Harrisburg City Mayor Linda Thompson was in the hot seat tonight, as council members grilled her about her proposed budget for 2013.
At the budget review meeting, they asked her about grants she intends to use to hire more police officers. Currently there are 15 vacancies.
They also spent a lot of time talking about the importance of hiring a "Street Light Foreman" instead of a Public Information Officer.
City Council Member Sandra Reid challenged the council. "When you're saying that it's part of a cash flow problem, we don't have the money to facilitate for a Street Light Foreman, then i don't understand how when we're talking public safety and part of our core values is how we can entertain a spokesperson position, and not something that's going to benefit residents that pay taxes."
Under thompson's proposal, property taxes wouldn't change, but the earned income tax rate would jump from 1-2%.
Harrisburg City Council plans to vote on the $56.4 million spending plan, at a meeting scheduled for December 18th.
At the budget review meeting, they asked her about grants she intends to use to hire more police officers. Currently there are 15 vacancies.
They also spent a lot of time talking about the importance of hiring a "Street Light Foreman" instead of a Public Information Officer.
City Council Member Sandra Reid challenged the council. "When you're saying that it's part of a cash flow problem, we don't have the money to facilitate for a Street Light Foreman, then i don't understand how when we're talking public safety and part of our core values is how we can entertain a spokesperson position, and not something that's going to benefit residents that pay taxes."
Under thompson's proposal, property taxes wouldn't change, but the earned income tax rate would jump from 1-2%.
Harrisburg City Council plans to vote on the $56.4 million spending plan, at a meeting scheduled for December 18th.