City workers demand new efforts to collect revenue

By: Tom MacDonald

The union representing white collar workers in Philadelphia is among those calling for a revenue Czar to improve the city’s tax collections. The request by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees is falling on deaf ears at City Hall.

By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org

Caption: City white collar union leader Cathy Scott says city can avoid cuts by collecting revenue.

The union representing white collar workers in Philadelphia is among those calling for a revenue Czar to improve the city’s tax collections. But WHYY’s Tom MacDonald reports the request by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees is falling on deaf ears at City Hall.

Transcript:
Cathy Scott of AFSCME District Council 47 says appointing a revenue czar would provide the city with one person focused on bringing in money from all available sources.

Scott: “With millions uncollected or ignored it’s business as usual for our government.  What needs to happen is we need to admit the problem, fix it and move on.”

Mayor Nutter says after reporting the top 50 tax deadbeats, the city collected a million dollars from people who didn’t want their names published next. He balked at the union’s suggestion.

Nutter: “So I guess they’d take the job on commission or something? I’d think about that probably right after after figuring out how to hire a benefits czar.”

Mayor Nutter says the union should think about how it can cut its cost to the city, which would be beneficial in upcoming contract talks.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090226afscme.mp3]