Property taxes increasing - what a joke

**bernie25** · 03-08-2012, 07:40 AM

so we all heard about it...but sounds like its coming soon

Nutter anticipates $90M more in taxes for school district

what a joke...what about the millions in back taxes that people owe?

mayor nutter is a piece of ****

**funk** · 03-08-2012, 08:28 AM

... i know. what if everyone just stops paying their property taxes until they collect the $300MM owed?????

just accrue for it and when the city collects, they can have our money again.

**DeeBee** · 03-08-2012, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by funk

... i know. what if everyone just stops paying their property taxes until they collect the $300MM owed?????

just accrue for it and when the city collects, they can have our money again.

Seriously, what would happen if we did this? We could put the money in an escrow account and pay up when the city shows responsibility for the dead beats. You can be sure someone would be knocking on our doors for a shake down if we did this, but I think it sounds like an excellent idea for a protest. Everyone protests about everything, but the citizens of Philadelphia take everything laying down unless you talk about closing libraries or pools; then everyone freaks the hell out. I'm so sick of this city it's not even funny. I only live here because of my job. I'd be out of here in a heartbeat if I could get the job I have in the suburbs.

**StrangeTanks** · 03-08-2012, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by DeeBee

Seriously, what would happen if we did this? We could put the money in an escrow account and pay up when the city shows responsibility for the dead beats. You can be sure someone would be knocking on our doors for a shake down if we did this, but I think it sounds like an excellent idea for a protest. Everyone protests about everything, but the citizens of Philadelphia take everything laying down unless you talk about closing libraries or pools; then everyone freaks the hell out. I'm so sick of this city it's not even funny. I only live here because of my job. I'd be out of here in a heartbeat if I could get the job I have in the suburbs.

It would be an escrow account administered by a special city agency, later we would find out that the administrator was someones cousins brother in law who's only qualification was that they were a cashier at taco bell in high school. Then when it comes time to draw out the funds SUPRISE nothing is in any of the accounts.

**Big Irish** · 03-08-2012, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by StrangeTanks

It would be an escrow account administered by a special city agency, later we would find out that the administrator was someones cousins brother in law who's only qualification was that they were a cashier at taco bell in high school. Then when it comes time to draw out the funds SUPRISE nothing is in any of the accounts.

So you're saying it would be administered by the Sheriff's Office?

**NickTheCage** · 03-08-2012, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by bernie25

so we all heard about it...but sounds like its coming soon

Nutter anticipates $90M more in taxes for school district

Teachers have to eat too .... on your dime of course

**StrangeTanks** · 03-08-2012, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by NickTheCage

Teachers have to eat too .... on your dime of course

Oh stop that.

**OKT3** · 03-08-2012, 09:56 PM

I was seriously wanting to start a campaign like this last year, but I didn't think enough people would go for it. But I had the same thought: what would they do if we (the dutifully tax-paying public) just collectively decided not to pay it? What, send us all to Sheriff's Sale for one year of not paying? Lulz. I was even trying to get my artistically inclined brother to come up with some kind of logo. My slogan was "Just Don't Pay It"

It's been really galling due to a certain non-taxpaying entity that I have in mind. Can't say more, lest these dirtbags put a brick thru my window. But they were/are the impetus for my "Just Don't Pay It" campaign. Seriously, I'm not paying next year.

**funk** · 03-09-2012, 10:50 AM

if you can find a lawyer to work out the legality of pulling this off (suing the city), thus putting a moratorium on property tax payments for participants of the class action suit, i'm all in.

**ShoshTrvls** · 03-09-2012, 11:58 AM

The "joke" is that thousands of property owners in this city are paying less than $500/year in property taxes, but receiving all the same city services as those of us paying $4000/year.

**ArcticSplash** · 03-09-2012, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by OKT3

I was seriously wanting to start a campaign like this last year, but I didn't think enough people would go for it. But I had the same thought: what would they do if we (the dutifully tax-paying public) just collectively decided not to pay it? What, send us all to Sheriff's Sale for one year of not paying? Lulz. I was even trying to get my artistically inclined brother to come up with some kind of logo. My slogan was "Just Don't Pay It"

It's been really galling due to a certain non-taxpaying entity that I have in mind. Can't say more, lest these dirtbags put a brick thru my window. But they were/are the impetus for my "Just Don't Pay It" campaign. Seriously, I'm not paying next year.

They've been on the "Don't Pay It" campaign in Brewerytown/Sharswood and Strawberry Mansion for 47 years.

Go to PlanPhilly and look at the RETU deadbeat map. There's hundreds of blocks where you'll have to walk for miles or more to find a property owner who actually has paid tax within the last 10 years.

**Debbie1125** · 03-09-2012, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by ShoshTrvls

The "joke" is that thousands of property owners in this city are paying less than $500/year in property taxes, but receiving all the same city services as those of us paying $4000/year.

Exactly. The owners of the house where my aunt used to live (B & Allegheny vicinity) are paying under $300 in property taxes.

**3rd&Brown** · 03-09-2012, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

Exactly. The owners of the house where my aunt used to live (B & Allegheny vicinity) are paying under $300 in property taxes.

I agree with you both on this. I've said it a million times, but I think our taxes should be a hybrid between service delivery line items and home values.

If you're only paying $250 a year, there is no way in hell that you're paying your fair share, regardless of your economic status.

I think there should be at least 1 line item, Trash and perhaps Streets, that everyone should pay equally, perhaps with a little bit a gradation for size of home (maybe singles would pay slightly more than rows because there is more frontage, and presumably more trash).

The tax bill would look something like:
$300 Trash
$200 Streets
$XXXX Based on assessment of home.

That would make the system much fairer, in my opinion, and ensure that there aren't a ridiculous number of under-assessed homes.

The vast majority of townships in the 'burbs do it this way. The tax is usually broken down between trash, sewer, streets, and then a tax (usually the school tax) is overlayed on top of that and based solely on the value of the home.

**funk** · 03-09-2012, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I agree with you both on this. I've said it a million times, but I think our taxes should be a hybrid between service delivery line items and home values.

If you're only paying $250 a year, there is no way in hell that you're paying your fair share, regardless of your economic status.

I think there should be at least 1 line item, Trash and perhaps Streets, that everyone should pay equally, perhaps with a little bit a gradation for size of home (maybe singles would pay slightly more than rows because there is more frontage, and presumably more trash).

The tax bill would look something like:
$300 Trash
$200 Streets
$XXXX Based on assessment of home.

That would make the system much fairer, in my opinion, and ensure that there aren't a ridiculous number of under-assessed homes.

The vast majority of townships in the 'burbs do it this way. The tax is usually broken down between trash, sewer, streets, and then a tax (usually the school tax) is overlayed on top of that and based solely on the value of the home.

City Council doesn't have time to think of such innovative things when they only have 150 days a year to work (if that).

**Debbie1125** · 03-09-2012, 01:28 PM

Many of those homeowners that are paying less than $500 in property taxes are in high crime neighborhoods. They are thus paying less for more police than a neighborhood like Chestnut Hill, Center City or the far Northeast.

**Big Irish** · 03-09-2012, 04:51 PM

Have the people paying a few hundred pay what's fair. Have the people like Fumo & the Rittenhouse condo crowd, who have million or multi-million $ homes, pay what's fair instead of a few thousand dollars. End the 10 year tax abatement program or modify it extensively ... make it 5 years and/or don't let it transfer with a sale and/or don't abate 100% of the tax.

Do those 3 things and you wouldn't have to worry about raising the taxes on the middle class homeowners already paying thousands of $ per year.

And while you're at it how about restoring some basic city services? There aren't enough police, so now they don't have time to respond to QOL issues. They've closed firehouses and instituted rolling blackouts. They've cut library hours in many places. The streets don't get swept, the leaves don't get picked up, the streets don't get plowed when it snows.

**palvar** · 03-09-2012, 04:54 PM

Do we know yet what the rates and millage will be after the assessments are done?

**scotchrocks** · 03-09-2012, 06:47 PM

If you have a mortgage there is no way to not pay property tax. Taxes take first lien position so mortgage lenders insist you escrow your taxes with them and then they get and pay the tax bills on their end. They can't afford to lose their lien position. It's written into the loan docs you sign at settlement. Unless one owns one's home outright, withholding property taxes isn't a realistic method of protest.

**Big Irish** · 03-09-2012, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by palvar

Do we know yet what the rates and millage will be after the assessments are done?

No. The millage must be set by City Council.

**Debbie1125** · 03-09-2012, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Big Irish

Have the people paying a few hundred pay what's fair. Have the people like Fumo & the Rittenhouse condo crowd, who have million or multi-million $ homes, pay what's fair instead of a few thousand dollars. End the 10 year tax abatement program or modify it extensively ... make it 5 years and/or don't let it transfer with a sale and/or don't abate 100% of the tax.

Do those 3 things and you wouldn't have to worry about raising the taxes on the middle class homeowners already paying thousands of $ per year.

And while you're at it how about restoring some basic city services? There aren't enough police, so now they don't have time to respond to QOL issues. They've closed firehouses and instituted rolling blackouts. They've cut library hours in many places. The streets don't get swept, the leaves don't get picked up, the streets don't get plowed when it snows.

I agree with you. The 10 year tax abatement needs to be revamped. They're also not paying their fair share for city services.