Last week, Mayor Jim Kenney answered 13 questions from readers on a variety of topics.
This week, he answers a couple of more questions.
In the near future, we’ll again solicit questions from readers for the mayor.
Q: What is your plan to change perception that Philadelphia is anti-business?
David Lee, West Torresdale
A: Mr. Lee, our administration is actively involved in debunking the notion that Philadelphia is anti-business. We want to make it easier for companies of all sizes, and in all sections of the city, to do business here. Over the past decade, our downtown has seen significant development and an influx of new businesses. Center City’s prime retail rents grew the second fastest among 10 major U.S. cities, rising 87.5 percent between 2008 and 2014; and the latest office vacancy rate for 2016 was down to just 9.4 percent — lower than other major cities including Washington, D.C., Boston and Chicago. When it comes to working with business of all sizes, our Department of Commerce has a number of initiatives and programs in place to assist and support them. The Storefront Improvement Program provides 50 percent matching grants to retail businesses on targeted commercial corridors. We provide $650,000 in Annual Corridor Cleaning Grants to fund sidewalk cleaning programs. The city supports small businesses by providing resources, such as the $75,000 in annual contracts awarded (per corridor) through the Targeted Corridor Management Program, to Community Development Corporations, Business Improvement Districts, and Business Associations. The city’s Department of Commerce partners with the international nonprofit Kiva to provide small businesses access to microloans of up to $10,000.
Our new Capital Consortium helps streamline the process for small businesses to apply for loans, allowing them to fill out one application that goes to a group of nonprofit and for-profit commercial lenders. There are also several tax policies in place, in addition to our continued reduction of wage and Business Income Receipt Taxes, that aid the growth of existing businesses and help attract new ones. Keystone Opportunity Zones provide abatement of most state and local business and real estate taxes in qualifying zones. Keystone Innovation Zones offer young IT and life science firms up to $100,000 in annual saleable tax credits. There is a 10-Year Real Estate Tax Abatement for all new construction or substantial rehabilitation. The Job Creation Tax Credit gives a $5,000 tax credit per new job for qualifying jobs. There is an exemption of the first $100,000 in gross receipts for all businesses. And the net income tax is calculated only on Philadelphia-based sales.
Q: Angels in Motion does outreach in the city of Philadelphia. We work with those who are addicted and the homeless. On a daily basis, I meet individuals who need support, guidance, housing and love. Many of these individuals have mental health issues or the disease of addiction. We are doing what we can to get them in treatment. It is not always easy, but we do work with them, other organizations and the system to get them the help they want and deserve. For years, the medical profession has declared addiction is a disease, one that rewires the brain. AIM is advocating with many other organizations in this city; we look at treatment, facilities, staff, recovery and law enforcement, all the while trying to find some answers and some help. In 2014, Philadelphia alone had 655 deaths due to drug overdose. Sadly, that number is rising. This is a public health issue that needs immediate attention. We are losing our loved ones on a daily basis. Our loved ones are a priority. This is a growing issue and it needs treatment not jail, and we also need more treatment facilities. I guess I would like to know your plans for this epidemic, this public health issue? Do you plan on making drug addiction a priority? If so, do you have any plans on making heroin less accessible? Do you have any plans for monitoring prescription drugs, doctors and pharmacies? Will you make Naloxone, medicine that reverses the effect of an opiate/heroin overdose, easily accessible to the public? According to the DEA, the Mexican cartel is using Philadelphia as a business hub. Any plans on putting an end to this? Thank you.
Carol Rostucher, Founder, Angels in Motion
A: Carol, thank you for what you do. Drug addiction is certainly a priority in this administration. Our Health and Human Services cabinet, which includes the Department of Public Health (PDPH) and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbilities Services (DBHIDS) work together in providing treatment as well as increasing public awareness of the problem.
PDPH and DBHIDS are using several approaches to reduce opioid overdoses, including those involving fentanyl. The best way to prevent drug overdoses is to prevent opioid addiction, which Philadelphia seeks to do by encouraging physicians and other health professionals to prescribe opioids to fewer patients, in lower amounts, and for shorter time periods. The agencies also encourage physicians to prescribe benzodiazepines less often.
For those who are already dependent on opioids, the City is working to expand the number of providers who offer medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine (Suboxone). In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services seeks to improve treatment with “Centers of Excellence” that will help Medicaid patients with substance use disorders access and use services.
Thomas Jefferson Narcotic Addiction Treatment/Maternal Addiction Treatment, Wedge Medical Center and Temple University have all been selected as “Centers of Excellence” in Philadelphia and will begin providing these additional services by this fall. All of these Centers of Excellence are also funded by DBHIDS.
PDPH and DBHIDS are also expanding the availability of the opioid antidote naloxone (Narcan) for people in contact with those who overdose. Naloxone reverses the effects of overdoses and can be life-saving; when treating overdoses involving fentanyl, higher or repeated doses of naloxone may be needed. Pennsylvania ACT 139 of November 2014 greatly expanded access to naloxone and provides legal protections for those who intervene in the case of an overdose. These groups include first responders and family members of people addicted to opioids. ••
