It’s confirmed: DROP cost a lot

The DROP program is not nearly as costly as a study commissioned by Mayor Michael Nutter found it was, according to the results of a study commissioned by City Council that will be released this morning.

Anthony Radwanski, a Council spokesman, said the report from consulting firm Bolton Partners Inc. shows a “wide disparity” from the Boston College report. The latter found the controversial program cost the city $258 million between 1999 and 2009. The $100 million price tag being bandied about is “pretty much where it’s at,” said Radwanski. The issue has surfaced in the re-election campaigns of three City Council members including Frank DiCicco, who didn’t think the news would impact his bill that would allow city employees to leave DROP.