Jersey Mike

Because you most likely won’t find this in the Patriot News; here’s the full text of Harrisburg City Council Member Dan Miller’s public endorsements for the upcoming City Council Elections happening Tuesday May 15, 2007 here in Harrisburg-

(text credit: ‘webmaven’)

During the past few weeks many neighbors, friends and clients have asked my opinion concerning next week’s primary election for city council. Because this is an important election and because I have received so many requests I am making my opinions public. I am endorsing the candidates I believe will best serve the people of Harrisburg. Those candidates receiving my endorsement and here with me today are current council members Gloria Martin-Roberts and Susan Brown-Wilson joined by a highly qualified newcomer, Kia L. Hansard.

Two years ago I was a newcomer campaigning for office. You may recall that I was fortunate enough to be endorsed by both Mayoral candidates. I came to office as an independent voice with an open viewpoint fully expecting to work hard with the Mayor, Administration and all members of council. I have tried to do just that. I was an outsider, generally supportive of the Mayor but certainly no yes man. Two years later I can now report my perspective as a working member of City Council.

City Council is foremost a legislative body. Our city has a “strong-Mayor” form of government that runs the daily operations of the city. In addition to being an interface with the city residents, the council’s main responsibility is to be an independent body performing oversight and demanding accountability from the Mayor and administration. Next week’s election is about Independence, Oversight and Accountability and electing the candidates that can best provide these qualities for the citizens of Harrisburg.

I give the Mayor credit for many achievements. Personally I like him and find his wit to be quite humorous. However as City Council and I performed our duties of independent oversight and accountability during the past year, we received increasing resistance from the Mayor. He has gone so far as to sue Council in an expensive and wasteful lawsuit over appointment powers that other City Councils in Pennsylvania currently exercise. In a recent opinion the Superior Court Justice stated that the Council is very likely to prevail in this case. He’s even fighting the anti-smoking ordinance passed by Council to protect city office workers – when almost every office in America is smoke-free.

Since being elected to office, my single most surprising experience has been the Mayor’s complete unwillingness to work or even communicate with Council. I believe the Mayor has called or emailed me exactly once since I have been in office. The Mayor spins a myth that Council will not work with him – the truth is the exact opposite. I sincerely believe that every member of Council would be glad to work with the Mayor, if he only gave Council the chance. I have come to realize that when the Mayor says “work with me” what he really means is “don’t think, don’t act, just say yes” – to whatever his request.

Unfortunately that is how many of the boards and Authorities operate in stealth, including The Harrisburg Authority, our water and sewer authority. For example, the Mayor secretly purchased thousands of Wild West and other hidden artifacts with millions of dollars of public funds. These funds, paid from The Harrisburg Authority, have received little or no accountability or oversight. The public was in the dark about these expenditures. Such extreme fiscal irresponsibility clearly shows a complete failure of oversight in the governance of our City. This is precisely why the incinerator retrofit has been such a complete disaster for the Mayor and the citizens of Harrisburg. The mismanagement of this retrofit is shocking. The cost will be tremendous for a long time to come.

The question facing Harrisburg City residents next week is this; do we want to give the Mayor unlimited authority – or do we want an independent City Council that will require oversight and accountability? The answer is clear – an independent council is needed. Currently there are two members of council controlled by the Mayor. Ms Williams and Ms. White always follow his lead. Can the residents of Harrisburg afford three more members of Council who will not question the Mayor or his authority? It would be a huge mistake to elect the “Reed Team” and to forfeit the independent check and balance built into the American system of government.

Am I absolutely certain the “Reed Team” will lack independence? No, I cannot be, but I am highly skeptical. As of April 30th Eugenia Smith raised no campaign funds and Calobe Jackson Jr $75. All literature, signs and mailings have been paid for by the Mayor; known as The Committee for a Better Harrisburg. When the Mayor is the only contributor, or by far the single largest contributor to a candidate, it is legitimate to question the independence of those candidates. How independent can Reed candidate Eugenia Smith be – who works for the Harrisburg School District? The Mayor controls the district and is essentially her boss.

I am certain that the three candidates with me today, Gloria Martin-Roberts, Susan Brown-Wilson and Kia L. Hansard, are women of independence. Susan and Gloria have demonstrated their hard work, knowledge and concern for the city during their term on Council. Kia Hansard is well qualified with a Masters in Human Services, experience as Executive Director of the Neighborhood Center and a committed community volunteer. Their voices should be heard. We will not always agree on the issues but we will certainly understand them, consider the implications and try to make the best decisions for the people of Harrisburg. If you want to keep Harrisburg moving forward, if you want a city council that is independent, will demand oversight and accountability, if you want a council that will truly work with the Mayor, not just rubber stamp his requests, then next Tuesday elect Gloria Martin-Roberts, Susan Brown-Wilson and Kia L. Hansard.

video://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w5fbv4HJUA