PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As expected, Philadelphia City Council has voted to override Mayor Jim Kenney’s veto of a bill that would ban supervised drug consumption sites in most of the city.
The bill targets facilities where people with addiction can use drugs under medical supervision to prevent fatal overdoses, banning them in nine out of 10 council districts.
The bill is largely symbolic, because a federal court order prohibits the facilities, sometimes called safe injection sites or overdose prevention centers, from being established anywhere in the city — but Council voted 14-1 to override the mayor’s veto.
Supporters of the sites used the override vote as an opportunity to take one more shot at the bill banning them. “This is a life-saving measure. For you to sit here and say, ‘No, we will not do it, even though the science proves that it works,’ is mind-blowing,” said one.
Only Councilmember-at-large Kendra Brooks voted against it. Councilmember Jaime Gauthier excluded her West Philadelphia district from the measure, but even she voted for the override in the name of councilmanic privilege.
“I respect the right of my colleagues to legislate zoning in their districts, even though I do not believe a zoning overlay is the right solution to a public health crisis,” she said.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, the bill’s chief sponsor, said she appreciated her colleagues’ support. She represents Kensington, which is plagued by open-air drug use.
“I appreciate the input from either side, but I don’t appreciate the misinformation and the lack of work and the lack of resources that continues to go into my community,” Lozada said.
The bill took effect immediately.