SLAP @ Penn went public with the PILOTs campaign earlier this month, demanding that the University of Pennsylvania pay $6.6 million to the City of Philadelphia through the voluntary Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) program.
Since then, the media has highlighted the work of SLAP and Jobs with Justice in our call to hold the University of Pennsylvania accountable to the city and to its own commitment to education.
Last week, SLAP was flattered as the PILOTs Campaign was the spotlight of this opinion piece written by the Editorial in AL DÍA News entitled "We are being schooled by the young."
It reads: "While we’re generating excuses for stakeholders seeking to side step the common good the young are all up in our faces, telling it as it really is. Opportunity begins by investing in education in every neighborhood, not just University City and other Penntrifying sections of the city."
The PILOTs Campaign was also featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer, where the University's history of its refusal to pay PILOTs was highlighted:
"Bermudez is a member of the Student Labor Action Project (SLAP), which last week called on Penn to begin donating about $6 million to the city in payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs), with the money targeted for schools and other essential services. Penn said no, noting that it already donated to the city in many ways."
And we were also interviewed for WHYY's Newsworks radio show during primetime:
"Even though it's a nonprofit institution, we have a $6.6 billion annual budget, we have a $9.3 billion endowment and at [Student Labor Action Project] we're only asking for 0.1 percent of that to go to the city and to schools and essential services," said senior Chloe Sigal, who, as a member of the Student Labor Action Project, participated in a "die in" during a Tuesday holiday party to raise awareness for the issue.
We are grateful and humbled for the astounding support and encouragement we have received from all corners of the city, from our neighbors in community meetings to words of encouragement from Penn faculty and staff. We reiterate the incredible inspiration and motivation that guide our work provided by our mentors and peers in our generation and those above us.
We want everyone to know that during finals and the upcoming holidays we will continue to fight with the rest of the Philadelphia community in our demand to see the city's school system fairly funded for all. Join SLAP as we contribute our grain of sand to the movement for racial and economic justice!
Since then, the media has highlighted the work of SLAP and Jobs with Justice in our call to hold the University of Pennsylvania accountable to the city and to its own commitment to education.
Last week, SLAP was flattered as the PILOTs Campaign was the spotlight of this opinion piece written by the Editorial in AL DÍA News entitled "We are being schooled by the young."
It reads: "While we’re generating excuses for stakeholders seeking to side step the common good the young are all up in our faces, telling it as it really is. Opportunity begins by investing in education in every neighborhood, not just University City and other Penntrifying sections of the city."
The PILOTs Campaign was also featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer, where the University's history of its refusal to pay PILOTs was highlighted:
"Bermudez is a member of the Student Labor Action Project (SLAP), which last week called on Penn to begin donating about $6 million to the city in payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs), with the money targeted for schools and other essential services. Penn said no, noting that it already donated to the city in many ways."
And we were also interviewed for WHYY's Newsworks radio show during primetime:
"Even though it's a nonprofit institution, we have a $6.6 billion annual budget, we have a $9.3 billion endowment and at [Student Labor Action Project] we're only asking for 0.1 percent of that to go to the city and to schools and essential services," said senior Chloe Sigal, who, as a member of the Student Labor Action Project, participated in a "die in" during a Tuesday holiday party to raise awareness for the issue.
We are grateful and humbled for the astounding support and encouragement we have received from all corners of the city, from our neighbors in community meetings to words of encouragement from Penn faculty and staff. We reiterate the incredible inspiration and motivation that guide our work provided by our mentors and peers in our generation and those above us.
We want everyone to know that during finals and the upcoming holidays we will continue to fight with the rest of the Philadelphia community in our demand to see the city's school system fairly funded for all. Join SLAP as we contribute our grain of sand to the movement for racial and economic justice!