Below is the link to Kromer's op-ed introducing his plan to end the
sheriff's office. This is important data for close reading!
In disaster capitalism, the crisis can be manufactured, but it can
also be real. The tax sales in Philadelphia are a big shit hole, and
there are specific reasons that normal citizens leave in frustration,
while speculators buy properties to hold. His piece asks us to get
upset about the part that is common knowledge.
Look carefully at Kromer's vague one line solution introducing the
usual privatization scheme, as if it is a magical one step solution to a
complex multifaceted process of transferring properties.
"If this house were located in Flint, Mich., a government-affiliated
authority would have seized it months ago and turned it over to a
responsible developer for rehabilitation, resale, and occupancy."
This is not some simple issue that a twist of the magic wand makes
happen. This one liner is the literary clue that people need to learn
to detect!!!!! You are supposed to be intimidated by the expert, who
avoids the real issues because privatization is such a no-brainer!
How are the "responsible developers" identified? What price do they
pay? How is the "affiliated authority" made more accountable than the
current system? Who chooses Penn to be the affiliated authority? Etc?
Not such a no brainer after all!
Yes, the answer for the Penn team is quite simple; backrooms and
cronyism among elites will make the big bucks. But any other answers
are much more complex and require a much different one-line statement.
A trustworthy candidate would promise a transparent investigation into
the problems and outline a process to uncover specific solutions. If
privatization is the only solution, then he must answer the important
questions with real evidence instead of corporate style sound bites.
"Trust privatization and my expertise, my good good friend" is his clear
message.
"This system is so poorly managed that some local real estate
speculators don't even bother paying city property taxes, because they
know they might be able to get away with it indefinitely."
This is nonsense. Speculators maximize profit. Speculators can request
a much lower tax rate for landbanking vacant property in the corrupt
system. Closing that loophole, except for a reasonable time for estate
transfers, would drastically alter the speculation like specific
processes could make tax sales much more friendly to the neighbor trying
to get a vacant lot. Speculators know that eventually they will pay the
accumulated taxes (accrued at the low rate), but they wait to pay until
the eventual sale because of the mismanaged collection system. Those are
the reasons for speculative landbanking. Privatization doesn't solve
these two specific issues that have specific solutions available! Why
make people think that the taxes aren't collected when the property
sells at some future date? It seems dishonest to me.
This guy offers no insight into his scheme except privatization is the
one true God and trust in his expertise! Vote for Cheri Honkala for
Philadelphia Sheriff.
http://articles.philly.com/2010-06-22/news/24966701_1_tax-delinquent-properties-property-taxes-tax-collection-system#axzz0rZpwC3Cc
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