For the full scoop on all the region has to offer, check out the 2010-2011 Greater Philadelphia Relocation and Resource Guide.

Getting Settled

Everything you’ll need to know as you settle in to your new home in Greater Philadelphia.

Energy Regulations and Availability

Electricity and natural gas are deregulated in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, which means consumers are now able to choose the energy package that best fits their needs.

A status of deregulation for each state may be found at the website of the U.S. Energy Information Administration:

http://www.eia.gov/cneaf/electricity/page/restructuring/restructure_elect.html

You can also try the following state organizations to find out more about the local service options:

Area Utilities Service Providers: Pennsylvania

Electricity

PECO Energy
800-494-4000

Water

Aqua America
877-987-2782

Philadelphia Water Department
215-685-6300

Cable & Satellite Television

Verizon Wireless – 800-660-2215
Comcast Cable – 800-COMCAST
Direct TV – 800-494-4388
DishNetwork – 888-825-2557

Natural Gas

PECO Energy
800-494-4000

Philadelphia Gas Works
215-235-1000

Area Utilities Service Providers: New Jersey

Electricity

Public Service Electric & Gas
973-430-7000

Water

Aqua New Jersey Inc.
877-987-2782

American Water
800-NJ-AM WATR

Cable & Satellite Television

Verizon Wireless - 800-660-2215
Comcast Cable – 800-COMCAST
Direct TV – 800-494-4388
Dish Network – 888-825-2557

Natural Gas

Public Service Electric & Gas
973-430-7000

Area Utilities Service Providers: Delaware

Electricity

Delmarva Power
800-375-7117 (customer service)
800-898-8042 (EMERGENCY)

Water

Artesian Water Company
302-453-6930 (customer service)
302-453-6900 (EMERGENCY)

Cable & Satellite Television

Verizon Wireless - 800-660-2215
Comcast Cable – 800-COMCAST
Direct TV 800 – 494-4388
Dish Network – 888-825-2557

Natural Gas

Delmarva Power
800-898-8042 (customer service)
302-454-0317 (EMERGENCY)

Phone Services

Area Codes

215 and 267 – Pennsylvania
Includes Philadelphia County, most of Bucks County and half of Montgomery County

484 and 610 – Pennsylvania
Includes Chester and Delaware counties and part of Montgomery County

609 and 856 – New Jersey
Includes Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties

302 – Delaware
All counties

Providers

AT&T
800-288-2747
Local provider for PA, NJ and DE

Cavalier Telephone
800-683-3944
Local provider for PA, NJ and DE

Comcast
800-COMCAST
800-266-2278

Verizon
PA and DE – 800-837-4966
NJ – 800-755-1068

State Government Information Sources

For referrals, phone numbers for state government, issues and services

Pennsylvania

Out of state – 717-787-2121
Within state – 800-932-0784

Delaware

Out of state – 800-273-9500
Within state – 800-464-4357

Department of Motor Vehicles

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Driver & Vehicle Services
Out of state – 717-412-5300
Within state – 800-932-4600

New Jersey

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
Out of state – 609-292-6500
Within state – 888-486-3339

Delaware

Division of Motor Vehicles
New Castle – 302-326-5000
Greater Wilmington – 302-434-3200

Voter Registration

Useful Resources

Consumer Affairs

Better Business Bureau of Delaware
302-230-0108

Better Business Bureau of Eastern Pennsylvania
215-985-9313

Better Business Bureau of New Jersey
609-588-0808

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
800-638-2772
Protects the public from risk of serious injury or death from consumer products.

Employment/Training

Bucks County Office of Employment and Training
215-340-2020
Job development, readiness assistance, placement assistance, skills training.

Camden County Resource Center
856-968-4200
Training, job search assistance, employment counseling.

Chester County Economic Development Council
610-458-5700
Workforce development and training.

Cumberland/Salem Workforce Investment Board
856-451-8920
Prepares the emerging, transitioning and current workforce in Salem and Cumberland counties.

Delaware County Office of Employment and Training
610-713-2200
Career services to job seekers and employers.

Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC)
215-464-8550
Dedicated to helping manufacturers in the Philadelphia region compete and grow.

Delaware Workforce Investment Board
302-761-8160
Brings job training, education and employment opportunities together in the state of Delaware.

Gloucester County Employment and Training Agency
856-384-6970
Free training and job placement assistance.

Mercer County Workforce Investment Board
609-989-6827
Offers workforce readiness services and career resources.

Montgomery County Department of Economic and Workforce Development
610-278-5850
Montgomery County workforce development.

One-Stop Career Center (Burlington County NJ)
609-518-3900
Offers a variety of services to job seekers, employers and the unemployed.

Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation
215-963-2100
Identifies areas of growth in the labor market.

Taxes

Federal Taxes

Internal Revenue Service
National – 800-829-1040
Cherry Hill NJ – 856-321-1328
Philadelphia PA – 215-861-1225
Trenton NJ – 609-989-0533
Wilmington DE – 302-573-6343

City Taxes

Philadelphia PA
Business Privilege Tax – 215-686-6600
Real Estate Tax – 215-686-6442
School Income Tax – 215-686-6600
Wage Tax/Earnings Tax – 215-686-6600

There is a 3.93 percent tax on gross earned income for Philadelphia residents, regardless of where it is earned, and a 3.93 percent school tax on unearned income. Non-residents pay a 3.5 percent tax on gross income earned in the city. The real estate tax is $82.64 per $1,000 of assessed value. There is a 4 percent real estate transfer tax (3 percent Philadelphia and 1 percent Pennsylvania).

Trenton NJ
Tax Assessor’s Office – 609-989-3083
Tax Office – 609-989-3070

There is no city wage tax. The 2010 property tax rate is $5.478 per $100 of assessed value.

Wilmington DE
Business/Head Taxes – 302-576-2415
Earned Income (Wage) Tax – 302-576-2418
Finance – 302-576-2400
Property Taxes – 302-571-4320

The city wage tax is 1.25 percent of total gross income. Property taxes are levied per $100 of assessed value, with rates depending on the school district: Brandywine, $3.8085; Christina, $3.5040; Colonial, $3.3990; and Red Clay, $3.6610.

State Income and Sales Taxes

Pennsylvania
888-PATAXES
215-560-2056

Eight separate classes of income are subject to an annual personal income tax of 3.07 percent. A 6 percent state sales/use tax is applied to items and services sold or consumed in Pennsylvania, with certain exemptions, including food (not ready-to-eat), most clothing, and pharmaceutical drugs, among others. An additional local sales/use tax of 2 percent is collected in Philadelphia.

New Jersey
800-323-4400
609-826-4400

Individual income tax is a graduated tax ranging from 1.4 percent ($0–$20,000) to 8.97 percent (over $500,000). There is a state sales and use tax of 7 percent.

Delaware
302-577-8200

The tax rate on personal income is graduated between 2.2 percent and 5.55 percent for incomes between $2,001 and $60,000 and is 5.95 percent for incomes over $60,000. There is no state sales tax.