City Council District 8: A Competitive Election

There is going to be a lot of coverage of the mayoral primary next semester, but a large number of Pitt students will also have the opportunity to cast their ballots for a new City Council representative. As current Councilman, Bill Peduto, is vacating his seat to run for mayor, this election will have no incumbent.

City Council District 8 covers much of North Oakland, mostly north of Fifth Avenue and east of Bigelow Blvd. It also includes neighborhoods such as Shady Side and Squirrel Hill, which also have a large number of student residents.

This article from the Tribune-Review goes over the qualifications and backgrounds of three candidates who have already filed to run. Other political blogs have already discussed the fact that this is an election that has a number of good, highly qualified candidates running. It’s definitely a race that students should keep an eye on.

Looking Ahead: The 2014 PA Governor Race

Most likely, you’ve heard about Gov. Corbett’s proposed cuts to Pitt and higher education for the two terms he’s been in office; since his initial 50% proposal, proposed only a few months into his first term as governor, he has motivated students to turn out in record numbers to Pitt Day in Harrisburg.

Governor Corbett has also endured low approval ratings over his handling of the Sandusky scandal at Penn State. Needless to say, he will likely face a tough reelection in 2014. One reason this is interesting: if Gov. Corbett loses in 2014, it would end a tradition that, since 1971, has resulted in a governor serving two terms. In every case since 1971, the opposing party won election after those two terms.

This article, making its way around the internet and reputable PA political blogs, details some of the names being tossed around for potential challengers. Notably absent: our own Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. That position is often seen as a potential springboard to the Governor’s mansion, and when Corbett won in 2010, it was Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato that he beat.

This is definitely a race worth following.

As part of its ongoing election coverage, the GRC blog will today highlight the race for PA Auditor General.  The Auditor General is responsible for auditing the state government to make sure that all money is spent legally and properly.  They oversee the spending of the various departments within the state government and also assess the efficiency of state programs and departments to make sure that tax dollars are being used to their greatest potential.  Among the entities that are audited by the state are corporations, hospitals, liquor stores, school districts, state agencies, the state universities (including Pitt), and other organizations that receive state funding or federal funding through the state.

Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-95^th District:

Representative Eugene DePasquale is a third-term Democratic state representative from York County who is now running for the position of auditor general.  He is a native of Pittsburgh and graduated from Central Catholic High School.  He received a B.A. in Political Science from the College of Wooster in Ohio, a Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Juris Doctor from the Widener University School of Law.  After obtaining his master’s degree he spent a year working as the Director of Economic Development for the city of York, became Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection for three years, and ran for his current office in 2006.

He is currently a member of five house committees, including the Committee on Ethics, Consumer Affairs, Environmental Resources & Energy, the Judiciary, and State Government.  He is also a board member of the Community Bankers Association, Deputy Secretary of the Community Revitalization and Local Government Support, and member of the advisory boards for Habitat for Humanity and the Codorus Watershed Endowment.  He has received strong endorsements from environmental interest groups, but the NRA and the PA National Federation of Independent Business have given him a mixed report card.

DePasquale is running on the issues of accountability, the environment, education, and job creation.  He is unusual in that he was the first legislator to publish his legislative expenses on his website, and even managed to contain his expenses enough to leave a surplus of $36,000 dollars, which was returned to the state.  In his first term he created a $650 million alternative energy fund which has helped to create much of the wind power now generated across the state.  He now states that he wants to use the position of Auditor General to audit the Department of Environmental Protection and ensure that it is combatting the possibility of drinking water being contaminated by Marcellus Shale drilling.  He states that he will also audit all economic development programs to make sure that money allocated for job creation is not simply providing profit for large corporations.  He would also audit the education system to identify successful programs that can be implemented across the state.

PA House Profile: http://www.pahouse.com/Depasquale/

Campaign Website: http://www.eugene4pa.com/

PA Democrats Profile: http://www.padems.com/team/eugene-depasquale-auditor-general

Vote Smart Profile: http://votesmart.org/candidate/65036/eugene-depasquale#.UIqlesVG-So

PennLive Election Coverage: http://www.pennlive.com/elections/index.ssf/2012/10/election_2012_pennsylvania_auditor_general.html

Rep. John Maher, R-40^th District:

Representative John Maher is a 15-year state representative from the 40^th PA House District, which encompasses Bethel Park, Peters Township and Upper St. Clair in Allegheny County.  He is a graduate of Carlisle High School, graduated magna cum laude from Duke University with a B.A. in Management Sciences and Accounting, and did fellowship and scholarship studies at Oxford University of the Australian Graduate School of Management.  For nearly thirty years he worked as a Certified Public Accountant, launching his own CPA firm to perform audits for organizations and governments.  In 1997 he was elected during a special election to the PA House of Representatives, and has served there since.

He is the current chair of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee and a member of the Committee on Professional Licensure.  In terms of nonpolitical work, he is involved in a startling number of organizations.  He is a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Council of Boy Scouts of America; a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Pittsburgh and the Board of Overseers for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine; a frequent lecturer at Cambridge University’s International Symposium on International Crime; and a former guest instructor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School, former adjunct professor at the Community College of Allegheny County, and recipient of the Seven Seals Award from the Assistant Secretary of Defense for his work in support of the U.S.’s reserve forces.

Maher is running strongly on the issue of accountability and transparency, on streamlining government, and on job creation.  He promotes his record of laws to enforce transparency in government, including the Open Records Law to give free access to government records; the Lobbying Law to allow the public to see who is paying lobbyists, as well as restricting the privileges of lobbyists; and the Audit Integrity Act, which made falsifying materials given to an auditor a criminal act.  He promotes himself as the only candidate for Auditor General who has been an actual auditor, and promises to bring his strong track record and experience to play if elected.

Professional Website: http://www.repmaher.com/

Campaign Website: http://cpaforpa.com/

PA GOP profile: http://www.pagop.org/resources/candidates/john-maher-for-auditor-general/

PennLive Race Profile: http://www.pennlive.com/elections/index.ssf/2012/10/election_2012_pennsylvania_auditor_general.html

Vote Smart Profile: http://votesmart.org/candidate/23920/john-maher

Betsy Summers, Libertarian Candidate for Auditor General

Betsy Summers is this year’s Libertarian candidate for the position of Auditor General.  She is a native of New York, attended Centenary College in New Jersey for Equine Science, and afterward moved to Shickshinny and later Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania.  She is a current sales representative for a veterinary supply company and an independent broker for an internet-based brokerage company.  Other résumé highlights include owning a web hosting site and acting as a landlord.  She is a former candidate for both state and U.S. Senate, former commissioner on the Luzerne County Home Rule Study Commission, current chair of the Libertarian Party of Luzerne County, and a current Judge of Elections.

Summers is running on a campaign of small government.  She promises to work with tax organizations to stabilize school funding and eliminate school property taxes, eliminate pensions for elected officials and advocate term limits, and fight all tax increases.

Campaign website: http://www.betsysummers.com/

Smart Voter profile: http://www.smartvoter.org/2012/11/06/pa/state/vote/summers_b/

Vote Smart profile: http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/47207/betsy-summers#.UJQbO8VG-So

New Parking meter Glitches Getting Fixed

We all hear stories of people digging around, asking for change, whatever it takes to feed the meter. Despite the fact that many people (myself included) simply don’t carry cash and change on them, parking meters have stubbornly remained in the past, relying on the quarters that always seem to be just out of reach under the seat.

Fortunately, the City of Pittsburgh has recently installed some of the new parking meters students may have seen in and around Schenley or other parts of the city. These modern updates allow students to pay for their parking with a credit or debit card.

In this article by the Post-Gazette, two minor glitches with the new system are identified: the digital screen can be difficult to read in the sun, and when someone tries to add more time to the meter, it eliminates any “rollover” time they might have. The city is working to fix both of these.

                                                        

One interesting statistic that the article points out is that 65% of the transactions on the new machines were made with credit cards; clearly these meters are living up to what motorists want.

Another interesting article that wasn’t substantive enough for a full post, considering how much we have discussed the issue, but this article in the Tribune-Review reiterates the point that discussion over how much non-profits contribute to the city isn’t going away.

Election Coverage: State Treasurer Race

 As part of its continuing election coverage, the GRC blog will focus each week on a different state or national race for office.  This week, we focus on the often overlooked but critical position of the state treasurer.  The Treasury Department is responsible for investigating financial loss, theft, and fraud in checking; reviewing real estate leases and contracts; and managing the affairs of several programs that directly financially benefit Pennsylvanians.  The Treasurer himself oversees this department, with the specific duties of chairing the Board of Finance and Revenue, through which he chooses which banks will hold the state’s money; setting the interest rate for commonwealth deposits; managing money invested in the state college system, including at the University of Pittsburgh; and deciding state tax appeals.  If there is a single race that should be watched for its direct impact on the lives of voters, it is this one.

 This year, there are three candidates for Treasurer: incumbent Rob McCord on the Democratic ticket, Diana Irey Vaughan on the Republican ticket, and Patricia M. Fryman running as a Libertarian.

Treasurer Rob McCord (D):

 Robert McCord is a native of Montgomery County.  He attended Harvard University and received a B.A. in economics, graduating with high honors.  He received his MBA from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania.  Following graduation he worked in venture capitalism, serving as a senior executive of Safeguard Scientifics from 1994 to 2007.  He was the founder of the Eastern Technology Fund, co-founder and Managing Director of Pennsylvania Early Stage Partners, and was leader of the trade association known as the Eastern Technology Council in 2007. In 2007 he was elected PA State Treasurer.

McCord counts among his successes in office the Treasury Department’s history of bringing in revenue for the state during his term.  He claims that the investment strategies he has brought to the department have generated $1.4 billion since January 2009.  He cites the jump in funding for the PA 529 College Savings program from 70% to 98% as a success, as well as its history of strong investment returns (13.6% during the fiscal year of 09-10).  He cites the reduction of the state Government Operations Budget and the reduction of his department’s workforce and automobile fleet as an improvement in efficiency, though this might be an effect of the government cutbacks required by the budget crisis rather than actual streamlining.  He also cites improvement in the efficiency and productivity of the Personal Income Tax auditing process, a 73% reduction in overtime hours (again perhaps due to cutbacks), and the creation of several programs to educate Pennsylvanians on saving for retirement.

McCord is campaigning on the efficiency of the Treasury Department under his lead, pointing out that throughout his tenure the Department has consistently turned a profit for the state and promising more of the same should he be reelected.  He promises to continue his investment strategy in order to create jobs and generate public income while increasing the accountability and transparency of his department.

PA Treasury profile: http://www.patreasury.gov/treasurer.html

Campaign Website: http://www.robmccord.com/homepage/

Centre Daily Times race profile: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/04/14/3160375/treasurer.html

Diana Irey Vaughan, Republican candidate for State Treasurer:

 Diana Irey Vaughan is a graduate of West Virginia Business College, with work in business, accounting and legal studies both at Fairmont State College and California University of Pennsylvania.  She is the Washington County Commissioner and is serving her fifth term (16^th year) in that office, which entails managing 53 departments, nearly a thousand employees, and overseeing all county property including a nursing home, airport, ports and bridges.  She is a member of the Washington County Pension Board and the Washington County Prison Board, and in the latter position has voted down measures such as cable TV for inmates while ensuring that non-violent inmates serve community service hours, which creates unpaid labor for the County.

She is campaigning on the issue of fiscal responsibility.  She states that as commissioner she has balanced seven consecutive budgets without tax increases and has approached pensions with a strict, conservative investment policy.  She takes credit for Washington County being ranked third in the nation for job growth by the U.S. Department of Labor.  She is promising to bring that same minimalist approach to government with her to the position of State Treasurer.

Campaign Website: http://friendswithdiana.com/

Washington County profile: http://www.co.washington.pa.us/generalpage.aspx?menuDept=3&genPageID=47

PA GOP profile: http://www.pagop.org/resources/candidates/diana-irey-vaughan-for-treasurer/

Centre Daily Times race profile: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/04/14/3160375/treasurer.html

Patricia Fryman, Libertarian candidate for Treasurer:

 Patricia Fryman is the third-party candidate for State Treasurer this year.  She was born and raised in Mercer County and a current resident of Venango County, for which she served three terms as the County Auditor.  She previously worked in several positions, including as an office manager, in business, banking, and industry, but is now retired.  She holds a degree in Accounting from Clarion University and a degree in Social Sciences from Penn State University, with additional education at the American Institute of Banking.  She is also the current treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania and a previous treasurer for the Pennsylvania State Association of County Auditors.

She is running on the issue of wasteful spending and on her independence as a third party candidate.  “In every election, it’s been a choice between two evils, and I feel it’s time to quit voting for the evils and have a real choice,” she stated in an interview.  She has refused campaign financing on the principle of maintaining her independence, a bold move that also greatly reduces her publicity.  She follows the Libertarian Party’s broad policy of economic freedom which includes “less rules, less regulations,”  though she admits that especially in finance some oversight is necessary.  She states that her top priority is to manage the state budget, which she finds needlessly complicated, poorly overseen, and too heavily invested in the operations of the State Legislature.  She specifically targets the controversial Liquor Control Board as wasteful, citing international trips for product sampling as an example.

She states that as Treasurer, she would bring accountability to the state pension system.  She contends that the increases in tuition for the state college system is due to an oversized and inefficient administration and that this needs to be curbed.  She states that as State Treasurer, she will scrutinize all payments before signing any checks.  She would like to disband the PA Turnpike Commission and turn over its operations to PennDOT, reasoning that the system has already paid for itself and should not be used to garner state funding.  She promotes the idea of a return to small government and low taxes under her term of office.

Smart Voter profile: http://www.smartvoter.org/2012/11/06/pa/state/vote/fryman_p/

Candidate position paper: http://www.smartvoter.org/2012/11/06/pa/state/vote/fryman_p/paper1.html

PCN “On The Issues” Interview Video: http://pcntv.com/blog/2012/10/16/oct-15-patricia-fryman-libertarian-for-pa-treasurer/

Pa. Supreme Court Hears Drilling Law Case

When Pennsylvania legislators passed a new gas and oil law, known as Act 13, last February, the intent was to establish consistent regulations for drilling firms and landowners who want to sell their mineral rights.  However, its mandate allowing drilling in any part of a municipality has sparked controversy across the state in regards to the law’s constitutionality.  When the Commonwealth Court voted 4-3 that Act 13 could violate the rights of municipalities and citizens in July, the decision was appealed by Governor Corbett’s administration, which disputed the ruling’s claim.  Consequently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments over the law on Wednesday.

Opponents of Act 13, including representatives from seven municipalities, environmental groups, and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, argued that the new law effectively denies municipalities and individuals the right to control resource drilling through local zoning.  As a result, many fear the unrestricted spread of drilling sites.  This sentiment was also examined by Justice Thomas Saylor, who questioned whether Act 13 "could in effect turn private residential communities into industrial zones."

However, proponents of the law, including the state government and gas drilling industry, countered that Act 13 does not violate the commonwealth’s constitution, arguing that since municipalities are created in the state’s general assembly, the same entity can override local zoning.  Some companies in the natural gas industry, which sought the statewide regulations, also claim that municipalities, particularly those in southwestern Pennsylvania, are challenging the law’s constitutionality to limit drilling.

One aspect of Act 13 imposed an “impact fee” on drilling firms, of which $204 million will be distributed locally.  However, the governor’s office plans to withhold payments to four of the municipalities opposing Act 13.

Currently, the Supreme Court is comprised of three Democrats and three Republicans; a vote of at least 4-2 is needed to overturn the Commonwealth Court’s ruling.

A Crash Course in Pittsburgh Finances

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and the City of Pittsburgh in regard to its finances. Pittsburgh is currently being considered by the state to have its Act 47 designation revoked. Act 47 is a 25-year-old law that grants the state the right to institute certain review boards to provide oversight over a city. The two notable authorities are the Act 47 Coordinators, who provide oversight of the city’s finances in compliance with the law, and the additional Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, created by the Pennsylvania state government in 2004, specifically to provide oversight of Pittsburgh’s finances.

Last week, the Post-Gazette reported that the Act 47 Coordinators, believing that substantial progress has been made, wrote to their superiors that Pittsburgh has made enough progress towards solving its financial goals to be released from Act 47. This move would provide the City with more independence, and was met with enthusiasm by the Mayor and some members of Council, while other Council members and administers worry that Pittsburgh still has long-term financial liabilities.

Even if the City were released from Act 47, it would still be regulated by the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, which plays a role in the other big development in the City’s financial story this week.

The Post-Gazette reported today that, as part of its duties, the state-instituted Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority gets to approve the City’s budget, proposed by Mayor Ravenstahl. At their meeting this morning, the ICA approved the proposed budget, but only on the condition that the City create a task force to research the relationship between other city governments and their own non-profits, to provide a more sustainable and transparent model for Pittsburgh.

This is something that we frequently discuss; the relationship between the City and local non-profits, including UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh. UPMC pays the City through a system called “payments in lieu of property taxes.” These agreements are currently kept confidential, but the ICA board ordered the City to release these agreements, and to provide more transparency.

Basically, this just brings up the question plaguing the City for months: how much money can they reasonably expect to get from local non-profits, including Pitt, and how can they make it more sustainable. It looks like they now have a timeline to find the answer, and whatever it is, it is likely to have an impact on Pitt students.

So that’s the crash course; the City may soon find itself independent of one regulatory board, but still under the thumb of another. They now have a budget the is projected to collect more than it spends, but it now may have to be a little more transparent, and a lot more deliberate, in its relationship with local non-profits.