"We don't control the financial markets," Nutter said. "Circumstances change. Everything is wonderful in the course of the campaign. Reality steps in."
Still, some of Nutter's campaign pledges - like re-establishing an Office of Arts and Culture - remain intact. And Nutter stressed that he hopes to revisit some of his stalled promises if the economy gets back on track.
Here's a look at some of Nutter's promises back in 2007 on the trail, and what he's doing now:
ARTS
* Pledge: To reopen the Office of Arts and Culture.
* Plan: Nutter did reopen the office earlier this year, appointing Gary Steur as chief cultural officer. It's staying open, although the FY'09 budget will be reduced from $4.2 million to $3.2 million
CRIME
* Pledge: To hire 500 additional officers over three years.
* Plan: The number of officers will remain the same at the end of 2008 as at the beginning - about 6,624 - according to Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Everett Gillison. About 200 unfilled positions in the police department will stay vacant, and overtime will be reduced. But 200 additional cops have been deployed onto street duty, so the size of patrol manpower has increased.
EDUCATION
* Pledge: Fund one-third of Community College of Philadelphia's budget by the end of his first term.
* Plan: Originally, Nutter raised the city contribution from $24 million to $28 million for this school year. Under the new plan, he dropped it to $26 million. Nutter still has a long way to go before meeting the one-third pledge. The '07-'08 budget for the college was $119 million.
HOUSING
* Pledge: To fully fund the Housing Trust Fund - which finances affordable-housing projects - with $15 million.
* Plan: That amount is being reduced from $15 million over five years to $6 million over five years.
SUSTAINABILITY
* Pledge: To appoint a sustainability coordinator.
* Plan: Has appointed Mark Alan Hughes to lead the city's sustainability efforts, which Nutter says will save the city money in the long run. But Hughes' city funding was cut 10 percent - by about $68,000. Hughes also has outside grant funding.
TAXES
* Pledge: To sustain reductions in the Wage Tax to 3.25 percent for residents and nonresidents by 2015. To establish a schedule for eliminating gross-receipts portion of the Business Privilege Tax over five to seven years and for a cut of the net-income portion.
* Plan: Has postponed those cuts until 2015, although state gaming revenue will provide some wage-tax relief.
