tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post4315008704968588694..comments2023-12-24T05:26:48.861-05:00Comments on The Pittsburgh Comet: COWARDLY MAYOR SCREWS WORKING PEOPLE IN CHEAP STUNT AS YEAR DRAWS TO CLOSEBram Reichbaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-72062782059011591612010-01-03T18:30:42.009-05:002010-01-03T18:30:42.009-05:00I have reluctantly posted this comment. As I have ...I have reluctantly posted this comment. As I have read these blogs now for a long while with out comment I am amazed how much some posters seem to say or think they are in the know, or have all of these conspiracy theories or think every anom is Zober. Bram for someone who does get some inside info I am surprised how far off the mark you are on this one. The mayor vetoed this for 2 big reasons. The first was the latest Supreme Court ruling and the second was the request by over 40 UNIONS in Pittsburgh to veto the bill! The SCIU is in the middle of a big raid on the UNITE-HERE unions. They represent most of the hotel, laundry and others in PA. If you contact Jen Blatz who was sent to Pittsburgh by the UNITE-HERE international union she could explain further. 412-212-1142. It was bad legislation not well read by Peduto, Shields ect. SCIU wrote the bill and there are many problems. What is wrong with now having the new council write a bill that just might survive a court challenge. The Mayor did the right thing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-14558755851198242362010-01-03T09:48:25.045-05:002010-01-03T09:48:25.045-05:00"Oh really? I really don't think that is ..."Oh really? I really don't think that is the case at all. Resentment against this administration is at an all-time high within community leaders who don't live on the North Side."<br /><br />That's a very rich statement coming from you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-9682197811080206242010-01-02T20:27:02.828-05:002010-01-02T20:27:02.828-05:00Bram,
"Seems with Motznik gone, someone has ...Bram,<br /><br /><em>"Seems with Motznik gone, someone has to step up to the plate as the angry clown that sets out to distract the media from the issues at the other end of the hall and make the whole of Council look bad. Nice work if you can get it."</em><br /><br />So true! I came to exact same <a href="http://2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com/2010/01/councilman-behaving-badly-more-on-city.html" rel="nofollow">conclusion</a>: "I guess now that Motznik is gone Dowd felt compelled to make a grab for the title of "Clowncilman."Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10439330154875628083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-35785712424097809882010-01-02T19:24:29.171-05:002010-01-02T19:24:29.171-05:00The root solution, BRAM, is not to teach manners t...The root solution, BRAM, is not to teach manners to those gobbling down public subsidy like its turkey gravy -- but instead -- to not serve any public subsidy. Once that (public subsidy) is slashed from the menu, then we'll all rejoice. <br /><br />Pigs will still exist, but they won't be at a feast on the money from the taxpayers.Mark Rauterkushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-43323544499996633752010-01-02T19:12:27.863-05:002010-01-02T19:12:27.863-05:00Monk-
Thanks for that thought provoking post.I...Monk-<br /><br />Thanks for that thought provoking post.I'm sure Mistick thinks you are nuts. <br /><br />Why don't you resolve to post something remotely coherent this year? Your buddy Dowd likes "clarity." Not jibberish.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-64084175903315905382010-01-02T19:05:58.239-05:002010-01-02T19:05:58.239-05:00Matt
you've been touting Tonna Pain for waaaay...Matt<br />you've been touting Tonna Pain for waaaay to long...she has proven herself to be unworthy of being City Chair for her deceitful write in campaign...and she has proven herself to be unfit for council by the vote of her constituents...she'll soon find that she in no more welcome on a bigger stage..that of state rep. <br /><br />my feeling about this legislation is not a pro-luke stance..its more so a pro-development, pro city statement..tying our boat to SEIU is non-strategy for success....rich10ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11815670014265733834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-46243503454091177352010-01-02T17:39:42.241-05:002010-01-02T17:39:42.241-05:00There are things that matter more...
Written To S...There are things that matter more...<br /><br />Written To Sabino Mistick, Duquesne Law Professor.<br /><br />"Was reading latest book on Mao...he is on his fourth wife. (smart?)<br /> <br />Was guy in Mao book called Red Prof. Prof. makes me think of you...<br /> <br />Italians sense family...Mao did not.<br /> <br />Very much enjoying family as I write.<br /> <br />None are jailed, the unmarried as well as the married are not pregnant. (heard talk of married couple and baby!)<br /> <br />In our fathers times much has gone wrong. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Mussolini, Ito and, one can argue, Truman...the new "bad' pale by comparison. Perhaps it is due to proximity of 2012?<br /> <br />"Enjoy the Ride"<br /> <br />...in baby carriage?"<br /><br />Monk<br /><br /><br />Legislation was poorly written. <br /><br />Dowd, for Council President! Based on conviction...and, anti-fascists remarks.monknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-56686819667109519402010-01-02T17:02:55.260-05:002010-01-02T17:02:55.260-05:00"The law sucked...it is counter development....."The law sucked...it is counter development..ask a developer,not Andy Stern...Hoagie and Bram are both pissing and moan because the mayor out witted the intelligentsia....this is all politics,all the time...."<br /><br />But by pulling this veto stunt at the time in which he did it proved why this administration will never have any sort of relationship with City Council. They haven't reached out to Council members who don't give them a blank check on every issue and they never will. These folks in the Mayor's office have no intentions of working with anyone they perceive as an enemy. They are all about themselves and always will be.<br /><br />Look how they are treating Tonya Payne after she showed them a lot of loyalty over the years. They are willing to work with her enemies in Udin & Wheatley just to secure Lavelle's vote for their choice of Council President.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-18228724331618574822010-01-02T17:00:00.624-05:002010-01-02T17:00:00.624-05:00"Most of the people out here in the planet of..."Most of the people out here in the planet of reality are behind you."<br /><br />Oh really? I really don't think that is the case at all. Resentment against this administration is at an all-time high within community leaders who don't live on the North Side.<br /><br />If more people would pay attention to what is really going on behind closed doors more and more people would run from the Ravenstahl camp.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-4416134159832650802010-01-02T12:23:20.688-05:002010-01-02T12:23:20.688-05:00First of all the root cause of the pension problem...First of all the root cause of the pension problem is a STATE issue, not CITY.<br /><br />I'll say that again, it is the STATES fault, not the CITY'S.<br /><br />When the state mandates that public safety employees can retire at the age of 50, and those employees live till 80, that's a problem. That is not something that was collectively bargained, it is a STATE LAW. The reason the suburbs aren't screwed yet? They don't have more people collecting pensions than paying into the fund - but they will.<br /><br />As for the veto, who cares? Council will just pass it at the first meeting of the year, with Rudiak in for Motznik there are even more votes behind it than ever. <br /><br />So why veto it? Still haven't had a real answer to that since I asked it yesterday at 6:39 - its going to get passed in two weeks (regardless of the merit of the bill or who wrote it), why veto it? It makes no sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-37816641775486918042010-01-02T12:21:47.771-05:002010-01-02T12:21:47.771-05:00Bram said
"Oh and one more thing -- when you&...Bram said<br />"Oh and one more thing -- when you're gobbling down public subsidy like its turkey gravy, I think you lose your bragging rights to claim, "Ooh, I'm a BUSINESS owner, I'm in the PRIVATE sector, I'm in the REAL WORLD and have to meet PAYROLL" and whatever"<br /><br />YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RGHT!!rich10ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11815670014265733834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-58238761568035914812010-01-02T11:02:46.375-05:002010-01-02T11:02:46.375-05:00Anon 8:57, you make some reasonable points, but I ...Anon 8:57, you make some reasonable points, but I notice you also fail to discuss the effect of the prevailing wage bill. My understanding is that prevailing wage pays the <i>average</i> wage for a geographic area (to be honest, I don't know the size of the area). So pray tell, what is the ill effect caused by that, especially if the company had received a hundred dollar leg up from the City. <br /><br />And yes, the pension debt is a result of union giveaways (from <i>past</i> councils and mayors), and if I am not mistaken the pension fund was raided or at least deliberately underfunded, again by past city governments. Now, I didn't say anything about schools and taxes running people out of town. I think that is part of the cause of people leaving town, but hardly the only. People dying off, or not being able to find a good paying job could be others as well. <br /><br />Some East End elitists send their kids to private schools (as well as suburban elitists), some send them to public schools in the East End like Allderdice. In any event, are you saying that people should not be allowed to exercise their right to spend their money and yet still pay their (admittedly not recently adjusted) property taxes. I don't want to get into a discussion of property taxes, they need to be re-assessed. <br /><br />And I will say that the interests of businesses do not necessarily reflect common sense. For example, when businesses pollute the government has to step in to protect the common good (the classic no one owns the air or the water, so no one can prevent companies polluting into them). For this specific prevailing wage law, I certainly am interested in someone specifically saying how it hurts business in the City, <i>specifically</i>. <br /><br />I don't always present both sides of an argument when I comment, but that doesn't mean I am not aware there can be two (or more) sides. I already gone too long on this comment, though.EdHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09109361235271107574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-40638700902159374482010-01-02T09:35:02.426-05:002010-01-02T09:35:02.426-05:00Tell me the developers and projects that have &quo...Tell me the developers and projects that have "gobbled down" public subsidy. Yaronne Zober aka Anon 8;57!!!<br /><br />Bakery Square for one - gets money and board seat on zoning. And you put up the big Mayor's campaign poster on top of the bldg. Didn't you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-24160100826756211392010-01-02T09:21:32.115-05:002010-01-02T09:21:32.115-05:00Thanks again for your insight Yaronne Zober aka An...Thanks again for your insight Yaronne Zober aka Anon 8;57!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08490846799127035632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-17861183604715188762010-01-02T08:57:12.500-05:002010-01-02T08:57:12.500-05:00Ed Heath - debt and pension are directly related t...Ed Heath - debt and pension are directly related to union giveaways. Public Safety and Pension portion of the City budget is somewhere in the 80% range. Yes, you are right about schools and taxes running people out of the City. That is the point though. Over and over again elitists in the East End (who send their kids to private schools) and unions have run this City. Their agenda continues to trump the interests of business, the middle class and common sense. That, my friend, is the point. This bill is once again nothing more than hostility towards private business. Just look at Bram's comments. They don't discuss or analyze the real effects of this bill at all. They just take shots at developers and private interests.<br /><br />Bram - for the record, this is one Anon that believes the bill was both intentionally vague and bad in substance. And no, this legislation has not worked elsewhere. Quite parroting what you hear from Gabe Morgan and provide a few concrete examples (one is not sufficient in a Country this large, particularly not a single example that passed within a few years time). <br /><br />Finally, these developers aren't "gobbling down public subsidy." Provide examples. I dare you. Again, not just one, but several. Tell me the developers and projects that have "gobbled down" public subsidy. Poor journalism on your part to not have done so from the outset. On the contrary, the reason any of these projects get subsidy is because they don't work without it. Thus, the project doesn't get built. Ergo, the building trades don't get the jobs. Remember, all these "evil subsidy gobbling" developments you complain of ARE IN FACT paying prevailing wage to the building trades in construction. Again, poor journalism on your part.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-18825401496159325672010-01-02T01:33:07.384-05:002010-01-02T01:33:07.384-05:00Interesting, I wonder how the Mayor feels about be...Interesting, I wonder how the Mayor feels about being second string to Yarone? I am not suggesting the Mayor is incompetent either, but maybe as the Fable goes "The Emperor's New Clothes".<br />An excerpt, <br /><br />"Um, Oh yes indeed, I do see it!" the King said, not wanting to be thought of as unworthy of his office or stupid. "Of course I see it."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-5916030380504401982010-01-02T00:57:51.611-05:002010-01-02T00:57:51.611-05:00Oh and one more thing -- when you're gobbling ...Oh and one more thing -- when you're gobbling down public subsidy like its turkey gravy, I think you lose your bragging rights to claim, "Ooh, I'm a BUSINESS owner, I'm in the PRIVATE sector, I'm in the REAL WORLD and have to meet PAYROLL" and whatever.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-59499515980868160442010-01-02T00:33:59.879-05:002010-01-02T00:33:59.879-05:00There's this bug going around in which the May...There's this bug going around in which the Mayor's supporters insist that his critics think he is a "nim wit" or whatever. Go hunt through 3 years worth of this blog and find where I ever once suggested such a thing. You guys are either projecting your own insecurities onto others, and/or you've opted for full-on Palin-style cultural warfare (which does add up, after having vilified college students).<br /><br />Another thing: if even one individual, anybody, anywhere in the world buys this baseless fiction that the bill was "rushed through", I'm going to shake them. I was on summer vacation in Wildwood, NJ when the bill became a major topic of discussion. It was editorialized upon in several installments. It was held for a special public hearing. It was held for a post agenda session. It passed a preliminary vote and was held for a week as is usual before final action. The only reason Dowd's amendments weren't discussed is because nobody else was remotely interested in them. There was no "rush". That is a hack job.<br /><br />And what is this ... the bill's language is unfortunately "vague" and "ambiguous", but oh yeah, the whole underlying concept is totally dangerous and wrong also? Which is it? It's like even after the die has been cast, they can't simply come out and admit they're staunchly against this business, they have to throw out flimsy excuses. BLECH! YUCK! PTOOEY!Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-52294212481457475252010-01-01T23:58:12.479-05:002010-01-01T23:58:12.479-05:00Anyone want to guess why we are in so much debt?
...<i>Anyone want to guess why we are in so much debt?</i><br /><br />Because rather than using money to pay down debt, our city leaders issued more, failing to take into account a shrinking tax base and compounding the problem by using the proceeds to plug holes in their budget(s).<br /><br /><i>Why the pension is killing us?</i> <br /><br />Because our previous leaders chose to ignore the growing pension problem and issued debt in an attempt to properly fund it after the fact. This strategy failed miserably because they issued non-callable debt at high rates and then hired terrible "investment managers" to oversee the funds.<br /><br /><i>Why the City continues to lose population?</i><br /><br />Under-performing schools and high taxes are a terrible mix.TheTruthnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-26182433280799718002010-01-01T23:35:46.548-05:002010-01-01T23:35:46.548-05:00The law sucked...it is counter development..ask a ...The law sucked...it is counter development..ask a developer,not Andy Stern...Hoagie and Bram are both pissing and moan because the mayor out witted the intelligentsia....this is all politics,all the time....rich10ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11815670014265733834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-40242252930073907272010-01-01T23:23:47.146-05:002010-01-01T23:23:47.146-05:00Anon 10:45, does the prevailing wage bill say that...Anon 10:45, does the prevailing wage bill say that workers at enterprises subsidized by the City must join the SEIU or any union? I mean it is possible that without modification the prevailing wage bill will not survive a court challenge. But I gather similar legislation has passed in other states and cities. I do understand that apparently the unions supported this legislation, but I do not think that it's passage will necessarily help their cause specifically. <br /><br />If you wish to tell us about how much councilpersons are receiving from unions or how much Ravenstahl is getting from local business persons, from behind the cover of being "Anonymous", by all means. And if you can link that to current debt and even population loss, go for it.EdHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09109361235271107574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-41787319056195727512010-01-01T22:45:46.385-05:002010-01-01T22:45:46.385-05:00I love it when people say "poverty wages.&quo...I love it when people say "poverty wages." Do you mean the decent wages and benefits paid at the Casino? You mean the casino workers that VOTED DOWN the SEIU? Do you mean the workers at the hotel in Oakland that VOTED DOWN the SEIU? Is that what this is about? The SEIU can't convince people that joining their ranks is in their best interest. They can't win through the democratic process so they try and ram illegal legislation down our throats? Read the Center City Tower case. This new legislation is doomed. Just like saturation legislation. This council can't seem to get it right. Take a look at Open book Pittsburgh. It has opened my eyes, but not in the way the so-called progressives thought it would. Look at how munch money the unions are showering on Council. Anyone want to guess why we are in so much debt? Why the pension is killing us? Why the City continues to lose population?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-51034250939851136042010-01-01T22:42:57.387-05:002010-01-01T22:42:57.387-05:00CM, you said "the health care legislation pas...CM, you said "the health care legislation passed anyway without Republican support". Meaning the Republicans did not contribute to the legislation, because they oppose any health care/insurance reform. You raised economic arguments to oppose the prevailing wage bill. My point was that since Republicans simply oppose any reform in health care/insurance reform (with the accompanying disastrous economic consequences that would entail) and in fact since Republicans also opposed an economic stimulus (with the same accompanying disastrous economic effects), why should we accept your arguments about the prevailing wage bill. And why do you say that City businesses will not survive unless they pay less than average wages for the area? Are City workers inherently inferior and thus should be paid less? <br /><br />Oh, and sorry you can't expand your brain to understand comparative economic arguments. I forget how limited conservative are. I'll try to speak slowly for you.EdHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09109361235271107574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-22195678880503506552010-01-01T22:38:44.587-05:002010-01-01T22:38:44.587-05:00Once again this is complete hypocrisy from Peduto,...Once again this is complete hypocrisy from Peduto, Shields and their allies in the blogosphere. None of which have ever held a job in the private sector.<br /><br />This bill was pushed through under the cover of darkness (tuition tax) and was not given proper debate or scrutiny. Peduto, Shields and Rudiak have taken thousands upon thousands of dollars from SEIU and its affiliates. This is corruption at its best. The SEIU wrote the legislation and everyone knows it. Ask Bill or Doug to tell you they wrote it. <br /><br />The hypocisy is that they accuse others of being influenced by money. Hogwash. They accuse others of being underhanded. Hogwash. They didn't allow debate and strong armed others into supporting the bill. When the Mayor lawfully veto's the bill, Shields calls an ILLEGAL meeting. I am sure Bram and others who nothing about which they speak with rationalize this move, as they always do. Bill and Doug got outsmarted, plain and simple. Looks like our Mayor is a little smarter than they thought and thankfully for Pittsburgh's sake he has a little more guts. Great work Mayor. Keep it up. Most of the people out here in the planet of reality are behind you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-10330910309614321292010-01-01T20:16:40.839-05:002010-01-01T20:16:40.839-05:00Ed.. You said "CM has no credibility to accus...Ed.. You said "CM has no credibility to accuse the City Council of bad intentions (not until he can justify the intentions of other Republicans like him)."<br /><br />Last time I looked the health care legislation passed anyway without Republican support. That legislation and its impact is now owned 100% lock-stock-and-barrel by the liberals.<br /><br />Nice try. [Also, has nothing to do with the current topic. Nice try to derail the topic.. typical liberal tactic.]Conservative Mountaineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00682687892115059220noreply@blogger.com