On Monday, November 16th, the Northstar Commuter Rail trains made their first trip shuttling commuters into downtown Minneapolis.

The rail line was first conceived in 1993, and finished this year $10 million dollars under its original budget. This is the second rail system that Minneapolis has seen in recent years – in 2003 Hiawatha, a light rail system, was introduced there.

Read More About the North Star Debut

Earlier this year, Councilman Bill Peduto presented to Council the findings from a six-month study on the possibility of a commuter rail line in Pittsburgh. This city line would connect Hazelwood on the Monongahela River to Lawrenceville on the Allegheny River. It would pass near The Technology Center, Schenley Park, CMU and Oakland, The Baum-Centre Corridor, Bloomfield and Lawrenceville.

But this line would also be just one link in a multi-county regional system. Not only would it connect to the Mon Valley and Westmoreland County – via Norfolk-Southern -and the Allegheny Valley and Armstrong County – via the AVRR (which are two projects being pushed right now), but the CSX line itself extends North along Route 8 all the way to New Castle in Lawrence County, and South to Washington, PA. This leaves many possibilities open for further expansion in the future. Investment in this rail line for Pittsburgh would be a long-term investment in regional transportation.

In order to better understand the financial situation of the city and the Mayor’s demand of a student tax, it is essential to see the bigger picture. These documents provide the details of what the city can and cannot do – they also shed light on missed opportunities. Councilman Peduto and Controller Lamb have outlined an alternative plan to the Mayor’s proposed student tax – you can read all the documents here – including the Lamb/Peduto alternative.

Mayor Ravenstahl’s 2010 Budget – Understand who is paying and what you are getting.

Pennsylvania Local Tax Enabling Act – Understand the rules of what municipalities can tax and what we cannot.

Act 47 Five Year Recovery Plan – Understand the changes that were approved in July and then look at the Mayor’s proposed budget to see if we are doing it.

PA Act 55 Public Charity Act -Understand the limitations placed on municipalities in PA to receive voluntary payments in lieu of taxes from non-profits and the restrictions to tax non-profits.

Peduto/Lamb Alternative – Another option for our City.

City Councilman Peduto and Controller Lamb today presented a list of potential budget changes that will make up the $15 million shortfall in the city’s 2010 proposed budget. The ICA rejected Mayor Ravenstahl’s proposed student tax, leaving a $15 million hole in the budget. Controller Lamb and Councilman Peduto believe that this shortfall can be made up through other means – through recommendations approved during the Act 47 process and through other good government proposals that will stregthen the city budget and make it more transparent for years to come.

Their plan is available here.

Earlier this year, Councilman Bill Peduto introduced a plan to create an LED energy-efficient lighting system in the City of Pittsburgh. This plan would not only create a more environmentally-friendly lighting system, but would also save money for City residents by reducing lighting costs for years to come.

But this plan is not just about replacing light bulbs – this plan is also about creating a new model of urban lighting. This new model needs to utilize technology to do more than just create an energy-efficient system- it needs to realize the potential that light offers in creating a safe, livable community.

In New York City, Leni Schwendinger is an artist an designer who leads “Lightwalks” through the City at night. During these walks, Schwendinger shows participants the importance of street lighting in the night life ambience, and looks at street lights in terms of what they add to the community. Check out this video to learn more, and see part of one of Schwendinger’s Light Walks.

Also, check out this article from TreeHugger.com – Nightlife Made Sustainable: Street Lights that Match Evening Sensitivities Save Considerable Energy.  This article discusses the possibility of redesigning street lights to utilize less energy by using information about what part of the light spectrum the human eye is most sensitive to in the dark.

The announcement by the Pittsburgh Carnegie Library system that some of the neighborhood branch libraries will be closing has been met with much public outcry, and has sparked discussions about the role of libraries in our communities.

Bookless Libraries, an article published on Inside Higher Education’s website highlights the debate about the role of the library in the 21st century.

In the age of technology, can libraries be replaced by online substitutes? Or are the “bricks and mortar” of the library essential to it’s definition? These are the questions debated in this article, which discusses the different perspectives on the library as a community center, or simply as a place to locate information.

Today Mayor Ravenstahl presented his 2010 budget proposal to City Council.

View the Mayor’s Budget Proposal Here

Sincerely,
Bill Peduto