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PhillyGAF |OT|

B

Blunoise

Member
Ok guys! Thanks for the info, and it looks like I have a lot of neighborhoods to look into. I may need to see if I can make a trip next month or so
 
S

Snwaters

Member
Hey PhillyGAF. Lived here for most of my life, kind of have a love hate relationship with the city as a whole.

But I'm curious, what are your folks opinion about the soda tax being proposed here? Seems like it's going to be a big debate over 3 cents an ounce.
 
R

Ryuukan

Member
Snwaters said:
Hey PhillyGAF. Lived here for most of my life, kind of have a love hate relationship with the city as a whole.

But I'm curious, what are your folks opinion about the soda tax being proposed here? Seems like it's going to be a big debate over 3 cents an ounce.
Click to expand...

won't happen

labor unions in philly are deities and they fought nutter hard on it
 
E

esms

Member
BronsonLee said:
Trash place
Click to expand...

ufdup.png
 
A

AbortedWalrusFetus

Member
Snwaters said:
Hey PhillyGAF. Lived here for most of my life, kind of have a love hate relationship with the city as a whole.

But I'm curious, what are your folks opinion about the soda tax being proposed here? Seems like it's going to be a big debate over 3 cents an ounce.
Click to expand...

It's a regressive tax. I'm by default against any tax which hits the lower class harder than the middle or upper classes. I don't think it will do anything for obesity prevention either. That has as much to do with food deserts as sugary drinks.

Aside from that, it will never get passed. Even without the unions the Honickman family have huge influence.
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
I don't drink Soda so the Soda tax wouldn't affect me. Philly is already massively over taxed and it is holding the city back compared to other urban centers. If it wasn't for the ten year tax abatement the tax base in the city would have eroded a lot more.
 
R

Ralemont

not me
BronsonLee said:
Philly's city tax is hilarious nonsense
Click to expand...

As someone who pays it himself because I work outside the city, I've never had more trouble trying to give someone money. Their structure is so incompetent that I'm fairly sure I could have just never paid it and they wouldn't even have known.
 
A

AbortedWalrusFetus

Member
This is why the tax proposal from the Philadelphia Growth Coalition is such a big deal, and such a good idea. A diverse group from unions, business leaders, and commercial real estate owners is calling for a state constitutional amendment that would allow the city to tax commercial real estate at a different level from residential real estate. The goal of this would be to use the increase commercial real estate tax to reduce or eliminate both the business and wage taxes in the city. By levying a tax on real estate rather than business income or wages you shift tax from things that can leave the city to things that can't leave. THat would mean less businesses relocating out of the city when they get successful, and it could lower taxes enough for businesses to consider the city more friendly. Rents in the city are very reasonable compared to other cities, and they are expenses that businesses can sustain an increase in, if it means they have lower taxes in other areas. The ability to attract new businesses would then allow for more real estate development and more jobs, which then in turn increase the tax base.

The problem is that a constitutional amendment is needed and it needs to be approved by two straight sessions of legislature, so it's a hard battle to fight.
 
B

Blunoise

Member
AbortedWalrusFetus said:
If you can come the weekend of April 23rd you can catch the PIFA Street Fair!
Click to expand...
Haha that's on my birthday too! I think I'm really leaning towards Philadelphia more as I do my research. I guess I'm just so indecisive on where I want to move next because I fell I like I'm getting older and I really need to find the right place for me and I don't want to move somewhere I might not like. I'll be 27 this year and moving from Atlanta which is also a great city, but I feel I need some newness too my life.
 
A

ACE 1991

Member
I've been walking up and down the 100 steps in Wissahickon for a few weeks now (it's a 3 minute walk from my apartment) to get ready for an upcoming backpacking trip! Such a great workout if anyone is looking for some good cardio around the city.
 
A

AbortedWalrusFetus

Member
Anyone doing the first Friday thing tonight?

There's a Philadelphia Orchestra young friends event tomorrow night that I really wanted to go to but I have an award dinner for one of my coworkers tomorrow night instead. At least it's free dinner though.
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
Amtrak is so bad. If something gets stuck on a RR crossing more or less very likely that a train will crash into it because by the time they see it they can't stop. Should be able to fix this problem.
 
E

esmith08734

Member
I am going to be living on Reed St. this summer, which is near The Navy Yard / Citizens Bank. Any recommendations for the area? Things to know?
 
E

ElectricKaibutsu

Member
I'm planning on driving to the art museum today since it's pay what you want. Does anyone know any free places to park?

Edit: wlWe parked in the Azalea lot behind the museum. It's free for two hours.

Today is the windiest day, btw.
 
M

MJPIA

Member
Day 3 without internet from fios ever since the huge winds.
No one lost power around us so I'm surprised it's taking so long to get back.
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
MJPIA said:
Day 3 without internet from fios ever since the huge winds.
No one lost power around us so I'm surprised it's taking so long to get back.
Click to expand...

What location are you in?

Could be that a cable got disconnected somewhere and you are in a low impact spot (unfortunately) so you might have lower priority than other places unfortunately.

I have a friend who lives on a dead end block on the main line and his power was out for two weeks after the last hurricane because they were too busy fixing bigger problems.
 
L

laoni

Member
I just want to thank you guys for including the Mutter Museum in the OP. I'm a medical science student in Australia, and holy crap it looks so amazing for an anatomy nerd like me. I'll be back in the area in June/July, and my boyfriend agreed to take me (although I'm unconvinced he'll join me inside XD)
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
Didn't realize charter schools had become such a large part of the school system

The 83 charters in the city enroll nearly 70,000 students. The school district, meanwhile, has 134,538 students enrolled.

The district's $2.8 billion proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 includes nearly $875 million for charters, including transportation.
Click to expand...

http://www.philly.com/philly/educat...ands_Phila__School_District_huge_setback.html

How long can these charter school workers who are essentially government employees go without union representation?
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
esms said:
I thought the draw of charter schools was higher pay compared to public?
Click to expand...

Philly Charter schools get paid like 80% of the per pupil allocation that the public schools get. Depends where you work and what you do there. Certain top charter schools in the city can pay their top performers more than in a public school, while they are top performing. but the vast majority of charter school employees make less than their comparable district jobs, and have much less job security.

For example in the last 1-2 years basically all charter schools decided to no longer give new employees a PSERS retirement plan and instead give them a much worse 5% contribution plan that has a lower employer contribution rate and you can't expect to have as good retirement accumulation over your life.
 
Y

yankeehater

Member
esms said:
I thought the draw of charter schools was higher pay compared to public?
Click to expand...

I taught in Philly for 3 years and I would never even consider working at a charter school. Less pay, worse benefits, plus it is much easier to get rid of a teacher if they decide they dont like you. I have taught in 3 different districts and the Philadelphia school district was byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy far the best.
 
G

gcubed

Member
AbortedWalrusFetus said:
This is why the tax proposal from the Philadelphia Growth Coalition is such a big deal, and such a good idea. A diverse group from unions, business leaders, and commercial real estate owners is calling for a state constitutional amendment that would allow the city to tax commercial real estate at a different level from residential real estate. The goal of this would be to use the increase commercial real estate tax to reduce or eliminate both the business and wage taxes in the city. By levying a tax on real estate rather than business income or wages you shift tax from things that can leave the city to things that can't leave. THat would mean less businesses relocating out of the city when they get successful, and it could lower taxes enough for businesses to consider the city more friendly. Rents in the city are very reasonable compared to other cities, and they are expenses that businesses can sustain an increase in, if it means they have lower taxes in other areas. The ability to attract new businesses would then allow for more real estate development and more jobs, which then in turn increase the tax base.

The problem is that a constitutional amendment is needed and it needs to be approved by two straight sessions of legislature, so it's a hard battle to fight.
Click to expand...

its definitely one of my biggest annoyances about Philly. It has a great base of well educated college grads in things like medical and tech to pull from, yet they continuously just screw up ways to both keep people and keep companies in the city (or hell, even get companies to come to the city).

There is no reason for Philly to still be losing population based on its location, easy access via train and plane, great selection of both public and private schools, average to above average public transportation and current rent / housing prices besides political idiocy
 
M

MJPIA

Member
Deku Tree said:
What location are you in?

Could be that a cable got disconnected somewhere and you are in a low impact spot (unfortunately) so you might have lower priority than other places unfortunately.

I have a friend who lives on a dead end block on the main line and his power was out for two weeks after the last hurricane because they were too busy fixing bigger problems.
Click to expand...
Kinda between Montgomeryville and Warminster.
Although I just looked at the fios box in the basement and it's got a status led flashing indicating we are connected but not receiving anything which in the 10 years or so we've had it I've never seen before so this doesn't seem to be a typical issue.

We are pretty far down when it comes to getting power back after a storm from PECO but Verizon has usually been pretty fast for repairs in our area.
Day after a nasty storm that brought down a neighbors tree that shattered our power pole and ended with a car with our live wires tangled around his tires a verizon tech came out to replace the line.

Supposedly it should come back around 4 today.
Although I don't have much faith in that estimate.
 
E

esms

Member
Deku Tree said:
Philly Charter schools get paid like 80% of the per pupil allocation that the public schools get. Depends where you work and what you do there. Certain top charter schools in the city can pay their top performers more than in a public school, while they are top performing. but the vast majority of charter school employees make less than their comparable district jobs, and have much less job security.

For example in the last 1-2 years basically all charter schools decided to no longer give new employees a PSERS retirement plan and instead give them a much worse 5% contribution plan that has a lower employer contribution rate and you can't expect to have as good retirement accumulation over your life.
Click to expand...

yankeehater said:
I taught in Philly for 3 years and I would never even consider working at a charter school. Less pay, worse benefits, plus it is much easier to get rid of a teacher if they decide they dont like you. I have taught in 3 different districts and the Philadelphia school district was byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy far the best.
Click to expand...

What's the point of working at charter schools then?
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
esms said:
What's the point of working at charter schools then?
Click to expand...

There is a battle going on between charter schools and public. Many of the people on both sides have bad opinions about what it is like on the other side.

Public schools in philly have been hiring very little in recent years, and when they do hire you get put into the least desirable school districts. The only way most of the time to move to a better work location or better position is via senority.

Some people at charters prefer their work environment, they prefer that they get to apply to the school where they are going to work, and like that they have more opportunities for faster career advancement based on job performance versus waiting in the senority line.
 
E

esms

Member
I haven't been out since watching at 1, but it wasn't that bad when I went back into the office. You should be fine.
 
A

AbortedWalrusFetus

Member
BronsonLee said:
Pretty sure they're not expecting to pay for shit tonight
Click to expand...

I remember Charles Barkley telling this story about drinking in Manayunk. He said so many people would buy him free beers that he'd just have a pile of them sitting on the bar, way more than he could drink. A dude came up, smiled and said hi, they grabbed one of the beers and walked away.

I picture I could do well with this scheme by following the Nova guys around all night.
 
B

BronsonLee

Member
AbortedWalrusFetus said:
I remember Charles Barkley telling this story about drinking in Manayunk. He said so many people would buy him free beers that he'd just have a pile of them sitting on the bar, way more than he could drink. A dude came up, smiled and said hi, they grabbed one of the beers and walked away.

I picture I could do well with this scheme by following the Nova guys around all night.
Click to expand...

That legit sounds like the plot of a goddamn sitcom episode
 
A

AbortedWalrusFetus

Member
yankeehater said:
The gang steals from Sir Charles.
Click to expand...

I was thinking they'd be following the Nova team around, taking their free beers. Would be more current and relevant.

Mac would reminisce about how good he was at basketball in highschool but never got a chance because the coach was jealous. Charlie would just be hyped up about the win and excited to get drunk. Dennis would try to move in on all of the girls the Nova guys turned down.
 
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