Mayor Nutter unveils no pain, no gain budget

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has officially introduced his spending plan will ask residents to pay a little more.
Nutter: Some say that Philadelphians can’t handle the truth. I think they can, getting to a better place is never a pain-free journey.
Those words summed up the mayor’s budget address, with a new fee for trash removal and a surcharge for sugar sweetened beverages. Mayor Michael Nutter went on to say the new revenue generators are designed to prevent service cuts.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has officially introduced his spending plan will ask residents to pay a little more.  WHYY’s Tom MacDonald was in City Council Chambers as the mayor gave his budget address. [audio:100304TMBUDGET.mp3]

Nutter: Some say that Philadelphians can’t handle the truth.  I think they can, getting to a better place is never a pain-free journey.

Those words summed up the mayor’s budget address, with a new fee for trash removal and a surcharge for sugar sweetened beverages.  Mayor Michael Nutter went on to say the new revenue generators are designed to prevent service cuts.

Nutter: Philadelphians have been very clear they want a basic level of services that include protecting the most vulnerable among us.  We heard that message and we have preserved basic services.  We’ve cut where we had to and are a leaner and more efficient government as a result.

The budget blueprint now goes on to council, who will have hearings beginning next Wednesday which will include evening and even a Saturday session until it concludes  May 11.