Authorizing the Council Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings to investigate the City's payment and refund systems for municipal taxes.

Authorizing the Council Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings to investigate the City’s payment and refund systems for municipal taxes. WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s Department of Revenue is responsible for the collection and administration of all City taxes, including the Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT), Net Profits Tax, Wage Tax, and Real Estate Tax, among others; and WHEREAS, The City’s tax payment and refund systems directly affect thousands of residents, small businesses, and property owners who rely on timely processing of payments and refunds to manage their finances and maintain compliance with City tax obligations; and WHEREAS, Many residents, small business owners, and tax preparers have reported difficulties with delayed or inconsistent refund processing, including long wait times for overpayment reimbursements, lost correspondence, and unclear communication regarding refund eligibility or status; and WHEREAS, According to the Department of Revenue, refund claims for most taxes and fees typically take six to eight weeks to process, with higher volume periods (April-June) extending processing to eight to ten weeks. By contrast, many revenue administrations in other jurisdictions such as New York City process refunds significantly faster; and WHEREAS, The recent federal shift by the Internal Revenue Service toward phasing out paper refund checks and favoring electronic payments emphasizes that even long-standing government refund systems r…