Police roped off the 7900 block of Bustleton Avenue yesterday so Mayor Michael Nutter could send a message to a podiatry office: You didn’t pay $114,000 in taxes, so we’re holding a Sept. 30 sheriff’s sale of “office furniture, TVs, anything of value” because “we want our money.”
Nobody answered the phone or door at Bustleton Podiatry Associates to talk about Nutter calling Dean M. Ruday “Dr. Deadbeat.” He said the back taxes would pay for two police or fire recruits and four library assistants.
Revenue Commissioner Keith J. Richardson said the $114,000 figure isn’t the largest outstanding-tax bill, but wouldn’t name a bigger deadbeat since liens had not been filed. He said this business was selected for the press conference because they’re “trying to make an example.” Ruday hasn’t paid since 1996.
Through the tax-amnesty program that ended June 25, some $60 million was recouped, $20 million of which went to city schools.
