Mayor Nutter Says Soda Tax Not Defeated & Touts Himself As the ‘Low-Tax-Guy.’ For Realz.
Mayor Michael Nutter This past weekend, Mayor Nutter was voted as the vice president of the United States Conference of Mayors, where he and dozens of other mayors partied in Baltimore and gossiped about federal spending cuts, investing too much overseas and political ideology. Or not. Nutter said on C-SPAN’s NEWSMAKERS Sunday that party lines “do...
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As The Soda Tax Fizzles, Council Finds New Funding For Philly’s School District
Yay! Education AND soft drinks are saved—thanks to an increase in property taxes, again. Sigh. Councilman Rizzo enjoying a soda. If you didn’t follow our live coverage of yesterday’s soda tax debate in City Council, here’s what you missed: -City Council, at one point, was close to passing the soda tax. -A witness called Councilman Bill Green...
Continue Reading![Whose Job Is It Gonna Be: Soda Workers or School Teachers? [VIDEO]](http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/files/2011/06/IMG_4759-150x150.jpg)
Whose Job Is It Gonna Be: Soda Workers or School Teachers? [VIDEO]
Mayor Nutter asked City Council to consider a soda tax, again. Soda workers and community members protested Tuesday at City Hall against Mayor Nutter’s proposed soda tax—which City Council members will decide on Thursday morning—that would help close the school district’s $629 million deficit. Meanwhile, Nutter visited schools across the city...
Continue ReadingPhillies’ Unofficial Mascot Has Got Game [VIDEO]
The Phillie Phanatic better watch its tail: there’s a fan in town who says the only thing he’s got on him is being green. Hailing from Wissinoming and often seen whizzing around Philadelphia’s streets and sidewalks on an electric scooter while belting into a beat-up microphone, Sonny Forriest Jr. can sing a tune as smoothly as he can catch...
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Nutter Backtracks on Proposed Budget; 1 Point for Rizzo
As if the blazing weather wasn’t hot enough during the past week, M. Nutt may be feeling an even harsher heat from City Council as he proposes new tax increases. Council and Nutter are again not on the same page, even though just three months ago, the mayor appeared to be ballin’. Three months ago, he proposed a $3.45 billion budget for fiscal year...
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City Controller Releases School District’s Audit Amid Budget Woes
Call it either perfect timing or an organized plot to undermine the school district’s leadership, but City Controller Alan Butkovitz today called for “more financial oversight and auditing authority” over the School District’s finances. Butkovitz called the deficiencies “material weaknesses,” including a $15.3 million food-service...
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Sarah Palin’s Bus Tour Makes an Exit for Philadelphia
Pat yourselves on the back, media. You guessed right: Sarah Palin did visit Philadelphia. photos: by Matt Petrillo Arriving at Independence Hall at around 2:00 this afternoon, she crossed Chestnut Street to go to the Liberty Bell Center. And that was about it. She barley talked to reporters, only giving the same sound bytes from her two previous stops, and continued...
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The Phlog: Shit in Rittenhouse
Photo by Nina Hoffmann Summer means a big bright Philadelphia sun attracting lots of us to come out of hiding. It also means a drastically slower walking-speed due to those leaving the house and clogging the city’s sidewalks and parks. Summer means over sized sunglasses to cover-up ugly, scantily-dressed girls scoffing at guys who catcall at them, men conspicuously...
Continue Reading![Cannabis March Garners International Support, Calls for Social Change [VIDEO]](http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/files/2011/05/WEED_2011AB-150x150.jpg)
Cannabis March Garners International Support, Calls for Social Change [VIDEO]
Photo by Ryan Strand We told you the 2011 Philadelphia Cannabis March was Saturday, and we’re glad to have seen almost 1,000 of you there! But legalizing marijuana still has a long way to go, it seems, especially when city leaders–like the mayor & police department–refuse to comment on it. Check out more photos from Saturday HERE. swfobject.embedSWF("http://www.youtube.com/v/PI4xClSfYgU&rel=0&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=0",...
Continue Reading![School District Begs Council to Aid Its Financial Woes [VIDEO]](http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/files/2011/05/arlene-150x150.jpg)
School District Begs Council to Aid Its Financial Woes [VIDEO]
Schools Chief Arlene Ackerman (left) (photos: Matt Petrillo). The Philadelphia School District is Pennsylvania’s largest, and educates 10-percent of its students, but is “being asked to bear 25-percent of the cuts,” says Michael Masch, it’s Chief Financial Officer. Masch, among other school district officials, testified today in front...
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