Executive Summary
For Immediate Release
July 31, 2014
Contact: Brian Dries
215-686-8869
City Tax Revenues Up $500 Million in Four Years
City Controller’s economic report reviews the 22% increase over fiscal year 2010
PHILADELPHIA – City Controller Alan Butkovitz today released his latest monthly Economic Report that indicated fiscal year 2014 City General Fund Tax Revenues were $502 million, or 22 percent, more than what was collected in fiscal year 2010.
Collections for fiscal year 2014 totaled more than $2.8 billion compared to the $2.3 billion collected in fiscal year 2010. During this period, almost every major tax category realized significant increases including the following:
FY10
FY14
$ Diff.
% Diff
Real Estate $402.3 million $540.4 million $138.2 million 34.4% Bus. Priv. $364.7 million $465.3 million $100.6 million 27.6% Realty Trnsfr $119.2 million $167.8 million $48.6 million 40.8% Sales $207.1 million $263.7 million $56.6 million 27.3% Wage/Ern/NPT $1.13 billion $1.28 billion $150 million 13.3%
Since fiscal year 2010, both the wage and net profits tax rates were reduced; whereas, during fiscal year 2011, there was an increase in the real estate tax rate. Since the additional one percent sales tax was implemented during fiscal year 2010, an entire year of collections was not recorded at the higher rate. Although, sales tax revenues have recorded year-over-year increases since the rate went from seven to eight percent.
In addition to reviewing tax revenues, the Controller’s economic report showed that monthly home sales totaled 1,197, which is a less than one percent decrease over June 2013. Neighborhoods in South Philadelphia along with portions of the Lower Northeast recorded the highest number of sales for the month.
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