City revenue employee arrested for taking bribe

A supervisor in the city's Department of Revenue was arrested in a sting operation today, after he was accused of seeking a cash payment from a contractor to move along a tax abatement application.

A detective from the District Attorney's office, posing as the contractor, met today with the supervisor, Mark Holt, and handed him nearly $5,000 in cash.

Holt, 55, had told the contractor that the money was to pay a non-existent fee, authorities said.

"There is no public service that is provided by the city of Philadelphia where people are supposed to pay cash," said District Attorney Seth Williams. "If anything sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

After Holt asked for the money, the contractor called Councilman Jack Kelly.

Kelly said tonight that he has known the contractor, whom he did not want to name, for many years. The man owns an electrical company and rehabilitiates homes, Kelly said.

Homes that undergo extensive rebuilding are eligible for the city's 10-year tax abatement on the improvements, and the contractor had applied to the city for the abatement. A fee is paid at the time the application is submitted, authorities said.

Holt, as a revenue investigator, would be responsible for verifying that the property qualified for the abatement.

Kelly said the contractor called his office in recent weeks and said his application for a property in the 900 block of N. 2nd Street in Northern Liberties was stalled. He asked Kelly's office to help.

Then, on Wednesday, the contractor called again to say his partner had just spoken to Holt, who said the builders would not be getting an abatement "unless you have $4,500, and you have it in cash," Kelly said.

Kelly hung up the phone and called Seth Williams directly.

"I was shocked at anyone that was brazen enough to do it," Kelly said. "I didn't do anything unusual or spectacular . . . I just did what was right."

Holt was being processed tonight at police headquarters on bribery and related charges.

"We want to let people know we're not going to accept municipal corruption," Williams said. "We're not going to be corrupt and content."

The investigation is continuing into whether there are any other potential victims.

Revenue Commissioner Keith Richardson described Holt, who has been a city employee for nearly 20 years, as a "good worker" who had never been disciplined.

Richardson said Holt worked in the Department of Revenue for about 13 years. His salary is $38,586, according to the mayor's office.

Richardson said he did not know about the allegations or the investigation before Holt's arrest. He also said he would conduct his own internal investigation, but he would wait to read the arrest report before taking action.

"We're going to move as swiftly as possible," Richardson said. "I don't need an issue like this to fester in my department."