Philadelphia Inquirer Lauds Philadelphia Forward's Efforts

We are moving Philadelphia forward...and people are taking notice.  The Philadelphia Inquirer's January 27th lead editorial lauded the Mayor's embrace of tax reform and Philadelphia Forward's efforts to promote a substantive debate about tax reform.

"So it was a surprise Tuesday when Street in his budget address said he wanted to speed up scheduled cuts in the gross-receipts portion of the business privilege tax. Too bad his change of heart didn't extend to the larger net-profits portion of the tax. A significant cut in that would lure more high-income jobs to the city.

"The mayor's new position has Council members who supported him last year grousing that his turnaround comes at their expense. Others see him liking tax reform when he leads the charge, but not when the ideas come from his frequent critic, Councilman Michael Nutter, or former ally, Councilman Brian O'Neill.

"Street's conversion is welcome regardless. Perhaps now tax-reform crusader Brett Mandel of Philadelphia Forward will get his wish to see the discussion truly turn from whether this city needs tax reform to how much tax reform it can afford." (Full Editorial)

Put it all in perspective...In the past decade, Philadelphia has progressed from the city with the nation’s highest tax burden to the city with the most aggressive tax-reduction program and the most comprehensive plan for tax reform.  This transformation is an inspiring story that proves that the power of a good idea is undeniable and that the force of public engagement and public leadership can make change happen.  READ THE STORY OF TAX REFORM -- Our efforts are making a positive difference and it is great to be recognized for all our hard work.

The Wage Tax cuts we all worked so hard for last spring went into effect on January 1 (including this year's cut which was the biggest Wage Tax cut in history) and we will now commence a decade of reductions to bring the tax down to a level where it will not be an insurmountable barrier to growth.  Our continued advocacy for the package of recommendations authored by the Tax Reform Commission continues to move the debate (and soon, more results) in a positive direction.  "Eliminate the BPT" signs can be seen in neighborhoods across the city, more and more individuals receive our messages and respond to our calls to action, and we are prepared to mobilize an intense effort to promote the tax reform agenda in the coming months.