City Services

Barry Manns tries to coax a passer-by near City Hall to sign a petition by an organization of labor unions and community groups that is seeking a rejection of the mayor's proposed budget on grounds that it would unnecessarily cut city services.

Whenever the appropriateness of subjecting suburban commuters to the Philadelphia wage tax is questioned, the city's representatives argue that it is only fair that suburban commuters should shoulder a portion of this tax burden, since they benefit from city services paid for by this tax revenue. A very substantial portion of wage tax revenues is collected from suburban commuters. Now Roger Tauss, president of Transport Workers Union Local 234, is saying in effect that it is inappropriate for some of this tax revenue to be spent on commuter rail transportation, which is the single most important of these city services to suburban commuters.

Sen. Frank A. Salvatore has introduced a bill he acknowledges won't pass, doesn't have a prayer, is dead in the water. But he has a good reason for introducing it - he doesn't want anyone to steal it from him. The legislation isn't anything new. It would allow Northeast Philadelphia to secede from the city and become its own county. Salvatore has in previous years suggested the name Liberty County. The bill has been introduced in the past, and it has died in the past. And, Salvatore and others agree, it will keep on dying.

IF THERE'S one thing that Oshunbumi Fernandez-Ogundana never wavers over, it's the Odunde Festival and, no matter what, that this local rite of summer will prevail. Even last year, when the situation looked especially iffy amid concerns as to whether the African-American street festival might be canceled for the first time in 34 years. At issue were the substantial costs for police, fire, sanitation, cleanup and other services the city used to pick up but no longer could. This annual festival, which draws from the traditions of the Yorba people of Nigeria and attracts tens of thousands to the South Street area, found itself trying to figure out how to pick up the cost of an estimated $75,000 in city services.

OUR city has drug dealers on just about every corner. Police are being killed on a regular basis. City services are just about null and void, and we have no budget to speak of. So what's our City Council (all paid more than $100,000) doing? Making sure our menus are labeled. Now that I know how many calories are in a Big Mac, I really feel safe and secure. George Madden, Philadelphia

Dear Aaron and Laura, This is a great issue that you've raised. We need to change the relationship between public officials and the people they serve. Philadelphians make an investment in their city through tax dollars, and they expect a return on that investment in the form of high-quality city services. City government must be in the business of providing superior customer service to the people of Philadelphia. If I am elected mayor, we will develop a customer-service training program for all public employees, making public satisfaction with city services a priority.

WHY IS IT that every time the mayors or Council members write a letter or talk to the media, they all talk about cutting city services, having to raise taxes, having taxpayers tighten our belts, but no one mentions cutting their huge budgets? I hope voters remember when they come up for re-election. Here's a ballot question: "Shall the City of Philadelphia abolish half the Council seats and all their perks in order to save the taxpayer's money to help reduce our property-tax increase and keep police and fire on the streets?"

I READ where Mayor Nutter had a 71 percent approval job rating. Is that true? Could it have been just 71 people total? With all the cutbacks in the fire department, libraries and other city services, and doubling the parking-meter rates, how many people would give him a positive approval rating? All he has done is give employers of ex-cons city tax credits and get ex-cons jobs at Goodwill. Could the ex-cons make up 71 percent of the people? Mayer Krain, Philadelphia

Saying he wanted to provide better service to Philadelphia's growing immigrant population, Mayor Nutter signed an executive order Thursday establishing the Mayor's Office of Immigrant and Multi-Cultural Affairs. The office will seek to improve access to city services for people whose English is limited. It also will help develop economic opportunities and educational resources. Nutter named Jennifer Rodriguez executive director of the office. She will be paid $100,000. Fernando Treviño-Martínez will serve as deputy director and will be paid $90,000.