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Serving Citywide Political, Labor, Legal and School Communities of Philadelphia Vol. XII. No. 32 (Issue 550)
“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”
Value 50¢
The Real DROP Program Would You Believe It’s Truly A $$ Saver? Mend it, Don't end it Fix it, Don't nix it Improve it, Don't remove it
Asks The Obvious: Who Made Changes
by Brett Mandel In a city where approximately 60% of the budget goes toward employee compensation, our central challenge is finding ways to maximize the competence and productivity of our workforce. We need to use every tool in our toolbox to achieve those goals. We have a managerial tool in our hands. If we end the DROP program, we may never get a chance to put it to good use. So mend it, don’t end it. Fix it, don’t nix it. Improve it, don’t remove it. The impact of DROP on the City’s annual budget is much more complicated and unsettled. Predictably, there are calls from the (Cont. Page 2)
by Joe Shaheeli First commissioned in September of 2009 by Mayor Michael Nutter, the “official” release last week of the Report on the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, known to all as DROP, has split City employees and their unions from the Administration. While most publications took the report at face value and ran with the numbers quoted for the overall cost, the Philadelphia Public Record found the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College – which was given the chore of determining the impact of DROP on the City budget – actually released a report on Jun. 15, 2010 to the Administration. That report placed the cost (Cont. Page 2)
SEPTA Expands Instant Info
The Philadelphia Public Record In Mayor’s DROP Report?
PHA Launches $38 Million Dev.
August 12, 2010
Rep. Waters Mixes Education With Big Saturday Festival Page 7
Is It Time To Bring Back Bail Bondsmen? Page 6 New Poll Shows Americans Are Being Divided And Conquered Page 15
SEPTA Mgr. Joseph M. Casey and Deputy Managing Director for Emergency Management Mary Ann Tierney join Ron Hopkins, chief of SEPTA’s Control Center, to launch a system that provides riders with real-time info on delays, interruptions and emergency info via Twitter, cell phones, etc.
PHILADELPHIA HOUSING AUTHORITY Executive Director Carl Greene will launch $38 million Paschall Homes development today at 72nd & Paschall. One-third of funds comes from Federal stimulus dollars.
11th Annual Commemorative To Organized Labor Sept. 2. Call John David, 215-755-2000 for details.
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