Falbo projects fall behind in paying tax

Great reporting by Rich Lord, again.

Falbo projects fall behind in paying tax: "Falbo projects fall behind in paying tax
Key developer urging patience over $533,000 that he owes

By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On First Avenue, there's a hole in the ground that represents Pittsburgh's dream of turning Downtown into a neighborhood.

Four miles away in Brighton Heights, there's a weedy lot that epitomizes the recurring nightmare of tax delinquency and neighborhood stagnation.

Both are the work of Ralph A. Falbo, 68, of Squirrel Hill, a determined developer and reluctant taxpayer. A builder of scores of subsidized homes for low-income families and the elderly, he has emerged as an important player in Downtown redevelopment, even while delaying or not paying $533,000 in city, school district and county property taxes, according to records.

This is why some people don't want to have open and transparent government. I do. I helped to fight for the property records to be posted upon the county's web site, for all to see, even that of judges.

PA Libertarian Convention Line-Up

The 2006 LPPA Convention will be held March 3 - March 5 at The Atherton Hotel in State College, PA.

Headline speaker: Matthew Brouillette is president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, an independent, non-profit public policy research and educational organization located at the foot of the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. The Commonwealth Foundation is dedicated to advancing state-level public policies based on our nation’s founding principles of limited government, economic freedom, and personal responsibility.

8:30 am – 12:15 pm - LPPA Business Meeting

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Luncheon

Rep. Kerry Benningoft, PA House of Representative, R - Dist. 171 is a fifth-term Republican and former Centre County Coroner. Benninghoff remains an advocate for improving Pennsylvanians health care and is a strong voice against additional government spending and tax increases. The Commonwealth foundation rated Representative Benninghoff in the smaller portion of representatives in respect to the liberty indey. Kerry actually voted to increase liberty – unlike the majority of the Pennsylvania legislators.

2:00 pm – 3:20 Property Rights Panel – Topics Kelo, Heritage areas, invasive species, Green ways.

3:30 – 3:50 Shauna Moser – Penn State YAF (Young Americans for Freedom) Chairperson on campus activism

4:00 - Petitioning for Liberty Panel Discussion with Chuck Moulton, Jim Babb, Ron Goodman, Berlie Etzel, Ken Krawchuck, Paul Teese (chair of the Pennsylvania Green Party) and John Murphy (for the Ralph Nader campaign).

5:00 – 5:15 pm Dr. Julian Heicklen: Separation of church and State.

6:00 - 9:30 pm Cocktail Reception and Banquet with Mr. Russ Diamond Pa Clean Sweep

Joey and his application to Havard

Here goes some more college talk. Yes, I did go to college. Yes, I did respond to the gaffe in the South Pgh Reporter -- scroll down. But this story is about a speedskater who hopes to go to that Ivy League School in Cambridge.

SI.com - 2006 Winter Olympics - What about Joey? (cont.) - Saturday February 18, 2006 7:02PM After Joey won the 500, he announced that he was donating the $25,000 he received from the United States Olympic Committee to the Right to Play organization, which promotes sports for children in the third world. After winning the silver earlier today, Joey said that he planned to also donate the $15,000 he will receive for that medal. He said that eight or nine companies had decided to match his original donation and that his efforts in Turin have so far raised $250,000. The person who oversees Right to Play is Johann Olav Koss, the former speedskater and one of the great Olympians of the 20th century. He won our magazine's Sportsman of the Year in 1994, and told one of our reporters today that because of Joey efforts, donations are coming in from people in Norway and the Netherlands.

Team wins in Slippppery Rock by less than 20 points

Our swim team went up to The Rock early this morning, fighting the wind and ice along the way, to win a swim meet by a very narrow margin. Nice event in the SRU pool.

Sadly, I hear, the powers that be at The Rock are about to close the mens and womens swim teams, water polo programs and wrestling. That stinks.

My kids did very well. The end of the scholastic swim season is here too. No more HS dual meets, just championships. Good luck swimmers. It's taper time.

NHL won't commit to Olympics past 2010

SI.com - 2006 Winter Olympics - NHL won't commit to Olympics past 2010 - Friday February 17, 2006 12:27PM The NHL will review several factors -- including the risk of injury -- before deciding if it will commit to sending players to the Olympics past the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

This is why the NHL is such a bad bet, pun intended. The NHL didn't have a hockey season recently too.

This isn't about the chances of injury for the players. This is about a lack of capacity in terms of relationships.

But, the NHL's Penguins franchise is married to the Isle of Capri plan -- and NOT able to think again in terms of alternative or twists to the plan. So, the commit seems to be there -- sadly -- the commit is going to the wrong avenues.

The world gathers its greatest snow and ice athletes together once every four years. To take a week or two off from the season, or to have a 100 players absent for a couple of weeks, or even months, is worthy.

PA Constitution

WARNING: The version of the PA CONSTITUTION SEEMS TO BE WRONG.

See the comments. Posted elsewhere in HTML.

Be careful what you wish for - PittsburghLIVE.com The Pennsylvania Constitution does not need a makeover. The commonwealth does need new politicians -- governor, legislators and judges.

Wow. Version of the PA Constitution are WRONG, it seems.

Talk:Pennsylvania Constitution - PittsburghPlatform: "'Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age and Representatives twenty-one years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of the State four years, and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State) and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.'"

Tech Companies Grilled by U.S. House in terms of China's demands

Sparks flew in a crowded courtroom as House Representatives demanded explanations from technology giants Yahoo, Microsoft, Cisco and Google in their involvements with China. After taking heavy fire from concerned Democrats and Republicans for their adherence to China's restrictions on free speech, representatives from each company faced hours of grueling questioning.

Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Tom Lantos (D-Ca) were among the most passionate speakers against the corporations. They criticized the companies for allowing China to censor their own Web searches and content. House members asserted that by giving in to China's regulations, the companies were furthering social oppression and totalitarian principles.

Only one Representative, Adam Smith (D-Wa) defended the companies, saying that blame should be focused more on the Chinese government itself, and that withholding Internet business from the country would not ultimately change Chinese policies. Company representatives whistled a tune similar to their previous reactions over the past several weeks, claiming that it was better for Chinese citizens to have censored information as opposed to no information at all.

More:
House Member Criticizes Internet Companies for Practices in China
CNET Roundup: Capitol Hill's Fury on China
Video: Taking Heat over Censorship in China
Video: Tech Giants' 'Nauseating Collaboration' in China

See links and the newsletter at PoliticsOnline.

Have you been watching the Winter Olympics?

The kids and the grand parents, are getting into the Olympics. I've been too busy, but shut down today and watched day-time TV including women's curling and women's hockey.

Team USA lost both. The Sweeden Hockey squad upset ours in a shoot out. Excellent goalie games on both sides.

Number 7, from Sweeden, in a post game interview was asked how much of a difference her coach made in the game. She said, "at the end of the game we couldn't hear him as he had lost his voice."

The USA's 'Big Kinger,' Katie King, summed it up by saying, "Their goalie played well and she stood on her head."

There has been a lot of talk about 'wipe outs' in the Games, overall. The game wasn't a wipe out. But, I'm better fitted to the summer Olympics where conditions are better monitored.

Republicans consider Pittsburgh - PittsburghLIVE.com

I blogged about this elsewhere a day or two ago, so I'll repost my thoughts here.

Short answer: Pass.

We don't need the Republican Convention here in Pittsburgh for many reasons. The biggest reason is we don't have the right spaces. If we had a new arena along with the old, existing, Civic Arena, then we'd be with a different discussion. We need to have a net gain in terms of assets. Let's build a new arena and keep the old arena. And, let's make all of these facilities owned and operated by the private, not the public, sector.

Republicans consider Pittsburgh - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Before the Democrats settled on Boston, Pittsburgh had a real shot to host the Democrats' 2004 convention, said David Morehouse, a Beechview native who served as Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's traveling chief of staff. Morehouse now works as senior consultant for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the hockey team's attempt to build a new arena.

China set to pardon shunned athletes

The outside wall of a Recreation Center in China that we visited.

SI.com - Olympics - China set to pardon shunned athletes - Friday February 17, 2006 5:23AM Chinese sports officials have repeatedly said the country is unlikely to repeat its Athens haul of 32 golds in 2008.
But state media and national coaches have made far bolder predictions and by most indications China appears determined to top the medals table when the Games come to Beijing.

Five rings, but not Olympic Rings, exactly, on a fence / divide at the swim pool in Chengdu, China.

TV 11 Promo: Lot of Shame

There are snakes and groundhogs in an empty lot and people are waiting for someone to come clean it up.

What's so bad about snakes and groundhogs in an idle bit of land? Snakes might eat upon the mice and rats.

Furthermore, why don't the people who are waiting for someone else to come and clean the lot just do it themselves? They might be able to turn the ground into a presentable space if they just did the work. Why wait for someone else?

We need to be self-reliant. If you see the news clip when it airs, let me know the details. Or, we'll watch the TV 11 web site.

Press release about fact and errors on Krane

Factual errors in news attributed to Krane

Press Release: February 16, 2006 From Daniel Repovz, Media Coordinator,

Elect.Rauterkus.com,

Media@Rauterkus.com, 412-904-2976 Factual errors in this week's news attributed to Krane

A statement in the South Pittsburgh Reporter, a local weekly newspaper with a coverage area that includes the South Side of Pittsburgh, from Tuesday, February 14, needs to be addressed. The quote that is at odds with the truth, ran in a front page article about candidates in the special election for Pittsburgh's city council.

The WRONG quote reads:

"Candidate Bruce Krane emphasized his professional background as a major asset over the other candidates. He is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College, the only college graduate among the candidates since Mr. Sweeney dropped out."

A retraction from the candidate, in a press release or web statement, is in order. And, a correction from the editors and/or publisher should be run in the newspaper as well.

Suggested CORRECTION:

It was wrongly reported within a quote in last week's edition of the South Pittsburgh Reporter that only one candidate seeking the city council seat has a college degree. Bruce Krane claimed to be the only candidate with his own a college degree. Three others in the race have a four year degrees.

Mark Rauterkus, candidate for city council, has earned a college degree, BS in Journalism from Ohio University, 1982. Rauterkus graduated with honors and also attended graduate school in Texas at Baylor University.

Two other candidates on the ballot, Michael Waligorski and Neal Andrus, stated they have four year college degrees as well. Meanwhile, Jason Phillips, 24, has a two-year college certificate and is in college.

"Krane is displaying difficulty in his counting ability," said Rauterkus. "We need to elect a person to city council who can look past the end of his own nose.

It seems to me that there are four or four-and-a-half, among the eight person field for this race who have college degrees -- certainly not one."

Krane has made other gaffs at candidate events. Krane said he was the only candidate with legislative experience while Eileen Conroy was present. She objected.

At an event on January 30, 2006, at the City Theater, on the day Kranes disaffiliated from the Democratic Party, Krane stood and told the audience that he was a Democrat. Krane's blatant error was retracted at the end of the night in his closing statement.

Rauterkus said, "It is important to hold candidates and government officials accountable. Let's give Krane his due. I have no problem saying Krane is the only one in the race who has advanced to the special election ballot after earning zero votes from his old party's endorsement." The city's Democratic committee for district 3 voted on January 29. Krane came in last on that ballot with zero votes.

At an Arlington event on February 7, Rauterkus spoke in disagreement with another Krane premise. Krane mentioned that nothing can be done until Pittsburgh fixes its budget problems. Rauterkus firmly asserted that we, as a community, can play with our children even as the city's

floundering and broken budget crisis lingers. Rauterkus stresses, "Our kids can't be put on hold until fiscal solvency comes to Pittsburgh." Rauterkus feels that a broken budget isn't a good excuse for continually ignoring our kids.

"Volunteerism, programs and coaching doesn't cost much, if any money, for the city's budget," said Rauterkus. "Many events, such as The Great Race made money for the city. The Great Race was nixed one year to heighten the crisis for the Democratic mayor."

Another bogus self-proclamation from Krane goes to his lone status among candidates as a veteran of the armed forces. 

Earlier this month, Rauterkus filed papers with the courts to object to Krane's signatures on nomination papers that granted him access to the ballot for the special election. The judge ruled on Tuesday that Krane could still be on the ballot despite the fact that none of the signatures from 200 the electors in the district were obtained after Krane changed his registration from Democrat to political body, Krane for Council.

Rauterkus pushed the election rule matter to an Administrative Judge, Jos. James, to decide upon the validity of nomination papers from political body candidates who gathered signatures and put them in escrow until after they lost the special election's nomination as a political party member. "We had clear case law on our side," said Rauterkus.

"When we had the day in court, a clerk for the judge and a cryptic PA Supreme Court decision from the early 1980s overruled what I felt to be sound practices for signature gathering of candidates," said Rauterkus, who is not going to push for an appeal.

Rauterkus welcomes both Bruce Krane and Bruce Kraus onto the ballot and said that both candidates are worthy opponents who are sure to assist by pulling votes from the endorsed Democrat.

"We can get a Libertarian onto City Council given the crowded field and bumbling campaign statements from status-quo office seekers," said Rauterkus.

"Many of my supporters said that my election day victory is more probable with two additional disgruntled Democrats still on the ballot, rather than off. For this reason, some suggested that a ballot challenge win would prove counterproductive. Conventional wisdom and the mathematical facts prove this to be true, of course. However, the legacy of politics as usual has to change for Pittsburgh. We need people to step up and take on issues when and where they are presented," said Rauterkus.

Speaking to the school board: Among other things, "Don't Sell South."

The statement as part of the wiki: To PPS on 2-13-06 - Platform.For-Pgh.org

Or, as a one-page PDF: Statement to the Board and Administrators of Pittsburgh Public Schools is available in a PDF format, one-page. This can be printed and handed out to school teachers, PTOs and others with an interest in the schools.

Original posting was 2-13.

Councilman urges diligence to avoid TIF max-out

Diligent. To lay the shovel down, that is diligent.

Councilman urges diligence to avoid TIF max-out 'We have to be very diligent about prioritizing what projects get [TIFs],' said Mr. Peduto.

NONE is diligent. Enough is enough. NO to ALL TIFs.

We should want sustainable business ventures here. We should not need to bribe others to move and open here. If they come in with a TIF, then we'll never get the real expansion here that is needed.

We don't have any more money to be tossing it around as we used to do. We're broke.

And, we don't want to be doing what we should NOT be doing. Government needs to govern and get out of the development business. Then, we get developers who want to govern.

Urban League forum tonight targets safety in, around city schools

Urban League forum tonight targets safety in, around city schools ... Residents have called for more crossing guards to watch over children in the Hill District and other neighborhoods. Salaries for about 140 guards have been a matter of contention between the city and district in past years, with the city paying for them so far this year.

Crossing guards.... They matter too.

City maxing out tax breaks - PittsburghLIVE.com

TIFs, explained well in this article, stink. The tax break goes to the corporations. The corporation pays less and the bills are increases for the little guys.

City maxing out tax breaks - PittsburghLIVE.com Pittsburgh is preparing to save PNC Financial Group $18 million on a new $170 million skyscraper with a special tax-financing offer, and that plan -- almost guaranteed approval by local taxing bodies -- would edge the city closer to a state-mandated limit on such deals.

I've been against TIFs for years. Back in 2000 I ran on a platform that said, "NO MORE TIFs." In 2005, I said we should change the laws for TIFs in Harrisburg. In 2006, I still say -- NO MORE TIFs. None.

TIFs are very clever. They were master-minded and perfected by Tom Murphy. People from around the world have come here to see how it has been done - and they've done a decent job in duplication of the desired effects -- ripping off taxpayers who pay their fair share.

TIFs take away from school kids who are in schools today.

TIFs take away from police presence, garbage collection, rodent control and traffic engineers who need to keep our streets and sidewalks operational.

TIFs take away from home owners who then have to pay more because a downtown skyscrapper pays $18-million less than it should. And, PNC Plaza already got a $30-million GRANT from Harrisburg's Rendell anyway. The $18-million goes on top of the $30-million. The subsidization of that building is greater than $1-million per floor.

Q & A with the PFT

I'd love to get the endorsement, and some campaign funds, from the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. 412 431 5900

My dad is a retired Pittsburgh Public School teacher of many years.

More insights.

Medal Contest

The top nations in terms of total medals so far:

Noreway = 11
RUSSIA = 9
USA = 7

Those who have entered the contest I promoted last week are all going to get a gift from me in the mail. Deadline has passed.

SI.com - 2006 Winter Olympics - Russians continue domination in pairs skating - Monday February 13, 2006 9:40PM

SI.com - 2006 Winter Olympics - Russians dominate in pairs skating - if you ignore 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

In Pairs Figure Skating, there wasn't a scoring flap as there was at the last Olympics. The Russians won with room to spare. But how about those skaters from China: 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

The top pair from the USA got 7th.

What does that do to the skating show that tours the states after the Olympics end? Isn't there generally a "Champions On Ice" show that comes to the Civic Arena? Do you think that the pairs from China are going to be as big as an attraction for the masses of spectators? I don't know.

When we were in China, we did go to a skating facility -- but it wasn't for "ice" but rather "roller skating." We were in the southwest part, much like Florida weather, so ice skating wasn't to be expected.

This skating rink was rather interesting however. It was right on the landing within the large, central sports (soccer) stadium. A roller rink was on the cement within the second level of the stadium. No wasted space.

At another edge within the stadium there was a ballroom dancing studio -- where space was used for dance. The space was not enclosed by glass or anything special, but more like a fence or larger metal gates that could have been locked to keep folks from entering into the areas of the seats in the stadium, but you could easily see the field and such.

Other places around town were used for community dance and more group exercises -- but this dance studio within the stadium was more of a formal ballroom set up with more limited use and coaching, it seemed.

Generally, the Chinees are not only world class at diving and syncro swimming -- they are OUT OF THIS WORLD. So, it goes to reason that they'll be tops in the figure skating too. The sports of diving (springboard, platform, syncro) have a similar artistic yet athletic constitution.

Meanwhile, we Americans, and even my 2nd son, is all RAD about the half-pipe and the snowboarders. Yesterday, he got a hand-me-down board and boots from a bigger kid we have known from school. They share the same birthday. But he is four years older. So, of course, my guy is pumped to hit the slopes and try out the new gear.

Today's P-G reported upon the Pittsburgh connection with the guy skater representing the US. His mom and some other family is local. That's 'neat.'