Page 39 - Patrick Morris News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

cities that have slid deep into debt. even bankruptcy. new york is not on the list today but for a number of other reasons we begin our report from this spot, america's financial nerve center. the first reason is simple. some of the nation's most desperate cities are in trouble because of the millions they have borrowed from wall street. we saw that 171 miles from here in a city buried under decades of debt. >> harrisburg, pennsylvania, is the capital of the keystone state. you would think it had been run by the keystone cops. >> what exactly is the fiscal situation in harrisburg now...

>> on old route 66, san bernardino was known as the last stop before l.a. ♪ san bernardino >> with freeways and major railway station it was the ideal hub linking the ports of los angeles and long beach out to the rest of the country. san bernardino symbolized the promise that economic growth held for middle class america. it was even the location of the first mcdonald's. but today, this city of around 210,000 has a shortfall of $46 million. over a quarter of its entire budget. unable to fund enough cuts to close the gap, san bernardino on august 1 filed for bankruptcy. >> you called this a ...

Agreements that were made at a time when life looked rosy. >> morris admits it has been in good times and bad that san bernardino's public unions had powerful influence over the politicians. the politicians they help elect. morris says that is just the way its. >> in a blue collar city as old as we are unions have a presence in terms of funding for candidates for are city council and they are present at the table during labor negotiations. >> those negotiations in some cases have bound san bernardino to pay employees just as much even after they retire. >> that is not going to work. it is not ...

>> it was a perfect storm economically when this hit in 2006 and 2007 the bottom fell out. >> in the perfect storm, morris says san bernardino property values dropped by 65%. seven car dealerships shuttered and the city lost tens of millions of dollars of sales, income tax and tax receipts. >> we have major cash flow issues. >> he names a great recession. every city in california has been through the great recession. >> republican state assemblyman mike mor morrell rejects morri' perfect storm analogy at least that a sear reof factors came together to devastate the city. >> they had five years...

Guidance of chapter 9. >> in other words, bankruptcy court. but public is sector unions are saying not so fast. they point to state precedence that suggests their pensions are are untouchable. however, morris, a former judge believes that in this unprecedented crisis the courts will allow cities to it modify at least some of their contracts. meanwhile, he is dealing with the day-to-day trials of a city gone belly up. >> now, you don't really have any credit. >> that's right. >> cash for things. >> carry.d kari. >> you vendors who leased equipment who may way to to take that equipment back. >> ...