Philadelphia's 'Rolling Brownouts' Save Money, Cause Panic

PHILADELPHIA - This city has always been plagued with financial problems and City Controller Alan Butkovitz doesn't see an end in sight. He blames the current crisis on a one-third reduction in expected city sales tax revenue, causing Mayor Michael Nutter to take drastic action and cut more city services. He has already closed some public libraries.

Even though Philadelphia recently received a $1 billion stimulus package from President Obama, it wasn't enough. Most of that money was spent saving SEPTA and PennDOT, the transportation systems, and the Philadelphia School District. However, according to one source wishing to remain anonymous, Mayor Nutter did give $1 million to the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival and spent almost $4,000 each for solar-powered trash cans.

So, just to save $3.8 million, Nutter created "rolling brownouts," which closes some city fire stations during certain hours of the day. This strategy caused a panic in South Philadelphia, where three fire stations are scheduled to be closed during the day and three others at night. One child, a 12-year-old autistic boy in West Philadelphia, lost his life in a fire. The nearest fire station, Engine 57 -- just up the street -- was closed.

Citizens couldn't take it anymore and organized a rally on Aug. 13 in South Philadelphia. More than 100 people turned out for the event, which was sponsored by the Whitman Council, the local civic association. Only one fire station was closed that night, Engine 53 at 4^th and Snyder Street.

Speakers at the event included City Councilman Frank Rizzo; John J. Dougherty, Business Manager of IBEW Local 98; and Bill Gault, President of IAFF Local 22, the Fire Fighter's union. Also in attendance were local activists, political leaders and residents.

"We need our Fire Station. We need protection and we are willing to stand up and fight for it," Mark Squilla, president of the Whitman Council, said.

I spoke with Squilla on Monday, after the rally, and asked him what he thought the city should be doing instead of closing fire stations.

"Citizens should call their local council representatives and ask them to find alternative services to cut. Take a look at implementing efficiencies that will not endanger the lives of Philadelphians," he said. "What is $3.8 million compared with a human life?"

Recently, Stephen J. Agostini, Mayor Nutter's budget director announced that he is resigning and taking a position in Washington, DC. He is the third person with important responsibilities in Nutter's administration to resign during the last 10 days. He is also the architect of Philadelphia's last three budgets.

Nutter was unavailable for comment.

Maybe Nutter needs to appoint a process re-engineering committee to identify savings. Management jobs can be cut and others eliminated by attrition. City offices can be consolidated to save money. The city should lease only office space that it actually needs and uses. What we don't need is tax money being wasted on maintaining city office facilities that have significant empty workstation space on several floors within the same building, funded jazz festivals and solar-powered trash cans.

Eliminating wasteful spending would save much more than the $3.8 million realized from the citizen-opposed "rolling brownouts" -- without endangering human lives.