Sunday Forum: Redefine Pittsburgh The Sunday P-G article.
Cognitive dissonance in Pittsburgh and beyond John Murray, Duquesne University’s un-elected city/county official at large, is getting out ahead of the soon to be released Nordenberg committee’s report, trying to spin what he believes will be in the report and what he believes will undoubtedly be counter-spun for weeks after the report’s release (that’s what I am taking away, anyway).
The Burgh Report: "Deadline: October 19, 2007 In Sunday's PG, Duquesne University Chancelor John E. Murray Jr. called out Luke Ravenstahl on government reform. He makes a number of strong points."
My post in a thread about this from another blog:
The Ds around here are very good at the creation of new taxes -- not new residents, nor new private sector jobs, nor new scholars, nor new company neighbors.
A merger to work needs to be more like a wedding / marriage. Both sides need to bring something to the endeavor. Presently, the city offers little value to those in suburban reaches -- other than a big headache. The little boat of Allegheny County can't be a life-raft for the sinking ship that is the city.
The city needs to get its act together. The city needs to get a grip. The city needs to get its house in order. Then -- AFTER that has been done, real talks of mergers can proceed.
Bailout mergers suck.
As a city and county resident, I don't want my county to take on the burden of the city. And I live in the city. Both will sink then.
So, we've got to fix the city first. And, those in office now can't. They won't because they don't have the capacity to do so. And, more to the point of my campaigns, others in line with D endorsements don't have a foggy idea as to what to do in these areas either. They (Kraus, Lamb, Burgess, Harris, and of course Luke) are not going to lead the city to better outcomes.
Peduto says that there isn't even a reform agenda being talked about by those on Grant Street and in turn, in his party. To him, the Reform Pgh Now hype is to start the reform agenda discussion. Jeepers.
We can't 'reform until AFTER we replace and redirect.' Then reform. Then merge.
Case in point: The Pgh Public School District is too big. It doesn't match well with any of the suburban districts. One could take the ONE School District approach for the entire county -- as they do in the South. But, this might do wonders for Beaver, Butler and Westmorland. I say chop up with horizontal cuts the PPS.
But, we don't have good metrics on the schools -- because (in part) the D controllers and A+ have fumbled.
We are lagging and sagging -- everywhere. Tossing a few of them out of office will do much to perk up the city with real talk of purpose and vision.
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