🏠Thousands challenge Philly’s property taxes | Morning Newsletter
And our 15-year-old U.S. figure skating champion
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More than 26,000 Philadelphia property owners filed appeals challenging the city’s new valuations of their properties.
The city’s latest round of assessments resulted in an average increase of 31% for residential properties, but homeowners have a chance to argue their values aren’t fair.
Our lead story explains how those most in need of help are also the least likely to appeal.
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— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The city received the most property assessment appeals for 2023 values since 2014. The process requires the city or an independent judicial body to review property values and make adjustments, if warranted.
But an Inquirer analysis of appeals data found that equity issues persist in who makes use of the system:
Owners of higher-value properties are more likely to appeal than owners of lower-value properties.
Owners of lower-valued properties generally have the most cause to file appeals because they are systemically more likely to be over-assessed. That means they bear a higher share of the tax burden in the first place.
Because lower-valued properties are under-represented in appeals, the homeowners miss out on opportunities to correct city data and improve the accuracy of future assessments for them and their neighbors.
Reminder: An Inquirer analysis previously found that the latest assessments were least accurate in low-income and majority-Black neighborhoods across the city.
Continue reading for the full data breakdown of who is fighting for an appeal.
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito, 15, was already the 2022 World Junior champion, the 2022 U.S. Championships bronze medalist, and the silver medalist at December’s Grand Prix Finals.
But on Friday, she won the gold medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
When she stepped on the ice for free skate, she looked calm and strong. She skated cleanly, the best she had in competition all year.
She got a well-deserved standing ovation, and scooped up one of the stuffed animals that fans had thrown on the ice. She made her way to the kiss and cry where she learned her score, and it was a personal best. She hugged her coaches.
Notable quote: “I’m just so happy and proud of myself,” Levito said. “This was my goal coming into the event, and I just feel so happy that I performed the way I wanted to.”
Keep reading to learn when Levito will be back on the ice.
What you should know today
Penn Medicine is going all in on proton therapy, a costly treatment that is unproven for most common cancers.
A former Eagles captain is suing his doctors in Philly court over a career-ending knee injury.
Drag queen Stella D’Oro, a “Bingo Verifying Diva,” keeps the party going at GayBINGO.
How anxiety came to dominate the big business of medical marijuana cards in Pennsylvania.
Helen Gym denounced the Union League but attended a cocktail party at the club a week later.
Carjackers were no match for a brave SEPTA driver and his 15-ton bus.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
Where can you get the Eagles-themed Bird Dog? It’s a hot dog inside a green-dyed bun topped with fried onions, chopped long hots, and provolone.
A) Dietz & Watson
B) Evil Genius Beer Co.
C) Italian People’s Bakery and Deli
D) None of the above
Find out if you know the answer.
What we’re...
🏙️ Sharing: Where to celebrate Black History Month in Philly.
🐒 Debriefing: You on the string of weird incidents at the Dallas Zoo, including the curious case of two missing monkeys.
🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩
Hint: Phillies announcer
ACTOR MCMYTH
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Amber Taylor-Maxwell, who correctly guessed Tuesday’s answer: Questlove. Email us if you know the answer.
Photo of the Day
And that’s it from me. I’ll see you back here bright and early tomorrow morning☀️.