A Christmas Wish.

Some things I hope to find this Christmas season and into the New Year:
That tidings of joy and good will towards men will find it's way into the Port Authority board room.
That the proposed 15% service cut that surely will affect the most vulnerable of routes will be put on hold till a solution can be found that connects everyone to transit.
That Steve Bland a modern day and real life Scrooge will find in his heart the time to lobby for transit in a way that will restore service instead of his legacy of destruction he's building on his resume while up in Harrisburg.
That Dan Onorato will become the goverment official the people elected him to be, and finally take a stand on what HIS appointed board and chief hangman( Mr Bland) is doing to families across the metro area. What was at the time of his 1st term the 10th largest transit agency in the country is now down to around 16 and sinking faster than the Titanic. Thanks Dan. (and he wonders why he's the Governor re-ject)
That Democrats in Allegheny County and the country offer a alternative to neo-liberal economic policies. All to often from people I hear that it makes no difference if a Republican or Democrat wins, that the end results will be the same. Hard to argue with that.
That the only business protected by the constitution (the press) starts doing some exposes on lobbyists and campaign contributors and shows the fraud that's being perpetrated on the nation by big money vested interests that wish to push THEIR agenda. Profits over service, Profits over safety, Profits over everything.
That the voting public start realizing that trade deficits are even more deadly to our futures than monetary deficits, but how often are we reminded of that by the Tea Partiers?
That Steve Bland starts walking in the shoes of some of the people he plans on stranding or already commuting ungodly hours.
That the dedicated public servants of the Port Authority of Allegheny County who are soon to be laid off, many of whom left better paying private sector jobs for what were supposed to be secure futures in the public sector, find it in their hearts to forgive the people who've made their life a living hell over the last decade with past layoffs, talk of layoffs, and continual downsizing. All this done in the name of saving the taxpayer, who has not realized one red cent in tax savings.However our beautuful new stadiums and arenas along with the tunnel,casino, and the restaurant owners seem to be the real beneficiaries in our new service (or is it servant?) economy of low wage jobs without benefits.
That Marty Griffin and all the talk shock guy's who never let fact get in the way of opinion are lucky enough to realize sometime in the near future that what goes around comes around.
That Tom Corbett remain the moderate and common sense attorney he was when he first came onto the political scene and not the Right wing fire breathing dragon his political donors paid for him to become.
That the novels by Charles Dickens portraying life in Victorian England don't become the reality for the middle class here in modern day America, although i'm afraid this is where we're headed.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Shots From The Peanut Gallery

We're not saying we don't want the money, were saying we need this money to ensure we have some time to secure a dedicated funding source before there is nothing left to save...

Here are a few viewpoints in support of the SPC voting in favor of temporary funding and a dedicated solution.


The Amalgamated Transit Union's International President Larry Hanley is the first letter. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10346/1109897-110.stm


ACLC President Jack Shea is the second letter in support of the same measure. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/letters/s_713216.html


Finally, Jason Altmire who calls himself a friend of Mass Transportation, and often refers to Local 85 as being instrumental in getting him elected, either doesn't get it, or is once again saying the things he needs to say to keep up his "BLUE DOG" status.
http://earlyreturns.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2023:altmire-questions-pat-bailout&catid=53:post-gazette-staff&Itemid=34

Thanks Jason way to go that extra mile.

Well tomorrow is the vote by the SPC, and if anyone is interested there is a rally in support of Governor Rendell's proposal to the SPC at 4:00 pm. Sixth Avenue and William Penn Place across from Mellon Square.

Setting the record straight

After talking to my Father today, a member of the Greatest Generation. A man who at the age of 17 enlisted in the United States Navy to fight as his 2 older brothers did, one of whom was killed in Normandy while he was in the South Pacific a real life Private Ryan. He noted to me that I was getting a 3%raise. Dad I responded back do you realize that my health care is also going up to 3%. Of course not was his response they don't tell you that in the news. And that is my point. Why would they? My Father knows i'm a Port Authority Mechanic/Bus Driver, a member of a Public Employees union the chief villian of what ails our economy. Let's set this record straight a top wage driver makes 24.74 an hour. He's due to get a contractually negotiated raise of 3%. That comes out to 74 cents an hour This brings our wage to 25.48 an hour. Also negotiated in this contract is an increase to our health care contribution of the same 3%. As negotiated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Health Care Necessities(and health care is a right as a human being not a privilege) are based on a 40 hour WORK WEEK. What this means to people who can't add is this! THERE IS NO RAISE UNLESS YOU WORK OVER A 40 HOUR WORK WEEK. GOT IT! So everyone out there who thinks this is a 3% outright money grab DO THE MATH! If however you're issue is that Public Employees unions are robbing the Public you are either underpaid in your professions and need to figure out a way to raise your incomes and quit pulling the rest of us under as a DROWNING MAN would. Or you are a STOOGE, of the Mass Media (can you Say Marty Griffin)http://wthrockmorton.com/2010/07/01/follow-up-on-the-fcc-complaint-in-the-case-of-brent-dugan/Sensationalism is the News of the day. Readers of this blog, I encourage you in all the information we provide. Do your own research these media hounds are not the Edward R Murrows or Walter Cronkites of yesterday. They are allowed to lie to you http://www.purefood.org/rbgh/akrepart1.cfm The News media of today is beholden to it's advertisers, they are the ones who control the news you receive thru their advertising DOLLARS.http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html The point that's to be made here is not that Port Authority workers may be overpaid ( do the job they're not) but that the media which we license thru OUR TAXES (FCC) is not doing the job we trust it to do. Check out the facts yourself. This site has laid it out for you in a attempt to stop this new McCarthyism of the 21st century. Think for yourselves, YOUR CHILDRENS FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT and so does YOURS!

Some random thoughts and gossip at the Bus stop:
That at least half of the 47 million dollar operating deficit is attributable to the agency flexing the money towards the North Side connector to keep it on time and budget.
That Steve Bland and other top management were secretly cringing when Governor Rendell decided to flex money to delay service cuts for at least this fiscal year which ends June 30th 2011.
That Mr. Blands portfolio may have taken a hit with the Governors annoucement as a large proportion of his investments are rumored to be in the shoe business.
That supposedly the Nelson-Nygaard Transit Development plan formerly known as connect "09" or depending upon where you live disconnect "09" was originally to be phased in gradually over three years was rushed into service to hasten the demise of the transit agency.
That the only things I see left in disconnect "09" to be implemented yet are the destruction of a few more routes and the pipe dream of a Bus Rapid Transit system with money the authority clearly doesn't seem to have.
That if the proposed service cuts do come to fruition and thousands of commuters are left scurrying for other options the 50,000 watt blowtorch of KDKA radio will have a large part in stranding them. This commercial radio station that prides itself on being the voice of Pittsburgh never fails to espouse the viewpoint of their "supposed" Free market ideaology and bash any Public Employees Union as being the real root of the cause to the regions and countries problems. If only lifes answers were as simple as they make it be.
That quite possibly the selling of our Parking assets and the elimination of our bus routes could quite possibly be linked.
That you have to ask yourself this question, the ones who gain the most economically by stranding commuters and forcing them into cars would be the very people trying to buy these assets.
That their Free Market hand thru campaign contributions may also have a part in a PA house bill introduced by (R) Turzai this legislative session that was killed in committee while the Democrats had a 5 vote majority.This bill is sure to be introduced this session as the party of Turzai has a 21 vote majority. What is this bill? As described by the Representative it's a bill to introduce competition in our public transit system and fix it.
That if these large conglomerates control our parking and our transit will this be the day we sing the song coined by Willie Nelson and made famous by the recently deceased "Dandy" Don Meredith. Turn out the lights the parties over. It will be for Allegheny County citizens but it will just be begining for the Goldman Sachs and other investment concerns. You really don't think your well being are more important than a profit do you?

Thank you, Ed Rendell.
Unfortunately it's just another patch on the breaking dam.
We need dedicated funding.
We need it today.
We need to continue to put pressure on the legislature.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10336/1107723-455.stm

September 11, 2021 dawned bright and brilliant over the 48 contiguous states of America. Optimism was rampant as President Sarah Palin the first woman elected chief executive was in office in her first year. Just as she campaigned to restore a patriotic fervor to our land, the holiday formerly observed on the 1st monday in September (labor day) was changed to September 11th and renamed Patriots day to honor all the martyr's killed on that day 20 years before. The National economy was taking off unseen since the 1990's although the fair and balanced news network mistakenly said the 1980's.http:/http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/23/5516897-chart-economic-growth-by-president/. People were moving back into America's cities for the second decade in a row although to do so meant you were in the top 5% of earners. American cities were booming and the suburbs were dying and why shouldn't they have been since fuel prices were averaging $10.00 a gallon. Moat building and ditch digging were the job growth areas ending technologies rein. We were in our 20th year of the war on terror and our 50th year in the war on drugs as reported by the fair and balanced Faux news agency. While many people questioned the insanity of these never ending wars and thought that perhaps more spending on education was in order they were always out opionated by the corporate think tanks that were experts on everything right for us. The jobs were plentiful in the cities of the day and suburbanites flocked there to work, because not to would've meant unemployment and certain starvation since any sort of social safety net had been ruled illegal by the Supreme Court 4 short years before.http:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objectivism_(Ayn_Rand)//From their suburban ghetto's courtesy of their newly privitized minicipal bus company the long journey into the urban areas was made affordable as the corporations of the day relied on this supply of labor to keep their businesses booming. You see workers really had no choice as jobs were non-existent outside the walls of a metropolis. The middle class of the day always voted in elections be it state wide or nation wide to lower taxes and allow monopolies to exist stifiling out any type of competition in their neighborhoods. But what the people of the day didn't realize was that what the elected officials were doing was putting the responsibility of funding every day services such as schools,fire departments,police,onto the local goverments where write offs were non-existent. As a result of this these essential services could no longer function so the citizenry became the serfs of the 21st century. Some knowlegeable scholars in the out lying towns tried to change this by rallying people to register to vote. However this was a failed attempt as to be able to vote people needed 2 forms of identification and at least 2 valid credit cards with their balances up to date. This was an impossibility for over 90% of the populace, as student debt had exploded to unheard of proportions.

Job Loss, Traffic Jams, and Heart Ache.

On March 13Th, 2011 the Port Authority of Allegheny County plans to cut 35% more of its service, and layoff 500 plus employees. The pink slips for these employees will be delivered during the holiday season, just in time for Christmas, but rest assured the Pennsylvania Lawmakers and their families get to enjoy another extended holiday vacation, and put Mass Transit, Roads and Bridges on the back burner again.

This Funding Crisis didn't happen overnight. In 2007 Act 44 was signed, creating an Historic Permanent Revenue source for Transit, Roads, and Bridges. The problem was that the main funding source for Act 44 was the tolling of I-80. On April 6Th, 2010 the feds rejected (again) the Tolling of I-80. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10096/1048294-100.stm Our elected officials have sat on their hands for too long now, they put getting re-elected over public interest. Ed Rendell tried in-vain to create another source of revenue, but the self serving Pennsylvania General Assembly once again stood on the sidelines. Republicans sat back and said "NO NEW TAXES"so they could get re-elected, and the weak Democrats sat back and said "WELL, WE REALLY NEED TO RAISE TAXES BUT, I MIGHT NOT GET RE-ELECTED. This attitude needs to be stopped. The riding public should be treated better, a Public Transit 'Bill of Rights" should be enacted to protect their interests from the "do nothing" Pennsylvania Lawmakers who cant seem to stick their necks out to do the right thing.

In March, when these additional cuts are put into effect, there will be traffic jams of ridiculous proportions. There will be zero places to park in the already congested City of Pittsburgh, and the people who use this once great Transit system will be stranded and unemployed. The Poor, and Elderly who rely on this public service will not be able to get to vital services necessary to their lives. The rich will not be able to park their Hummer's and Lexus' and save on gasoline and parking fees, creating another void in our Free Market Economy. (sarcasm) This crisis is real, this is not an Allegheny County issue, it is a State Lawmaker issue. Note to the riding and non- riding public, start calling and e-mailing your State Legislators NOW! If you don't know who they are use this link to find out. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/index.cfm

Why now and not 1964?

I'm constantly reminded by naieve individuals about the virtues of competition in our public transit service circa 1963. Allow me to take you back to the pre-Port Authority days prior to 1964. A time when there were 21 different transit lines operating service into Allegheny County suburbs and 17 into Downtown pittsburgh. A time when there were 38 different fare structures and 38 different public transit schedules to read. Many of these companies were so financially insolvent that equipment over 30 years old was the norm. More than half of these companies were bankrupt and the ones that were profitable derived their income mainly from charters and school bus operations, a service denied to the present operations of the Port Authority. This was a time when Pittsburgh Railways the dominant carrier in the county adjusted Fares upward 13 times in 13 years and was in bankruptcy around 50% of the years it was in operation. Breakdowns were the norm because of the age of the equipment and the automobile was becoming the preferred mode of transportation in the area taking away a customer base.These were the reasons that public transit was formed into a Municipal Authority in the first place. This was a time when our Politics wasn't controlled by large Corporate campaign donors. When private think tanks didn't exist (Allegheny institute,Heritage foundation,Cato institute, Manhattan institute etc.)to frame arguments in a Corporate Monopolistic type of philosophy with their advertising dollars in our newspapers and broadcast media. If we're to hand over our transit system to private carriers, these will not be the mom and pop operations of the past. These type of operations will be done by large Companies that will stifle any type of competition. The First Transits,Veolia's, Coach U.S.A.'s of the world operate for one reason only, as any business does,to make a profit. Their reason for being is not to provide a public service, and the only way for them to exist is thru OUR TAXES as their operating margin.(Please read my blog on Public vs. Private as this is where this debate is going) These transit companies that will be entering our market are not local concerns as they have you believe but are international conglomerates, that will be hauling more American capital overseas as we continue the habit of selling off our public assets (Turnpikes,Public Transit systems,Utilities,etc.) because we as a nation have decided to outsource our manufacturing capabilities. Our economy has become a barter economy ie: you wash my windows, i'll mow your lawn. So to make up for our lack of creating wealth by making raw materials into consumer products and exporting them as we did prior to the 80's. we've resorted to selling off our public assets for cash and importing well over 90% of our manufactured goods to pay for it. Just like the discussion of the selling of our parking assets Pittsburgh, you might want to think long and hard about this public utility as well. Rest assured fellow citizens of Allegheny county you'll hear many proponents of the privitization of our transit in the media over the months to come but if its so good now why wasn't it in 1964?

The Death announcement of the Port Authority of Allegheny county is moments away on this day the 24th of November 2010 at 9:25 A.M. Funeral arrangements will be made by the "Board of Directed" in a secret meeting. Details to follow.