Bucks Delegation Tells Philly Mayor: Reimburse Our Residents

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A delegation of state lawmakers from Bucks County is asking Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to reimburse any city workers who paid a city wage tax while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ten lawmakers, including seven Republicans and three Democrats, wrote a letter to Mayor Kenney on Tuesday asking him to direct the city's revenue department to lift a requirement for those applying for the city wage tax refund. The requirement is this: Residents of suburban counties who work in Philadelphia but don't want to pay for the 3.5 percent city wage tax must request a letter from their employer, on company letterhead, stating the time period or dates they were required to work remotely.

State lawmakers say the mandate is burdensome to their constituents.

“Due to this hurdle, suburban workers will leave thousands of dollars in the city coffers for hours worked in Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties,” Rep. Wendi Thomas (R-Richboro) said. "That's money the city is not entitled to."

Legislators who joined Rep. Thomas in signing the letter include Reps. Frank Farry (R-Langhorne), Tina Davis (D-Levittown), John Galloway (D-Levittown), Shelby Labs (R-Doylestown), Todd Polinchock (R-Chalfont), Meghan Schroeder (R-Warminster), Craig Staats (R-Quakertown), and KC Tomlinson (R-Bensalem), and Perry Warren (D-Yardley).

Farry and Thomas have introduced legislation to amend the Sterling Act (Commuter Tax) House Bill 949 that would require Philadelphia to reimburse the surrounding taxing jurisdictions that impose an Earned Income Tax "at a rate equivalent to that which would have been collected from commuting workers of their respective boroughs and townships."

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