Philly not first concern for state lawmakers

State lawmakers are less concerned about Philadelphia and more concerned about ending a three-month-old state budget impasse.

Philadelphia is on the verge of massive government layoffs if the state does not take action soon. But state lawmakers are less concerned about Philadelphia and more concerned about ending a three-month-old state budget impasse.

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[audio: 090916spplanc.mp3]

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says the city’s financial fate is caught in the state’s budget battle and as a result, about 3,000 pink slips are ready to go out on Friday.

Nutter: There’s no reason for the city of Philadelphia to even be in this position that people are thinking right now in their workplace at their work station, at this moment…20,000 people are wondering am I gonna get a layoff notice on Friday. That’s wrong.

City Council returns to work Thursday, after summer break. Councilman Bill Green says, in hindsight, they should have passed a budget that did not depend so heavily on Harrisburg’s approval.

Green: But the fact of the matter is the budget that was presented to Council relied on Harrisburg for both the pension savings and the sales tax for three years and we didn’t present an alternative and that was probably a mistake.

Council had rejected the Mayor’s proposed property tax increases in favor of a sales tax.