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Philly Councilman Wants To Give Bloggers A Break

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia got some unwanted national attention this past summer after reports that the city was going after bloggers for business income. Now, a city councilman proposes changing the law to give the bloggers a break.

Reports swept the country this summer that the city was going after people who report business income to the federal government but do not also apply for Philadelphia's Business Privilege License -- a group that may include some bloggers making a few hundred bucks on their blogs.

Now councilman Bill Green plans to push a bill that would exempt bloggers and anyone making less than three thousand dollars:

"We got a national black eye with respect to the blogger tax. And this will hopefully turn that around and hopefully generate some positive buzz in the blogosphere."

The Nutter Administration hasn't seen Green's bill and won't yet comment. But in August the mayor insisted they were not going after bloggers specifically -- just enforcing the law that any freelance business must get a business license. Business owners must pay either $50 a year or a lifetime license for $300.

Reported by Mike Dunn, KYW Newsradio

 

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