McCullough Wants Time Out on Reassessment

Allegheny County Councilman Chuck McCullough is calling for a time out on reassessment because of ill communication over the implementation of 2010 reassessment between Council members and County Solicitor and Executive.

McCullough, along with other Council members, Matt Drozd, Vince Gastgeb, and Jan Rea all say that they were unaware or not involved of the court order for the 2012 assessment and do not believe that there was money in the 2010 budget to do the reassessment work.

"I challenge anybody to go through the 2010 budgets, which we already approved three days before, and find anything about property reassessments," McCullough says.

McCullough says that Council should have been consulted.

"We're going to ask the court to call a time out on this. We had a lot of problems eight years ago when we did a reassessment, he had a lot of problems nine years ago when we did a reassessment. We can't afford another round of disaster here."

This afternoon, the four members of Council are going to asked County Pleas Judge Stanton Wettick for a "time out" on reassessments until they can better understand the issue, and McCullough says that if they are denied a time out he might appeal.

McCullough Lauds Decision

Allegheny County Councilman today expressed his support for the decision made by Common Pleas Judge Judith F. Olson's to restrict drink tax revenue solely for Port Authority use.

McCullough says the judge made a brave decision and restored the rule of law in Allegheny County. The Councilman says the next step is for County Executive Dan Onorato to address the council and explain his intentions for the $12 million in tax revenue.

Councilwoman Hopes to Expand Discrimination Law

The city of Pittsburgh has wording to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender residents from discrimination, but that protection does not extend beyond city limits. Allegheny County Councilwoman Amanda Green hopes to change that. Her bill (Ordinance 0421), which is currently in committee, would re-word county discrimination law to include "gender identity" and "sexual orientation." The measure would also create a 16-member Human Relations Commission to hear complaints and hold hearings on discrimination cases concerning housing, employment and public accommodations. Green says she has seen growing support for her bill. Since the measure was presented at the end of November, 11 other council members have signed on as sponsors of the legislation. A public hearing on the proposed ordinance is set for January 15th.

Lawsuit filed against Allegheny County Council

The people of F.A.C.T. (Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation) have filed a lawsuit against the Allegheny County Chief Executive and Council about how surplus drink tax dollars can be used. Kevin Joyce, F.A.C.T. member and owner of The Carlton Restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh, says the drink tax and car rental tax revenue is strictly raised for the Port Authority. The tax surplus is estimated to be between $17 and $20 million by the end of the calendar year, which the county council decided to transfer to a general county fund at a recent meeting.

The general fund could use the money to improve county roads and transportation. However, Joyce says it is a loose link to say the drink tax money is fixing a road where a Port Authority bus travels.

New Program to encourage improvements

A new Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) is designed to help afflicted areas in making improvements to increase property values and improve areas in economic development.

"This program is to enable communities to purchase abandoned or foreclosed properties to either rehabilitate or build new houses," says Allegheny County Councilman Mike Finnerty. "They could demolish the residence." Allegheny County will receive $5.5 Million of the $3.92 Billion that were made available nationwide for this program.

Rea Questions new Redevelopment Authority Board

Allegheny county council member Jan Rea says she is concerned that a board overseeing the spending of more than $6-million a year has very little accountability. She says the “Allegheny County Economic Development, Community Infrastructure and Tourism Board” will be appointed by the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County and will dole out $6.6 million a year in gaming money. She says she is not sure why there needs to be any new board created at all but if there has to be, the members should at least have to be approved by the County Council. Rea has scheduled a public hearing on the creation and operation of the board Thursday at 5:00pm in the Gold room of the County Courthouse.

Onorato Presents Proposed 2009 Plan to County Council

Allegheny County Chief Executive tonight presented his 2009 Comprehensive Fiscal Plan before Allegheny County Council. His plan once again refrains from raising property taxes and proposes a decrease in the drink and car rental tax from a 10 percent tax on poured alcoholic beverages to 7 percent. Onorato says excess revenue from the drink tax, which has already raised more than the $32 million that was needed to subsidize the Port Authority, will go towards outstanding debts on the county's roads and bridges. The overall proposed operating budget is $762.7 million and the proposed capital budget is $63.4 million. Onorato also stressed that in 2009 he will continue to follow the steps towards consolidation of the governments of Allegheny County with the City of Pittsburgh. He says the county will also pursue potential extraction of natural gas from Marcellus Shale located on the 10,000 acres of county land at the airport and in other areas. If approved, the budget will reflect the eighth consecutive year Allegheny County has not raised property taxes.

Councilman Disapproves of Committee-Passed Smoking Ban

Allegheny County Councilman Rich Fitzgerald agrees with State Senator Robert Mellow of Lackawanna County--that a smoking ban bill, passed by a House-Senate Conference Committee, is unfair to Allegheny County. The bill which was approved by 5-1 vote (Mellow being the only dissenting vote) banned smoking in most workplaces and public places, including restaurants and office buildings. The measure also grandfathered in the Philadelphia smoking ban which took effect in September 2006 on top of the state ban. Fitzgerald feels that it is unfair that Philadelphia can enact its own smoking ban, but Allegheny County cannot. Allegheny County's smoking ban was overturned in court last year.

One Hill to go before County Council

The One Hill Coalition will be in front of County Council tonight demanding action on two fronts. First is for a public hearing on the community benefits agreement they are trying to reach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Secondly, they will voice their support for a Bill Robinson bill that would strongly encourage a Community Benefits Analysis to become commonplace when there is new development or other issues that would warrant such an analysis.

Reappointment Goes Ahead, Despite County Council GOPs

Airport Authority chairman Glenn Mahone was almost blocked for reappointment by Republicans on Allegheny County Council, with support of Democrat Jim Ellenbogen.
Councilman at-large Chuck McCullough says Mahone has presided over the financial mismanagement of the Airport Authority for the last 5 years, and the county can become more fiscally responsible by removing him from his current position. He says Mahone has been uncooperative in repaying $42.5 million to the county.
Mahone was quoted as calling McCullough "uninformed."
McCullough says it's not a partisan issue, but one of good government. The 5 votes failed to block the reappointment, which extends Mahone's tenure to 2012, but it still has to come before committee.
McCullough also wants to launch an evaluation of the Airport Authority, Port Authority and sanitary authority Alosan. He says each has horrible financial track record, and while he's not advocating privitization or elimination, there needs to be a closer look at how to make these systems financially viable, if that's possible.
Mahone could not be reached for further comment.