Harrisburg Happening

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

We're Number One!!!

Thanks to Mayor Reed and the millions spent on the Harrisburg School District - we're number one in the ranks. Way to go! Give the Superintendent a bonus.

Oh, wait. I read the list backwards . . .

We're actually dead last - Number 500 our of 500 school districts in the state.

http://albuquerque.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2007/05/21/daily24.html

Thursday, May 24, 2007

A Master Plan, Public Comments Solicited

What a fabulous idea. The City comes up with a master plan for development, holds a meeting, invites everyone to view the plans and make comments right then and there. People are heard, ideas exchanged . . . sound like a pipe dream?

It doesn't have to be.

http://savannahnow.com/node/291690

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

The State of the City

Guess what? The incinerator isn't making money! Real Estate taxes up 17% - school taxes due to go up quite a bit too. Great job, Mayor Reed.

http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnews/2007/05/harrisburg_incinerator_contrac.html

Friday, May 18, 2007

Commercial space on City Island

If you don't mind flooding, there's commercial space for rent on City Island. Actually, just a press release and web site. But it looks as if plans for the Sports Hall of Fame have been resurrected - courtesy Mayor Reed.

http://nationalsportshalloffame.net/

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

$16 Million slush fund?

In case you didn't catch the news, Reed just sold the Senators at a profit. But what's most interesting is a sentence from the news story:

"The next step, Reed said, is getting state support for renovation. The city has set aside $16 million and is eligible for $18.2 million in state funds, he said."

Okay, where is that $16 million sitting? Set aside? Where? Why hasn't it been used to balance the budget, pay for police or even for snow removal? More importantly, are there more pockets of money just lying around?

Please, someone audit this city!!!

http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnews/2007/05/mayor_to_talk_about_senators_s.html

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Voter Alert

Dauphin County buried the school/tax referendum on the republican side of the ballot. You will miss it if you focus strictly on the democratic side of the ballot.

Calls to the Dauphin County election bureau were met with nonsense replies - they say Department of State is responsible for the layout. Department of State denies - they say all they do is send the question to the county and then the county decided where it goes on the ballot.

Friday, May 04, 2007

City Council Endorsements

Well, it looks like every blogger in the 'burg is busy endorsing city council candidates - no matter what the focus of their blog.

I'll stop short of endorsement, since I can't imagine what a blogger's endorsement is worth. But I can tell you that only two candidates showed up at my door -Susan Brown-Wilson and Kia Hansard. The rest haven't bothered - although the "Reed Team" sent a postcard claiming they missed me on their rounds, but sought my vote anyway.

Brown-Wilson in particular actually engaged in a lively discussion on the issues as she stood on my stoop. I was impressed.