Michael Nutter made his call for public service clear in his first speech as mayor-elect in an event sponsored by the Committee of Seventy this morning.
It was inspirational message, and it is a powerful first act.
"I want people to start thinking about changing their lives and changing their careers to come into the government of the City of Philadelphia," he said.
Actually, he started that sentiment by harkening to President Kennedy's call to public service in the 1960s, including his famous statement that "no government is better than the men who compose it, and I want the best, and we need the best, and we deserve the best."
But he put the message in a context that's purely Philadelphia in 2007:
"We need your help in order to turn this government around. Change our policies and practices, to have new ideas and new ways of doing business in the city ... we are going to clean up this government, but also change the way we do what we do."
Thanks to the Daily News' Bob Warner, we have a transcript of the key parts of Nutter's speech. Check below the jump, and when your resume is dusted off, the Web site is www.nutter2007.com.
(edited to add) If you prefer, you can watch the speech here.
“The voters have spoken, and quite frankly, I liked what they said ... together we all have an opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of this great city. ...
"As many of you have heard, I'm rather excited about the future. I know that expectations are very high, and I'm pretty happy about that, because I think for too long our expectations have been too low, that we have not come in and expected more from ourselves and from government. ...
"I told the citizens what I plan to do, but as mayor of the city, I also plan to challenge our citizens to put out some ideas and suggestions about what regular people should be doing to help support this city government.
"We cannot do everything by ourselves ... so this is a shared responsibility and a shared commitment and a shared obligation, but also a sharing of hope for the future. ... We are a great city and we need to start talking about ourselves in a different fashion. This notion that somehow we are a second-tier, or second- or third-best, that we should just take anything that comes our way, for me is unacceptable. ...
“We have a waterfront yet to be developed. ... No matter what happens down there, we still have a great waterfront. It is time for us to get beyond the last 40 or 50 years of talking, and studying, and wringing our hands and talking about what we can or cannot do. There is no reason in the world why our waterfront should not be the best in the United States of America. The only thing holding us back is us, we need to get over ourselves ... and start moving forward and develop our waterfront ... as so many cities have been able to do. ...
"You have to love the politics of Philadelphia, it is the ultimate full-contact sport. How is it possible that the first person in the race can actually be fifth and the other candidates haven’t even showed up? ...
"I'm going to need your help to make this city work. I will need your help. I'm not so shy that I can't ask for help because I think that it’s critically important. ...
"And I need your help and support, especially in the business community and the larger, broader regional partnerships that we have to develop. There are many things you can do. Volunteer efforts, business support, community engagement. Supporting afterschool programs, working with our school system and also helping us to tackle some of the toughest problems this city has faced. ...
"342 Philadelphians have been killed this year, 406 last year. There is a crime problem in this city and the city government by itself cannot solve this problem. And it is in your best interest that we solve this problem, because as it plays out, on the headlines in Philadelphia and across this country, it is not good for business. ...
"If we’re really going to solve the crime problem, the poverty problem, the many other issues that challenge us here in the city ... work with us on changing laws in Harrisburg, in Washington, advocating for more funding for public education, working to create more job opportunities. We have to put people to work, and whether they’re little older or somewhat younger, when people are working and they’re actively engaged, they don’t have time to be involved in what goes on out in our streets. ...
"In 1960, when John Kennedy was running for President of the United States … he issued a call to public service in these words: "It would be my intention to ask the ablest men in the country to make whatever sacrifice is required to bring the government a ministry of the best talents available, men with single-minded loyalty to the national interest, men who would regard public office as a public trust. For no government is better than the men who compose it, and I want the best, and we need the best, and we deserve the best.”
"Well, a couple of things have changed since 1960 -- for one thing, we’re not just looking for men. But things remain the same in one important respect: No government is better than the people who compose it. And you better believe that as mayor of Philadelphia, I want the best and brightest to join me in this new administration. So I'm now making a similar call to public service as our great President John Kennedy did in the 1960s. I'm asking this group, the Chamber of Commerce and many others across this great city and our region and across the country: send us your best and brightest.
"I want people to start thinking about changing their lives and changing their careers to come into the government of the City of Philadelphia.
"We are looking for the best and brightest people that we can find to turn this government around. Working with the chamber, whether it’s an executive on loan program for experienced executives or also the rising stars in your company, we’re asking people today to start sending in your resumes and cover letters to www.nutter2007.com. ...
"We need your help in order to turn this government around. Change our policies and practices, to have new ideas and new ways of doing business in the city ... we are going to clean up this government, but also change the way we do what we do.
"We need your help and support to show us other things that you do in your companies to drive value, to enhance shareholder valaue, to drive revenues up, cut costs and make your bottom line work. We have to do the same thing in this government because this is a business also. It is a $4 billion business. We have 22,000 employees, a 17-member City Council that for many of you would function as your board of directors, with a million and a half shareholders, who work every day, send us their money and their taxes and they expect a return on their investment. That's what we do. We are a customer-service business and I need your help and support to make this business give value back to the citizens, back to the region, back to the country.
We have an opportunity here to make Philadelphia the greatest turnaround story of any city in the last 50 years. But I need your help and support to make that happen. So now we’ve issued this call to public service. I want you to start thinking of that. Whether it’s time for you to make a change, take a detour.
"I understand that public service may not be for everyone for the long haul. But your service for a year or year and a half or possibly two years, in this government -- there is no higher calling, there is no better way to serve your fellow Philadelphians or people in the region than to consider coming in to public service. I need your help and I am asking for your support. This is an incredible opportunity. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for this city and for this region. And with your help and support we will make Philadelphia the greatest city in the United States of America."
Comments (4)
If he wants the best and brightest, suspend the residency requirements.
Posted by Anonymous | November 7, 2007 2:20 PM
Disapproval again from you Anonymous. Are you for Michael or against him ?
Do you disagree with Michael's opportunity to be the greatest mayor to turnaround the Philadelphia story.
What's wrong baby Anonymous , you don't want to be part of his value drive to enhance every boring minute of your lonely day.
What's wrong Anonymous > tummy hurt. Perhaps you should lay down for a while.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | November 7, 2007 2:36 PM
The residency requirements won't be suspended, no reason to lower the standards.
Posted by Mark Chalupa | November 7, 2007 2:51 PM
Hey buds ,
A friend ask me to pass this on..
The best and the brightest don't need jobs. The unemployed do. My friend also said don't believe the best and brightest will be quiting established positions to work in City Hall.
When you think about this calling of Michael's. He's going to have to look long and hard for an accuracy commission to fall under the best and brightest.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | November 8, 2007 3:19 PM