Pittsburgh Lawsuit Challenges UPMC's Tax Status from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl likened it to "the David versus the Goliath." The David, in this case, is the cash-strapped City of Pittsburgh, whose coffers are feeling the strain of burgeoning pension obligations and rising health care costs -- the plight of many municipalities across the state. The Goliath that Pittsburgh faces is UPMC, a $10 billion medical enterprise defined by superlatives -- largest health care provider in the region, biggest property owner in Allegheny County."
Here are the legal justifications for the lawsuit.

EDITORIAL!!

Hidden Tolls: Indictments Describe a Turnpike of Corrupt Practices from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
"A state grand jury and Attorney General Kathleen Kane have lifted the lid on a Pennsylvania Turnpike tarnished by corruption and bid rigging."

Seeking Office with Bill Peduto from WESA's program, Essential Pittsburgh 
"A conversation with city councilman Bill Peduto. We’ll discuss the mayoral primary and the search for a new police chief."

Bill Peduto

Pittsburgh Mayor's Race a Free-for-All from the New Pittsburgh Courier 
"When Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced last week he would not seek re-election, it seemed to set up a two-man race between declared candidates Councilman Bill Peduto and Controller Michael Lamb for the Democratic Primary. Then the floodgates opened. Yesterday, sources close to state Rep. Jake Wheatley, D- Hill District, said he would be circulating nominating petitions for the Mayor’s race.  Calls and emails to Wheatley and his office seeking confirmation have not been returned. If confirmed, Wheatley would be the first African-American mayoral candidate since Carmen Robinson ran as an independent in 2009."

Jake Wheatley

PERSPECTIVE!!

Political Spin: No Ravenstahl Puts a New Twist on the Mayoral Primary and the City's Future (Lauren Daley and Chris Potter) from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"Ravenstahl dropped a bid for re-election that had launched just 11 days prior. He insisted the decision wasn't based on a federal investigation into the police bureau, or because he didn't think he could win. In fact, Ravenstahl told reporters, "I'm more confident" than ever that victory was in grasp. But while Ravenstahl put to rest speculation about his election prospects, he opened the door to more questions."

Pittsburgh Mayor Ravenstahl Won't Seek Re-election from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, whose chance political ascendancy made him one of the youngest heads of a major American city, announced this morning in a news conference that he would not seek re-election, just 11 days after formally announcing his run. ... He said that all had come at a cost. "Those who have paid the greatest cost are those who are closest to me." Mayor Ravenstahl's news conference.  Mayor Luke Ravenstahl held a news conference today to announce he would not seek reelection. ... He said he'd decided the pressure of the job was too much and had made the decision not to seek re-election."

PROFILE!!

Executive Year in Review from the WESA program, Essential Pittsburgh 

"Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald looks back on his first year in office and the challenges ahead."

Consolidation of Transit Systems in Southwestern Pa. Gains Momentum from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"Western Pennsylvania would be better served by one transit agency than 10, says Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Thirty percent of Downtown workers live outside of Allegheny County, while many Allegheny County residents work and shop in Cranberry, Butler County, or Washington County's North and South Strabane, he testified last week before state lawmakers meeting at Station Square. “It's frustrating when you watch buses come across the (Allegheny) county line and they don't pick up another person as they drive into Downtown using the same route as a Port Authority bus,” he said."

OPINION!!

The Semantics of Subsidy (Tim Schooley) from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Yesterday at the groundbreaking for the second phase of Bakery Square, a host of public officials tussled over the semantics of a $4 million grant Gov. Tom Corbett made for the $100 million project. On hand to celebrate the groundbreaking, Corbett said that the funding was not an RACP grant, the long-standing name which stands for Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, but an Economic Growth Initiative Award. ... Ravenstahl nonetheless thanked Corbett for the funding, the first grants (or awards) of their kind of the governor’s choosing after following through on granting the then-RACP awards of his predecessor, former governor Ed Rendell."

Governor Tom Corbett

EDITORIAL!!

Transit Expert: Port Authority Needs a Professional, Not a Politician from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The chief executive officer should have experience in the field of transit and the ability to run a complex organization, including personnel management skills, financial acumen and connections in the industry sufficient to ensure that Port Authority leadership is attuned to trends and improvements being made at other transit systems. In other words, a transit expert."

EVENT!!

Announcing the PA Progressive Summit 2013 from Keystone Progress, Democracy for America, and the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and other organizations
[From the announcement:] This year's Summit offers 33 workshops and panel discussions about the important issues facing Pennsylvania and the nation. Each session will give you practical suggestions about what you can do to successfully move your issue forward."

POLITICAL PROFILE!!

Fighting Fitzgerald: County Exec Steamrolls Through First Year in Office (Lauren Daley) from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"Fitzgerald has been county executive for just over a year, and his hard-charging style has become almost as well known as his accomplishments. ... He has since taken an active role in setting policy at nominally independent agencies like the Port Authority and the Board of Health. And he has slugged it out with high-profile politicians, ranging from legendary former coroner Cyril Wecht to Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl."

ADVOCACY TRAINING PROGRAM!!

Training Session for Transit Advocacy Group from Pittsburghers for Public Transit
Tomorrow's event will "test out our new training curriculum for Pittsburghers for PublicTransit volunteers on Saturday, January 19 from 1-3pm, in the Liberty Conference room on the ground floor of the Human Services Building at One Smithfield Street, downtown. We want this training model to be useful both for beginners and experienced organizers, so we ask for your participation and feedback on this pilot model. The next week, on January 22nd, we will launch our direct organizing and legislative campaigns at a press conference, inviting the general public to participate in the first volunteer training open to the general public, on Sunday, January 27th, also at One Smithfield St in the Liberty Conference room."
For more information about these events or other activities by Pittsburghers for Public Transit, see their website here.

Women: On Your Mark, Get Set... from the WESA program, Essential Pittsburgh
"Running for office requires more than just a few speeches and some doorknocking. State Rep. Erin Molchany and Dana Brown from the Ready to Run program talk about what it takes to break into politics."

Opposing Big Shale, Candidate Tries to Gain Traction in Fracking Hotbed from the WESA program, Allegheny Front
"Half of all Marcellus shale wells in Pennsylvania have been drilled in the state's 23rd Senatorial District. One challenger is hoping opposition to fracking will help her defeat a pro-drilling incumbent."

Lingering Questions Sink GOP Charter School Bill from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Disagreements and worries end with Republicans in the state House failing to pass a series of charter school changes."

EDITORIAL!!

Gov. Corbett, MIA: Private Partners Won't Fix Old Roads and Bridges from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Legislators support the transportation funding solutions from Gov. Corbett's panel, so why won't the governor?"

Blurring the Lines: Pa. Redistricting Wreaks Havoc on City's Black Neighborhoods (Charlie Deitch) from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"If your vote doesn't matter, why are they trying to steal it?"