Council president Verna: we got to spend money to save money
Philadelphia City Hall and political coverage from the Philadelphia Inquirer City Hall bureau.
Council president Verna: we got to spend money to save money
Patrick Kerkstra
City Council is taking to heart the old adage that you have to spend money to make money.
Amid the worst economic crisis in the city’s recent history, council plans to spend an unspecified amount of money on budget and tax consultants as it picks apart Mayor Nutter’s proposed spending plan.
The move would increase council’s spending at a time when most city departments are cutting back, but it would also give council an independent, outside perspective on Mayor Nutter’s proposals.
“We have, what, 60 days in order to deal with this very large, large issue and I think we need help,” said Council President Anna Verna, whose office issued the request for proposal seeking consultant help last week.
Verna said she did not know what firm or indpendent consultant would be hired.
But it was clear the job would not go to Charles McPherson, City Council’s long-serving chief financial officer and budget expert, who is retiring on Thursday.
McPherson, who is enrolled in the city’s controversial DROP program, is barred by state ethics law from contracting directly with the city as a consultant. The law is murkier as to whether McPherson could work for a larger firm that contracts with Philadelphia, but McPherson was adamant yesterday that he has no intention of trying to do so.
“You’re asking me am I looking to do that. The answer is no,” McPherson said.
Instead, McPherson — who is reluctant to deprive council of his 37 years of experience in city government at this critical time — will volunteer his services through the end of the budget process.
Nevertheless, McPherson’s pending departure, and the scale of the budget challenges facing the city, clearly has Council feeling as though it needs some back up.
Mayor Nutter has no objects, according to his spokesman Doug Oliver.
“Charlie clearly has a wealth of institutional knowledge and he is recognized both by the administration and his council colleagues as the resident expert on all things budget related. So his pending retirement definitely leaves a tremendous void for council to fill as they deem appropriate,” Oliver said.
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Gees, why I think of it - why not get rid of Rendell and state offices too - He socked it to the taxpaying property tax owners in NE Phila again and the rest of the few paying crowd. Loved his article on property relief EXCEPT FOR PHILA.— hilite98- City Council and the rest of Phila's offices - are so incompetent - all they can do is hire consultants - abolish all offices - just hire consultants as needed— hilite98
- Spend money to make money - maybe verna will spend some of hers or should I say taxpayers. Just what the heck do they do for the 8 months year that are supposed to be working?— hilite98
these people have been on city council since its inception, and if they dont understand the budget process by now, it times to go.— jayman- If the Council members were not spending so much time and focus these days defending their "perks", they might have had the time during their working hours to actually get a handle on what is going on with the budget, and come up with something constructive on their own. Only having to work 9 months a year for a full year's salary hardly seems right when they are still clueless after all these years in Council - especially Anna Verna as PRESIDENT. Yes - we definitely need to increase property taxes 19% now, in order to pay for this new expenditure, that was most likely NOT BUDGETED FOR. Let HER pay for it with her DROP money. And they wonder why we are so fed up!— dee99999
- We need to CLEAN HOUSE (CITY COUNCIL) Vote them ALL out. Vote for anyone who u can vote for. No one can do a worse job than these clueless money-grabbers.— PhillyS1980
Me too, McPherson for ? Controller— rmship- To CleanupPhilly: No kidding they have to collect the $522 Million that is owed. It should be clear to you and everyone else that that probably is not going to happen, so they are trying to get it from the people they think are most likely to pay it. Even if it was collected, what makes you think it would not be squandered away, as usually happens in this great city? And why shouldn't we want "super low property taxes"? First of all, that is open to interpretation. I think my property taxes are high enough. (Yes, I live in the over-taxed Northeast). Look at all of the suburbs and their property taxes. Most Philadelphians cannot afford to pay those rates, which is why we are stuck here. AND, for as high as their taxes are, they are not immune to tax increases either. (How do you think they got so high?) At least, for their increases, they have decent public schools... We are not looking to "compete" with the suburbs on property taxes. I am pretty sure that we just want to get what we are already paying enough for. It is not unreasonable to want something of real substance for our money.— dee99999
- cleanup - unless the wage tax is reduced significantly it iss silly to raise property taxes.. one could justify living in the city and paying the obscene wage tax because the weren't paying 3-4k a year in property taxes..we know the wage tax is never going down significantly and certainly not away so can we not raise the wage tax as well..— kmmposts
Comment removed.- I'd vote for Charles McPherson.— NickEeee
- I'd ote for Charles McPherson.— NickEeee
- This is a classic council move on their lack of planning...since he was enrolled in DROP = they HAD TO KNOW that he was going to retire and had ample time to develop bench strength nor hire someone BEFORE he retired...and they did nothing..Ladies and Gentlemen - your City Council...why plan ahead - lets create an emergency - idiots— gogglespaisano
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- Verna is an idiot! Someone please run against her...or I will.— Live
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- Verna knows who is getting this contract already. Just check her phone log for the last month and I am sure the calls and the money trail will point to the consultant. All of city council is corrupt starting with this woman. Her and Nancy Peolisi would be good contestants for a reality show called "Follow the Money"— blombard
- john mccain would've had this country in a surplus by now! NOT! /borat— jlamb
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- spending some money to vet the massive overhaul wouldn't be so shocking if these council people were not complete pigs. Just keep voting em back in like you have amnesia Philadelphia.— samson
- she's entitled, didn't you hear?— dreinterests
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