It's almost official.
Mere moments before their annual New Year's Day parade, the Mummers have a tentative contract with the city, George Badey III, chairman of www.savethemummers.com said today.
"We have a tentative deal and I have to get approval from all my members," Badey said. "I'm fairly confident everything will be fine."
Mayor Nutter has scheduled a press conference with the Mummers tomorrow morning to announce the agreement. Badey said the city had promised to provide information the Mummers want -- a detailed inovice of the parade costs and copies of the contracts for other parades and special events in the city.
"Mayor Nutter said on television today that he's going to provide the information and we're going to get it," Badey said.
Under the deal, the Mummers will be charged $148,017 for city costs related to the parade. Badey said $107,000 will will be provided through fundraising by U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, as well as Councilman Jim Kenny and Frank DiCicco. The Mummers will pay the rest.
Last year, due to budget constraints, Mayor Nutter ended a city policy of picking up police and sanitation costs for special events.