Is Mayor Nutter a lame duck yet?

Is the decision of UIL Holdings to end its bid to buy Philadelphia Gas Works the beginning of a “lame duck” period for Mayor Michael Nutter?

Nutter said the words “lame duck” aren’t even in his vocabulary.

“I’ve never used that word actually with anyone, and I just think it’s quite frankly inappropriate,” he said. “When you dedicate your life to public service, you are constantly working to get things done. I still have to sign documents to make things official for the city … We have a number of initiatives to move forward.”

The mayor said he’s actually speeding up his work, not slowing down.

“Bringing on more and more ideas and proposals, more and more groundbreakings, ribbon-cuttings and projects,” he said.

Even though City Council killed the PGW deal without holding a hearing on it, Nutter said he can still work with council members during the last year of his term.