Pittsburgh 95% Screwed

[JM]

Act 47 passed, so we will have our $10 occupation tax go up to $145, I think our property taxes will go up 5% (that is just city, not county and school board) and there is now a payroll tax on businesses.

This is better than the alternative, in which the property taxes would go up 60%.

I swear to <insert deity of choice here>, this is ridiculous. The cost cutting ($33mm) had to be done, and the taxes needed to be raised in order to avoid bankruptcy, but nobody here is addressing the long term strategic issues of attracting revenue to existing revenue streams from outside the area...

*&_(*)@*@+#@#*(+@# inbred politicians...

JM

[Momof1]

1. Just in Pittsburgh?

I thought the occupation tax was set statewide at $10. Does this mean other broke cities/muncipalities can now raise it too?

Does this set some precedent that other places can follow?

I thought that was why we were letting slot machines in PA, for the tax burden?

I'm so confused now...

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. It is specific to the city

as it is on the verge of bankruptcy.

[tigereye]

3. c'mon the occupation tax is ridiculously low

they need to get money from somewhere. There are hardly any services left standing, from the way they are talking. Although that is a little high. 50 would be okay ( BTW we live just outside the city.)

:hi:

[JM]

4. I'm not arguing the hike...

but I am arguing the percentage. They should have tiered it. I can easily absorb an increase of $135 a year on what I am making, but a minimum wage worker will not be as lucky. That is a big chunk for them.

I still don't believe slots are going to be the rosy panacea they think they are. There is a lot of competition, and Pittsburgh and the rest of PA for that matter, are seriously late in the running.

The bbiggest issue I have is that you cannot run on cost cutting over the long haul, and for the city to rest its hopes on external saviors is sheer folly. The PA legislature long ago forgot PA actually extends westward past Harrisburg.

JM

[tigereye]

5. I thought that Rendell had a pile of dough to play with

and he does have some connections here

the slots thing is ridiculous. Hasn't worked anywere else, has it. Bunch of BS.

[JM]

6. Personally, I have presented what I believe is a better idea.

I already emailed it to two councilmen. One got back to me and said it was an excellent idea.

Focus on the Monongahela South Shore as a tourist attraction for families.

In a nutshell, we have more assets there in an 8 mile stretch than Baltimore's inner harbor, plus we have three hotels there, two amusement parks, and other unique attractions like the inclines. It would take a mere fraction of the money budgeted to run the T rail under the Allegheny to make this work. Two parking garages and some minor infrastructure changes in terms of bus routes. After that, we could focus on three-day F-S-S tourism for the area with 250 miles.
Why we insist on spending huge amounts of money we don't have to try and make things happen in areas where we have few assets is beyond me.

I swear if I didn't have an entire graveyard in my closet, I would run for Mayor.

JM

[tigereye]

7. sounds like a great idea!

for some reason it has taken us a really long to time to use our water and rivers as assets.

[JM]

8. Every other city that has rivers

has done this...Chicago did it years ago and they have done an awesome job.

Actually, I like the idea of marketing to an audience that nobody else can compete with. The casinos and tracks are fine for those over 21, but if a family wants to get away for a long weekend and wants to drive there, this could be key. Nobody with kids is going to do a family getaway to Mountaineer Park, Wheeling Downs, the Meadowlands, Niagara, etc.

The Port Authority could change their routes to add a South Shore run with a special $2 all day ride Fri, Sat, Sun for those with zip codes outside of 152xx (metro Pittsburgh) They could also add a University loop using shuttle buses across the Birmingham St. Bridge.

Then the URA could do targeted development for a block around each of the T stations in the triangle to spur development there.

Last, redesign the god-damn T tunnel intended for North side. Make it an add-on to one of the bridges and use the money saved for other infrastructure projects.

Oh yeah...the beauty of bringing families here? It gives them a test drive. If they REALLY like it, they can move here, something Pittsburgh DESPARATELY needs to do.

JM

[tigereye]

9. you sound like you should be working for one

of the redevelopmnent organizations!

[JM]

10. Therin lies yet another issue

Why do we have a redevelopment organization for every man, woman, and child in Allegheny County?

I swear our motto should be changed.

"Pennsylvania: Still a Commonwealth because we're too stupid for statehood"

And I did sign up for one yesterday, working with one of the more forward thinking City Councilmen

JM

[JM]

11. The problem is that the Repub

legislature does not want to bail out a Democratic bookend...

JM

[bleedingheart]

12. which is why we need people like YOU to run for office in da 'burgh

...so says your Westmoreland County neighbor!

:-)