Localmedium impact · 5/10substantive051068

Philadelphia Property Taxes Now Based on Multi-Year Average, Aimed at Smoothing Out Rapid Value Increases Locally

Official:Amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Real Estate Taxes," by providing that real estate taxes levied under that Chapter shall be based on the average of several years of assessed values, so as to smooth out the effect of rapid increases in property values, and by making technical amendments, under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember DiCicco

Introduced: November 10, 2005

: Committee of the Whole

finance housing taxation

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2004–2007 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill would change how property taxes are calculated in Philadelphia by taking the average of several years' assessed values instead of just using one year's value.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

Changes the basis for calculating real estate taxes in Philadelphia from one year's assessed value to the average of several years' assessed values.
Affects all property owners in Philadelphia, as the new method of calculating taxes will apply to all taxable real property.
Requires the Board of Revision of Taxes to calculate the "Taxable Assessed Value" of each property based on a specific formula.
Maintains the existing tax rate of $3.474 for tax years 2003 and beyond, with no change to the tax rate itself, only the method of calculating the tax burden.