Linda Thompson

Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson holds a press conference March 21, 2013.

Update: Thompson issues statement on 'scumbag' comment

Perry County residents and officials want Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson to apologize for a derogatory comment she made during a news conference Wednesday.

"[She's] calling people scumbags who she knows nothing about," said Ted Houtz of Landisburg. "She’s said a lot of dumb things over the course of her tenure, but this has to be one of the worst things I’ve ever heard her say."

Houtz was referring to a comment Thompson made during a news conference Wednesday about privatizing waste collection in the city.

"We're not opening up our flood gates for some scumbag that comes from Perry County who … comes here and wants to dump for free," Thompson said.

Several attempts to reach Thomson, who is facing a competitive re-election this year, Wednesday night and Thursday morning were unsuccessful.

City officials have said that litter and illegal dumping have become a major problem in the city.

Some of the "perpetrators" drive in from out of town, ditch their bulk items and leave – an issue with which Thompson and other officials have repeatedly stated frustration.

By early evening, however, Twitter and other social media networks had erupted with residents reacting to the sound byte.

Perry County Commissioner Stephen Naylor – who said his wife first alerted him to the remarks he described as "crude" and "offensive" – called for an apology.

"We have a lot of people that work down there, they put a lot of money into the area," Naylor said. "They work government jobs, and they pay right-to-work taxes and they pay for parking. … You just don't expect to hear those sorts of things from a city leader."

Naylor said he hadn't spoken directly to his fellow Democrat.

"I think she's gonna feel some heat overnight and [Thursday], and some pressure to take back what she said. But it might be a little late at that point," Houtz said.

PennLive reporter Jeremy Arias contributed to this story.