Folly

I don't live in Scranton.  I don't work in Scranton.  Yet, I have a big interest in what goes on here.  It's the biggest city in our area.  Outsiders don't know about places like Dickson City, Taylor, Moosic, Dunmore...  To outsiders, this is all one big town called "Scranton," and as Scranton goes, so goes the rest of the area.

The utter folly that is Scranton and its operation continues to fascinate and disappoint.  A judge Tuesday kicked out Scranton's proposed .75 per cent commuter tax.  It was a tax on most people who live elsewhere, but work in the city.  The tax was meant to help bail out the city's pension plans, which have been paying out a lot more than taking in.

The judge ruled that Scranton officials violated a key aspect of the law when it enacted the commuter tax:  if you tax the outsiders, you also have to tax your own.  I guess the people in charge didn't read that part of the law.

Equally as amazing, city leaders were shocked at the judge's ruling.

According to our friends at the Times~Tribune, the council president called it a "mild setback."  Mild?  Are you kidding me?  This was your life line, and you just watched it slip away.

The mayor told the newspaper that other options would be explored.  Really?  Shouldn't you have been doing this all along?

Some predict Scranton will eventually have to declare bankruptcy.  I'm not sure that's the best option.

In a way the city is already bankrupt... of ideas.