Gainey set to investigate non-profit tax exempt status in our city (Pittsburgh: 2013, buy)

[gg]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Just not UPMC. Johns Hopkins, Washington Hospital Center and Anne Arundel Medical Center, as well as many others to include a couple multi-state medical practices, have went to war with Blue Cross the last couple years.

So it looks like it might be a trend.

I don't know how it really ended up shaking out since I'm on Medicare and BC/BS is my secondary insurance. I get monthly statements from them detailing the payments that have been made.

Butting heads is one thing, but UPMC went all the way to the end and then said to its clients, "just kidding". My doctor told me to get another PCP and hurry up because there aren't enough doctors. He said he was going to lose a lot of the people that see him. It went that far! It would have been a first in the US. Believe me, Johns Hopkins and so on were all watching closely. I know a lot in that industry and on the inside.

Anyway, I didn't want to fully focus on UPMC, but to be tax exempt, you need to be good for the community. If you say, they employ a lot of people, so what? So does PNC or Federated or whatever.

Again, I am actually for Corporate welfare, especially in Pittsburgh due to our stagnate growth, lousy weather and really very little to offer, let alone an airport with very little activity. We aren't Charolette, Orlando, Tampa or Atlanta. We are struggling and need to give away the farm.

[svband76]

I'll give the Mayor credit here. UPMC is filthy wealthy and it should pay taxes. I don't care if they create jobs blah blah. So does Wal-Mart, US Steel, the Prates and Steelers, etc.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by svband76

I'll give the Mayor credit here. UPMC is filthy wealthy and it should pay taxes. I don't care if they create jobs blah blah. So does Wal-Mart, US Steel, the Prates and Steelers, etc.

An awful lot of laws will have to be changed before non-profits start to be taxed, from the federal level right down to local.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by svband76

I'll give the Mayor credit here. UPMC is filthy wealthy and it should pay taxes. I don't care if they create jobs blah blah. So does Wal-Mart, US Steel, the Prates and Steelers, etc.

Better chance of something being done about the crime and violence even with his incompetence.

[gg]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

An awful lot of laws will have to be changed before non-profits start to be taxed, from the federal level right down to local.

This is true. I don't think churches would be in play as the younger set are very FAR from the teachings of a good church, that is about love thy neighbor, thou shall not kill, no adultery and more. Young people are more for the moment and themselves, but I don't blame them in a way. UPMC is a money making company that does have good medical care, but they aren't good people at the top. They are lucky they have good people as doctors and staff however. Amazing people at that, but as places like Florida keep building huge hospitals doctors may move there and our area will suffer. At the moment though Pittsburgh is a good place to be a sick person. We lost a lot of people and doctors stayed on here. Good for sick folks.

I honestly think NOTHING will change as Gainey is really all talk and likes to preach like his s MLK or something. He looks like a fool really. So fake, but we like that in PA. Fetterman? OMG!

[svband76]

Well, yeah I doubt Gainey can do much in the end. Maybe he'll surprise me. We saw what happened when politicians caved into the whims of US Air and Heinz. The "help us built it and we'll stay". And the end up leaving anyway. Pirates and Penguins are guilty too. Steelers as well but they generate a ton of money for the city and tourism.

[gg]

Originally Posted by svband76

Well, yeah I doubt Gainey can do much in the end. Maybe he'll surprise me. We saw what happened when politicians caved into the whims of US Air and Heinz. The "help us built it and we'll stay". And the end up leaving anyway. Pirates and Penguins are guilty too. Steelers as well but they generate a ton of money for the city and tourism.

He has an advantage these days. Read between the lines. You all know what I am talking about. Tomlin comes to mind.

[gg]

Here are the for profit businesses that are being investigated. Keep in mind, to put this behind them companies can pay some money to make this go away. Get it? He might be on to something here. We shall see. I think big for profit companies like Pitt, UPMC, CMU and the like can pay some money to make this go away. Could be a good play. Is Gainey all that? He is black and that will help his cause. NO DOUBT.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by svband76

Well, yeah I doubt Gainey can do much in the end. Maybe he'll surprise me. We saw what happened when politicians caved into the whims of US Air and Heinz. The "help us built it and we'll stay". And the end up leaving anyway. Pirates and Penguins are guilty too. Steelers as well but they generate a ton of money for the city and tourism.

I'll give Mario and the Pens a pass on this one. If you recall, the Isle of Capri offered to build one for free.

After a thorough search, the Penguins in 2005 found their match in Mississippi-based Isle of Capri Casinos, who promised an 18,000 seat arena and a 5,000 slot machine casino plus funding to redevelop the Mellon Arena area after its eventual demolition. Isle of Capri and the Penguins formed a partnership named “Pittsburgh First”. The Penguins kept emphasizing publicly that without a new arena, the hockey team would likely leave Pittsburgh but through Pittsburgh First, they were making an irresistible offer with absolutely no strings attached to the government:

A free arena. Not one cent of taxpayers’ money. Paid for entirely by Isle of Capri.

My guess is Ed Rendell and the local yokels wouldn't be able to line their pockets with that deal.

[erieguy]

^^^^^
Bingo