Allegheny County is appealing the decision by Judge Olson regarding the $12 million dollar surplus from the drink tax. In what County officials are calling "activist legislation by the courts" (which caused me to wonder if Newt Gingrich had landed a consulting job with the Onorato administration), the Judge decided that tax revenues levied fro the benefit of "transit systems" should be used for (wait for it!) Transit Systems!
Of course, the County Council has approved the County budget which used the excess money to repair the roads and highways which are not the same thing. I think it is clear that the intent of the legislature was that this tax was to go towards the Port Authority, not paving roads in South Park or maintaining County-owned bridges. The argument that buses use the roads or bridges is specious to say the least.
It would seem to this writer that the $12 million would be very useful to fund the re-opening of rail service to the Mon Valley, or purchasing equipment that would allow revisions to the current route system that would allow access to neighborhoods that are currently under-served or even used to retire debt for past capital improvements made by the Port Authority or even moving their HQ back to the original North Side location from the downtown location in order to realize longterm savings.
But no, sensing an opportunity to spend funds for some other purpose than what was originally designated by the legislature and to put off the day where reality would strike and you would have to actually raise taxes to reflect what is needed to pay for the services the community wants, Mr. Onorato and County Council took the easy way out once again.
When will there be any real political leadership in this region?
Sunday, January 4, 2009
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