Radio Smart Talk for Tuesday, February 15:

It's not often that the mayor of a city is asked to resign after only a year in office.  In fact, unless an elected official has broken the law, rarely are there serious calls for that person to step down.

That's why what happened at a Harrisburg City Hall rally Monday is almost unprecedented.  Hundreds chanted, yelled and waved signs -- most demanding that Mayor Linda Thompson resign.

The protesters contend Mayor Thompson has been ineffective and is not up to the challenges facing the city.  Harrisburg has yet to develop a plan to pay a $280 million debt on its trash-burning incinerator.  The city, like many others, will have to make tough budget decisions to remain financially solvent.  In both cases, Mayor Thompson and city council have not agreed on much of anything and have often exchanged bitter words as a result.  However, what set off the anti-Thompson movement were revelations over the past two weeks from two of the mayor's former press secretaries about her personal behavior, including allegations that Thompson allegedly made anti-gay and anti-semetic remarks behind closed doors.

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