WHYY is running short essays this month on what people think of Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s first two years in office. One of the challenges in doing this is how to factor in The Great Recession. On January 7, 2008, few people knew that the housing market would collapse, banks would become toxic sites, and tax revenues to states and cities would shrink. WHYY’s Susan Phillip’s talked with Matt Ruben, a longtime community organizer who in 2007 ran for City Council. In their conversation he shared with us his thoughts on Nutter’s performance during this recession.

By Matt Ruben president of the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association. (NLNA)

I think he has done in many respects as well as anyone can do given the impossible budget situation that he found dumped in his lap soon after he came into office. I think the administration has taken great strides in certain areas, environmental areas, recycling, planning. I think that there is a sense that the city government is operating in a pretty fair minded way. In some respects a more open way than it did before. I do think that there have been some missed opportunities to rally and mobilize and enlist the support of some of the constituencies that elected him. I think the administration at times has been very open, but at times retreated to think about issues in isolation and has incurred negative feelings from the public as a result.

WHYY News profile of Nutter’s first 2 years