Community funding cuts rankle city council

Philadelphia City Council and Mayor Michael Nutter tangle over a major cut to funding for some community organizations. Councilman Brian O’Neill says the cuts are unacceptable.

A dispute over a major cut to funding for some community organizations is brewing between Philadelphia City Council and Mayor Michael Nutter.

District Council members oversee the activity funds that they hand out to groups, such as town watch, sports and arts organizations. The Nutter administration has cut the money by 35 percent. Councilman Brian O’Neill said that is unacceptable.

“These are the levels we were working with in the 1990s and it’s just unfair,” said O’Neill. “These are the small groups who do so much for the city and contribute so much to the quality of life. It’s just part of the fabric of the city and I really think we went too far with the cuts.”

The mayor blames the cuts on not receiving enough revenue from the council in the budget due, in part, to the council’s rejection of his proposed tax on soda.

O’Neill said he hopes Nutter will reconsider the funding cuts totaling $1.4 million.