Rising property taxes spark fear | Morning Newsletter
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It’s supposed to be in the 80s today, which means the correct direction to head is toward the ocean.
In today’s newsletter:
🏠 Important: Our analysis shows property assessments double in some working-class neighborhoods.
🏝️ Trippy: Something remarkable happened off the coast near Brigantine.
🌗 Lunar: Talking about this weekend’s invisible celestial spectacle.
🧠 Cerebral: The science of weed and DUIs.
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As Ben Franklin famously said, nothing is certain except death and taxes. But unless we’re talking about the Sixers, we have less to debate about the former than the latter right now. Philadelphia has rolled out the first citywide reassessment of property values in three years — an average 31% increase in residential property taxes — but some homeowners will see much bigger spikes in their home values.
Some observations from my week sifting through assessment policy and talking to homeowners to report this story: Nobody wants their tax bill to go up, but for some, an extra thousand dollars could financially ruin them. There are many relief options to lower your property tax bill. Many homeowners don’t know they exist.
Some cities take the slow, educational route to property reassessments, informing residents well in advance of the methodology and giving property owners ample notice of their appeal rights and relief options. City Hall chose the opposite path, and perhaps as a result, there’s a lot of confusion. Want to help do the city’s job and spread the word? Look up your older neighbors’ assessments at property.phila.gov and let them know the deadline to appeal is Oct. 3. Keep reading for more.
What you should know today
A new island emerged down the Shore that’s “like nowhere else in Jersey,” and boaters are furious it’s been closed to protect birds.
Home-care workers in the area often get cheated on overtime, and the state’s Medicaid rules don’t help. 🔒
Attention astronomy club: Philly and half of the country won’t be able to peep the lunar eclipse tonight.
A boardroom coup following the death of a key ally on the Republic First Bancorp Inc. board has led to Vernon Hill’s ouster as chairman.
Know your 2022 candidates for Pa. Senate and governor.
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Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
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And for today’s Sunday track, we’re listening to 🎶 upside down, boy you turn me inside out. 🎶
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