Didn't have time to watch the entirety of the mayor's budget address? We've boiled it down to about four minutes for you, and annotated it for context. We're here to help! Many, many thanks to super-editor Daniel Schwartz for making this happen. And thanks to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for the inspiration.
We also got reactions from City Council members Frank Rizzo, Bill Green and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, as well as AFSCME Discrict Council 47 President Cathy Scott.
Follow us on Twitter and review city services on our sister site, City Howl.
Patrick Kerkstra even more recently cited that the city was owed $500 million in overdue property taxes, an increase over the $400 million owed that he earlier cited more conservatively in previous coverage in the Ink. Any word on if the city will act on this debt?— CleanupPhilly- The press seems hesitant to address overdue property tax collection, but it is what every high performing school system has in common -- the school district is in a county that has aggressive property tax collection and enforcement. It's how good schools and services happen.— CleanupPhilly
- Let's not take property tax collection off the table. Let's not assume that every property with a high property tax debt is by definition owned by someone who is poor. That is the fallacy that has led this problem of noncollection. There are properties in my neighborhood that are uninhabited, empty, or vacant lots, or simple one of a parcel of properties owned by one owner who owes taxes. Those obviously won't cause "homelessness" it the city auctions those properties at sheriff sale. The city can do a better job collecting property taxes, but it won't if the press never covers it. Just like fixing the BRT, the pols won't even admit there is a serious problem unless the press goes after them.— CleanupPhilly
- Cleanup: We don't get any credit for mentioning the uncollected property tax issue? I haven't seen Patrick's new numbers, but I'm not surprised the learn that the amount has grown during a recession.— benwaxman
Comment removed.- TELL CITY COUNCIL HOW YOU FEEL! 'joan.krajewski@phila.gov'; 'jack.kelly@phila.gov'; 'curtis.jones.jr@phila.gov'; 'marian.tasco@phila.gov'; 'michael.nutter@phila.gov'; 'bill.green@phila.gov'; 'Bill.Greenlee@phila.gov'; 'anna.verna@phila.gov'; 'frank.dicicco@phila.gov'; 'frank.rizzo@phila.gov'; 'brian.o'neill@phila.gov'; 'donna.miller@phila.gov'; 'darrell.clarke@phila.gov'; 'james.kenney@phila.gov'; 'blondell.reynolds.brown@phila.gov'— philly57
- Get off cleanup's back. All they do is address that if the property tax was collected properly, as well as, the over 1 billion dollars that is owed by those who have jumped bail from the 70's we would not have this problem. So scum to all the scum out there who don't...PAY UP!!! I am tired of wiping the proverbial backsides of all the roaches that don't pay their way in this city. Ben Waxman, I implore you to go after those two points more often as well. There is no good reason why the press should not go after that story more aggressively,— Redman
- Michael Nutter please read "Rich Dad Poor Dad".— Roy Philipose
- What is the problem with fiscal responsibility?— Marchmadness
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- One party sticks their dirty hands in your pocket, the other sticks their dirty noses in your personal life. Aren't both the main reasons we ditched England to begin with?— MrsDamian
- I wrote (email) every single Councilperson last week - props to Philly57 for the addresses - and so far, I got a form response from Rizzo and a one liner obviously written by a staff member from Clarke. Now admittedly they probably get crackpot emails by the thousands daily, but isn't that why they have such enormously bloated staffs? Vote for the opponent, not the incumbent, regardless of party/race/creed/species/whatever. The culture of entitlement in Philly politics HAS to end!!!— citylumberjack
- I'm not voting for any of them,p'57.— jimmy@22
16 comments | View All Comments | View All By Latest
View comments: 1
|
2
About It's Our Money
Every year, city government spends slightly more than
$4 billion. Where does all that money come from? More importantly,
where does it go? Are we getting the most bang for our tax buck?
“It's Our Money” is a joint project between
Philadelphia Daily News and WHYY, funded by the William
Penn Foundation, designed to answer these questions.
MONEY AND JUSTICE DON'T MIX
WILL THE NEW COUNCIL GIVE YOU A SAY?
MONEY AND JUSTICE DON'T MIX
Imagine you're appearing in
court, about a matter that's very important to you. You've never seen
the judge before. But the attorney for the opposition has given his
Honor thousands of dollars in campaign donations, which helped the
judge become a judge in the first place.
WILL THE NEW COUNCIL GIVE YOU A SAY?
On this week's It's Our
Money podcast, we talk with Zack Stalberg, president of government
watchdog Committee of Seventy, about public comment in Council.
Tips? Comments? Questions?
Contact:
Doron Taussig:
215-854-5307
doron.taussig@gmail.com
@dorontaussig
Holly Otterbein:
215-854-5809
hm.otterbein@gmail.com
@hollyotterbein
Juliana Reyes:
215-854-5855
juliana.f.reyes@gmail.com
@juliana_f_reyes
 | Follow on Twitter |
- Philly Clout
- Metropolis
- Attytood
- Heard in the Hall
- Commonwealth Confidential
- Philebrity
- Phawker
- Young Philly Politics
- OurPhiladelphia
- Capitol Ideas
- Grassroots PA
- PA Policy Blog
- Media Mobilizing Project
- The Notebook
- Dave Davies Off Mic
- Committee of Seventy
- The Independent
- Naked City
- Plan Philly
Blog Roll
Get it now
- February
- January
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
Archives
Philly.com Promotions
- News | Sports | Business | What's Happening | Restaurants & Food | Entertainment | Living | Marketplace | Jobs
Site Services:
Classifieds:
Partners:
Local Services:
