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Tax Reform Hearing 2/12/2002

• Write Council and the Mayor about the Land Tax
• Write Council about the need to reduce Philadelphia's crushing taxes.

Note: for the sake of those with slow Internet connections, pictures are displayed at their smallest possible size. To enlarge the photos, simply click on the size controls under any photo.

xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0666_IMG.JPG Controller Jonathan Saidel 2002/02/12 I thought the Controller looked a bit beaten down today. Despite being investigated for influence peddling, the Controller is pushing ahead with his tax reform plan. Some have suggested that the revelations were deliberately timed to do maximum damage to the Controller's tax reform effort.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0670_IMG.JPG David Thornburgh and Almost Mayor Sam Katz ponder Council's questions 2002/02/12 Thornburgh is Executive Director of the PA Economy League. Almost, but not quite Mayor Sam Katz now runs Greater Philadelpia First.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0675_IMG.JPG What's missing from this photo? 2002/02/12 Answer: Councilman DiCicco, Councilwoman Krajewski, Councilman Mariano, Councilwoman Miller, Councilwoman Tasco, Councilman O'Neill, Councilman Kenney, Councilman Longstreth, Councilman Goode, Councilman Rizzo. Only Councilmembers Ortiz, Nutter, Verna and Cohen bothered to attend, leaving citizens to testify to a largely empty chamber. Councilwoman Blackwell, Councilwoman Brown, Councilman Clarke also put in brief appearances. This is not the first time that Council has treated those who support tax reform with disrespect. The original hearing had to be cancelled after the hearing degenerated into factional bickering. Many citizens and out-of-state experts waited several hours for a chance to testify that never came.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge Mvc-446f.jpg Andrew Hohns 2002/02/12 Hohns is the founder of Young Involved Philadelphians. He is a graduate of the Masterman Public High School and the Wharton School. Hohns is currently running for State Representative in the 182nd district.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0671_IMG.JPG Bruno Moser & Unknown Ally 2002/02/12 Moser is an economist with special expertise in the land tax. He is one of the authors of the Controller's Tax Reform Plan. Moser is originally from Switzerland.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0674_IMG.JPG Ed Schwartz 2002/02/12 Schwartz is a former City Councilman and the impressario behind Neighborhoods Online, a web site for community activists.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0676_IMG.JPG Land Tax Advocate Joan Sage 2002/02/12
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge Mvc-449f.jpg Eli Massar 2002/02/12 Massar is currently a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania. He used to work for Jonathan Saidel and prepared some of the sections in Saidel's Tax Reform Report.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge Mvc-450f.jpg Elizabeth Masters 2002/02/12 Ms. Masters is an architect and Adjunct Professor at Temple.
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge Mvc-451f.jpg Witness 2002/02/12
xsmall webtv small medium large xlarge 106-0678_IMG.JPG Almost Mayor Sam Katz 2002/02/12