City Axes Jobs, Programs, Fire Trucks to Balance Budget

Mayor Nutter announces major cuts

By DAN STAMM

Updated 7:50 AM EDT, Sat, Nov 8, 2008

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Philadelphia residents and workers are going find fewer programs, fire engines, libraries, pools and less snow removal in the coming year as all city departments are taking a budget cut hit.

Mayor Michael Nutter announced the city's plans for making up a $1 billion shortfall in the budget.

Click here to read Mayor Nutter's entire budget address.

Mayor Nutter Addresses the City's Budget Crisis

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Mayor Nutter Addresses the City's Budget Crisis

Mayor Nutter Talks to Media After City Budget Address

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Mayor Nutter Talks to Media After City Budget Address

220 city workers will be fired and 600 currently open jobs will remain unfilled to save money.

Mayor Nutter announced that the city has to cut $100 million from the current city spending. He has opted to not make outright cuts but instead cutback on certain programs and areas.

Here are some of the cuts:

Fewer trucks at some firehouses
Closure of 11 free library branches
The elimination of the DARE (drug and alcohol resistance) and GREAT (gang resistance training) programs
Closure of city curfew centers
No snow removal unless 12 inches fall
Closure of the 92nd Police district serving Fairmount Park
62 of 73 outdoor city pools won't open next summer
No more residential street cleaning and leave removal
Freeze on tax reductions
Three city ice rinks will be closed this winter
An end to bulk trash pickup including large appliances like refrigerators

The biggest hits will be to the City Recreation Department, Fairmount Park Commission and the Free Library as all three will be cut by at least 20 percent.

Nutter announced that there will be no overall cutbacks in man power for the Philadelphia Fire Department or Philadelphia Police Department. Some officers will be reassigned within the departments and overtime will be cutback.

There will be two Fire Department ladder companies closed and some fire equipment cutbacks but no firehouses will close.

There will be no cutbacks to emergency medical services in Philly.

Mayor Nutter and his staff will all take a pay cut as part of his plan.

There will be cutbacks, though, at city recreation centers but none of these centers will close.

There are some areas that will go up including increased parking violation fees that will help fund public schools.

We want to know: How will the city budget cuts affect you? And how will you cope? E-mail us at ATAM@nbcuni.com.