If you missed the broadcast on WITF-TV of Blueprint for Prosperity, click here to watch it online.

WITF, public media center and valued source of trusted information and quality entertainment in Central PA, recently aired “Blueprint for Prosperity IV: Community Perspectives on Economic Recovery,” a forum focused on Harrisburg’s fiscal crisis. The forum was held held from 7:30am to 9:30am at the Hilton Harrisburg. WITF was a co-presenting partner and taped the event then broadcast it on WITF-TV Tuesday, July 20 at 10pm. The forum, sponsored by the Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute and the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, allowed the community to ask questions about Harrisburg’s financial crisis, while also offering community perspective to potential economic solutions.

Panelists at the event included Dr. Bernard E. Anderson, Black Enterprise Board of Economists; Brian Hudson, CEO/Executive Director, PA Housing Finance Agency; Fred Redding, Executive Director, Governor’s Center for Local Government Services; and Matt Klein, Restructuring Services, KPMG. The panel of experts facilitated discussion to help create an understanding of the fiscal challenges facing Harrisburg.

“We are pleased to partner with the Harrisburg Chamber & CREDC and the Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute in this fiscal forum,” said Kathleen Pavelko, WITF president and CEO. “The forum provides an invaluable two-way conversation with community members at large to positively impact and shape the fiscal goals of our city.”

The discussion continued on Radio Smart Talk for Wednesday, July 21: The city of Harrisburg is in a financial crisis. According to the Controller's office, the city is facing a year-end deficit of just over 7.1 million dollars – that's before factoring in the city's obligation as a guarantor of debt incurred by the Harrisburg Authority. The Controller's office estimates the city's debt burden to be roughly 20 million dollars annually starting in 2011. This week, the Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute, in partnership with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and Capitol Regional Economic Development Corporation brought together stakeholders from the local business and faith communities, among others, to discuss roles they can play in turning Harrisburg around.