Tax revenue, food stamp usage on the rise in Philly

Philadelphia’s City Controller Alan Butkovitz says for the first half of the year, Philadelphia tax collections are up $44 million compared with a year ago.

“Wage and earning revenues indicate that employment is positive in the last six months and a 4 percent increase in revenues from the sales shows that people are buying, they are spending money locally,” he said. “The only bad news was a 37 percent increase in food stamp usage compared to four years ago.”

Butkovitz says the additional city income is good news, but he still urges caution.

“It still makes sense to be cautious and conservative when you are counting on how much money you are going to have to spend, but indications are the city is experiencing some good luck just as the state is since business activity is up.”

Butkovitz said some of that extra money could end up going to the financially troubled Philadelphia School District.