Hey, Brett Mandel Made A New Game

Brett Mandel, the Will Wright of tax reform, has released yet another video game. The Philadelphia Forward guy who sends out all those emails previously released a game where you drop tax reform proposals on City Council members’ heads. (Anvils would be better, but I can deal for now.)

Now comes a game where you fight the Philly Tax Monster, which has such memorable quotes as “I hit you with High Taxes” and “Say bye to jobs and neighbors.” Oh, it’s like Final Fantasy VII the dialog is so well-done.

Philly Tax Monster

Brett Mandel Wants Us To Throw Our Taxes In River

The city recently reassessed properties, therefore raising property taxes. In what will be a shock to no one who gets emails from him, Philadelphia Forward’s Brett Mandel wants us to revolt! KYW 1060’s Mike Dunn reports:

Shades of the Boston Tea Party: activists in Philadelphia are calling for a massive taxpayer revolt against sweeping property tax reassessments. [...] “Everyone should appeal, because the BRT can’t substantiate that being people are being taxed uniformly. So until they fix the system, they shouldn’t be increasing anyone’s taxes.”

He wants all the 400,000 owners with reassessed properties to all file appeals so the city is buried in so much paperwork it can’t do anything. Which, admittedly, would kinda be awesome. What if City Hall was covered in paper all the way up to the scaffolding-covered William Penn? Oh, man, that would even be cooler than the gingerbread house-style City Hall during Christmas.

Also, yes, this is a lot like the Boston Tea Party. Can we dress up as Indians while we file our appeals?

Philadelphians Urged To Appeal Tax Reassessments [KYW 1060]

Thunderbird Sums Up Feelings On Campaign Emails

Okay, just kidding. Although I’m sure we’ll be feeling scammed after the election, it won’t be because of ubiquitous-in-your-inbox Brett Mandel of Philadelphia Forward.

Who are the R.E.F.O.R.M. candidates? [Philadelphia Forward]

Bike Riding, No. Video Games, Yes!

In February, Philadelphia Forward’s Brett Mandel — he of the incessant emails about tax reform — won a charity auction for a bike ride with Mayor Street.

Mandel bid $400 too much on the ride (his bid: $400), but for a chance to ride with John Street himself and discuss tax reform, Mandel clearly thought it was worth it. Only, well, he’s not going to get to do it:

Now — after months of cancellations — Street has put a kibosh on the ride altogether.

“What concerns me is our highest elected official in the city of Philadelphia won’t keep his word,” Mandel said. “I’m sure the idea must have crossed his mind that it wouldn’t be someone who was going to come and just tell him how wonderful things are in the city of Philadelphia.”

According to Loree D. Jones, Street’s secretary for external affairs, the mayor proposed dates that didn’t work for Mandel and vice versa.

“The mayor had to cancel not because of the nature of the outing or the person that it was with but mainly because it’s the mayor of the fifth-largest city [in the country] and having other things to do,” Jones said.

And what more important things is John Street doing? If you answered “Declaring Tuesday an official Madden holiday i Philadelphia,” you win!

No dice on bike ride [Metro]
Monday: Boom! An End To Gun Violence!

Getting political, for the good of Philadelphia

Here’s the deal: I don’t really know what to think of this whole tax reform thing. Okay, I don’t have too many opinions on politics other than “which politician is funniest,” so that’s not all that weird.

But, anyway, to the story: Philadelphia Forward is an organization that sends approximately 745 emails a day with some sort of new reason for getting rid of the Business Privilege Tax. (They’ve gotten me with cute puppies before.) And somebody leaked Forward director Brett Mandel the address the email account on John Street’s Blackberry.

And, naturally, Forward’s latest tactic is allowing people to send emails to John Street’s Blackberry.

While I don’t know where I stand on tax reform, I do know where I stand on being able to annoy politicians — and that’s strongly in the ‘PRO’ category. (The site lets you send whatever letter you want, so you could also ask John Street what’s up with that hair.)

Does anyone have John Perzel’s Blackberry email? Or, for that matter, Rick Santorum?

Email The Mayor’s Blackberry: Sign The Tax Reform Bill! [Philadelphia Forward]
Nov. 29: Philadelphia Forward knows just what buttons to push