PIAA District 8 - draft handbook

A number of volunteers have reviewed and edited a new handbook put forth by the Pittsburgh Public Schools for its coaches. A PDF version, unofficial, 36-page copy has been posted at http://Dorm.CLOH.Org/hot/AthleticHandbook(Sept04)R.pdf.

The Pgh Public School District serves the City of Pittsburgh and is much like an island only unto itself in terms of scholastic sports. The suburban schools have a different sporting landscape than what occurs in the city. In a sense, there is an "iron curtin" around the city in terms of many issues, including the way we play our most organized games among communities.

I think the handbook is a great first step in the process to benefit the students and overall community with PPS. However, the real solution rests with the merger of the city schools to the W.P.I.A.L. (The WPIAL is also known as PIAA District 7.)

My position paper on parks calls for the gradual elimination of the "city league" on a sport-by-sport basis with a gradual flow among various schools as well.

WPXI.com - Money - City Council President Wants Commuter Tax

WPXI.com - Money - City Council President Wants Commuter Tax: "Ricciardi will call on the mayor to immediately petition the common pleas court to impose a commuter tax.

Ricciardi said 25 years of lobbying the state for tax reform has not worked. He also called Murphy's proposed 40 percent hike in property taxes for 2005 unfair."

Gene Ricciardi, City Council President, should be pushing anyone and everyone to make a removal of Tom Murphy from the Mayor's office. Gene, push to impeach Tom -- now. The key to that process is with city council.

Otherwise, put in public and private calls to John Kerry. Demand that Kerry announce, upon his election, that Kerry would appoint Murphy as an ambassador to Ireland, or New Zealand, or Greece, etc. If Kerry pledged to get Murphy out of town, he'd get a ton of votes from western PA's swing voters.

Tom Murphy's been playing chicken with those in the state house and state senate for a few years now. He put our children into the front seat -- and it still hurts. Next he'll be putting the homeowners into a mission impossible ramble to misery. Murphy can't move the agenda to a "commuter tax" because he can't move any agenda. He must burden those who are stuck here who have yet to be drained in full. Murphy can't even stick it to seniors -- as you can't get blood from a rock.

Pittsburgh is in a hopeless place with this mayor. And, the hopelessness increases as the leadership of city council is so lame.