Sunday, June 24, 2007

Luke Ravenstahl G.P.A. = 2.78

The Post-Gazette has issued letter grades to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

We do not know whether the grades were issued by the Editorial Board, or the Political Desk, or the Committee of Reporters Hanging Out at the Market Street Ale House Last Friday.

According to the Comet's calculations, the full 38-category report card yields a grade-point average of 2.78, or a B-/C+.

The headline for the accompanying Rich Lord article reads, Report card on Pittsburgh's mayor: Not bad.

We wish we had the P-G for parents in high school. When we came home with grades like this, it was difficult to get our hands on the car keys over the next quarter. A more accurate headline might have read Report card on Pittsburgh's mayor: B-/C+, or to be more descriptive, Report card on Pittsburgh's mayor: Meh.

We also wonder whether or not the P-G graded him on a curve, established by 24 semesters of Tom Murphy.

It should be repeated that these grades evaluate Luke's progress on his own agenda. So this is a key graph:

Whether that agenda is aggressive enough, and whether it's being achieved, is likely to be an issue in the race with Republican mayoral candidate Mark DeSantis.

(We expect this issue to rise in a roughly parallel trajectory to the issue of the politicization of Public Works.)

Since a normal college course-load is five (5) classes, the Comet has taken the liberty of selecting what we believe are the five most important items on the P-G report card. In making our selections, we honestly attempted to turn a blind eye toward the marks he actually received.

Negotiate agreement on Hill District community involvement: C
Improve racial diversity in public safety bureau hiring: D
Maintain integrity: C
Unite state mayors to fix unfunded pension liability: B
Create effective "anti-crime cabinet": C

10 comments:

  1. A "C" for integrity? I'm not being cute here .... Remind me of an instance where we witnessed his integrity. I know there has to be more than one. And again, I'm not trying to be cute or snide .... I just can't bring an example to mind so I'm not sure how you came to that "C".

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  2. "I'm not sure how you came to that C"

    Although we selected those categories to highlight, the grades given are the P-G's. Yet we would agree one would really have to get caught with one's hand in the cookie jar to flunk integrity.

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  3. Watchdog slumber resumes.

    Yes, your posting about who was giving the grades is a valid one. The editorial board or the news reporters. I'd like to know.

    Why this coverage now -- the Sunday before the kick-off to a Mark DeSantis campaign for mayor. Hummm....

    Why would the Post-Gazette go so far out of its way with a big feature with unknown graders so as to torpedo DeSantis?

    Is it because he is Republican?

    Is it because Luke is a Dem?

    Who is pulling the strings at the P-G -- and why?

    Finally, bonus question: What is the overall effectiveness rating of Luke and Dan?

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  4. Hey, where's the post on Matt? I'm tired of waiting around for this :)

    Not that I have anything better to do these days!

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  5. Ha ha! No. Different Matt.

    Although, that is a fine idea. We'll talk.

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  6. You are not the only Matt in town Mr. H. Though, you are my favorite.

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  7. Yea, right. Psyco...

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  8. Jess---dont be a baby!

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