Critics take flight in city’s anti-AVI-ary

The new Actual Value Initiative (AVI) may be a fairer way of taxing real estate in the city.

However, without knowing the new millage rate, it is the equivalent of City Council signing a blank check payable to the mayor for him to fill in at a later time.

Mayer Krain

Philadelphia

We are taxed enough. Say what you will, Councilwomen Brown and Quinones-Sanchez, but your argument for the AVI fails. It will cause more people to leave this already overtaxed city.

If city government was less corrupt and more financially responsible, this would not be an issue, and the city and schools would not be in trouble.

Let's call it what it really is: You guys in City Hall just want to keep the status quo and hurt the already hurt citizens with more taxes.

Go ahead and pass the AVI. You will just lose more taxpayers and dig yourself into a bigger hole.

We are taxed enough already.

Tim Rogers

Philadelphia

Can someone please hand me a spoon for the BS that Councilwomen Brown and Quinones-Sanchez are trying to feed us. Are they laying the ground work for the property tax that the city already had decided to impose? I would like to know why the city and these two cheerleaders for taxes are so adamant that raising the property taxes on already overtaxed Philadelphians will resolve the city's money shortfalls and save the Philadelphia schools.

The city has mismanaged its money for years. Of course, the two cheerleaders for taxes say that they will protect the poor from higher property taxes. They, of course, do not want to overtax the rich on property taxes. So, who will pay for the increased property taxes? The middle class, of course.

For the past five years this city has wasted money on lawsuits, school superintendents and a list too large to note here. This city is always asking for more. I have budgeted my income according to this economy and I expect the people that run this city to do the same.

Not this time, Oliver, you've had enough!

Tina Bellosi

Philadelphia

Getting an education

Some believe that the School Reform Commission, Chief Recovery Officer Thomas Knudsen and Mayor Nutter are just union busting and aiding individuals and companies to profiteer off the backs of our children with their new actions.

I have confidence that they will do the right thing.

Only problem is that it will be after they have done all the wrong things.

David Krain

Philadelphia

The dollar — dead?

It is perplexing to see such exiguous coverage being given by the Daily News to an event of monumental proportions.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are creating a financial entity, BRICS, designed to replace the U.S. dollar as the world reserve currency. This "new World Bank" will render the indebted U.S. dollar to a state of sheer irrelevance.

The reason most countries buy U.S. Treasury instruments is because they need U.S. dollars to buy oil, which the Saudi monarchy mandates as the only form of payment.

If the BRICS, allegedly capitalized at 18 trillion, supersedes the dollar as the world reserve currency, our debt, which is perpetually financed by foreign sources, becomes the equivalent of junk bonds, and our economy, with an obligatory service of interest payments, is reduced to Third World status.

This eventuality is too important for our People's Paper to ignore.

Gerald Bundy

Philadelphia

PWD-elightful

I want to give the Water Department staff a shout-out for helping spruce up our neighborhood here in Bridesburg.

The Eadom Street neighbors greatly appreciate the gardens. They make the neighborhood beautiful.

Thank you for all your hard work and commitment for making things better.

You guys never get enough credit.

Maryann Zindell

Philadelphia