In hopes of saving $500 million over 30 years, Mayor Nutter plans to send legislation to City Council tomorrow - which is Council's final session before the summer recess - that would create a two-tier pension system for union employees.

Under the proposal, which Nutter alluded to in his budget speech in March, new city workers hired as of July 1 would be enrolled in a pension program that is a hybrid between a defined contribution and defined benefit plan. All current municipal union workers participate in a defined benefit plan. The change means new hires would have a lower level of benefits, although they could increase what they get by putting in more of their own money.

Council will not vote on the plan tomorrow; in fact, no vote could occur until the fall.  If approved, it could become retroactive to July 1.

The introduction of the measure comes as the city is bargaining with its four municipal unions. Contracts for all unions - the police, the fire fighters, white-collar District Council 47 and blue-collar District Council 33 - expire midnight June 30.

»  More Nutter seeking reduced pension benefits for new hires

A week after the Eagles were ordered to pay the city $8 million, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court has told the city it must now send the team $5 million. The ruling puts to rest a dispute stemming from a 2001 pre-season game, which was canceled due to poor field conditions at Veteran's Stadium. Afterward, the Eagles withheld payment of $8 million in revenue owed the city, claiming the city's failure to keep the field in decent condition cost the team money. The city sued, and the team countered with a lawsuit of its own.

“I am pleased that this matter has finally been concluded," Mayor Nutter said in a statement. "Just over a week ago Judge Sheppard ordered the Eagles to pay the City $8 million and today he has ordered the City to pay the Eagles $5 million, resolving both pieces of this case. I look forward to continuing to work with the Eagles as partners in the community to improve the lives of Philadelphians in neighborhoods across this city. Finally I wish them the best in the upcoming season.”

The team also appears happy to finally put the matter to rest.

“We are glad that this issue is behind us. We have important civic, community and economic ties to the City of Philadelphia and the region and we look forward to that being the focus of our ongoing dialogue as we look to the future,” said Eagles spokeswoman Pamela Browner Crawley in a statement.

»  More City to pay Eagles $5 million

Not to be alarmist, says a city official, but if you are a non-union city employee you might want to reconsider your summer plans.

With contracts expiring July 1 with four municipal unions, city Managing Director Camille Barnett is planning ahead and sent this email to city employees. Those who would be affected include 2,831 exempt employees - such as those who work directly for Mayor Nutter - and about 900 others who are not represented by any union.

Here's the email:

"The City's labor contracts with its non-uniformed, unionized employees end at midnight, June 30th. While we hope that a strike can be avoided, the possibility of a strike cannot be ruled out at this time. The City of Philadelphia must ensure that, in the event of a work stoppage by either of the municipal unions, vital services continue. It is also important to inform employees how a work stoppage could affect their leave.

»  More City workers: Be flexible on summer vacation plans

The battle lines have been drawn on the transfer of the Foxwoods Casino plan from the South Philadelphia waterfront to the Strawbridge & Clothier building at 8th and Market streets. Casino Free Philadelphia founder Jethro Heiko once worked alongside City Councilman Frank DiCicco to get Foxwoods off the waterfront. The uneasy allies are allies no longer, as indicated by this exchange on YoungPhillyPolitics.com in which DiCicco's lawyer -- that would be his son, Christian DiCicco -- demands that Heiko apologize for "malicious, false and defamatory statements." 

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

The anti-casino movement, like 'em or not, has always shown intself to be resourceful, witty, and sometimes very effective. Here's their latest tact -- Casino Free Philadelphia and the No Casinos in the Heart of Our City Coalition will open up an office at 718 Market Street -- within a block of Foxwoods' proposed site at the old Strawbridge & Clothier building in the 800 block of Market Street. The anticasino-istas will offer a "circus" as an opening celebration on June 25, complete with "The Incredible Two-Faced Mayor" and "City Council Contortions."

The office even has a name -- The No Slots Spot.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Mayor Nutter is in Harrisburg again today, walking the state Capitol hallways with city Finance Director Rob Dubow.

Their goal - as it was in at least two prior visits in as many weeks - is to convince Pennsylvania lawmakers to give a nod to a proposal to increase the city sales tax by one percent for five years. They also want lawmakers to approve two pension-related changes. Together, those actions would balance the budget that Council passed and Nutter signed.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

City Council President Anna Verna lost her husband of 57 years over the weekend.

Severino Verna, Jr., 78, had suffered a stroke three years ago.

The longtime South Philadelphia funeral director had been a regular sight in City Hall during Verna's early days on Council, frequently driving her to work.

The couple, who had no children, were devoted to each other, aides to the Councilwoman said. "He was there every step of the way for her. He was very proud of her accomplishments," said Kathleen Murray, a senior adviser who knew Severino Verna since 1983.

»  More Severino Verna, husband of Council president, dies

So much for labor peace.

Last year at this time, there was little more than a peep to be heard from the four municipal labor unions as they were renegotiating contracts with the Nutter administration. At the mayor's request, all sides had agreed to keep their talks out of the public spotlight - which is exactly what happened, with a few minor exceptions.

That does not promise to be the case this year, evidenced by soured relationships between many of the union leaders and Nutter.

Those tensions will spill over publicly this Thursday, when District Council 33, which represents blue-collar workers, and District Council 47, whose members work white-collar city jobs, gather for a 5 p.m. rally in LOVE Park. According to a flier being distributed, Transport Workers Union Local 234 and SEIU Local 32BJ will also participate "to show solidarity with all public sector unions."

»  More City unions plan rally next week

City Councilman Bill Greenlee isn’t one of Council’s most boisterous members.

But the at-large councilman blew off some steam today in response to a flier mailed out this week by the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors.

“I don’t ususally spend time speaking about mailings,” Greenless said from the Council floor. “However, in an instance when something is said by a well-known professional organization that is so blatantly unfair, misleading and just flat-out wrong, it has to be commented on.”

The flier asks recipients to contact Council members to “stop the property tax bait-and-switch.”

»  More Councilman attacks flier alleging Council conspired to raise property taxes