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Philadelphia City Council Cuts Real Estate Tax Breaks for Property Owners Making Big Changes

Official:Amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Real Estate Taxes," by reducing the amount of real estate taxes to be exempted for certain improvements to, or construction of, certain residential, commercial, industrial or other business properties, under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Clarke

Introduced: December 4, 2008

: Committee on Finance

civil service property development real estate taxes

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2008–2011 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 reduces the amount of real estate taxes exempted for certain property improvements and new constructions in Philadelphia.

What This Bill Does

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

Reduces the amount of real estate taxes exempted for improvements to or construction of residential, commercial, industrial, or other business properties from 80% to an unspecified amount (the bill does not specify the new exemption rate).
Changes the timing of when the exemption commences for improvements to residential properties from the first year for which improvements would otherwise be taxable to the tax year immediately following the year in which the initial certificate of occupancy is issued. 3.