Mayor Nutter says it will be difficult to avoid tax increases

While Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is a longtime critic of the city’s high taxes, he says it is “virtually impossible” to avoid new fees and tax increases when he presents his budget proposal to City Council on March 19th.

While Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is a longtime critic of the city’s high taxes, he says it is “virtually impossible” to avoid new fees and tax increases when he presents his budget proposal to City Council on March 19th. WHYY’s Susan Phillips reports.

Transcript:
The budget Nutter gave Council last year sailed through with little opposition. But with the city looking at service cuts and tax hikes to plug a more than $1 billion budget gap, more sparks could fly at this year’s budget hearings.

City Councilman Jim Kenney says he won’t support any proposal to have residents pay for trash pick up.

Kenney: “I think people do get aggravated and angry when they feel like the basis of their taxes is trash collection and then they’re being asked to pay additional money for it.”

Other council members agreed with Kenney.  Additional revenue options include raising property, business or wage taxes. A sales tax increase would need state approval.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090306nuttertaxes.mp3]