Nutter administration gives itself an 'A' in ethics
Mayor Nutter on Thursday touted the achievements of the city's inspector general, whose office has saved or recovered more than $70 million during his time in office.
Mayor Nutter on Thursday touted the achievements of the city's inspector general, whose office has saved or recovered more than $70 million during his time in office.
The city has saved or recovered more than $12 million this year, according to a report highlighting eight years of work by the Office of the Inspector General, which is responsible for rooting out government corruption and waste.
"Philadelphia is a more ethical, transparent, and accountable city than it ever has been - a major milestone for a government once considered to be hopelessly corrupt," Amy L. Kurland, who was appointed inspector general by Nutter in 2008, wrote in the report.
During Nutter's two terms as mayor, 89 people have been criminally charged and 328 administrative actions taken, according to the 28-page report.
More than 700 whistle-blower complaints were filed by city employees and more than 600 by city residents, the report said.
"We've shown taxpayers that we can police ourselves and clean our own house. We've sent the unequivocal message that city employees are not for sale - that those who ignore the rules will face serious consequences," Kurland wrote.
Nutter wrote that the "perception that Philadelphia is corrupt and contented has fizzled out, and the city's many talented and motivated civil servants can go about their business with a sense of pride and purpose."
Kurland added, "It took an institutional commitment to reform to erase the shame of our city and restore the public's trust in government.
"That trust is fragile. It will fall apart if we don't nurture it."
Last month, Mayor-elect Jim Kenney announced that Kurland, a former federal prosecutor, would continue in her job under his administration, which takes over from Nutter's on Jan. 4.
"We are not going backward," Kenney said when he announced that Kurland would stay.
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