DiCicco Introduces Property Tax Hike Bill
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DiCicco Introduces Property Tax Hike Bill
Catherine Lucey
As expected, Councilman Frank DiCicco today introduced legislation that would increase the city property tax rate to raise revenues -- a move many council members seem to prefer over Mayor Nutter's proposed flat-rate trash collection fee.
Nutter has proposed a $300 per household trash fee and a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to plug a projected $150 million hold in the budget. Council has raised concerns about both measures, questioning the impact the taxes would have on the city's poorest residents. Nutter has said he is prepared to listen to alternate ideas.
Under DiCicco's proposal, the property tax rate would increase by 12 percent, with all the additional proceeds coming to the city. DiCicco said the hike would raise $107 million, the same amount Nutter's trash fee would collect. DiCicco said the bill is written to last only five years, and could be revised if the city needs less revenue than expected.
"I believe it is much better than the trash fee," said DiCicco of the property tax proposal, noting that residents could write off a tax hike and many low income residents and seniors would qualify for a rebate.
Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr. said he thought a property tax hike was a better idea than a trash fee, although he stressed that budget neogtiations are still ongoing.
"To whatever extent we're going to increase revenues, this is a better option," Goode said. "I think the trash fee is pretty much dead. I think the soda tax, if not dead, is in trouble."
Hey, here's an idea, let raise the taxes on the slumlords $200 or $300/yr in property taxes. And all of the homeowners who pay less than $1000/yr. Instead of the NE and Center City and U City and Mt Airy homeowners carrying the burden of trash pickup for everyone paying less than $500/yr in RE taxes. What a concept, because the slumlords won't pick up their real estate and leave town, they are captive, getting big federal bucks passed directly to them from the Section 8 program as well as rent from the working poor. No wonder the schools are falling down, they match the homes that are falling down and do not contribute to the municipal treasury.
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Is it possible for right minded individuals (like most of the posters here) to bring a class action suit against the city? Because I agree w/ Cleanupphilly this administration is working completely backwards.— Kennedy- cmk, how about kids' parents getting their rear ends out the door to play outside? The government shouldn't decide what kids should or shouldn't eat by taxing the hell out of something. That responsibility lies with the parents/guardians.— stefek23
- Good idea, Kennedy. I'm in if you get it rolling— kliffee
- Let's see....Sales tax was raised last year; I already pay a wage tax (which is ridiculous); I pay taxes on all of my utilities; and now you want to raise my property tax by a whopping 12%? I'm not married and do not have any children to claim. I get taxed to death! All of this for what? I've lived in 3 different cities and I have never seen such an unsafe, dirty, corrupt city in my life. I've been regretting buying a house here. To the councilmen of Philadelphia, I AM DONE! If this passes,I'm leaving this dump. Enough is enough— calledintoaction
- Besides, it's not a tax on all sugar items. Kids will still find a way to eat poorly (cake, candy). And the poor will still find a way to buy their grape soda. Don't want your kid to be obese? Here's an idea: buy fruit and vegetables instead of stocking your cupboard with junk.— stefek23
- Of course, the homes recently assessed at higher rates by the BRT will be exempt, right?— phillymathteach
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- ONCE AGAIN ILL SAY TO ALL YOU FOOLS IN PHILA YOU KEEP ELECTING THE SAME YOYOS IN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND THEY KEEP STICKING IT TO YOU GOOD JOB ALL U PHILA IDIOTS LOL AND ILMAO— bobbyboob
- How about cutting the budget? Please can we have Christie come over here and teach these idiots a lesson?— The_Unknown-Poster
- Hey 57 and K_Ball, start looking elsewhere and you'll quickly find out that Philly's property taxes are a tiny fraction of what they are in the suburbs for comparable square footage. To raise revenue, Philly should also phase out the 10-year tax abatement on properties sold for more than $300,000.— mattesq
- Kennedy - count me in.— UncleJoe1
- How much does city council collect as a group..... tens of millions I bet— martin710
- THROW ALL THE BUMS OUT - IF THE DEMS HAVE THE GUTS TO THROW OUT THEIR OWN BUMS. AS AN INDEPENDENT I SAY THROW OUT ALL THE BUMS - DEMOCCRATS AND REPUBLICANS!!! SAVE US ALL MONEY.— jgmckin
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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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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. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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