Harrisburg City Council voted to pass much of the Harrisburg Strong Plan Monday night which included the sale of the city’s biggest cash problem , the incinerator. It was a vote years in the making as they made their decision on key parts of the plan which was designed by the City’s receiver to get the Capitol City out of debt. Parts of the plan approved by Council included the sale of the incinerator to the Lancaster Solid Waste Management Authority bringing about $120 million to the city , the extension of the increased earned income tax of 2% , and increase in parking fees from $1.50 an hour to $3 dollars.
After a more than three hour meeting, members of Council spoke passionately about the long road of financial distress the city has been on.
” Does it fall short? I’ll admit it does. But it at least gives us an opportunity to start new, ” said Susan Brown-Wilson, Harrisburg City Council
City Council won’t be voting on the rest of the plan until next month. However, their vote Monday night was enough to show a good faith effort to send the plan to Commonwealth Court on Thursday.