City leaders announced the end of Harrisburg’s receivership on Wednesday. They say their plan is in place to prevent another fiscal crisis in the future.
After almost three years with the city in a state of financial emergency, the mayor says this is a cause for celebration. He says they will continue to follow the Harrisburg Strong plan that pulled them out of debt.
“We are going to be working very closely with the state over the months and years to come,” says Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “To make sure that the Strong plan is implemented that Harrisburg is well-managed and that ultimately we have accountability.”
General William Lynch served as receiver for 11 months. During that time, his team has been able to pay down or restructure about $600 million in public debt. One of the ways they did that was through the lease of the city’s parking which has brought higher rates, and drawn criticism.
City leaders say the receiver’s legal team will stay on and enforce accountability for those who put the city in this crisis. The Attorney General’s office continues its investigation into the financial deals that led to that debt in 2011.