Another candidate night -- another pound of flesh.

Tonight we held another candidate night. That might be the last one of the season for the special election race for city council. The election is just around the corner -- on PI Day, March 14, 2006.

There were some big time moments in the evening. Some made me mad. Others made me laugh.

To the credit of some of the other candidates, I am hearing some changes to their routines. On many instances, what was said by them a month ago has "evolved" into something more pleasing to my principles. Some, not much, but some. And, there are other areas where there are still serious blind spots and trouble areas.

First the heat.... to the very end of the night, the last question was raised. "Would you do the job and serve as city councilman if the job paid NOTHING. Would you do it for free???

My answer started with a policy statement I made months ago. Presently we have two oversight bodies -- dual overlords. And, we have city council. So, there are THREE agencies where there used to be one. I've suggested that every elected official in city government (mayor, controller and council members) and everyone working as Act 47 Overlords and ICA Overlords be paid HALF of what they are being paid now. Then the other half would go into escrow and finally be paid out in two stages, as a bonus, AFTER the city ends its OVERLORD period and then the other payment three years later to insure that the city doesn't slide back into bankrupcy.

Basic feeling here is to reward these folks for doing the job -- at the end of the job. They have little incentive to do a good job with the programs that they put in place and they have little incentive to get the job finished.

As to me working for no pay -- first off, I would NOT even run for public office if times were good. Because we have a crisis, I feel the need to enter the life as a candidate and hope to win the seat on council. Without the crisis, I'm doing other things with my life.

And, because of this 'crisis' where real solutions and sustainable changes in direction are needed, I WOULD be willing to serve on City Council for no pay.

As it is now, with the pay, our family is going to take a financial hit. I'll be getting the job and the pay check, and I think there is a big chance that we'll make less money than if I didn't have the job. (We can talk more on the math of that deal later, if asked, or if interested.)

Then came the REPUBLICAN's remark, out of turn, starting with, "No offense to Mark, but he doesn't have a job now. Right?" (Exact quote, from the transcripts.) "Are you not a stay-at-home dad?"

That was the opportunity to mention a quote from a recent, glowing endorsement from another blogger and jump to a modern day Ben Franklin come-back. But, I didn't have her exact quote in my pocket, were it should have been.

I said, "Yeah, there is an offense there."
N.A., "You don't have an income."
I said, "I do have an income. That is a bold face lie, Neil. I am a swimming coach."
N.A. "Okay you're a swimming coach. It's part time."
I said,"Okay. Park's guy, (that's to Neal directly, a guy who worked for seven years at Citiparks) you are going to knock on a swimming coach?"
N.A. "Is it part time, isn't it Mark?"

N.A. isn't going to give it a rest, as he was way off target and grasping at things he didn't know or understand. The moderator is speaking from the back of the room. "He answered the question."

I said, "Do I have a job or not?"
N.A. "You're not honest. Your not making a tremendous financial sacrafice...."

I said, "I am honset."

N.A. got in another jab, "I'm just saying you are not making a financial sacrafice."

Moderator: "The question was posed, 'would you do it for free?' That is all we are asking. Yes or no. You're turn (to J.P.).

The meeting came to a close shortly after that with two more saying their answer to the question.

I think the offending miss-information won't be blurted out again -- in front of a public audience, as the Republican came to see my points after the meeting closed.

Two other times in the evening the divide between hilltopers and the fortunate in the flats came to a head -- when I felt that I was put on the wrong side of the fence. I see the trend in Pittsburgh where the rich get richer and the poor poorer. This is more than perception and bad PR -- it is too often our public policy.

So, there was a time when a woman said that the kids of Beltzhoover were NOT welcomed when they went to other other swim pools. We used to have 32 outdoor swim pools and the one at Warrington closed a couple of years ago. The kids have a hike to go elsewhere to swim -- such as South Side Flats Ormsby's pool.

Not being welcomed at a park facility within the city is real and it is not to be ignored.

I too have had that same experience, but from the other end of the spectrum. I too have been hurt by it. I too hate that feeling. I too won't want it to happen to others. I too want to fix it.

My story goes back to 1999 and 2000. I worked with others (mostly Hosea Holder) to save the swim team that had used the Oliver Bath House for decades. The team's board was pulling the plug and going to close the team. Hosea and I stood up and re-grouped the swimmers and their families. We worked a year without pay (same theme enters again). The team had its lease pulled by the city and was able to re-position at Schenley High School. Now the team is at Kingsley.

Well in the summer of 2000, I wanted to be a volunteer swim coach at Ormsby and put my kid on the swim team there. Practices in the summers are from 11:00 to 11:45 am. My oldest was a good swimmer, but very young. I had been a NCAA Division I coach for six years, had all my certifications, clearances, etc.

The city's officials told me that I was not welcome. I could not be a volunteer swim coach. I was more qualified than anyone in the city -- but prohibited.

This story is part of a KDKA news profile from Ken Rice, that is on my CD, by the way. I was so mad, I announced in public I would run for Mayor, starting in August 2000, for the primary that was in May, 2001.

I was also denied the opportunity, along with PIIN (Pgh Interfaith Impact Network) to install computer labs into eight Rec Centers in 2002. That video is about go live on the web site in the AM.

Good night for now...... Housekeeping: original post was 8:45 pm on March 2) (updated with exact quotes on March 3 at 10 am.

Gentrification and Displacement: Saving Communities

Dan Sullivan is leading a seminar next Saturday that is perfect for the times in Pittsburgh. The depth and scope of the discussion can kick into overdrive when you feast on the mind-food from Dan.

Gentrification and Displacement: Saving Communities Gentrification and Displacement
How to minimize displacement of poor people when revitalizing a city

# People often say they are against gentrification when they are really against the displacement of poor people that usually accompanies gentrification. We show why government policies to promote and revitalize particular neighborhoods are far more damaging to the poor than tax policies that could attract richer property owners with little or no displacement of poor home owners.


Effects of Gentrification
# Improved desirability

# Attraction of wealthier residents

# Increased rents

# Displacement of poorer residents

KDKA - Pittsburgh's Source for Breaking News, Weather and Sports: O'Connor Intoduces New Potential Security Measures

Security is okay. But, the first move should be the rehire of crossing guards, funded from the city's budget. Crossing guards with radios who are re-tooled and able to write tickets would be less expensive and more effective. Crossing guards would better come to know the challenges and the regulars who frequent there.

KDKA - Pittsburgh's Source for Breaking News: O'Connor Intoduces New Potential Security Measures: "The mayor met with officials from the city schools and the Port Authority on Thursday to discuss possible measures to increase security.

They are looking at several possibilities including moving bus stops or changing schedules of some of the 1,200 students who go to school Downtown.

There will immediately be an increased police presence Downtown.

Mayor Bob O�Connor showed a KDKA-TV story, the focus of which was large crowds of teens gathered downtown that may cause trouble."

Remember January 2 PAT bus schedule and the need of Pgh Public Schools to nix that as a 'school day.' Well, I took some heat to mention that PAT is starting to dictate our school schedule. Now, the next step is taken. The mayor wants to adjust the time of the school day so we have a safer downtown.

Solution: Begin by giving an overhaul to the crossing guards. Then count me as one who wants to build up on the other end of the spectrum. I don't want more jails. Rather, we need to give the kids more to shoot for and to shoot at.

The Downtown YWCA, a fitness facility with a basketball court and swim pool -- CLOSED. That's what the kids need, not more officers to boss them around.

Furthermore, the extra police will only push the kids to a near-by area, say, Station Square or some other neighborhood.

We have a serious problem with these kids because they have been ignored.

But we want the people free -- not the politicians. Put them in bondage. Not other way around

With freedom, comes and equal amount of repsonsibility.

No way. County Council's President, Mr. Fitzgerad, D, is so WRONG.

Allegheny County Council again seeking political freedom: Allegheny County Council's Democratic and Republican leaders lined up yesterday behind a bill that would let council members hold onto their seats for a longer time if they run for higher office.

The charter code, as it is, is always going to be approved by the voters as the voters, for good reason, have distain for the candidates and their hyped promises that often go empty.

This effort is barking up the wrong tree in a time when there is a big movement to throw the bumbs out.

Many other moves for the sake of voter engagement could be accomplished -- and it seems as if Fitzgerald and Gasteb are out-of-touch.

And, the LAW does NOT say that council members become candidates when they file their petition papers. The lawyer's read of the charter says that and the lawyer works for the County -- NOT the people.

Philadelphia Signs 10 Year Deal With Earthlink

Bill Peduto, of Pgh's City Council, would not feel so alone if I joined him at the table and we began to work in earnest on some tech projects -- like this one from Philly. But, we can do better than what they've done.

Philadelphia Signs 10 Year Deal With Earthlink blog iconMarjorie | February 3, 2006
| Capacity Building | Community Technology | Wireless

After a seemingly endless battle with Verizon over citywide municipal WiFi provision, city officials have finally signed a contract that will offer low-cost internet service to Philadelphians. The 10 year deal with EarthLink will allow citizens to access high speed internet for a price of around $20 per month. Construction is set to begin immediately on the initial network of 15 square miles in the Northeast part of the city. If successful, EarthLink will bear the costs of expanding it over 135 square miles.

Philly is also an interesting case as it gave $300-million to COMCAST for a downtown high-rise -- as a state gift. Wouldn't you think that Comcast would be a player in the digital delivery sector?

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Meanwhile, in other local high-tech network news, we are faced with this:
The Carbolic Smoke Ball: LOCAL CABLE LINES SATURATED: CAN'T HANDLE ANY MORE STEELER NEWS, CALAMITY LIKELY Isn't it shocking how Philly is going wireless and we'll have black-outs! :)

Statement for the South Pittsburgh Reporter

My campaign song, "Lay The Shovel Down," stands for STOPPING wrong-headed, big-ticket spending. Tax breaks make the rich richer and poor poorer. I'll vote NO on TIFs, stadiums and under-river tunnels.

I'm prudent, hate debt and want families to thrive here again. Get my free CD with software and music.

My focus on freedom, liberty and justice for all favors everyone, not cronies.

I coach swimming. Kids are my priority. I want to chair the YOUTH POLICY and Citiparks committee. My expert background from Market House to publisher of 100+ fitness books will insure functional rinks, pools, gyms. Our kids deserve something to shoot at and for, rather than each other with guns.

All benefit with: Bike lanes on streets; Trust in democracy; Youth Technology Summits; Day-cares and Preschools; Subsidized housing for poor (not rich). In-fill-parking treatments in established neighborhoods make more sense than subsidized garages on Second Ave.

I'll cut the deed-transfer-tax and encourage home-ownership by unloading URA properties.

Expect kayaks in Panther Hollow, a marathon, and community fitness. My tech interactions push fairness, transparency, engagement and open-source solutions. Give your input at 390-page Platform.For-Pgh.org/wiki.

Pittsburgh City Paper's coverage is now online

Pittsburgh City Paper - News Uphill Battle
South Side Slopes voters hoping for hill-friendly representation

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Libertarian candidate Mark Rauterkus offers a vision of “kids and freedom. I’m the libertarian who really cares about coaching the kids.” The swim coach would like city high school athletes to play in the same leagues suburban kids compete in -- so “city kids will have something to shoot for." To encourage more residents, he favors a four-year "tax holiday" on the city’s deed-transfer tax, and taxing land only, rather than the buildings atop of it. Otherwise, he says, "You’re punished for improving your home." As for gambling, he's wary of the proposals made by would-be developers: Why not put the slots in the convention center? It is a “white elephant operating below capacity," he says.

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Points to notice and redress follow:

In fact, the most striking thing about this campaign is how similar the candidates sound. Each is skeptical about using tax subsidies to lure development -- especially a proposed $18 million subsidy for a new PNC Bank office tower. Each wants to shift from big-bang Downtown development toward neighborhood investment. Each emphasizes increasing the police presence.

I do not think that the candidates sound similar -- to me. There is a lot of common ground as to being sincere. However, most of what I'm talking about was unlike anything that they were speaking on.

Often, when I speak, there is a lot of head nods and people are in agreement with my perspectives. Some of that is starting to show up in the group conversations too.

I have yet to hear anyone talk about the wasteful spending for the tunnel under the Allegheny River to extend the T to the lower North Side (where the stadiums reside). Nobody yet.

Two others in the back of the pack do talk about the end of TIFs, as well. They have joined me on that.

N.A., the Republican, is talking now about the liquidation of the Parking Authority. He must have read my January 29, 2004, editorial. A letter ran in the P-G and I was interviewed on KQV on this topic. It is nice to have him talk about the Parking Authority now.

Meanwhile, League of Young Voters head Mosley says that of the candidates only Phillips, the student, has been seen on campus regularly.

Well, I've never seen K.M., nor any of the other candidates, at a Pgh Public School Board meeting -- NEVER. I've been to Oakland on many instances. And, when I'm on campus, it is often in a capacity that means I should NOT be a candidate. I have a lot of roots in Oakland. My son will be there again for school next year -- at Frick Middle School. Schenley isn't part of K.M.'s range of focus either. I first met K.M. six years ago on a campus, I.U.P. I was there to rally the students for Nader. K.M. was in the audience and we talked at length there. So, he knows I've gone and do go way out of my way to interact with the campus folks and issues.

Brentley switches parties for bid for Pa. House

This is very good news. Bring it on Mark! Not me, but Mark Brentley.

Brentley switches to GOP in bid for Pa. House Mark Brentley Sr. plans to run for the state Legislature as a Republican.

Swim FAST! Go WPIAL swimmers!

The WPIAL meet is underway. That's an amazing time.

Casino bidders pressed on Pens - PittsburghLIVE.com

Give this guy an answer to the question he asks. His questino is an obvious, direct, simple. Someone needs to do some digging among the gambling board and with top stake-holders to find out what's what.

Casino bidders pressed on Pens - PittsburghLIVE.com Barden said he would be willing to 'substantially contribute' toward an arena, but only after getting an answers to questions he has posed to state regulators. He wants to know whether the Penguins should be licensed as an operator-applicant, if they get money from a casino, and whether it's legal to give that much money to a third party.

Support The Pittsburgh Steelers - Buy A Micro Ad!!

Support The Pittsburgh Steelers - Buy A Micro Ad!! Why Micro Ads

Presently, there are four ads on this page. Get in on the ground floor baby!

Newsletter mailed to many extra in District 3

A story and photo ran in the recent edition of the Libertarian newsletter for PA. You can get the entire edition online in a PDF format. See the bottom half of page three for the story by Tim Crowley.

Pittsburgh Libertarian Seeks City Council Seat in Special Election http://www.lppa.org/libpenn/LibPenn_Feb2006.pdf

The local party had the newsletter mailed to some households in the district and throughout Allegheny County.

Ms. Adventures on the Mon: Mark Rauterkus for City Council

I got a great blog endorsement today.... Enjoy the entire read over at that site. Here is the end.

Ms. Adventures on the Mon: Mark Rauterkus for City Council And just how many people are going to dig that? An unfortunate few, since first, these concepts are strange to most, and secondly, with their very mention, Rauterkus taps into the heart of what's sorely lacking in America -- and the word religion will scare some, but put in its context, its evident he's not promoting one in particular, but seems to me to include it as a necessary to the path to spiritual humanity. He neither proselytizes nor judges; his statements possess simple, intrinsic value.

And what the hell does any of this have to do with politics?

Declaration of Independence

And damn wouldn't you know it, Ben Franklin got his grubby little paws on that document, too.

I think Mark Rauterkus is the kind of thinking, progressive person that Pittsburgh City Council needs.

Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes should be embarrassed

Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes should be embarrassed - MarketWatch Newsweek, feeling properly chagrined, saluted this development in its Conventional Wisdom section, writing, tongue-in-cheek, 'We put this jerk on the cover?'

Against TIFs -- my statement to City Council

Statement before Pittsburgh's City Council on March 1, 2006.

I'm Mark Rauterkus, Libertarian candidate for city council in the special election slated for March 14.

I'm the vice-chair of the Libertarian Party of Allegheny County in 2006. I've been active in politics since 1999 when I called a public hearing in city council to oppose a TIF and land-transfer on the South Side to UPMC for a Steelers and Panthers football training facility. This was in the wake of the NO VOTE on the raising of new taxes to pay for two new Stadiums.

Worldwide, cities and urban areas are seeing tremendous population growths. People are moving to the cities in a new urban trend. Cities offer quality of life enhancements that can't be found elsewhere.

However, Pittsburgh is going against the worldwide trend. Here, people are leaving the city in droves. Our population loss makes a bad downward spiral.

We're upside down because city council is doing the wrong things.

Pittsburgh can boom again, with prosperity, families, community – and increase our population, increase our urban fabric – if we make some serious systematic changes.

TIFs are one prime example of how city council and the powers that be are doing the wrong things. The TIFs are tax-breaks for the super-rich corporations and developers and institutions. TIFs make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

TIFs are complicated – by design. But outcomes are obvious to me. Perhaps I have different perspectives because I'm NOT a Democrat.

Yesterday there was a public hearing in council chambers. It was NOT on cable TV. The TIF for new parking garages on Second Avenue makes no sense to me. It cuts against what we should value.

The TIF takes flat land, next to the river, next to a highway on/off ramp, nestled among tight connections to three vibrant city centers (Downtown, South Side and Oakland). This is a valued, prime asset.

But the TIF is also next to a bike path, near to a pedestrian bridge that just got a $5-million dollar federal check.

Plus, this TIF of 2006 is layered upon a previous TIF from a deal in the past decades already, proving a lack of sustainablity to the entire TIF concept.

We don't know how much this TIF is going to cost. The price tag is unknown. People on Council were at the table yesterday and asked, "How much it was going to cost?" Jerry Detore, the director of the URA, didn't tell you.

Additionally, we don't know when the TIF is going to start. It might end in ten years. So, we are not with any certainty when it is going to conclude either.

I feel that there is little to no demand at the location for this TIF. However, people are starving for attention in Hazelwood. Do deals elsewhere where real hunger cries for help.

There is a demand, so we are told, for quality bio-tech lab space. Some of these spaces are called, 'Wet Labs.' Granted, bio-tech jobs make for good paying professionals in high-turnover companies. My wife, a PhD researcher. Today she is working in Texas on the Air Force's largest base – at a hospital as they solve a bio-tech solution that involves distance medicine. They are there to figure out how to program a new hearing device attached to a person's brain while the patient is on the other side of the world.

If we want to be tech darlings, then don't blow hard earned money, what little there is, on a parking garage just down the courtyard from another garage. This town is overboard on parking, as well illustrated by Joe Gratta's article in the P-G this weekend.

Keep your eye on the ball.

But it gets worse.

City Council and the URA want to do this TIF deal with a hand-picked developer. This comes to the public sector for a stamp of approval from city council without an RFP, (Request For Proposals), without a bid (competitive bid process), only so some can suggest the URA picks a buddie that just did the last job.

I was floored to hear of the last parking garage and its success. The boss of the URA said that it was oh-so-successful since it might make a profit, perhaps, in four years. It takes four years until operational costs cover the expenses. Money is being poured down the drain, yet it is called a success and a model.

It gets worse.

This TIF, like other TIFs, takes money from one and gives it to another. This TIF comes after the news of last night's school board vote when the hard decision was made to close 22 schools. The money to pay for this TIF comes right from our schools. Many of the schools to remain open are part of a trend to K-8 settings. But there are many problems because the available schools are not able to house the necessary students and grades.

I predict that the school 'right-size plan' means 2,000 kids leave the school system in the next two years. It only gets worse when we talk about the High School situations in the years to come.

So, city council is going to rob the schools for a parking garage.

And there is more. The TIF is to build parking garages for suburban workers who can commute to these jobs, along our highways, without hope of public transit.

My advice. Say no to the TIF. Don't build the parking garage along the river. Then we'll have a parking problem and people might need to walk to work, or take a bus to work, and perhaps choose to live in the South Side and be my neighbors. Then we'd have a triple win rather than another depressing, bone-headed, unsustainable mistake.

City Councilman Bill Peduto is right on with his questions about building the lab space and not the garages. But, we've seen this line of questions before. In the end, I expect that he'll vote the wrong way. If the city has a shortage of "wet labs" for bio-tech work, then build "wet labs" -- NOT PARKING GARAGES.

I want Pittsburgh to be a community where we can raise our families. I am not interested in making Pittsburgh into a place where we can park our cars. I don't want to see homeowners pay more than their share of taxes to a school district in crisis mode so in the end the city chooses to subsidize car parking of other people who don't live here and don't raise their families here because the schools are so rough.

An expected vote on this issue goes again to Pittsburgh City Council on March 15. The city council special election is slated for March 14. I promise, (as a candidate, as a citizen-taxpayer-homeowner, as a parent of kids in public school, as a spouse of a bio-tech-like worker in a research / university job,) that I'll go again to Council Chambers on March 15, to speak out against this TIF -- and others just like it in the years to come.

If I am able to win the election, then my questions come from the table within Council Chambers. The questions I want to ask can't fit into 3-minutes before the buzzer sounds. The questions I ask will need to have real answers with specifics -- like how much, when, who, how, and lost opportunities to kids and other sections of the city that really need the attention.

As one vote on council -- I might not be able to defeat the TIF, this year. But, I won't give out a free pass so the rich to rob from the poor, as we've seen time and time again from others.

Pitt Sports Blather

Pitt Sports Blather -- Rantings on the Panthers We have guys calling other guys in the morning to wake them up and make sure they get to class. We have guys calling around to make sure other guys have a ride to the South Side for training. We've had amazing results.

Hummm....

We have guys calling guys to remind them to vote for the candidate / coach that, year's ago, didn't want the college to move the football practice facility off-campus so the guys wouldn't need to call each other to get a ride to go watch film or lift or practice where the girls are not allowed.

City Paper -- in news boxes now, and not yet on the web

Pittsburgh's City Paper is out -- today -- Wed, March 1, 2006, and it includes Chris Potter's article about the special election for city council. It is a nice article. Everyone who showed up got some ink and a photo.

I'll link this blog to the article as soon as it appears at www.Pghcitypaper.com.

Betsy Hiel's Winter Olympics Blog

Betsy Hiel's Winter Olympics Blog - PittsburghLIVE.com ... altruistic speed skater Joey Cheek holds the lead. Cheek, a gold and silver medalist here, has donated his U.S. Olympic medal compensation of $40,000 to a charity, Right to Play.

Joey Cheek got to carry the stars and stripes into the stadium for the closing event. Next he gets to go to college. He is the one with the biggest heart this go-around. He got my vote too.

'Right size' is done deal -- but the real quotes isn't for "right size" but for "done deal"

'Right size' done deal - PittsburghLIVE.com The district has 31,148 students.

It wasn't that long ago when the district had 35,000 students. It will not be too long from now when the district has 29,999.

People often vote with their feet. The closing of so many buildings, again, is going to send scores of people out of the city. Many others won't ever show up.

The downward spiral is continues with the plan.

All of those who want to manage decline are at the head of the class now, in our schools, and in our city's political life. Those of us at the back of the room are feed up. Many have already left. Most have their bags packed and are ready to run once the next test comes and a clean break is presented.

Condo plan dead? -- as it should be!

This is a threat.

Condo plan dead? - PittsburghLIVE.com Unless Mt. Lebanon commissioners and the school board approve tax-increment financing worth $4.5 million over 20 years, a plan to build a $28.8 million luxury condo complex will not happen, a developer said.

Zamagias Properties gave commissioners a brief overview this week of the plan to build 60 condos at Washington and Bower Hill roads, a longtime vacant strip of land. School directors were briefed last week.

Don't do the deal. Don't make the TIF. If the condo project can't be done on its own merits, in a sustainable way, then tell the developer to scram. You don't need to bribe real business owners to move into the neighborhood.

When everyone pays their full share of the tax load, then everyone gets equal treatment. When that happens, real development can occur.

Once you give a break to one favorite -- then no others are going to be inclinded to move there too unless they get a break as well. Why move in when you have to compete agasint those who are already given favorite status? Why move somewhere where justice is absent?

Mt. Lebo residents should fight hard against the TIF. Don't stand for it.