UPENN: PHILADELPHIA TAX DODGER
Citizens/Groups to Challenge Mayor/Penn/WHYY on Budget Forums
Forums called Public Relations Ploy — “More rats or fewer libraries/stacked deck” campaign.
For Immediate Release
For additional information, please contact
Bob Bedard at (cell): 202.413.6638.
PRESS CONFERENCE — February 9, 2009 – 3 PM
DETAILS:
Leaders of organized groups and activist citizens, Monday, February 9, 2009, will hold a press conference challenging the validity of the upcoming Penn/WHYY “Forums” which call for additional service cuts to Philadelphia residents.
“Unless a change is made in the information and decision making process, the deck has already been stacked towards additional service cuts.”
“The City and its elected officials have a responsibility to openly, transparently, expertly and honestly examine every potential action that may impact the lives of our fellow citizens.
“To date, the Mayor has failed to do so,” stated Cathy Scott, President of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) District Council 47 in announcing tomorrow’s press conference.
The forums “present only one option to the public – a further cut in services. We call it the ‘More rats or fewer libraries campaign.’
Scott and representatives of One Philadelphia, Neighborhood Network, the Library Coalition and others will challenge the Mayor/Penn/WHYY (Forum sponsors) to address the ignored budget problems; increasing revenues; potential savings; and, the implementation of a comprehensive plan under which the City actually collects what it is owed.
Time & Place:
The press conference will take place at 3:00 PM, TODAY, Monday, February 9, 2009. The location is the Penn Tower Office Building & Hotel at One Convention Avenue, Philadelphia. (Across from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Near Potbelly’s)
Wondering why AFSCME is holding their press conference at Penn rather than in front of a library? Turns out, UPenn pulled a fast one of their taxes a few years back and has never been called to account.
Penn Towers is a former hotel that used to pay real estate tax but doesn’t any more because Penn bought it and now it’s exempt (because Penn is a nonprofit):
Owned and operated by the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn Tower Hotel reflects the prestige and excellence of this renowned institution. Traditionally furnished in rich mahogany, all guest rooms feature modular data ports, remote-control color televisions, free cable and HBO, and individual climate controls.
Additional amenities include cellular phones, a gift shop, newsstand, flower shop, dry cleaning, childcare services and covered parking.
As an ally of the Coalition to Save the Libraries, and to challenge the short-sighted one-trick pony Mayor’s obsession with cuts over services, AFSCME wants to illustrate the need to differentiate between small and well-endowed nonprofits. The goal of the rally is to change the debate in the forums, to open up alternative solutions, i.e. tax the rich.
Thanks to Suzy Subways for the text.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
[...] Brendan var varsarray=[]; varsarray[0]=’10649′; if(!token) {var token=’0′} else {var [...]