So Broke, So Fast?

We (The City) are at the point now that we are asking employees to take furloughs during the holiday season.

The King is saying, hey don’t worry about putting a turkey on your table or presents under the tree for your children. It’s crunch time, I squandered all the city’s money, and now if I declare distressed city status, I will go to jail, so bail me out, wont you?

Wake Up Your Lordship!

Your experienced leadership or lack there of, got us here, why should the employees help?

If you’ve been listening to the King over the past year, boast about our financial strength, and excellent credit rating, then your likely as confused as I am about how Cintax not paying $1.2 million could cause such a catastrophe.

Let’s look at some of the outrageous claims made either by the King or on his behalf in just the past year:

That Wilkes-Barre is on solid financial footing while other mid-sized cities such as Scranton and Harrisburg are struggling is a testament to Leighton's management skills.

Leighton, for his part, said "I'll run on my record," which includes a vastly improved city credit rating and a revitalized downtown.

I vowed to leave this city better off on my final day in office than the one I inherited on my first. If you can take an honest look at the city today, no one can deny that we have begun an extraordinary rebirth under the most difficult financial and economic conditions and, with your support,

"Despite the challenges that we face, the City of Wilkes-Barre is on an upward path," Leighton said. "Things are difficult, but they will get better."

While is facing a possible $6.5 million deficit by the end of the year and 13 police officers and eight firefighters are facing layoffs, Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton said his city is financially OK – for now.

He cited the downtown development during his time as mayor, including the creation of the Movies-14 Cinema and Barnes in Noble, 15,000 downtown employees collecting revenue and the city’s credit rating of fifth in the state.

Mayor Tom Leighton and his administrative staff continue to say that the city’s financial status is improving – yet they remain determined to increase the city’s parking revenues.

Drew Mc-Laugh-lin, the city’s administrative coordinator, said after the meeting the authority’s action Tuesday “bears no impact on the city’s 2012 budget.” “At this time, the city has every expectation that we will meet all financial obligations for the year,” he said. “

As financial uncertainty looms following Mayor Tom Leighton's proposed cutbacks for city workers last week, the city must make nearly $5.8 million in debt payments before year's end.

Yet here we are asking the hardworking city employees to take the hit, while the mighty at City Hall who got us into this mess, sit comfortably.

If higher-paid employees declined to participate, then employees in lower-paying jobs would be temporarily laid off, he explained. “I’d leave that up to each department,” Leighton said of who would decide which employees would be furloughed.

Here’s a thought, Furlough City Hall!!

Wake The Flock Up Wilkes Barre