Nutter, BRT enter standoff

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has called for the resignation of all seven members of the Board of Revision of Taxes, but board members say they’re keeping their jobs.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has called for the resignation of all seven members of the Board of Revision of Taxes, the agency that oversees property assessments in the city. But board members say they’re keeping their jobs.

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Nutter made the request after a series of newspaper articles revealed an institution riddled with patronage, where employees gave tax breaks to the well-connected. He said faith needs to be restored in the agency.

But Chairwoman of the board Charlesretta Meade says she’s done nothing wrong and will not resign.

Meade: I have gone forward to do my due diligence, and no one can say that I haven’t set a course for this board that is not only very different than the previous board but where we have met significant goals.

Meade stood with several other board members, who suggested that Nutter’s decision was not motivated by the newspaper investigation. Rather, board members say the mayor wants to derail the re-assessment process recently concluded by the BRT, which aims to provide a more equitable property tax system.