  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  squandered last year, 1.5 million went down the toilet and now we are going to get rid of the rest, it never accounted for any of the interest on all of the money it accrued. V would definitely be adamantly against any more money from the golf course being done. It's Council's responsibility to guard that money and you didn't do it last year, don't let it happen this year because that belonged to the people. That's what it was put there for and if needs to be in trust then make a motion to put it in trust, that's where you should have put it, you are the guardians of that money, you put it out last year, you put it on the table and you squandered it, it didn't go for any set purpose, any justification. You gave it  away.  As far as this budget, you didn't do  the due diligence here, you didn't represent the unions or the people in the City of Scranton, and this is the whole council. You should have brought the unions here, sat them down publically, put the mayor her, the council here and let us go home, turn 61 on    17  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  and watch who said, she said, and get the real truth instead of hearing this back and forth, back and forth nonsense. It's not a professional way to do it, it's not  representation of the city or the people in this city and I think you are wrong if you pass this budget without doing that first because you are only pointing in one direction. You have many directions in this town. You got KOZ's, you got nonprofits, you have a lot of other areas for revenue. In a time when the whole country is cutting back you people are passing the budget with the mayor to raise it higher. Where are we going? You are taking us backwards. When prudent, intelligent business people world wide are making cuts you people are squandering the future of this city.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MR. BOLUS: And I think you should  think hard on it tonight before that budget  is passed.  MS. GATELLI: Mrs. Franus. MS. FRANUS: Fay Franus. Mrs.  Gatelli? Mrs. Gatelli? Well, let it be on    18  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  the record since everybody has been speaking here that Mrs. Gatelli has been scribbling away up there and not looking at one person when they speak and I'm asking her a direct question that I don't get answered. I'm going to say it again, Mrs. Gatelli, are you not even going to consider Mrs. Evans' budget? Is there anything on there that you  are going to consider?  It think that people elected here as  Thomas Jefferson said, the people get the government that they have and, Mr. McGoff, I might add, bad politicians are elected by people that do not vote, sO the people in Scranton do deserve what they get, the three of you. So, I'm sorry to say that they should have got out and voted differently, but you are a total disgrace to this city. You have nothing to help the people, the mayor has high wages for his high administration and your friends, you are taking care of your friends, your deals, your corruptness, your thievery,  Mrs. Gatelli, Mrs. Fanucci, and Mr. McGoff, and the nerve of you who is supposed to be    19  1 2 3 4 5 6  representing the people in the City of Scranton to look down and not even look up when I'm speaking to you and for you to ignore me when I'm asking you a direct question, you are disgraceful, and it there is too bad that there is not a law that says you cannot hold this office, you should be impeached. It's a disgrace. Mrs. Evans worked sO hard on this budget and you totally ignore it again. She is the only person up there who cares about the people in the city. You, who laugh at the people in thecity and make sure all of your friends and all of your family get taken care of, that's the deal, give Mr. Doherty what he wants and we'11 get what we want from him. Just pass, pass, pass. You do not care for the people you never did.  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MS. FRANUS: Now you're surely say  your time is up, the next person.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Dobson. MS. - FRANUS: You're an ignorant  person.  MR. DOBSON: Good evening, Council,    20  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Dave Dobson of Scranton. As part of our recovery plan I feel we need new voter input. Any plan, good or bad, needs an evaluation from time to time. Six years is a little long when we elect our officials for four years and here we are six years later and nothing is said. I'm not even going to bother to point a finger at anybody. Efforts should be made to settle the union contracts as Democrats or other elected officials, in fact, as Americans we should be concerned with the well-being of each other and not trying to deprive the next guy of something that we don't have. That's what we find in common in situations. Partly we should not assume deficits will not harm us either in the future. If not spent wisely at all times high taxes, low quality service and debt will dog us for years to come and, in fact, drive down the property values and the value of our city  and inhibit population growth.  Cities once considered overbuilt  will come full circle in my opinion and thrive because of their energy efficiency in    21  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  this energy deficit world economy. Please vote to regulate future debt and fairness to all affected parties. Thank you and have a  good night.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  Mrs. Schumacher.  MS. SCHUMACHER: Marie Schumacher.  When I complete I would like Mrs. Evans to explain the basis for the reduction in the parking authority citation issuers and the increase of an animal control officer, a housing inspector and a health inspector. I want you all to know that per the business administrator who I thank for getting answers to some of the questions back for me that I have asked on the budget, the paving of the police parking lot is not in this budget nor is the Veterans' memorial the mayor announced just last month. And then I would like to go back to December 14th the night I believe of the last the budget was passed last year. Mrs. Gatelli said, "I think a small increase is necessary as a permanent revenue to help us get out of the financial hole that we seem to always be in.    22  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  I'm also working for next year on another revenue item that we think can bring in $1.5 million. It's a new rental  registration program. A11 properties will be registered including single family homes that are nonowner occupied. At $100 per vacancy according to the city data, that would have brought in $1.5 million, but, Mrs. Gatelli, I would also like for you to tell me that why that revenue is not in this  budget.  V would also like to go back to  June 21, 2007, where Mrs. Gatelli had a  colloquy with a citizen.  Mrs. Gatelli said, "No, I don't  intend to vote for anymore borrowing.  "THE CITIZEN: Anyway, I just hope  since you put it on the record that you are not going to give anymore money, I'm going  to hold you to that."  "MRS. GATELLI: You can hold me to  that."  Well, there is $11 million worth of  the borrowing in this budget over and above the two TANS so I trust we can hold you to    23  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  the fact that you won't vote for this.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mr.  Hubbard?  MS. EVANS: Mrs. Schumacher, I can  address your questions under motions when I  go through my budget.  MS. SCHUMACHER: You're welcome. MS. GATELLI: Mr. Hubbard.  MR.. HUBBARD: Good evening, Council.  Daniel Hubbard, Mr. Courtright, this is for you. While I was in a meeting with Mr. Parker and Mrs. Fanucci discussing the flood project and the levies Mr. Parker and Id decided to -- I was just discussing flood protection grant program with him, which basically DEP stated that they will reimburse the city up to 50 percent of the cost of purchasing equipment to maintain the existing levies in the city. Mr. Parker said that this grant problem, this grant wasn't necessary to maintain the levies because they put the grass cutting work out to bid. So, if the grass cutting on the levies is being put out to bid by the DPW then why could we need the three guys that    24  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  are getting paid to cut the grass and the levies when they don't actually do it? You know, they are three pretty much useless positions I think in the budget that need to  be cut.  Now, Mr. O'Hora is the assistant  coordinator and he is involved in the project heavily, sO I see him as a necessary part of the flood control office. Anything other than him I see as an unnecessary part of that office at this point. One this is project is done that office probably shouldn't even exist. So, you know, my question is is why are we paying these guys $30,000 a year to do nothing and why is nobody saying anything about it?  Also, one of them drives an F-Ford--  an F-350 from the flood office, and that truck is seen daily on Sanderson and Delaware every morning and every weekend it is parked in the same location, so is a city employee using a city vehicle as a personal car because it's at his house everyday?  Mrs. Fanucci, you can probably turn off  your text messages. Thank you. I'd    25  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  appreciate that. I'd appreciate it.  MS. FANUCCI: I'm not obligated : MS. GATELLI: Mr. Hubbard, that  really is none of your business.  MS. FANUCCI: It really isn't. MR. HUBBARD: It is actually not  city business, therefore :  MS. FANUCCI: Mr. Hubbard, Tet me  answer your question so we can get to  business :  MS. GATELLI: Answer it in motions. MS. FANUCCI: Oh, in motions. Sorry. MS. GATELLI: There is someone else's  whose name is here, I can't understand the  writing.  MS. GATELLI: As a matter of fact,  if in everyone in the audience would put their cell phones on tax instead of ringing  we would appreciate it.  MR. MORGAN: Good evening. I'd like  to talk on 7-B and my first question is 2008 budget proposal by Mrs. Evans, number one, sale of golf course, and I'd like to ask this council in total is this going to be included in the budget? That's my question    26  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  because that's the last of the money from the golf course and I really don't think it belongs there and that's not a personal attack against you, Mrs. Evans, not at all. But, you know, I really didn't waste  any time reading this budget to be truthfully honest with you because these budgets haven't been real for the last 20 years in this city and that's why this city is in the shape it's in. You just have to look at 6-B and 6-A, we are just  borrowing and borrowing and then all through the year we come up with all of these ideas of how we are going to save this city, and  it's just not working.  So, I mean, we have meetings here  that Mrs. Gatelli called where the tax group came and we would have a great start on a new budget and a new direction for the city but, of course, our ideas weren't wanted because we weren't political and we were looking to save the city and to be bluntly honest, I think this council spends too much time in politics and really that's why we are where we are because we are just worried    27  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  about politics and we're not worried about people and I expressed that to Mr. Wayne Evans when he came and he talked about the counties reassessment. There is no reality here on this council at all. I mean, look at the borrowing that is going on here. Look at this budget. We didn't even have an audit and we have a budget. There is something upside down here. Think about it.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Anyone  else?  MS. KRAKE: Good evening, Council.  My name is Nancy Krake and first I would like to thank Mrs. Evans for once again all of her hard work and perseverance on a budget that I'm sad to say I didn't hear many of your colleagues back you on many of the issues. I would like to address some of them now in the short two minutes that we have. First of all, they were not too sold on your idea of three and a half million in delinquent wage tax, they had no problem voting for MRS which is three and a half million for only three years of delinquent real estate. The three and a half million    28  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  collection of delinquent wage tax is based on the fact that delinquent wage tax has not aggressively been collected since at least the years 2004, 5 and 6. When the Single Tax Office, and specifically the auditors, who were not allowed to come here tonight by their boss, Ken McDowell, it was their job last to collect the elinquencies, we had a 1.7 million revenue for '98 through '99, that's in her budget, delinquent : that was the delinquent business tax, excuse me, that's reflected in the budget and we had 1.8 million in the Year 2000 added up from receipts in that office where they could find them because of most of them have been  misplaced quote/unquote.  For delinquent individual wage tax  the circumstances surrounding the collection of these revenues in '98 and 2000 reflect a similar situation we have now, that is to say many years had gone by in which delinquent wage tax had not been  aggressively collected. The three and a half million is a very conservative amount. I think Mrs. Evans, as I'm saying the record    29  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  what you said -- I'17 have to finish after.  Thank you.  MR. GERVASI: Hello, City Council,  here we are again. I'm not surprised, but I was here and attended the caucus beforehand where Mrs. Evans laid out 84 different points in her proposed budget. I heard excuses because I only heard seven or eight of them being spoken about, but I heard your typical PR that comes out of the mayor's office. You know, I have learned not to get mad over this anymore just because I think Mrs. Evans next year when they ask to do this again they should hand you a piece of paper and some rabbit ears and beat your head against the wall because that's all you are going to accomplish. They are under orders from the mayor, that's his budget even though it's $7 million more, even though our debt is going deeper, and I'd just like to ask this council, who many of friends are mine, you know what, I think it's too late to begin with, but somebody has to start soon if it's going to be straightened out the city's problems and if    30  1 2 3 4 5 6  you pass this budget the way it is, the mayor's budget, please don't insult us next year when they knock off 38 firefighters to pay for all of these debts that he created and please don't complain and want to do petitions when firehouses close, and please don't say crime is up and we need more beat cops, and please don't say we need more money for fire trucks which is almost in a crises situation now, and please don't complain that the cops are still driving garbage because all you are doing is what the mayor wants you to do and you know what, there is nothing really you can do until election day, but thanks a lot.  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Mrs. Evans, I want to thank you for  all of the time you put in trying to save the city money and trying to do something prudent, try to raise revenues, try to get different ideas into this budget process, I really feel for you, I really, really feel for you because you might as well beat your head against the wall, it's useless. Thank  you.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else?    31  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. ANCHERANI: Nelson Ancherani, I'm  going to talk on 7-B, the agenda. Since 2001 the majority of city workers are still working at 2001 salary levels. In fairness to these city unionized workers who have endured the six-year wage, freeze and fair being fair, the fair and proper thing to do would to be reduce the selected favorites wages back to 2001. And since we didn't need to create any new positions in 2001 then we don't need them now. In fact, the city did without those newly created positions for decades, so we can do without  them now.  On studying Mrs. Evans' budget,  there is savings just eliminating some of these :- the savings is $785,074. If we eliminate the public safety department, assistant grants manager in the police department, business administration, senior accountant, financial analyst, flood positions, human resources a confidential secretary, information technology, the IT manager, and the network systems manager. Professional services. There is a few    32  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  others, but with two minutes we don't get much to say. How about reductions? It could reduce the salary of the confidential secretary in the mayor's office, the chief of police we can reduce that $14,145. Fire chief, $12,830. City clerk, legal advisor in the clerk's office, controller's office, solicitor, controllers office, confidential secretary, business administration the SPA citation issuers, controller's office, deputy controller, there is so many. Human resources, the director salary reduction $17,000 okay, we'11 get the rest later.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Anyone  else?  MR. DOLPHIN: Council, Dave Dolphin,  city resident/taxpayer. One question is do you feel in your heart that it's fair to give some employees raises and not others because the raises do up the budget and when are you guys going to do something about it? And I think Janet Evans' proposal is very fair and I wish you guys would seriously  consider it. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.    33  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS.  JENNINGS: I'm just here to  thank Mrs. Evans for the hard work that she did on the budget, and also thank her for attempting to try and lower the wage tax, the low to moderate income in this people and for the people who haven't had a raise in six years, everything else is going up  accept our money.  Is sat here and I heard all of the  discussions among everyone and I certainly hope that there is cooperation among the five of you, and I just want to impress upon the five of you how bad the morale in this building is. I know that you don't work here, but I want you to understand that. I know that you are sitting here and you are justifying giving out raises and that's fine, but the morale among these union workers is terrible. You need to help that.  You know how.  MR. JUDGE: How are you doing? John  Judge, city resident, taxpayer, also the secretary for the Scranton Firefighters. I have watched you guys many times on TV and listened to everything that takes place here    34  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  and I always told myself I would never come and speak here, but just to give you a little history of myself, I worked for the police department before I went to the fire department so I kind of know both sides of the public safety here, I have friends on both sides still and I can tell you Mr. Gervasi talks about the morale and the clerical union here, there is no morale left in the police and fire department. You are getting ready to pass a budget that's going to give the police and fire chiefs a 26 percent raise. Think about that, 26 percent raise. Do they deserve a raise? Absolutely. I think they are underpaid for what they should be in comparable to departments around the state, but it's just not prudent for you to be doing that with the way we are strapped at this point.  IV would just hope that, you know, I  understand Mrs. Evans has spent a lot of time preparing this budget, first time I ever looked at it was when I came in and saw it on the seat today, 84 points on there, and I would just hope that you would be at    35  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  least willing to consider some, even if it's a minute amount of money that can go towards helping us with our cause. You know, our cause is to protect the citizens of this community. Our equipment woes that we deal with on a daily basis, if there is something you can find in there to help us. I mean, I think that's what your task to do there, that's why you are elected and placed in those positions, so I would just hope that you look past the political overtones of everything that what happens in this city and see it you can find it in your hearts to do what's right and I'd just like to thank Mrs. Evans for, you know, at least trying and I hope that everybody else will do the same just put forth the same efforts. Thank  you.  MS. SIMMONS: Good evening, Reverend  Kathyrn Simmons, Scranton resident. I came hear tonight to ask that council consider supporting the firemen and the policemen. My only belief is they should receive the 9 percent increase this year and if you are against that you need to go and discuss with    36  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  persons who were present at the humongous fire over in west side last week. Our union members put their life on the line and they didn't stop to ask either chief if they were getting a raise before they tackled the fire which could have been a neighbornood catastrophe. They did their job. Now, let  us do ours, support them.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else? Mrs.  Evans.  MS. EVANS: Good evening. When  Mr. Doherty ran for mayor in 2001 he promised to lower the wage tax among other goals. Tonight I would like to keep Mr. Doherty's promise for him and announce that my budget includes a wage tax decrease. It also eliminates over $6 million in additional borrowing. Mr. Doherty has stated that Scranton is gaining national recognition, undoubtedly and particularly through frequent mentions on a TV comedy, "The Office." However, Scranton is also famous statewide for it's oppressive wage tax of 3.4 percent. If this tax can be gradually lowered we can succeed in not only    37  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  retaining our residents, but also attracting new citizens which will increase our tax  base.  A city resident from West Scranton  spoke to me today about the annual incessant borrowing that the mayor engages the taxpayers in. He told me this, and I thought this was well worth repeating to you tonight, borrowing is the cowards way of increasing taxes. Borrowing is the cowards way of increasing taxes. The borrowed money must be paid, but like future councils and future mayors as well as future generations worry about that, like this learned man I believe that the current council and mayor have the obligation to begin to correct our financial problems now to provide for a brighter financial future for the next generation, our children and our  grandchildren.  And now I'd like to read quickly and  explain briefly my 2008 alternative budget for the record. On the revenue side, the sale of golf course the proceeds from that sale totaling $1.5 million. A collection of    38  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  delinquent wage taxes. I had invited two auditors from the Scranton Single Tax Office in evening to attend a budget caucus of Scranton City Council in order to explain not any private information, but the collection process of the delinquent wage taxes within our city. Mr. McDowe1l forbid these individuals to attend the caucus. Now, I based the projection of $3,550,0000.00 for the collection of delinquent wage taxes on the following: When these taxes were actively,  aggressively collected last in 1988 and 1999 a budget shows revenue of $1.75 million from that effort. In addition, $1.8 million in receipts for individual wage taxes, the $1.75 million I'11 back-pedal for a second, that was coming from business wage taxes. Individual wage taxes delinquent  $1.8 million, and the situation fairly well mirrors what we face today in that delinquent wage taxes have not been aggressively collected in the City of Scranton during the budget years 2004, 5, 6, 7. For some unknown reason that has been    39  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  stopped. Prior to that very little was done in the way of collecting those taxes after the year 2000, so these are not pie in the sky numbers, these are based on hard cold  facts.  In addition to that, PEL recommends  aggressive collecting tax delinquencies. Now, I think we also need to consider that, as I said, these are very conservative numbers that auditors take great confidence in because they do not include the interest and penalty accrued on the years of these delinquencies and, folks, that is  compounded. That was not even included in  the total.  An increase of in lieu of taxes,  $731,750.00. Currently, our state  legislators will be entertaining House Bill 2018. Our local representatives, Mr. Smith and Mr. Shimkus have both cosponsored this bill which would provide financial relief to Act 47 municipalities, specifically, the City of Scranton by means of a state grant. i included a very conservative figure in the hopes that that will be realized within this    40  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  year. I - do believe money is out there to provide for this, and that it certainly is not an issue of such controversy as, for example, a smoking ban which has been languishing in front of our state legislatures for far too long.  In addition to that, the city needs  to take a more aggressive approach to collecting payments in lieu of taxes itself. For example, in Johnstown, and if you will give me one minute to locate that  information, I will read to you briefly what is most pertinent in this situation: "Both Memorial," and that would be a hospital, "and the financially distressed City of Johnstown filed appeals in county courts and the stakes are huge, hundreds of thousands of dollars more to be paid in taxes annually or not by the hospital giant, Memorial is challenging the November 2 decision of the County Board Assessment Appeals to strip the properties of their long-time tax exempt status. Some of the 21 properties are taxed  entirely, some only partially."  Now, this particular hospital had    41  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  already been forwarding payments in lieu of contributions to Johnstown, but Johnston took the bull by the horns in terms of pilot contributions and went to a county  assessor's office and they are fighting this out in Court now because they stand to triple the amount of money that this hospital is voluntarily donating and I believe it's long overdue that the city approach those entities who have never made a payment in lieu of taxes to this city or have not done so in many, many years. It's disgraceful that the small nonprofits contribute annually what they can afford and, granted, they are meager amounts, but they mean a great deal to me, because that small amount turns out to be a large portion of their operating budgets when we have at the same time entities, multi-million dollars entities who escape any payment in  lieu of taxes.  Land payment from the Ice Box  $600,000.00. We have been waiting for that money for years and will probably still be waiting for it when we are all on social    42  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  security.  Scranton Times rental of newspaper  boxes throughout the City of Scranton,  $6,000.  In the mayor's office, confidential  secretary salary reduction for $6,688.00, someone was recently hired to fill the position that the prior secretary had  resigned from.  Public safety, eliminate department,  the department, that is a total of  $150,769.10. PEL itself recommended that no public safety department be created, but what has happened under this administration is not only the creation of the public safety director, which is a duplication of services, if you will, but most recently the creation of a deputy director of public safety as well as secretarial positions. Now, it is my belief that a police chief and a fire chief can very competently handle these duties and those salaries should be increased, but they cannot be when we are spending $150,769.00 for job  creations, unnecessary job creations. Even    43  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  PEL recommends against them.  And, again, I am just going to tell  you one quick story, another person said to me today, her mother's home burned down in 2007 and when she was called that evening about the fire and thankfully, you know, no one was in the home and her mother was already deceased, it was the fire department, Scranton Fire Department who appeared and police officers. There was no public safety director or deputy public safety director and the fire reports she tells me were done by I believe a Mr. Shawn Flynn, and the police, a police officer did the report. Nothing, not in the evening of the fire or at any time afterwards, nothing was run through the Department of Public  Safety vis-à-vis Mr. Hayes.  The difference here is the mayor  believes in downsizing at the bottom, the workers, the people who provide the services to all of us who pay the taxes. I, too, believe in downsizing, but I believe in from  the top. When you have a bloated  administration with untold job creations and    44  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  raise after raise after raise for those individuals over the period of the last six years while this city continues to languish in distressed status, do you realize soon it will be two decades in distressed status? How dare you, how dare you not consider downsizing. What is nonessential7 But, we see quite the opposite. It's going up, up up, the opposite direction each and every  year.  The police department, reduce travel  and lodging, $5,000.00.  Police department, reduce dues and  subscriptions, $500.00.  Police department, reduce  professional services, $1,600.00. That would leave $400 in that account and we still have money left in the dues and  subscriptions accounts.  Police department chief of police  salary reduction, $14,145.66.00.  Police department, eliminate  assistant grants manager, $15,000.00. We have a grants manager, we don't need an assistant to the grant's manager.    45  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  The fire department, fire chief  salary reduction, $12,830.90.  City clerk, eliminate travel and  lodging, $1,000.00. None of us on city council have used that money during fiscal year 2007, and those who have attended conferences have done sO at their own  expense.  The city clerk salary reduction,  $4,000.00, and I have nothing but great rèspect, admiration and gratitude for our particular city clerk, Kay Garvey, who serves everyone on this council  extraordinarily well, but in good conscience I can't selectively choose any one person and say, you may have this, but all of the rest of you, no, you get nothing. That doesn't work in a household, that doesn't work in a school, that doesn't work in a business and that is not working in this  government.  The city clerk, legal advisor salary  reduction, $20,000.00. That is the salary that was paid to the previous solicitor, Attorney Walsh, for a period of two years.    46  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  That had been lowered by the mayor from $40,000 to $20,000, now it's popping back up to 40. If, you know, if that isn't  political maneuvers I don't know what is and it's absolutely nothing against our  solicitor, but, once again, I can't pick and choose who is more worthy of a raise and look into the eyes of everybody else who works so hard day in and day out and say, but, you, you are not worthy. You can work 8, 10 hours a day, you can risk your life, you can serve the people of the city whether it's in a treasurer's office, whether it's in a fire hall or a police department or a cruiser, but you aren't worthy. Your counterparts are everywhere else in Pennsylvania, but you are not? I don't think anyone, anyone with a modicum of intelligence and compassion would be able to  make that statement.  The controller's office, solicitor  salary reduction, $5,200 controller's  office.  Controller's Office, confidential  secretary salary reduction $5,749.00.    47  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Incidentally, this is a new hire because the previous secretary resigned recently.  Controller's Office, deputy controller  salary reduction $5,900.00.  Controller's Office program monitor  salary reduction $900.00.  Controller's officer, performance  auditor's Salary reduction, $5,900.00.  Business administration - travel and  lodging reduction $1,500.00.  Business administration - training  and certification reduction $1,000.00.  Business Administration - SPA citation issuers salary reduction $670,664.00. Now, only five citation issuers are employed by the Scranton Parking Authority at an hourly rate of $12.79. You do the math, folks, it doesn't come out to over $800,000 that we are paying the Scranton Parking Authority. Now, granted, we do have an agreement for on-street parking whereby 10 percent of the revenues realized have to be turned over to the Parking Authority for management of that program, but I suggest to you those of you with common sense what is 10 percent of    48  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  $800,000, is it $800,000? Because that's exactly what we are doing. And I learned tonight from my esteemed colleague that the Scranton Parking Authority is much in need of this revenue. They can't make ends meet without it particularly since this council voted for a $35 million bond issue and thereby pledged your full faith and credit, your taxes, to paying this off. I did not vote for that because I knew it was a very  fiscally unwise move.  MR. MCGOFF; Excuse me, one moment,  Idid not say that.  MS. - EVANS: Well, that was how I took  it, but I'11 let you discuss it under your  motions, Bob.  MR. GATELLI: Don't interrupt, Bob,  please.  MS.  EVANS: No, I'm not saying don't  interrupt, but we do have a good deal to get  through and   MS. GATELLI: No, I asked him not to  interrupt.  MS. EVANS: Okay, but I don't mind  you interrupting. Business Administration    49  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  BA's salary reduction, $8,100.000.  Business Administration - Finance  Manager salary reduction, $4,000.  Business administration - eliminate  Senior Accountant, $37,400.00.  Business Administration - eliminate  financial analyst, $35,00.00. Now, that would mean we are retaining the business administrator and the finance manager, both of whom I feel are most capable, both of. whom are most capable of handling the city's  finances.  Business administration - eliminate  flood positions. I have eliminated those positions at a cost of $158,005.00. It appears that, for example, the person in a full-time position under these : under the category of these flood positions earns half of what the part-time person does and yet no one is really quite sure what any of them do, but in the event that this is essential, h have added in place of the elimination of those flood positions a. flood relocation clerk at the salary of $23,946.00 as compared to the administration costs of    50  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  $158,005.00.  Human Resources - reduce  professional services by $36,000.00. The remainder of that account has been left intact because I do believe it is necessary. Ieliminated $36, for ADP which is a payroll service the city employs. Prior to this administration payroll was done in-house by two payroll clerks who are still in the city's employ. We could very easily and more efficiently, in fact, produce a payroll  and save $36,000.00.  Human Resources - eliminate travel  and lodging, $1,000.00.  Human Resources - Director salary  reduction $17, 100.00.  Human Resources - eliminate  confidential secretary - $32,000.00. Now, within that department three other positions  have been retained.  Information technology - eliminate  IT manager, $55,000.  Information technology - eliminate  network systems manager, $45,000.00.  Information technology : computer    51  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  support specialist salary reduction of $5,000.00. So, I have eliminated two positions and retained one.  Information Technology - eliminate  professional services $40,000.00.  IT - Eliminate dues and  subscriptions, $150.00.  IT eliminate travel and lodging  $2,500.00.  IT - eliminate training and  certification $15,000.00.  Now, those cuts within IT amount to  $157,500. Quite coincidentally in 2007, $155,739.00 has been transferred out of that department into the SPA citation issuers' account, sO it would appear that not only is that department bloated and these dollar amounts are unnecessary, on the other hand, one really has to wonder how all of this has been paid for when the money was siphoned  out and put elsewhere.  City treasurer treasurer salary  reduction, $14,433.00.  OECD there are : let me see, there  is a salary reduction for the executive    52  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  director of $2,884.50.  Eliminate the deputy director,  that's a duplication of services $45,000.00.  Eliminate director of finance and  compliance $49,000.00.  Eliminate one economic development  specialist and keep one, that's a savings of  $32,000.00.  Eliminate the environmental  coordinator, 32,000.00, and the city planner salary reduction of $4,000.00. However, these salaries do not directly impact the general fund. I'm assuming these are HUD funds, in my opinion they can certainly be used toward projects that better address the needs of the people of our city, but, as I said, since they have no direct dollar impact on the operating budget IV would not have been adverse to retaining  any or all of them.  In addition, I eliminated in that  department I believe four positions, but I  kept ten.  LIPS - eliminate deputy director of  safety and conservation.    53  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  LIPS - zoning officer, return to  union with a salary reduction of $6,012.00.  Law Department - eliminate  professional services, $200,000.00.  Law Department - eliminate travel  and lodging, $2,000.  Law Department - eliminate training  and certification, $1,500.00.  Law Department - solicitor's salary  reduction, $7,200.  Law Department - eliminate first  assistance city solicitor $40,000.00. That  was a job creation in 2004.  Law Department - eliminate assistant  city solicitor full-time $36,900. I would be retaining the part-time solicitor.  Law Department - eliminate a  confidential secretary at a salary of $32,000.00, however, I have added one administrative assistant at a cost of $23,946.00. So, again, you can see the differential between the salaries.  Traffic maintenance - foreman's  salary reduction, $6,200.00.  DPW - director's salary reduction    54  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  $25,200.00. Our DPW director no longer performs the duties and responsibilities of the city engineer, hence, it is no longer necessary to pay a salary that has been paid previously for one individual performing two  jobs.  Engineering - city engineer salary  reduction (part-time). I believe $50,000.00 had been plugged into the budget for a new city engineer, it was my hope that perhaps the city could find an individual who may be retired with, of course, a wealth of experience and engineering credentials who might be willing to work for the city on a part-time basis and a salary of $35,000.  DPW/highways - foreman's salary  reduction $6,200.00.  DPW/refuse - foreman's salary  reduction $6,200.00.  DPW/refuse - recycling coordinator  salary reduction $6,200.00.  DPW/Garages - fleet manager salary  reduction $3, 200.000.  Single Tax Office - Tax Collector's  salary reduction $4,150.02.00 and that, of    55  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  course, would come only from the city's portion of the tax collector's salary, we all know the school district pays the other  50 percent.  Single Tax Office - Chief Clerk  salary reduction $4,896.28.  Parks and Recreation - eliminate  travel and lodging $1,000.00.  Parks and Recreation - eliminate  performing arts $12, 500.00, and as I indicated earlier I am a great fan and advocate of the performing arts, however, I do recall that this council forgave a loan to the Scranton Cultural Center in order to provide for the cultural health and benefit  of our citizens.  Parks and Recreation - Capital  Expenditures reduction, $149,800.00. That would leave $14,200.00 in the capital expenditures line item for parks and recreation. I do not believe that we need $100,000 for greenhouse renovations. There is a Nay Aug conservancy which I learned this week is a private nonprofit  organization about whom I can't obtain any    56  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  information, but I'm assuming they are doing all of the fundraising or most of it in conjunction with the recreation authority  for Nay Aug Park.  In addition, some of that money  would go up to Connell Park, I think though it certainly has merit we have been spending a good deal of money in that area and I think really we can afford to downsize that.  Parks and Recreation - Director  salary reduction $10,200.00.  Parks and Recreation - eliminate  parks and recreation specialist, $38,000.00.  Parks and Recreation - eliminate  recreation specialist $38,000.00.  Parks and recreation - eliminate  program manager, $38, 000.00. We have in the mayor's budget five management positions for eight workers. That seems to make absolutely no sense, plus one secretary. I fully believe that the parks and recreation director is more than capable of handling parks and recreation and recreation and  programs.  Contingency - reduction of    57  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  $1.1 million as per Mr. Courtright's request. He had indicated he would like to see that amount of money removed from the contingency where the administration had placed it for the potential settlement of union contracts, and Mr. Courtright felt that until such time as those contracts were settled that money should be not sitting unavailable for other purposes.  That gives us a total revenue of  $9,488,137.80.  On the expenditure's side, and this  is much briefer, I propose to reduce the Wage Tax by 2 tenths of a percent. The city's position of your 3.4 percent wage tax is 2.4 percent. I had proposed to reduce it  to 2.2 percent.  Reduce the 2008 Bond Issuance. I  do  believe in refinancing the 2005 bond series. However, I eliminated the additional $6,013,100.00 in additional borrowing.  Amusement Tax - reverse funding.  The mayor had placed an amount of $100,000 in his proposed budget from the amusement tax and since council has not approved the    58  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  amusement tax I eliminated it from my  budget.  Create Line Item - funding for  Scranton Today $50,000.00. This is the organization that provides the life  proadcasts, live and uncensored broadcast of all government meeting, school district, city, county, and I became very concerned when I heard the county commissioners meeting at which one of the commissioners stated that he would really have to take a look at this because it didn't seem to be a great priority to be funding this in 2008, and so I had hoped that the city would step up to the plate and make up that difference.  In the licensing, Inspection and  Permits Department, add one animal control officer, $24,441.47. I think we all know the animal control officer is overwhelmed and cannot keep up with the number of calls  he receives daily.  Again, in LIPS - add one housing  inspector. Blight has always been a tremendous problem within our city, yet we don't have enough housing inspectors to    59  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  sufficiently address the situation.  LIPS - add one health inspector. We  have only one health inspector who is expected to do a good 5 to 10 Jobs all rolled into one job description and that's physically impossible for any individual to  perform.  Business administration, in that  department where I have eliminated management positions, I added as I noted earlier one administrative assistant two at a cost of $25,586.36. Again, the BA's office, add one flood relocation clerk in place of those jobs that, in fact, no one  can track.  The law department - add one  administration assistant I at a salary of $23,946.35. And, finally, the quick response service, this is what I would call a - value added service, the start up cost is zero dollars. The fire department or rather individuals within the fire department have spoken with state representative Ken Smith who assures them that monies, grants, can be found for the start up costs for this    60  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  program that would so benefit all of the residents of the City of Scranton at zero  cost.  The total expenditures $7,687,881.40  for a surplus of $1,800,256.40. Now, that surplus would be used to in a myriad of ways, for example, if council would have deliberated over items on my budget and decided against them those items could be placed back into the budget and this $1.8 million would cover those costs.  On the other hand, money could be  used to pay down the debt service or the money could have been used for additional tax decreases, the mercantile tax, to help our city businesses, a decrease in the property taxes to help our city residents and senior citizens. That concludes the budget presentation, but I have a bit more.  Ialso wanted to address related issue tonight and that is delinquent property tax collection. Council passed an ordinance in 2007 which I opposed to increase the fines, fees and cost and penalties for the collection of delinquent property taxes.    61  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Now, some members insisted that outstanding delinquent bills would not double or triple if paid fairly quickly thereby avoiding these aforementioned Draconian measures.  I - have an example, maybe it's a  little Christmas story, if you will. I'm not going to name the names of the poor man involved in this, but he received a letter dated November 26, 2007, and I'm assuming this must be from NCC and it's certainly a good thing to get a reminder about your delinquent taxes because the wise thing to do is to pay these off as soon as possible.  Now, the face amount of the  delinquencies for tax year 2004, 5 and 6, $186.77. Now, that $186.77 just became $436.65. How? Well, we tacked on $53.93 for NCC, $160 for legal fees, $7.00 for certified mail fee. A penalty much $28.95  and you come out with $436.65.  Now, the final statement in the  letter sent to this 88-year-old man was this: The attorney fees and additional costs can be avoided if the delinquent amount is paid within 30 days from the date    62  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  of this letter. That's a good offer, a generous offer, sO this elderly man accompanied by his nephew went immediately to NCC to pay his $186.77 according. to what had been written in the letter. They were refused that payment. NCC will accept nothing but $436.65 which I told you includes legal fees, and if this amount is not paid by December 26 he will now owe,  December 26, 2007, $2,036.00.  That's what this council has done,  and I think it's why sometimes you need to put yourself in somebody else's place and think about what you are doing and who are  you hurting.  Finally, Kay, I'd like a letter sent  to Mr. Baker of the Scranton Housing Authority acquiring a definition for the word advance. The $900,000 received by the city from the SHA is listed as an advance in the mayor's budget, so I would like to know specifically this is an advance on what payments or items and, further, from what source was the $900,000 taken, was there a surplus in the housing authority, was a loan    63  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  taken out possibly and I would request a response on or before December 18, 2007.  That's it.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mrs.  Fanucci.  MS. FANUCCI: Obviously we are going  to address Mrs. Evans' budget, which happens to be : well, it's about 96 percent exactly the same as it was last year, so I know that everyone was concerned about how much time we gave it to look at the budget, but really the numbers have only changed. She brought everyone back to the salary, all of the cuts  she brought back to 2002 which,  coincidentally, is the same time that the unions have not been able to settle their contracts, also. I understand the reasoning behind it, I understand that she is saying I don't believe anyone should have anymore money, the unions didn't get their money, the administration should not get their money. I don't want to go back to 2002 in Scranton. I - don't want to be there again. When I look around this city and I see where we are now and where we came from I don't    64  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  want to be back there again. The money that was saved in this we will be spending. We will be spending. We would be spending on not complying with a lot of our already  commitments that we have.  We will go to the garage, the SPCA,  the money that we are saving from them will make us default on the bonds and, therefore, we will still owe money, this is not going to save us any money. We are going to spend a lot of money on attorneys, attorneys to defend the Ice Box because they came before us saying that they would spend $33,000 a year and pay us, council turned them down. They went back to their original contract and I believe it might be a dollar a year. They have it. We will have to fight that to get the money, so that is nothing but a wish list. It's a wonderful wish list and I hope some day we do receive that, but as to plan for it, it's like planning to win the  lottery.  The collection of delinquent wage  tax, I'm only going to address the big budget items because, quite frankly, the    65  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  other ones are not worth addressing again, I  did that last year.  MS. GATELLI: Excuse me, but could  you please be quiet in the audience?  MS. FANUCCI: The collection of  delinquent wage tax, we would have to know that people are making 150 million dollars more so that we can get the amount of money we need to get out of them for that proposed wage tax. Collection has to be done. We would need the compliance of not only the owners and the business owners as much as the workers to both say, yes, I've been getting money and they're both going to have to say, yeah, yeah, I've been paying this guy and we have not been paying our wage tax. You know, Pennsylvania has a hard time doing it, and yet Scranton is going to take it on, and do I believe we should take it on, absolutely, let's get the money, but am I ready to put it in a budget, no way.  The flood coordinators, we need the  flood coordinators, we had to have them to be able to secure our bonds. It's sort of like OECD a certain amount of money you take    66  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  out you have to have the coordinator is part of the deal, they need them in there to secure it. You want to get rid of them, fine, you default on your bond and you owe the money. Where is that money going to come from? So a lot of these have not really : you know, the parks and recreation, another one, do I want to go back to where we were with parks and rec? No way. And I understand that not everybody wanted improvements in the park, it is the number one reason businesses look at, how is your entertainment, how is your parks and rec. The first thing that they look at when they are coming here, that's it. First number one thing, whether you like it or not it's the first thing, and there aren't a lot of business owners out in the audience, so maybe that's why you don't understand.  Also, the increase in lieu of taxes, great, go for it, I'd love an increase in lieu of tax. Is it necessary, like, are we definitely getting it? Do we know who is going to pay us? Can we budget it? This is like saying I am going to spend all of this    67  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  money in my house, but I really don't know where it's coming from. I want it to be there and I'm hoping it's going to be there, but now I just caught out of the lawyers out who are going to help me get it because they  have all been cut.  Let's go to professional services.  Professional services are lawyers who obviously we hire to go after whatever lawsuits we have going on. Maybe it's a union contract, maybe it's something else. They also are in charge of our health care, and I want to make sure I get this right, the health care and worker's comp out of professional services. So, does that mean that we should not have that either? Should we not worry about professional services? Well, of course, Dave, of course you think so, of course, you are a union guy. I would  believe that.  MS. GATELLI: Please.  MS. - FANUCCI: What? I don't have any  statements here. Okay, let's just put it what it is, this is wonderful for 24 percent of the people who voted for the recovery    68  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  plan. This is great for you guys. This is your budget and I am so happy that you have it and I think you deserve it, but for the 76 people who voted for the recovery plan all we have to do is stick with where we came from and let's go to2002 in that  department.  We voted PEL three times tonight,  let's go there and let's take our time and say, okay, cap the health care, there is our $5 million. Let's sit down, let's settle our contracts. I want the contracts settled, you want the contracts settled, none of us here do not feel that way. This is not against the unions. This is not against anyone in the city. We all want to have our people happy and we want the contracts settled. I will state that from now until they are done, but it is not our fault the contracts aren't settled, it is not the union's fault that the contracts aren't settled and it is not the  dministrations. They need to sit down and come to terms, that's what unions and administration do. It's a battle. That's    69  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  what's going to happen and it's going to happen until it's finished and signed, sealed and delivered. It will not stop until both sides are happy. That is life. That is what you work for. That is why you  have your union representatives.  Am I going to stop and shut down the  entire city because of it and not function? OECD we will not comply : if we fire those people and eliminate these positions we will not comply with what OECD needs us to be. We will lose over a million dollars of money that will be invested in our area, so we won't have to worry, I mean, we really won't have to worry because no one will be able to invest the money, but that's another thing, they are jobs that are compliance for each person who has a position there, there is a reason they have a position. We are cut down from when Mayor Connors had the administration we are cut down a lot in OECD. Would I love to say, okay, we'17 eliminate three positions and pave more streets? Yes. But, guess what, it's going to cost us. It's going to cost us a lot    70  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  more money than the positions we are paying. I am not going to sit here and give this more than really it deserves. I understand, I don't see where all of the work went in, I have to say that. I mean, last year's budget was exactly like this year's budget except we took everybody to 2002. In fact, every highlighted area I have are last year's same exact things as  last year.  MS. EVANS: Mrs. Fanucci, I took it  back to 2002 last year so obviously :  MS. FANUCCI: No, no :  MS. EVANS: You don't even see the  similarities.  MS. FANUCCI: Actually, I sat down  for the last four days and sat down with every - that's not true with your last year's budget and this year's budget so  that's not accurate again.  MS. EVANS: Well, I think :  MS. - FANUCCI: This is : is this not  my time to talk? Didn't we just start with motions? Yeah, we did. We talked about motions and how you should -- yeah. Yeah.    71  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  This is -- I'm not going to sit here and fight with Mrs. Evans over this. We know that some people can't work together. This should have been something that council has been sitting down doing together for a year, but we never were privy to any of this until two days ago. And you know what's funny? Oh, well, I was -- I actually had last year's budget. If I knew I would have just went over that, but instead of working together for the past year I don't know who was working on the budget with you this year, last year I believe Mr. Pilchesky had some say, I'm not sure this year, you know, so I'm not sure this year if he helped you, but this to me is bogus and it is bogus outside of this room and I understand I am sitting here with all of the fans and there is not one person who doesn't get up there that doesn't praise you and I think it's wonderful, but this is not good for our city and, in fact, I never want to be in this place, wherever this is, I don't want to be  there.  MS. GATELLI: Excuse me for one    72  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  minute. Excuse me, I would just like to say that everyone must respect everyone speaking. We don't all have the same opinion and that's okay, but please don't laugh and ridicule the people who are  speaking here.  MR. GERVASI: You can't help, it,  it's funny.  MS. GATELLI: You are not to do that. MS. SPINDLER: We can laugh.  MS. GATELLI: And you are going to be  asked to leave the chambers if you continue.  MR. GERVASI: Are we asked to leave? MR. SPINDLER: We have a right to  laugh.  MS. FANUCCI: I said before, I don't  want to think like any of you who are sitting out there right now. I want to think like the people at home who are working, who are making this city a better place, not the people who come in here for their own personal agendas. You are not the majority. The silent majority is home right now knowing what we are know which is stick with the recovery plan, we voted for it, and    73  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Iw will continue to push that issue.  For some reason in this forum and  other forums we believe that using words and bashing people are the only way to get what we want instead of working to do something productive. Productive does not happen here, I have been here for almost two years now, I have not seen productive, what I have seen is hate, people spewing their venom, meeting out in the hall like little - it's hysterical, it's almost a joke, and when people say at home that they watch this for a laugh I get it. It is, and I said it before it was Jerry Springer, Jerry Springer  would never go this low.  Last week I want to say one thing  also, somebody got up and said what was going on, we had some disgusting, disgusting behavior last week and some words, but somebody got up and said they are just words that somebody said. They are just words. Well, just words start most wars. Just words make some young wonderful little girl take her own life because of what was happening on the Internet. Just words could    74  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  have stopped Columbine. Just words. Use your words wisely. Be someone to stand up and be proud of what you can say. Don't use it in the other way and then wonder why  nobody listens.  I am finished with listening to  those just words. I'm going to listen to the people who want to help in a genuine real way, and that is it what I hope for all of you when you leave this forum tonight and you go to your family holidays that you sit there and think if I am going to be productive and I want to be productive I'm going to come back here and do something together, together, and not spend your time making sure agendas are taken care of, and  that is all I have.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Just a couple of quick  things on what was presented in terms of alternative budget. Just to reiterate, on the revenue side I count the first four items amount to $6,350,000 in revenue of which much of it is questionable as to whether it could be received, some of it is    75  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  I think impossible and some of it is I think impractical. Now, that doesn't mean that, you know, some of that would not be realized, but I don't think that out of those four items we'1l realize $6,350,000 and if you can't then the three little over $3 million that's realized from reductions in eliminations would certainly not be sufficient to find the expenditures that are  listed.  I think there are a number of things  that could possibly have been considered, certainly that the collection of the delinquent wage tax is one thing that is interesting. I - don't know that there is three million, you know, three and a half million dollars worth of delinquent taxes out there to collect, but I would certainly be in favor of making some kind of motion that we pursue the collection of delinquent wage taxes, not to put it into the budget necessarily as revenue, but some motion to, you know, an aggressive collection of that delinquent wage tax with whatever is collected being used against our debt    76  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  service at the end of the year, you know, to reduce that. Again, not knowing what we could collect from that it's -- I think it's difficult to include that as part of the revenue, but certainly we should pursue the collection of the delinquent wage tax.  The other thing that I did want to  mention was the elimination of the public safety department and I think that that is an important department in our city, the coordination of the efforts that go on in the department do provide for the safety and security of, you know, our citizens dealing with crime, fires, blight, and other issues are important and I think the expenditure for the public safety department is well worth the expenditure for the department and would, you know, in no way support the  elimination of that department.  Other items that I know I am  somewhat on record as saying that I believe that, you know, there was a need for elimination of some positions or, you know, downsizing of city government, and I do believe that, but I believe that the way to    77  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  accomplish that is through attrition and retirement and not through the elimination of people's jobs and their livelihood, and I believe that not only for, you know, what's listed here but I also believe it for a union positions as well. I don't believe that there should be an elimination of jobs other than through attrition or retirement.  And, on the other hand, with that said, 1 think that we did have before us or we have before us a budget that offers no tax increase, with minimal borrowing and I think it's a plan that has merit and I obviously am in favor of it and thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  Mr. Courtright.  MR. COURTRIGHT: I'11 just speak  briefly on the budget, we went line by line and everybody had their opinion. During the caucus I probably expressed my opinion more than most on Mrs. Evans' budget. I stated what I liked about it and what I didn't like about it. The things that I liked about it there doesn't seem to be enough people on this council who go along with me so    78  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  obviously they are not going to be  implemented and that's the way it goes and there is not much I can do about it. I will give her credit for taking the time to go over it. Finances are a difficult thing and sometimes even difficult to understand, but, anyway, we'11 see tonight what happens with our vote and you will all get to see  firsthand how it goes.  Mr. Hubbard handed me this paper  here that when I first look at it, it looks like a good deal for the city. There is a program here to pay for a lot of the work that's being done on flood control for the jobs that will be remaining in the budget and what I'11 do is I will turn this over to Kay and I believe he said he gave it to Mr. Parker, so I imagine that -- I would expect Mr. Brazil would have this, I'17 give  this to you after.  As far as who is using the city  vehicle, I didn't even know they had any city vehicles down there, I can ask you to check, also, with Mr. Brazil to see if somebody is using a city vehicle from there    79  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  and if they are using it for personal use, obviously, that's a no-no. Can we check who it is, I had no idea who does have a city  vehicle in the flood control.  Yesterday and today I got two  separate calls, one was about barricades, and I don't think that we have, and I know you've got an awful lot to do, Kay, maybe I will come in and try to write something myself, they asked me if there is anything on the books or the ordinances stating that the barricades have to have reflectors or lights on them because I believe it was downtown here, maybe Franklin Avenue or somebody said there is barricades up, the police officer is shaking his head, yes, somewhere downtown here I don't know if somebody hit it or almost hit it, there is no reflectors or no -- I - don't know, there used to be flashing lights on them, I'17 try to do that if you can point me where I look for the ordinance I'11 do it myself, but I don't know the answer to that. If somebody does maybe they can call me and let me know. The paving of the police department    80  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  lot, Mrs. Schumacher, I believe we sent a letter on that, didn't we, Kay, and I didn't get a response. Can we check and see who we sent to and I'11 call them and jog their  memory a little bit.  The other call and, you know, Mrs.  Evans when you brought this up I wasn't listening to you I was reading the budget, so I don't know what you said, I heard a figure of $900,000, I got a call right after our last council meeting about this and I haven't been able to find anymore out about it and I guess I got to maybe talk to the housing authority, this person that called me lead me to believe that that $900,000 has to do with something for the management of Park Gardens they are telling me. Yeah, I don't know that's what they are telling me. They are saying that that money might come out of the management of Park Gardens and  they said back in the Connor's  administration that the housing authority used to give money to them, the city, something to do with Park Gardens and I'm clueless as to what they are talking about.    81  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  I guess I will -- I C don't know who is in charge over there, who is it, Billy Eagen, I don't know. I'11 ask them myself, but there  is :  MS. GATELLI: Ask Baker.  MR. COURTRIGHT: I can ask Mr. Baker  guess, but they are saying something about the $900,000 has something to do with the management of Park Gardens and that's how they got the money to use, so I couldn't grasp what they were trying to tell me, maybe I'm not knowledgeable enough in that respect, but I believe that's all I have.  Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you,  Mr. Courtright. I just have a few comments on the budget. If you were here for the part of the caucus I was against the sale of the golf course, the rest of that money. I thought that we should save it for the union  settlements which I hope will be forthcoming. I do understand that the police were very close, but something happened and it was squashed, so I don't know if I have the right information, but    82  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  some police officers were working on it and were very close. I also knew some of the details of this settlement and someone put the kabash to it, I don't know who, but that's what I heard on that issue. I C don't know if it's true or not, but that's what I  was told.  As far as the collection of the  delinquent wage tax, I agree that we should collect that, absolutely, and I said that in caucus, but I'm afraid to put that among the money in there because we are not sure, you know, it's just a figure, I don't have any paperwork to show where it came from and I do believe there is something there and, like I stated before, if the people in there were told not to collect that amount then we need to do an investigation of that whole tax collector's office and I would certainly  be in favor of that.  The increase in lieu of taxes, I do  believe that we will get something if that house bill passes, however, I'm not too confident in the House of Representatives or the Senators in the state, they are very    83  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  slow to move any kind of legislation, so I'm not quite sure that that will come in time  for this budget either.  The land payment from the Ice Box we  are offered the money, I do believe that I was the person that voted, no, also. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty confident that I voted, no, and I wish that I could take that vote back because now we are not going to  get anything.  The Scranton Times newspaper boxes,  I don't know that we can charge them. I think that we would have to do some type of a zoning change or a fee to allow people to put their boxes around the telephone poles, they are not the only ones that I see around telephone poles and I don't even like the looks of them for the esthetics of the community, but I guess they are allowed to be there from Mrs Jennings said. Do they  pay a fee, Mrs. Jennings?  MS. JENNINGS: What?  MS. GATELLI: Do they pay a fee for  those boxes at all or do they get any kind  of permission?    84  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. JENNINGS: Not that I know of. MS. GATELLI: So, we need to look  into if anyone can write a letter to the officer and attorney to check into that and also those boxes that they put the clothes in, I read a disenheartening article about that. So, anyway, those first several items are really the crux of the budget. The rest is, you know, elimination of almost whole departments which I don't agree with. I do also want to keep the public safety department, I fought hard for that when Mayor Connors was here for PEL to keep it, and the information technology, you know, I don't think we can go backwards there with computers. OECD I believe that when I worked there there was 20 people, you know, now there is only 10 or 11, and it is very cumbersome over there, although, it does not  affect the budget.  Some of the salary cuts were part of  last year when some of the people gave up 5 percent of their salary, I know it's back to  2002, is that it?  MS. EVANS: Um-hum.    85  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: But a small portion of  that would have been what they gave up last year. Parks and Rec, I like what's happening in the parks I like the Sunday bands and the performing arts, so I wouldn't do anything else in parks. I know that with all of the development up at Connell Park I don't go over there very often, but when I do go there are a lot of children and football league and we do have three housing projects that are feeding that park of very low income children from the three projects, and I would like to keep that up there so that they have a place to play, and there is really nothing else that jumps out at me  right here.  Idid talk to : it was funny that  Mr. Schumacher brought about the rental registration because Wayne Evans and I were just discussing that today and it's just stagnant, they don't have the wherewithal to register the properties and Wayne and I are going to make that a priority especially Wayne with the Neighborhood Association and the project going on in South Scranton. So,    86  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  yes, that is a problem, that is a very large source of revenue, we just have to get it  done.  Just because the budget, and I am  going to be voting for the mayor's budget, and just because I vote for the budget does not mean I'm against the unions. I C don't understand why that's always part of the equation that if you vote for this you are against the unions. The union contracts are not going to be settled in city council chambers. We are not the negotiating team. The mayor knows and we have all said it in the paper, I think every single one of us have said that we want the contracts settled. Can we sit down and settle them? No. Because if we could I'm sure all of us would, so I don't know why that's always equated with if you vote for the budget or if you stick with the mayor then you must hate the unions because that's not how I  feel.  I am a union member myself. I am a  steward in my union and I have never voted against a union contract. There may be    87  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  people that have voted against union contracts, but I'm not one of them and I never will vote against a union contract while I sit up here. I have fought for the unions, I have had them at my home and I don't want them in any way, shape or form to think that I don't appreciate what they do because I certainly do, but we up here are not in a position to settle these contracts. We can send the mayor another letter, we can  tell him we want to.  Imet with Jay Schreiber and the  mayor several weeks ago, Dave and I are going to go to Bethlehem and see what's going on down there with the fire. So, yes, we do want the contracts settled, but I'm not going to vote for a budget when I don't know where the revenue is coming from, I'm  uncomfortable about that.  And I appreciate Mrs. Evans doing  that, and I think that we should definitely look at that 3.5 million because if it's that's really there that's really scary that they are not doing their job and if they were told not to do it that's even scarier,    88  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  so I do appreciate that that's in there and that's a tremendous amount of money, 148 million dollars worth of wages that aren't reported and aren't collected is frightening, so we will pursue that.  We will work on the rental  registration, I promise, Mrs. Schumacher, and there are so many things when you are on council to think about that sometimes some of the things you forget about. We all have full-time jobs except Mr. Retirement over there, and it is difficult, you know, you expect a lot of us and you should because you elected us. to represent you, but you must remember that we all have full-time jobs, we have families, we have other commitments, and it's not always easy to just focus on something and every week it's a - different focus, so, you know, you lose your train of thought sometimes, I don't know if that's happens to you, but it happens to me, maybe that happens when you are 56, but it's certainly going downhill. The senior moments are becoming more  frequent, but, you know, it's hard to try to    89  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  do a job up here and know everything when you work full-time. It is very, very difficult, so just bear with us and I hope that you can see where some of us are coming  from. Thank you. Mrs. Garvey.  MS. GARVEY: FIFTH ORDER. NO  BUSINESS AT THIS TIME.  SIXTH ORDER. READING BY TITLE -  FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 142, 2007 - AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF FIVE MILLION $5,000,000.00) DOLLARS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON KNOWN AS TAN SERIES A, AWARDED TO THE COMMUNITY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY; DETERMINING THE FORM AND TERM OF SAID NOTE; AWARDING SAID NOTE; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE FILING OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS; AND DIRECTING THE PROPERTY OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO TAKE ANY AND ALL OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF SAID  NOTE.  MS. GATELLI: You have heard Reading  by Title of 6-A, what is your pleasure?  MR. COURTRIGHT: I move that Item 6-A    90  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  pass Reading by Title.  MS. FANUCCI: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and sO moved.  MS. GARVEY: 6-B. READING BY TITLE  FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 143, 2007 - AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF A NINE AND ONE HALF MILLION $9,500,000.00) DOLLARS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON KNOWN AS TAN SERIES B, AWARDED TO COMMUNITY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY; DETERMINING THE FORM AND TERM OF SAID NOTE; AWARDING SAID NOTE; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE FILING OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS; AND DIRECTING THE PROPER OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO TAKE ANY AND ALL OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF SAID  NOTE.    91  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: You have heard Reading  by Title of Item 6-B, what is your pleasure?  MR. COURTRIGHT: I move that Item 6-B  pass Reading by Title.  MR. MCGOFF: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? MS. EVANS: Yes. From what I have  heard reported on at least the radio, Luzerne County has a tax anticipation note which is due in December, of course, there is a great controversy over whether that's going to be paid or not, but setting that aside it's a $10 million TAN and the City of Scranton has $9.5 million TAN and this is a TAN for the second half of the fiscal year and that is typically the time when the greatest amount of taxes and revenue are going to come rolling in, sO it just seems a bit unbalanced here that the City of  Scranton would be taking out a mere $500,000  less than all of Luzerne County.  MS. - GATELLI: Also, though, I heard  that Luzerne County is borrowing 90 million.  MS. EVANS: Well, that's not much  more than us either because we have    92  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  passed :- we have surpassed that. I mean,  we have 70 :  MS. GATELLI: I mean in one shot. MS. EVANS: : we had $74 million in  one shot in 2003.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else? A11  those in favor?  MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye. MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed?  MS. EVANS: No.  MS. GATELLI: The ayes have it and so  moved.  MS. GARVEY: 6-C. READING BY TITLE -  FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 144, 2007 - AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF THE REAL ESTATE AND IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED AT 515-537 ORCHARD STREET IN THE CITY OF SCRANTON OWNED BY THE SCRANTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO THE CITY OF SCRANTON.  MS. GATELLI: You have heard Reading  by Title of Item 6-C, what is your pleasure?  MR. COURTRIGHT: I move that Item  6-C pass Reading by Title.    93  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. - FANUCCI: Second.  MS. - GATELLI: On the question? A1l  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. GARVEY: 6-D. READING BY TITLE -  FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 145, 2007 - AN ORDINANCE RENAMING THE EMERGENCY AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES TAX, AMONG OTHER CHANGES, BY AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 78, 2007; AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL 10, 2006; AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL 95 OF 2005 WHICH IN TURN AMENDED FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 9, 1976 TO APPEAL AN REENACT, TO THE EXTENT  INCONSISTENT, A NEW ORDINANCE TO BE CALLED  THE LOCAL SERVICES TAX.  MS. GATELLI: You have heard Reading  by Title of 6-D, what is your pleasure?  MR. COURTRIGHT: I move that Item 6-D  pass Reading by Title.  MS. FANUCCI: Second.    94  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. FANUCCI: I'd like to make a  motion to suspend the rules and move items Sixth Order to Seventh Order for final  passage.  MR. MCGOFF: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? MS. EVANS: Yes, why are we doing  that?  MS. FANUCCI: Because we   MS. GATELLI: Because we are going to  be passing the budget tonight and if we pass the budget then are not going to have a  meeting next week.  MS. EVANS: Oh, so we are going to do  this sO we won't have a meeting next week?  MS. FANUCCI: Well, if the budget MS. - EVANS: In case we don't -- I    95  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  personally think we should be meeting next week. We have missed more than enough meetings in the last year. I see no  reason :  MS. GATELLI: Well, a far back as I  can remember once the budget was passed  Council recessed.  MS. FANUCCI: Right. I actually  have a motion on the floor, I have a motion  on the floor.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else on the  question? Someone want to second the  motion?  MR. MCGOFF: I did.  MS. FANUCCI: We did have a second on  it.  MS. GATELLI: A1l in favor? MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye. MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed?  MS. - EVANS: No.  MS. GATELLI: The ayes have it and  so moved.  MS. GARVEY: SEVENTH ORDER. 7-A.    96  1 2 3 4' 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS - FOR ADOPTION - FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 138, 2007 - AUTHORIZING THE VACATION OF A PORTION OF THE RIGHT OF WAY KNOWN AS THE 700 BLOCK OF FOREST COURT LOCATED BETWEEN THE400 BLOCKS OF GIBSON STREET AND PINE STREET.  MS. GATELLI: What is the  recommendation of the Chair on Public Works?  MR. MCGOFF: As Chair for the  Committee on Public Works, I recommend final  passage of Item 7-A.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  this favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Roll call, I'm sorry. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS.  EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.    97  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-A legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-B. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - FOR ADOPTION -  FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 140, 2007 -  APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT FOR THE PERIOD COMMENDING ON THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY 2008 TO AND INCLUDING DECEMBER 31, 2008 BY THE ADOPTION OF THE GENERAL CITY OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE  YEAR 2008.  MS. GATELLI: What is the  recommendation of the Chair on Finances?  MS. EVANS: As Chair for the  Committee on Finance, I do not recommend  Item 7-B.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MR. MINORA: Just so, I know I have  said this before, a yes is a no and a no is a yes when there is a mayor recommendation.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? MS.  EVANS: Yes. I - just wanted to    98  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  respond to some statements that were made earlier. First of all, my budget does not shut the city down in any way, no department  was wiped out.  MS. FANUCCI: IT.  MS. EVANS: This city  no, it  wasn't wiped out, it still had an employee and it still had a budget. Now, as I said, city government would continue to operate only in a leaner, more efficient more cost effective way. Number two, I would disagree with the statement that when a business is looking to relocate into Scranton a park is what's most important to them. Actually, it is not, it is the school system and it is the amount of taxes that are levied in the area that are the determining factors in a movement of a company into a city because it's looking out for it's employees as well as itself in terms of the tax structure.  As for the work required on a  budget, until you have constructed a multi-million dollar budget, and I have done it three times, until you have gone through that process I really think you should    99  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  refrain on make being derogatory comments about the effort and time required to do so. Also, I guess it is I who is being accused of not playing nice and, well, if that means that I don't take my orders from the office downstairs that's true, because I take my orders from the people of the city and when you talk about a recovery plan you are talking about a small percentage of people who voted, the vast majority of the residents of this city never even went out to vote on that plan, and they all look for  representation, too.  But most of all what I wanted to say  is as much as, you know, you can say, "I don't want to go back, I don't want to go back in time," financially I do because in 2002 the city had a $3.9 million surplus and it was not three-quarters of a billion dollars in debt, so can I look at 2002 and say, oh, those were the good old days, oh, yes, they were. And you know what, we then were on other way to having distressed status lifted. With all that's transpired in the interim years you are not going to    100  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  see that happen any time soon and I don't care how many contracts you want to settle because it's never, and how many departments you want to downsize, that is never going to amount to the debt that we are in now, it's  just not going to do it.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else on the  question?  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci.  MS. FANUCCI: No.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: No.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. MS. GATELLI: No. I hereby declare  7-B legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-C. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 189,2007 - APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A MORTGAGE SATISFACTION, CONCERNING A CITY OECD COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL LOAN WITH 501 SOUTH    101  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  WASHINGTON AVENUE ASSOCIATES, LLC.  MS. GATELLI: What is the  recommendation of the Chair on Community  Development?  MS. FANUCCI: As Chairperson for  Committee on Community Development, I recommend final passage of Item 7-C.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: Roll call, I'm sorry. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-C legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-D. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY TEH COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 190, 20078 - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR    102  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH THOMAS J. MCLANE AND ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES RELATING TO THE LAND UPON WHICH THE FORMER ORCHARD STREET POST OFFICE WAS  SITUATED.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-D.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-D legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-E. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 191, 2007    103  1 2 3 4 5 6  AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE AND APPLY FOR A GRANT FOR HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (DCED); ACCEPTING THE GRANT IF THE APPLICATION IS SUCCESSFUL; AND COORDINATING THE USE OF THE GRANT FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT TO. BE NAMES AS "HARRIET BEECHER STOWE" THROUGH THE UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY (UNC).  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. - GATELLI: What is the  recommendation of the Chair on Community  Development7  MS. FANUCCI: As chairperson for the  Committee on Community Development, I recommend final passage of Item 7-D.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second. MS. GATELLI: Roll call. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. - COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.    104  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I - hereby declare  7-E legally and lawfully.  MS. GARVEY: 7-F. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO 192, 2007 - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE AND ENTER INTO AN ASSIGMMENT AGREEMENT AUTHORIZING THE ASSIGNMENT OF ALL RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES UNDER THE PRIVATE POLICE CRUISER LEASE OF OFFICER SCOTT MORAN  TO OFFICER MICHAEL MARINO.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-F.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.    105  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I - hereby declare  7-F legally and lawfully adopted.  CONSIDERATION  MS. GARVEY: 7-G. FOR  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 193, 2007 ACCEPTING THE GIFT  OF A POLICE VEHICLE, VIN NUMBER  FMPU16L/YLC35415 FROM POLICE OFFICER SCOTT MORAN FOR USE IN THE CITY'S FLEET PURSUANT TO A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND  OFFICER MORAN.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-G.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. - EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.    106  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I h hereby declare  7-G legally and Tawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-H. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 194, 2007 - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE AND ENTER INTO A LEASE/POLICY AGREEMENT WITH OFFICER SCOTT MORAN GOVERNING THE USE OF OFFICER MORAN'S "PRIVATE CRUISER"  AS DEFINED HEREIN.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-H.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. - FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.    107  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I - hereby declare  7-H legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-I. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 195, 2007 - APPOINTMENT OF MARK SEITZINGER, 1112 COLUMBIA STREET, SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18509, TO THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF LICENSING,  INSPECTIONS & PERMITS, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 3, 2007. MR. SEITZINGER WILL BE REPLACING STUART RENDA, WHO TOOK ANOTHER POSITION WITH  THE CITY.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-I.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second. MS. GATELLI: On the question? MS. EVANS: Kay, did we ever receive  a response to that letter requesting the certifications of Mr. Seitzinger?  MS. GARVEY: No, we didn't.    108  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: We'11 get it. I'11  call someone. Kay, if you remind me to call tomorrow. Anyone else on the question?  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. - EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-I legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-J. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 196, 2007 - APPOINTMENT OF JOHN GRANAHAN, 1504 PRICE STREET, SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18504, AS A MEMBER OF THE SCRANTON LACKAWANNA HEALTH & WELFARE AUTHORITY. MR. GRANAHAN WILL BE REPLACING VICTOR J. GIAMBRONE, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31, 2007. MR. GRANAHAN'S TERM WILL    109  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2012.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-J.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I - hereby declare  7-J legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-K. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 197, 2007 - APPOINTMENT OF FATHER PATRICK L. ALBERT, 516 ORCHARD STREET, SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18505, AS A MEMBER OF THE SCRANTON PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD. FATHER ALBERT WILL BE REPLACING FATHER    110  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MICHAEL HARRIS, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31, 2007. FATHER ALBERT'S TERM WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2012.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-K.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-K legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-L. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 198, 2007 - REAPPOINTMENT OF JAMES J. THOMAS, 34 FOREST GLEN DRIVE, SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18504 AS A MEMBER OF    111  1 2 3 4 5 6  THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. MR. THOMAS' CURRENT TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31, 2007 AND HIS NEW TERM WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31,  2011.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  I recommend final  Committee on Rules, passage of 7-L.  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-L legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-M. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION RESOLUTION NO. 199, 2007 - REAPPOINTMENT OF JAMES SCANLON, 929 RICHMONT STREET,    112  1 2 3 4 5 6 / 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18509, AS A MEMBER OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION. MR. SCANLON'S TERM EXPIRED ON JULY 12, 2007. M - R.  SCANLON'S TERM WILL EXPIRE ON JULY 12, 2012.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-M.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-M legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. - GARVEY: 7-M. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION RESOLUTION NO. 200, 2007 - REAPPOINTMENT OF JACK DELEO, 125 WHITETAL DRIVE, SCRANTON,    113  PENNSYLVANIA, AS A MEMBER OF THE SCRANTON RECREATION AUTHORITY. MR. DELEO'S CURRENT TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31, 2007 AND HIS NEW TERM WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2012.  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final of  passage of Item 7-N.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Rol7  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-N legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-0. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 201, 2007 : REAPPOINTMENT OF JOSEPH GUIDO, 211 LARCH STREET, SCRANTON,    114  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  PENNSYLVANIA, AS A MEMBER OF THE SCRANTON RECREATION AUTHORITY. MR. GUIDO'S CURRENT TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31, 2007 AND HIS NEW TERM WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2012.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-0.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I - hereby declare  7-0 legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-P. FOR CONSIDERATION  BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 202, 2007 - REAPPOINTMENT OF MATTHEW FLYNN, 1801 NORTH WASHINGTON AVENUE,    115  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18509 TO THE BOARD OF THE SCRANTON SEWER AUTHORITY. MR. FLYNN'S CURRENTE TERM WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2007 AND HIS NEW TERM WILL  EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2012.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final  passage of 7-P.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS.  FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-P legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-Q, which was formerly  6-A, Attorney Minora, we have to ask if there is anybody in the public wishing to    116  1 2 3 4 5  comment once more?  MR. MINORA: Yes.  MS. GARVEY: On anything in Seventh  Order.  MR. MINORA: The remainder of Seventh  Order, two minutes on the agenda.  MS. FANUCCI: Okay.  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Fine. We have 6-A, B,  and D.  MS.. GARVEY: 7-Q, put that forward if  there is anybody wishing to comment?  MS. GATELLI: But it would have been  6-A; right?  MR. MINORA: 6-A through D.  MS. GATELLI: 6-A, anyone have any?  No? They could read 7-Q.  MS. GARVEY: 7-Q, which was formerly  6-A, FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - FOR ADOPTION - FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 142, 2007 - AN ORDINANCE - AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF FIVE MILLION ($5,000,000.00) DOLLARS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON KNOWN AS TAN SERIES A, AWARDED TO THE COMMUNITY BANK AND TRUST    117  COMPANY; DETERMINING THE FORM AND TERM OF SAID NOTE; AWARDING SAID NOTE; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE FILING OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS; AND DIRECTING THE PROPERTY OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO TAKE ANY AND ALL OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF SAID  1 2 3 4 5 6  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  NOTE.  MS. GATELLI: What is the  Recommendation of the Chair on Finance?  MS. EVANS: As Chair for the  Committee on Finance, I recommend final  passage of item 7-Q.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. - EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.    118  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  7-Q legally and unlawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-R, which was formerly  6-B - FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - FOR ADOPTION -FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 143, 2007 - AN ORDINANCE - AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF A NINE AND ONE HALF MILLION $9,500,000.00) DOLLARS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON KNOWN AS TAN SERIES B, AWARDED TO COMMUNITY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY; DETERMINING THE FORM AND TERM OF SAID NOTE; AWARDING SAID NOTE; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE FILING OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS; AND. DIRECTING THE PROPER OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO TAKE ANY AND ALL OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF SAID NOTE.  MS. GATELLI: What is the  recommendation of the Chair on Finances?  MS. EVANS: As Chair for the  Committee on Finance, I do not recommend  final passage of Item 7-R.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll    119  call. Now, this is the same deal, the  1 2 3 4 5  mayor's   MR. MINORA: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci.  MS. FANUCCI: No.  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: No.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.  MR. COURTRIGHT: No.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. MS. GATELLI: No. I hereby declare  7-R legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-S, which was formerly  6-C - FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION -FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 144, 2007 - APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF THE REAL ESTATE AND IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED AT 515-537 ORCHARD STREET IN THE CITY OF SCRANTON OWNED BY THE SCRANTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO THE CITY OF  SCRANTON.  MS. GATELLI: As Chair for the  Committee on Rules, I recommend final    120  1 2 3 4 5  passage of 7-S.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-S legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: 7-T, which was formerly  6-D - FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - FOR ADOPTION -FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 145, 2007 - RENAMING THE EMERGENCY AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES TAX, AMONG OTHER CHANGES, BY AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 78, 2007; AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL 10, 2006; AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL 95 OF 2005 WHICH IN TURN AMENDED FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 9, 1976 TO APPEAL AND REENACT, TO THE EXTENT    121  1 2 3 4 5  INCONSISTENT, A NEW ORDINANCE TO BE CALLED  THE LOCAL SERVICES TAX.  MS. GATELLI: What is the  recommendation of the Chair on Finance?  MS. EVANS: As Chair for the  Committee on Finance, I recommend final  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  passage of Item 7-T.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? Roll  call.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MS. EVANS: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  )  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Yes.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Yes. I hereby declare  7-T legally and lawfully adopted.  MS. GARVEY: EIGHTH ORDER - CITIZENS  PARTICIPATION II.  MR. MILLER: Good evening, Council,  Doug Miller, President of Junior City    122  1 2 3 4 5 6  Council. On behalf of the Junior Council I would like to thank everyone who purchased a Christmas wreath. This was a fundraiser to benefit future junior council projects and I would like to thank Mrs. Gatelli, Mrs. Fanucci, and Mr.. McGoff for purchasing a wreath, we appreciate your support.  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  On behalf of Junior Council I would  like to invite everyone attend our holiday celebration this Sunday, December 16, at the South Side Renaissance Center, 705 Pittston Avenue. It will begin at 10 a.m. a and conclude at 2:00 p.m. This party is free and open to the public. This party will feature food, games and prizes for all children in attendance. The children can also look forward to a special visit from Santa which will also include a photo opportunity. This party is in conjunction with our "Light Up the Town" project. As well as the enjoying the party, everyone in attendance everyone can enjoy holiday lights and decorations that will be on display. We believe that this is a celebration not only for Christmas but for the revitalization of south side and    123  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  on behalf of Junior Council I would like to thank Royal Pizza on Pittston Avenue, they have made generous donation toward our party and I would like to say hello to them tonight because they are all watching the meeting at the restaurant, so we want to say hello to them and we appreciate your support, and with that said I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy  New Year. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Reverend Simmons. MS. - SIMMONS: Reverend Kathryn  Simmons, Florence/Midtown Crime Watch. I come here tonight carrying a heavy burden upon my shoulders. When this council first took it's seat sometime ago I came here and a asked that the aura of hatred which encompassed these walls be alleviated finally, but that, of course, has not happened. If anything it has grown and festered to a degree now where Scranton is becoming a clone of Columbia, Mississippi, 1939. This must end. Politics and taxes are a subject to discuss, but the discussion must be in a civil and socially acceptable    124  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  manner.. The tendency for both sides to assault each other and, President Gatelli, let me tell you something, to my husband, to  to my granddaugnter, and to my  my daughter,  preat-grandaugnter, the spelling of the word nigger doesn't make it any less  painful.  MS. GATELLI: Amen.  MS. SIMMONS: To acknowledge the  existence of such a site on a web describing with these words is not a show of freedom of speech, but the acknowledgment of a population of sinistery which has not learned the way to a future visionary. We must learn to stop this hatred of what we do not understand. The mayor, city council members are seated because the majority of Scranton's population voted and placed them. It is, therefore, up to us to respect these positions and when something is differing between us come here and speak and then go back to our neighborhood and try and fix what's wrong. We have to learn to respect and love each other. Yes, that is what I said, respect and love each other.    125  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  A long time ago a young man was  asked to describe the struggle of humanity and he wrote, "I sowed my soul but my soul I could not see. I - sowed my God but he alluded me. I sowed my brother and I found  all threé."  around this room each of  If you look  us will see our brother in place and, Mrs. Fanucci, I'm sorry that you don't respect me, but I respect you.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Sbaraglia. MR. SBARAGLIA: Andy Sbaraglia,  citizen of Scranton. Fellow Scrantonians, I received a call from a woman who said her 61 was cut off because she is on basic. Now, I know we are in negotiations with ComCast for a new contract, I just hope nothing  political enters into this because it would be a real cut, a real blow to the citizens of Scranton especially once that are on basic. Now, last year we passed that ungodly tax which to me was ungodly and will always be ungodly, that was on that delinquent real estate, Mrs. Evans read a letter and it's going to come out worse and    126  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  worse and worse, but you all knew this, to say you sit there and look in disgust, don't. You knew it, it was brought to you 101 times by a lot of different people. Now we got through with that now we plan to tax the churches under the guise of the amusement tax. We are going to tax the bingos, we are going to tax the block parties, the garden parties, anything where there is any amusements in the church, that's another thing you plan to do, that's why it's in the budget. If it come before everybody out of the budget then you can answer it, but it's in the budget.  We all know the budget is bloated,  Mrs. Evans' budget was a little too rosy, right, them first four figures were a little hard to digest, but a lot of the other figures weren't. Mr. McGoff pointedly, whether he wanted to say it or not, told you that without that lucrative contract from the city the parking authority would go under. For years I have been telling you that, but you wouldn't listen. You went out there and gave them another parking garage.    127  1 2 3 4 5 6  It's going to come to pass that it's going to collapse and the poor people in the city are going to have to come up with the money to do all of the bond issues because I doubt if you will ever go bankrupt, you won't declare bankruptcy, but you may have to. These are things you could have tried to avoid. They didn't need all them parking garages. Boscov's down there has a lot of space available that could have been used but the people would have had to walk and we wouldn't want them to be inconvenienced and the people that are going to have these law departments. Gentlemen, it's too bad there is no law in the Commonwealth that would hold you responsible for your actions because, believe me, you should be held accountable other than elections because elections don't really tell what's going to happen, it's the actually voting that's done on council. This is : Mrs. Fanucci often brings up that we passed this recovery plan, okay? I tell you what, I told you that last time, no tax increase. Believe me, if that plan came before the people of Scranton  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25    128  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  today it would be rejected. There is no question in my mind. Thank you.  MR. GATELLI: Thank you. Mr. Quinn. MR. QUINN: Ozzie Quinn. Two months  ago I wrote Mr. Rossi regarding the independent audit and with him coming in tomorrow for the exit, I wrote him and I asked that because of the mismanagement of moneys by the administration that there be a surcharge. I - hope that Mr. Rossi listens to his Code of Ethics under the CPA and surcharges everybody mismanages money, it could be an employee, city council or the mayor. I also want to point out today in the Scranton Times in the classified there was a condemnation for 1430 Sanderson Avenue. I went out and checked that property and it appears to be people living  in that, okay. Under the Urban Redevelopment Law which applies to the vacant property review committee which I participated in 1989 forum, okay, it says that to buy the property : and appropriate planning commission upon making a  determination that any properties blighted    129  1 2 3 4 5 6  within the terms of the section must certify said private property to the redevelopment authority except that no property shall be certified to the redevelopment authority unless it is vacant. That's what applies, vacant property. Now, if there is people living in there, I would believe that, one, that you cannot condemn that property. Two, if you do, they are eligible for relocation expenses under the tenant which would mean you would have to pay them $7,500, okay, for - and moving expenses and that would be because you are doing with OECD through the SRA, okay? And that would also apply to the fact that with a condemnation or taking of any delinquent property what you did when you decide to have the SRA handle the vacant property review committee any tax delinquent land, the redevelopment law states that any unoccupied property which has been tax delinquent for the period of two years prior to defective date of this act and those in the future have a two-year delinquency you can- take, okay, but that has to be unoccupied, okay? So, I would be very  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25    130  1 2 3 4 5 6  careful and I would check them to make sure. IV wrote a letter to Mr. Shane three weeks ago roughly and he hasn't wanted to know those answers, who was condemned and these properties and he hasn't replied and I think you should look into this matter because if there are people put out on the streets that occupy this home they shouldn't be allowed to under that redevelopment law. Thank you.  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  Mr. Spindler.  MR. SPINDLER: Les Spindler, city  resident. A few weeks ago I was here I had a question about the parking meters that are no longer in front of the Court House, who was going to pay for those meters that are no longer there, anyone look into that?  MS. GATELLI: I did call -- Idid  call Mr. Wintermantle and we missed each other, but I will call him again.  MR. SPINDLER: Okay, thank you. MS. - GATELLI: We were playing phone  tag and I didn't get the answer, I'm sorry.  MR. SPINDLER: Okay. I just have one  thing to say, Mrs. Gatelli, if you don't    131  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  like what you read on the website, just  don't go on the website.  MS. GATELLI: I don't.  MR. SPINDLER: Mrs. Fanucci, after  all of the hard work and effort that Mrs. Evans put into her budget you had the nerve to call it bogus, what do we expect from somebody that thinks the garages are under the SPCA? Also, Mrs. Fanucci, you said you won't think like any of us out here, well, the fact is you can't think like  any of us out here.  Mr. McGoff, you said you wouldn't  eliminate the public safety director position, are you aware that in 1992 under the Connors' administration PEL ordered the elimination of the public safety director because they said it was no longer needed and they waited until Jim Klee retired to do away with it, but for most of the Connors' administration there was no public safety director and the public safety in the city was just fine. Again, you are uninformed.  Lastly, Mrs. Gatelli, you said about canceling the meeting, I have been coming to    132  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  these meetings for almost seven years now and until you got here whenever there was a meeting cancelled they were looked to rescheduling it. You are the only one that cancels meetings and doesn't reschedule them. I think if you want to be president of council you should do your job and not cancel meetings, if you have to cancel them reschedule them. There should be a meeting next week. There is no reason not to have one and that's all I have to say. Thank  you.  MS. GATELLI: Merry Christmas.  Mrs. Franus.  MR. SPINDLER: I don't celebrate  Christmas.  MS. GATELLI: Happy holidays, sorry.  MS. FRANUS: Fay Franus.  Mrs. Gatelli, I would like to ask you another question and Mrs. Fanucci, why do you feel there should be no meeting next week, aside from the fact you said it always happened that means nothing. Why do you feel? I mean, what do you have to do that's so important that you can't be here next    133  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  week? You get paid $300 roughly a night for council meetings, but I bet you are going to take your pay. I bet you will take your paycheck and cash it and spend however you like, but you are not going to be here. If I have to sit here again next time I come here and read the list of times you have cancelled and adjourned meetings I will do  it every week if I have to.  Mrs. Gatelli said this in January 2,  2006, "As president of this council I will seek consensus on issues from my colleagues and everyone's opinion will count."  Liar, liar, pants right on fire. "A good leader empowers the people." You are hardly a good leader. You make :- "makes them part of the decision and of the solution." You never make the citizens a part of the solution. "Then and only then will we make our city a better place to live, work and play, that should always be our goal, together we can take it  part  ham."  You don't know the definition of  together and if the people want to know    134  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  fair, the only place you are going to find it, like I said, is in the dictionary, they are not going to find it with you. I'd like to though what your rush. The last time Nelson was here you said, "I hope he is next," because you want to get home. Do you have a pizza waiting? I don't understand what your rush is. Why do you want to get out of here? You're getting : you are supposed to be here as long as you are supposed to be, if it's till midnight, but you want to rush everybody out of here. And Mrs. Evans said it correctly when that gentleman spoke to her at west side, you are cowards. You are a definitely cowards, you take the easy way out, but you line your pockets in the process. How you sleep at  night is it.  MS. GATELLI: You are out of order.  MS. FANUCCI: Am I?  MS. GATELLI: You are out of order. MS. - FANUCCI: Well, you finally found  a voice.  MS. GATELLI: You are out of order. MS. FRANUS: Oh, okay, I'm out of    135  1 2 3 4 5  order.  MS. GATELLI: Sit down. You are out  of order.  MS. - FRANUS: I'm not sitting down, my  time is up. Oh, that's another thing that  reminds me :  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Officer, would you ask  her to step away from the podium.  MS. FRANUS: : September 14 of last  year, my anniversary, you had the police  take me out of here.  MS. GATELLI: Would you please take  her?  MS. FRANUS: So it's my anniversary,  I'm going to get taken out of here again.  MS. GATELLI: You are out of order. MS. FRANUS: I'm out of order. What  are you going to do, Officer?  MS. GATELLI: You go to the attorney  general and report that I'm lining my pockets, you report that, and thank you, Mrs. Pilchesky, for taking our picture, put it on the website tomorrow with the rest of  your nasty comments.  MR. SPINDLER: How do you know    136  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  they're nasty, you must look at them?  MS. GATELLI: I get them from people  like you.  MR. SPINDLER: I don't go on there.  Mr. Bolus. You are all really nice people, really. You didn't pay one bit of attention  to Reverend Simmons. Mr. Davis.  MR. DAVIS: Salaam aleikum. Mr.  Bolus had to leave I think.  MS. GATELLI: Did her leave? MR. MORGAN: Yes.  MR. DAVIS: But he is saying that the  Christmas fiesta :  MS. GATELLI: The Christmas dinner? MR. DAVIS: The Christmas dinner is  scheduled as was planned and he invited everybody to come and salaam aleikum, this has been : it's been awhile since I have been here and I don't miss this. Seriously, because your efforts they don't mean towards - they don't seem to meld towards peaceful coexistence, not for us, whether it be your friends or not your friends, but we can't sit here and listen to you tear at each other and expect our children to have a    137  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  better life, you know, from here on in because you are not working towards their wholesomeness, our wholesomeness. The city is slowly but surely being torn apart over foolish silliness very, very foolish, and you are all saying, "I'm right, I'm right," and, you know, it's -- that whole thing of mediating between the two of you, between all five of you, if it takes five of you to get together and sit down and mediate, mediate it together before you get here, but stop coming here with that argument in mind. If you come here to argue, if you come here to make sure that your point of view is accepted and listened to then you are coming for the wrong reason. You are not deciding the city's future, not with argument. Okay,  thank you very much.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mr. Dobson.  Actually Mr. Davis went out of order.  MR. - DOBSON: Mr. Davis went out of  order, but that's okay.  MR. DAVIS: Yeah, I just : MS. GATELLI: He probably has to go  home.    138  1 2 3 4 5 6  MR. DAVIS: I do.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Dobson.  MR. DOBSON: Good evening, Council.  Dave Dobson, resident of Scranton. I hope this doesn't sound like an add for a bank note salesman, but here it goes, tax time is here, if you are 62, own a property, especially if you are tax delinquent, I strongly recommend you seek a reverse mortgage. Don't delay when collectors are at your door it may be too late. HUD nonprofit counseling is required and all attempts will be made to prevent predatory lending. As disappointing as it is, alternatives such as sherif's sale are far worse. Let equity in your home ease your need for money and help you to pay your debts. Why struggle or lose the property. And I might add, any property owner would be allowed even with equity exhausted, no relocations required, sO if you are having any kind of a trouble catching up on your taxes or owe back taxes before you fall into the hands of NCC or any such institutions like them please consider the alternative.  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25    139  1 2 3 4 5  We did sponsor with the Taxpayers'  organization a conference on this, and for some people it might be a pretty viable situation especially if you are up against it. So, thank you, and have a good night.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mrs.  Schumacher.  SCHUMACHER: Marie Schumacher,  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS.  resident and member of the Taxpayers' Association. First of all, last week I ran out of time, Mrs. Gatelli, to share what my mother told me about name calling. Of course, when I was young it was sticks and stones my break your bones, but names will never hurt you. When I got older she said, "Thank God that you are strong enough to rise above that because look at it this way, when they are picking on you they are leaving some other poor soul alone who may  not be as strong."  Sometime, sometime I would like for  you to explain how you hold a person to their word when they go back on their word. Last year you said you wouldn't vote for any borrowing, tonight I reminded you of that    140  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  and you voted for $11 million worth of borrowing, six million of that which is new, so sometime you will have to explain to me how you hold a person to their word.  About a month ago you asked that I  send, e-mail Kay some questions so that you could obtain responses for me, any  responses?  MS. GARVEY: I don't think we have  anything from that e-mail.  MS. SCHUMACHER: Third, I was  distressed in the answers that Mr. Renda did provide through Mrs. Garvey late last week that the reason that the EMS tax, now the local services tax revenue, has dropped sO much from last year to this and the year before to the current year is because the state has enacted legislation such that, of course, the tax we all know is going to be collected $1 a week and persons earning $12,000 and I think that was true before, but apparently there are like 4,000 people out there who are employees and residents of Scranton and have not or are unaware that they can file to get that $52 back and that    141  1 2 3 4 5 6  accounts for the severe drop in revenue projected for 2008 is because these people now will not have to file because the money  will not be taken out.  Mr. Courtright, are you sure about  those cameras? I read an article this past week about surveillance cameras and it was distinctly stated that those cameras that are now installed are functional. Somebody  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  is not :  MR. COURTRIGHT: They are  functioning in that you could view them, but they are not recording. The three that were up. There is more up as we speak today, I don't know the exact number, but they are digital, they are not on the tape, so they are not : they weren't recording, but everything should be operational very soon.  MS. SCHUMACHER: Okay. And next,  Mrs. Fanucci has left, but I still feel compelled because tonight she told us all us, those on the other side of the aisle, she disparaged each and every one of us and I find that disappointing and a very sad way to end this year. As I told her last week,    142  1 2 3 4 5  I came to Mrs. Gatelli's first budget meeting this summer prepared to be constructive. It was not I who cancelled additional meetings or excluded people who are not on the committee, it was Mrs.  Gatelli, so :  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Excuse me, but we  didn't have anymore meetings. There were  none.  MS. SCHUMACHER: But again, then  what's the opportunity for :  MS. GATELLI: Well, they weren't  interested in coming anymore.  MS. SCHUMACHER: I was. I guess :  you will have to share that critical number with me of how many people are required to have the concern and willing to come forward  and be constructive next year.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Hubbard. MR. COURTRIGHT: Mr. Hubbard? MS. SCHUMACHER: He had to leave. MS. - GATELLI: Lee Morgan.  MR. MORGAN: Good evening again. Bob  Bolus was here previously and he had some other engagements that he had to take care    143  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  of and he just would like to leave this phone number, 346-7659, that's for the Christmas dinner this year at St. Lucy's on Christmas Day. He would like everyone to come, It has nothing to do with income. If you are at home by yourself, whatever the reason and you want to get out he'd really appreciate everybody who could come, enjoy a good meal, make some new friends, and it's really important and we hope that everybody comes and, you know, I just hope you got that number 346-7659, you can call Bob Bolus, St. Lucy's church Christmas Day and come on out, make some friends and have some  good food and :  MR. MCGOFF: Mr. Morgan, did he  mention a time?  MR. MORGAN: I'm not : he didn't  mention a time, but :  MR. BALES: It's 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  no 7 p.m..  MR. MCGOFF: Thank you.  MR. MORGAN: So, please come. The  other thing I would like to add here is, you know, some of us have been coming to these    144  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  council meetings for an extremely long time and, you know, when you see them and you talk to people in the neighborhoods and the conversations spin, you know, it's my understanding that even some people sit in their local tavern and watch this because they find it to be very comical when they are drinking and, you know, I think you can see sometimes why because council votes without any information and there is really not very much constructive done here to solve the problems of the city. People talk about businesses. Well, if you open the phone book and you read about businesses with the names Scranton on them, most of them are outside of the city, they have left. Residents, well, you know, they are struggling with low wage jobs to pay their taxes and we are borrowing and we are borrowing and we are borrowing. As a matter of fact, I mean, we sold the golf course and all of that money it seems is going to be wasted and be gone, there is really, you know, at one time the City of Scranton was called a progressive city, but I think now    145  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  it's a regressive city and I think until we get a handle on the taxes and we get people elected to office, and this isn't a dig just at this council, but until we get elected people to realize how importantly electorate is, you know, Thomas Jefferson said one time that he was sorry he only lived one : -only had a chance to take one part in one revolution because he said that some day this government would become so repressive that we would have to throw it off. And it just seems to me and to most people probably in this country that are tired of being overtaxed and have legislators who don't care about reality and they just spin politics and politics touches everything that touches us. And I just find it really troubling that anybody on council would have such disrespect for the voters and residents that they tax them out of their property.  Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else? MR. SLEDENZSKI: I'm coming, Bill.  Hi, Jude.  MS. GATELLI: Well, Chrissy, we have    146  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  to root for Dunmore now.  MR. SLEDENZSKI: I am. I am  tonight.  MS. GATELLI: Let's hope Dunmore wins  it.  MR. SLEDENZSKI: Yep, I hope so,  too. Merry Christmas to all you guys up there. Even you, Janet, Merry Christmas.  MS. GATELLI: Happy Holidays. We  can't say Merry Christmas I guess.  MR. SLEDENZSKI: Yes, you could,  Judy.  MS. GATELLI: So, we will say Happy  Holidays.  MR. ANCHERANI: You can say Merry  Christmas. Nelson Ancherani, resident and taxpayer, city employee, financial secretary of the FOP, First Amendment Rights. I am going to repeat what I said last week, I do not condone name calling. Okay. I predicted the budget would pass three to two, it did, and that it would be a record budget, it is. Over the past six years the unions have been in disagreement with the city either in contract hearings or    147  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  grievances and arbitrations. The unions have endured getting blamed for the dire financial straights that Bernard Cross of PEL referred that the city faces. Passing this budget brings us closer to that day. The mayor referred in the paper yesterday morning that he didn't force anyone to retire. Wrong. It was either retire or lose your health care if you don't retire by December 31, 2002. That was being forced out. I know people that didn't want  to go. They were forced out.  85 percent of the costs in the  budget are salary and benefits. If you look at the pie chart, the expenditure it says 56 percent goes to wages and benefits, that's $47,352,970. Doing the math, approximately 47.5 percent of the budget goes to the salaries or 540,226,377. This also includes the costs for the retirees who aren't employed and the retirees should not be included, that's not 85 percent. There  is a 29 percent difference.  Also, if you look at the budget the  mayor said he gave 5 percent raises. Look    148  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  at his salary, it went from 45 to 50, 5 - percent of a $5,000 raise or $45,000 is $2,500, he got a $5,000 raise, he actually  got an 11 percent raise.  The information tech, $47,500 he got  a $7,500 raise, but 10 percent of $47,500 is 4,750, 4,750, so he got a 16 percent raise. Mr. McGoff, you believe in the elimination of jobs through attrition and retirement, well, the mayor is going to get rid of 38 firemen, it's not going to be attrition or retirement. Thanks.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MS. EVANS: Mr. Ancherani, I just  wanted to make one correction, the mayor couldn't have received a pay increase in 2007 of 45,000 now in a pay increase because Ib believe it's according to the charter, his salary can't be changed, just as council's salary can't be changed so that was an error  b believe in the budget.  MR. ANCHERANI: Not until the next  mayor.  MS. GATELLI: Owel, we would have to  pass something, wouldn't we?    149  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. FANUCCI: Yeah.  MR. ANCHERANI: Not until the next  mayor comes.  MS. GATELLI: Yes, I think you have  to pass a motion and then it doesn't take effect until the next year. We'11 have to look into that. But he did :- he took the 10 percent last year, I think the $5,000 that's where that 45 came from, but the salary is 50, it has been for probably 20 years. Go ahead, Mrs. Krake, I'm sorry.  MS. KRAKE: That's okay. Nancy  Krake. I would just like to say that I'm glad that the three council people didn't let the facts get in the way in voting for the budget. I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised. In fact, you can hear the mayor's words coming from Mrs. Fanucci's mouth the entire meeting. A few things that she mentioned, I really couldn't listen to too much of it, it was actually frightening. As far as downsizing the top heavy administration, every time we have a new administration, that means new and different people, the people in the unions that stay    150  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  train those people when they come in, familiarize them with their jobs. And as far as why people move into Scranton, I guess Mr. Doherty didn't fill you in on this part, that would be his favorite word, KOZ which is eliminating taxes, not parks.  As far as the letter Mrs. Evans  read, I'm sad to say that I do have the job of tax clerk and pretty much you can cry everyday with what's going on, that's from the human point of view. The money point of view is 15 1/2 percent of those dollars are coming into the city, the rest is going to NCC. Why anyone would vote for that unless they have an interest in NCC is beyond me. 15 1/ 2 percent and I believe Mrs. Evans' amount was around $180 is $27. You really work you should really work on changing that  next year if you do nothing else.  The rental registration and many of  the things that were brought up could benefit from some recommendations from the employees. We have many good ideas, wage tax collection being one of them, however, I'm going to try and read as many as I have    151  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  time. This is recommendations from the people in the Single Tax Office that we have presented several times at council.  One, do not issue a license or  permit without verifying employer has registered and paid all required taxes. Seems like common sense, but apparently it's  not followed through.  Do not grant any contracts for any  big jobs or purchase any merchandise from any company without verifying same.  University students should be made to file local tax return with Scranton as they  live here August through May.  Update computer system to make it  possible to track non filers claim of delinquents. Look into cross reference with Scranton Sewer Authority, they bill residents the most often.  Keep the rental registration.  That's just a couple of those.  MR. GERVASI: Hello, again, City  Council, Dave Gervasi, fire fighter in the City of Scranton. Mrs. Fanucci, I don't know what to say, other than your loyalty to    152  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  the mayor is astounding and your budget explanations were fascinating to say the least. Mr. McGoff is probably happy he is not handed with that skirt, but in case there is a few people out there that might actually believe the rhetoric you were displaying tonight just a few facts. The mayor and the administration say that jobs are up when his own documents say the wage tax is going down next year. He keeps saying that the people are going to be moving in the city when, in fact, the census updates say the population is still  declining and has continued to decline since he took off and before he was in office in all fairness. The mayor says is he is a fiscal conservative, but the facts and the documents show that the budgets are up $26 million since he took office. The mayor says he needs to make cuts, but he created over $3.4 million in new job creations. The mayor says he needs to reduce the wage tax, that was one of his campaign promises. I think this is the first time I have heard anybody other than in Mrs. Evans' budget    153  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  saying they are actually going to reduce the wage tax but, of course, this council didn't  vote for that.  The mayor council keeps saying that  contracts need to be settled before the city could recover, but our debt payments have quadrupled in six years and we didn't receive any of it. The mayor says that fires are down when the documented proof shows that fires are up. It's really loyal of you to read the mayor's rhetoric week after week but there is one little problem that the mayor has right now and I don't think he is fooling anybody at this point because now there six full years of documented evidence to the contrary and we have it all and we have proved it in Court. So, Mrs. Fanucci, your rhetoric doesn't hold water and, obviously, somebody is lying.  Have a good night.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else? Thank  you. I forgot to say thank you, I'm sorry, Dave. Would you like to come up, sir?  MR. REDFIELD: Good evening, ladies  and gentlemen, council members, my name is    154  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Tim Redfield, I've been living in Scranton for 15 years, I was in Philadelphia less than a year, that's why you haven't seen me in a year. There is about five things I want to get to, I'17 only take about 45 seconds tops to talk about all of them. One, since I have been in Philadelphia for less a couple of years but I know everything about Scranton I see you on TV, they have the cameras that go up and down for like they have in Philly and they have the automatic numbers, like you have bulletin board here on a the main drags I guess you call it, like expressways and stuff, like we have, let's see, Roosevelt Boulevard, it's a main drag like Mulberry Street, okay? They have the sign that will go for the speed limit and stuff, then they have this camera that goes right in front say from the camera to like city hall like in the - I'm sorry about that though, and I don't know if I can speak louder,, I'm not a loud person, but, you know, I don't, but, two, we had a thing up here called Hope situation which is if you are like a, I'm sorry? Oh, I'm sorry, I    155  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  thought someone said something, I'm sorry about that, I'm sorry, Hope is like a THEFA form. A THEFA form is like a page, say, like Miss Judy is my landlord, even out of respect you, I don't know you, Ms. Judy is my landlord, a THEFA form would pay for the first month's rent, the second last month's rent and the security deposit and then similar like that up here the Hope thing, do they do that up here? And I don't understand has it stopped for some reason because of the financial problems, but right now there is lot of people in a bad finance situation and I was wondering could I apply for the Hope situation like we had in Philly which is like a THEFA and it fell through and me and my nephew and a few other people are really hurt because now we are living in a shelter because our finances and this THEFA like we had in Philly has dropped us--  MS. GATELLI: If you want us to help  you just let us know.  MR. REDFIELD: We do, but like I  said in Philadelphia they had this THEFA form, Miss Judy, and all you do is give them    156  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  the THEFA form and you fill out how much the rent is a month for like the first month and the last month and the security deposit and what they do is they give you have the form and you just sign it and fill it out and then I take it back to the office where I got the : like we had in Philadelphia and they would give you the check within a week of the full amount of what we owe you for  those three months.  MS. GATELLI: Give Neil after the  meeting your name and your phone number.  MR. REDFIELD: It's a Philadeiphia  area code, ma'am.  MS. GATELLI: No :  MR. REDFIELD: I know, but I didn't  get the phone number, my cell phone number  from Philadelphia to Scranton  MS. GATELLI: A17 right.  MR. COURTRIGHT: How do we get in  touch with you?  MR. REDFIELD: I'm sorry, sir? MR. COURTRIGHT: How do we get in  touch with you?  MR. REDFIELD: I have a cell phone,    157  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  but it's a Pniladelpnia area code.  MS. GATELLI: That's okay. That's  okay. Give it to Neil after the meeting.  MS. REDFIELD: Thanks, Miss Judy, and  have a happy holiday.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you, you, too.  Is there any other speakers?  MS. EVANS: Let's just say happy  Hanukah and Merry Christmas and Kwanza to  everybody.  MS. GATELLI: And we hope everyone  has a very safe and peaceful holiday.  MS. FANUCCI: Yes.  MS. GATELLI: We'11 see you on  January 7. Thank you.    158  1 2 3 4 5 6  ERILFICALE   hereby certify that the proceedings and  evidence are contained fully and accurately in the 7 notes of testimony taken by me at the hearing of the  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  above-captioned matter and that the foregoing is a true and correct transcript of the same to the best of my  ability.  CATHENE S. NARDOZZI OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER