As lawmakers consider law revised City State of distress, Scranton was far from the history of their case only.
Due in large part to crack local politics, Scranton has been operating under the law since 1992. Mayor Chris Doherty stuck to its plans to implement a recovery plan was approved by the voters under the law. Nit-picking the State Supreme Court recently killed during a decade of legal efforts to clear legislative intent and voiding the deal with arbitration awards for public safety personnel.
In the meantime, read was recently found to be the city's poorest residents of the U.S. with more than 60,000. Harrisburg, the State capital, it will come directly under the control of the State to declare bankruptcy rather than an attempt to develop a recovery plan. Several other cities all over the Commonwealth officially depressed and others heading there.
State law revised to mandate corrective measures, rather than just support them. Then, the city can get in trouble, sets out the steps and emerging from distress, rather than linger for decades.
Lawmakers also should require the arbitrator to factor in the financial condition of the city depressed when drawing up the awards.