Harrisburg, PA | |
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May. 16th, 2023 @ 9:18 pm
RT @timelywriter: PHILADELPHIA (@AP) _ Cherelle Parker wins Democratic primary for Philadelphia mayor, likely positioning her as 1st woman…
May. 16th, 2023 @ 8:16 pm
RT @RyanDeto: NEW: The AP has called the Allegheny County Executive race for Sara Innamorato, a progressive lawmaker. She joins several oth…
May. 16th, 2023 @ 8:13 pm
RT @PeteHallPA: Democrat Heather Boyd has won the 163rd Legislative
District special election in a 76-22% landslide preserving the Democra…
May. 4th, 2023 @ 9:06 am
RT @MacFarlaneNews: Zachary Rehl, Ethan Nordean, Enrique Tarrio and Joe Biggs are found GUILTY of seditious conspiracy.
Mar. 23rd, 2023 @ 10:46 am
RT @MacFarlaneNews: FLASH: Per my teammate @RobLegare
Federal judge Amy Berman Jackson sentences Riley Williams to 36 months (3 years) i…
Mar. 23rd, 2023 @ 9:00 am
RT @MacFarlaneNews: Defense argues Trump and Rep Scott Perry (R-PA) and Nick Fuentes were influences on Riley Williams
(Perry is the Cong…
Mar. 23rd, 2023 @ 8:50 am
RT @ryanjreilly: DOJ: Riley Williams is not some “impulsive Gen-Z gadfly,” she “participated in domestic terrorism, plain and simple.”
Ril…
Jan. 31st, 2023 @ 12:42 pm
Pa State Sen. Mike Regan tosses protester blocking doorway at 1K$ fundraising lunch for Sen. Scott Martin https://t.co/KZqU3QfWiB
Jan. 17th, 2023 @ 6:19 pm
The end of an era - Tom and Frances Wolf exit the Pennsylvania State Capitol 1.17.23 https://t.co/l4eOdKBz6y
Jan. 12th, 2023 @ 3:26 pm
RT @ByCarterWalker: Lycoming County recount results are in. Story soon: https://t.co/Fj1SmIVmiN
Jan. 10th, 2023 @ 8:04 pm
Tuesday 4:53pm - Pa. Senate Rules committee passes SB1 11-6 https://t.co/3aMf75hCnX
Jan. 10th, 2023 @ 5:14 pm
Editing video of Pa. Senate Rules committee Tuesday 4:35pm. https://t.co/2VMENm4l6V
Jan. 9th, 2023 @ 6:46 pm
Pa Senate State Government committee Monday afternoon.
Chair Cris Dush - nobody has been charged with insurrection. https://t.co/cOMm6oPSVU
Jan. 9th, 2023 @ 6:18 pm
Pa Speaker Mark Rozzi - Because they took all the money away. https://t.co/HVwgilc1sC
Jan. 4th, 2023 @ 7:42 am
Pa Speaker vote Rozzi 115 - Metzgar 85 https://t.co/7brf5ipXX8
Jan. 3rd, 2023 @ 9:01 pm
Pa. Speaker Rozzi 8:01pm https://t.co/9M5g1cFWds
Jan. 3rd, 2023 @ 6:42 am
Archive - Swearing-in day 1.2.7 https://t.co/ouzSdyAAYT
Jan. 3rd, 2023 @ 4:42 pm
Rep Cutler takes questions on election of House Speaker https://t.co/LdsbynObSK
Jan. 3rd, 2023 @ 4:36 pm
Pa House scheduled back in at 6:45pm https://t.co/J0bRjEO3f2
Jan. 2nd, 2023 @ 12:48 pm
https://t.co/0jv0ihYv2O
Archive Video:
Harrisburg Mayor Thompson artifact presser. Part 2.
Photo/Natalie Cake
Mayor Thompson held a presser Friday afternoon to discuss the Commonwealth court ruling handed down Thursday allowing the Thompson administration to schedule a auction sale of the artifact collection acquired by the former mayor Steve Reed.
From our archives:
The latest proceeding in the saga that is the Mayor of Harrisburg versus the City Controller happened in Commonwealth Court on Tuesday, January 29th in front of Senior Judge James Gardner Collins.
Collins held a hearing to consider City Controller Dan Miller's request that the Commonwealth Court stay a November 15th Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Writ of Mandamus ordering the City Controller to sign a contract to hire Guernsey's Auction House of New York to sell the infamous Mayor Stephen Reed Wild West artifacts.
Miller has contended he cannot sign the contract with the auctioneer of the Mayor's choice without the oversight and budgetary approval of Harrisburg City Council.
Mayor Linda Thompson vehemently disagrees, saying the necessary City Council approval occurred in 2006 and 2011. Thus, since Spring of 2012, the Mayor and Controller have been in a legal battle over the validity of the Consignment Agreement with Guernsey's.
In November, Dauphin County Judge Bernie L. Coates, Jr. ruled the Mayor's position is the right one, and almost immediately the Thompson Administration publicly announced Guernsey's will proceed with setting up a mid-summer auction. In contrast to the Receiver's Recovery Plan estimate of $500,000 and the City Controller's estimate of $1.7 million, Thompson claims Guernsey's is estimating the value of the artifacts to be $3 to 6 million.
Per the Mayor-approved contract, Guernsey's commission is 18% on the first one million dollars gross sales; 15% on the next $1-2 million; and 12.5% for gross sales above $2 million. There will also be a 19% commission on online sales.
Aside from the fact that Miller asserts that the commission rates are too high, his legal argument is that the Mayor is circumventing the authority of the City Council to properly allocate the anticipated expense of the commission into the City's budget.
Even though Judge Coates made his ruling, he has yet to issue an opinion on the matter. In fact, in Commonwealth Court on January 29th, Miller's attorney, Benjamin Dunlap of Nauman, Smith, Shissler, & Hall argued the lack of an opinion from the Dauphin County Judge is enough to stay the case.
Commonwealth Court Judge Collins also remarked on the fact that the lower court has yet to provide an entire record of the proceedings, and said he'll wait for that before making a decision on the City Controller's appeal for a stay. The Judge did say he plans on making a expedient decision recognizing time is of the essence.
On behalf of the Office of the Mayor, City Solicitor Jason Hess, made the argument that any more delay is contributing to the City of Harrisburg's current fiscal distress.
In an attempt to remedy the situation, City Councilor Brad Koplinski proposed a Resolution in November outlining City Council's approval of the contract with Guernsey's. However, City Council President Wanda Williams has yet to hold a public hearing on the Resolution or move it to the table for vote, saying she was waiting for the Court's ruling.
When asked about the Koplinski-sponsored Resolution, the City Solicitor stated, "It's an unnecessary piece of legislation."
None the less, it seems bringing forth the Resolution and calling for a vote would satisfy the City Controller's position and literally bring a resolution to this dispute.
Other than that, all parties are looking to the Court.
Videos from the Commonwealth Courthouse:
Harrisburg City Controller Dan Miller: It's an issue of accounting
Harrisburg City Solicitor Jason Hess: "Any further delay hinders collection of the receipt of much needed proceeds."
Photo/Natalie Cake
Photo slide show of Mayor Linda D. Thompson's 2013 campaign kickoff. "Onward"
Photos/Natalie Cake