By Mike Dunn

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Mayor Michael Nutter joined other Democratic mayors across Pennsylvania for a conference call today to push the White House line in the ongoing “fiscal cliff” negotiations in Washington, DC.

Mayor Nutter said Philadelphia and other cities in the Commonwealth would face “devastating” cuts in services if the fiscal cliff spending cuts kick on at the start of the new year.

Nutter spoke in a conference call arranged by a state Democratic policy group, along with the mayors of Allentown, Reading, and York.

“There’s no rational reason that Congress, working in concert with President Obama and his administration, should not be able to complete this work and put together a deal that makes some sense, is fair, bipartisan and balanced,” Nutter said.

And Nutter said city services that might be endangered if there’s no deal include foreclosure assistance programs and staff positions in city schools.