Our new mayor rode into office as a reformer ready to whip city finances into shape. But his first budget looks like he’s giving away the store

Michael Nutter promised to bring Philadelphia back to fiscal responsibility while tackling a crippling wage tax and debilitating pension costs. But with Hizzoner’s first budget, currently being debated by City Council, the belt-tightening looks more like a pair of elastic-waist sweatpants: a $3.98 billion spending plan, bloated by $50 million freed up by a $4.5 billion bond issue. The argument goes that investing in infrastructure, education, safety, and a more business-friendly tax environment will bolster revenue and fill city coffers; in other words, sinking the city into red ink now — the plan will balloon city debt to $11 billion — will pay off later.

(more…)

Mayor Michael Nutter is probably going to get grilled more than most Hillary Clinton supporters in Pennsylvania over the next six weeks, for the sole reason that his pledge to back her automatically leaves him vulnerable to the question of whether he’s disrespecting his black constituency by not bouncing over to Obama.

First up to question the mayor about the issue is the Associated Press. In a piece headlined “Philly Mayor Sticking With Clinton,” which hit the wires a few hours ago, Nutter gives the appropriate hell-to-the-naw response, translated in the story as “This notion that somehow there is a monolithic black vote is just a myth.”

(more…)

Sometimes it’s best to just keep your mouth shut. Right now, it seems Mayor Nutter wants to hold off on a formal response to Gov. Ed Rendell’s somewhat inappropriate comments to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Barack Obama’s chances of winning the Pennsylvania primary.

(more…)

Meet Charles H. Ramsey, the former Washington, D.C., police chief tapped to be Philadelphia’s crime-fighting savior earlier this afternoon by mayor-elect Michael Nutter.

In July 2006, Ramsey famously declared that D.C. was in the middle of a “crime emergency” (sound familiar?) after 14 people had been killed in the first 11 days of the month. Ramsey quickly deployed 3,800 officers to various hot spots around the city, a tactic that seemed to have short-term benefits was abandoned after he stepped down in late 2006. Ramsey was most recently in the news in October, when he was passed over for Baltimore’s top spot in favor of an in-house choice.

So, will Ramsey be good for us? Ask a D.C.-er and you’ll get mixed reviews. Strictly from a numbers perspective, one D.C.-based newspaper reporter spells it out this way: “In his almost 10 years here, crime went down dramatically — from 260 homicides in 1998 to 169 last year. There was also a ton of gentrification in the city, which contributed to the crime drop. Since he left, crime’s gone up.”

But we’re getting ourselves a loudmouth, too: “He’s not quiet or gentle. He’s the master of the sound bite. I don’t think the city will be disappointed on that front.”

Yes, maybe he’s not John Timoney or one of “Bratton’s Brigade,” many of whom Nutter was rumored to be all tingly over, but he is, at least, an outsider with a mission to wake up an insular department.

Nutter names D.C’s Ex-top cop as commissioner [Philly.com]
D.C’s Crime Emergency [Washington Post]

According to a source close to real estate tycoon Dan Neducsin, mayor-to-be Michael Nutter recently asked the “man who saved Manayunk” if he’d be interested in becoming his deputy mayor.

For a city in desperate need of a makeover on nearly every front, bringing in an urban rejuvenation specialist like Neducsin is plainly a necessity. Alas, Nutter spokesperson Melanie Johnson said this is “first time she’s heard about it” and cautioned that rumors about who will make up Nutter’s cabinet are rampant. “Right now, we’re focused on winning the election,” she told the Daily Examiner yesterday.

Neducsin also said it’s news to him. When asked if he would consider taking the job, Neducsin remarked “I wouldn’t even know what that job entails.”

The source, however, maintains that conversation took place and that Neducsin politely turned it down.

Neducsin Management [Home Page]

It’s become a concern among Democrats running for various positions in the city that Democratic mayoral candidate/budding savior Michael Nutter’s lead in a recent poll is so lopsided that it could diminish Election Day turnout and change the course of other races.

Terry Madonna, director of the made-up sounding Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College, says, “There’s no doubt about it, there’s a real likelihood of a low turnout in the city, which could affect judicial races.”

See? Al Taubenberger may actually do something for the Republican party in this election after all.

Poll: Nutter in a rout and some Dems are worried [Next Mayor]

As long as Michael Nutter’s nemesis Carol Ann CampbellPhiladelphia Tribune that Nutter’s support in the African-American community was soft because he “caters to Caucasians.” Campbell’s remarks were obviously candid, and ones she probably thought appropriate because she was speaking informally to the editorial board of the city’s only African-American newspaper. But, as newspapers are wont to do, they published them. Today the Daily News pokes fun at her comment, urging the Nutter campaign to embrace the perceived dis.

Even though Campbell is not known for her sophistication and tact, could she possibly be speaking the truth? One insider pointed out to the Examiner that, yes, Nutter events are notoriously stocked with pale-faced suits, but he’s still a long way from Uncle Tomville. In fact, even though the DN said “some people” were upset by the comments, it hasn’t made too much of a splash online, and the insider said that most politicos have shrugged it off as typical Carol Campbell.

In the future, however, perhaps the best way for Nutter to blacken up his image is to ditch the portly white guy he’s always hanging around. That could help.

Nutter: Catering to whites? Food for thought [Daily News]
Campbell: Nutter lacks support [Philadelphia Tribune]

The Sylvester Johnson/Millions More Movement October 21st block party (also known as “A Call to Action: 10,000 Men”) announced yesterday has yet to attract ringing municipal leadership support. Mayor-to-be Michael Nutter tells the Daily Examiner that he’s holding off on fully commenting on the event until he learns more about it — especially the “safety of the volunteers” (translation: making sure they don’t get shot). But he said he’s in full support of the “idea” — communities taking action against the murder epidemic (85 percent of which, Nutter points out, are in predominantly black communities.)

However, the Daily News reported that, as of yesterday, Mayor John Street wasn’t fully committed either. One source close to the police department suggests this is because some of the organizers don’t want him that much involved: “My understanding is that the organizers don’t want to give him a chance to ‘adopt’ it as his. He’s notorious for that.”

Neither Mayor Street’s office nor the MMM returned phone calls seeking comment.

10,000 Black Men Ain’t Enough [Daily Examiner]
Commish: I Need 10,000 Men [Philly.com]

Michael Nutter and Al Taubenberger continued their mutual face-licking at last night’s “Talk About It” forum at the Free Library, with both candidates engaging in their usual jovial agreement on most issues and total avoidance of all controversy. A rundown of the local coverage reveals that most reporters are completely exasperated — so a summary of their stories in movie-blurb format seems appropriate.

(more…)

With Philadelphia’s too-cool-for-school Fringe Fest in full swing, it’s the perfect time for politicians to seek out a younger constituency. Of course, mayor-to-be Michael Nutter knows this — and so, according to an e-mail circulating in the Philadelphia theater community, he popped into the opening night of Run Zola Run at the Adrienne to drum up some greasy-haired support.

(more…)