'Politics' cited for tarnishing panel's image

"I am so disappointed," said Andrea Mulrine, chairwoman of Scranton Tomorrow's Efficient Government and Taxes Task Force. "This is so much politics as usual. This is so clearly not what the people want, but these six people are going to force it through."

Her fellow task force member, Karen Bazzarri, agreed: "I think they took the right to vote away from the citizens (Wednesday) night. I think they crafted a document around the politics of the city and not the will of the citizens."

As a way to regain credibility, Mrs. Bazzarri called for all commission members to recuse themselves from running for office or accepting new city governmental appointments for the next 10 years. Both women also pledged they will continue to work with the commission on revamping the charter.

It was the task force that advocated a review of Scranton's aging Home Rule Charter. The group wanted changes that would force the city's elected leaders to work together and get the financially distressed city back on its feet. The 11-member commission, after months of exhaustive study, decided in October by a 6-5 vote to recommend a change to a council-manager structure.

Wednesday night, commission member Robert Sheridan insisted the initial vote was too hasty. He sought to rescind his decision for the council-manager form. He was supported by five other members to form a new majority and return to the current strong-mayor structure.

Mayor Jim Connors applauded the decision.

"I think Bob Sheridan made the right vote," he said. "In a city the size of Scranton, you need a mayor who can be responsive to the people and can act quickly."

He said the people who are for a council-manager form were those not able to forward their agenda through the mayoral election. They are now trying to circumvent that process, he said.

Mrs. Mulrine said it is important Scranton see some change in the charter to make it a stronger document, whether that is a great change through a switch in governmental form or smaller, incremental change by plugging holes in the current structure.

She does question how the charter will be altered to force city officials to follow it. Ignoring the charter is now the biggest problem. The only remedy is the courts, and she knows of no way to avoid that as the sole hammer under a strong-mayor form.

Mrs. Bazzarri said many of the task force's recommendations for the charter can still apply. Some of those are: specific background requirements for the business administrator; forcing the city solicitor to work full time for the city and abandon any private law practice; strict appointment deadlines for authorities, boards and commissions; giving council a seat in contract negotiations; and term limits for all elected officials, boards, authorities and commissions.

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