Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez tells us that after failing to reach a compromise with the Nutter administration on how to pay for ethnic parades, she will tomorrow seek to override Mayor Nutter's veto of legislation that would force the city to pay all police costs for special events.
"It is unfortunate that after 9 months, I could not work out an agreement with the administration. Therefore I will ask my colleagues to support an override of his veto," Quinones-Sanchez said via email.
Nutter last week vetoed legislation sponsored by Quinones-Sanchez that would require the city to pay policing costs for parades and other special events. Nutter announced in 2008 that the city would start charging for police and sanitation costs related to special events, due to financial constraints. It was a controversial announcement, particularly to the city's ethnic parades like the St. Patrick's Day and Puerto Rican Day parades.
In a letter to the administration yesterday, Quinones-Sanchez said that, based on police data, the 72 neighborhood and ethnic events in the city last year cost the city less than $200,000. That does not include the Mummer's Parade.
U.S. Rep. Bob Brady has created a non-profit to help cover parade costs. That fund - the Greater Philadelphia Traditions Fund - was awarded $500,000 by philanthropist H.F "Gerry" Lenfest. It will provide aid to the Mummers and ethnic parades and festivals.