Authorizing Council's Committees on Commerce and Economic Development and Legislative Oversight to hold hearings examining the City's diversity and inclusion strategy for the planned $300 million investment in the Port of Philadelphia, and its economic impact in the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, Governor Wolf's four-year initiative will increase container capacity, create thousands of jobs, increase tax revenue, and position the Port of Philadelphia to compete in the 21st Century economy; and

WHEREAS, The Port of Philadelphia has major economic impacts throughout the state of Pennsylvania, serving as one of the region’s most important economic engines and providing a living for thousands of working class families; and

WHEREAS, Roughly $200 million in capital improvement funds will be invested in the Port of Philadelphia's largest maritime and container facility at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal through new equipment and facilities construction; and

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority's new Diversity Outreach Program will seek to assure the inclusion of minorities and traditionally under-utilized groups as contractors and subcontractors throughout the expansion process; and

WHEREAS, Roughly $90 million of the Governor's capital improvement funds will be earmarked for the Port's Automobile Import/Export facility to increase automobile-processing capacity and upgrade the site for more flexible future use; and

WHEREAS, $12 million earmarked for Tioga Marine Terminal will be used for building renovations and additional equipment to expand the terminal's capacity to process wood pulp cargoes; and

WHEREAS, Capital improvements at the Port of Philadelphia will directly increase employment by 70% from 3,124 to 5,738 jobs, expand container capacity by 86%, increase automotive capacity by 166%, and increase breakbulk cargo capacity by 21%; and,

WHEREAS, This investment provides the City and its partners in Harrisburg the opportunity to grow local businesses and M/W/DBE firms through smart contracting practices. By ensuring that these firms are ready and able to compete for public contracts, this historic investment in Philadelphia’s workforce can provide opportunities for local and disadvantaged businesses as well; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby authorize Council’s Committees on Commerce and Economic Development and Legislative Oversight to hold hearings examining the City’s diversity and inclusion strategy for the planned $300 million investment in the Port of Philadelphia, and its economic impact in the City of Philadelphia.

End