Opinion Board | Let lame ducks be lame

In with the new, out with the old? Well, maybe.

Last Tuesday, Philadelphia voters approved two misguided amendments to the City Charter that would create public-advocate positions: one for handicapped and disabled people and one for the families of public-school children. While the amendments needlessly expand municipal bureaucracy during a time of tight budgets, that's not the only harm they could do.

Unfortunately, the amendments also fail to specify an effective date for the appointments of the two advocate positions. This of course means that Mayor John Street, along with the City Council's approval, could fill the positions with his own appointees before leaving in January.

Street has had his chance to leave his mark on the city. At best, the performance of the Street administration has been mixed, marked by a few ups and far more downs. But whatever you may think of John Street, the mayor must resist any urge to make these or any other appointments.

More time waiting in line for iPhones, in other words, and less time hamstringing the incoming administration to people and policies it doesn't necessarily support.

Michael Nutter deserves the chance to shape his own government. And in order to create an effective administration, Nutter needs the flexibility to appoint his own staff members.

But lame-duck appointments wouldn't only be unfair to Nutter. They would also be a slap in the face to voters, who gave a powerful mandate for change last Tuesday.

Philadelphians made it abundantly clear that they want Nutter to shape the future of their city. At the very least, Street should respect the voters' wishes.

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