Ron Panepinto Jewelers
Jim Stevenson
700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
9371 ROOSEVELT BLVD. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19114 215-698-7000 JStevenson@ChapmanAutoGroup.com
Vol. XI. No. 4 (Issue 469)
“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”
Want to solve much of the city’s looming $2 billion budget without taxing Philadelphians out of their homes and businesses? Then you need to notify Mayor Michael Nutter and the Philadelphia City Council to take a look at notes of testimony developed at hearings the Council held in the mid-‘80s on the Land Value Tax. The Council then deliberated changing the formula by which all properties in this city are assessed for taxation purposes. It would flip the ratio of 4 to 1 to the land, and away from the building on which the land rests. The empowering legislation went down to
Value 50 ¢
January 22, 2009
We Need An LVT Fix defeat by one vote, as one Councilman cast a negative vote because, he confessed, he “just didn’t have time to study it.”
First In A Series
Had the bill passed and been signed into law, taxes would have shifted from buildings to land. The program would have allowed the City to adopt a flexible form of the property tax that would permit it to free all buildings from the destructive grip of taxation and to make up the revenue loss by taxing land instead. Owners would no longer be penalized
for making improvements or expanding properties. Since 1926, 21 cities in Pennsylvania have chosen that route, rewarded by their growth of taxable income and major increases in new building development. Philadelphia’s land and building assessments are determined separately. This makes it easy for the City Council to adopt the Land Value Tax concept, which increases the value of land and reduces the value of the buildings. Propelling the adoption of the LVT, not only in this state, but throughout the country and overseas, has been the Henry George
Power Lunch With Brady Our Sheriff Reduced Foreclosures Sheriff John Green is smiling these days, elated at the news the Philadelphia region placed 78th of 100 metropolitan areas nationwide in the number of foreclosure filings recorded. Charged with auctioning off foreclosures monthly at Sheriff Sales, Sheriff Green has witnessed the accelerating climb in mortgage foreclosures. Several years ago, he began a series of moves to bring aid to those whose homes were being foreclosed through circumstances over which they had little or no control. Foremost among these was bringing together 13 nonprofit agencies committed to helping homeowners facing pending mortgage foreclosures. He also broke new ground by instituting a moratorium on sherrifsales. His staff has provided one-on-one counseling as well to those facing foreclosures, while the Sheriff himself has lobbied successfully to get (Cont. Page 27)
www.PanepintoJewelers.com We Buy Gold & Diamonds
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OFFICIAL invitees to Barack Obama’s inauguration, high school students Lashonda Anderson, left, Lauren Melendez and Jesse Hunley enjoy high-powered lunch with Congressman Bob Brady at Palm Restaurant in Bellevue before departing with him for Washington. More Presidential Inauguration photos Page 17.
PHA, TSSI Host Obama Party PHILA. HOUSING AUTHORITY hosted party at John Street Community Center as residents and staffers joined Tenet Supports Services, Inc. celebrate President Barack Obama’s inauguration. TSSI CEO Asia Coney joins Obama supporters and avid PHA Experience readers at packed party.
Foundation of America, with offices located in Philadelphia. It’s begun beating the drums in Council Chambers to draw the attention of Council Members to a way out from heavier taxation. Council is at a crossroads with its tax programming. Some members believe they can no longer reduce the gross-revenues tax and must now increase the millage by which property taxes are levied. They’ll need to brace themselves against irate and disgruntled constituents when the Board of Revision of Taxes finally imple(Cont. Page 2)
Felder Joins Consultants For Not So Quiet Primary by Joe Shaheeli This year’s primary will offer voters a crowded ballot, usually not the case in recent off-year elections, and the possibility there could be some excitement generated in the battle for nominations. At the top of the local ticket will be the offices of District Attorney and City Controller. Normally, turnout would be considered nominal save for the fact the DA’s race will be wide open, generating competition that normally would not have appeared had the name of Lynn Abraham appeared once again on the ballot. Despite the fact incumbency in off year elections favors the individual in office, City Controller Alan Butkovitz will find he has competition ... maybe. Though the likable and affable Judge John Braxton has indicated he will challenge Butkovitz in the Democratic Primary, there is a likeliJEFF FELDER hood the ability to raise ..now a consultant (Cont. Page 2)