Philadelphia City Council Considering $85 Million Emergency Transfer To Help Fight COVID-19 Outbreak

DEPARTMENT IS ASKING STUDENTSAND THEIR FAMILIES TO TAKEPREVENTIVE ACTIONS.PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL ISNOW CONSIDERING AN $85 MILLIONEMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TOHELP FIGHT THE PANDEMIC.NATASHA BROWN JOINS US NOW,SHE'S FOLLOWING THE CITYCOUNCIL'S HEARING TODAY.NATASHA.Reporter: WELL, GOODAFTERNOON JANELLE.THE CITY COUNCILAPPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE METEARLIER THIS MORNING.THE PUBLIC WAS NOT ALLOWED ATTHIS MEETING.THEY WERE MAKING SURE THEYALLOWED THEMSELVES SOME SOCIALDISTANCING AS WELL.THIS IS PROBABLY THE QUICKESTCITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT HASEVER BEEN HAD.NOW PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCILHELD THIS HEARING THIS MORNINGFOR AN EMERGENCY BUDGETTRANSFER OF $85 MILLION TOHELP FIGHT THE CORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK.THE REQUEST COMES JUST ONE DAYAFTER THE CITY ANNOUNCED ITSFIRST CORONAVIRUS RELATEDDEATH MAN IN HIS 50 WITHUNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS.COUNCIL MEMBERS WORKED QUICKLYTO APPROVE THIS BILL TO GET TOIT A FINAL VOTE NEXT WEEK ANDCOUNCIL MEMBERS WERE VERYQUICK TO LAY OUT PLANS AS TOHOW THIS MONEY WILL BE USED.HOW ARE WE RESPONDING TOTHE HEALTH CRISIS, HOW ARE WEDEALING AND WORKING WITH OURWORKERS?

HOW ARE WESUPPORTING OUR SMALLBUSINESSES?

AND THEN HOW AREWE SUPPORTING PEOPLE?

OF THEMONEY, HOW MUCH OF IT WOULD WEEXPECT TO GET FEDERALREIMBURSEMENTS?

WHAT ARE SOMEOF THE STATE REIMBURSEMENTS WEEXPECT?

WHAT WILL BE THEMATCH FOR THE CITY.WE WILL SHARE IT WITH ALL OFCOUNCIL FOR FEEDBACK SO THATWE CAN CREATE A CRITERIA AND AFORMAT THAT WE CAN SHARE NOTONLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS BUTWITH THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.Reporter: WELL, AGAIN,THIS IS ALL AN ATTEMPT TOFLATTEN THE CURVE ESPECIALLYAS IT RELATES TO PHILADELPHIA.OF COURSE THE MAYOR IS STILLEXTENDING THE CLOSURE OFNONESSENTIAL BUSINESSESTHROUGH APRIL 6TH.CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE ATA NORMAL MEETING NEXT THURSDAYTHEY TELL US BUT IT WILL BEANYTHING BUT NORMAL AS THEYSAY IT WILL LIKELY BE AVIRTUAL MEETING TO APPROVETHIS EMERGENCY FUNDING.THEY WILL NOT BE MEETING AT