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First question in Harrisburg mayor’s race: How’s Eric Papenfuse doing?
Updated 6:39 AM;
Today 5:30 AM
Incumbent Mayor Eric Papenfuse,, far right above, faces four Democratic primary challengers as he seeks a third term. They are, clockwise from top left, Otto Banks, Kevyn Knox, Dave Schankweiler, and Wanda Williams.
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Eric Papenfuse is selling competence and steady progress to voters as he seeks a third term as Harrisburg’s mayor.
“By nearly every metric, Harrisburg is better off today than it was eight years ago, but these slow and steady advancements could easily be reversed under different leadership,” Papenfuse told PennLive by email recently, when asked about criticism from some of his Democratic primary rivals.
Harrisburg City Council discusses ‘over-aspirational’ comprehensive plan
Updated Feb 17, 2021;
Posted Feb 17, 2021
The Harrisburg City Council on Wednesday discussed the 2020 comprehensive plan, which is poised to guide redevelopment in the city for years.
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The Harrisburg City Council on Wednesday night held a public discussion on a proposed comprehensive plan touted as so progressive as to challenge the city’s ability to achieve its goals.
“It’s good for the document to be over-aspirational,” said Geoffrey Knight, the city’s director of the Planning Bureau. “I would hope the document is written in such a way that we don’t achieve everything in 10 years. That it’s so progressive.”
Kalim A. Bhatti / The Philadelphia Inquirer
Harrisburg’s city government is adding 18 new jobs to its police department in 2021, 16 of which are meant for civilians.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse proposed a new community policing division to increase cooperation with residents. He billed the changes as a strategy to heed nationwide calls for criminal justice reform while improving the department amid a spike in shootings.
The budget adds positions for two captains and two co-responders, who accompany police on some calls with a focus on mental health and crisis intervention. It also adds staff to manage record-keeping, equipment, and a sub-station in the Allison Hill neighborhood.