A conversation with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who’s up for re-election in November

Hour 1

In his first term in office as mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter has coped with a crippling recession the effects of which has rippled through the city and an already-troubled school system and has impacted a wide range of vital city services. Contentious talks over salaries and benefits for city employees continue and despite hikes in sales and property taxes, Philadelphia is still facing a major budget battle as wage-tax revenues decline. The public schools, which Nutter called his top concern three years ago, have endured the bitter, controversial exit of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman.  And his efforts at government reform have met opposition from City Council, which overrode Nutter’s vetoes of the DROP bill and the paid sick-leave legislation.  Among his accomplishments a 22% drop in homicides, the creation of a 311 Call Center and the establishment the city’s first ever Chief Integrity Officer charged  with “promoting honesty, integrity, and transparency in City contracting, disposition or use of City property, and provision of City services”.  All this action in City Hall plus a conservative Republican administration in Harrisburg suggest that, if he’s elected to a second term, Mayor Nutter will continue to confront serious challenges.    Marty sits down with Mayor Michael Nutter to talk about his first term in office and his priorities and agenda for a second term.

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[audio: 100311_100630.mp3]