State lawmakers are forming a bipartisan caucus aimed at helping struggling third-class cities.
Sen. John Wozniak, D-35, Johnstown, on Friday proposed a "Third-Class City Caucus" to devise solutions in cities that have many of the state's traditional downtowns that have fallen on hard times.
For example, the state capital of Harrisburg is teetering on bankruptcy and many cities are faring little better, he said. In many ways, third-class cities, such as Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Nanticoke and Pittston in Luzerne County and Carbondale in Lackawanna County, face similar challenges, legislators said.
"Sprawl, changing demographics, public safety concerns and archaic tax structure have drained the vitality of our once-vibrant downtowns," Mr. Wozniak said in a letter to House and Senate colleagues. "Since the causes are not unique, we can't stand by and ask local government officials to stem a tide that is overwhelming their capacity and authority to innovate."
Local legislators support the caucus, an informal group that will aim to find common ground in both parties and in both chambers.
Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, and Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, Nanticoke, said the caucus proposal dovetails with their "Growth, Progress and Sustainability" initiative unveiled last month involving downtown economic development, rebuilding the local tax base, urban blight, Act 47 and municipal debt, education and work force development, local government streamlining and public safety.
Mr. Yudichak, whose district includes Hazleton, Nanticoke, Pittston and Wilkes-Barre, cited problems that are common among cities such as aging housing stock, rising crime rates, a diminished tax base and greater challenges to deliver municipal services.
"They're dealing with a tool set from the 19th century," Mr. Yudichak said. The new caucus has "very appropriate timing as budget cuts from Harrisburg and Washington in the last two years are really starting to hit home for these municipalities."
Mr. Blake, whose district includes Carbondale, said of the caucus, "I think this is just another attempt to bring together people of a like mind."
While Scranton is the only class 2A city in the state, the city has been designated as financially distressed for 21 years under state Act 47 and its woes are not unlike those of third-class cities. There also has been talk during the past year among some city officials about changing Scranton's classification to third class.
Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Hughestown, whose district includes Pittston, described the caucus as "an effort to try to focus people, focus attention. This is an effort to say, 'We have to make sure we consider the plight of third-class cities.' "
David Valvano, chief of staff for Rep. Frank Farina, D-115, Jessup, whose district includes Carbondale, said of Mr. Wozniak's proposal, "We haven't seen anything yet, but anything that would strengthen our communities economically, Rep. Farina is for and would certainly look into."
As cities often form economic cores of their regions, their successes or failures impact neighbors and could be bellwethers, lawmakers said.
"We can no longer afford to consider the plight of our cities as a concern that is separate from the overall welfare of our commonwealth," Mr. Wozniak said. "I think what's happening in Harrisburg is finally making people realize that the fiscal decline of cities, which has been something easily ignored in the past, could end in a catastrophic tumbling of dominos that will leave all Pennsylvania taxpayers on the hook."
Contact the writer: jlockwood@timesshamrock.com