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PrintHow many more years and millions of tax dollars will Dan Onorato waste trying to fight the common-sense reality that property taxes must track changing property values to be fair? No politician likes to give voters bad news, but our county executive is displaying this phobia to a pathological degree with his pronouncement that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's recent ruling won't force the county to reassess properties ("Court Orders County Reassessment," April 30).
To be fair to Mr. Onorato, this issue is bigger than Allegheny County, and he may be trying to prevent well-heeled property owners from fleeing to surrounding counties that still use a base-year system. This is obviously a case for the state Legislature to take up, but I hope nobody holds their breath waiting for this: Most other counties probably enjoy life in their "Truman Show" bubble of decades-old property assessments, and their legislators will resist forced reassessments.
In fact, a base-year system in many of these counties may not result in the degree of unconstitutional disparity noted here because most nonurban counties have more uniformly rising property values. Outside Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and a few former industrial areas, it is probably hard to find such an extreme divergence of housing market value as has occurred with two identical old row houses in Braddock and the South Side Flats.
We Allegheny County residents and our executive have a choice: Continue to curse the darkness and shake our fists at the wind while spending millions of dollars on legal fees, or take that same money and invest (again, since the first attempt by Sabre Systems was thrown away) in a regularly updated reassessment system based on current market values.
GREG FUHRMAN
Spring Hill
Agent accuracy
Regarding the issue of property assessments: Prior to the hiring of Sabre Systems, I attended a meeting in the Gold Room of the county courthouse, chaired by Dan Onorato (who was not the county executive at the time). I suggested then and respectfully submit now that instead of hiring an outside source for an assessment, the county retain local sources that can effectively and accurately determine true assessed values. The source: local real estate agents. They daily roam every neighborhood in Allegheny County, evaluating today's home market prices and will provide home values accurately.
Sabre Systems placed values on homes in my neighborhood that ranged from $141,000 to $190,000 for mirror-image homes adjacent to each other. When Sabre failed, the county took another pass on these homes and the price ranged from $149,000 to $225,000 -- again, mirror image, same house dimensions and property dimensions.
My suggestion fell on deaf ears then and will probably do so again. The Sabre costs were about $41 million topped off by another pass that resulted in 90,000 appeals. Let's hope the county will do it right this time.
DON OPACIC
Franklin Park
Marathon's rebirth
After a six-year hiatus the Pittsburgh Marathon will mark its 20th running since 1985. On Sunday a record 10,500 registrants will be running 26.2 miles through the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.
Congratulations to board President Michele Fetting and Race Director Patrice Matamoros.
I am very proud to have been associated with the marathon since its inception in 1985. It is an internationally recognized event that not only promotes health awareness but also provides economic benefit to the region.
During the race the runners get to see our wonderful neighborhoods and the spectators come together for a citywide block party.
The rebirth of the Pittsburgh Marathon is a win-win both for the runners and for the city of Pittsburgh.
Come out on Sunday, and let's cheer the runners on!
FREDDIE H. FU, M.D.
Member, Board of Directors
Pittsburgh Marathon
Point Breeze
Amendment's point
I am writing in response to Mari Toten's April 9 letter ("Killing Devices"). Specifically, I am referring to her opinion that most gun rights proponents argue we need guns to kill animals for food.
The Second Amendment was not included for this reason. It was also not included so I could have a right to hunt on weekends, shoot leisurely at targets or collect guns.
It was included to protect us against an oppressive government.
JOHN ODZGA
McKees Rocks
Different arms
Those National Rifle Association members and others who claim the Second Amendment protects their right to own guns fail to realize that when that amendment was written AK-47s were not yet invented. The main weapon in the 1700s was a single-shot rifle.
If Richard Poplawski had not been able to buy an AK-47, we wouldn't have had the deaths of three dedicated police officers. I can't wait to hear what his defense attorney will be saying to try to excuse his behavior.
FIL BENEVENTO
North Huntingdon
Action against guns
All those newspaper articles and TV interviews with police officers pleading for protection from assault weapons in the hands of paranoids and criminals; the pleas from our responsible elected officials; the letters to the editor seeking gun control laws in order to stop violence in schools and homes and on the streets -- all efforts have hit a wall because of the power of the National Rifle Association and the deluded, far-right conservatives who believe weapons will protect them from these maniacs who kill indiscriminately.
Since so many of our lawmakers refuse to act because they are beholden to or frightened by the power of the NRA, it's time for new tactics. Why not take a leaf from the "tea party" organizers? Let's organize marches everywhere in favor of banning assault weapons and for responsible gun control laws. Let's send a clear message to legislators -- if they want to be re-elected, they must pass effective laws to protect our police and the citizens.
Rhetoric has been useless and repetitious. It's time for action.
RUTH LEVINE
Mt. Lebanon
Childish reaction
When my daughter was 4 years old, she attended a birthday party for one of her little friends. During the party, one of the little girls dropped her ice cream. The ensuing wailing and tears were nothing compared to the tantrums I have heard on conservative talk radio since Sen. Arlen Specter's defection to the Democrats.
It's a bit sad that the wails of a little girl of 4 who dropped her ice cream should be drowned out so thoroughly by grown men whose "party" was ruined by Sen. Specter.
KEVIN ROBERT MILLS
Youngwood
Please consider why people use midwives
I am disappointed by the Post-Gazette's treatment of the recent case against the midwife who was charged with a Bloomfield infant's death ("Judge Reluctantly Acquits Midwife," April 24). Even after losing the baby, this couple and many others like them continue to rely on midwives. The reason for this was fundamentally unexplored by the PG.
Some women choose to give birth with limited medical interventions and precautions. This may seem foolish -- why wouldn't someone do anything in order to guarantee the survival of their baby? Even if all goes wrong in the hospital, an emergency C-section can be performed. There are also fetal monitors, IVs, episiotomies, vacuums ... the list goes on and on.
But at what cost do we unconditionally embrace these interventions? Many thoughtful parents ask this question. Some are frustrated at the relationship between excessive interventions and medical liability.
Some question standards that depersonalize and disempower women. Some carefully weigh social, emotional and spiritual concerns along with physical risk reduction. The point isn't that these are right while others who choose a more conventional approach are wrong; the point is that there are no easy answers.
One thing is certain -- there is no excuse for reckless behavior by those whom we trust to care for us. But the only other people who were present at the birth of this baby -- his parents -- did not consider this midwife to have behaved recklessly. Instead they refused to sue her and celebrated her acquittal. Maybe we should ask if the prosecution was reckless in dragging out the pain of a grieving couple.
JENNIFER EVANS PELLING
Friendship
