Wednesday: Other News

When we entered council chambers today, members were discussing the results of Mayor Ravenstahl's compliance with council's wish that the Mayor limit the number of take-home cars for employees to 29.

The room was full of police and public safety officials who had received the executive order to surrender the vehicles.

Various members of council expressed their displeasure that the move to limit take-home vehicle was being executed outside of their intent -- that is, it was being inflicted upon public safety officials, including command staff, who were to be protected.

"Has this been politicized to such a point that some are willing to jeopardize public safety?" asked Bruce Kraus. He recommends again voting to override the veto on the original legislation, to send it back with guidelines for vehicle eligibility.

"We made this more complex than we needed to," countered Tonya Payne. "If there are abusers, we can deal with that."

"This can be resolved and this has to be resolved," said Bill Peduto, summing up. "We can't play a game with public safety."

Council also gave unanimous preliminary approval to amended legislation by Patrick Dowd to alter the way the city's pensions board gets appointed, requiring seats appointed by the Controller and by City Council.

"This is an all hands on deck situation," said Dowd, speaking of the need to hold all public officials accountable to address the city's pension woes.

After the session, Council President Doug Shields remarked to the Comet. "We're getting T-shirts made up. Free the Lamar Five. You can blog that if you want."

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Yesterday evening, city officials met with Act 47 state oversight officials to discuss the state of the city's finances and the possibility of emerging from Act 47 status.

Luke Ravenstahl testified that when he took over as mayor, city finances were at an all time low. Thanks to the cooperation and assistance of city workers and city officials, we have engineered a financial turnaround that is truly amazing.

However, Ravenstahl said he was not there to either support or oppose the idea of bringing an end to state oversight. His voice rising in volume, he accused the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of mischaracterizing his position yesterday morning, anticipating that he would oppose continued oversight.

"This must not be about grandstanding," Ravenstahl went on to warn his colleagues. "This is about you guys [the oversight board] telling us what to do."

Finance director Scott Kunka went on to paint a portrait of the "enormous financial strides" undertaken by the Ravenstahl administration.

"On the expenditures side, the Mayor has done our part." Although things start to look worse in outlying years, Kunka stressed that the picture gets a lot brighter in 2017, when debt service will be dramatically reduced.

Mr. Kunka was asked by the board whether his figures included debt of City authorities and OPEB responsibilities, he replied no it did not but it is being worked on.

Doug Shields took a strong stand that the city has in fact met the criteria to leave Act 47.

"This is what the law instructs us to do. This is what hte law calls for in its standard for review."

Shields described the deficit anticipated for 2011 as "not only Pittsburgh's problem, it is endemic" across the state and the region of the country. As such it falls to the state to provide solutions -- not the Act 47 coordinators, but the Governor and the State Legislature.

Compelling higher contributions from major non-profits was one remedy he argued for.

Bill Peduto took the opposite tack. "We knew this was going to happen. This is a part we've discussed."

"The intent wasn't just to get by for a few years. It was to create a sustainable budget."

Although Shields had specifically insisted in his testimony that "This council knows what it takes to continue a sustainable plan," Peduto went on to argue for continued and expanded state oversight, calling for "a five year plan that looks from a statewide level."

Controller Michael Lamb split the difference between the two. He argued that the City of Pittsburgh should leave "financially distressed" status as soon as possible, but that such an exit is not feasible at this time.

He cited three failures of the old plan: that the state legislature "gutted" the Act 47 coordinator's recommended tax package, that county government froze property tax assessments, and that non-profit organizations have not stepped up as much as they could.

Lamb called on Governor Rendell specifically to pressure non-profits like Highmark to provide additional savings for municipal and other government employees.

Mr. Lamb acknowledged that Mr. Kunka and himself sit on a task force looking at statewide solutions, "but when I say that our work in in an embryonic stage I think I am upwardly exaggerating our progress."

He also encouraged the formation of a "solid plan" to deal with unresolved issues related to pension, debt, worker's comp and healthcare.

Linkages Surface Between Lamar, Administration

A top executive at Lamar Advertising, which has filed a lawsuit against five members of city council over an appeal to a controversial ruling by the city Zoning Administrator, has a personal history with Ravenstahl development czar Patrick Ford that may raise questions about possible conflicts of interest in the Mayor's office.

Mayoral press secretary Alecia Sirk, who is married to Ford, confirmed to the Comet that Jim Vlasach of Lamar Advertising is the "JV" she had occasionally written about on her blog, Love of Chair, a tongue-in-cheek diary of Ford's personal and professional exploits.

Here is one excerpt:

Our Hero and his best buddy got together to share a stogie during the holiday break.

they have such a blast together, it's fun to even watch. and the best part was that I got a christmas gift! jv brought me surround sound for my DVD player! it is like knock you over one of the best things evah.

The entry was written on Dec. 30, 2006, when Ford held the newly created position of Director of Community and Economic Development under Mayor Ravenstahl.

Prior to that, Ford was Mayor O'Connor's Director of City Planning, and for a time served as Zoning Administrator under Mayor Tom Murphy.

Precedents established under previous Zoning Administrators, outside of codified city zoning regulations, played a significant role in the approval of Lamar's application by current Zoning Administrator Susan Tymoczo, according to statements by Tymoczo and Ford to city council.

When asked whether such a gift, from the owner of the region's largest outdoor advertising company, to a public servant overseeing planning and zoning functions, ought to be considered inappropriate, Sirk replied, "No I don't. Of course, I'm not an expert."

The Comet failed to reach out to Pat Ford himself for a comment before the Tribune-Review broke the story early this morning.

A warm friendship

The sound system was a Christmas present, according to Sirk. Vlasach bonded with Ford and Sirk during the period the couple lived in Florida, after Ford had departed the Murphy administration in 2004.

"First, you have to understand," Sirk explained. "Jim is like, the funniest man. He is..." She was at a loss for words.

Ford and Sirk made frequent visits back to Pittsburgh in order to check up on family in West Virginia. It was during these trips that friendships developed that have familiar overtones in city politics today.

"Patrick and Luke. Patrick and Jim [Vlasach]. Patrick and Jim Motznik," Sirk said.

During council's discussion about the questionable sign permit, Councilman Motznik took personal credit for having recruited planning maven Ford back from the south.

Here is the most salacious-sounding tidbit from Sirk's Love of Chair, dated June 13, 2006, when Ford was O'Connor's director of City Planning:

Our Hero and his Partner in Crime, jv, spent a wee bit of Tuesday afternoon playing hooky.

as i understand it, they disappeared from their offices around 3:30 pm and headed over to bloom's cigars on the southside, where they bought a beer from a nearby bar and lounged in chairs outside the cigar shop (smoking and drinking and looking at girls, no doubt) until dinner.

Sirk describes the time in Ford's life when he became acquainted with Vlasach as a period of personal growth.

"He was such a different person before that. He was buttoned-down. He had that hair."

Sirk describes a more conservative, less sociable Pat Ford back then, before he found this new circle of Pittsburgh friends -- some of whom he works with in government today, and others with whom he occasionally must deal as petitioners to that government.

After the couple returned to Pittsburgh, and as Ford rose through the mayor's administration, the closer aspects of that personal relationship started to fade away according to Sirk. She stressed that Ford is very mindful of issues regarding propriety in accepting gifts, and other perceived conflicts of interest.

Although she was straightforward and nonplussed concerning the inquiries about Vlasach, Sirk was sensitive about her purple prose getting held up once again for public ridicule.

Even so, she was appreciative that someone preserved a copy her electronic journal, which she neglected to do when she took down the blog after ascending to press secretary.

"These were memories I thought I'd lost."

Further complicating matters, Lamar Advertising was a major contributor to Mayor Ravenstahl's election campaign. It also donated the use of many of its billboards to the City of Pittsburgh, several of which bore Ravenstahl's name and smiling photo in the heat of an election cycle.

The Burgher contributed to this article.

Blogs a Poppin'

The MacYahYah prosecutes the prosecutor. The Comet is tempted to agree, but when you get down to it she was just following orders. More kindling for the impeachment fires.

Remember Blog for Equality day? That was awesome. Speak for Equality day is happening this Thursday. Be. Aware.

Bill Peduto insists we are in the eye of the hurricane. Be. Aware.

414 Grant Street has been alive lately. This post leads us in the most constructive direction we've seen yet on consolidation.

P-G Early Returns tries so very hard. It is focused like a microscope with laser beams attached to it on the day-to-day stuff. All of it. It is a Herculean undertaking, but one comes away wondering just which part was important.

Maria and we had a wonderful conversation on 2PJs on the topic of media sexism.

We agree with everything here from Teacher Wordsmith Madman. Elsewhere he is up to his old tricks -- bogus reductivism and scornful dismissal. In this case he is attempting to get ahead of the New Youth meme by infantalizing the entire contribution of Boomer idealism to American thought.

Sometimes, we think Mike Madison talks about high-end pastries too often. But since he has an equity streak a mile wide, let him eat cake!

Everybody's favorite guy has some advice, and a medium willing to inflict it upon us.

One thing that it needs to become is more open minded and tolerant. It needs to be more diverse and inclusive. I don't think it's a question of making jazzier restaurants or hipper bike trails. I think it's a question of being more open-minded.

Wow. Jazzier restaurants -slash- hipper bike trails get knocked? He is correct in his analysis, and being cavalierly nonpartisan about it!

Another thing the region suffers from is really poor leadership. It still reflects that top-down, vertical, 1950's organization mentality so you get these conflicts between old-style democratic political machine and business-led organizations.

D-FLA's been out of town for a while. He's at least halfway on the right track, maybe.

Tuesday: Clobberin' Time

Is anybody thinking about running against Dan Deasy for state rep?

[Take-home car legislation] passed 5-3, with Councilman Dan Deasy abstaining. He's not likely to vote to override the veto. "I think the goal of the legislation is to reduce the take-home vehicles, and I think the mayor accomplished that," he said. (P-G, Rich Lord)

Excellent that he is interested in accomplishing the mission, and fine that he trusts the Mayor.

However, this issue of has a degree of nuance.

They're unofficial take-home cars, or take-almost-home cars, not included on the lists of vehicles City Council and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl have wrestled over for weeks. Their existence may complicate a move toward firm rules on the use of city cars, an issue that is the subject of a veto override vote set for today's council meeting.

That is just one legitimate reason for Council to institute some indelible thresholds for this costly civic asset.

Although Mr. Deasy has confidence in the current mayor, Pittsburgh will one day have a different one, and still others. Our next mayors may not be so mindful of the city's financial situation, and may even view the capacity to dole out expensive automobile privileges as a way to reward supporters and enforce political obedience. That is why we need to establish citywide, personality-neutral standards.

Will Dan Deasy be the kind of state rep that is okay sitting on mountains of government perks and privileges? Or will he be a credible, no-nonsense watchdog over taxpayer resources, who can actually take a stand against a bloated Harrisburg?

Or is he only cut out to be someone else's yes-man?

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"If we just had a pension problem, we could solve it," said Mr. Lamb. "If we just had a debt problem, we could solve it. If we just had an infrastructure problem, we could solve it. But we have all of those." (P-G, Rich Lord)

Our Controller is leaning toward sticking with Act 47.

"You could legitimately make a ruling that we're out of Act 47," said council President Doug Shields.

Doug Shields is just looking forward to the big show.

"I absolutely believe they should lift it," said Dan O'Hara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police. Depressed pay and benefits are turning the city's Police Bureau into "a farm team for other departments."

Public sector unions never warmed to Act 47.

If the city is to stay under oversight, debt and pensions should be the focus, Mr. Ravenstahl said.

"That's a role Act 47 should play, and to this point they've been silent on that," he said, calling a lack of attention to debt and pension "the biggest missing piece" of the coordinators' work.

Our Mayor could be right about that.

"It's inevitable that we're going to need some sort of revenue stream adjustment," said Mr. Ravenstahl. "I would argue that we've done what's been asked of us."

Can we just figure out what tax needs to be raised, and raise it? Will anyone be brave enough to howl for a commuter tax?

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Councilman Jim Motznik said fundraising doesn't stop him from listening to constituents.

"The amount of time I spend with my people and residents who aren't in my district ... doesn't depend on whether they gave me money," he said. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

Well, Jim Motznik is a special breed.

Finding the five votes on the nine-member City Council could be difficult.

Peduto doesn't have the votes yet, said Council President Doug Shields.

"As the old saying goes, 'When you've got the votes, vote; when you don't, talk.' Right now, we're talking."

DUG! YRU TELLING PPL THE OLD SAYING??

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North Side Percolation

A North Side group is abandoning plans to start a community land trust aimed at helping to keep homes affordable and maintain diversity in the neighborhood.

A recent community survey conducted by the Central North Side Neighborhood Council found that safety issues such as drugs, guns, traffic and a lack of street lighting were the top concerns, followed by worries over vacant buildings and lots and litter. (Trib, Tony LaRussa)

The Central North Side Neighborhood Council is one of sixteen neighborhood organizations represented under the umbrella of the NSLC.

The neighborhood group announced in January that it was exploring the formation of a trust to allow it to buy blighted properties and create affordable housing by rehabilitating and selling each building while retaining ownership of the land.

More real estate speculation and trickle-down community benefits.

"We know that we want a safe, quality community that is family-friendly," Barber said. "But before we move forward with a new program, we need to talk to residents to see what they want for their community."

So there is a before we move forward!

Barber said his group will focus on a "community visioning process" in which a series of public meetings will be conducted during the next year. They will gather input and develop a strategy for implementation of the goals that are identified.

"At the end of this process, we may find that a land trust, along with other measures, is worth considering," Barber said.

This has little if nothing to do with the following.

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Councilman William Peduto reports that three representatives from the North Side Leadership Conference met with two representatives of Northside United earlier today.

The Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh has more leeway than it did under Mayor Murphy to have an impact on planning between and around the two stadiums, and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Councilman Peduto invited the two groups to write their own ideas and shape a common vision. Councilwomen Tonya Payne and Darlene Harris were also at the table.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, in a flurry of moves, dismissed Peduto's term on the Stadium authority later on in the afternoon. Councilman Bruce Kraus was named in his place.

No telling whether the Mayor was annoyed at Peduto about that, or about this.

State Representative Jake Wheatley also serves on the 5-member board, which is chaired by Deborah Lestitian.

Monday: Captain Obvious

But what will it take to convince city residents that folding their government into the county's is in their interests?

"By telling them that the alternative is the status quo -- things are gong to remain as they are," Mr. Ravenstahl said. (P-G, Lord and Barnes)

Look at what's written on your hand: An infinite variety of consolidation plans are possible.

In Louisville, opposition emerged including members of their city council, African-American leaders who feared a loss of minority clout, and some labor unions. "The opposition campaign was basically one of fear," said Mr. Carlton.

So we know what doesn't work all by itself.

"Why was there no consultation from us when [the report] was put together?" said Mr. Shields...

"This is exactly the kind of thinking we're faced with that will not help us develop the region," Mr. Onorato said to great applause. "We can't fall back to that old style of politics of 'I wasn't told, I wasn't consulted,' if we want to move forward." (P-G, Karamagi Rujumba)

It is Mr. Shields' job to represent the interests of people who by and large would not be very well represented by the folks at the Allegheny League of Municipalities. That is precisely the point.

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One Hill, a community group, delayed its planned announcement on Saturday to discuss action against management of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Group officials said the announcement was put on hold so group representatives could meet with the team's managers this weekend.

One Hill had planned to announce action targeting the owners of the team, which enters playoffs this week. Community organizers abruptly canceled a news conference scheduled yesterday, saying only that they wanted to continue to talk "in good faith" with the hockey team's owners. (Trib, Team Effort)

You know, one hopes that One Hill was not strong-armed into scrapping the initiative because the Penguins hockey team is commencing its big playoff run. One hopes that One Hill is not being strung along again, in the manner of the day of that dreadful City Planning commission hearing.

Michael Jackson wrote a song: If you want to be startin' somethin', you got to be startin' somethin'.

Please do not make us root for our hockey team to be eliminated, so that One Hill can then politely emerge to campaign for common neighborhood self-determination. We are capable of rooting for a Penguins victory on the ice and a Pittsburgh victory on the ground simultaneously.

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If you would like to sign the online petition directed to Penguins president David Morehouse in support of One Hill and of community benefits agreements, CLICK HERE.

If you would like to watch the post-agenda session of council on Bill Peduto's campaign finance legislation, tune in today at 1:30 PM.

If you would like to watch the hearing of the Act 47 financial recovery boards with administration officials, it will be held on Tuesday at 7 PM, at the IBEW hall near the corner of Hot Metal and Carson. Ample, free parking!

If you are interested in the results of the race for the Democratic nomination for the 21st Legislative District, you should know that Len Bodack is a member of the Islam Grotto of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (Trib, Jeremy Boren).

We knew it had to be something.