Philly to Tax Delinquents: “Here’s Some More Free Money”

File this one under the Department of Adding Insult to Injury. As if it weren’t bad enough that they were not paying property taxes, 1,700 delinquents who owe the city $8 million are also getting a collective $15.1 million in abatements and nonprofit exemptions. So why isn’t the city doing anything? Well, in the case of the 145 nonprofits–it legally can’t. Great. And the other deadbeats? Well, reporters Holly Otterbein and Elizabeth Fiedler get to the heart of the issue:

“[The Revenue Office] suggested that it was the Office of Property Assessment’s job to initiate a formal process.”

So they checked with OPA. Whereupon they were told:

“You guessed it – it’s the Revenue Department’s job to implement a routine check.”

And round and round we go. Meanwhile, ratty Penn frats continue not to pay their taxes. [Newsworks/Daily News]