Michael A. Nutter
Encyclopedia
Michael Anthony Nutter is the Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. He is the third African-American mayor of Philadelphia, the largest city in the United States with an African-American mayor. Elected on November 6, 2007, he was sworn in on January 7, 2008 and re-elected on November 8, 2011. Nutter is a former councilman
of the city's 4th Council District, and has served as the 52nd Ward Democratic Leader since 1990.
.
Ann Land for a seat on the Philadelphia City Council
in 1987. Though ultimately unsuccessful in his initial bid, Nutter defeated Land in a rematch four years later, and earned the right to represent the Fourth District on the City Council. His councilmanic district included the neighborhoods of Wynnefield
, Overbrook
, Roxborough
, Manayunk
, East Falls
and parts of North Philadelphia, West Philadelphia
, and West Mount Airy
.
In February of 2003, Nutter was elected Chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Board
at the urging of then Senator (now imprisoned) Vincent Fumo.
In June 2002, as councilman, Nutter introduced a measure requiring college students under 23 years old in Philadelphia's Fourth Council District (students at Saint Joseph's University) to register their address, license plate, car registration and insurance with the University, which would then put a sticker on that car as a "student" car, subjecting the student to triple the usual fines for traffic or parking tickets or any other offense. The ordinance also forced students in off-campus housing to inform their landlords of their "student" status.
In September 2004, as councilman, Nutter introduced legislation creating an independent Ethics Board. In addition, he proposed changes to the City's Ethics Code to provide for routine training and education of all City officers and employees, the issuance of advisory opinions, the adjudication of violations, and the imposition of civil fines. These measures were adopted at the end of 2005. On May 16, 2006, voters approved the Ethics Board ballot question with over 81% voting “Yes,” and was installed November 27, 2006.
Nutter sponsored "The Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law," expanding the definition of "public places" where smoking is not allowed to include restaurants and many bars, which Mayor Street eventually signed into law.
Nutter's local bidder preference program, which took effect on July 1, 2004, gives preference to Philadelphia businesses in competitive bidding on City contracts greater than $25,000.
In January 2005, the City announced a library reorganization plan in which 20 branches would shift from full-day service to half-day service, and that many head librarians had been laid off. Library supporters rejected these changes and petitioned the mayor and City Council to restore service and staffing levels. Then-councilman Nutter called for an investigation to evaluate the Library System and explore alternatives to find additional funding in order to restore service. City Council rejected the Administration's cut, funding was restored, and by the Fall of 2005 all library branches had full-day service, Saturday hours, and a head librarian. Nutter as Mayor then sought to close 11 libraries until City Council brought a suit that kept the libraries open.
He supported having the City of Philadelphia declare a "Crime Emergency" in selected areas of Philadelphia. This would have stationed more officers in certain areas of Philadelphia, limited the ability to gather on public sidewalks, imposed a curfew for all residents, and limited the ability to travel in certain areas. The proposal included a warrant-less police search technique known as "stop-and-frisk." Nutter claims that this approach is sufficiently similar to one that was found to be Constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 1968 in Terry v. Ohio
, but it still has not been determined if this specific exercise is in violation of Fourth Amendment rights. A version of this plan was later implemented by Nutter and was the target of a lawsuit.
Nutter has supported the eviction of the Cradle of Liberty Council
of the Boy Scouts of America
from their headquarters on the Ben Franklin Parkway both as a councilman and as mayor. In a televised debate on NBC 10 Live @ Issue he said, "In my administration, we will not subsidize discrimination."
in April of 2007. Nutter quickly moved to position himself as a reformer. On April 27, 2007, The Philadelphia Inquirer
announced that it would endorse Nutter for the Democratic primary. Nutter was also endorsed by the Philadelphia Daily News
, Philadelphia
magazine, Northeast Times
, Philadelphia City Paper
, Philadelphia Weekly
, Philly for Change (a local affiliate of Democracy for America
), The Daily Pennsylvanian
, the Penn Democrats, and Clean Water Action. Nutter won the May 15 Democratic primary election with 37% of the vote in a five-man field, which made him the strong favorite in heavily Democratic Philadelphia.
Indeed, on November 6, 2007, Nutter won the general election in a landslide, receiving 86 percent of the vote; his opponent, Al Taubenberger
, received 13 percent of the vote.
on New Year's Day, and cut other services from the budget. Mayor Nutter has closed seven fire companies including the oldest fire company in the nation (engine 8). Although he was successful in closing the budget gap, he has come under criticism for using up political capital to save a few million dollars on a politically unpopular move, attempting to close 11 city libraries. Libraries are open today due only to the lawsuit brought by City Councilman Bill Green.
Nutter endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton
for president during the 2008 Democratic primary, and often campaigned with the Senator. After Clinton's withdrawal, Nutter supported the Democratic nominee Barack Obama
.
In summing up his first term in office, The Economist
cited an observer assessing that Nutter "did a good job in his first term, but nothing really bold".
Recently, Nutter was seen in the movie Law Abiding Citizen
as the Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia.
, getting 76% of the vote. Despite the lopsided victory, Street capturing 24% of the Democratic vote astonished many and served to diminish Nutter. He defeated two candidates in the general election of November 2011, garnering over 70% of the vote on a voter turnout of around 18%.
, and are the parents of two children.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He is the third African-American mayor of Philadelphia, the largest city in the United States with an African-American mayor. Elected on November 6, 2007, he was sworn in on January 7, 2008 and re-elected on November 8, 2011. Nutter is a former councilman
Past Members of the Philadelphia City Council
This is a list of former Philadelphia, Pennsylvania city council members.-Current city council members:The current City Council sit until the next election, scheduled for 2011, with those elected taking office in January 2012.-Past city councils:...
of the city's 4th Council District, and has served as the 52nd Ward Democratic Leader since 1990.
Early life and education
Nutter grew up in West Philadelphia. He attended elementary school at Transfiguration of Our Lord Catholic Elementary School and graduated from the school. He then attended St. Joseph's Preparatory School in North Philadelphia before moving on to earn a degree from the Wharton School of the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
City Council tenure
Nutter, the then and current ward leader of the 52nd ward of the City of Philadelphia, initially challenged incumbent DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Ann Land for a seat on the Philadelphia City Council
Philadelphia City Council
The Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number...
in 1987. Though ultimately unsuccessful in his initial bid, Nutter defeated Land in a rematch four years later, and earned the right to represent the Fourth District on the City Council. His councilmanic district included the neighborhoods of Wynnefield
Wynnefield, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wynnefield is a predominantly African-American, middle-classneighborhood in West Philadelphia. Its borders are 53rd Street at Jefferson to the south, Philadelphia's Fairmount Park to the east, City Avenue to the north and the Amtrak Main Line tracks to the west.Surrounding neighborhoods include...
, Overbrook
Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Overbrook is a neighborhood northwest of West Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The area contains an assortment of housing from large, old homes to row homes to 3-4 story apartment buildings.-Physical setting:...
, Roxborough
Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Roxborough is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is bordered to the southwest, along the Schuylkill River, by the neighborhood of Manayunk, along the northeast by the Wissahickon Creek section of Fairmount Park, and to...
, Manayunk
Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Manayunk is a neighborhood in the northwestern section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it contains the first canal begun in the United States . The area's name comes from the language of the Lenape Indians...
, East Falls
East Falls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
East Falls is a neighborhood in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. East Falls is located adjacent to Roxborough, Manayunk, and Germantown, and Fairmount Park. The neighborhood runs along a stretch of Ridge Avenue that is only a few miles long, along the banks of the...
and parts of North Philadelphia, West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
, and West Mount Airy
Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mount Airy is a neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Mount Airy is bounded on the northwest by the Cresheim Valley, which is part of Fairmount Park. Beyond this lies Chestnut Hill. On the west side is the Wissahickon Gorge, which is also part of Fairmount...
.
In February of 2003, Nutter was elected Chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Board
Pennsylvania Convention Center
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is a multi-use public facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which is designed to accommodate conventions, exhibitions, conferences and other events.-History:...
at the urging of then Senator (now imprisoned) Vincent Fumo.
In June 2002, as councilman, Nutter introduced a measure requiring college students under 23 years old in Philadelphia's Fourth Council District (students at Saint Joseph's University) to register their address, license plate, car registration and insurance with the University, which would then put a sticker on that car as a "student" car, subjecting the student to triple the usual fines for traffic or parking tickets or any other offense. The ordinance also forced students in off-campus housing to inform their landlords of their "student" status.
In September 2004, as councilman, Nutter introduced legislation creating an independent Ethics Board. In addition, he proposed changes to the City's Ethics Code to provide for routine training and education of all City officers and employees, the issuance of advisory opinions, the adjudication of violations, and the imposition of civil fines. These measures were adopted at the end of 2005. On May 16, 2006, voters approved the Ethics Board ballot question with over 81% voting “Yes,” and was installed November 27, 2006.
Nutter sponsored "The Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law," expanding the definition of "public places" where smoking is not allowed to include restaurants and many bars, which Mayor Street eventually signed into law.
Nutter's local bidder preference program, which took effect on July 1, 2004, gives preference to Philadelphia businesses in competitive bidding on City contracts greater than $25,000.
In January 2005, the City announced a library reorganization plan in which 20 branches would shift from full-day service to half-day service, and that many head librarians had been laid off. Library supporters rejected these changes and petitioned the mayor and City Council to restore service and staffing levels. Then-councilman Nutter called for an investigation to evaluate the Library System and explore alternatives to find additional funding in order to restore service. City Council rejected the Administration's cut, funding was restored, and by the Fall of 2005 all library branches had full-day service, Saturday hours, and a head librarian. Nutter as Mayor then sought to close 11 libraries until City Council brought a suit that kept the libraries open.
Terry v. Ohio
Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 , was a decision by the United States Supreme Court which held that the Fourth Amendment prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures is not violated when a police officer stops a suspect on the street and frisks him without probable cause to arrest, if the police...
, but it still has not been determined if this specific exercise is in violation of Fourth Amendment rights. A version of this plan was later implemented by Nutter and was the target of a lawsuit.
Nutter has supported the eviction of the Cradle of Liberty Council
Cradle of Liberty Council
The Cradle of Liberty Council is a Boy Scouts of America council created in 1996 with the merger of the former Philadelphia Council and the former Valley Forge Council .-History:The present council is the result of the 1996 merger of Philadelphia and Valley Forge councils...
of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
from their headquarters on the Ben Franklin Parkway both as a councilman and as mayor. In a televised debate on NBC 10 Live @ Issue he said, "In my administration, we will not subsidize discrimination."
2007 election campaign
Nutter resigned from City Council in 2006 in order to focus on running for mayor the following year. He also resigned as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority BoardPennsylvania Convention Center
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is a multi-use public facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which is designed to accommodate conventions, exhibitions, conferences and other events.-History:...
in April of 2007. Nutter quickly moved to position himself as a reformer. On April 27, 2007, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
announced that it would endorse Nutter for the Democratic primary. Nutter was also endorsed by the Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
, Philadelphia
Philadelphia (magazine)
Philadelphia is a regional monthly magazine published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Metrocorp....
magazine, Northeast Times
Northeast Times
The Northeast Times is an American newspaper, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that primarily targets the Northeast Philadelphia community. After being owned by The Philadelphia Inquirer parent company, it was sold to a newly formed company, Broad Street Media.-External links:* *...
, Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper is a free alternative news weekly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in November 1981 as a spin-off of the now defunct WXPN Express newsletter. New issues are released every Thursday....
, Philadelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly , is an award-winning alternative newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, published every Wednesday.The paper was founded in 1971 as a sister publication to the South Philadelphia Press. In 1995, the paper became Philadelphia Weekly...
, Philly for Change (a local affiliate of Democracy for America
Democracy for America
Democracy for America is a progressive, people-powered political action committee, headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. Founded by former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean in 2004, DFA leads public awareness campaigns on a variety of public policy issues, trains activists,...
), The Daily Pennsylvanian
The Daily Pennsylvanian
The Daily Pennsylvanian is the independent daily student newspaper of the University of Pennsylvania.It is published every weekday when the university is in session by a staff of more than 250 students. During the summer months, a smaller staff produces a weekly version called The Summer...
, the Penn Democrats, and Clean Water Action. Nutter won the May 15 Democratic primary election with 37% of the vote in a five-man field, which made him the strong favorite in heavily Democratic Philadelphia.
Indeed, on November 6, 2007, Nutter won the general election in a landslide, receiving 86 percent of the vote; his opponent, Al Taubenberger
Al Taubenberger
Alfred Wilhelm "Al" Taubenberger is the president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and president of the Burholme Civic Association and Town Watch. He is also a Republican politician from Northeast Philadelphia. He has run for office three times, losing each time...
, received 13 percent of the vote.
Tenure
Despite some residents' high hopes about Mayor Nutter, his tenure as mayor has been characterized by falling tax revenues due to the recession that came into full force as Nutter came into office. When Nutter came into office, the city had a significant budget surplus. Nine months later that surplus became a projected budget deficit of $650 to 850 million over the next five years (2009–2013). As a result, Nutter has closed recreational facilities, cut funding for Philadelphia's traditional Mummers ParadeMummers Parade
The Mummers Parade is held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Local clubs compete in one of four categories . They prepare elaborate costumes and moveable scenery, which take months to complete...
on New Year's Day, and cut other services from the budget. Mayor Nutter has closed seven fire companies including the oldest fire company in the nation (engine 8). Although he was successful in closing the budget gap, he has come under criticism for using up political capital to save a few million dollars on a politically unpopular move, attempting to close 11 city libraries. Libraries are open today due only to the lawsuit brought by City Councilman Bill Green.
Nutter endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
for president during the 2008 Democratic primary, and often campaigned with the Senator. After Clinton's withdrawal, Nutter supported the Democratic nominee Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
In summing up his first term in office, The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
cited an observer assessing that Nutter "did a good job in his first term, but nothing really bold".
Recently, Nutter was seen in the movie Law Abiding Citizen
Law Abiding Citizen
Law Abiding Citizen is a 2009 thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray from a screenplay written by Kurt Wimmer, starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. The film takes place in Philadelphia and tells the story of a man whose developed sociopathic tendencies drove him into killing while targeting not...
as the Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia.
2011 re-election campaign
Nutter announced that he would run for reelection on December 22, 2010. He easily won the primary election against Milton StreetMilton Street
Thomas Milton Street, Sr. is an entrepreneur, former State Senator, and convicted felon from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the brother of former Philadelphia mayor John Street...
, getting 76% of the vote. Despite the lopsided victory, Street capturing 24% of the Democratic vote astonished many and served to diminish Nutter. He defeated two candidates in the general election of November 2011, garnering over 70% of the vote on a voter turnout of around 18%.
Personal life
Nutter and his wife, Lisa, live in WynnefieldWynnefield, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wynnefield is a predominantly African-American, middle-classneighborhood in West Philadelphia. Its borders are 53rd Street at Jefferson to the south, Philadelphia's Fairmount Park to the east, City Avenue to the north and the Amtrak Main Line tracks to the west.Surrounding neighborhoods include...
, and are the parents of two children.
External links
- Office of Mayor Michael Nutter official website
- Michael Nutter for Mayor official campaign website
- Complete transcript and HD audio and video of Mayor Nutter's Address at Mount Carmel Baptist Church on 7 August 2011