Pennsylvanians who don’t live in Scranton dodged a political bullet in 2010 when the city’s mayor lost two Democratic primary races for higher office. The MAIG mayor first tried running for governor, but dropped out when it was clear he was losing the primary race. Then he tried running for a state senate seat in his area, but he lost that race to a pro-gun Democrat.
At the time he was running, Doherty announced he wanted the state to enact a one-gun-a-month law and wanted to end preemption. It turns out that it’s a good thing his career has kept him at the local level since he has now decided that laws don’t apply to him.
Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty cut everyone’s pay — including his own — on Friday, saying the state’s sixth-largest city is broke because the City Council blocked his proposed tax increase. Doherty, a Democrat, warned nearly 400 police officers, firefighters and public works employees about his doomsday plan, prompting a Lackawanna County judge to order the city to pay full wages to all employees, citing that it is a violation of their contracts. Hours later, the payday envelopes went out, and, despite the judge’s order, they were light.
What does a judge’s order really mean? It’s not anything Doherty believes should carry the force of law or be used to hold him accountable. Clearly, he can use city dollars however he chooses without the interference of that pesky judicial oversight or even input from his fellow elected officials who actually vote on the budget. If this is how he views division of government for his city, can you imagine what he would have done on gun laws if elected governor with a legislature that wasn’t willing to pass anything?
If there is only $5000 in the city’s bank account as stated in the referenced article, the checks will bounce anyway.
Suspect that refers to the balance after the paychecks clear. If so, I’d do the same thing in that position. Kiting paychecks be a bad idea, especially with foreknowledge. That’s a Club Fed offense, whereas, in the end, short checks are a matter for arbitration.
The problem is that since he’s using this as a blatantly political tactic to guilt his political opponents (from his same party, mind you) into passing the budget he wants instead of the budget they want. I don’t know if there’s strong evidence that the city literally has that little cash.
That having been said, where did the money go? The answer to that question may also buy a ticket to Club Fed…
The Scranton Democratic Machine rolls on! When I lived in the area I was told it was one of the most corrupt parts of PA and the country. This does not shock me one bit.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0711-san-bernardino-20120711,0,5646419.story – note the fraud…