Nutter outlines details of property tax hike
By: Tom MacDonald
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says he doesn’t want to lay off any police officers or firefighters. But to do that AND close the city’s budget gap, he says it will cost homeowners for the next two years in the form of higher property taxes.
By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says he doesn’t want to lay off any police officers or firefighters. But to do that AND close the city’s budget gap, he says it will cost homeowners for the next two years in the form of higher property taxes.
Transcript:
Mayor Nutter says he’s heard the will of the people, who don’t want police or firefighters cut. He says that’s why he’s proposing a temporary property tax increase of 19 percent for the fiscal year beginning in July and 14.5 percent next year, to pay for keeping the streets safe.
Nutter: “For a home with an assessed value of $17,000, that would mean an increase of $20 a month in year one, $16 in year two. My home has an assessed value of $33,000. In year one that increase would mean a $43.50 a month increase, and in year two about $33.”
The mayor says the property tax increase would have a sunset provision to end after two years. Without the tax hike, the mayor says there would be unimaginable cuts to police and firefighters.
Listen:
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[audio: reports20090316tax.mp3]
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