Trashy government takes a holiday. Visions of sugar plums dance too.

I've posted policy advice about these situations in the past. It surfaces again. They don't have the best solution. I think I have a better approach.

City Council puts brakes on traffic camera proposal Mr. Peduto asked Public Works Director Guy Costa to change the trash collection schedule for part of Squirrel Hill. It is currently set for Fridays, but holidays push it to Saturdays, creating problems for strict Jews who cannot take out garbage during the Jewish Sabbath.
Mr. Costa said he will consider switching two East End collection routes.

Clearly, a problem exists. Something should be do so as to fix this situation. Those on grant street don't want to offend those in Sqirrel Hill.

Furthermore, when something is done, a postcard with Luke's photo can be sent to everyone's address. So, I look for four or five versions of the trash pick-up schedule, each with its own postcard and magnet for the the refrig.

Holidays present a problem for government. Government never sleeps. Police, firefighters and water should never take off. Same too for road treatments with snow and ice. Travel needs are always present. People need to park and expect traffic lights to work, even on holidays.

I don't think government should take any holidays.

Trash build-up doesn't take a holiday. Often, our biggest days of trash is on a holiday, because of the holiday.

The trash collection is just as important as the other duties of government.

I hate that the recreation center was closed on election day, because it was called a 'holiday.' That's not logical. On the 4th of July, I want to go to the swim pool. I don't want them to take a holiday.

On the day of Bob O'Connor's funeral, Mayor Ravenstahl, at the last possible moment, called for a city holidy. That was wrong, in my book. Senior centers had to close that day. Lunch was not provided. Socialization didn't occur. The seniors could have gathered at the senior centers to reflect on Bob's life, on their interactions with him, and spend time in community -- a vital role of life and a mission of government.

On the 4th of July, we want to watch fireworks. We want the parks to be open.

My trash day is on Thursday. I don't want to have it on Friday after a Monday holiday because more than half of the residents, myself included, can't remember the holiday schedule and tons of trash show up on the streets for days when a holiday schedule is used. The extra trash on the streets stinks -- literally. The mess gets spread.

To redd up -- we've got to have regular trash pick ups. We need to count on it and have a mission critical schedule that never changes.

I think we should take one holiday -- the 4th of July. And on that day, everyone with a government job should work a double shift because the citizens and voters want to have their services working.

So, the fix for the trash pick-ups for Squirrel Hill is simple. I'd want to tell the residents that trash gets picked up on a certain day of the week, every week of the year.

The workers should have vaction days, sick days, subs, temp workers and what ever else is needed to do the job. But the job needs to be done. This is what management does -- manage the work force as best as possible.

Grand opportunity to see exactly how government truly operates in the Commonwealth.

Who Watches The Watchers?

The case of former State Representative Mark McNaughton gives Pennsylvanians a grand opportunity to see exactly how government truly operates in the Commonwealth.

For the unaware, McNaughton decided to retire from the legislature instead of facing the voters of his district after supporting the Great Pay Raise of 2005. He was subsequently appointed to a seat on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board by Speaker of the House John Perzel, who cited McNaughton’s steadfast opposition to gambling and a desire to make sure the slots law is meticulously followed as significant reasons for the appointment.

As a result, the former legislator is slated to get a boost in pay after all, from roughly $72,000 to a whopping $145,000 plus some lavish perks. Unfortunately for McNaughton, The Philadelphia Inquirer recently discovered that he failed to list thousands of dollars of personal gambling winnings over the past few years on his Statements of Financial Interest, which are required by the State Ethics Commission from each lawmaker every year.

Oddly, McNaughton’s failure to report gambling winnings would not have even registered on the radar had he not abused the power of his former position by attempting to quash certain information in a very messy divorce proceeding. As a result, some of his federal tax returns, on which he did report the winnings, are now part of the public record.

McNaughton claimed ignorance in regard to the omissions, although instructions on the Statement of Financial Interest clearly list “prize winnings” as one of the sources of income to be reported. But even if we were to give him the benefit of the doubt and consider the matter an oversight, is this a quality we’d want in someone charged with overseeing the activities of a multi-billion dollar industry?

While it’s all a bit ironic - on many different levels - it could become even more so.

The penalties for violating the ethics regulations are a fine of up to $1,000 and up to one-year imprisonment. Such a finding would need to be reached by the State Ethics Commission and could potentially disqualify McNaughton from serving on the seven-member Gaming Control Board or in any other official capacity in the Commonwealth.

Coincidentally, the State Ethics Commission also consists of seven members appointed to their positions in exactly the same fashion as the Gaming Control Board: one appointee each from four leaders of the legislature and three from the Governor.

An optimist might view this scattered appointment system on the ethics panel as a way to keep things balanced so no individual is singled out for political punishment. A pessimist might view it as insurance to protect everyone’s cronies - a slightly twisted version of “equal protection under the law.”

While any citizen of Pennsylvania is entitled to file a formal complaint on this matter with the State Ethics Commission, Section 21.2 of the ethics regulations permits the Commission to launch its own inquiry.

The Inquirer story was subsequently picked up by the Associated Press and widely disseminated across Pennsylvania. Between seven appointed Commissioners and nineteen staffers listed on the State Ethics Commission’s website, surely one of these 26 must have caught this latest tidbit regarding McNaughton. If not, they’re not doing their jobs.

Here’s hoping that for once, a government entity in the Commonwealth will step up to the plate, do what’s best for its citizens and give them some hope that the public outcry launched after July 7, 2005 is actually being heard somewhere in Harrisburg. Even better, however, would be for Mark McNaughton to withdraw his name for consideration as a member of the Gaming Control Board.

Who watches the watchers? We’ll find out soon enough.

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PACleanSweep is a non-partisan effort dedicated to returning honor, dignity and integrity to government in Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.PACleanSweep.com.

Sports Montage: The Sports Blog That Strikes First, Strikes Hard, No Mercy

Sports Montage: The Sports Blog That Strikes First, Strikes Hard, No Mercy “I’ve never heard of a government turning down $290 million of private money to build a public facility." - Mario Lemieux

The Wabash Tunnel is a 'public facility.' The new arena is NOT a public facility.

The Wabash Tunnel was built with federal money but is owned now by PAT, a different public agency.

PAT owns the tunnel and wants to unload it. PAT does NOT want to maintain the tunnel. PAT knows that ownership has many downsides that can be long-term, significant and expensive.

Maintaining a new arena isn't on the list of top priorities for good government. We've got schools, courts, roads, and matters of democracy to attend to in this region. Watching millionairs skate and brawl on ice isn't high on the list when it comes to core activities.

If the Penguins want to be a good neighbor and a good corporate citizen in Pittsburgh -- the Penguins should invest in its own property and have control of its ownership.

US Steel owned the land and the mills to produce its products.

UPMC owns buildings and hospitals to employ its health care workers and care for patients.

Even the Salvation Army demanded ownership rights to land for the building of its Kroc Recreation Centers.

Get rid of SMG. Get rid of any and all hurdles to making its own opportunities flourish.

The key to this discussion isn't to look back ten years. The key is to look forward ten years. They key is to look forward 20 and 25 years too.

Final argument for moving Penguins -- could be more "iron clad" if the Pens owned the new building

Isle of Capri makes final argument for license ... the agreement between the Penguins and the Isle of Capri required any new owner to stay in Pittsburgh for at least 20 years if casino operator wins the coveted license.

'Anybody who buys [the Penguins] is required to step into their shoes,' he said.

He added that any potential owner who breaks the agreement could be subject to liquidated damages -- hundreds of millions of dollars, according to one estimate -- and possible court action to block any move.

The "at least 20 years" deal and the liquidation is something to bank upon. But, the outlook of saying, 'we'll sue' doesn't give much confidence.

I think the Pens should plan, design, build, and keep the new arena. Then the team can sell the seats, program it, insure it, heat it, upgrade it and do as they wish with the new building without needing to get the lame stadium and exhibition authority involved.

Then, should the Penguins want to move out of town, they'd have to manage a liquidation of the new arena.

The word on the street is that it will take $7-million to tear down the Civic Arena.

If the Penguins left town and had a building in Pittsburgh, perhaps we'd be sure to get a minor-league team associated with the Pens to play here.

Perhaps the Penguins leave in 2012 and want to tear down its building that opened in 2009. Fine. They could do that -- if -- they didn't tear down the Civic Arena in 2008 or 2009. The Civic Arena is a building that the Penguins do not own. The Pens only have a lease.

When a renter leaves an apartment that had been rented, even for a long time, the lease holder can't demolish the property. Moving out makes a vacancy, not an ownership switch.

Dan Onorato defending himself on arena and slots deals dealings

Dan Onorato is on the counter-attack with the noise generated by recent 'fix is in' talk. He went onto the Honz Man show on Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm. John Stagerwald has been on a few shows making noise about how the gambling mess and saying there was a lot of back channel arm twisting.

I ranted a bit about this buzz at city hall today in a 3 minute pitch.

Dan Onorato denies the saga that was unfolded by the journalist. Onorato wants names to be named too.

We might be splitting hairs in this one point, but Dan says that under any of the proposals, local tax dollars won't be used for the building, as is the case with PNC Park and Heinz Field. Zero is the amount, he contends, go from public sources into the building. To Dan, that was a good position to be in.

The IOC plan puts for $290-million, clean, and simple, so says Dan. There is no local money. This is a total different position that is out there.

Business Times say China slow-down with foreign investments

Business Times China, which has lured US$622.4 billion from overseas since 1978 and surpassed the US in 2003 as the largest recipient of foreign investment, is turning off the tap that helped feed two decades of growth.

With new restrictions on investment, China risks impeding its own modernisation efforts and invites a backlash from its trading partners, China specialists say.

Pittsburgh City Council overwhelmingly approves underwhelming budget

It is nice that there won't be any new taxes. It is nice that the ticket tax for consumers attending events hosted by nonprofits is going to be less. The parking tax drop of 5-percent was due to the state legislature's mandate. That's more like a bad joke as savings won't be passed to the consumers. But, all in all -- the new budget is an underwhelming work from a city still on the brink. Additional fallout is expected from the Murphy Administration. Some bad news gottchas still loom large. No real salvation is in sight.

AP Wire - Pittsburgh City Council overwhelmingly approves budget overwhelmingly approves budget

Legal Okay given to NOT advertise public meetings!

G.W. -- a Running Mate like few others -- sent me this letter. Here is a snip.

Friends of the Zeiss On Monday, City Council held a “Post-Agenda” session on funding for The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. As with all Post-Agenda sessions, this session was open to the general public. This was also one of the relatively few Post-Agenda sessions that was broadcast on the City’s Government Communications Cable Television Channel, City Channel Pittsburgh, on Comcast channel 13.

However, I only found out about this Post-Agenda session, inadvertently, when two people who attended the December 5 regular legislative session of City Council, where the Post-Agenda time and date was announced, informed me of the meeting. I did not attend the December 5 meeting, as I was scheduled to attend another meeting at that time.

As with many of the Post-Agenda sessions held in the past, the December 11 Post-Agenda included discussion of important City business, including the request for significant City funding from a major City institution. Yet few people knew this Post-Agenda would occur since it was not posted or advertised in any public location.

I discussed this matter with the City Clerk, and she informs me that the City Law Department has told her that posting or advertising the date and time of Post-Agenda sessions is not legally required. I would disagree with this legal interpretation.

Terms: Oversight, gangs, and playing the race card

This is called "oversight."


Gang members and they even wear their specific colors.



Watch the Video

Roll -- advice to backstrokers

Two guys doing backstroke at the Pitt Christmas Meet yesterday. The guy in the lead has a wave off his shoulder. The one in the back has a much better shoulder roll without the wave of water pushing on the brakes.

Honz Man: Bi-Partisan Fix Is In with John Stagerwald

On the radio with KDKA-1020 AM, John Stagerwald, sports, talks about the Pens and gambling and explains how there has been a bi-partisan fix about gambling.

There were no Libertarians who were part of these raw deals -- as were the Ds and Rs.

Furthermore, John S, name names. I'm not so happy to hear about a big scoop on how the fix is in -- but names are not named. This was exactly the same thing that Tom Murphy did.

Former Pa. lawmaker who opposed slots won $15K at casinos and a $150k job

The truth hurts. Then this player asks, 'it's not illegal?' -- but he was part of the process to make it legal. Duhh...

Report: Former Pa. lawmaker who opposed slots won big at casinos - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Former Rep. Mark McNaughton, who voted against the state's slots law in 2004 and opposed gambling for years before that, won $15,500 between 2003 and last year, according to tax returns obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

McNaughton, a five-term Republican from Harrisburg, disclosed his winnings on federal income taxes, but not on his state ethics forms, the newspaper reported. He is set to take his $145,000-a-year post on the gaming board by the middle of next month.

'It's not illegal to gamble, is it?' McNaughton told the newspaper Friday.

Spoke today in city hall

I went to City Council Chambers to speak again today for 3 minutes. Some notes follow:

The meeting last week in city council chambers about the Carnegie Library's request for more funding was not advertised. It was a post agenda and was on TV, but not on the web site. We need the business of city governement to occur in public with notice. When meetings happen -- advance notice is justified.

The meeting schedule for next week is not posted yet today -- on either the web site or the little bulletin board in the reception area of the 5th floor of city hall. Telll the people in advance when the meetings are going to be held.

Using a simple Google Calendar, as set up already, for Pgh City Hall, would be effective and free. When I called 3-1-1 with this request -- they were worthless.

When a simple meeting schedule can't be posted in advance with clarity -- people wonder if more complicated things such as the budget can be managed. Or, what the heck are they trying to hide.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is looking for the cover of darkness, however. They've messed up the North Side branch and want to build a new library and abandon its historic, paid for, branch in the public park. I would not be willing to give the Carnegie Library additional funds as they are messing up what treasures and assets they've been charged to preserve.

I worry about 'broken promises' such as the Pittsburgh Promise. What about paying for the college education of those who have been home schooled or attend private / Cathlolic schools and reside in the city? And the funding amounts are 10-times too low, at least. It seems to be another promise that looks like it will be broken.

In other hidden business, I'm still upset at Dan Onorato and the Allegheny County Board of Elections for stopping the Libertarian Party's designated poll watcher from a witness to the tabulations for the November 2006 general election. What's up with that? What are they trying to hide? The law says that parties are allowed three people to witness all tabulations and vote counts. We don't want to run to the courts. I want to see a memo of understanding and letter from the Allegheny County Chief Executive, Dan Onorato, a Board of Election member. Dan can clear up the sins of the past unethical policy. What happened in the past was wrong. Tell the world that it won't happen again.

There were goofy things happening on election night. These facts came out at the Board of Elections meeting when I was there to protest our denied access. Five times a worker who was employed by someone other than the election department, pulled out a 'smart stick' (USB DRIVE) and inserted that into the electronic voting system / network. Witness to vote hi-jacking is strong and should not be ignored.

There are problems. A lack of trust is throughout. The way to fix these troubles is not to be more closed. Rather, be sure to be open, as described by the law and then some.

If Onorato was smart, he'd insist that five, not three, designated people from the Libertarian Party be present for all vote counts and tabulations. Go overboard. The law says three. But he should bend over backwards to welcome scrutiny. Fix it. Don't hide it. And pledge that it won't happen again -- on your letter head in an open letter to the workers and the voters.

Then comes the scrutiny of the 'red light cameras.' I asked Bill Peduto to look at the blog to learn what they are doing in New Mexico. I think if he made such a move in the legislation due in 2007 then there would be more support for the bill.

The tax lein by-back was on the agenda too. Here is another example of another ill set in place by Tom Murphy's Administration that city council played a role in allowing. City council is at fault too, as well as Murphy. But, that was then and some on council today were not part of those decisions. However, they are here now for the clean-up of the mess. But, if they don't understand the history and how their oversight was lacking back then -- they'll be sure to repeat many of the same mistakes.

I don't want to have the tax lein buy backs present opportunities for ONLY the LDCx. The LDCs are Local Development Corporations. Pittsburgh has a slew of LDCs and these LDCs presented a good deal of Tom Murphy power bases. The LDCs have played along with Tom Murphy's ploys and screwed up our city in serious ways. This $6-million investement today should not be another tool in our tool bag -- for LDCs only. Citizens and taxpayers and voters and private individuals should be able to move on these properties -- along with the LDCs. We should not see favored treatments to cronies. Even cronie organizations.

An additional point didn't get raised but was on the agenda. Again, it is a place where Tom Murphy screwed up in the past and the city pays today. And, the city council was sleeping at the wheel in the past.

Bill No. 2006-1008 reads: Resolution providing that the City of Pgh enter into a temporary professional services Contrace or Contracts with UPMC Work Partners for the purpose of paying Workers' Compensation medical claims for expenses which were incurred prior to December 31, 2005, at a cost not to exceed $716,353.

More than a half-million dollars is going out the door because folks in higher level Murphy positions didn't do their jobs. And, city council didn't do its job and be proactive in fixing things before a $700,000 bill must be paid.

I know people at UPMC and at AGH (Allegheny General Hospital). The contract for medical services was switched. Fine. But, it was switched poorly. Now the city pays dearly.

What's $700,000 -- well -- that much pays for all the city's crossing guards. That amount pays for four or five rec centers. It is a good bit of money. That's a big problem that makes for a big fumble. And the oversight is not to be found.

Another gloomy day in the city when looking at the actions of city hall.

Direct Action @ Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Civil disobedience by Philadelphia residents in protest of the Gaming Control Board's not responding to their demands for good information on the casinos proposed for their neighborhoods. keywords: PGCB, Casino-free Philadelphia, slots, casino, gambling, Pennsylvania, hallwatch

Notice that a member of the media got arrested. When was the last time a member of the Pittsburgh media got arrested for justice? Well, at least we have some who are blogging now, if that is any peace of mind.

The Busman's Holiday

The Busman's Holiday I have great respect for those bloggers who are so prolific and creative that they’re posting through the day with charm and passion.

Thanks Bob. Back at you. But, I name names. =;0

Perhaps you could take your workshop to this page and do a bit of an update on the Platform.For-Pgh.org wiki page. Think of it as a workshop assignment.

URA to Crush Longtime Pittsburgh Landlords

The Three Rivers Post & Standard � URA to Crush Longtime Pittsburgh Landlords You gotta love government meddlers when it comes to development. Their supporters always crow, crow, crow about what they build — even when it fails, as have many of their initiatives in the downtown Pittsburgh area . We are always reminded that nothing would have happened if the meddlers didn’t do their deals.

City Hall intrigue does not take a holiday during the holiday season - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

City Hall intrigue does not take a holiday during the holiday season - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Talk in certain Grant Street hallways has Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl considering offering Allegheny County Prothonotary Michael Lamb a high-level position in his administration.

But would Lamb accept?
I hope so. He should. He needs a job. He would be a good addition to the administration as he'll continue to offer the city fine public service.

Downtown efforts leave empty feeling - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Here is the rub. Chamber of Commerce folks and the PDP (Pgh Downtown Partnership) want big programs, big taxes, big organizations and big lies. Meanwhile, real people vote with their feet. The marketplace is too fluid and too much of a force for the big central planning types who are big, slow and stupid.

At this point in time, the volume of merchants who know best are long gone. There are not enough of the sensible around to counter act the big-time jokers who aim to soil our landscape by grabbing what they can for themselves with the next massive programming ploy.

Downtown efforts leave empty feeling - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Taxes are a problem, said Gerald Schiller, part-owner of several family-owned properties along Forbes Avenue and a frequent critic of government-driven rehabilitation efforts. 'Retailers are deserting Downtown, because they are being phased out of business by the city's tax policy.'

Schiller is particularly disturbed by a Business Improvement District tax increase on retailers. The 3.92-mill assessment, which provides money for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, will increase by 5 percent annually for the next five years. The tax is levied against property owners in a 90-block area.

Barbara McNees, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, supports the tax increase.

'We must keep Downtown safe and clean, not only for its current retailers and residents, but for visitors, new residents and others in the Downtown area,' she said.

We need real benchmarks too. Let's say things are going well, when they are not. Let's look at office vacancy rates -- but exclude the Lazarus Building. What's up with that? We have way to many blind spots, by design.

Those who make the rules, rule.

I have no hope that the new investment of $35-million for Point State Park will save downtown.

I have no hope that the new T-stop at Gateway Center is really needed to revitalize Fifth & Forbes.

I have no hope that the half-billion dollar tunnels under the Allegheny River will turn things around either. What's the attraction of the underground T? Were people afraid to swim across the river for shopping and cheering for the Pirates?

The surge in residential units is because the value of commercial spaces is at such an all time low.

We have more people willing to move downtown because less are willing to live in our neighborhoods.

They are thinning. They are taking away high-rise buildings and replacing them with green spaces. They are getting rid of density. They are putting capacity out by the airport and other green fields while they are doing demolitions on density and urban spaces.

Our economic engine is not on a rebound. We've choked the hope. We have places to sleep, but few place to earn a pay check are willing to locate here.

We're turning into a slumbering little town. Everyone that says we are building momentum are sleeping. Wake up soon, before the marketplace leaves the state.

Jumpcut - Group Game called, "Where am I?"

Have you seen Jump Cut yet? Check out this new group there to play a game called, "Where am I?" I've uploaded three mini videos there. You watch and comment. Jumpcut - Group Where am I?

Here's the game: Shoot a short video from wherever you find yourself - with enough scenery so that someone could guess where you are, but not too much - and post it here. The first person to guess the location in a comment wins.
tags: travel game
Upload

Sarah Heinz House, hard hat tour photos

Sarah Heinz House - hard hat tour

See dozens of images from a major expansion of a boys and girls club being built by Dick Corporation. It isn't as nice nor expensive as the Polar Bear exhibit at the zoo, but hey -- its for our kids! They are still looking for a couple million to close out the building campaign.