WDUQ NEWS

The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee gathered in Pittsburgh last week to take testimony on a high speed MAGLEV project that has been in the works for nearly a decade. The project to connect the airport with Greensburg, including stops downtown and in Monroeville, was once green lighted by the federal government but was killed when a member of congress called for further review. This year’s federal budget contains $28 million for additional engineering and design studies. To draw down the money the state would have to come up with a $5.6 million match. State Representative Joseph Markosek of Monroeville is the chair of the House Transportation Committee. He says finding the money will be, “hard when the state does not have the money it needs to fix the roads and bridges it has.” However, he says the state funds will probably be found and the committee needs to know where the project stands. Markosek says testimony was given arguing that the project would not only provide a high-speed transportation link for area residents but could also serve as a model for similar projects elsewhere. He says if that happens, southwestern Pennsylvania could find itself at the center of a new industry. However, the construction of the track would require billions of dollars that the state does not have and no private investor seems to be willing to invest. Markosek says the committee reached out to those who are against the project but most decided to not respond. The Cato Institute did submit written testimony arguing against the project on environmental and cost grounds.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato has vetoed legislation approved this week by County Council that proposes collecting as much as $13 million annually from non-profits for their tax exempt properties. Council passed the measure 14-0. Councilwoman Amanda Green was absent because she is in Japan for the American Council of Young Political Leaders exchange program.
In his veto letter, Onorato said Council's effort to levy a "Tax Exempt Certification and Essential Services Fee" is "illegal" and he predicted it would be successfully challenged in court. Onorato says he's been trying to negotiate up to $4 million in voluntary payments from non-profits to help pay for services (PILOT: Payments In Lieu Of Taxes).

Onorato also vetoed a measure approved on a 13-1 vote to okay the sale of the County Health Department Building in Oakland for $4.9 million. A developer wants to erect a hotel, office building and parking garage at the site. The problem is not the sale price or the development plans but rather a controversial amendment inserted by Councilman Chuck McCullough. That amendment would have the sale money go to a special fund controlled by Council, and would require a unanimous vote by council to spend more than $100,000. Several Council members admitted they had not read the amendment before voting on it. Council President Rich Fitzgerald asked Onorato to veto that measure with the attached amendment.

Council will consider overriding the 2 vetoes at the November 17th meeting.

President Barack Obama is to head to Capitol Hill this morning (Saturday) to "rally the troops" one more time ahead of a landmark House vote on changes to the health care system. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the president will try to answer any lingering questions Democrats still have. Mr. Obama spoke on the phone with many of those undecided Democrats Friday, including Pennsylvania Congressman Jason Altmire of McCandless Township (Allegheny County). Altmire told DUQ News that it was "a good conversation" and he told the president about his concerns with the bill. Altmire says his district is split down the middle and he's hearing most about the impact on small businesses and jobs.
Altmire says that he will not vote for "a bill that adds to the federal deficit, this bill does pay for itself," and even though the proposed tax increase is on the the wealthy, "I feel it's misguided."
He says the insurance reforms are very good but "I have to weigh the balance of passing a flawed bill, furthering it in the process hoping we are going to achieve health care reform in a reasonable and rational way versus the implication of voting 'No' and kill the bill, coming up with nothing."
Altmire says he will talk with his constituents up to the time of the vote and then decide how they would want him to vote.