Two Thumbs Up for Mayor Nutter

1. I haven't been able to verify the validity of this link, but here's a podcast of my colleague Anne O'Callaghan from the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians [link courtesy of Immigrant Power] on Mayor Nutter presiding over a swearing-in naturalization ceremony at City Hall. As noted in a recent report we did for the Welcoming Center which will be released shortly, the big cities in the Midwest and Northeast that grew did so because outflow of residents to the South and West was replaced by inflow of immigrants. Nice to see Mayor Nutter understand that if he wants to meet his goal of increasing the City's population by 75,000 over the next decade, being friendly to immigrants will be essential.

2. I attended the Mayor's press conference in which he announced the fusion of the City's Recreation Department and the Fairmount Park Commission. As he spoke of his own personal connection to these city assets - using the libraries and pools as a kid, teaching his daughter how to ride a bike on Belmont Plateau - he appeared to tear up before regaining his composure. Here is a true Philadelphian, who understands just how meaningful libraries and parks and pools and rec centers are to the well-being of our children and families, and who is doing what he can in a constrained environment to do right by these municipal assets and by our citizenry. I appreciated that out of our chief executive.