Tax in the City

Another day, another dollar lost. I woke up this morning to find a violation ticket stuck in the front door of my apartment building. "1 trash can, 2 recycling bins, and wood on sidewalk." Apparently, my neighbors and I are supposed to bring the recycling bins into the building . . . and not leave wood on the sidewalk. That last is my doing. I'd left these planks at the curb on a Sunday night, thinking that city workers picked such things up with the trash every week. After all, there's furniture at the curb every week. But this is probably due to lax enforcement of the rules and general apathy.

It's a small fine — $25 — and my neighbors should pick up part of the tab for their trash cans and recycling bins, but it still stings, especially as it comes just when I'm coming to terms with the astonishing amount of money I have to pay Philadelphia in Business taxes. Living in Philly is beginning to feel a bit like indentured servitude. I'm worried that when I try to move away from Philly, they'll hit me with a departure tax.