Pa. Lawmakers Bring Legislation to Advance Philadelphia's Property Tax Overhaul
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Members of Philadelphia's delegation in the Pennsylvania state legislature have announced a package of bills designed to streamline the city's change to a new property tax system.
Several pieces of legislation were passed in the last session to enable Mayor Nutter's property tax overhaul known as "AVI," for Actual Value Initiative. Now, lawmakers plan to introduce more legislation to enhance the changeover process.
For example, Rep. Cherelle Parker will introduce a bill that would allow the City of Philadelphia to place liens on all property in the state owned by a delinquent landlord, not just the one parcel that is in arrears.
"Philadelphia is owed roughly $279 million in delinquent property taxes," Parker (at lectern in photo) said today. "Philadelphia needs additional tools to effectively collect these delinquent property taxes."
Also included in the legislative package are measures that would provide tax relief to longtime, low-income residents of neighborhoods where property values have increased dramatically, one that would allow tax payments to be made by installments, and one that would allow the city to tax commercial and residential properties at different rates.
