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."
Don't forget the stormwater tax.— Manny-Mann- To The Uknown Poster: If you think the answer to problems is a Republican aka Christy, you are a fool. Neither side cares about the people. Christy just put it to homeowners there with rebates they got. Nice job, pal.— kliffee
- From a 2.8.10 article in the Daily News: "Philly is owed approximately $1.2 billion in back taxes." Nuff said.— Futurama
- There's a building called Independence Hall where a group of very brave men signed a declaration which rejected the concept of a government where taxation was imposed without the consent of the governed. Ask how many people in Philadelphia agree to accept these taxes, and you'll find out thet the present Mayor/City Council are nothing but a present-day King George III.— DonQ
- DonQ please don't dilute the history of the American Revolution. While you may not agree with the proposal (I don't), there is no disputing that the Council is a duly-elected representative government.— Politburo
- great Idea. About time some money starts coming in instead of out.— nutterbutter
- Geez, how can you raise the tax rate when the very basis of those taxes, the property assessments, are very much in doubt because of the mismanagement of the BRT? I smell a class action lawsuit in the offing if this idea gets serious treatment by Council.— DJR
Why not have welfare recipients pick up the trash, we can model it after a flash mob event each week!- Will the increase in proprty tax affect those who are reaping the 10 year tax abatement for new construction in the city? Frank DiCicco got it. Will he and other folks like him with the tax abatement see an increase? End that program. Too much supply in Philly already. The abatement makes existing construction less valuable.— MyTown
- Politburo, I reject it. A political party winning thirty elections in a row defeats the concept of representation. Philadelphia government is run by party bosses, not voters. Proof? Start with Rizzo, Goode, Green and Kelly in City Council, Williams in the State Legislature, and the slew of others elected to office with no more proof of capability than the endorsement of the Dem party bosses.— DonQ
Maybe we should put a special tax on flash mobs!— Mr. Underhill- Property tax increase is far better and more fair than the sugar tax or the trash tax. Easier to administer, not regressive, not unfairly geared toward one sugar industry and not the other. Good work, Councilman.— ShaJones
- Good work councilman?? Are you blanking me? Sha Jones you must be one of those voters that puts these bums in office. This guy didn't come up w/ any novel idea or creative approach. He simply substituted one tax for another. Instead of punching you in the face he's trying to punch us in the privates instead. Good work ... Give me a break!— Kennedy
- Why don't you COLLECT what's OWED first? Why are you PUNISHING the hard-working people who actually DO OWN their properties & take care of them & PAY their taxes? WHAT is my motivation to stay here in the city? When my "elected" government officials are quick to punish those of us who do the right thing.. when, in fact, you SHOULD BE kissing our butts because we are the ones who STABILIZE NEIGHBORHOODS. Without hard-working people like me...in YOUR district...who you quite frankly could care less about... these neighborhoods would've turned into war zones long ago. Thanks for screwing those of us who actually WORK & PAY our taxes ... again. Hugs & kisses, Port Richmond resident who is moving OUT of the city b/c I don't care to tolerate your nonsense.— doingtherightthing
- I can't wait for the housing market to pick back up so I can sell my house and move out of this city.— wleeper
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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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