Onorato: County Will Appeal Assessment Ruling

kdka.com - Onorato: County Will Appeal Assessment Ruling "This administration is not doing a reassessment, let me be as clear as day," Onorato said. "We are not reassessing 550,000 properties in Allegheny County, not when other counties in this Commonwealth are allowed to use a base year."

When does this become 'treason?' When does this become grounds for impeachment?

If this Administration isn't going to follow the constitution -- Dan needs to NOT take another oath of office for public service. Onorato gave his word. Onorato was sworn into office when he agreed to uphold the constitution of the US and of Pennsylvania.

This is no mini separation of power.

Onorato could have done something. He failed, repeatedly. He needs to do something else. Going back to the courts is not good enough for me an my neighbors.

The mini separation must stand for the North to South and East to West distance for the container of creativity that Onorato has been able to exhibit in solving this problem. Onorato's capacity to fix this bread and butter issue has been next to nil. Mini fits.

In the meantime, many people are wondering how the decision will affect them. Depending on the State Supreme Court's decision, it could affect counties across the state.

Exactly. People are getting jacked around again. Are we going to get two, three or four property tax bills? Are we going to get them one week after they were due? Are we going to get extra mailings from county council with homestead exemption campaign literature too? Yanked here. Yanked there. Where is the sanity? It isn't in 2002 -- when Onorato was County Controller.

When 2009 comes, the year the reassessment was ordered, will 2002 amounts still be valid? Will 2002 values still be valid in 2012? In 2016? In 2020?

Another big problem is the fact that spending throughout the years has not been flat, as is the case in other counties. Allegheny County spends -- for tunnels under the river, for stadiums, for arenas, for demolition of other buildings, for river-front parks.

Furthermore, Allegheny County has not done anything about the expansion of the nonprofits. Nothing has been done about re-tooling the RAD Tax. Nothing has been done about regular funding for mass transit. Nothing has been done about mergers beyond 9-1-1, including the dual dog-license sales departments, except adding cats.

We've got some of the greatest health care opportunities and hospitals in the world for the rich who can afford it. But Allegheny County has done nothing new about getting sensible delivery of health care and wellness services to public workers, those who have retired, our seniors nor our citizens -- yet alone the infants. Except -- (drum roll please) -- four new hires (two are replacement workers) are due to be on the job working for the Health Department as inspectors at restaurant by the end of 2007. Big time cause for celebration for Allegheny County.