Editorial | Nutter for mayor

This May 15, the mayoral election will essentially be decided by the outcome of the Democratic primary.

The DP Opinion Board strongly endorses Michael Nutter for the next mayor of Philadelphia. While all five Democratic candidates have their advantages and disadvantages, Nutter has the vision, know-how and experience to take the city in the right direction.

Nutter served as a City Councilman for nearly 15 years before resigning last July in order to run for mayor. He has also served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Board since 2003, where he leads the Center's $700 million expansion project, and on the Board of City Trusts, where he manages the city's charitable assets.

During his time in public office, Nutter tirelessly worked to promote economic development and introduce ethics reform legislation - two issues that he has focused on in the mayoral campaign. In light of the spate of corruption scandals that have plagued Philadelphia politics in years past (and have included a few of the other mayoral candidates), Nutter's unwavering dedication to ethics reform is a breath of fresh air.

Nutter wants to bring fiscal integrity to City Hall, boost jobs, revise an ancient zoning code which impairs development and take real steps to reduce crime.

He has also proposed creating an office of university and college relations which would focus on collaborating and communicating with the city's universities - some of Philadelphia's largest private employers and most important economic drivers.

But all the candidates have ideas. What makes this Wharton grad unique is that he's proven this isn't just rhetoric. The plans he has released go into intricate detail as to how he will fight Philly's problems and pay for the solutions.

Some have called Nutter's charisma and leadership abilities into question, but Nutter is a city planning guru who can navigate the ins and outs of internal politics. Time and again, he has demonstrated that he has the wherewithal to see projects through; most recently, he spearheaded the recent citywide smoking ban.

Philadelphia needs real, practical solutions from someone who knows how to get things done. Michael Nutter is that man.

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