UPMC is making a great gesture, a $100 million gesture. We shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. However, if that gift horse is a Trojan horse (exemption from future voluntary contributions or taxes forever), City Council and the mayor should look closely ("City Weighs UPMC Trade-Off," Dec. 19). In fairness, we should be willing to allow UPMC a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for what it actually contributes to the Pittsburgh Promise.

While this may have the effect of the city funding part of the Pittsburgh Promise, it would be well worth it. Let's let UPMC be the benefactor it desires and get credit for what it contributes, but not exemption from city taxes forever.

ROBERT BERNSTEIN
Squirrel Hill

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Regarding the article "Mayor Responds to Critics of UPMC Pittsburgh Promise Agreement" (Dec. 19 post-gazette.com):

Perhaps the members of City Council wouldn't have characterized the Pittsburgh Promise donation for tax credits arrangement as a "back-room side-deal" that would give the hospital system special treatment if the mayor hadn't accepted an unusually large gift of a golf outing from UPMC. It seems like a particularly coincidental quid pro quo. Apparently nobody ever taught our clueless leader that the appearance of impropriety is just as damning as impropriety itself.

Once again, he proves he just doesn't get it.

REID P. MEYER
Squirrel Hill

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When I heard about the magnanimous offer from UPMC toward the Pittsburgh Promise, I was immediately skeptical. Jeffrey Romoff and UPMC don't do anything solely out of the kindness and generosity of their hearts. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop ... and boy, did it!

As one former, nondisgruntled employee of UPMC, I have become familiar with Mr. Romoff's machinations. He can see the handwriting on the wall; he knows that those with nonprofit status but big business bucks will eventually have to pay the piper! And since he is the largest, most influential nonprofit ... well, you do the math.

I hate to see entities of privilege abuse their status and power and make a mockery of the generous act of contribution to worthy causes.

And Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, although I am not a city of Pittsburgh resident, I do work in the city and have been rooting for you, giving you the benefit of the doubt and encouraging others to do the same. I really had high hopes for you to bring the city to a new level and to make dreams come true. But, sir, you have been played like a violin!

City Council, don't sell your city off to the highest bidder!

VANESSA ONCKEN
Moon

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As the 2008 presidential race gathers steam, I hope voters will take heed of the true lessons of the presidency of George W. Bush.

Lessons such as: Unregulated market capitalism and supply-side economics do not produce economic opportunity for the masses but instead inevitably result in corruption, unhealthy risk-taking and overaccumulation of wealth by a small percentage of the population; erosion of stringent checks and balances among the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government leads to highly questionable ethical conduct by the leaders of our nation; and pre-emptive use of the military as a cornerstone of foreign policy results in isolation within the international community, the appearance of imperialistic aims and contribution to the destabilization of our economy and the economies of other nations.

If the 2008 elections (for president and for Congress) proceed as it appears they will, the Democratic Party will regain control of the executive and legislative branches. It will not make a difference, though, unless the errors of Bush II are used as a basis for correcting the direction of the country in all three of these areas. I believe that the country is due for a dose of populism unlike anything since FDR.

MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
McCandless

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I am profoundly deaf, an advocate of spoken language, and the reigning Pennsylvania state title holder under the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Program.

As my platform is "Oral Deaf Education -- Finding Your Voice," I read with great interest the article "Signs of Friendship" (Dec. 3). The article discusses deaf international exchange students visiting the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and problems associated with communication between countries. This article illustrates yet another reason why deaf people should opt for oral deaf education as opposed to signing.

While I realize not everyone is a candidate for a cochlear implant and spoken language communication, probably most of the students referenced in the article would benefit from a cochlear implant. As if being deaf isn't challenging enough, the fact that sign language is not uniform throughout the world is just baffling.

I advocate oral deaf education, such as that provided by the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, my alma mater, where children learn to use their residual hearing and actually learn to speak -- no sign language needed.

In spite of being deaf, I dance, act, sing and am totally mainstreamed in the Mt. Lebanon School District with no special services. None of my friends even know I am deaf until I tell them. I am just one of many DePaul students who have been totally and successfully mainstreamed into public school and whose speech is substantially normal. It saddens me to know what the teens in the article are missing out on.

To the Australian exchange students: The cochlear implant was invented right in your own back yard by an Australian doctor, Dr. Graham Clark, who I have had the privilege and honor of meeting. It would really be worthwhile for you to investigate the options available through cochlear implants. If you have an opportunity to hear through technology and speak through an oral deaf program, go for it!

ELENA LaQUATRA
Miss Pennsylvania Outstanding Teen America, 2007
Mt. Lebanon

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In his Dec. 13 letter "Better Tax Source," Herbert Barry III says the county government should spend more, not less, and that it can raise the money by using the most recent property assessments. I disagree.

Property is worth what a buyer and seller agree to pay and accept for it. Assessed value is how much an assessor guesses the property would sell for if it were sold now. It is at best an approximation of the actual value.

Why should we think that one guess is more accurate than another? Mr. Barry says assessed value because a neighborhood becomes more desirable, so property owners have gained wealth and can afford to pay higher taxes. This doesn't follow. Nearby development can raise property values, but it doesn't increase the income or savings people pay taxes from.

If property taxes rise, businesses will charge customers more and/or pay employees less, landlords will raise rents and homeowners will turn over more of their incomes to the government, or lose their homes.

Finally, I disagree that the county government should spend more, not less. Is there no service that couldn't be delivered at less cost than now? Or eliminated entirely? Instead of thinking up new taxes, we should find ways to reduce government spending. If the county government ended corporate welfare, employed only enough people to perform necessary services and paid them reasonable salaries and benefits, then it wouldn't be trying to squeeze more money from already overtaxed property owners.

THOMAS GILLOOLY
Forest Hills

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Who made America ungovernable? This is a question that I would like to ask each presidential candidate. Their responses would be most telling.

The media approach of relentless character-type questioning does nothing but distract from the real issues of governance. Whenever I read and hear how the European Union and the rest of the "now" civilized nations are progressing in all the governmental functions expected of established democracies, I am envious (see PG editorial "EU Efficiency," Dec. 17).

By contrast, we here in the USA wallow in obstructionism as special interests and moneyed lobbyists rule. Our citizenry seems to be tuned out. We react to societal problems rather than to proactively fix them. And this president and his GOP cohorts continue to block everything valuable coming out of the majority in Congress in order to gain a political edge and to hold hostage representative government. When one does not truly believe in democratic government, what do you expect?

In 1960, John F. Kennedy campaigned on moving our country forward. To the contrary, our current power structure, which is in no way considered "visionary," looks backward to the Gilded Age.

We fester in a (glorified) war economy. It is expensive in more ways than one to declare war on everything. Wars do not create victory or stability or ... democracy

JOHN CATOLINE
McCandless