$4.6 Million a Year Tax Abatement: It's Comcastic!

here is a press release from Acorn. they've done some # crunching and found that Comcast gets $4.6 million a year in tax abatements. given the current crisis that should be reconsidered. this is part of the Coalition of Essential Services which I've participated in:

Yearly Multi-Million Dollar Abatements and Poor Customer Service:
It’s Comcastic!

Taxpayers to rally, say, “We’re not satisfied either!”

Who: ACORN members along with the Coalition for Essential Services
When: Wednesday, April 22nd – 12 Noon
Where: 1701 JFK Boulevard (The Comcast Center)

In light of the City’s budget crisis, ACORN and its allies are calling for an end to tax abatements for Comcast and Liberty Property Trust and other large corporations.

The Comcast Center enjoys an abatement of $4.6 million dollars a year. Money that could be used to keep libraries or health centers open, prevent hiring police and fire department hiring freezes or layoffs, or lessen the sticker shock of the impending 19% increase to residential property taxes.

In numerous community budget forums taxpayers have consistently questioned the fairness of tax abatements in light of plans to raise property taxes or cut essential City services. Despite this outcry, the Administration has refused to genuinely explore alternatives that would lessen the impact on low-income seniors and families instead opting for sales and residential property tax increases.

“The Mayor has rightly called out tax deadbeats and others who unlawfully owe the City money but what about those that do not pay their fair share by lawful exemptions? When you write the laws like Comcast and the developers do I guess you do whatever you please.” said Louise Cleveland, ACORN member from Olney.

“Monopolies like Comcast do not have to do anything that is inconvenient, from satisfying customers or even paying taxes.” added Junette Marcano citing an October 2008 customer satisfaction survey ranking Comcast last nationally and in the region (http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/518826.html).

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ACORN is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, with over 150,000 member families organized into 700 neighborhood chapters in 60 cities across the country. Since 1970 ACORN has taken action and won victories on issues of concern to our members. ACORN is an acronym, and each letter should be capitalized. ACORN stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. ACORN's website is at http://www.acorn.org.