According to news reports, the Mayor is telling state legislators Pittsburgh will need somewhere between $10 million and $20 million to cover security costs for the G-20 meeting. Up until now all we have heard from the Mayor are claims of how great it will be to host the G-20 conference. The City will benefit enormously, it has been said repeatedly, from being thrust onto the world stage for a couple of days.
If the Mayor believes his rhetoric then he should go to a local bank that shares his enthusiasm for the G-20 event and ask for a low cost loan with generous repayment terms to cover the additional security costs. After all, if the City is the primary beneficiary of the limelight and all the new international business coming its way following the meeting, then it should incur the costs of security for hosting the meeting. It should not be the state taxpayers’ responsibility.
Why not borrow the money? It would show confidence and it would give local business a chance to participate meaningfully in the hosting of the event. A clear win-win for the City and the bank. Unless of course the whole G-20 thing is a dud as far as bringing benefits to Pittsburgh. But this is a time to show some courage and take a little risk. It is certainly better than going hat in hand to Harrisburg-something that has become a perennial part of Pittsburgh’s governance.
