One of Gov. Tom Corbett's line-item vetoes to Pennsylvania's $29.1 billion budget jeopardizes the recovery plan for Harrisburg, according to state Sen. Rob Teplitz.
Corbett on July 10 vetoed $72.5 million of select line items from the fiscal budget, including $5 million from the Department of General Services that was earmarked for the leasing of parking spaces for state employees in the capital city.
"It's outrageous that the governor would put the city's financial recovery plan - developed largely by his own appointed receiver [William Lynch] - into jeopardy," said Teplitz, a Susquehanna Township Democrat whose district includes most of Dauphin County, Harrisburg included.
Teplitz called the funding "a critical piece of the entire puzzle that was carefully assembled last year in order to move the city toward financial stability."
The so-called Harrisburg Strong plan, which erased roughly $600 million of debt, hinged on the sale of the city's incinerator to the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, and a long-term lease of parking assets from the city and the Harrisburg Parking Authority to the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority.
Incinerator and parking bond sales for both closed in late December.
The state budget still includes full compensation to the city for providing fire protection and emergency services to the 40 tax-exempt state-owned buildings in the Capitol Complex.
"Harrisburg's recovery plan still depends on the state living up to its financial obligations under the parking leases," Teplitz said. "Although the governor may wish to believe that the legislative reserves will be tapped to fund the leases, and while I would support such a transfer, the reality is that is unlikely to happen."
