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Faxes Sent to Harold James

Letters

From:	LP
To:	Representative James, Senator Fumo, Governor Rendell
Date:	Tuesday, 06/24/08
Subject:	Compel Philadelphia to both assess property, and authorize new contract to collect $622 million in DELINQUENT property taxes; let citizens have a say in collecting taxes on nuisance properties

[This is a copy of a request to City Council to allow the new
contract with Linebarger to collect the some $622 million in
overdue property taxes owed the City of Philadelphia that the
local pols don't want to assess properly or collect promptly.

Please pressure on the city to both assess properly by reviewing
the info given the State Tax Equalization Board by the Board of
Revision of Taxes of Philly, and make the private collection
agency collect all property taxes that are over $3,000 overdue
and 2 years old. It's not fair to beg Harrisburg to pay Philly's
bills when we haven't collected what is owed us at sheriff sale.

Also, demand that the city set up a way for citizens to request
an overdue nuisance property to go to sheriff sale for back tax
collection as part of the new Linebarger collection contract with
Philly. Thank you].

Linebarger is the contractor who collects overdue property taxes,
and the contract to renew the terms of service is under your
authority. Please let Linebarger collect the $622 million in
overdue property taxes owed the city --

www.hallwatch.org/proptax/about/redelinq/stats/summary

After the recent press by Dave Davies, Andrew Maykuth, and
Anthony Woods on the city's ineptitude in properly assessing and
collecting property taxes, city residents have never been so
angry and so well informed at how little the politicians are doing.

There is still a chance to show that you care for the voters who
pay their fair share faithfully. Let citizens have input on what
gets sold by Linebarger for back taxes, and set limits so that
everyone knows that if a property owes more than X for longer
than Y, it automatically goes to Sheriff Sale, and no politician
can fiddle with it.

Let citizens who are in good standing on taxes recommend nuisance
properties for foreclosure to Linebarger using an online
mechanism of reporting like the one used for www.ppdonline.org.
This reporting of properties should be fair by allowing neighbors to

1. forward copies of L&I complaints, and actions, fines, and photos

2. forward copies of of arrests, news accounts, and other police
data that is publicly available

Then, Linebarger can use that objective data to expedite
collection of overdue property taxes on nuisance properties. It
only makes sense that a nuisance property that has come to the
attention of the Public Nuisance Task Force, for example, and
resulted in actions of some kind be required to pay up in full at
once or change hands to someone who can be responsible.

It is a myth that foreclosure creates vacancy in a robust city
like Philly, and a ploy used by well-meaning people who've
succeeded in rendering proper collection that every other
township must do ineffective in Philadelphia. What other township
or county could have such a high rate of nonpayment of property
tax? There are some zip codes where half of all owners owe
substantive property taxes to the city.

Vacancy is created by properties that owe taxes, the owners can't
or won't pay, and the city won't collect. Take a look at all the
vacant properties in Philly that owe back taxes. Present these to
the market so fresh can come in and renovate.

It's only fair to those of us who live in the city to be able to
have the power to coordinate information that gets to the proper
collecting authorities for prompt action.

This online reporting system of nuisance properties who owe taxes
for collection could be run by the DA's Public Nuisance Task
Force, since they seize properties anyway to be sold, or handled
by Linebarger.

It can be low cost -- as simple as an email read
by a clerk who then has Linebarger make a determination to
collect on objective data when the property is presented to the
courts to be ordered for sale for back taxes.

Any property that owes more than $3,000 or more than 2 years in
unpaid taxes should given carte blanche by Linebarger, and the
community deserves to have the power to recommend the worst
offenders and neighborhood killers for immediate collection.

When the press covers
stories like the recent woman who didn't pay taxes on a house for
27 years that she owned free and clear, politicians looks bad,
not beneficent.

Not collecting taxes penalizes good schools, and
makes Philly an open air prison, where you can't wear an ipod
without risking your life.

We need this money for schools,
police, crime prevention items, and clean streets.

So here's your chance to come out strong for
common sense and tax fairness. I would appreciate a specific,
detailed response on the status of the terms of collection with
Linebarger as soon as they become available.

I've also asked a few of my friends to read this email as well
and to demand our right to have the city up date assessments, and
promptly collect from those who are not paying, and to have a
responsive mechanism to request collection from nuisance
properties that cost the city money, and taxpayers. Thank you.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

How do you make the world a better place? Do you give back?
Are you a kind friend? A good neighbor, father, mother,
sibling, teacher? What will your legacy be?

I am pleeing with you to do the right thing in this fine city
of Philadelphia and leave her to grow and prosper through local
business and strong-minded, budding community leaders. Not
through revenues built upon by a casino planted in the hearts
and souls of the neighborhoods in this city.

What will our city become? Worse yet, what will she be known
as? This unique place we call home needs to be protected from
the interests and pockets of the so-called leaders of this
state. I invite Govenor Rendell and the judges allowing this
atrocity to occur to meet the people who will be most affected
by this decision - the families, the children, the local
businesses. Would they then be able to look at the faces of
this cities future and see dollar signs in their eyes? Or
would their humanity become ever-present to envision what a
huge mistake they are encouraging on our doorsteps.

I am mostly sad for this city. For even after the casino walls
are built and the money flows in, this city will be forever
changed - and not for the better.

Please DO NOT ALLOW THIS CASINO TO DEVELOP ON OUR DOORSTEPS!!!
OUR CITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WORK HERE AND SPEND
THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND LOVE TO MAKE IT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE -
DESERVE MORE!!!

Most sincerely a Philadelphia resident, teacher, friend,
community gardener, Temple Univeristy alum and human being,
Lesley Grill

Hi' Mr Harold James, my name is Ms Presley, i wrote to you
quite a few times and didn't really get any kind of assistant.
This is my third time. Mr James i know your a very busy person,
but i need some assisstant with housing. I put an application
in about three years ago for Public Housing. At that time i
was asking you to assist me with help with a recommendation
letter for work, but now i'm working. Now, i'm asking you to
please right another recommendation letter this time for
housing with PHA. I've been on that list for about three years
now. I went in to check the statis of my application about the
middle i believe of October 2007. I did receive a receipt for
coming in. I was told that day to update my application i
did. Then i asked would it be very long again or would i have
to go to the bottom of the list. I was told no you should be
called shortly. If i wasn't in dire need for shelter for
myself and my nine year old son, I would just not bother you.
Please can you right a letter of recommendation for me. Thank
You! so kindly

I'm disgusted, as the wife of a medal awarded vet, that Anna
Verna picks an uneducated, unqualified member of her vote getting
organization to fill the city Veterans' Affairs Office.

It's not like she didn't have choices -- the other man applying
for the job has a college degree, and experience running and
starting programs for vets, often an intractable source of
homelessness, addiction, and untreated mental illness.

Here's a link to the initial coverage of this scandal:

//www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/16173387.html

www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20080304_VET_AFFAIRS.html

It's scandalous, and horrifying that the local problems of
homelessness, mental illness, addiction, and PTSD among other
problems in those who served this nation from Philly are HARMED
because local party hack Democrats don't care enough to choose
the most qualified person for the job, and don't even care enough
to try to find someone who doesn't have to learn from an entry
level position (read: receptionist) how to serve Veterans.

If Ms. Verna wishes to give Mr. Howard a job for his service, she
can certainly bring him onto her own overpaid staff. No? He's not
able to handle your needs because of his skill level and experience?

Precisely.

I request that my state reps and elected officials forward this
matter to the new ethics position for investigation. It's a
violation of the quid pro quo prohibition under the new ethics
rules. You can't hire someone as a reward for political service,
especially if they are so obviously unqualified, which simply
makes it obvious that this is a pay-to-play issue. Howard paid
with his Ward work, he plays with an overpaid job that he is
going to be an obstacle in.

I yearn for the day when local Democrats have enough self-esteem
to run on their record of service and accomplishment and don't
need to pay off a machine.

Immediate sanctions, just as is the case in other political
corruption matters, is fair and correct. One politician can't be
the fall boy for a whole party's way of doing things.

Rule enforcement is critical, just, and essential for a party
that makes a city we can point to the rest of the nation as a
vanguard, not a punchline.

This hiring is a violation of Chapter 20-600 Standards of Conduct
and Ethics of the Philadelphia Code, where:

§ 20-603. "Post-Employment Representation.

(1) No person who has served for compensation as a
member of Council, City officer or employee shall assist, at any
time subsequent to his City service or employment, another
person, with or without compensation, in any transaction
involving the City in which he at any time participated during
his City service or employment.

§ 20-604. Gifts, Loans and Favors to City Personnel.

(1) No member of Council or other City officer or
employee, shall solicit, accept or receive any gift, loan,
gratuity, favor or service of substantial economic value that
might reasonably be expected to influence one in his position in
the discharge of his official duties, from any person, firm,
corporation or other business or professional organization.

(2) No person, firm, corporation or other business or
professional organization shall offer, make or render any gift,
loan, gratuity, favor or service of substantial economic value to
any member of Council or other City officer or employee which
might reasonably be expected to influence such officer or
employee in the discharge of his official duties."


It is a violation for an elected official to hire a long time
serving ward leader for a city position that is a gratuity, a
favor, and provides a "substantial economic value" which is then
beholden entirely to the Council person for their intervention to
prevent the hiring of a more qualified candidate. It is a
violation for a City Council member or staffer to assist in any
person getting a city job. No member of Council shall assist
another person in any transaction involving the city in which the
member has participated. The wording is clear.

Is Nutter going to enforce this without regard to his history of
working with Verna? Is he able to have the new Ethics Board work
blindly to favoritism? Like lady justice herself, she holds the
scales and is blindfolded.

The test of the new administration's commitment to ethics is how
it responds to flagrant violations by old friends.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

Hey guys? What's the holdup with HB 1477?? Please put your
efforts behind moving this Bill out of Committee and put it out
on the floor for a vote. Passage of this bill into law is a
much needed basic protection for those of your constituents
forced to live near these casinos.

Democracy is alive and well thanks to those elected officials
who listen to the common constituent- the little guy who has no
great clout or a bunch of cash- rather just a voice and a vote.

Please don't give into the corporate influence and political
paybacks that are trying to jam these things into densely
populated thriving neighborhoods regardless of the
consequences. We are counting on you to protect us.

Please, it is your job to represent the common people and I
hope you will do the right thing and move HB 1477 out of
committee and pass this into law.

Thanks.
-Mary

Dear Governor Rendell:

I voted for you for Governor.

I voted for you for the things you did for Philadelphia while I
was away living in California - it was a completely different
city when I returned after 10 years. You were in office during
that time period and a city that I left that was crime ridden
and down trodden was once again alive and hopeful...you even
got the young yuppies like me excited about living and
investing in town again.

I love Philadelphia - you have claimed the same, but I don't
believe you anymore. How can someone claim to love
Philadelphia but have such distain for Philadelphians?

I'm worried about my city, sir. I'm worried when a woman gets
shot at 6pm at nightat 22nd and Christian when kids are still
running around aside from the countless horror stories like
that all across the city. I'm worried that our police force is
discouraged.

However, on point, I'm mostly worried what will happen when
Philadelphia, a city that wouldn't be forced to take the King's
rule, taxes and law, the birthplace of our freedom as a nation
and where we started to voice our opinion as Americans is being
strong armed into accepting a wide sweeping change in our
society without having a say in the matter.

If Philadelphia is not allowed to have their say in due
process, then we are only left with what we have. Who knows,
you know I bet if we were allowed to vote on the measure, if we
had a say in where the Casinos were to be built, Philadelphia
may have said yes and been part of the process. While I am
opposed to casinos in Philadelphia, if the majority of my
fellow citizens were in, then I would at least respect that due
process was followed. Then I would hope they didn't want to
build one on the Scukyill River.

Your comments hurt, sir. I realize you are seeing this as good
for Philadelphia. When I see my paycheck each week I wonder,
maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Philadelphia won't be bullied - you of all people should be
inimately aware of that.

Respectfully,

Margaret Talbott-Lane

Dear Governor Rendell,

The Democractic process is not just an exhibit you can visit at
the 'Constitution Center'.

Democracy is alive and well thanks to those elected officials
who listen to the common constituent- the little guy who has no
great clout or a bunch of cash- rather just a voice and a vote.

I'm appalled that you consider those elected Public Officials
who are representing the will of the common people as being
extorted- I think most would agree that is the way democracy is
supposed to work. The system that brought these casinos
literally TO OUR FRONT DOORS is broken and has been highly
UNDEMOCRATIC and the people are righly justified to try to
redress the situation. Like the previous Philadelphians whose
former neighborhoods they now inhabit- these constituents
literally have everything at stake and will fight like true
patriots for that they hold dear- family, homes and liberty.

So, I am writing as one of the 1.5 million constituents of our
courageous City Council led by Councilman Frank DiCicco and our
elected representatives in the General Assembly (Senator Fumo,
and Representatives O’Brien, Keller and Josephs) and of our
newly-elected Mayor Michael Nutter, who are united with PNA in
an effort to re-site the casinos.

Your intemperate and misplaced attack this week is not
appreciated by the residents of Philadelphia, who have worked
for over a year to relocate the two casinos in Philadelphia away
from neighborhoods.

Perhaps it would bear repeating, that which a former neighbor of
mine from long ago declaimed in his pursuit of the democratic
rights of community groups to organize for a purpose- as it
rings just as true today; and that is this: "DON'T TREAD ON ME".

You, and the casino operators, stand alone in the way of moving
these slots parlors to more appropriate locations. Please direct
your efforts, and the considerable goodwill you have as the most
popular politician in Pennsylvania in the last thirty years, to
finding a better location for the casinos and for creating a
waterfront which will be a valued legacy to good planning and
good government.

I will thank you to show respect for my democratic rights in the
comments you make in the future,

sincerely,
Mary Stumpf
a Philadelphian by choice

Dear Governor Rendell:

I write this as a constituent of Philadelphia's courageous City
Council, led by Councilman Frank DiCicco, and our elected
representatives in the General Assembly (Senator Fumo, and
Representatives O’Brien, Keller and Josephs) and of our
newly-elected Mayor Michael Nutter, who are united with PNA in an
effort to find a better location for the proposed casinos.

Your intemperate and misplaced attack this week is not
appreciated by the residents of Philadelphia, who have worked for
over a year to relocate the two casinos in Philadelphia away from
neighborhoods.

You, and the casino operators, stand alone in the way of moving
these enterprises to more appropriate locations. Please direct
your efforts, and the considerable goodwill you have as the most
popular politician in Pennsylvania in the last thirty years, to
finding a better location for the casinos and for creating a
waterfront which will be a valued legacy to good planning and
good government.

Respectfully,

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:


Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best interests
of me and my family. Most especially, the General Assembly must
take steps to protect the children of Pennsylvania and the
neighborhoods in which they live from casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

Thanks for your help!

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best interests
of me and my family. Most especially, the General Assembly must
take steps to protect the children of Pennsylvania and the
neighborhoods in which they live from casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

Thanks for your help!

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best
interests of me and my family. Most especially, the General
Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from
casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

RESTORE MY FAITH IN DEMOCRACY PLEASE...IM ONLY 25!!!

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

Please don't mess with my child's future.

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best
interests of me and my family. Most especially, the General
Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from
casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

Happy New Year. We have been struggling for over 1 year to
prevent the two casinos from being built where we live. All the
time spent doing this, prevents us from volunteering from other
neighborhood projects.

We feel this issue is too important. We firmly believe that
our neighborhoods will no longer be safe. These 2 casinos will
give out free liquor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their
patrons will be driving through our narrow streets. We all
know how unsafe this is. Why should we let that happen?

We know from research that with more people crime will
increase. Why should we let that happen?

We know small businesses in our neighborhoods will not be able
to compete with free food and liquor giveaways offered by the
casinos. We know they will close. Why should we let that
happen?

We live here. We clean our streets. We take care of our
porperties. We donate to our churches. We look out for our
neighbors. This is OUR COMMUNITY. It does not belong to the
casinos.

This is why for 1 year we have donated our time and money to
stop them from being built. We have initiated House Bill 1477
to protect not only OUR neighborhood, but ALL Philadelphia
neighborhoods. It requires a minimum 1500 buffer between any
casino and houses, churches, schools. We think these casinos
are terrible, but we are not looking to shove them into
anyone's backyard. We are being more responsible than the
government was to us.

You have witnessed out determination. We regularily attend
City Council sessions, we regularily travel to Harrisburg to
lobby our Representatives, and we seek out the press to draw
attention to this horrific issue.

In this past year, we have gotten larger, stronger, and smarter.
We will prevail. We have the home field advantage, they don't.

You know how tough the Philadelphia home crowd can be. You know
our faces, we have met you here and in Harrisburg. We are not
going to go away, we will keep working to protect our
communities. We ask you to join us to keep all Philadelphia
neighborhoods safe and livable. Ethically we all know this is
the right thing to do.

Sincerely,

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best
interests of me and my family. Most especially, the General
Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from
casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

HELLO! IS ANYBODY LISTENING??

Please move forward on moving House bill 1477 out of committee
and work on getting it passed. IT IS COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION!

Casinos have been proven to harm our neighborhoods. For the sake
of the health of our communities, we must be better stewards of
our neighborhoods. This bill provides that protection.

The people are ready! Are you? PLEASE! GET UP OFF YOUR CHAIR
RIGHT NOW- STAND UP and STRETCH!! Take a deep breath! Splash
some water on your face and revive yourself. EXAMINE YOUR
CONSCIENCE and then get to work on getting this bill passed for
ALL Pennsylvanians!

It's the RIGHT thing to do.

Thank You!
M. Stumpf
Ellsworth St

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:
I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best
interests
of me and my family. Most especially, the General Assembly must
take steps to protect the children of Pennsylvania and the
neighborhoods in which they live from casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting

Your help in protecting my neighborhood would be greatly
appreciated.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best interests
of me and my family. Most especially, the General Assembly must
take steps to protect the children of Pennsylvania and the
neighborhoods in which they live from casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting
jb

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

Let's count just some of the ways Foxwoods and Sugarhouse
Casinos will impact our lovely neighborhoods if they build their
slot slums at their currently proposed sites:


1-Casinos increase neighborhood crime, blight, corruption,
addiction, foreclosures and 24/7 drunken driving.
2-Casinos force property values down.
3-Casinos cause traffic gridlock and thus the use of eminent
domain (destruction of homes)to widen streets.
4-Casinos cannibalize local businesses.

Would you want these monstrosites 12 seconds away from your
front doors?

No?

Then do the right thing and pass HB 1477 and related legislation
to banish these vile operations to the backwaters or to stop
them altogether.

Sincerely,

Mary O. Reinhart
Philadelphia

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

The Suger House and Foxwood casino projects should not be
allowed to go forward. It is obvious that the communities do
not want the casinos. They should be moved to an area that
wants them.

This is a major topic to me and I will not caste my vote for
any elected official that continues to support these two
projects, no mater the party.

Thank you for your time.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to other more
suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect neighborhoods by requiring casinos to
locate at least 1500 feet away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best interests of me and my family.
Most especially, the General Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your wholehearted support. I
urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee at your next committee meeting.

Let's keep our city known as a bastion of democratic rule--citizens must be heard.
Thank you.

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