AVI/Tax Collection Manifesto

[Username]

So the internet has been responsible for the downfall of dictatorships, can we use it to force Philadelphia to collect back taxes before we pay any more increases?
Could we construct a manifesto that outlines steps the city much take, such as collect X% of unpaid back taxes and reach an annual collection rate equal to our closest competitor amongst major cities, and until such time that actual tax paying citizenship of the city will not any increase?

If we could create and circulate this manifesto, what would actually be involved to get a large percentage of the tax paying citizens to separate their property tax payment from their mortgage? Could we get simple enough steps to convince people to do this?

This is an easy revolution, it doesn't involve doing anything, in fact, it just involves NOT doing something, paying any increase in taxes until the city can prove that they can collect at least as well as Detroit (or whoever it actually is).

And to be clear, I strongly support AVI, I just don't think it's fair to ask for much more from some when there is a huge part of the taxbase not paying their share.

Action Items:
1. We would need to define an action, ie, not paying increases.
2. We would need to define a benchmark for collection of past taxes, there is $555M out there
3. We would need to define a benchmark for annual collection rate, most other large cities, even Detroit range between 3-6% delinquency rate. We are at 18%
4. We need to tell citizens about this. (website, facebook campaign, local press…)
5. We need to educate citizens about how to separate their tax payment from their mortgage payments.
6. We need to convince citizens that they will be among a large number of people participation.

[Hospitalitygirl]

Yay.

Another freaking thread on AVI.

This makes like thread 436?

[dr_gingivitis]

Yay.

Another freaking thread on AVI.

This makes like thread 436?

I've been avoiding these like the plague because I don't want to think about it, but this one is kind of interesting. I'd be willing to not pay my taxes!

[Hospitalitygirl]

I've been avoiding these like the plague because I don't want to think about it, but this one is kind of interesting. I'd be willing to not pay my taxes!

I agree that this one is more interesting and I, too, have thought the same thing. I would like not to pay taxes or at least not any increases.

Still, my head hurts from trying to keep up with the other 435 threads.

[dr_gingivitis]

I agree that this one is more interesting and I, too, have thought the same thing. I would like not to pay taxes or at least not any increases.

Still, my head hurts from trying to keep up with the other 435 threads.

Like I said, I don't read them because I'm pretty sure that if the whole 1.8% thing happens we have to move. Staying a few more years by refusing to pay the increase sounds like a plan!

[Hospitalitygirl]

As a bonus, I think we should be able to kick the mayor and city council in the nutz, or nutz-equivalent.

[Hospitalitygirl]

Action Items:
1. We would need to define an action, ie, not paying increases.
2. We would need to define a benchmark for collection of past taxes, there is $555M out there
3. We would need to define a benchmark for annual collection rate, most other large cities, even Detroit range between 3-6% delinquency rate. We are at 18%
4. We need to tell citizens about this. (website, facebook campaign, local press…)
5. We need to educate citizens about how to separate their tax payment from their mortgage payments.
6. We need to convince citizens that they will be among a large number of people participation.

This isn't really that difficult to do, and perhaps even the threat of it might make the idiots in charge take a second and third, *real*, look at what they're proposing.

[Reds]

Action Items:
1. We would need to define an action, ie, not paying increases.
2. We would need to define a benchmark for collection of past taxes, there is $555M out there
3. We would need to define a benchmark for annual collection rate, most other large cities, even Detroit range between 3-6 delinquency rate. We are at 18%
4. We need to tell citizens about this. (website, facebook campaign, local press…)
5. We need to educate citizens about how to separate their tax payment from their mortgage payments.
6. We need to convince citizens that they will be among a large number of people participation.

I'd be willing to not pay my taxes, too (or at least, the increase attributable to the new tax rate) but #5 is the sticking point. I'd be most intersted in finding out how to do this, as defaulting on the escrow requirement of my lender is what concerns me most.

[dr_gingivitis]

I'd be willing to not pay my taxes, too (or at least, the increase attributable to the new tax rate) but #5 is the sticking point. I'd be most intersted in finding out how to do this, as defaulting on the escrow requirement of my lender is what concerns me most.

I don't know this answer either, it would be an importaint point to make this work, anyone out there know how to do it? I thought it was an option when we refinanced...

[ArcticSplash]

I agree that this one is more interesting and I, too, have thought the same thing. I would like not to pay taxes or at least not any increases.

Still, my head hurts from trying to keep up with the other 435 threads.

H, it's like the War and Peace threads on Sugarhouse back on Phillyblog. Just go with the flow, the threads are like popcorn. Some kernels sit at the bottom and won't pop and others heat up and flow outta the bag.

[Hospitalitygirl]

H, it's like the War and Peace threads on Sugarhouse back on Phillyblog. Just go with the flow, the threads are like popcorn. Some kernels sit at the bottom and won't pop and others heat up and flow outta the bag.

Yes, but he has some good ideas in here. Definitely worth following up.

[ArcticSplash]

Isn't "Username" the same person who originally outed the Carl Greene foreclosure... the same "Username" that I took his/her post, validated the Wachovia case, took it to Karen Heller, and then... well... the rest is history?

I'm LISTENING now!!!

[dr_gingivitis]

50% collection of back taxes, 50% reduction of delinquency rate

[Hospitalitygirl]

50% collection of back taxes, 50% reduction of delinquency rate

I'll take it; it's a good start. The other avenue of course is to make the jackals on Shi++y Clowncil and all of the Clowncilpeople take a serious whack at their own budgets.

[Jerry19127]

If you have a government backed FHA or VA loan, you cannot cancel your escrow account. Sadly, many people in the last few years have purchased via this method as it allows for little to no down payment. We need a strike at City Hall that demands media coverage and someone with the balls and energy like an ArcticSplash needs to get this going with a date and time. Make it a Saturday or Sunday so many people can participate. I got at least 2 dozen in MYK and the ROX that will go. A statement needs to be made.

[devilspocket]

I'll take it; it's a good start. The other avenue of course is to make the jackals on Shi++y Clowncil and all of the Clowncilpeople take a serious whack at their own budgets.

+++ Totally agree. Any increases in taxes must be combined with a decrease in unnecessary spending. Pension and benefit contracts must be re-negotiated to fall in line with the private sector; eliminate duplicative city departments; eliminate inefficiencies in city government - then talk to me about paying more for what few benefits I receive from the city. And the school budget is a whole other story. I am sure that people with some elementary understanding of economics and who were not interested in handing out contracts to friends and connected people could considerably reduce our school expenses while improving the quality of education provided to our children. The increase in the school budget will not provide additional educational resources to children - teachers will still be asking parents to provide copy paper and basic supplies for them.

And the $100 tax floor is just ridiculous. Anyone who cannot pay at least $500 per year in real estate taxes - less than $10 per week - cannot maintain a house. I am sure it costs more than that to repair/maintain streets and infrastructure, collect trash, and support schools for each household in the city.

While I agree that I'm paying less than I should, I'm willing to pay double, or even 2.5 times what I pay now, but I'm not willing to do that while others pay essentially nothing. I have no children to use the school system; I live on one of the streets which is not considered even tertiary so it is never plowed, and about the only service I receive is trash collection, and I assume police and fire service if I should need them. And, although my house is located in an 'underassessed' gentrified neighborhood, my particular block has been reassessed a number of times in the last 25 years so that I have been paying 5x what I paid when I moved here although people on neighboring blocks still pay what they paid 20 years ago.

Additionally, further burdening small (and larger) businesses with a huge U&O increase will just lead to more business flight from the city, and fewer businesses locating here, therefore fewer jobs and less wage tax. This is a formula for a city's demise, not for growth.

Why do we elect people who don't understand basic economics? Are there not candidates for office who would actually act in the public's interest rather than their own, or who would do what is right without considering whether it would hurt their re-election opportunities?

[Hospitalitygirl]

Karen Heller: When in doubt, just hire a lobbyist

It's crap like this that really makes me want to kick them all in the nutz.

It's time to make a real issue out of this.

[Jerry19127]

The vast majority of politicians pander to their voting bloc that will get them re-elected..esp in cities where there is an overly generous retirement pension that awaits them. Since the majority voting bloc in this city is black and poor or lower middle class and the Obama election in 2008 dispelled the myth that they don't vote, they pander to them. Idealogically, they may not all agree with them but they go along with it because they hope to get re-elected. There are simply not enough tax paying (folks making more than 50K a year) to support the rest of them but the Democratic machine in this City doesn't care...If AVI as it currently is proposed, is implemented, there will be catastrophic consequences that will happen that are similar to what happened to Detroit in the 70's when Coleman Young took over. It's Black Socialism and will be accepted by the mainstream local liberal media further alienating the City from its suburbs.

[Jelly Roll]

I think that an action item that needs to be added is deliquent properties must go to sherrifs sale within 24 months of the failed payment. Ideally I would want it to be only 12 months but I would settle for 24.

[seand]

$500 minimum, 24 months to sherff's sale, 50% drop in delinquency rates as a necessary condition for AVI sounds like reasonable demands that would resonate with the wider public. I could definitely get behind it (which maybe surprises some).

The tone in posts like the one below about simply asking taxes be paid proportional to value of your house (like they do in most suburbs), not so much.

The vast majority of politicians pander to their voting bloc that will get them re-elected..esp in cities where there is an overly generous retirement pension that awaits them. Since the majority voting bloc in this city is black and poor or lower middle class and the Obama election in 2008 dispelled the myth that they don't vote, they pander to them. Idealogically, they may not all agree with them but they go along with it because they hope to get re-elected. There are simply not enough tax paying (folks making more than 50K a year) to support the rest of them but the Democratic machine in this City doesn't care...If AVI as it currently is proposed, is implemented, there will be catastrophic consequences that will happen that are similar to what happened to Detroit in the 70's when Coleman Young took over. It's Black Socialism and will be accepted by the mainstream local liberal media further alienating the City from its suburbs.