Pittsburgh elected officials say it’s a good time for the city to borrow money, so it can help pay for capital budget projects it can’t afford right now.
Looking for ways the city could buy new police cars, fire trucks, and Public Works vehicles, Councilwoman Theresa Smith called for a post-agenda hearing on the city’s capital budget.
Pittsburgh’s Director of Finance, Scott Kunka, says the city can refinance its debt, issue a bond, or do both, offering several specific options that would inject money into the 2011 capital budget.
City Controller Michael Lamb says he supports borrowing money to help spread out payments on large capital projects.
Several Council Members say the city should completely redo every capital budget line item after borrowing money.
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh City Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh City Council. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Asphalt Bill Held for Five Months
Pittsburgh Council voted to hold a bill that would require public utilities to “carefully plan” with Pittsburgh’s Public Works Department before excavating roads.
Some Council Members have expressed concerns that utility companies wait until fresh asphalt has been paved to excavate roads when laying pipes or wires. The bill would have utilities excavate just before roads have been repaved.
The 20-week hold will delay the measure until November. Council President Darlene Harris asked for the unusually long hold because she says local utilities are beginning to work more cooperatively with the city.
Councilman Bruce Kraus called the five-month hold a way to “threaten or intimidate” utilities into complying with what the city wants.
Some Council Members have expressed concerns that utility companies wait until fresh asphalt has been paved to excavate roads when laying pipes or wires. The bill would have utilities excavate just before roads have been repaved.
The 20-week hold will delay the measure until November. Council President Darlene Harris asked for the unusually long hold because she says local utilities are beginning to work more cooperatively with the city.
Councilman Bruce Kraus called the five-month hold a way to “threaten or intimidate” utilities into complying with what the city wants.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Clean Air Act Waits a Little Longer
A bill that would require diesel vehicles in city-funded projects to be fitted with a diesel filter will have to wait another week before a preliminary vote.
Pittsburgh Council voted to hold the “Clean Air Act of 2010” for a week, due to concerns raised by a labor group the day before the preliminary vote was to occur.
The legislation is meant to reduce the levels of fine particulate matter in the city’s air by cutting down on pollution coming from diesel engines working on city-funded developments.
Councilman Bill Peduto says putting enforcement in the hands of the city Controller and making developers (rather than contractors) responsible for compliance only satisfied two of the union’s three qualms.
Peduto says he will work to fix the bill to satisfy all parties by next week.
Pittsburgh Council voted to hold the “Clean Air Act of 2010” for a week, due to concerns raised by a labor group the day before the preliminary vote was to occur.
The legislation is meant to reduce the levels of fine particulate matter in the city’s air by cutting down on pollution coming from diesel engines working on city-funded developments.
Councilman Bill Peduto says putting enforcement in the hands of the city Controller and making developers (rather than contractors) responsible for compliance only satisfied two of the union’s three qualms.
Peduto says he will work to fix the bill to satisfy all parties by next week.
City CDBG Reform Bills Fail in Committee
A Pittsburgh Council committee has voted down a bill that would have changed the way Council distributes federal Community Development Block Grants.
Instead of divvying the funding evenly among the nine Council Districts, the bills called for each District to receive an amount that reflected its number of CDBG-eligible blocks.
Councilman Bill Peduto says he rejected the legislation because it amounts to less than $1 million of the total $18 million annual package of Pittsburgh’s CDBG funds.
“It’s sort of like that New York card game, where… ‘Watch this hand! Watch this hand! Ignore this one over here.’ Well, the ‘hand over here’ is the one that is supplying major dollars to private developers and others, while we’re debating over how we give $1500 to neighborhood groups and nonprofit organizations that help the poor,” says Peduto.
Councilman Doug Shields says he hasn’t heard any complaint about Pittsburgh’s CDBG process from the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development, the agency that distributes the grants.
Councilman Ricky Burgess authored the bills, and has been the catalyst behind the CDBG debate of the past year. He and Councilman Daniel Lavelle were the only members to vote for the package.
Instead of divvying the funding evenly among the nine Council Districts, the bills called for each District to receive an amount that reflected its number of CDBG-eligible blocks.
Councilman Bill Peduto says he rejected the legislation because it amounts to less than $1 million of the total $18 million annual package of Pittsburgh’s CDBG funds.
“It’s sort of like that New York card game, where… ‘Watch this hand! Watch this hand! Ignore this one over here.’ Well, the ‘hand over here’ is the one that is supplying major dollars to private developers and others, while we’re debating over how we give $1500 to neighborhood groups and nonprofit organizations that help the poor,” says Peduto.
Councilman Doug Shields says he hasn’t heard any complaint about Pittsburgh’s CDBG process from the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development, the agency that distributes the grants.
Councilman Ricky Burgess authored the bills, and has been the catalyst behind the CDBG debate of the past year. He and Councilman Daniel Lavelle were the only members to vote for the package.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Pgh Council: PAT Needs More County, State Funding
Pittsburgh Council and the local transit union asked Allegheny County officials to give more funding to the County’s Port Authority yesterday.
In the same resolution, Councilman Doug Shields also urged state officials to stop allowing private transit companies to operate in the county.
Shields says private carriers, such as Lenzner, are raising bus fares and reducing service hours, while at the same time replacing union employees with cheaper workers.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85 President Pat McMahon says the experiment to use private carriers is “blowing up in the test tube,” and the state legislature is more interested in “union-busting” than serving County residents.
McMahon says the Port Authority cut service by 15% in March, despite $18 million in concessions offered by his union.
In the same resolution, Councilman Doug Shields also urged state officials to stop allowing private transit companies to operate in the county.
Shields says private carriers, such as Lenzner, are raising bus fares and reducing service hours, while at the same time replacing union employees with cheaper workers.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85 President Pat McMahon says the experiment to use private carriers is “blowing up in the test tube,” and the state legislature is more interested in “union-busting” than serving County residents.
McMahon says the Port Authority cut service by 15% in March, despite $18 million in concessions offered by his union.
Arena Facing Demolition after Council Vote
Pittsburgh Council voted against designating the Civic Arena as a historic structure today.
Council has the final authority to grant historic status, and the decision will likely result in the demolition of the dome.
Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak says she's disappointed at the level of taxpayer money going into the redevelopment plan for the 28-acre property.
"There has been an estimate that looks at even the one-year public subsidies to be around $76 million, and we're going to spend millions of dollars to demolish the arena," says Rudiak. "My concern is about the massive amounts of public subsidies going into this project when we can't even maintain the streets that we have."
Rudiak says the Pittsburgh Penguins’ plan to redevelop the site for retail and residential use may become a failed venture.
Councilman Bruce Kraus says he acknowledges that the redevelopment plan may be flawed right now.
“But I want to get past what is possible on that site, in terms of buildings and business and office, and just talk about the importance of reconnecting Oakland and the Upper Hill with the Lower Hill and Downtown, and the importance of what Oakland is today to the economic health and well-being of Pittsburgh," says Kraus.
Kraus says he'd also like to reconfigure the street grid on the Arena property to better accommodate public transit and green development.
The 6-3 vote denying the arena historic status came after a negative recommendation from the city's Historic Review Commission. Preservationists may still sue to keep the Igloo standing.
Council has the final authority to grant historic status, and the decision will likely result in the demolition of the dome.
Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak says she's disappointed at the level of taxpayer money going into the redevelopment plan for the 28-acre property.
"There has been an estimate that looks at even the one-year public subsidies to be around $76 million, and we're going to spend millions of dollars to demolish the arena," says Rudiak. "My concern is about the massive amounts of public subsidies going into this project when we can't even maintain the streets that we have."
Rudiak says the Pittsburgh Penguins’ plan to redevelop the site for retail and residential use may become a failed venture.
Councilman Bruce Kraus says he acknowledges that the redevelopment plan may be flawed right now.
“But I want to get past what is possible on that site, in terms of buildings and business and office, and just talk about the importance of reconnecting Oakland and the Upper Hill with the Lower Hill and Downtown, and the importance of what Oakland is today to the economic health and well-being of Pittsburgh," says Kraus.
Kraus says he'd also like to reconfigure the street grid on the Arena property to better accommodate public transit and green development.
The 6-3 vote denying the arena historic status came after a negative recommendation from the city's Historic Review Commission. Preservationists may still sue to keep the Igloo standing.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Diesel Pollution Targeted by City Council
A bill in Pittsburgh Council would require contractors working on city-funded projects to retrofit their diesel vehicles with filters.
Councilman Bill Peduto says his bill is meant to protect the public from the harmful effects of diesel exhaust, mainly caused by a pollutant called “particulate matter.”
LuAnn Brink of the University of Pittsburgh Epidemiology Department says particulate matter can infiltrate one’s lungs, and has been tied to higher rates of respiratory illness and higher total mortality rates.
Clean Air Task Force Advocacy Director Conrad Schneider says diesel filters can catch about nine-tenths of that particulate matter from equipment exhaust systems. Schneider says retrofitting equipment usually costs 1.5% to 2% of the total cost of the construction; he says Council should cap the cost of any retrofitting project at 2%.
But Business Manager Jim Kunz of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66 says that 2% is a significant portion of a contractor’s profits, and could drive many smaller contractors away from doing business with the city. He urged Council to find grant programs that would help disadvantaged contractors buy the retrofits.
Kunz says Pittsburgh should first “lead by example” by fitting its own Public Works and Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority fleets with diesel filters.
The diesel filters are made of various metals and ceramics, and usually cost from $10,000 to $30,000 apiece.
Councilman Bill Peduto says his bill is meant to protect the public from the harmful effects of diesel exhaust, mainly caused by a pollutant called “particulate matter.”
LuAnn Brink of the University of Pittsburgh Epidemiology Department says particulate matter can infiltrate one’s lungs, and has been tied to higher rates of respiratory illness and higher total mortality rates.
Clean Air Task Force Advocacy Director Conrad Schneider says diesel filters can catch about nine-tenths of that particulate matter from equipment exhaust systems. Schneider says retrofitting equipment usually costs 1.5% to 2% of the total cost of the construction; he says Council should cap the cost of any retrofitting project at 2%.
But Business Manager Jim Kunz of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66 says that 2% is a significant portion of a contractor’s profits, and could drive many smaller contractors away from doing business with the city. He urged Council to find grant programs that would help disadvantaged contractors buy the retrofits.
Kunz says Pittsburgh should first “lead by example” by fitting its own Public Works and Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority fleets with diesel filters.
The diesel filters are made of various metals and ceramics, and usually cost from $10,000 to $30,000 apiece.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
CDBG Bills Put on Hold
Pittsburgh Council has voted to hold legislation that would change the way the city distributes federal Community Development Block Grants.
Councilman Ricky Burgess says the current law divides Pittsburgh’s CDBG funding evenly among the nine Council Districts. Burgess says his bills would instead give the money to Council Districts based on how many CDBG-eligible blocks the District has.
A block would be CDBG-eligible if 80% or more of its households earned less than about $29,000 per year.
The legislation would also raise the minimum grant level to $5,000 and require that the money be spent within three years, or it would be withdrawn. Burgess says he’d also like to require six summer meetings where community groups citywide could explain their development plans to Council.
But Councilwoman Darlene Harris says she doesn’t support the bills. She says $5,000 is too high a minimum for the grants, because it would be a “major undertaking” to try to give that much money to every community group who receives funding now.
Councilmen Doug Shields and Bruce Kraus say they feel they are being characterized as unfeeling for poorer communities by Burgess’ legislation. Shields says none of the CDBG funding is being given to groups who aren’t eligible for it.
The legislation has been held for a week; in the meantime, Councilwoman Theresa Smith says Council has a meeting with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl on the topic.
Councilman Ricky Burgess says the current law divides Pittsburgh’s CDBG funding evenly among the nine Council Districts. Burgess says his bills would instead give the money to Council Districts based on how many CDBG-eligible blocks the District has.
A block would be CDBG-eligible if 80% or more of its households earned less than about $29,000 per year.
The legislation would also raise the minimum grant level to $5,000 and require that the money be spent within three years, or it would be withdrawn. Burgess says he’d also like to require six summer meetings where community groups citywide could explain their development plans to Council.
But Councilwoman Darlene Harris says she doesn’t support the bills. She says $5,000 is too high a minimum for the grants, because it would be a “major undertaking” to try to give that much money to every community group who receives funding now.
Councilmen Doug Shields and Bruce Kraus say they feel they are being characterized as unfeeling for poorer communities by Burgess’ legislation. Shields says none of the CDBG funding is being given to groups who aren’t eligible for it.
The legislation has been held for a week; in the meantime, Councilwoman Theresa Smith says Council has a meeting with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl on the topic.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Bill Would Ease City Strip Club Law
A Pittsburgh Councilwoman wants to change the way the city deals with strip clubs and other adult establishments.
Councilwoman Theresa Smith has introduced legislation to limit adult businesses to commercial and urban industrial zones of the city. Smith says she wants to protect residential areas.
Smith’s package of three bills would also set a code of conduct for strip clubs, which she says will alleviate some of the “secondary effects” of adult businesses.
“We did not just create what we think might be occurring; we actually pulled some statistics to back up what we know to be occurring,” says Smith. “And we know prostitution, drug activity, in some cases gambling and other issues, just a host of concerns that come along with some of these establishments.”
She says the city lost a court case to a group seeking to open a strip club on the North Shore, on the grounds that the city’s current law restricts adult businesses’ constitutional right to free speech by requiring special permits.
Smith says her legislation is modeled after an Ohio law that withstood legal challenges, because it allows strip clubs to operate in certain zones. She says she still expects a legal battle over the bills; the city has hired a zoning lawyer to help its case.
Councilwoman Theresa Smith has introduced legislation to limit adult businesses to commercial and urban industrial zones of the city. Smith says she wants to protect residential areas.
Smith’s package of three bills would also set a code of conduct for strip clubs, which she says will alleviate some of the “secondary effects” of adult businesses.
“We did not just create what we think might be occurring; we actually pulled some statistics to back up what we know to be occurring,” says Smith. “And we know prostitution, drug activity, in some cases gambling and other issues, just a host of concerns that come along with some of these establishments.”
She says the city lost a court case to a group seeking to open a strip club on the North Shore, on the grounds that the city’s current law restricts adult businesses’ constitutional right to free speech by requiring special permits.
Smith says her legislation is modeled after an Ohio law that withstood legal challenges, because it allows strip clubs to operate in certain zones. She says she still expects a legal battle over the bills; the city has hired a zoning lawyer to help its case.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Council Listens to Igloo Debate
Pittsburgh City Council will have the final say in the coming months when it comes to the future of the Civic Arena and Wednesday it took a step closer to making that decision. Both the City Planning Commission and the City Historic Review Commission have rejected efforts to designate the nearly 50-year old structure as being historic. The negative recommendations mean it will take six out of nine council members voting for the designation to get the Igloo listed.
Council has already held a public hearing on the matter in the Hill District and Wednesday it held a post agenda meeting where several experts and stakeholders were invited to give more testimony. Several hours later the council seemed no closer to a making a decision than when it started.
“I have to tell you I read [the application] and the argument is so well made as to why it meets the criteria that I could not understand how the commission could read it and decided that it didn’t,” said Frank Sanchis, World Monuments Fund Program Director, who was brought in by those fighting to save the Igloo to offer his expertise. Preservation Pittsburgh President Scott Lieb added that he felt it was odd that review commissions at the state and national level felt the structure met one or more of the city’s 10 minimum criteria for historic designation but the local panels did not.
City code seems to allow council and the members of the commission to not only consider the ten criteria but to also consider the worthiness and integrity of the structure.
Some have suggested that the decisions have more to do with backroom deals and politics than the value of preserving the mid-century modern structure. Gary English held up a sign through most of the proceeding reading, “Quiet: political corruption in progress.”
Councilman Doug Shields complained along the same lines while pointing at artist renderings of 28 acres of new development nestled up against the new Consol Energy Center, “This council did not even get a chance to pick the color of the bathroom [in the Consol Center] and now someone is coming in and saying we are going to do all that. And I don’t even know who gave them the authority to do that and what is my authority here as a council member? All I see here is a lot of deals getting made and the governing body is not involved.”
Representatives of the Penguins, which holds the development rights to the old arena site, and the Sports and Exhibition Authority, which owns the old arena, gave testimony in favor of razing the building. Those groups say they need to take down the arena before they can begin developing the site. Councilman Bruce Kraus was a bit skeptical. He used to run an interior design company, “I did not go in and gut someone’s home and then say, ‘I’ll come back with what my ideas are of what your house should look like.’”
SEA Executive Director Mary Conturo admitted that there is no developer in place at this time and no investors have stepped forward to build but she says unless a decision is made on the arena and a street grid is created they will not be able to move forward with the development.
The Penguins, SEA and the city are hoping to get federal grants to build connecting streets. However, preservationists believe those grants could be in danger of being denied if the proper reviews are not made before the arena is demolished. Developers offered their own experts who believe such a review would not prevent the Federal Department of Transportation from sending the money to Pittsburgh.
A date for a final vote has not yet been set but it must be taken before the end of July.
Council has already held a public hearing on the matter in the Hill District and Wednesday it held a post agenda meeting where several experts and stakeholders were invited to give more testimony. Several hours later the council seemed no closer to a making a decision than when it started.
“I have to tell you I read [the application] and the argument is so well made as to why it meets the criteria that I could not understand how the commission could read it and decided that it didn’t,” said Frank Sanchis, World Monuments Fund Program Director, who was brought in by those fighting to save the Igloo to offer his expertise. Preservation Pittsburgh President Scott Lieb added that he felt it was odd that review commissions at the state and national level felt the structure met one or more of the city’s 10 minimum criteria for historic designation but the local panels did not.
City code seems to allow council and the members of the commission to not only consider the ten criteria but to also consider the worthiness and integrity of the structure.
Some have suggested that the decisions have more to do with backroom deals and politics than the value of preserving the mid-century modern structure. Gary English held up a sign through most of the proceeding reading, “Quiet: political corruption in progress.”
Councilman Doug Shields complained along the same lines while pointing at artist renderings of 28 acres of new development nestled up against the new Consol Energy Center, “This council did not even get a chance to pick the color of the bathroom [in the Consol Center] and now someone is coming in and saying we are going to do all that. And I don’t even know who gave them the authority to do that and what is my authority here as a council member? All I see here is a lot of deals getting made and the governing body is not involved.”
Representatives of the Penguins, which holds the development rights to the old arena site, and the Sports and Exhibition Authority, which owns the old arena, gave testimony in favor of razing the building. Those groups say they need to take down the arena before they can begin developing the site. Councilman Bruce Kraus was a bit skeptical. He used to run an interior design company, “I did not go in and gut someone’s home and then say, ‘I’ll come back with what my ideas are of what your house should look like.’”
SEA Executive Director Mary Conturo admitted that there is no developer in place at this time and no investors have stepped forward to build but she says unless a decision is made on the arena and a street grid is created they will not be able to move forward with the development.
The Penguins, SEA and the city are hoping to get federal grants to build connecting streets. However, preservationists believe those grants could be in danger of being denied if the proper reviews are not made before the arena is demolished. Developers offered their own experts who believe such a review would not prevent the Federal Department of Transportation from sending the money to Pittsburgh.
A date for a final vote has not yet been set but it must be taken before the end of July.
Measure to Monitor City Development Funds
Pittsburgh Council has approved a $35,000 grant to help ensure Pittsburghers are hired at the new Bakery Square development in East Liberty.
The money will be met with matching funds from developer Walnut Capital, and will be used to create programs aimed specifically at hiring city residents.
The bill was passed with an amendment to monitor the usage of those funds, from Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak. Rudiak says her revision would require reports on the total number of employees, their average wage, how many Pittsburgh residents were hired, and what outreach programs were used to reach Pittsburghers.
But the amendment drew sharp criticism from Councilman Ricky Burgess, who says it is a way of picking on a low-income neighborhood.
“It seems to me whenever there's some development done in certain communities, then all of a sudden, here jumps up a progressive performance police to want to earmark performance data to certain projects," says Burgess. "And it's specific, usually, to low- and moderate-income communities."
Burgess says he doesn’t see this level of scrutiny about developments in more affluent areas, citing the lack of such monitoring measures in the $250,000 grocery store development in Beechview last year.
But Rudiak says monitoring measures should be used in every new development in the city, and her office is drafting legislation to require that.
“Tracking accountability in public dollars in low- and moderate-income communities should be our highest priority because of the extreme need for investment in those areas," says Rudiak. "And every single dollar wasted is a lost opportunity in a low- and moderate-income community, especially dollars specifically designed to provide jobs."
Council Members Lavelle, Peduto, and Smith said they would support comprehensive tracking of city funds used in developments.
The money will be met with matching funds from developer Walnut Capital, and will be used to create programs aimed specifically at hiring city residents.
The bill was passed with an amendment to monitor the usage of those funds, from Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak. Rudiak says her revision would require reports on the total number of employees, their average wage, how many Pittsburgh residents were hired, and what outreach programs were used to reach Pittsburghers.
But the amendment drew sharp criticism from Councilman Ricky Burgess, who says it is a way of picking on a low-income neighborhood.
“It seems to me whenever there's some development done in certain communities, then all of a sudden, here jumps up a progressive performance police to want to earmark performance data to certain projects," says Burgess. "And it's specific, usually, to low- and moderate-income communities."
Burgess says he doesn’t see this level of scrutiny about developments in more affluent areas, citing the lack of such monitoring measures in the $250,000 grocery store development in Beechview last year.
But Rudiak says monitoring measures should be used in every new development in the city, and her office is drafting legislation to require that.
“Tracking accountability in public dollars in low- and moderate-income communities should be our highest priority because of the extreme need for investment in those areas," says Rudiak. "And every single dollar wasted is a lost opportunity in a low- and moderate-income community, especially dollars specifically designed to provide jobs."
Council Members Lavelle, Peduto, and Smith said they would support comprehensive tracking of city funds used in developments.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Kraus Wins Renomination, Likely 2nd Term
An incumbent Pittsburgh Councilman who did not have the support of the mayor was an easy winner over 3 challenges in the Democratic Primary in District 3.
Bruce Kraus picked up 54.3% of the votes cast compared to 37.7% for Jeff Koch, a former councilman who is a public works administrator, and 4.2% for Jason Phillips and 3.8% for Gavin Robb.
Kraus says he's "absolutely ecstatic" about the victory and he wants to continue to see good things continue to happen in District 3..."whether it's responsible hospitality, whether it's creating and reviving business districts in the hilltop neighborhoods, I see the vision continuing and I see it continuing as a collaborative effort between myself and the people."
Kraus, like fellow incumbents Patrick Dowd and Darlene Harris, who also won their primaries, was not supported by Mayor Ravenstahl because he opposed some of the mayor's major proposals including leasing the city's parking garages for 50 years. Asked if his victory was a partial referendum on the mayor, Kraus said..."I'm not even going to go there."
Kraus, who faces no opposition in the general election at this time, says he's looking forward to another 4 years because this is the "most satisfying job" he's ever had.
Bruce Kraus picked up 54.3% of the votes cast compared to 37.7% for Jeff Koch, a former councilman who is a public works administrator, and 4.2% for Jason Phillips and 3.8% for Gavin Robb.
Kraus says he's "absolutely ecstatic" about the victory and he wants to continue to see good things continue to happen in District 3..."whether it's responsible hospitality, whether it's creating and reviving business districts in the hilltop neighborhoods, I see the vision continuing and I see it continuing as a collaborative effort between myself and the people."
Kraus, like fellow incumbents Patrick Dowd and Darlene Harris, who also won their primaries, was not supported by Mayor Ravenstahl because he opposed some of the mayor's major proposals including leasing the city's parking garages for 50 years. Asked if his victory was a partial referendum on the mayor, Kraus said..."I'm not even going to go there."
Kraus, who faces no opposition in the general election at this time, says he's looking forward to another 4 years because this is the "most satisfying job" he's ever had.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
O'Connor Gets Democratic City District 5 Nod
Corey O'Connor has won the Democratic nomination for the District 5 Pittsburgh Council seat. he faces a Republican opponent in the November election.
O'Connor, son of late Mayor Bob O'Connor, says he will continue to campaign hard against Republican Josh Wander in the general election.
He says he is eager to get started in city government.
"To bring an independent voice to city council, that's going to be able to work with other Council members, other administrators downtown to bring top-mark services to the constituents of District 5 and the city of Pittsburgh," says O'Connor.
O'Connor would assume the same Council seat his father once held if he defeats Wander in the November race.
The Democratic nominee says he's honored by the large voter turnout for a first-time political candidate.
O'Connor, son of late Mayor Bob O'Connor, says he will continue to campaign hard against Republican Josh Wander in the general election.
He says he is eager to get started in city government.
"To bring an independent voice to city council, that's going to be able to work with other Council members, other administrators downtown to bring top-mark services to the constituents of District 5 and the city of Pittsburgh," says O'Connor.
O'Connor would assume the same Council seat his father once held if he defeats Wander in the November race.
The Democratic nominee says he's honored by the large voter turnout for a first-time political candidate.
City District 1 Stays With Harris
In the Democratic Primary, incumbent Councilwoman Darlene Harris held on to her District 1 Pittsburgh Council position by a margin of less than 100 votes.
With all but one precinct reporting, Harris held a 78-vote lead over her closest of 3 challengers, Vincent Pallus.
Harris, the current Council President, says she's grateful to her campaign staff and District 1 voters. She says she wishes she could have run a more hands-on campaign.
"There were times when I had to be busy in the office, being the President and doing my job, than to be out campaigning," says Harris. "So I didn't get to campaign as much as I would have liked to."
Harris is unlikely to lose her Council seat in the November general election, as she faces no Republican opponents.
The Council President says she's eager to take on both large issues like the city's underfunded pension situation and the other items that come up every day.
With all but one precinct reporting, Harris held a 78-vote lead over her closest of 3 challengers, Vincent Pallus.
Harris, the current Council President, says she's grateful to her campaign staff and District 1 voters. She says she wishes she could have run a more hands-on campaign.
"There were times when I had to be busy in the office, being the President and doing my job, than to be out campaigning," says Harris. "So I didn't get to campaign as much as I would have liked to."
Harris is unlikely to lose her Council seat in the November general election, as she faces no Republican opponents.
The Council President says she's eager to take on both large issues like the city's underfunded pension situation and the other items that come up every day.
Monday, May 16, 2011
3 Vie for Democratic Nomination in Council District 9
Two challengers are looking to unseat Pittsburgh Councilman Ricky Burgess in District 9. The 54 year old Burgess, a senior pastor at Nazarene Baptist Church in Homewood and an associate professor at Community College of Allegheny County, is seeking a second 4-year term in office.
Burgess is one of the founders of PIRC, the Pittsburgh Initiative to Reduce Crime,
where local and federal authorities hold face to face meetings with members of violent groups in the city in an effort to reduce the number of homicides and youth crime.
Burgess is also the sponsor of several police accountability measures including one that has been approved that most police cars be equipped with video and audio recorders.
Burgess has the support of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl but the Democratic Committee endorsed one of the challengers: Phyllis Copeland-Mitchell, a 54 year old social worker from Lincoln-Lemington.
Shortly after winning the party endorsement, Copeland-Mitchell lost her job as residential correction facility manager for The Program for Offenders, a government-funded treatment facility. The executive director Carol Hertz sent Copeland-Mitchell a letter giving her a choice.....her job or campaigning. The letter said if she continued her candidacy, the program would consider that to be her resignation.
Copeland-Mitchell is suing for wrongful dismissal.
She says people asked her to run "because of the conditions in the neighborhood" and because "he (Burgess) is unapproachable."
Copeland-Mitchell says the high crime rate in the community is her number one issue. She says the beating of then high school student Jordan Miles by 3 police officers highlights a community need....
"We do need our police officers in the community to help us. But anytime there is a misjustice (injustice), it needs to be dealt with and investigated further."
54 year old Lucille Prater-Holliday is also seeking the Democratic nomination in Council District 9. Prater-Holliday is a community activist who lives in Homewood.
"I have more than 25 years working with people. For the most part, there's been no paycheck attached to that work, it's all volunteer because I know it needs to be done and it's my responsibility to try to provide a better future for coming generations."
Prater-Holliday says the biggest complaint she's heard about Burgess is "that he is unapproachable and he's absent from the community."
But she says she can identify with residents, in part, because she raised 2 young children after her husband died when she was 34...
"I have lived in low-income housing. I've been on food stamps. I've been on welfare. I've been unemployed. I've lived in sub-standard housing so I've lived the same life of so many people in the district so I can related to what the people in the district are going through."
The victor of the Democratic Primary will likely win the council seat because no Republican candidate is filed.
Burgess is one of the founders of PIRC, the Pittsburgh Initiative to Reduce Crime,
where local and federal authorities hold face to face meetings with members of violent groups in the city in an effort to reduce the number of homicides and youth crime.
Burgess is also the sponsor of several police accountability measures including one that has been approved that most police cars be equipped with video and audio recorders.
Burgess has the support of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl but the Democratic Committee endorsed one of the challengers: Phyllis Copeland-Mitchell, a 54 year old social worker from Lincoln-Lemington.
Shortly after winning the party endorsement, Copeland-Mitchell lost her job as residential correction facility manager for The Program for Offenders, a government-funded treatment facility. The executive director Carol Hertz sent Copeland-Mitchell a letter giving her a choice.....her job or campaigning. The letter said if she continued her candidacy, the program would consider that to be her resignation.
Copeland-Mitchell is suing for wrongful dismissal.
She says people asked her to run "because of the conditions in the neighborhood" and because "he (Burgess) is unapproachable."
Copeland-Mitchell says the high crime rate in the community is her number one issue. She says the beating of then high school student Jordan Miles by 3 police officers highlights a community need....
"We do need our police officers in the community to help us. But anytime there is a misjustice (injustice), it needs to be dealt with and investigated further."
54 year old Lucille Prater-Holliday is also seeking the Democratic nomination in Council District 9. Prater-Holliday is a community activist who lives in Homewood.
"I have more than 25 years working with people. For the most part, there's been no paycheck attached to that work, it's all volunteer because I know it needs to be done and it's my responsibility to try to provide a better future for coming generations."
Prater-Holliday says the biggest complaint she's heard about Burgess is "that he is unapproachable and he's absent from the community."
But she says she can identify with residents, in part, because she raised 2 young children after her husband died when she was 34...
"I have lived in low-income housing. I've been on food stamps. I've been on welfare. I've been unemployed. I've lived in sub-standard housing so I've lived the same life of so many people in the district so I can related to what the people in the district are going through."
The victor of the Democratic Primary will likely win the council seat because no Republican candidate is filed.
City Council District 3: Democratic Primary
Three Democrats are challenging the District 3 Pittsburgh Council incumbent in the upcoming primary election. Jeffrey Koch, Justin Phillips, and Gavin Robb all want the seat held by current Councilman Bruce Kraus. WDUQ has created profiles of the candidates, listed here in alphabetical order of last name.
Jeffrey Koch is a supervisor in the city’s Public Works Department and a former city Councilman for District 3. Koch served in that role for 18 months after a 2006 special election, but lost to Kraus the following year.
Koch says he’d like to see through some of the measures he began on City Council. He says the incumbent is intentionally contrary to the mayor, which has resulted in a deficiency of city services reaching his district.
“Last year, the City of Pittsburgh spent $5.6 million citywide to pave streets. Unfortunately, District 3 only received $200,000 of that,” says Koch. “That’s less than 5% of the total paving capital budget that went to our district, and our communities are showing it. I want to bring those services back to our community.”
In addition, Koch accuses Kraus of breaking the city’s Campaign Finance law by accepting more money than is allowed from campaign donors.
Incumbent Councilman Bruce Kraus says he’s not worried about a lack of support from the mayor’s office. Kraus says he’ll be reelected if his constituents think he’s been doing a good job in his office.
Kraus says some of the measures he’s implemented to that end include installing a satellite office in Arlington, renovating the East Carson Street library, and cleaning up abandoned properties in Beltzhoover. He says he’s also been the voice of his constituents on citywide matters, such as voting on a plan to lease the city’s parking assets.
“We labored over that issue for months. We held numerous public hearings [and] public meetings in the neighborhoods and in the Council Chamber, and that opinion never changed,” says Kraus. “And so when that piece of legislation came before me, I voted what my constituents wanted me to vote, and that was to say ‘no’ on that parking lease.”
Kraus says he welcomes an open, Democratic election with several challengers.
Jason Phillips is the manager of a South Side glass studio and a member of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. He says he’s concerned about the direction of District 3 over the past six years, under Councilmen Koch and Kraus. Phillips says the current Councilman has burnt bridges to the mayor’s office.
“He has been a constant thorn in the side of the mayor,” says Phillips. “On the flipside to that, though, we have another candidate in the race [Koch] who, people consider him to be a mayoral rubber stamp. I feel that I’m the candidate that’s best positioned to be in the middle of those two extremes.”
Phillips says he supports the idea of a “Neighborhood Improvement District,” but he’d like a more detailed plan. The NID would pool money of business owners on the South Side to supplement city services in the area. The idea was a part of Kraus’s “Responsible Hospitality Initiative.”
Gavin Robb is a municipal attorney and President of the South Side Chamber of Commerce. He says he’s concerned about the leadership of District 3.
Robb says his experience as a lawyer familiarized him with many of the skills necessary for City Council, both in terms of technical legislative ability and capacity as a “mediator” between Council and the mayor.
Robb says he also supports the idea of a Neighborhood Improvement District, which he says Kraus has not followed through with.
“The neighborhood itself is pushing forward with this,” says Robb. “It’s not something he has emphasized during election time, of course, because no-one likes to run on the idea that, ‘Hey, elect me and you people in this district are going to get assessed X amount of additional dollars a year.”
Robb says Kraus’s consistent opposition to the mayor is getting in the way of District 3’s interests, especially in terms of receiving city services.
No Republicans have entered the primary election for District 3, so it is likely that whichever candidate wins the Democratic primary will take the election.
Jeffrey Koch is a supervisor in the city’s Public Works Department and a former city Councilman for District 3. Koch served in that role for 18 months after a 2006 special election, but lost to Kraus the following year.
Koch says he’d like to see through some of the measures he began on City Council. He says the incumbent is intentionally contrary to the mayor, which has resulted in a deficiency of city services reaching his district.
“Last year, the City of Pittsburgh spent $5.6 million citywide to pave streets. Unfortunately, District 3 only received $200,000 of that,” says Koch. “That’s less than 5% of the total paving capital budget that went to our district, and our communities are showing it. I want to bring those services back to our community.”
In addition, Koch accuses Kraus of breaking the city’s Campaign Finance law by accepting more money than is allowed from campaign donors.
Incumbent Councilman Bruce Kraus says he’s not worried about a lack of support from the mayor’s office. Kraus says he’ll be reelected if his constituents think he’s been doing a good job in his office.
Kraus says some of the measures he’s implemented to that end include installing a satellite office in Arlington, renovating the East Carson Street library, and cleaning up abandoned properties in Beltzhoover. He says he’s also been the voice of his constituents on citywide matters, such as voting on a plan to lease the city’s parking assets.
“We labored over that issue for months. We held numerous public hearings [and] public meetings in the neighborhoods and in the Council Chamber, and that opinion never changed,” says Kraus. “And so when that piece of legislation came before me, I voted what my constituents wanted me to vote, and that was to say ‘no’ on that parking lease.”
Kraus says he welcomes an open, Democratic election with several challengers.
Jason Phillips is the manager of a South Side glass studio and a member of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. He says he’s concerned about the direction of District 3 over the past six years, under Councilmen Koch and Kraus. Phillips says the current Councilman has burnt bridges to the mayor’s office.
“He has been a constant thorn in the side of the mayor,” says Phillips. “On the flipside to that, though, we have another candidate in the race [Koch] who, people consider him to be a mayoral rubber stamp. I feel that I’m the candidate that’s best positioned to be in the middle of those two extremes.”
Phillips says he supports the idea of a “Neighborhood Improvement District,” but he’d like a more detailed plan. The NID would pool money of business owners on the South Side to supplement city services in the area. The idea was a part of Kraus’s “Responsible Hospitality Initiative.”
Gavin Robb is a municipal attorney and President of the South Side Chamber of Commerce. He says he’s concerned about the leadership of District 3.
Robb says his experience as a lawyer familiarized him with many of the skills necessary for City Council, both in terms of technical legislative ability and capacity as a “mediator” between Council and the mayor.
Robb says he also supports the idea of a Neighborhood Improvement District, which he says Kraus has not followed through with.
“The neighborhood itself is pushing forward with this,” says Robb. “It’s not something he has emphasized during election time, of course, because no-one likes to run on the idea that, ‘Hey, elect me and you people in this district are going to get assessed X amount of additional dollars a year.”
Robb says Kraus’s consistent opposition to the mayor is getting in the way of District 3’s interests, especially in terms of receiving city services.
No Republicans have entered the primary election for District 3, so it is likely that whichever candidate wins the Democratic primary will take the election.
Pgh Councilman Faces 3 Challengers
It's a four man race in Tuesday's Democratic Primary in Pittsburgh Council District 3. Three candidates are challenging incumbent Councilman Bruce Kraus who is seeking a second 4-year term.
Jeffrey Koch is a supervisor in the city's Public Works Department and served on Council for 18 months after winning a 2006 special election to fill out the term of Gene Ricciardi who resigned the seat to become a district magistrate.
Koch then lost in the 2007 Primary to Kraus. Koch says he'd like to see through some of the measure he began while on council. Koch, who has the backing of Mayor Ravenstahl, says Kraus is intentionally contrary to the mayor, which has led to a deficiency in services for District 3.
"Last year the city of Pittsburgh spent $5.6 million citywide to pave streets. Unfortunately, District 3 only received $200,000 of that. That's less than 5% of the total paving capital budget that went to our district, and our communities are showing it. I want to bring those services back to our community."
The incumbent Kraus says he's not worried about a lack of support from the mayor's office. Kraus says he'll be reelected if his constituents think he's been doing a good job. Kraus
says some of measure's he's implemented include creating a satellite office in Arlington, supporting the renovation of the library on East Carson Street, and cleaning up abandoned properties in Beltzhoover. He says he's been the voice of his constituents on citywide matters such as voting on a plan to lease the city's parking assets...
"We labored over that issue for months. We held numerous public hearings (and) public meetings in the neighborhoods and in the Council Chamber, and that opinion never changed. And so when that piece of legislation came before me, I voted what my constituents wanted me to vote and that was to say 'no' on that parking lease."
Kraus says he welcomes an open, democratic election with several challengers. One of those is Jason Phillips, the manager of a South Side glass studio and a member of the County Democratic Committee.
Phillips says he's concerned about the direction of District 3 over the past 6 years under both Koch and then Kraus. Phillips says Kraus has burned bridges to the mayor's office.
"He has been a constant thorn in the side of the mayor. On the flipside to that, though, we have another candidate in the race (Koch) who, people consider him to be a mayoral rubber stamp. I feel that I'm the candidate that's best positioned to be in the middle of those two extremes."
Phillips says he supports the idea of a "Neighborhood Improvement District," but he'd like a more detailed plan. The NID would pool money of business owners on the South Side to supplement city services in the area. The idea was part of Kraus' "Responsible Hospitality Initiative."
The fourth candidate in the Democratic Primary is Gavin Robb who is a municipal attorney and President of the South Side Chamber of Commerce. He says he's concerned about the leadership in the council district. Robb says his experience as a lawyer familiarized him with many of the skills necessary for City Council in terms of technical legislative ability and capacity as a "mediator" between council and the mayor.
Robb says he also supports the ides of a Neighborhood Improvement District which he says Kraus has not followed through with implementing.
"The neighborhood itself is pushing forward with this. It's not something he has emphasized during election time, of course, because no one likes to run on the idea that 'Hey, elect me and you people in this district are going to get assessed X amount of additional dollars a year.'"
Robb says Kraus' consistent opposition to the mayor is getting in the way of District 3 interests especially in terms of receiving city services.
No Republicans have entered the primary election in this district so it's likely the winner of the Democratic primary will take the general election in November.
Jeffrey Koch is a supervisor in the city's Public Works Department and served on Council for 18 months after winning a 2006 special election to fill out the term of Gene Ricciardi who resigned the seat to become a district magistrate.
Koch then lost in the 2007 Primary to Kraus. Koch says he'd like to see through some of the measure he began while on council. Koch, who has the backing of Mayor Ravenstahl, says Kraus is intentionally contrary to the mayor, which has led to a deficiency in services for District 3.
"Last year the city of Pittsburgh spent $5.6 million citywide to pave streets. Unfortunately, District 3 only received $200,000 of that. That's less than 5% of the total paving capital budget that went to our district, and our communities are showing it. I want to bring those services back to our community."
The incumbent Kraus says he's not worried about a lack of support from the mayor's office. Kraus says he'll be reelected if his constituents think he's been doing a good job. Kraus
says some of measure's he's implemented include creating a satellite office in Arlington, supporting the renovation of the library on East Carson Street, and cleaning up abandoned properties in Beltzhoover. He says he's been the voice of his constituents on citywide matters such as voting on a plan to lease the city's parking assets...
"We labored over that issue for months. We held numerous public hearings (and) public meetings in the neighborhoods and in the Council Chamber, and that opinion never changed. And so when that piece of legislation came before me, I voted what my constituents wanted me to vote and that was to say 'no' on that parking lease."
Kraus says he welcomes an open, democratic election with several challengers. One of those is Jason Phillips, the manager of a South Side glass studio and a member of the County Democratic Committee.
Phillips says he's concerned about the direction of District 3 over the past 6 years under both Koch and then Kraus. Phillips says Kraus has burned bridges to the mayor's office.
"He has been a constant thorn in the side of the mayor. On the flipside to that, though, we have another candidate in the race (Koch) who, people consider him to be a mayoral rubber stamp. I feel that I'm the candidate that's best positioned to be in the middle of those two extremes."
Phillips says he supports the idea of a "Neighborhood Improvement District," but he'd like a more detailed plan. The NID would pool money of business owners on the South Side to supplement city services in the area. The idea was part of Kraus' "Responsible Hospitality Initiative."
The fourth candidate in the Democratic Primary is Gavin Robb who is a municipal attorney and President of the South Side Chamber of Commerce. He says he's concerned about the leadership in the council district. Robb says his experience as a lawyer familiarized him with many of the skills necessary for City Council in terms of technical legislative ability and capacity as a "mediator" between council and the mayor.
Robb says he also supports the ides of a Neighborhood Improvement District which he says Kraus has not followed through with implementing.
"The neighborhood itself is pushing forward with this. It's not something he has emphasized during election time, of course, because no one likes to run on the idea that 'Hey, elect me and you people in this district are going to get assessed X amount of additional dollars a year.'"
Robb says Kraus' consistent opposition to the mayor is getting in the way of District 3 interests especially in terms of receiving city services.
No Republicans have entered the primary election in this district so it's likely the winner of the Democratic primary will take the general election in November.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Bill Would Axe City's Campaign Finance Law
Pittsburgh Councilman Ricky Burgess says he wants to repeal the city's Campaign Finance Law because it is "meaningless."
Burgess says he has always obeyed the 2009 law to limit campaign donations, but other candidates disobey it without repercussions.
He says the Campaign Finance law is unenforceable, because it was never adopted by the county. Burgess says he therefore introduced legislation to repeal the law because it is "inconsequential and meaningless."
"The limits are supposed to be $1,000 per individual contribution and $2,000 per PAC organization, and we have candidates that are taking far in excess of those dollars in this primary season, in direct violation of the law," says Burgess.
Burgess says he is withholding his own County Finance Report as a protest of the situation.
However, Councilman Bill Peduto issued a statement denouncing Burgess' bill, saying Burgess is "caving to special interests and working to hide who is funding his campaign." Peduto writes that he's also disappointed several Council Members voted to waive the public comment period for this legislation.
Burgess says he has always obeyed the 2009 law to limit campaign donations, but other candidates disobey it without repercussions.
He says the Campaign Finance law is unenforceable, because it was never adopted by the county. Burgess says he therefore introduced legislation to repeal the law because it is "inconsequential and meaningless."
"The limits are supposed to be $1,000 per individual contribution and $2,000 per PAC organization, and we have candidates that are taking far in excess of those dollars in this primary season, in direct violation of the law," says Burgess.
Burgess says he is withholding his own County Finance Report as a protest of the situation.
However, Councilman Bill Peduto issued a statement denouncing Burgess' bill, saying Burgess is "caving to special interests and working to hide who is funding his campaign." Peduto writes that he's also disappointed several Council Members voted to waive the public comment period for this legislation.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sierra Club Takes Stand on Mercury Pollution
Pittsburgh Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak teamed up with the Sierra Club to push for the Environmental Protection Agency regulating mercury pollution. Rudiak, and other council members and staff submitted hair samples as part of a nationwide program by the Sierra Club to raise awareness about the dangers of mercury. The element is a neurotoxin that can be detected in human hair.
Rudiak says coal-fired power plants are the main source. "They release things like mercury and arsenic into the air. And these pollutants actually rain down into our lakes and our streams. And they are eaten by fish, which consequently, we eat as well."
Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, Executive Director of Women for a Healthy Environment, says mercury is know to pose health risks. "Mercury at high levels may damage the brain, kidneys and the nervous system. Mercury in the mother's body passes to the fetus via the placenta. According to the CDC and the EPA, at least one in twelve and as many as one in six American women have enough mercury in their bodies to possibly put a baby at risk."
The EPA is considering enacting tighter regulations for mercury and other air toxins. The Sierra Club and PennFuture will be sending a bus of people to Philadelphia on May 24th to for public testimony. The Sierra Club pressed the state to begin regulating mercury in 2006, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that it needed to be done nationally.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Council Hears Gun Violence Testimony
A large crowd gathered in Pittsburgh City Council chamber today for a public hearing on gun violence.
Council heard testimony from relatives and friends of gun violence victims, from shootings 27 years ago or just last year.
Many of the speakers asked Council to support more youth centers and mentoring programs that would keep the city’s young people away from bad influences. More gun control was also proposed.
Valerie Dixon, whose son Rob was shot and killed 10 years ago, says she also attended the funeral of three Pittsburgh Police officers shot and killed in April of 2009.
“I cried like it was my son’s funeral. It hurt just as much as my son’s funeral to see the deaths of those three officers. But until you care about our kids like you care about those three officers, nothing will be done in this city,” says Dixon.
Kirk Holbrook of Homewood says while commercial developments like the East Liberty Target are meant to create jobs, that approach isn’t working to keep kids off the streets. He says the city should focus on community centers in poor neighborhoods instead.
Councilman Ricky Burgess requested that April 26 be named “A Day of Remembrance” of gun violence victims.
Council heard testimony from relatives and friends of gun violence victims, from shootings 27 years ago or just last year.
Many of the speakers asked Council to support more youth centers and mentoring programs that would keep the city’s young people away from bad influences. More gun control was also proposed.
Valerie Dixon, whose son Rob was shot and killed 10 years ago, says she also attended the funeral of three Pittsburgh Police officers shot and killed in April of 2009.
“I cried like it was my son’s funeral. It hurt just as much as my son’s funeral to see the deaths of those three officers. But until you care about our kids like you care about those three officers, nothing will be done in this city,” says Dixon.
Kirk Holbrook of Homewood says while commercial developments like the East Liberty Target are meant to create jobs, that approach isn’t working to keep kids off the streets. He says the city should focus on community centers in poor neighborhoods instead.
Councilman Ricky Burgess requested that April 26 be named “A Day of Remembrance” of gun violence victims.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)