Is Philadelphia really dirtier than New Orleans?

I know you all heard the comment the mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans made a couple weeks ago about Philadelphia being dirtier than New Orleans. Well if you haven’t, below is his exact quote from


Nagin: 'Intended no disrespect' about Philadelphia
Posted by The Times-Picayune April 23, 2007 3:57PM

"After apologizing Sunday to Philadelphia Mayor John Street for saying his is a dirtier city than New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin said Monday that the comment is not a "major issue" and will not hurt his relationship with leaders in the City of Brotherly Love.
The assertion came in response to reporters' questions about a remark Nagin made Saturday after he returned from a trip to Philadelphia to learn about the city's anti-blight initiatives.
"You ought to go to Philly and you will appreciate how clean New Orleans is," Nagin said Saturday during a town hall-style meeting in eastern New Orleans. "Just go and walk around Philly a little bit and you will appreciate. ... We still have some work to do, but we definitely beat them by a long shot."
The Philadelphia media picked up on Nagin's weekend comments, but the mayor said he has spoken with Street since Saturday and that their relationship is solid.
"I don't see it as being a major issue," Nagin said during an appearance before elected officials, judicial system employees and social service providers who met to discuss plans to build a $3 million facility to aid victims of domestic violence. "

I am sorry, no disrespect to New Orleans residents, but that’s like "the pot calling the kettle black". I have seen images of New Orleans before Katrina and there is no comparisons to amount of filth and littered they have.

The fact Nagin’s administration was awarded three trash-collection contracts last year for cleaning up New Orleans' infamously littered and fetid streets, particularly in the French Quarter, lets you know, that he even thinks New Orleans is dirty.

Philadelphia has its problems (Guns in the Streets!) but to say New Orleans is cleaner; is ridiculous. Putting Katrina aside, New Orleans' French Quarter has long been one of the dirtiest areas of any city and there is no comparison.

The question is; can Philadelphia be cleaner? Of course! That’s the case with most major cities like Philadelphia and New York, but in my personally opinion Philadelphia is not overwhelmed with fifth to point that would be the first or only thing you mention. As a guest in our city, I think Nagin missed the point of his visit entirely.