PNC obscenity - editorial from TRIB hits what I'm talking about on the trails

I've been talking about the give-a-ways on the campaign trails. I've been standing up against TIFs. We should "Lay The Shovel Down." This PNC Plaza project is a rip-off to citizens -- in Allentown, in St. Clair, in the South Side Slopes, in South Oakland -- and everywhere in the state too.

We need to stop doing wrongheaded deals. As a member of city council -- I'll do my best to prevent these deals from happening. We need to go in this direction. We need to stop all TIFs.

The PNC obscenity - PittsburghLIVE.com: "With public subsidies of nearly $50 million for its new $170 million Downtown skyscraper, PNC fits willingly and snugly in Gov. Ed Rendell's policy of corporate welfare for the rich.

PNC Chairman Jim Rohr says Three PNC Plaza was not feasible without pumping the taxpayers. First, that's baloney. Second, don't build it.

In the dark, duplicitous world of corporate/government 'partnerships' this money is a political tool, not a public 'investment.' Once Three PNC Plaza is built, it will have a value of only $103 million.

The intended return on this investment is the goodwill Mr. Rendell can buy in this election year with money not his own -- from corporate sycophants and stupid voters.

PNC is quite eager to be on the right side of the ruling elite, which has great power to reward or punish. Humbly, we have only the power of the written word."