HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here’s hoping you all have a happy and healthy 2014.

FIRST IN’S SEVENTH BLOGIVERSARY

Seven years ago today, First In burst on the scene like a bat out of Hell. (Okay, maybe a Meat Loaf reference doesn’t do this place justice, but you get the point.) Since the inaugural post, this blog has seen 2,829 posts, 9,124 comments, and almost 772,000 visits. Not bad for a Philly guy.

Thanks to all of you who come here, read, and comment. It it much appreciated.

PHILLY TARGETING TAX DEADBEATS

Six Philadelphia City Council members want to address the the city’s biggest problem: tax deadbeats.

The members are new to the council, so expect them to be brought into line by the end of the week, if not sooner.

Six council members first took office a year ago — four Democrats and two Republicans — and they have now joined together to propose a series of hearings on tax deadbeats.

“There’s money to be collected. And we need to go and get it. And we need to do a good job in going to get it. There’s no reason that Philadelphia should be at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to collecting these resources,” says Eighth District Council woman Cindy Bass.

Nutter Administration estimates that the city is owed $518 million dollars in back taxes dating back a decade. About half of that amount is delinquent property taxes. (LINK)

And almost all of the deadbeats are the “chosen people” of Philadelphia: liberal Democrats who put most of these council members into office.

Kabuki theater: It’s not just for the Japanese anymore.

HAPPY BLOODY NEW YEAR

There is your final homicide tally, Philadelphia. 337.

Fire deaths were down this year, but we still saw 25. Far too many. Get yourselves some smoke detectors, because while you can’t always protect yourself against a homicide, you can protect yourself against a house fire.

Happy New Year, everyone!

DOWN TO THE WIRE

UPDATED : The current number is 335 as of December 30th.

The current (posted) murder count in Philadelphia is listed at 329.  That’s five over last year’s total.  Off course, the real count is likely much higher, but either way, 2012 is more grim that 2011. 

300!

The city of Philadelphia earned its 300th homicide yesterday.  It is on pace to top last year’s mark of 324.  But by all means, keep voting Democrat.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES

Hurricane Sandy is approaching, and the Philadelphia area is in its sights. This is probably not good for trick-or-treaters.

NUTTER STICKS IT TO US AGAIN

I guess none of us should be surprised.

City Council passed a $3.6 billion budget Thursday, officially delaying Mayor Nutter’s planned property-assessment reform for at least another year, while nonetheless raising property taxes 3.6 percent. The hike – the third property-tax increase in three years – would raise $20 million for the nearly insolvent School District of Philadelphia.

Coupled with $20 million from an increase in the use and occupancy tax on businesses, which Council approved last week, the district would receive $40 million in new money from the city in the next fiscal year.

That falls short of Mayor Nutter’s goal of raising $94 million for a district already facing a $218 million deficit. (LINK)

The school district’s financial crisis is entirely of Nutter’s own doing. This man gave a $1 million bailout to former school superintendent Arlene Ackerman, and now he wants us to foot the bill. I guess he never considered collecting the millions in unpaid taxes from the thousands of his deadbeat Democrat electorate. That would be silly.

THE HONORING HEROES BLOCK PARTY

A huge thank you to the folks at Maggie’s Waterfront Cafe here in Northeast Philly.

A FUNDRAISER for injured firefighter Pat Nally and the families of the two firefighters who were killed in the April 9 Kensington warehouse blaze will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Maggie’s Waterfront Cafe on Delaware Avenue, near Linden, in Torresdale.

Most of the proceeds will go to Nally, 26, who was seriously injured in the fire, said Bill Gault, president of Local 22, the firefighters union, which is sponsoring the Honoring Heroes fundraiser along with the police union.

Some of the proceeds will go to the Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, set up for a new memorial for fallen firefighters and police officers in Franklin Square Park.

Tickets are $25, which includes admission, beer, food and entertainment. They can be bought at the event, or in advance at Ladder 16, 2601 Belgrade St.; Engine 7/Ladder 10, Kensington and Castor avenues; Local 22, 415 N. 5th St.; and at Maggie’s. (LINK)

If you’re in the Philly area, stop by. It’s for a great cause.

THE CHIPS ARE FALLING