A long-dedicated correspondent aims his sights on the long-running dysfunction that is Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT). He shared with us a letter he fired off to the Post-Gazette:
“What do you do when 40 percent of your customers disappear in five years? In the case of the PRT, it just kept spending more money every single year.
“Everyone knew this crisis was coming. Now that the ‘emergency’ [federal] funding has expired, its answer is to threaten to radically slash service in the hope that taxpayers cough up even more money to prop up this expensive, failing system.
“The idea that PRT’s primary mission is to transport everybody to and from Downtown is flawed. The reality is that their business model is broken. It needs to re-examine their operations and figure out a way to lower its cost structure.
“In that review, PRT needs to focus on the idea that part of its mission is to provide services that benefit the people in poorest communities among us. PRT seems to have forgotten about that.
“For example, out here where I live in Whitehall, we have a neighborhood (Prospect Park) that is serviced by the Y47 Prosect Flyer. That route is one of many around here that is scheduled for elimination.
“For decades, the neighborhood has been home to a refugee resettlement program operated by the South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM). There are plenty of other residents as well, most of whom are on the lower end of the income scale.
“The closest remaining bus stop and the nearest shopping are both over one mile away. They don’t necessarily need a 40-passenger bus to transport them to and from Downtown. However, they do need access to public transit.
“If they had a 12-to-20-passenger bus that ran from Brentwood Towne Square, through their neighborhood, to Century Square, which is the bottom leg of the existing Y47 route, it would be a more cost-effective solution.
“I am sure that there are many other areas of the county where smaller, short-haul busses would work, as well. Unless the powers-that-be start thinking outside the box to reduce costs, we will continue to see these periodic transit funding emergencies.”
The same dedicated correspondent notes that he did some “quick calculations” on the highly touted solar power project being built at the Hempfield Township municipal complex:
“Here are the results:
“Cost $163,762, subsidies $149,860, claimed net out-of-pocket expenses, $13,650;3.5 year-payback of net out-of-pocket expenses yields $3,900 of revenue per year.
“[Officials] claim a 30-year life expectancy, meaning that total revenue for 30 years would be approximately $117,000. The revenue is nowhere close to the project cost, even if the panels actually produce the stated electricity for the entire 30 years.
“One can argue that I am leaving a few variables out of my calculations, like the future cost of electricity and the opportunity cost of the initial investment. But there is no way this deal comes close to paying for itself.”
As per usual with the machinations of Camp Green Weenie.
A sobering, but alternately lovely, note found its way into our email inbox this past weekend:
“I have been following your brief but astute blog for the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy ever since I was thrown in the pit of despair, shortly after my return to Pittsburgh in the summer of 2021.
“I moved to this country a little over 40 years ago, spent 22 years in Pittsburgh, then headed West — and lived outside Denver and in one of its suburbs for 15 years.
“For personal reasons, again, I decided to return to the ‘Burgh, in hope to enter my retirement years in a more ‘affordable’ setting. How naïve of me!! Shortly thereafter, the can of worms opened up and I found myself entangled in the ‘newcomer tax’ mess.
“Due to the pending litigation (and my name being on the lips of those who either agree that Allegheny County absolutely needs to rid itself of the archaic reassessment system — or of my newly-created enemies’, amongst those who simply do not understand the system), I have to keep mum. At least until the dust settles — which might be… years?!?
“The purpose of this blurb, though, is to let you know how much I appreciate your writing style, your well-informed and concise ideas, and, not lastly, how witty (and, often, humorous!) your writing style is, in spite of approaching topics that are far from ‘funny’.
“Please keep these journalistic gems coming and know that I am one of your followers, one who is extending a big ‘Thank You’ for your opening the eyes and ears of your readers in a captivating way.”
Thank you for your kind words.
Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).
