PHEAA greed repulses tuition-paying families

Pennsylvania continues to prove that its main priority is the quality of life of its public officials and Legislature -- not the taxpayers. Richard E. Willey, who till this week was head of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, stands to receive more than one-third of a million dollars annually as a pension ("Audit Finds PHEAA Excess: Latest Evidence of Lavish Spending Hastens Resignation of Student Loan Agency's CEO," Oct. 5). In what world does that make sense?

What on earth could Mr. Willey do that is worth a $289,118 annual salary? Was this salary approved by the state Legislature? What qualifies a "public servant" for a $180,857 bonus? For most of us in the private sector, there is no such thing as a company pension. We have to save our own money, plus a small company contribution, in a 401(k).

Pennsylvania's public universities have among the highest tuition of any state in the United States. My son is a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I estimate the total cost of tuition, room and board for four years at $100,000. However, our family does not qualify for any state aid from PHEAA. As far as I'm concerned PHEAA does nothing for me.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania continues to pay itself first. And I am continually encouraged to move to another state -- one that treats its taxpayers as good as its public officials.

JASON TRUCKENBROD
Hampton

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Unsensational salary

Having never paid any attention to the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, I saw the headline "Audit Finds PHEAA Excess" (Oct. 5) and found much in the accompanying article to be underwhelming until I saw that the agency manages some $86 billion (that's with a "b") in assets. Now that is big money, about $7,000 for each living person in Pennsylvania and larger than a number of state teacher retirement funds (Ohio's is $65 billion). The item of about $80,000 for a company party amounts to (do the math) about one-millionth of the assets under management. I would call this chump change, well within the discretion of management.

The annual salary plus bonus of Richard E. Willey, while a lot more than that of most folk, is in the same range as the chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh and the president of Carnegie Mellon and somewhat less than the salary of the president of Penn State University. It is not sensational.

It would seem to me that the important question, to which I do not pretend to have the answer, is how the performance record of the agency's management compares with that of comparable investment management agencies, keeping in mind that each added percent of income is worth $860 million to the state. (Again, do the math.)

MILTON MANES
Shadyside

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Downtown's demise

City Council has voted to ignore the state-mandated parking tax reduction ("Council Votes to Freeze Parking Tax," Oct. 9).

There is a certain comfort in predictability, but not this time. Pittsburgh has continued to deteriorate at a steady and avoidable rate, especially within the Golden Triangle. Large retail businesses and their corresponding tax revenue have all but imploded Downtown. Yet, year after year, decade after decade, our city government has predictably ignored opportunity to make Downtown attractive to business and consumer alike.

Why would people want to shop Downtown? After all, park for an hour and get hammered for $12 to $15. Kind of takes the romance out of window shopping with your kids at Christmas, doesn't it?

It is very predictable. People, tired of paying for parking in substandard garages manned by expensive yet inexorable union changemakers, stop coming. Retail loses money, businesses close, the tax revenue from those businesses dries up and, in order to make up for it, well, of course, our old friend high taxes comes around to make everything all better.

This kind of backward, insipid management has plagued this town for decade after decade. Yet people line up to vote the same party in, decade after decade. God forbid we actually hold them accountable for this and ask them to take an administration or two off.

I guess we are too comfortable in our predictability to risk something new. And we will get what we deserve.

CONOR TOBIN
Upper St. Clair

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What kind of future?

I was amazed to read that the Pittsburgh schools have a 35 percent high school dropout rate ("Enrollment at City Schools Falls 4 Percent," Oct. 9). What happens to these young people? Are there programs in place to contact each individual for follow-up social services such as GED training and career counseling?

Can we not do more to prevent such a terrible hemorrhage of human potential? What kind of life will these young people aspire to?

MARTHA RAAK
Squirrel Hill

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Make nonprofits pay

The nonprofits in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas are getting a free ride. While they accumulate millions of dollars from what essentially are profits, they contribute almost laughable amounts to keep the city they are in functioning.

If they don't pay taxes or a reasonable amount from after-expense income to Pittsburgh, why should they be entitled to the use and support of city services without paying appropriate service fees based on the amount of nontaxable area they own?

MARC YERGIN
Squirrel Hill

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Backward planning

I contacted the Carnegie Science Center regarding its hours and was told that it is open seven days a week except for when the Steelers play. On those days, the science center is closed due to parking availability in the area.

Can't wait to see what impact the new casino will have. Once the casino is open, will the science center be limited to 10 a.m. to noon hours, so the gamblers can have the parking spaces?

Why are we doing a traffic study now; why wasn't it done before the North Side was determined to be a prime location for a casino?

K. HART
Castle Shannon

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Not my fliers

The letter claiming my office placed fliers on cars in the writer's church parking lot is flat out false ("Murphy Church Fliers," Sept. 26). While reaching out in various ways to my constituents is of the utmost importance to me, my office does so only through legitimate means of communication.

My office knows and respects the nonprofit, tax-exempt status of churches and would never put them at risk. MoveOn.org and other political organizations, which are the true source of these fliers, have purposely chosen to ignore the risks they pose to our local churches.

I would hope the Post-Gazette would independently verify such claims before publishing accusatory letters in the future.

U.S. REP. TIM MURPHY
Washington, D.C.

The writer, a Republican, represents the 18th Congressional District.

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Yes, embarrassing

I want to thank Renee Georgi for writing in and complaining about inappropriate ads on television ("Inappropriate Ads," Oct. 1 letters). My husband and I have been saying this for a long time.

We as a family watch TV with our grandchildren and children, and it's embarrassing for all of us. I think there is a time for these ads, and it's not through the day.

I hope someone can do something about it. Thanks again, Ms. Georgi.

J. MARGARET BRYAN
Carnegie

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Gov. Rendell, the evidence is clear about the death penalty

During his first campaign for governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell said he would consider instituting a moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty if he became convinced it was being applied unfairly. Now we read that a four-year study conducted by the American Bar Association ("Study Finds Major Flaws in Pa. Death Penalty Cases," Oct. 9) has indeed concluded that the system is broken.

When we also note that six people on death row in the state were later found to be innocent, we can only ask: "Gov. Rendell, what are you waiting for?"

Let's pressure the governor to keep his promise: It's time for a moratorium.

ROSEMARY K. COFFEY
Shadyside

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