A couple of points to note follow:
Candidates for Ricciardi's City Council seat full of suggestions For instance, how about having residents dial 311 to report nonemergency problems that police would handle during lulls in the 911 calls? That idea comes from Mark Rauterkus, a swim coach from the South Side Flats who ran for mayor as a Republican but is now a Libertarian.It is funny to see the Neville Ice Arena mention as I'll be putting out a press release on that shortly.
The lead about a "lot of interesting ideas" is on target for what I've been trying to bring to the election and campaign. Many of my ideas have even started to take root within the words of the other candidates.
For example, Krane had NOTHING to say about kids until this meeting with the P-G. He was silent on the most pressing topic within the city. Krane woke up on this, finally, and that is always a good thing. But, I think he is still clueless on how to engage kids -- because it isn't about giving the kids $100 check books.
Krane's got some of the "blue-hair" vote, so someone told me the other week. Plus, I've been making the case that the city has catered to the the seniors for so long that it is no wonder that a few of the kids are dangerous to the rest of us, throughout the city.
The other point Krane raises, starting a bid process for professional services contracts, speaks to a pimple on the face of Pittsburgh. It would end some 'corruption' as a major benefit. It would NOT save much money at all. It would hit against the donors to entrenched candidates. But Krane is way overboard in talking about how much money it would save the city and how much money came to O'Connor in kickbacks to his political campaign. It wasn't $2-million to run a campaign, by the way. That's about a million dollar error.
Mr. Krane, for instance, would focus on "reaching out to young people" with more programming involving community agencies.That is a good example of a 'shot in the dark.'
I understand as well as anyone that nobody has a monopoly on good ideas. Granted, each of the candidates in this campaign brings various elements to the race. But, I've been frustrated with the absence of ideas from Kraus and Koch. They have a couple of things to say -- but they benefit because of the big field. With eight in the race, the lack of bandwidth is helps both Kraus and Koch. And, to a lesser degree, Krane has shown a lack of creativity as well.
Koch went way out on a limb and said he not only wants to re-pave Arlington Ave, but he has added another street to his list. It is now up to two.
Kraus got talking early in the race and floated an idea. His idea of putting the Zone 3 police station into a building that is outside of the city got let out of the bag -- and few other ideas have seen the light of day from him since. Kraus only frames the issue and then as he talks, he asks a lot of questions. What are we going to do about blight? Well, asking a string of good questions is not what I'd settle for as a solution.
The P-G endorsement editorial that has run in another part of the paper gets its own posting, later. I had hoped that the editorial board would have been able to see through the paper-thin statements that Kraus has been standing upon.
There are upsides in terms of contrasts within the race. And, I'm happy to dish out new ideas at each meeting. It is great to hear the others say "ditto." They can rip the meat off the bones at Platform.For-Pgh.org -- as it was built for that very purpose.
In about a week we'll see what converts to votes.
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Candidates for Ricciardi's City Council seat full of suggestions
Special election set for March 14
Monday, March 06, 2006
By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The campaign for a Pittsburgh City Council seat that will end in a March 14 special election features lots of interesting ideas.
Unfortunately, they're spread throughout a confusing field of eight candidates.
For instance, how about having residents dial 311 to report nonemergency problems that police would handle during lulls in the 911 calls? That idea comes from Mark Rauterkus, a swim coach from the South Side Flats who ran for mayor as a Republican but is now a Libertarian.
Democrat-turned-independent Matthew Bartus, a city painter from Carrick, would move the South Side police station from the congested middle of the Flats to the long-unused Neville Ice Arena. Others would bring back skating there, or invite a roller derby.
Here's a good one: Make architects, lawyers and consultants submit competing bids for city contracts, replacing the subjective process now in place. That comes from Bruce Krane, a staffing business owner from the South Side Flats who switched from Democrat to independent.
He's not to be confused with Bruce Kraus, another Flats businessman and Democrat-turned-independent. He wants to market Pittsburgh as the capital of environmentally friendly construction, and scrutinize a potential Station Square casino.
The district formerly represented by Gene Ricciardi, now a district judge, features everything from Oakland campus to South Side bustle to struggling hilltop neighborhoods.
The presumed front-runner is Jeffrey S. Koch of Arlington, a landscaper and acting foreman in the city's Department of Public Works. He won the Democratic nomination, forcing others from that party to run as independents.
He has raised $8,373 in campaign cash, which trails Mr. Kraus' $12,954 in contributions, according to reports filed with the Allegheny County Elections Division on Friday.
Mr. Krane rings in at $5,330. Green Party candidate Jason Phillips, a Flats student, has raised $1,208, and the other candidates have only reported nominal spending.
Though he's a city worker, Mr. Koch said he doesn't yet want to lift the state's fiscal oversight under Act 47 that has led to austere budgets.
"The only union that would benefit from lifting Act 47 would be the fire[fighters]," he said, since part of their contract will be reopened next year. "If you pay [them] more, it's got to come from somewhere, and it's going to be the other unions."
His rivals agreed that it's too early to declare the city financially fixed.
Their different philosophies come through in their approaches to district issues, like how to stabilize neighborhoods such as Beltzhoover and Arlington.
Mr. Krane, for instance, would focus on "reaching out to young people" with more programming involving community agencies.
Mr. Koch would add undercover police to the neighborhoods and fine absentee landlords who don't keep their properties up.
"Nobody wants to live next to the boarded-up house next door," said Mr. Phillips.
Mr. Rauterkus would return to the property tax system the city had prior to 2000, when buildings were taxed at a lower rate than land, encouraging development.
Republican Neal Andrus, a fund-raiser from Arlington, would get the universities involved with neighborhood groups and focus on improving the business climate.
Michael Waligorski, a Flats handyman who is running under his own Disclosure Party banner, said he might be called up to Iraq by the Army Reserve shortly after the election.
Given the district's challenges, he said a soldier would be an appropriate pick.
"Whoever wins here has gotta get down there and start kickin' it," he said.
Someone should ask Bruce Kraus about his uninspected truck that sat on Mary Street for months on end...and the city (my tax dollars) had to tow his truck since it became a hazard.
Pittsburgh City Council 3, please don't vote for a hypocrite!!!!!
City can't tow a car just on an expired inspection. Plus that isn't an issue.
Well...the City (my tax dollars) towed the truck. It was an eyesore to the street...it sat there for months. It is just as bad if not worse than an absent landlord...except this was worse...it impacted parking, made law enforcement and other city departments use their resources for an individuals issued that he did not want to deal with.
It sure is an issue.
Don't vote for someone who does not want to clean up their own mess...how can you expect him to clean up the city's. I don't want my future in the hands of an individual like him. Liberal and not responsible.
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