Despite Budget Crunch, Phila. City Council Wants Leaves Collected

by KYW's Mike Dunn

Autumn leaves make Philadelphia beautiful, but they have also sparked the latest budget skirmish at City Hall.

During an early round of budget cuts, Mayor Nutter slashed funding for the annual mechanical leaf collection.  The service, utilizing giant, truck-mounted vacuum cleaners and offered in about ten percent of the city, costs the city $400,000 a year.

But city councilman Frank Rizzo argues that piles of leaves not picked up could cause cars to slide or fires to start:

"This is a dangerous situation."

And, perhaps, lead to potential lawsuits:

"We're going to either pay now, or pay later."

So Council has approved Rizzo's non-binding resolution urging the mayor to resume leaf collection in those neighborhoods.
  
A spokesman for the mayor says that with the city's cash crisis continuing, the service will not return, though they'll re-examine the issue if the city's finances improve.