So, it is a "Bush economy" now that it is bleeding jobs and unemployment goes sky high to 6%. (See Burghreport.blogspot.com)
It isn't the "American economy?"
My point: I get very worried when any of those over-reaching fix it all politicians take credit for macro things with micro tinkerings.
Empowering them to, for example, fix the energy mess by building power plants (etc.) and in the next breath hearing them saying that they'll deliver 'smaller government" plus have 100-year occupations of foreign lands - golly -- those conflicts do not sit well with me.
Bush's economy is BS.
Bush's war is right on.
The US president can run an invasion just fine on his own. But it is a different matter for this -- or other D & R Presidents - to run an economy.
Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Schenley High supporters want council hearing on school closing
I put my name to the petition at the city clerk's office this week.
The worst and biggest abandoned building trouble spots are the empty schools. There is no plan of re-use of the schools. There is no plan of getting value or keeping value to these schools.
The empty schools are assets that are being squandered. Hell, let's not get too worked up about the empty schools because the ones that are filled with our students are getting squandered too. They are doing poorly at all aspects -- with the open schools and with the closed ones.
The most recent cost estimate, which Mr. Roosevelt released on May 19, 2008, was $76.2 million. That is not the costs to remediate asbestos. That costs includes the fix up the massive pipe organ at Schenley High School. Does Mr. Roosevelt then expect there to be a pipe organ at Reizenstein? Rather, Mr. Roosevelt is playing the taxpayers and the media like a fiddle. But his tune has gone flat now.
The cost to fix up Schenley by removal and repair of asbestos is, according to the reports that Mark Roosevelt has on his own desk, is $3.459 million. NOT $76.2 million.
Of course the district can't afford a $76.2 million fix up of Schenley. We don't want that. But we can fix some of the weak plaster there this summer and re-open that school for much, much less than what Mr. Roosevelt is trying to do.
Some other costs that Mr. Roosevelt is not talking about:
Create a grade 6 to 12 school (new school) = $11 million. Those are ex-Schenley students.
Create a grade 9 IB program at Frick, first year costs, $1-million to $2-million. Those are Schenley students.
Relocate the IB program (new school) and expand it to grades 6 to 12 in year two for a four year period at the inadequate Reizenstein building is $5-million. Those are Schenley students.
To renovate Reizenstein, now a closed school, to become a permanent home would cost, as reported in the papers recently, $35-million to $50-million. Gulp. Those are Schenley students.
Go figure. It gets worse.
The cost to relocate a one of the existing and best middle schools, Rodgers CAPA, from Lincoln-Lemington's neighborhood to downtown is $5-million. And, that makes another abandoned building in a poor, mostly black neighborhood.
Renovate Frick Middle School, an existing and very good middle school in Oakland, where my one son attends and where the other might like to go too, in two years, costs $14-million. Those are Schenley students mostly.
It gets worse still.
The soft costs for the fix-ups to the other schools are not being reported by Mr. Roosevelt and the media. And, these days, construction costs are increasing about 15% per year. Those numbers are not being told. But, those amounts are part of the Schenley fix up.
What's that about doing math and counting apples to apples, Mr. Roosevelt?
Furthermore, many asbestos and plaster repairs have been made at Schenley. Some of the classrooms have already been given new lights and a suspended ceiling. Those rooms are done!
The stair well ceiling that fell last summer was not original plaster. It was a patch. It was under the stairs where the flexing occurs due to the years of kids running and and down the stairs. The sky is not falling! The building needs a bit of touch up. There has never been an asbestos related air quality issue at Schenley, despite piles and piles of records and testing.
If Schenley was unsafe, how in the hell did they get away with having school in there this year?
Building inspections occur. The city has a department of Building Inspections and they don't like to ignore areas where our kids go.
The superintendent's spending can easily be added together to get to amounts that exceed $100-million. That's what Mr. Roosevelt wants to do. That's crazy. That must be stopped. First, we need to see the entire picture. We need a 'wholistic' view and approach.
Meanwhile, let's fix Schenley and spend $5-million to clean up the asbestos and plaster in that building forever. Done. School opens again after the summer fix up.
By keeping Schenley Pgh Public Schools can also sell Reizenstein. Sell it. That is valued land. That has parking. That is next to Bakers Square re-development. Reizenstein's re-used for many other mixed opportunities from business park to flex space to land for condos next to a park to extend Shadyside.
Ky keeping Schenley, Pgh Public Schools can sell the more valued property that is known as the Board of Education Building. Sell that, not Schenley High School. Move the administration and board to Langley High School, just past the West End.
There are other expenses that are not in the mix yet too, that were spent this year. They already paid big bucks for fix up of professional development spaces in what used to be Greenway Middle School (now Pgh Classical Academy Middle and the Pgh Gifted Center). A floor or two of that building has been remodeled. Those spaces are not for students, but for faculty and staff uses for in-service activities.
Gifted Education is also changing for the worse as well, thanks to Mark Roosevelt's plans. His pilot program is going to cost a few million that should not occur. Again, another successful program is being torn apart while the troubled areas of the school district are getting no attention and being ignored.
What about Vo Tech Education? They are not talking about that. We need Vo Tech in Pittsburgh. We've had plans from Dr. Martins sitting for years. He is now not with the district -- out of frustration.
The alternatives that make sense are quite simple, help educational goals and are prudent. Here is what can be done.
First, put the proposed "science and technology school" into Westinghouse High School. Westinghouse got a major fix up in recent times. Westinghouse is all about science and technology. People will go there if the program is special. There is a ton of capacity at Westinghouse now.
Don't mess with Frick Middle School. It is a good school now. Keep it.
Second, put the University Prep school into Schenley with the I.B. program. Change the existing neighborhood component of Schenley into University Prep with the partnership. Meanwhile, the I.B. aspects of Schenley can co-exist with the University Prep. That is a major advantage and why Schenley has been so successful in blending the kids together as a melting pot. All the aspects of last year's Schenley fit into Schenley -- just fix, or continue to fix, a few of the ceilings. Do it.
Rodgers CAPA was to move into the Milliones Middle School. That was the plan a couple of years ago. Rodgers can stay where it is. Do NOT move Rodgers downtown and jam the middle school students, the yellow buses and their performance spaces into downtown among the high school students. Keep Rodgers right where it is in Lincoln-Lemington. If necessary, in the course of the next three years, Rodgers could make a move to Milliones, as was the original plan.
The extra two floors at CAPA downtown that have become available due to an option in the building (above the old jazz club and next to the strip joint) can be obtained. But use the additional space to accept additional high school students to CAPA. CAPA is a great school for some kids. Accept more students into that school. Expand it. It is, by far, the best school in terms of academic performance. Grow what works.
In the future, I'd love to see another performing arts middle school in the city in the south, such as at the closed Knoxville.
Furthermore, don't go selling off the buildings that are empty at fire-sale prices. If the value isn't there -- don't do the deal. The closed building at South Vo Tech sold for $1-million. The deal had a 60-day window to close, as per the bid process. Well, it didn't close on time. Don't sell it. The buyer should be out his hand money and the district should keep that building.
South Vo Tech is worth $20-million. It sold for $1-million. They could put 20 condos in South Vo Tech for $.5 to 2-M each.
Furthermore, we need a good Vo Tech High School. South Vo Tech can be re-opened, modernized, and used as a Vo Tech. Duhh! The city was promised a new Vo Tech Program and direction when South Vo Tech was closed.
One of the new Vo Tech Programs at the new Vo Tech High School should be 'historic preservation.' Don't you think we have plenty of working laboratory spaces for learning about the building trades!
Back to today's P-G article:
Today's P-G has the headline WVU president to quit Sept. 1. It would be nice if the P-G and Trib would spend one tenth the time on looking at Mark Roosevelt as it did in efforts to dig at WVU. Now that victory in Morgantown has been secured, I hope the educational investigative reporters show up in the halls of Pittsburgh Public Schools. Garrison got knocked off the fast track. Same too should Mark Roosevelt.
I've asked Rich Lord, P-G reporter, about Schenley. He says that he has a "life mission" to not write a word about that topic. Humm. Why is that? Some bloggers call Mr. Lord a 'battle cat." I've never heard such a weird statement about a hot topic from a journalist. Has the word been passed through the news room about Schenley's situation?
Oh, and the last time Mark Roosevelt had big news about Schenley and school reform about a month or so ago, the P-G reporter on the school beat, Joe Smydo, had a 'vacation.' The news from the sub reporter on that beat nearly made me barf. She, no rookie, took the Roosevelt news hook-line-and-sinker. It was like a flashback to the Pittsburgh Promise kickoff and the $5,000 check delivery by John Tarka with Luke Ravenstahl looming. Oh well.
The choices are in the system today. They are not 'great' options. The system works for many and fails lots. But, all in all -- Roosevelt's plans often remove choices. There will be 90 kids at Milliones, a new school in the fall, only for 9th graders, that have no choice. They gotta go there. There are minority students who have the talent for CAPA, but who are on the waiting list because the quota has been reached and there is no more room there.
None choose to go to Westinghouse from around the city today. But that would change once the science and technology program is put there, if it is done right, and questions about that remain high.
Roosevelt's plan just came out in May, 2008. It isn't really a plan, but his final word was given. Now comes the time to organize before the vote. The school board has to make moves in the next weeks. Now we see that Roosevelt low-balled the numbers for Reizenstein, by about $40-million.
Council cares about the population loss. Pgh Public Schools is shrinking by 1,500 students every year. The rate of outward migration since Mark Roosevelt's arrival has increased sharply. His Rightsized plan closed 22 schools and yanked families around, again. Many got fed up and left for suburban Pittsburgh where they don't close your school a few times in your k-12 academic years.
Council cares that the Pittsburgh Promise is only a 'cruel joke.' Those are the words of the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Foundation as he indicated that only 20% of the Pittsburgh Public School students that go to college stay in college. Giving away college scholarships to those who can't succeed in college due to a lack of preparation is a cruel joke. People are not falling for it. Their boom is a bust! Their high school reform is a college scholarship.
Pittsburgh city council cares that taxes for city schools are about to triple. The capital costs for the district are out of hand and way over the top. The district can't open and close schools at the drop of a hat and expect the other branches of government to cut their costs by 75%. Not too long ago, city council had a capital budget that was $0. Now Mark Roosevelt wants to spend $100-million on projects that are not only not necessary but will cause great damages to the city's schools. The population base is racing to nothingness.
City council cares that the Pittsburgh Promise does not apply to kids who go to Catholic Schools nor Charter Schools nor Home Schools. Those kids and families live in the city and pay taxes.
City council cares about ethical presentation of facts to the public from other public officials. They care about being honest and transparent. They care that the level of skepticism among locals for the governmental process is at a all-time low. They care that public trust is being flushed down the toilet because of a few patched walls in a building that will last another 100 years.
City council cares about air quality and building inspections too.
There was a community driven process of high school reform -- with hand picked leaders by Mark Roosevelt. That group held secret meetings without minutes for more than a year. That group made some strong statements about the direction of the schools. They did research. They visited schools, like John Thompson used to do when he was in town, and traveled to some others. The high school reform task force made its report and it didn't mention a peep about closing Schenley High School. They knew and we all know that Schenley is one of the best schools in Pittsburgh. The high school reform report went right out the window one day. Mr. Roosevelt tossed it. He said so himself. Everything changed because he wanted to revert to the old battles from the rightsizing plan.
Within a month of Mark Roosevelt's arrival -- the first rightsizing plan was sprung onto the city. Deals had to have been crafted way back then about the building or property of Schenley. The rightsize plan was about elementary schools, not high schools, except for Schenley, for some still undocumented reasons. Schenley was saved then. Schenley has been starved since.
In the end, in 2009, we'll elect new board members. Mark Roosevelt will be gone. This plan will be re-done anyway.
Patrick Dowd needs to distance himself from his days on the school board, as does Darlene Harris. Our schools are frail. They used the school board as stepping stones, like others before them. Its politics 101.
The schools should not be political footballs. But, Patrick Down made a ground game in that realm. And, most things boil down to politics. I wish that the city schools played football within the WPIAL. That would be some interesting political football.
And that leads us to another thought from another friend. Some have told me that they feel that the Pgh Public Schools are being sent through the ringer so as to better merge the city and county. Could be. That is another theory, not mine. It has been known to happen before. Remember how Downtown got crushed for years, without simple trash pick up nor URA funds, yet 'blighted status' by design by Tom Murphy. He did that so he could get Urban Design folks here and Nordstrom. Well the upscale department store didn't move downtown -- and the only thing the city got was lots of trash for many years and the departure of Candy-Rama. Back to schools ....
Mr. Roosevelt -- the homework is late.
Mr. Roosevelt -- we do the grading.
So far, Mr. Roosevelt, you've been a total failure.
In the past, Mr. Roosevelt said that the solution was to open schools from grades K to 8. Now the solution is to open schools that go from grade 6 to 12.
That's just the tip of the story.
The extended school year -- with the opening of schools in August -- is a total failure too. The ALAs (Accelerated Learning Academies) are empty in August - as they should be. Yesterday, a classroom in one of my kid's school was at 100-degrees F. In the other side, in the shaded corner, it was 95 degrees. It was cooler out doors. The same weather is expected in August.
It is too hot for Mark Roosevelt and the 'yes people' on the school board to pull the wool over the eyes of the public, our kids and our neighbors any longer.
Patrick Dowd -- speak up.
Schenley High supporters want council hearing on school closing: Schenley High supporters want council hearing on school closingCity government is so worried about abandoned buildings that it should hold the public hearing on that basis alone.
Saturday, June 07, 2008 By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Far from giving up their fight to save the Pittsburgh Schenley High School building, supporters are going around Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and appealing to school board members, legislators and City Council.
They may have an ally in Councilman William Peduto, who said he's working on a plan to fund renovations to the Schenley building and redevelop the former Reizenstein Middle School property in Shadyside.
'What if we didn't borrow' to pay for the Schenley work? he said.
Schenley supporters gathered enough signatures to force council to hold a hearing into Mr. Roosevelt's proposal to close the building at the end of the school year. Council may vote Tuesday to have the hearing scheduled.
The worst and biggest abandoned building trouble spots are the empty schools. There is no plan of re-use of the schools. There is no plan of getting value or keeping value to these schools.
The empty schools are assets that are being squandered. Hell, let's not get too worked up about the empty schools because the ones that are filled with our students are getting squandered too. They are doing poorly at all aspects -- with the open schools and with the closed ones.
The most recent cost estimate, which Mr. Roosevelt released on May 19, 2008, was $76.2 million. That is not the costs to remediate asbestos. That costs includes the fix up the massive pipe organ at Schenley High School. Does Mr. Roosevelt then expect there to be a pipe organ at Reizenstein? Rather, Mr. Roosevelt is playing the taxpayers and the media like a fiddle. But his tune has gone flat now.
The cost to fix up Schenley by removal and repair of asbestos is, according to the reports that Mark Roosevelt has on his own desk, is $3.459 million. NOT $76.2 million.
Of course the district can't afford a $76.2 million fix up of Schenley. We don't want that. But we can fix some of the weak plaster there this summer and re-open that school for much, much less than what Mr. Roosevelt is trying to do.
Some other costs that Mr. Roosevelt is not talking about:
Create a grade 6 to 12 school (new school) = $11 million. Those are ex-Schenley students.
Create a grade 9 IB program at Frick, first year costs, $1-million to $2-million. Those are Schenley students.
Relocate the IB program (new school) and expand it to grades 6 to 12 in year two for a four year period at the inadequate Reizenstein building is $5-million. Those are Schenley students.
To renovate Reizenstein, now a closed school, to become a permanent home would cost, as reported in the papers recently, $35-million to $50-million. Gulp. Those are Schenley students.
Go figure. It gets worse.
The cost to relocate a one of the existing and best middle schools, Rodgers CAPA, from Lincoln-Lemington's neighborhood to downtown is $5-million. And, that makes another abandoned building in a poor, mostly black neighborhood.
Renovate Frick Middle School, an existing and very good middle school in Oakland, where my one son attends and where the other might like to go too, in two years, costs $14-million. Those are Schenley students mostly.
It gets worse still.
The soft costs for the fix-ups to the other schools are not being reported by Mr. Roosevelt and the media. And, these days, construction costs are increasing about 15% per year. Those numbers are not being told. But, those amounts are part of the Schenley fix up.
What's that about doing math and counting apples to apples, Mr. Roosevelt?
Furthermore, many asbestos and plaster repairs have been made at Schenley. Some of the classrooms have already been given new lights and a suspended ceiling. Those rooms are done!
The stair well ceiling that fell last summer was not original plaster. It was a patch. It was under the stairs where the flexing occurs due to the years of kids running and and down the stairs. The sky is not falling! The building needs a bit of touch up. There has never been an asbestos related air quality issue at Schenley, despite piles and piles of records and testing.
If Schenley was unsafe, how in the hell did they get away with having school in there this year?
Building inspections occur. The city has a department of Building Inspections and they don't like to ignore areas where our kids go.
The superintendent's spending can easily be added together to get to amounts that exceed $100-million. That's what Mr. Roosevelt wants to do. That's crazy. That must be stopped. First, we need to see the entire picture. We need a 'wholistic' view and approach.
Meanwhile, let's fix Schenley and spend $5-million to clean up the asbestos and plaster in that building forever. Done. School opens again after the summer fix up.
By keeping Schenley Pgh Public Schools can also sell Reizenstein. Sell it. That is valued land. That has parking. That is next to Bakers Square re-development. Reizenstein's re-used for many other mixed opportunities from business park to flex space to land for condos next to a park to extend Shadyside.
Ky keeping Schenley, Pgh Public Schools can sell the more valued property that is known as the Board of Education Building. Sell that, not Schenley High School. Move the administration and board to Langley High School, just past the West End.
There are other expenses that are not in the mix yet too, that were spent this year. They already paid big bucks for fix up of professional development spaces in what used to be Greenway Middle School (now Pgh Classical Academy Middle and the Pgh Gifted Center). A floor or two of that building has been remodeled. Those spaces are not for students, but for faculty and staff uses for in-service activities.
Gifted Education is also changing for the worse as well, thanks to Mark Roosevelt's plans. His pilot program is going to cost a few million that should not occur. Again, another successful program is being torn apart while the troubled areas of the school district are getting no attention and being ignored.
What about Vo Tech Education? They are not talking about that. We need Vo Tech in Pittsburgh. We've had plans from Dr. Martins sitting for years. He is now not with the district -- out of frustration.
The alternatives that make sense are quite simple, help educational goals and are prudent. Here is what can be done.
First, put the proposed "science and technology school" into Westinghouse High School. Westinghouse got a major fix up in recent times. Westinghouse is all about science and technology. People will go there if the program is special. There is a ton of capacity at Westinghouse now.
Don't mess with Frick Middle School. It is a good school now. Keep it.
Second, put the University Prep school into Schenley with the I.B. program. Change the existing neighborhood component of Schenley into University Prep with the partnership. Meanwhile, the I.B. aspects of Schenley can co-exist with the University Prep. That is a major advantage and why Schenley has been so successful in blending the kids together as a melting pot. All the aspects of last year's Schenley fit into Schenley -- just fix, or continue to fix, a few of the ceilings. Do it.
Rodgers CAPA was to move into the Milliones Middle School. That was the plan a couple of years ago. Rodgers can stay where it is. Do NOT move Rodgers downtown and jam the middle school students, the yellow buses and their performance spaces into downtown among the high school students. Keep Rodgers right where it is in Lincoln-Lemington. If necessary, in the course of the next three years, Rodgers could make a move to Milliones, as was the original plan.
The extra two floors at CAPA downtown that have become available due to an option in the building (above the old jazz club and next to the strip joint) can be obtained. But use the additional space to accept additional high school students to CAPA. CAPA is a great school for some kids. Accept more students into that school. Expand it. It is, by far, the best school in terms of academic performance. Grow what works.
In the future, I'd love to see another performing arts middle school in the city in the south, such as at the closed Knoxville.
Furthermore, don't go selling off the buildings that are empty at fire-sale prices. If the value isn't there -- don't do the deal. The closed building at South Vo Tech sold for $1-million. The deal had a 60-day window to close, as per the bid process. Well, it didn't close on time. Don't sell it. The buyer should be out his hand money and the district should keep that building.
South Vo Tech is worth $20-million. It sold for $1-million. They could put 20 condos in South Vo Tech for $.5 to 2-M each.
Furthermore, we need a good Vo Tech High School. South Vo Tech can be re-opened, modernized, and used as a Vo Tech. Duhh! The city was promised a new Vo Tech Program and direction when South Vo Tech was closed.
One of the new Vo Tech Programs at the new Vo Tech High School should be 'historic preservation.' Don't you think we have plenty of working laboratory spaces for learning about the building trades!
Back to today's P-G article:
Mr. Roosevelt says the district cannot afford to remediate asbestos and address other maintenance problems at the landmark Oakland school. The most recent cost estimate, which Mr. Roosevelt released May 19, was $76.2 million.Lies.
Today's P-G has the headline WVU president to quit Sept. 1. It would be nice if the P-G and Trib would spend one tenth the time on looking at Mark Roosevelt as it did in efforts to dig at WVU. Now that victory in Morgantown has been secured, I hope the educational investigative reporters show up in the halls of Pittsburgh Public Schools. Garrison got knocked off the fast track. Same too should Mark Roosevelt.
I've asked Rich Lord, P-G reporter, about Schenley. He says that he has a "life mission" to not write a word about that topic. Humm. Why is that? Some bloggers call Mr. Lord a 'battle cat." I've never heard such a weird statement about a hot topic from a journalist. Has the word been passed through the news room about Schenley's situation?
Oh, and the last time Mark Roosevelt had big news about Schenley and school reform about a month or so ago, the P-G reporter on the school beat, Joe Smydo, had a 'vacation.' The news from the sub reporter on that beat nearly made me barf. She, no rookie, took the Roosevelt news hook-line-and-sinker. It was like a flashback to the Pittsburgh Promise kickoff and the $5,000 check delivery by John Tarka with Luke Ravenstahl looming. Oh well.
Mark Roosevelt wants the school board to vote June 25, 2008 to close the building.Mark Roosevelt could be gone by June 25, 2008. He'd flee to avoid the perjury charges for his bold face distortions, as the public starts asking these questions.
Mr. Roosevelt proposed that Schenley's remaining students be reassigned to the Reizenstein building beginning next school year. Future ninth-graders would have various options, such as attending new International Baccalaureate and university-partnership schools.Students within Pgh Public Schools have choices now. Present ninth-graders can make some tough decisions as to where to go: CAPA (performing arts), I.B. (International / Schenley), Engineering at Alderdice, Robotics at Schenley, Classical HS at Perry Traditional, Teaching at Langley, Heathcare at Carrick, ROTC at Oliver, etc.
The choices are in the system today. They are not 'great' options. The system works for many and fails lots. But, all in all -- Roosevelt's plans often remove choices. There will be 90 kids at Milliones, a new school in the fall, only for 9th graders, that have no choice. They gotta go there. There are minority students who have the talent for CAPA, but who are on the waiting list because the quota has been reached and there is no more room there.
None choose to go to Westinghouse from around the city today. But that would change once the science and technology program is put there, if it is done right, and questions about that remain high.
Until the May 19 meeting, Schenley supporters had been lobbying Mr. Roosevelt to save the building. After his recommendation to close it, the supporters stepped up a campaign to influence other community leaders.Perhaps the supporters were more convinced that Mark Roosevelt had a brain, a calculator and a fair grasp of logic -- until recent weeks. It makes no sense to close Schenley. None. We could see this. We would explain why -- as we did a few years ago -- and the tides would change. The good guys generally win.
Roosevelt's plan just came out in May, 2008. It isn't really a plan, but his final word was given. Now comes the time to organize before the vote. The school board has to make moves in the next weeks. Now we see that Roosevelt low-balled the numbers for Reizenstein, by about $40-million.
In e-mails, leaders of the "Save Schenley" movement have urged supporters to write to school board members, council members, legislators and even to the local foundations that support Mr. Roosevelt's work.And in blog postings and personal meeting too.
Council has no direct authority over school affairs, and school board member Theresa Colaizzi urged council to respect the boundaries between the two bodies.City council has some authority over school affairs. Perhaps not with CAPA's electronic sign, but that is another matter. Council cares about abandoned buildings, right? Council cares about traffic at rush hour downtown, right? How many yellow busses do you want to bring downtown each school day to drop off and pick up in the cultural district -- with middle school kids? Twenty?
Council cares about the population loss. Pgh Public Schools is shrinking by 1,500 students every year. The rate of outward migration since Mark Roosevelt's arrival has increased sharply. His Rightsized plan closed 22 schools and yanked families around, again. Many got fed up and left for suburban Pittsburgh where they don't close your school a few times in your k-12 academic years.
Council cares that the Pittsburgh Promise is only a 'cruel joke.' Those are the words of the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Foundation as he indicated that only 20% of the Pittsburgh Public School students that go to college stay in college. Giving away college scholarships to those who can't succeed in college due to a lack of preparation is a cruel joke. People are not falling for it. Their boom is a bust! Their high school reform is a college scholarship.
Pittsburgh city council cares that taxes for city schools are about to triple. The capital costs for the district are out of hand and way over the top. The district can't open and close schools at the drop of a hat and expect the other branches of government to cut their costs by 75%. Not too long ago, city council had a capital budget that was $0. Now Mark Roosevelt wants to spend $100-million on projects that are not only not necessary but will cause great damages to the city's schools. The population base is racing to nothingness.
City council cares that the Pittsburgh Promise does not apply to kids who go to Catholic Schools nor Charter Schools nor Home Schools. Those kids and families live in the city and pay taxes.
City council cares about ethical presentation of facts to the public from other public officials. They care about being honest and transparent. They care that the level of skepticism among locals for the governmental process is at a all-time low. They care that public trust is being flushed down the toilet because of a few patched walls in a building that will last another 100 years.
City council cares about air quality and building inspections too.
"City Council should be honest with the people and tell them [council members] have no say so in this matter. It is out of their hands," she said.Patrick Dowd did plenty of harm on the school board and did as much as he could to sustain the rampage that has unfolded with Mark Roosevelt. Dowd was a 'yes vote' -- without doubt -- for Roosevelt. And, Dowd was always quick to pounce on others who raised doubts, questions and ask about governmental policies. The school board has been reporting to Mark Roosevelt. It should be the other way around. Dowd helped him get his power.
Councilman Patrick Dowd, a former school board member, agreed that council "has no jurisdiction in the matter." He said council could make a statement with a nonbinding resolution about Schenley, but said it has much research to do on the issue before taking that step.
There was a community driven process of high school reform -- with hand picked leaders by Mark Roosevelt. That group held secret meetings without minutes for more than a year. That group made some strong statements about the direction of the schools. They did research. They visited schools, like John Thompson used to do when he was in town, and traveled to some others. The high school reform task force made its report and it didn't mention a peep about closing Schenley High School. They knew and we all know that Schenley is one of the best schools in Pittsburgh. The high school reform report went right out the window one day. Mr. Roosevelt tossed it. He said so himself. Everything changed because he wanted to revert to the old battles from the rightsizing plan.
Within a month of Mark Roosevelt's arrival -- the first rightsizing plan was sprung onto the city. Deals had to have been crafted way back then about the building or property of Schenley. The rightsize plan was about elementary schools, not high schools, except for Schenley, for some still undocumented reasons. Schenley was saved then. Schenley has been starved since.
In the end, in 2009, we'll elect new board members. Mark Roosevelt will be gone. This plan will be re-done anyway.
Patrick Dowd needs to distance himself from his days on the school board, as does Darlene Harris. Our schools are frail. They used the school board as stepping stones, like others before them. Its politics 101.
While acknowledging the city has no direct authority in school affairs, Mr. Peduto said council has a legitimate interest in the vibrancy of the city and can influence school district affairs through zoning and planning processes. He said people in his district want the Schenley building saved.There was a time when some foolish parents told Bill Peduto to cool it. The school district's struggles should not be a political football. They were wrong to give him the advice to back off. Peduto was wrong to follow their suggestions.
"The structural problems that it has shouldn't be the reason for it closing," Mr. Peduto said.
Mr. Peduto said he's been working on a plan that would link Schenley's rehabilitation with redevelopment of the 13-acre Reizenstein site.
Under his plan, sale of the Reizenstein property would yield a quick burst of money to help pay for Schenley renovations. Reizenstein's conversion into a mixed-use development would generate new school district property taxes and wage taxes, which would be applied to the Schenley project.
Mr. Peduto said the school district would enter into a partnership with a private developer who would help to control costs by leveraging tax credits for historic and environmentally friendly buildings. He said he plans to unveil more plan details next week.
The schools should not be political footballs. But, Patrick Down made a ground game in that realm. And, most things boil down to politics. I wish that the city schools played football within the WPIAL. That would be some interesting political football.
And that leads us to another thought from another friend. Some have told me that they feel that the Pgh Public Schools are being sent through the ringer so as to better merge the city and county. Could be. That is another theory, not mine. It has been known to happen before. Remember how Downtown got crushed for years, without simple trash pick up nor URA funds, yet 'blighted status' by design by Tom Murphy. He did that so he could get Urban Design folks here and Nordstrom. Well the upscale department store didn't move downtown -- and the only thing the city got was lots of trash for many years and the departure of Candy-Rama. Back to schools ....
Schenley supporters are calling on the school board to delay a vote on the building's closing until Mr. Roosevelt presents a comprehensive plan for high school renewal. Though he's called for overhauling district high schools over five years, he hasn't provided plans for each school, leaving Schenley supporters to hope the building still might be needed.Here is what needs to happen. Mr. Roosevelt needs to do his homework. He is in charge of the schools and has yet to turn in his homework. Most recently he said that he never promised to deliver a comprehensive plan.
Mr. Roosevelt -- the homework is late.
Mr. Roosevelt -- we do the grading.
So far, Mr. Roosevelt, you've been a total failure.
In the past, Mr. Roosevelt said that the solution was to open schools from grades K to 8. Now the solution is to open schools that go from grade 6 to 12.
That's just the tip of the story.
The extended school year -- with the opening of schools in August -- is a total failure too. The ALAs (Accelerated Learning Academies) are empty in August - as they should be. Yesterday, a classroom in one of my kid's school was at 100-degrees F. In the other side, in the shaded corner, it was 95 degrees. It was cooler out doors. The same weather is expected in August.
It is too hot for Mark Roosevelt and the 'yes people' on the school board to pull the wool over the eyes of the public, our kids and our neighbors any longer.
Patrick Dowd -- speak up.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Time will tell -- so he said. Perhaps it already did.
In a thread at another blog with chatter about Luke Ravenstah as mayor, Bram wrote, "Time will tell."
Well, time does not speak.
People tell. Actions speak. Time is generally silent. Time is more often a friend of those in power.
Pittsburgh's best wish would be that time would tell as time and time again we've seen our neighbors depart, our city shrink, an economic decline and the idle time, do-nothing ways of foundations and want-a-be movers and shakers.
Its bad when the 'movers and shakers' are out sung and danced by 'old man time.'
This time, will it be different?
Let's not wait for 'time to tell.'
Well, time does not speak.
People tell. Actions speak. Time is generally silent. Time is more often a friend of those in power.
Pittsburgh's best wish would be that time would tell as time and time again we've seen our neighbors depart, our city shrink, an economic decline and the idle time, do-nothing ways of foundations and want-a-be movers and shakers.
Its bad when the 'movers and shakers' are out sung and danced by 'old man time.'
This time, will it be different?
Let's not wait for 'time to tell.'
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Schenley High School worth fixing, architect says - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The price tag: $10-million. That is it. And, the students do NOT need to be out of the building. Roosevelt is way out of bounds.
It is cheaper to fix the building and not move the school and make such radical and rushed changes. It is better for Pittsburgh's taxpayers to fix the building and keep Schenley operational in Oakland.
Filoni's firm, which designed Schenley, estimates it would cost $10.5 million to remove the asbestos. The firm suggests that the work not be done while students, faculty and staff are in the building.
The inflation of the fix-up is being reported upon as $77-million. The early reports to the board were $44-million. But those reports had done LOTS more than just the asbestos removal. The price tag is NOT what we have been shown.
There are much better ways to manage the overall situation.
1. Move Schenley to Milliones on a temporary basis until the work in Schenley is done. Keep Schenley's sports facilites open for after-school efforts. Kids can walk to Schenley from Milliones. The newer sports wing of Schenley isn't in the rage of asbestos. Or, at worst, do that section in the summers.
2. Do NOT open the University Prep in its own building. Instead, put the University Prep into Schenley. The University Prep should be a city-wide magnet for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.
3. Keep Rodgers Middle School right where it is for now; grades 6, 7 and 8.
4. Keep Frick Middle School right where it is for now; grades 6, 7 and 8.
These moves, I and others have suggested, ends the fabricated crisis from the zealot, Mark Roosevelt. Lots of money is saved. Performing schools are not crushed. More time is allowed for Mark Roosevelt to do his homework for the whole of high school reform for the district.
Nothing should be done in such a rush. And, nothing should be done until the entire scope of the district and associated costs are fully understood.
For instance: The Pgh Public School district should sell its Board of Education building in Oakland. That is valuable. The windfall from the sale of that building can fetch the necessary money to pay for the fix-up at Schenley.
Furthermore, the Reizenstein building at the eastern edge of the city, a building that was always an inferior school, should be sold. That building is valued for development, as it sits next to the new Baker's Square new development. Land circles the building. It is also next to a park, offering a benefit for housing. The Reizenstein building is a poor excuse for a school as it has no windows. The fix up for the Reizenstein building into a school again is going to cost $50-million or more. Sell it. It could make for a nice office park.
Provide a plan for Vo Tech right away. It is already four years late!
Do your homework school administration!
We want to know more about the proposed Sci-Tech educational plan. Where is that building going to be located. Reveal it to us -- and consult with us.
It is cheaper to fix the building and not move the school and make such radical and rushed changes. It is better for Pittsburgh's taxpayers to fix the building and keep Schenley operational in Oakland.
Schenley High School worth fixing, architect says - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "In recommending the closure of Schenley High School, city schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt stressed an architect's cost estimate of $76.2 million for renovations.This is the headline:
He left out one thing.
The Downtown firm, MacLachlan Cornelius & Filoni, said the 92-year-old building is worth fixing.
'Despite its high cost, it is our opinion that the building is worth the investment,' Albert L. Filoni, president of the firm, wrote in a report Thursday to Paul Gill, chief of operations for the Pittsburgh Public Schools."
Filoni's firm, which designed Schenley, estimates it would cost $10.5 million to remove the asbestos. The firm suggests that the work not be done while students, faculty and staff are in the building.
The inflation of the fix-up is being reported upon as $77-million. The early reports to the board were $44-million. But those reports had done LOTS more than just the asbestos removal. The price tag is NOT what we have been shown.
There are much better ways to manage the overall situation.
1. Move Schenley to Milliones on a temporary basis until the work in Schenley is done. Keep Schenley's sports facilites open for after-school efforts. Kids can walk to Schenley from Milliones. The newer sports wing of Schenley isn't in the rage of asbestos. Or, at worst, do that section in the summers.
2. Do NOT open the University Prep in its own building. Instead, put the University Prep into Schenley. The University Prep should be a city-wide magnet for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.
3. Keep Rodgers Middle School right where it is for now; grades 6, 7 and 8.
4. Keep Frick Middle School right where it is for now; grades 6, 7 and 8.
These moves, I and others have suggested, ends the fabricated crisis from the zealot, Mark Roosevelt. Lots of money is saved. Performing schools are not crushed. More time is allowed for Mark Roosevelt to do his homework for the whole of high school reform for the district.
Nothing should be done in such a rush. And, nothing should be done until the entire scope of the district and associated costs are fully understood.
For instance: The Pgh Public School district should sell its Board of Education building in Oakland. That is valuable. The windfall from the sale of that building can fetch the necessary money to pay for the fix-up at Schenley.
Furthermore, the Reizenstein building at the eastern edge of the city, a building that was always an inferior school, should be sold. That building is valued for development, as it sits next to the new Baker's Square new development. Land circles the building. It is also next to a park, offering a benefit for housing. The Reizenstein building is a poor excuse for a school as it has no windows. The fix up for the Reizenstein building into a school again is going to cost $50-million or more. Sell it. It could make for a nice office park.
Provide a plan for Vo Tech right away. It is already four years late!
Do your homework school administration!
We want to know more about the proposed Sci-Tech educational plan. Where is that building going to be located. Reveal it to us -- and consult with us.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Today's message theme: Pompus Folly. Stay tuned and headed to city council
We're just back from Amsterdam where they have a clever t-shirt:
Amsterdam: since 1275
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is headed into a big 250 celebration. Wow!
Frankly, I'm getting sick of the "Pompus Folly" that is filling our city, county, state, federal and school board governance.
More to come.
Amsterdam: since 1275
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is headed into a big 250 celebration. Wow!
Frankly, I'm getting sick of the "Pompus Folly" that is filling our city, county, state, federal and school board governance.
More to come.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Called into Marty Griffin, KDKA Radio
Not on hold any longer, after waiting about an hour.
Marty Griffin of KDKA Radio, reported that he had an epiphany this weekend. Marty, it is GREAT to stand up for the "NAYSAYERS."
The bullies do NOT get it.
Marty is ranting, over and over again, about how there needs to be cuts in government, not new taxes. The small business folks and family folks are facing higher and higher bills. Everyone is cutting, except government.
The theme of Marty's ranting hits a bigger, more fundamental philosophy. I'd like to drag his awareness to a higher understanding. It is more than just the economic conditions. That's a huge burden that can't be down-played. It is the economy stupid. Sure thing. But bigger fights are still to be fought, about and beyond the economy.
The root problems are not just within the economy.
We need dissent for democracy to work. Funny how the bullies are generally Dems.
Marty is mad at Ed, Dan and Rich. They want to say that the small business owners who are putting up opposition to the drink tax are 'crazy.' Seems that Dan Onorato called the radio station on Friday -- as did Rich Fitzgerald? -- to complain saying that the kickback to the drink tax is "not newsworthy."
That same day, Dan Onorato was holding his 'closed door meeting' with select police and fire folks from around the county. (see the post below)
Closed door meetings and pegging opposition as crazy naysayers is their mode of operation.
The watchdogs need to do their duties. We naysayers need to do ours. And, bullies need to get their noses rubbed in the crap that they've littered about these parts for so long now.
Marty Griffin of KDKA Radio, reported that he had an epiphany this weekend. Marty, it is GREAT to stand up for the "NAYSAYERS."
The bullies do NOT get it.
Marty is ranting, over and over again, about how there needs to be cuts in government, not new taxes. The small business folks and family folks are facing higher and higher bills. Everyone is cutting, except government.
The theme of Marty's ranting hits a bigger, more fundamental philosophy. I'd like to drag his awareness to a higher understanding. It is more than just the economic conditions. That's a huge burden that can't be down-played. It is the economy stupid. Sure thing. But bigger fights are still to be fought, about and beyond the economy.
The root problems are not just within the economy.
We need dissent for democracy to work. Funny how the bullies are generally Dems.
Marty is mad at Ed, Dan and Rich. They want to say that the small business owners who are putting up opposition to the drink tax are 'crazy.' Seems that Dan Onorato called the radio station on Friday -- as did Rich Fitzgerald? -- to complain saying that the kickback to the drink tax is "not newsworthy."
That same day, Dan Onorato was holding his 'closed door meeting' with select police and fire folks from around the county. (see the post below)
Closed door meetings and pegging opposition as crazy naysayers is their mode of operation.
The watchdogs need to do their duties. We naysayers need to do ours. And, bullies need to get their noses rubbed in the crap that they've littered about these parts for so long now.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Marty Griffin -- Pin headed Turncoat who says do as I say -- not as I do.
I sent Marty G an instant access message while he is ranting on KDKA Radio. I posted to him:
Of course people let go of their faith -- all the time.
Marty said, "Never let go of your faith at any time."
Get out!!!!
Taliban holds onto faith at all costs too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban
To BAIL (Marty's words) on 'crazy' is 'common sense.'
Marty says, "Bad, bad." I say, "It is human to grow, change, move, improve, and better themselves."
To 'think again' even in matters of faith, is okay. Otherwise, you'd be a 'pin head.'
Marty bailed on Obama too. A couple of weeks ago Marty was pulling hard to get Hillary Clinton out of the race saying she didn't have the credit to be on the ballot.
Marty is a turn-coat. I just wonder if Marty is doing the dance against Obama because his listeners and the voters of PA went more with Hillary?
Of course people let go of their faith -- all the time.
Marty said, "Never let go of your faith at any time."
Get out!!!!
Taliban holds onto faith at all costs too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban
To BAIL (Marty's words) on 'crazy' is 'common sense.'
Marty says, "Bad, bad." I say, "It is human to grow, change, move, improve, and better themselves."
To 'think again' even in matters of faith, is okay. Otherwise, you'd be a 'pin head.'
Marty bailed on Obama too. A couple of weeks ago Marty was pulling hard to get Hillary Clinton out of the race saying she didn't have the credit to be on the ballot.
Marty is a turn-coat. I just wonder if Marty is doing the dance against Obama because his listeners and the voters of PA went more with Hillary?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wall Street Journal, OPINION - Ron Paul and Foreign Policy
Today's WSJ has an article. A friend called to point it out to me. I asked if it was good or bad. He said, "You'll have to read it." So, here goes.
Ron Paul (and I) want peace. We don't want the USA to police the rest of the world. This quote makes perfect sense to me. "It's time that we come to the point where we believe the world can solve some of their problems without us." That is, without the US war ships, without the US bombs, without the US Marines.
Of course all people are NOT excited about ANYTHING. Some people like to have authorities. Some people like to have and control aircraft carriers. Some people like to have and operate US Fighter Jets. A military and industrial complex has been built. CMU likes to win money from the US Defense Department to design new robot cars that can drive without soldiers to deploy destruction and pain on people on the other side of the world -- if not on other planets. Some people like to rule with an 'iron fist' and some others like to be under handed and of the 'winning side' even if that takes away one's freedom and liberty when it matters the most.
Everyone in the US isn't for peace and liberty. Everyone in the American colonies in 1776 didn't sign the Declaration of Independence either. Loyalists to the king (as then) and to the neo-cons exist.
This quote from candidate Paul works for me too: "We need to recognize they deserve their sovereignty, just as we deserve our sovereignty." I don't want top level 'officials' in D.C. picking leaders of other nations. They've been known to do that in the past. And often, they've guessed wrongly. Their feuds should NOT be owned by the US and the US citizens.
I agree, America needs to get its armed forces out of the way of harm. America needs to keep the taxpayer money from Americans out of the hands of those who aim to do harm to the US, today or into the future. The US Foreign policy has proven to be wild with weapons and wild with federal funds.
In a previous debate, Ron Paul mentioned that that "they attack us because we've been over there." Well, to be fair -- it is much more than just being over there that has generated some of the hate to the US. The US has been over there killing. The US has been over there funding others who have killed. The US has been over there funding both sides of the fights so that they can kill each other faster and cheaper. Being over there isn't the problem. Being there in the wake of the destruction and death, attributed to US involvement is the problem.
Dr. Paul's own remedy is that if "we trade with everybody and talk with them . . . there's a greater incentive to work these problems out." Exactly. The RUB is found within the degrees that the editorial does NOT put forth.
The American nation went to war (built a navy) to fight the pirates because of commercial interests. That history does NOT support the intellectual architecture of libertarianism itself. The history is valid. But, the article pins the history upon the ideal and those dots do not connect.
It is crazy to say that trade between nations is only possible in the absence of robbers, pirates and other rogues. Wrong. And this is wrong for a few reasons.
First, trade does not happen between nations. In a libertarian world, the US does not trade with other nations. The trade happens among merchants, individuals and business concerns. I don't want DC politicians selling Amish furnature to third world nations nor do I want congress critters representing Boeing or Westinghouse.
Same too when it comes to what comes into the US as imports. Those decisions rest with consumers, buyers in wholesale and retail settings, and perhaps bankers who invest in those types of transactions.
The government isn't to be the force so as to drive the trade with different nations -- not in a libertarian world.
If there are pirates or thugs along the silk road -- where and when they surface -- those that are the Marco Polos of the time need to fend for themselves. It is a nasty world. There are a lot of bad guys, from South LA to street gangs to less than honest dockworkers. Work it out and go with the flow of enterprise.
Whose job is it to get rid of them (the bad guys)? Well, it isn't the role of the US ARMY and US NAVY to get rid of the bad guys all around the world.
This next part is really bad. He is out to lunch by writing:
Another kicker. The interest of the mercenaries would NEVER collide with the political interests of the U.S. The U.S. won't have an interest in those quarters. That is the whole point of live and let live. The USA should not care who the next king of the outback village is. The USA should have not own "political interests" there -- or at least no interest that needs to be protected by those wearing US uniforms.
Even in the US, think of the Brinks Armored Trucks. They come into the neighborhood to pick up deliveries of cash. They carry guns. They are good for business. Transactions occur. Losses are prevented. They are 'mercenaries' of a sort. They ahve a job to do and it gets done -- without the need of 'political interests' getting in the way -- be it a red state or blue state.
Ultimate and decisive power is NOT needed. The trading opportunities that the libertarians crave, and they are precious, can come about without big-time power brokers. The chance to flourish comes without the 'big man.' Cuba has Castro and not much in terms of trade. The USSR had the politburo and Supreme Soviet authority -- and there wasn't much trade going on with the USA then -- as grocery shelves were empty in Leningrad.
The argument of the article makes no sense.
Other question: Does U.S. diplomacy invariably facilitate peaceful outcomes in the region? Bad question. The problem isn't US diplomacy. The problem is the destruction from the US funded counter-measures. The problem is the military domination that the US seeks to impose by force. Ron Paul (and I) want diplomacy. We want to be aware. We want to understand. We want to witness. We want to communicate. We want to travel freely. We want to be smart. Diplomacy should flourish. Torture should not rear its ugly head on the calls of Americans in the name of diplomacy.
Does it make sense to arm Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the same time we arm Israel? No. There is no sense in that. Do not arm all sides. Do not arm one side. The third option is what I want -- arm no side abroad.
The USA can be armed -- in America to protect the USA. That's radical -- and that's logical.
The verdict does NOT depend on what kind of governments the other nations have. Not now. Not later. The verdict is known when we look in the mirror. The verdict for the US is going to be within the US. The verdict for the Arab states, or Israel, or Iran, or elsewhere -- is going to be mostly theirs to answer for themselves.
We write our own destiny. They write theirs. That's the way it should be. That's how we should think of it in our policy and with our leaders.
I confess. Ron Paul, once elected President of the USA, I expect, won't be a good leader of the free world. No. President Ron Paul would be a GREAT leader of the USA, and we'd become more free and greater as a free nation. Ron Paul would leave the rest of the world free to solve their own problems, struggle by struggle, without the our guns pointing and firing at them throughout.
Electing Ron Paul as President fixes the policy of free-for-all war and moves the future into a time of new focus on peace and self-determination.
These questions turn on differences of tactics and strategy, whereas Dr. Paul's objection is philosophical. True. But, the tactical and strategy questions asked in the article stink. There are no right answers to those horrid questions.
Another example, "... the "blowback," as he puts it, from supporting Saddam at one moment and opposing him the next ..." Hold the phone. The word 'blowback' is NOT something that Ron Paul came up with. Blowback comes from the CIA. The US Intelligence community understands 'blowback.' That is a page from their playbook. Blockback is part of the downside to the neo-con and nation-building ways. Blowback is part of today's international landscape.
Blowback becomes big pimple in the history of the world when a real libertarian policy takes root in the US White House and with the deployment of real diplomacy and strict use of military force.
This is funny too. The writer speaks of the cost of US withdrawal from the Middle East. There is a cost of staying. There is a cost of lives. There are massive spending costs. The costs get reduced with a vote for Ron Paul for President.
The savings need to be counted when we talk of Ron Paul's foreign policy and a return home for our troops abroad. Some of the best and brightest people are not home today. They are elsewhere and that is costly, expensive and all part of the duty for the roles of a nation who aims to be the police force for the world.
Nobody can say what, precisely, the cost would be of U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East or, for that matter, disengagement from rest of the world.
No again. There is not going to be a 'disengagement from the rest of the world.' Consider the US and Canada. The US does not have troops and bases stationed in Canada. There is no 'disengagement' of the US to Canada because we don't have troops there. The engagement of the economy will grow among people of this nation and the rest as our military departs.
Ron Paul does not want to disengage the US citizens and US economy from the rest of the world. Rather, Ron Paul wants that to increase friendships, commerce, trade, and cultural understandings. More gets done when the guns are not pointing at heads of your friends abroad.
FYI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burqas.
Another crock of bull:
Yes, in America, we are tame. We settle lots of issues by looking at the Constitution and then voting, from time to time. That is tame. We don't take it to the streets. Some pitch a fit in a passive way. Fine. That's tame. That's great if you ask me.
If other parts of the world are wild -- and you can't get a handle on them. Here is a tip. Vote with your feet. Don't go. Or, if those settings are too near to your place at present -- leave. Figure out a way to get out. Run. Swim. Crawl. Escape. That's the libertarian way.
Not too long ago, Pittsburgh was the 'gateway to the west.' The wild west had it all. Outlaws, gunslingers, rattlers, herds of buffalo could mow you down. For some, the wild west was silly. For others, it was an adventure. To each his own. That's the deal.
Libertarianis and pacifism have a good deal of overlap -- but not fully. They are not the same. To the ignorant, they might be. A libertarian would walk into the wild west looking for Walden's next pond with a six-shooter and a bunch of buddies a couple hundred yards behind -- with rifles. Meanwhile, the pacifist just carries a bible.
As a coach, I coach. I teach. I'll get in and challenge. I'll push, pull or just make sure that people don't have lots of comfort. Things do fall apart when left alone.
Ron Paul isn't about leaving things alone. Rather, Ron Paul is about leaving things to those who can best fix them. Ron Paul isn't about an over-reaching federal government. Ron Paul understands that the president has a role -- and that isn't to do everything for everyone.
When Ron Paul says it is up to the states to decide -- then that is NOT leaving things alone. The states can decide upon the issue then. Let the states decide about public schools, not the feds.
Ron Paul would leave plenty alone as president -- such as schools. But, then things can get done at the other level. That, in my humble opinion, is parochially American.
That's the guy that I'm going to vote for. He is open minded. He sees the whole picture. He understands his role. He is only one guy. He is the best choice for the US at this time.
Write to bstephens@wsj.com -- as I just did.
Global View - WSJ.com: "Ron Paul and Foreign PolicyThe guy gets it right to a point -- and then wrong to the finish.
January 15, 2008; Page A12
Ron Paul (and I) want peace. We don't want the USA to police the rest of the world. This quote makes perfect sense to me. "It's time that we come to the point where we believe the world can solve some of their problems without us." That is, without the US war ships, without the US bombs, without the US Marines.
Dr. Paul is a libertarian, and a libertarian's core belief is that a person's pursuit of happiness is, or ought to be, his own affair. Up to a point, most of us are probably sympathetic to that argument. But is it true of all people? And is what's true of some or all people also true of countries? The libertarian conceit -- which now extends well beyond Dr. Paul's cult-like following -- is that it is.Glad to know that most people are sympathetic to freedom and personal liberties.
Of course all people are NOT excited about ANYTHING. Some people like to have authorities. Some people like to have and control aircraft carriers. Some people like to have and operate US Fighter Jets. A military and industrial complex has been built. CMU likes to win money from the US Defense Department to design new robot cars that can drive without soldiers to deploy destruction and pain on people on the other side of the world -- if not on other planets. Some people like to rule with an 'iron fist' and some others like to be under handed and of the 'winning side' even if that takes away one's freedom and liberty when it matters the most.
Everyone in the US isn't for peace and liberty. Everyone in the American colonies in 1776 didn't sign the Declaration of Independence either. Loyalists to the king (as then) and to the neo-cons exist.
This quote from candidate Paul works for me too: "We need to recognize they deserve their sovereignty, just as we deserve our sovereignty." I don't want top level 'officials' in D.C. picking leaders of other nations. They've been known to do that in the past. And often, they've guessed wrongly. Their feuds should NOT be owned by the US and the US citizens.
I agree, America needs to get its armed forces out of the way of harm. America needs to keep the taxpayer money from Americans out of the hands of those who aim to do harm to the US, today or into the future. The US Foreign policy has proven to be wild with weapons and wild with federal funds.
In a previous debate, Ron Paul mentioned that that "they attack us because we've been over there." Well, to be fair -- it is much more than just being over there that has generated some of the hate to the US. The US has been over there killing. The US has been over there funding others who have killed. The US has been over there funding both sides of the fights so that they can kill each other faster and cheaper. Being over there isn't the problem. Being there in the wake of the destruction and death, attributed to US involvement is the problem.
Dr. Paul's own remedy is that if "we trade with everybody and talk with them . . . there's a greater incentive to work these problems out." Exactly. The RUB is found within the degrees that the editorial does NOT put forth.
It was precisely out of a desire to "trade with everybody" that the early American republic was forced to build a navy, and then to go to war, to defend its commercial interests, a pattern that held true in World War I and the Persian Gulf "Tanker War" of the 1980s.No. The word, "FORCE" is what is wrong. The early NAVY was built out of 'desire,' not 'force.'
The American nation went to war (built a navy) to fight the pirates because of commercial interests. That history does NOT support the intellectual architecture of libertarianism itself. The history is valid. But, the article pins the history upon the ideal and those dots do not connect.
It is crazy to say that trade between nations is only possible in the absence of robbers, pirates and other rogues. Wrong. And this is wrong for a few reasons.
First, trade does not happen between nations. In a libertarian world, the US does not trade with other nations. The trade happens among merchants, individuals and business concerns. I don't want DC politicians selling Amish furnature to third world nations nor do I want congress critters representing Boeing or Westinghouse.
Same too when it comes to what comes into the US as imports. Those decisions rest with consumers, buyers in wholesale and retail settings, and perhaps bankers who invest in those types of transactions.
The government isn't to be the force so as to drive the trade with different nations -- not in a libertarian world.
If there are pirates or thugs along the silk road -- where and when they surface -- those that are the Marco Polos of the time need to fend for themselves. It is a nasty world. There are a lot of bad guys, from South LA to street gangs to less than honest dockworkers. Work it out and go with the flow of enterprise.
Whose job is it to get rid of them (the bad guys)? Well, it isn't the role of the US ARMY and US NAVY to get rid of the bad guys all around the world.
This next part is really bad. He is out to lunch by writing:
A strict libertarian might offer that mercenaries could be authorized to build aircraft carriers, Aegis cruisers and nuclear submarines to keep the freedom of the seas in the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca. But what happens when the pecuniary interests of mercenaries collide with the political interests of the U.S. or some other government? Ultimately, some kind of decisive power is needed there too, at least if the trading opportunities libertarians claim are so precious stand any chance of flourishing.Mercenaries could be deployed. They won't need aircraft carriers, I dare say. Nor will they need nuclear submarines so that Sears can deliver Maytag washing machines. Absurd.
Another kicker. The interest of the mercenaries would NEVER collide with the political interests of the U.S. The U.S. won't have an interest in those quarters. That is the whole point of live and let live. The USA should not care who the next king of the outback village is. The USA should have not own "political interests" there -- or at least no interest that needs to be protected by those wearing US uniforms.
Even in the US, think of the Brinks Armored Trucks. They come into the neighborhood to pick up deliveries of cash. They carry guns. They are good for business. Transactions occur. Losses are prevented. They are 'mercenaries' of a sort. They ahve a job to do and it gets done -- without the need of 'political interests' getting in the way -- be it a red state or blue state.
Ultimate and decisive power is NOT needed. The trading opportunities that the libertarians crave, and they are precious, can come about without big-time power brokers. The chance to flourish comes without the 'big man.' Cuba has Castro and not much in terms of trade. The USSR had the politburo and Supreme Soviet authority -- and there wasn't much trade going on with the USA then -- as grocery shelves were empty in Leningrad.
The argument of the article makes no sense.
Other question: Does U.S. diplomacy invariably facilitate peaceful outcomes in the region? Bad question. The problem isn't US diplomacy. The problem is the destruction from the US funded counter-measures. The problem is the military domination that the US seeks to impose by force. Ron Paul (and I) want diplomacy. We want to be aware. We want to understand. We want to witness. We want to communicate. We want to travel freely. We want to be smart. Diplomacy should flourish. Torture should not rear its ugly head on the calls of Americans in the name of diplomacy.
Does it make sense to arm Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the same time we arm Israel? No. There is no sense in that. Do not arm all sides. Do not arm one side. The third option is what I want -- arm no side abroad.
The USA can be armed -- in America to protect the USA. That's radical -- and that's logical.
The verdict does NOT depend on what kind of governments the other nations have. Not now. Not later. The verdict is known when we look in the mirror. The verdict for the US is going to be within the US. The verdict for the Arab states, or Israel, or Iran, or elsewhere -- is going to be mostly theirs to answer for themselves.
We write our own destiny. They write theirs. That's the way it should be. That's how we should think of it in our policy and with our leaders.
I confess. Ron Paul, once elected President of the USA, I expect, won't be a good leader of the free world. No. President Ron Paul would be a GREAT leader of the USA, and we'd become more free and greater as a free nation. Ron Paul would leave the rest of the world free to solve their own problems, struggle by struggle, without the our guns pointing and firing at them throughout.
The verdict will depend on what kind of governments the two Arab states have in, say, 10 years time. Should the Bush administration have backed Pervez Musharraf to the hilt these past seven years?What is done is done. The Bush administration ran and won the White House on the concept that the USA would not do any more 'nation building' as had been the policy of Clinton. But, once the neo-cons got into office, their missions changed. President Bush has been a huge downer, to say the least.
Electing Ron Paul as President fixes the policy of free-for-all war and moves the future into a time of new focus on peace and self-determination.
These questions turn on differences of tactics and strategy, whereas Dr. Paul's objection is philosophical. True. But, the tactical and strategy questions asked in the article stink. There are no right answers to those horrid questions.
Another example, "... the "blowback," as he puts it, from supporting Saddam at one moment and opposing him the next ..." Hold the phone. The word 'blowback' is NOT something that Ron Paul came up with. Blowback comes from the CIA. The US Intelligence community understands 'blowback.' That is a page from their playbook. Blockback is part of the downside to the neo-con and nation-building ways. Blowback is part of today's international landscape.
Blowback becomes big pimple in the history of the world when a real libertarian policy takes root in the US White House and with the deployment of real diplomacy and strict use of military force.
This is funny too. The writer speaks of the cost of US withdrawal from the Middle East. There is a cost of staying. There is a cost of lives. There are massive spending costs. The costs get reduced with a vote for Ron Paul for President.
The savings need to be counted when we talk of Ron Paul's foreign policy and a return home for our troops abroad. Some of the best and brightest people are not home today. They are elsewhere and that is costly, expensive and all part of the duty for the roles of a nation who aims to be the police force for the world.
Nobody can say what, precisely, the cost would be of U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East or, for that matter, disengagement from rest of the world.
No again. There is not going to be a 'disengagement from the rest of the world.' Consider the US and Canada. The US does not have troops and bases stationed in Canada. There is no 'disengagement' of the US to Canada because we don't have troops there. The engagement of the economy will grow among people of this nation and the rest as our military departs.
Ron Paul does not want to disengage the US citizens and US economy from the rest of the world. Rather, Ron Paul wants that to increase friendships, commerce, trade, and cultural understandings. More gets done when the guns are not pointing at heads of your friends abroad.
John McCain is dangerous and more of the same. That is quote is spoken like a true bigot.
But John McCain was on to something when he quipped, in reply to Dr. Paul, that the only items al Qaeda likes to trade in are burqas, and that they only fly on one-way tickets.
FYI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burqas.
Another crock of bull:
No. Here is an accounting, from a libertarian. Don't go. I've not gone to Iraq. I'm a Libertarian. There is your accounting.
Mankind is not comprised solely of profit- and pleasure-seekers; the quest for prestige and dominance and an instinct for nihilism are also inscribed in human nature, nowhere more so than in the Middle East. Libertarianism makes no accounting for this. It assumes the relatively tame aspirations of modern American life are a baseline for human nature, not an achievement of civilization.
Yes, in America, we are tame. We settle lots of issues by looking at the Constitution and then voting, from time to time. That is tame. We don't take it to the streets. Some pitch a fit in a passive way. Fine. That's tame. That's great if you ask me.
If other parts of the world are wild -- and you can't get a handle on them. Here is a tip. Vote with your feet. Don't go. Or, if those settings are too near to your place at present -- leave. Figure out a way to get out. Run. Swim. Crawl. Escape. That's the libertarian way.
Not too long ago, Pittsburgh was the 'gateway to the west.' The wild west had it all. Outlaws, gunslingers, rattlers, herds of buffalo could mow you down. For some, the wild west was silly. For others, it was an adventure. To each his own. That's the deal.
Libertarianis and pacifism have a good deal of overlap -- but not fully. They are not the same. To the ignorant, they might be. A libertarian would walk into the wild west looking for Walden's next pond with a six-shooter and a bunch of buddies a couple hundred yards behind -- with rifles. Meanwhile, the pacifist just carries a bible.
There is a not-incidental connection here between libertarianism and pacifism. George Orwell once observed that pacifism is a doctrine that can only be preached behind the protective cover of the Royal Navy. Similarly, libertarianism can only be seriously espoused under the protective cover of Leviathan.The closing statements are all wrong too.
That's something worth considering as Americans spend the coming year debating the course of things to come in the Middle East. It is beguiling, and parochially American, to believe that things go better when left alone. In truth, as Yeats once wrote, things fall apart. With so much at stake in this election, it's no small blessing that Dr. Paul remains a man of the fringe.As a Libertarian, I don't think things go better when left alone. I get involved. I speak out on countless issues. I engage. Everyone can't be as hyper, of course.
As a coach, I coach. I teach. I'll get in and challenge. I'll push, pull or just make sure that people don't have lots of comfort. Things do fall apart when left alone.
Ron Paul isn't about leaving things alone. Rather, Ron Paul is about leaving things to those who can best fix them. Ron Paul isn't about an over-reaching federal government. Ron Paul understands that the president has a role -- and that isn't to do everything for everyone.
When Ron Paul says it is up to the states to decide -- then that is NOT leaving things alone. The states can decide upon the issue then. Let the states decide about public schools, not the feds.
Ron Paul would leave plenty alone as president -- such as schools. But, then things can get done at the other level. That, in my humble opinion, is parochially American.
That's the guy that I'm going to vote for. He is open minded. He sees the whole picture. He understands his role. He is only one guy. He is the best choice for the US at this time.
Write to bstephens@wsj.com -- as I just did.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Pondering Pgh Public Schools
Statements to the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Ed and Administration on Nov. 13, 2007
Mark Rauterkus
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226
412 298 3432 = cell
Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
I'm a Libertarian who believes in public education.
I understand that people often vote with their feet by moving to suburban Pittsburgh because the opportunities in the city schools are not like what is provided in the burbs.
My oldest son, Erik, joins me today. He is in 7th grade at Frick Middle School. He studies Spanish and may attend Schenley High School. His brother, grade 4, hopes to attend Frick in two years.
My personal and professional life has revolved around schools and education. My wife is a professor. My father is a retired Pgh Public School teacher. I coach swimming and have been in many suburban and city settings. As a coach in Illinois, I coached swimming at the #1 team in the state while it was reported as the best public high school in the United States (Town & Country Magazine).
Should you go down this pathway of consultants, high school reform, and closing Schenley, you'll enter a battle. You will get soundly defeated on an economic front and nailed in political settings, time and time again. We will not forget. Your careers will wane. The dark cloud that hovers – be it in the US Virgin Islands or elsewhere – will be the Red and Black of Schenley. I'll insure it organizes over you.
This Schenley fight was fought two years ago. It was NOT prudent then. It isn't prudent now. The options and alternatives are horrible.
Mr. Roosevelt felt the wrath of the residents of The Hill communities in the aftermath of his bogus 'rightsizing plan.' Perhaps he felt he needed to toss a crumb off the table to “the hill.” Setting up a new high school in an old, middle school building was thought to be a political win-win. Think again. Folks in The Hill, and folks throughout the city, want Schenley, for all the right reasons.
We all know the top factor in both a child's education and that of a community is “engagement.” Parent involvement is a critical key. We need lifelong learning. We need student, teacher, community, family involvement. We need ownership of the problems and the suggested solutions.
We don't need consultants.
Consultants should not be hired to set in place a plan to destroy Schenley High School.
Rather, consult with us – the voters, taxpayers, parents, stakeholders. We are the customers. We are the ones who pay the bills. We are the one's that empower you. We are the ones that will dash your aspirations.
The first step of so-called “high school reform” was called “The Pittsburgh Promise.” It was a lie. This isn't the first lie. It can't be ignored. Fix it. Apologize. Re-tool the promise so that those that enter Kindergarten have a scholarship fund when they graduate in 13 years. Otherwise, the best you can do is provide pencils. Perhaps the Pittsburgh Promise could fund bus tickets to our graduates so they can return home after flunking out of college.
Hire a real-estate agent to assess, market and sell this building. If you want cash from property, this is the building to auction and/or sell. Don't sell Schenley. Besides, Schenley has new windows.
Summary:
1.Develop a Vo Tech High School as promised.
2.Advance the discussion and open the Vo Tech High School next, as a top priority. Do the Vo Tech now – before any changes to Schenley.
3.Save Schenley High School. Fix, maintain, and rehab what is there.
4.Consult with the people of the city – now, always, and in open ways.
5.Deploy an open source mindset.
6.The asbestos claims are not believed. Publish them. Prove it. Debate plans, don't dictate them. Creditability has vanished.
7.Publish all reports online.
8.Be thankful of news leaks, not vengeful. Understand that this is my district. Not Mr. Roosevelt's. By the way, Mr. Lopez understanding of listening and talking seems to be upside down.
9.Don't rush the board to vote for spending more money simply because departing members are sealed and delivered.
10.Sell the Board of Ed building in Oakland, if you sell anything.
11.If necessary, put Schenley's 9th graders in 2008-09 at Frick Middle School. Do a temporary reduction to the student and faculty at Schenley to make room for repairs. Frick has the capacity.
12.Understand that the “Pittsburgh Promise” is a big fat lie. Fix it. Be realistic.
13.Fix the long-standing lie that Conneley Tech would be 'replaced' too.
14.Replicate what works.
15.Fix what is broken. What about the 'drop out factories?' What about Oliver, Carrick, Langley, Peabody and Westinghouse? What about Vo-Tech too!
16.Make a second Rodgers. Replicate it. If you must, move some downtown. But keep an East Rodgers. Make a West Rodgers too.
17.Putting all the IB at Reisenstein is too far away. Buses won't go there from the south and west. Students and families won't go there.
18.If you must, move the administration to Conneley or to Resisenstein.
19.If you must, establish a second I.B. Program at Resisenstein, in addition to the one at Schenley.
20.If you must call the second I.B. Program a 'Metro Magnet.' Attract students from Wilkinsburg, Penn Hills, Vernona, Shaler, and locally in the city too.
21.A second I.B. Program, as a charter, could attract ESL students from the suburban districts.
22.Understand that afterschool programs, sports, arts and community programs in the district are weak, generally. They need to be factored in the plans. Think about sports and performance facilities now. Those items are expensive, but worthy investments.
23.By the way, the “Rightsizing plan” failed to account for Duquesne schools, as I requested.
24.What is the attendance at the ALAs? What about August enrollment? The grades are still out on those failures. K-8 Schools are a flop. Kaplan Curriculum payments were rushed ahead yet the lesson plans are getting an overhaul by in-district people.
25.Don't yank families around any more.
26.Open schools year by year.
1.Start a Science and Tech high school with 9th grade, for example. The next year do 9th and 10th grades, and so on.
27.Close schools year by year as the students depart.
28.High School Reform should start at grade 9 and go to grade 12. Only in Pittsburgh would the high school reform begin with a college scholarship after graduation without any money to provide it.
29.High School Reform is not “middle school reform.” Worry about grades 6, 7 and 8 after the high school problems are addressed. Don't do too much at the same time and continue the folly.
30.The University Partnership School should be on a University Campus. Make the Schenley Spartins the University Partnership program. Make that in Oakland.
31.A Technology School was part of Pittsburgh's recent past – Weil. What happened there? Report upon it. Why was it closed? Why open a new Science and Technology Program after closing one with the Rightsizing Plan? That makes no sense – again.
32.Reform Weil into a Science and Technology Program – again. Or, make the Science and Tech program in Milliones Middle School or Connelley.
Mark Rauterkus
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226
412 298 3432 = cell
Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
I'm a Libertarian who believes in public education.
I understand that people often vote with their feet by moving to suburban Pittsburgh because the opportunities in the city schools are not like what is provided in the burbs.
My oldest son, Erik, joins me today. He is in 7th grade at Frick Middle School. He studies Spanish and may attend Schenley High School. His brother, grade 4, hopes to attend Frick in two years.
My personal and professional life has revolved around schools and education. My wife is a professor. My father is a retired Pgh Public School teacher. I coach swimming and have been in many suburban and city settings. As a coach in Illinois, I coached swimming at the #1 team in the state while it was reported as the best public high school in the United States (Town & Country Magazine).
Should you go down this pathway of consultants, high school reform, and closing Schenley, you'll enter a battle. You will get soundly defeated on an economic front and nailed in political settings, time and time again. We will not forget. Your careers will wane. The dark cloud that hovers – be it in the US Virgin Islands or elsewhere – will be the Red and Black of Schenley. I'll insure it organizes over you.
This Schenley fight was fought two years ago. It was NOT prudent then. It isn't prudent now. The options and alternatives are horrible.
Mr. Roosevelt felt the wrath of the residents of The Hill communities in the aftermath of his bogus 'rightsizing plan.' Perhaps he felt he needed to toss a crumb off the table to “the hill.” Setting up a new high school in an old, middle school building was thought to be a political win-win. Think again. Folks in The Hill, and folks throughout the city, want Schenley, for all the right reasons.
We all know the top factor in both a child's education and that of a community is “engagement.” Parent involvement is a critical key. We need lifelong learning. We need student, teacher, community, family involvement. We need ownership of the problems and the suggested solutions.
We don't need consultants.
Consultants should not be hired to set in place a plan to destroy Schenley High School.
Rather, consult with us – the voters, taxpayers, parents, stakeholders. We are the customers. We are the ones who pay the bills. We are the one's that empower you. We are the ones that will dash your aspirations.
The first step of so-called “high school reform” was called “The Pittsburgh Promise.” It was a lie. This isn't the first lie. It can't be ignored. Fix it. Apologize. Re-tool the promise so that those that enter Kindergarten have a scholarship fund when they graduate in 13 years. Otherwise, the best you can do is provide pencils. Perhaps the Pittsburgh Promise could fund bus tickets to our graduates so they can return home after flunking out of college.
Hire a real-estate agent to assess, market and sell this building. If you want cash from property, this is the building to auction and/or sell. Don't sell Schenley. Besides, Schenley has new windows.
Summary:
1.Develop a Vo Tech High School as promised.
2.Advance the discussion and open the Vo Tech High School next, as a top priority. Do the Vo Tech now – before any changes to Schenley.
3.Save Schenley High School. Fix, maintain, and rehab what is there.
4.Consult with the people of the city – now, always, and in open ways.
5.Deploy an open source mindset.
6.The asbestos claims are not believed. Publish them. Prove it. Debate plans, don't dictate them. Creditability has vanished.
7.Publish all reports online.
8.Be thankful of news leaks, not vengeful. Understand that this is my district. Not Mr. Roosevelt's. By the way, Mr. Lopez understanding of listening and talking seems to be upside down.
9.Don't rush the board to vote for spending more money simply because departing members are sealed and delivered.
10.Sell the Board of Ed building in Oakland, if you sell anything.
11.If necessary, put Schenley's 9th graders in 2008-09 at Frick Middle School. Do a temporary reduction to the student and faculty at Schenley to make room for repairs. Frick has the capacity.
12.Understand that the “Pittsburgh Promise” is a big fat lie. Fix it. Be realistic.
13.Fix the long-standing lie that Conneley Tech would be 'replaced' too.
14.Replicate what works.
15.Fix what is broken. What about the 'drop out factories?' What about Oliver, Carrick, Langley, Peabody and Westinghouse? What about Vo-Tech too!
16.Make a second Rodgers. Replicate it. If you must, move some downtown. But keep an East Rodgers. Make a West Rodgers too.
17.Putting all the IB at Reisenstein is too far away. Buses won't go there from the south and west. Students and families won't go there.
18.If you must, move the administration to Conneley or to Resisenstein.
19.If you must, establish a second I.B. Program at Resisenstein, in addition to the one at Schenley.
20.If you must call the second I.B. Program a 'Metro Magnet.' Attract students from Wilkinsburg, Penn Hills, Vernona, Shaler, and locally in the city too.
21.A second I.B. Program, as a charter, could attract ESL students from the suburban districts.
22.Understand that afterschool programs, sports, arts and community programs in the district are weak, generally. They need to be factored in the plans. Think about sports and performance facilities now. Those items are expensive, but worthy investments.
23.By the way, the “Rightsizing plan” failed to account for Duquesne schools, as I requested.
24.What is the attendance at the ALAs? What about August enrollment? The grades are still out on those failures. K-8 Schools are a flop. Kaplan Curriculum payments were rushed ahead yet the lesson plans are getting an overhaul by in-district people.
25.Don't yank families around any more.
26.Open schools year by year.
1.Start a Science and Tech high school with 9th grade, for example. The next year do 9th and 10th grades, and so on.
27.Close schools year by year as the students depart.
28.High School Reform should start at grade 9 and go to grade 12. Only in Pittsburgh would the high school reform begin with a college scholarship after graduation without any money to provide it.
29.High School Reform is not “middle school reform.” Worry about grades 6, 7 and 8 after the high school problems are addressed. Don't do too much at the same time and continue the folly.
30.The University Partnership School should be on a University Campus. Make the Schenley Spartins the University Partnership program. Make that in Oakland.
31.A Technology School was part of Pittsburgh's recent past – Weil. What happened there? Report upon it. Why was it closed? Why open a new Science and Technology Program after closing one with the Rightsizing Plan? That makes no sense – again.
32.Reform Weil into a Science and Technology Program – again. Or, make the Science and Tech program in Milliones Middle School or Connelley.
Students Outraged At Plan To Close Schenley HS
KDKA - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
Read more in our Privacy Policy Several hundred Schenley High School students, parents and teachers picketed outside the school administration offices to ...
See all stories on this topic100 parents, alumni discuss Schenley High closing
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
About 100 parents, students and alumni of Pittsburgh Schenley High School gathered yesterday at the Cathedral of Learning to discuss their strategy for ...
Aggressive support vowed to save Schenley
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bobby Kerlik Schenley High School junior Sean Thomas said Saturday that closing his 91-year-old school would destroy more than the bricks-and-mortar ...
Officials quash Schenley rumors
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
The rumor began spreading by e-mail Thursday night, after a community meeting at which Schenley supporters denounced district officials for plans to close ...
Schenley High School allies plan for a fight
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Schenley High School supporters worry officials will seal its fate with a vote Wednesday, despite assurances from the school board. ...
Schenley students tout pride, history
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Fred Quinn plays volleyball, performs in the school musical and is active in student government at Schenley High School -- and he hopes to ...
Schenley girls kick distractions
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Brian Graham The Schenley girls soccer team was able to overcome so many obstacles this season that just playing in tonight's PIAA Class AAA playoff game ...
School officials meeting with Schenley students
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By The Tribune-Review Administrators from Pittsburgh Public Schools will meet with students of Schenley High School at 6 pm Thursday to discuss their ...
Schenley High School shuttering on the table again
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Despite the asbestos in the nearly century-old Schenley High School, real estate officials see a market for it as a place to live or work. ...
Plan to shut Schenley High School revivedPittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
By Bill Zlatos Pittsburgh's venerable Schenley High School, 91 years old and showing its age, would close in June under a reorganization plan detailed ...
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Playground in City reeks of lead. Poison puts brain on hold. City waits. Kids and Parents know nothing.
Our family to China three times. Once we were there while all the Recreation Centers within the City were closed. They were idle, by design. Closed for political reasons by the local Democratic Mayor. Thanks to the leadership of the Dems in Pgh, we've got more of the same to bark about.
This week Pittsburgh give itself another leg up on China, famous for its exports of cheap toys to the US that are covered with lead-based paint. Perhaps it this can be called a 'Lead Pipe Lock.'
The lack of action on these types of problems is typical. Plenty of problems concerning our kids and youth are begging for attention. Meanwhile, our city, this city, does NOTHING. That is what THEY always do. Nothing.
More talk and buzz about the parks has surfaces in recent times than ever before -- due to the killing of the geese in both North Park and Riverfront Park on the South Side. This is why we talk about parks -- dead geese. Neither the media nor the politicians are eager to engage and talk about parks. Dead geese -- not kids, not recreation, not coaching, not programming.
Now, lead-poison, toxic playground, additional inactions. Newspapers and city hall officials talk about the parks because the playground dirt is toxic. They knew about it for months. AND, they did NOTHING.
For the sake of the future and the kids -- I'd love your vote and endorsement for both city controller and city council, district 3.
I'm running against do-nothing politicians who won't rock the boat. They act like lead anchors and are sinks to sustained conversations about solutions for our region. I, at least, will scream foul! (pun intended)
This week Pittsburgh give itself another leg up on China, famous for its exports of cheap toys to the US that are covered with lead-based paint. Perhaps it this can be called a 'Lead Pipe Lock.'
The lack of action on these types of problems is typical. Plenty of problems concerning our kids and youth are begging for attention. Meanwhile, our city, this city, does NOTHING. That is what THEY always do. Nothing.
More talk and buzz about the parks has surfaces in recent times than ever before -- due to the killing of the geese in both North Park and Riverfront Park on the South Side. This is why we talk about parks -- dead geese. Neither the media nor the politicians are eager to engage and talk about parks. Dead geese -- not kids, not recreation, not coaching, not programming.
Now, lead-poison, toxic playground, additional inactions. Newspapers and city hall officials talk about the parks because the playground dirt is toxic. They knew about it for months. AND, they did NOTHING.
For the sake of the future and the kids -- I'd love your vote and endorsement for both city controller and city council, district 3.
I'm running against do-nothing politicians who won't rock the boat. They act like lead anchors and are sinks to sustained conversations about solutions for our region. I, at least, will scream foul! (pun intended)
Friday, November 02, 2007
38% to 18%
This is really sad and a bit alarming.
I ran an extensive poll that ended at noon today, Friday, November 2. We've called thousands of people over the course of 6 days, 12 hours each day with multiple phone lines.
Presently 18% of the people are either "unsure" or "not telling" as to who they are voting for in the mayor's race.
However, the amount of people who are unsure in their pending votes for city controller is 38%. That's thirty-eight percent. The election is three days from today.
My hope and wish for the undecided folks is for them to read the League of Womens Voters Guide. Look at that content along what I've delivered on the web, starting at http://Elect.Rauterkus.com.
Most of all, this opportunity presents a final opportunity to shout out to the media professionals in the region. There has been very little coverage on the city-wide race for controller. We had one debate (Oct 29) without any media coverage there. None, except for our video camera. (Thanks David Schuilenburg.) I have the video of the debate going online at my site soon. I have been making 99% of the media for this race, as a candidate. Ekks! Meanwhile, my opponents are doing everything they can to hunker down and squash discussions about solutions for Pittsburgh.
I'm available to talk on camera and to reporters and Trib editorial review board about the race, democracy, and our political landscape. If anyone wants to talk about solutions for our schools, parks, freedom or ethics, especially as ethics touch upon Pittsburgh's Ethics Hearing Board -- email me at Mark@Rauterkus.com, or call me, 412 298 3432.
If the 38% of the voters that are still undecided opt for me, Libertarian, Mark Rauterkus, I can win the post of Controller. It is an optimistic view, but true. As I'm elected, Pittsburgh will not only break one party rule, but the city can establish a Citizens' Congress and a Youth Technology Summit. We can move way beyond audits and apply a process that matches the methods of open source software development.
Feel free to make your own endorsement and foward this to your friends, family and neighbors. Pittsburgh's media has starved the voters for insights into the controller's race and the three other races for city council being waged by the challengers.
In district 1, vote for Dave Schuilenburg.
In district 9, vote for David C. Adams.
In district 3, vote for me, Mark Rauterkus, Libertarian.
And for city controller -- I need votes from both the Ravenstahl and DeSantis camp. My base of support is mixed among all sides. But undecided voters are everywhere, sadly.
I ran an extensive poll that ended at noon today, Friday, November 2. We've called thousands of people over the course of 6 days, 12 hours each day with multiple phone lines.
Presently 18% of the people are either "unsure" or "not telling" as to who they are voting for in the mayor's race.
However, the amount of people who are unsure in their pending votes for city controller is 38%. That's thirty-eight percent. The election is three days from today.
My hope and wish for the undecided folks is for them to read the League of Womens Voters Guide. Look at that content along what I've delivered on the web, starting at http://Elect.Rauterkus.com.
Most of all, this opportunity presents a final opportunity to shout out to the media professionals in the region. There has been very little coverage on the city-wide race for controller. We had one debate (Oct 29) without any media coverage there. None, except for our video camera. (Thanks David Schuilenburg.) I have the video of the debate going online at my site soon. I have been making 99% of the media for this race, as a candidate. Ekks! Meanwhile, my opponents are doing everything they can to hunker down and squash discussions about solutions for Pittsburgh.
I'm available to talk on camera and to reporters and Trib editorial review board about the race, democracy, and our political landscape. If anyone wants to talk about solutions for our schools, parks, freedom or ethics, especially as ethics touch upon Pittsburgh's Ethics Hearing Board -- email me at Mark@Rauterkus.com, or call me, 412 298 3432.
If the 38% of the voters that are still undecided opt for me, Libertarian, Mark Rauterkus, I can win the post of Controller. It is an optimistic view, but true. As I'm elected, Pittsburgh will not only break one party rule, but the city can establish a Citizens' Congress and a Youth Technology Summit. We can move way beyond audits and apply a process that matches the methods of open source software development.
Feel free to make your own endorsement and foward this to your friends, family and neighbors. Pittsburgh's media has starved the voters for insights into the controller's race and the three other races for city council being waged by the challengers.
In district 1, vote for Dave Schuilenburg.
In district 9, vote for David C. Adams.
In district 3, vote for me, Mark Rauterkus, Libertarian.
And for city controller -- I need votes from both the Ravenstahl and DeSantis camp. My base of support is mixed among all sides. But undecided voters are everywhere, sadly.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Burgess in District 9: The Democrat has skills to help the community
The P-G editorial board paints itself into another weird position.
If the editorial review board of the P-G really wants to understand the crime prevention plan, come to the press event on Monday at 5 pm at St. James AME Church parking lot. Dave Adams will be talking about his plan, from A-to-Z, before that evening's debates. The debates begin at 6:30 pm. However, the plan gets released to the press with follow-up questions and discussions at 5 pm.
The Adams plan from his "Conscious Group" is a work that has taken years to mold, pitch, build, modify and launch. The blue-print isn't like saying clean, green and nice. No way. His plan claims to be comprehensive and it can work throughout the city, as well as throughout the 9th council district.
One of the most pressing statement in the endorsement article about Adams talks about his working with other council members. P-G: "Adams betrays a lack of interest in working closely with other council members." YES!
That is the problem with city council. City council allowed the corruption of Twanda to linger. Council, with Luke Ravenstahl as its president, covered up for each other. Council needs people to be elected that are skeptical of everything council does. Council needs people to speak for others from outside the party. Council needs to have an insider that isn't operating on a wink-wink basis. When the going gets rough, they all work closely to cover up corruption for each other.
Rev. Ricky Burgess is a Dem. That makes him unqualified to step in the same post that was cloaked in corruption, by a prior Dem. He is guilty by association -- as they are all guilty by association -- as they are all working in a lock-step style. The city is falling apart. District 9 has it the worst.
Adams betrays the machine. That is exactly what the citizens need to know. That is what the voters need to celebrate.
The District 9 residents have not had many 'benefits' in the community because they have people who have understood the political process. What a joke from the P-G: "The people of District 9 deserve a representative who understands the political process and can use it to benefit the community."
With an understanding of that political process -- we get more blight, more crime, more vacant properties, more decline, more cronies, more special-interest tax deals that help developers and hurt residents and the marketplace.
Be bold. Betray the machine. Restore trust and hope with citizens.
When the politicians stick together, when the thugs and citizens stick together, when the police stick together -- we all loose.
I have faith that Dave Adams will have the skills and ambition to go nose to nose with anyone in the community, in the region and in D.C. and elsewhere in the government.
Did the P-G endorse Twanda in the past?
Furthermore, seems that Burgess is full of double speak. He is saying one thing to the editorial review board and another in the community. The wires of loyalty with him might twist in the wind.
The Rev Ricky Burgess might have the temperament of a lamb. We don't need lambs as the city is on the brink. I'll take an ex-Marine when our homeland is under such a dire attack.
Burgess in District 9: The Democrat has skills to help the communityMr. Adams is a Marine veteran and a neighborhood activist who has his own three-pronged plan: cut crime, raise motivation and develop power.The plan to cut crime has been released here and there in bite-sized measures. It was not something that can be put onto the table before the P-G editorial review board in the micro meeting they hold with candidates. And, it would be presented before the opposition. That isn't the time nor the place for such a release of the most comprehensive crime prevention plan this city has ever seen.
If the editorial review board of the P-G really wants to understand the crime prevention plan, come to the press event on Monday at 5 pm at St. James AME Church parking lot. Dave Adams will be talking about his plan, from A-to-Z, before that evening's debates. The debates begin at 6:30 pm. However, the plan gets released to the press with follow-up questions and discussions at 5 pm.
The Adams plan from his "Conscious Group" is a work that has taken years to mold, pitch, build, modify and launch. The blue-print isn't like saying clean, green and nice. No way. His plan claims to be comprehensive and it can work throughout the city, as well as throughout the 9th council district.
One of the most pressing statement in the endorsement article about Adams talks about his working with other council members. P-G: "Adams betrays a lack of interest in working closely with other council members." YES!
That is the problem with city council. City council allowed the corruption of Twanda to linger. Council, with Luke Ravenstahl as its president, covered up for each other. Council needs people to be elected that are skeptical of everything council does. Council needs people to speak for others from outside the party. Council needs to have an insider that isn't operating on a wink-wink basis. When the going gets rough, they all work closely to cover up corruption for each other.
Rev. Ricky Burgess is a Dem. That makes him unqualified to step in the same post that was cloaked in corruption, by a prior Dem. He is guilty by association -- as they are all guilty by association -- as they are all working in a lock-step style. The city is falling apart. District 9 has it the worst.
Adams betrays the machine. That is exactly what the citizens need to know. That is what the voters need to celebrate.
The District 9 residents have not had many 'benefits' in the community because they have people who have understood the political process. What a joke from the P-G: "The people of District 9 deserve a representative who understands the political process and can use it to benefit the community."
With an understanding of that political process -- we get more blight, more crime, more vacant properties, more decline, more cronies, more special-interest tax deals that help developers and hurt residents and the marketplace.
Be bold. Betray the machine. Restore trust and hope with citizens.
When the politicians stick together, when the thugs and citizens stick together, when the police stick together -- we all loose.
I have faith that Dave Adams will have the skills and ambition to go nose to nose with anyone in the community, in the region and in D.C. and elsewhere in the government.
Burgess in District 9: The Democrat has skills to help the community - Friday, October 26, 2007 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In last May's Democratic primary, Pittsburgh Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle faced a field of eight challengers in District 9 all vowing not to be the next Twanda Carlisle.
Weary of scandal and corruption allegations against the incumbent, Democratic voters nominated the Rev. Ricky Burgess, 50, the pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church and the executive director of Concerned Citizens Community Creations Center. Running on a three-point platform of fiscal responsibility, crime reduction and economic development, the nominee promised meaningful reform for a part of Pittsburgh that has not had effective representation for years.
District 9 includes Homewood, East Liberty, East Hills, Lincoln-Lemington, Larimer, Belmar and parts of Friendship, North Point Breeze and Garfield.
Mr. Burgess has one more hurdle to clear before taking a seat on council. His opponent in the Nov. 6 election is independent candidate David Adams, 49, of East Hills. Mr. Adams is a Marine veteran and a neighborhood activist who has his own three-pronged plan: cut crime, raise motivation and develop power.
While Mr. Burgess speaks at length about trying to attract businesses and working with other council members to ensure that the district isn't an afterthought, Mr. Adams promises to build community consensus by slashing crime by 40 percent and promoting the cultivation of cultural pride. He declined, however, to detail his crime-fighting plan for the editorial board.
As to reviving the neighborhood's economy, he warned against gentrifying developers who want "to push us out." He said, "We have to protect our black areas and we don't want white people to come in."
Mr. Burgess countered by saying, "This district is not an African-American district," and that he'd work to build Pittsburgh's diversity. Both candidates are black.
Mr. Adams is ambitious, but he betrays a lack of interest in working closely with other council members. The people of District 9 deserve a representative who understands the political process and can use it to benefit the community.
The pastor has the right approach. Mr. Burgess' emphasis on reviving business, enhancing safety and dealing on Grant Street with Pittsburgh's fiscal crisis are sound priorities. While we encourage Mr. Adams to share his ideas on fighting crime with city officials, there's only one member of this duo with the skill and temperament to represent the community: Ricky Burgess.
Did the P-G endorse Twanda in the past?
Furthermore, seems that Burgess is full of double speak. He is saying one thing to the editorial review board and another in the community. The wires of loyalty with him might twist in the wind.
The Rev Ricky Burgess might have the temperament of a lamb. We don't need lambs as the city is on the brink. I'll take an ex-Marine when our homeland is under such a dire attack.
Monday, October 15, 2007
P-G coverage: Running is all uphill for Pittsburgh's 3rd-party candidates
Running is all uphill for Pittsburgh's 3rd-party candidates: "Running is all uphill for Pittsburgh's 3rd-party candidates CAMPAIGN 2007 Monday, October 15, 2007 By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette David Adams has put up wanted posters accusing his electoral opponent of ducking debates.We made the news today, oh boy.
Mark Rauterkus has filed ethics complaints against rivals.
There are a few points to make about the article, reposted here with comments throughout.
For voters, the Dave S, Dave A, Mark R, Mark R, Mark D makes for an interesting 'ticket.' There are only two names one needs to remember. I've been working with Dave A and Dave S on a regular basis. We're on the same page. I'm a team builder.
Meanwhile, the Republicans have never been cooperative -- even when I ran for Mayor as a Republican because I hated what Tom Murphy was doing to our city. By the way, my experience with the issues and throughout the years as a vigilant watchdog was overlooked.
David Schuilenburg has a Web site that includes a "Darlene Watch" listing what he views as his incumbent foe's missteps.I'm able to carry a third party banner, the LIBERTARIAN BANNER. Tony Oliva joins me in that effort. We have three slots for Libertarians. Dave S and Dave A are hardly holding a 3rd party banner. Dave A is 'no party.' Dave S is something like 'reform Democrat' or 'new Democrat' or 'Independent Democrat.'
They're Pittsburgh's political insurgents, carrying third-party banners in uphill battles, hoping that unusual tactics and an unsettled climate yield Nov. 6 upsets. With no Republicans running for any city office other than mayor, they are the alternatives to the long-reigning Democrats.
To lump us all together under the "party banner" tag is a little weak. "Don't Put Me -- or US -- in a BOX." I tried to get them to join me in running as a "Libertarian" -- but each declined. They knew that goofy reporting would be forthcoming.
And they're eternal optimists.Guilty. Furthermore, I think we are 'idealists' and mostly optimists who have faith in our fellow citizens and voters.
Only those who think that they can change the world are the ones who do change the world. Those that think make the first step. But we who think and have the energy of action are the real change agents. One needs to be an optimist to run for public office. One needs to be an optimist to stand and fight. One needs to be an optimist to live in the city, especially with a family.
By the way, I've helped to change the city in a number of ways. We have won some battles. We have turned the tide in some domains. I am optimistic that my involvement has made Pittsburgh a better city and region.
"If I can get 1,500 kids to come out to vote, I'll win this election," said Mr. Adams, the independent candidate for the seat being vacated by Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle.Something further from the truth has never been said about David C. Adams -- and it figures it would come from a challenger like Burgess. Mr. Burgess is using double-speak. But, he won't show up for a debate. Mr. Burgess tells the Post-Gazette editorial board one thing. Yet, he tells neighborhood groups another.
Mr. Adams, 49, of East Hills, faces the Rev. Ricky Burgess, who won the Democratic primary in May.
Mr. Adams has tried to paint Mr. Burgess, 50, of North Point Breeze, as a pawn of outside interests and white gentrifiers. Both men are African-American.
"Mr. Burgess has the idea that other people can solve our problems," Mr. Adams said. "There's a plan to take over the 9th District, to push us out."
The Democrat has countered that his opponent is too polarizing.
"This district is not an African-American district," said Mr. Burgess. "This is a peoples' district. ... You want to bring more people into the district, not just black people."
Both say crime is the key issue in the district, which covers the city's northeast corner.Not really. Burgess is talking about using POLICE RAIDS. The talk we given witness too from Burgess about crime is alarming.
Mr. Burgess would use crime data to identify areas to be targeted with police activity and social services, the effort advised by churches serving as the "liaison between the police and the community. ... We don't want tanks and militia indiscriminately coming down the streets."
He wants to fight crime while encouraging job development and housing construction.
Mr. Adams said before any new development or housing push starts, crime has to be cut by 40 percent. He wants teams of "surveyors" to canvass every city neighborhood identifying their needs, followed by police cooperation with five-person community advisory committees to craft action plans.Exactly. David Adams is pushing for and PULLING for real community driven interactions with the police. This is what it is going to take. The people have to get involved, and they need to trust those in charge. They will be able to know that Dave C. Adams is with them, for them and going to stand tall to the troubles, both within the force and within the streets.
His proposal calls for effective social service programs to be advertised in a resource guide, offenders to be given second chances and efforts to promote healthy living.
David's approach is thought out. It is calculated. It is full of hard work. It is necessary. And, above all, it is a plan of change that cuts the the root issue. The cancer there now is the disengaged citizens. "Snitching" is negative. That has to change.
I'm a volunteer who has been a paid coach. Rich Lord took a cheap shot there. "Rauterkus is a professional swim coach that also volunteers to lead his son's school swim team." We had practice last night (Sundays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm) with 19 kids at the Oliver Bath House. I've stepped away from coaching this fall to run full-time campaigns. In September I was offered another job with another team to return to the day-to-day coaching.
Mr. Rauterkus, a 48-year-old volunteer swim coach from the South Side, is running for both City Council and controller as a Libertarian.
Now the P-G calls me a repeat candidate. Both my opponents are 'repeat candidates.' I ran for mayor, so did Lamb. I ran for city council, so did Kraus. Wonder if Kraus is a 'volunteer painter' when he covers graffiti.
The repeat candidate faces two Democrats, Allegheny County Prothonotary Michael Lamb in the controller's race and interior designer Bruce Kraus in the council race to represent the South Side, nearby hilltop neighborhoods and parts of Oakland.
One does what one is called to do in life. Kraus does wallpaper and paints. That makes him good at painting, rose colored glasses optional. I work with kids. I'm called to recreational leadership and to volunteer as a coach. Voters get to choose.
Meanwhile, Lamb is a gentle bureaucrat from the dominant party. He'll be happy to have others on the Ethics Hearing Board tell him what is right and wrong. He'll be happy to report to the party bosses or foundation wire pullers as to what to do, who to hire, and when to make waves -- or not. I think we need someone in city hall where citizens can get a grip on this town's policies. We need a controller who cares about PERFORMANCE.
Though neither Mr. Lamb nor Mr. Kraus is a city employee yet, Mr. Rauterkus has filed complaints against both with the Ethics Hearing Board, which is empowered to review actions of city officials and workers. Both say the complaints are groundless.Rich Lord must be upset at the editor's editing of this section. I know he'd never do such a hatchet job with gross omissions. I put THREE complaints to the Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board.
Mr. Rauterkus accuses Mr. Lamb of a conflict of interest by being involved in the A+ Schools reform group while running for a post that oversees city and school district finances.
"If I'm fortunate enough to win this election, I plan to seek the advice and opinion of the Ethics Hearing Board on what a conflict is and isn't," Mr. Lamb said. He'll resign from any board that conflicts with his office, he said.
Mr. Rauterkus complains that Mr. Kraus has tried to keep current Councilman Jeff Koch, who lost the Democratic primary, from getting another city job.
Mr. Kraus called that "rumor and innuendo," and said he hopes Mr. Koch gets "any job he is qualified for, for as long as he chooses to work."
The main target was the Ethics Hearing Board itself. They are the most unethical with the confidentiality aspects and damages that can be delivered against citizens that have the courage to raise a complaint.
My complaints have now come into view with the board. They gave fleeting mention of how the code needs to be overhauled and the confidentiality elements need examination.
Without the other examples where Kraus and Lamb were targets, my compaints could have been knocked out without the necessary 'standing.' More needs to be done with ethics in the city. I have the mindset and capacity to stand and fight. Others told me that the Ethics Hearing Board was a joke. I have to agree. But, to let the joke linger without pushing it into a serious discussion would be equally troubling.
The complaints I filed are clearly visible at http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/ethics. However, the coverage from the Post-Gazette only went into the P-G blog, Early Returns, not into the newspaper. The City Paper covered the story. (add links)
As to the Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board scope, I feel that it needs to be willing to examine cases that deal with candidates, not only employees. Candidates and campaigns are perhaps the one area where the most mud and trouble unfolds. And, it is the one place where voters have the upper hand to oust bad politicians and parties. If the Ethics Hearing Board only has a mandate to focus on employees, then it is only a puppet of the regime in power, not the people.
The Ethics Hearing Board needs to be 'proactive' and not only 'reactive.' Heck, the golf saga with Luke Ravenstahl won't be settled until the first of the year. If two days of golf tie up the Ethics Hearing Board for more than six months, how responsive can they be with more pressing issues. We can't lead by only looking into the rear view mirror. We need to move the city 'forward' -- so to speak. Let's not make 'ethics' and 'end of the day' experience. We need to consider ethics in real time: morning, noon and night. We need ethical discussions to dive into the future as well as the past.
I want a city that can be 'proactive.' Watchdogs are proactive tools. A controller can be 'proactive.' We need to get a grip on this city in proactive ways -- before the assets are torn down, before the money is spent, before the kids are shot, before the jails are overcrowded, before our vets return home from Iraq to rehab.
Mr. Rauterkus' primary platform plank is improving parks and youth programs. He wants to create a new city-county parks district, with elected trustees who would take parks leadership "off of Grant Street."The "home rehab" quote isn't 100% complete. I say that we should not do tax breaks for home fix-ups in certain neighborhoods and not others. No unfair, special interest tax breaks. However, the policy that I advocate, the land tax, is all about a city-wide home rehab tax break. Everyone gets a tax break for fixing up their properties when the taxes are only calculated upon the land. I don't want to tax the buildings. I only want to tax the land. That is the direction we should go and return to.
"What works for me is freedom and liberties," he said. That means no subsidies for skyscrapers or home rehabilitations, a return to the city's pre-2001 system of taxing land at a higher rate than buildings and no security camera systems in neighborhoods.
If one has a house and adds an addition, a sun-room, a new deck, a new porch -- whatever -- great. They'd get a tax break under my plan. The home owners who fix up properties under today's plan get punished with higher taxes. That's wrong.
The land tax is all about home rehabilitations for everyone, including tax breaks. The taxes stay the same because the land hasn't changed.
Furthermore, I'm not saying 'no security cameras in neighborhoods.' I'm saying that we need security cameras. However, I want to point all the security cameras at the politicians, public meetings, treasury, police, public works employees and all authorities. We'll need a lot of cameras to cover that. We've got to get away from the back-room deals. We need to cut through the 'smoky city' legacy. Then, after all the government elements are fully monitored, then let's talk about pointing cameras at citizens.
"If all of the cameras that arrive in town are pointed at the public officials, as well as the public treasury, then I would welcome them," he said.
Like other third-party candidates, he's running on the cheap.Cheap. Yeah, right. Cheap shot. I'm prudent. I'm not going to run a campaign that costs lots of money and racks up a lot of debt. Likewise, I'm not going to govern in a way that generates debt and costly spending.
I'm running a campaign that is visible. I'm hyper in my presence and willingness to debate. I'm able to leverage the internet for outreach and to sustain discussions. I'm not hunkered down doing as little as possible such as my opponents -- and Ricky Burgess.
He's a regular speaker during council's televised public comment periods, an Internet blogger and a dogged distributor of campaign DVDs that, he said, cost him around 23 cents each.I also speak to county council, state hearings, Pgh Ethics Hearing Board (not on TV), unions that will have me, and other community meetings -- not on tv.
Mr. Schuilenburg, 34, of Summer Hill, is a city 911 dispatcher trying to unseat Councilwoman Darlene Harris, who won the seat in a special election a year ago. He finished sixth in that race, and is again running as an independent.Go, Dave, Go!
His Web site promises detailed plans on attracting homeowners, combatting crime, reforming government and encouraging development, but details were not posted by Friday.
His campaign seems focused on painting Ms. Harris, a former school board member and longtime Democratic Committee ward chairwoman, as old school. His Web site proclaims that "the status quo will no longer be tolerated by citizens, and change to what has become the norm in [traditional] leadership in the City-County Building is now desired."
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| From people & vips |
The insurgents see hope in May's primary election, which saw three incumbents losing Democratic primaries. If that tumult continues, it will be the unexpected result of unusual tactics.Unusual tactics -- give me a break. Well, I guess it is 'unusual' to stand tall, to be so confident because the others are so weak at heart and mind, and to champion citizen candidates working for everyday opportunities.
Rich Lord can be reached at rlord@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1542.At least the article didn't have a mention of the other 'third party candidate' seeking to win a seat on Allegheny County Council, David Tessitor. He is another Dave. He is NOT a member of either the D or R party. It will be interesting to see if he gets any coverage for that at-large seat on Allegheny County Council.
 | Click image for a larger view. |
| From Mark Rauterkus |
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Tonight's debate: Tony Oliva, Libertarian, serves up a great opening food joke. Best line of the night.
Lots of people in Pittsburgh are going to have egg on their faces.
You had to be there.
Meanwhile in all the statements at the debate, mainly by the old-party Dem and old-party Republican, I didn't hear the word "kids" nor "freedom" nor "liberty" once.
In another blog I post:
The overlords suck. The overlords don't present anything of merit to hang one's hat upon for long term vision.
What is "progressive" and what counts as "real reform" needs to be understood, talked about and more. Sadly, when some are excluded -- not INCLUDED -- we many never hear the full story.
Harrisburg isn't going to bail out Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh must save itself. We must pull our own weight.
The R politicians who serve in Harrisburg, such as Jane Orie and Mike Turzai are not the ones who put the city in its ugly position. And, I have no faith that they will help do anything positive either. Like the overlords, the state reps and state senators are nearly worthless. There is no hope with them.
We are own our own. That is the progressive way. That is what we must do. That is real reform.
Be prudent. Be free. Pull YOUR OWN WEIGHT, Pittsburgh. Grow our way out of this mess by parenting our kids and making them the strongest generation ever -- able to compete with anyone.
You had to be there.
Meanwhile in all the statements at the debate, mainly by the old-party Dem and old-party Republican, I didn't hear the word "kids" nor "freedom" nor "liberty" once.
In another blog I post:
The overlords suck. The overlords don't present anything of merit to hang one's hat upon for long term vision.
What is "progressive" and what counts as "real reform" needs to be understood, talked about and more. Sadly, when some are excluded -- not INCLUDED -- we many never hear the full story.
Harrisburg isn't going to bail out Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh must save itself. We must pull our own weight.
The R politicians who serve in Harrisburg, such as Jane Orie and Mike Turzai are not the ones who put the city in its ugly position. And, I have no faith that they will help do anything positive either. Like the overlords, the state reps and state senators are nearly worthless. There is no hope with them.
We are own our own. That is the progressive way. That is what we must do. That is real reform.
Be prudent. Be free. Pull YOUR OWN WEIGHT, Pittsburgh. Grow our way out of this mess by parenting our kids and making them the strongest generation ever -- able to compete with anyone.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
[412] Ethics, Schools, my P-G editorial board meeting, and a standing date to start "33 plan" (Thursday at 3:30 pm)
I sent out an email blast on Saturday afternoon. This took some time to compose, and it is longer than usual.
Also, check your spam filter as the message might be sitting there.
One goal of the campaign is to double the size of this 412-public email outreach. So, if there are others that you think might enjoy reading these messages, invite them or let me know.
Open tread follows with replies and talkback loops.
[412] Ethics, Schools, my P-G editorial board meeting, and a standing date to start "33 plan" (Thursday at 3:30 pm)If you don't get my email blasts, sign up at http://Rauterkus.com/mailman/listinfo/412-public-campaign.
Also, check your spam filter as the message might be sitting there.
One goal of the campaign is to double the size of this 412-public email outreach. So, if there are others that you think might enjoy reading these messages, invite them or let me know.
Open tread follows with replies and talkback loops.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Gregg Behr nicks Ronald Reagan, saying it is morning in Pgh. The story we tell -- it is time to morn
Pop City, flush after an fine wine and cheese party at the North Side's New Hazlet Theater two nights ago, is talking whine and cheese like few others.
I morn for a few reasons.
America's political system depends upon debate and competition. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's mayor has no time for debate. He fills his schedule with quickies in the community that is hardly an opening statement and uses the chief of police, director of parks, staffers and public works supervisors as pawns.
The mayor, like the boss of the political party of the Dems, have a lot of work to do. It is morning alright. They need to wake up. They need to do the right things at the right time.
We are just a month before election day and I want 30 debates, not three -- or NONE.
Morning in the city could come in January 2008 after Luke Ravenstahl departs Grant Street.
Morning could come after Pittsburgh's voters elect people from outside the Democratic party for Mayor, Controller, and with three different districts in city council.
Pittsburgh is hell with the lid off -- because we have a lot of smoke. We have people who want to be cloaked by smoke. We have people who want to breeze in and sail out of meetings without accountability and go forward, depending upon the way the wind blows.
The myth lives on because the political players of this town are not trustworthy.
It is demoralizing to have NO DEBATES. Ours is a placed marked by economic downtrun, dislocation and discouragement because our political landscape carries the same traits. The political elite want it that way. By design, they aim to fool and sustain their folly.
Pittsburgh is roboburgh as too many of the voters act like robots and only pull the party line. Pittsburgh is "green" in its buildings and bricks and hardware -- but not software nor politics nor actions against corporate welfare, a central green party plank. Pittsburgh's knowledge town works if you look at the ivory tower, the flood of studies and analysis, and the sterile operating rooms. Too bad they can't perform some type of magical organ transplants for our culture of community engagement.
Pittsburgh citizens lack the knowledge of where our city stands in terms of its finances. The people are not told. The tools for self monitoring are absent. The story is not being told because those in power want to inject self-doubt to everyday citizens -- keeping the power and upper hand for themselves.
The stories that we tell ourselves do frame who we are and where we are going. Sadly, guys like Michael Lamb and Bruce Kraus want to be controller and on council, yet they do NOT want to say anything or do anything. So, we are not going to go anywhere. They want to get the job. They want to coast. They want to have dislocation.
I don't think all of us need to be those 'great communicators.' But, the leaders need to be that way in times of crisis.
Pop City - Gregg Behr: The Stories We Tell OurselvesRemember when President Reagan declared it to be morning in America? Well, it's morning in Pittsburgh.Gregg is a well heeled foundation type.
I morn for a few reasons.
America's political system depends upon debate and competition. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's mayor has no time for debate. He fills his schedule with quickies in the community that is hardly an opening statement and uses the chief of police, director of parks, staffers and public works supervisors as pawns.
The mayor, like the boss of the political party of the Dems, have a lot of work to do. It is morning alright. They need to wake up. They need to do the right things at the right time.
We are just a month before election day and I want 30 debates, not three -- or NONE.
Morning in the city could come in January 2008 after Luke Ravenstahl departs Grant Street.
Morning could come after Pittsburgh's voters elect people from outside the Democratic party for Mayor, Controller, and with three different districts in city council.
Pittsburgh is hell with the lid off -- because we have a lot of smoke. We have people who want to be cloaked by smoke. We have people who want to breeze in and sail out of meetings without accountability and go forward, depending upon the way the wind blows.
The myth lives on because the political players of this town are not trustworthy.
It is demoralizing to have NO DEBATES. Ours is a placed marked by economic downtrun, dislocation and discouragement because our political landscape carries the same traits. The political elite want it that way. By design, they aim to fool and sustain their folly.
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| From people & vips |
Pittsburgh is roboburgh as too many of the voters act like robots and only pull the party line. Pittsburgh is "green" in its buildings and bricks and hardware -- but not software nor politics nor actions against corporate welfare, a central green party plank. Pittsburgh's knowledge town works if you look at the ivory tower, the flood of studies and analysis, and the sterile operating rooms. Too bad they can't perform some type of magical organ transplants for our culture of community engagement.
Pittsburgh citizens lack the knowledge of where our city stands in terms of its finances. The people are not told. The tools for self monitoring are absent. The story is not being told because those in power want to inject self-doubt to everyday citizens -- keeping the power and upper hand for themselves.
The stories that we tell ourselves do frame who we are and where we are going. Sadly, guys like Michael Lamb and Bruce Kraus want to be controller and on council, yet they do NOT want to say anything or do anything. So, we are not going to go anywhere. They want to get the job. They want to coast. They want to have dislocation.
I don't think all of us need to be those 'great communicators.' But, the leaders need to be that way in times of crisis.
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