Looks like City Council and the administration are close to revising the $500 trash fee for small businesses, included in the Mayor's budget this year.
Councilman Frank DiCicco today introduced legislation that would reduce the fee to $150 and include small apartment buildings among those taxed. Currently, the bill says it would cover landlords with six or more units in a building, but DiCicco said ultimately he'd like to revise the bill to include landlords with two or three units.
If all those landlords are included, DiCicco said about 47,000 entities will be taxed, which should capture the $7 million that the original tax was expected to raise annually.
The $500 trash fee was part of Mayor Nutter’s compromise budget with City Council. The original fee would have applied to 15,000 small businesses. Council balked at the fee and introduced legislation to repeal it. The city has not yet implemented the fee.
DiCicco said he thinks this is a good compromise.
"I'd like it to be zero," he said. "I think it spreads the pain around, if you will. I think it's a reasonable fee."
There have been all sorts of political bets this week on the outcome of the Phillies-Yankees World Series but U.S. Rep. Bob Brady's ranks as the strangest. Brady's staff just called PhillyClout to let us know that he has offered to shave his head of thick hair in the unlikely event of a Yankees victory. TMZ.com broke the news after catching up with Brady with a video camera in Washington D.C. Brady's fall-back bet was to offer up a Mohawk hair-do.
"Nobody would shave their heads with me," Brady said of New York's congressional delegation. "None of them New York people had any guts."
Well U.S. Rep. John Hall, a New York Democrat, apparently found the nerve. TMZ.com reports that Hall has agreed to shave his head if the Yankees can't prevent the Phillies from repeating as World Series champs. Wow. Way to go, Congressman. Hall, by the way, is bald.
Today, City Council literally sent in the clowns.
Councilman Curtis Jones this morning brought a clown to Council to be honored with a resolution.
The entertainer, who goes by the name Onionhead, is part of the Universoul Circus, which is currently doing shows in Fairmount Park. He was wearing giant shoes, a floppy tie and full sad face makeup.
“Entertainment is an important part of our cultural affairs,” Jones said.
Mayor Nutter just appeared on Good Morning America with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, where both politely talked a little trash about the World Series.
The duo were on-air -- from their respective cities -- to talk about their World Series bet. The mayor of the losing team must travel to the winning city to take part in a community service project while wearing the winning team's jersey.
"We’re sizing up that jersey for you and look forward to having you down here too," Nutter said to Bloomberg. Bloomberg responded: "Michael what size is your jersey?"
So the big news is the Philles taking game one of the World Series.
Seth Williams, the overwhelming favorite to be the next DA, details his plans for the job.
SEPTA instructs riders on how to act during a strike.
A woman is held for trial for assaulting a police officer.
Councilman Bill Greenlee writes in to explain why he thinks 3-1-1 shouldn't replace calling Council offices.
Gov. Rendell just told reporters that he and Gov. David Patterson of New York have made a bet on the Phillies-Yankees World Series, which starts tonight. Two residents of the state with the winning team will win a four-day, three-night trip to the city of the losing team. Amtrak has agreed to pick up the cost of train tickets. In Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corp. would pick up the tab for a hotel, meals and tickets to concerts, shows, and museums. The winners will also have lunch with a governor.
"In the unlikely event that that Yankees win, that couple will be forced to have lunch with me," said a recently slimmed-down Rendell. "It won't be as bad as usual because I'm eating a lot less these days."
New York will pick its winners by lottery if the Yankees prevail. Rendell said Pennsylvania will run an on-line essay contest and select the winner who best describes "why I love the Phillies" in 250 words or less. We'll let you know when we get details on how to enter the contest.
Rendell picked the Phillies to win in six games and predicted that pitcher Cole Hamels or shortstop Jimmy Rollins will be the series Most Valuable Player.
One of the better scenes in the laughable “Law Abiding Citizen,” shows the heroes trying to detonate a bomb placed in City Council chambers.
PhillyClout wonders if the city took the scene to heart?
A training was held today for council staff on how to handle a bomb threat. Participants received handouts with instructions on how handle a communication from someone warning of a bomb. The session was held up in the Council Caucus Room this morning.
Update: The mayor's press office tells us this training -- put on by the police bomb squad and the city risk management department -- was for all city hall staffers designated as "fire captains." Similar sessions were held at the other city buildings.
Check out the It's Our Money blog, where our buddy Ben Waxman has posted a list of suggestions for the administration on how to improve Philadelphia's stimulus program.
The Nutter administration takes a look at why, more than six months after the massive federal stimulus package was passed into law to stimulate the economy, Philadelphia has spent less than $1 million to retain just 52 jobs.
The latest Franklin & Marshall poll finds state voters still worried about the economy and not so happy with U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter's performance.
Two longtime local political consultants are charged with tax evasion after the feds say they collected tens of thousands of dollars from candidates but didn't report the income.
John Baer says the current campaigns to fill a seat on the state Supreme Court make a strong case for merit selection rather than political races to pick judges.
And Mayor Nutter's administration continues to debate with City Council about reform for the troubled Board of Revision of Taxes.
Here's the press release:
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAYOR NUTTER, MAYOR BLOOMBERG MAKE WORLD SERIES BET THAT FOCUSES ON PUBLIC ARTS PROJECTS
Philadelphia, October 27, 2009- Today, Mayor Michael A. Nutter and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced a World Series bet that will benefit children in both Philadelphia and New York.
Regardless of the outcome, both Mayors will host public arts projects. Mayor Nutter will join Mural Arts to paint a mural on the side of a Recreation Center. Mayor Bloomberg will partner with Public Color to paint the interior of a school.
If the Phillies win the series, Mayor Bloomberg will travel to Philadelphia to take part in the day of service while wearing a Phillies jersey. If the Yankees win the series, Mayor Nutter will travel to New York to take part in the day of service while wearing a Yankees jersey. The Mayor of the losing city will also buy the Mayor of the winning city and his fellow volunteers lunch.
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