Council hires Econsult, Fairmount to provide financial analysis

City Council, which has been feeling a little outgunned in its budget battle with Mayor Nutter this year, has just hired some fiscal firepower all its own.

The economic consulting firm Econsult and Fairmount Capital Advisors will now be providing independent expert research and financial advising services for council. In theory, that means council will not be quite as much at the mercy of the Nutter administration's budget and finance staffs.

The initial contract has a limit of just $75,000. That's just the initial cost, however. It'll go up, a lot, if council retains either or both firms past the current round of budget negotiations.

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