Nutter orders child-care changes

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, February, 2008 by Marcia Gelbart Inquirer Staff Writer

After lambasting a nonprofit organization long favored by the Street administration, Mayor Nutter yesterday directed Philadelphia Safe and Sound to slash its own spending to keep open dozens of after-school programs. At the same time, Nutter announced he was restoring $21 million in cuts Street had made to 200 social-services contracts to generate extra cash for Safe and Sound.

And he named a six-person panel to independently assess all of Safe and Sound's programs, which are geared toward reducing teen violence and truancy. "Irresponsible behavior by adults has created a situation which has put the well-being and care of thousands of children in jeopardy," Nutter said in a direct reference to both Street and Safe and Sound's leaders. "The steps that I have announced today are an effort to correct mistakes made by the previous administration and to ensure that no child is left without essential care services." Street did ...