Tax Reform For Philadelphia Passes First Vote

Real tax reform for Philadelphia passed its first vote in the wee hours of Tuesday morning as City Council reported major elements of the Tax Reform Commission's package of recommendations out of committee with a favorable recommendation.  Another pointed editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer offers more support for the tax reform package (Full Editorial).  The bills will now stand for a final vote at a City Council session likely to be scheduled Monday, May 31st.  

If the package of reforms recommended by the Tax Reform Commission could be summarized as Wage Tax reduction, Business Privilege Tax Elimination, and Real Estate Tax fairness, the bills reported out of committee this morning (combined with planned reforms to the Real Estate Tax system) represent the broad brush strokes of reform. 

 

City Council supported:

  • Bill 040009 - Dramatic reductions of the Wage Tax,
  • Bill 040010 - Elimination of the Business Privilege Tax, 
  • Bill 040012 - Reform of the Business Privilege Tax to equalize treatments of corporations and partnerships (amended to be phased in over 10 years)
  • Bill 040019 - Closing of Realty Transfer Tax loopholes
  • Bill 040021 - Unifying of refund and assesment periods

A handful of complementary bills that would fill in the details were held for possible future action.  The bill to enact Land-Value Taxation was defeated.  (Click here for more information on the legislation.)

The following list details which Council members were supportive of all tax reform bills that were reported out of committee (!!!), and which Council members were not supportive of:  Bill 040009 to reduce the Wage Tax (*); Bill 040010 to eliminate the Business Privilege Tax (#); and Bill 040012 to equalize treatments of corporations and partnerships (%)

 

The Honorable Frank DiCicco - 215.686.3458 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable Anna C. Verna - 215.686.3412 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable Jannie L. Blackwell - 215.686.3418 (Phone) - *#%

The Honorable Michael A. Nutter - 215.686.3416 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable Darrell L. Clarke - 215.686.3442 (Phone) - *#%

The Honorable Joan L. Krajewski - 215.686.3444 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable Richard Mariano - 215.686.3448 (Phone) - *#%

The Honorable Donna Reed Miller - 215.686.3424 (Phone) - *#%

The Honorable Marian B.Tasco - 215.686.3454 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable Brian J. O'Neill - 215.686.3422 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable David Cohen - 215.686.3446 (Phone) - *%

The Honorable Wilson Goode, Jr. - 215.686.3414 (Phone) - *%

The Honorable Jack Kelly - 215.686.3452 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable James F. Kenney - 215.686.3450 (Phone) - !!!

The Honorable Juan F. Ramos - 215.686.3420 (Phone) - *#%

The Honorable Blondell Reynolds Brown - 215.686.3438 (Phone) - *#%

The Honorable Frank Rizzo - 215.686.3440 (Phone) - !!!
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