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Back to search resultsBill 170245

Amending Chapter 19-4000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Income Inequality Initiative - Earned Income Tax Credit," by revising the City's EITC Policy, including by expanding it to include non-residents who work in the City, all under certain terms and conditions.

View file history View official file on Legistar →

File details

Status
Enacted
Type
Bill
Introduced
March 9, 2017
Sponsors
CDCouncilmember DombCPCouncil President ClarkeCHCouncilmember HenonCPCouncilmember ParkerCGCouncilmember GreenleeCGCouncilmember GreenKenyatta JohnsonMark Squilla

Full Bill

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 19-4000 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read:

CHAPTER 19-4000. INCOME INEQUALITY INITIATIVE – EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.

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§ 19-4002. Statement of EITC Policy.

It is the policy of the City to enable all persons who live

or work

in Philadelphia and who are potentially eligible for the EITC to apply for and receive the maximum credit to which they are entitled.

§ 19-4003. [Implementation of EITC Policy.]

Reserved.

[The Department is authorized to develop within ninety (90) days of the date that this Chapter first becomes law an EITC Policy Implementation Manual that sets forth a detailed strategy to identify, contact, and enroll by April 17, 2015 (the deadline to file 2014 tax returns and to file amended tax returns to receive EITC for 2011) all EITC-eligible persons residing in Philadelphia. The Manual should also provide a strategy for achieving the City's EITC Policy on an ongoing basis, and it should be continually updated to reflect the Department's increasing experience and expertise. The City's strategy may include, among other components, providing residents who failed to claim the EITC in prior years with prepared returns, contracting with interested non-profits to provide free federal tax filing assistance, and engaging in community outreach.]

§ 19-4004. Duty to Provide Notice of EITC Program.

Beginning with calendar year 2015 and each year thereafter:

(1)

Each employer shall

on an annual basis

provide each employee residing

or working

in Philadelphia from whom it withholds taxes an EITC Notice at the same time that it provides the employee with his or her federal W-2 or comparable form.

(2)

A person or business that is required to provide a non-payroll worker residing

or working

in Philadelphia with a federal form 1099 or comparable form shall

on an annual basis

provide each such worker with both the federal form and an EITC Notice at the same time.

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§ 19-4005. Reporting Requirements.

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(2)

Beginning on July 1, 2015, and on that date each year thereafter, the Finance Director shall submit to Council, together with the Mayor's proposed operating budget ordinance, an EITC Policy Implementation Report.

The Finance Director shall post a copy of the Report on the City’s website.

The Report shall provide the following information:

(a)

A detailed assessment of the progress made

by the City

over the [preceding]

previous

calendar year in executing the City's EITC [Policy, including]

Policy. This should include the City’s outreach efforts and strategy to identify, contact and enroll, by each year’s respective tax filing deadline, all EITC-eligible persons residing or working in the City of Philadelphia. The City’s strategy may include, among other things, a plan to accurately identify and enroll those who live or work in the City and who failed to claim the EITC in prior years, contracting with interested non-profits to provide free tax filing assistance, and engaging in community outreach;

(b)

[the]

The

most recently available data on the number of Philadelphia residents receiving EITC, the number of Philadelphia residents eligible for EITC, and the gap between the two, as well as those numbers for prior years; [the steps taken by the City to implement the EITC Policy; and proposed measures for the succeeding calendar year;]

[(b)

Budget information with respect to the past and projected cost of implementing the strategy contained in the EITC Policy Implementation Manual. Such information shall include a description by position (with respect to City employees) and contract (with respect to third-party providers) the responsibilities of those persons engaged in executing the City's EITC Policy; and]

(c)

Commencing in calendar year 2018, the following additional information:

(.1)

A detailed listing of all financial expenditures made towards the implementation of the City’s EITC Policy. This should include, but is not limited to, expenditures relating to the following:

(A)

Community engagement and outreach efforts;

(B)

Marketing, advertising and personal relations;

(C)

Free tax preparation sites and filing efforts;

(D)

Communications efforts;

(E)

Personal services and administrative costs;

(.2)

In addition, all expenditure information shall also include, but is not limited to:

(A)

An itemized list of all recipients (including non-profit organizations, accounting firms, city departments or any third parties) who received funds from the City relating to the implementation of the City’s EITC Policy;

(B)

A listing of any contracts entered into by the City and the amount and scope of the contract;

(C)

Detail related to the process for contract selection and the percentage of M/W/DSBE participation as it relates to total EITC policy implementation expenditures; and

[(c)]

(d)

Such other information as the Department deems appropriate or that Council by resolution requests.

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SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately, provided that the amendments to §19-4004 shall apply for tax year 2017 and thereafter.

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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 ActionMAYOR

    SIGNED

    Other recorded action without a published tally.

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

  2. Member voteCITY COUNCIL

    READ AND PASSED

    Member-by-member vote published for this action.

    Pass17 Yes · 0 No · 0 AbsentView member votes →
    Official action detail

    A motion was made that this matter be READ AND PASSED. The motion carried by the following vote:

    Member votes

    MemberVote
    Al TaubenbergerYes
    Allan DombYes
    Blondell Reynolds BrownYes
    Bobby HenonYes
    Brian J. O'NeillYes
    Cherelle ParkerYes
    Cindy BassYes
    Curtis Jones, Jr.Yes
    Darrell L. ClarkeYes
    David OhYes
    Derek S. GreenYes
    Helen GymYes
    Jannie L. BlackwellYes
    Kenyatta JohnsonYes
    Maria D. Quiñones-SánchezYes
    Mark SquillaYes
    William K. GreenleeYes

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

  3. 3 procedural actionsCITY COUNCIL
    ProceduralCITY COUNCIL

    READ AND ORDERED PLACED ON NEXT WEEK'S SECOND READING CALENDAR

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

    UnanimousCITY COUNCIL

    SUSPEND THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL

    Pass
    Official action detail

    A motion was made by Councilmember Jones that this matter be SUSPEND THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL. The motion carried unanimously.

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

    ProceduralCITY COUNCIL

    ORDERED PLACED ON THIS DAY`S FIRST READING CALENDAR

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

  4. 4 procedural actionsCommittee on Commerce & Economic Development
    ProceduralCommittee on Commerce & Economic Development

    REPORTED FAVORABLY, RULE SUSPENSION REQUESTED

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

    ProceduralCommittee on Commerce & Economic Development

    HEARING NOTICES SENT

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

  5. UnanimousCITY COUNCIL

    Introduced and Referred

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

    Pass
    Official action detail

    A motion was made by Councilmember Domb that this matter be Introduced and Referred to the Committee on Commerce & Economic Development. The motion carried unanimously.

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation