Budget Passed Again
For a second time, Harrisburg has passed a 2016 budget, which was largely unchanged from the version approved last year.
By a 6-1 vote, City Council last month OK’d a $60.4 million spending plan that adds 36 new positions, most in a newly created Neighborhood Services division. Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels was the sole member to vote no, stating that she believed the budget total was too high.
Council passed a budget in December, but reopened it a month later after three new council members took their seats. The new version is almost identical to the original, but it does give raises to a handful of city workers pending a study of pay equity in city hall.
The budget factors in about $3 million from a planned tripling of the local services tax (LST) to $156 per year for each person who works in Harrisburg and earns more than $24,418 annually. At press time, council still needed to approve the LST increase.
Commonwealth Court Judge Bonnie Leadbetter, who must approve changes to the city’s financial recovery plan, already has signed off on the tax hike.
Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse regards the LST increase as a way for commuters to contribute more to the city’s financial stability and to fund improved services, particularly for sanitation and road maintenance.
Stolen Firearms
Three antique guns were stolen from the National Civil War Museum in Reservoir Park last month, taken from an NRA-sponsored exhibit there.
A pair of Colt revolvers, dating to 1860 and 1861, was owned by the city, while an engraved Henry rifle from 1861 was on loan from a private donor, according to museum CEO Wayne Motts.
All three firearms were claimed to have once belonged to Simon Cameron, a Harrisburg native who served as President Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of war at the beginning of the Civil War. They were on display together as part of a “Guns & Lace” exhibit that was sponsored by a $25,000 grant from the National Rifle Association.
Police Capt. Gabriel Olivera confirmed that the thief made entry by breaking through a window and then breaking into the display case to remove the guns. The theft was not detected until hours later due to an apparent failure in the museum’s alarm system. Olivera added that the precise nature of the security lapse was not yet clear.
Olivera said surveillance footage captured images of a male thief, but that the images are not clear and that police are not yet releasing them because they “would not be of any use.” Police have not ruled out the possibility of an inside job, Olivera said.
The city released the following information identifying the weapons:
- A .44 caliber M1860 Colt Army Revolver with serial number 11708.
- A .36 caliber Colt M1861 Navy Revolver with serial number 1825.
- An M1860 Henry Repeating Rifle with serial number 115, manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company and engraved with the word “Cameron” on the receiver.
Council Rethinks Pot Penalties
Harrisburg’s marijuana laws may soon change as City Council last month introduced a bill to reduce penalties for possession of the drug.
The city administration’s proposal would change possession from a misdemeanor to a less-serious summary offense and ease penalties to $100 for a first conviction and $200 for a second. After a third offense, possession again would be considered a misdemeanor crime.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse supports the change, saying too much city police time is occupied by low-level drug cases. He said he also doesn’t believe the change would encourage drug use, a charge leveled by some opponents.
At press time, a council committee was slated to consider the issue for further action.
Serious Crime Declines
The rate of serious crime in Harrisburg fell significantly last year, the Police Bureau said last month.
“Part 1” crimes declined by 17 percent in 2015 compared to 2014, the police said. These crimes include murder, rape, assault, burglary, theft and arson.
Of these, robbery fell from 283 to 228 reported incidents; assault decreased from 1,328 to 1,233 reported incidents; and theft dropped from 1,235 to 875 incidents.
Harrisburg tallied 19 homicides in 2015, the same as in 2014. However, three of those murders were categorized as self-defense, meaning that criminal homicides actually went down.
New Home for City Islanders
The Harrisburg City Islanders will make FNB Field (formerly Metro Bank Park) their home stadium for the 2016 season.
The city-based soccer team will play 10 home matches at the City Island ballpark, which also is the home stadium for the Harrisburg Senators. Another five home matches will be played at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster.
For the past two years, the Islanders have been looking to move out of the Skyline Sports complex, also on City Island, because the team considered it too small and lacking in basic amenities, such as bathrooms.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the city, which owns the stadium, may benefit financially through increased ticket, sales and parking fees, especially if the move leads to greater attendance at Islanders’ matches.
Separately, First National Bank last month announced the stadium would be renamed FNB Field, as F.N.B. Corp. recently merged with Metro Bank’s parent company, Metro Bancorp.
Housing Sales Improve
The Harrisburg area continued to see improvements in housing sales, the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported last month.
Region-wide, sales totaled 557 units in January, compared to 501 in January 2015 and 448 in January 2014. The median price increased to $152,000, $4,000 more than in the year-ago period.
In January, Dauphin County tallied 185 sales at a median price of $134,000, compared to 177 units and a $132,000 median price in January 2015.
In Cumberland County, 201 units sold for a median price of $174,000 against 179 units at a price of $160,800 in January 2015, GHAR said. Perry County sales were also up, totaling 27 units for a median price of $147,000 versus 18 units at a price of $144,950 for the year-ago period, according to GHAR.
So Noted
Bricco, a downtown Harrisburg restaurant, plans a series of events and specials to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. These include special pricing, dining events and a new menu. For all the details, visit www.briccopa.com.
Changing Hands
Berryhill St., 1249: R. Eisner et al to E. Graves, $37,000
Berryhill St., 2116: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to M. Wijaya, $31,000
Cumberland St., 1322: E. Brinkman to D. Brotz, $114,900
Derry St., 2416: S. Moose to I. Class & Y. Aguayo, $45,000
Derry St., 2513: L. Parker to R. Tortorelli, $59,900
Edgewood Rd., 2300: B. & C. Mark to T. Paradise, $195,000
Green St., 1425: M. Araujo to J. Miller, $95,000
Green St., 1701A: R. Myers to J. & V. Wills, $180,000
Green St., 2959: D. Jamieson to D. & V. Moore, $202,900
Hoffman St., 3214: M. Angelo to J. Gantt & H. Mahmood, $109,900
Hunter St., 1609: T. Vo to D. Vo, $160,000
Kelker St., 422 & 434, 1821 Fulton St. and 1820 N. 5th St.: Hamilton Health Center to Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry, $250,000
N. 2nd St., 321 & 209 South St.: B. Hattingh to VMV Smart Solutions LLC, $425,000
N. 2nd St., 1509: J. Tang to Vortex Properties, $105,000
N. 3rd St., 3205: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to H. Pontius, $42,000
N. 4th St., 3211: J. Kardisco to D. Cameron, $89,000
N. 17th St., 1001: Miracle Group Inc. to E. Price, $80,000
Parkside Lane, 2906: R. & V. Eaton to R. & K. Riley, $210,000
Penn St., 1522: S. Faridi to M. Lindsay, $133,000
Regina St., 1414 & 2139 N. 4th St.: SNL Realty Holdings & Touch of Color to NJR Group LLC, $71,500
Rudy Rd., 1916: R. Wagner to J. Burno, $53,000
Rudy Rd., 2413: J. Boutselis to PA Deals LLC, $55,000
Rumson Dr., 2586: PA Deals LLC to J. Tucker, $80,000
S. 19th St., 14: C. Butler to M. Martinez, $45,000
S. 25th St., 729: R. Wylie Jr. to 729 25th Street LLC, $170,000
S. 26th St., 733: T. Navas to E. Lowe & S. Fuentes, $72,000
State St., 213: Douglas, Hassler & McKillop to Legion Premier Properties LLC, $247,000
Susquehanna St., 1725: M. Gojmerac & C. Roma to B. & K. Martin, $94,000
Verbeke St., 309: S. Rosso to R. Green & D. Govender, $113,000
Wyeth St., 1406: A. Van Dyke to PA Deals LLC, $82,000
Harrisburg property sales for January 2016, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.
