Philadelphia taxes are target of newly named task force

The dozen and a half members of a new task force are charged with finding ways to make it easier to do business in Philadelphia. Tuesday, Mayor Nutter announced the names of the professionals, union leaders, and business owners who make up the Task Force on Tax Policy and Economic Competitiveness.

The dozen and a half members of a new task force are charged with finding ways to make it easier to do business in Philadelphia. Tuesday, Mayor Nutter announced the names of the professionals, union leaders, and business owners who make up the Task Force on Tax Policy and Economic Competitiveness.

Transcript:
The task force will analyze the city’s tax policy and structure, compare it to other cities, and dig for ways to make the City of Brotherly Love more competitive.

Its members bring their own real world experiences to the table.

Like Paulette Beale Harris, owner of Paul Beale’s Flowers.

Harris: “I do have a slight problem with the business privilege tax. I think it’s a double tax on a small business and even though we’ve been in business for 37 years, it does cause somewhat of a strain for us financially and I just look at it as us being taxed twice.”

Mayor Nutter says he doesn’t want the Task Force to be limited by what’s possible under the city’s existing, complicated tax structure.

The Task Force will hold at least two public hearings. Their recommendations are due to the city by mid-September.

More information:
City Press Release – Mayor Nutter appoints Task Force on Tax Policy and Economic Competitiveness (.pdf)
The city’s press release includes more details about the function of the task force and the names and brief bios of its 15 members.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090324tax.mp3]