Economy

Butkovitz pledges to make property assessments revenue-neural, create a ‘taxpayer advocate’

THE PHILADELPHIA TRIBUNE — Democratic mayoral candidate Alan Butkovitz says the city’s property taxes are out of whack for many, plagued by errors and inaccuracies that served as a “back door tax increase.” Butkovitz, the former city controller, pledged Thursday to make property reassessments revenue-neutral, scrap recent property revaluations and establish a “taxpayer advocate” to challenge the Office of Property Assessment’s calculations.

Published

6 years ago

April 24, 2019

Michael DOnofrio Tribune Staff Writer

By Michael D’Onofrio

Democratic mayoral candidate Alan Butkovitz says the city’s property taxes are out of whack for many, plagued by errors and inaccuracies that served as a “back door tax increase.”

Butkovitz, the former city controller, pledged Thursday to make property reassessments revenue-neutral, scrap recent property revaluations and establish a “taxpayer advocate” to challenge the Office of Property Assessment’s calculations.

After citywide property tax assessments jumped 10.5% last year and are scheduled to rise 5% in 2020, Butkovitz accused Mayor Jim Kenney of hiking taxes without a formal property tax increase during the same period.

“I call it the Kenney doomsday real estate tax machine,” he said while standing outside City Hall, adding, “People should be taxed based on their ability to pay and income.”

Butkovitz and state Sen. Anthony Williams (D-8) are challenging Kenney in the May 21 Democratic mayoral primary.

Butkovitz committed to revenue-neutral reassessments, which means altering the tax rate when properties are reassessed so the city cannot reap new revenue.

Revenue-neutral reassessments, Butkovitz said, would ensure “the city doesn’t have an incentive to use the reassessment process as a back door tax increase, which has happened in the last few years.”

His proposed taxpayer advocate who would work as a check on OPA’s annual assessment, Butkovitz said, and be appointed by the City Council president.

“Giving OPA monopoly power to be the authority on … the assessment process hasn’t worked,” Butkovitz said.

Property values citywide increased 5% in the new round of reassessments for 2020, issued in April, while residential values rose 3.9%, said Kenney spokesman Mike Dunn in an email. More than 80,000 homeowners will see their property values decrease and nearly 34,000 will not experience any change.

Although Kenney did not include a property tax hike in his proposed budget, the increase in property values were expected to increase the city’s revenue by $53 million over last year.

An audit from City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart this year found the OPA property assessments lacked transparency and accuracy, and inexpensive homes in low-income neighborhoods were being overtaxed.

Later, a City Council-led audit of the OPA also found substantial inaccuracies and deficiencies with the office’s 2019 assessments that resulted in a lack of uniformity. The report estimated the vast majority of the city’s residential reassessments last year were off by at least 15%.

Following the audits, Kenney laid out series of reforms, including altering the OPA’s methodology for calculating property assessments (which was used in the recent 2020 assessments) and starting the search for a new chief assessment officer to lead the OPA.

Butkovitz called for more tax relief for property owners who experience spikes in assessments due to gentrification.

If elected, Butkovitz said he would revert property assessments to those of 2017, and throw out assessments for those who were overassessed and give them refunds.

“When the city acknowledges that their process was wrong, they have no authority to hold on to that tax money,” he said.

Resident Eileen Nisenfeld, who stood alongside Butkovitz on Thursday, said her property taxes increased $500 this year and 25% over two years.

Nisenfeld said gentrification and rising property taxes were driving out longtime residents in her Rhawnhurt neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia. As her own property taxes rise, she struggled to understand why.

“Our schools are failing, our streets are a mess, crime is alarming,” she said. “Our city deserves better.”

This article originally appeared in The Philadelphia Tribune.

Michael DOnofrio Tribune Staff Writer

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Activism

NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention Highlights Black Voter Engagement, and More

A Friday panel featuring NAACP Chairman Leon W. Russell and Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media, examined Project 2025, an initiative perceived as a potential threat to civil rights, healthcare access, and environmental protection. This session emphasized Project 2025’s projected impact on Black communities, noting that policies within the initiative could diminish gains in civil and environmental rights over decades. Russell and Wilson highlighted the need for vigilant monitoring and community mobilization to address these challenges.

Published

2 days ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

NAACP State Conference President Rick Callender (right) engages in a discussion on voter engagement and community advocacy with NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson during the 37th NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention in Los Angeles. Photo by Rich Woods.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The 37th NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention concluded on Sunday, Oct 27, following four days of discussions and workshops at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. Bringing together civil rights leaders, policymakers, and advocates from California and Hawaii, the convention operated under the theme “All In.” The participants discussed critical issues impacting Black communities, including criminal justice reform, health equity, economic empowerment, education, environmental justice, and voting rights.

On Saturday, the President’s Fireside Chat brought together NAACP President Derrick Johnson and CA/HI State Conference President Rick Callender, who discussed the urgency of voter engagement and community advocacy.

Guest speakers included Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), who spoke at the Women in NAACP (WIN) Labor Luncheon about the intersection of labor rights and civil rights. California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond delivered remarks at the Leadership Dinner on education equity, focusing on policies to ensure all students have access to high-quality education.

Honors were given to longtime social justice advocate and former Assemblymember Mike Davis for his work in community activism. At the same time, actor and activist Danny Glover and the Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown received the 2024 Legacy Hall of Fame Awards, recognizing their lifelong commitments to advancing civil rights.

The convention also offered practical workshops, including “What’s On Your Ballot?,” where coalition leaders provided analyses of California propositions, explaining their potential impacts on community rights and resources. The Voter Turnout Workshop provided background and encouraged participants to promote voter turnout through community-centered outreach strategies.

Sunday’s events closed with a Prayer and Memorial Breakfast honoring the contributions of past and current civil rights leaders.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Fights Narrowly Break Out at Business Strike Press Conference at Oakland City Hall

Recall supporters called for a one-day business strike for the second year in a row to demand that the city do more to ensure public safety is a priority and that business owners are not plagued by the ongoing retail crime. Less than five minutes into the press conference, opponents of the recall began yelling at the recall supporters. This caused many recall volunteers to become upset with the “hecklers.”

Published

2 days ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Supporters of the recalls against Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, along with local political candidates and business owners, at a press conference outside Oakland City Hall. Speakers called for a city-wide, one-day business strike to protest against threats to public safety. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

By Magaly Muñoz

What was intended to be a press conference for a planned city-wide business strike turned into two separate altercations between supporters and opponents of the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price in front of Oakland City Hall.

Less than five minutes into the press conference, opponents of the recall began yelling at the recall supporters. This caused many recall volunteers to become upset with the “hecklers.”

One recall volunteer confronted the Thao supporters and attempted to physically intimidate them while also screaming obscenities in their faces. After several moments, the volunteer was pulled away from the Thao supporters and returned to the conference.

Soon after that incident, Ray Bobbitt, founder of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) that now owns the Oakland Coliseum, walked up to the rally and attempted to take the microphone from Seneca Scott, leader of the Thao recall efforts. The situation soon escalated as Scott pushed Bobbitt away.

Scott has made several comments at press conferences and on social media that the Coliseum sale deal is a fraud and that AASEG will not provide the city with the promised multi-million dollar funds. Bobbitt told the Post that he is tired of Scott “being a bully” and only wanted to talk through whatever issues Scott had with AASEG.

When Bobbitt asked Scott to talk privately, Scott responded with a threatening remark. Bobbitt soon left the scene after several people talked him down.

“We really need to abandon the toxicity. I’m here to bring our community together, not divide it,” Bobbitt told the Post.

Back with the recall group and business owners, speakers said that businesses are scared to file police reports because Oakland officers “don’t care anymore” and are scared that their insurance rates will increase.

“We’re here today because the last blood of our city is leaking out with no tourniquet. Cities run on commerce. The only reason for a city is commerce. Failure to protect commerce leads to a dying city,” Scott said.

Several businesses in the last year have closed down, such as In-N-Out Burger and Denny’s on the Hegenberger corridor, citing public safety concerns. Local businesses have also left because of break-ins, homelessness, and overall lack of security.

At the time of last year’s business strike, crime was up 26% from the year before, according to Oakland police data. Rumors of a Thao recall were also building around this event.

Crime today is down 37%, according to the same data. This point has been used heavily in Thao’s attempt to rally support against the recall against her.

Speakers at the Tuesday press conference said some owners were sleeping at their businesses for fear of people breaking in to steal from them or vandalize their locations.

“The only things that are not locked up in the stores are criminals,” one speaker said.

Rally organizers claimed that over 200 businesses were participating in the strike. But when the Post asked recall organizers if they could provide a list of all the participants, the request was denied.

“This is an example of the sort of chaos the recall campaign seeks to create in Oakland. This is the last minute last ditch stunt of a coal investor funded campaign that has realized that Oakland residents are going to say NO to the $10 million price tag, the chaos and the division their campaign represents,” a Thao supporter spokesperson said ahead of the business strike.

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California Black Media

Controller Malia Cohen Convenes Auditors from Counties Across California

The conference focused on key issues related to county financial management and reporting. This annual event is mandated by Government Code 12422, which requires the State Controller to convene county auditors at least once a year. The conference served as a platform to discuss county budget procedures, financial transaction reporting, and property tax revenue allocation, promoting consistency in the duties of county auditors statewide.

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

Oakland Post

California State Controller Malia Cohen. File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California State Controller Malia Cohen welcomed auditors from across the state for the 79th Annual County Auditors Conference, a three-day event and award ceremony hosted in Santa Cruz.

The state controller honored the award recipients by celebrating their excellence in producing accurate financial data.

In her opening remarks, Cohen emphasized the significance of collaboration between her office and the county auditors.

“I want to congratulate all of the counties receiving today’s County Financial Transactions Reporting award,” stated Cohen. “Your county’s diligence in reporting is critical for my office to produce accurate local government financial data, which is of vital importance to policymakers, researchers, and constituents throughout California. Thank you for your contribution to the quality and transparency of public finances.”

Cohen also moderated a panel discussion featuring Assemblymember Gail Pellerin and Department of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw. The panel addressed critical topics such as the upcoming state budget, technological advancements, and anticipated fiscal challenges for local governments in the coming fiscal year.

In addition, Cohen recognized counties that received the California State Controller Financial Transaction Reporting Award, highlighting the importance of accurate and timely financial reporting.

More than 40 counties won the coveted Financial Transaction Reporting Award, celebrating their commitment to excellence in financial management. Counties that won an award include Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.