Harrisburg’s proposed 2024 budget includes trash bill hike, no property tax increase

November 28, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Mayor Wanda Williams presented the city’s 2024 proposed budget to City Council on Tuesday.

Harrisburg’s annual budget approval process kicked off on Tuesday, as the city presented a balanced spending plan for 2024.

At a City Council legislative session, Mayor Wanda Williams shared her proposed general fund budget of $109.4 million, which includes investments in infrastructure, public safety and parks and recreation.

The spending plan does not include a property tax hike.

“I strongly feel that this document presents the best path forward,” Williams said. “We have the opportunity with this budget to move the city of Harrisburg forward.”

In total, the budget equals $150.7 million, including the general fund budget and the $21.1 million neighborhood services fund budget, among others.

According to Williams, the budget would prioritize projects like street paving, additional upgrades to city parks and the hiring of 10 new police officers.

The city will also start to spend federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money on projects like renovating the Hall Manor pool and funding affordable housing development and home repairs for low-income residents.

The proposal does include a $3.23 increase for residents’ monthly trash bills, making the cost $35.57 per month. The rate has not changed in over a decade, Williams said.

Williams said that the increase was needed to help balance the budget, citing issues like inflation and the fact that many state Capitol workers have not returned to the office as areas of lost revenue.

“Charging an additional utility cost is not what I wanted to do,” she said. “However, we feel this is the best business decision we can make with how hard inflation and rising costs have hit our bottom line.”

Council will hold budget workshops at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13 and is slated to vote on the 2024 budget on Dec. 19.

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Harrisburg tells people living in Riverfront Park to vacate; service providers work on long-term homelessness plan

November 28, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

An encampment at an overlook in Riverfront Park, behind the old Waterworks building

Harrisburg is urging people living in tents along the riverfront to move on.

To address a recent increase of unhoused people residing in Riverfront Park, the city posted signs stating that all belongings must be moved from the area.

According to Harrisburg Communications Director Matt Maisel, the rise in the number of people living along the river has created sanitary concerns and health hazards.

On Tuesday, the city temporarily removed the signs to clarify the language in the public notice, but the order to vacate still stands.

Several tents can be seen congregated at an overlook in the park, behind the old Waterworks building. Others are scattered along the upper and lower riverwalk paths.

This increase has caused sanitation concerns in the city, as the Public Works Department has had to routinely clean up the area, Maisel said. He added that city code prohibits people from camping in parks and dumping things into the Susquehanna River.

While Maisel said that the city recognizes that homeless people have camped in the park for years, the issue has become worse as of late and Harrisburg can no longer “turn a blind eye” to the situation, he said.

A sign posted by the city in Kunkel Plaza in Riverfront Park

One woman currently living along the riverfront said that she saw the city’s signs, but that she had not heard from the city when she would need to leave or where she should go. There is no date marked on the signs.

“What do we do? Where do we go? We are in limbo,” said the woman, who asked to be referred to as LS.

According to Maisel, the signs are purposely vague, as the city is not currently setting a deadline for the move.

“No one is getting arrested, as we’ve stressed all along it is not a crime to be homeless, and we are purposely not setting a date, yet,” he said.

Unlike this time, the city did set eviction deadlines for homeless encampments in other areas of the city twice earlier this year.

City officials also cited health concerns when, in January, they evicted people living under the Mulberry Street Bridge, which was one of the largest encampments in Harrisburg at the time. The city determined that the area needed a deep cleaning and extermination, stating that it had been infested with rats. Since then, the area was fenced off and later, PennDOT, which owns the land, placed large rocks in the area to deter people from returning.

Again in June, the city announced an eviction at an encampment which had popped up along the Capital Area Greenbelt trail, just off Shanois Street. Several occupants of the encampment, which the city said was located largely on private property, had previously lived under the Mulberry Street Bridge.

With the holidays coming, Maisel said that the city doesn’t want to create any “serious disruptions” during this time of the year, which is why they aren’t setting a deadline for the move. Instead, he said, they are working with area service providers and the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH) to help those in need.

According to Aisha Mobley, community mobilization coordinator for Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area (CCU), her organization, along with others, have been assisting those living on the riverfront.

Some people that they’ve helped have lived in the park for years, she said.

“My job is to service the people that need help,” she said. “If they want to move, I’m there to help them.”

In Harrisburg, CCU will open a winter overnight shelter for men and one for women and non-binary people on Dec. 1, both remaining open through March. Downtown Daily Bread will also open a night shelter for men on the same date. Mobley hopes that those living along the riverfront will utilize the shelters, though she recognizes that it’s not a long-term solution.

LS said that she has lived in her tent in Riverfront Park for a few months and occasionally stays in the large encampment near the PennDOT building and the I-83 ramp, as well.

The PennDOT encampment, which is currently the largest in the city, has become overcrowded and at times, dangerous, LS said. But right now, it feels like her only option if she is forced to leave the riverfront, she shared.

However, even the future of the PennDOT encampment is uncertain as the state Department of Transportation’s I-83 widening project may affect that area. Mobley believes that, at some point, the encampment will be dispersed as construction work begins.

The city, county and members of CACH are working on a longer-term plan to address homelessness in Harrisburg, she assured.

“We are working to come up with a collective and collaborative plan,” she said.

And while Mobley believes the winter overnight shelters will provide enough space for those who need them this season, she expressed the need for more “low-barrier” shelters, ones that offer easy access, in the future. Additionally, a lack of housing, especially affordable housing, is another issue exasperating the homelessness issue, she said.

In the meantime, those who find themselves living unsheltered are wondering, what’s next?

On Monday night, LS arranged blankets in her tent, preparing for the cold night ahead.

“I have dreams and goals. It’s not like we want to be here,” said LS. “We are going through trauma, and we just get overlooked. Now, we are all just being scattered.”

For more information about CCU and their winter overnight shelters, visit their website.

This story has been updated.

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Bob’s Art Blog: The Originals and Holiday Gallery Gift Guide

November 28, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

P.D. Murray

“The Originals” sounds like it may be a Pixar movie arriving right before the holidays, but, in truth, it is a tribute to the current trio of artists who recently unveiled their Oscar-worthy art exhibit in the Millworks lobby, right on time for First Saturday, Dec. 2. To be an original, one must truly be a “1” of a kind. To be original is to break the mold. Over the years, it has afforded me great joy to write about all the Millworks artists, past and present. They are a community that ardently supports each other, shares an unbreakable camaraderie, and celebrates one another’s successes.

Artists, scalawags three, hold a special place in my art blogs, having written about them on numerous occasions, and now is the perfect time to introduce the new kid–but hold tight for a second. The trio is synonymous with “unique.” Prolifically profane at times, prescient posturing for others, but always on point, P.D. Murray is poised for permanence in the “Painting Pantheon of Poetic Paleontology.” His library of characters is overflowing with quirks and twerks, works with perks, and even “gherks that irks” (sour pickles). Pucker up, P.D. Murray. This is your life!

Huckle Buckle Boys

“Beep beep!!” A P.D. Murray mainstay, “Roadrunner,” like a gust of wind whooshing by in a flash, is on his way to see Garrick Dorsett and Zack Rudy, aka The Huckle Buckle Boys. Shortened to HBB, the Boys, over the years, have dealt in outrageously outre originals, spaceships and intergalactic travel, birds wearing masks pre-COVID precognition, and, of late, niche numerological navigation. Starting with the number “6” in a series of pattern forming methodologies within their current framework, mathematicians both, Garrick and Zack, crack the code, revealing that “doubling” continues ad infinitum.

R-Lo

Brand new to the Millworks mix, hanging art on the lobby wall, is a major force to be reckoned with…Richard L. Hernandez, better known as R-Lo. The “R” is key and points to the artist’s medium of choice, charcoal. The mystical gravity that pervades charcoal drawings is the interplay of dark against light, as ancient as cave paintings and the Pyramids, the elemental pull of creation comes full cycle in studies employing charcoal. From the first mark on the paper, the work starts to evolve as the velvety tone and texture of soot swirl in a brush with imagination. The components of energy and expressive freedom join in a seesaw of give and take, striking the balance in dusk and twilight shadings. R-Lo takes the Midtown art audience, caught in a whirlwind hurricane on a wild ride, bringing them to its very center at the eye, tossing caution topsy-turvy, tumultuously escaping, coming out on the other side safe but greatly moved and enlightened. Humble and hesitant to recognize his own immense talent, R-Lo’s art bridges the temporal and the eternal, depicting mankind’s struggles of the here and now played out on a grand scale. The paper canvases are wall-sized and dramatically draw initiates new to the medium into the mainframe’s depth as the seductive smears and smudges surrender to surround the senses scintillatingly surreal. R-Lo naturally draws comparisons to the great master himself, Leonardo, both in symphonic symbolism and as a supernal being. Richard’s star will shine bright in the firmament in the years to come.

Millwork’s current show runs through Dec. 10 and sets the holiday table with this unforgettable group of “Originals.” Be sure to stop in to see them and all the other Millwork’s artists in their studios and for First Saturday. View Murray, Dorsett, Rudy and R-Lo. And while you’re at it, break the mold this holiday season and pass on the fruitcake. Try something original instead.

Art for purchase at Vivi on Verbeke

Art Gallery Gift Guide for the 12 Days of Christmas, 8 nights of Chanukah, 6 days of Kwanzaa

Art Association of Harrisburg, 21 N. Front St., 717.236.1432
Specializing in paintings, statuary and assembled objects
Contact Nate Foster, Gallery Sales Director

Carlisle Arts Learning Center, 38 W. Pomfret St., 717.249.6973
Holiday Art Market, an entire gallery devoted to gifts galore.
Contact Amanda Kistler, Giftware Guru

Pat Craig Studios and The Pond, 30-32 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle 717.245.0382
Award-winning gift and custom framing store, hand crafted jewelry, cards, socks, and fine art and prints.
Contact Pat Craig, owner

EsoArts, 317 N. Queen St., Lancaster, 717.696.2093
Artisanal crafted goods from art to jewelry to upcycled clothing and even a tattoo parlor.
Contact Andrew Silvius or Zachary Walter, owners

Hershey Art Gallery and Studio, 1077 Swatara Rd., Hershey, 717.580.1614
Specializing in watercolor paintings, repurposed metal sculptures, charcuterie boards,
Culinary salts, bath salts and botanical soaps, jewelry, fabric art, prints and cards.
Contact Joan Maguire, owner

HIVE artspace, 126 E. King St., York, 917.971.7456
Paintings, cards, tree ornaments, jewelry and gift items
Contact Susan Scofield, owner

Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, 717.695.4888
Visit 36 artists on 3 floors, shop main floor gift boutique for art, clothing, jewelry, pottery, home goods, and stained glass
Contact Art Director Tara Chickey

Nyeusi Gallery, 1224 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, 717.421.4630
Specializing in Black art and art of the Caribbean with artwork, statuary, masks and books
Contact Art Director Steve Barber

Smith Fine Art Gallery & Custom Framing, 190 Reno Ave., New Cumberland, 717.774.4301
Specializing in fine art, featuring 30 local artists and custom framing, conservation and restoration.
Contact Debbie Smith, owner

Venture, 128 E. King St., York, 717.495.9992
Royal Square Arts District purveyor of fine gifts
Specializing in artisanal paintings, pottery, paper, felting and handbound books
Contact Susan McDaniel, owner

Village Artisans, 321 Walnut St., Boiling Springs, 717.258.3256
Gift gallery 200 nationally known artisans
Specializing in blown glass objects, pottery, jewelry and giftware
Contact P.J. Heyman, owner

Vivi on Verbeke, 258 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, 717.961.9826
Specializing in pottery, photography, paintings and handmade gift items
Contact Vivian Sterste or Jeb Boyd, owners

Photos by Jana MacGinnes

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Organization for homeless veterans has new leadership as “tiny home village” progresses

November 27, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

William Habacivch

A local nonprofit has new day-to-day leadership as it prepares to open a long-planned facility for homeless veterans in Harrisburg.

On Monday, Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania (VOPA) announced William Habacivch as its new executive director, replacing Jordan Ames, who left the position in August.

According to VOPA, Habacivch, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, will oversee the fundraising, operations management, project management, community outreach and other activities for Veterans Grove, a community of 15 tiny homes and a community center now under construction along S. Front Street in Harrisburg, past the PennDOT building.

The project, designed to combat homelessness among local veterans, broke ground last June and is expected to be completed in the spring. The development’s land was donated by local philanthropist Peggy Grove.

Habacivch, of Mechanicsburg, co-founded another veteran-focused nonprofit, Sandbox Industries, and has taught business and leadership at several area colleges, including Central Penn College, Harrisburg University and HACC, according to VOPA.

Habacivch holds a PhD from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in administration and leadership, a master’s degree in economics from Temple University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of South Carolina.

For more information on Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania, visit their website.

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New Style: JoJo’s Barbershop to open in downtown Harrisburg

November 27, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

JoJo’s Barbershop

Harrisburg will soon have a new place to get a fresh cut.

JoJo’s Barbershop is slated to open downtown, offering salon services in the SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood, according to building owner, Harristown Enterprises.

Owner Johanna Martin will open the shop at 11 S. 3^rd St., at the previous storefront of the joint venture by vintage retailers The Midtown Dandy and Stash Vintage, which recently relocated and opened Found Collab down the block.

JoJo’s Barbershop will provide washes and cuts to men, women and children, as well as specialty services including coloring, undercuts and hair design.

“The dream for me is creating space that people can walk into with a sense of ease and excitement and leave feeling affirmed,” Martin said, in a statement. “I’m truly lucky to serve the downtown area.”

JoJo’s joins around a dozen new businesses, largely minority- and women-owned, that have opened in downtown Harrisburg in the past several months. On 3^rd Street alone, at least nine new businesses, including the barbershop, have opened storefronts this year, setting up shop in commercial space owned by Harristown.

“We’re thrilled to have a full-service barbershop in SoMa,” said Brad Jones, Harristown’s president and CEO. “With this added amenity, it is just one more reason you never have to leave the downtown.”

JoJo’s Barbershop will host a public open house on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m.

The shop will be open Tuesdays through Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To make an appointment, call (717) 280-9178 or visit jomartin.booksy.com.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

November 24, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams announced the city’s score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, at a press conference.

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are enjoying the long holiday weekend. While you recover from yesterday’s feast and festivities, catch up on the news from this week in Harrisburg, below.

Buying local is great, but buying locally made is even better. In our magazine story, read about several Harrisburg area businesses dedicated to crafting unique pieces and how to support them this holiday shopping season.

Capital Region Water approved new water, sewer and stormwater rates for 2024, our online story reported. The average Harrisburg customer’s bill is set to increase by about 5.2%.

Dauphin County proposed a 2024 general budget of about $222 million, which includes no property tax increase, our online story reported. This would mark the 19^th year for the county without a tax hike.

Gamut Theatre is offering visitors a night of Gilbert & Sullivan with its production of “H.M.S. Pinafore.” The production runs through Dec. 3 and is a “jolly good show,” according to our theater reviewer.

Harrisburg received one of the highest scores in the state for its LGBTQ inclusivity, our online story reported. The city shared that it garnered a total of 109 points on the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI).

Pumpkin pasta is on the menu for our food columnist Rosemary this month. Click here for the recipe, which is perfect for fall.

Sara Bozich has a long list of activities for your holiday weekend, starting off with ways to spend Thanksgiving-eve and suggestions to carry you through to Sunday. Find them, here.

“Under the Skin” takes viewers on a “spine-chilling, disturbing and erotic journey,” says our movie reviewer. The show is playing at Midtown Cinema as part of its “Out-of-this-World November” alien movie series.

Whitaker Center is hosting one of the largest exhibits in its 24-year history, “Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience,” through the end of the year. In our magazine story, read more about the videos, artifacts and interactive experiences included in the exhibit.

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Dauphin County proposes 2024 budget, contains no tax increase

November 22, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Dauphin County Administration Building

Dauphin County announced on Wednesday its proposed spending plan for the coming year.

The proposed 2024 general budget is about $222 million and, for the 19^th year in a row, does not include a property tax increase.

“A lot of hard work and careful review has brought us to the point where we can maintain this impressive streak of 19 years without a tax increase,” said Mike Pries, chairman of the board of commissioners for the county.

The property tax rate for county services would remain at 6.88 mills, with a mill representing $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The proposed budget for this year would be an increase from last year’s budget of $218 million.

The proposal includes salary raises for all union contract employees with 2.95% increases for non-union employees.

About 50% of the budget would be spent on salaries and benefits for employees, with other percentages going to areas like service expenses, debt service and grants to organizations.

The proposed budget is available to view, here, or at the Dauphin County Administration Building, located at 2 S. 2^nd St., Harrisburg.

The county commissioners are expected to vote on the budget at a Dec. 13 board meeting.

For more information, visit Dauphin County’s website.

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Harrisburg water/sewer rates to increase in 2024, bills will rise less than $5 per month for average user

November 22, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

A CRW crew performs inlet maintenance.

Harrisburg utility customers will see their rates rise in 2024, with the average bill increasing by about 5.2%.

On Tuesday, the board of Capital Region Water (CRW) approved new water, sewer and stormwater rates, effective Jan. 1.

Under the new rate structure, the drinking water charge will increase 3%, from $10.34 to $10.65 per 1,000 gallons consumed.

The wastewater charge will rise 8%, from $9.24 to $9.98 per 1,000 gallons used.

The stormwater fee also will rise, the first increase for most residential customers since the fee was first imposed in 2020. It will increase by 10%, from $6.15 to $6.77 per month for the majority of Harrisburg residences.

According to CRW, the average monthly bill for households in Harrisburg will increase a total of $4.56 a month, from $87.75 to $92.31, in 2024. From 2022 to 2023, the average bill increased about $2.60.

A typical monthly residential CRW bill in 2024. Source: Capital Region Water

CRW has also proposed an increase in funding for credit assistance programs, which uses non-rate revenues to provide direct assistance to those in need.

“Our commitments are to our customers in the form of affordability, excellence in water quality, and vital improvements to our aging infrastructure,” said Charlotte Katzenmoyer, CEO of CRW, in a statement. “While we don’t enjoy recommending increases in our rates, they are necessary to provide the service our customers deserve and expect.”

For more information on Capital Region Water, visit their website.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

November 22, 2023 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find:

For something new: Check out the inaugural SoMa Christmas Market on Saturday Worth noting: Christmas Spirit Light Show opens Things on my agenda this weekend: Pittsburgh for the holiday; friends for dinner by the weekend

For your weekend(ish) planning

The Perfect Wines for Thanksgiving
#shoplocal at the SoMa Christmas Market this Saturday
Harrisburg University Presents Stephen Sanchez on Nov. 30 | GIVEAWAY
Sara’s 5 Favorite Local Places to Buy Clothing
9 Foodie Trips Not to Miss | AAA Central Penn
See what else you missed on the blog

Below are options for your weekend.

A Look Ahead

Yuletide by the Riverside: Elegant Progressions with Historic Harrisburg
Book the perfect holiday-themed getaway — no planning required!
Save the date: December sip @ soma with Under the Bridge Cider Dec. 14-15!
The Best Farmers Markets around Harrisburg
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

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Harrisburg receives one of the highest scores in PA for LGBTQ inclusivity

November 21, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Mayor Wanda Williams shared Harrisburg’s score on the “Municipal Equality Index” at a press conference in city hall.

According to a new study, Harrisburg is one of the most welcoming places in the state for LGBTQ residents.

At a press conference on Tuesday, city officials shared that Harrisburg received its highest score to date on the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI) for its support of the LGBTQ community.

The MEI measures how municipalities assist this group through its laws, policies and services. Harrisburg scored 96 out of 100 and earned 13 “flex points,” giving it a total of 109, the highest score of any participating municipality, according to the city.

“I am more encouraged now than ever before that Harrisburg is on the right path forward,” said Mayor Wanda Williams.

According to the city, in 2019-21, Harrisburg scored 69 points on the MEI and in 2022 scored 71. This year’s high score was reached through initiatives like beginning to report hate crime statistics to the FBI and offering city employees transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits.

In the spring, Harrisburg also appointed Deborah Robinson as the LGBTQ liaison in city hall, as well as Jennifer Cameron as the liaison in the police bureau. Both Robinson, special assistant for community affairs, and Cameron, special assistant for the police bureau, serve as liaisons for all underrepresented community groups, acting as advocates on their behalf.

The city received perfect scores in areas like its non-discrimination laws, city leadership’s position on LGBTQ equality and for having a human rights commission. Harrisburg gained bonus points for employing openly LGBTQ elected and appointed officials and for providing services to LGBTQ youth, senior citizens and people experiencing homelessness.

“There is always more work to be done, so this does not mark a finish line, but it does mark important progress,” said Amanda Arbour, director of the LGBT Center of Central Pa. “We are grateful for the work that Mayor Williams and her administration have done to prioritize LGBTQ+ inclusion within the past year.”

To view the Municipal Equality Index report for Harrisburg, click here.

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Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find:

For your weekend(ish) planning

A Look Ahead

Wednesday | Thanksgiving Eve

Thursday | Thanksgiving

Black Friday

Small Business Saturday

Sunday

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