The fact is suburbanites contribute heavily to the city
Professor Charles McCollester's piece on Pittsburgh's financial situation ("Injustice and Resistance", March 6 Weekend Perspectives) offered several opinions on a wide assortment of issues important to the city's future (taxes, spending, state oversight, Act 47, economic development and privatization, among others). While opinions are one thing, the commentary makes mistaken claims regarding taxes paid by nonresidents and economic development spending that cannot go unchallenged.

Professor McCollester asserts that "[suburban] workers pay $10 a year. Period." This is simply not the case. Two-thirds of the workers in the city come from outside the city and pay a lot of taxes directly and indirectly to the city. Consider the parking tax. The preponderance of the more than $30 million in collections comes from commuter and visitor parking.

Then too, the city benefits enormously from the Regional Asset District tax, which provides funding for many important entertainment and cultural attractions and provides millions in cash to the city each year. And let's not forget the amusement tax paid by attendees at events in the city, more millions of dollars.

Second, Professor McCollester states that city residents are overburdened because "real estate taxes are generally higher [in the city] than in the suburbs." When measured by combined municipal and school millage rate, nearly half of the communities in Allegheny County had a higher real estate tax rate than the city. Bear in mind too that half of the taxable real estate in Pittsburgh is commercial and industrial property, a substantial portion of which is owned by nonresidents who pay commensurate taxes.

Referring to the stadiums, convention center and Downtown retail, McCollester asserts that "hard-earned resident tax money goes to large regional projects ... and infrastructure development that serves and employs a regional workforce." The truth is that city tax dollars account for a very small share of the stadiums and virtually none of the convention center. The RAD tax, the hotel tax, state appropriations and some private money paid for these ventures.

As far as department stores are concerned, is it the fault of nonresidents that the city foolishly spent tax dollars on these risky ventures? And contrary to McCollester's view, they were not built to provide jobs for nonresidents; they were built in hopes of attracting nonresidents to come to town and spend money.

Suburbanites contribute heavily to the city's tax collections and have been fleeced to fund questionable economic development schemes in the city. We can disagree, but we cannot make up our own facts.

ERIC MONTARTI
Policy Analyst
Allegheny Institute for Public Policy
Castle Shannon

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Municipality combo
Allegheny County has 130 municipalities? I can't imagine the redundancies and waste in that. I can't imagine the people agreeing to changing the county to all one Pittsburgh government either, though that might work best.

Here is my solution: Combine the municipalities along the lines of the school districts. These people already have some things in common, and are working together. Plus, the representation from each is already established -- keep it the same as the school districts already have. For example, Baldwin and Whitehall would combine into one borough, with the same number of representatives from each on the borough council as are on the school board.

Some municipalities may not change, others may combine three, four or five into one entity. This would result in much more efficient government without requiring too much upheaval. It's still too many municipalities, but it would be a start.

LARRY WICHTERMAN
Everett, Pa.

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The tax rate cycle
Regarding the March 8 story "Local Taxes Display an Uneven Bite": Why is every thing made a racial issue? Blacks overtaxed? Let's be accountable and look at the real reasons.

First it's location, not race. The article noted that Marlene Robinson, a black person in Homestead, pays 10.5 mills in property taxes; well, doesn't a white Homestead resident pay 10.5 mills? Conversely, a black person in McCandless pays 1.3 mills, not just white person Louise Bradley.

Second, in the urban municipalities, the political machine has been primarily controlled by Democrats for decades. Tax-and-spend policies and entitlements have created communities of unmotivated, uneducated people, which, in turn, creates people with lower-paying jobs and welfare. Which, in turn, creates lower tax revenue. Which, in turn, creates higher tax rates to get the revenue needed for the irresponsible spending of the local politicians.

CHUCK BROWNING
Shaler

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Refreshing visit
I work in an elementary school and recently a nice thing happened that I would like to call attention to. State Rep. Jeff Habay, R-Shaler, came in to read a book. No press, no cameras, no schmoozing handshakes. He came in, read a book and left.

How refreshing -- a politician came and read a book to kids to stress the importance of reading, and that was it. Thank you, Rep. Habay.

D.J. EMANUELSON
Harrison

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A Clinton era review
I read with amusement the March 12 letter from George Matus wherein he feels that all of the problems confronting America will be solved by electing a Democrat for president and electing enough Democrats to control Congress.

Mr. Matus states: "President Clinton turned the economy completely around in his last six years in office." I agree that the economy was robust during the last six years Mr. Clinton was president. However, Mr. Matus fails to mention that during the last six years of the Clinton administration, Congress was controlled by the Republican Party.

In fact, voters were so unhappy after the first two years of the Clinton presidency that the Republicans were able to gain control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the Eisenhower administration.

If someone wants to discuss the merits of having different political parties controlling the executive and legislative branches of government to foster a spirit of compromise I'm all for it.

However, the last six years the Democratic Party controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency was the first two years of the Clinton presidency and the four years of the Carter presidency, which is a time that I'd rather not return to.

JAMES BARNES
North Fayette