Let's see respect for property -- others' and our own

Regarding "Ravenstahl to Sue, Seize Houses That Are Frequent Crime Scenes" (March 27): I give the mayor credit for looking into new ways to deal with cleaning up Pittsburgh, but I found it interesting that what I believe to be a key contributing factor to the problems in society today is brought out in the second to last paragraph of this article.

Omari Thompson, an 18-year-old security guard, is quoted as saying, "People, they just be chillin' there. A cop drives by, sees them outside, and then they go inside, and [the police] think something's wrong."

While I have never met Mr. Thompson, his attitude demonstrates a huge contributing factor to what is happening today. There is a lost respect for people's property; there is something wrong with this attitude.

What these individuals apparently do not believe or understand is that this is not their property, and they do not belong on it or inside it. The police are doing what they should if they stop to see what is going on at these properties. At a minimum this is trespassing and/or breaking and entering, and that does not take into account anything else that they might be doing while there.

We need to go back to respecting other people's property and taking pride in our own.

HERB HENNELL
West Deer

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Start at the top

For years, we've been saying how we need to keep young people here. We've been commenting on how city government has been practically devoid of any fresh faces, and we've been complaining about the lack of innovative ideas coming from our political leaders.

Now that we have a young, capable mayor, we're still complaining. True, he is relatively inexperienced; however, inexperience in politics also means a much smaller chance of being jaded by questionable political ties. It also means he can grow within the position and adapt to best fit the needs of our city.

You can want young people to stay in Pittsburgh and dislike the young leadership at the same time, as long as you're aware you're contradicting yourself. But before you discount the idea of keeping young leadership in the city until at least 2009, think of your own future in this city. It will change, one way or the other, but that change depends on the ability of our leaders to keep young talent here. What better place to start than in the office of the mayor?

JULIA JOHNSON
Oakland

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Payne's hard work

The March 30 editorial "Home Stand: The City Wins With the Oak Hill Compromise" is correct. Housing authority Director A. Fulton Meachem, the University of Pittsburgh, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and his office and, most important, the Oak Hill residents and community council all should be commended for their hard work and dedication in ensuring a compromise could be reached that benefits all parties.

However, the editorial failed to mention one key ingredient that not only added to the success of this project but also was the driving force to keep all sides focused. I am, of course, referring to city Councilwoman Tonya Payne (District 6). With her drive, leadership and determination, a project that was in the works for more than a decade came to a successful close, only two short years after she was sworn into office. In this very important community issue, as well as all issues she faces on a daily basis, the residents were her top priority.

I would like to commend Councilwoman Payne for all the hard work that she has put into this project, and I am proud to serve side by side with her on City Council.

JIM MOTZNIK
City Councilman
Overbrook

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Discouraging event

There once was a time when a child picked to have his or her science project on display at a fair was a big event. There also was a time when that child's parents would be proud of this and make sure their child would be at the fair to stand by the display board to happily tell anyone who would listen about that project. And there once was a time when people would attend such an event to support the efforts of the students.

Sadly that time has passed. At the Pittsburgh Public Schools Science Exposition, where one science project from a sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade student per school was picked to be in the science fair, only a handful of students, parents, a few grandparents and a teacher or two were there. It's really a shame there was no one to share the projects with and to see the smiles of at least two boys when they won a ribbon for their work.

Opportunities were lost in celebrating the students' academic achievements. Granted, there was very little notice given about the science fair, so that would account for some not being able to attend. I wonder if there would have been this few in attendance if it were a school-sponsored sports championship; those games sometimes crop up on short notice, too. Just a thought.

KATHY LESKO
Brookline

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Tour helps business

I am writing to clarify information about The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia as reported in "Museums in State Seek Game Plan to Lure Visitors" (March 28).

As a Top 25 tourist attraction, as ranked by the Philadelphia Business Journal, The Constitutional is Philadelphia's best sightseeing experience, providing a tour of many sites in the Independence National Historical Park area including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the Betsy Ross House. It was reported that Gary Esolen, "a consultant to Pennsylvania's tourism office," had "heard complaints that the walking tour is siphoning away potential visitors and revenue to Philadelphia's historic sites."

The Constitutional does just the opposite with respect to "siphoning away" visitors from sites. Statistics show that the average visitor to Independence Park visits just the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. To address this shortcoming and showcase Philadelphia's historical assets, The Constitutional was founded to increase the understanding of Philadelphia's historically significant sites and increase the number of sites visited per visitor.

The Constitutional provides visitors with an overview of Independence Park that enables them to decide which sites to visit in more depth. The Constitutional has generated well over 1 million historic site visits in Historic Philadelphia. For the record, we believe that Mr. Esolen's characterizations are completely off base. I would invite him and others to see why the Chicago Tribune stated, "No visit to Philadelphia is complete without taking a Constitutional Guided Walking Tour, a 75-minute, mile and a quarter stroll that puts 15 historic sites ... in perspective."

JONATHAN BARI
President
The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia
Philadelphia

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Pitiful reactions

After I read two recent letters in the PG protesting the smoking ban at PNC Park, I had mixed emotions. First, of course, was irritation that people still feel it is OK to pollute others' lungs with their carcinogens. It is not "political correctness" that dictates smoking bans, it is pure science. The chemicals in tobacco smoke kill people.

After the irritation subsided, I felt pity for people who base their choices of entertainment venues on where people are allowed to smoke. If it takes the smell of tobacco to give you that "ballpark feeling," then I feel sorry for you. I don't want to walk down a ramp and through a cloud of smoke anywhere. If you can't go to a ballgame because of your "smoker friends," you had better get used to it. Be a hermit and stay home. Or get different friends.

There are more of us who will attend more functions because the smoke has finally cleared.

SALLY DAVIS
Plum

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Couldn't they get anybody with real ideas?

It is a sad commentary that the University of Pittsburgh College Republicans found it necessary to invite Ann Coulter to speak on campus, especially after her recent hate-filled speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference ("Coulter Visits Pitt to Roast Liberals," April 2).

Ms. Coulter does not enlighten anyone with her tired vitriol. If I were a young Republican at Pitt, I would have wanted my money spent on someone with ideas for the future, not someone who can't see past the colors of her own hatred. Not only that, but it was a slap in the face of the many groups on campus that Ms. Coulter has included in her miserable rants.

The young Republicans should really be ashamed of themselves.

AMY WAHL
McCandless

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She owes liberals

Ann Coulter is guaranteed the right of free speech just as we all are under the Bill of Rights. Does she not realize, though, that if it weren't for liberals, she would be neither an attorney, a TV commentator nor a political analyst.

She would still be barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen serving her man. She should thank her lucky stars for liberal thinkers.

HAROLD F. MARCUS
Squirrel Hill

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We receive more letters than we can fit into the limited space on the editorial page, so we'd like to share some additional letters with our Post-Gazette Web site readers.

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Just lower taxes. Period.

In the March 28 Web article "Poll: Voters Back Rendell on Sales, Cigarette Tax Hikes," the following statistics were presented:

"Statewide, 54 percent of voters favored the proposal to increase the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, while 40 percent opposed it, the survey showed. Part of the increase would be used to expand scheduled reductions in local property taxes."

So 54 percent of voters supported raising one tax to offset, in part, the lowering of another. Is it me, or is that the ultimate illustration of pretzel logic?

Folks, let's try something that has been avoided like a bad case of malaria by Pennsylvania Democratic royalty for decades.

Lower taxes. Period. No shell games. No robbing Peter to pay Paul. Just lower the taxes. And if you need to find money to cover it (which you will not need, because, historically, lower taxes generate more government revenue due to corresponding increased consumer spending -- but I digress), how about managing your expenses as your constituents are forced to do month in and month out to, well, afford the taxes?

CONOR TOBIN
Upper St. Clair

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See the good in the Starbucks culture

While I understand Ruth Ann Dailey's good-natured rant against the sprawling Starbucks culture, I think that there is one positive element to this trend that was overlooked in her column ("Starbucks Is the Real Evil Empire," March 26).

When my baby-boomer generation roamed the college campuses back in the '70s, we probably spent more time and money than we should have in the local bars, and I don't remember a great deal of studying going on while we were there.

In contrast, it is nice to see students today with books and laptops sipping coffee in a casual atmosphere that is usually free of loud music, intoxicants and people hitting on one another for a one-night stand.

Ms. Dailey's concern about the cost and calories associated with many popular Starbucks drinks is valid, but the last time I checked, the stores will happily sell a cup of plain black coffee to anyone who asks.

JOSEPH CARDUCCI
Mt. Lebanon

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Punish Port Authority management

The March 24 front-page story "Phase 1 Cuts Transit 15 Percent in June" is a stark reminder of the mistrust and mismanagement of taxpayers' money by Port Authority management.

Now, let's get this straight. The ridership, people who depend on bus transportation for a variety of reasons, are to pay the price for this mismanagement.

All management pensions should be placed on hold until a commission, headed by the state auditor general, convenes and restructures all of their pensions to a level compatible with the rest of the hard-working taxpayers in our city and county. Not possible? Why not?

Abuse of the taxpayers should not go unpunished. Management should pay a price as well.

REGIS TUROCY
Bethel Park

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Thank you, gutsy Hazleton

I read on the Internet the article "Owner Admits Hazleton's Immigrant Law Didn't Force Store to Close" (March 18). I think the Hazleton mayor should be the role model for all American mayors.

All he is doing is standing up for the rule of law -- which every mayor should do. As evidenced here by these two who owned a shop, the immigration issue did not cause them to lose their business after all.

If a business can stay solvent only by trading with illegal aliens, then that business should not be operating in the first place.

Kudos to Hazleton, the model city for the United States to follow!

ROBIN HVIDSTON
Upland, Calif.

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If you care about the public good, look at the big picture

I read the March 23 letter "Now, It's Our Turn," regarding the time and money spent on the deal for a new arena and keeping the Penguins in Pittsburgh versus that spent on social programs for the poor. This type of "me, me" thinking misses the big picture by miles.

To fund programs, government needs to collect money: tax revenue. This city has long needed a new arena. We have been losing out on major concerts and other events because Mellon Arena has become antiquated. Why build a new arena and lose its primary tenant, the Penguins?

People who oppose all of these projects fail to realize that every ticket sold for every event at the arena generates tax revenue. Every parking space occupied generates tax revenue. Every item sold at these events generates tax revenue. Every concert and other meeting held pays taxes on the money they make. Restaurants and lounges have big nights when there are events and taxes are paid by the restaurants, lounges and their employees. People employed at the new arena will pay taxes. The Penguins team pays taxes. The Penguins players, who make large salaries, pay wage taxes and real estate taxes.

Before they signed off on the deal, don't you think state, county and local officials knew that the tax revenue they would collect would far exceed what they were throwing into the arena/Penguins deal? Of course they did. Why do you think Kansas City was trying so hard to get the Penguins?

Congratulations to the Penguins and the politicians. We will all benefit because the local governments will have more funds at their disposal for all of the programs that they support.

RICK PURCELL
Mt. Lebanon

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