The Allegheny County property assessment system is a joke, a pinball machine purposely stuck on "TILT." It is far more likely to shaft the poor than the rich. (P-G, Brian O'Neill)Whell! This is why I like it when our columnists cover issues of timeliness and importance. They're generally extremely good at it.
Also excellent is the City Paper's cover story on just about all the local races. (C-P, Potter and Deitch)
The authors identify three major themes in the mayoral contest: Ethics, Violence and Finance. That's probably an accurate assessment, although it underscores my frustration that development strategy never really broke through as a campaign theme. I don't think ethics and finance are sufficiently palpable to enough voters in themselves, and though violence is extremely palpable it can be easily filed away by many under "Life is hard -- what's a mayor to do?" When it comes to plunking down large objects across town, though, often at taxpayer expense, I really think that was a winner waiting to happen.
Anyway. I have no idea why Patrick is depicted wearing denim overalls and Converses.
Oh yeah -- the Internet can be neat sometimes, because we get to peer in and see how this article submitted 2:00 PM or so Wednesday turns into this article in the Thursday print edition.
Grr, everyone is talking about the City Paper article, but Squirrel Hill doesn't seem to have gotten ANY this week. Guess I'll have to read the article and Savage Love online.
ReplyDeleteLove the new haircut, Bram-- you trying to rival Dowd for best hair? ;)
CarolN - Actually, on one occasion when I was getting quite shaggy, I sought out Patrick Dowd in all seriousness for hair advice. He was less than forthcoming with his own tonsorial secrets, but he suggested that I ask the Mayor, whose wife is a professional and who apparently via osmosis knows the local hair scene pretty well. I passed on the idea since I was especially anxious at that time to steer clear of spiky gelled looks, and also because I had only just recently tried to get him indicted. Maybe next time.
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