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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Council -- Mostly -- Passes on COLA

With just one exception, every City Council member will pass on some or all of a cost of living raise they were awarded July 1, according to a memo Council President Verna sent to City Finance Director Rob Dubow earlier this week.

All Council members were mandated to take 5.13 percent raise as of July 1. Twelve members received a $5,758 raise on their annual $112,223 salaries. Council's five leadership posts pay more, so their raises were slightly higher. Given the city's dire financial problems, most members felt this was a tough time to take a raise.

The exact amount returned – and where it will go – varies depending on the member.

Seven members are giving up their entire raise – Frank DiCicco, Anna Verna, Curtis Jones Jr., Darrell Clarke, Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, Jim Kenney and Bill Green. Nine are giving up a smaller portion of the raise, based on the taxes they expect to pay on the money.

Most members are returning the money to the city’s general fund. But three have designated the funds to go elsewhere. Quiñones-Sánchez wants her raise to go to the 7th Councilmanic District. Councilwoman Marion Tasco will donate $3,593 to the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition. And Green is donating his raise to the Friends of the Free Library.

Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr. is not returning his raise to the city general fund or another cause. He said that he plans to make several early property tax payments during the current fiscal year, to provide the city and school district with additional funds.

 "I am going to pre-pay and overpay my real estate taxes. I have already put in process a payment for my 2010 property taxes," Goode said. "I am giving money back to the city directly."

Goode didn't answer questions about exactly how much he plans to pay in additional real estate taxes.

Clarke, who stipulated that his raise be returned until the end of the year when he will revisit the issue, said it was important to make a symbolic sacrifice during the city’s financial crisis.

“I just don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to accept a raise, given the municipal workers’ situation,” Clarke said.

Council is guaranteed the cost of living allowance (COLA) based on legislation approved in 2003.

For the full list of who's giving what where, click here.
 
Posted by Catherine Lucey @ 1:01 PM  Permalink | 1 comment
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:38 PM, 08/05/2009
    Is anyone surprised that Wilson Goode Jr is the only one that took the raise (entitlement) ? If he is prepaying on property taxes, either he knows one or more of his staff are tax deadbeats; or he is prepaying for a place for Latrice to stay. This guy is twice as disgusting as his father was.
    — mikeyg


1 comments
About The Philly Clout Team
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics ­– which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002 and has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. After covering the 2007 mayoral election, she moved over to the City Hall bureau where she has been reporting on the Nutter administration.
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans.
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