Category: Taxation

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A talk with Brett Mandel, part 1

  By Philadelphia, Taxation

Because of his effective proselytization on behalf of the job-killing business privilege tax—a name he invented—Brett Mandel of Philadelphia Forward is not the most well liked person in progressive circles. I myself have disagreed with him about the BPT, at least in part. (This is a subject for another time but, in brief, my view is that the BPT is an awful tax from a progressive point of view and should be eliminated. But we have to replace the revenues we get from the BPT with an alternative unless and until eliminating it–and taking other steps to revive the Philadelphia economy–brings in the revenues we need to provide essential city services.) But Brett is both a friend of mine and a progressive on practically all issues as well as being a impressive thinker and activist. He is also a Neighborhood Networks member and co-leader in our Center City group. Recently… Continue reading

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Alternate Paths to Economic Growth

  By Economic Development, Philadelphia, Public Policy, Social Justice, Taxation, Urbanism

Last week there was another go round about the Business Privilege Tax (BPT) at a City Council hearing at which I testified on behalf of One Philadelphia. Most of the people who testified had done so before. They, and the council members who were there, seemed to know each other’s lines so well that they could repeat them in their sleep. But it has taken me a while to get my head around the various issues concerning taxation and it was my first time attending this particular circus. I thought it might be enlightening. After all, as the ad goes, if you haven’t seen it before, it is new to you. Unfortunately, it wasn’t really new to me or terribly enlightening. The problem with these hearings about the BPT, and with the whole debate about taxes in the city, is that it is terribly one dimensional. Taxes after all are… Continue reading