One-Man Think Tank: Pa. Gambling Expansion -- Unintended Consequences

New podcasts from Bill Bostic covers gambling in the first show.

One-Man Think Tank: Pa. Gambling Expansion -- Unintended Consequences

Pedal Pittsburgh is looking for helpers for this year's event in May

This does NOT happen at the Pedal Pittsburgh event.

On Sunday, May 21, 2006 the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh (CDCP) will host Pedal Pittsburgh 2006. Last year, the event was before the May election and I attended to meet and greet riders.

This set of wheels won't cut it for the Pedal Pittsburgh event.

Pedal Pittsburgh is the region’s premier cycling event celebrating design, health, fitness, and urban lifestyles. A ride, not a race, Pedal Pittsburgh offers a variety of course options ranging from 15 to 60 miles to accommodate everyone from recreational riders to hard-core fitness enthusiasts. This fun, educational bicycle ride draws more than 2,000 riders, and highlights the neighborhoods and design landmarks that make Pittsburgh unique.

Volunteers are needed for the following tasks:

* Event Registration - Help us get people registered and ready to ride! (Pre-registration and day-of registration opportunities available)

* Pedal Pittsburgh Course Marshals - Help keep our riders safe as they ride the course!

* Ride Guides - Teach our riders about the design highlights of Pittsburgh by giving guided tours!

* Rest Stop Attendents - Keep our riders energized and healthy by handing out snacks and beverages!

* Lunch Set-up - Help serve lunch to our riders as they return!

* Post Event Clean-up - Help us clean-up after a great day of cycling, site-seeing, and fun!

We won't be in our three wheeled bike at the Pedal Pittsburgh event, sadly. When we left China, we sold this dashing red bick with the back bench.

If you would like to volunteer, or if you would like more information on Pedal Pittsburgh 2006, contact 412.391.4144 or e-mail at vwilson@cdcp.org, or www.pedalpittsburgh.org.

Veronica Wilson, administrative coordinator, community design center of pittsburgh,
the bruno building, 945 liberty avenue, loft #2, pittsburgh, pa 15222
Proceeds from Pedal Pittsburgh 2006 benefit the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, a non-profit organization that improves the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by encouraging good design of the built environment. The CDCP does this by investing in strategic projects, helping individuals and communities access architecture and planning resources, and educating the public about the impact of design.

Fifth-Forbes developer put on hold by O'Connor

Mayor O'Connor says, "We'll think again." Way to go Bob!

Fifth-Forbes developer put on hold by O'Connor 'I'm not going to take letters of intent from anybody until I see all the proposals,' he said. 'I want to have ongoing discussions with them and other potential investors in our city. We want to evaluate who has the best scenario for the people of Pittsburgh.'

Keep the options open. Keep an open mind. Haste makes waste.

Getting to the starting line isn't an easy feat.

SI.com - 2006 Winter Olympics - Tim Layden: Mancuso, USOC in flap over RV - Saturday February 11, 2006 5:15PM Sometimes the most difficult part of winning an Olympic medal is navigating the inconveniences that accompany the Games to arrive at the starting line whole.

Same too with politics.

Pro se - Wikipedia's definition. This is a new word I've been exposed to.

Can you dig it, "pro se."

Pro se - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Pro se is a Latin adjective meaning 'for self', that is applied to someone who represents himself (or herself) without a lawyer in a court proceeding, whether as a defendant or a plaintiff and whether the matter is civil or criminal. Most courts allow people to appear in court and submit legal documents pro se, but some prohibit legal 'persons' such as corporations from appearing without representation. Pro se litigants are usually able to obtain assistance from a pro se clerk, or in very limited circumstances, the judge may even give certain advice from the bench on how to navigate the law.

The decision to appear pro se may sometimes be one of necessity, given the cost of legal representation.

Turning back the clock on past stances.

I wrote in one of my recent statements, "It was the Pittsburgh Public School's Board of Education (nine elected members) that ended the COKE OVEN threat in Hazelwood. I was there with GASP saying no.

Then a person emailed me to say:

I have to say, I was for that project. Sun Oil's emission standards surpassed the EPA's. That plant was eventually built in Ohio and cost $1 billion dollars. The very kind of jobs we need in Pgh/AC.

The School Board was able to kill the deal because SUN OIL wanted a tax break. The School Board could NOT have stopped the building of the plant. But, the building of the plant, without them paying what they should have paid in terms of taxes was what did them in.

I like jobs. I like industry. I like it when folks build things here. But, come and work and earn a profit and pay your share of taxes. Don't ask for a handout so that the kids get robbed. The plant was seeking to pay less to the school district, pay less to the city, pay less to the county. That's the nature of the tax break. That is what the TIF was about.

Recently, a lot of second guessing has been made of two other bigger deals in Western PA. The Sony plant that made flat screen TVs down the Mon Valley and the auto plant where they used to make VWs. In both instances, big tax breaks were given and jobs were produced. But, as the tax breaks come to an end -- the plants shut down.

We've been played for suckers time and time again. Industry or even executive buildings want to build here -- if there is a tax break. We need to bribe them to build. PNC Firstide needed a T-stop and a Parking Garage. PNC Plaza needs $30-million grant from the state and a $18-million TIF from the city, school and county.

Enough is enough.

Our schools can't give anything any more. The kids are not learning as they should. Some of our buildings are old and many need major renovations. Other districts are failing much worse -- like Duquesne -- that may need to merge with Pgh. Public Schools.

We can't give anyone a free pass.

When we give away this to one corporation, then we are expected to give away something else to everyone else that enters the scene. Then we give away all this to new arrivals -- and the ones who have to pay are the one's who have been here all along. That just isn't fair.

And, it isn't wise to give tax breaks to a firm like American Eagle Outfitters. They move to the South Side from Warrendale. How smart is it to give them money just to move from 724 to 412? That is our money. That can't be good economics.

We need to be insisting upon sustaining jobs that pull their own weight in terms of taxes and market place successes.

To give something away to firm Z -- you have to take in more from firm X. That isn't fair. That isn't how the marketplace needs to work. That is why we are NOT free. The real growth jobs and growth industries are the ones that are going to make their own marks and profits and do so without handouts and bailouts and tax breaks. Those are the ones we need to move here.

Same too with US Airways and the airport. While US Airways had a lock on the airport we built for them, they provided plenty of jobs. But there was a cost to that in terms of higher tickets we had to pay to fly out of Pittsburgh. We had to create a lot of debt that we still deal with for building the airport. And, when other airlines came in -- US Airways would cut prices to those routes. They had a bit of a monopoly -- and had a lot of perks coming from government.

US Senators and even James Roddey, as were others, were keen on building US Airways its hangars and meeting other demands. Those perks soiled the marketplace and couldn't last forever.

Now we have more airlines into and out of the airport and prices for travel has gone down. Southwest would have never come into the market given the dominance of US Airways and the deals it was cutting with our elected politicians.

We need to shoot for honest, viable business partners who provide value -- without the handouts. I feel that type of business operation is a different breed. And, those folks don't want any part of a landscape that has favorites woven into the pockets of government politicians.

We need a new day where we stick to the basics. Everyone needs to pay what they should. That's the fairness that I crave for Pittsburgh and Southwestern PA for my kids.

Freedoms, Liberty and Justice for ALL -- everyone paying their fair share -- that works for me. That is what I mean when I say, "Liberty XL, One size fits all."

Call me bull-headed -- but call me fair. Extras for friends, wink, wink, -- no thanks.

Thanks for the email.

10 Qs and As for delivery on Feb 12, 2006 - Snips from Platform.For-Pgh.org

Link to my recent answers. First link goes to my speaker's notes. This is the full text of the replies. In the 10-minutes, I didn't get to say everything I had hoped to deliver. The second link goes to the actual transcript of what I did say at the event. My talk was recorded and re-typed.

1) 10Qs and As for delivery on Feb 12, 2006 - Platform.For-Pgh.org Full length text replies to the ten questions from from The League of Young Voters. (Speaker notes.)

2) Transcript of what was said to the group. Transcripts of talk on 2-12-06 - Platform.For-Pgh.org.

Original post was from 4:30 pm. Updated with transcripts at 9:30 pm.

Out of the sound proof booth....

The League of Young Voters and a bunch of other "progressive" organizations, with the help of City Councilman Bill Peduto, hosted a meeting today at Club Cafe, on 12th Street, on the South Side.

The opening speaker was Congressman Doyle. He gave a general view of matters from his perspective in D.C. He welcomes the challengers to his seat in the months to come, both within his party and from elsewhere.

The rules were such that candidates were not allowed to listen to the other candidates. So, I slipped home for a moment to see the wife and kids. My wife said, "I'm so happy to know that you all (the candidates) are working in a vacume and not able to share good ideas."

In case anyone cares, I'm running for PUBLIC OFFICE. And, I'm a voter in the district too. And, the worst thing we can do is run campaigns that are insulated to the rest of the field and world.

I want to know what the others in the race are saying, not JUST so I can blog about it. But because I want to unravel the falsehoods quickly. And, should I not win the seat, I want to make sure that what gets said does not get forgotten for the future.

False promises are everywhere when candidates are hungry for election wins -- with the other guys.

My replies to the ten questions are on the Platform.For-Pgh.org.

I'll try to get my exact words to be posted shortly, as I made a tape of myself.

Open Office . Org

This is a joke. But, have you used OpenOffice.Org yet?

Nice site, http://www.openofficetips.com/

More state funding for needier schools in Rendell's proposed budget

More state funding for needier schools in Rendell's proposed budget Mr. Rendell said the proposed change in basic education funding would lift 132 districts above $9,030 per pupil but still would leave 21 below that target.

Pittsburgh isn't one of them.

The city schools already spend $15,173 per student. The district would benefit from the governor's basic education funding plan, anyway, because it calls for an increase of at least 2 percent for all school districts.

Pittsburgh's basic education funding would increase from $127.8 million to $130.3 million, not including special education, busing, food service and other separately funded programs. Almost a quarter of the school district's $533.6 million budget comes from state basic education funding.

Ed Gainey, once removed from ballot -- trys again

Ed Gainey to enter state House race: "Ed Gainey to enter state House race

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Ed Gainey, a former assistant to former Mayor Tom Murphy, today will formally announce his second bid to unseat state Rep. Joseph Preston, D-East Liberty.

Mr. Gainey, 35, will announce his candidacy at 11 a.m. at the Kingsley Association on Frankstown Avenue, Larimer.

Mr. Gainey won the party's endorsement over Mr. Preston two years ago, but he was removed from the ballot by court order due to problems with his nominating petitions.

Mr. Preston has held the office since 1983.

Perception is reality with police station closure

No major effects from station closing - PittsburghLIVE.com By Karen Roebuck and Mark Houser

The closing of the West End police station has not significantly affected crime in the area.

Here there is a story, and a story behind the story. Or, stories that dangle after the story.

On face value, the crime stats might be such that the loss of the police station was not a big deal in terms of crime prevention. That is understood. The police have said many times that they don't just hang out in the police station and wait for a call from 911 and then rush out to the neighborhood from the police station. The police cruise the neighborhoods (or zones) and are not going to the scenes from the police station. So, the police coverage in each zone is about the same even without a physical police station around the corner.

That part of the discussion is given and is where the news article goes. But there is more to think about.

First, the crime statistics are now being questioned. This was blogged about a while ago here. A candidate question was put out about rummor reports being more accurate than police reports. Then on the night of the AFC Championship Game, ZERO arrests were reported, from the police. That was questioned as good "spin" and not what really happened. The police might not have made an arrest, and released those people, but there were linger questions. What happens on the paper reports and what happens on the streets is hard to justify.

"It follows the trend of the city," said Pittsburgh police Deputy Chief William Mullen. "The crime rate hasn't been this low since 1996."

Well, when the paperwork isn't trusted, that's bad.

Residents, community activists and some politicians have called for reopening the station ever since it closed. The 17 neighborhoods it once served now are covered by the Zone 3 station in the South Side.

The big voice here in question is that of Mayor Bob O'Connor. Bob made a campaign promise. We're wondering if the promise is to come true or not.

Theresa Smith, founder of the Southwest Community Coalition, which is fighting for the reopening of the station, questioned the validity of the statistics.

"The bottom line for us is, we want our police station open," she said. "I don't think these statistics bear any weight on whether we feel safe in the community."

Exactly.

Elliott and Mt. Washington are the only two neighborhoods once served by the old Zone 4 station that have endured significant increases in major crime from 2003-05. I guess if you are in those neighborhoods, or if crime happened to you, that's significant enough.

Residents are moving out of the area as a result, she said. YES, this is where we need to put our larger focus. What about home sales? What about the population loss? What about home values? What about school-aged children in local schools?

This brain-drain and population loss in Pittsburgh has been such a big story, from time to time. But, the links between police station and schools to the overall exodus of our citizens, (our families and friends), is seldom made in the media.

For example, the city council raised parking taxes. The parking tax generated more money for the city. But, in turn, how many companies moved out of the city? How many more are getting ready to leave as the next opportunity presents itself? In the first six months, or the first two years, a higher tax is going to generally make more money -- but -- it is going to kill us in the long run.

Later, we'll lower the tax and it won't really help in the inverse. If the tax dropps later, as I have proposed in my policy planks, it might only be enough to get more of today's workers to drive to work rather than take the bus. The later tax drop won't be with enough sizzle to get new workers or expanded workers employed in real jobs town.

The police brass review neighborhood crime statistics -- and those statistics are NOT open enough to the citizens.

Right Sized School Plans -- it is getting better

The Right-Sized plans from Mr. Roosevelt are online at PghBOE.Net. Many great changes are within the new edition of the plan.

I'm glad that they are going to 'think again' about Schenley High School.

It is good that Friendship gets a school.

It is fine to get the K-5 kids out of Greenway Middle School.

I'm glad that the Rodgers Middle School move could still happen -- perhaps next year -- to a more central location. Thinking again on that school move is welcomed.

I'm sad that there isn't anything in there about the pre-k programs.

I'm sad that Knoxville is slated to close. But, perhaps that school can be a home to the Creative and Performing Arts Middle School a year from now.

I'm not happy that the school on the western edge of the city, already with a rehab, isn't going to re-open.

Bergwin is still slated to close and that is WRONG. The district needs to make a move to expand with Duquesne (not university). Bergwin is important for that flexibility. Hazelwood can make a comeback -- but without Bergwin, it will be nearly impossible. And, the numbers used to justify the closing of Bergwin were not accurate, so I hear.

The folks of Hazelwood didn't put up a big stink when Gladstone was lost, first as a high school around the time of the closing of Fifth Avenue HS. And later as a Middle School. But the conventional wisdom and promises that were give with the shut down was to spare Bergwin. That was a great compromise -- and a deal -- that just shattered. Another broken promise, I guess.

Bergwin's test scores, attendance and pre-school were making serious strides upward.

When is a K-8 school not a K-8 school

I've been trying to get my head around this concept in the Pittsburgh Public School's plan to "Right Size" -- but -- how right is it to claim a school is K-8 when it isn't K-8?

Is the plan to right size and wrong name?

It seems to me that a new agenda for getting schools that educate students from grades K to 8 should have classes of each of those grades. And, if there is research that shows that there is an educational benefit to these schools that are K-8 -- but we only call them K-8 and really have two schools, one K-4 and the other 5-8, (or whatever ), then can we expect that the educational advantages might be absent too?

I sorta like K-8 schools and the concept that they bring to a city and family. But, if I send my kids to a K-8 school and one child is in grade 2 and the other is in grade 5, and they are in different buildings, then this is not a K-8 school.

The trap that the school district falls into -- as well as with other public organizations -- is to look at the world from their perspective. It is more about the kids, the families, the tax-payers, the general community. If one principal covers two buildngs, fine. But don't expect to sell the idea that those two buildings make one K-8 school. For a parent who drops off and picks up kids at two buildings, it isn't one K-8 school.

So, my question within this post deals with the coupled schools. Where are they in releation to each other?

Next we'll be snookered into a notion that PNC Park and Heinz Field are really one stadium. Yeah, right.

Yank, yank

The magnet program at Schenley High School is again open for registration. This program is the Robotics Technology program. Parents need to sign up at Schenley and the school officials fax the magnet applications to Pgh Public School's central administration offices.

Parents who withdrew their children from Schenley for the 2006-07 school year, because of their concern that Schenley's Oakland facility might close, should reapply now while the window is open.

Eight CC Skiers -- two from USA -- have rich blood and must sit

The Daily News Online Eight Olympic cross-country skiers, including two Americans and one former gold medalist, were suspended for five days after they were found to have excessive hemoglobin levels -- the first hint of scandal at the Turin Games.

The suspensions, announced Thursday by the International Ski Federation, last five days from the day the tests were administered. The U.S. Ski Association said the tests were taken Wednesday, meaning the athletes will be barred from competition until at least Monday.

When you work hard, and screw up, that's a shame. But, people do it, sadly.

This is hard news to understand. We'll be dealing with this a church this Sunday.

A 13-year-old boy is dead after playing a choking game, where young people try to get a quick high by being choked with ropes or belts. The parents of the Mount Lebanon boy warned others of the dangers of the game, which has been deadly for other young people throughout the country in recent weeks.

Our kids are precious. And, our kids come to us without much of anything. They grow, and they have energy -- but they need so much. It is such a blessing to give.

In times like these, our priorities get a wake-up call.

Image Gap -- going south of the border

The Loft - Blog Archive - Policy, Not PR, Key to Better Image for Mexico Suffering what officials describe as “Mexico bashing,” the government has hired a Dallas-based public relations firm to fix its image. Unfortunately, the fix to the problem has nothing to do with PR and everything to do with policy.

According to a story in the Washington Times, the PR firm Allyn & Co. has been hired by the Mexican government "to polish its image amid rising concerns in the United States over illegal immigration and a growing sentiment in Congress to better secure the border with Mexico."

“I can’t think of a worse time of Mexico bashing in recent history than now,” embassy spokesman Rafael Laveaga told The Washington Times. “Unfortunately, we don’t find any positive viewpoints."

The Fox administration has criticized efforts in Congress to upgrade the government’s control of the U.S.-Mexico border, including pending legislation that would authorize the construction of nearly 700 miles of high-security fencing and designate illegal entry as a felony."

Has Tom Murphy left New Orleans?

My call to Double Ms sports talk show - ESPN Radio

Mark Madden, back from the hospital, is on the radio again. He really ripped upon Dan Onorato(Allegheny County's Chief Executive) and Bob O'Connor (mayor). Double M love hockey and really wants to keep the Penguins in town. He isn't alone in those desires.

KDKA radio had an interview with the politician earlier -- and a recap was delivered to the listeners via the show host. It is hard to do a recount of the conversations on the air in a civil way -- as he ripped, as he generally does.

I called the show. I had four or five serious questions to put to him, but after the first I got clicked off the air.

I said something like this, "I think it would be great if the Penguins got a new arena. But, I want Mario to keep it. Don't give it to the city. Keep it in private hands. Mario should operate it."

He said, "Why don't you want a free gift."

I said, "We are just able to keep our head above water as it is. The new arena is like an anchor that the city doesn't need at this time."

But it is a gift, he said. And the incomes it makes.

I said that the incomes are still going to be flowing to the city regardless of who owns the building. (more type but not on the air...) The city really only makes the taxes. And the taxes come from a building the city owns or from a building the Penguins or another private operator would own. That wasn't on the air.

I said that the public ownership of the new arena would take away valuable attention that goes beyond the scope of what government should be doing. Mario could do a better job of running and programming the building anyway.

I also said it would be great if the Steelers owned Heinz Field and the Pirates, or some other organization, not some authority madness, owned PNC Park too. The city doesn't need to own these facilities.

... click ...

I was off the air. I lost the cell reception and didn't know how he followed my conversation with additional comments.

Look at the long view of this, Penguin fans. If Mario and the Penguins own the building, then it is much harder for them to move the team. Owning the building puts roots into the community that isn't as fluid as owning a franchise in the NHL.

Furthermore, as a city resident, and city recreational leader, I want to have the city own facilities that we all can use and have access too. Our city's priorities have to be about raising our families here. I'd rather put energy and effort into recreation centers and kids rather than corporate boxes and season-ticket holders.

The Isle of Capri plan needs some major adjustments. And the first one -- IMHO -- is that the windfall for the building of the new arena should not end up with the building going to public ownership. Build it. Keep it.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/09/2006 | Philadelphia named Olympic 'partner'

We are worried about a hockey areana and a casino -- while at the other end of the state some are bucking for the Olympics in 2016.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/09/2006 | Philadelphia named Olympic 'partner': "On the eve of the start of the Winter Games in Italy, the U.S. Olympic Committee announced yesterday that it had chosen the Philadelphia region to be one of its community partners.

No, this does not mean that the 2016 Summer Games are coming here. But in the view of the man heading the effort to make that happen, such a designation can't hurt.

'We're glad to have the beginning of an official relationship with the USOC,' said Joseph M. Torsella, who, as head of the city's informal organizing committee, has been working behind the scenes for months. 'We hope this is the start of a long and beautiful friendship.'

It remains unclear whether any U.S. city will be allowed to bid for 2016. The USOC is promising to address the matter after the close of the Paralympic Games on March 19 in Turin.

But becoming a community partner indicates that Philadelphia is ready to mount a serious bid if and when the competition starts.