West Hazleton No Longer In ‘Distressed Municipality’ Status

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST HAZLETON — The state has rescinded the borough’s status as a distressed municipality. But while the borough has significantly improved finances since 2003, it’s not out of the woods yet.

State Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker determined that West Hazleton’s distressed status would be rescinded after a review of audits and financial data and the record from a public hearing on June 3, Gov. Tom Corbett’s office announced Thursday in a news release.

The hearing officer’s report revealed that in 2013, the borough had a $5,423 budget surplus, that finances were stable, and that the borough has the tools to make the decisions necessary to maintain responsible budgets, meet its obligations to vendors and creditors, and provide essential services to residents.

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Reading Gets State Designation As Keystone Community

Editor’s note:  We are very pleased to see that the leadership is trying to move Reading forward and improve the city.

Led by two dozen chanting cheerleaders from Reading High School, a procession of city and state officials this morning marched down Penn Street to a Penn Square news conference to excitedly announce the city has gotten what it began seeking a year ago:

That’s state designation as a Keystone Community, which approves its inclusion in the Main Street program and its right to seek state economic development help and millions in potential grants.

“You’re taking the challenges you face head on . . . you’re thinking strategically,” C. Alan Walker, secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development, told the crowd as he announced the designation.

“One of the best things we can do to preserve our downtowns.  They’re worth preserving,” he said.

Mayor Vaughn D. Spencer said it’s always good to see something come to fruition.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=502542

State: No Bailout For Scranton

HARRISBURG, PA – Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty lobbied Corbett administration officials and leading lawmakers Monday to provide a new sales tax revenue stream to his fiscally troubled city.

Meanwhile, a top state official told city residents not to expect a state bailout for immediate budget problems.

Mr. Doherty said during a visit to the state Capitol that enacting a state law to give Scranton a share of a countywide 1 percent sales tax would be a way to recognize the city’s lead role in a state court case that resulted in it owing millions of dollars of back arbitration awards to city firefighters and police officers.

“We are the one that fought the battle for DCED in Act 47; here is a way to help us out,” Mr. Doherty said.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/state-no-bailout-for-scranton-1.1328492

City Of Altoona Accepted Into Act 47 Distressed Municipalities Program

Undetailed map of Altoona, Pennsylvania and some surrounding areas From my talk page: :I drew the map of Altoona in xpaint from a map on the Internet and a Rand-McNally atlas. It’s in the public domain. — Djinn112 04:40, 28 Sep 2004 (UTC) –$ 02:38, 2 Oct 2004 (UTC) Category:Altoona (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  More bad economic news! Altoona joins Reading and Harrisburg as the latest Pennsylvania city to have major financial problems!

The state on Thursday accepted Altoona into its Distressed Municipalities Program.

City officials hope “going distressed” will help avoid insolvency by relaxing restrictions on property and income taxes and by helping adjust operations in a framework that has virtually strangled all third-class cities in Pennsylvania.

“Altoona needs more than a short-term or week-by-week fix from its creditors and obligations,” stated Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker in a news release. “It needs a comprehensive recovery plan that will lay the groundwork for long-term financial solvency.”

Walker will have 30 days to appoint an Act 47 coordinator for Altoona, and the coordinator will then have 90 days to propose a recovery plan.

Read more: http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/560502/City-receives-entry-into-Act-47-distressed-program.html?nav=742