Tag Archives: Tom Wolf

Capitol Capital: State restores annual payment to Harrisburg.

June 30, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

The state legislature is expected to pass a 2017-18 budget today, which includes a $5 million payment to Harrisburg.

Harrisburg looks likely to receive its full state funding after all, as the legislature has re-inserted a $5 million payment to the city in its final budget agreement.

A vote is expected today on a $32 billion state budget for 2017-18 that includes full funding of the “Capitol fire protection” line item, a type of payment in lieu of taxes that the city counts on to help fund emergency services.

“This is great news for Harrisburg,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “And I’d like to thank (Rep.) Patty Kim and (Sen.) John DiSanto for working hard on behalf of the city.”

Over the decades, this annual payment has ranged widely from nothing to the current $5 million, an amount decided upon while the city was under state receivership. However, the money is not guaranteed, meaning that Harrisburg isn’t certain it will receive the funds until the always-fraught state budget is passed.

The money lands in the city’s general fund, but Harrisburg officials say it offers compensation for services that the city provides to about 30,000 state workers, in addition to many others who come to Harrisburg to do business with the state. The state pays no property taxes on its massive holdings in the city, which includes some 50 state-owned buildings on about 42 percent of the city’s land.

The payment was included in the proposed budget released in February by Gov. Tom Wolf. However, the Republican-controlled Senate later stripped it from its budget proposal, with some legislators criticizing the city for tripling the local services tax, which affects everyone who works in Harrisburg. At the time, Kim and DiSanto both said they’d fight to have the money restored.

Once passed by the legislature, Wolf is expected to sign the budget into law.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Here It Comes: Pending Storm Prompts Snow Emergency

March 13, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

If forecasters have it right, we’re in for a repeat tomorrow of this wintry scene along Reily Street in Harrisburg from January 2016.

In a few hours, Harrisburg will be under a snow emergency, as a pending storm threatens to pound the area with more than a foot of snow.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced the emergency during a morning press conference, stating that all cars must clear out of snow emergency routes starting at 6 p.m. tonight. The snow emergency extends until 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

Snow emergency routes tend to be main arteries in the city, such as 2nd Street, Division Street, State Street, Walnut Street and Paxton Street.

City residents can park for free in the Locust Street Garage starting at 6 p.m. today until 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Separately, Gov. Tom Wolf declared a disaster emergency for much of the commonwealth, restricting speeds on highways and deploying snow removal resources to the eastern part of the state. Both state and city government offices will be closed tomorrow in Harrisburg for all non-essential personnel. In addition, the city has imposed “liberal leave” for Wednesday.

City sanitation services will be suspended both Tuesday and Wednesday.

During last year’s blizzard, residents of some of Harrisburg’s narrowest streets complained that the city did not properly communicate with them that their cars had to be moved so the road could be plowed. This year, the city has made special arrangements for residents of Penn Street and Zarker Street.

In addition to the Locust Street Garage, residents of Penn Street can park in the HACC Midtown parking lot No. 5, the Fire Museum or City Island. Zarker Street residents can park in the Locust Street Parking Garage, the Old Hamilton Health Center parking lot on Walnut Street behind the school district Administration Building, the Tiny Fingers Tiny Toes Daycare parking lot at 2023 Market St. and City Island.

Currently, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the entire Harrisburg area, beginning at 8 p.m. and extending through 10 p.m. on Tuesday. The National Weather Service is forecasting 16 to 20 inches of snow for the area, with up to 2 feet possible. Sustained winds also will be strong at 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of 25 to 30 mph, which will cause blowing and drifting of snow.

If the storm is even worse than expected, Papenfuse said that the city may extend the snow emergency.

Author: Lawrance Binda

‘Tis the Season: See Governor’s Residence at Holiday Open House

December 7, 2016 | by Danielle Roth

Students at Capital Area School for the Arts made decorations for the children’s tree.

Stockings have been hung, trees decorated and halls decked in one of Pennsylvania’s most notable homes–and you’re invited to drop by.

This Sunday, Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf will welcome visitors to the Governor’s Residence, which will be open to the public from 1 to 6 p.m. for an open house held in conjunction with Historic Harrisburg Association’s Annual Candlelight House Tour.

A nature theme inspired Pennsylvania artists, students and the Wolf family to decorate six Fraser firs found in the house.

“I like the way different people interpreted the theme,” Frances Wolf said.

The Wolfs invited their extended relatives to decorate the tree with colonial-inspired decorations such as dried oranges and apples.

Staff from Governor Tom Wolf’s office decorated his study.

Staffers from Wolf’s office “shopped the attic” to find the stockings and other decorations for his study, Frances Wolf said.

Debra Eberly from d.w. designs in Harrisburg decorated the Mellon Parlor.

Students from the Capital Area School for the Arts and a Highland Park elementary school created decorations for the children’s tree, which is circled by a toy train. Debra Eberly from d.w. designs in Harrisburg designed and decorated the Mellon Parlor.

Local groups will be performing at this year’s open house, including the Camp Hill United Methodist Bell Choir, Lemoyne Trinity Lutheran Bell Choir and the Mechanicsburg Area Senior High Wildcat Singers.

Visitors will have the opportunity to donate new, unwrapped toys to Toys for Tots and write cards for The American Red Cross “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program.

The Governor’s Residence is located at 2035 N. Front St. in Harrisburg. Click here for for more information about Historic Harrisburg Association’s candlelight tour.

Author: Danielle Roth

His Back to the Wall: The tough road behind, ahead, for Howard Henry.

November 30, 2016 | by Danielle Roth

Howard Henry fixes things.

Since Nov. 15, 1998, he has fixed automobiles at Howard Tire & Auto on Cameron Street in Harrisburg, the business he built from the ground up. Nearly 30 years ago, he pulled himself out of homelessness and addiction. At the age of 9, he mowed lawns in his trailer park for cash after his father left for Vietnam.

But he can’t fix this.

On May 5, a wall holding up the parking lot for The McFarland apartments collapsed. Gravel, asphalt and a silver Nissan Altima came plummeting onto the roof of his warehouse. Nevertheless, he kept his main garage operating. Then, in June, after a heavy spring rain, the mass of debris crashed further into the warehouse. The Altima slid down another two feet into piles of bricks. The red fence that circled the parking lot pushed up against what was left of the ceiling, now in shreds.

Two days later, Harrisburg condemned his warehouse and eight apartments in The McFarland. Still, Henry slogged on until mid-October, when an engineer he hired said his property was no longer safe to inhabit. He was forced to close up shop and let his employees go.

Eight months after the initial landslide, the damage continues to lay open and exposed to the elements. Whenever rain falls, washing out more dirt and debris, he worries, and he is now concerned about winter’s freeze and thaw.

To make matters worse—no stakeholders want to take responsibility for the million-dollar damage.

Owners of The McFarland have distanced themselves from the cleanup. Owner Isaac Dohany appealed the city’s condemnation order. During the appeal—a code hearing to determine if the order was given properly—attorney Adam Klein attempted to place blame on PennDOT.

However, PennDOT’s internal investigation found that its contractor’s work to the adjacent Mulberry Bridge did not contribute to the collapse.

“For us, it’s not about assignment of blame,” Henry said. “We have always felt like, if we can get people to the table and begin to talk about the challenges that the community as a whole faces as a result of that hill, then blame and money would be put aside for safety concerns.”

He rallied staffers from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office, as well as Rep. Scott Perry. He’s been in communication with the mayor’s office. Engineers, lobbyists and lawyers have come out of the woodwork to help him.

Meanwhile, he’s returned his inventory of new tires to the manufacturer. Most of his 15 former employees have found new jobs. Photos of grand openings and family still hang on the yellow paneled walls. Whenever he visits the shop, he makes sure to give the fish in the waiting room’s tank extra food.

“I am minimizing and reducing costs at every turn, but I’m staying,” he said. “I’m staying in an empty store, but me and the fish are staying.”

Holding onto Hope

Henry says he cannot afford to move into a new space. After eight months of financial strain, his company did not even have the funds to throw an annual anniversary dinner, which was planned for Nov. 15.

“While we are not broke, we are at the threshold of prudent reserve,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Henry has seen financial strife. In 1998, before he opened the shop, he slept on a mattress in a warehouse while going through a divorce. He’s come full circle, he said.

“I just feel like, if God did this,” he said, waving his arm to indicate the auto shop, “with the last 20 years of my life, He must have something really huge in store.”

Then he added, “It must be enormous.”

Henry’s faith guides him through trying times. About 28 years ago, he fought an addiction to alcohol. After burning every bridge and attending rehab four or five times, he resorted to living in a box behind a Dillsburg grocery store.

On Oct. 22, 1989, he pulled himself to sobriety.

The weight of the debris destroying his business has challenged his fortitude. On Sept. 13, he had alcohol for the first time since 1989. He drank a few swallows of beer in an attempt to cope with the weight of the damage laying on his warehouse.

“I just wanted to stop the pain,” he said. “The pain I feel is not for me. It’s for my employees. It’s for my family. It’s for all those who looked at me and asked me to fix this, and I can’t.”

Immediately, he regretted those sips. He threw the beer away. That’s when he knew he hit a spiritual low.

This experience has challenged him beyond his imagination, but he has emerged victorious, he said.

“I believe, maybe for the first time, in my gut in a way that I’ve never experienced, that nothing—absolutely nothing—in this life can happen to me, and I would be left alone,” he said. “I’ve come to a point of peace with all that.”

Hearts that Wrench

Two days before he officially closed his doors, Henry received an important letter in the mail. It was notification that his personal ministry had become an official nonprofit, which he calls Heart Wrenched.

It all started back in 1998 when a single mom driving a beat-up car with three babies in the backseat pulled into his new shop. Henry and his original business partner, Troy Hughes, decided they needed to act. They fixed her car for free then cobbled together an A-frame sign out of coroplast. They spelled “we fix flats free” in duct tape.

For the next 18 years, Henry continued serving the less fortunate, quietly given away more than 500 cars, thousands of tires and countless hours of service. He has only met a few of the people who have received his good will. He stayed purposefully busy when someone came to the shop for free services, he said.

“I didn’t want them to thank me for it, but I wanted them to thank God,” he said.

Henry now is executive director, chairman of the board of four members and nearly every other position of Heart Wrenched. He has the business model, marketing materials and even the corporate bank account.

It’ll work like this: Local nonprofits and ministries will identify a person in need. Then they will connect that person with Heart Wrenched, which will provide the parts.

“We will recruit garages just like myself who have the heart to fix something for someone who cannot afford it,” he said.

That’s right—Henry believes, one day, he’ll reopen his shop, despite the fact that engineers have warned him that the condemned section of The McFarland could collapse, which would be an even bigger disaster. Still, he holds out hope that the owners eventually will take responsibility and start cleaning up.

When talking about his life, Henry points to all the things he’s already endured and overcome—homelessness, divorce, alcoholism—which leaves him with the resolve to remain optimistic despite the mountain of dirt and debris that crashed into his roof, destroying his building and his business.

“I’m excited about the possibilities of what God’s about to do in my life,” he said. “I can’t wait. I just can’t wait.”

Author: Danielle Roth

September News Digest

September 30, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Courthouse Clears Hurdle

A proposed new federal courthouse for Harrisburg took a significant step forward last month, as a Congressional panel approved funding for the project.

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta said the House Infrastructure and Transportation Committee approved full funding for the $194.4 million courthouse at N. 6th and Reily streets. Congress has already appropriated about $55 million for land acquisition, feasibility studies and design.

“This has been a long time coming, with various baby steps along the way, but now the Harrisburg courthouse will finally become a reality,” Barletta said in a statement.

The full House and Senate still must pass a final bill appropriating the money, but Barletta spokesman Tim Murtaugh called House committee approval the greatest obstacle.

“This was the major hurdle,” he said.

After many years of searching, the federal government selected the Midtown site in 2010, acquiring the land and razing a few old buildings. However, the site has sat empty since, as the project has awaited funds for construction.

Barletta said that he had re-considered the scope of the project, perhaps in favor of an annex to the existing federal courthouse downtown. However, he finally agreed that a new facility was needed.

The 243,000-square-foot building will contain as many as eight courtrooms, including three for district judges, two for senior district judges, two for magistrate judges and one for bankruptcy judges. The plan also calls for about 43 parking spaces.

Assuming that Congress appropriates the money, several years will likely pass before construction begins. Earlier this year, the U.S. General Services Administration released a priority list for new courthouses and annexes around the country, putting eight other projects ahead of Harrisburg’s.

Sinkhole Money Secured

Harrisburg last month secured nearly $1.7 million in federal funds to help remediate a sinkhole-ravaged stretch along the 1400-block of S. 14^th Street.

In its award letter, the Federal Emergency Management Agency specified that

Harrisburg must provide $550,000 in matching funds, which may come from other grants the city hopes to receive for the project.

The city envisions acquiring and tearing down 52 homes along the block. It then would fill in the sinkhole-prone area with backfill and soil, before turning it into permanent green space.

This was the second time that the city attempted to secure FEMA funds. Last year, the agency turned down the city’s request, directing money for sinkhole remediation to Palmyra. Harrisburg then asked FEMA to reconsider its project, which resulted in the award.

Giant sinkholes began opening up on the block in March 2014, making many of the houses uninhabitable and the remainder virtually worthless.

Council Weighs Market Contract

The Broad Street Market took a step towards a long-awaited restructuring last month, as City Council held a hearing that could lead Harrisburg’s historic market to become a nonprofit entity.

Most council members seemed to favor the proposal, which would permit a new nonprofit called the Broad Street Market Alliance, to enter into a lease agreement with the city, which owns the 150-year-old market. The lease would run for five years with an option for a 10-year extension.

Under the agreement, the city would rent the two market buildings for $1 a year to the nonprofit, which then would be responsible for maintenance and repairs. Under this structure, the market would be eligible to apply for numerous grants reserved for nonprofits and also could raise money, said market Manager Beth Taylor, who estimates the buildings have $1.5 to $2 million in deferred maintenance and capital improvement costs.

Currently, the market operates within a complex structure, in which the city owns the market, but the for-profit Broad Street Market Corp. manages it under the supervision of the Historic Harrisburg Association. The city also charges $1 per year in rent, but is obligated to pay for maintenance and improvements.

Under the restructuring, the alliance would have a 13-member board, and its efforts would be supplemented by the creation of a new support and fundraising group called Friends of the Broad Street Market.

At press time, council had not scheduled a final vote on the lease agreement.

Midtown Project Receives Funds

A key renovation project in Midtown Harrisburg is expected to move rapidly to completion, as the state announced last month that it will release funding to help finish the block-long historic rehabilitation at N. 3rd and Boas streets.

In a press conference, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that the developer, WCI Partners, will receive $3.5 million from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, a state initiative that focuses on culturally and historically significant projects.

“We’re going to make sure that this project works, that courageous, hard-working people succeed,” said Wolf, who praised WCI for taking a risk to restore the long-vacant properties along the 900-block of N. 3rd Street.

The $8 million project consists of four buildings—the historic Harrisburg Moose Lodge Temple and three smaller townhouses, as well as a large parking lot.

WCI acquired the properties last year for $900,000 from Atlanta-based Mosaica Education, which had operated the Ron Brown Charter School there for five years. After its charter was not renewed, the school shut down in 2005, and the buildings have sat empty and increasingly dilapidated.

The 92-year-old, 38,000-square-foot former Moose Lodge opened last month as a fully renovated, mixed-use building consisting of 33 one-bedroom apartments and commercial space. The 6,500-square-foot ground floor is occupied by st@rtup Harrisburg, a city-based co-working space.

WCI Principal Alex Hartzler said that much of the RACP money will go towards finishing the project, especially the renovation of the three townhouses.

The back portions of the townhouses were chopped off years ago to expand the Ron Brown School’s parking lot and provide a play area. However, the long-empty buildings were not properly sealed, resulting in extensive water and infrastructure damage, Hartzler said.

More than 100 years ago, the townhouses were constructed with commercial space on the ground floors and apartments upstairs. WCI will return them to this mixed-use format, and TheBurg plans to occupy the ground floor space of two of the townhouses, which should be ready for occupancy early next year.

The state had not released RACP money since 2014. Several other Harrisburg-area groups, include Gamut Theatre Group and the Harrisburg City Islanders, have applied for funds. Wolf said funding for other projects would be announced soon.

Disclosure: Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

Treasurer Criticizes Report

Harrisburg Treasurer Dan Miller last month gave a generally unfavorable assessment of a report that criticized the operations of the city treasurer’s office.

Before City Council, Miller said that the report, drafted by consultant Alvarez & Marsal, was correct in some of its conclusions, but incorrect in others. For instance, the report stated that the department lacked written procedures and policies, which, Miller said, was not true.

The report became controversial earlier this year when city Controller Charles DeBrunner made it public over the objections of Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who said its release was premature and unwise.

The city contracted with Alvarez & Marsal after former Treasurer John Campbell resigned following his arrest on theft charges not related to his city position. The report found no wrongdoing by Campbell as treasurer, but pointedly criticized how the office was run.

This was Miller’s first significant appearance before council since he was named treasurer in June to fill the unexpired term of former Treasurer Tyrell Spradley, who resigned the post.

“I have complete confidence in the city Treasury Department and operations,” Miller told City Council.

Home Sales Jump

Harrisburg-area home sales increased significantly in August, rising by 21 percent from the year-ago period.

Homes sales totaled 947 units compared to 783 units in August 2015, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors.

The median price rose to $169,900 from $165,000 in the prior year, said GHAR.

In Dauphin County, 311 homes sold compared to 265 last August. In Cumberland County, sales totaled 336 units versus 268. Sales in Perry County increased to 38 units versus 27 in August 2015.

GHAR’s area covers all of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties and parts of York, Lebanon and Juniata counties.

So Noted

Capital Joe Coffee has opened at 418 Forster St., Harrisburg, across the street from the state Capitol complex. Capital Joe serves Square One Coffee of Lancaster and pastries from Brew Crumberland’s Best of New Cumberland.

Impact Harrisburg last month awarded the city $250,000 in emergency funding to upgrade its IT infrastructure after city workers experienced system failures that prevented access to email and other shared files. The award should allow the city to migrate certain mission-critical functions to a cloud-based solution, thereby improving performance and reducing the risk of crashes.

Whitaker Center has announced the planned retirement of its long-time CEO and president, Dr. Michael Hanes. Hanes will retire at the end of next year, prompting the board to initiate a search for his replacement.

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 2418 & 610 Fillmore St.: T. Le to D. Nguyen, $30,000

Benton St., 545: MBHH RE LLC to Triple Play Properties LLC, $30,000

Benton St., 601: M. Munro to S. Harrison, $102,000

Briggs St., 216: M. & P. Parsons to J. Vingsness & A. Posner, $205,000

Briggs St., 2024: S. Chapman to S. Maurer, $35,450

Brookwood St., 2213: PA Deals LLC to Mid Atlantic IRA & C. Hampton IRA, $50,000

Calder St., 268: K. Ciminello to B. Roller, $107,500

Chestnut St., 2048: S. Reyes to A. & R. Hart, $103,000

Chestnut St., 2215: J. & H. Kelly to J. & E. Colt, $179,900

Credit Union Place, 1: Pa. State Employees Finance Dept. to Commonwealth Charter Academy Charter School, $5,000,000

Derry St., 1316: Sandra Feigley Inc. c/o Thelma Johnston to S. Khan, $34,000

Derry St., 2035: S. Nagle to J. Guzman & M. Rodriguez, $89,900

Derry St., 2354: T. Pham to H. Pham & N. Le, $45,000

Emerald Ct., 2451: H. Conrad to J. & S. Theodorou, $82,000

Fillmore St., 610: T. Johnson to D. Nguyen, $30,000

Forster St., 1621: M&T Bank to PA Deals LLC, $47,000

Fulton St., 1738: PA Deals LLC to D. Reinhart, $124,900

Green St., 1623: B. Christine to S. Vemula & M. Chada, $115,000

Kensington St., 1952: J. & J. Belfonti to Tout USA LLC, $65,000

Lenox St., 1918: J. Zellers to A. Rosario & S. Castillo, $54,300

Lenox St., 1922: T. & J. Santiago to T. & B. Nguyen, $32,500

Lenox St., 1930: V. Bria to A. Perez, $62,500

Linden St., 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 117½ 119, 119½ & 100, 112 N. 13^th St.: Habitat for Humanity Greater Harrisburg Area to CPenn Patriot Properties Midtown LLC, $131,000

N. 2^nd St., 1618: K. Robinson to D. Payne, $249,900

N. 2^nd St., 2531: S. Mirza & F. Jabari to H. & S. Johnson, $157,500

N. 2^nd St., 2539: D. Garber to E. & A. Stockstill, $165,000

N. 2^nd St., 2812: M. Macholtz to T. Brinkley, $280,000

N. 2^nd St., 3016: S. Trent to D. Marcheski & L. Boykin, $156,000

N. 3^rd St., 1122: S. & G. Giambalvo to G. & K. Tennis, $197,500

N. 3^rd St., 1935: T. Stutzman to Monte Design Studio LLC, $40,000

N. 3^rd St., 3104: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development & ISN Corp. to M. Horgan & R. Kushner, $45,000

N. 4^th St., 1627: GWD Capitol Heights LP to J. Parfitt, $103,000

N. 5^th St., 2313: K. & D. Izer to BCR 2 Properties LLC, $30,000

N. 5^th St., 2437: Willowscott Investments to K. Hurst & N. Howze, $68,900

N. 6^th St., 1625: S. & C. Lane & New Heights South LLC to A. & A. Gee & PA Department of General Services, $42,000

N. 6^th St., 1633: HarrisPenn Trust to PA Department of General Services, $554,500

N. 6^th St., 2130: S&T Bank to N. Mitaka, $46,000

N. 13^th St., 146: L. Ware Jr. to W. Banks, $80,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 606: A. Moscato to J. Scarnati, $117,900

N. Front St., 1711: A. Haroundzadeh & D. Dohner to Harrisburg Redevelopment Group LLC, $1,065,000

Penn St., 1602: P. Larsen to M. Dinicola, $159,900

Penn St., 1916: WCI Partners LP to D. O’Hagan, $161,000

River St., 122: A. Rhoads & D. & S. Shatto to J. & G. Souders, $57,500

Rudy Rd., 1952: S. Schmidt to W. Zhang, $50,000

Rudy Rd., 2256: W. Ryan to Z. Rothfus, $176,900

Seneca St., 641 & 645: D. & K. Howard to DAP 7 Curtin LP, $55,000

Showers St., 615: J. & D. Groff to E. Hobbs, $155,000

S. 13^th St., 1400: J. & E. Cavitt to I. Medina & J. Culcay, $76,500

S. 20^th St., 209: R. Doerfler & J. Moffitt to J. & B. Readinger, $48,300

S. 27^th St., 710: D. & C. Howe to D. Barrick & A. Toci, $199,000

S. 28^th St., 728: S. Oscilowski to M. Marcus, $84,000

State St., 1604: Mid Penn Bank to C. Valdivieso, $37,000

Swatara St., 1523: Tri County HDC Ltd. To J. Macias, $102,900

Swatara St., 2145: S. & E. Reeves to M. Thompson & J. Longe, $64,900

Whitehall St., 1939: R. Miller Sr. to R. Howard, $50,900

Author: Lawrance Binda

Residence Artists: The Governor’s Mansion flings open its doors–and out comes art.

January 29, 2016 | by Valarie Potell

In Harrisburg, there’s a sprawling, brick building that often seems both close by and very far away.

The Governor’s Residence sits in a highly visible location, at the corner of N. Front and Maclay streets, right on the Susquehanna River, but it’s a building that area residents, historically, have rarely entered.

The Wolf administration is using the arts to try to change that.

This month, for instance, the residence will close out an exhibit featuring the work of the Pennsylvania Arts Experience, a group of artists from central and eastern PA.

That exhibit debuted during Gallery Walk last year, and thousands of people have seen it since during regularly scheduled public tours, as well as during special hours over the holidays. Last summer, the residence also featured “Second Sunday” events, with a program of special events from June through September.

“The first lady is interested in making the public area of the residence more of an exhibition space,” said Andrea Mead, chief of staff to Frances Wolf.

It makes sense that Wolf would want to increase access to the residence in this way. She is an accomplished oil painter who holds three arts-related degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in studio art and the history of art from Franklin & Marshall College and a master’s degree in the history of art from Bryn Mawr College.

She actually co-curated the recent exhibit at the residence, though did not include her own work. She selected the PA Arts Experience for her first exhibit because she likes the “diversity and depth of the experience in this group,” Mead said.

That exhibit features 70 pieces by Pennsylvania artists who work along three river valley “trails” in southeastern PA: the Lower Susquehanna, Brandywine/Schuylkill and the Lower Delaware.

Co-curator Rob Evans, a Wrightsville-based artist and founding artistic director of the group, said he put out a call to members of the organization and received a strong response, partly due to prominent location where the works would be displayed. Most members enthusiastically submitted a piece, he said.

“The challenge, once we got them all to the residence, was figuring out how to get everything in there,” Evans said with a laugh.

Evans and Wolf picked pieces to fill key spots and then found a home for each of the works. The exhibit at the residence fit perfectly with the mission of the PA Arts Experience, Evans said.

“We want to try to make this region and state an internationally recognized arts destination,” he said.

The exhibit will be open to the public once more, during 3^rd in the Burg on Feb. 19. For those who miss it, the Pennsylvania Arts Experience Gallery, located in York, will debut a new exhibit featuring members of the Rudy Collective on Friday, Feb. 5.

As for the residence, March will bring a new exhibit that will be open to the public throughout the spring and summer. Mead said that Wolf worked with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to create the upcoming textile-themed show.

The Governor’s Residence is open for free public tours with reservations available on select dates and times during the months of April, May, June, September and October. This year, the residence again will be open each second Sunday from June to September, when visitors are welcome to attend a series of free summer events without a reservation.

There are other select times and events throughout the year when the residence is open to the public. Mead added that, with Frances Wolf’s goal in mind, the residence is also exploring opening its doors regularly during 3rd in the Burg.

“The first lady and governor are looking for more opportunities to open the residence to the public,” Mead said.

The Governor’s Residence will be open during 3^rd in the Burg, Feb. 19, for the final public viewing of the Pennsylvania Arts Experience group exhibit. The residence is located at N. Front and Maclay streets, Harrisburg.

For more information about tours and other events at the Governor’s Residence, visit www.residence.pa.gov.

City Snow Relief Expected to Hit Half-a-Million Mark

January 27, 2016 | by Paul Barker

Passersby try to push a car out of a snow bank on Sunday night in Midtown Harrisburg.

Clearing the 30 inches of snow that last weekend’s storm dumped on Harrisburg is expected to cost the city about $500,000, officials said today, just hours after ending the declared snow emergency and opening emergency routes like 2nd and 7th streets once again to parked cars.

The costs include city laborers working overtime shifts as well as special contractors the city hired to work 24 hours a day, transporting piles of snow from the streets to a collection site on City Island.

Trash service will continue to be suspended through the end of the week, with sanitation workers diverted to the snow-clearing efforts, said public works director Aaron Johnson. The city is asking residents to dig out a path so that workers can access their trash and recycling bins once service resumes next Monday, Feb. 1.

Johnson also reassured residents that they would be allowed to dispose of more than a single toter’s worth of garbage, the usual limit under city policy, given the week of missed pickups. “We’ll take everything you put out there,” he said.

Officials said they were optimistic that both Dauphin County and the state would pass the thresholds required for disaster relief funding, which would reimburse large portions of the costs of dealing with the snow.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse thanked city workers and private contractors for their efforts over the past several days, as well as Gov. Tom Wolf and PennDOT, who deployed vehicles to clear 2nd, 7th and Market streets. He also thanked residents for the “spirit of community” they demonstrated in shoveling out their streets and sidewalks in their neighborhoods.

The mayor urged people to continue clearing their walks, noting that the city was lenient in the wake of the storm but that it would begin to cite owners who neglected to remove snow and ice from their property. Property owners are responsible for clearing any sections of sidewalk falling within their parcels under city code.

Common Cause: Can the “Eliminate the School Property Tax Now” campaign unite right and left?

September 30, 2015 | by J. Alex Hartzler

Being a political town, Harrisburg, at any one time, has large numbers of groups clamoring to make their views known to our commonwealth leaders. From marches and rallies on the Capitol steps to a single person holding a handmade sign, there is no shortage of ways individuals and groups can promote their political message.

Typically, I admit, I pay little attention to these efforts, ubiquitous as they may be, since they are most often targeted at niche issues that directly impact small groups of people instead of the general public. Their campaigns and complaints are mostly received as noise in a Capitol filled with even more constant and loud political chatter.

One recent and ongoing campaign, however, has the potential to break through the clutter, at least in its possible impact on nearly every citizen. On giant billboards around the region, “Eliminate School Property Tax Now” signs have appeared next to major highways. The print below the sign refers to a website, www.ptcc.us, which appears to be financed by tea party and other politically conservative groups that have the support of various Republicans in the House and Senate.

Not to be outdone, Gov. Tom Wolf and a few Senate Democrats have recently proposed separate plans that would rebate or reduce school property taxes. The proposal from the governor would significantly reduce or eliminate most school taxes for homeowners in cities like Harrisburg through an expansion of the Homestead Program, but, so far, it has failed to achieve much traction in the legislature, even in his own party.

Details aside, it is noteworthy that leaders in both parties see the need to reduce or eliminate school property taxes. Nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvanians own their own home and would directly benefit from such a proposal. Renters would receive similar indirect benefit from the increased availability and affordability of quality rental apartments and homes.

As an advocate for urban economic development, I find it hard to imagine a more far-reaching and beneficial change to tax structure in our commonwealth than eliminating property taxes altogether and shifting to income and sales taxes to fund our schools, as many others states across the country have done.

There are two main reasons for urban advocates to support elimination of the school property tax: economic growth and social fairness. (There are several other derivative and ancillary reasons ranging from better economic stewardship and farmland preservation to overall increased opportunity and competitiveness for disadvantaged groups that may appeal to urban advocates on the left. For arguments from a conservative perspective, see the website referenced above.)

Economic Development. The current system of local school property taxes wildly distorts investment away from our cities and urban areas via high millage rates, with disastrous consequences. As I have discussed previously in this column, a city like Harrisburg, where the tax rate is 28 mills (just for schools) and 45 mills overall, is at a serious disadvantage in attracting new investment and residents with respect to its suburban neighbors who have tax rates at half or even one-quarter of these rates.

It is no surprise that, over the past half century, the population of Harrisburg has declined by nearly half, while the surrounding region has more than doubled in size and prosperity. This circumstance has been repeated in towns and cities across Pennsylvania as people have fled high-tax urban areas to lower-tax suburban ones. Once the trend began, it became self-reinforcing, as urban school boards had no choice but to raise rates even higher on the folks who remained, causing additional outflow. It is no wonder that dozens of urban areas have been declared distressed under Act 47.

In contrast, demand for urban living throughout the country is strong and rising due to both millennials and empty-nesters seeking walkability and convenience. However, the issue across Pennsylvania’s cities is the lack of quality supply to meet that demand, as the tax burden on real estate generally prohibits new construction or rehabilitation of deteriorated buildings without some type of tax abatement or government subsidy to make it economically feasible. This would all change if developers and homebuyers faced equal property tax rates regardless of which school district they choose to live in. Simply put, if school property taxes are eliminated, there is ample evidence that developers would build in and more people will choose to live in urban areas, helping them to grow and flourish.

Fairness. According to numerous studies and financial advisors, the single most important store of wealth for most Americans is their home. In suburban areas across Pennsylvania, this holds true for most homeowners who generally see the equity in their homes increase as they pay down their mortgage over time. Urban areas, on the other hand, have seen values stagnate or decline and equity fall as their property taxes have risen. As urban areas contain disproportionately more poor and minority residents, the disparate impact of high property taxes on poor and minority communities is easy to see.

Combine that reality with the fact of failing city schools, and poor and minority communities face the double unfairness of paying relatively more and getting relatively less for their money. Harrisburg schools, for example, have some of the highest per-pupil expenditures in the state (top 10 percent), yet produce some of the worst results (currently ranked 491 out of 496 school districts in performance). Without economic development to change this dynamic, the current system forms an invisible, yet all too real, iron gate on these communities, making them nearly impenetrable to long-term change of any type. In the context of the ongoing national debate surrounding fairness and unequal distribution of wealth, there would seem to be no more direct and efficient manner to address this issue in Pennsylvania than eliminating this fundamental unfairness for urban communities.

Teachers’ unions and their supporters (and I am one on many issues) often put forth counter-arguments about “stable funding streams” and the like, but they need to face the reality that our current system of school funding has failed many of the children that it was designed to help the most. At a minimum, the burden shifts to these guardians of the status quo to explain why they continue to favor a system that hurts our most vulnerable members of society and ensures they have little ability to change their circumstances through the kind of economic and social mobility that is afforded by community prosperity and quality education.

No doubt much work needs to be done to ensure that a replacement system of income and sales taxes is fair and equitable and ensures an overall funding level that is, at minimum, equal to our current school funding levels. However, those discussions and challenges can be worked out and are no excuse for preserving a funding system that is so clearly in need of radical change.

It is indeed interesting that this issue has arisen from both the left and the right in our current political culture that is today characterized more by gridlock and delay than compromise and results. It may well represent an opportunity for both sides to effectuate a substantial change to our overall economy and reposition Pennsylvania as a state poised for progress and competitive advantage while addressing a fundamental unfairness in our society.

I am hopeful that a moment of change is upon us.

J. Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

Leashing the Lobbyists: Tighter rules, greater transparency needed for fourth branch of government.

August 31, 2015 | by Stan Rapp, Matt Steck, Clint Cullison, Ken Rapp and Sarah Copley

The operations of Pennsylvania government certainly are not inexpensive, nor are the industries that endeavor to influence those operations. It is incredibly big money, annually north of $25 billion on the government side alone. When there is that much money at play, there will always be opposing interests on how to spend those dollars. The mechanics of how that money gets spent is an interesting one, but surprisingly few people actually pay any attention at all, until something drastic occurs.

In 2005, a state government pay raise sparked cries from the public for reforms to what was seen as “business as usual” in Harrisburg. House and Senate rule changes prohibited voting past 11 p.m. and addressed other aspects of the legislative process; a Right to Know law was established and improved; and a new Lobbying Disclosure Act was adopted. Most recently, Gov. Tom Wolf enacted a gift ban for all employees under his control. The measures seemed to quell, at present, the public’s concerns over government openness and transparency. But has it really changed anything?

For our government to truly operate in the best interests of the people, it must be accountable to those it serves. Equitable and accountable application of the rules should not be a disguise or superficial. The rules must exist, carefully articulated in the law and crafted with their practical application in mind for the full impact of transparency and openness to carry prominence both in law and in cultural acceptance.

Many government outsiders say the influence of lobbyists should change. While one might argue the mindset of elected officials themselves necessitates change, lobbying and lobbyists seem like as good a place as any to start.

The current lobbying law set up a framework to continue discussions on how we hold accountable the actions of lobbyists in their interactions with elected officials. However, current law requires lobbying firms and principals (clients) to report aggregate amounts spent on direct and indirect communications, as well as aggregate totals for meals, entertainment, gifts and the like. So what? The numbers provide little accountability or context. For the public to find out what they really want to know (e.g., who the lobbyist is spending money on), an elected official must reach aggregate thresholds of $250 in gifts or $650 in meals and entertainment annually. Firms with many clients oftentimes spread expenses incurred with elected officials among all of their clients. By way of example, Lobbying Firm buys Senator X a $200 meal, which is then spread out among all 50 of the firm’s clients so each client accrues only $4 of aggregate spending on Senator X. Using this method, Lobbying Firm would have to take Senator X out for a meal in the same amount 163 times before a lobbying expense report would specifically name Senator X as a recipient of said entertainment.

What is the solution? So-called “dollar one reporting,” whereby lobbyists report every expense incurred with every elected official from the very first dollar. Some may opine that this would be overly burdensome on lobbyists; the truth is they should already have this system in place. If they don’t, how do they know when they hit the aggregate thresholds already in law?

The Lobbying Disclosure Act not only required the reporting in terms of dollars, but also in terms of representation of interests before elected officials. To that end, conflicts of interest are rightly prohibited—lobbyists are prohibited from representing two clients with conflicting interests. A lobbyist cannot fairly and justifiably represent People for Taxing Stuff and People Against Taxing Stuff. It is just common sense.

Utilizing the same concept, why does the law not prohibit the lobbyist from having other conflicts? The law does not prohibit a lobbyist from running political campaigns of elected officials. Lobbyists can represent People for Taxing Stuff and undertake political consulting work for Representative Y who opposes any taxes simultaneously, paid by two opposing interests, and yet the law allows it. Who is the lobbyist truly accountable to?

The solution is simple: prohibit lobbyists from also serving as paid political consultants, ensuring lobbyists are not utilizing either capacity to shortchange their clients. Further, give the law teeth and aggressively enforce. Penalties are prescribed in ethics laws not only to serve as a punishment, but, and perhaps more significantly, to serve as a deterrent to not adhering to that law. Penalties without enforcement are similarly no deterrent to not following the law. Even if deterred by the penalties, if one reasonably assumes nobody is watching, the law possesses little, if any, impact. The penalties in the current law are too lenient on would-be scofflaws, exacerbated by limited enforcement. Combined, the weakness in compliance leads to poor information available to the public, which naturally breeds further distrust. Providing stiffer penalties and adequately funding proper oversight and enforcement is a must if the law intends to promote transparency and accountability.

Not until we acquiesce to these and many other changes will Pennsylvania achieve meaningful culture changes in the state’s Capitol. Changes incur resistance as they impact the status quo and create real transparency in the process—and yes, even force elected officials to modify their thinking and behaviors. Regardless, one way or another, we all pay the cost absent meaningful change.

The authors are partners and associates with Greenlee Partners, a community publisher of TheBurg.

Harrisburg School Property Taxes Eliminated under Wolf Plan

March 3, 2015 | by Lawrance Binda

A page from the school funding spreadsheet distributed today by Gov. Tom Wolf’s office. In order, the final three columns represent the total proposed property tax reduction allocation for the 2015-16 school year; the 2012-13 residential real estate tax collected; and the percentage of proposed residential real estate tax reduction for the 2015-16 school year.

Harrisburg residents would see their school property taxes zeroed out if a bold plan proposed today by Gov. Tom Wolf passes the state legislature.

Wolf’s proposed 2016 budget would dramatically change how schools would be funded, as increased income and sales taxes would provide much of the money for public schools. As a result, residential school property taxes in many of the state’s poorer districts would be eliminated, while wealthier districts also would see a reduction.

In Harrisburg, residents would pay no school property tax at all. Even non-resident homeowners would have their taxes reduced under Wolf’s proposed budget.

To pay for his plan, Wolf would raise the state’s income tax to 3.7 percent from 3.07 percent and the sales tax to 6.6 percent from 6 percent. The proposal was a key part of the $29.9 billion spending plan for 2016 that Wolf unveiled today.

“This is quite an exciting day,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “If you take school property taxes to zero for Harrisburg, you’ll see people flocking in to buy properties in the city.”

Papenfuse said he wasn’t sure of the odds of Wolf’s plan being passed, but hoped it would not be summarily rejected by the Republican-controlled legislature.

“He’s building on a Republican House proposal to do something similar,” Papenfuse said.

Wolf’s proposal would not eliminate school property taxes for most suburban jurisdictions, but would substantially lower them.

For instance, the school property tax for Camp Hill residents would fall by about one-third, with a similar decrease for homeowners residing in the Central Dauphin School District.

Historically, property taxes have provided the bulk of school funding in the United States. In recent years, however, some states have begun to look to other ways of funding schools so that the burden is shared more equally among all taxpayers, not just property owners.

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