Nutter proposes new budget for city

By Jen McShane
Collegian Staff
February 20, 2007

It was a busy week for newly elected Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. He appeared on World News Tonight with Charles Gibson Feb. 13. The next day Nutter released his first budget proposal for the city. In his new budget proposal, Nutter focused on six big areas: public safety, education, taxes, community, employment and economic growth.

One of Nutter’s biggest proposals is the large amount of money doled out for the Community College of Philadelphia. Over the next five years, Nutter wants to add $20 million to the school’s funding. His goal is to have more Philadelphians with degrees, enabling them to enter into the work force. For the past 20 years, the tuition at the school has increased. Many students at the school hope the increase of $20 million will stop the continual increase in tuition costs. Former Mayor John Street tried cutting the school’s budget by $1 million in previous years, but it did not pass in City Council. While announcing the new budget, Nutter noted this fact when he stated, “My message is straightforward. We confront fiscal issues that have been ignored for too long.”

Residents employed within the city are getting a tax break that has not been so low in over 30 years. Nutter wants to lower the wage taxes below four percent.

While Nutter wants to decrease the wage tax, he wants to increase the parking tax within the city. Many residents inside the city, as well as commuters from outside the city, are unhappy about this raise. Nutter wants to improve city streets, and he promises that the increase in the parking taxes will be used strictly for improvement of city streets. The increase in parking taxes may also increase public transportation use, as people may not want to pay the park- ing tax. This could potentially lead to more parking, as well as less congestion within the city.

 Perhaps the most important issue for many Philadelphians came when Nutter announced his plans for safer streets. Nutter plans on hiring 400 new police officers by June 2009. He will now allow police officers to live outside Philadelphia for up to six months after graduating from the Police Academy, instead of requiring they live in the city for a year before entering the Academy. By adding the 400 police officers, Nutter hopes to decrease the homicide by 25 percent.

“We’re going to focus on high crime areas and use proven policing strategies,” Nutter said.

While some applaud Nutter’s new budget, others are little upset by it. While many programs are getting increases, others are losing funds. For example, a popular after-school program for city children will shut down come March. The Beacon After-School program allows for thousands of Philadelphia children to attend safe after-school programs while their parents work. Nutter will shut down 10 of these community centers that house the after-school program, forcing parents to find alternative programs for their children.

Nutter’s budget proposal must now go to City Council to be approved.

mcshanej2@lasalle.edu