football

In just a little under three hours, the Philadelphia Eagles will hit the field for the third of their four pre-season games. So far, they’ve given their fans nothing to cheer about. They have, however, given them plenty to talk about – not the least of which is the signing of former bad boy (and felon) Michael Vick.

Michael Vick, who pleaded guilty to “Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture”, is set to make his Eagles debut tonight against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The debut follows a conditional reinstatement for Vick by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Several teams expressed interest in Vick who had made quite a splash in the NFL during his early tenure. He still holds records for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season (1,039 in 2006), highest average per carry in a single season (8.45 in 2006), 100-yard career rushing games by a quarterback (eight), best two-game rushing total (225 in 2004) and rushing yards in a single game (173 in 2002). But in a move that stunned almost everybody (including this Eagles fan), the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick to a 2 year contract. Yeah, I thought he was going to the Steelers, too.

As it turns out, it’s a move that the Eagles could have received some tax benefits for… The Eagles could have recuperated some of the $1.6 million contract with Vick via a $10,000 tax credit offered to employers by the Mayor’s Office for Re-entry of Ex-Offenders (MORE). The credit was added to the existing program (which includes opportunities for education and job training) to encourage businesses to hire ex-offenders. So far, reportedly only six businesses have taken advantage of the credit. Would the Philadelphia Eagles be lucky #7 (ironic, since that’s Vick’s Falcons number)? Not this time. A team spokesperson told the Philadelphia Daily News that wasn’t going to happen.

But the move has put a new emphasis on the tax credit. According to the Mayor’s Office, there are approximately 298,400 adults living in Philadelphia who have a criminal background and who are technically ex-offenders. That’s more than a quarter of a million people. A quarter million potential employees. A quarter millions potential taxpayers. A quarter million potential actual contributing members of society.

Or we could just continue to pump money into the prison system by choosing to pretend that it’s not a problem (approximately 40% of offenders go back to jail, as high as 70% in California).

Philadelphia is opting for the former and choosing to believe in second chances – in more ways than one. Statistics suggest that ex-offenders with sustainable jobs remain ex-offenders, a finding that isn’t lost outside of Philadelphia. Kansas, Illinois and Iowa are just a few of the states that offer similar programs. The feds also offer an incentive in the form of a Work Opportunity Tax Credit. A business which hires a qualified ex-felon (defined as “an individual who has been convicted of a felony and has a hiring date which is not more than one year after the last date on which he was so convicted or released from prison”) may be entitled to a federal tax credit in the amount of $2400. Other target groups, including disabled vets, are also included in the program. George W. Bush re-authorized the bill in 2006 and expanded in 2007, once remarking, “America is the land of the second chance – and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.”

While the Eagles take a pass on this tax break, maybe other local employees will give it a second look.

But for tonight, are you ready for some football?

Hat Tip: @jmnaylor via Twitter

(Image by Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 License)

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Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles, Work Opportunity Tax Credit

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