On Thursday, August 23, 2012, Commonwealth Court Judge Bonnie Leadbetter heard the case of the City of Harrisburg Receiver versus Harrisburg City Council, with the Office of the Mayor joined with the Receiver. Because the legislative body has refused the Receiver's orders to raise the Earned Income Tax (EIT) on city residents and to fund the position of a City Communications Director, the Receiver has asked the Commonwealth Court to mandate that City Council do as ordered.

A majority of the seven hour hearing focused on the presentation of factual evidence---numbers, projections, revenues, deficits. The Office of the Receiver painted a very bleak projection of the City of Harrisburg's finances claiming that Council's failure to implement the increased EIT will cost the City $1.7 million in 2012. This is on top of a projected $11 million end of year budget hole. If implemented, it is assumed the increased EIT will bring in over $6 million a year in the future.---Tara Leo Auchey

Photo/Natalie Cake