PHILADELPHIA -- Ben Hayllar, Pittsburgh's finance director, said yesterday he will become Philadelphia's finance director on Oct. 4.
Hayllar will replace Stephen Mullin, who said earlier this year that he would become Philadelphia's commerce director as soon as his replacement could be found.
In an interview yesterday, Hayllar said that Philadelphia's fiscal problems are similar to those he has grappled with in Pittsburgh, only on a much larger scale. Pittsburgh's fiscal 1994 budget is $343 million; Philadelphia's is $2.3 billion.
Asked what attracted him to a city with such notorious fiscal problems, Hayllar said, "I'd like to meet the person who ever said no to [Philadelphia Mayor Edward G.] Rendell."
Rendell yesterday called Hayllar an "outstanding candidate" for the position.
"He has tremendous experience in the field of public finance, having dealt with many of the same difficult financial issues we face in Philadelphia," Rendell said.
D'Ann Swanson, currently the deputy finance director under Hayllar, will be Pittsburgh's acting finance director until January, when Hayllar's term expires.
