In case you missed it, here are some mentions about the push for tax reform that appeared in the media recently:
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The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board reprimanded the city administration for its divisive efforts to cast tax reform as a threat to contracts for city workers. The lead editorial stated clearly, "Mayor Street and the city's union workers are on opposite sides of the bargaining table right now. Yet, ironically, they stand side-by-side in a bid to bamboozle the public with a false choice. Here's the false choice: If the city pursues the tax reforms that Street thwarted last summer, it won't be able to give the workers fair raises. In fact, the city has room in its budget to continue cutting its job-stifling tax burden, while paying employees fairly and investing in economic development. The question - not an easy one, but not impossible - is how to balance those goals." (Full Editorial) -
The Philadelphia Inquirer offers a glimpse at some of the Chamber of Commerce's plans to market Philadelphia. If we can remove high and unfair taxes as a barrier to growth, we can make those marketing efforts so much easier. (Full Article) -
The Philadelphia Daily News reported that City Councilman Wilson Goode, Jr. may subpoena the city's Commerce Director for notes from mayor's recent economic-development summit. He fears that the administration may try to pervert the summit's recommendations to reform city taxes. Goode said, "In the end, the predominant recommendations coming out of the summit was for business-tax reform across the board. We think they won't release all of the recommendations because they don't approve of them. The mayor has resisted that recommendation no matter who it comes from." (Full Article) -
Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Andrew Cassel noted the barriers to immigrants trying to start businesses in Philadelphia: "Along with the high (and insultingly named) "business privilege" taxes, the city offers byzantine licensing requirements, restrictive zoning rules, inconsistent enforcement of health and building codes, and on and on." (Full Column)
