All seven members of Philadelphia’s tax assessment agency are refusing the Mayor’s request to resign. Yesterday Mayor Michael Nutter called on them to step down after a Philadelphia Inquirer investigative series documented political favoritism in how the Board of Revision of Taxes does its job.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports this morning that the BRT Board Members say they see no reason for them to leave and say they are in working to turn things around.

Although Meade (Chairwoman Charlesretta Meade) said the allegations raised in the articles were “disturbing to all of us,” she argued that Nutter’s response was inappropriate.

“It seems to be overkill to demand that all board members have to resign,” she said.

The board contends it has taken major steps to right the BRT, most notably with the release last week of new assessments for properties citywide. The BRT considers its new valuation method, the Actual Value Initiative, a significant improvement.

“What we want to do is have an opportunity to improve the system. That’s all I ask, is that we have the ability to complete the process,” board member Robert N.C. Nix III said.

The Inquirer reports that City Council is not backing the Mayor in this fight. Not one of the 17 members plan to introduce bills that would enact the Mayor’s overhaul of how the BRT is funded. But Council’s stance should not be taken that they are happy with the BRT. In fact, some of the members say they have no confidence is the agency’s new tax assessment numbers that are supposed to be more fair to everyone and reflect a property’s real value.