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Changes to Philadelphia's Tax Structure Could Represent "Pivotal" Economic Shift

On March 14, Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker delivered her first budget proposal in a 75-minute address to City Council. Throughout her speech, the new mayor touched on subjects ranging from corridor cleaning and housing programs to police spending and anti-violence grants. However, one set of items was absent from her $6.29 billion plan and presentation. In a break from recent administrations, Mayor Parker abstained from calling for cuts to the city's wage or business taxes. She also refrained from speaking on adjustments to Philadelphia's tax structure, which depends more heavily than other municipalities on wage taxes and has a relatively light property tax burden. Theo Arapis, PhD, chair of Villanova University’s Department of Public Administration and an expert on fiscal policy in local governance, believes that changes to how Philadelphia levies and handles taxes, particularly on the real estate front, should be discussed further. "[Having property taxes play a larger role] represents a pivotal shift towards creating a more resilient and efficient revenue system," said Dr. Arapis, after reviewing the mayor's plan. "The current reliance on wage taxes is subject to considerable volatility, undermining fiscal stability. In contrast, property taxes offer a more inelastic and predictable revenue stream, suggesting a strategic move towards them would be beneficial for the city." Dr. Arapis also maintains that, with Harrisburg's go-ahead, Philadelphia's real estate taxes could be structured in a way that effectively facilitates business growth, while ensuring that homeowners are not unduly burdened. "Differentiating tax rates between commercial and residential properties could strike a delicate balance—spurring economic development while maintaining equitable tax distribution," he stated. "This segmentation could stimulate business activity by creating favorable conditions for commercial enterprises, which is essential for Philadelphia's economic vitality." Additionally, Dr. Arapis contends that tweaks to the city's tax abatement policy, which is currently in the process of a gradual phaseout, could further provide for inclusive and sustainable growth. "Tax abatements have been utilized as a policy tool to stimulate property revitalization and neighborhood renewal. However, these measures often carry unintended consequences that disproportionately impact existing residents," he shared. "Specifically, such incentives can precipitate a rise in property values and, consequently, a hike in the tax burdens of non-abated properties. This dynamic can exacerbate gentrification, leading to the displacement of longstanding community members. "To address the complexities of tax abatement policies in fostering affordable [and accessible] housing, a nuanced strategy is vital. A more equitable distribution of housing affordability could be achieved by, say, mandating that at least 50% of units in new developments meet affordability criteria... [and diversifying] the approach to income targeting, perhaps through a tiered system that caters to various income levels [and indexes] these categories to local inflation and wage growth." Despite the content of her first budget proposal and address, Mayor Parker likely shares some similar perspectives on tax reform and structural adjustments. Prior to entering office, during her years as a City Council member and days on the campaign trail, the acting executive worked to lower Philadelphia's wage tax, acknowledged the untapped potential of property taxes and expressed her desire for a differentiation of property tax rates. Before pursuing these measures further, as The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Mayor Parker is probably (1) holding off until the newly announced Tax Reform Commission shares its findings, (2) ensuring that there are no immediate, major disruptions to the city's flow of revenue, as she launches her "safer, cleaner, greener" agenda, and (3) waiting for state lawmakers to make greater progress on raising the minimum wage and restructuring the Commonwealth's tax legislation, namely the uniformity clause. The mayor did, however, make one notable tax-related recommendation in her budget plan: She proposed an increase to the school district's share of real estate tax revenue from 55% to 56%, which could boost funding for the district by $119 million over five years. "The redistribution of real estate taxes between the school district and the city is commendable as an initial measure," observed Dr. Arapis. "However, without a comprehensive reform of the real estate tax system, encompassing regular property reassessments and adjustments to mill rates, this change is likely to yield only ephemeral benefits."

Assigned a Piece for May Day? Our Experts are Here to Help with Your Questions and Coverage

May Day, celebrated on May 1st each year, holds significance as a global day of action for anti-capitalist, anarchist, and other left-wing activists. Originating from the historic struggles of the labor movement, May Day symbolizes solidarity, workers' rights, and social justice. Understanding the importance of this event requires recognizing its relevance to contemporary societal issues and its potential to spark discussions on a wide range of topics that resonate with the public. Key sub-topics that may interest journalists and the public include: Labor Rights and Worker Advocacy: Exploring the current state of labor rights worldwide, including issues such as fair wages, workplace safety, and the challenges faced by marginalized workers. Social Justice Movements: Examining the role of May Day in amplifying the voices of social justice movements advocating for equality, diversity, and inclusion across various sectors of society. Economic Inequality: Analyzing the growing disparities in wealth and income distribution globally and how May Day serves as a platform to address systemic economic injustices. Political Activism and Protest Culture: Investigating the tradition of political activism and protest culture associated with May Day, including its historical roots and contemporary expressions. Global Solidarity: Highlighting instances of international solidarity and collaboration among activists, unions, and grassroots organizations during May Day events worldwide. The Future of Work: Discussing the evolving nature of work in the digital age, automation's impact on employment, and the need for policies to ensure a just transition for workers. May Day serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggles for social and economic justice, offering journalists and the public an opportunity to engage with pressing issues, amplify marginalized voices, and envision a more equitable future. Connect with an Expert about May Day: Steven E. Harris Associate Professor · University of Mary Washington Dr Elisabeth Schimpfössl Senior Lecturer · Aston University Edward Lopez Professor · Western Carolina University David Smilde Charles A. and Leo M. Favrot Professor of Human Relations and and Senior Associate Fellow at CIPR · Tulane University To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com Photo Credit: Sinitta Leunen

It’s all in the smile: Aston University-led research finds politicians can influence voters with facial expressions

Dr Carl Senior identified two types of smile – affiliative and reward – given by political leaders during the last UK general election in 2019 The eventual winner, Boris Johnson, was found to display the affiliative smile, which acts to align voter behaviour The study is the first to look at how supporters of election losers react to the eventual winner. New research led by Aston University’s Dr Carl Senior has found that the type of smile used by a political leader can influence voters to support them and their political agenda. There are many different types of smile, and the researchers, which also included Professor Patrick Stewart from the University of Arkansas, US, Professor Erik Bucy from Texas Tech University, US, and Professor Nick Lee from Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick, UK, focused on two in particular – the ‘reward’ smile and the ‘affiliative’ smile. They used videos from political leaders from the 2019 UK general election, which was won by the Conservative party, then led by Boris Johnson. The Labour party, then led by Jeremy Corbyn, came second. Jo Swinson was the leader of the third-placed Liberal Democrat party. The ‘reward’ smile is the genuine, or felt smile, associated with joy and enthusiasm. It is the smile most likely to be contagious with onlookers, and has been linked to higher levels of trust. The ‘affiliative’ smile, meanwhile, communicates approachability, acknowledgement, and appeasement. It is associated with an affinity towards the onlooker and is thought to be important for developing cooperative relationships. The researchers selected volunteers professing to be supporters of each of the three main parties and showed them the same video footage of the three leaders – Johnson, Corbyn and Swinson – before and after the 2019 election. The team assessed the emotional response to the different smiles for the candidates, whether positive (happiness and affinity) or negative (anger and distress). When shown footage of election winner Johnson’s affiliative smile after the election, people in all groups showed an increase in happiness and affinity compared to when they were shown the footage before the election. Supporters of the losing parties showed an overall decrease in the negative effect. It was only this affiliative smile which was found to act as a mechanism to align voter feelings and behaviour to the dominant, or winning, political message. The reward smile did not have the same effect. Supporters of Labour showed an increased level of anger and distress when viewing Johnson’s reward smile after the election compared to before it. The effects for Corbyn and Swinson were less marked, showing that they failed to significantly change voters’ responses to them. Their appeal was somewhat fixed and failed to match Johnson’s charm. Johnson tapped into the voters’ feeling of annoyance about the slow Brexit process with his ‘Get Brexit done’ slogan, while Corbyn’s position was ambiguous. Swinson’s party was pro-Europe but lacked Johnson’s performative abilities to link a strong message to his nonverbal communication. Previous work by various researchers has shown that observers judge leadership traits and behaviour, or a lack thereof, from non-verbal cues such as facial expressions. However, there has, until now, been little research outside the US on the effect of facial displays on voter behaviour. Dr Senior said: “The human smile can convey both rewarding and affiliative social intent and thus has significant utility in politics, where the ability to bond with and reassure voters is vital to electoral success.  We are in an unprecedented year as there are numerous elections scheduled to take place across several continents. The outcome of these campaigns will have a significant impact on millions of people across vast geopolitical regions. Given that almost all politicians involved in these election campaigns will make full use of broadcast media to reach voters, it is crucial to understand the effectiveness of their non-verbal displays in shifting voting preference.” Professor Lee said: “The individual appeal of party leaders has become increasingly influential. A smile can’t win an election on its own. But Johnson’s personal appeal transcended party policies, connecting with people who hadn’t planned to vote for him. “The upside for today’s politicians is that charisma is not an innate quality. It can be taught. By paying attention to their facial behaviour and ensuring they display the right smile in the right context, they can still leverage the power of emotional responses. It is something leaders of all organisations can learn.” The researchers say more work is required to understand how smiles work together with other verbal and nonverbal displays to generate affinity in voters and convey social dominance to other leaders. PLOS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301113

Anthony Fauci to visit University of Delaware as part of Disaster Research Center's 60th anniversary

Dr. Anthony Fauci will take part in a fireside chat on Friday, May 3 in honor of the 60th anniversary of the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center. Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health and former chief health advisor to President Joe Biden, will join Valerie Biden Owens, Chair of UD's Biden Institute, for a chat at 4 p.m. about decision-making during crises as well as lessons for the next generation of leaders. The visit caps off an international workshop held by the Disaster Research Center (DRC) from May 2-4. The workshop will include a pre-workshop for graduate students; a researcher-in-residence day at the DRC where the E.L. Quarantelli Resource Collection (full of rare, disaster-related objects) will be showcased and available for use; and a two-day workshop with a range of presentations, films and activities. Fauci's chat takes place at UD's Mitchell Hall and will be livestreamed from 4-5 p.m. NOTE: For future coverage of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters, visit the profiles of the Disaster Research Center-affiliated experts connected to this post and click "contact."

Tuesday is 20th Anniversary of the Expansion of the European Union adding 10 countries - our experts can help if you're covering

Two decades ago, the European Union welcomed ten new member states, including Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. This historic expansion not only reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Europe but also holds significance for global politics, economics, and cultural integration. Understanding this event's importance requires recognizing its impact on various fronts, from fostering regional stability to influencing trade dynamics and promoting cross-cultural exchange. Key sub-topics that may interest journalists and the public include: European Integration and Unity: Exploring how the expansion has contributed to the European Union's efforts towards unity, cooperation, and peace among member states. Economic Implications: Analyzing the economic effects of the expansion on both existing and new member states, including trade patterns, investment flows, and disparities in development. Political Dynamics: Investigating the political changes within the European Union, such as shifts in power dynamics, decision-making processes, and the challenges of governance in a larger union. Cultural Exchange and Identity: Examining the cultural exchange and diversity resulting from the inclusion of new member states, and how it has enriched the European cultural tapestry. Challenges and Achievements: Assessing the successes and ongoing challenges faced by the European Union post-expansion, including issues related to migration, integration, and institutional reforms. Future Prospects: Speculating on the future of the European Union, considering factors like potential further expansions, the rise of Euroscepticism, and the Union's role in global affairs. The 20th Anniversary of the Expansion of the European Union marks a significant milestone in the continent's history, offering journalists and the public alike a chance to reflect on the achievements, challenges, and the future trajectory of European integration. Connect with an Expert about the EU: Carolyn Dudek Professor of Political Science · Hofstra University Dr Martin Brenncke Lecturer in Law · Aston University David R. Dorondo Professor · Western Carolina University To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com Photo Credit: Guillaume Périgois

Success Is Sweet: Ferrero's Crown Jewel, Nutella, Turns 60

Six decades ago, on April 20, 1964, the first jar of Nutella left Gruppo Ferrero's factory in the Italian town of Alba. In its gooey wake, the chocolate-hazelnut treat would spread across continental Europe, and then the world, like a healthy schmear on toast. Today, Nutella is the crown jewel of Ferrero's confectionary empire, propping up a business that generates roughly 17 billion euros in revenue each year. Annually, a whopping 365,000-plus tons of the stuff are sold across 160 countries, and nearly one quarter of all hazelnuts harvested are devoted to its production. Luca Cottini, PhD, is an associate professor of Italian in Villanova University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and an expert on modern Italian culture, history and society. He also is the author of a book on Michele Ferrero, the mastermind behind Nutella and its meteoric rise: Il fabbricante di cioccolato. To mark the iconic Italian brand's 60th anniversary, Dr. Cottini shared some thoughts on its Willy Wonka-like creator, early (accidental) origins and recipe for international success. Here's a taste: Q: According to Business Insider, a jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds—just about the time it takes to finish this sentence. How did we get so "nuts" for Nutella, anyway? Dr. Cottini: Well, much of the success of Nutella relates to its novelty, to the idea of spreadable chocolate. At one point, to think that spreading chocolate would be popular was as crazy as to predict that spreadable coffee would be a hit. The idea developed because, in the mid-to-late 1940s, Michele Ferrero's father Pietro was to combine the scarcity of cocoa in his area with hazelnuts, which was the ingredient most available in Alba. It seemed like condemnation that they should have only hazelnuts. Well, he combined them with cocoa to produce this mix—it's called "gianduja" in Italian—and he sold it. But when the Ferreros sold it in southern Italy, they had a problem: The chocolate was melting with the summer heat; and a lot of the workers in Naples, to not waste it, started to spread it on slices of bread. And it's interesting. The Ferreros have a completely non-moralistic approach to failure. You sell chocolate; it melts. This is somewhat embarrassing. But their approach was instead to see this situation as the beginning of a new idea, of a new concept. Q: Is Nutella's story unique in this respect? DC: Several Italian innovators have similar stories to the Ferreros', especially during the 1930s. [Salvatore] Ferragamo, for instance, developed the wedge shoe because there was a shortage of steel, with an embargo imposed on Italy. So, he used Sardinian cork as a replacement, and that generated the wedge shoe. [Guccio] Gucci, during a leather shortage, started using hemp and decorating the hemp with a double "G," and that became the trademark of the company. [Alfonso] Bialetti, who produced the modern coffeepot, used the only metal that was allowed during Fascism, which was aluminum, since the Partito Nazionale Fascista would not import iron or prime metals. But Bialetti took this poor, hybrid ore and made it something that could become valuable. And so, he invented the moka coffeepot in 1933, which is one of the symbols of Italian design. That’s one of the keys of the Italian model of entrepreneurship: producing objects that are not just trendy for one season, but eventually become evergreen or classic. Q: What inspired the name "Nutella?" DC: It was the product of 18 years of research. For all intents and purposes, "Nutella" first came out in 1946. It was called "SuperCrema" and, before that, "Cremalba." But in 1962, there was a law in Italy that prevented companies in the food industry from using prefixes like "super" or "extra." So, that led Ferrero—by then, under the leadership of Michele Ferrero—to figure out a new alternative to SuperCrema. At the same time, the company was expanding into Germany and France, and they needed a brand name that could be pronounced easily. So, Ferrero joined the "ella" sound from mozzarella, stella, caramella—Italian words that people could recognize—with the word "nut," like the English "nut," which gave their product an international feel. It's really a "glocal" [global and local] name. It was conceived as a very rooted enterprise with a global horizon. Q: In 1964, were Ferrero's global ambitions practical? DC: It was honestly a bit of a gamble. In 1957, the European Economic Community was established, which is the beginning of the European Union. And that same year, Michele Ferrero organized in Rome the first conference of his company, which was by then somewhat national, to plan exportation in Europe. In the Italy of the 1950s and 1960s, this was very pioneering. Michele Ferrero was actually one of the first businesspeople to export products to Germany in the 1950s, at a time when there was a lot of resentment against Italians because of everything that happened during the Second World War. So, he entered this incredibly difficult market, and still today, Ferrero and Nutella are strong. Q: What do you think accounts for Nutella's continued popularity, 60 years after its introduction? DC: Michele Ferrero thought of his products as speaking products. It's something very common to the automobile industry in Italy. This is characteristic of Ferrari and Lamborghini; they produce cars that are appealing not just because they're "super cars," but because they say something. Nutella is a food that says something. When someone puts it on the table, it compels people to jump in and share their own stories—of trying it with a friend, of having it on a hike or of taking part in "Nutella Day." Today, if you're in the market for a chocolate-hazelnut spread, you might find products that are even better than Nutella. Actually, surely better. But they will never replicate the appeal and the grasp that Nutella has. Because Nutella has that aura of storytelling and mythmaking other products simply don't have.

Climate change research trailblazer elected to prestigious list of AAAS Fellows

University of Delaware professor Rodrigo Vargas has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) — one of the largest scientific societies in the world and publisher of the Science family of journals. The new class of AAAS Fellows includes 502 scientists, engineers and innovators across 24 disciplines, who are being honored for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements. Vargas, professor of ecosystem ecology and environmental change in UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, is recognized "for distinguished contributions to carbon dynamics across the terrestrial-aquatic interface, development of environmental networks, novel data analysis tools and his leadership in creating a more diverse scientific workforce." Deborah Allen, who retired from UD in 2019 as a professor of biological sciences, was also names as a fellow. She was cited “for transformational contributions to STEM education nationally and internationally, particularly for developments in problem-based learning and faculty development.” Vargas is an ecosystem ecologist who studies how nature-based solutions can help address global environmental change in both terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, Vargas uses a variety of research methods, including data mining, machine learning, remote sensing, measurements of greenhouse gas fluxes and modeling techniques for forecasting applications.

New book explores minority languages in the digital age

Heritage Languages in the Digital Age. The Case of Autochthonous Minority Languages in Western Europe offers invaluable insights for educators, activists, policymakers and researchers The book describes the challenges faced by minority languages in today's interconnected world and asks whether digital communication could potentially reverse the decline of smaller and lesser used languages A researcher from Aston University has co-edited a book that explores the intricate relationship between technology, language policy and cultural identity, presenting case studies of digital communication in smaller languages such as Breton, Gaelic, Faroese, Frisian, Lombard, Low German, and Welsh. Heritage Languages in the Digital Age asks whether digital communication can help to prevent language loss of smaller languages and offers invaluable insights for educators, activists, policymakers and researchers navigating the challenges faced by minority languages in today's interconnected world. Edited by Gertrud Reershemius, a professor of linguistics and language contact at Aston University, and Birte Arendt from Greifswald University in Germany, the book's central focus is on minority languages which are facing a declining number of speakers and a loss of communicative domains in an increasingly globalising world. As these languages contend with the dominance of majority languages, stakeholders such as teachers, language activists, planners and researchers are re-evaluating traditional media strategies, language policies and teaching methodologies to counteract language shift trends. The book also discusses how online communities influence language usage and cultural exchanges for minority speakers and advocates for adaptive language policies and innovative teaching methods to support minority languages and bilingualism while fostering linguistic pride and identity. Professor Gertrud Reershemius said: “The languages examined in this book are still spoken by a considerable number of speakers and enjoy varying forms of institutional, legal, financial and ideological support. “While the overall numbers of speakers may be declining, their significance in identity construction and cultural commodification processes is undeniably growing. “As the global discourse on language diversity and cultural preservation gains momentum, this book serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing minority language communities.” You can purchase a copy of Heritage Languages in the Digital Age here.