Ohligarchy: A Head In the Clouds Versus the Man In the Moon

Ohligarchy: A Head In the Clouds Versus the Man In the MoonA Head In the Clouds Versus the Man In the Moon

Some buzz brews about last night's TV (tape delayed) debate in the comments section.

Pondering my (Mark Rauterkus) reply to the PG's Voters Guide

This is what I wrote:

State Senator, 42nd District Mark Rauterkus, 46, South Side

Education: B.S. journalism, Ohio University, 1982; graduate school, Baylor University, Texas, 1982-83.

Occupation: Community activist, swim coach.

Qualifications: GOP candidate for mayor of Pittsburgh, 2001; May 2004, released 150-page parks merger position paper; coached 30 years, proving leadership and teamwork; published 100 how-to books proving abilities of handling technical content, similar to skills necessary for the crafting of legislation.

Answer: I'd launch a youth technology summit. I'd establish a regional park district. I'd end tax increment financing, lower deed transfer tax, fund transportation and squash horrid big-ticket spending. I'd halt sprawl to boost our urban fabric. Supporting schools and neighborhoods makes common sense. Career politicians put the region in a tailspin. My opponents display experienced leadership of folly. Serious opposition must counter their giveaways. Elect.Rauterkus.com is about performance, kids, wellness, accountability, communication, openness, open-source technology, freedoms, personal responsibility, taxing land, prudent spending, real democracy and respect of the marketplace.

Pondering Diven's statement in the PG's voter guide

State Senator, 42nd District: "Michael Diven, 35, Brookline

Education: B.A., history, minor philosophy, Duquesne University, 1993.

Occupation: State representative, 22nd District.

Qualifications: Pittsburgh City Council, three years; state representative, 22nd District, elected 1997.

Answer: I will introduce a bill in the Pennsylvania Senate which will be a vehicle to consolidate administrative office space in Downtown Pittsburgh. A study that I commissioned showed that we now have 1.1 million square feet of office space, and we can easily consolidate this into 350,000 square feet. This would increase efficiency, create construction jobs, revitalize the Downtown business corridor, and save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used to relieve the unfair burden of property taxes.

Let's start with the vehicle mention -- as in state car. Transportation issues are huge. PAT is running today with a 2-year band-aid. Let's hear something about THAT from our Harrisburg politician.

The bill to consolidate office space downtown creates a NEW AUTHORITY. I hate authorities. I hate debt. This Diven idea is a TIF on STEROIDS that jacks up debt by $50-million for Pgh and $300-million for the state. It is just about as big as 'growing greener 2' -- but it makes loft apartments. All in all, the Diven plan would KILL the city. It goes in the wrong direction on many fronts.

I have heard Diven's plan -- in depth. I wish everyone had the opportunity to hear all about it. It is a deal breaker plan.

Diven wants the state of PA with its new authority to take over the public office buildings owned by the city, county and schools. He ignores the STATE building and the FEDERAL buildings. If all the buildings were in the mix, that would be different.

Then Diven wants to build up Fifth & Forbes with parking, retail and a RIDC like office park for city, county and school buildings -- but not state or feds. This is a mega building.

Then all of the other buildings now in use by the government turn into loft apartments.

Who wants to live in the Gold Room? Who wants the Mayor's office?

I just wonder, do we get to keep the jail as it is or is that part of the mix as well?

My approach is more organic. Let us evolve in continual steps.

Do get rid of the governmental buildings -- like the PARKING AUTHORITY ASSETS. We should liquidate the parking authority, over some years. then we can lower the parking tax to 15%. There is no reason why the government needs to be building parking garages. Make the parking authority a department.

Our parking authoriy is just opening its own court room now. Overboard public project are sure to zap out all energy from the marketplace and end any type of investments from regular owners.

PNC Bank expanded to Firstside and the city was suckered (forced) into building them a new T-stop and new parking garage. That's a bad deal and it costs everyone. PNC Bank does not need to build its own parking garage for its employees because it can have the city build it for them.

Hence, no private builder is ever going to build another parking garage in downtown. There is poison in the marketplace. Investment stops. Real efforts go to other markets where the 900-pound gorilla isn't a public authority with an endless supply of money.

I have better ideas for some big projects downtown. Downtown does have serious weaknesses.

Pondering Fontana's statement in the PG's voter guide

State Senator, 42nd District: "Wayne D. Fontana, 55, Brookline

Education: Community College of Allegheny County, 1971.

Occupation: Sales manager and associate broker, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services (on leave while running for Senate).

Qualifications: 19th Ward Democratic committeeman, 11 years; Allegheny County Council, five years, served as vice chair, also committee chair of Property Assessment, Economic Development, Executive, Redistricting, Budget and Finance and Property Assessment Oversight.

Answer: I would support and facilitate attempts made by local governments to merge services and departments such as public works. I am a proponent for row office consolidation in Allegheny County that would save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. I also support a joint purchasing program similar to the state program that purchases in bulk at a lower cost. We need to explore tax collection at the regional or county level vs. local tax collection.

Fontana is a proponent for row office consolidation in Allegheny County -- but when he was on the council he didn't support Onorato's plan to drop the row offices to two. Fontana doubled the number to put onto the ballot. Onorato's legislation said two. Fontana and the others on council established a bundle to four.

The claim of saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars is another empty promise. Perhaps that is over the course of two decades. Perhaps the number could be a little less foggy.

Row office consolidation isn't really about saving money. It we really wanted to save money, we'd be voting to elminate the authories, not the row office.

An elected official in the row office has a salary that is established by the charter. An appointed row office official is going to have an increased salary and it won't be subject to the lower limits now in place.

If we really wanted to save taxpayer money -- we would NOT be doing any TIFs. Fontana voted just recently (within the last 3 monts) to give a tax break to the developer for Deer Creek Crossing. That is a tax give-away. That move hurts the taxpayers.

Fontana wants to explore regional tax collectors. That is sure to fix all our problems -- not.

Joint purchases are sure to be a massive windfall too -- hardly.

Would-a, could-a, should-a! Why didn't you do these things while on county council? The city and county don't do joint purchases now. Should-a! Didn't!

State Senator, 42nd District -- PG has its VOTERS Guide out today -- Monday, May 9

State Senator, 42nd District State Senator, 42nd District
VOTE FOR ONE

Term: 19 months Salary: $69,648

Duties: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government. It is composed of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. A majority vote of both houses is necessary to pass a law. The Senate approves executive appointments while it is in session.

Question: What changes in state law would you support to provide incentives for more efficient and cost effective local government operations?

The voters guide is out within the PG. See section D.

The voters guide is called a "primary" -- but -- there is more than the primary to occur on May 17, election day.

The state senate race is a special election. The term is 19 months. It is brief. It is okay to send a Libertarian to the senate for 19 months. Think of the ful we'll have.

CTCNet - Want to car pool to Cleveland? Consider the event as this is the type of community development I'm interested in promoting.

Our community development efforts in Pittsburgh are too much about bricks and mortar projects. Little is done to teach people to read or how to use the net for effective living.

CTCNet: "CTCNet's 14th Annual Community Technology Conference will be held June 17-19 in Cleveland!

Register Online Now!

Exhibit or Sponsor!
Current Initiatives

Youth Visions for Stronger Neighborhoods
Engages youth in local community-building and decision-making, incorporating the tools and training commonly offered by community technology centers. Learn about the 2005 Youth Visions grantees.

Connections for Tomorrow Project
Supports organizations that serve youth and homeless people by providing grants towards organizational capacity-building and best practices development. Learn about the 2005 Connections for Tomorrow grantees.

CTC VISTA Project
The CTC VISTA Project has provided coordination, recruitment, training and support for more than 100 AmeriCorps*VISTAs who have been working in CTCs and organizations across the country.

America Connects Consortium
ACC is a partnership of Education Development Center, CTCNet, and the National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley College . Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, CTCNet has been a partner of ACC since its inception in 2000.

Access 2 Action
Explores ways to help bridge gaps between the fields of community technology and community development and increase the capacity of CTCs to become a force for positive social change at the community level

Four more city pools won't open in 2005 -- we can do much better.

Four city pools high, dry - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Four city pools high, dry

Pittsburgh officials say four more city swimming pools won't open this summer.

Save Our Summer -- 2004 -- is DEAD. In 2004, the SOS effort was to raise money to get a band-aid to put onto a dead body.

Allegheny County was trying to get the operation of the newer city pool up in Lincoln Place. What happened with that deal? Let me guess. Perhaps those on Grant Street displayed their lack of willingness to play well with others.

"The pool is all we have here," said Marlene Emro, 64, a long-time resident of Lincoln Place. "We have the city school Mifflin Elementary, the pool and no other city things here. It's a shame. Our kids are out here at the end of the world."


"It's not fair," Emro said. "We pay taxes, and the children deserve the chance to go up and take a dip."
...
Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shields, whose 5th District includes Lincoln Place, said the tentative closing there is especially troubling because McBride is a newer pool; it opened just a few years ago to replace an above-ground pool.

Lincoln Place residents are worried the new pool will deteriorate if it's not used and maintained.

Shields, of Squirrel Hill, said he plans to work with state Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Carrick, to investigate getting a state grant to operate McBride.

As for the closings citywide, Shields said: "If you open one and not the other, someone else is going to feel the pain. There are no good choices to be made here.

WRONG!

Before McBride opened, I voiced a protest. I went on the record saying that the swim pool there should NOT have been built. Readshaw, D, PA House, brought home some pork for the building of that pool. It is a dinky pool. It took the place of another dinky pool. It is inferior. Our kids got robbed. Our city got robbed.

I raised the objections that the pool should be built in the first place. I didn't want to spend the state money on the pool. It was no gift as operational costs were not part of the solution.

I said that the city should build the pool there only after the aquatics task force had suggested that it be built. The aquatic task force was concerned about the city's swim pool landscape -- but it was another joke miss-managed by the city's mayor and city council.

The Mt. Washington pool is another sad note. Paul Renee, a candidate for city council in the D primary for the seat formerly held by Alan Hertzberg, was one of the champions in 2004 in efforts to reopen Reams. Rene, with some help, paid to open the swim pool at Reams in Mt. Washington last year. He got a great lesson in how hard it is to operate a rec facility. It isn't easy -- it isn't hard -- it is long.

What is worse, the pool opening in Mt. Washington blazed a new pathway in city and community cooperation. But sadly, the operations are not going to be sustained. It would have been wonderful if the REAMS model was able to pull its own weight and expand to other now closed pools.

No large-scale money-raising effort is under way to open more pools. John Ellis, spokesman for the Pittsburgh Foundation, said last year's "Save Our Summer" campaign -- which raised more than $600,000 for the pools -- was a one-time effort. The pools' futures are in the hands of the city this year, he said.

These make good examples as to why we need a new direction. Let's work to form a new Pittsburgh Park District.

PG Editorial: O'Connor for mayor

Giuliani of New York was a REPUBLICAN.

Giuliani of New York broke a long string of DEMs as mayor of New York. Pittsburgh faces the same-old, same-old Democrat Bob O'Connor. The future with O'Connor in Pittsburgh is unlike what New York had with Rudy Giuliani.

Editorial: It's O'Connor / Democrats need a consensus builder for mayor "Mr. O'Connor sees himself as Pittsburgh's Rudolph Giuliani, the mayor who cleaned up New York. 'When we start believing in ourselves, this thing will turn around,' he told the editorial board. We certainly hope so -- because what the city lacks in money it must make up in determination.

Bob O'Connor, who deserves the nomination, is the party's best hope for rekindling a spirit of renewal.

Bob's determination isn't able to be discounted. But, this city isn't about Bob's determination. This election isn't about the next in que and highest in determination. Rather, this process is about the determination and will of the people of Pittsburgh. Citizen centered perspective need to take the helm, not next in line thinking for annointed ones. The PG perspective is NOT match my perspective.

A vote for O'Connor shows little "determination" from the voters.

Those with a loud and strong desire for a different type of determination won't choose O'Connor.

---

... Pittsburgh was a different place four years ago. Today it is financially distressed and under the watchful eye of two state agencies. Police have been laid off; fire stations and swimming pools have been closed. While neighborhoods are trying to hold it together, parts of Downtown (despite new development) look shabbier than ever.

Told ya. We knew what was happening, back in 1999, 2000 and 2001. We knew Tom Murphy was trouble. The PG endoresment went to Tom Murphy in 2001.

In 2000 and 2001, I went to the public. I ran for mayor and helped the guy that beat me in the contested primary. I (and others) knew that Pittsburgh was in serious trouble. Pittsburgh was in trouble in 2001. Pittsburgh is in trouble in 2005. Pittsburgh is NOT a different place now. The PG can't ignore the facts of our poor conditions.

That giant whizzing sound you're about to hear will be an exodus of Pittsburghers -- unless they have a chance for a mayor who will do more than restore financial stability, but will also build hope for the future. In the Democratic field, that candidate is Bob O'Connor.
ABOUT to HEAR? Come on.

More people had left Pittsburgh in 2001 while Tom Murphy had been mayor than voted for him then to continue being our mayor. People have been leaving for some time.

People who leave don't get to vote for the opposition that remains.

Pittsburgh has an empty feeling. We can't even gather enough for a good disaster drill because of the years of disasters that have come in the past dozen years.

Bob O'Connor was on council when the city's debt mounted. Don't forget it and don't reward it with an endorsement or a vote.

Sure, O'Connor is backed by city worker unions and orthodox party leaders. So, I say the next mayor should not be part of the same cloth.

Because the next mayor has Act 47 bean counters -- we have an opportunity to pick an inspired leader who is less experienced. Act 47 and the Oversight Board serve as TRAINING WHEELS for getting on the right track.

The fiscal straight-and-narrow is not a guarantee, but it is more assured. We might not fall hard -- but we still might not go anywhere near prosperity. The old guard won't have the same influence if the voters choose to elect NEW PEOPLE. The old guard will have the same influence if we keep electing those who have made the troubles continue.

The PG editors wrote, "Among the seven Democratic candidates, only three have notable credentials for the job."

NOT-ABLE, as in not able?

Or, Note -- as in a note of debt. We have some who are okay with debt and notes.

That debt advancing history is not a prerequisite for the job of mayor.

I agree that the other Democrats care about their city. But prime time values are not lost on me because one is 'retired.'

The PG welcomes a robust debate in the fall between the party nominees on the best solutions for the city's problems. --- NOTE: The PG does NOT welcome another into that debate, say from neither the Ds or Rs.

If O'Connor had fervor for improving Pittsburgh, he would NOT have left city council. He would not have left the fight to claim the vote in protest in 2001. O'Connor knew the vote totals were rigged -- a dozen different ways. But, he didn't out the ways of the cheaters -- as he didn't want to rock the boat that much. He didn't have the fervor I would have hoped to have seen.

O'Connor has been playing defense in his campaigns, in 2001 and 2005.

Oh well. The PG and I don't see eye to eye again.

Row Office Reform: YES and NO editorials in Sunday's PG Forum Section

The Yes-vs.-No ballot question on the May 17 election, right next to our special election for PA Senate, 42nd, makes for some interesting discussions.

Recap from my perspectives:

Months ago, I pushed and pulled as best I could to the County Executive and to County Council Members to junk the plans put forth for the ballot question. The question is not nearly as good as it should be.

Voters are asked to choose a bundle. YES votes call for a drop from ten (10) row offices to four (4). NO votes say keep the system of 10 row offices -- just as it is for now.

The bundle is bad. The bundle forces a discussion into certain areas. The voters got ripped off at the ballot box -- before the vote was even taken. The question of 10 to 4 stinks.

Dan Onorato wanted to drop from 10 to 2. He had a different bundle. That was a bad question as well.

Would-a, Could-a, Should-a from the Rauterkus perspective: Ask each each question for each office on its own merits in seperate votes.

Should the county controller continue to be elected? YES -- or -- NO?

Should the county's recorder of deeds continue to be elected? YES -- or -- NO?

These questions would continue for all ten row offices.

That is what should have happened. That isn't happening. We need elected people who know and care about democracy.

Among the candidates in the race for state senate, Diven seems to be on the side of voting "YES." Fontana was on county council and he didn't do what should have been done, as I suggested. He went with the flow and fumbled into an expansion of four offices put onto the ballot in a crafted compromise that ends up putting the region in another goofy situation -- much like being a dead skunk in the middle of the road.

We need leaders that push forth better solutions. We don't need back bench leadership. We don't need guys who cave on important issues.

Back to today's PG editorials. On the "YES" side was Dick Thornburgh, and he got his taken by David Tessitor.

Thornburgh put up a call for a YES vote because of some an ancient relic reasoning. Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, -- and even George Washington -- are "ancient." But they gave us freedom and in turn the Constitution. Hey Thornburgh -- being ancient has its advantages and is heads and shoulders over the style of leadership and bone headed people we've in too many offices of power running the region in these MODERN TIMES.

Let's turn back the clock and thrive again in terms of our democracy.

The closing statement from the "NO" side from Tessitor is powerful. Note NO! We need more deomocracy, not less.

Thornbergh does not give one reason WHY the old doesn't work. He streamlines democracy and the power with the people -- and that's something that we should question. He thinks an appointed leader is going to give better customer service than an elected one. Why? Thornburgh's spin without substance.

Hanging one's hat on modernized IT is a joke. IT is Informational Technology. I know a thing or two about public IT elements. The county's IT plan isn't about modern solutions, such as open source software. I have no confidence in mega networks run by those who less than 10 years ago didn't have any computers. A distributed network is stronger, better, more modern. We don't want Thornburgh styled, monolitic IT plans lead by career politicians.

If we had a real IT pro among the flock of those in charge, then I'd re-consider my stance. We don't have the talent nor know-how in the top leadership, sadly.

Red tape for citizens and business isn't in the row office structure, but is in found in the AUTHORITIES such as the URA, Water & Sewer, Parking, Stadium, and Housing. We need to work on those authories. I'm the one that wants a vote to eliminate the authorities.

We are barking up the wrong tree.

Onorato is not bucking powerful people in his own party when Michael Lamb, a candidate for mayor, is also standing up to say the same should occur. Onorato is going with the flow among the corporate power base. That isn't bad, in and of itself. But, don't tell us Onorato is bucking the establishment. I'm not crying any tears on these matters for him going out on a limb.

Power would have gone to the people with a one-by-one vote on each office. That would have been the way to buck the system in an effective way.

Wellness in the Workplace -- TV 4 show hits a home run for me.

WTAE TV 4 does a Healthy 4 Life tv show on Wellness in the Workplace. Wellness is a plank in my platform. Great stuff. Marilyn Brooks made the report. Well done!

Health fairs, health screening, extra activities, and many other extra examples.

The concern is the bottom line. Can't afford it -- ha. To a lunch and learn. A health fair is no cost. The health assessment is

Medrad. Inc., 1,200 employees, medical products, northern suburban location has some great applications of wellness in the workplace. Its coupled to the philosophy.

Stanford and Deliberate -- was at CMU 2 years ago

CMU and Stanford are two top insitutions in the realm of "deliberate" areas of public life. There is a promising, academic, policy, democracracy and technology confluence that has been budding for years. Some in Pittsburgh have been at the cutting edge of this mission and movement. Some huge grants and outcomes have been obtained.

Marilyn Davis, Ph.D., is a long-time net friend of mine. She is the principle developer of eVote and hosts efforts at "deliberate.com" -- a site that I've helped for years by providing some high-speed web services.

Two years ago, CMU hosted a conference. I attended. Now it is going to happen again, but on the west coast. Marilyn is going to present. She wrote today:

Hi eVote Fiddlers,

I will be giving a demo of eVote at a conference at Stanford. I'll be the last of this: 1:10-2:30 Demonstrations: Groupware (380-380C)

For the demo, I'll put in a poll on this fiddle list. If anyone is online, and happens to see the poll come in, it would be totally cool if you went ahead and voted on it.

This looks like a great conference. The paper titles make me think there's lots of hope for online deliberation yet.

Check it out:

http://www.online-deliberation.net/conf2005

Marilyn

Our lightly used blog is at http://eVote.blogspot.com.

In Pittsburgh, a month ago, an out of town expert was a guest speaker for a public lecture, and I attended and asked a question. She got the discussions started in earnest outside of the academic and techie realm where I dabble with the lawyers and attorneys.

These concepts are going to reshape politics and our decision making process. I am sure it is the wave of the future for Pittsburgh -- as its happening with great results elsewhere now.

Tonight is the only TV debate, 7 pm, all candidates!

WBGN, a Green Tree station, #3 on my city cable box, is to broadcast the debate of a few weeks ago held in Mt. Washington. All three candidates were present and got an opening statement, closing statement and replied to some questions.

In my opening -- I jumped upon some overstatements mentioned by Fontana in his opening. Fontana read a portion of a letter from Tom Shumaker, (R), County Council member. Shumaker has since let it know that he'll be resigning from County Council and moving to Virginia. Tom also has been quoted in the papers saying he won't comment on Fontana's claims of being so effective in "bi-partisan" behaviors.

Shumaker's letter to Fontana was nice -- but -- it was dated Feb. 29, 2005. Shumaker sent it because Fontana was then not eligible to be on the county council as he was a candidate for another public office. Fontana needed to resign by then. He didn't even resign after being nominated. Fontana's resignation came weeks late. Fontana's actions of ignorance for the expressed statements within the County Charter was painfully obvious.

In my closing statement, I pointed out the main distinction between the other two any myself. I expect to serve the American people in a lawful way as a state senator should. I'm not only about bringing home the pork.

I'm the one that thinks that the system is broken. That the public treasury is broke. We've tried their style and it has diven us deeply into a crisis.

Hope you tune into the debate.

Viet Vet says on KDKA TV / PG Sunday Edition: There is more capitalism in Siagon than there is in Pittsburgh.

Ho chi Minh City is what its called now, officially.

T.J. McGarvey gave the quote on the air, "There is more capitalism in Siagon than there is in Pittsburgh."

He was on the air with Thomas M. Fitzgerald, another Vietnam Vet. Great interview. Great men.

The two were on the air talking about their experiences in the service from 30 years ago, as well as more recent visits back to Vietnam in the 90s. Plus, some insights into the Pittsburgh monument and other related issues were covered.

The concept of saying, "Welcome home to a veteran is always important."

A hint of GOP spunk - PittsburghLIVE.com

A hint of GOP spunk - PittsburghLIVE.com Reminded great social commentator R.G. Ingersoll in an 1876 speech: 'The Republican Party is the first party that was not founded on some compromise with the Devil. It is the first party of pure, square, honest principles: the first one.'

Wiser words never were spoken. Wise Republicans would heed them.

Wise. Humm.

We'll see what the Trib does with the PA Senate race in the next week. Ignorant or aware? Closed or open minded? Falling to principle or to party pandering?

My main point, nevermind.

Candidates step up TV ads -- Rauterkus does TV in other ways

Candidates step up TV ads - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Libertarian Mark Rauterkus, of the South Side, who is a candidate in the Senate race, hasn't made a TV buy.

Tonight, I'll be on TV for one hour. The TV debate is to air on WBGN at 7 pm. The station is #3 in the city on my cable package.

The debate was filmed at a Senior Center in Mt. Washington and is the only such event where all three candidate were involved.

The clear winning, according to many sources, was not Diven nor Fontana -- but me. I won.

After the debate, a few were wondering if the Dem had a pulse. After the debate, Diven nearly ran out of the room.

Tune in, judge for yourself.

In other matters, I'm expected to be running 3-minute TV announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday -- and they replay other days as well. This is the public comment period at City Council.

I was part of a lead story on TV 11 about four weeks ago on the 11 pm news as we were engaged with our school district's (PPS) project to get interactions and feedback from the community.

I was filmed as part of the AARP event -- being kicked out and giving a statement -- on Friday with WTAE TV 4. I made a powerful protest about the poor decisions of the heavyweights and about the instutional patronage. A nice ovation was delivered in support of myself and after the event 80% of the people in attendance came up to me to express their humble outrage that I wasn't included. All took my CD and many gave me their phone numbers and are now passing out my literature.

In the past, I worked with PCTV to be part of a show, The Art of News.

I've been on the OnQ show, with debates and features a year ago in efforts to "open swim pools and rec centers" -- plus in a candidate debate.

But the biggest effort, with long term potential has to do with WQEX. I was in the battle to prevent the sell off of QEX 16, an asset of the public, miss-operated and miss-managed by QED for years. The public TV mission is not being upheld as it could and should in the Pittsburgh region.

As I remind people of the squandered asset of QEX and the poor behavior of QED's board, this isn't to score points with the powerful. Hillman, Roddey and others are (or were) on that board and drove that station into its huge debt. QED and the city share much as they are in ugly situations due to overspending.

The public trust has been fleeting. Over the years, some is growing in a gradual way, but then it falls away again when the management does NOT do a real debate for a special election in their studios. Or, for other races in the political landscape.

Where is the QED debate for State Senate?

Where is the QED voter education for all the candidates now seeking offices in city council?

When have those interviews taken place?

It is hard to point to something that is absent.

In the end, people vote with their feet. People see the "institutional corruption" and back away. People leave Allegheny County, continually. More than 8,000 left the county last year.

in certain places we can't do nothing and expect to thrive.

There should be a media and journalistic backlash against the negative ads from the candidates. The half-truths in the self-promotions should be revealed as well -- by broadcasters at public TV.

Pittsburgh has "do-whop" covered. Other things that are much more important to the community are left bare.

Brochure text, continued:

Fiscally prudent.
No corporate welfare, EVER!
Beholden to one special interest group: residents.
Solutions for recreation and democracy.
Transportation ideas targeting all.
Honest and open accountability.

-- I'd launch a youth technology summit, establish a regional Park District, end TIFs, lower deed-transfer tax, begin assessment buffering and squash horrid big-ticket spending.

-- I understand that voting and volunteerism matters -- not cronies.

-- Let's halt sprawl to boost our urban fabric.

-- Career politicians put the region in a tailspin. Opposition must counter their give-a-ways.

Disaster

Lots of effort was devoted to the disaster day at PNC Park today. Practice is good. I am a coach. I know practice counts and matters. You either use it or loose it. It is hard to knock practice, cooperation, safe behaviors.

Without a doubt, lots of volunteers were involved, and necessary.

I kept my nose clean, milling from scene to scene. Didn't want to get tossed out of the place. Yesterday's fireworks were enough. Hear some rumblings. Saw the bomb backpack getting dropped into the county's bomb squad blender from its tow rope. Lots of hardware and man power was engaged.

The lifeguard in me can easily understand the efforts of the disaster drill. However, I'm generally come from a perspective of wellness.

It is going to take plenty of band-aids to heal the world.

Some devote their lives to cleaning up the mess others get themselves into. (i.e., Emergency Rooms, trama centers, funeral home operators, bankrupcy dealmakers.)

Some devote their lives to the creation of new messes to replace the existing ones.

Others devote ther lives to making no mess at all.

And, among others sure that are left unsaid, comes the last example.

I am devoted to the reaching of one's potential. To soar, to excel, to strive for excellence is what drives me.

I am more in my element at Sunday morning's big community event, the race for the cure in Schenley Park.

Good luck to the runners. Good luck to the researchers for their discovery that improves prevention, diagnostics and treatments. And most of all, best of luck and strength to the women and their extended families of support in dealing with cancer and other issues.

O'Connor widens contribution gap - PittsburghLIVE.com

Trib quote is on the money. They got it right with the reporting. Yes, I agee. The numbers don't reflect the total amount of money coming into the campaign. The numbers are reported -- but they are less than the whole truth. The real big spending is coming from other sources.

O'Connor widens contribution gap - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Mark Rauterkus, a swim coach from the South Side who is running as a Libertarian, has raised $3,300 in cash and $4,000 in in-kind contributions. He has $100 left in the bank.

The numbers don't reflect the total amount of money coming into the Senate campaign, said John Verbanac, chairman of Neri-Verbanac, a political communications firm based in Harrisburg. He estimates Diven and Fontana each have at least $1 million in support, with state campaign committees paying for most of the TV ads and direct mailings.

Fontana, Diven trading punches (again squared) -- This is about Choice

Fontana, Diven trading punches Diven said he'd 'originally hoped the race could be run in a positive manner, but they went negative on me three weeks ago with a mailer and a TV ad. They threw the first punch and I had no choice but to respond.''

These guys are the ones who are all about a LACK OF CHOICE.

Both of my opponents are staunch PRO-LIFERS. They are not freinds to choice.

Both of my old-party opponents don't want the public to see a choice in terms of the full spectrum on the ballot. Both of my opponents have a willingness to debate without me.

These guys are not fit to be a state senator.

I would never go to a debate knowing that my ballot certified opponent was excluded. I can't stand for discrimination, intentional discrimination, institutional discrimination.

I say, "Think again." We need choices. We don't need senators who are slaves to the wrong masters.

Fontana, Diven trading punches - another problem that comes with a new fix in my campaign

Fontana, Diven trading punches: "Final campaign fund-raising and spending reports don't have to be filed until a month after the election."

I went door knocking, made calls, sent letters to a number of area bankers in recent times. I have a solution, talked about among other places, at city council's public comment period.

The press and Business Times have not picked up on the story, yet. They should. It would help them greatly in these matters. And, most of all, the solution gives the citizens a lot of power. So, the watchdogs might not like this solution.

Transparent PAC accounts would fix a ton of problems. It would make the public campaign process open. We'd not make more work for government offices.

The record keeping of expenses, incomes and assets is in a bank account. Open those bank records with a new style of account, the TRANSPARENT PAC ACCOUNT, and allow for bank by phone and bank by internet views of those accounts by everyone.

The general public should be able to call up, on the internet, my bank account, Elect.Rauterkus.com, and see how much money I have on hand, how much I'm depositing, and the checks, and how I'm spending my money. The checks and credit card expenses are all there -- hidden -- and waiting for a report that happens only four times a year.

The candidate expense and asset report would be much more simple.

The banks already do these type of accounts within their TRUSTs. There can be dozens of trustees who can VIEW the trust transactions -- but who can't do anything else, other than watch.

The public should be able to watch these PAC accounts, real time.

As soon as any bank comes forward, I'll move Elect.Rauterkus.com to that account and publish the access codes for others to witness -- with bank by phone and bank by internet viewing.