Overseer finds error in budget that favors city

Okay gang, here is an idea I floated a while ago. It might be time to revisit it as there are many cries for an accounting of the expenses of the two overloard bodies that are working in Pittsburgh. We don't know how much these oversight groups are costing.

But more to the heart of the matter, not that the money isn't important, comes my suggestion. My point goes to a working pressure point. News:

Overseer finds error in budget that favors city Council must pass a budget by year's end, and is scheduled to take a final vote on Monday. If the state-appointed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority doesn't approve it, state funds may be withheld and the authority could intercept new tax revenue next year.

The authority and Act 47 team are working together in talks with council.

These overlords might be earning their keep if they find $2-million-plus errors in the budget. That's great.

However, the overlords need to make themselves players. So, they must deny approval of the budget for as long as possible. And, they must create an uncertainty about what the plan is really about. If the overlords are fuzzy with the plan, then the overlords get to have decisions as they come as the wind blows. That puts power into the realm of the overlords and away from the city's elected politicians.

So, here is the plan. While the overloards are in town, everyone's pay is cut in half. Don't pay the mayor nor council members (elected folks) their full salary. Pay them half. And half is generous, IMHO.

Also, don't pay the overloards their full salary.

The unpaid money goes into escrow. Half of the unpaid money gets paid upon the departure of the overlords. The other half of unpaid salary gets paid three or four or five years after the departure of the overlords, provided that the city's finances are still afloat.

This would give an incentive to the overlords for leaving. That is real motivation.

This plan would also give incentive to the overloards and elected people to find a real solution.

We don't have much leverage now. We don't have a 'sunset' of these overlords. They stay and they get paid. And, we don't even know how much.

I want to pay them when the work is done and when the solutions are proven to work.

I will be happy to take this challenge as long as others in the overloard caucus do the same. And, I would be happy to use self-lobby efforts to make these concepts part of state law, for all present and future overlords throughout the state.