SEA bets on $2 M in revenue from slots

These guys are still drunk on the expected slots incomes. Now the move is to prop up the SEA (Sports & Exibition Authority) Budget. They are with a $2-million hole. Rather than doing the right thing and making a balanced budget, as hired to do, they wish upon a star.

Logan is generally a strong critic of Mayor Tom Murphy. However, in this move, he seems to be doing the same things Murphy did with the 2003 drink tax.

SEA bets on $2 M in revenue - PittsburghLIVE.com: "
There are ways state gambling overseers could raise money before slots revenue starts rolling in, said state Sen. Sean Logan, D-Monroeville, an SEA board member.

Other state agencies, he said, borrow money against future revenue, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which pledges future toll revenue to borrow money.

'It's not like the Gaming Control Board, if they choose to do that, would be breaking new ground,' Logan said. "

The SEA needs to build a hotel. This slots money doesn't go to that purpose. Perhaps the size of the white elephant known as the convention center will be a story in 2005 or 2006? We've got a big sink on our hands. We're taking hoped for money to plug up operational holes for things that are to supply our economy with robust fuel. This is rolling out of control in reverse. And, if Logan is part of the new guard -- we are in deep, deep trouble.

Christmas letter, 2004

All on Earth can all take credit for another trip around the sun. Hope yours was exciting, joyful, peaceful, or whatever you wanted it to be. Our trip around the sun had some extra zig-zags around the planet as well.

We're thankful for many things and find that we don’t say “thank you” often enough. Consider this holiday letter as a thank you as you've touched our lives in special ways this year.

We are thankful for:

Beautiful places and splendor magisty as witnessed on a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The family soaked up one of the most beautiful places and the boys and I spending several days in Yellowstone. Amazing – bison, moose, eagles, elk. Grant went over the edge of the raft to cool his head and dunked into the Snake River. Snatched back into the boat by quick hands, Grant was the only one all season to topple out of a raft. Later with mom, the boys took their first horseback ride – up into the Rockies. They look great in their cowboy hats.

Catherine took both boys to Arizona for a weekend adventure that included horseback riding and lots of cactus.

DC trips have been fun. Catherine is planning the American Academy of Audiology 2005 convention. One adventure included meeting Congressmen, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Globetrotters.

Two trips to Chicago. One included a fun visit with Meryl and family. Thanks for the hospitality everywhere.

Catherine was awarded the Pennsylvania Academy of Audiology honors. (Many thanks. Humbled by this.)

Catherine made a productive writing trip to Nashville. We've become country western fans and particularly enjoy singing “It’s only Monday Mr. Mom.”

An adventure in Vermont that included a wonderful family visit with nephew Cameron at Middlebury College and sugar on ice.

Erik got a $500 prize for the best essay for Black History Month in his age group in the city.

Many wonderful winter days ice skating.

Another great ski/snowboard/sledding weekend at Margie’s Hidden Valley House.

Another caring year being involved in our church community. Both boys sing in the choir.

A remarkable five week trip to China. Thankful there for wonderful tour guides, two terrific Pitt grad students who traveled with our family, and the people of China who made us feel welcome. We visited Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Hong Kong. Catherine lead a month long course. We purchased new violins, had lessons, joined a swim team, and turned badminton into our newest family sport! An invite has been extended to a return trip in 2005.

Teachers at Philip’s Elementary School and the teachers at the gifted program are talented, patient people.

Nephew/cousin, Cameron, spent the summer in Pittsburgh, His presence was a treat for the whole family.

Aunt Debbi came to Pittsburgh and Uncle Bob made several visits throughout the year.

We rented a car and drove to Maine to visit Grandpa, Jay, and Jim and the exciting Atlantic Ocean. This year we kyaked in the ocean and Catherine went shopping.

We visited with Uncle Charlie, Aunt Pat, Sandy, and Steve, and enjoyed delicious lobster, for the first time.

Another week camp with a life affirming SUUSI and many UU friends. Thanks to our musical friends who take time with Erik, he wrote another song this year. Our year was full of music with visits from Mindy Simmons and Amy Carol Web – thank you so much!

A four day trip among family at Aunt Pinky and Uncle John’s youth hostel in eastern PA. Each year we are grateful for the Rauterkus family and once again celebrated with many of them at Nana’s annual cousins’ party.

Another undefeated summer swim season for the Green Tree Great White Sharks. The boys swim. I coach.

Year-round swimming started this fall for the boys. I'm coaching Grant as part of my duties with a club team a few nights a week. Both boys are swimming well and enjoying it.

For Grandma, she's still right across the street.

Red Sox crushing the Yankees and taking the World Series.

Others who care about the city too. Some advisors meet each morning after walking the kids to school. I've accepted the nomination to run for PA's Senate in a special election this spring.

Our old house is still standing. Home improvement is on our list for 2005.

Grant finds himself drawing in his free time. He creates a cartoon series that makes us all giggle. Dang it, Dangy. Dangy is a superhero who rids the world of people who do stupid things.

Erik currently is reading the Constitution because he finished the Declaration of Independence. It doesn’t give all the details (all inspired by the movie “National Treasure” – go see that one!).

There is so much more. We hope you have too much to be thankful for too.
With love – Mark, Catherine, Erik, and Grant

No Dice

EMERGENCY! CHRISTMAS IS COMING, AND GAMING CONTROL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE NOWHERE TO LAY THEIR REAR ENDS

Commentary #3 from No Dice, December 17, 2004 - For use as desired by Bruce Barron

The new Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board held its first meetings this week, and at least one historic event took place: the word "emergency" was redefined.

The board invoked emergency procurement procedures in order to take four actions without going through the standard bidding process prescribed by state law. One of those "emergency" actions was to rent office space.

State law says that emergency procurements can be made without going through standard bidding procedures only when there is a threat to public health, welfare or safety, or when circumstances outside the agency's control create an urgency that does not permit the use of competitive methods.

Nevertheless, the Harrisburg Patriot-News quoted a state Department of Revenue spokesman as defending the use of emergency procurement to rent office space, stating, "They have no place to sit."

That certainly sounds like a dire emergency to us.

We're sure that the honorable members of the Gaming Control Board investigated all other possible options before taking this emergency action, so we assume the following must be true:

* Governor Rendell used up all his chits fighting for the slots bill, so he can't persuade a single one of his own agencies to lend the Gaming Control Board a conference room and an office for three months.

* The Gaming Control Board members, hampered by salaries of only $140,000 a year, have no spare change available to buy folding chairs or a table, or to rent a meeting room a few times while conducting a proper bidding process.

Judging from their "emergency" need for a place to sit, none of the Gaming Control Board members could make it as a stand-up comedian, even though many of their actions may be downright hilarious.

Representatives of the gambling industry, predictably, expressed pleasure with the Gaming Control Board's willingness to bypass state law in order to accelerate the arrival of slots.

At least the Gaming Control Board, by demonstrating its ability to declare a state of emergency at the drop of a rental agreement, is getting Pennsylvanians accustomed to what Nevadans have known for years: once you let gambling into your state, the gambling lobby trumps good public policy every time.

(No Dice is a Pittsburgh-area advocacy organization opposing the proliferation of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania. To be added to or removed from this distribution list, or to receive copies of previous commentaries, contact Bruce Barron at nodicepa - at - aol - dot - com or 412-835-0614.)

No ho, ho, ho's for Santa

No ho, ho, ho's for Santa pols - PittsburghLIVE.com Shopping-mall Santas are less harmful than politicians.

End all corporate welfare here and now!

Another 'historic' day

Onorato calls row office reduction vote 'historic.' People recognize that this is a historic day.

We've had it to here in historic days .... and .... these folks are giving history a bad name. Putting something on the ballot isn't so historic, in my humble opinion. Should people vote for the measure, then, all-in-all, its like the loss of a few pimples.

City faces $528,000 in interest to pay bills

PG coverage "This is a less than perfect plan . . . It adds more debt to the city when we don't need it," Shields said.

Everything around here is always less than perfect. Everything. Generally, it is often one step better than the worst possible.

Next stop for row office reform: May 17 with the voters of the county

Allegheny County's Executives signed the 10-4 plan that puts the ballot question before the voters of Allegheny County voters.

Keeping the Sherrif's office as an elected position keeps politics in law enforcement. However, the move keeps their boots out of the game. They have a lot of muscle. Had this been a 10-2 plan, perhaps their might would have swung the fight to no refrom at all.

Keep the Treasurer as an elected office is interesting to me, personally, in an around-about way. A potential opponent in the 42nd Senate has that office. His job is not up for elimination. Staying put might be an option that makes more sense.

Penn Avenue Arts Initiative

PG story

See comments for a letter from Jeffrey Dorsey.

Great tutorial on deed transfer tax with Jerry Bowyer's show.

I called in and we talked after a great tutorial on the deed transfer tax. This is a very important issue to the city. Jerry said, "The devil's in the details." Good point. We should be getting rid of this tax as a top priority. Meanwhile, the city is going in the exact wrong direction.

Some who know these things would say, and I agree, that this is the worst tax in our "mix."

Save Pennsylvania $600,000 -- Yawn, another day in the blogsphere with your help.

An Open Letter and Request (feel free to repost, link to, re-use, etc.)

From: Mark Rauterkus, Candidate for PA Senate
108 South 12th Street, Pittsburgh's South Side, 15203

Mark@Rauterkus.com 412-298-3432 = cell
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com


To:
Pennsylvania's Elected Leaders
Allegheny County's Election Officials
Allegheny County Executive

Original release: December 14, 2004

Subject: Special Election in PA Senate 42 should be May 17, 2005.

The citizens and voters of Pennsylvania would benefit greatly if the date of the special election for the PA Senate 42nd District was set to May 17, 2005. Please do what you can so as to schedule the special election to occur on the same day as the Primary Election rather than as a day unto itself in February, March or April.

The cost savings for the taxpayers would be significant. The senate's district stretches from Baldwin to the city and out to the airport. The large district calls for many workers. These expenses are paid by the county and refunded by the state could be totally avoided. The county and state have better uses for those funds. The district has 250 districts at a cost of $800 each for a total expense of $200,000.

Rushing into the election shortens the campaign cycle and diminishes the opportunities to raise issues, debate positions, discuss solutions, and create better understanding and relationships within our communities and region.

The divide between the city and county has grown into a massive gulf due to abrasive actions from Grant Street and less-than-ideal bailouts from Harrisburg. In many instances it is as if the city is ringed with an iron curtain. Rather, we need to have this campaign be an opportunity to bridge city and county understandings. We need to heal and reverse the dysfunctional strains that pit city and county residents, and their elected leaders, against one another.

+ In Baldwin the Sierra Club and others are in dismay at the city's plans that advocate gambling, the extraction of coal and retail development with Charles Betters and Tom Murphy.

+ Suburban sprawl often clogs the Parkway West as more are being pushed from the inner city. Extra traffic chokes suburban streets. These are lose-lose situations and many others are seeking to raise money with $52 commuter taxes.

We have witnessed divisiveness. A range of issues add fuel the fighting: WPIAL/City League sports; RAD Tax; Transportation; MagLev; US Airways; Airport Development, and so on.

If the election is to be rushed to occur in 60 or even 75 days, the community can't rally to call for forums, hold in-depth discussions and work together in earnest, meaningful ways. Cramming the date sooner into the calendar hurts our opportunities to flourish as a region. We should cherish the interactions among candidates and community before votes are cast. May 18, 2005, is 119 days after the seat opens given the intended January 18, 2005 resignation of existing office holder.

Another matter to raise: prosperity. Nobody creates wealth by sitting at a polling place for 13 hours to handle a trickle of voters on special election days. Thousands of hours are absorbed in polling duties by many good neighbors. Rather these people should better invest their precious time with work, volunteer efforts, family time, school assistance and starting new businesses. I'd rather see a day of neighbor helping neighbor, improved fitness or even snow removal rather than the time and energy sink of a special election -- even with my name on the ballot.

I'd be embarrassed to NOT speak out as best I can on this matter. Democracy is messy. Politics is complicated. But voting is simple. The easy, simple and more direct path calls for the special election for the 42nd on May 17. Let's have a dual election. As the others are headed to the polls for the primary, we'll pick a senator too.

As I understand, Allegheny County's Department of Elections budgeted for the election's cost. An overtime investment into the election process should do different tasks.

1. Let's spend a small portion with mechanics to insure functional voting machines.

2. Let's recruit and train poll workers. Today's workers are great, but they are not getting any younger. We need to deepen and widen the pool of workers.

3. Let's speed the result certification so the new state senator from PA's 42nd is able to take the oath of office and join with colleagues within days after the election. Let's provide for overtime work, if necessary, after the election to get the new senator on the job. I will want to get to work on time. It would be better to delay the election by six weeks and work hard on the back-end to certify the vote's results in hours or days.

The 2004 PA Senate stood with a 30-20 party margin. A delayed election in the 42nd won't impact the balance of power in that chamber nor would it impact upon any super-majority necessary to override a veto. The politics of picking the election date is minimized, hence the practical matters are maximized.

Two special elections in eastern Pennsylvania could occur sooner, if need be. However, I'd love for them to be delayed to May 17, 2005, as well. Hence, the suggested savings nets a three-fold increase.

Google Partners with Oxford, Harvard & Others to Digitize Libraries

Google Partners with Oxford, Harvard & Others to Digitize Libraries: "Placing full text book material is not a new idea on the web. Many services, both free and fee-based, allow you to access books online. The longest running such service is Project Gutenberg, founded by Michael Hart in 1971, with over 13,000 books available."

Judge nominees to face grilling from 'jury'

Nominees to face grilling from 'jury' - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Candidates running for judge next year in Pennsylvania can expect to be grilled like never before about their positions on hot-button issues such as abortion and gun control.

When the U.S. Supreme Court in 2002 struck down a Minnesota rule barring judicial candidates from expressing their opinions on issues, it created a new playing field for judicial candidates in 39 states in which judges are elected.

'It's a different ballgame now. You can no longer hide behind the ethical requirements that judges and judicial candidates not comment,..

This "deliberative democracy style" is now the rage in certain circles. It has plenty of merit in terms of making better choices. These new wrinkles will be interesting to watch and promote in the months to come.

Got ink in today's newspaper. When it rains, it washes out the poor.

See the article on this weeks public campaign reform hearing in PittsburghLIVE.com

Mark Rauterkus, of the South Side, who initiated the petition drive, said Peduto's bill favors the wealthy because it places no restrictions on the amount of money candidates may spend on their own campaigns.

Rauterkus said he is considering a run for the state Senate seat vacated by Jack Wagner, who was elected state auditor general in November. Rauterkus also is considering another run for Pittsburgh mayor. He lost a bid to James Carmine to be the Republican nominee in the 2001 spring primary.

'If this is approved, we'll have a situation in which a rich person can spend all they want, but somebody who might make a great leader and doesn't have a lot of money won't be able to accept the large contributions they need from the people who back them,' Rauterkus said.

Peduto said the U.S. Supreme Court already has ruled that there is no limit on how much individuals can spend on their own campaigns. Peduto believes his measure would ensure that so-called front-runners won't have a significant edge because they are able to attract large contributions.

I have no problem with the rich being able to self-finance campaigns for public office. However, I do have a problem when they begin to exclude the poor from the process.

Your comments are welcomed.

To speak at the hearing, either for or against, or to just appear on the record for, against or undecided, call the city clerk's office: 412-255-2138.

More to come.

Walt walks to Cardinal

Let me join in the chorus and wish him the very best in in his position at Stanford.

Hope Walt coaches, or gets to coach, the January 1 game.

Hail To Pitt!

Pitt Rocks!

Feedburner button that updates itself.

Code can be posted on your web pages and stay up with the changing content of this blog.

more jobs

Here is a great job for a human rights peace activist. The pay range is $35,000 – 45,000, but you would have to move to Harrisburg. Please pass it on.

The PA Progressive Majority is now interviewing for an outreach/political director. This is a newly created position that will be based in Harrisburg but requires extensive in-state travel. I have attached a job description for your information and ask that you please forward this to anyone you feel may be interested. Thank you for your assistance.

Kathy McEntee, State Director, PA Progressive Majority, 717-238-4775
More in the comments.

Superintendent's fate official. Perhaps he'll consider a Running Mates position?

Superintendent's fate official - PittsburghLIVE.com: "
'Dr. Thompson's extremely disappointed in the board's decision and even more disappointed in the way all this has been handled,' said the superintendent's attorney"

MeetUp -- Christmas party -- post this around as you can, please.

Hint: Click the logo / button!

Gathering at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites on Pittsburgh's South Side, 20 South Tenth Street, 412-488-1130.

Bring your wireless PCs. Bring a couple bucks. Bring some favorite beverages too. Coffee and juice is provided. Swimming is right next door at the Oliver Bath House, family swim from 7:30 to 9 pm.

We'll hang there to about 10:30 pm. Want to help, feel free to call or email me.

Come with checkbooks open: 10 am on Thursday, Dec. 16, public hearing in city council chambers

The city clerk just called to inform me that the Citizens of Pittsburgh have called City Council to hold a public hearing on bill 2004-0900 about Campaign Finance Reform for the city races of mayor, controller and city council to be held at 10 am on Thursday, December 16 in City Council Chambers.

Watch for an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review on Saturday.

I went to speak to Pittsburgh Business Times today and did speak again withe the editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.

The public hearing has been rushed ahead. That's fine with me. I think they need 10 day's notice. This is six. Oh well. Wonder if TV coverage will be nixed too. I expect so.

If you want to speak, --- do so NOW. We need to coordinate efforts. That's about effectiveness and efficient discussions.

The list of problems with this bill are long. But, I hope we'll be able to fix them.

I saw some firefighters today too. They'll talk about the bill at their union meeting soon.

Questions: 412-298-3432. = my cell phone.

Doyle's e-newsletter

Reading the newsletter from the congressman, great effort by the way, has many interesting connections to the mayor, rather than the president. Bad budgeting. Bad will with closed and quick decisions. (see comments)