December 13, 2023 TO THE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA: I am hereby returning unsigned Bill Number 230740, introduced by Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr., on behalf of Council President Darrell Clarke, and passed by City Council on November 30, 2023. Bill No. 230740, along with Resolution No. 230750, propose to amend the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for indemnification and defense by the City in connection with claims made against any registered community organization arising directly out of the lawful participation by such an organization in zoning matters and related land-use process. I understand and appreciate the impetus for this legislation, namely that registered community organizations (RCOs) are being threatened by lawsuits from developers for not supporting a project or for starting an appeal process. This sort of action is often called a "strategic lawsuit against public participation" or SLAPP for short. I also appreciate...