Nutter administration gives Council closer look at AVI data
The Nutter administration met with City Council members behind closed doors today to share more detailed data related to the city's move to a new property-tax system based on market values known as the Actual Value Initiative (AVI).
Nutter administration gives Council closer look at AVI data
Jan Ransom
The Nutter administration met with City Council members behind closed doors today to share more detailed data related to the city’s move to a new property-tax system based on market values known as the Actual Value Initiative (AVI).
Rob Dubow, the city’s finance director and other administration staff showed Council aggregate date for residential, commercial and industrial properties. Mayor Nutter announced recently that the total value of properties citywide is $98.5 billion and he’s eyeing a 1.3 percent property-rate or a 1.4 percent property tax with a homestead exemption.
Council said the administration will provide them with additional data in the coming weeks that will show the impact of AVI by neighborhood. Council also has their own consultant looking over the numbers.
“I feel better that we did not pass a 1.8 millage rate,” said Councilman Jim Kenney. Kenney was referring to last year’s AVI debate and the subsequent decision to delay it for a year because the rate continued to change.
“We’ve had our first cut on the aggregate and then there will be further discussion at a more detailed level about areas looking at median incomes to determine if they match the values of those properties,” said Council president Darrell Clarke. “We do have some concerns about individuals who may receive significantly increased tax bills and will not be in the position to pay them.”
Soon Council will be weighing its options on how best to protect homeowners from sharp property tax increases. Currently on the table is a homestead exemption that would lower assessments by $30,000 and a gentrification measure to help longtime residents in gentrifying neighborhoods.
Councilman Mark Squilla who led the charge to delay AVI for a year said his 1st district which includes Center City, Northern Liberties and Fishtown will likely get hit hard. He said, “I need to have a complete understanding of what the numbers are and how it will affect residents. Once we have numbers for the GMAs (neighborhood data) then we can dig down and figure out what protections we can put in place."
The $30K Homestead exemption is absolute baloney. It will reduce your taxes by about $300. Keeny and the rest are saying how great this is as they raise middle class taxes thousands of dollars. When people start getting $5000 tax increases I'm sure they will be thanking Council for that $300 exemption.
so we're looking at a 45 % increase in our tax bill, after three straight years of property tax increases? thanks democrats— hannibal barca
@Hannibal: Completely agree. Every knew the "temporary" increases were lies, but since Democrats have no fear of losing power, they do what they want.— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver- What a joke this is to raise property taxes on the hard working people of Philadelphia when the money is going to go to schools that are not going to improve. If you live in Center City, Roxborough, Manayunk, North East, South Philadelphia you might see huge increases. These people in these areas are the ones with the good jobs and paying the wage tax with there high incomes to support Philadelphia but they raise taxes on them but don't collect the past due taxes. Time to move because the only thing good about living in the city was the low property taxes. I will have my house up for sale in the next 3 months and Philadelphia will loose 9k a year in wage tax because I don't work in the city. This is what happens when you make promises pensions and health care to the city and teachers unions that the tax payer can not keep. Democrats are also making the middle class person who's family is probably just getting by now there taxes are going up and the only place where the values and taxes are going down is the hood the people who don't work and are on the tax payers dime. Wake up Philadelphia before you become Baltimore or Detroit....— PhillySM
- I think baltimore or Detroit are looking pretty good right now. Detroit has seen property tax decreases for the last 4 years because proprty values have decreased. At least they understand basic economics. people making less money cant afford tax increases? who knew? — write me in
- middle class folks in east falls, manayunk, roxborough and the NE are going to get soaked with a 45% property tax hike, while numb nut does nothing but "encourage" tax deadbeats in north and west philadelphia to pay their overdue taxes — hannibal barca
- Hold up on the West Philly blanket indictment. I live in W.Philly, unfortunately what's now the "catchment zone". Not on a great block, heck not even on a really residential block. The homeowners here and all our friends DO pay their taxes, they bought before the catchment, they bought what they could afford, they're facing the same stagnant wages with everything - including property taxes - going up. Parts of W. Philly are going to get slammed hard because of the artificial inflation of Penn and the Alexander school. — annoyed
- YEAH WHAT DO YOU PAY A YEAR IN PROPERTY TAXES?? 800 BUCKS GIMME A BREAK, THE SLUGS OF THIS CITY HAVE BEEN SUBSIDIZED BY THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHO WORK HARD AND PAY THEIR TAXES, AND DONT HAVE 10 KIDS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS — wallycleaver
- I'm not the homeowner but happen to know the homeowner pays close to $3,000 a year already. Oh and no one in the house has ANY children or has had any children. Stop assuming because people live in a certain area they're a certain color or type of person. No one in this house is being "subsidized" by the City. — annoyed
- Have to look at City Council. They voted themselves a lovely pension package and they vote themselves raises - against the Mayor, but they passed. The few teachers I know do NOT make all that much money, so their pensions can't be all that fabulous. They're not making a lot, they're paying all the same taxes plus union dues plus buying school supplies out of pocket with no reimbursement, have to keep going back to school themselves on their own dime and now are going to get hit like the rest of homeowners with this. Please don't blame the every day worker, look higher for who's getting the money. — annoyed
- what is with the closed door meetings? Im sure they will inflate the tax rate to account for an expected percentage of uncollected taxes which would be the responsibilty of the mayor and controller. not the burden of those who do pay.— write me in
- They can't do away with the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) but they can raise taxes when no one is looking. May-be the Ethics board will step in...— thomas j barnes
- Here! Here! They can have AVI when they dispose of DROP. I am sure every member of Council is busy figuring out their DROP Payments and how to spend their 1 day off. — jonline
- "he’s eyeing a 1.3 percent property-rate or a 1.4 percent property tax with a homestead exemption." Can someone, anyone tell us WHY, when many of the people who would be applying for the exemption are those who are as usual most in need would be paying 1.4, with no exemption 1.3. That .1 may not sound like much, but with the way we're all anticipating some truly bizarre and outrageous hikes (after 3 years of increases) could be the final "breaks the camel's back" for far too many long-time residents. And in the meantime, the expensive "luxury" buildings continue to get their 10 year tax abatement on our backs, along with all the delinquents! Closed door meetings, gtfo— annoyed
- Don't worry. Mayor Blondell Reynolds Brown will fix it.— Sanchez
