Another Dr. Francis (sp) Barnes, but this is inbound

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved Francis V. Barnes, Ph. D., Tuesday evening. Dr. Barnes was Governor Rendell’s nominee for the Commonwealth's Secretary of Education. Barnes, who now becomes the state's first African American Secretary of Education, will lead the state’s 501 school districts, and implement the Governor’s Block Grant Funding Program that allocates $200 million in the 2004-05 school year for districts to implement research-based programs to boost student achievement such as full-day kindergarten, pre-kindergarten, smaller class sizes, tutoring and English as Second Language programs. He brings a wealth of experience to the position, having served in rural and urban school districts across the Commonwealth.

Check the search engine box for "Frances Barnes."

Dated Dean. Married Kerry. Woke up with Bush

Dean's Democracy for America seeks to elect progressive-leaning candidates and train grass-roots organizers.

Notes: Dean's roller-coaster campaign started with soaring polls, but crashed. Dean, an 11-year Gov., shouts a Boston Yahoo! ad. Supporters have cheered the ad, reveling in its irreverent self-mockery. Or, William Shatner land? Next could be Sedatives or Throat lozenges.

Politicians as pitchmen: Bob Dole for Viagra; US House Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill for American Express; Geraldine Ferraro for Pepsi; Ann Richards (TX) Mario M. Cuomo for Doritos, Sophie Masloff for Used Appliance Warehouse. None have won political positions after cashing out.

Wonder if Dean-supporters would be fertile land for fund-raising letters?

Wonder if the Democrats who cannot give up feel the need to scrub undemocratic Democrats from bankrupt landscapes?

U.N. highlights sport as unifying force

I'm not much of a fan of the U.N., but I am a big fan of sports. Pittsburgh is, so some like to say, a "sports town" too.

Sports Illustrated article is interesting.

If you thought the United Nations and Secretary-General Kofi Annan were all about brokering peace deals and lobbying world leaders to play nice, brace yourself for the international body's venture into the sports field.

Anyone But Murphy

With the funky frames in the City Paper's web site, we put this article here in its full splendor.

Added Feature - 11/11/2004

Best mayoral candidate: Anyone But Murphy
A conversation with Nick Kratsus of Bethel Park, a 25-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, founder of the Yinzer Party and possible candidate for mayor.

Writer: MARIA NICOLE SMITH

What’s with your shirt?

Well, it says "Murphy Sucks." It’s a shirt I actually picked up Downtown when I was coming home from a Pirates game. We’re thinking about possibly printing them up -- our own version for the Yinzer Party. In fact, our slogan may be "Murphy Sucks." Our current slogans are "Stop Mayor Murphy’s Weapons of Mass Taxation" and "The Regime Now." They might be changing.

Why are you interested in running for mayor?

I thought the stadium situation was a crock! Everybody voted against funding them and then the mayor going and inserting that 1-percent sales tax. … I watched as he tried to develop Fifth and Forbes avenues. One can look at the Lazarus -- that was a total mess-up. Lord & Taylor is leaving. Obviously Mayor Murphy is an idiot when it comes to finances.

There’s not even a commercial movie theater Downtown.

There’s nothing. There’s no grocery store. Soon there will be no buses leaving in the evenings and on the holidays and Sundays. What the hell is that? We’re supposed to be building up the city of Pittsburgh, not building it down. We can not only fix the problems Downtown but also fix problems throughout the city.

What are your plans for the city?

You need to have fiscal responsibility with the budget. You need to lower taxes. You’re not going to be able to tax yourself [to] prosperity like the mayor’s doing. You have to raise public awareness. You’ve gotta fix the school system. You’ve gotta work with the county. I honestly believe the city and the county need to be merged.

The formation of the Yinzer Party got you some media attention.

Ah, yes. I almost got interviewed with Mike Pintek on KDKA. I was also approached by WYEP. I wrote an op-ed in The Pitt News about how I believed I could help the city. I pledged that if enough people want me to run for mayor, then I will run for mayor. It’s better than what we have now.

Who are some of your supporters?

Right now, I have a total of eight e-mails [from supporters]. I also have people who said they would support me if I asked them to. My mom said she’d help me out. It’s a grassroots effort.

In all seriousness, are you running for mayor?

I have no plans to honestly do it, but if 10,000 people sign a petition and want me to do it, I’ll do it.

To Jack Shea -- the mix from Les Ludwig

Jack Shea, President of the Allgheny County Council of Labor, is to be commended, with the others, in their attempts to convince City Council to vote against Act 47. They held a meeting yesterday at the Teamsters 249 Union Hall.

We have spoken out against the Act 47 along with the ICA.

Whatever efforts were decided upon, house to house, face to face campaign, hopefully these efforts will have the desired effect to convince City Council to vote against Act 47 and ICA by more than a single vote majority as a message to Harrisburg.

But what then?

How is bankruptcy to be avoided with the dangers that are part and parcel of this course of action in terms of unions and city destruction?

Jack, there is a potential answer that is more than a stop gap grant or as council members said, "We were repeatedly asked in Harrisberg, 'What's the number of dollars to avoid bankruptcy for Pgh?'"

This is not a reasoned approach but rather a Dutch Boy Solution resulting from the pressure of the moment.

Jack, it's your power to call upon leadership in every county of our state to ask -- or may demand -- those union leaders support because if not drectly then indirectly they will be threatened by what happens here in Pittsburgh. These county union leaders should call and email State Represenatives, State Senators and the Governor to pass the Insurance Tax increase to at least 4% for the benefit of Class 1 and 2 Cities. (The tax is presently 2%.)

This tax increase puts Pittsburgh in the black before the cuts and would allow a cooling off period to the next session of the legislature. Can we deffuse the heat. Learn from the suggested cuts and move a funded Pittsburgh and Phila forward to a successful recovery.

The legislation, in our view, should call for long-term commitments of help, but only until these communities can pay their way again.

Also, the legislation should stipulate those specific economic conditions that would allow the help to start and stop automatically so that the current pressure for a solution does not reoccur.

Jack, please, if you agree, copy to all the union leadership in the state.

More details at the Wiki, Platform.For-Pgh.org.

Flaherty says plan to abolish row offices is Onorato power grab

PG.

Undemocratic Democrats: Bahh, humbug.

Tom Flaherty has got to go too. Onorato wants to be the boss of everything. Meanwhile Flaherty is good for nothing.

A great quote: "Nobody's pants are on fire." Our pants were on fire in 2001 when I last ran for mayor. Our pants are not on fire, except that the city is running out of money next month. Sure, the pants are not on fire. Rather, the city is three steps beyond toast. I wish our pants were only on fire.

Murphy is spending on stadiums again

PG: Slots-for-arena plan worth a look, Onorato says In an interview last week, Murphy said he would like to see the winning bidder dedicate a portion of its slots revenue to help build a new arena, whether it's the Penguins, Forest City, Stabile or someone else.

Mayor Tom Murphy gave us the stadiums despite the will of the people and the outstanding $40-million still due on the now gone Three Rivers Stadium.

Next, Mayor Tom Murphy wants to spend a good chunk of the gambling income for a new hockey arena.

No way. That gambling money is sure to provide some income. However, gambling is not going to materialize to such grand form as they have projected.

We have to stop miss-spending on big-ticket items. The new hockey arena should not get a dime of public funding.

Lawmakers oppose $144 occupation tax

PG:
"That is the worst of all worlds," Roddey said.

Sigh. One trend in Pittsburgh that I've pondered and am now putting into the Platform for-Pgh deals with our decisions and method of making community choices. Often, we out-pace the worst by a step. Now it seems as if the best choice isn't the only one to blow our doors off -- as we are neck and neck with the worst.

Now the conversation deals with "the mix." There is a mix of taxes all about to swirl around and come out in the wash. Occupation tax, pinch of parking tax, deed-transfer tax, place-holder taxes, jumps in property taxes, commuter tax, service cuts, garbage tax, increased fees, payroll taxes on for-profits, grants from the state, grants from the non-proftis, privitazations, and so on.

The final mix, whatever it is, is in the hands of state legislatures now. Right.

The chair of the ICA, William Lieberman, said, "This is a working document that is not meant to be definitive."

This is important for all to understand. Many around here have been thinking that the oversight folks are here to solve the problems. Wrong. The oversight folks are here for oversight. That's about all they can do. And, oversight is no little feat given the city's ways under this mayor. Oversight isn't for fixing the problems. Oversight isn't a solutions provider.

The fix from these ills we now suffer is going to come when we oust the existing administration and put new leadership into place on Grant Street.

Phone book Recycling

The collection of telephone books is currently in progress, (October through May 2005). Bring old phone books to one of the following City of Pittsburgh drop-off locations. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday (except holidays), between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Additional telephone book drop-offs are located at, Construction Junction, Home Depot and Giant Eagle stores (during regular store hours).

Telephone Book Drop-off Locations

2nd Division, P.W. - West Homewood/East Liberty near North Point Breeze on Dallas at Hamilton Ave.

3rd Division, P.W. - Melanchton Ave., off the 5200 block of 2nd Ave. in Hazelwood

5th Division, P.W. - Hassler St., off Herschel St. next to Herschel Field in the West End off Steuben St.

Environmental Services Building - 3001 Railroad St. off 30th St. in the Strip

The Home Depot, East liberty at the corner of Penn Circle-North and Highland Avenue

Construction Junction In North Point Breeze at 214 North Lexington Avenue

Giant Eagle Southside at 2021 Wharton Avenue

Giant Eagle in the Crafton-Ingram Shopping Center

Giant Eagle 5550 Center Ave in Shadyside

Giant Eagle at the Waterworks Mall on 915 Freeport Road.

Old phone books are made into new phone books, animal bedding, pizza boxes, egg cartons and more.

For more information contact the City of Pittsburgh, Recycling Division at 255-2631

Political Books

Some suggested reading notes are within the comments. Please put in your notes too.

Catherine spoke to the musical students and faculty at CMU about hearing protection. This was a technical talk with 150 or so in the audience at the lecture hall.

URA stops development

Trib opinion: "Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy is a control freak who is out of control."

New Homes Being Built As Part Of South Pittsburgh Revitalization Efforts

South Side Local Development Company Announces: Fifty New Homes Being Built As Part Of South Pittsburgh Revitalization Efforts: "About the community planning process Hardy notes, 'Community leaders quickly recognized that to reverse several decades of disinvestment requires an initiative of significant scale.

Here is another instance of that subtle but important distinction between wholistic vs. holistic. The tone is for the whole ball of wax.
Wonder if the community planning process is online? Can you find it? Did one need to go to Georgia to learn of it?

School overtime

The Allegheny Insitute and TV 11 News blasted to the Pgh Public Schools. See the PDF formatted Policy Brief on PPS's Excessive Overtime.

So as to not rehash what is already said, I'd like to extend the conversation to additional slants and stories behind the overtime.

1.

We have a city finance watchdog who has duties with city government and the school district. Our city controller is Tom Flaherty, Dem, machine politician and head of the county Dem party. He should be on this. He isn't. He is absent again in matters of financial concern. Tom Flaherty is part of the problem in the city. He has been here through it all. His voice is generally absent.

2.

The storm of overtime is an artifact of closing so many schools with so little time. After the closings were announced, I raised objections. They tried to do too much in too little time. For example, South Vo Tech High School closed. It served 450 students in grades 9-12. Final word of the school's shutting came around May. Expected freshmen, then in the 8th grade, were already recruited to the school. They needed to enroll in their high schools long before they found out South was going to be gone. All the students in the other three grades had to scramble to other schools. And, all the other schools had to absorb the wave of new students who were displaced at South. Transcripts had to shift, guidance offices need to adapt, I.E.P.s needed to be managed, so on and so forth.

Evolution is a good thing. We could have migrated the kids out of South upon graduation. We could have staged the shut down over three or four years. The school board and the administration jerked the students, their families and their staffs around because of the abrupt closings.

The school board has seen the light in my remarks, however. A couple of months ago they released a statement saying that the policy to shut so many schools so quickly would get more consideration. They are thinking again for the next round. But, time will tell.

Generally, those in power need to act quickly and do so behind a veil of smoke. The school board and superintendent think of this as pulling teeth. Do it quick, hard and it is going to be painful. But, it will be over and we'll not see our power erode. That's wrong. They don't want to have organized opposition. They know parents and families move slowly. They need to outrun the volunteers with their staffs and agendas and don't really want input and compromised positions.

The bigness works for the school district and so does FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt). Above all, so does swiftness of action.

For these reasons, among others, parents and citizens can't go into a slumber -- ever. And, we've got to be our own best watchdogs.

As mayor, I'd strongly encourage school closings to be a staged process and a multi-year ordeal. If any school needs my help, I'd be available to listen, investigate, publicize, and speak loudly.

The city has a legacy now of miss-treatment to residents by jacking up taxes by 34% and knowing it will be suicidal. We toy with the deed transfer tax with an increase in 33%. We put parking tax to the roof, without time to even change the signs and rates. And then we knock the kids out of Rec Centers without warning. Then schools close, seemingly, at a drop of the hat. The people of Pittsburgh are getting jacked around, pulled all over the place, and it happens with litle warning. It is like the crew is falling overboard and the skippers are just darting around the rocks.

Summary: we jack around our residents, the students, and the employees. That is no way to be effective.

3.

The overtime is often a ploy to boost retirement. The county police do it too. Same with coaching. A union teacher needs to pad his or her pay check in the twilight of the career to qualify for more upon retirement. So, teachers often coach three sports and opt into summer school to boost the take home pay. That's okay if they really care about the kids. And, if teachers come in and take away jobs from others who are already doing a wonderful job, that stinks. Teachers generally don't get overtime, but the motivation on the job is to spike those income averages.

Furthermore, Pittsburgh has a serious debt problem. A good bit of the debt is devoted to pension payments. Our pension payments are high because we paid a lot of overtime in certain key years to certain key employees, and for years to come we'll pay the pension based on those higher numbers.

Do the math. A person who retires from a $45K job gets a pension that is much less than another who had overtime to push the amount to a $80K job. Then you can compound that increase by 10 or 15 years and notice the difference. Those overtime pay amounts become precious dollars.

Too bad I don't get overtime for blogging.

4.

Shows that we are not with our house in order. Part of that order is management, supervision, hands-on oversight. The board members need to ask hard questions and hold the administration's feet to the fire. But, the administration needs supervision.

Begins to look a lot like "band-aids" ... Everywhere we go

PittsburghLIVE.comA $17 million gift from the state to tide over Pittsburgh could become part of the Legislature's bailout plan to keep the city from sliding into insolvency.

The only thing worst than band-aid philanthropy is band-aid politics. I guess it is not in their character to step up and lead. Jeepers. We'll just need to elect some new leaders.

Reading between the lines it is now fair to say that Gene Ricciardi is NOT going to be running for mayor when he sings this tune. "Restructuring the city's antiquated tax system is "our highest priority," said council President Gene Ricciardi."

Fast Eddie is a leader, in his desires, it seems: "Rendell spokeswoman Kate Philips said it's premature to comment on a proposal until the governor has had a chance to review it. Rendell "wants a long-term plan that doesn't need to be revisited every year," she said.

Our city council should have take up some pumkin, apple and sweet potato pies to ulock the doors to the Gov's office. Perhaps I'll do that myself.

Now at 31 pages

The goal is 20 to 30 solid platform planks by January 1, 2005.

City budget unity fractures as competing plans are introduced

City budget unity fractures as competing plans are introduced: "
For a third year in a row, Murphy is trying to get state lawmakers to help him balance the budget, which sets tax rates and pays city salaries and other bills."

This is a key to my platform for Pittsburgh. I will never do anything like what has been done by Tom Murphy in the handling of the budget. The budget is perhaps the most important duty for the mayor. His failures at every turn with the budget make him a worthless leader for our city.

As part of the positive side of the agenda for dealing in a more productive, open and democratic way with the city's budget, I'll host and organize annual citizen budget building sessions throughout the summer months. We'll have citizen budget summits on a regular basis. We'll have work sessions in community centers, spreading out the facts, figures, history and priorities.

Other cities have budget sessions with citizens. We'll start with an overview of what is done elsewhere.

Budget in council's lap

Tony gets it right. Well done!

PittsburghLIVE.com On the revenue side, the revised budget adds an additional 0.5 percent to the city's 1.5 percent realty transfer tax -- an increase of 33.3 percent.

The mayor's revised budget is technically balanced by a proposed 34 percent increase in property taxes. However, Murphy has vowed not to impose such a steep hike on city residents, calling it 'suicidal for our city.'

Open letter to OpenDebates.Org

This letter was sent to those at OpenDebates.Org.

I've followed your story. I've helped with some blogging. I think you are doing the right things. Now for some ideas:

Why not take 10 to 20 cities and help in 2005 with their democracy and debates for their Mayor's races?

It might be great if you had forums in various cities, and I would PUSH you to make Pittsburgh, PA, one such city. Then you could show the world how a real debate with real candidates and issues, should occur. You can tape the event, review it, offer analysis, and trouble-shoot -- both the process and the event itself.

If OpenDebates.Org wants to aspire to leading the national debates with the presidential race, we need you to prove yourself, be seasoned, be in the marketplace, and be with all the credit due to the task at hand.

Pulling together a debate is no easy matter, as I've done a few of them. I've been on both sides of the microphone. This is exciting, worthy and serious work.

Let me know if you want more insights and info. Please let me know how might I be able to push these matters to othes?

Market House Soccer winding down

The indoor soccer season at the Market House is about to conclude. Our family fun night with a parents game, pizza, trophies and a special guest, Riverhounds Head Coach, is Thursday, Nov. 18.

We launched the season in September with a lot of help from a crew of volunteer parents. John S. has been a tireless leader and most dedicated to the effort. He has done a wonderful job. I'm just there to coach and lend a hand here and there. The others are really working hard.

The Marke House had been closed for the prior year. Now we play and organize without any staffers. The costs went up quite a bit.

For the kids, the program has been much as it was in the past. This is a great program for the tykes and wee players, without a doubt. The liitle kids are so fun to watch, ages 4, 5 and 6. Most of them have not been on a team in the past, to say the least. All the ages have fun and get a nice experience, team play, some skills and new friends.

I took a few photos the other night and I'll try to get some more. If you're with the media and have room to cover something other than the kick-off to "sparkle season" -- give me a call. Our light-up night comes on the faces of the kids, not with some tall downtown buildings.

The indoor hockey, often called, "deck hockey" starts in January. The first night to sign-up is the family fun night. We play on the gym floor in sneakers. Kids often bring their own helmets, but some are provided. The little kids use our sticks, older kids bring their own. Kids have their own shin guards and gloves too.

We need more players, and a high school league, 3 on 3, is slated for Saturday mornings.

Parents and volunteers are also welcomed, for coaching and other duties. The play is on Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

In the tank officially

The official start to the scholastic swim season is next Monday, Best of luck to all who are jumping into the pool, or "tank" for another season. For the bulk of last year I was on deck as the head boys and girls varsity swim coach with the Foxes.

This year I'm coaching my kids in swimming! Yes! They been swimming, and I've been coaching at Carlynton. I'm just with the swim club, and with the littlest ones too.

I did have a number of interviews this fall (Shaler Area H.S., Penn Hills H.S., Winchester Thurston for an afterschool start-up) and made an application to the Chartiers Valley Swim Club.

Given the year ahead, the kids' ages, our lifestyle and the fit at Carlynton -- I'm quite certain we are in the right place.

Election win

At the most recent general meeting and election with the Green Tree Swim Team, I was nominated and elected to a position on the board. Won in a landslide, so I was told. I'll be the fifth member there and the rep for the team in the swim league.

Got a team? Want to join our league?

We've been a part of the swim team for a number of years. The league includes Scott Township, Mt. Lebo, Crafton, South Fayette and Green Tree. Gotta freshen their site soon I guess, http://GreenTree.CLOH.Org.

For the record, I did get the firefighters vote. My cousin in law, John Kirby, a recently retired Pgh Firefighter, voted for me. He said he was the only one in the room to know how to spell Rauterkus. I asked if this was a one-year term, and he was quick to point out it was for ten.

One more election is on tap for later this month. More news later.

Sweetheart

My sweetheart and I celebrate our anniversary, Nov. 10. We were married on a rainy day in Springfield, Mass., in 1990.

On the 11th she'll be at CMU to speak to 150 at the monthly music convocation and with the Pittsburgh Symphony at their break in rehearsal.

The boys are off of school that day too. Perhaps we'll sit in and get some photos, video or an audio version of the presentations. Plus, we can have a family lunch date I expect.

The older team at the Market House. November 8, 2004.

Earl Jones, welcome to the mayor's race, again

Earl Jones, our teddy bear champion, is going to enter the mayor's race in 2005. His expressed theme is family values.

Earl ran in 2001. I expect he'll be a democrat, but there is no telling.

Earl was invited to speak at the RCAC.net 2004 GOP Picnic in Scott Township this fall. Great hospitality.

All in all, Earl's expressed desire to enter the race is really bad news for Rich Fitzgerald, Dem., County Council from Sq. Hill. Earl has a mean streak and hankering against Rich to the nth degree. Otherwise, I'm sure the move to run is a great favor to Tom Murphy. Tom even mentioned Earl Jones from the podium today at the outset of his budget address. Tom Murphy blew Earl a wet kiss from the podium.

Mayor's Budget Address = Full of lies

The Mayor's budget address happened in city council chambers today. As expected it was full of lies.

This time it only took minutes before a city council member, Jim Motznik, started to talk to the media. KDKA was able to start filming the mentions from Jim about how the matters are less than truthful.

Furthermore, I wasn't allowed to get a budget book. The citizens are the last to know, by design.

The promise from the Mayor's spokesperson, Craig, was that the document would be put onto the city's website today.

The deed transfer tax has been increased by 33%, not .05 percent.

The property tax increase for home owners is going up 34%. It is still in there.

The mayor said that this budget follows the guides set forth in the Act 47 agreement, but it fails to do so by increasing salaries to some, and replacing others with job switches.

Police legal advisor, slated to be terminated, appears under another manager's title wit an 2004 salary of $53k moving to 2005 to $73k.

Twelve commanders are up on pae 287 so as to make the overall public safety budget an increase of $140K.

A building inspector gets a raise of $7,700. The city is to be on a wage freeze.

The public works director gets a new job title and ups from $67K to $77K. Same to with an assistant director to deptuty director, and an operations manager moving from $60K to $67K.

Uniforms were cut last year, but re-appear this year for $8,600.

Joe King pointed out how the mayor has padded his budget with a misc. account and education. Then he cuts it and claims a 10% savings.

Others are saying that there are lies. I've yet to list the one's I've noticed.

We don't need to reform first. We need to replace this mayor, now.

Take this message to Harrisburg

This letter has been passed to my city councilmember, Gene Ricciardi, in advance of their trip to Harrisburg. http://dsl.cloh.org/v1/call-11-04.pdf

November 8, 2004

Leaders of the PA House & Senate
Elected Leaders of the City of Pittsburgh

Dear Neighbors and Friends of Pittsburgh,

We need the state's assistance to allow the Pittsburgh region to form its own public, governmental entity, called the Pittsburgh Park District.

Illinois has Park Districts. Pittsburgh needs to have the same. The formation of a Park District should be debated and confirmed by the voters in a spring, 2005 referendum. An introduction of park district concepts are in a position paper at http://DSL.CLOH.Org/v1/

Background:

An oversight plan for the city calls for $0 in funding for Pittsburgh's Citiparks for 2006.

We've already told our children that they can't play ball in their Recreation Centers nor swim in the swim pools. Those closings happened in August 2003. The Mayor's 2004 budget was to keep the facilities closed.

In 2002 the Mayor told the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network that he would prohibit the opening of computer labs in some Rec Centers. Labs were promised without charges to the city with donated equipment, services and net fees as per the cable franchise agreement -- all rejected.

Serious conditions swirl in the city with teens: drugs, shootings, and with few places to seek shelter for sport, coaching, friendship, and structured activities. Meanwhile, the Mayor proves again that he won't play well with others. The kids, yet alone the volunteers, coaches, and parents, need relief.

When the Pittsburgh Park District is formed, recreational matters can be solved in open, democratic ways with elected trustees, sunshine laws, and accountability. Then real community can flourish, outside of the grasp of potholes, pension funds, and games of "political chicken with our kids" instigated by city hall. The Park District solution makes for self-reliance, stewardship and bucks against the mayor who has trashed the kids' opportunities and facilities.

Thanks for your consideration and urgent follow-up on this matter as our kids can't wait.

Les Ludwig's ideas on Fire

Mr. Ludwig is putting forth an idea to address the city's budget and its fire breau.

The Fire Department costs the city $76-million. The city's budget hole is some $20, $40 to $60-million depending on how you count. (The numbers are fluid as proposals are still under wraps and undetermined.)

The State of PA charges 2% on the gross premiums for all insurance companies transacting business in the state. This maked $558-million a year (figure obtained from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003). That money goes, in part, now to pay for police pension, retirement or disability purposes, fireman pension.

The plan calls for the 2% fee to go to 4%, earning an extra $500-million per year. That would fund the entire cost of the Pgh Fire Breau and allow for the reduction of some taxes. Additionally, other funds would go to Phili for its fire costs so as to make this a poltical win for both of the states biggest cities.

Furthermore, Ludwig calls for the Fire Department to spin out from the city and become an entitiy, such as a Fire Authority, that would never come back to the city for additional funding. The Fire Union would be the driving force, working in a more entrepreneurial way to raise its own funds, much like the suburban volunteer fire companies.

As a safeguard for performance, a contract for services would be established with accountability and monthly performance reviews to insure compliance to standards.

His letter has been posted to the Wiki, Platform.For-Pgh.Org: http://platform.for-pgh.org/wiki/index.php?title=Taxation_and_the_City_Relationship_to_State_Government

Directory of video clips as Les tries to make his case.
http://65.254.51.42/~player/content/ludwig/

Qutoe: That's why he's the mayor.

Cute quote from the black and gold dressing room: Big Ben said, "That's why he's the mayor." He's speaking of The Bus.

Ox on Fox: "Jerome Bettis, Mayor of Roethlisnberger."

Mayor's Office Budget -- print to PDF, please

Again!
On Monday, November 8, 2004, the Mayor is to give his budget address. The budget is not online.

Meanwhile, the budget was approved by the Oversight Board on Friday, November 5, 2004. The budget could have been posted as it went to them.

On Oct 4, an online version of the city's budget became available.
That budget was rejected by the oversight board. But, it was made available to the media with a press release on September 23, 2004.

We should not need to wait for two or three weeks to see a current snapshot of the budget. Print it to PDF. That's not hard.

Mayor's Office Press Releases
NOTE: Members of the media can obtain a copy of the Mayor's budget submission at the reception desk of the Mayor's Office on the 5th Floor of the City-County Building.

We waited since Sept. 23 for the release of the massive budget in a PDF. Print to PDF takes minutes if open-source software was utilized.

What if the choice was, for mayor: either Murphy or O'Connor or G.W. Bush

This blog gets plenty of page views and few comments. Let's turn the tide with this posting / question.

Who would you vote for?
Who would win in the city?

I don't think G.W.Bush has done many financial moves, if any, that knowingly, intend to cripple and/or inflict pain. On the other hand, Tom Murphy has.

Murphy has closed pools, closed rec centers, jacked taxes on property by 34%, put parking up to 50%, cut the Great Race that made money, etc.

The nexus of this posting comes from a conversation with a true Kerry supporter who admitted to me that Bush's vote would be a lock if he were in a race with either Tom Murphy or Bob O'Connor.

Perhaps this is a question to get Lynn Cullen thinking.

Sadly, this week's knee jerk seems to be a puzzle to me. Many are starting to rally and begin to gun (pun intended) for PA's Junior US Senator, Rick Santorum. They want him out. They'll start working now to get him out. Anybody but Bush has seemingly morphed to anyone but Rick. Oh my gosh. Don't let the wheels fall off. The rubber hits the road right here in Pittsburgh, our home town. We need folks to care about Grant Street. It is time to refocus -- and not upon the US Senate, please!

Deed Transfer Tax -- going up 33%

The Deed Transfer Tax is going up from 1.5 percent to 2 percent of the total sale of the house. That's an increase of 33%. Please don't fall into the trap of thinking that this half-of-a-percent is no small matter. For example, a house for $100,000 used to be hit with a $1,500 tax burden as it is purchased. Now it is going to be saddled with a $2,000 payment to the city.

Out of all the taxes, the deed transfer tax should be eliminated. That is the first I'd remove as mayor.

Put this code into your blog. Freely comment too.

Super Bowl Saturday

Today is Super Bowl Saturday for the South Side Sabres, a youth football program in my neighborhood. They have three teams in "super bowl games." What a feat. Way to go Mike D and all the other volunteers, coaches, players, cheerleaders and officials. Way to go to all the teams in the league and fans too.

At least two of the games are to be played at Steel Valley High School. One is against a North Hills team.

Here is a program that is flourishing, despite the city.

Yes, there are stories about how the city has given this program its share of headaches. The field was to be re-seeded. The city wanted to stop the team from playing on the field for an entire season. No joke. Talk about fumbles.

There are stories of how the city can't play well with others that never see the light of day on this blog. The road-blocks put up by the city are massive.

Furthermore, I do understand that there are lots of other places with lots of other challenges as well. Pittsburgh does not own the patent on headaches. But, we do seem to push the limit in frustrations. And, as with the Sabres, we overcome and soar, in spite of the submarines from Grant Street.

Ron Morris and being serious

A blog comment elsewhere about a "a serious candidate" has gotten under my skin and here is my vent.

Consider the business world and what Ron Morris mentioned on his Saturday radio talk show. A fellow asked him for some angel investment money to work on a new-business plan. In turn, that plan would then be able to be shopped to venture capitalists. In this early stage of the business, the principal would be collecting a six-figure salary. Hence, some of the need for angle investment. Plus, the principal was not putting his house on the line.

Ron's point was that he wanted to see more skin in the game from the individual involved. He wanted the owner to work with the start-up for nothing. He likes to make investments when the owner is hungry. He likes to see married folks who put their house on the line and then wake up with a watchdog, often in a cold-sweat.

He said it was better to write the business plan on the weekends, nights and while working for someone else.

Humm....

I know what it is like to write and pitch business plans. Before the kids were born, I worked in a start-up, my own small-press. I tried to move SportSurf.Net to the AOL Greenhouse, before Netscape went public. I had a relationship with a California client and furnished them with a modem so they could email me orders, well before Amazon.com ever opened. After we moved to Pittsburgh, I could see the business climate.

As a candidate, I feel at times like I'm in a start-up. I've got some skin in the game. I work for nothing. I scratch with others on evenings and weekends, to mine for ideas and plant seeds for a better community.

Meanwhile, those in the ivory towers of old-school thinking need have a measure of being 'serious' that is about something else. Theirs has little to do with civics, with freedom and with community. Perhaps the insulting remarks can be tempered. Perhaps the goal-posts can be moved, again.

What we have is serious miss-management. We have serious miss-spending of public money. We have serious breaks in democracy and accountability. We have serious instances of corruption. We have serious efforts to posture and back-pat with false praise for doing next to nothing.

So J.P., does a serious candidate for public office need to be serious in those realms?

Chief Robert McN -- enrages audience in West End

Our Chief of Police went before a citizens meeting in the West End at the end of October. Folks there are really hacked off at the loss of their zone's police station. Furthermore, the streets have been filling with shootings (even outside of schools), drugs, 3-AM outdoor parties, and lots of open bad-boy actors.

The chief's talk and his Q&A made matters worse. The people became more upset.

People are doing what has been asked. They are reporting the car's license plate numbers as drug deals go down. They have been holding their turf. They have been getting the threats and turning the details over to police.

However, no dective has called back. The follow-up is abset. One women's story was documented in detail -- but nothing from the good guys. Not even a phone call for an interview.

The chief is oblivious to it all. He thinks that things are fine. There is much more going on other than a group of citizens who are whinners.

The chief can't tak sides in elections, by law. It still has been know to happen.

Citizens groups, call a big meeting and get the Chief to come for a presentation. See for yourself.

On election day another dad shared a story about how he has seen, since September, 14 drug deals in front of his house. He reported everything on each. This dad, also a committee man, faced down a kid with a gun on his front step. This citizen / dad told the punk in so many words that that gun will be up his butt the next time he comes here with a threat.

It seems as if the police are hoping these troublemakers overdose. That is the frustration of how they are fighting crime.

Chief, it is time to "Think Again."

Murphy and McNeily need to exit at the same time. Let's make it soon.

Sales Job in Harrisburg

PG: ..."further cuts mean the city will need smaller amounts of new tax revenue to bridge its budget shortfalls, possibly making tax reform an easier, but still difficult, sell in Harrisburg."

The folks in Harrisburg understand that it is more prudent to replace, re-direct and then, thirdly, reform. To get tax reform and put it into the same messy hands that made this crisis is going to insure that the city stay in its hard-luck status for another decade.

Mayor Murphy needs to resign, for the good of the city. Then we begin to heal.

Once that offer is put on the table, and people other than Murphy need to put it there, then we have a new ray of hope and begin a day to remember.

Murphy needs to get out of the way. Democrats, Democrat-party leaders, and state-wide party leaders need to make this demand known and put it to Mayor Murphy and the media. Barbara H., Dan O., Tom R., Ed R., Bob C., Jack W., Dan F., Sala U., Brenda F., Johnny D., Mark N. (of Pitt), and a team of others need to say the obvious.

Praise be

AP Wire | 11/05/2004 | Recovery plan for fiscally troubled Pittsburgh approved "State officials praised the city and the oversight board for reaching consensus after long and sometimes contentious negotiations.

Understatement, "sometimes contentious."
Wait until these guys talk. Hope it isn't in a year from now.

Slots May Fund Pittsburgh Arena

Casino City Times: "Regardless of where a slots casino ends up in Pittsburgh, Mayor Tom Murphy said yesterday he would like to see a portion of the revenue used to finance the construction of a new arena. "

Same old tricks.

We also learned that the casino money is going to help bridge the $100-million gap in the budget for the next seven years.

PA Secretary Masch Comments on Pittsburgh Recovery Plan Consensus

PA PR The plan approved by the ICA today represents the consensus solution we have been working toward for many months,' Secretary Masch said. 'I want to thank Mayor Murphy, the members of the Act 47 Recovery Team and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for their willingness to labor long and hard to make this happen.

Yes, Tom Murphy is due plenty of thanks for the on-going decline of the city. The city's leaders pushed the city to the brink of extinction after years of hard work, long labors and bone-headed moves. They made it happen. Now checks might bounce next month. Stay tuned.

This plan not only restores Pittsburgh to fiscal stability, it preserves the City's vibrant quality of life and enhances the City's ability to compete economically.

Next we'll learn that 60,000 black-and-gold tailgate fans get fed at Hooters on three loafs and some fish sticks.

Quick and decisive action is now required on the part of the City and the Commonwealth to implement this plan so that a cash crisis does not engulf the City and undo all of the difficult and important work that has been accomplished to date to restore Pittsburgh to financial stability.

The quickest and most decisive course of action is resignation of all involved.

'The 2005-2009 Financial Plan for the City of Pittsburgh includes a balanced mix of cuts in city expenditures and new fees and taxes designed to ensure that both sacrifices and benefits are shared among businesses, residents and commuters. The new plan incorporates all of the key provisions of the original Act 47 Recovery Plan approved last June and improves on that plan by making responsible, measured additional spending cuts.

What about the formation of the Pittsburgh Park Distict?

'Tax reform is a key component of the plan. These reforms include the elimination of the Business Privilege Tax and Mercantile Tax, which have been detrimental to Pittsburgh's economic development. These would be replaced by new and more balanced revenue sources including a new Payroll Tax and an increase in the Occupation Privilege Tax. The Plan also provides for a badly needed, phased reduction in the City's current parking tax. And the plan also recognizes that Pittsburgh's finances will be significantly aided by the new state gaming legislation enacted last July, which will provide the City with a minimum of $10 million in annual gaming revenue beginning in 2007.

Unreal.

City officials, the Act 47 Recovery Team and the ICA have all done their part to restore Pittsburgh to fiscal and economic health. Now the Commonwealth must do its part. For this carefully crafted financial plan to succeed, the state government must grant the City of Pittsburgh the necessary taxing powers it needs to reform its tax structure and restore itself to fiscal stability. Those powers must be authorized before the General Assembly adjourns for the year on Nov. 30. Unless that happens, the outlook for one of the Commonwealth's finest cities will be bleak indeed.'"

Unreal squared.
How can these jokers say that they have done their part. The plan is so magical, yet it will go poof at midnight, like Cinderella.

False Claims by State Rep try to oust citizen from public meeting

State Rep. Petrone, Democrat, of the West End, tried to get a citizen removed from today's public meeting held at the Convention Center. Petrone claimed that the citizen, Carl Sutter, was under court order to not be near Petrone, a member of the PA's House Urban Affairs Committee.

There is no court order. The citizen stood his ground. He was able to return to the meeting.

The meeting was but a dog-and-pony show.

Anne

A friend, Bob Lee, is playing the role of Daddy Warbucks in Anne on November 5-7, 12-14, 19-20 2004. Friday, Saturday Curtain is at 8 PM - Sunday 2 PM. Shows at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie.

Tickets: Adults $15 ; Seniors & Students $10 ; Children under 6 $5

Bring a cushion for your chair. These seats are beautiful but were crafted in the 1800s.

Grown ups can accept a loss and live on

One of the deals that I made with my wife when I ran for mayor, and an easy to do, was that I'd not call for any recount. I lost. We lived with the decision of the voters.

Novak calls on Eisenhower to concede

Harrisburg -- Three days after Pennsylvanians elected Republican Tom Corbett as their next Attorney General, Democratic opponent Jim Eisenhower refuses to concede. Pennsylvania State Republican Chairman Alan Novak today called on Eisenhower to join the rest of Pennsylvania in supporting Corbett.

"I'm disappointed that Jim is ignoring the will of his fellow Pennsylvanians," said Novak. "Tom Corbett's victory was convincing. The election is over, and Pennsylvanians are moving forward together. It's time for Jim to do the right thing and concede this race."

FWIW, Corbett's signs were the only ones that I posted in my windows and at the polls this cycle. He's a Shaler guy. Seems sensible.

Some post election advice

US Congressman, Tim Murphy, R, (South Hills) beat another Doctor, Mark Boles, in 2004's general election to re-capture his seat in the US Congress. The district stretches from South Hills to Westmorland County.

Here is some of my advice that was posted to the Boles email discussion list:

Post election, there are a number of worthy efforts that need some attention.

First, where is the Mark Boles platform? The platform should be archived in public view. Any plans, goals, solution ideas need to be preserved -- and put in clear public view.

I think it is best to put them into the public domain as well.

If there are some original ideas and some original organization of those ideas, then the ideas should take on a life of their own. Give them wings. Set them free. The ideas can outlive the campaign by being picked up by others for the fights yet to come.

Second, on the heels of making the platform as something that is preserved, opened, visible, public, it needs to be evaluated.

What worked. What resonated?
What was a hinderance?
What delivery was effective?
Where were things too complicated, too simple, too miss-understood?

So, take some time and do a critical evaluation of the ideas (not the candidate) and how they played in the campaign, with the public, with the opposition, with the friends, with the party, with the running mates, etc.

Third, do a historical log and put that out in the open for public view and for others yet to come. Who helped organize the debate? Who came to a rally or worked hard on a rally. Why? What communities are out there that show concern over what issues?

Too often the collective well of knowledge runs dry. People come and go in the challenger's role, churning. Hence the ones in power get stonger. Sitting on things and insights and contacts is a sure way to give the others another win or three.

We have to have people take the extra steps after the election to make clear sailing for the next to come and then thrive. Where were beach-heads established? Those same areas should not be ignored nor should they be given back the next time without a fight. Too often the challenger is ignorant due to fault of the ones who ran the last three times in the past.

Case in point: The East Suburban UU Church played a pivotal role in the debate. They wanted to have a US Senate debate. Had to settle for US Congress race. But, ten debates are needed for the next race. And if the opponent only shows up for one, so be it. Who would host those other debates? Chamber, other churches, school groups, etc.

Third, crunch the numbers. Evaluate by ward and neighborhood. Find out the trends, the percentages. Make observations and talk about them to see if others agree or not. Look to see how Bush did in 2000 vs. 2004 vs. Congressional races vs. best districts and worst.
Case in point: GWB flew from Texas to DC on election day after he voted.
It was no mistake that his plane stopped in Ohio.

Be smart. Have details. Know the facts and have strong reasoning to support those facts.

Where did you do literature drops? Where were there victories, and why? How much did it cost to win certain districts? How did the candidate do in his own ward vs. how did the candidate do in the opponents?

Finally, I think it makes little sense to keep the lights on in a campaign here for 2006 when there are races in 2005. To say, I'm working for Boles -- or against Santorum -- is to say County Council is not going to get the attention it needs. What about school board races? What about municipal
races? You all should help two or three candidates in those efforts as dozens are running -- or thinking about it.

When relationships are built among communities and among the political junkies -- they pay off in the future. Often folks just need to show up. Mingle. Show up again.

"R" as in "Reform"

re form n. 1 A change for the better as a result of correcting abuses. 2. A campaign aimed to correct abuses or malpractices.

The red team at Market House soccer, fall 2004. Grant Rauterkus is bottom row on the left. I'm the coach.

Downtown shoppers

Sparkle Season plans are out and the city is going to horse-drawn coaches.

Thanks Pittsburgh Downtown Partnerships!

Asking for a break

Asking for a break - PittsburghLIVE.comPittsburgh is asking the state to forgive a $1.2 million penalty...

The city is now in the role of begging. Forgive this. Forgive that.

To forgive is one thing. To forget is another. We can't forget. We can't beg forever.

The headline, asking for a break is a gross under statement. We are asking for too much. And, we are not even asking with an understanding.

Members of city council are headed to Harrisburgh next week. They go blindly. That was a concern they expressed themselves. They don't have a plan. They don't have a clue. They don't have much to agree upon themselves. They are going leaderless. The mayor is absent. The consultant / lobby leader is a baby sitter.

Going to discover is fine. Going to beg is about all they can do. That's all the creativity they can muster.

Summer scores a two-point safety

PA Department of State Election Returns reported that PA's US Senate candiate, Betsy Summer, Libertarian, scored 77,282 votes. That vote total is significant as her party can maintain minor-party status. She needed two percent of the top statewide vote getter, which was Bob Casey (PA State Treasurer race), at 3.29 million votes. Her 77,282 votes is 2.35% of Casey's total.

How about those Stillers?

Wow, the Steelers play the Eagles this weekend. Ruffle feathers! Sack the Eagles!

I'll walk around Heinz Field tailgates, in my friendly way, this Sunday, with the sign, "Fire Mayor Murphy." The pick-up message: its time to Ruffle Feathers and Sack the Eagles.

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. We need to push onto 2005 races and put a local focus on the political talk and our shared concentration.

Today might not be the perfect time for logical talk, nor spiritual talk -- but rather emotional reflection. Sure, a prayer of thankfulness comes as we've figured out the presidential outcome well before Christmas Eve. Yes.

Emotionally, we can cheer for the Steelers and begin to ramp up for 2005 and a local attention.

UPMC Sportsworks, Fastbreak for Families

On November 14, 2004, from 5 to 8 pm, join us at the North Side's Science Center / UPMC Sportsworks for Fastbreak for Families. Gratis entry, complimentary parking, but you have to pre-register, 412-308-6043 or eHines - at - Fatherhood dot org.

Election Day, 2004

Jon Delano rambled that I'll let you see his words in the comments and pass myself. Otherwise, I'm working and walking polls to meet and greet and generate awareness for 2005 when I'll be a candidate.

Election Night Parties

Got a party, let me know. Or, list them here yourself.

Want to roam to various parties, let's go together. Send an email to Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com. Or, list your mentions here yourself.

I don't expect that we'll know the winner of the Presidential race by 11 pm or Thanksgiving. But, we'll know if Jack Wagner, Tom Corbitt, Melissa Heart and Tim Murphy won.

Has Many Faces

A Pittsburgh friend, Judith Rubin, Ph.D., has made a new film, Art Therapy Has Many Faces. She did the 51-minute production on her desktop. Wonderful outcome.

I've uploaded fresh cover artwork in PDFs, one for the VHS and another for the DVD. Cover Artwork Directory I don't have a color printer.

Next, efforts on a new web site and blog.

Turnout

PG reported on October 21, 2004: According to nearly final figures, Democrats registered 30,354 new voters after the April 27 primary to 15,792 for the Republicans, a ratio of 1.92 to 1. The total number of new registration, including those from third-party members and independents, came to 60,447, a figure that reflects the high level of interest in this year's presidential race.

So let's review the math:

Total new voters = 60,447.

New Dems = 30,354.

New GOPers = 15,792.

New Third party = 14,301 = (60,447 - 30,354 - 15,792)

The PG fails to say that the sum of the Indies, Libertarians, Greens, Constitutional, Socialist, and whatever else is nearly equal to the Republicans. When you put together the third party block and the GOPers, you exceed the Dems.

The Indie and third party numbers are charging, I dare say.

Trib & AP story on Track Star, Congressal Stars from Kansas

Nice story in the Sunday paper about track star, KS, Jim Ryun. This is an AP story and I couldn't find it in the archives of the Trib. Ryun was a brief part of a book I published, Time Out! I Didn't Hear You. And, he and his wife have been active in the hearing health world. Ryun took part in an online chat at the offices of the News Center. (searching Google) When will Pittsburgh candidates and politicians be invited to online chats?

Wilburn's concert invite for folk

I invite you to our opening of the Calliope Legends Concert 2004-2005 Season.

Kate Long & Robin Kissinger performs, Friday, November 5, at 8 pm at the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside, the intersection of Morewood and Ellsworth. They lead workshops in Story Telling and Flat Pick guitar on Saturday, November 6 from 2-5 pm at the church. http://www.southernohiostoryfest.com; http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/robin.htm; http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/katel.htm; www.katelong.com

Future dates:

Mindy Simmons, January 29, 2005 http://www.MindySimmons.com

Kreg Viesselman, February 19, 2005

Mojo Collins, March 19, 2005 with Workshop: Folk and Blues Roots

Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen, April 23. 2005

Rachael Allen, May 14, 2005

Calliope Legends Concert is our small venue concerts. Wilburn, a true running mate, chairs the committee and takes complete responsibility if you are not pleased with each performance. So mark your calendars. Don't forget that Calliope main concert series is bring Doc Watson, a fellow North Carolinian, to Pittsburgh, November 19 at the Carnegie Lecture Hall in Oakland. There are a few single tickets left: Proartstickets.oro or 412-394-3353.

Answer sought on parks

How would it feel if you went on a trick-or-treat voyage and knocked on 25 doors and nobody was home. I can live with 1 in 5 being home. But, to have a complete shut out sorta stinks.

Trib story: "They also complain that they get only vague answers or no answers at all from Onorato on what progress has been made. "

Folks, the parks budget for 2006, according to one oversight board, is set to $0. Zippo. We need to jump start this parks and recreation discussion ASAP. How about November third?

The non-profit is a bad idea. Moving parks to a new, public entity is a fine idea. Chatter is welcomed.

Wishing for Gov and PCTV 21 coverage

Rob Owens, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - A & E - TV/Radio, I really wish you'd look into the story unfolding about the RFP for the city cable television breau.

I had called Penn State University and tried to coax them into putting a proposal together for the RFP. They considered it at many levels. However, when they got their techie invovled, as they should, a tour request was made and denied by the city. The PSU folks asked to see the TV facilities and equipment. They missed the one tour date as the RFP was hardly visible.

The worse part, the city said it would be showing "favortism" if they gave a tour to a possible RFP participant. Get out!

When you are going down the tubes -- anyone who comes to save you is welcomed.

Dale, Rodney, Tom.... Thanks for proving again just how well you don't play with others.

Bogged down for Bloggers Touchdown

Sorry I could not make the recent bloggers function.

I asked for a copy of the "minutes" and got this reply... via email ... if you peek at the comments.

Net movie with political impacts

Some trusted friends aquired the rights to freely distribute Stolen Honor on the internet, www.unitedtruth.com.

There are no ads, no banners, no sign-ups. It's a 100% gratis download. Bandwidth should not be an issue. Back-up site

Any techies out there willing to be "mapmaster?"

We've got blogs, a Wiki, web server (just upgrading), mailing list, fax on demand, OpenOffice.org, a parks position paper, campaign song, and an ambition of a book or two. But, what I really want, besides the database management part (right Bob), is a concpet mapping tool such as Cmap Tools, http://cmap.ihmc.us/

See the comments to learn more and see their latest news release.

Interested, email me. We've got the server space.

Do hit all the blogs

Transportation

eVote

Sunnyhill

This is my main blog, but there are others, listed above and along the blog roll to the left side.

A weakness of Blogspot and Blogger (same company) is the lack of a feature that tags each article with different topic areas. When you have a lot going on, it doesn't all fit into one blog.

I think that the eVote effort could explode with election day. We knew this wasn't going to be resolved. The fix was in and it wasn't what we wanted to see. Marilyn Davis, Ph.D., a net friend and from Northern California was there at ground zero. She saw the people from the US Senator's office. See could see what was what.

I won't tell you what you are missing if you don't go there too -- just do it.

Mom's rally and Saturday's walk in the park

I've done a good job at staying OUT of the national race. For myself, I've been putting a focus on local issues and staying neutral otherwise. However, my oldest boy is gung-ho for Kerry. Perhaps I'll satisfy his political fix by taking him to this event this week end.

MOMS FOR KERRY RALLY THIS SATURDAY

Mothers across the country will gather in a demonstration of unity and support for John Kerry and our children. Special guest: Geraldine Ferraro. It is slated for Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, at 3:00 pm at Frick Park, Braddock & Forbes.

By the way, Erik's mom, my wife, is in DC working and will be home late Saturday. Perhaps my wife has more in common with Geraldine. I might connect better with the moms and kids.

I do like the park setting too. I bet not many of the moms or dads there will be aware that the Citiparks budget for 2006 is slated to be $0.

Come to think of it, if we have great weather, perhaps we could go early and set up some badminton. We could "ruffle feathers" and collect email contacts.

Liquidation Signals Lord & Taylor's Final Days

ThePittsburghChannel.com - News: "PITTSBURGH -- Four years ago, hopes were high when Lord & Taylor announced it was moving into the old Mellon Bank building on Smithfield Street.

Today, the shelves are being cleared and a liquidation sale has begun at the latest major department store to leave Downtown and take taxpayer dollars with it.

Indeed, the times have changed in terms of hopes and perceptions being put forward by the media. The mayor was on a high in 2000 and 2001, in some circles. The new stores, the big roof at the convention center, and all the other corporate welfare deals. The city was flush with building jobs too, earning support from the construction trade unions too. Jobs were being filled by out of state workers.

But to the ones who were watching with more attention to detail and better senses of forcasting, things were not so good. Some knew that these projects were going to flounder and fail.

The African-American Workers Union picked for the first weeks of construction at PNC Park. PNC Park would open just weeks before the 2001 primary.

Heinz Field was to be home to the Pitt Panthers, but the lease to use the pro stadium was not signed until after Pitt's home stadium was demolished. Some knew it wasn't smart to take college football off of the campus every day of the year. Pitt would turn into a J.V. program to the Steelers. Heinz Field's first season was the same fall season of Mayor Murphy's re-election.

The Convention Center would open too, but someone forgot to build the darn hotel. So, we've got an expensive white elephant that can't ever be put to use at capacity as we can't accomidate the convention goers. Then came the pass-throughs.

Shop to you drop has new meaning in downtown these days. Four years ago, the media got drunk on the Mayor's costly bricks and mortar efforts. But for those of us who cared to stay involved, we knew big-time trouble was at our doorstep.

City's credit rating dips below a rock, at bottom of river

PG: S&P rates city's credit as 'watch' While supporting the nonbinding plan, Councilman Sala Udin still voiced worry about it, saying defaulting on the pension payment could have 'very serious consequences.

Duhh!

The curse of one party rule is next

Boston had its woes vanquished with the 2004 World Series. Poof.
Thanks to Dave's dad. See his blog post from Oct. 27.
Pittsburgh has its woes too, from nearly the same era. Our problem is one-party rule. The trend is starting. Pittsburgh, too, can vanquish its prime hang-up.
Who else among us are here to make history, and not be a slave of it.
Artwork above occurs on a t-shirt, for sale with the link that follows.

As the Sun, Earth and Moon align

City Council Overrides Mayor's Tax Discount Veto

ThePittsburghChannel.com - News - City Council Overrides Mayor's Tax Discount Veto October 27, 2004 -- Pittsburgh City Council voted to override Mayor Tom Murphy's veto of a plan to offer an additional one percent discount to those who pay property taxes during the first week of January...
Council President Gene Ricciardi's early tax payment plan is designed to increase the city's income in the first part of the year, which would reduce the amount of money the city would need to borrow to pay bills.

Craig Kwiecinski, the mayor's spokesman, isn't saying if Murphy will implement Ricciardi's plan.

Ricciardi and Councilman William Peduto said they're willing to withdraw the discount plan if Murphy offers better strategies for funding the city budget next year.

Flip-flopping at City Council had another highlight. First, the early bird plan gets passed. (Votes were 8-1.) Second, the mayor gives the plan a veto. Third, the veto is overcome (6-3). But, the mayor says he won't actually do the plan. Or, I should point out, the mayor says he won't follow the law.

City council sets the laws. City council is the legislative branch. Meanwhile, the mayor is the administrator and he chooses to NOT follow the law.

Furthermore, City Council President won't insist that the Mayor follow the plan. The early-bird plan won the hour, came into being, but it won't happen. It's official. But, it's to be ignored.

The plan's prime sponsor, City Council President, Gene Ricciardi, won't hold the mayor's feet to the fire on this. Rather, Gene said he won't be an obstructionalist and press for its enactment.

There is some question if this new bit of legislation is something that would be trumphed by the oversight bodies, such as the Act 47 Coordinators. However, much can be said that a discount period is not really another form of lowering taxes.

So, the Mayor gets off the hook as none are going to hold his feet to the fire. And, should there be a real plan from the administration, those that passed the law would issue a flip-flop.

Impacts on home owners

City home owners are still facing a real threat of a 34% increase in property taxes. Even if the budget gets a final hour switch (another flip flop) the expected tax increase on property is set for 5%. Other taxes are going up too, of course.
If you have your mortgage with a holding company, by law, so I understand, the company needs to take advantage of any discounts. Taxes are often a portion of the payments home-owners to be make as part of their home payment, interest, and such. If the bank holds the note to the house, and if the bank pays the taxes as well, the banks are forced to take advantage of the savings for the extra discounts.

Blame game

From time to time, I think it is fine to fix blame on certain problems and people. As an outsider, I should play the blame game more often and with greater intensity.

See the comments to find out who is being blamed for the national debt.

Elizabeth, come on home now, please

A 16 year old Carrick High School Student she is missing. This is Veronica Norman's (active parent at the South PERC) niece. A police report was filed last evening. Elizabeth is known to frequent the Allentown, Mt. Oliver, South Side Slopes, Arlington, and Carrick area's of Pittsburgh.

If you see her please contact the police immediately or Veronica Norman at 412-488-1423.

The full name of the kid isn't on the blog, and her last name it isn't the same as above. Let me know when this is resolved and I'll take down the posting.

Look Up

Today's blog has mentions to look ahead, as in the political future, but also to look within (see the prostate cancer detection post) and to look up.

Clouds might obscure tonight's lunar eclipse. The moon will be covered entirely by the Earth's shadow. It starts at 8:05 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time, Wednesday, through 2:03 a.m. Thursday morning. The total portion of the eclipse will be from 10:23 to 11:45 p.m.
Some predict that the moon will look like a glowing pumpkin during the event, just days before Halloween.

Glenn's news release

The eclipse of the moon will be enjoyed by most of the people in the Western Hemisphere. Wonder what its ratings will be? Wonder if TV executives are ever asked to flash a ticker on the bottom of the TV sets -- go look outside as you'll see an eclipse of the moon -- right now. Do it. Get off your lazy bottom and walk outside and look up.

Now I just need to stop blogging at those times.

Big St. Louis fans....

St. Louis and Pittsburgh have a few things in common. Both are with rivers, are gateway cities, and top Medical Centers with universities. My wife is at UPMC and a friend is in St. Louis. He is suffering the wrath of the Bo-Sox 3 game lead in the World Series, but also has shared some insights into his health and makes some strong, first-person suggestions on having more aggressive wellness.

See the comments of this post for Hints on Diagnosing Prostate Cancer, by Michael Valente. He is glad it might help someone else. He also writes to say he looks forward to seeing the end of my misery with my beloved Cardinals!

What's preventable and what's inevitable -- humm. Life, science and shifting borders.

A step toward a commuter tax, a step toward victory

PG coverage: A step toward a commuter tax City Council voted yesterday to lay the groundwork for a commuter wage tax.

The victory, in this headline, is NOT with the pending arrival of the commuter tax. I feel that the commuter tax is wrong. It isn't prudent. There are many other ways to solve these problems and the commuter tax is not anything near an ideal solution.

The victory goes to the fact that every Pittsburgher, except those in Bethel Park and Penn Hills, (see below), now has some skin in this fight.

In the past, it has always been the conventional thinking that those in the city are on their own. Those in the suburban areas are on their own. An iron-curtin has kept the city and the suburban folks away from each other.

The people in the burbs have had a "hands-off attitude" about the political life in the city. This is about to end now that the city's hands are reaching into their wallets.

A few people on city council want to tax the suburban workers. They want a bail out, and the tab for the bail out, in their opinion, should be the responsibility of those who live beyond the reaches of the city's borders.

Wake up suburban Pittsburgh. What happens in the city, its folly and all, is now your business.

If you live in Penn Hills or B.P., have no fear. You're not going to pay the city anything. The taxes in those suburban locations are already at the limit.

If you live elsewhere, your taxes are about to shift. The income tax is going to go up in your neck of the woods so that the money doesn't flow into the city. You might expect a slight dip in the property tax to offset the new funds from the other source.

Meanwhile, the city is going to be a grand looser in one instance, and a grand victor in another. In time, say two or three years, the suburban municipal governments are going to do the tax shifting and the city is going to be left without any viable revenue stream from the commuter tax. It will be worthless.

On the upside, the city is going to win big as the suburban folks have grounds to entertain, study, donate, politic and energize the political landscape in the city.

For example, four years ago I was on the agenda as an invited speaker to a candidate's night in a suburban location. I understood clearly that none of the people in the audience would get to vote for me. However, I wanted to go and speak to that audience. Even three minutes would be worth the trip and the evening I told the organizers. At first, they said fine. Then they called and took me off of the agenda a day before the meeting. "We don't talk about city politics here," I was told.
Guess what. I'm back. And, now you will.

If you are associated with any suburban political group, of any party, I'm willing, able and eager to get invites to come to speak to your groups. The city needs you to care and be aware. And, the city is about to start taking your money.

City snubs retail suitors

Great lead.

Trib's Erik Heyl: Nature abhors a vacuum, but city officials are embracing one ...

Meanwhile, my goals are to embrace the "free markets." I'm a "free market" candidate.

To be really honest, we don't need to embrace the free markets, as that will take years if not a generation to occur. However, we need to turn to the free market approach and apply it everywhere. Its embrace of Pittsburgh will come soon enough, after we've changed the mindset and made bold moves in those directions.

This embrace is much like being married. One can't be a little married. It would be great to at least flirt with the Free Market Ways from time to time. Meanwhile, Murphy is married to doing nothing.

Murphy says developers put off by ban on slots Downtown

Murphy oversteps again and injects burdens on property ownership to soil deals for downtown "Samuel Jemal, president of J.J. Operating Corp., said, 'We had a different philosophical approach on the future use of the building and did not wish to dispute it with the city.'"

The anchor of Tom Murphy and his administration is getting heavier.

Mayor Vetoes Early-Bird Discount To Taxpayers

WPXI.com - News - Mayor Vetoes Early-Bird Discount To Taxpayers Mayor Tom Murphy has vetoed a plan to offer an early-bird discount to taxpayers next year.

Hurry up and wait. Do nothing. Let's chase our tails. We are only running out of money next month. Here we go again, doing too little, too late.

If the early bird gets the worm, then that explains the Tom Murphy veto. The mayor is in vulture mode. The city is still crashing into a deeper decay.

Trib quote for Ricciardi:"'If we implement my plan, we will be on the road to picking ourselves up by the bootstraps.' "

Hardly. This early bird is but a worm of a plan. This isn't even a caterpillar.

The early-bird tax discount for an extra 1% discount is worthy. However, it is more like a cup of warm tea on a cold winter day while at the hospice. To sooth is sweet. But to say this plan and overrive of the veto puts us on the road to recovery is foolishness.

Simply put, the plan keep us on the road of malingering. The city is floundering and bumbling. We all know that the Mayor's agenda can't be advanced. Now is another test to see if the agenda of City Council President can be advanced. And if it does squeek by, this isn't a cause for celebration. It is a worm of a plan.

Coming Post-Election Chaos

FindLaw's Writ - Dean The Coming Post-Election Chaos:A Storm Warning of Things to Come If the Vote Is as Close as Expected By JOHN W. DEAN

This next presidential election, on November 2, may be followed by post-election chaos unlike any we've ever known....

Not Howard Dean.

Amy Carol Webb, our dear friend and singer from Florida, also predicts that the election won't end on November 3.

The Storm Warning concept is fitting. In 2000 I called for international observers to our elections. Roll eyes. Shrug. This was posted before we came to understand "hanging chads."

Another friend said it could be Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve before we know the real outcome of the election. Provisional ballots are bad. Furthermore, voter fraud might be such that the court system could set back for months trying to bring trials against those who vote while dead or vote more than once.

The RUNNEL -- chunnel -- Pgh big dig -- and cranks

I've been speaking for months and months about the sillyness of the under river tunnels for a light-rail extension to the stadiums on the North Side. The idea needs to be taken off the tracks and stopped. Some editorial folks at the Trib, especially Bill S., agrees. Link.

... railed on about how pitifully few people the 1.2 mile boondoggle would carry. How badly its construction would tear up both banks of the river. How the idea would never even be considered if it weren't for that "free" 80 percent federal contribution.

And how, except for a few cranks and free-market ideologues at the Trib, everyone was so gung-ho to build it - including Specter and his allegedly conservative comrade, Rick Santorum.

Great news, except the part about the "few cranks." I could resemble that remark. And, what good does it do?

The cranks, the "naysayers," -- we citizens -- are the ones who know best.

Why would he do this?

To me, the Trib and this friend of the "free market" is p*ssing in his own breakfast cereal.

Comments about the treatment are welcomed here. Comments about the meat of the transportation elements should flow into the transportation blog.

Talented Women

Mark Rauterkus, (Union Maiden) Anne Feeney, and Amy Carol Webb at our South Side home.

On the radio for an hour.

Amy Carol Webb and the gentleman from Oklahoma, Chris Moore, while in KDKA radio studios.

KDKA Radio, 5 to 6 pm on Sunday

Amy Carol Webb and I are slated for the Chris Moore radio show for 5 pm this Sunday. Please tune in. I won't do any singing.

Rather, a broken record might be more fitting

Trib whispers "... see Mayor Tom Murphy come dressed as the Invisible Man. Given the mayor's increasing reclusiveness, he won't even need to buy a costume."

Yard Sign: "This is campaign trickery," said Hoeffel

Another reason to avoid yard signs comes from the brotherly love folks to the east:

Birds of a feather? Well, they only have left wings - PittsburghLIVE.com

Those "Kerry & Specter for Working Families" signs that began popping up in eastern Pennsylvania last week were not disingenuous attempts by the senator to link himself with Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the Democrat presidential nominee.

Actually, it was a disingenuous attempt by Republican political consultant Roger Stone to link Specter to Kerry.

Suburban Republicans do their best to kill city

Suburban Republicans do their best to kill city

My letter to Brian

Hi Brian,

I saw the news of the 18-page letter in the Trib on 10-20-04 --- and that same day I went to the election office and changed out of the GOP party.

Amy Carol Webb, a singer/songwriter and friend from Florida, and I are to be
on KDKA Radio's Chris Moore show, 1020 AM, from 5 to 6 pm today - Sunday.

I'll share some news for you and the listeners then.

For fun, here is one of here songs:
"Be careful punching ballots if you can't find the hole."

http://65.254.51.42/~player/history/audio/AmyCarolWebb/CantFindTheHole.mp2

Give a listen.

She has a new verse about electronic voting machines, paper trail and voting
UNPLUGED.

Very clever.

But I'm also prepared to cover some ground about local politics too.

As for the money points --- you're too old school and too media centered in hopes of selling soap. Why spend $1-million to get a risk in the chance to get a $90K job as captain of a sinking ship? We don't really want a mayor's race with those costs as the debt is an anchor and the candidate is beholden to others then.

This week's event pointers

Films

Western Westmoreland Republican Club invites you to a showing of a film by by Dick Morris, Fahrenhype 9/11, a rebuttal to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 at 7 pm on Thursday, October 28 at Lincoln Hills Country Club. Join us for an evening of truth, unity and a tribute to the American Soldier past, present and future! The Public is Welcome! Admission is Free. http://www.farenhype911.com.

Michael Moore was headed to Penn State University as well.

HAUNTED HALLOWEEN BIKE RIDE

Friday, October 29, starting at Washington's Landing at 6 pm to 9 pm, Cost: $20 Bike Pittsburgh & Venture Outdoors Members, $25 others. Sign up: (412) 255-0564.

This easy-paced ride and fundraiser will take us all over Pittsburgh to various haunted buildings. We'll be making plenty of stops to tell stories and give local haunted history. A fully supported ride with treats and drinks provided along the way, participants are encouraged to ride in costume, but please make sure that you wear something that will not get caught in your wheels or chain, and that does not impair your normal field of vision. Helmets are required, but you can decorate them! Benefits Bike Pittsburgh.

Trying to keep the streets from getting too "scary" when it's not Halloween. Come out and enjoy a pleasant evening of stories and legend while helping to support an important local cause. Please bring a bike light if you have it; loaners available with advance notice.

More
If you have an event, send it me, Mark -at- Rauterkus -dot- com. I'll give it a mention in this blog.

World Series

Boston (think Tea Party) vs. St. Louis (hometown of the famous Anheuser-Busch Brewery).

Boston (J.F. Kerry's home) Red Sox win. Triumph bring tragic death to student shot by police while in a mob. Now the Boston Mayor sabre rattles about a prohibition. The overly rash reaction by the Mayor to a tragic death following the game gives an opportunity to make a point to the blog world.

"If you shut down the bars, the problem will get worse," said Alan Eisner, executive director of the Massachusetts Hospitality Association. "At least in a licensed premise you have supervision."

Another decent quote from a blog in Pittsburgh, "Unless the cop was drunk, alcohol had nothing to do with her death."

Presidential candidate, Libertarian, Michael Badnarik could put out a call to create web ads for sports blogs. With a press release, some eye candy and computer code, sober baseball fans and political junkies who crave a free world and an end to the war on druges would be able to inject messages in alternative avenues to drive home some points and buzz for the final innings of the campaign.

Yard sign: Politics is compliated. Democracy is messy. Voting is simple.

Bush vs. Kerry: Candidates more alike than different on tech issues

PG: Bush vs. Kerry: Candidates more alike than different on tech issues

I am going to offer strong distinctions next to my opponents on tech issues in 2005. Sadly, some on Grant Street today have been there long enough that I'm not sure that they can even spell email. And for me to point to spelling as a strong suit is fiberglasting. Many on Grant Street need to move to the private sector for a while so the city can retool.

On copyright policy:

Most of my content is put into the public domain. I was one of a few who helped to push Netscape to the Eureka Squared! concept for putting its web browser code (remember the browser wars) into a tar ball into the public domain and to release under a more liberal Mozilla public license. Later, Mozilla changed its license policy. I also pushed for the DSL (Design Science License) years before there was any Stanford based Creative Commons. Now the CC is moving too far back into the corporate sphere with too many options and restrictions.

While the trade group will not comment on either candidate's platform, at least one high-powered member has expressed annoyance with the candidates' silence on tech issues.

Intel Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett told a crowd of tech workers earlier this week that the country is losing its global competitive edge and that Bush and Kerry, in their debates, virtually ignored the country's declining tech infrastructure.

Pittsburgh has lost its tech advantage. We should have 80 wired senior centers, rec centers and community outlets with cable modems. These factors are part of the city's cable franchise agreement that are now being squandered by Tom Murphy's administration.

We should have the parental dashboard functional for all the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Then parents can check on real-time matters at schools -- like if the kids are in class or not.

Wiki kick-off this week

A fantastic evening with Amy Carol Webb and political presentations

The 2004 Voter Education and Concert Showcase with Amy Carol Webb was held on Thursday, October 21, 2004, at Sunnyhill.
Order of events in PDF. Archives to be posted at S6.CLOH.Org.

The Sunnyhill blog links to two of Amy's songs.
If You Can't Find the Hole
Be careful punching ballots
If you can't find the hole
Or you could see your civil rights
Jerked out of your control
You could find your chad left dangling
In some partisan unknown
So be careful punching ballots
If you can't find the hole

The early concert features Amy Carol Webb from Florida, and a new verse to the song that included touch-screen voting machines and the desire for a paper trail. The other two songs were, Oh Abraham and my favorite, Think Again.

When does the curse vanish?

Red Sox ... how sweet it is. The Sox are, after all, one of the big-league teams that employ Pittsburgh Pirates. Wish we could send Boston a new toll-taker for the Mass Pike, i.e., Tom Murphy.

We lost our soccer game tonight by the score of 11-1. So, in a small way, ever so small, I share the same feelings of the Yankees. Isn't it great how sports can unite?

But music has the power to unite as well, perhaps more so than sports. We are really excited about the visit from Amy Carol Webb. She is so good. Hope to see many of you there. Don't miss it.

State court tosses fire union's referendum

AP Wire | 10/20/2004 | State court tosses fire union's referendum Commonwealth Court Judge Joseph McCloskey rejected the referendum on Wednesday - less than two weeks before the Nov. 2 election - saying that the petitions that 24,000 city residents signed were unclear.

This judgement is another golden invitation to 24,000 citizens to pack up and leave town. The judge and the mayor are telling the world that they know better than the rest. The voice of the citizens has become meaningless in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh nears meaningless status too.

Earn $100 on Nov 2

Details on the recruting of poll watchers follows. Pick up some cash, insure democracy.

Dan Schwartzbauer:
Randy Vulakovich:
Jason Davidek:

The Republican State Committee is recruiting individuals to assist at the Polls on Election Day.

Requirements:

Be a registered voter in Allegheny County

Work at a designated polling location from 7 am to 8 pm

Watch to make sure votes are cast by legal, registered voters only

Attend one of the 1-hour training sessions

You will receive: $100, meals, an invitation to the Victory Party that evening in Downtown Pittsburgh, satisfaction that you made a difference for your country this election day.

Assignments will be handed out at the mandatory training session you attend.

Training Session Locations and Dates

Only attend one session.

Thursday, October 21, Holiday Inn, Oakland, University Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 from
4 to 5 pm.

Thursday, October 21, Moon Township, for location information email mwalters@pagop.org from 7 to 8 pm.

Monday, October 25, The Great Hall, Ross Township, 1001 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
7 to 8 pm.

Anyone interested, please email NAME, PHONE NUMBER and E-MAIL ADDRESS to
voterintegrity@hotmail.com. Okay to pass this message on to others. Use the link that looks like an envelope to send to friends.

(FYI, I'm not involved with this effort. I'm just passing along the info. You are free to decide.)

That could leave a mark

Ball goes over the wall in Yankee stadium, hits a fan standing in the front row right in the tummy. The fan is wearing a black pull-over hoodie. Not a flinch. Umps, at first, think the ball hit the top of the wall and the batter only got a double. That guy or gal is going to be on the AM shows. The score went to 4-0 for the Sox after a huddle with the men in blue.

Kwel. Teamwork. Doing the right thing.

At least the fans in NY know how to keep their hands in the pockets. Such poise and discipline. That's a great example of how culture becomes progressive.

Chicago's lesson was understood. Going under cover and fearing for your life for days is a poor artifact of going to a playoff baseball game.

Let's get to game seven.....

Well, it's time to re-blog at 11:42 pm as the riot geared police empty onto the field and line its edges. One more inning. My little Sox fan has been sawing logs since the 6th inning.

New book: Good to be King

Author: Michael Badnarik The book has just been released on Oct. 19, 2004.

One of my standard slogans and stories is, "All the king's men and all the king's horses can't put this city together again." So, I like the title, Good to be King. For Pittsburgh, a slant would be, "Good to have Authorities."