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Back to search resultsBill 080791

Amending Chapter 19-3100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Attorney Fees In Collection Matters; Retention Of Private Attorneys," by providing for a schedule of contingency fees to be assessed, relating to collection expenses incurred in the collection of delinquent tax and other municipal claims; authorizing such expenses; and making certain related technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions.

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File details

Status
LAPSED
Type
Bill
Introduced
October 23, 2008
Sponsors
CTCouncilmember Tasco

Full Bill

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 19-3100 of The Philadelphia Code is amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 19-3100. ATTORNEY FEES

AND COLLECTION COSTS

IN COLLECTION MATTERS; RETENTION OF PRIVATE ATTORNEYS

AND COLLECTION AGENCIES.

§ 19-3101. Schedule of [Attorney]

Charges, Expenses, Commissions and

Fees.

(1)

Subject to revision from time to time pursuant to subsection 19-3101(2), the following schedule [of attorney fees] shall apply to the City’s imposition of attorney fees

and other charges, expenses, commissions and fees

under [Section]

Sections 1 and

3(a) of the

Act of May 16, 1923 (P.L. 207, No. 153), as amended, referred to as the

Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Act (53 P.S.

§§ 7101,

7106(a)), [as amended,] in connection with the collection of delinquent tax and other municipal claims:

(a)

In a matter handled by Law Department attorneys, attorney [fee]

fees

of

up to

six percent (6%) of the amount of the delinquent claim shall be imposed;

(b)

In a matter for which a private attorney has been retained by the Law Department on a contingency fee basis, attorney [fee]

fees

of

up to

eighteen percent (18%) of the amount of the delinquent claim shall be imposed; and

(c)

In a matter for which a private attorney has been retained by the Law Department on a non-contingency basis, attorney fees at a rate of

up to

seventy-five dollars ($75) per hour shall be imposed.

(d)

In a matter for which a private collection agency has been retained by the City on a contingency fee basis, collection fees of up to sixteen percent (16%) of the amount of the delinquent claim shall be imposed.

(2)

The City Solicitor may from time to time by regulation revise the schedule of attorney fees

and other charges, expenses, commissions and fees

set forth in subsection 19-3101(1) to ensure that the City is fully reimbursed for the reasonable cost of retaining attorneys

and collection agencies

to collect delinquent accounts pursuant to the Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Act. Such regulations may for such purposes classify collection matters differently than the classification set forth in subsections 19-3100(1)(a) through [(c)]

(d)

. The City Solicitor shall notify the Council of any such proposed regulations by providing a copy to the Chief Clerk of Council at the same time the proposed regulations are filed with the Department of Records in accordance with subsection 8-407(a) of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter.

§ 19-3102. Retention of Private Attorneys

and Collection Agencies

in Collection Matters.

(1)

When the Law Department retains private attorneys

or collection agencies

to handle to completion the collection of delinquent taxes and municipal claims, and for related matters, such contracts may be made on a contingent fee or hourly rate basis and shall be for such term and contain such conditions as the City Solicitor deems necessary or desirable in the interest of the City.

______________________

Explanation:

[Brackets] indicate matter deleted.

Italics

indicate new matter added.

End

Timeline

File history

A file can move through several public steps, including introduction, hearings, amendments, votes and final action. This timeline puts those events in date order, groups routine entries from the same day, and attaches published member votes to the action they record.

  1. Council ActionCommittee on Finance

    RECESSED

    Other recorded action without a published tally.

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

    2 procedural actionsCommittee on Finance
  2. UnanimousCITY COUNCIL

    Introduced

    Marked unanimous; no member-by-member tally published.

    Pass
    Official action detail

    A motion was made by Councilmember Tasco that this matter be Introduced. The motion carried unanimously.

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation