PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Oversight Board to Rule Pittsburgh
by stephen donahue Monday, Feb. 23, 2004 at 9:05 AM
sdonahue412@hotmail.com

So says State Representative Joseph Preston.

For those who might not have heard, the state legislators from Pittsburgh's suburban districts finally got their way last week when the Pennsylvania General Assembly established a fiscal oversight board for Pittsburgh for the next seven years. There is a wrinkle however because the legislature only picked old white men to be on this board.

Today (2/23/04) at a news conference calling for the appointment of black and women members to this oversight board one state representative stated something that is a given for some but might be a revelation to others.

Regarding the fiscal oversight board, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quotes State Representative Joseph Preston, of East Liberty as saying, "THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE GOVERNING THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, NOT THE MAYOR, NOT THE COUNCIL, FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS."

So this board of 5 white men appointed by the suits in Harrisburg not elected by the people who live in this city will rule us for the next seven years. No mayor, no council just an unelected board ruling over us.
Should the legislature take the action to make the board more diverse (and they better) will that then make it okay that an unelected body govern us for the next seven years?
This is what democracy don't look like.

Our new unelected rulers meet for the first time this week.

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Feb 27 Call to action
by stephen donahue Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004 at 8:37 AM

Call to action: Unelected “Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority” to take over our city.

"THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE GOVERNING THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, NOT THE MAYOR, NOT THE COUNCIL, FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS." State Representative Joseph Preston, East Liberty

Who are these people? They are 5 white men appointed by 5 other white men in the PA General Assembly to rule over our city for the next seven years. These 5 guys make up the fiscal oversight board that the legislators in Harrisburg call the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.

This board appointed by some suits in Harrisburg -- not elected by the people who live in this city -- will rule us for the next seven years. No mayor, no council just an unelected board ruling over us. Actually the Mayor and the Council will still go through the motions but their main job will be to implement the “recommendations” of the intergovernmental cooperation authority.

This intergovernmental cooperation authority has broad powers. They will “recommend” such things as:
• Fees for services including sewage, water treatment and refuse collection.
• Privatization and outsourcing of city services.
• “A study” of health care and other benefits for city workers.
• The elimination and/or sale of city services and property.
just to name a few. Should the city not comply the authority’s recommendations then the state will withhold funds to the city.

The first public meeting of the intergovernmental cooperation authority (a.k.a. fiscal oversight board) will be this Friday, the 27th of February @2PM at the Heinz 57 Center, 347 Sixth Ave. downtown. Not surprisingly this is right next door to the Duquesne Club.

This is a call for anybody who wants to picket this meeting (outside), drum at this meeting (outside), some might want to go inside and speak at this meeting if they allow that. Let’s meet across the street from the Heinz 57 Center @1:30PM.

No fixing Pittsburgh on the backs of poor and low wage earners. No fixing Pittsburgh by dismantling democracy. No fixing Pittsburgh by privatizing and selling off our public services. No fixing Pittsburgh by imposing regressive fees on the people.

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority is what democracy does not look like.

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