I expected the trajectory of City Hall's evolution to be examined in this election, but not quite like this...
Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto's mayoral campaign filed for a
court injunction today saying fellow candidates Michael Lamb and Jack
Wagner are violating the city's campaign finance law. (P-G, Timothy McNulty)
Full statement here. Now, to illustrate the civic environment at the time of that law's passage:
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl termed it "a historic day" for the city, saying it will "give residents the reform they deserve." (P-G 2009, Rich Lord)
and...
"This working together of the administration and Mr. Peduto I think
really gives us a guideline to how we can accomplish very significant
things in this city," said Councilman Ricky Burgess. (ibid)
So these were some über-popular, hard-won reforms not that long ago.
For the record, I bet Michael Lamb has an even chance at having his Controller money ruled kosher for his Mayoral run. Those who donated money to him for Pittsburgh-wide office are likely enough just as enthused about his leadership, and a thorough interpretation of the law might just reflect that. I'm also interested to hear more about his attack on Bill Peduto as a mere "gadfly". It's high time for candidates to lay their reservations about each other on the table, come what may.
But Jack Wagner's leftover money warhead from an unsuccessful run for governor is just the kind of encroachment these reforms were enacted to prevent. I'm not sure the "you all realize he's a great guy" defense is going to serve him well if his reintroduction to local voters is to wipe his feet on our growing legacy of redding up government. Perhaps a quick course correction is in order.
Flanked by new allies such as Chelsa Wagner and Michael Lamb, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Lhatsnevar held a news conference today announcing a legal challenge to the tax exempt statuses of all 150 of UPMC's properties in the City.
"It is very clear to me UPMC is not a purely public charity," said Lhatsnevar. (1) "Enough is enough, and today is the day we start fighting back." (2)
Property and payroll tax receipts enable the City to pay for services, infrastructure and legacy costs, the County to pay for public mass transit, and public schools to pay for teachers and building maintenance. None of these things are in particularly good shape. Mayor Lhatnsevar estimates UPMC has been able to elude $200 million annually in taxes (3) although he says it does not meet the legal definition of a purely public charity (4).
UPMC officials greeted the Mayor's announcement with smarmy dissembling.
“The challenge to UPMC's tax-exempt status appears to be based on the
mistaken impression that a nonprofit organization must conduct its
affairs in a way that pleases certain labor unions, certain favored
businesses or particular political constituencies — in other words, the
way that some local governments are also run,” said Paul Wood, a UPMC
spokesman. (Trib, Bobby Kerlik)
"Particular political constituencies" is industry jargon for people. The corporate health establishment has long maintained it inappropriate for governments to apply laws literally due to pressure from special interests such as people.
“If UPMC ran its affairs as poorly as some of our local governments, it
would not have become the internationally known, world-class health care
institution it is today,” Wood said. (ibid)
Pittsburghers may well hesitate to risk returning to the dark times of having to choose between hospitals such as Montefiore, St. Margaret, Shadyside, Passavant, McGee, Childrens and Mercy -- all of which were purchased, repackaged, sterilized and made less competitive in the process of UPMC becoming famous.
"We look forward to addressing this in a court of law rather than responding to partisan politics," UPMC said in a statement (5) reacting to the day's events.
Saying in the media that Pittsburgh sucks, that city, county and other municipal governments suck and that your public officials suck just ten minutes ago to some does not qualify as a political reaction.
The Comet has learned that later today, Mayor Lhatsnevar will hold a press conference detailing the importance of preserving the Civic Arena.
These notes from yesterday's mayoral debate at Obama Academy were originally taken with fat fingers on a touch-screen phone with Autocorrect, so I only entered what seemed like the unique or interesting bits. Since there wasn't much back-and-forth, I here rearrange them by candidate in alphabetical order, since this is a legitimate establishment.
DARLENE HARRIS would work with the unions to help Pittsburgh graduates get jobs in the skilled trades, and work with the corporate community to find them internships. She would look to emulate Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, who is up in Harrsiburg a lot lobbying for aid. In terms of public safety she has worked to install security cameras in her neighborhoods and get police more and better technology, and has also instituted block watches. The North Side Leadership Conference has helped make the North Side become and feel safer, and she'd like more help from a better staffed Department of City Planning. In response to the corruption question, Harris says as a public official "everyone's trying to give you money and buy you," but claims people who rely on such "are afraid" if she gets elected Mayor. To encourage higher wages she has worked to pass "living wage" legislation at the Council level.
MICHAEL LAMB Helping to start A+ Schools shows his commitment to "leadership that listens" and that is open and transparent. He is "not going to pat himself or anyone else on the back because some qualify for the Promise," but rather continue to "cheer lead and advocate" for better schools and pursue the Summer Dreamers Program. Lamb came out hard to expand the payroll preparation tax to all employers including the nonprofits, justifiable because low wages lead to low wage tax receipts. He would put more police on the streets instead of behind desks, and would diversify the police force using federal funds. In response to the corruption question, Lamb says under his stewardship the Controllers' office became "the most open, honest, transparent office in government," and hinted there are overlaps noticeable on Open Book Pittsburgh between contributors and contract recipients. He would use "incentives" and "access to capital" such as TIFs to lure jobs, but not just for big developers but small businesses -- particularly women-owned. He says he's been out there agitating with UPMC workers for higher wages and suggested Rivers Casino needs it too.
BILL PEDUTO wants to "turn the paradigm upside down" with community leadership, instead of making decisions based on "who wrote the biggest check." Says that fostering a Promise-ready student "starts at five years old," so would seek to use Promise funding to provide "wrap-around services" like mentoring, tutoring, and meals at seniors centers. Supports Rep. Roebuck's charter and cyber school reform bill. Nonprofits need to be made accountable to the community, their clients and their own workers. Looking to models of urban policing in other cities, and would decentralize policing powers out to Commanders, appropriate to each area and level of community involvement. In response to the corruption question, Peduto pointed back to bills "ending no bid contracts, strengthening the Ethics Code, campaign finance reform," mentioned Public Safety Director nominee Dennis Regan, a billboard based on "graft," and the need for a Redd Up Crew in City Hall. Touted $2 billion in grassroots development experience in his district, pointing out South Highland and East Liberty weren't particularly affluent beforehand. Touted prevailing wage bill, and says "it's not about brick and mortar or retail," but investing in things like new "green" housing and mass transit.
JACK WAGNER says we need more partnerships with and within City government, that "we don't need Council fighting with Council." He also would seek more aid from Harrisburg to address dropout rate, and would "keep Schenley open." Back in City Council he passed an assault weapons ban, and "would enforce lost & stolen." In response to the corruption question, Wagner cited his audit exposing the PHEAA and cyber & charter schools and alleged "no one is addressing problems in City Hall." Says the US Steel lease is up soon Downtown and we need to address that to keep jobs here, but also "Pittsburgh needs to be an incubator kind of city." Joins calls to increase the minimum wage on the federal level. Would like to expand Pittsburgh Promise to include a "Pittsburgh Partnership", focused on keeping graduates here.
JAKE WHEATLEY says that "guns and violence isn't just a law enforcement issue, it's a communal issue." In response to the corruption question, Wheatley called for "more transparency, monitoring and accountability measures." He stressed that real economic growth occurs "when all are welcomed" and would focus not just on the supply-side, but "retraining human capital." He notes an uptick in our population and quality of life.
SCORECARD / EDITORIAL: With his willingness once again to identify for us corrupt patterns at the City so that we might recognize such practices early next time, his ability to cite multiple concrete steps he has taken to inhibit that corruption in the past, the specifics with which he proposed expanding Pittsburgh Promise efforts, the depth of substance when it comes to talking community economic development, and his as-yet unique recognition that public mass transit is like education a mammoth part of the equation in achieving desirability as a city and region, it is hard for this blog not to conclude that present front-runner Bill Peduto gave the strongest performance in this first debate.
NEWS: While the papers had it correct that all candidates agreed UPMC et al needs to start paying a fair share to the City, the County and school district, special adviser to the governor Dennis Roddy decided to throw some icy cold water on that proposition, even though last were all led to believe this was also the Governor's policy and a grim, hard-won bipartisan consensus.
While a geographic analysis of the campaigns for mayor (the Seven Kingdoms of Yinzeros?) is indeed fairly interesting, we wonder whether the major split in this election isn't going to be demographic and cultural. Perhaps even the "culture wars".
Jack Wagner's status as war hero is going to mean something among this mature electorate from Brighton Heights all the way to Lincoln Place, and mean something for the other more mature candidates. Bill Peduto's emphasis on the potential of technology meanwhile is going to inspire young voters under 50 -- or indeed may attract Ravenstahl default-voters still enchanted by the rhetoric of Tomorrowland.
We are finding out more about misspending at the Police Bureau, but remember: this isn't an election about the past, or about the present, or about how the past turned into the present! Don't be hateful. This is an election about the future, which has nothing to with learning from history, or with demonstrating a personal history of reacting appropriately to what were then current events.
Broken people movers, dingy carpets, and an understaffed and harried Airport hotel. Is this the way the D.C. and New England elites think and speak to each other about Pittsburgh thanks to its Airport? How many people are hanging up when told their only option is a connection in Pittsburgh? Could Rich Fitzgerald have planted a better article to illustrate the need to frack the airport for economic development out there?
Tom Corbett's bad poll numbers continue to dog him, with Joe Sestak seeming to be in the strongest starting position among Democrats. The Governor's refusal to implement a Medicaid expansion voted by two houses of Congress, campaigned on by a President and upheld by a conservative Supreme Court could be costly, especially if it can be shown the state will not be saddled with costs in out years any more than death panels.
***-UPDATE:Jim Ferlo withdraws. I guess the moral of the story is that if you know what running a campaign requires from vast experience, and you are getting on the ballot mainly to run interference for another candidate, then don't let Chris Potter zap you with his laser armbands.
In an enchantingly wrought prequel to the MGM classic, Oz the Great and Powerful is shown to have been a carnival magician and a small-time rogue in 1880's Kansas, who, upon escaping a circus in a hot-air balloon, gets caught up in another one of those dang tornadoes.
Oscar "Oz" Diggs, played by James Franco who we should really all give a chance despite everything, lands smack in the middle of the chaos and intrigue of total cosmic warfare, where he comes to rely on his prestidigitation skills. Fortunately he has a good heart. Witches tend to have a thing for him, anyway, and SPOILER ALERT: he makes solid choices.
The Pittsburgh Penguins can do no wrong. Establishing a true and harmonious marriage of Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin amongst the team, line mates included, is all that is standing between this team and the very pinnacle of impervious hockey -- given a consistency of passionate, well-practiced team wide effort.
The Allegheny County Jail is breedingvariouslynightmarishheadlines, and that may be no surprise because across Pennsylvania, jails are breedingnightmarishheadlines. Surely we can do something about this. Perhaps the right honourable Allegheny County Executive can set aside an intensive week to get to know things well and truly intimately over at the jail dahn there on 2nd Ave. Nothing precipitous should be implied to follow -- no rash decisions anyway, heaven fore fend!
The logistics of oversight alone -- chaos. Uncharted?
Getting around in Pittsburgh will never be the same, now that amateurish yahoos can grab a public bicycle and piddle around.
"Bike-share programs like this are critically important to attract and
retain the talent that we have here," Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
said. "To have that cool, young, vibrant, hip city that young investors
want requires projects like this." (P-G, Moriah Balingit)
There will be at least 50 "solar-powered stations" for point-to-point travel. There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions. Will there be a public bike-share station near the corner of Rt. 28 / East Ohio St. and 16th St., or won't there be? How and for what purpose is Walnut Capital harnessing the power of the sun? And finally, will Ravenstahl capitalize on this momentum and do another Mayor by mentioning traffic calming as part of what is becoming his very broad, deep commitment to road-sharing culture?
The South Side Intoxication District bliztes are moving forward, though it is hard to say whether or not the Pittsburgh Sociable City Plan is also. There is some verbiage about "code compliance" with respect to "bar inspections" that deals with the "occupancy code," and some other qualified verbiage regarding "loitering." I'm sure the Dept. of Public Safety and the Police Bureau is under a world of stress right now, especially with respect to how security at commercial hot spots is maintained.
That's why I have this genius idea. Can't municipal firefighters get active in enforcing occupancy and "fire" codes and safety violations? What do you think is better for business -- a bunch of jaded, stern-looking police officers filing in the doors like it's prohibition, or a bevy of fire men and women concerned with caring for your safety? The loudest drunks on Carson Street will be manning the doors to help them get proper head counts, "to do their duty!"
If we need more recruits, we'll get more hired. Pittsburgh will be rolling in increased dinner and entertainment receipts and expanded and higher-paying job diversity once young and older adults get also to partake of the South Side again.
That's it for today. Remember: if you don't have swift service, you can't have any transit. How can you have any transit if you don't have swift service?
Can we
please spring the clocks forward at 4pm on Fridays from now on. Who's
with us? Surely the bar and spirits industry,
right?
— CivicScience (@CivicScience) March
11, 2013
It will be one of those fancifully curatedlink assemblages, and now with those two out of the way, most will be related to other, under-appreciated matters. Does anybody have any special requests?
In the world of political data, Civic Science has been one-upped by Keystone Analytics. Who's next? And what will it indicate?
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