The Pittsburgh Public Works Department claims it does not have enough manpower and equipment to deal with the snow problem and cannot hire more people because of spending constraints. This in a city that was looking to tax college tuition in order to make payments on massively underfunded pensions and that has enormous bond debt obligations and that has no problem finding money to make very generous longevity pay for public safety employees.
One of the City’s primary responsibilities is to maintain streets and make it possible for people to get around to work, doctors and shopping. Yet because of spendthrift, poor management policies for years it now finds that it cannot do what the citizens need. Maybe the citizens should long ago have demanded a bit more responsibility in fiscal matters.
One wonders if they are beginning to get it.
