The most surprising thing about the budget-cutting booklet issued by the city yesterday is the signature at the end of the mayor’s introductory letter on page 5.

It reads Michael Nutter. I expected it to read John Street.

That’s because many of the cuts and tax measures outlined in the plan are the same ones Mayor Street proposed in his second term — and they were all opposed by then-Councilman Michael Nutter.

In fact, in 2005, Nutter made his reputation as a -here’s a familiar word - maverick reformer by leading the charge against Street’s proposal to put a halt to the yearly cuts scheduled in business and wage taxes.

Now, Mayor Nutter wants to stop scheduled declines in business and wage taxes.

Later, Street proposed closing libraries, shutting down city pools and reducing the number of Fire Department ladder and engine companies  - all moves vociferously opposed by Councilman Nutter.

Now, Mayor Nutter is proposing that we close libraries, shut down city pools and reduce ladder and engine companies.

How do you explain this 180?

Harry Potter

Allow me to offer one explanation.  I call it my Harry Potter Theory.

In this scenario, Nutter is Harry and Street is Voldemort. Unlike in the novels, though, Voldemort actually takes over Harry’s mind and returns to power.

So, while we hear Nutter’s voice, it is actually Voldemort… I mean, Street… speaking.

But wait, there’s more.

Not only is Mayor Nutter at war with Councilman Nutter, he’s also in a knock-down-drag out with Candidate Nutter.

Candidate Nutter said that continuing and - if possible, accelerating — business tax cuts were essential to the long-term health of the city. Mayor Nutter says these planned reductions can be frozen for six or seven years.

Candidate Nutter said that it was vitally important for the city needed to put more money into arts and culture, the housing trust fund, the greening of vacant lots, and Community College of Philadelphia.  Mayor Nutter says “Never mind” and he reduces significantly the money he added in these categories just a few months ago.

Candidate Nutter decried the secrecy of the Street administration and promised an open and transparent government.  Mayor Nutter meets behind closed doors for four hours with City Council in a, ahem, briefing session.

Lord Voldemort Doing a Mind Meld with Harry

He emerges with Council pretty much on board with his plan and aforementioned plan looks like it has been vetted and changed to meet Council’s needs and objections.

How did that happen? Probably magic.  (See: my Harry Potter Theory and recall that Harry is a wizard.)

An alternative theory is that Nutter was forced to take these actions because the economy is in the tank, tax revenues are falling and the city faces the equivalent of a $200 million deficit in each of the next five years.  (The total project shortfall over five years is $1 billion, as of this week.  The city’s budget over the same period totals $20.4 billion.)

Life does serve up unpleasant surprises and you have to adjust to meet new circumstances.

But, what Councilman Nutter and Candidate Nutter articulated was not a series of pluses and minuses. What I thought he was expressing was a philosophy of government to make Philadelphia move forward: lower business taxes to spur job growth.  Targeted increases in spending for neighborhoods, education, police and housing.  Openness and transparency to restore confidence in government.

These steps are not set in stone.  They are more like rubber bands,  You can stretch them a bit to fit the occasion.  Stretch them too much, though, and they break.

This week, I thought I heard them snap.

I like Michael Nutter.  He is smart and energetic and well meaning.  But, we didn’t elect him because of that alone.  We elected him to transform city government.

This week, it looks like city government transformed him.