Mayor Ping Pong Ball ...

I am still guilty of ignoring my readership. There are things happening now, something with an audit of the Housing Authority, for example, but I have been largely unmoved to speak. The Mayoral race is a disappointment. Truth to tell, the low turnout in the primary probably means that all of Dowd’s supporters came out, and weren’t nearly enough. Which is to say that a higher turnout would have probably resulted in a much higher victory margin for Ravenstahl. So it is hard to see how two independent candidates have a chance. Some people may get excited about voting for the son of a famous Steeler. And some may be excited about voting for Kevin Acklin, for whatever reason. But that will not be enough to overcome the straight “D” lever pullers.

Meanwhile, the Mayor is again demonstrating the rock steady principles that have so distinguished his career. Before the election, the Mayor made a point of taking credit for lowering taxes (actually mandated by the first Act 47 five year plan). When the amended Act 47 plan came out a day after the primary, the Mayor waited one day before announcing that he was excited that there is now this opportunity to get the City’s finances on a sound footing, by keeping taxes on parking at their current level, and raising taxes on people who work in the City and on non-profits. Now City Council, having read the plan through and calculating their own political futures, has decided the amended Act 47 plan must be further amended. And lo and behold, the Mayor’s budget person (Scott Kunka) said that the Mayor now “wants "refinements" and "revenue enhancements."” to the amended Act 47 plan. It’s no wonder that Bill Peduto charged the Mayor has shown no leadership on this issue.