Doris Lambert would like to see certain areas of her surrounding neighborhood cleaner, but argues a fee is not the answer.
There have been a lot of mixed opinions regarding the proposed North Central Neighborhood Improvement District bill, which would be implemented in the areas between Broad and 19th streets and York Street to Girard Avenue. The bill would be funded through an increase on real-estate taxes. North Central Philadelphia resident, Doris Lambert, who resides at 15th and Jefferson streets agrees that some areas need improvement, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of an additional tax on residents.
“It would be good if they did clean the neighborhood up, but the neighborhood I’m living at is kept up anyway,” Lambert said. “The rest of the neighborhood that I do go through needs some cleaning up.”
Lambert said that residents already pay an excessive amount in taxes and find themselves in a financial crunch.
Since the proposal of the NID, the Community Land Trust Corporation has been organizing meetings to ban together to actively fight the bill, but Lambert notes that in her experience she has never had to ban together with her community to fight proposed legislation.
“But if it’s necessary, the community should come together,” Lambert said.
Lambert said that elected officials need to come together and find a way to improve the neighborhood without excessively taxing property owners.
“They can find a way [without adding an additional tax],” Lambert said. “They come up with money when they want to.”
Kierra Bussey can be reached at kierrajb@temple.edu.
bill, but Lambert notes that in her experience she has never had to ban together with her community to fight proposed legislation