Taxes

The Campaign for Working Families boost the number of people who receive free tax filing assistance and do not have to pay sky-high fees to commercial tax preparers. Over the past eight years, The Campaign for Working families has brought $146.4 million into the homes of low-income working families. And saved these families an estimated $20.2 million in interest, fees and charges for tax preparation

Mayor Nutter is offering regressive taxes as a solution to the city budget deficit, showing just how limited a vision our elected leaders have for addressing this economic crisis. 

Don’t Tax Me Out Campaign Calls on City Council to Enact Community Protection Plan

Don’t Tax Me Out Campaign Calls on City Council to Enact Community Protection Plan

Time and Location: Thursday, October 25, 2007 12:00 pm West Side of City Hall

In 2008 the city will move to full market valuation. Proponents believe that this move will make the tax system more fair and equal. However, a coalition of neighborhood and residents associations is very concerned that if full valuation goes forward without a plan in place to protect residents, especially low-income residents and senior citizens, this plan could have a widespread impact of forcing people out of their homes, especially in neighborhoods where property values have risen dramatically.

Today 23,000 Philadelphia residents and business ownerswill receive notices informing them of the city' attempt to collect on delinquent taxes as part of what Mayor Street dubbed "the city' most aggressive" tax collection initiative so far.

Street tried to keep the focus of last Friday's press conference off of tax collection and on the need of city schools, which the mayor claims will receive more than half of themoney collected from this initiative. However, ending the 10-year tax abatement program, enjoyed mostly byhigh-end developers and residents, was not considered as part of the Mayor's plan to rescue city the school district.

With arrival of the notices, taxpayers must pay 25% of the delinquent taxes up front and the remaining balance over the course of the year. Those who wait until a foreclosure notice arrives will be forced to pay 50% of the back taxes up front with one year to pay the rest or lose their properties.

Foreclosure filings will begin "as early as November. Court hearings could begin by January. Sheriff sales could be held by next May." said City Solicitor Romulo Diaz to a reporter who was concerned that the sheriff sale process normally moves to slowly.

Several community meetings put on by the Don't Tax Me Out Campaign of the Community Preservation Network have been in the news recently. Check them out here:

South Philly Review and Al Dia