Star-Telegram's POSTCARD FROM THE ROAD in Pittsburgh

Star-Telegram | 01/16/2005 | POSTCARD FROM THE ROAD: "POSTCARD FROM THE ROAD

By Charean Williams, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Greetings from Pittsburgh,

See the comments for the article. Sign. This, "junk food," is what we'll be famous for now? What splits NYC from the 'Burgh is but the thickness (or lack of) of pizza crust and the color of the catchup from Heinz.

I am tickled at the thought of an all Pennsylvania Super Bowl. But, I wonder who in the media has the courage to break the first story on Dutch Hex Signs?

Could we change the Superbowl logo, what is the Roman Numeral, to a PA State Flag?

How about if Tom Ridge and Ed Rendell both parachute into the stadium before the game, one with the game ball and the other with the coin for the toss. At halftime the two can hold an eat off.

Still looking for links, of course.

BLOGGERS TUNE IN ON DISCLOSING BIASES from Politics Online

Ever since the January 7th breaking news story of Armstrong Williams' contract with the U.S. Department of Education, the Internet has been buzzing with questions on the where the lines of journalism are drawn.

Both right and left wing bloggers had a variety of opinions on Williams this week, however the topic became secondary in blogoshpere soon after CBS released its independent Memogate report. Right-wing bloggers, who originally brought Memogate to light, were doing most of the talking, with some claiming a small victory over mainstream media bias. Others felt the 234-page report left a lot to be desired in specifically reporting whether or not the investigated 60 Minutes airing had a "political agenda".

By Friday left-wing bloggers had their own conversion on journalistic principles. The debate began when the Wall Street Journal reported that the former Howard Dean Campaign worker Zephyr Teachout told the newspaper that in 2003 Dean's presidential campaign paid two bloggers, Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos, and Jerome Armstrong of MyDD, "as consultants so that they would say positive things about the former governor's campaign in their online journals." Although both bloggers did publicly disclosed their working for the Dean campaign, neither have ever claimed to be journalist and questioned why the others felt they needed to adhere to journalistic principles. Moulitsas also questioned why the Journal did not mention the instance of two leading South Dakota blogs, who never disclosed they worked as paid advisers to John Thune's Senate campaign.

Complete CBS Report

Columnists' Group Agrees: Armstrong Williams Not A Journalist

Howard Dean Paid Cash for Positive Airtime

Pro-Thune Bloggers Paid By Campaign

Mainstream Media Whitewash

Sunday work party at theater space

Open Stage Theatre, the gracious hosts of a relief concer/performance yet to come, is at 2825 Smallman Street in the Strip District. It is the site of a work and clean-up day on Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. All are welcome to help of course.

Running mates, and South Hills spiking mates?

Mary Beth T asks: Interested in playing volleyball on Monday nights? The Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church is in dire need of new blood for their co-ed pickup game from 7:30 to 9 p.m. (or 9:30 p.m.) Call Rhonda at the church at 412/531-3387.

Feb 14 public hearing with GASP and cleaner air

A proposed regulation is headed to a public hearing at 10 am on Monday, February 14, 2005 at Building #7, First Floor Conference Room, Clack Health Center, 301 39th St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201. Attend or send written comments to voice your support.

Needless diesel and gasoline powered vehicle idling is of concern to our air quality.

More info at gasp@gasp-pgh.org.

Learn of the proposed amendments to Allegheny County Health Department Rules and Regulations, Article XXI, Air Pollution Control. See the proposed section 2105.92 "Diesel Powered Motor Vehicle Idling." The proposed addition is to prevent unnecessary idling by heavy-duty diesel powered motor vehicles.

Copies of the proposed amendment may be examined beginning January 14, 2005, at the Allegheny County Law Library, Room 921 City-County Building, Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM; at the Allegheny County Health Department Library, Building 7, Clack Health Center, from 8:30 AM until 3:30 PM Monday thru Friday; on the Allegheny County Health Department web site: www.achd.net; or by calling 412-578-8120 to request a mailed printed copy. It can also be viewed at GASP's website
http://www.gasp-pgh.org/action/dieselreg.pdf

Oral testimony is pre-scheduled by calling 412-578-8008 by the day before the public hearing. Speakers get up to five minutes and should bring a written copy of comments.

The Board accepts written testimony concluding Monday February 14, 2005, by mail: Board of Health, 3333 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or by email: BOH@achd.net.

Teachers, contracts and strikes

I love teachers. My dad is a retired teacher. Many in my family are teachers. None hold teachers in higher esteem than me.

However, I don't think teacher contracts and strike provisions need to be handled in quite the same manner as those for police and firefighters.

Presently teachers can strike for a limited number of days each year, right? And, advance notice has to be delivered, right?

What's wrong with what we got now?

Chime in on this topic at Platform.For-Pgh.org if you are interested.

Mass transit bill weighed

Put this into the trends: The devil is in the details and be careful for what you wish for.

Trib: "Mass transit aid bill weighed

HARRISBURG -- Mass transit agencies across Pennsylvania would get $200 million more each year from the state under a bill introduced with bipartisan sponsorship Wednesday to raise the state's realty transfer tax.

Wrongheaded indeed. To raise the realty transfer tax is exactly the wrong way to go.

EXTRA CREDIT: Bush Outlines Plan for HS

From Associated Press:

"President Bush on Wednesday began his push to require high school students to take the math and reading tests now required of younger students under the No Child Left Behind law, the most ambitious item on the president's slate of second-term education proposals.

'Testing is important,' Bush said at J.E.B Stuart High School in this Washington suburb. 'Testing at high school levels will help us become more competitive as the years go by. Testing in high schools will make sure that our children are employable for the jobs of the 21st century. ...

Testing will make sure the diploma is not merely a sign of endurance, but the mark of a young person ready to succeed.'"

"In education, Bush's focus is on high schools and on expanding the No Child Left Behind Act that is designed to raise achievement among poor and minority children and penalize schools that don't make adequate yearly progress. It's part of his campaign pledge to improve high school standards and enhance the value of high school diplomas.

" 'We're not interested in mediocrity,' Bush said at the school, which was the lowest-performing among those in relatively prosperous Fairfax County, Va., in 1997, but met its academic goals under No Child Left Behind Act in the 2003-04 school year. 'We're interested in excellence so not one single child is left behind in our country,' he said.

"Bush wants to require states to test students annually in reading and math in grades three through 11. That's an expansion of the law he signed in 2002, which requires those tests in grades three through eight, and at least once during grades 10 to 12.


"The president also wants to give states $250 million to require that the 12th grade National Assessment of Educational Progress be administered in every state in reading and math every two years, just as it is in those subjects in grades four and eight. That would produce the first-ever state results for high school seniors on this national test, helping policy-makers evaluate their school standards.

Receive the NCLB Extra Credit update.

NCLB Extra Credit provides a regular look at the No Child Left Behind
Act, the education reform initiative passed with bipartisan support. For more information, contact the U.S. Department of Education at (202) 401-1576.

Kind reactions to today's meeting

Mark,

I was discussing the meeting with Terry and we feel that your assertion about getting the keys to the recreation center to let the kids in is completely correct. It is wasteful and ridiculous if these expensive buildings, that belong to the taxpayers anyway should be left idle all summer. We also discussed the possibility that in light of the financial problems with the city would the payments have been made to procure the insurance to keep the city from being sued. I don't know. I really sincerely hope that we can find a way to assist the kids this summer because to do otherwise would be unthinkable. Please if I can be of any help I'll make every effort to do so. I can't help feeling betrayed by Mayor Murphy. Just like the CEO of a company he bears the responsibility of keeping the city financially sound. I'm sure many people feel the same way I do. Thanks for what you are trying to do this family appreciates your efforts. I can't help feeling a little frustrated myself. I want to do something I just don't know what!!!

Robert E Michel

P.S. I like your version of the flyer its more eye catching.

New TV show, The E.D. Speaks, from PCTV 21

Pittsburgh Community Television is premiering a new show, The E. D. Speaks, airing on Pittsburhg's Cable Channel 21. The E.D. Speaks is hosted by Thomas Poole, PCTV's executive director, and Barry Hamlette, president of the board. The program looks at the inner workings of the organization, promotes the work of community producers, has interviews with media experts and showcases a variety of talent that is associated with PCTV.

Watch but also e-mail or call (412) 322-7579 Tom with feedback. What works and what doesn't? What types of segments and guests would you like to see? Who do you think can benefit from this show?

Air dates:

Wednesday, Jan. 12 11am-1pm

Friday, Jan 14 6pm-8pm

Saturday, Jan.15 9pm-11pm

Tuesday, Jan.18 7pm-9pm

Friday, Jan. 21 6pm-8pm

Tuesday, Jan. 25 7pm-9pm

Thursday, Jan. 27 Noon-2pm

Mr. Roberts doesn't know when city council's votes occur

Mr. Roberts told our city council president that he was against a bill that was slated to pass. Mr. Robers had thought that the final vote was the other day. Nothing from Mr. Roberts was put on paper, yet it was requested.

City Council votes to spend leftover funds despite recovery team's opposition: "Pittsburgh City Council approved some small budget changes yesterday that were opposed by the Act 47 recovery team, which may also get it in hot water with the city's fiscal oversight board."

We need to end encumbered funds for year after year spending. This is a plank in Platform.For-Pgh.Org within the finance section.

The administration and various departments have had secret passbooks that are leveraged for matters that council may not want.

Weird accounting that favors the administration has to go, even if and when I'm heading the administration. Ideal accounting principles would have ongoing, weekly reports and charts as normal operations. We need to run the city more like a household. The administration policy is twisted by design. Even members of city council don't know when or if money in various accounts from past years has been spent -- or not.

Block grants for neighborhood needs should have listings on the reports too. Not only is the budget process in need of an overhaul, but same too the general fund and various balances within the system. Income from one year should be matched with spendings that same year.

Consistent treatment for all departments is but a pipedream now.

Act 47 coordinators have an obligation to inform city council when actions violate the plan. They don't have an obligation to make statements on their likes and dislikes. The obligation stands for violations. Wants, needs and violations are all distinct.

The mayor has squirreled away money in so many different locations that it might take a year of constant searching to uncover the situations.

Another matter is the lack of any capital money. Now the West End landslide occurs and the budget impact is $600,000. But, no money is available.

Security is on everyone's minds

Tonight at a community meeting on public safety, we heard from a women who had her car stolen once, suffered two home break ins, had been robbed twice as well. She's upset. It's understandable. I'll try to meet with her to build a quick response network to warn each other of troubles and issues.

More news on that soon. Another type of warning signal came in via email from good sources.

CAR JACKERS NEW SCHEME:
Be aware of new car-jacking scheme where you walk across the parking lot, unlock your car and get inside. Then you lock all your doors, start the engine and shift into REVERSE, and you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your parking space and you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you shift into PARK, unlock your doors and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view... When you reach the back of your car that is when the car-jackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off!! Your engine was running, ladies would have their purse in the car) and they practically mow you down as they speed off in your car. BE AWARE.

Drive away and remove the paper that is stuck to your window later. A purse contains identification, and you certainly do NOT want someone getting your home address. They already HAVE your keys! This scheme has been reported to have occurred in the states of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan.

He's running

Howard Dean, M.D., is running for the DNC Chairmanship. See comments for his email.

Cullen show and blogging

On the web, and in the blog landscape, there are a lot of folks to the far right and the far left. But, this blog is a centralist, populist blog. This is where most are.

Sure, there is some bad info. But free expression is welcomed.

Eastern PA sets Special Election for PA Senate to April 5, 2005 -- OMG

I'm a participant in a special election for the PA Senate in the spring of 2005. The date has been set for eastern PA, April 5, 2005.

Our opening is due to occur on January 18. So, the date should be known after that date.

Parking Authority opens its own court and privitizes the judges too

The Parking Authority is going to privatize the entire operation of court, judges, ticket collection and more.

The parking tickets given by the police are going to be put before a judge in court. But parking tickets given by Parking Authority officials are going to the parking authority court.

I'm in favor of an elimination of the Parking Authority. Take it out, over time. This is a function of public life.

Those in the Parking Authority have seen the storm clouds brewing. They are now in a land grab mode and are expanding. That is wrongheaded. They are going in the wrong direction.

I am not in favor of an additional Parking Authority court system.

Public Hearing set for Ballfield Ads in Parks

At 9:30 am, Wednesday, February 9, 2005 in City Council Chambers. Be there.

Should and how should the city sell ads for the fences of the ballfields?

The art-advertising elements in the city need to be explored and applied. There is gold in them thar hills -- if the prospectors to the job with the heavy lifting and with the heavy thinking.

Controller sues both Mayor and council because of the cuts to the department

This story is finally getting some ink. It has been brewing for a while.

One of the planks in Platform.For-Pgh.org addresses the level of litigation within city government. Too often the decisions are taken to the judges to decide. The best solutions in life are worked out among parties and don't include people in robes. But that's hard work and heavy lifting that takes a grand view -- and Pittsburgh is short in those characteristics with the officials we've had.

PG coverage 'Mayor Murphy and the Pittsburgh City Council have refused and neglected to comply with the reasonably necessary funding requirements of the controller's office and are thereby impairing and/or destroying the city of Pittsburgh's home rule government,' the lawsuit says.

Flaherty's lawsuit, filed in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, is the latest court challenge to the city's Act 47 recovery plan: Both the police and firefighter unions have cases before Commonwealth Court attempting to block its contract controls. Flaherty pledged last year to sue if the city followed through on the cuts to his office.

Pittsburgh's controller is an in-house auditor, who performs yearly financial reports, studies government services -- through so-called performance audits -- oversees bidding and contracts, and cuts checks to employees and city contractors.

Underscoring all the possible functions of his office, Flaherty's lawsuit contains 18 pages of appendices listing jobs his employees perform.

Wonder how many pages, or if anyone will ever count and report upon the length, of this blog? What about the number of pages in their platforms? Les has two pages, one sheet, front and back. How long is Lamb's platform. What about Bob's? Do they exist?

Flaherty, who has been controller since 1984, has used the performance audits as a platform to criticize government policies, often going after tax increment financing plans and other business incentives and Allegheny County's property assessment procedures.

That often gets him in hot water with other government officials, which Flaherty claims leads to politically motivated attempts to cut his office down. When then-Mayor Sophie Masloff tried to cut his spending in 1992, Flaherty also sued, and Common Pleas Judge R. Stanton Wettick ruled the controller's office should have 74 full-time workers.

Flaherty has used that 12-year-old decision to ward off other cuts, though he said his office has dwindled to 65 full-time workers currently.

Flaherty was a vocal opponent of the Act 47 recovery plan last year, and the latest cuts required by the city, the Act 47 team and the oversight board are another attempt to silence him, he said.

The controller's office is 'treated the worst in the entire city and I'm just tired of it. There was no analysis done on our office. This was punitive, arbitrary, capricious, you name it,' he said yesterday.

Asked if there was some irony in the city's fiscal watchdog trying to block spending cuts, he said, 'I'm not trying to get more money, I'm trying to keep what I have. ... I'm trying to keep the fiscal watchdog office there, or it'll be lost in no time.'

Mayoral spokesman Craig Kwiecinski had no comment on the lawsuit.

Tierd. Hard work. You name it.

We don't need a sleeping watchdog. We don't need a big watchdog office. We don't need need a watchdog without teeth that barks at the wrong things. We do need a new sense of fairness.

I'm in. Peduto invited me to join his Campaign Finance Reform task force

Today I got a call from an aid to city council member, Bill Peduto. I've been invited -- and accepted of course -- to participate on the panel that is going to study and put forth solutions to the city's campaign finance reform measures -- in 12 weeks or so.

I'm happy.

Now there is some serious responsibility and interesting challenges to navigate.

I know a few of the others who have been picked. Should be interesting. Stay tuned.

Ideas on campaign finance reform are welcomed, of course.