City belt-tightening, still Occupying, Market and JFK traffic testing, Black Flight

Good morning, Philly. We’re left feeling a little mullygrubs after a rough sporting weekend, in particular the bummer ending to the Phillies season. But, today’s a holiday and it’s going to be a really lovely one. We might not see a day this warm until spring, so make sure to get outside. It might help lift your spirits.

The city is getting ready to tighten its belt. The Inquirer reports a new round of city budget cuts is coming soon, due to months of lower-than-expected revenue. The Nutter administration is aiming to cut $40 million in spending within the year, and city agencies have a couple of weeks to find places to trim. The prison system, police and fire departments are exempt.

Occupy Philly’s ranks swelled to more than 1,000 people on Sunday, the Inquirer reports. Philly City Paper has coverage of the large Saturday afternoon march to the Liberty Bell and Declaration of Independence from corporate America, and Philly Weekly reports on happenings in the tent city at Dilworth Plaza. The City Paper also has a satisfying debunker of Occupy Philly myths. Metro wonders how long the relationship between the city and the occupiers will remain civil.

The city is taking its complete streets strategy to Market Street and JFK Boulevard, where dedicated bike lanes are being considered between 15th and 20th streets. For the next two weeks, the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and the Center City District will study the traffic consequences of closing one outer lane of traffic on Market and JFK, with the hope to install new bike lanes separated by a planted median. PlanPhilly has the story.

For the first time in decades, Philadelphia is losing its middle-class black population. Metropolis looks at the trend revealed by recent census data, and finds middle-class suburban flight- folks looking for better schools, safer streets, more space- at the heart of this issue. What used to be White Flight has become multi-ethnic and multi-racial.

 

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest.

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