Monday, August 31, 2009

G-20 Costs Rising, Responsibility TBD ****

See Trib, Adam Brandolph. Also P-G. Video and analysis going up in this space eventually, but no time soon.

Suffice to say for now that Bill Peduto already fired off a letter insisting that "it is important that an agreement be created that outlines the cost sharing of any potential funding shortfalls, cost overruns, and future liabilities." Patrick Dowd similarly wrote that "we need but do not have a written memorandum of understanding between the City and County" and asked for "clarity". Council President Doug Shields mentioned that Pittsburgh is already forging and signing cooperation agreements with other municipalities and governments for the G-20 -- just not the big one, so to speak.

Matt Drozd suggested that Dan Onorato make up for any funding gap from his own campaign treasury.

*-UPDATE: These look to have been tweeted sometime after 6 PM:



...and here are the video reports at WTAE and WPXI

When Mayor Luke says he doesn't see a gap, does that mean he sees that the City is set and the County is simply on the hook for their services? Remember that Pittsburgh has its own diplomatic tracks and channels with Washington, and its own accounts receivable.

**-UPDATE, THE DEUX: Briem seems like he's on the right track.

***-UPDATE 3: Looks like the City has its deal together. (P-G, Rich Lord)

****-UPDATE 4: You don't see this every day:

That's great, but in regards to Allegheny County I wonder if we won't encounter the old "what goes around, comes around". We'll span that bridge when we come to it.

12 comments:

  1. Matt Drozd needs a lesson or two in campaign finance rules.

    Onorato can not pay these monies out of his campaign treasury.

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  2. Not unless it is Drozd's contention that our hosting of the G-20 is best categorized as a campaign event.

    Bill Flanagan would probably groan and call that idea "totally Pittsburgh."

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  3. A novel thought: why not figure out these details before agreeing to host a G-20 summit?

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  4. Politicians. Think of consequences of hasty political decisions?? Pffft.

    I shudder to think as to the compentance of those coming up with the estimates.. well know fact the best and brightest do NOT work for the government, especially Allegheny County and Pittsburgh (patronage rules supreme)... ooohh, let's pull another $xM out of [our xxx], oops, thin air. I'd love to see the details... if they exist.

    [Actually, your comment was my very thought when seeing. Kudos to you for beating me to the punch.]

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  5. Whatever happened to Otto? That kid had such a bright future...

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  6. I don't feel so good...not sure of day or time.

    Call it 'chaff'...

    I call it 'Sunday Morning Coming Down'...The Sunday after G-20.

    Little will have changed here in the Burgh...

    Send “Sunday Morning Coming Down” to those that didn't pay...(Obama, Rendell and a host of Nations)

    I PROTEST

    Altogether now:
    Send “Sunday Morning Coming Down” Ringtone to Cell Phone

    Well I woke up Sunday morning,
    With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
    And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad,
    So I had one more for dessert.
    Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes,
    And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
    An' I shaved my face and combed my hair,
    An' stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.

    I'd smoked my brain the night before,
    On cigarettes and songs I'd been pickin'.
    But I lit my first and watched a small kid,
    Cussin' at a can that he was kicking.
    Then I crossed the empty street,
    'n caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin' chicken.
    And it took me back to somethin',
    That I'd lost somehow, somewhere along the way.

    On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
    Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
    'Cos there's something in a Sunday,
    Makes a body feel alone.
    And there's nothin' short of dyin',
    Half as lonesome as the sound,
    On the sleepin' city sidewalks:
    Sunday mornin' comin' down.

    In the park I saw a daddy,
    With a laughin' little girl who he was swingin'.
    And I stopped beside a Sunday school,
    And listened to the song they were singin'.
    Then I headed back for home,
    And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringin'.
    And it echoed through the canyons,
    Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday.

    On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
    Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
    'Cos there's something in a Sunday,
    Makes a body feel alone.
    And there's nothin' short of dyin',
    Half as lonesome as the sound,
    On the sleepin' city sidewalks:
    Sunday mornin' comin' down.

    Do do do do do do do do,
    Do do do do do do do,
    Do do do do do do do do,
    Do do do do do do do.

    To fade

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  7. Monk - It's like I'm Elmer Fudd, which would be okay except you're not Daffy Duck, you're the other guy he hates with a passion.

    Matt - Yes, I've been hearing a lot of that. I don't think it's a joke, but it's almost starting to sound like the conventional wisdom. I think that'll be reversed in the wash.

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  8. I think so, too, Bram.

    But, I need help with the allusion: Like a pocket in the wash that empties itself out leaving evidence of, say, something you shouldn't be doing?

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  9. I meant nothing more than the pedestrian meaning of "come out in the wash", only I wrote "reverse" so as to mean public opinion on it (hosting the G-20) will reverse from where it is now, which is trending low.

    I like however your vigilance in using your decoder ring.

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  10. "I have a feeling," said Mr. Lamb, "that this is more an issue of communication than a real dispute."



    Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09245/994814-482.stm#ixzz0PxEX3kJX

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  11. Absolutely. The County Exec may not have anticipated that the Mayor would communicate a distinct City position.

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