Is there hope for Harrisburg?

Harrisburg has just literally fallen off a financial cliff. Things are so bad financially in the City that state Senator Jeff Piccola has rounded up a bunch ruffians and scallywags on horseback to commandeer the city and impose financial order. I'm kidding about that but Piccola is threatening to have the state take control of things since Mayor Linda Thompson and the City Council members cannot come up with a solution to solve the City's never ending financial troubles.

Yesterday members of the City Council voted down Mayor Thompson's plan for the City's financial recovery. Some members opposed the controversial commuter tax. Other members voted no because they felt the plan was too vague.

"The people of this city need the truth, not smoke and mirrors. It was smoke and mirrors that got us into trouble in the first place," council member Brad Koplinski said.

In voting down the plan the members seem to be simply inviting a state takeover at this point thus abdicating their responsibilities to govern and manage the City's affairs. Senator Piccola himself called the Council vote "irresponsible and reckless". In a press release yesterday Senator Piccola didn't mince words.

“Yet again, these locally elected officials have proven their inability to come to the table and compromise on a plan that is responsible for Harrisburg – a plan that is fiscally sound and provides the necessary road to recovery addressing both the incinerator debt and ongoing structural budget deficit."

Mayor Thompson has done a pretty good job of at least trying to turn things around and renegotiating the incinerator contracts to reduce the debt, but from the outside one can sense that she is a little over her head so to speak.

Now the financial situation is ready to go from bad to worse. Senator Piccolla has already called on Governor Corbett to stop all aid to the City until a state takeover is complete. Governor Corbett himself said today that there are no current plans to send anymore state assistance to the cash strapped city.

"I understand and I can sympathize that the council that is there today did not create the situation that they are in. But they have been given an opportunity to work with a plan. They have chosen to turn it down.

"I think the ball is in their court to see what they have as a solution." Read More

So now what is next for the City? Well perhaps a glimmer of hope on the horizon. City Controller Dan Miller has decided to announce his candidacy for Mayor. In a statement today, Miller highlights his credentials as a Certified Public Accountant and years of experience as aspects that make him a "good" candidate for Mayor.

I don't know whether to cheer for this guy or ask someone to have him assessed for a mental illness. I mean who besides Linda Thompson wants to be Mayor of Harrisburg right now? It will be interesting how it all plays out but Thompson just seems to be at the end of her rope right now. I think Miller is a good candidate and having someone with an accounting background may just be what Harrisburg needs right now.