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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Heard in the Hall

BRT files suit against city, seeks to prevent the agency's abolition

Five members of the city's embattled Board of Revision of Taxes asked the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania yesterday to call off a public vote in May that could lead to the board's abolition.

30 comments

BRT files suit against city, seeks to prevent the agency's abolition

POSTED: Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 4:25 PM

Patrick Kerkstra

Five members of the city's embattled Board of Revision of Taxes asked the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania yesterday to call off a public vote in May that could lead to the board's abolition.

The suit claims that the City of Philadelphia lacks the authority to strip the seven-member board of its power to hear appeals of property assessments, since that authority was granted to the board by the state legislature.

If the court grants the BRT's request, the board members might be able to keep their jobs - which pay $70,000 a year for part time work - in spite of Inquirer reports last year that documented widespread mismanagement at the agency.

The attorneys who filed the suit on the BRT's behalf declined to comment yesterday, saying the filing would speak for itself. City Solicitor Shelley Smith could not immediately be reached for comment.

In December, City Council approved an ordinance that put the BRT's fate in the hands of voters in May's Philadelphia primary election. With voter consent, the ordinance would abolish the agency, and split its functions into two pieces. One office, under the indirect control of the mayor, would set property values. A separate board, appointed by the mayor with council's consent, would hear appeals of those assessments.

The suit does not specifically challenge the city's power to seize control of property assessing from the BRT, only the city's right to take away assessing appeals power. But the filing could nonetheless derail the city's takeover of property assessments, if the state Supreme Court removes the BRT question from the May ballot.

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30 comments

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Comments (30)

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:40 PM, 03/09/2010

Fire them all. If the city needs them, the pols will get them rehired. Who ever heard of a do-nothing part-time job that pays $70K a year?

— DonQ

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:47 PM, 03/09/2010

just shoot them - do me a favor and just shoot them

— gogglespaisano

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:49 PM, 03/09/2010

I vote that they be tarred and feathered.

— yawns

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:04 PM, 03/09/2010

may i ask what 5 members appealed

— gogglespaisano

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:19 PM, 03/09/2010

Fine - if the State wants them, let the State pay for 'em! If the City pays their salary, then they work for the City and can be FIRED OR ABOLISHED by the CITY!!!!! Better yet, they may have wrung their own noose - sure, you can continue to hold the appeals reins, but your salary is now $1 a year since the CITY retains that right.

— citylumberjack

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:23 PM, 03/09/2010

3rd rate, good for nothing city.....Nothing ever gets done, too much pork barrel and infighting. This city is a JOKE. And folks wonder why no one take the city seriously??? Philadelphia is an afterthought behind NY or Washington

— thebaron

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:25 PM, 03/09/2010

Yes, let's name the workers who are filing suit as well as the attorneys who are working on their behalf (wonder how they are getting paid?). These people are without shame and should be PUBLICLY shunned.....

— Owatagoofiam

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:27 PM, 03/09/2010

I bet the state steps up to defend these guys. The state will view it as an affront to its power. Pennsylvania will not allow Philadelphia to clean itself up.

— Mackey Dingo

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:28 PM, 03/09/2010

These idiots haven't figured out that this is no longer 1950. We no longer accept whatever the politicians and party bosses dictate. You slimy part time scunbags have been exposed. How dare you waste the Court's time with this frivolity! Are you afraid of what the voters may decide? Let me help you. You are all going to be told to GET LOST, LEAVE, GET YOUR HANDS OUT OF MY POCKETS!

— Getinline

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:30 PM, 03/09/2010

At this point, political affiliations have little to do with complete outrage over the degree of entitlement entrenched in City government. You could be a Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, Communist, Independent, or even the Very Silly Party of Monty Python fame and STILL be completely disgusted with the goings-on in City Hall! The only way to fix it would be sweeping changes, both in the way that the City is structured and in the leadership making the decisions. Eliminate EVERY patronage position, from the row offices to Council staffs. Force efficiency in collections of bail, taxes, etc. Rewrite the union workplace rules to get bad employees off the City payroll. And finally, streamline the actual system of government, recreating sense from the dozens of overlapping Commissions and Task Forces as well as eliminating at least HALF of the Council seats. Take the power back from the political machine, and put it in the hands of the voters, then wrest the execution of the public trust from the patronage hacks and give it to qualified technocrats in the civil service!

— citylumberjack