Chris Brennan, who is currently covering a budget briefing for City Council members, reports that the Nutter administration plans to hold eight town hall meetings across the city from November 25 to December 18 to explain the budget cuts.
"The administration is prepared to go out to make sure we explain the actions we have taken to the community," said Nutter's Chief of Staff Clay Armbrister.
Mayor Nutter has announced substantial cuts to shore up a $1 billion gap in the city budget over the next five years. His plans include delaying tax cuts, laying off city workers and reducing some city services -- including shutting down 11 libraries and 68 pools.
UPDATE: Here's the City press release and meeting schedule:
MAYOR NUTTER ANNOUNCES SERIES OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS ON CITY’S RESPONSE TO FINANCIAL CRISIS
Top City leadership to attend eight community meetings across Philadelphia
Philadelphia, November 17 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter has announced a series of eight Town Hall Meetings throughout Philadelphia to explain the city’s response to the financial crisis and changes to the budget. The meetings will take place during late-November to mid-December. At the meetings, city government leadership will explain the difficult decisions that need to be made, share the principles that guided the process, and to listen to any concerns that citizens may have.
“This is an opportunity for Philadelphians to hear directly from the leadership of city government on changes that will have an impact on their communities,” said Mayor Nutter. “I look forward to the opportunity to meet with citizens all across the city to explain what has led to our financial situation, why we have made the very difficult budget decisions that we have made, and to listen to the concerns of people throughout many neighborhoods.”
At each session Mayor Nutter will make opening remarks and run the audience through a short overview presentation and then open up for approximately an hour-long Q&A session. The Managing Director, Deputy Mayors, Finance Director Rob Dubow, Budget Director Steve Agostini, Police Commissioner Ramsey, Fire Commissioner Ayers, Recreation Commissioner Slawson, L&I Commissioner Burns, Streets Commissioner Tolson, and Fairmount Park Commission Executive Director Mark Focht, and other department and agency heads will all be available to answer questions.
Meeting schedule
Meetings will be held from 7-8:30/9pm each evening. Members of the public should arrive at approximately 6:30-6:45pm. Dates and locations of the meeting are as follows:
Tuesday, November 25th
South Philadelphia High School
2101 S. Broad Street
Monday, December 1st
Kensington High School
2051 E. Cumberland Street
Tuesday, December 2nd
School of the Future
4021 Parkside Avenue
Monday, December 8th
John Perzel Community Center
2990 St. Vincent Street
Tuesday, December 9th
Roxborough Memorial Hospital
Wolcroff Auditorium
5800 Ridge Avenue
Wednesday, December 10th
Benjamin Franklin High School
550 N. Broad Street
Tuesday, December 16th
Kingsessing Recreation Center
5100 Chester Avenue
Thursday, December 18th
Martin Luther King High School
6100 Stenton Avenue