By Ryan C. Wood

The incinerator operator, Covanta Harrisburg, Inc., drew first blood today by filing their objection and brief in support, seeking the dismissal of the bankruptcy petition of the City of Harrisburg.  Covanta is at the center of the cities bankruptcy filing given that the bonds used to fund the incinerator are what the city is having trouble paying back.

Covanta cites section 921(c) and section 109(c) for authority to dismiss the bankruptcy petition.  Under section 921(c) the court may dismiss a petition if the debtor did not file the petition in good faith or the petition does not meet the requirements of Title 11.  Covanta is arguing that the petition was not filed in good faith because of Pennsylvania Act 26 of 2011 and that the petition makes no mention of this state law.  They are also arguing the requirements of section 109(c) are not met.

Covanta argues that Harrisburg is not eligible to be a debtor pursuant to section 109(c) of the bankruptcy code.  You may remember in a previous article in the Bay Area Bankruptcy Blog details about who can be a debtor and who may not.  A municipality must be specifically authorized to be a debtor by state law or by a governmental officer or organization empowered by State law to authorize the municipality to be a debtor.  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed a law providing a city such as Harrisburg cannot file for bankruptcy protection.  Rather the state can step in and appoint a receiver to help the city form a plan to become solvent.  The State of Pennsylvania did just that on October 20, 2011, when Governor Tom Corbett signed Senate Bill 1151.  This bill declares a fiscal emergency and provides a receiver may be appointed to create a plan of recovery.  See Act 26 of 2011, 72 P.S. Section 1601-D.1 (2011).

Covanta also is arguing that the petition is invalid because the person who signed the petition did not have authority.  Just like the Mayor of Harrisburg, Covanta argues that all laws and legal matters must be presented to the City Solicitor for approval.  The four council members that voted for and authorized the filing of bankruptcy by the city have been called “unauthorized council members.”  The Mayor argues that only she as the executive can sign the petition and bind the city to filing bankruptcy, not a council member.

This is probably one of many more objections and briefs to be filed in support of dismissal of this bankruptcy case.  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has already passed a law appointing a receiver, the Mayor of Harrisburg representing the City of Harrisburg has opposed the filing, and now the incinerator operator has lined up against this bankruptcy case.  The question still is whether the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution will force the Bankruptcy Code to defer to the state law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which arguably forbids this bankruptcy filing by Harrisburg.

For more information from an experienced bankruptcy lawyer or from a Redwood City bankruptcy attorney visit us at www.westcoastbk.com or call us toll free at 1-877-963-9543.