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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, April 12, 2018:
Councilman Allan Domb (At Large) introduces an ordinance to address delinquent property taxes from commercial property owners and investors.
B
You
thank
you.
The
legislation
I
introduced
today
is
an
updated
version
of
previous
legislation,
I
introduced
in
November
and
part
of
our
ongoing
commitment
to
collect
delinquent
taxes
owed
to
our
city
in
our
school
district.
This
legislation
I
propose
today
explicitly
states
that
all
owner
occupants
will
be
excluded
from
the
method
of
collecting
delinquent
taxes.
It's
simple:
if
you
own
your
home
and
you
live
in
it
as
a
primary
residence,
you
qualify
for
the
exclusion.
You
are
not
included.
The
earlier
legislation.
I
introduced,
have
the
same
exclusion.
B
However,
to
be
clear,
the
new
legislation
introduced
today
places
the
exemption
language
directly
in
the
ordinance,
as
opposed
to
in
the
contract,
which
the
legislation
would
authorize.
As
I
have
said
from
the
beginning,
it's
theater
the
goal:
no,
the
intent
of
this
legislation
to
remove
anyone
from
their
homes.
Rather,
the
goal
is
to
collect
money
from
those
who
choose
not
to
pay
and
who
have
gotten
away
with
it
for
far
too
long.
We
must
send
a
strong
signal
that
we
will
not
tolerate
this
any
longer
to
the
delinquent
commercial
and
industrial
property
owners
and
investors.
B
Let
me
say
this
on
behalf
of
the
taxpaying
citizens
and
businesses,
as
well
as
our
schoolchildren
we
are
coming
for
our
money.
This
revenue
is
crucial,
especially
at
this
moment
for
our
city
in
our
school
districts.
Right
now,
in
the
middle
of
a
budget
debate,
we
are
talking
again
about
raising
property
taxes,
we're
talking
again
about
raising
the
transfer
tax
and
we're
freezing
the
planned
decrease
to
the
city
wage
tax.
B
All
while
we
continue
to
grow
our
government
budget,
the
citizens
of
Philadelphia
do
not
understand
how
we,
the
city,
can
sit
back
and
allow
the
51,000
delinquent
commercial
industrial
investment
property
owners
to
continue
to
shed
their
responsibility
by
not
paying
their
taxes.
Meanwhile,
the
overwhelming
majority
continues
to
shoulder
the
burden
by
paying
their
share
and
then
some
it's
not
fair.
It's
not
right,
and
it
cannot
continue
to
be
clear.
We
all
must
pay
our
taxes.
B
All
of
us
and
this
legislation
will
put
us
on
track
to
create
a
better
culture
of
compliance,
help
people
get
on
track
and
roll
them
in
the
various
programs
we
have
in
place
to
help
with
their
payments,
whether
it's
uber
or
loop
Philadelphians.
If
you're
listening
today
or
you
should,
if
you
live
in
your
home
and
you're
behind
on
your
real
estate
taxes,
we
can
provide
you
assistance
to
meet
compliance
standards.
That's
our
goal
and
I
believe
a
shared
goal
of
each
and
every
one
of
us
here.
B
Proposal
I
put
forward
today
with
my
co-sponsors,
councilman
Heenan,
councilman,
Scola,
Councilwoman,
Blackwell,
councilman,
Jones
and
Councilman
O'neill
must
be
strongly
considered.
As
we
continue
our
budget
debate,
we,
the
city,
are
responsible
for
the
big
decisions
we're
facing,
including
the
financial
challenges
looming
over
the
school
district.
We
have
a
duty
to
collect
taxes
owed
before
we
consider
increasing
taxes,
because
we
will
be
held
accountable.
Thank
you,
Thank.