McElroy, who works for a software company, was ringing the department because several weeks had passed since he sent the city a check for his wage taxes, and it hadn't been cashed. He wanted to know if it was lost and whether he should send a new check.
The number he was calling, 215-686-6600, is listed on the department's website as the official number for questions about all of the city's 18 taxes except the real-estate tax.
After repeatedly trying in vain to get through to someone in the department, McElroy began emailing and finally got a response. But the fact that it was so hard to get in touch with someone over the phone got on McElroy's nerves.
"I'm a willing payer and I'm trying to stay current with the account," he said. "I'm effectively begging them to tell me how much money I owe and where to send it."
It bugged It's Our Money, too. After all, the city could use the dough. Philadelphia does the worst job of collecting delinquent real-estate taxes of any major U.S. city, according to a recent Inquirer report. The city and the school district are owed hundreds of millions in back property taxes, penalties and interest.
The city's tax revenues have also been lower than expected this fiscal year, according to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. If that trend continues, the city could be forced to make budget cuts or raise taxes.
So why do callers to the Revenue Department get a busy signal instead of being sent to Muzak while on hold? Or to voice mail?
Revenue Commissioner Keith Richardson said there are only 16 phone agents in the department, and they receive an average of 2,500 calls a week. The callers have questions about everything tax-related, such as tax discounts or notices they've received. He said that just 30 to 35 callers are placed on hold at a time - and that everyone else will get the busy signal.
