Council delays debate on BRT reform

As City Council enjoyed a light load of work during yesterday's weekly session, the biggest debate centered on a controversial item not on the agenda.

Legislation to reform the city's Board of Revision of Taxes (BRT), circulated by Councilman Bill Green on Wednesday, was not introduced, to the chagrin of several colleagues.

Adding to that chagrin: Many of those colleagues learned from reporters yesterday that Council leaders asked Green on Wednesday to delay his legislation after they met with Mayor Nutter.

Councilmen Jim Kenney and Frank DiCicco, two of Nutter's closest allies on Council, were not happy to learn about the delay.

They huddled briefly with Council Majority Leader Marian Tasco before yesterday's session started. Several impromptu discussions were held by Council members about the delay during the session.

"We need to stop delaying this and move it forward," Kenney said later, adding that he had expressed his displeasure to Tasco and Council President Anna Verna. "We've known about this mess for quite some time and haven't done anything about it. The more we delay, the worse it gets."

An Inquirer series five months ago detailed BRT mismanagement, political patronage and inaccurate assessments. The BRT appraises properties for tax bills and hears appeals on those bills.

DiCicco, who has called for hearings on the BRT problems, called the delay "disturbing." DiCicco said that he had heard rumors of a joint effort on legislation between Council and Nutter coming up early next week.

"I don't know what the mayor has in mind," he said. "I'm disappointed that we did not at least have legislation ready today."

Green, who often clashed with Kenney and DiCicco last year, complains that Nutter is moving too slowly on BRT reform. But he was cautious about criticizing Council leaders, saying that he didn't want to "create any distance" between them and their colleagues.

Tasco described the lack of communication on BRT reform as a "misstep" that happened on a busy day of meetings.

Council's leaders met first with Nutter on Wednesday for about two hours and then with Green. Tasco refused to say if legislation on the issue would be introduced next week.

"We're not ready to talk about that yet," Tasco said. "We're just trying to work on what we believe should be part of the legislation."