Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

Last week, the Philadelphia office of the Internal Revenue Service announced that 2.3 million Delaware Valley taxpayers will "face major changes ... [this] tax filing season." But don't panic. The Running Numbers Guide to Keeping Financially Fit This Fiscal Year is ready and itemized for your convenience.

4.26 The resident wage tax expressed as a percentage as of Jan. 1, 2007 — a drop from the former rate of 4.96 percent — according to a press release from Philadelphia Forward, which lists its mission as building "a diverse constituency for change to promote the policies that can make Philadelphia a vibrant city that is a preferred place to live, work and visit," and notes that "the last time the wage tax was this low was in the Pre-Rocky era — way back in 1976." I guess what they're trying to say is, if I can change, and you can change, and the wage tax can change ... Philly can change!

34 Rank of Philadelphia among major metropolitan areas in number of foreclosures for the first quarter in 2006, according to a nationwide study by RealtyTrac. We learned of this study in a press release by the Urban League of Philadelphia and the Homeownership Preservation Foundation announcing a new program to help local homeowners avoid foreclosure. Visit www.urbanleaguephila.org to help the cause by giving what will hopefully be tax-deductible donations.

96 Rank of Conshohocken-based IKEA North America in Fortune's "Top 100 Best Companies to Work For." Although pale and possessing questionable taste in home furnishings, my people make excellent employers. As well as meatballs and fish.

5,000 Approximate number of member companies in the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, which will hold an online member orientation Jan. 23 from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. Visit www.greaterphilachamber.com to become a member.

3,100,000 Projected number of Pennsylvania tax returns, out of the 5.9 million that the IRS expects to process, that will be filed electronically in 2007, up from 2.7 million in 2006. Just so you know, I claimed all of you readers as dependents. What? You're going to compile your own unfunny arithmetic-related poor man's blog of a column every week? I didn't think so.