Bill improving Philly’s delinquent property tax collection gets preliminary approval

A bill allowing Philadelphia to crack down on delinquent property taxes would help combat vacancy and blight while bringing in much-needed revenue.
Credit: Rikard Larma / Metro

Pennsylvania House Bill 388 on Tuesday unanimously passed the state Senate appropriations committee and could be approved by the full state Senate as soon as Wednesday.

It would then head to the desk of Gov. Tom Corbett to be signed into law.

The bill, introduced by state Rep. Cherelle Parker, would allow Philadelphia to more aggressively pursue the collection of delinquent property taxes.

The legislation would give the city the authority to, after identifying a tax delinquent property, place a lien against all of the property owners’ real estate in the state.

Right now, city officials can only place a lien on the delinquent property itself, but multiple reports have shown chronically tax delinquent property owners often own multiple parcels of real estate in Pennsylvania that remain unaffected by that enforcement action.

Parker expects the measure to generate $28 million in additional revenue, a chunk of which would go toward funding city schools.