BMX kills trees! OMG.

Last night I attened a meeting with the South Side Slopes Association and heard a series of lies such as, "BMX kills trees." The meeting was concerning the South Side Park -- a dead space of sorts. It is home to the city's other condemded indoor ice rink.

I learned a little and shook my head a lot.

Bottom line, Bruce Kraus went way out on a limb and said he'd promise to tear down the now hazzard building that once was an ice rink on the South Side. That's progressive leadership. Weee! But, the G-20 protestors might get there first and fix it so the city demo crew has to rush, rush, rush.

With tin snips and a hammer and some duck tape, the scraps from the medal building could be put to a green re-use so as to be the shell of a bob sled and luge course that cuts through the 65 acres vertical drop site.

Weekly Art Camps for summer

Summer Art Camps open house Sat, Mar 13.

Art Camps at PCA have inspired, challenged, and nurtured young artists for over 30 years. This summer, we are happy to provide your family with the opportunity to journey around the world together with art as your guide, stretching your imaginations, shifting your perspectives, and broadening your horizons.

Click to view the Facebook event and RSVP.

ART CAMPS OPEN HOUSE is Saturday March 13, from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Family-friendly, free art activities, tours, and meet the Saturday Light Brigade radio show, broadcasting live from the PCA School. Get a discount for registering with us that day.

Sign up for just the weeks you want. Our online registration system has just been completely revamped and improved, or call today.
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts School

1047 Shady Ave, Pittsburgh 15232 / 412-361-0455

Man whose kiss caused airport security scare pleads guilty - CNN.com

So, is this one for enforcement by the FASHION POLICE?

Man whose kiss caused airport security scare pleads guilty - CNN.com: "a charge that is a 'petty disorderly persons offense ... it's below a crime, it's not even considered a crime in New Jersey,' his lawyer"

Humm. There are below crime sins. It is interesting to watch how you gotta behave and how and when government comes into the picture. I'm all for good behavior and being polite. Don't spit, pick your nose nor fart out loud. All have public health ramifications. Don't put up outdoor Christmas lights in certain planned neighborhoods, nor fail to shovel your sidewalk in others. Parking a car on the corner or near a fire plug gets you a ticket or tow too. Watch out for the petty disorderly persons offense list, especially if it includes a public display of affection and most notable if behind airport security before TSA badges.

City Brief: Council Flirts With Central Planning, Pressures Aramark On Concession Jobs : Publius Awakened

Golly. This is what was expected and he is delivering.

City Brief: Council Flirts With Central Planning, Pressures Aramark On Concession Jobs : Publius Awakened: "City Council intervened today with a letter – written by Bruce Kraus and reprinted at City Paper’s Slag Heap – that reads like a Leftist’s guide to overreaching a local government’s authority and meddling in business decisions to score political points."

City Swim Championships - some races via my video camera

Boys 200 Free. Schenley goes 1-2 with Erik and Than.



Girls 200 Free Relay.



Boys 200 Free Relay, where Dice wins by .01.



Girls Backstroke: A part of Sophie's race.

College insider: Funk just misses out on berth in NCAAs

College insider: Funk just misses out on berth in NCAAs Lauren Funk was obviously disappointed about not qualifying for the NCAA Division I swimming championships.
But the Kenton Ridge High School graduate and Ohio University freshman was even more unhappy about the extra days she spent training this week.
“I could’ve slept in and gone to bed when I wanted to,” Funk said.
Funk was a member of the Bobcats’ 200-yard freestyle relay team, which swam an NCAA “B” cut and school-record time of 1 minute, 30.5 seconds during a time trial at the Mid-American Conference championships at Miami University on Saturday, Feb. 27.
When the selections were announced Thursday, March 4, the Bobcats missed out on qualifying by just .01 seconds.
The relay team set the conference, meet and pool marks with a time of 1:30.47.

Pennsylvania To Offer Back Tax Amnesty - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

Splendid.

Pennsylvania To Offer Back Tax Amnesty - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh Pennsylvania To Offer Back Tax Amnesty
Program Expected To Generate Millions For State Coffers
Posted: 5:35 am EST March 8,2010
Updated: 8:00 am EST March 8,2010
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania plans to launch a tax amnesty program on April 26.
During the 54-day amnesty period, all penalties and half the interest will be waived for businesses and individuals that pay off delinquent taxes accrued through June 2009.
The program is expected to generate a spike in tax collections and an additional $190 million to help offset spending in the fiscal year that began July 1.
Pennsylvania's latest amnesty program was developed during a political stalemate that held up passage of the state budget for four months.
A similar program last year in New Jersey raked in a record $725 million in six weeks.

Next, it would be great if all non-violent offenders could be released from jail and put into some type of house arrest.

PPS, District VIII, City Championships Swim Meet Results from Saturday

Yesterday at the meet, I got a copy of the meet results put onto my flash drive. It came to me with only places 1 to 6. So, I inserted the other splits from the rest of the Schenley swimmers. Plus I touched up a few clerical mistakes as well.

Meet Results from the 2010 Championships in PDF.

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0ByN94c3Pp4BpMDVkNzIwYjUtMTE0Yy00OWE1LTkyMmYtYjE2ZGRmOTc4M2Y0&hl=en

Exciting swims!

Podium of the 100 fly. Nicole Grabowski, Senior, Schenley, got 3rd. Later, in the 100 back, Nicole got the silver medal and teammate, Alex Davis, got third.

 Team Champions, Schenley Spartans, go to the podium to get the first place trophy.
The scoreboard has the results of the final event, the boys 400 free relay. It shows Schenley with 3:41.72 and Allderdice at 3:42.79. However, the final results have a DQ for Dice. As the meet unfolded, the DQ nor the final relay would impact the team standings. The meet was locked up by the final event.

James won the 100 fly. Second (left) was Nate Landis of Allderdice and third (right) was Max O of Schenley. Max dropped from a 1:10.04 to 1:05.48. Max had only done a 1:10 once, and had been 1:15 most of the season. James had a personal record too. It was the first time he broke 1-minute in the fly. His time was 59.43. James hopes to attend the US Naval Academy. He already has two appointments. James also got 2 gold medals in relays (Medley and 400 Free) and a silver in the 200 IM.

Coach Borza and Coach Pitch look on in the bottom right of the photo. They were responsible for passing out the medals at the podium. Both are the coaches of the powerhouse Frick Middle School Team now called Pittsburgh Obama.

Pay $3,000 for a D party endorsement for an open seat

The cost for a Dem Party Endorsement for D-Party candidates for state rep was $2,000 -- except for the open seat left vacant by Don Walko (now a judge).

The cost for a Libertarian Party endorsement for the same race, $0. The experience, priceless.

Libertarian Party Nominates Demo Agoris for 12th Congressional District

Agoris offers voters a real choice on May 18th Special Election

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
3915 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.lppa.org

For Immediate Release: March 5, 2010

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

Harrisburg – This week, the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA) nominated Demo Agoris (pronounced Dee-mo) to fill the seat of the late John Murtha in the 12th Congressional District. Mr. Agoris will appear on the ballot with the Republican and Democratic nominees for the special election to be conducted in conjunction with the publicly funded nomination process for the two older political parties on May 18.

Mr. Agoris, a resident of Houston Borough, Washington County, has owned and managed several businesses including Agoris Candies and Agoris Real Estate. He served on the Houston Borough Council in the 1990's then served as the chairman of a Government Study Commission in 2000. He also served as an electronics repairman in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

Born in Canonsburg, Washington County, Mr. Agoris believes in open government, tax and spending cuts, government reform, and Positive Leadership (www.a7s.us). Demo Agoris states "Government is established by and gets its authority from the consent of the people. Both Democrats and Republicans are moving our government away from its foundation and working for special interests. On May 18th there is a chance for all voters of the 12th District to come together to send a message that we want government to secure the rights of the people not promote special interests, that we want government that is open and honest, and limited to its delegated authority. I will be honored to work for the Liberty and individual rights of the residents of the 12th Congressional District."

"Mr. Agoris offers real change to the voters of the 12th District" Michael Robertson, LPPA Chairman noted. "The Libertarian Party is honored to offer voters a choice in this election to change from politics-as-usual. The path of a limited government focused to secure the rights of the individual and not promote special interests is the best way forward for our nation. Demo Agoris can bring that vision to Washington DC for the people of the 12th Congressional District."

***
The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in Pennsylvania and the United States . More than 200,000 people across the country are registered Libertarians, and Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.

With Open 311, the White House is Like That Friendly Guy at the Code Jam | techPresident

311 is in the news again on two different ways.

With Open 311, the White House is Like That Friendly Guy at the Code Jam | techPresident: "We mentioned yesterday that White House CIO Vivek Kundra winged his way out to San Francisco to stand beside that city's mayor Gavin Newsom and discuss an Open 311 API, but it's well worth going into more detail on what yesterday's event signified."

The other bit of news that hit recently was that the 311 system in Pittsburgh is known for its hang ups. Lots of people call and are put on hold and finally hang up. I've hung up a lot. There is a lot of delay in getting to the operators. There is some branding and hype from the Mayor's office, IMHO.

Flashback. I helped get 311 to Pittsburgh and was the first to promote it as a candidate. The P-G wrote about it. Bob O'Connor read it and it was put into motion.

I also am waiting for Reverse 9-1-1 to come about too. With Reverse 911 the authorities can make an outward bound call to warn residents. Could be a train derailed, a gas leak, a jail break, a lockdown, etc. The city has not done anything on that front -- yet. Anyone reading????

City exploring more lease arrangements

City exploring more lease arrangements: "For instance, the city could find a private partner to finance the construction of a 'new mega-center' to replace or supplement aging recreation and community centers in the North Side. Why would a private investor join in financing and operating a recreation center? 'They can actually be profit centers where you can offer classes and swimming lessons' to a broad population."

Humm... Like at the ice rink that the city had that had a private-public partnership and has been closed for years.

Cost of materials puts Soccer City $133M over World Cup budget - Soccer - SI.com

Cost of materials puts Soccer City $133M over World Cup budget - Soccer - SI.com: "The venue for the World Cup final cost nearly a third more than estimated due to the rising price of building materials, Johannesburg officials said Wednesday."

Squirrel Hill movie theater closes

Squirrel Hill movie theater closes: "After more than seven decades, the Squirrel Hill Theatre on Forward Avenue has closed. The decision will have no effect, owners say, on the nearby Manor Theater which will continue to operate.

'It is with deep regret that I am faced with the decision to close the Squirrel Hill Theatre,' owner Richard Stern said in a statement today. 'It is no longer an economically viable operation and we can no longer sustain the losses which we have experienced over the past two years.'"

Perhaps the movie theater can be sold to the Gov Workers Pension Fund and managed by Citiparks Films in the Park crew so that retired firefigters can benefit.

Nevermind.

Wait....

Perhaps the Sci-Tech High School Musical can be held in the now closed cinema because the auditorium that was a part of Frick Middle School, now home to a renovated PPS Sci Tech had its auditorium converted to a child care center.

Nevermind.

Physical, academic fitness tied at the hip: study | Reuters

Physical, academic fitness tied at the hip: study | Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Physically fit students tend to score higher on standardized tests than their less fit peers, hint findings from a new study.

Health

Test scores dropped more than one point for each extra minute it took middle and high school students to complete a 1-mile run/walk fitness test, Dr. William J. McCarthy and colleagues at the University of California in Los Angeles found.

Parking Asset Plans for Pension Funds -- Folly and Folly Squared

Keeping Public Assets Public

View more presentations from Mark Rauterkus.

The Public Plan transfers ownership of some garages now a part of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority to a private pension fund for government workers. Then with the new garages, the pension fund can use on-going revenue for the pension fund needs.

This plan, by Patrick Dowd of Pittsburgh City Council (one of nine) and Michael Lamb, City Controller (I ran against him for that post), is put into contrast with the plan from the Mayor, Luke Ravenstahl. The mayor's plan calls for a lease of the parking garages, something that I've been speaking against for some time. It would be better to sell the garages and not do a long-term lease.

The city gave a long-term lease to the guy who operated the ice rink in the park on the South Side. That lease didn't work out well for the residents. The roof fell in on it -- literally.

The city gave a long term lease to the Pirates and Steelers for their use of Three Rivers Stadium. That building is long gone but the public still owes tens of millions on a building that isn't there any more. Go figure.

The city gave a long-term lease to the Penguins for the Civic Arena. Now the Pens, renters, are moving out, and they insist that the building that they don't own be torn down. What renter tells a landlord to tear down a building they used to live in?

Pittsburgh gave long term leases to the Pittsburgh network of Carnegie Libraries -- and that hasn't even worked out well. Library branches have closed. The library can't do fix ups as they don't own the buildings. It is a mess.

The city should NOT do any long term lease deals. Period.

Selling is another matter and presents a much different and much better outcome for the city, for the residents and for the next owners.

City Paper Link

Local accountability is nice. However, there is no accountability with an authority. None. The authority board members are not elected nor do they face retention votes. The accountability resides in elected offices.

Furthermore, the pension fund is not a public entity. The pension fund is a private fund for those that were once public employees. The steelworkers have a pension fund as do teachers, gov workers and others have private 401K funds.

So, if a bank goes broke should we give it a parking garage and call it even?

A neighbor has a hard time paying her bills. Can the city designate five parking meters along East Carson Street for her? Can she get an on-going revenue stream by taking the quarters out of those parking meters?

The Dowd and Lamb plan is better than what Ravenstahl suggested. But it is still a matter of the lesser of two evils.

I wait for news and details of the plan from its authors. Will they tell us if these parking garages that are now owned by the public authority and are going to be transferred in ownership to a pension fund become a taxable revenue stream for real estate taxes for the city, school board and county?

Owners of private parking garages pay property taxes on the real estate. The pension fund should own the garages and the city should send them a tax bill that gets paid every year. The treasury should make a long-term income stream based on the value of the land and building of these garages.

What too about the parking taxes?

The city parking tax has been a nightmare. For years I've said that the parking tax should be moved to a much lower level, say 10 or 15%. But, dropping the parking tax should happen after the Parking Authority was liquidated. The parking tax throughout the city should drop by a huge factor. That is the relief that should be part of the plan too.

A transfer of the ownership to the pension fund as proposed means a deed transfer. So, does this mean a deed transfer tax payment? I expect so.

I think that the deed transfer tax sucks. But it is here. And if it is something that you'll pay when you buy and sell a home, then it should be something that they pay when they expand their property holdings too.

If the new owners pay both the deed transfer tax and the real estate taxes into the future, then we are on the right pathway. Neither of these are mentioned in the Dowd and Lamb slide show. They are the ones who should be keeping their eyes on the cookie jar, cash drawer, public treasury. I feel as if they are doing a shell game with the public's attention.

I'd suggest that once a deal is done and the properties are transfered, then the next adjustment is with the parking tax. Put the parking tax to 15% once all of these new entities and transfers are resolved and operational for 6 months.

Allow for the Parking Authority to have a management contract for the new owners of the garages for no more than five years. Then, four or five years into the future, the owners of the garages and the management contractors can renew the terms of their contract, or not.

Sunset is a great word that those on Grant Street should use in every discussion they have.

Don't insist that the parking authority be un-accountable to the new owners. Give the freedom and flexibility to the new owners to do what they wish with their properties. Sunset the management by the Parking Authority for the properties now owned by the pension fund. That should be no more than a five year deal. Renewal, or not, should be a factor between the new owners and the management -- not some hatched plan from council from years ago.

The Dowd and Lamb plan is far better than what Mayor Ravenstahl put on the table. But some changes and more details from Dowd and Lamb plan should be made before it beats my plan of complete liquidation.

A few more notes are in the comment section of the SlideShare site as well as Patrick's Facebook page.

Summary:
1. Transfer ownership means a deed transfer. Will there be a deed transfer tax paid on the total value of the properties that are transferred? I hope so. Say so.

2. Owners of property pay real estate taxes. What taxes are paid here? What are the assessments?

3. Sunset the management contract with the Parking Authority. Don't legislate what others should do with their properties.

I think it is a benefit to make dramatic decreases in the role of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority. For years I've said, "Let’s liquidate the Parking Authority." Without a Parking Authority, then policy decisions are done by those who are elected. That is who should do policy decisions. The Parking Authority is UN-Democratic. No Parking Authority Board Member comes up for a retention vote before the citizens.

Past and present city leaders are always fishing for one-time pay offs. This is another one-time windfall -- in a long series of them. By the way, how much does the public still owe on Three Rivers Stadium these days? Past Pittsburgh politicians sold the sewer lines for pete's sake.

Call ’The Private Plan’ the ’Ravenstahl Plan’ (or draft 1 of Ravenstahl Plan).

It is absurd that the Mayor’s Plan would forbid the Pittsburgh Parking Authority from building new parking facilities. So stupid. The only thing that would be more foolish is building more parking garages with public money -- like past city leadeers did so many times in the past.

Both Lamb and Dowd should be more concerned for the building of a regular revenue stream for local government too. Worry about the taxpayers, not your pensions. The regular revenue stream for CMPTF should be from the workers on the jobs now. This plan is to build a NEW, extra revenue stream.

Long-term economic stability is a but a dream here. Wave those red flags high when the plan hypes long-term and economics yet alone 'stability.' Will this plan create world peace too?

Local control is nice -- but this is really GOVERNMENT CONTROL of development options. I would much rather have GOVERNMENT CONTROL government functions and not have government play the role of development czar. Development should be driven by private investment money.

Pittsburgh's new YMCA sells naming rights

Pittsburgh's new YMCA sells naming rights Officials at the Y will follow the March 29 soft opening with a grand opening April 24. The four lane, 25 meter pool, which is still a work in progress, is expected to be ready by mid-April, Mr. Mann said.

No basketball.

IOC president Jacques Rogge doesn't get it when it comes to women - Ann Killion - SI.com

IOC president Jacques Rogge doesn't get it when it comes to women - Ann Killion - SI.com: "Ah, Olympic tradition. Tears. Cheers. And the International Olympic Committee looking foolish.
Just like clockwork last week, IOC president Jacques Rogge went wading into the gender equity pool at these Olympics and found himself stuck in the weeds.

Sabres Edge: Lalime to start against Penguins

Sid won't go against the Olympic MVP tonight.

Sabres Edge: Lalime to start against Penguins Lalime is ready to provide it. He will start in goal for the Sabres on Tuesday when they resume the NHL schedule in Pittsburgh.
'I’m playing tomorrow and looking forward to it,' Lalime said after practice today in HSBC Arena. 'I think he deserves the rest.'"