City of Philadelphia - File #: 020509

• File #: 020509
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 9/12/2002
• In control: Committee of the Whole
• Title: Authorizing the Council Committee of the Whole to hold hearings on real estate taxation in Philadelphia and the potential of land-value taxation to encourage development and discourage blight creation in the city; and, further authorizing the Committee to seek advice and recommendations on real estate tax policy and land-value taxation from citizens, community groups, economists, academia, business executives, officials from other jurisdictions, and state legislative and executive branch officials.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Mariano, Council President Verna, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Ortiz, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember Longstreth
• Indexes: REAL ESTATE TAX

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
4/29/2003	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING NOTICES SENT
4/29/2003	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING HELD
4/29/2003	0	Committee of the Whole	RECESSED
9/12/2002	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED & REFERRED
9/12/2002	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
9/12/2002	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

Title
Authorizing the Council Committee of the Whole to hold hearings on real estate taxation in Philadelphia and the potential of land-value taxation to encourage development and discourage blight creation in the city; and, further authorizing the Committee to seek advice and recommendations on real estate tax policy and land-value taxation from citizens, community groups, economists, academia, business executives, officials from other jurisdictions, and state legislative and executive branch officials.
Body
WHEREAS, City Council is the body authorized by the City Charter to levy taxes and to legislatively determine the rates of such taxes; and

WHEREAS, City Council must be prepared to analyze, evaluate, and make decisions on future tax policy and its impact on the overall general fund budget, the delivery of city services, and the business climate of our City; and

WHEREAS, Despite moving from fiscal crisis to regular budgetary surpluses and after small-scale tax reductions, Philadelphia's population loss continued throughout the 1990's and Philadelphia has continuously lagged behind the nation, the Greater Philadelphia Region, and competitor cities in terms of economic development and economic growth; and

WHEREAS, Residential property owners across Philadelphia have seen their Real Estate Tax bills increased significantly as a result of the City's latest round of reevaluation of property values; and

WHEREAS, The current system of real estate taxation has been criticized for being regressive, confusing, and inequitable as well as for punishing those who invest in their properties with higher taxes while reducing taxes on property owners who allow their properties to decay; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has successfully used tax abatements on improvements to properties, which reduce short-term tax liabilities for property owners who meet certain criteria, to promote development in neighborhoods across the city; and

WHEREAS, Land-value tax...