Eminent Domain -- once a buzz, now a swarm -- potential stingers

In 2001, as a candidate for Mayor as a 'free market republican' in a contested primary, my pledge was to work against any and all forces of eminent domain. Back then I had thought we had gone overboard. Perhaps that whine came before its time!

The flap over Eminent Domain is now more than ever.

In 2005's race, I stood against eminent domain in my platform. It went to the matter of our willingness to over litigate and reach solutions that are not 'ideal.'

As we know, in 2001 and in 2005, I didn't "win" at the ballot box. However, some points were scored in the discussion. And, opportunities exist to make eminent domain a more pressing issue for all politicians and all races for the years to come.

The PG's Sunday paper had two more letters to the editor. The author of the first letter, Scott B, came to Pittsburgh a number of times in the past to help the locals fight eminent domain. He has some family in the area. I had the good pleasure of meeting him and assisting then (a bit) with those efforts. The second letter comes from fellow leader of the Libertarian Party in Allegheny County.

Be very afraid of this decision on eminent domain

Your editorial "Eminent Sense" (June 28) defending the U.S. Supreme Court's appalling eminent domain decision was entirely inaccurate. You sought to reassure Pittsburghers that they had little to fear from the court's ruling. Nonsense.

People in Western Pennsylvania should be deeply concerned about the court's ruling and should work to change the law in Pennsylvania. As Justice Sandra Day O'Connor powerfully wrote in her dissenting opinion: Under the court's 5-4 decision, "nothing is to prevent the State from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory."

But an amazing thing has happened in the wake of this decision. One would be hard-pressed to think of a recent Supreme Court decision that has generated such uniform and widespread outrage across the country and across the political spectrum. Americans are virtually united in opposition to it. The homeowners in New London, Conn. have been overwhelmed with phone calls, letters, and e-mails of support. Messages of opposition have filled newspaper letters-to-the editor pages nationwide, including those of the Post-Gazette. Online polls on national Web sites show upwards of 96 percent opposed to the Supreme Court's decision. Clearly, Americans understand how threatening the court's decision is for ordinary home and small business owners.

Now is the time to take this genuine grass-roots anger and energy and transform it into productive activism to change the law in Pennsylvania and throughout the country. For citizens interested in learning how, please go to the Web site of the Castle Coalition (www.castlecoalition.org).

SCOTT BULLOCK, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice, Washington, D.C.

Editor's note: The Institute for Justice represented the business owners challenging the potential use of eminent domain in proposed development in Downtown Pittsburgh in 2000.

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No friend

I was quite disappointed to read your June 28 editorial ("Eminent Sense") supporting the Supreme Court's Kelo decision concerning the use of eminent domain.

To support the authority of "Big Brother" to take the little guy's home away from him when some vague and unproven central plan is proposed implies your support for sacrificing the individual for the collective good -- or, at least, the good of the government itself and the powerful who are politically connected to it.

And I thought the PG was a friend of the average working person.

JERRY GLOEKLER, Bellevue

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Andrew's a short article about Kelo on Freedom's Gate, comes from another area Libertarian. He's already had LTEs published in both the Trib and the P-G. See the
links from his blog.

DON'T PANIC: Sally Struthers, eat your heart out...

A few years ago I helped with a local PCTV 21 show called The Art of News. That was fun. The shows that were produced were a real hoot. This blog post would make for a great script for that show, if it was still being developed.

DON'T PANIC: Sally Struthers, eat your heart out...: " Senate Democratic leader Robert Mellow isn't shy about pushing for a $10,000 raise for state legislators -- to take their pay up to $80,000 a year.


Hmm... it kind of sounds... greedy. This might take a real PR push, but I have the perfect idea for the commercial:

I still long for The Art of News writters meetings.

RedState.org has a section devoted to FEC (Federal Election Commission)

FEC dot RedState dot org Section: FEC

This technical, legal, political stuff is for some die-hard activists. Yummy.
http://www.krempasky.com/redstate/images/fec.jpg

Generally -- after almost every move of pending move from the goverment weenies who are so quick to mess with our freedoms and democracy -- one only needs to post, "Think again."

The, "keeping the options open" avenue is a well worn pathway for them.

NYC hopes Senator Clinton can boost its chances to land 2012 Olympics

SI.com - More Sports - NYC hopes Senator Clinton�can boost its chances - Saturday July 2, 2005 4:15PM SINGAPORE (AP) -- Other cities are bringing presidents, prime ministers and royalty in hopes of landing the 2012 Olympics. New York is bringing Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Okay, here comes my best wishes with a political mind: I'd love to see NYC get the Olympics. That's official.

I've got a lot of friends and even some family in NY and the general area. I could stay with them for a month in 2012 and earn my keep by trading pins and offering to wash auto window in bump-to-bumper traffic outside a tunnel.

My circle of friends in London, Moscow, Madrid, and Paris is much more thin, presently.

Otherwise, there is sure to be a big party in one of the cities in a couple of days when the news is released. It would be fun to be in Madrid or Moscow when, and if, that decision comes to be known.

When Syndey got the Olympic bid, that city was over joyed. And, the glow lasted for months, if not years and right up the to hosting of the games.

The tone in NYC isn't expected to be the same, I dare predict. A great many there be happy, no doubt. But I don't think we'll see the gushing, ga-ga reaction.

City's loss is UPMC's soon

The saga with the #3 guy in the Murphy Administration gets another article to freshen the thread.

Kennedy won't be involved in EMS talks in new job Departing City of Pittsburgh Operations Director Bob Kennedy probably won't have an opportunity to finish the biggest job he's left undone: the transfer of the city's paramedic service to local hospitals.

Older (June 29) posting on this blog about Kennedy:

Pittsburgh losing operations director to UPMC Pittsburgh Operations Director Bob Kennedy will leave the city post this week to become a vice president for government relations at UPMC Health System.

Humm....

A couple of years ago, I called upon some of Pittsburgh's biggest employers, and that would include UPMC for sure, to do the city a big favor. I asked that the big employers HIRE Mayor Murphy and some of his cronies in City Hall -- for the good of the city.

Often, when you get into a tangle, the best thing you can do to get beyond is to show the oppostion a better exit. Getting the trouble to leave with grace is a great way to win in the end.

Well, back then, no outfit (not Mellon, Giant Eagle, PNC, UPMC, nor the Peace Corps) offered Tom Murphy a corner office, parking space, secretary. Tom Cox still works for the city too. Others flew to Detroit and Cinci. Whew.

Now comes the news of Kennedy's departure. Did UPMC finally get the message? Let's not kid ourselves.

How about a package deal?

But really, given this time -- what's the worry. Who cares if they go to the private sector or to unemployment?

Kennedy, on the other hand, isn't the worst of the worst. But, why would UPMC hitch its GOVERNMENT RELATIONS post to a person from the MURPHY ADMINISTRATION?

Either: UPMC doesn't understand the horrors of the Pittsburgh legacy of the Murphy Administration; Or, UPMC thinks the #3 guy in the horror-filled administration is not a culprit too; Or, UPMC is holding up its civic duty to take him on as a rehab case-study; Or, Kenneydy might hold value with a EMS deal yet to unfold in the past decade; Or, Altmire made em do it; Or, you can tell us what you think in the comments below.

If AGH hires Murphy and Tom Cox goes to work for Alcoa, the PG, the Steelers, or even American West Airlines, I'll be happy for them, personally. My only wish was that those shoes would have fallen two years ago.

Mr. Kennedy, way to go on getting the new position. Hope you have a splendid career henceforth.

Legislative Pay Raises

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
3863 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
1-800-774-4487
www.lppa.org

For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Doug Leard at 215-646-1502 or
David Jahn (Chair) at 610-461-7755

Pennsylvania legislators feel they do not make enough money. Yet, our legislators already rank, with California, New York and Michigan, as the highest paid state legislators earning over $69,000 per year. In addition, they receive a generous daily expense allowance of $125 per day, a car with insurance and health insurance. Plus, they receive an automatic cost of living adjustment each year.

The Libertarian Party strongly opposes this excessive compensation of our legislature. Neighboring states pay significantly less to their legislators. New Jersey pays $49,000 per year while Delaware pays $36,500. Neither state provides a per diem expense allowance.

Other states manage their affairs paying far less than this. For example, New Hampshire pays just $200 for a two year term of office. New Hampshire also has no state income tax and no state sales tax. If only our legislators could exercise that kind of tax restraint.

Perhaps our legislature should be paid for performance, not politics. Their salary could be tied to the change in the inflation adjusted state budget. If the inflation adjusted state budget increases 4%, then the legislature gets a 4% pay cut. If they hold the line per inflation, they get the inflation rate. If they cut spending 3%
below inflation, then they get 3%.

Performance pay -- perfect for Pennsylvania.

The Libertarian Party, the third largest and fastest growing political party in Pennsylvania and the nation, continues to provide a beacon of hope for voters disillusioned by the fog of Big Government.

Letters to the editor: 7/01/05

Two interesting letters to the editor on education follow. They are from today's PG and hold different views.

Letters to the editor: 7/01/05

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Moving for school

As someone with a young family who is actually moving back to Pittsburgh, I have to speak up about the Board of Public Education's new hesitation to approve the design and construction of the addition to Colfax Elementary School, as reported in the June 23 Post-Gazette. An addition is necessary to accommodate the growing population at Colfax.

This is occurring long after the board approved the change to a K-8 school and new grades have already been added. How the board thinks making and breaking decisions from one year to the next will lead to any improvement and stability in the schools is beyond me.

Our decision whether to live in the city instead of the suburbs rests on a good public school system. I visited Colfax. The active, engaged learning I observed, the diverse population and the fact that it is a K-8 school are the reasons that we want to move back into the city. Why else when I can get a nicer house for less money and pay far less taxes in the suburbs?

Believe me, I understand that there are financial problems. Our children are coming from the Baltimore school system, which has had even greater financial difficulties. I witnessed the Baltimore board change plans after decisions were made. And I saw the devastating effects these constant changes had on schools that had been steadily improving and had been generating renewed support for the public schools. Uncertainty and instability doesn't help students, schools or communities. I hope the Pittsburgh board will do better.
SARAH BERMAN, Baltimore, Md.

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Quality, not size

With all respect to Principal David May-Stein and the parents who so badly want $15 million to support Colfax Elementary School's expansion to K-8: Even if K-8 is better for the middle-school years (we can find studies that prove both good and bad), your kids aren't the ones who need it the most.

Your children have the options to go to some very high-performing middle schools: Frick International Studies Academy, Sterrett Classical Academy or Rogers School for the Creative and Performing Arts. None of these schools is far from Squirrel Hill and none of them are in dangerous neighborhoods. They all have high test scores and their graduates have gone on to do great things.

The kids who may benefit the most from a small middle school environment such as would be provided in a K-8 setting are the ones whose parents probably can't write letters to the editor, attend school board meetings en masse or even supervise their kids' walks to school or homework.

If the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education chooses to add K-8 programs, it should allocate the district's dwindling finances to the kids and neighborhoods that need improved programming the most. And Squirrel Hill is not in that category.

I'm a parent, too. I've sent four kids through East Hills Elementary School. Three have gone through Frick (one is just about to go) and two are in CAPA High School now. I could complain about lots of small issues, but I prefer to praise these schools for their overall programs. The fact that we have any of these choices is remarkable.

Nearby high-performing school districts such as Mt. Lebanon and North Allegheny all have large middle schools. I think the issue is not so much K-8 vs. middle school only but how these schools are funded and operated. Small classes, good facilities, well-trained teachers...
ROBERTA MINTZ, Shadyside

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The dynamics in the city school are not like those in many other places around here. Some people go to city schools and are stuck here. They are not leaving. They can't leave. Leaving isn't an option. They cope and deal as best they can with what they got. Kids grow. Go with the flow of life -- but getting a new home in the suburban areas is asking way to much. It's not going to happen.

Other people are here by choice. They can move. Many do. Some choose to stay. To stay makes a constant decision. Once the situations are so bad at home, then the grass looks much greener elsewhere, then the family packs its life and finds a home and schools elsewhere.

Mostly, those who are the poorest are the ones who are in the first situations. They are stuck, in part, because they can't afford to move into a more expensive home, lifestyle, district.

Pick-up lines for the Pgh Oversight Panel. Women wanted. Hold the phone. My wants are more geared to accountability and democracy.

Today's PG reports that the all white male oversight board, often called the ICA, might be geting a new female member after James C. Roddey leaves his seat on that board. The new member being pointed to is Barbara McNees, President of the Pgh Chamber of Commerce.

The board was called, "Five Guys Named Mo," by Sala Udin. Sala's objections were strong, but in the end they didn't play to total satisfaction with voters, as he's been voted out of council. But, Sala made the point as strong as he could.

The point I'd like to raise again is still valid and not the same as his, of course.

I don't think women want to be "Queen for the Day" -- nor even Queen for the week, month, season, year or seven-year period of operation of the oversight board.

Lamb, Peduto and O'Connor each made mentions in the spring about how poorly Pittsburgh does in a number of gender factors. Women's pay in Pittsburgh is not nearly equal to that of the men, in similar capacities, for instance. We have had nine on city council, and only one (for now) is a women. Our old-fashioned ways are well documented elsewhere.

Nobody needed to die to make McNees a Queen of Oversight. But, nobody needed to vote on that appointment either.

The solution is to still appoint to the boards, but give voters an opportunity to cast "retention votes" on each individual. A retention vote would be a great way to inject oversight from the people into the oversight board.

We can't get away from democracy.

We need to give the oversight board its due and its mandate.

Most of all, there have been bad and good QUEENS and rulers. The top dog in China, on many instances, was a women. Some have been dandy and some have been beasts.

At this junction, we need to put accountability and democracy as well as engagement into the drivers seat. Diversity will work because of the pressure when it comes to the appointments.

Illustrated Example of this sage:

At first blush, a new appointment, such as Barbara McNees would need a majority to stay on the board. So, let's say she is picked to serve and gets the nod and joins in July 2005. She'll show up for the meetings and get to work as soon as possible.

But, there are no meetings scheduled. That raises another big question as to its viability, perhaps a defacto revolution of nonaction is brewing.

Given regular meetings as an assumption, McNees would be a full fledged member and act with all the powers.

At the next election, November 2005, a ballot question asks voters "yes" or "no." Should Barbara McNees continue to serve on the oversight board, (ICA)? If she fails to get 50% of the YES vote, then she resigns her duty on the board. Her term just ended. Then another appointment is made. At the next election, that new person gets to be put on the ballot to either pass or fail the retention vote.

With a retention vote, no campaign spending would be needed. No Political Action Committee efforts either.

People who don't know McNees from Eve might not vote on the question, skipping it and to leave others with strong opinions the option of the decision. People who feel strongly about a women would vote "yes."

Meanwhile, we already have others on the ICA Board. And, we have lots of others on other Authority Boards. The 50-percent YES vote would be needed for the NEWLY appointed members of boards in their first vote. Then as a board member is on the board they'd face other 'retention votes' and the percentage of YES votes would INCREASE.

First months = 50%
Second year = 70%
Fourth year = 80%
Fifth year = 85%
Sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth year = 90%
Tenth year = term limit.

The necessary approval rating would need to increase greatly according to the length of service on the specific board.

So, McNees would face a Nov 2005 retention vote and need 50% as "YES" to continue. Then in two years, in Nov 2007, she'd need to have a 70% "YES" vote to be retained. Then the fourth year, Nov 2009, she'd need 80% to stay. In Nov 2010, she'd need 85%, Nov 2011, she'd need 90% and again 90% for Nov 2012, 2013, 2014. She'd be off the board with a term limit by 2015.

Other people, depending upon when they are appointed, would be on a spring ballot rotation. So, if people got onto the board in Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March, April -- they'd generally be slated for the April or May ballots for their retention votes. Other months would be up for retentions in November elections.

There would be a lot of retention votes, a new twist to the voter landscape.

Crain's Cleveland Business - What others are saying about Pittsburgh

Here is a story about a story, but in another market about Pittsburgh.

Crain's Cleveland Business In the fourth segment of a six-part series about the globalization of the steel industry, Associated Press reporter Joe Mandak takes a look at the rebuilding of America’s steel towns.

The story focuses on Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Worcester, Mass., detailing how each is bridging the divide between the industries that grew the cities and the industries that will carry them forward.

I've got to go find the original series. Pointers wlecomed.

ICAN WHOIS Data Reminder, last update, 1969

I have and have had a number of internet domains. This just came to me. It is worth a giggle.

Per the ICANN Whois Data Reminder policy regarding your domain name service with 4Domains.com this notice is being sent as record of your current domain whois details effective today Jun-30-2005.

Domain..............: rauterkus.com

Creation Date.......: Jul-09-2000
Registration Date...: Jul-12-2002
Last Updated Date...: Dec-31-1969

Check out the last updated date! I've been around a long time -- but that was even before Al Gore INVENTED the internet.

Before I deployed Rauterkus.com, I had: SportSurf.Net, SportsReader.com, Bundle.com, Sandlot.com, FreeTeam.org, and Sunnyhill.org. Sunnyhill now operates fully by the web committee at our church.

I still use CLOH.Org too, but there hasn't been an update there in months. However, some of my older materials are some of the best and most in demand.

Yesterday, Alice, Director of Dallas Vision Volleyball emailed to ask about the e-books in PDF format. In a past life I had published a number of excellent, cutting-edge volleyball text books with top-flight authors. She thougt the URL had changed and was searching for the drill book. We noticed that Apache need to be restarted on the server. Fixed. Coaches and players of volleyball at all levels can pick up the no-charge books in that collection at: http://Rauterkus.com/PDF/SPORTS/. The titles that begin with VB are for Volleyball.

Speaking of older documents, have any of you gone to CMU to see the display with The Bill of Rights? Reactions welcomed.

Self-reliance -- You're the cure -- Strokes an 'at.

Self-reliance is a huge cornerstone of what I think needs to be promoted to "cure various troubles." But, teamwork is not to be discounted. Then, enter a wellness theme, and we've got something to blog about with irony.

It is interesting to see how the 'you're the cure' campaign needed people to write to DC politicians for fixes?

But, they did.

Did the most gripping letters and the largest volumes originate from those who have suffered from strokes, or are battling heart disease (say with high cost perscription drugs)? Or, did the physical education teachers and "fit people" come through with their pen and paper letter-writting exercises after doing their daily push-ups?

Now the people are to thank those in Congress (House and Senate) for putting their names on a letter to fund heart disease and stroke. Note, the funding is NOT for the prevention of heart disease, but just more disease -- as written in this blurb.

As a You’re the Cure advocate, you will be excited to learn about the support in Washington, D.C. for funding for heart disease and stroke. Throughout the spring, many of you have been instrumental in efforts to gather signatures on a congressional letter in support of this critical funding increase.

Now for the exciting news…102 Representatives and a record number 46 Senators have signed onto the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition’s letter. To see if your lawmaker signed on in support of increased research and prevention funding, please select from the pages below:

FY O6 House Signatories

FY 2006 Senate Signatories

However, there is still a long way to go as Congress continues to work on the appropriations process. What can you do to help? If your lawmaker signed on to the letter, you can send a thank you note for their support. Click here to send your message now if your lawmaker was supportive. Send Your Thanks to Congress

Heart Disease and Stroke. You’re the Cure

Where would all the heart disease and stroke workers and industry go if we were all fit?

Such is life, nothing but a merry-go-round.

South Side's Authentic Food Fest Update: Abruzzi's and Halo's

Abruzzi's moved to the Holiday Inn Express on the South Side, just a short walk from the current place.

Abruzzi's used to be HELENS. Helen had a food joint that was family style. She'd cook and you'd eat what she cooked. No menus were needed.

Abruzzi's is authentic Italian Cuisine and on 10th Street, one the same block as the Oliver Bath House. It is now serving lunch M-F from 11:30 am.

Another new opening, but brand new, is HALO Cafe. They've done a splendid job on a church rehab. It is right on East Carson Street and just opening now. Valet parking available.

I'm not a food critic, so I'll pass on giving my insights. Imagine that. But you all can post below. Additionally, if you want to set a date, I'd be glad to go there with you and yours as a guest. My bar tab will be $0, so I'm cheap. :)

Come Live Over Here -- and enjoy the South Side. And we won't even miss the Street Spectacular this summer.

City Paper: Opens Case for Open Government

Pittsburgh City Paper - News News Briefs

No Open and Shut Case for Open Government by CHARLIE DEITCH

"We’ve been putting this in front of [city] council for two-and-a-half years now," says long-time activist David Tessitor, about his efforts to place an "Open Government Initiative" on the November ballot. "But they never paid attention to it and we’ve never heard back."

Tessitor, working under the name PANDA (Pittsburgh Area New Direction Alternative), hopes he'll be able to gather the requisite signatures to put the proposal to a vote. The Open Government Initiative would change the city’s home-rule charter to set up a citizens' advisory panel. The panel would place a representative at every city council meeting to participate in discussions in a non-voting capacity. The move would also require that public information and recordings of public meetings be placed on the city’s Web site.

These two changes alone, Tessitor says, would allow citizens to have a clearer picture of what exactly their public officials are doing.

"We have one instance after another where our government officials have tried to sneak things past the public," says Tessitor, who points to the city's plan in 2002 to sell the publicly owned library buildings to the Carnegie Library board for $100 each, an option that was buried in building leases. "They have created an illusion of openness by putting some information forward to the public, but it’s not nearly enough."

Both Tessitor and Celeste Taylor, whose group ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) is also supporting the initiative, say they are aware of cries that it will slow down the process of government. That should only happen in cases where it needs to slow down, says Tessitor. Good legislation will fly through the system faster, he says, while bad legislation will be held up to allow for proper scrutiny and, if it's truly a bad deal, to be killed.

Neither council President Gene Ricciardi nor President Pro Tem Jim Motznik were available for comment by press time.

"When I'm asked why we need this, I can give a lot of reasons, but the most obvious is because this city is broke and that surely didn’t happen overnight," Tessitor explains. "And worse than being broke, this city is broken."

More volunteers than the current 30 have to step up to get the required signatures, Taylor says, which number in the hundreds after less than a week of neighborhood canvassing. The group has until Aug. 9 to get about 9,000 signatures of registered voters.

"We’re trying to make this fun and empowering and not just a bunch of people bitching and complaining," says Taylor. "This is a good city, but council is too closed off from the citizens."

Contact Celeste Taylor, 412-628-7867 or celeste@openpgh.org; or see www.openpittsburgh.org.

Chris L of GrassRootsPA, moving to office in Camp Hill (Harrisburg)

Chris Lilik, DU grad, hub site coordinator of Grassrootspa.com, guest on the final M-F Jerry Bowyer radio show, mentioned that hs is moving out of Pittsburgh to central Pennsylvania.

Lilik's site is much like a blog but without original content, and with plenty of links and article snips about all sorts of state-wide political coverage. Self-described: The Epicenter of Conservative Grassroots Activity in Pennsylvania.

The population decline continues. Pittsburgh dropped another 1% per year, as has been the progress, for a total of 3,000. Pittsburgh's population decline has been massive, and its still on a roll.

Lilik's departure, as stated on the air from Jerry Bowyer, makes next year's census look drop to be predicted as 3,001.

One of the organizers of PghBloggers.org, an aggregate site, has wondered about keeping or nuking the feed from GrassRootsPA. Now, with the move out of the local area, the hook can take hold.

What's yours is ours.

Four letters to the editor ran in the Trib that were critical of the Supreme Court's
Kelo v. New London ruling. One was from fellow Libertarian, Mark Crowley.

Supreme abuse II, Letter to editor

"Promoting economic development is a traditional and long accepted function of government."

With those reckless words, five Supreme Court justices implemented a far-reaching expansion of government power serving well-connected special interests at the expense of property owners. "Public use" might as well be called "public used," as property rights are traded for corporate welfare and tax revenue.

To be clear about this, substitute the word "medical" for "economic" in the above quote. Consider what "public use" now means. Your body could be a tissue farm ripe for harvesting by pharmaceutical interests and research labs.

What now prohibits tax-hungry bureaucrats from considering a forced organ transplant from a low-wage worker to an injured high-wage ballplayer, actor or industrialist just for higher wage, entertainment or sales tax revenues?

Government is closer to taking an arm and a leg than ever before.

Mark Crowley, Plum

Jason Almire, The First Interview

The first interview has run. Next comes the first bad review. It is offered as constructive remarks so he and others get a better launch. Running for political office opens a parade of hurdles to trip upon. Here is a look at some of them below.

Jason just quit his job at UPMC (gov relations) and is entering the race for US Congress and may run against M. Hart, R, if Jason could win the Dem's primary.

The Qs are bold. Jason A's answer start with "A" are are italic. My reply is regular text. The next link only show the interview from the Politics PA site. By the way, hat tip to Politics PA for getting out good local and state news. If you are a political junkie or otherwise, you need to sign-up for the email blast from the operators of that site.

Jason Almire, The First Interview: "An Interview with Jason Altmire

Q: How does the future look for UPMC? What are the biggest challenges facing it as you depart?

A: UPMC is the largest driver of economic development and employment in the region. I expect that they will continue to diversify and lead the way on cutting-edge biotechnology initiatives. I enjoyed my time at UPMC but have given up my job to explore this race because I feel strongly that Congress is out of touch with the concerns of everyday Americans and leading the country down entirely the wrong path. It is obviously a huge personal and financial risk for me and my family, but I simply cannot stay on the sidelines when I believe I have something to offer the national debate.
MR's reply: Jason didn't come close to putting together an answer to either of the questions. For that, he might be well suited. But, we don't need to know about the HUGE risk when asked about UPMC. Going to UPMC is a huge personal and financial risk for any individual and his or her family. Perhaps the biggest challenge is to sound like one is NOT out of touch, to stay on the wrong path, to be a driver of employment. Mumbo jumbo.

UPMC is much more than an economic development. UPMC is a hospital and research institution. UPMC is about education, fighting illness for patients and solving health care situations -- and as a sideline, it is about employment.

Tell us about your time at FSU, playing football.

I treasure my memories from my time at FSU. As the years go by I realize more and more what a special opportunity I had to be a part of the football tradition there. I've had six knee surgeries and my playing career certainly didn't turn out as I had hoped, but I got to play for a true legend in Bobby Bowden, which by itself makes it all worthwhile. I learned the value of hard work and perseverance, and even what its like to be totally overmatched. As a wide receiver of relatively marginal ability I worked everyday for an entire season against Deion Sanders, which makes a mere congressional race seem like child's play!

MR's reply: Jason has it backwards. It is football that is child's play. A congressional race should not seem like child's play.

Q: We understand that until now, based on your current job situation you could not speak directly about your personal position on political issues, or your possible candidacy for congress. That said, if someone like, say... you, were to run for Congress how much would he or she need to raise to defeat Congresswoman Melissa Hart?

A: The opposing candidate will need adequate financial resources to get the message out, but I don't think that necessarily means matching Hart dollar for dollar. I'm sure she is going to have all the money she needs given her vulnerability and the growing high-profile of this race. Clearly the minimum needed to mount a credible challenge is $1 million, but it will probably take closer to $2 million when all is said and done. If, as I expect, the race stays close after the primary and late into the cycle, the national money will pour in from both sides and you may be looking a one of the most expensive races in the country.

MR's reply: Jason, don't refer to yourself as "the opposing candidate." It is weird to use the third person to talk about yourself too. Say, 'I will need....' Or say, 'Our campaign team hopes to..."

The cause and effect of Hart having all the money she needs because of the vulnerability doesn't wash for me. If she is vulnerable, she'll not have all the money she needs. And if she is vulnerable, the money won't flow to her as easily and some will sit on the sidelines.

I think it is bad form to predict national money will pour into the race. That is a huge assumption.

Frankly, I have to wonder why it would take $2-million to get my message out to the voters of a congressional district. Is that message that hard to deliver? And, I wonder why anyone would want to burn $2-million for a chance at a job that pays $100K per year.

In the PA State Senate race, a big district sorta close to the size of the US Congressional district -- both the D and R candidates out spent me 250-to-one. In total, I was out-spent about 500-to-one. But the R candidate only out-voted me 5-to-1 and the D candidate who won out-voted me 7-to-1.

In would have good feelings for supporting a challenger candidate who understood that the campiagn would hope to be out-spent by a margin of 50-to-1 or even 100-to-1. However, you'd still have a plan to win.

When I talked with Michael Lamb, months before the campaign really started, he told me that he had a plan to raise the $1-million that was necessary to race in the campaign. He was confident that he'd do it. He was well on the way to doing so. All signals were good. I just rolled my eyes. Michael Lamb's campaign did a great job at raising money. But, there was not $1-M that flowed into the kitty. To telegraph the amounts, and have them so out-of-touch with everyday citizens is self-destruction.

Q: Georgia Berner says she would be the best candidate to take on Congresswoman Melissa Hart. Thoughts?

A: Georgia and I are very different people with very different backgrounds and experiences. The primary will provide a real choice for democratic voters and we'll let the people decide who's better for the district and has the best chance to challenge Melissa Hart. Since the story of my interest in the race became public a couple weeks ago, I've been gratified by the overwhelming positive response and many offers of assistance. I'm confident that it will become clear very early who the democratic frontrunner is by the public endorsements and active support from elected officials from within the district.

MR's reply: The reply is fine. However, I'd go a bit more to a point-counter-point type of answer at this moment and begin to raise some issues. Georgia is for X-Y-and Z while I'm even better a Y-and Z, I also stand for A-B-C and that devotion is clearly hard to match, even by the incumbant. So, your race is not going to discount the opposition D, but you can frame the challenger and yourself on issues and contrast that against what Hart has done. Give a couple props to the loyal party opponent and then dive into the race against HART, the real target.

Q: How come Democrats can't come up with decent candidates to take on Tim Murphy, Don Sherwood, and before possibly you, Melissa Hart?

A: Sherwood's challenge would have to come from a primary because his new district is more heavily Republican. Murphy's district is majority democrat in registration and I'm surprised that a big name challenger has yet to materialize. With two strong Democrats on top of the ticket, 2006 is going to be a different year than we've seen in the past in Pennsylvania.

MR's reply: Who are the two strong Dems on the top of the ticket in 2006? Are you talking about Rendell and Catherine Baker Knoll? I'm left wondering. Is this the challenger to Santorum? The point of the mention is to say that your answer wasn't that clear to non-political people. Why even comment on Tim Murphy's challengers? Say that you are aware of various happenings in the greater political landscape but only comment on things that are near and dear to yourself.

Q: You live across the street from Melissa Hart's brother. Do you lock your doors at night?

A: Obviously this is an awkward situation, which I regret. They have been great neighbors and we hope to remain friends through what promises to be an eventful year and a half. We could have moved away before this race and in fact strongly considered it to relieve the tension. But we like the community and our neighbors, including them. We'll just do the best we can. I view our street as a sort of de-militarized zone -- I've told the Harts that I won't involve the neighborhood and we'll just keep our street completely out of the race. We're going to try to keep it as normal as possible under the circumstances for the sake of our friendship and especially our young children, who play together everyday. For me, this situation is the most difficult part of the campaign.

MR's reply. The awkward situation and point to regret is the question. The best way to keep it normal isn't to talk about it with the media. Nor do I want to hear about a "de-militarized zone" in a political campaign.

How about, "I have a great neighborhood and treasure my community." Nuff said.

10K -- say what -- To me, a 10K is a race. To them 10K is a pay raise.

Front page news: Harrisburg lawmakers are hatching a plan for giving themselves a $10k pay hike.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking about hot I'll be able to run a 10K at the end of the Friends of the Riverfront Triathlon. That's what a 10K means to me.

It will be interesting to see what happens. If my former 'race' opponents, Fontana and Diven, vote for that pay raise, they'll be a little richer for the duration of their terms, but it would be another nail to shut down their elected careers.

Bloggers lobby to fight government regulation

Bloggers lobby to fight government regulation - Are bloggers going mainstream?

Jeepers.

Red State got a mention. My mini-blog there has not gotten too much use. But, they do a fine, fine job.

UPA Properties for sale for $500 minimum. Let's change the ADJACENT policy and extend it farther to better liquidate URA holdings.

The City of Pittsburgh and the URA own a countless number of properties scattered all around the city. These are countless as a real inventory of the property locations and the assets are NOT available. A count and details have been promised, again, to be completed in the next couple of months.

Some of these properties are vacant lots. The lots are in neighborhoods. Often, these were homes that were left to rot and have since been torn down. The city can take the property's deed when taxes are not paid.

As the city owns the properties, the city needs to from time to time, go there and mow the grass and do minor upkeep.

If there is a city owned lot or a paper street (that's a slightly different matter but still has many of the same outcomes), the city will often tranfer the title of the property to the URA. Then the URA has a property manager who can work to sell off that property.

A policy of the city is to sell for $500 or more, vacant lots to adjacent property owners. So, if someone lives right next to an empty, city-owned or URA-owned property and there is not overall plan for that property by the URA, then it can be sold to ADJACENT "qualified" buyers.

A qualified buyer is one who has paid all the taxes, water bills, sewege bills and such. That's a great check. We don't need the city to sell its excess property to property cheats.

But here is the new suggestion!

Let's sell off the excess property owned by the URA to qualified buyers who might not be ADJACENT, but who are NEAR BY reidents.

Perhaps the corner lot is URA-owned. Perhaps the next-door neighbor does NOT want to purchase the corner lot. But, say the people who live in the middle of the block do want to purchase the corner lot. Let's have the URA sell off the property to those who live near by.

I'd say the technical definition of "near by" could be extended by month to stretch from five units to an additional five units each season.

So, in the fall of 2005, all lots are for sale as is the present policy. This gives those who do live ADJACENT to the property time to make that sale that they've been putting off and never needed to make.

Then in the first quarter of 2006, anyone who owns property within five address numbers of a URA-owned lot can make a purchase.

Then in the second quarter of 2006, anyone who owns property within ten addresses of the URA-owned lot can make a purchase.

In third quarter of 2006, the near-by description stretches to 15 address numbers.

Then in the fourth quarter, the near-by description stretches to 20 address numbers.

Perhaps in the future the near-by would grow even farther -- to zip codes or to council districts or perhaps by 200 meters.

I'd also make a restriction that each property owner would be entitled to only one $500 sale per quarter.

Furthermore, an owner of a vacant lot would not be able to be considered a nearby resident. This way a person who gets a vacant lot, or who already owns a vacant lot can't go around a neighborhood and buy up more vacant lots. That person would need to reside on a property to qualify to buy at the new ADJACENT lot price rate.

The URA can sell off some of its properties in other ways as well. But, the URA's track record at getting properties back on the tax rolls is less than a success. The URA is good at getting properties and holding onto them. That is the trend needs to be reversed so the properties are more fluid and begin to generate more income for the city from annual property taxes.

Act 72 Laid to Rest - Press Release from Libertarian Party of PA

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
3863 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
1-800-774-4487
www.lppa.org

For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Doug Leard at 215-646-1502 or David Jahn (Chair) at 610-461-7755

Act 72 emerged from Pennsylvania's General Assembly as a very complicated and confusing piece of legislation. The complexity of Act 72 ensured that just about everyone could find something they did not like.

Many school boards quickly realized that Act 72 threatened their power to tax-and-spend since it gave voters the opportunity to vote against school budgets that raised taxes above the rate of inflation. So, the overwhelming majority of school boards across the state opted out because it would have made them more accountable to taxpayers and voters.

What happens next? The Libertarian party agrees something must be done in the short-term to help property owners who are threatened with the loss of their homes simply because they cannot afford the rising cost of school property taxes. But, we also see rising property taxes for what they really are, a "symptom" of an inefficient and expensive government-run education system.

It is obvious we can no longer afford to keep doing what we have always done before -- raise taxes and throw more money at our public schools. But beyond the money issue, what really needs to be fixed is the "education" side of our public schools. Many parents are dissatisfied with the public schools their children are forced to attend, and a growing number of teachers are frustrated with the constant meddling in education by government bureaucrats and politicians.

Instead of focusing on ways to shift taxes to fund our public schools, Governor Rendell and the General Assembly must begin the process of getting government out of the education business. Pennsylvania needs to encourage a free-market educational system that provides students and parents more choices, where educators have the freedom to use new and innovative teaching methods and where parents would be primarily responsible for the cost of their own child's education.

Education is far too important to be trusted in the uncaring and self-serving hands of government bureaucrats, special interest groups and politicians. We need to put education back where it belongs -- in the hands of parents and teachers!

The Libertarian Party, the third largest and fastest growing political party in Pennsylvania and the nation, continues to provide a beacon of hope for voters disillusioned by the fog of Big Government.