I’ll spare you the minutia of tonight’s Budget and Finance Committee meeting co-chaired by Linda Thomson and Wanda Williams-

But will cut straight to the chase of what’s happening-

First, the only thing being burned effectively by the Harrisburg Authority’s Incinerator Retrofit is the taxpayer’s money.

Second, The Harrisburg Authority is doing nothing playing a combination of Three Card Monty and The Shell Game in their negotiations for borrowing to spend to borrow and spend again and then borrow and refinance and then get some oddly named bonds backed up by more spending. Oh, and borrowing.

If you were at the meeting tonight and weren’t familiar with all of the players in the room, you’d have likely been bored to tears with the numbers and jargon being spewed by The Harrisburg Authority’s Three Stooges- specifically John Keller- but cutting through all of the smoke and mirrors and carnival-sideshow-like tactics being used by the Harrisburg Authority in its attempt at convincing our (mostly) fine City Council at guaranteeing what would come out to an ADDITIONAL hundred and fifty million dollars in debt carried and paid through 2044- yes…the YEAR two thousand and forty four- it was plain as day to see that with regards to the Harrisburg Incinerator- we’re left with only one option.

Cut our losses and sell it.

Take whatever we can get.

Yes, it IS that dire.

Linda Thompson absolutely deserves the High Five of the night, though, for her poignant and cut-and-dry questioning of Harrisburg Authority head honcho John Keller.

She stated with exuberance how she hadn’t had the opportunity to question him in a public forum and seemed to genuinely enjoy every moment- while the thin crowd of Covanta reps, city officials and media watched as he swiveled back and forth in his chair- nervously fidgeting with his bracelet and appearing stressed and uncomfortable while skirting questions and answering inquiries with watery and loose responses.

Notable highlight had to be Keller’s uncertainty when asked whether he voted for or against earlier Incinerator-Borrowing by The Harrisburg Authority- advising Thompson that he’d have to “go back and check my records” as to whether he supported the vote or not-

Summary? The Harrisburg Authority wants to finance what will become over one hundred twenty million dollars that will be carried on the backs of Harrisburg’s children- and children of their children- for an incinerator that’s no more than fifteen years away from being obsolete and WORTHLESS- and which has cost the citizens of Harrisburg hundreds of millions thus far- in addition to deplorable public service conditions from lack of funding.

Linda Thompson, Dan Miller, Susan Brown-Wilson and Gloria Martin-Roberts displayed commendable, accountable, responsible and absolutely progressive government in Harrisburg tonight.

Gloria- “Press Slayer” Roberts again reminded John Luciew and every other media in the room to take note that this city council did not put our city in this position- and that this council has been trying in absolute earnest to keep the good of the citizens of this city in the forefront of all decisions made-

Yet not one single person from Reed’s administration has stepped up to accept any shred of responsibility for the seemingly bottomless pit of financial despair our city currently resides in- due mostly to the Incinerator Quagmire.

Bankruptcy is looking better and better every day.

At least then maybe we can spring for some snowplows, our police will hire enough officers to effectively patrol our streets, our school system will improve and they’ll stop being such ball breakers about parking tickets and inspection stickers.