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

At the beginning of October, an initiative called the “Breath Easy, Stay Healthy” campaign was introduced with the goal of reducing the fine soot pollution in Pittsburgh’s air.  This fine soot is the main cause of Pittsburgh’s number one ranking as the “Dirtiest Air” city for two consecutive years.  This initiative was introduced by Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture), and joined by leaders from the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) and Clean Water Action, along with Dr. Evelyn O. Talbott of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Allegheny County Council President Richard Fitzgerald.

Councilman Bill Peduto will also be a part of this campaign with his “Code Green” initiative, as he begins to work on greening the City’s laws in accordance with the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan.  These amendments will work to cut both air pollution and greenhouse gas emission in Pittsburgh.

To learn more about the ”Breath Easy, Stay Healthy” campaign, read the PennFuture press release.

A recent article in The New York Times also discusses the issue of air pollution, but looks at how a reduction in air pollutant emissions can lead to an increase in polluted waters.  Read the article here.

Last Wednesday, City Council took an important step forward to create a responsible and forward-thinking five-year financial plan. The original plan that was introduced by the Administration contained several clauses that greatly concerned City Council and lacked new initiatives to create a more efficient 21st century government.

Through the leadership of Council Finance Chair Bill Peduto, Council Members Bruce Kraus and Theresa Kail-Smith, and Controller Michael Lamb, City Council offered several important amendments to the Plan.  The amendments fall under four general categories – City-County Consolidation of Services, Budget and Taxation Reform, Government
Efficiency, and Public Safety.  Some of the key features of the amendments are:

City-County Consolidation of Services

• Invsetigate consolidation services in Fleet Maintenance, IT, Payroll, Purchasing, and Tax Collection
• Create a Regional Parks Commission that oversees all RAD parks in the County

Budget and Taxation Reform

• Committing all slots parlor revenue windfalls to paying down debt
• Instituting new guidelines to ensure there is truth in budgeting
• Institute a .55% Payroll Tax on non-profits
• Go after waste, fraud, and abuse to collect taxes that are not being fairly paid

Government Efficiency

• Create a Facilities Master Plan for all City owned buildings
• Create a Recreational Master Plan for City pools, recreation centers, senior centers, and ball fields 
• Create a Fleet Master Plan
• Create a comprehensive Risk Management Plan
• Institute re-routing software to improve efficiency in street paving, snow plowing, and street cleaning

Public Safety

• Provide City employees with a five-year plan for increased salaries
• Investigate the feasability of keeping a North Side EMS station open 24 hours
• Keep open the Greenfield fire station
• Institute new initiatives to help with police retention and recruitment

As the primary campaign comes to a close, we would like to thank everyone who helped us during the past three months.  Thank you to everyone who volunteered, not only for Councilman Bill Peduto’s campaign, but for the campaigns of our allies.  Thank you to everyone that administrated the campaign – Matt, Gloria, Julia, Kayla, Adam, and Scott.

This campaign was never just about May 19th, it has been about building a new, reform-minded, progressive movement in the City of  Pittsburgh.  Yesterday we took a giant step in that direction – now that is really moving the city forward!

Thank you again to everyone involved!

Don’t forget – Tuesday, May 19th is the Democratic primary election in the City of Pittsburgh!

Your local poll will be open from 7am to 8pm.
Not sure where to vote? Check your polling location here.

There are several important races on the ballot that will help decide the future of our City. Voting is the biggest way that you can let your voice be heard – don’t forget to go out and support your candidates!

On Tuesday, Councilman Bill Peduto’s series of 5 reform bills designed to end pay-to-play politics was passed by the Pittsburgh City Council – but the reform will not stop there.  At a press conference later that day, Councilman Peduto introduced a 10 point plan to reform the Pittsburgh City Government, in conjunction with the re-launching of the Reform Pittsburgh Now PAC.

The passage of the reform legislation on Tuesday was the largest action taken against pay-to-play politics by Pittsburgh City Council since the adoption of the Home Rule Charter, but Pittsburgh’s First Reformation of Local Government will continue with the 10 theses of reform introduced on Tuesday.  This theses on the Structure and Reformation of Government details areas of emphasis to continue to bring true reform to Pittsburgh, such as attacking waste, fraud, and abuse, and creating a firewall between politics and government.  Reform Pittsburgh Now also provides a report card, which tracks the votes of every City Council member, and the Mayor on progressive government reform issues.

Reform Pittsburgh Now was originally launched in 2007 by Councilman Bill Peduto, and the re-launched website works to empower the citizens of the City of Pittsburgh by giving them the tools to track the actions of their elected officials, and speak out for change.  The website provides an email forum that allows users to voice their opinion to all members of Pittsburgh City Council and the Mayor with the click of a button, and will also be a source of information about progressive issues.

Visit Reform Pittsburgh Now today, and be a part of Pittsburgh’s First Reformation of City Government – it cannot happen without the involvement of citizens like you!

Read about Tuesday’s press conference, Reform Pittsburgh Now, and the passage of Councilman Peduto’s reform bills:

• Pittsburgh Post Gazette – Council Passes Government Reform Package
• Pittsburgh Tribune Review – Limits on Pittsburgh Campaign Donations Approved
• Pittsburgh Post Gazette – Pittsburgh Council Approves Reforms; Peduto Pushes for More

This morning at 10am, Pittsburgh City Council will make a historic vote that will forever change our system of campaign finance, and the way that contracts are awarded in the City of Pittsburgh.

These 5 bills are the largest reform initiative taken since the adoption of the Home Rule Charter in Pittsburgh.  These reform bills will:

1. Cap contributions by individuals at $2,000 for Mayoral and City Controller Races, and $1,000 for City Council races
2. Mandate the creation of an online, searchable database of all campaign contributions and city contracts
3. Ban all no-bid contracts over $30,000
4. Create the Lobbyist Disclosure Act, which would require all lobbyists to register annually with the city
5. Create the Lobbyist Registration Act, which would require all contract bidders to disclose any payments to lobbyists and consultants
6. Strengthen the city’s ethics code to greatly limit gifts to government officials

Thank you to everyone that spoke out for reform and lobbied City Council – we could not have done this without you.

The reformation comes to the City of Pittsburgh this week, as City Council prepares to vote this Wednesday on Councilman Bill Peduto’s reform package.

This package will end “pay-to-play” politics in our city through several different reforms to our current system.  If passed on Wednesday, this package will:

• Cap contributions by individuals at $2,000 for Mayoral and City Controller Races, and $1,000 for City Council races
• Mandate the creation of an online, searchable database of all campaign contributions and city contracts
• Ban all no-bid contracts over $30,000
• Create the Lobbyist Disclosure Act, which would require all lobbyists to register annually with the city
• Create the Lobbyist Registration Act, which would require all contract bidders to disclose any payments to lobbyists and consultants
• Strengthen the city’s ethics code to greatly limit gifts to government officials

Now we need you to speak out for true reform for your city!  Click here to tell your  City Council representative that you support clean government reforms!

Now is your chance to speak up to clean up City Hall!