“Pittsburgh city government should stay out of any rescue of [Downtown] buildings [facing defaults because of chronic vacancy problems].
“It is the owners who should resolve their default problems. They reaped the profits and benefits when the economy and safety of the city was in better shape.
“The taxpayers should not have to foot the cost for any restoration and renovation projects or for any demolition if the owners default. The City of Pittsburgh is in a current state of physical, civic, lawlessness, safety, moral and economic decay.”
“What investor would want to invest now in this city in the current shape it is in?
This is the problem of [those who] govern Pittsburgh. They have created the problem, let them solve it. But not [by further] taxing the city residents and businesses.”
“Another city bureaucracy giving money to builders to convert vacant office space to residential space in the city is another loser for the city and its taxpayers [regarding a proposed 10-year tax abatement to aid such conversions].
“Why can’t the builders raise this money on their own? Somebody on the [city Urban Redevelopment Authority] must be very cozy with these builders planning these projects. No [property] taxes to be paid for 10 years?! What if, after the conversion, [the developers] can’t fill these residential spaces, which will probably be high-priced rentals or with a high-buying cost.”
“Another city planner idea doomed to failure at the taxpayers’ expense. If these builders are so [eager] to convert empty offices into residences, let them borrow the money … and raise whatever is required on their own.
“They are the ones who should take the risk, not the taxpayers. If the plan fails it is their money lost, not the taxpayers. If it succeeds, they will recoup their monies invested with greater gain. But politics run this city and [elected leaders] know only to tax and spend. They always expect the taxpayers to foot the bill.”
“Pittsburgh currently is in decline. Businesses have moved out. The population is dropping. The city is plagued with traffic congestion, constant road construction, unsafe conditions due to increase in crime, homelessness and drugs.
“Where are the jobs to attract people to move into Pittsburgh to work and live? Since COVID, the workforce prefers to work remotely and is not inclined to return to working in a physical office.”
“This Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) [first embraced by former Gov. Tom Wolf and now being “vetted” by Gov. Josh Shapiro] will not create more energy jobs, will not address climate change and will not protect the consumer citizens of this state.
“In fact, it will create more stress on the citizens and increase the cost of energy, which is overpriced now. Where is the taxpaying citizen representation on this committee [of ‘stakeholders’ that Gov. Shapiro has convened to seek input]?
“Talk about redistribution of wealth. The wealth will not come back to the … citizens but will enrich the bank accounts of the executives of the energy corporations, the union leadership and the Democrat politicians … who are pushing this [RGGI] boondoggle.
“Bet money has been or will be put into the campaign chests of these politicians in this venture from the energy companies and the unions.
“Why all this obfuscation, prevarication, hypocrisy, secrecy and redaction of information from printed [RGGI] committee documents? Smells like rotten fish sitting out in the sun on a hot sunny day.”
“I agree with you: Pull the plug on the entire [RGGI] operation, open all the meetings and debates [to the public] and present all of the information. Let the public have input and help in the decision-making.”
“You hit the proverbial nail on its head with the strongest hammer ever –the strongest reasons why government largesse and bailing out failing pensions and other government entities does not work and defeats the economy of the country at the expense of the taxpayers.”
“[Government-funded electric vehicle charging stations are] another government bureaucracy created at the expense of taxpayers which will enrich the power companies, the manufacturers of the EVs and the corporate service stations that will have these EV charging station at no expense to them.
“This is government control of another part of the economy. This country is moving rapidly into Marxism and eventually Fascism.”
“Government today is made up of despotic bureaucracies which do not work for the people but for centralized power for those who are in control of the government. We the People are forgotten in this struggle for political power.”
Thank you, readers; we always love to receive, and share, your input.
Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).
