After three budgets that included proposals likedouble-digit tax hikes, a “soda tax,” library shutdowns and trash collectionfees, Mayor Michael Nutter today introduced a fee-free budget for the firsttime in his tenure. Wonder if he knows it’s an election year. (Not like he hasmuch to worry about, other than a far-fetched challenged by a man namedStreet. That isn’t completelysurprising. Mayor Nutter has seemingly always had one Street or the otherplaying his political foil.) In what his spokesman has called a “hold the line” budget,Nutter announced no new tax increases in the 2011 budget. “To balance ourbudget we will not ask for more revenue from our citizens,” Nutter said insidea crowded City Council chamber. “We’ll continue to cut spending – an additional$14 million over the next five years on top of the more than $1 billion in thelast two.” This could all change in a blink of an eye, as Nutterwarned. Gov. Tom Corbett will take his turn at the podium next weekin Harrisburg when he unveils the 2011 state budget and how he’ll close aroughly $4 billion hole between last year’s spending levels and this year’srevenue projections. It may mean hundreds of millions in cuts to Philadelphia’sshare of the state pie. “We now need tobe ready to fight drastic, across the board cuts that will reverse gains madein education, hurt the most vulnerable people in our city, and negativelyimpact our ability to attract businesses and create jobs,” Nutter said.
