If a ruling falls over in the forest ...

And in the biggest little story almost no one noticed, Judge Wettick ruled that he can’t work out a schedule for the County to begin assessing properties because the State Supreme Court has not ruled on the County’s request for a 180 temporary delay (injunction, temporary stay, something or other) for the County. The County, in turn, wants the delay in case the legislature decides to act on a statewide system of property assessments. Never mind that the legislature has had … the whole of human history to act on this issue before now. But another 180 days should be just the ticket. After all, its not like there is anything else on the legislature’s plate, not like there is a budget in deficit or even Pittsburgh’s laundry list of exceptions (requests for taxing power so the citizens don't have to pay for frivolities like pensions and debt) to consider.

Meanwhile, the County gets what it wants, a delay before the official delay is even ruled on. No new hearing on establishing an assessment schedule is scheduled, or even could be scheduled, until the State Supreme Court schedules a hearing to rule on whether to grant the County's request on a delay of re-assessments.