Re: [UC] Taxation and the libraries

[Glenn moyer]

"I totally agree that straightening out the ridiculous tax assessment situation will not happen in time to help the libraries.  I don't understand why Nutter doesn't back down and say "the people have spoken; we'll have to find that $8 million somewhere else and keep the libraries open."  He's allowing this standoff to damage his previously stellar reputation, for an amount so small (relatively) that it's barely noticeable in the billion dollar budget gap coming up." That's key.  While budget and tax issues are important, these closures must be seen as a completely different matter. Like weapons of mass destruction, freedom and democracy are real issues, those had nothing to do with invading Iraq.  The use of those "crisis" issues was meant to obfuscate the real purpose, like the budget gave Nutter an opening to make this move on closure of the people's public assets.  To answer your confusion, he is up to something more than balancing the budget.  But one tax scheme that seems like a no-brainer to consider now, even though to Nutter, it is inviolate and can't be mentioned or considered- The ponzi scheme called the ten year tax abatement. (Please don't tell Paul Levy I mentioned these or he will get hopping mad!) Most well informed people recognized that a building shift was occuring in metro regions around the country when this was passed.  As the land for exoburban development ran out and the reality of oil set in, the devlopers knew they wanted to come back to the central cities which were being promoted.  This unbelievably unfair tax welfare would not hurt those on lower incomes if it was ended.  This is the most ridiculous unfair property tax policy we have and Nutter won't consider it! The tax abatement was totally unnecessary.  It was intended to give windfall profits to developers, who inflated the prices of condos and took 10 years of tax revenue for themselves.  We were told that riches would trickle down to the city, if we just trusted the scheme.  (Instead we got an artificial housing bubble and a budget which depends on heavy taxes for the working and poor to subsidize that welfare for rich developers.) But Nutter won't even consider ending these windfall profits while he tries to fool us.   Any news on the outcome of today's legal maneuvering to destroy the libraries? Glenn You can fool some people some time, but you can't fool all the people all the time, Bob Marley     -----Original Message----- From: mlam...@aol.com Sent: Jan 5, 2009 10:55 AM To: glen...@earthlink.net, univcity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Taxation and the libraries Glenn, I totally agree that straightening out the ridiculous tax assessment situation will not happen in time to help the libraries.  I don't understand why Nutter doesn't back down and say "the people have spoken; we'll have to find that $8 million somewhere else and keep the libraries open."  He's allowing this standoff to damage his previously stellar reputation, for an amount so small (relatively) that it's barely noticeable in the billion dollar budget gap coming up. My original thought was that the fate of the libraries is now in the hands of City Council, and they haven't even been able to move the city forward on equitable property taxes, given YEARS to work on it - so we'd better not hold our breath here.  And if the City were collecting the same amount from everybody whose house has the same value, maybe we wouldn't be $8 million short. - Melani Melani Lamond, Associate Broker Urban & Bye, Realtor PA License Number AB048377L 3529 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104 cell phone 215-356-7266 - office phone 215-222-4800 #113 ************** New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026) ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see .