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Old 11-22-2013, 05:41 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
7,541 posts, read 10,219,386 times
Reputation: 3510

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A discussion is raging between the Penguins hockey team and various community groups as to the amount of low-income subsidized housing to be built where the Igloo was.

Where are the elected politicians in this procedure?

Mayor Peduto and the Pittsburgh city council are the ones who are supposed to be the ones making the decision as to whether the proposed project meets zoning and other requirements. Why don't they just step up and lead in representing the interests of the public, instead of pushing this on to well-meaning, but unelected, neighborhood busybodies.


Hill residents rip former Civic Arena site housing proposal - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Old 11-22-2013, 06:31 AM
 
Location: suburbs
598 posts, read 745,001 times
Reputation: 395
1. Why should politicians be allowed to extort money from businesses by threatening to change zoning restrictions under them?
2. The plan has not gone to the city for approval yet, the article clearly states that.
3. If Hill residents worked as hard earning an income, as they are in getting anything subsidized, there would be no need for subsidies.
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Old 11-22-2013, 06:39 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
6,782 posts, read 9,547,900 times
Reputation: 10246
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer View Post
3. If Hill residents worked as hard earning an income, as they are in getting anything subsidized, there would be no need for subsidies.
They're getting a far smaller subsidy that the Penguins, who don't do any actual "work" at all.
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Old 11-22-2013, 06:47 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
7,541 posts, read 10,219,386 times
Reputation: 3510
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer View Post
1. Why should politicians be allowed to extort money from businesses by threatening to change zoning restrictions under them?
2. The plan has not gone to the city for approval yet, the article clearly states that.
3. If Hill residents worked as hard earning an income, as they are in getting anything subsidized, there would be no need for subsidies.

The land where the arena sat is owned by the Public Auditorium Authority. The hockey organization did agree to certain stipulation when they were awarded redevelopment rights.

I just don't see where unelected community activists need to give their approval. These folks can certainly bring up questions, but the decision belongs to city hall and the mayor's office- pushing it off to private organization that don't answer to the entire people of Allegheny county and Pittsburgh just isn't right.
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Old 11-22-2013, 07:10 AM
 
Location: suburbs
598 posts, read 745,001 times
Reputation: 395
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moby Hick View Post
They're getting a far smaller subsidy that the Penguins, who don't do any actual "work" at all.
While the way hill residents act in the news is often amusing, they are not obligated to pay the 5% amusement tax to the city. Penguins at the same time generate quite a bit of money every time they act:

NHL lockout is bad news for businesses near Consol - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Quote:
Each home game produces on average $63,000 in amusement tax revenue and $10,000 in parking tax revenue. Concession sales generate another $27,000 in state sales tax revenue.
And this is just one of many revenue streams being generated by our hockey team.

Subsidizing a growing successful for profit organisation is an investment. Subsidizing a failing community is throwing tax money at the problem.
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Old 11-22-2013, 07:11 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
6,782 posts, read 9,547,900 times
Reputation: 10246
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer View Post
Subsidizing a growing successful for profit organisation is an investment. Subsidizing a failing community is throwing tax money at the problem.
Great. Let's just give all our money to millionaires.
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Old 11-22-2013, 07:12 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,838,341 times
Reputation: 17378
I think the land should be used for the people in our region. Maybe they could build an arena that could have outdoor seating with that amazing view of the city. They could call it…. um the People's Arena? Hmmm, maybe something else, but it should be built so people could enjoy that area. Maybe it could have a retractable roof? Well, no that would cost way too much to build probably.

I think that area is actually a very good site for Section 8. It is pretty isolated in a way with that hill to walk up and down to the city that most people won't walk. It would have been a much better site for the new jail, but that timing was wrong. Now the jail has a nice riverfront location. How about moving where the city parks its garbage trucks and such. That is taking up a really good location next to the river by the 40th Street Bridge. That might be a good use.
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Old 11-22-2013, 07:15 AM
 
Location: suburbs
598 posts, read 745,001 times
Reputation: 395
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moby Hick View Post
Great. Let's just give all our money to millionaires.
Are you proposing socialism instead?
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Old 11-22-2013, 07:16 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
6,782 posts, read 9,547,900 times
Reputation: 10246
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer View Post
Are you proposing socialism instead?
I'm proposing that when we give somebody rich a subsidy on the promise of doing certain things in the public interest, we don't all shout "extortion" when the rich person is asked to do what they promised when seeking the subsidy.
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Old 11-22-2013, 07:18 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,838,341 times
Reputation: 17378
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer View Post
Subsidizing a growing successful for profit organisation is an investment. Subsidizing a failing community is throwing tax money at the problem.
This is somewhat true. The Penguins Organization pays off pretty darn well and it was a good investment that the city actually gets something back from. We need to throw a little money at the failing communities just to keep some peace. There is no return on investment, but it probably helps with crime stats and such.
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