Nutter budget proposal highlights

MAYOR NUTTER yesterday unveiled his eighth and final budget proposal, for fiscal year 2016, which begins July 1. It must be approved by City Council. Here are the highlights:

* $3.95 billion in spending - an increase of 2.3 percent, or nearly $90 million. Nutter attributed the increase to nearly $51 million in rising city pension and health-care costs and a $27.4 million contract arbitration award for the Police Department.

*  A projected $3.85 billion in revenues, an

increase of $67 million. The shortfall between spending and revenue will be plugged by spending part of the city's estimated

$145 million surplus balance it expects to have the end of the current fiscal year.

* An additional $5.5 million to the city's

Department of Licenses and Inspections to implement reforms and safeguards in the wake of the 22nd and Market streets building collapse that killed six people and injured 13 in June 2013. The money will be used to hire 43 new employees, including inspectors for L&I and the Fire Department. That funding will increase to a total of $10.8 million, with an additional 58 workers, by fiscal year 2018, under the mayor's five-year budget plan.

* An extra $3.6 million for the Police Department to expand the use of body cameras worn by officers and to pay for mandatory training and equipment, including 1,300 new bulletproof vests and more tasers and ammunition.

* Nearly $4 million in added Parks and Recreation Department money to launch a new office dedicated to youth workforce learning and an expansion of the summer jobs program.

* A boost of $3 million to the Community College of Philadelphia. The additional money will mean no tuition increases for students in the next school year.

* An extra $1 million to the Free Library for a citywide program aimed at ensuring that every student is reading at grade level by fourth grade.

* Nearly $170 million in new capital investments: $22 million for the purchase of new voting machines, which will be up and running by May 2017; $20 million for the Streets Department to pave roads; $5 million for improvements to neighbohood commercial corridors, including curbs, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and parking; $18.7 million to upgrade Parks and Recreation facilities; $18 million for the Office of Fleet Management to replace aged vehicles used by the police, fire and streets departments.

* Construction of a new prison to replace the House of Corrections, last renovated in 1927, on State Road. His budget proposal puts aside $7.8 million - $4.9 million to buy land to eventually build a new prison and $2.9 million to make renovations to all prison facilities.

- Wendy Ruderman and Mensah Dean