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Standing before City Council. Kicking off Open Government Amendment

I spoke today at the public comment period at the start of the Pittsburgh City Council meeting. Here are my words:

My name is Mark Rauterkus. My family and I reside at 108 South 12th Street on teh South Side. I have a home on the internet at Rauterkus.com. Presently I'm a board member with the Allegheny County Libertarian Party. Recently I was a candidate for PA Senate in the special election. Since election day our family had the opportunity to travel abroad for work and education. In time I'll share plenty of insights on the election and our trip. Today, it is my pleasure to stand with fellow citizens to promote the Open Government Amendment.

Before I get into my remarks, I'd like to make one other sidebar mention. I'd like to welcome Dan Deasy to City Council. I hope you have a successful career and are fully appreciated by the people of the city for all your hard work in the years to come. Best of luck in your tenure.

I'll work to get the signatures and put the Open Government Amendemtn on the ballot. I also pledge to work to establish and sustain the discussions about these various issues within this effort.

Let's look at the internet access elements. If we streamed the meeting content and made them available to others, say at the workplace or at home with children, we'd be much further along. Others could tune in. Not only people from within the city would be more aware, but people from other cities and even other countries would have access and offer solutions, ideas and pointers to other best practices.

I've often talked about how all the king's horses and all the king's men won't be able to put Pittsburgh together again. This Humpty Dumpty lesson can have a different outcome as soon as all the people get into the action. We need everyone's help.

The depth and scope of the internet's impact is only outmatched by its economy. It will not cost a lot to get the content on the net in effective ways.

I think this measure will do a lot to crack the "done deal mentality" around here.

Now, let's do the hard work of getting this question put onto the ballot and before the voters in November, 2005.

KDKA: Hundreds Claim Wrongfully Ticketed in Pittsburgh

We just paid $80 for two tickets -- with late fees. Yesterday. And for the life of me I can't remember getting those tickets. Humm. I'm not perfect -- but -- I am generally aware. Oh well. Perhaps my wife will give up some sympathy for me after reading this news story.

KDKA: Hundreds Claim Wrongfully Ticketed in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh (AP) Since the Pittsburgh Parking Authority turned over a list of more than 50,000 unpaid parking tickets to a collection agency last month, hundreds of people have complained they never got a ticket.

Take Walker Lundy. The retired Philadelphia Inquirer executive editor says he has never even been in Pittsburgh and can't understand why he got a collection letter for a ticket from November.

The ticket was written for a car he says he sold five years ago. Lundy says the parking authority told him options are to fight the ticket or pay the $18 fine.

Walker, who lives in North Carolina, says he won't do either, and can cost the authority more than $18 in bureaucratic time.

A spokesman for Mayor Tom Murphy says that shouldn't be necessary. He says a staffer will look into the case and if Lundy can show he drives a different car or had a different registration, the ticket will be dismissed.

The city turned the unpaid ticket cases over to a collection agency in hopes of collecting an estimated $1 million.

Yoy and Double Yoy!

Have a great retirement Myron.

Perhaps Myron will choose to gear up and do fantasy cruises or even the Olympics some day.

Personal update from Running Mate, Mike Sally

Fellow dad, and South Side neighbor, Mike, turned a corner, saved a life, changed his career and opened a web site. He also has encouraged me to put out a call to form a team and/or relays for the Pittsburgh Triathlon, July 17. Here is his update.

In April, I commenced a new career and decided to become a mortgage loan officer. It has been exciting. I started a new web site at www.loansforpahomes.com. Both things that I would not even imagined doing while a paralegal! I am proud to now be in the position to directly help people! Perhaps is was just foreshadowing for some similar events.

For whatever reason, the first weekend after the decision was made to change, I was in the fortunate place (with others who were also caring enough to stop) to assist an older woman who was in a burning car in Western Maryland. To make a long story short, I ended up in the Western Maryland by a higher spiritual power. Thankfully the woman in the car survived her ordeal (although the car burnt to the ground!).

Since then, I have spoken to a lot of wonderful people, and, even better yet, saved another person.....from foreclosure!

I am now asking for your assistance.

I would greatly appreciate any referral so that I can provide a service to those who need a mortgage. No, I'm not looking to save anyone else (although, if the situation presents itself, I will!!!) but I am simply asking if you could refer to me people who are considering a home purchase, or need advice in refinancing their current mortgage.

I will offer any referral the best rate and I will back it up with unparallelled service. The company that I work for is licensed to do business in both Pennsylvania and Florida.

I appreciate your continued support and hope this year continues to be gracious to all!

T. Jefferson Think Tank tackles stem cell as topic on July 6

Various stem cell research topics will be discussed at the July meeting of the Thomas Jefferson Think Tank at 7:15 pm on Wednesday, July 6, 2005. Arrive early to enjoy the food, drink. Bring a friend. Gathering hosted at Silvioni’s, 2125 Babcock Boulevard. Dinner will be served until 7:00 pm. The meeting will start at approximately 7:15 pm.

The talk on “Stem Cell Research: The Science, The Ethics, and the Politics” will begin with an explanation of what exactly “stem cell research” entails, and how it is currently being used in medicine and what other medical treatments might arise from it in the future. Next, discuss the ethics of the issue. Finally, the politics.

More in the comments.

Planning ahead for future races, i.e., 2006

Tim C, the Allegheny County Libertarian Chair wrote in part:

Casey and Santorum are both Pro-Life. So the LPPa (Libertarian Party of PA) could field a Pro-Choice candidate and get enough votes to hang onto minor party status. The big hurdle, however, is that in 2006 the LPPa will need to gather at least 66,000 valid signatures. This means that we will need about 100,000 raw signatures.

In 2004, we only needed 42,000 signatures. In 2006 we will need 100,000. This is because Casey ran away with the Treasurer's race in 2004 and we now need 2% of Casey's 3.6 million vote total.

We should begin to have a group conversation about how we intend to handle the 2006 ballot access drive. In 2004, LPPa volunteers gathered 21,000 signatures. That would leave us about 79,000 signatures short.

Since 2004 was a Presidential election year, The Badnarik campaign and the National Party each kicked in for enough signarures for the LPPa to get 42,000 total, enough for ballot access in 2004....

KQV Newsradio Pittsburgh - Opinion Poll on the Light Rail to the Stadiums - Click to vote now

KQV Newsradio Pittsburgh Daily Opinion Poll

The federal government is contributing 290-million-dollars toward the 365-million-dollar cost of the Port Authority's North Shore Connector. The massive project includes twin tunnels under the Allegheny River, extending the 'T' light rail line from Downtown to the North Shore stadiums.

I hate the idea of the light-rail to the stadiums for a number of reasons.

The federal money is our money too. The money can come from our back pocket or our purse, but it is still from the people.

Pittsburgh will never get its fiscal health back when we squander good money on bad projects.

The local match is needed for this project and there isn't any. The county's chief executive has said there is no money to do the project from county sources. The city is broke.

We need to extend the light-rail in meaningful ways. If the light-rail went to CCAC on the North Side -- I'd have a different opinion. But this is to service PNC Park and Heinz Field.

Boston's "big dig" is leaking. That extended a road under Boston Harbor. It went over budget. It is now built and with serious problems. I fear that this project is going to net the same results.

We want game-day pedestrian traffic in the greater area. Let's keep the festive crowds on the closed Clemente Bridge. Let's allow for vendors, and others throughout town and the North Side to capitalize on the fans. If the light-rail stops are put at the stadium doors, the rest of the neighborhoods see no upside. Walking from town is NOT a big deal. Taking a cab is easy.

The PAT plan calls for the re-do of working, existing stops. Gateway Center stop works now. But with the new plan it is totally rebuilt. Same too with the stop near the Pennsylvanian close to the Convention Center. All in all we get four new stops, but two of them are re-done construction projects. The net gain is half. Rather, let's extend the light-rail to Oakland, Lawrenceville, (new Children's Hospital), and even out to Highland Park.

We should be pushing mass transit to places where people live.

Better Hearing given some ink and friends and peers visit Pitt -- a leader in audiology

See the feature article that mentions wellness and audiologist.

New Pittsburgh Courier Her hearing loss was said to be a combination of age, noise and genetics. McCray slipped into depression.

For the past three days, 50 educators of audiologist from around the nation came to Pittsburgh for a workshop organized, in part, by my wife, Catherine V. Palmer. The event was called a "landmark event."

Way to go Pitt!

The "NO" vote was as high as 90-percent in some neighborhoods

This is interesting if true.

New Pittsburgh Courier: In May, I had written a column urging the electorate, particularly the African-American community, to vote No on the referendum question in the primary regarding row office consolidation. I have reviewed the voting tallies. What is bold and interesting is that though the question passed by over 70 percent due to many factors, it failed consistently within the African-American communities, in some cases by over 90 percent. And the no vote was higher in working class communities than in higher income communities.

I've not done my homework, yet, in the vote specifics from May, 2005. If anyone has any insights and charts on the data, I'd be happy to get a copy via email.

Courier reports FAMILY Dollar might open near the Hill House

New Pittsburgh Courier Family Dollar ushers in new Hill House CDC.

No ordinary classroom

No ordinary classroom - PittsburghLIVE.com The gardens will become a key component of the planned community greenhouse and pavilion where students and neighborhood children will learn agriculture and environmental science hands-on, Wilcox said. The greenhouse will be 75 percent solar-powered.

While the greenhouse is 75-percent solar powered, the percentage for the produce grow in the ground will be much higher.
I'd love to see a charter school, or a public school, tied to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. A concentration about animals would be rewarding and beyond the ordinary as well.
Tip: Hope we see a Highland Park 4H club bloom soon.

Updating dart boards has become much easier with these cards.

If this was really about growing 'sprouts' -- I'd be happy. However, as I see it, this is more about preservation of the status quo. Same old same old gets institutional support from those who claim to be change-agents.

Want political savvy? It's in the cards - PittsburghLIVE.com The inaugural 60-card set was unveiled Saturday night at Hothouse '05 -- the annual money-raiser for the Sprout Fund, which provided the seed money of $9,400 for the venture.

I'd rather provide a set a trading cards for a thousand Chinees gods than give my kids cards with little known facts of those who are taking apart our city, folly by folly.

Rather than reveal little know facts, the card creators should have stuck to straight politics.

The less the people know, the better those in power like it. Rather than give straight up info on who stands for what -- and who was at the helm as various bogus budgets came into being to cripple our region -- do fluff.

I feel certain that I'd be happy if half of the 60 who are featured on those trading cards were put into the private sector at the next election.

I'd be thrilled, plus we'd see a rebound of the region's public health if every one of those featured today on the trading cards were removed from office and put into the private sector.

Those trading cards should serve as resume cards. Every elected cronie needs a new job. If you like a person -- offer him or her a job in your business. Your business might take a hit, but, the region will have hope.

By the way, does Joe Weinroth have a trading card? What about Alan Perry and Tonya Payne?

Blue City Conservatives by Matt Rosenberg

Seattle Weekly: News: Blue City Conservatives by Matt Rosenberg Here are some admittedly gloomy snapshots of life in the city under the vestiges of one-party rule.

This article isn't about Pittsburgh, thankfully. But, it is something that needs to be understood. In the real world, it isn't always smooth sailing.

SEA needs a hand - PittsburghLIVE.com. I say give it an arm. Then run the other way with a quick turn of ownership.

SEA needs a hand - PittsburghLIVE.com Without more than $3 million in gambling revenue it was counting on this year, the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority could ask Pittsburgh and Allegheny County to help plug a hole in the operating budget for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, according to an audit released Friday.

This spells trouble on many fronts. And, some of us saw it coming.

The SEA is banking on hype. The authority is over spent. The authority has yet to tighten its belt to match its income. The overhead of the building is getting like a heavy weight that is going to be a bigger and bigger burden.

The term WHITE ELEPHANT needs to be realized. If it is ignored, the problem is going to be worse later. Come to grips with reality.

That big sucking sound is still ringing from the operation of the Convention Center. Look at the cost of the water fountain that runs within in the convention center, its new DAM, its re-building and contrast that with the cost of running a real swim pool and the smack-down being tossed about with the ACT 47 oversight board (see next post) about the hope of shifting operation of swim pools to other entities.

These are not cash-flow issues. These are overspending issues. These are bad decision issues. These are poor planning issues. These are didn't close down operations issues. These are issues of inaction and poor leadership.

By the way, how much of the Convention Center was put in use by the recent events of the Senior Olympics?

Could the Convention Center hosted the badminton, shuffleboard, table tennis, opening or closing events, and more?

The Convention Center isn't be leveraged to be a great community asset that is could be. Our potential is being squandered because there isn't enough creativity with that venue.

Why isn't the Act 47 team looking into the use and miss-spending at the SEA?

Why wasn't the Convention Center turned into a campaign issue in the mayor's race?

Joe Weinroth could make some serious waves if he talked about the Convention Center and injected some new, creative ideas backed up by research and understanding of what really goes on in that facility and how it is and will yet impact the budgets of the city and the SEA.

Rather than getting a bailout for the SEA for the convention center .. think again. How about if we sell the convention center and make money on it. And, sell the convention center to the new gambling site owners. They could take part of the convention center and turn it into a casino. Then other parts could be dedicated to gaming and other ventures as they wish.

The convention center is a massive public liability now. It would be an asset that can be taken off of the backs of the taxpayers. Then the ongoing gambling money incomes won't be diverted and lost in continual bailouts of the convention center.

Then, the SEA can be liquidated and go away.

The boat show and the home show -- and other conventions that are slated for the convention center can still go forward. But the operators would be the casino owned coordinators.

Get that skin in the game and into the marketplace -- now!

Act 47 team warns city on cost of pool openings - UNREAL Lifeguarding

This letter goes over like running on the pool deck to dive into the shallow end with a tray of whine (pun) glasses.

I think I'll listen to 1360 AM and the Ron Morris show from 9-11 am as I had heard (I think) a promo that a company leader from Centimark (sp?) would be an on-air guest. That firm donated money to enable a REAMS pool re-opening.

Act 47 team warns city on cost of pool openings

Saturday, June 18, 2005, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh's Act 47 fiscal recovery team has sent a letter to Mayor Tom Murphy and City Council warning that opening more than 12 swimming pools this summer would 'be inconsistent' with the city's strict budget.

The letter, dated June 16 and signed by recovery team leaders James Roberts and Dean Kaplan, expresses 'concern' with the possible opening of Ream Pool in Mount Washington, Riverview Pool in Perry North and McBride Pool in Lincoln Place.

None of the three pools was approved for operation in the city's 2005 budget, but plans have emerged to open them anyway. Ream Pool's operations would be covered by a private donation, Riverview Pool's with Regional Asset District funds, and McBride Pool's with state funds that may become available.

The letter warned that the city might be on the hook for maintenance costs, or face liability for any injuries, even if it didn't fund operations at those pools.

The letter asked for prompt clarification of the anticipated costs of operating the pools.

Though the letter did not threaten punitive action, the Act 47 team can call on the state to withhold some funding if it finds the city out of compliance with its recovery plan.

This is grounds for making waves and further investigation.

Riverview is a RAD pool.

REAMS is turning into a civic, private, grass-roots venture that is get strung out again from the city so as to rely upon lifeguards but have pay from non-city budget sources.

The county wanted to pick up the operation of the newer swim pool up in the 31st ward. That pool, on the edge of the city line, is generally used by lots of non-city residents.

COOPERATION.

What does Bob O'Connor have to say, by the way. He was going to see that ALL of the pools were reopened if he was mayor. (Bad idea as well.) Bob was full of hot air on the campiagn trails. Now it is time to sound off on do "follow-up" on this matter.

The city pools opened yesterday.

West Allegheny ponders chops to school budget, plus school offers early retirement incentives

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - News - 06/17/2005 - School offers early retirement incentives ... Cuts being considered include items such as not hiring additional teachers; eliminating study groups; cutting back on supplies, equipment, books, periodicals and software; eliminating a dean of students position; eliminating some foreign language programs; eliminating conferences; and eliminating after-school programs.

'We don't feel good about these cuts,' DiSanti said. However, he added, 'we can make (the cuts) without compromising the integrity of the program.'

District officials can further cut the budget by eliminating things such as two marching band assistants and several assistant football coaches, sports such as indoor track, hockey and bowling, and cutting back on resource and instructional support teachers.

'I guess everything's fair game,' DiSanti said, adding that those additional cuts would have an impact on students.

'(Without) resource teachers, there's really no place (for students with learning problems) to get help,' he said. '(The cuts) would take a lot of great things that have happened here in education and turn that around.'

While many residents have been outspoken in their objections to a tax increase, several who spoke at Wednesday's board meeting said the proposed cuts would mean only a small savings to the average taxpayer while deeply impacting the students.

'If (the savings are) so small, why eliminate the help for these kids who need it?' said Mike Kiss of North Fayette. 'Most of these programs are for the kids who need them.'

Joe Diven, a Findlay resident and former police officer, also questioned the proposed cuts in the sports programs. 'You cut these programs, and you're going to end up with nothing but problems with these kids,' he said.

In other suburban school news, I noticed that Pine-Richland held a 6-4 vote among its school directors with the outcome to NOT install a JUMBOTRON at the stadium along with two additional gym-based scoreboards. The new materials in the sports venues were to be at no charge to the district and paid for by Datronics, a firm that makes scoreboards. Meanwhile, Datronics was to be enabled to sell advertising to the tune of aprox. $100,000 per year for eight years to pay for the new display toys.

Interesting trend.

Sustainlane US City Rankings

Sustainlane US City Rankings SustainLane began to take a look at 25 US cities across 12 major categories, to measure their relative levels of sustainability...

Hat tip to a comment poster at Pittsblog for the pointer.

Exactly one month from now. How is your training going?

The 8th Annual, Pittsburgh Triathlon & Adventure Race Race on Sunday, July 17, 2005. The Pittsburgh Triathlon and Adventure Race site is www.pittsburghtriathlon.com.
Sign up online and see the details.

The Olympic-distance triathlon consists of a 1.5 K swim in the Allegheny River, a 40 K bike along the I-279 HOV lanes and a 10 K run along the Three Rivers Heritage
Trail.

Adventure race will be slightly different this year, starting with a 2-mile canoe/kayak then a 12-mile bike, and 3.2 mile run following a shorter version of the triathlon course.

USA Triathlon sanctions the event.

I'm considering the race. If I choose to run, I'll try to get last place, just like I did in the recent senate race. But, if either Diven or Fontana enter too -- then I'll try harder and not opt to get beat -- again -- by either one of those guys.

Trail Opening - Dedication Celebration - July 8

Friends of the Riverfront sent out this news, in part ...

You’re invited! for a Trail Party and Dedication The South Side 10-1 Trail Segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail (AKA the missing link) is now complete.

Please join us on Friday evening July 8th from 4:00 - 7:00 pm for a Heritage Trail dedication party. No need to R.S.V.P. just walk, bike or blade along the Heritage Trail to the new trail head facility in Pittsburgh’s South Side at the Terminus of Fourth Street at the Intersection of McKean and Bingham off Carson Street.

We will enjoy food, entertainment and an inaugural bike ride. The dedication is being cosponsored by Dasani in conjunction with the Rails-to-Trail Conservancy, Friends of the Riverfront and Bike Pittsburgh.

The event will serve as an unveiling of a new Community Bike Program, a first in the City of Pittsburgh. For more information please join us for the party and visit http://www.railtrails.org/membership/corporate/dasani.asp