What We're Reading: 9/10/18

Here's what we're reading this week about the projects, people and policies driving local development:

Plan Philly: City Council is back from summer break. Day 1 ended with construction tax dead and Kenney promising $ for housing.

Jake Blumgart, September 13, 2018

After a long morning of intense back and forth, Council and the Mayor forged a compromise substitution for the construction privilege tax to provide additional money for the Housing Trust Fund.

Plan Philly: Cindy Bass proposes eliminating 10-year tax abatement

Jake Blumgart, September 12, 2018

From the sublime to the ridiculous, Councilwoman Bass proposed eliminating the ten year real estate tax abatement altogether. Aside from Councilwoman Gym, this idea has no traction on Council.

Inquirer: Around the country, incomes are rising. In Philly, they're falling.

Alfred Lubrano, September 12, 2018

Census reporting released this week showed that the poverty rate in Philadelphia remains unchanged, and deep poverty has increased, despite rising incomes and lower unemployment regionally and nationally.

Hidden City Philadelphia: Twitter Bot Reveals Revenue Loss From Tax Abatement

Starr Herr-Cardillo, September 13, 2018

A software engineer launched an attack on the tax abatement via Twitter posts of abated taxes, but doesn’t calculate revenue, e.g. transfer tax in his bot.

WHYY: Philly antipoverty office: Lack of clout, vision, and leadership

Claudia Vargas and TyLisa C. Johnson, September 13, 2018

With Philadelphia’s persistently high poverty rate reported unchanged, the Inquirer looks into the City’s dedicated anti-poverty agency.

The Philadelphia Tribune: Tax to aid affordable housing on hold

Michael D’Onofrio, September 11, 2018

The Philadelphia Tribune had its own take on the expected veto of the construction tax the day before Council returned to session.