The Billion-Dollar Bust?

Seriously, People Are Still Fighting About the Barnes. Auditor General Jack Wagner, and maybe Treasurer Rob McCord, are refusing to sign off on a $1 billion bond outgoing Gov. Ed Rendell wants to take out to finance a litany of projects, including the controversial relocation of the Barnes. [Capitol Ideas, Inky]

In Marcellus Shale-Related News … A natural gas company is trying to use eminent domain to take private property for a gas pipeline. [Pocono Record]

Police Cuts in Second Most Dangerous City. Last night, Camden’s City Council approved a plan to lay off 25 percent of the city’s workforce, including police and firefighters, to plug a $28 million budget deficit after Trenton cut state aid to the beyond-troubled city (thanks, Chris Christie!). The remaining cops will now form a perimeter around city limits to ensure that no one gets in or out. (Kidding … but not by much.) [Newsworks]

Thomas Gluck vs. Arlene Ackerman. The state’s acting education secretary is quite curious this latest  Ackerman brouhaha — wherein she allegedly intervened to award a no-bid surveillance contract to a minority firm, as former Inky editor William Marimow reported — and wants answers. [Inky]

A Skating Rink at City Hall! Councilman Darrell Clarke introduced a bill that would basically turn over the west side of City Hall to the Center City District for the next 30 years. Per the Inky: “The plans call for a large and concert-friendly lawn partially covered by a cluster of trees, a programmable fountain that could double as a skating rink and that pedestrians could walk across when it was not in use, a cafe that would remain lighted at night, and glass pavilions that would lead to — and light up — the subway system below.” [Inky]

Michael Vick: Tough Guy. And, finally, for like the bajillionth time this year, Michael Vick rallied the Eagles to a victory over a lesser opponent, this time the Houston Texans. And once again, Vick was knocked down — over and over again — but not out. “It’s not that bad,” he said. “They may look harder than what they seem. But it’s not that bad. If I take one and I stay down, then you know I took a good one. I’m a pretty tough guy.” [DN]