Nutter's Data Dump May Be Aimed At Candidates
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was a policy wonk's delight this past week, as Mayor Nutter released a 24-page presentation comparing his tenure as mayor to the three previous mayors. Nutter appears to have done this in expectation of being attacked by the candidates who are hoping to succeed him.
Mayor Nutter calls it his "Tale of the Tape," two dozen pages of charts and figures attempting to demonstrate progress that the city may have made during his soon-to-be-completed two terms as mayor.
"This is important data for people to have, to evaluate, to take a look at."
Topics covered including police and fire safety, funding for education, employment and population growth. Nutter does not deny that he had staff create this report in order to counter campaign attacks by mayoral candidates.
"Candidates are going to talk about whatever candidates talk about. But I think its important for the public, the candidates (and) the press to have true, accurate, factual information. I'm not expecting this is going to be a negative campaign or that people (will be) trying to slant things in a particular direction. But there are facts, and people should know them. When people talk about them, they should talk about them on a basis of fact, and not theory or whisper-down-the-lane."
Candidates attacking the incumbent mayor is nothing new, of course. In fact, during his own 2007 campaign for mayor, Nutter spent more time bashing incumbent John Street than his four opponents in the Democratic primary.
His report can be found at the city's website, phila.gov.
