Group wants Philadelphia to deliver on long-promised tax break for poor

A group calling for more taxes on businesses came to Philadelphia City Council to send a message.  

The Fair Share Coalition, made up of local faith, labor and progressive organizations, spoke against plans to eliminate the so called “Cohen Ordinance” which is designed to give a tax credit to low income Philadelphians based on their income and family size.

Sherry Cohen’s late father former Councilman David Cohen got the tax break approved in 2004.  It has been pushed back over the years and now is scheduled to kick in by 2016.

“The rationale of the Cohen wage tax credit is tax equity,” said Cohen.  “Both the Federal and state governments provide an income tax credit to low income Philadelphians and my father believed our city must provide at least the same help to our working families.”

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A spokesman for Mayor Nutter says While the Administration recognizes the positive goal of the Cohen ordinance, it believes across the board wage tax reductions starting July of 2013 will provide the greatest benefits to all taxpayers, including low-income households.

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