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From YouTube: Inside Philadelphia City Council: Bobby Henon
Description
Councilman Bobby Henon discusses his Taxpayer Fairness Initiative as well as other issues important in the 6th District. Inside Philadelphia City Hall airs on Comcast Channel 64 and on PhillyCAM (Comcast 66 & 966; Verizon 29 & 30).
A
Hello,
thank
you
for
joining
us
for
inside
City
Council,
I'm
your
host
al
Butler.
Today
we're
joined
by
City,
Councilman,
Bobby
Heenan,
how
you
doing
sir
great
health
thanks
for
having
me
thanks
for
being
here
absolutely
taxes,
it's
a
big
thing
in
the
city
right
now:
property
taxes
especially
talk
to
us
about
the
issue.
As
you
see
it
now,.
B
It
taxes,
it's
absolutely
a
big
issue,
and
you
know
people
want
to
know
the
citizens
of
Philadelphia
want
to
know
what
they're
paying
for
their
taxes
and
what
we're
doing
about
the
uncollected
taxes.
The
tax
delinquencies
that
have
been
built
up
has
been
built
up
over
the
years.
So
you
know
in
advance
to
our
property
tax,
new
avi
revaluation
of
our
property
tax
system.
You
know
an
uncertain
on
how
those
numbers
are
going
to
come
out,
as
we
weren't
sure
and
still
unclear
on
how
this
whole
process
is
going
to
unfold.
B
We
started
a
very
higher
energy,
new,
aggressive
approach
to
finding
out
or
efficiencies
and
deficiencies
with
our
tax
collections
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
and
why
taxes
are
important,
because
taxes
or
important
taxes
provide
us
with
the
resources
for
our
schools
to
help
keep
our
kids
safe
and
provide
them
to
materials,
helps
for
our
school
teachers.
It
helps
for
crossing
guards
that
helps
for
our
police
and
our
fire.
Our
libraries
and
many
other
you
know
life
safety,
L&I
concerns
that
we
have
here
in
the
city
philadelphia.
B
So
you
know,
collect
the
nose
back
taxes
or
extremely
important,
and
not
only
collecting
art
back
taxes,
but
paying
our
taxes.
We
feel
that
tax
fairness
is
important,
that
everybody
should
be
paying.
You
know
their
taxes
if
they
can
and
if
they
don't.
You
know
we're
asking
people
to
come
forward
and
ask
for
help.
I
mean
we
understand
that
the
economy's
bad
and
sometimes
personal
issues
fall
and
lay
upon
us
and
the
city
is,
is
here
to
be
helpful.
B
You
know
we,
as
elected
officials,
want
to
be
helpful,
but
everybody
should
pay
their
fair
share
of
taxes
for
the
resources.
You
know
again,
such
as
tax
trash
collection
and
and
other
services.
Great
services
that
are
municipal
unions,
provide
for
the
residents
of
philadelphia,
so
we
introduced
a
six
new
freshmen
with
that
new
energy
and
vigor.
B
We
introduced
six
resolutions
to
deal
with
the
tax
delinquencies
in
a
public
open
forum
where
we
can
understand
the
citizens
in
a
transparent
way
in
a
public
hearing
could
understand
what
the
processes
are
and
collecting
our
back
taxes
or
tax
collection
hearings
will
deal
with
owner-occupied
tax,
delinquencies
investment,
residential
tax,
delinquencies,
commercial
tax,
delinquencies
and
vacant
property
tax
delinquencies,
as
well
as
big
picture
ideas
and
solutions
and
best
practices
around
the
country.
You
know
we
should
not
be
24
at
a
twenty
five
municipalities,
great
municipality
xin,
this
country.
A
B
Not
sure
he'll
be
got
to
this
point
now,
but
we
want
to
shed
light
on
thaton
up
in
a
public
forum
to
understand
what
the
processes
are.
We
have
dug
ourselves
a
major
hole,
a
big
hole
of
tax
delinquency
that
may
or
may
not
have
been
warranted.
So
over
the
years
you
know,
we've
dug
this
big
hole,
attack
delinquency,
some
tax
delinquencies,
you
know-
have
dated
back
to
30
years,
20
years,
ten
years,
why?
Let's,
let's
figure
out
why
and
dig
ourselves
starting
to
start
to
dig
ourselves
out
a
hole?
B
I
want
to
thank
my
colleagues
who
who
are
aggressively
you
know
joining
together
and
council
as
a
whole.
In
addition
to
these
resolutions,
who
want
to
tackle
this
issue
and
I
think
the
citizens
Philadelphia
deserves
to
know
what
the
process
is
before
I
got
the
city
council.
I
would
never
have
known
what
the
process
is
for
for
our
tax
collections
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
so
you
know
why
we
have
these
hearings
when
we
have
these
hearings.
B
You
know
we're
going
to
ask
some
poignant
questions,
some
specific
questions
that
we're
going
to
ask
for
the
data
to
help
better
understand
the
process
of
our
tax
collections.
Everybody
should
be
paying
something
and
if
not
a
part
of
this
tax
initiative,
taxpayer
initiative
that
we
that
we
are
collectively
initiating
here.
You
know
it's
it's
an
education.
You
know
we
want
to
inform
the
public
and
educate
the
public
on
what
they
can
and
they
cannot
do
as
far
as
their
taxes
and
what
resources
we
have.
B
A
B
You
know,
I
think
that
you
have
a
legitimate
concern.
You
know
we're
going
to
have
hearings
here.
I
ask
everybody
to
come.
You
know,
do
attend
a
hearing
to
do
some
research.
You
know,
look
online,
you
go
to
taxpayer
fairness,
calm
or
you
can
get
updates
on.
You
know
the
process.
If
you're
unable
to
come
down
for
the
hearings,
you
know
and
pay
attention
to
the
budget
process.
I
mean
the
city
actually
wants
to
help
when.
A
You're
look
at
the
problem
of
delinquent
taxes
and
you
look
at
the
individual
homeowner.
You
have
businesses,
obviously,
who
have
more
economic
resources
I,
usually
that
they're
able
to
address
them
they're
back
tax
issues.
Individual
citizens
may
not
have
that
money
to
pull
from
right
away.
If
they're,
given
a
bill
of
X
amount
of
money,
how
do
you
navigate
that?
Well,.
B
Right
now
it
past
practice,
it
has
been
based
on
an
individual
situation.
So
you
know
what
the
city
has
tried
to
do
is
ask
for
a
certain
percentage
and
amount
of
money.
You
know
in
it.
You
know
upfront
and
then
get
put
on
a
payment
plan.
Sometimes
people
just
can't
you
know
pay
half
or
whatever
arrangement
that
they
have.
You
know
between
them
and
a
reveler
department.
You
know
to
start
getting
a
tat.
B
A
whole
I
mean
we
got
to
realize
that
you
know
there
is
a
hole
that
people
need
to
get
out
of
I
put
together,
alright
wishin
tlie.
We
can
work
towards
getting
people
back
on
the
tax
rolls
and
in
paying
for
a
system.
So
we
can
continue
to
get
the
great
services
that
the
city
has,
and
we
have
incredible
services
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
No,
but
everybody
should
should
be
aware
of
the
resources
that
we
have
the
programs
that
we
have
and
everybody
should
pay
something.
B
A
You
attract
new
businesses
and
citizens
to
the
city,
philadelphia,
one
of
the
things
that
the
tax
abatement
and
there,
but
some
other
programs
that
really
worked
well
to
bring
people
into
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
How
do
you
balance
attracting
new
people
with
the
people
who
are
already
here
and
in
that
tax
structure
and
how
things
get
dull
doubt
and
who
pays
what
well.
B
I
think
we
we
need
to
seriously
any
serious
now
seriously
have
tax
reform.
There
needs
to
be
a
more
predictable
system
in
place
where
businesses
can
come
in
into
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
know
what
they
need
to
pay
all
right.
We
can't
be
changing
the
rules,
midstream
and,
while
you
know
we're
trying
to
attract
businesses
and
brought
in
our
tax
base,
but
we
also
want
to
make
sure
that
those
those
tax
burdens
don't
get
shifted
on
the
residence
all
right.
It's
it's
not.
B
A
B
We're
going
to
two
days
of
hearings
so
after
two
days
of
great
hearings
and
awesome
conversation
which
you
know
I
fully
intended,
will
be
we're
going
to
take
a
lot
of
that
information
data.
Look
at
next
steps
moving
forward,
and
hopefully
you
put
together
a
process
that
or
make
suggestions
you
know
to
the
administration
on
the
process
that
they
should.
You
know,
be
looking
at
the
to
help
make
our
our
tax
collection
a
lot
more
efficient.
So
we
see
and
hear
everything
from
500
million
dollar
tax
delinquency.
B
That's
aggregate,
that's
out
there
to
a
billion
dollars.
So
what
is
it
you
know?
Hopefully
you
know
some
of
the
data
that
we
can
extract
from
these
hearings
will
give
us
real
information
on
what
is
out
there
and
what
are
the
best
practices?
What
are
the
big
ideas,
and
can
we
move
forward
with
implementing
some
more
efficient
ways
than
our
tax
collections?.
A
What
kinds
of
powers
does
the
city
have?
A
one
of
the
issues
that
comes
up
is
that
the
city
has
taken
people
to
court
over
the
years
to
get
that
money,
and,
as
you
mentioned,
there
have
been
people
who
have
owed
money
for
years,
sometimes
decades
and
they've
been
to
court
and
there's
still
no
settlement
in
that.
What
can
the
city
do
outside
of
going
to
court
to
to
get
some
of
that
money?
Well,.
B
Depending
upon
the
situation,
the
state
has
passed
act
135
where
a
vacant
or
abandoned
property
or
tax
delinquent
property.
If
it's
been
four
years
where
an
individual
or
a
non-profit
or
a
group
can
actually
file
for
receivership,
you
know
fix
up
the
house
in
act.
1
35
is
a
great
tool
where
that
money
can
be
set
aside
for
for
those
who
were
trying
to
recover,
you
know
their
their
property.
In
any
case,
while
that
happens,
you
know
that
property
gets
put
back
on
the
market
and
gets
put
back
into
the
tax
rolls.
B
You
know
in
money
keeps
keeps
you
know
coming
into
the
city.
You
know
instead
of
a
vacant
property,
that's
that's
blatant
up
a
neighborhood!
That's
taken
down
the
property
values
to
twenty
percent
in
the
block
and
in
the
surrounding
area.
We
have
hard
data.
That
proves
that
you
know
multiple
violations
on
taxed
and
like
coupled
with
tax,
delinquencies
and
property
owners
or
and
neglect
brings
the
property
values
down.
B
B
Council,
council,
president
Clark
and
myself
has
introduced
a
bill
where
it
gives
the
authority
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
to
go
outside
Philadelphia
jurisdiction
and
enter
in
had
judgments
won't
people's
investment
properties
if
they
do
property
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
whether
it's
commercial
or
residential
and
actually
take
them
to
court
and
retrieve.
You
know
the
money
that
they
owe
to
City
Philadelphia.
So
everybody
has
been
stepping
up
here
in
City
Council
and
coming
up
with
great
creative
ideas
to
address
the
tax
delinquencies
and
the
issues
that
we've
been
having
for
years.
B
So
I
think
this
is
a
good
idea
to
put
it
all
together,
see
what
we
have
collectively
and
come
up
with
a
plan
that
better
serves
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
So
we're
not
unduly
taxing.
You
know
through
property
taxes.
You
know
those
folks
who
have
been
responsible
for
over
two
years
and
had
been
fortunate.
Not
the
fall
and
some
hard
times,
because
we
understand
that.
How.
A
B
Is
that
is
a
large
part?
You,
you
have
irresponsible
landlords
and
I
say
you're
responsible,
because
there
are
some
good
responsible
landlords
here
in
the
physical
City
Philadelphia
who
coached
her
their
kids
and
neighborhood.
You
know
participate
in
your
community
groups
and
you
know
buy
shirts
for
their
boys
and
girls.
Clubs
and
you
know
there
there's
a
lot
of
good,
responsible
business
mela.
B
Now,
there's
also
the
flip
side
of
that
they're,
irresponsible
landlords
who
have
nineteen
twenty
three
hundred
five
hundred
properties
here
in
the
city,
philadelphia
who
live
outside
the
city
of
philadelphia,
where
tax
delinquent,
who
just
leaned
one
or
two
properties,
because
its
property
specific
and
it
doesn't
carry
with
them.
You
know
when
they're
on
their
other
property,
so
room.
You
know
we're
really
trying
to
crack
down
on
that
gaming.
B
The
system,
as
I
call
it
council
president
Clark
I
myself,
also
in
a
dealing
with
the
Philadelphia
state
delegation,
have
they
have
introduced
a
bill
in
Harrisburg
where
those
judgments
or
those
tax
delinquencies
follow
that
investor
that
is
outside
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
In
that
will
they
will
be
leaned
on
their
own
property,
that
they
own
a
property
and
their
property.
B
B
Philadelphia
does
have
a
the
power
to
take
property.
You
have
act.
Act
90,
which
again
is
a
is
another
act
which
which
allows
that
process
to
take
place,
also
with
doors
and
windows
and
unsafe
unfit
properties.
We
also
have
the
ability
to
in
some
cases
you
know
as
as
see
fit
from
the
city
solicitor,
to
take
these
delinquencies
to
court,
to
sheriff,
sale
and
force
them
to
sheriff
sale,
whether
the
foreclosures
or
municipal
sales.
We
have
that
ability
to
do
that
as
a
city.
B
It's
you
know
it's
about
taxpayer
fairness,
so
you
know
we're
going
to
encourage
you
know
in
certain
situations.
It's
a
city,
actually,
you
know
move
forward
to
getting
these
cases
over
to
the
courts
and
having
the
courts,
put
judgments
on
and
take
it
a
properties
and
putting
them
back
on
the
rolls
and
it
all
comes
down
to
dollars
and
cents.
So
we
have
an
excess
of
10,000
properties.
The
city
that
the
city
philadelphia
owns,
there's
no
reason
that
we
should
be
sitting
on
those
properties.
We
need
to
move
it.
B
A
B
Couple
other
ideas
that
we've
been
you
know
talking
about
is
resale
on
sheriff
sales
know.
If
there's
a
property
people
show
up
at
at
a
share
of
sale
and
nothing
moves.
No,
you
know
I'd
like
to
see
every
cell
right
then
and
there
on
a
spot
instead
of
having
it
listed
for
another
time.
You
know,
let's
get
it
done,
let's
move
it
right
now
and
let's
give
people
the
opportunities
to
buy
their
first
house
at
an
affordable
price
in
a
neighborhood
where
they
want
to
start
their
family
on.
A
B
Include
well,
I
think
it's
important
because
I'm
not
sure
people
realize
what
the
taxes
you
know
that
we
pay
you
go
towards.
They
pay
not
just
for
a
tax
collection
or
trash
collection.
I
mean
that's
obvious.
You
know
people
pay
your
taxes.
We
want
to.
You
know
that's
a
great
service
that
we
provide
and
it's
our
police,
it's
our
fire.
It's
our
crossing
guards.
You
know
they
keep
our
kids
safe.
It's
our
schools,
it's
our
library!
B
So
there's
a
lot
of
services
that
the
cities
have
it's
our
rec
centers,
where
kids
are
playing
any
any
many
different
kinds
of
sports
where
families
and
and
friends
gather
together
and
act
as
communities.
That's
what
our
tags
is
pay
for
it.
We
forget
about
it
sometime
all
right
and
it's
important,
and
once
you
talk
to
with
citizens
once
you
talk
to
a
citizen
of
Philadelphia
and
a
neighbor
were
a
parent,
family
or
brother
or
a
sister,
and
you
say
you
know
what
you
know.
This
is
why
we
pay
taxes.
They
understand
councilman.
B
A
good
question
problem
property
Advisory
Committee,
was
something
that
I
thought
of
when
I
was
running
for
six
council
matic
district,
knocking
on
doors
and
overwhelmingly
absentee
landlords
and
problem
properties
was
the
number
one
issue
that
we
had
out
in
the
communities
and
when
I
took
office
has
been
sixty
to
sixty-five
percent
of
the
telephone
calls
that
comes
in
to
my
office.
I
opened
up
a
district
office,
I'm
very
proud
of
that,
so
I
am
out
there
in
the
community
hearing
those
calls
listening
those
complaints
on
a
regular
basis.
B
What
are
the
things
that
I've
done
when
I,
when
I
came
into
office,
dealing
with
absentee
landlords,
not
just
landlords
problem
property?
So
you
could
be
an
owner-occupied
resident
and
just
let
your
property
look
like
crap
and
just
look
like
a
blatant
mess
right
as
a
problem.
Nobody
wants
to
live
next
and
it
brings
down
the
morale
of
the
neighborhood.
It
brings
down
the
quality
of
life
of
the
neighborhood.
It
brings
down
the
the
continuity
of
a
neighborhood
to
look
and
feel,
and
there's
also
health
and
safety
issues
when
it
comes
to
a
problem
property.
B
We
encourage
everybody
to
come,
but
the
Department
of
L
and
I
has
been
wonderful.
The
Commissioner
has
been
fantastic
or
new,
commissioner
in
working
and
believing
in
this
effort,
one
of
the
individual
basis,
property
to
property
phases.
It's
been
very
successful,
so
I
have
the
collaborative
effort
with
Ellen
I
with
the
clip
program,
which
is
a
part
of
the
management
director's
office
with
Ellen
I
inspectors
with
the
streets
department
and
the
water
department.
So
these
agencies-
you
know
they
talk
about
you-
know
the
city
living
in
silos
and
we're
operating
under
silos.
B
Well,
here
are
everybody's
working
together
and
we're
taking
a
property
by
property
issue.
As
it's
submitted
right,
it's
formed,
it
was
formed.
Last
year
we
have
minutes,
we
have
bylaws.
We
have
committee
members
who
vote
whether
a
property
if
they
meet
the
criteria
for
a
problem
property,
and
it
deserves
to
take
the
next
steps
or
not
right,
and
we
do
our
due
diligence
on
identifying
what
the
problem
is
when
a
property.
B
It's
voted
on
as
a
group
together
and
then
we
take
a
look
at
the
next
steps
with
the
city
agencies
and
my
office
to
figure
out
what
or
the
next
steps
when
trying
to
address
these
issues
and
I
can
tell
you,
it
has
been
a
huge,
huge
success.
We
have
transformed
some
of
these
homes,
put,
they
put
they
put
in
new
doors
and
we
have
new
roofs
on
properties.
I
have
landlords
who
own
multiple
properties,
who
have
cleaned
up
their
property.
I've
also
had
hearings
Mary
in
City
Council.
B
You
know
combined
hearing
with
public
property
and
Ellen
I
and
I've
subpoenaed
landlords
and
problem
properties
right.
So
they
know
that
it's
a
priority
of
mine.
They
know
that
you
know
cleaning
up
their
property
and
being
a
responsible
citizens
and
and
having
dignity
and
respect
for
your
neighbors
is
extremely
important,
and
you
know
we've
had
great
success
and
doing
this.
B
The
problem
the
properties
have
over
the
last
year
has
the
submitted
properties
have
decreased
all
right
and
it's
a
testament
to
everybody
who
has
been
a
who's
been
a
part
of
this
problem:
property
advisory
committee
from
from
the
community
members
to
the
multiple
departments
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
My
office,
who
has
taken
lead
and
has
made
strides
strides
in
in
order
efforts
to
clean
up
or
neighborhoods
more
property.
At
a
time,
people.
B
You
well,
you
know,
we're
2013
now,
so
we
have
technology
and
our
fingertips.
So
you
get
there
with
two
ways.
You
can
call
my
office,
my
district
office,
you
can
visit
my
website.
Bobby
Heenan,
calm
right
gives
you
instructions
about
bad
neighbor
initiative,
the
problem
property
Advisory
Committee
when
they
meet
how
you
know
where
they
meet
and
what
time
they
meet.
So
they
can.
You
know
people
can
get
involved
or
also
you
know.
The
third
one
I'm
never
mentioned
is
I
have
an
app.