Page 2 - Gerald Cross News Today

Scranton City Council unanimously agreed to ask the state government to declare Scranton financially distressed and help chart a course for financial recovery. But what was supposed to last three years — maybe five tops — stretched far longer.

An order signed by the Department of Community and Economic Development put an end to Scranton's financial oversight by the state under a law known as Act 47.

PEL backs Scranton’s information technology upgrade [The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.] Jan. 7—Scranton’s financial recovery coordinator testified Wednesday in favor of Scranton getting state funds to modernize City Hall’s information technology systems. Gerald Cross, senior research fellow with the Pennsylvania Economy League, the city’s Act 47 recovery coordinator, testified during a hearing held by the state Department of Community and Economic Development on the city’s applicatio...

Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat hasn’t given up on the possibility of scrapping a mercantile tax that he contends is outdated and unfriendly to business and development. While city council members don’t disagree with the mayor’s views about the tax, they want to know how he intends to replace some $450,000 in revenue from it. Council narrowly passed an ordinance late last week that allows the city to reenact the mercantile tax in 2021, but the legislation could have a short shelf life....