Talk by Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson
Nadine Stoner
[
GroundSwell, July 2012]
Current Harrisburg, PA Mayor Linda Thompson addressed the Council of
Georgirst Organizations conferees at the reception, Monday evening,
July 30, 2012, at the start of the 32nd Annual North American
Conference. She is the first African-American and the first woman
mayor of Harrisburg, PA. She had previously been first elected to the
Harrisburg City Council in 2001 and had been appointed to serve as
President of City Council in 2005. She was elected mayor in 2009 and
faced a large deficit crisis. She sought out the Center for the Study
of Economics Executive Director Joshua Vincent to learn more
about the split-rate or land value tax.
In her speech to the Georgists she spoke at length about econonic
development and about public safety.
(editors note: For a related story, see the May-June 2011 issue
of GroundSwell for Josh Vincents testimony at the Act 47
Recovery Plan hearing June 28, 2011 where he spoke in favor of keeping
the land value tax. During the controversy over Pennsylvania Act 47
Mayor Thompson testified in favor of retaining the split-rate or land
value tax. The Act 47 Recovery Plan would give the state the right to
take over Harrisburg and any other financially distressed third class
city. Residents at the June 28, 2011 hearing said the Act 47 plan went
out of its way to protect bond investors, Dauphin County, and the bond
insurance company that backed much of Harrisburgs $310 million
incinerator debt but asked too much of the city. The Harrisburg, PA
City Council turned down the states Act 47 proposal. )
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