Democrat Dan Onorato and Republican Tom Corbett sparred on a wide range of subjects during a Saturday night debate in Pittsburgh.
Corbett said he opposes a tax on natural gas drilling, arguing a severance tax would be the worst thing you could possibly do for the industry.
"It’s clear that Dan is for taxes and I’m for jobs. I want to grow this industry. I believe it’s very important to the people of Pennsylvania – to the future generations of Pennsylvania – that they have jobs all across Pennsylvania. That this industry is going to grow."
Onorato disagreed.
"Tom, the reality is you took more money than any politician in Pennsylvania from the gas companies, and you’re doing your bidding. That’s what this is about. You going to have the taxpayers pay for the problems, or are you going to have the companies pay for the problems?"
Corbett said he doesn’t let contributions influence his actions
During a lightning round at the end of the debate, the Democrat and Republican both said they oppose legalizing medical marijuana and gay marriage.
Corbett said he’d support a constitutional ban on same-sex unions, but Onorato vowed to oppose a constitutional amendment on the issue.
Both candidates support a constitutional convention overhauling state government.
Listen to the entire debate here.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Smart Growth Conference
The 10th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Smart Growth Conference was held Friday at the Convention Center. The conference focused on regional collaboration and investing in sustainable communities.
Keynote Speaker Peter Calthorpe, an architect and proponent of new urbanism spoke about building communities that are built to human scale, the need to invest in our own communities rather than expecting corporations to build our communities for us and the need to cut down on automobile use.
Discussions and workshops were held on the federal perspective on sustainable community development and what regions need to do.
Keynote Speaker Peter Calthorpe, an architect and proponent of new urbanism spoke about building communities that are built to human scale, the need to invest in our own communities rather than expecting corporations to build our communities for us and the need to cut down on automobile use.
Discussions and workshops were held on the federal perspective on sustainable community development and what regions need to do.
Dignity and Respect Month
Pittsburgh's inaugural Dignity and Respect Fall Festival is set for tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Schenley Plaza in Oakland.
The Dignity and Respect Campaign began two years ago at the Center for Inclusion at UPMC and expanded into a community-wide campaign the following year. Dawnita Wilson, the campaign manager, says they honor Dignity and Respect Champions "for the work they do everyday."
Wilson says the festival is the highlight of Dignity and Respect Month in the city and Allegheny County...."what we wanted to do this year was really focus on how to bring the community together to celebrate the concept of dignity and respect and celebrate the concept of inclusion as it relates to all ages, cultures and backgrounds."
Wilson says Pittsburgh has made some progress over the last few years in terms of inclusion but there's still a ways to go....."inclusion begins with the core belief that everyone deserves dignity and respect."
The festival includes live multicultural entertainment, community resource tables with health and educational information, plus games and activities for children and adults.
The Dignity and Respect Campaign began two years ago at the Center for Inclusion at UPMC and expanded into a community-wide campaign the following year. Dawnita Wilson, the campaign manager, says they honor Dignity and Respect Champions "for the work they do everyday."
Wilson says the festival is the highlight of Dignity and Respect Month in the city and Allegheny County...."what we wanted to do this year was really focus on how to bring the community together to celebrate the concept of dignity and respect and celebrate the concept of inclusion as it relates to all ages, cultures and backgrounds."
Wilson says Pittsburgh has made some progress over the last few years in terms of inclusion but there's still a ways to go....."inclusion begins with the core belief that everyone deserves dignity and respect."
The festival includes live multicultural entertainment, community resource tables with health and educational information, plus games and activities for children and adults.
Rendell Hasn't Decided Whether To Sign Self Defense Bill
A gun control advocacy group is urging Governor Ed Rendell to veto a measure expanding a person’s right to self defense with deadly force.
The “castle doctrine” bill removes the duty to retreat from Pennsylvania law, allowing people to defend themselves with deadly force when attacked.
The Senate and House have both passed the measure on bipartisan votes, though the House needs to concur on the bill before it goes to Governor Rendell’s desk.
Noting the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and other law enforcement groups oppose the measure, Joe Grace of CeasefirePA is asking Rendell to veto the bill.
"The governor, as a former prosecutor, an eight-year district attorney of the state’s biggest city – we think the governor understands the dangers of this policy. The recklessness of this policy. And we believe and hope and call on the governor, with the state’s law enforcement community, to veto this bill."
Ed Marsico, the Dauphin County District Attorney and president of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association, says the bill would make it harder to prosecute criminals...
"We certainly believe that citizens in their home have every right to defend themselves. That is the current status of Pennsylvania law. What this does is give criminals on the street, give others on the street, a built-in defense, really. Defense attorneys, we believe, will exploit this."
Rendell’s spokesman says the governor hasn’t decided whether to sign or veto the bill.
The “castle doctrine” bill removes the duty to retreat from Pennsylvania law, allowing people to defend themselves with deadly force when attacked.
The Senate and House have both passed the measure on bipartisan votes, though the House needs to concur on the bill before it goes to Governor Rendell’s desk.
Noting the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and other law enforcement groups oppose the measure, Joe Grace of CeasefirePA is asking Rendell to veto the bill.
"The governor, as a former prosecutor, an eight-year district attorney of the state’s biggest city – we think the governor understands the dangers of this policy. The recklessness of this policy. And we believe and hope and call on the governor, with the state’s law enforcement community, to veto this bill."
Ed Marsico, the Dauphin County District Attorney and president of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association, says the bill would make it harder to prosecute criminals...
"We certainly believe that citizens in their home have every right to defend themselves. That is the current status of Pennsylvania law. What this does is give criminals on the street, give others on the street, a built-in defense, really. Defense attorneys, we believe, will exploit this."
Rendell’s spokesman says the governor hasn’t decided whether to sign or veto the bill.
Pennsylvania Resources Council Holds Recycle Collection Event
Pittsburgh area residents will have the chance to drop off a variety of appliances to be recycled for free. The Pennsylvania Resources Council will be sponsoring a Hard to Recycle Collection at the Mall at Robinson parking lot on Saturday, October 16th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. At the event the Council is accepting appliances including televisions, monitors,and laptops dropped off for free.
Sarah Shea, the Spokesperson for the Council, says that the event offers families the chance to get rid of items that can be recycled but are often hard to drop off anywhere. She says that all of the items collected will be recycled responsibly and that "they're being recycled by eLoop, who has a local demanufacturing facility here in Pennsylvania that's DEP certified."Shea also says that this is the first time that the Council is recycling propane tanks for no charge. The Council is taking both small tanks as well as grill cylinders.
The Council is teaming up with a collection of groups to run the event including the Allegheny County Health Department and the Colcom Foundation. As well as taking appliances for free the Council will be charging for some e-waste such as home phones, small printers, and keyboards. A full list of what the Council is accepting can be found online at prc.org as more information on the event.
Sarah Shea, the Spokesperson for the Council, says that the event offers families the chance to get rid of items that can be recycled but are often hard to drop off anywhere. She says that all of the items collected will be recycled responsibly and that "they're being recycled by eLoop, who has a local demanufacturing facility here in Pennsylvania that's DEP certified."Shea also says that this is the first time that the Council is recycling propane tanks for no charge. The Council is taking both small tanks as well as grill cylinders.
The Council is teaming up with a collection of groups to run the event including the Allegheny County Health Department and the Colcom Foundation. As well as taking appliances for free the Council will be charging for some e-waste such as home phones, small printers, and keyboards. A full list of what the Council is accepting can be found online at prc.org as more information on the event.
House Dems Won't Pass Senate GOP Amended Pension Bill
The Pennsylvania Senate has passed a pension reform bill but a House Democratic spokeswoman says the measure is now “dead in the water” on a concurrence vote.
Senate Republican leaders have refused to vote on the House’s natural gas severance tax bill, saying the measure violates the state Constitution by including two bills in one piece of legislation.
But during a committee vote, the Senate did the same thing, adding language creating a new legislative fiscal office into the pension bill.
Governor Rendell and other Democrats are crying foul.
"It amazes me the way we find some things violate the single source doctrine, and others don’t. the same group that’s worried about the single source doctrine over here seems not to worry about it over there."
A memo drafted by Senate Republican lawyers argues pension reform and the fiscal office are “tightly unified,” and predicts the measure would stand up to a court challenge.
The House inserted the severance tax language into legislation addressing county codes.
A spokeswoman for the House Appropriations Committee says the lower chamber won’t pass the pension bill now.
Senate Republican leaders have refused to vote on the House’s natural gas severance tax bill, saying the measure violates the state Constitution by including two bills in one piece of legislation.
But during a committee vote, the Senate did the same thing, adding language creating a new legislative fiscal office into the pension bill.
Governor Rendell and other Democrats are crying foul.
"It amazes me the way we find some things violate the single source doctrine, and others don’t. the same group that’s worried about the single source doctrine over here seems not to worry about it over there."
A memo drafted by Senate Republican lawyers argues pension reform and the fiscal office are “tightly unified,” and predicts the measure would stand up to a court challenge.
The House inserted the severance tax language into legislation addressing county codes.
A spokeswoman for the House Appropriations Committee says the lower chamber won’t pass the pension bill now.
Time for Flu Shots
The Allegheny County Health Department will open its influenza vaccination clinic on Forbes Avenue in Oakland on Monday, October 18th.
For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending flu shots for everyone over six months of age, but the Health Department's Guillermo Cole says there are still high priority groups: children six months through 18, people 50 and over, pregnant women, anyone 19 through 49 with a chronic medical condition, health care workers, residents of nursing homes, and those who live with or care for people in these groups.
People with fevers should wait until their temperature returns to normal, and those with egg allergies should not get a shot, according to Cole.
Children from six months to 18 pay nothing, nor do those with Medicare Part B who are not in an HMO. For others, the charge is $25. Nasal spray is also available free to children and for $10 to those from 19 through 49.
Clinic hours are 9 to 3 Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 9 to 7 on Wednesdays. Cole expects to have enough vaccine to last through November and beyond. He says this is a good time to get a flu shot--before cold weather and before the flu peaks in late January or early February.
For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending flu shots for everyone over six months of age, but the Health Department's Guillermo Cole says there are still high priority groups: children six months through 18, people 50 and over, pregnant women, anyone 19 through 49 with a chronic medical condition, health care workers, residents of nursing homes, and those who live with or care for people in these groups.
People with fevers should wait until their temperature returns to normal, and those with egg allergies should not get a shot, according to Cole.
Children from six months to 18 pay nothing, nor do those with Medicare Part B who are not in an HMO. For others, the charge is $25. Nasal spray is also available free to children and for $10 to those from 19 through 49.
Clinic hours are 9 to 3 Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 9 to 7 on Wednesdays. Cole expects to have enough vaccine to last through November and beyond. He says this is a good time to get a flu shot--before cold weather and before the flu peaks in late January or early February.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
PMRS Sec: It’s a Marriage not a Takeover
The head of the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System went before Pittsburgh City Council Thursday for several hours in an effort to make the members understand just what the system does and how it can work with the city. Under state law, if the city does not bring its pension funds up from the current 27% funded level to 50% funded by the end of the year, it will be forced to turn over its assets to the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System for management. PMRS Secretary James Allen stresses that it was the state legislature, not he, who came up with the idea. Allen calls it an “arranged marriage” rather than a “takeover” as it has been portrayed. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has proposed leasing the city’s parking assets for the next 50-years to infuse enough money into the pension system to bring it up to the needed 50% level. Council has shown little to no interest in the plan and some members have suggested that being taken over by a state-wide system would not be that bad. The mayor warns that if the PMRS takes over the pensions it will lead to an unaffordable increase in payments.
The system currently manages more than 900 municipal pension funds. 418 of them are fully funded and the rest are on a 30-year path to that number. Only five are under 30% funded. Pittsburgh would be put on a path to being fully funded. Currently the city must put at least $46 million dollars into its pension system annually, the Ravenstahl administration says that number would jump to 72 million dollars a year if it were to be taken over by the PMRS. Sec. Allen says they are crunching the numbers and will have an estimated payment rate to the city council in three weeks. The data needed to make the calculation was sent to the system this week and last after the council issued a subpoena to the mayor’s office. If the city is compelled to enter into the system, state law will allow it to send just 75% of the required amount to the PMRS for the first 6 years.
Allen says no mater if the PMRS takes control of the pension assets or if the city retains control, the IRS is starting to crack down on pension funds that are not operated in the best interest of the pension holders. He says that includes making it fully funded.
The PMRS currently is offering a guaranteed 6% rate of return for municipalities that have voluntarily entered into the system. Pittsburgh would be given the same rate of return. Allen says the 6% rate will remain in effect for 2011 and will be recalculated every year there after. The system tries to smooth the ups and downs in the market by building as much as a 10% reserve in good years and allowing the fund to dip into the red in the lean years. Allen says right now the PMRS actually has 84 cents for every dollar it says it has but before the market crash was funded at $1.09 for every dollar it had credited to its investors.
The system currently manages more than 900 municipal pension funds. 418 of them are fully funded and the rest are on a 30-year path to that number. Only five are under 30% funded. Pittsburgh would be put on a path to being fully funded. Currently the city must put at least $46 million dollars into its pension system annually, the Ravenstahl administration says that number would jump to 72 million dollars a year if it were to be taken over by the PMRS. Sec. Allen says they are crunching the numbers and will have an estimated payment rate to the city council in three weeks. The data needed to make the calculation was sent to the system this week and last after the council issued a subpoena to the mayor’s office. If the city is compelled to enter into the system, state law will allow it to send just 75% of the required amount to the PMRS for the first 6 years.
Allen says no mater if the PMRS takes control of the pension assets or if the city retains control, the IRS is starting to crack down on pension funds that are not operated in the best interest of the pension holders. He says that includes making it fully funded.
The PMRS currently is offering a guaranteed 6% rate of return for municipalities that have voluntarily entered into the system. Pittsburgh would be given the same rate of return. Allen says the 6% rate will remain in effect for 2011 and will be recalculated every year there after. The system tries to smooth the ups and downs in the market by building as much as a 10% reserve in good years and allowing the fund to dip into the red in the lean years. Allen says right now the PMRS actually has 84 cents for every dollar it says it has but before the market crash was funded at $1.09 for every dollar it had credited to its investors.
Classes Resume in Allegheny Valley
94 teachers in the Allegheny Valley School District ended their 20 day strike and returned to the classrooms today. Under state law, the teachers had to go back to work today in order for the students to get the minimum 180 class days by June 15, 2011. The old contract expired June 30 of this year. District supervisors have been teaching seniors the last 10 days so they can graduate on time.
Now the school district and the teachers union enter into nonbinding arbitration and teachers cannot resume their strike during that period that could last 40 days. Union spokesman Butch Santicola of the Pennsylvania State Education Association says that could help....
"The positives are the inclusion of outside people to evaluate the situation. It's a positive but also a gamble because you don't know what the third party is going to determine."
Unless the nonbinding arbitration results in a contract, the teachers could strike again.
Now the school district and the teachers union enter into nonbinding arbitration and teachers cannot resume their strike during that period that could last 40 days. Union spokesman Butch Santicola of the Pennsylvania State Education Association says that could help....
"The positives are the inclusion of outside people to evaluate the situation. It's a positive but also a gamble because you don't know what the third party is going to determine."
Unless the nonbinding arbitration results in a contract, the teachers could strike again.
Pittsburgh Leaflet Ordinance Challenged
Two anti-abortion activists have won a 28 day injunction of the Pittsburgh ordinance that bans the distribution of unsolicited leaflets or flyers. Albert Brunn and Kathleen Ramsey argue their free speech rights are being violated. U.S. District Judge David Cercone issued a temporary restraining order on the city law that prevented the abortion opponents from putting voter guides on vehicles.
Pittsburgh councilman Bruce Kraus, who authored the ordinance, argues it in no way inhibits anyone's right to free speech. He says the ordinance is completely content neutral. The subject matter of the unsolicited flyers has no bearing on it whatsoever. He says the city law is a way to keep litter to a minimum. Kraus says Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, websites and the Internet offer alternatives to doing paper distribution of one's message. He says "is it really prudent to continue to use paper and paper products to distribute a message that ultimately ends up on a street adding to garbage and litter?"
Kraus also argues that the right of the personal property owner is being dismissed. He says if a person's vehicle is legally parked in a public right-of-way they should not have to deal with unsolicited handbills affixed to their car. The councilman says he authored the anti-leaflet law in response to concrns by constituents about litter from unsolicited materials, no only in his district but throughout the city. The judge has scheduled a hearing on the injunction November 12.
Pittsburgh councilman Bruce Kraus, who authored the ordinance, argues it in no way inhibits anyone's right to free speech. He says the ordinance is completely content neutral. The subject matter of the unsolicited flyers has no bearing on it whatsoever. He says the city law is a way to keep litter to a minimum. Kraus says Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, websites and the Internet offer alternatives to doing paper distribution of one's message. He says "is it really prudent to continue to use paper and paper products to distribute a message that ultimately ends up on a street adding to garbage and litter?"
Kraus also argues that the right of the personal property owner is being dismissed. He says if a person's vehicle is legally parked in a public right-of-way they should not have to deal with unsolicited handbills affixed to their car. The councilman says he authored the anti-leaflet law in response to concrns by constituents about litter from unsolicited materials, no only in his district but throughout the city. The judge has scheduled a hearing on the injunction November 12.
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