Philadelphia Needs Tax Reform

Every day without tax reform…

 

Jobs and neighbors leave Philadelphia

 

Taxes Hold Philadelphia Back

Tax Reform Can Move Philadelphia Forward

 

What’s wrong with Philadelphia’s taxes?

  • We tax more than other cities
  • We tax what other cities do not
  • We tax unfairly

In recent decades, Philadelphia’s taxes have contributed to the loss of:

  • 250,000 city jobs
  • 500,000 city residents

How Philadelphia Compares

  • Other cities are growing, but Philadelphia is still in decline.
  • The Greater Philadelphia Region is growing, but the City of Philadelphia continues to lose jobs and neighbors.
  • The typical city resident’s tax burden is more than 50% higher than the tax burden for a suburban resident at a similar income level.

Why?

  • Most cities don’t tax wages, but we do. In fact, Philadelphia’s Wage Tax, at 3.928%, is (even after significant reductions fought for and won by Philadelphia Forward) the highest in the nation. More of your paycheck goes to the city, not your family.
  • Philadelphia’s business taxes are the highest among major American cities. Philadelphia is the only big city that taxes business gross receipts and net income — 16 of 20 big cities don’t tax business gross receipts or net income, but we do - and we do it twice.
  • Most cities tax real property equitably, with all taxpayers paying their fair share. Philadelphia’s antiquated and inadequate assessment methods cause the poorest among us to pay too much, while the wealthiest among us get a break.
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