Nutter doesn’t like moving tax money around

Philadelphia’s Mayor says a proposal by some state representatives to move casino money to city schools won’t work. 

The proposal would divert roughly $86 million generated by gambling from Philadelphia to its struggling public schools.  Mayor Michael Nutter says it would plug the school district’s budget hole but create one for the city.

“Or, we would have to raise the wage tax rates on both residents and non-residents, those are suburban folks who work in the city of Philadelphia  and I think either of those outcomes on that particular issue is bad for the city or it’s bad for workers,” said Nutter.

Nutter says Philadelphia schools could use more funding from Harrisburg.

“It would be most helpful, I know things are tough in Harrisburg but if the General Assembly could find New sources of revenue instead of shifting revenues around that are designated for a particular purpose,” said Nutter.

The Republican-controlled legislature has been pushing for wage tax reductions in Philadelphia to help their suburban constituents who work in the city.