Keystone Politics dishes out some gifts of note

Keystone Politics :: Pennsylvania Politics, PA Government, Harrisburg Gossip For Pittburgh’s mayor, Luke Ravenstahl… we give a box of “Just for Men”, because we know the graying process is going to start early for you.

The Burgh Report hits a home run

Do read his posting. Then ponder my reactions below.

The Burgh Report most of the nicer, newer ones - were built by private interests and are run for a profit.

Exactly.

Developers are not falling all over themeselves to build and maintain a public arena in Pittsburgh because everyone has pointed to them to locate the facility in the city. The city is not the ideal spot. Not now. Not in this marketplace. Not with our traffic, our demographics, our footprints. The scale and the potential make the central location (be it North Shore, Hill, or even Strip) a mega risk.

However, once the ties to the space are cut and all locations in the county are considered -- then the upside becomes much more obvious. The project has real merit if it comes somewhere else and not in The Hill.

Land in the city's core is just too tight. Expansion is too much of a headache. The infrastructure is old. The roads are going to need more than a redd up around the facilities.

More can be done elsewhere.

No one has stepped forward with a plan for a privately financed, state-of-the-art arena project because everyone has worn blinders concerning its location. The arena does NOT need to be on a bus line.

How many people take the bus to the circus?

How many people take the bus to a Pens game?

How many people take a bus HOME from a Pens game?

How many season ticket holders walk from Crawford Square to see the Pens play more than 30 times a year?

No one would dare, is right. Why dare the investement for a city with a government that is on the brink. Why dare build a parking structure when parking taxes yo-yo. One year parking tax is 35% then it is 50%. Now it is to go to 45% and next year 40%.

One year parking is made free for all downtown spaces in December. The next year it isn't. And when it is made free, they decide the day before.

Central services from rodent control to lids on dumpsters can present a quagmire of red tape from week to week.

Rodeos are out. Scalping of tickets is only by those who can stand on their heads. T-shirt vendors have to grease the undercover inspectors. SMG, blah, blah, blah. There are hundreds of reasons why serious players choose to sit on their hands.

People vote with their feet. And investment flows like water and avoids uphill challenges.

Governement does stand in the way. Your blog posting is right on the mark.

Why not us? Because we can't think again. Because we choose to only use half our brains. Because we allow the media to set an agenda. Because power aims to sustain its power. Because the status quo is far too sacred. Because those who rock the boat are called names, such as 'naysayers.'

We need to be open minded. We need to get out of the little boxes and little labels. We need wide-open discussions, thinking and sustainable conversations where criticism is not just tolerated, but welcomed.

We need to be able to spot 'lockstep boosterism' for what it is -- and brand that as evil.

FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) must be squashed in high level public sector circles. When FUD is the best tool deployed by those in control, we need to yank them from their seats. And if they don't go, we need to a revolution.

We have one-party rule in the city. And in the county when another party is present, they are without a dime's worth of difference. Generally, the powerful elite in Pittsburgh, both D and R, have a corporate agenda that hates community and challenges.

blip.tv has a new utility to ease the uploading of video clips

Problems loom large however. I'm getting continual error messages and the files are not uploading. The message comes as 95% of the file seems to upload and then a dialog box shows.

blip.tv (beta) UpperBlip is a downloadable program that lets you publish many videos to blip.tv all at one time. You can drag files into it, add titles and descriptions, and upload them all at once!"

My site: Rauterkus.blip.tv

A flock of locals have Penguins on the brain.

Downsize DC: Big government harms you, hurts your family, and injures your neighbors

Prude alert:

Downsize DC: Big government harms you, hurts your family, and injures your neighbors Stop the 100 hour legislative orgy

Another reason to avoid Pittsburgh

Mark Crowley of Plum, fellow Libertarian, wrote about Peduto's red-light cameras. They give reasons to avoid Pittsburgh. Sure, we'll have safe streets when nobody is here. Drive out the people and businesses and the streets will only be filled with tumbleweed.

As a solution, put those cameras where the sun doesn't shine, so to speak. Point the cameras at the politicians on a 24-hour basis. Then we'll all be able to see these governmental officials in action, or not.

Politician cameras? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Suppose we mandate surgically attached cameras and microphones for all Pittsburgh politicians.

It stands to reason that 24/7 monitoring of Pittsburgh politicians might have prevented, or at least identified, those complicit in the fiscal crimes and policy blunders that have besieged Pittsburgh and spread costs far beyond city limits.

If monitoring politicians stops just one bribe, patronage job, eminent-domain seizure, misuse of public money or shady backroom deal, then aren't a few implants worth it for the greater good?

Mark Crowley

This idea isn't new to me. I had advocated continual monitoring of Steven Leeper in the past. We should have had a tv uplink on him as the convention center and stadium deals went down and the resulting constuction contracts unfolded.

My vision was more like that guy on Saturday Night Live who wore a helmet fitted with a small dish and a ton of wires. That guy was on the front lines of the war, and it was all for the humor. But, I wanted to have him follow Leeper, Murphy, Cox and Birru.

Wonder if I could find one of those skits from SNL on YouTube now?

Mean Gene has the best blog headline of the month

Mean Gene Bye Bye Birdie; or, Glad I Didn't Buy That Malkin Jersey

This made me smile.

The Civic Arena is a dump. A historical dump. And, it is a dump that is paid for. Leather seats and corporate boxes are nice and perhaps needed for the NHL and Pens. But, they are not needed for a high school basketball tournament nor a graduation.

When the Pens leave the Civic Arena, it should not be torn down. The Pens should leave the city too. Move to a site near the Airport, please.

Sorta justifies the tunnel under the river

The North Side location for the slots parlor can justify the tunnel under the river -- to a degree. We shouldn't be building the tunnel. But, at least we have a use for it now, on a year-round basis.

Will the light rail run 24 hours a day, like the slots parlor.

DelMonte and Equitable Gas -- not happy

Giggle.

DelMonte and Equitable can move office workers back to downtown locations. Plenty of office space is available in our downtown neighborhood. Move into the space now used by PAT, for starters. Better to put employees farther away from a slots parlor. I'd not be happy if I was Equitable. But then again, Equitable choose to build a new building, with handsome perks, in an entertainment district.

How do you think Duquesne University and parents of those who send their young scholars to D.U. would have felt if a slots parlor would have moved to the edge of its campus. Employees are farther away physically than the college students would have been. And, employees are older, wiser, more responsible.

The Carnegie Science Center isn't upset about the new neighbor.

Any complaint from the Steelers and Pirates should come with a quick objection. Neither the Pirates nor the Steelers own their stadiums. They are not owners. If they want the voice of ownership -- buy their stadiums from the public.

Democracies Online - Time Magazine think’s so

Steven Clift’s Notes - Democracies Online � Blog Archive � Are you the Person of the Year? Time Magazine think’s so Person of the Year? Time Magazine think’s so.

Welcome “Citizens of the New Digital Democracy” to the cover of Time magazine.

Shall we take a bow together?

Celebrate Festivus with Jim Babka

DownsizeDC.org Blog | Celebrate Festivus with Jim Babka Today is your chance to celebrate Festivus with Jim Babka, on his radio show. In fine Festivus tradition you can participate in 'an airing of grievances' and 'feats of strength.'

The 'airing of grievances' is easy. Tell us what really irks you -- about government, politics, other institutions, Downsize DC, or even Jim Babka. Jim will attempt to show sympathy, or perhaps something else. As for the 'feats of strength,' brag about something you claim you can do, if you want to. Maybe Jim will believe it.

"At this point, our franchise has entered a period of uncertainty."

This is a direct quote:

"At this point, our franchise has enters a period of uncertainty."

There is that concept -- 'certainty' -- raising its ugly head again.

The Blackberry guy stood before the gaming board and talked about the IOC plan being a 'certain' -- and days later he bailed.

Now the period of being uncertain dawns! Now that the IOC didn't get the slots license!

Think again.

Official Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins: STATEMENT FROM KEN SAWYER, CEO OF THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ... At this point, our franchise enters a period of uncertainty, ...

Mr. Craig Patrick and Upside-down-guy. "Put the factory near the customers" Photo taken at an airport area chamber of commerce meeting in January, 2006.

Memo to David Caliguri. Don't be a part of the legal challenge.

Franco, the same message fits for you too.

Don't cry over spit milk. It didn't just spillllll.

David, in a few years, we'll forgive you for your role in the IOC plan. That will be old news if it becomes old news soon.

David, I hope the IOC work paid well. Fine. You gotta make a living. More power to you. But, I also hope that you can display that you're a good sport.

I'd hate to see any challenges to the decision.

But, let's be clear. If there is some ethical problems, holes in the plans, constructive critical insights -- spill the beans. Scrutiny is welcomed. Air grievances in the name of Festivus! David Caliguri might be able to walk that edge and reveal his opposition research for the benefit of the city. But, this needs to be about moving forward, not asking for a re-do.

Let's get this straight: Plan B uses public money!

"Plan B" is on. Well, they don't want us to use the handle, "plan b" any longer. Rather, it is to be called a "finance plan."

Well, "Plan B" uses public money because this deal leverages the windfall from the low-ball price of the slots license. The real worth of the slots license wasn't $50-million. It was much greater. The higher sums of money that didn't come can't be used for tax relief. Rather, the money that didn't come is part of the promise for a new hockey arena.

The money didn't come from taxes. But, the money comes from the broken promise of tax relief.

It isn't a lie when only half the truth is told. But, this is a half-truth. The promise was to allow for gambling so we'd have property tax relief. Gambling came and the property tax relief is much less because the funding of the new arena.

Furthermore, Plan B is going to cost the public treasury with ongoing operations. If they build the new arena with the windfall of the low-ball price on the slots license application, fine. But, after it is built, keep it. The public should not be with the ongoing burden of ownership.

Hey Penguins. Take a deep breath. Stick around. Let's build with your money in the airport area

I think it makes great sense to build a new arena out by the airport.

Keep the Civic Arena where it is for decades to come. Put some energy into the Civic Arena and allow it to thrive without the Penguins, after the Pens move out. The Civic Arena can have an evolution in the years to come. But let's be honest about putting up a new arena. Let's put the new arena in Allegheny County out by the airport.

One plus one equals two. That provides a net gain. When one new comes and one old goes, there is no net gain.

Even with the two North Side stadiums, PNC Park and Heinz Field, we lost 3RS and Pitt. The formula there was plus two and minus two with no net gain.

Some have told me that there are many game day Penguin tickets provided to students at Pitt and D.U., as well as the other smaller schools such as the Arts and Culinary students. Those folks who live in the center city will not be as quick to get to the Pens games if the new arena is built in the airport corridor. However, those who go to RMU will take their place, as will those at W&J.

All in all, I don't like the efforts of development at the airport. I think it causes sprawl. The movement to the airport area comes at an expense of the urban core. However, the hockey building and efforts with an entertainment venue in the west suburban reaches would fit the suburban lifestyle and make for a great addition.

Let's call the NHL team the "Pittsburgh PENNSYLVANIA Penguins."

The Pens could play a few games each year in the Arena, perhaps with the roof open, with turn-back-the-clock night festivities.

Of course, the building, operations and on-going ownership of the new hockey facility should be a private venture, not owned by the stadium authority.

Public officials should be part of the mix in working out the deals. We need leaders who lead. But, the public officials are not going to make nor break the deals and have much of a say nor sway in the marketplace.

North Shore Slots Parlor. Majestic Star gets it.

I'm fine with this decision. I'm even going to say, "I love it."

The slots parlor gets built on the river's edge. That's good. It goes in next to the family centric Science Center. The North Side choice has less of an impact upon any home owners.

I loved that the Majestic Star was the only plan that talked about a bus depot. Buses were my worst fear of the Station Square project.

PITG had made strong promises to complete the development in the Hill District, in terms of neighborhood.

Next challenge, thinking again about a new arena for the Penguins.

Slots Parlor decision: Choke, ... not!

Marty Griffin (KDKA-Radio) has a feeling that the decsion won't come today on the slots parlor.

They will choke. I have little doubt that the commissioners, behind closed doors, are going to choke. But, I was wrong. I eat my words. Chomp, chomp.

Now, what happens when the news comes. Another elected official told me he expects to see a lot of ugly clashes in the streets after this news comes. Some bad blood has been flowing. Ministers are clashing with each other, in the open.

Jon Delano said, before the decision was announced, that the decision of the pending ownership to pull out of the Pens deal put a monkey wrench into the decision. Perhaps???

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.