Will it come down to this?

Do you remember in middle school when someone would call you out to fight on the playground? That’s essentially what Philadelphia’s mayor did with the city’s four unions during today’s budget address to city council.

I’m calling upon Pete Matthews, president of District Council 33; Brian McBride, president of the firefighters’ Local 22; John McNesby, president of the FOP; and Cathy Scott, president of District Council 47 with this message:

It’s time for leaders to lead, not to follow the screaming crowds.

I was expecting him to follow with: Meet me by the swings after fourth period.

Why all the tough talk?

Mayor Michael Nutter needs $125 million dollars from them to make his five-year spending plan work. Now to be fair to the mayor, he did follow up them fighting words with an extended hand asking for a “new level of cooperation to benefit us all. We need to be open to new ideas.”

Here’s the problem. The unions probably won’t like most of his ideas. In his speech, he called for:

*No pay hikes
*Asking workers to take more unpaid day offs
*Pay more into their health care and pension accounts

Things he didn’t mention but are included in his budget proposal:

*No more guaranteed summer vacation days for cops and firefighters (less overtime required)
*Cut the number of paid holidays from 12 days down to 9 days
*Grant city more control on work schedules
*Grant city more control on determining staffing levels

Pete Mathews who heads the city’s blue collar workers union told WHYY’s Tom MacDonald that the days of balancing budgets on the back of workers is over.

“If you recall 1992 when they financed everything off the backs of city workers, that’s why I’m here today and that’s not going to happen again. So obviously, he needs new discussions they have to find some things because as far as concessions we won’t be making any.”

The union concessions are just one part of the mayor’s effort to eliminate a projected $1.4 billion budget gap over the next five years. So if the city continued to spend at its current rate through June 2014, we’d overspend be $1.4 billions in debt. Cities are not supposed to borrow money for operating costs so it has to come from some combination improved efficiencies, higher taxes and cutting programs.

So, the mayor and his team have a lot to do. While they’re seeking union concessions, they’ll also be wrestling with city council members over their reluctance to give up their city cars and convincing the council members to approve higher taxes.