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.