Nutter

For Michael Nutter, even life in the nation's capital is good. The Democratic nominee for mayor of Philadelphia was greeted warmly yesterday by the U.S. Senate leadership, who promised attention to the urban agenda. For his part, Nutter said he would make regular trips to Washington and intended to make better use of Pennsylvania's "powerful" congressional delegation to advance the city's interests. "So what's next?" asked Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), as Nutter explained his status as mayor-presumptive.

Keeping his vow, Mayor Nutter Thursday vetoed City Council legislation that preserves the DROP pension program. Nutter also conceded that Council could have the last word. Council passed the bill last week by a 14 to 3 vote, enough votes to comfortably override a veto. He promised his veto even though the legislation reduces the costs of DROP. The program has cost the city pension fund at least $100 million since its 1999 creation and Council's new version of the retirement program claims the program will cost $15 to $20 million for a period of years.

Democratic mayoral candidate Michael A. Nutter yesterday proposed creating a $10 million-a-year tax-credit program to encourage Philadelphia businesses to hire up to 1,000 ex-offenders. In announcing the plan, Nutter noted that released prisoners commit a high percentage of the city's crimes - while research indicates that the most effective way to keep them out of trouble is to get them jobs. But many employers refuse to hire anyone with a criminal record. Nutter's plan is designed to try to change that.

After losing an "ugly, ugly" race for City Council's 4th District seat to investment specialist Michael A. Nutter, incumbent Ann Land said she's through with public office after her term ends in January. "I'm too much of a lady to be in this game anymore," Land, 59, said after hugging and handshaking her way through a somber group of campaign workers at her no-frills headquarters on Ridge Avenue near Kingsley Street in Roxborough. Though she wore a cheerful face for her troops, the loss clearly stung Land, who has held the Council seat since 1981.

IT'S OFFICIAL. Former City Councilman Michael Nutter - the reformist policy wonk with a ferocious work ethic - was elected mayor of Philadelphia yesterday. Nutter, 50, was widely expected to easily wallop weak Republican opponent Al Taubenberger and he did. With 96 percent of the vote counted, Nutter won 82.5 percent of the vote, compared with 17 percent for Taubenberger. Soon Nutter will be packing his boxes for City Hall's room 215. In January he's taking over a city battling a devastating homicide rate, weakened by underfunded schools and facing a looming budget crisis.

IS MAYOR Nutter a top dog out of town and a lame duck at home? With his new appointment as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, frequent appearances to talk urban policy on CNN and MSNBC and stumping for President Obama's re-election campaign, Nutter's national star has never burned brighter. But last week, just days before he was feted as the new U.S. Conference president, Nutter suffered political defeat back home, when City Council appeared determined to put his proposed property-tax overhaul on hold and provide less money than he sought for the embattled schools.

NBC 10 is hosting an "Ask the Mayor" town-hall meeting on live TV tonight, and Karen Brown has a question about it: Why is the Republican nominee for mayor shut out of an event for the Democratic incumbent six weeks before the Nov. 8 general election? Brown is asking NBC 10 to provide her with "equal time," citing a federal law that regulates how stations give air time to political candidates. NBC 10 spokeswoman Kathleen Burke yesterday said that the town hall was "designed to give the people of Philadelphia an opportunity to directly ask the mayor about issues of importance to them and their community.

IT SEEMS THAT Mayor Nutter plans to take on a more active role in the goings-on of the School District of Philadelphia in light of the district's deep budget plight and a recent request for $110 million in additional funding. In a letter addressed to the School Reform Commission and Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, Nutter told SRC and district officials that he expects not only to meet with senior staff on a monthly basis, but also to receive information including a list of vendor contracts, district facilities, and nonunion and instructional staff making $90,000 or more; performance evaluations of reform programs; recent audits and other financial statements.

With Mayor Nutter facing longshot federal ex-convict T. Milton Street Sr., there's no question that this year's Democratic mayoral primary is considerably different than the heated five-way battle fought in the 2007 Philadelphia race. Just how different became clearer with the release Friday of new campaign finance data. Consider: In the four months leading up to the 2007 primary, Nutter pulled in nearly $1.7 million - double what he collected in the same period this year.

MAYOR NUTTER on Thursday will veto for the second time a controversial bill that would require most Philly employers to provide paid sick leave. The question is whether Councilman Bill Greenlee, the bill's sponsor, can garner the 12 votes needed to override the veto. "We're having a lot of discussions with a lot of people," said Greenlee, adding that he may not seek an override Thursday. He has until April 11 to do so. Nutter vetoed the bill in 2011, arguing that the measure would harm jobs and businesses.