Budget woes may shorten Mummers Parade

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Philadelphia cannot afford to put up as much money this year as last year for the traditional New Year's Day Mummers Parade, Mayor Michael Nutter said Thursday.

The brightly costumed Mummers have been marking the New Year by strutting up Broad Street for more than a century. Last year, the city spent $1 million for police, bleachers, clean-up and other expenses, but this year, Nutter said, $300,000 is all the city can afford.

The mayor suggested that the parade either scale back the number of groups participating or shorten the route to 10 blocks in South Philadelphia. The parade can take 16 hours.

"I think all the Mummers want to go to Center City because that's where all the hotels, that's where all the people are, but I guess, we have to look at the mayor's point of view, with all the city and he's cutting us," said Mike Lapergola, business manager of the Quaker City String Band.

The city's New Year's Eve fireworks, set off over the Delaware River, were rescued by a combination of private contributions and public funding.