Philadelphia, June 11, 2015—Tracking Change Founder Faye Anderson made the following public comments regarding Bill No. 150406 before City Council: Good afternoon. My name is Faye Anderson. I’m a public policy consultant and citizen watchdog. They say the third time is the charm so perhaps we will finally get an answer to this simple question: Why would City Council authorize the Commissioner of Public Property to purchase land on which to build a prison that is opposed by your constituents, the likely next mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf? The property at 7777 State Road has been vacant for two decades. Still, Mayor Nutter’s capital budget request went from $5 million to $7.2 million. As you may know, the Investigative Reporters and Editors held their annual conference in Philadelphia last week. One watchdog gave this tip: If you see government waste, someone is benefiting. Who will benefit from the purchase of land for which there’s no foreseeable use? We still don’t know who’s behind 7777 Philadelphia PA Loan Associates LLC, a Delaware corporation, which as of June 1, 2015, ceased to be in good standing. The shell company failed to pay its annual Delaware registration tax. Councilman Bobby Henon admitted yesterday the company is behind on paying its taxes. If Bill No. 150406 is passed, you might have the spectacle of transferring Philadelphia taxpayers' dollars to tax delinquent(s). Last week, Councilman Henon asked: “How can we expect to truly rehabilitate the incarcerated if they are condemned to deplorable conditions?” Opponents of a new jail ask: How can we expect to truly educate children who are trapped in deplorable conditions in schools without librarians, guidance counselors, nurses or arts education? As Frederick Douglas admonished us, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” I urge you to vote no on Bill No. 150406, a $7.2 million down payment on the school-to-prison pipeline.

Thank you. Contact Faye M. Anderson (215) 995-5028 TrackingChange.info fmanderson@trackingchange.info @andersonatlarge | @PHLWatchdog