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From YouTube: Committee on Finance 2-5-2019
Description
The Committee on Finance of the Council of the City of Philadelphia will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at 2:00 PM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following item:
190004 An Ordinance amending Chapter 19 2900 of Title 19 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Senior Citizen Low Income Special Tax Provisions,” by extending the deadline for low income seniors to apply for a refund or forgiveness of Real Estate Taxes.
Committee on Finance
Chair: Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (3rd District)
Vice Chair: Councilman Bobby Henon (6th District)
A
B
A
C
C
The
bill
amends
chapter
19
2900
of
the
Philadelphia
Code
entitled
senior
citizen,
low
income,
special
tax
provisions
by
extending
the
deadline
for
low-income
seniors
to
apply
for
a
refund
or
forgiveness
of
real
estate
taxes
as
amended.
This
bill
extends
the
deadline
to
apply
for
the
senior
citizen
tax
freeze
program
to
March
15th.
For
this
tax
year.
The
administration
Lake
Council,
is
committed
to
getting
all
eligible
seniors
enrolled
in
this
program.
C
This
program
protects
them
from
rate
and
assessment
increases
freezing
their
annual
real
estate
tax
bill
from
the
time
they
entered
the
program
for
as
long
as
the
property
remains
their
primary
residence
qualifying.
Applicants
must
meet
certain
age
and
income
criteria
as
of
December
2018
18100
and
seventy
qualifying
homes
were
enrolled
in
the
senior
citizens.
Tax
freeze
program,
those
currently
receiving
a
benefit
from
the
program
will
save,
on
average,
five
hundred
and
sixty
nine
dollars
on
their
2019
real
estate
tax
bills.
C
In
recent
months
of
eligibility
for
the
senior
citizen
tax
raise
program
has
the
span
of
has
expanded
thanks
to
efforts
from
City
Council
and
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
city
council
bill.
One.
Eight
zero,
six,
zero
three
enacted
in
September
2018
expanded
the
program
to
eligible
seniors
in
coop
buildings,
while
the
Commonwealth
increased
income
limits
for
the
program
in
October,
the
Department
of
Revenue
has
worked
diligently
to
promote
and
implement
these
changes.
C
So
far
in
fiscal
year,
2019
revenue
representatives
have
attended
114
community
events
published
over
a
dozen
dozen
social
media
posts
performed
door
to
door
canvassing
held
workshops
with
co-op
building
managers
well
worked
with
AARP
and
Philadelphia
Corporation
for
aging
to
spread
the
word
and
distributed
informational
materials
to
hundreds
of
registered
community
organizations.
These
efforts
have
yielded
over
900
new
applications
for
the
program.
C
The
current
legal
deadline
for
the
program
is
January
31st
each
year.
The
deadline
allows
enough
time
to
receive
and
process
applications
confirm
enrollment
and
issue
new
bills
before
the
February
28th
deadline
for
the
one
percent
early
payment
discount.
Current
legislation
allows
the
department
to
grant
exceptions
to
the
deadline
for
applicants
experiencing
hardship
or
other
valid
reasons.
Given
the
changes
in
assessments
this
year,
we
share
the
sponsors
desire
to
give
as
much
opportunity
as
possible
to
potential
applicants
to
apply
to
freeze
their
bill
at
the
2018
amount.
C
C
Following
this
tax
season,
the
department
will
evaluate
the
impact
of
the
deadline
extension
to
determine
if
it
would
be
helpful
in
the
future.
The
administration
recognizes
the
need
to
improve
access
to
all
Philadelphians
eligible
for
assistance
programs.
We
look
forward
to
working
with
City
Council
to
help
accomplish
this
goal.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
and
I'm
happy
to
answer
any
questions.
C
C
A
D
You,
madam
chair
and
I,
just
want
to
you
know,
thank
you
for
all
the
due
diligence
that
Department
of
Revenue
to
City
Philadelphia
has
performed,
along
with
this
body
in
insurance,
that
ensuring
that
our
senior
citizens
get
the
fair
opportunity
to
for
those
who
were
eligible
in
previous
years
or
not
eligible
in
previous
years
now
eligible
for
the
senior
tax
raise
I.
Think
it's
been
in
an
incredible
effort.
D
I
know
some
of
the
House
members
of
of
the
state
representatives
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
myself
and
a
few
other
council
members
have
been
trying
to
pursue
and
urge
the
Commonwealth
to
rage
the
raise
the
eligibility,
because
it's
edit
date
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
Our
seniors
deserve
better
and
they
and
they
have
a
benefit.
Now
that
is
better
and
equal
to
and
consistent
with
2019
other
programs
that
the
state
has
to
offer.
So
we
were
a
little
behind
at
times
in
Philadelphia.
D
Is,
is
proud
to
be
caught
up
for
the
eligibility
for
our
seniors
to
enroll
in
this
program
and
extend
at
a
time
as
we
have
here
through.
You
know
the
opportunity,
through
this
committee,
in
order
on
the
floor
of
this
body,
is
extremely
important.
So
I
just
want
to
thank
you
for
your
due
diligence.
I
want
to
thank
every
council
member
and
make
sure
that
you
know
we
don't
stop
here.
D
We
still
have
some
time
that
we
make
sure
that
all
citizens
senior
citizens
who
were
not
eligible
before
have
the
opportunity
that
or
that
meet
the
qualifications
that
are
eligible,
that
they
enroll
in
this
program
immediately
within
the
next
two
months,
because
it's
a
it's
something
to
be
proud
of,
and
it
makes
us
proud
to
be
philadelphians
and
it's
proud
for
us,
as
elected
officials,
to
serve
and
offer
those
kind
of
benefits.
So
good
job
and
congratulations.
D
E
You
chairwoman
Blackwell
good
afternoon,
commissioner,
just
a
quick
question:
I
think
you
do
this
already,
but
you
you
will
know
the
income
level
of
the
seniors
for
these
tax
benefits
and
my
question
I
guess
is
based
on
knowing
that
Earned
Income
Tax
Credit
works
best
when
they
have
children
under
the
age
of
17.
You
still
can
get
over
just
over
$500
if
you're
a
single
or
married
couple.
C
Our
standpoint
when
we
get
taxpayers
in
for
any
of
our
relief
programs,
we
kind
of
try
to
do
an
analysis
to
see
if
they're
eligible
for
any
other
relief
program,
and
also
we
do
a
lot
of
you
know.
We
talk
about
114
outreach
events
at
those
events
were
plugging
not
just
senior
tax
freeze,
but
all
of
the
relief
programs,
including
Earned
Income,
Tax
Credit,
and
you
know
that
deserves
a
lot
of
publicity,
because
you
know
that
is
a
very,
very
effective
tool
in
helping
to
alleviate
poverty.
Okay,.
A
F
C
F
Right
just
I
know
we
know
there's
more
people
out
there
that
are
eligible
and
do
not
apply
so
I'm,
trying
to
think
of
every
possible
solution,
especially
with
this
tax
reason,
knowing
what's
going
on
with
OPA
and
and
as
assessments,
keep
increasing
it's
hard
and
harder
for
seniors
and
and
people
and
this
level
to
to
pay
these
taxes.
Yeah.
C
Agreed
and
that's
why
you
know
we've
taking
on
such
a
significant
effort
partner.
You
know,
with
City
Council
with
community
organizations,
faith-based
organizations
really
to
get
out
there
and
get
the
information
to
people
about
all
of
these
programs,
and
we
realize
that
our
communications
team,
I
think
has
been
doing
a
fantastic
job
of
taking
a
multi-pronged
approach.
F
G
Want
to
follow
up
councilman,
squealers
line
of
questioning.
Thank
you
first
for
giving
us
just
giving
us
the
facts.
With
that
number
we've
we've
acted,
we've
been
asked
and
now
I
can
actually
say
the
18,000
170
qualified
homes
are
actually
in
the
program.
My
question
to
you
is
with
the
extension
to
March
the
15th.
Do
we
have,
or
can
we
get
out
at
all,
approximately,
how
many
more
that
we
think
will
buy
by
extending
the
deadline?
So
can
we
quantify
it
at
all?
No.
C
I
think
that's
really
what
we
want
to
do
and
that's
why
we're
making
this
effective.
You
know
that,
with
this
being
effective
for
one
year,
we'll
really
see
how
we'll
measure
at
the
end
of
this,
how
effective
this
was
because
one
of
the
concerns
we
have
is
it.
You
know
from
revenue
standpoint,
we're
really
pushing
this
now
at
March
15th
we're
pushing
this
up
against
the
deadline
so
operationally
we
have
to
get
applications
in.
We
have
to
get
them
processed,
we
have
to
get
them
approved.
C
We
have
to
get
a
new
bill
out
and
into
the
hands
of
the
taxpayer,
so
they
can
pay
by
the
due
date.
So
you
know,
but
we
share,
you
know
we
share
the
the
goal
of
getting
as
many
enrolled,
so
we're
going
to
take
this
on
this
year,
but
then
we
would
really
want
to
measure
the
impact
that
this
has
most
of
our
outreach.
C
I've
been
geared
towards
getting
people
to
apply
and
apply
early,
because
our
goal
is
really
if
we
can
get
them
to
apply
for
the
poke
program
by
about
mid-september,
then,
by
the
time
the
original
real-estate
bill
goes
out
in
early
December
it'll
already
reflect
their
tax
freeze.
Now,
taxpayers
have
a
bill
in
their
hand,
which
doesn't
reflect
the
tax
freeze.
If
they
apply,
we
will
get
them
processed,
we'll
get
a
new
bill
out
to
them,
but
then
they'll
also
have
you
know
two
bills
in
their
hand,
which
might
create
a
little
bit
of
confusion.
C
G
To
measure
this,
you
see
how
effective
it
is.
Your
response
just
now
Commission
brings
me
to
my
second
question:
you
published
over
a
dozen
social
media
posts,
door-to-door
canvassing
workshops,
work
with
AARP
fill
up
your
corporation
for
the
ages,
and
then
you
said
this
effort
has
yielded
over
900
new
applications
to
the
program
is
this
number
does
revenue
know?
Is
this
number
the
largest
number
of
seniors
you
know
in
what
I
say
may
be
the
past
two
administrations
who
are
enrolled
I
would
be
interested
as
a
newer
member
of
this
body
to
say
hey.
G
This
is
my
first
term
here
in
the
City
Council
of
Philadelphia.
Have
we
done
a
better
job
at
getting
senior
citizens
enrolled
in
this
program
versus
prior
administrations,
because
I
always
want
to
measure?
You
know
what
are
we
doing
with
progress?
You
know:
are
we
trending
up
or
are
we
sort
of
flat
and
with
the
outreach
efforts
that
you
have
described,
it'll
be
interesting
to
see
if
that
additional
you
know
direct
person-to-person
contact,
if
that
is
what
is
responsible
for
increasing
participation?
G
C
D
You,
madam
chair
and
commissioner
I,
think
the
Councilwoman
Parker
is
correct.
Right.
We
try
to
measure
the
rate
of
return
on
more
enrollments
and
that
you
know
you
know
compared
to
the
type
of
outlets
that
we
reach
out
to
and
how
we
communicate,
and
we
will.
We
will
happen.
I
mean
you'll.
Have
this
evidence
base?
You
know
throughout.
You
know
it
by
our
budget
process
here
in
the
city
and
and
we'd
look
forward
to
that.
D
That
means
that
you
know
the
paperwork's
getting
to
them
and
and
the
seniors
are
smart,
great,
they'll
call
and
say
hey.
What
is
this
I'm
gonna
go
with
the
bigger
and
better
benefit,
so
I
would
just
you
know,
you
know,
continue
for
all
members.
Just
keep
having
keep
you
know
visiting
your
senior
groups
I.
D
All
right,
you're
gonna
see
people
who
just
fall
short
about
a
hundred
dollars
or
two
hundred
hours
of
being
eligible
for
a
senior
tax
reasons,
and
this
extension
allows
those
who
were
in
the
previous
FY
18
fiscal
year
who
were
not
eligible,
who
are
eligible
now
so
I'm,
gonna,
say:
you're
gonna
see
an
initial
growth.
If
everybody
you
know
continues
to
stay
in
touch
with
their
senior
groups,
alright,
because
I'm
gonna
do
the
same
and
I
think
it's
a
great
thing.
Thanks
thank.
A
H
H
A
H
A
D
A
It
has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
the
amendment
to
build
number
one:
nine,
zero,
zero,
zero
four
be
approved.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
will
signify
by
saying
aye
those
opposed
the
eyes
have
it.
The
motion
carries
and
the
amendment
to
build
number
one:
nine,
zero,
zero,
zero
four
has
been
approved.
The
chair
now
recognizes
councilmember
Heenan
for
motion
on
build
number
one:
nine,
zero,
zero,
zero,
four,
as
amended.
Thank.
D
A
Has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
the
bill
number
one:
nine
zero,
zero,
zero
four,
as
amended,
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
counts
will
be
suspended
so
as
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
was
signify
by
saying
aye
opposed
the
ice
habit.
The
motion
carries
and
bill
number
one:
nine,
zero,
zero,
zero.
A
Four,
as
amended,
will
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
the
favorable
recommendation
and
also
requests
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
as
to
permit
first
reading
at
this
next
session
of
council
I.
Thank
you
all.
Thank
you
for
your
attendance.
We
will
adjourn
this
committee
hearing.
Thank
you
all
for
your
testimony
and.