Refreshing to see an elected official working hard toward something right!
'We have work to do': Councilmember hopes 2022 is the year Philadelphia sheds its anti-business reputation
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...lmember-isaiah-thomas-business-2022.html
Longer article, but some snippets...
"Thomas, a Democratic at-large member of City Council, said one of the biggest hurdles Philadelphia must overcome is its anti-business stigma. While that may involve passing legislation to reform burdensome taxes on businesses or ease the process of starting a business, it is changing the perception of Philadelphia — both inside and outside the city — that is guiding Thomas' agenda in 2022."
"In the opening days of 2022, Thomas has been vocal about his intentions to continue working to bring new businesses to Philadelphia and keep local companies from leaving."
"Thomas called Philadelphia "a global city" and said he wants the city's tourism ecosystem to reflect that. In recent years, the city has played host to a papal visit, the NFL Draft and the Democratic National Convention. Philadelphia is currently a finalist to host the 2026 World Cup."
"Thomas said the continuously active and contested discussion around taxes in Philadelphia may see some progress this year. The city finished fiscal 2021 with close to an $80 million budget surplus thanks to federal pandemic relief funding.
"It gives us a little flexibility to be creative," Thomas said. "If there's ever a time to be creative around our tax structure, this is the best time because we have a cushion to be able to help put us in a position to take a little hit at least temporarily in the midst of looking at our tax structure.""
"Thomas said that it's not just about attracting businesses to the city, but cultivating the ones that are already here. The councilmember said that the best way to do that is through financial resources and tax incentives that motivate business owners to open brick-and-mortar spaces and stay in Philadelphia. Thomas said that too often business owners feel like they "hit a ceiling" in Philadelphia and look for growth elsewhere."