Nutter Announces More Layoffs, Delays Police Training
Mayor Nutter today said that the city will lay off 12 more employees and delay training for new police recruits to deal with a shortage in revenues due to a delay in getting state approval for a temporary sales tax hike.
Nutter Announces More Layoffs, Delays Police Training
Catherine Lucey & Chris Brennan
Mayor Nutter today said the city will lay off 12 more employees and delay training for new police recruits to deal with a shortage in revenues due to a delay in getting state approval for a temporary sales tax hike.
Nutter plans to delay a Police Academy class due to start in the fall. He is also eliminating six full-time positions in the Mayor's Office [two of the six positions are filled] and laying off six employees in the city's 311 call center and four employees in the Finance Department. Layoff notices were issued Friday. The cuts take effect at the end of the month.
Nutter’s budget -- passed in May – counted on getting state approval to increase the local sales tax by 1 cent on the dollar for five years and to make changes in how the city's pension fund is replenished. Those changes, worth $700 million in the city's five-year plan, would help balance the budget.
But Harrisburg lawmakers still haven’t given the city the go-ahead on either item. And the budget plan counted on getting $10 million per month in sales tax revenue. If approved, the sales tax increase would take 4 to 6 weeks to implement. So the city has now lost $20 million in revenue for August and September – and October may be next.
"Ten million dollars a month is real money," Nutter said in a City Hall news conference. "That’s the real cost of delays in Harrisburg."
Last week, Republicans in the state Senate said they were on track to approve legislation needed by the city by Aug. 26. That would give Democrats who control the state House, which approved the city's legislation Aug. 5, just three business days to vote on the Senate's amended version before the city's fallback budget would have to be implemented.
Nutter called on the Senate to pass the legislation without amendments so Gov. Rendell could sign it into law without it having to go back to the House for another vote. He worried the city's budget issues could turn into the old video game Pong, with the legislation facing further delays if changes are also made in the House. "We'll just go back and forth, back and forth, between the Senate and the House," he said.
Comments (87)
If Nutter's efforts to increase the sales tax succeed, it will only encourage purchasers of high priced items to do their business in Delaware. This sure as hell won't enhance the bottom line of Philadelphia based businesses. He needs to curtail the spending that City Council, and It's members relegate to themselves - like autos and the fuel, maintenance and insurance costs they entail. Also the drop program continues to drain the city's financial blood. Cut the spending, and get divorced from the status quo that has created this deficit. In any event, we don't need any additional taxes, just to perpetuate your lecherous lifestyle.— anonimoose1
Comment removed.- Effective 8/15, the city was non-compliant with PICA. That should force a shutdown of the entire city and all spending, else this whole thing is really just a big political game and PICA in fact has no teeth - which means in effect, the state has no teeth. Nutter - you've got 28,000 people on staff - a few people here, a few people there ain't going to cut it. We elected you to make changes - make any change real for goodness sake - what kind of crisis were you looking for as a mandate for change? Or do you just want all of us transplants and our jobs and companies to up and leave for more sound municipal economies? Cause for all my taxes, I'm not seeing my return in city services.— Philly Resident 19146
- Know two of the biggest lies of all time? One is "the check's in the mail" and the second is "temporary tax hike". Maybe Nutter should lay himself off.— Dumfounded
- First off, people were already regularly leaving the city to purchase high priced items. Nothing new there. For all the bluster, raising the sales tax 1% is just 1%, but it sounds awful scary if you call it a 16% increase, as y'all always do. If the sales tax were 4% and it was raised to 5%, that would be a whopping 25% increase, but it would still be only one more penny on every dollar. Secondly, PR19146, does your trash get picked up? Do the kids have schools to go to? Police? Ambulance? Local Library? Phila property taxes are near nil (even tho they are far from equitable). Even 8% is lower than a lot of city for sales tax (NYC, Chicago, etc.). What exactly would it take for you to be pleased with your government service? Should Nutter be washing your car and cutting your lawn?— sdls1603
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- 12???? is he missing some zeroes???— moretoit
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- this city is a joke— kevin
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- How come we never hear any outrage from interest groups that supposedly speak for the poor and the working class that the sales tax disproportionately affects them? No SEPTA riding person is going to Delaware to purchase anything. True, the poor aren't buying HDTVs, but they buy other things. In fact, most lower-income folks spend their entire income, which means, after rent/mortgage and utilities, almost all of their income will be affected by this increase on consumption. Like everything, people with other economic options will exercise them, and people who have not way out will suffer more while government fiddles. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.— doo dah man
- Chicago has higher sales tax than we will have after the raise...people still shop there.— FMT
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- kids may go to school but they don't do enough larnin' there— dreinterests
- Wasn't the original wage tax put in years ago also a "temporary tax"?— beermoney
- The sales tax increase is not significant at all. CleanupPhilly needs to get a new line. One trick ponies are out of style. The big problem here is that Nutter has not cut waste in city government. He came into office with the rep of a cutter but has done nothing but INCREASE wasteful spending. Oh Tannenbaum where have you gone? We need a Mayor who will actually cut waste and not hide behind "I don't control City Council" BS.— Malcolm65
- He cut 6 positions in the mayor's office, of which only 2 were filled, so in essence he layed off 2 people not 6. Cutting police is a joke and a scare tactic when in fact there is plenty of positions that are not needed.— Taxpaying Voter
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- I agree 100 % What about that $425 million in overdue property taxes owed the city ????? Hey Nutter its time to go after the dead beats in this city. How about you get rid of some of those city cars city employees love to joy ride around the city. How about making police officers pay the parking meter when they park their privately own vehicles when the go to work ??????? Its not far we all must pay. How about you go after the dead beats city employees who don't pay there property taxes ???? Nutter i voted for you and now i am starting to regret it.
- Our "elected officials" should be ashamed of themselves for having to raise the sales tax to pay for stuff in the first place. Look at states that have a lower sales tax rate (ie Virginia at 5%) and gas that was 20 cents cheaper per gallon, and they still have libraries, police, and trash pick-up, etc... LOWER rates just might ENCOURAGE people to spend more money instead of just "doing without". Obviously it is easier for them to impose a new tax instead of enforcing what we already have.— dee99999
- Simple fix. Start taxing the burb people who trash our city every weekend.— PhillyIam
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- 12 f@@@ing employees! I can walk from 4th to 12th on Callowhill St most anytime of the day and find 12 city workers sleeping in cars for Pete's sake. And the same day Nutter appoints someone to head up the Delaware Waterfront for a $195k salary. Absolutely nuts. And I thought NJ was screwed up. Philly's goning to be known as the dumbest city in America.— ritaf
- Hey CleanupPhilly, what's the first thing anyone does when they want to save some money on their utility bill? CFL lightbulbs right. Go walk the halls of City Hall (the greenest city in the nation - wannabee) hasn't even gotten rid of the hundreds of incadescent lights throughout the hallways. What BS. We had a sustainability director for a year and we couldn't even get the lightbulbs changed. PFS— ritaf
- If the list starts out with latrice bryant, i'm fine with it...otherwise, no...clean up city hall for real...you were elected for your promise to make positive changes, but you have not made any...collect the unpaid bail and property taxes, especially from city employees...then you will have more than enough money. Shaking the pockets of everyone that does in fact pay for things is unethical...When are you going to wake up and make everyone chip in? This is not doing that...You have millions of people sucking the system dry, yet you will not make them pay for anything...Obviously, anyone that works hard and pays their bills in philadelphia is a fool and deserves to be sucked dry by a system that only takes from them and never gives....— johnhenry
- I don't see why the rest of the state is concerned about Philly having an 8% sales tax. Generally the big cities are always more expensive. The sales tax in NYC is 8.375%, Chicago 10.25%, Houston 8.25%.— Byron
- This is pretty devastating for me personally, things were looking good for me to be in that fall police academy class, slated for sept. 22nd.I'm just shocked that Nutter actually went through with this and cut police before some other options. I assume by delaying the class to next year they actually mean the fiscal year, which is next July.People arn't going to wait around until Nutter and the city decide to supply more service and protection for the people of this city who expect, deserve, and need it. The city will lose alot of good potential police officers with this delay to state police and surrounding area departments, along with those who now decide to venture elsewhere in their careers.The city loses officers every month to retirement,and the last class to go through graduated in June, and the next one won't graduate until next year? One year in between adding police officers to a huge major u.s. city? I wish that there was something that we could do about this. If the federal government gives you 11 million dollars just for the sole reason alone to hire new police officers, then shouldn't it be used for that and nothing else? Where is that money going if the class is cancelled? Anybody else see anything wrong with this? If I were the federal government I would be really really mad.— BleedingMe
- I don't think there was ever going to be a fall academy class. Nutter and Ramsey were always going to say that the fed money would help save cops from layoffs, not provide for new ones. Nutter is falling back on good ole scare tactics, the best being public safety cuts. He is hoping people get outraged over fewer cops and firefighters because no one cares if he dumps out the MSB.— Trident252
- One aspect I believe is being overlooked is that a one-percent increase in the sales tax may encourage those with the means to order merchandise online (which I believe is exempt from sales tax) instead of in the stores. Those who can will circumvent it; i.e. those who would contribute to the tax base. I agree with previous posters; there is much waste and welfare spending that be cut before touching one cop or firefighter.— davesju93
- 12 layoffs, it is good start, keep going— Matt in Deptford
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- Mr. Mayor, Delaware loves you!— Dumfounded
- is this why my trash didn't get collected last week?— philafan
- CleanupPhilly, sales tax has nothing to do with grocery stores not coming to Philly. Most groceries aren't subject to sales tax. And even if they were, the consumers pay the tax, not the store.— AMC4232
- sdls1603, even though you did not put the questions to me, I'll be happy to answer...yes the trash does get picked up, but the mess the trash men leave requires cleaning, particularly since the neigborhoods don't get cleaned like downtown does, Queen's Village, University City, Chestnut Hill, etc...As for schools for the kids to go to? Yea right, unless your on the School Board, a principal of a school, or a politican, or someone who has pull with these groups, your stuck sending your children to crime infested public schools. Anybody with a brain and a buck is forced to pay for private schools, because the city is unable to provide safe learning enviornments. Police? Yes, the police come, if your situation allows you to wait an hour or so for them to respond. Of course if your shot in the head, or stabbed in the back, they will probably come sooner, however a car accident where no one is hurt, or a robbery with no one hurt, your waiting an hour or more for the police to arrive, except of course if your in Center City, Rittenhouse Square, Chestnut Hill, Queen's Village, etc. Ambulance? If your lucky enough to have one in your local firehouse (assuming you still have a local firehouse and they don't have to come from the next district over), they get to you quickly. Library? Hours have been cut back drastically, unless again, you are in Center City, Chestnut Hill, etc etc.. Property taxes? Yes, they are low, but since property taxes basically fund a dysfunctional school system, why should we have to pay high property taxes for such poor schools? Do you really think sinking more money into the system will help? Your dreaming, or have not been living in the city very long.— Anthony Palmer
- Please Stop describing Mayor Nutters proposal as a Temporary "one cent on the dollar" sales tax. It is a One percent Sales Tax Increase and it is not going to be Temporary. Anyone who believes this tax will be repealed in five years is a moron. Mayor Nutter, Please continue to lay off and cut salaries of city employees. You have allot more to trim before you think about raising our taxes. Start with any "assistant" who is making more than 50k. Get your house in order before you Tax Mine!!!— JACKSKELETON
- Where's the money that VP Biden approved for our officers?— germany
- WOW! A whole 12 employees laid off. What bold action!— stop2think
- The solution to the constant budget problems has always been here. ELIMINATE THE WAGE TAX - New business will flock to the city!— mortgage_wizard
- this city is just rediculous— PhillyFuture
- this city is just rediculous— PhillyFuture
- AS I KEEP SAYING ALL YOU PEOPLE IN PHILLY DESERVE WHAT YOU GET FOR STILL ELECTING THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN LOL— bobbyboob
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- Nutter Must GO!!!— ghs25
- And Latrice Bryant is still making over 90,000 per year...WHAT A JOKE !!!!!— TheRealDeal
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- If he would increas that number to 120 or 1200 we all would be really imopressed.....bureacrats , patronage workers and loafers make up 20% of the city work force and until he cleaers out the dead wood he has done nothing.......Get rid of the bums and the government leeches......— nuggett
- 12 city employees and 255 state employees last week... And I'm STILL ALIVE!!!— fafafooey
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- sdls1603 -Do you live in the City of Philadelphia? Are you blind? I do. You are right property taxes are low. But guess what they are going to be "temporarily" raised in the next two years. And that is on TOP of a 5% city wage tax that we all pay. I pay nearly 10K a year in taxes just to get my trash taken out every week. Never mind all of the waste that goes on which cause my public utility bills to be much higher. They don't clean my streets anymore and I can't send my kids to public schools becuase they are near worst in the nation. When I call a city service, they don't answer the phone and don't call back. 311 will tell you to call and leave another message. Where does the money go? Where is the reform that he promised? Answer that question.— brandon215
- Because your contributions are currently under review.......do you live in Philadelphia? For once I agree with CleanUp. Has he/she said one thing that is incorrect? I am a democrat and that being said, we need to stop this blind support of the democratic party in Philadelphia as it has led to an extreme form of waste.— brandon215
- PRIVATIZE the trash collection...fire ALL of those non working trash men and woman, who have picked up the trash in my neighborhood around 7:30 pm the past 4 weeks...talk about saving money! Bring in Waste mgmt...LA, chicago, Minneapolis all have private trash, and get this, the trash acutally makes it into the truck, and not all over the streets!— bundy1972
- Cleanup has blown a gasket! Nutter's career not even started? He nearly qualifies for DROP. That's a doozy. Dishonoring cops? Isn't this the class of city worker we just learned were milking disability and draining the city's pension funds with their very generous pension deal. Sure, some actually earn these benefits, but all? I can see that cleanup likes to pick and choose his wasteful government workers based on larger political concerns. No one ever got elected bashing cops or proposing to control public safety spending (or liberalizing public safety policies), and that is in part why we are in this stew. No sacred cows, except for my cow. My cow is a hero. I might add that anyone who posits neo-classical economics as a pure science, devoid of ideology...is merely claiming that their ideology is better than yours because it involves some math (along with some really bad data, and some worse assumptions). Also, by his logic, wouldn't collecting overdue property taxes negatively impact the already depressed land market (with the lack of tax collection being a form of subsidy). How is one tax impactful and the other not?— bobcitydoc
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- No such thing as a temporary tax hike, take a look as booxe in PA, we are still paying a tax for the Johnstown floods...HAHAHHA I like how Nutter tries the scare tactic by always going after police and fireman. Please, if he really want to fix budget, he could clear house in several other over staffed, fat cat departments.— thebaron
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- So these 12 "layoffs" and delaying the entering class in Police Academy is saving about $30 million ($10 million city is not getting per month because of Harrisburg's lack of approval x 3 months)??— phillyccgwm
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- How much has Philly's population declined over the past 10, 20, 30 years? And how much has the city workforce declined? Bet the rates are not even close.
- Mayor the voters are getting your pink slip next— George Hanna
- Mayor is REAL concerned with public safety, according to him Philly actually needs less cops, not more. Not just with the public being shorthanded by lack of police services, but the police force itself. Less men to utilize, less to have their backs being watched by partners. Hey as long as the mayor has his personal security brigrade,who cares about everybody else. What kind of message is this to send to the public? After seing so many officers fall on the streets over the past few years as well, its just an insult.Lay off people who contribute nothing and and make triple the salary of average people, such as Wilson Goode Jr. and Latrice Bryant and just have parties amongst themselves day in and day out while on the clock, its just wrong on so many levels. You're a jerk Nutter.— BleedingMe
- I'm so glad I moved out of Philly 7 years ago. I think Nutter is trying to become the new Detroit.— jkt
- you know what really gets me is all the street cleaners riding around in the city, especially in the northeast, why don't they lay them off instead of the police and fire who we really need. i mean really think about that.— SVENNERI
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Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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