Libertarian Party horrified at Pennsylvania spending surge

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania - For Immediate Release - July 20, 2007

For more information contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) or
Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org

Harrisburg - Pennsylvania legislators have approved a budget that will hold the line on taxes but pushes the general budget to $59.1 billion and the general fund to $27.3 billion.

Despite a $650 million surplus, Governor Rendell pushed hard for a wide array of new and increased taxes including an "energy" tax and an increased sales tax. The legislature held firm to the desires of Pennsylvanians and the budget will include no tax increases.

However, the legislature was more accommodating to increased spending. According to the Commonwealth Foundation, spending will increase 4.5% versus an inflation rate of 3.15%. Spending includes an additional $750 million in transportation spending primarily to bail out the already bloated mass transit systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. $800 million will go towards funding of a convention center in Philadelphia while over $200 million will be dedicated to help fund a new hockey arena in Pittsburgh.

Michael Robertson, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) Chair, observed that, "While the budget does not contain a direct tax increase, because of shuffled appropriations there are hidden tax increases associated with the additional spending. As with the transportation funding bill, which reduces the already low share of liquid fuels funds to municipalities, local governments will have to rely on other sources of revenue to maintain current capabilities such as road maintenance. This will likely result in increased local property taxes to cover the increased state expenditures in other areas."

Robertson continued, "Robbing Peter to pay Paul is no way to run a government. Unless the legislature can reduce spending, the climate for free enterprise in Pennsylvania will continue to deteriorate, and our liberty will continue to be eroded."

Doug Leard, LPPa Media Chair, observed that, "Even after the overwhelming rejection of the May ballot referendum to have a revenue-neutral tax shift, they propose more spending. Taxpayers want smaller state government. The legislature and the governor continue to ignore that fact."

"Total squander for 2007-2008 will likely top $60,000,000,000 in taxpayer's earnings that would otherwise be used for productive purposes. Considering the all the ethical problems in the legislature, they shouldn't be trusted with a dime of other people's money." said Libertarian Candidate James Babb. "Last year's surplus should be returned at once to the people that earned it."

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in both Pennsylvania and the United States. Nationwide there are over 200,000 registered Libertarians with organizations in all 50 states. Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices throughout the nation. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, 3915 Union Deposit Road #223, Harrisburg, PA 17109 www.lppa.org, 1-800-R-RIGHTS, info@lppa.org

New Arena: Master Plan Process has meetings and tour slated for early August

FocusGpFlier3.pdf (application/pdf Object)

See this PDF.

Make free wi-fi truly free

Make free wi-fi truly free

Pittsburgh has two-hours of free wi-fi. Giggle.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Intel and $100 laptop join forces

Penn State - Careers: Job Opportunities

Penn State - Careers: Job Opportunities

SI.com - More Sports - Cal swim coach gets $3.5M in�gender bias case - Friday July 20, 2007 11:04AM

SI.com - More Sports - Cal swim coach gets $3.5M in�gender bias case - Friday July 20, 2007 11:04AM An Olympic gold medal swimmer who became a coach and administrator will receive more than $3.5 million in the settlement of a gender discrimination lawsuit against the University of California, Berkeley.

Karen Moe Humphreys worked at Berkeley from 1978 until being laid off in 2004. She sued, saying she lost her job in retaliation for complaining about the treatment of women by the university's athletic department.

pnc = pick pocket corporation

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review PNC Financial Services Group says it had a net profit of $423 million for the second quarter of 2007. PNC has net profits of $882 million for the first half of 2007. It had a profit of $2.6 billion for all of 2006. Oh, and PNC also says its multibillion-dollar acquisitions spree continues -- it's buying Sterling Financial Corp. for $565 million. So, any day now we expect Pickpocket National Corp. to reimburse the public for the $48 million in public subsides for its new Downtown skyscraper, right?

Null Space: to borrow a phrase.....

Null Space: to borrow a phrase.....: "to borrow a phrase....."

My reply:

The candidates come and go. However, the city, county, and region is not as it was in the past.

Lots of people have moved out. That is more of a factor than who is on the ballot.

Some too have moved into the city as well.

Lots of debt has been built. That is not measured with these flash backs.

The city is on the brink. This can't be given a discount.

Lynn Swann was running for PA -- where the worst was a pay raise. And, Swann didn't even speak out against the pay raise much.

Roddey has done lots to prevent a R from running in the city as Roddey could not do it.

Roddey did a lot to piss off the city residents -- in both of his races and throughout his public career.

City residents don't give a woop about do-whop at QED. We were pissed at the loss of WQEX 16 and the debt that they created there -- despite having Mr. Rodgers to pimp. Then there is PAT -- and that leadership speaks for itself. Roddey supported the work of Sabre Systems too.

DeSantis has none of that first hand damage and baggage that Roddey has created for himself and our region.

long research

Municipal Bankruptcy: Why Creditors Need Greater

Access to Tax Revenues in Chapter 9 Proceedings.

The Club For Growth hates Edwards plan for schools

The Club For Growth - http://www.clubforgrowth.org Club for Growth Gives Edwards’ School Plan Grade of F

No shock that the Club for Growth hates the plan from a Dem.

Edwards wants urban magnet schools. Those are NOT charter schools. And, Edwards wants to give money to suburban districts that take city kids in their classrooms.

The Club for Growth wants to fund private school options.

These folks are talking past each other, sadly.

Pittsburgh Hoagie gets nod for Propel Pittsburgh update

Pittsburgh Hoagie: All meat no filler: Propel Pittsburgh update

My reactions:

Get on the URA Board, then I'll be impressed.

Propel Pgh is a joke.

I would NUKE that organization. It has no function in city government. It is a way to make government bigger. I want to make government smaller. It is a way to put more layers of b-mumbo-jumbo between our city's leaders and the voters.

It is an accountability cope out too. He can say he'll do nothing but wait for the report from the 'commission' or 'booster group.'

We already have plenty of groups of professional young people in this town. Interact with them in the private sector. Don't duplicate them with taxpayer money.

It is plans like these that cost the city money -- and do little or nothing. And, this is why the Ds made the city bankrupt. It is a perk for you. It is a headache for the future.

Feds try to shut Brazilian airport after deadly crash - CNN.com

I've been sitting on this blog posting for a while. It isn't good news. In the USA, and in Pittsburgh, we are generally clueless about what is going on in the rest of the world. More research and pointers are needed.

The news hits close to home for me and our family. Our next trip abroad is slated for Brazil. Ordering the tickets have been on our 'to do list' in recent days.

A couple of days ago, a big commercial airline crash happened in Brazil -- on the same route that we're expected to take this fall, in October.

Feds try to shut Brazilian airport after deadly crash - CNN.com Feds try to shut Brazilian airport after deadly crash

Stay tuned.

Just a week prior to the fatal crash, the city council made a motion to prevent the large planes from using the airport. That measure was VETOED.

The pilots have been making a fuss about these conditions for some time.

TalkShoe - Talkcast - The American Entrepreneur show today with Mark Rauterkus call

I was an invited caller to Ron's show today as he was a guest host for Uncle Dougie, 3 to 6 pm, 1360 AM. My segment / call was at the very end of the show.

TalkShoe - Talkcast - The American Entrepreneur 07/19/07 03:00 PM EDT 2:56:55 in length

TAE SPECIAL EDITION - Ron Morris fills in for Doug Hoerth

Here is a pointer to the podcast. Listen if you wish.

The American Entrepreneur - Newsletter Articles

Wonderful parenting article from JB Inc.

The American Entrepreneur - Newsletter Articles Before our daughter entered our lives, I couldn’t herd a rabbit to a head of lettuce; because I lacked the patience and foresight needed to manage others.

The Darn News: Ravenstahl Detail: Code Bullshit

Don't you love a good string of insults with a glaring typo.

The Darn News: Ravenstahl Detail: Code Bullshit Your a ribbon-cutting patsy with no gravitas, and little more to your name than the promotion of a few wife-bruising cops and a morally repugnant round of golf. Drop the detail.

Luke might want to drop the detail. But, do insert type, "You're a ..." (not, Your a ...)

Boy, 12, went missing, now found; Last Seen At School - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Boy was hooked up at the McKeesport Police Station on Thursday morning with his God Parents.

Upsetting news: Help find this kid.

Boy, 12, Missing; Last Seen At School - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh: "Pittsburgh police are asking for help to find a boy who has been missing since Wednesday.

Eddie Yancey, 12, was last seen at Frick International Studies Academy on Thackeray Street in Oakland, police said.

Yancey's mother, Marcia, said the boy got in trouble because he brought a PlayStation to summer school.

She said she told the principal to send her son home, and the principal gave the child money for a bus ride, but nobody knows what happened after that.

Yancey is described as black, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 130 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and a light complexion

Anyone who has seen the child is asked to call the missing person unit of Pittsburgh police at 412-323-7800, or contact your local police department.

McKeesport history in focus, Libertarian film producer in town

McKeesport history in focus The film should offer more than just accounts of personal tragedy and triumph; Mr. Wilson said political and economic forces will also be examined.

A self-described libertarian, Mr. Wilson said his experience in McKeesport has made him question his own political views.

'One of the things that concerned me about the town was that the government is stepping in and doing this top-down development and that, to me, seems wrong. I believe the government should be involved in as little as possible.

'But I think there is a point that you get to in a city like McKeesport, where, if that doesn't happen, the city is doomed,'' he said.

'They're kind of doing it the right way,' he added. 'They're building infrastructure here ... but they're also giving business big tax breaks,' he said.

Mr. Wilson said his goal in McKeesport is to create a film that is apolitical ...

Whole Foods CEO turns blog into weapon in battle with FTC

Whole Foods CEO turns blog into weapon in battle with FTC In a blog posting on the Whole Foods Web site, the full force of Mackey's personality was laid bare as he attacked the Federal Trade Commission for trying to stop his company from buying rival Wild Oats Markets Inc.

For openers, Mackey accused the FTC of acting in 'a biased, adversarial and arrogant manner' and of using 'bullying' and 'unethical' tactics.

Got ink: Libertarian leaders eye Pittsburgh for convention

The Tribune Review printed an article about the National Libertarian Meeting that is to take place this weekend at the Hilton and quoted me.

Libertarian leaders eye Pittsburgh for convention - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Mark Rauterkus, of the South Side, who plans a race for City Council in the fall as a Libertarian candidate, said the party 'has a growing base in Western Pennsylvania.' New members include some people 'turned off' by the war in Iraq and others disillusioned with the city's 'Democratic model of giving away things that's failed.'

'We're bankrupt and still losing people,' he said.

---

Here is the full story:

By David M. Brown - TRIBUNE-REVIEW - Thursday, July 19, 2007

Leaders of the Libertarian Party plan to size up Pittsburgh this weekend as a potential site for a future national convention.

While it wouldn't draw the crowds that typically attend the Republican and Democratic national conventions, the organization that bills itself as the nation's third-largest political party could bring as many as 1,000 delegates, family and guests here, Libertarian National Chairman William Redpath said Wednesday.

"We are different from Republicans and Democrats," Redpath said. "Republicans and Democrats try to control people's lives in various ways."

Redpath maintains Libertarians represent "the only party that is consistently in favor of individual freedom and individual responsibility."

The Libertarian National Committee will conduct its quarterly board meeting Saturday and Sunday at the Hilton Pittsburgh, Downtown. Redpath will discuss the possibility of a national convention in 2010 or 2012 during a news conference at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at the hotel.

The party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two major parties, holds national conventions every two years.

Mark Rauterkus, of the South Side, who plans a race for City Council in the fall as a Libertarian candidate, said the party "has a growing base in Western Pennsylvania." New members include some people "turned off" by the war in Iraq and others disillusioned with the city's "Democratic model of giving away things that's failed."

"We're bankrupt and still losing people," he said.

Rauterkus twice ran unsuccessful campaigns as a Libertarian for council and the state Senate. He said he believes the campaigns helped promote important issues, including consolidation of functions in city and county government.

The 3,269 voters registered as Libertarians in Allegheny County rank as the largest third party, but equate to a fraction of 1 percent of the county's 893,606 registered voters. There about 36,000 registered Libertarians statewide. There are 29 Libertarian officeholders in the state, all of them at the local level.

Nationally, the party is in a rebuilding phase, Redpath said. Its membership of active donors -- contributors of $25 or more a year -- has slipped to about 11,000 from a peak of 34,000 in 1999, he said.

More than 200,000 Americans are registered as Libertarians, according to the party's Web site. In 2006, about 13.4 million votes were cast for Libertarian candidates around the nation, according to information on the site.

"In a nutshell, we are advocates for a smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom," it says.

The party has recorded an 18 percent increase in membership since January, said Shane Cory, the party's executive director.

Seventeen national committee members and alternates are expected to participate in the board meeting in Pittsburgh. The group will discuss the party's progress and future goals and assess the city as a convention site.

Suitable hotel accommodations is part of the formula. The group also will get "general impressions of the city," Redpath said. "Is it clean, comfortable and fun, and will it provide a positive experience for our members."

"I've been to Pittsburgh often enough to know that it would," he said.

David M. Brown can be reached at dbrown@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5614.

Edwards lifts poverty as his platform - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Edwards lifts poverty as his platform - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'We've got two public school systems in America. We've got one for those who live in wealthy suburban areas and one for everybody else,' Edwards said at the Hill House Association in the Hill District.

'We have got to build one public school system' to give all students equal opportunity for education, Edwards said to applause from a crowd of about 250.

Donna Vlassich, Assistant Director of Public Engagement is slated to retire

She has been the Assistant Director of Public Engagement for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. We'll miss her.

This is sad news to all the parents who have worked hard in the district in the past years.