Mayor Ravenstahl is receiving unjust criticism

After reading the Oct. 3 article "Mayor Drove Police Vehicle to Concert," I think it's time to take a stand on behalf of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. He receives massive amounts of unjust criticism and scrutiny for many of his actions that in other cities or government offices would go unnoticed.

The reason for this treatment is an obvious case of age discrimination. Pittsburgh has been a dying city for years, with the worn-out politicians and older stubborn people preventing any changes from occurring. College graduates leave the city in waves for more vibrant, youthful towns. Finally a leader comes along who has the city on the brink of a renaissance, and all those same rigid people who have held Pittsburgh down for years try to discredit Mr. Ravenstahl.

The fact that Mr. Ravenstahl used a police vehicle to go to a concert should never make it to the media. For a city to flourish, it should be run like a business, with the proper investments and cutbacks holding the keys to the future. Executives across the world enjoy similar perks to the ones Mr. Ravenstahl has enjoyed, for having the final say on the important decisions for their organizations. Why should the mayor be any different? Many of these "perks" are necessary parts of business.

If an article were written every time a government or corporate leader was given special privileges, a daily edition of the Post-Gazette would be thicker than a copy of "War and Peace."

ARMAND BUZZELLI JR.
Whitehall

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Misplaced outrage

Where is the credit for Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl? He was young and inexperienced when he took this position and has done a good job after inheriting it from a mayor who passed away.

All this anger over taking an SUV to a concert is quite insane, as is not accepting that he made a mistake. People say they want experienced leaders. Would that be like George W. Bush, who has shown no fiscal conservative spending and has this country in the middle of a war based on faulty intelligence and basically lies?

I guess Luke Ravenstahl doesn't have enough experience to be corrupt and cover his tracks like experienced leaders. Was President Bush supposedly an experienced leader whom you voted for in 2004? With the lifestyle of Mr. Bush at Mr. Ravenstahl's age, you would have not given Mr. Bush a passing glance.

I find all this outrage over a golf outing and an SUV amusing. Where is the outrage over paying for the war in Iraq and the human cost of our youth?

CAROL BADGLEY
Hempfield

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His harshest critics

I am a college classmate of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (Washington & Jefferson College, Class of 2002). I am also an attorney in the Pittsburgh area, and it saddens me to see the mayor so quickly forget what other W&J graduates learned from Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" (a staple of W&J's Freshman Forum) -- that learning about yourself begets lifelong learning and success.

Luke, I have news for you. The harshest criticism of you is not from the media, it's from your fellow young professionals who stay in the Pittsburgh area because it's home, or who came here because of the opportunities it presented. When you defend your missteps with "that's what 27-year-olds do, and I shouldn't be any different," we wince, grimace and gasp in disbelief. We could never make such a claim to our bosses and continue to have their respect.

No local figure is the public face of young professionals' initiative, creativity and ability more than you. Every gaffe you commit, and every time you defend yourself by mentioning your youth, you bring down the success and advancement of all young professionals in Pittsburgh. You're opening the door for other young professionals to run for office, to invest in startup businesses, open medical and law firms and achieve important positions in established firms and industries. We need your time in office to show that we are serious and can handle these immense tasks.

Please, Luke, don't screw it up for the rest of us.

JOHN P. FRIEDMANN
Uniontown

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Bungled this chance

Following the Executive Women's Council's Oct. 3 mayoral forum, much was made of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's request that his opponent, Mark DeSantis, leave the room while the mayor spoke ("Mayor Wouldn't Speak at Forum Until DeSantis Left Room," Oct. 4). EWC fears this focus on a relatively minor point is obscuring a more important issue.

During the forum, a questioner asked the mayor to name one thing he regretted or wished he had done differently during his 13 months in office.

This question provided a perfectly "teed up" opportunity for an important policy statement. Before a room full of women leaders, he could have said, "I regret allowing police officers with histories of domestic violence to be promoted. I regret not attending the public hearing regarding domestic violence and not demonstrating sufficient commitment to protecting women at risk. I promise that no officer who abuses will be permitted on our police force."

Had this been the answer, we could have left the event inspired that the mayor understands the seriousness of this issue. His stated regret about accepting hospitality from a private citizen doing business with the city is significant. But the larger offense lies in the absence of a strong city policy to protect the vulnerable from abusive power. Had the mayor confided this regret, his perfectly teed-up ball could have soared. Unfortunately, it was flubbed off the tee.

EWC applauds Mr. DeSantis for quickly seeing the big picture and agreeing to the mayor's unexpected request so both men could speak. Hopefully, this campaign will provide other opportunities to discuss substantive issues. EWC is proud to help promote such nonpartisan public discourse.

KAREN W. MYRES
President
Executive Women's Council of Greater Pittsburgh Inc.
Oakland

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I'll take a cut, too!

I read with great interest the Sept. 29 article "Another N. Side Group Seeking Cut of Casino Action." My plea: How about me?

As a North Side resident for close to 50 years, I would like help from Don Barden and his casino (and any other future business planning on setting up on the North Side) to pay for my daughter's wedding next August, make my car and mortgage payments, pay my children's student loans off, buy my groceries, pay for my health care and make sure my children and grandchildren obey the law and stay off the streets where drive-by shootings and "gangsta" activity with the no-snitch standard have become the norm.

Do I really expect that? No! Why? Because these are my wife's and my responsibilities, no one else's -- ours and ours alone. It is time we as a community "pull ourselves up by the bootstraps" and stop blaming everyone else for our self-inflicted woes. This would include responsible parenting, working two jobs if necessary and taking pride in the appearance of your own neighborhood.

It is not Mr. Barden's or any other entrepreneur's duty to make your life easier as a result of his or her hard work. Frankly, I cannot see how Mr. Barden can constantly deal with all the roadblocks put in place by the city, baseball and football stadiums, and the community.

BILL WILLIAMS
North Side

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Seneca Valley teachers are being greedy

So, the Seneca Valley teachers are going on strike ("Seneca Valley Teachers to Strike Monday," Oct. 9). As a Seneca Valley parent with a senior and a freshman currently attending, I cannot believe the greed the teachers possess. I have fought for my country for 20 years as a member of the U.S. Navy and have almost never received a raise as much as the 6 percent raise Seneca Valley teachers are asking for.

I am not begrudging anyone's right to a pay raise, but the teachers forget they are the highest paid in Butler County, and they are attempting to take one of the benefits we have living in Butler County -- that the taxes are lower than those in Allegheny County.

This is supposed to be about the children they are paid to educate. How can the teachers look their students in the eye daily and try to explain their greed? Shame on you, teachers!

DAN MITCHELL
Cranberry

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