Asshole of the Week

Part of the fallout in the switch from a feudal, agrarian economy to the modern (and currently extremely troubled one) was a fundamental change in the tax structure. Gone are the days of paying a local lord tribute for farming his lands in exchange for military might and the possible great honor of bearing his unwanted offspring through the rite of Prima Nocta (thanks Braveheart!). Enter the Industrial Revolution with electricity, mechanized production, trains, and other awesome stuff. The transition was a little creaky at first—disease, starvation, no sanitation, orphanariums…so taxes. Taxes to pay for sanitation, roads, schools, better orphanariums, telephone lines, internet connections, football stadiums, clean food and medicine. All things Philadelphia likes, and all things she’s currently having a little trouble paying for—in part because some people don’t want to pay their local taxes.

Some people such as Robert Gamburg, his father Jerome, and Joseph Santaguida, lawyers all. Mayor Nutter held a press conference in front of their Broad Street office to inform the entire city that he is coming for delinquent and deadbeat taxpayers, saying, “We are very serious about anyone who owes this city money. You will pay your fair share. Everyone else is paying, and so you will pay.” His effort to bring back public shaming took immediate effect just as the cameras went off and Robert Gamburg objected to his piece of humble pie. He accosted the mayor, demanding to know “why my name was singled out.” The mayor who “could do these conferences all day” essentially told him to stuff it—“Because we picked you! Pay your taxes and you don’t have anything to worry about!”

We’re pleased as punch to see Nutter the Enforcer when precious city services are endangered. Regular people refusing to shoulder their fair share of this burden and pay their taxes is irritating enough (don’t they too use roads, schools, food, and non-contaminated medicine) but when lawyers refuse to follow the law, it is especially irksome. They know better. They’re lawyers. These particular fellows owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes—more cash than many people earn in the first place. We have no sympathy. Robert and Jerome Gamburg, Joseph Santaguida—you have earned your place of dishonor as Assholes of the Week. Congratulations.

Image credit: Flickr user jumpinjimmyjava.