My statement before Pgh City Council @ No TIFs (again) and real help from PNC

My name is Mark Rauterkus. My family and I reside at 108 South 12th Street, South Side of Pittsburgh. I am a candidate for the now open seat for city council, district 3. That special election is slated for March 14, 2006.

Five years ago, I didn't like our great city's propensity of giving away large sums of land and money to corporations and non-profits. Mayor Murphy's economic plans were a sure-fire pathway to a large economic crisis.

Five years ago, I ran for Mayor. I said then, "NO TIFs." TIFs, as you all know, are Tax Incremental Fiance plans, corporate welfare, and tax breaks. The practice of TIFs should be abolished.

I said NO TIFs in 2000. I stand by the same statements today.

Last year, I ran for State Senate and a part of my plan was to change the law in Harrisburg to prohibit TIFs.

I've gone on the record with the county and the school district, speaking against the TIFs at places such as Deer Creek Crossing.

The PNC Plaza TIF should NOT be approved. I don't like TIFs because they do not work. Lazarus and Lord & Tayor are proof enough. We need to stop the bribes to get people to move or expand in the city.

We are on EMPTY. The city does not have the money.

A $30-million grant was aready given to PNC from the state. Harrisburg money is my money as well. Plus, local sources already built PNC Firstside a new T-stop and a new parking authority garage. They are under utilized. PNC knows how to play you like a fiddle.

I sing a different tune. I conduct my campaigns without money from gambling interests, developers who want to make speculations and engineering firms expecting kick-backs.

Presently, our school district is running into serious money troubles. Schenley High School -- a high performing school with a great mix of kids and academics -- is in an old building, laced with asbestos.

I'd rather take the $18 million and re-do Schenley High School -- now -- for our kids that are here. Don't rob from them.

The TIF takes money from some and gives it to others. Have everyone pay their fair share. Furthermore, TIFs hurt competition. Others won't want to move, build nor expand here because the playing field is not level. We need to cater to those who want to compete and perform. We need to be self-reliant.

If PNC wants to help the local landscape -- let's talk about Campaign Finance Reform.

Last week, my campaign issued a statement about campaign finance reform. I am interested in putting my campaign funds into a new type of TRANSPARENT PAC account. The financial institutions, such as PNC, are needed to establish this type of account so that everyone, using the internet, can see where and when public transactions are coming from and going to for races for public offices.

PNC, this is where you are needed.

Think Again! -- and again, and again! Like the song says.

The song says it well, Think Again. Now the research says it happens frequently.

Democrats and Republicans Both Adept at Ignoring Facts, Study Finds - Yahoo! News Democrats and Republicans alike are adept at making decisions without letting the facts get in the way, a new study shows.

And they get quite a rush from ignoring information that's contrary to their point of view.

Researchers asked staunch party members from both sides to evaluate information that threatened their preferred candidate prior to the 2004 Presidential election. The subjects' brains were monitored while they pondered.

The results were announced today.

'We did not see any increased activation of the parts of the brain normally engaged during reasoning,' said Drew Westen, director of clinical psychology at Emory University. 'What we saw instead was a network of emotion circuits lighting up, including circuits hypothesized to be involved in regulating emotion, and circuits known to be involved in resolving conflicts.'

Bias on both sides

The test subjects on both sides of the political aisle reached totally biased conclusions by ignoring information that could not rationally be discounted, Westen and his colleagues say.

Then, with their minds made up, brain activity ceased in the areas that deal with negative emotions such as disgust. But activity spiked in the circuits involved in reward, a response similar to what addicts experience when they get a fix, Westen explained.

The study points to a total lack of reason in political decision-making.

SI.com - NFL - Pa. student humiliated over Broncos jersey - Tuesday January 24, 2006 12:30AM

Let's talk about the Sports Illustrated jinx. We have a rule -- a darn good one too -- that you should not wear any clothing to school that has writting on it. I wish my kids did this always, but they don't. Oh well.

SI.com - NFL - Pa. student humiliated over Broncos jersey - Tuesday January 24, 2006 12:30AM Vannoy was wearing a No. 7 Broncos jersey on Friday, because he is a fan of John Elway, the Broncos' retired Hall of Fame quarterback.

Vannoy said he was so unnerved he left at least 20 questions blank on the 60-question test, and just wants out of Kelly's class because he's afraid the teacher won't treat him fairly now that the story reached the media.

In other news, there is now a push from a few to put a new uniform code into the schools. It calls for one day a week, Fridays, to be a "dress-up day" with good clothes. Not dress down, but dress up.

Democracy For America Training Academy Schedule

Democracy For America In 2004 Democracy For America, in partnership with Latinos For America and 21st Century Democrats, embarked on an ambitious goal to train thousands of grassroots activists for the upcoming elections.

An event is slated for Philly, another for Columbus, Ohio.

Final recap on the St. Clair event of last week

When I took the floor, I spoke after Bruce Krane. A question had just been raised from the audience to the prior speaker about the election specifics, being a Democrat, who could vote for whom and technical details. The answer from Krane included the mentions, "Do or die. One-shot deal. Game over."

I said, "My name is Mark Rauterkus and what was just said was wrong." I went right into the reply from Krane and how it was so at odds with what I stood for and with what the community was about.

This election on March 14, 2006, is to fill the un-expired term. Next year in the spring there will be another primary election where the one who holds the seat might not even get the endorsement of any party and could be a lame duck. Then in the general election that happens in the fall of 2007, that person could be packing.

The election this community faces on March 14, 2006, is for a short period of time. Game over my eye.

Furthermore, that attitude mentioned by Krane is just like the attitude that was often -- if not ALWAYS -- on display from our former Mayor, Tom Murphy. Tom Murphy thought he held all the chips. Murphy kept all the power and to hell with the rest of the people. It was Tom Murphy's boneheaded attitude that drove me to run for office starting in 2000 for the 2001 primary against him. He was bad for the City of Pittsburgh. His attitude was something we didn't need.

My heart fell to the floor when I heard another in the race start to spout the same B.S. -- stuff that I would have expected from Murphy.

I'm here for the long-haul, as are the good people of Pittsburgh who have weathered some serious storms in the past decades. I'm not going to go away -- and neither are they. Sure, one day we'll all be worm feed, but until then -- count me in as a foot soldier in the good fight and struggles for democracy, freedom and the less fortunate.

This city is too small to be so full of oneself to think that the others don't matter. We are a village and the nay-sayers matter. I'm a nay-sayer to what has gone on around here in the past. I'm a reform minded candidate who is unlike those others who have put the city into debt and oversight status.

I went on in the presentation, in just 3 minutes, to say why I ran for office in 2001 and 2005. We need to raise the discussions to talk about assessment buffering, the botched re-assessment process, the unified tax policy put forth by Bob O'Connor that tossed the baby out with the bathwater. Pittsburgh's legacy is about affordable housing, and that legacy is ending. We are not having a housing boom -- except in blight. We are seeing the effects of poor housing policies, poor taxes (like the deed-transfer tax), and poor management of available resources so as to over-spend, over-reach on foolishness.

I spoke about TIFs that night a bit too.

These times call for serious individuals to take a stand of serious duty.

---

Today I got to talk, already, with three of the other candidates in the race. While on Grant Street, I poked my head in to check out the ball and chain that is around the ankle of fellow candidate, public sector guy, Ed Jacob. He and I both worried about the lack of discussion on issues of subsidence. But our agreement ended there.

He is worried about the list of the 50 top wage earners in the city and how they are mostly firefighters and policemen. He has a little list of the names cut from the newspaper. The difference between what those 50 are getting paid contrasted to the amount that they should be getting paid ads up to what, exactly, I put to him.

I'll do a bit of the math for you Ed. If they (50 top wage earners in the city) all make $10,000 more than what they are worth -- that's $500,000 per year.

Frankly, I want a highly paid police force that is less vulnerable to corruption. Perhaps if the prison guards were making more they'd be far less inclinded to put the job on the line to push for tricks or drugs. But that is another matter.

Meanwhile, I'm worried about big issues, but of another category. How does the city pay PNC Plaza with a TIF for $18-million. Plus PNC got $30-million from Gov. Ed Rendell, D. That's our money too. I'm mad about that and none of the other candidates, hint to Ed, is talking about those outlandish give-a-ways.

The $30-million from Harrisburg is still my money. Coupled with the $18-million from city sources, I'll do the math for you, we get $48-million. That's 100-times greater than the pimple of a problem of paying top dollar for firefighters and police.

But Ed said that the $18-million was to be paid out over 30-years, so it isn't much of a big deal. First off, the TIFs are not that long. And, he didn't have a come-back as to the proportion of the momumental crisis that is being ignored by them.

We can't put people into public office now if they can't see the big picture. And, if you sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, plus go to community meetings from start to finish, you still might never see the big picture.

Ed told me that I would "not want to hear his analysis" about being a candidate for the special election in a heavy D area. He thinks only a D can win the council seat. He thinks that the D who wins the seat is going to be the the D who wins party endorsement. I counter and say I hear him fine. But, the race is going to be about tiny issues UNLESS I'm in the fray. The conversation is about envy and neighborhood power and buddy-loyalty in the D camp, and that's about the best the Ds can deliver. We can fix that conversation's tone and topic points, after some of the Ds break ranks and support others from outside the party, should the wrong folks get the party's backing.

So, who wants to talk about 'big-issues?' I had just been to city council to give a 3-minute talk on TIFs and the PNC Plaza. I would not support any TIF while on council. I'll post that testimony soon.

Coverage in the South Pgh Reporter about the event in St. Clair

The next speaker, Mr. Rauterkus, ran for mayor in 2001. While he wasn't elected, he said he learned a lot and fought a lot of good fights.
He opposes any corporate welfare, such as the proposed $18 million in tax increment financing, or TIF, for a PNC Financial Services Group tower in downtown Pittsburgh.
If elected, he would be fiscally prudent, accountable, and beholden to only one special interest group: residents.

The coverage is okay except one point, at the very end.

Bruce Kraus said he'd move the Zone 3 Police station to Mt. Oliver, outside of the city. This was mentioned in the blog the night it was mentioned. The newspaper didn't seem to report that stinker of an idea. OMG, I still can't even fathom that statement, yet alone the character in the race.

Point State Park makeover starts with utilities, irrigation

This makeover of Point State Park leaves a lot to be desired. I don't like it. It is NOT good enough. If fails any "WOW" test too. The mainstage is going away. Gone. They are going to plant trees in its place. So, there will be no place for a temporary stage as they imply.

The one's in power do not want to gather the citizens, unless they have luxery boxes and the citizens are put in stadiums with seat licenses. Even the school district calls off an important meeting at an important time, right before the vote on the Right-Sizing plan. They don't want US to gather. Wasn't there something in the past about the right to assemble and free assocation??? (snicker)

You can't assocate if you have to first erect a temporary stage.

The mainstage in Point State Park is the only location in the region that allows us to gather as a city and fit 100,000 people. The Steeler celebrations should be at The Point -- and not at my front door steps. The ticker-tape parade should be at The Point -- with close contact to the stadiums.

The front end of Point State Park is not an ideal place for a major gathering. The people won't fit. The whole experience of looking to the west at the fountain and the historic view down the Ohio will be diminished.

The mainstage also plays to Mt. Washington.

Point State Park has been a less than ideal opportunity. But, it has stayed a park for the people, the common, the masses. Next they want to make the park into something for the elite who never want to rub shoulders with the masses on the Fourth of July.

Point State Park makeover starts with utilities, irrigation What planners euphemistically refer to as Downtown Pittsburgh's green living room will get a new carpet and utilities this summer, preparing it for the decorators to perform an extreme makeover in future years.

Point State Park, a national historical site, will undergo a $4.5 million upgrade to install new electrical and water lines and permanent utility hookups for vendors to use during major events.

The project also will change the design and use of the four-acre front of the park, nearest Downtown; replace existing asphalt sidewalks with terrazzo and bluestone edges; and eliminate the main stage in the larger part of the park closer to the Point.

I've always had my issues with Point State Park. There isn't even a swing set there. It is nearly impossible to find a swing set anywhere downtown. That is an obvious example of what's missing.

Another age-old sticking point about Point State Park is the bike policy. I can't go there and teach my kid to ride a bike. The park can be empty -- but mount a bike and the police jump on you. They'd rather you toss red dye into the fountain than teach a city kid how to ride a bike inside of Point State Park.

In the end, it boils down to people who don't know what they're really doing in elected office. And, then you have these engineering firms who lead the politicians around by the nose.

Don't worry -- we'll have more 'green space' in Market Square, so said Bob O'Connor. I agree with Patricia L of the P-G. Market Square isn't broken. Many of the smaller, neighborhood parks are totally ignored. Upkeep is absent. So, greening Market Square isn't where I'd put the priorities.

PPS calls off meeting with key communicators -- tonight -- in height of disucussions on Right-Size efforts

The Key Communicators’ Meeting scheduled for tonight-January 24th- has been Cancelled. It will be rescheduled on Tuesday February 21st.

This is very bad news. We need more communications -- not less. We need more interactions in one-to-many settings -- not fewer. We need to be community -- not simply taxpayers.

I've put solid positions before the superintendent and the school board at both the November and December board meeting -- as well as via other channels. I've heard nothing back from them. None of them.

At a meeting last week, the PRINCIPAL of Schenley High School mentioned that one option for saving that high-performing school would be to vacate the present facility for one year -- to South Vo Tech's now empty building. That's a fine plan. We need to look further at these options. We need to meet. We don't need to have meetings nixed.

I am in favor of keeping Schenley at its present location, with a modest building rehab, even if it means a one-year vacation to South Vo Tech.

Places: Market Square ain't broke, so please don't fix it

Right on. I've been pondering how to reply to the sillyness of O'Connor's statements. P.L. of the P-G does a good job in setting the tone for the discussion.

Places: Market Square ain't broke, so please don't fix it Eckstut's observation was a sound one, but his solution was flawed. And for much the same reasons, only part of O'Connor's idea is worth embracing.

Voters' Choice Act in PA gains in recent days

There's much good news for Libertarians and for Pennsylvania's voters regarding the Voter's Choice Act and ballot access reform.

On Wednesday, January 11th, 2006, members of the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (PBAC) met with the House State Government Committee in Harrisburg to talk turkey over the contents of a ballot access reform bill. Most of the twenty state representatives who sit on the committee attended the two-hour informal hearings, listening to testimony from Libertarians, Greens, Constitutions, Reforms, Naderites, Socialists, the League of Women Voters, and the public. There were about half a dozen reporters in the audience, and the hearings were subsequently well publicized. Selected articles are included at the end of this report, and photos from the hearing can be found at http://tinyurl.com/cgp3r.

From a historical perspective, the meeting went very well. The last round of hearings regarding ballot access reform were held in 1997, and at that time the committee members were hostile and argumentative. However, this time the atmosphere was cordial and friendly, and the dialogue was open and productive.

Several suggestions and compromises were discussed at the hearing, including:

1. Equalizing the number of signatures across the board for all candidates regardless of party affiliation. That means 1,000 or 2,000 signatures for statewide office, not 67,070. The PBAC accepted this compromise.

2. Equalizing the length of the petitioning window to three weeks for all parties rather than the current four-to-five month period for third parties. The PBAC also accepted this compromise, with the provision that the petitioning window for independents and third parties include primary day.

3. Including third parties in the primary process once their membership reaches 1% of the statewide voter registrations. While the PBAC accepted this compromise, it was noted that the Libertarians do not believe in a taxpayer funded primary.

4. The PBAC's proposed redefinition of a third party per the Delaware Model did not seem to raise any concerns with anyone. This change should make it into the reform bill intact.

In the end, the committee chair stated that the committee would be drafting legislation to achieve these goals. In the meantime, the PBAC will continue to keep up the pressure for the passage of a ballot access reform bill. At this time, the odds of that happening in the next few months appear to be excellent.

Concerned citizens can help the efforts of the PBAC by calling their state representatives and state senators immediately and urging them to push for ballot access reform this month, as outlined in the bill being authored in the House State Government Committee. For more information, refer them to the PBAC's White Paper on ballot access reform which can be found on the web at www.PaBallotAccess.org.

As things stand, the situation is both promising and urgent. There are only a few months left before petitioning for 2006 begins. The more pressure that can be brought to bear on the legislature, the better.

Ken Krawchuk
Chair, Legislative Action Committee
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

c/o PO Box 260
Cheltenham, Penna. 19012
215-881-9696 (voice)
215-Krawchuk (fax)
Ken@KenK.org

LPP HQ:
3915 Union Deposit Road
#223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
1-800-R-Rights (voice/fax)
www.lppa.org

Question of the moment: How crazy will it get on the South Side?

Do the fans act like they are in Detroit or going to Detroit.

My S6.CLOH.Org gives details for the Community Concert on Feb 2

S6 Community Concert on Thursday, February 2, 2006

You must RSVP for this event. Space is limited. Your attendance is required once reservations are accepted. Please call, 412, 298 3432, or 412 904 2976 or email, Mark@Rauterkus.com.

Location: This 'house concert' is being held at our home, office, campiagn headquarters at 108 South 12th Street on the South Side. We are just two short blocks off of East Carson Street to the slopes. You're encouraged to walk to this event as parking is limited. We'll fix that in due time, however.

* Schedule: Media and press event slated for 5 pm. Invited guests and media only. To get included, call Mark.
* Family concert has doors opening at 5:30 pm with the music and program to run from 6 to 7 pm (sharp). This is a concert by a talented musicial artist with original songs and kids are welcome provided they sit, listen and enjoy. This isn't a children's concert. Rather, its is concert where family members can attend. Some food will be provided after the show. Eating while standing is expected.
* Doors open for the set for civic leaders at 7:15 with music and presentation slated for 8 to 9 pm. Mingle before and after. Some food provided.
* If demanded, a third set for the musical-minded could occur from 9:30 to 10:15 pm. Stay tuned and note your interest if so inclined.

Johnsmith, http://www.Johnsmithmusic.com, sings the song, 'Don't Put Me In a Box.' Its message goes against the use of labels for people, myself included. We need to step beyond labels and give respect to each other if we are to thrive in our community and in our political life in Pittsburgh.

Get the campaign CD and hear the song! CDs are available while on the campaign trails in single or bulk orders.

Johnsmith's other CDs of his music are going to be available for sale to those who attend the show. An artist contribution is welcome from those who attend, or those who can't attend.

Campaign contributions, payable to Mark@Rauterkus.com, for the efforts of the host, Mark Rauterkus, candidate for Pittsburgh's City Council, district 3, special election slated for March 14, 2006, are optional. More on the campaign is found at http://Elect.Rauterkus.com.

This is part rally, but more so, our event is a gathering for community that includes the creative, artistic, talented and civic leadership who find value in promoting freedom, the future and fitness of all types.

Thanks for your consideration. Hope to see you at the event, around town, or on the internet soon. Be sure to get a copy of the campaign CD even if you can't attend this community concert.

Monthly Review December 2005 Charles McCollester - Pittsburgh—The Glory and the Gutting

This is just a snip of the larger article.

Monthly Review December 2005 Charles McCollester - Pittsburgh—The Glory and the Gutting In the birthplace of American unionism, the collapse of steel has been followed by the collapse of government.

Cavalier disregard for democratic process and majority rule, the imposition of unelected authorities, and the blocking of popular participation by arrogant elites who define “freedom” as the power to rule in their own interest without restraint or restriction, these are characteristics of our age. Anti-democratic, selected-not-elected models are being developed in the heartland as well as abroad. Little noticed among the impositions of governing authorities in Iraq and Haiti and the assault on popularly elected leadership in Venezuela is the dismantling and usurpation of public authority and accountability in Pittsburgh. The banana republic comes to the rust belt.

The steel rust-belt area from Youngstown, Ohio to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, centered in Pittsburgh and strewn with once mighty but now financially broken towns like Aliquippa, Braddock, Newcastle, Steubenville, Sharon, McKees Rocks, and Duquesne, is sinking into spiritual and financial bankruptcy.

Navel Gazeing Bloggers.....

I got to this event last week, after another candidate forum. I was a bit tardy, but had lots to say with the die-hards who were still standing. J.E. and M.M. were there as were others.

Bits&Bytes:Innovation Works to add a little extra to competitors' coffers In the rare event that you missed last week's business blogging event jointly sponsored by local trade groups TiE Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Pittsburgh Bloggers (www.pghbloggers.org) co-founder Mike Woycheck, who moonlights as an information technology specialist at the tech council, repeated his advice for novice bloggers worried about how to promote their blog in the 'blogosphere.' Bloggers should rely on 'word of mouth,' said Woycheck, and list with directories such as his. Adding a key word or category that can be listed in such blog search engines as 'technorati.com' and 'blogsearch.google.com' also helps. Ultimately, commenting on similar or related blogs -- online Web journals for the uninitiated -- where you think your audience might be reading is an enormous boost. 'You can read blogs, watch them, create your own blog and engage others through comments,' Mr. Woycheck said.

One down, two to go.

Grand jury still investigating Murphy, DeFazio - PittsburghLIVE.com Grand jury still investigating Murphy, DeFazio

Two might be a bit conservative. The left to topple list includes the I.C.A. and Act 47 overlords, the PA House and PA Senate, and a few other power-brokers that are too high on themseves to do the work of the people and the constitution.

Invite to a house concert, Feb 2, South Side, hosted by Mark@Rauterkus.com

Hi Friends, Neighbors and Others in Black & Gold Nation!

You are invited to our home / office for a community concert that features the song, "Don't Put Me In A Box" by singer/songwriter Johnsmith on Thursday, Feb 2.

Doors open at 5:30 for the first set, a family concert and mini-presentation slated from 6 to 7 pm. The second set has doors open at 7:15 for adults and music comes from 8 to 9 pm.

Johnsmith did a concert for us last year -- and he is fantastic. The message, "Don't Put Me In a Box" is positive, respectful and aims to avoid the use of LABELS. Johnsmith has a number of great, original tunes -- Kicking the Stone (good to stress the pedestrian aspects) -- Rooks in the Castle (change is in the air).

This concert, mixer, and rally is to gather and chart our course for the special election now slated for March 14, 2006 --- Pi Day. We can win on Pi Day!

Space is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your space to the concert. We're opening our house to friends, family, students and supporters -- our treat. Artist contrubutions are welcomed. Same too with help with the campaign.

We'll be hosting more than 30 in-house TEAs and will release a complete line-up of events. soon. I hope we can mingle and talk about the city and our region very soon. But first, we want to ramp up with this evening (I know its a school night) of music on Feb 2 at our campaign headquarters, 108 South 12th Street, South Side.

You can hear Johnsmith on our campaign CD. The tune, Don't Put Me In a Box, is the third musical selection. You can get your own copy of the CD at any of the public candidate events. Check Elect.Rauterkus.com for the latest schedule.


HOT Press Releases:

Campaign Finance Reform

Penguins, Recreational Facility


Ta.

Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com http://Platform.For-Pgh.org
Candidate for Pittsburgh City Council, district 3, special election,
March 14, 2006
412 298 3432 = cell


PS:
Today, Jan 20, is the feast of St. Sebastian, patron of the
athlete. As you get your game face on, put a few prayers in the bank. Take a knee, think wide-right, whatever. You know the drill.

The priest mentioned St. Sebastian as he presided over the MLK day funeral of two-time Olympic medalist, 400 IMer (swimmer), Butler native, Eric Namesnik.

Pittsburgh let's choose to think again and vote for Freedom, Future, Fitness and Flow. I want to go to work on Grant Street and make kids a priority. Pittsburgh's destiny is as a place for families to live and thrive, not just survive.

Pittsburgh's Air Quality is still lagging

PennEnvironment Clean air. Clean water. Open spaces. Of the largest metropolitan areas, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania experienced the most days with spikes in fine particle pollution, recording seven exceedances on seven different days. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area in California ranked second among the largest metropolitan areas, recording 14 exceedances on six different days.

Gmail gets a new "DELETE" button

Fantastic. There is a new feature at Gmail -- one I've been begging for for months. The DELETE button. About Gmail Now there's an easy-to-find delete button for those messages you really don�t want.
If only we could hit DELETE to a few, if not all, of the other candidates in the race for city council. :)

Speaking of Google, two weeks ago on the Ron Morris show, I called in to talk with Ron and his guest about radio and the future of media. I expressed the fact that there is an industry trend and it would be in no time at all until we saw Google selling radio ads. This Wednesday's front page article on the Wall Street Journal had such an article. Google acquired a radio ad placement company and Google is going to sell ads for radio, just as is done for bloggs and Gmail.

Diven will not face a challenge from Hillen. E. Wagner passes on a run at Fontana.

There has been some speculation about future opposition from past competitors of mine, Diven, R, and Fontana, D.

Eileen Wagner and I talked recently in the lobby of the City-County Building. She said she was not running against Wayne Fontana for PA Senate.

On the phone with Bob Hillen he said he won't run against Michael Diven in the GOP Primary for State House. Hillen said others had been asking him about this and he had never said anything about that type of challenge. Hillen is with a much tighter focus on city dealings and isn't interested in working in Harrisburg at this time.

So, let's put those rumors to rest.

Party Endorsement Process Is "Undemocratic"

No joke.

Citizens group demands open primaries, calls upon political parties to “let the voters decide.”

ANNVILLE, PA [1.19.06] - Continuing their battle to return government to Pennsylvania’s citizens, the grassroots citizens group PACleanSweep has called upon party leaders throughout the Commonwealth to refrain from endorsing candidates prior to the May 16 primary election.

"2006 will see more contested legislative races than any year in recent history," said PACleanSweep Chair Russ Diamond in an open letter to the Republican and Democratic State Committees. "Voters are demanding real choices. Party leaders who interfere in contested primaries do a disservice to their party, its members, and the spirit of a free electoral process."

PACleanSweep maintains that primary elections should be decided by the voters and not by a handful of power brokers.

"Primary elections exist to allow the party's rank and file to choose the nominee," said PACleanSweep Strategic Director Mike Bergmaier. "The party endorsement process is undemocratic as it disenfranchises the vast majority of voters."

Diamond noted that Pennsylvania's current political climate makes the case for open primaries even more compelling. Public outrage over the legislative payjacking cuts across party lines, and voters increasingly feel that political elites are out of touch with the people they represent.

Sunday's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review underscored the need for open primaries when it reported on the inexcusable conduct of a Mercer County GOP state committee member.

According to the report, Cindy Robbins said she was refusing to support gubernatorial hopeful Bill Scranton, "because Scranton publicly dissed the recent pay grab that the Legislature – including her husband [state Sen. Robert Robbins] – voted in favor of."

Robbins' out-of-touch viewpoint runs in stark contrast to public opinion and underscores the reason voters deserve open primaries where candidates face off on a level playing field.

"The people are waking up and demanding more say. They want choices and are understandably skeptical of backroom politics," said Diamond. "If party leaders meddle in primary contests, expect a backlash from the voting public."

"Pennsylvanians spend millions of dollars on primary elections, and we deserve our money’s worth," concluded Diamond.

Read the open letter...

Do you think the local Dems, given that there are nearly ten in the race for city council, could encourage them all to run as Indies and NOT offer an endorsement. That might be more democratic -- with a small "D."