Watch all eight of Mayor Nutter's town hall meetings online anytime.
It's Our City is a project that uses TV, Radio and Web
to promote civic engagement in the Philadelphia region.Philadelphia’s Budget cutting process 101
Friday, November 7th, 2008 at 5:10 pm - by Alan Tu. Filed under: budget.
I have to admit, that I’ve been a bit confused over the past 24 hours about what happens next in Philadelphia’s plan to cut its operating budget. Are the cuts a done deal? What if I want to rally support for my library? What’s the process? So we decided to ask It’s Our Money blogger Ben Waxman.
It’s Our City: Does the Philadelphia City Council have to approve the Mayor’s budget cuts that were announced on Thursday?
Ben Waxman: The answer is both yes and no. Part of Mayor Nutter’s proposals will need to be approved by City Council and others can be done by the Mayor without any review. Two examples: the furlough that Nutter is requiring of all non-union employees and the reduction of overtime for
the police department do not require Council’s approval. City Council will have to approve the closing of libraries and also the halt in tax cuts. The fact that Mayor Nutter can make many of these changes without input from Council underscores how powerful the executive
branch of local government really is.Will there be any hearings where citizens can make their case asking
the city not to cut certain programs?Yes. Philadelphia City Council is in the process of scheduling public hearings.
How will the announced cutbacks affect union contracts?
Nutter originally set aside $400 million for union contracts in his budget. That number has now been reduced to $200 million. This combined with layoffs sets the stage for very tough union negotiations in the coming year. A strike by city workers looks much more possible
than during the last go round.What is the deadline that cutbacks must be made in order for the city
to make ends meet during this fiscal year?The city is facing a deficit in FY09 that is slightly more than $100 million. There is no hard deadline to fill the hole, but City Council President Anna Verna wants to schedule a vote on the budget cuts
before City Council leaves for winter break on December 11th.
Ben Waxman writes the It’s Our Money blog where you can also leave comments.
Ferrick on Philly
November 7th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Please continue to keep us posted on this issue - even if I’m the only ‘big mouth’ speaking up here at the moment
Thank you for everything you’re doing to raise awareness on the importance of this issue!
November 7th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
No Problem. We’re on it. 24/7 just for you.
November 8th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Hi Looking for sites to post. Do you know that the Police Dept is going to cut The D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.At Programs. We reach thousands of Phila school in these programs yearly with the 10 Officers we have. The programs are funded by Dept of Justice Grants and other grants. If the programs are eliminated the city will get 10 moere officers on street duty. But the cost will be over $700,000.00 in extra salaries as well as depriving young people with positive interaction with law enforcement!!!!
November 9th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Steven. Is the G.R.E.A.T program the school-based anti-gang program?
also, Why is the police department cutting these programs since they are federally funded?
November 10th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman, and economist James K Galbraith are both calling for a massive federal stimulus package to state and local governments. They’re arguing that cutting government spending and laying off government workers such as librarians, police, and firefighters is the worst thing we could be doing right now. They suggest a new stimulus would be most effective in supporting current government spending and employment, rather than trying to create new jobs after the old jobs are lost. Mayor Nutter, Senators Specter & Casey, and the entire Eastern PA Congressional delegation need to press for a stimulus package that includes infrastructure spending and massive aid to cities and states NOW!
Some sources worth reading.
Paul Krugman
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/
Galbraith interview with Bill Moyers
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/10242008/watch2.html
November 21st, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Hello Alan
You are correct it is the school based program G.R.E.A.T. they want to cut. Sorry it took so long to get back to you.