{"image":"{staticroot}files\/pages\/bankruptcy_hbg3.jpg","content":"<h1>Distressed Cities Initiative<\/h1>\r\n<h4>Given Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s location and ties to Harrisburg and state government, the Distressed Cities Initiative is intended to provide a resource and a neutral forum for helping cities deal with financial distress at the state and Federal level.&nbsp;Currently, 18 cities in Pennsylvania find themselves in financial distress and are subject to Act 47. Harrisburg in 2011 also filed for Federal bankruptcy to take advantage of the protections provided by the U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Code.&nbsp;<\/h4>\r\n<h3>Events<\/h3>\r\n<h5>Upcoming Event<\/h5>\r\n<p><strong>Local Governments in Financial Recovery: Lessons From Harrisburg<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>October 14, 2016<\/p>\r\n<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School 3737 Vartan Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110<\/p>\r\n<p>On October 11, 2011, the city of Harrisburg did something few cities had ever done before &hellip; it filed for relief under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. After the case was dismissed for lack of state authorization, the state took the unprecedented step of appointing a Receiver to lead the city towards financial recovery. At this symposium marking the fifth anniversary of Harrisburg&sup1;s bankruptcy filing, the speakers will reflect on lessons learned from Harrisburg and the subsequent municipal bankruptcy filings in Jefferson County, Stockton, and Detroit, and discuss how those lessons can inform recovery discussions in Atlantic City, Puerto Rico, and the 20 Pennsylvania municipalities in Act 47, the state&sup1;s municipal financial recovery program.<\/p>\r\n<h5>Past Event<\/h5>\r\n<p><a href=\"ipl:\/\/13\/\/WyIxNjA5Il0=\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Bankruptcy and Beyond: Solving the Problem of Municipal Financial Distress<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>April 14, 2014<\/p>\r\n<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School 3737 Vartan Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Municipal financial distress is a problem of enormous importance both nationally and in Pennsylvania. Detroit filed the largest municipal bankruptcy case in history, 21 cities in Pennsylvania are in Act 47, the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act program, and Harrisburg is on its way to recovery after operating in receivership for over two years. This Symposium, presented by the Widener Law Journal of Widener University School of Law&rsquo;s Harrisburg Campus, explored the causes of municipal distress and approaches to alleviating the problem. Reducing existing debt is not enough; policymakers must think creatively about municipal structure, finance, and expenditures. The invited speakers included experts in state and local government law, municipal finance and tax issues, public pensions, and Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The Symposium provided a unique opportunity for nationally recognized scholars in a variety of areas related to municipal financial distress to exchange ideas with professionals involved in Harrisburg&rsquo;s recovery.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Resources<\/h3>\r\n<h5>Legislation<\/h5>\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newpa.com\/download\/municipfinancialrecoveryact-pdf\/?wpdmdl=58034\" target=\"_blank\">Municipalities Financial Recovery Act<\/a>, Act of 1987, P.L. 246, No. 47<\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newpa.com\/local-government\/act-47-financial-distress\/#ixzz45AzG47dF\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania Governor&rsquo;s Center for Local Government Services<\/a><\/p>\r\n<h5>Website Resources<\/h5>\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newpa.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania Department of Community &amp; Economic Development<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newpa.com\/local-government\/act-47-financial-distress\/\" target=\"_blank\">List of Distressed Determinations 1987 &ndash; Present<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newpa.com\/local-government\/act-47-financial-distress\/#ixzz45AzG47dF\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania Governor&rsquo;s Center for Local Government Services Municipalities Financial Recovery Act<\/a><\/p>\r\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pcnselect.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">PCN Select<\/a><\/h3>\r\n<p>Local Governments in Distress video on demand is available via PCN Select.<\/p>","box_content":"<h5>Contact Information<br \/><br \/><\/h5>\r\n<p><strong>Juliet Moringiello<\/strong><a href=\"ipl:\/\/35\/\/WyIyMiJd\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/><\/a>Professor of law<br \/>Director, <a href=\"ipl:\/\/403\/\/W10=\">Business Advising Program<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/works.bepress.com\/juliet_moringiello\/\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/><\/a><strong>Email:<\/strong> <a href=\"mailto:jmmoringiello@widener.edu\">jmmoringiello@widener.edu<br \/><\/a><strong>Phone:<\/strong> 717.541.3917<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><br \/>When the City of Harrisburg fell into financial distress, Professor Moringiello focused her attention on a topic of great local interest, municipal bankruptcy.<br \/><\/strong><strong><a href=\"ipl:\/\/35\/\/WyIyMiJd\">Read Professor Moringiello's full biography<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>"}