by KYW's Tony Romeo
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has heard arguments over the issue of whether Philadelphia taxpayers have standing to appeal rulings of the Zoning Board of Adjustments and other panels.
In a case linked to the battle over billboard proliferation in Philadelphia, the state Supreme Court heard arguments over a state law enacted several years ago. An attorney for the city argued that the law is vaguely worded. James Gardner Colins, an attorney for billboard company Keystone Outdoor Advertising, dismisses the argument:
“How can it be ambiguous? It specifically takes away taxpayers’ standing, except if the taxpayers can prove that it is aggrieved, and aggrieved means detrimentally harmed.”
But Richard Feder, chief deputy city solicitor for appeals, says the law does not prevent the city from giving taxpayers standing in appeals:
“It says that taxpayers are not necessarily aggrieved persons, but it doesn’t say anything about the city’s power to provide standing beyond just aggrieved persons.”
The court did not immediately rule on the case.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
