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BROKEN BOROUGHS: A panel on Pa.’s patchwork system of local governments

After Tioga borough hired the Cleveland police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice and faced intense local and national scrutiny for the decision, the government of the small Pennsylvania town nearly imploded.

As residents protested and the resignations of public officials, including the police officer, brought Tioga government to a halt, the brush with the national limelight exposed the borough’s broken inner workings.

A Spotlight PA investigation revealed that beneath the troubling hire were long-simmering vendettas among elected officials, disorganization, and a lack of critical oversight — problems facing many of Pennsylvania’s more than 2,500 cities, towns, townships, and boroughs. Why is the state set up this way? How does this system affect taxpayers and core government services? And how can the public hold officials accountable and participate in local affairs?

To unpack this issue, Spotlight PA is holding a discussion on small governments in Pennsylvania and how they are run and overseen.

Join us Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. EST on Zoom for a free panel on Pennsylvania’s local governments, and how their accountability — or lack thereof — impacts residents and governance.

Submit your questions in advance to events@spotlightpa.org

Jan 26, 2023 06:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)