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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
"Reform" on Nutter's mind

Remember Mayor Nutter, the so-called reform candidate? Well, he is getting ready to push government reform issues - which were sidetracked during the months-long budget fight with Harrisburg - again to the forefront of his agenda.

The administration is nearing completion on a set of initiatives meant to rattle - to some extent - certain government functions as we know them.

Beginning tomorrow, these in-the-works initiatives will undergo scrutiny during a two-day "Reform Team Summit" organized in large part by Managing Director Camille Barnett and also Mary Horstmann, director of the Mayor's Office of Private Sector Initiatives.

From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., individual "teams" - made up of city staffers and private sector leaders - will present their ideas for how to save money, increase revenue and improve efficiency. Among those listening and offering feedback will be City Council members, deputy mayors, the Economy League, the Committee of 70, the William Penn Foundation and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. In addition, members of Nutter's campaign transition team were invited to participate.

All of this work has been underway since last December and is expected to be unveiled publicly in mid-October and November.

Unknown at this point is whether the changes ultimately proposed will actually upend government, or merely tinker with the existing structure.

What is known so far:

*12 reform teams were created to study the following areas: Police, fire and EMS, prisons and criminal justice, human services, education, energy and sustainability, development process, streets, procurement, human resources, information technology and customer service.

*During the two-day review, the teams will discuss what problems they sought to address, what recommendations they propose by studying best practices and policies in other cities, and what obstacles are in the way.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Posted by Marcia Gelbart @ 5:11 PM  Permalink | 6 comments
Comments   
Comment removed.
Posted 09:24 AM, 10/01/2009
CleanupPhilly
It's been two years of Nutter's term, and one financial crisis that could have been used to employ the cost savings, and here's where we're at. Nutter won't even end the BRT on the PSD payroll. Helen Gym should sue -- tell me where to send her money.
Posted 09:25 AM, 10/01/2009
CleanupPhilly
I was also hoping the press would be more activist in its recommendations itself, which would assure you a nice cushy job with Pew if worse comes to worse.
Posted 10:39 AM, 10/01/2009
Pangloss
Wake up CPhilly, Nutter et al have taken $1.7 billion out of the budget. He's engaged in major reform with the unions right now -- healthcare and pension. He has committed to real change at BRT and it will happen. Billy Green dusted off some of Nutter's old BRT bills from five years ago. They need to be recalibrated and thought through carefully. In short, reform needs to be data-driven and executed with care.
Posted 01:30 PM, 10/02/2009
concerns25
This city needs something to feel good about so start with the revamping of Market East ccorridor and then the Great Plaza area at Penns Landing. Get money from stimulus and these will creat jobs. City Council should not be involved since they accomplish nothing and add nothing to the process. Verna is too old and so are her ideas and most of the others are corrupt.
Posted 07:18 PM, 10/04/2009
Philly Phorever
I wonder if Heard in City Hall will do any follow up on this...I've heard the Nutter is doing a lot of reforming but that very little of it gets in the papers or the major media.
6 comments
About Inquirer City Hall Staff
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff Shields, Marcia Gelbart, and Patrick Kerkstra take you inside Philadelphia's City Hall.
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