Philadelphia City Council Looks At Plan To Give Condo Residents Trash Tax Break
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Before a City Council committee Tuesday morning: A plan to give condo residents a tax break because their buildings use private trash haulers rather than the city.
The city is required to offer trash pickup once a week to all buildings. However, for many condos that is not enough. So, instead they end up using private services with residents footing the bill.
Councilman Jim Kenney is now proposing giving those residents a $200-a-year property tax credit to offset that cost.
"This is an issue of basic equity and fairness. When you can't pick it up mechanically by the city, they should at least be reimbursed or given credit for that out-of-pocket cost that they have to bear," Kenney said.
However, the mayor's spokesman, Mark McDonald, said it is the condo residents' choice to live in a building where once-a-week collection is not sufficient.
"If that's not enough, under city regulation, they then can and must sign up for private service to supplement the city service," McDonald said.
McDonald added that Kenney's bill would cost the cash-strapped government upwards of $6 million a year.
Reported by Mike Dunn, KYW Newsradio 1060
