Spend our tax money on these citizen benefits

Scott Bricker's June 24 letter ("Multimodal Transit") asking the Port Authority to put bike racks on the buses and trolleys is only scratching the surface of putting Pittsburgh on the bicycle map. There's a lot more to be done.

Pittsburgh hosts the Steelers and Pirates in publicly funded stadiums and ballparks but can't seem to get the governor to finish Point State Park. Anyone sighting a worker actually working on the project should report this to the Post-Gazette immediately.

I rode through Point State Park last Thursday and stopped to use the men's room. Unfortunately it was locked. There is a lack of toilet and water facilities all over our river trails. If you see one, better try to use it since you may not see another one for many miles.

I understand the current financial climate. We are in trouble precisely because we spend money on millionaire projects leaving nothing left for us common taxpayers. Other cities and communities have wonderful biking, walking and activity areas in their communities with public facilities along the way. Without Station Square and South Side Works, there are scant opportunities for relief and refreshment.

One only has to look at the success of the Great Allegheny Passage to realize that new businesses have sprung up as an offshoot of biking and hiking as well as canoeing. It's time for our community will to shift to the benefit of the citizens and not the millionaire/billionaire business that our politicians, managers and officials spend our money on.

In Chicago you can ride your bike to work, park it in a secure garage, rent a locker in a shower area and arrive at work refreshed, exhilarated and fit.

DAN KARACZUN
Dormont

East End transit

Regarding "The Big Leap in Transit We Didn't Get -- But Could" (June 28 The Next Page): Incorporation of better intermodal planning into bus route planning also would help. The largest concentration of bicycle riders in the Pittsburgh area is along the Forbes corridor to the East End -- Squirrel Hill, Regent Square, Point Breeze and closely surrounding communities. That is why there are four bicycle shops in this area, more than any other part of the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County area.

From looking at the buses traveling around Pittsburgh, I have often seen buses go in and out of the East End with bikes on the front but have rarely seen bikes on the Chartiers City and Perrysville buses.

The East End has good bicycle trail connections to Downtown. From Downtown back to East End means going up some mean hills or after dark riding on roads that make commuting by bicycle difficult. The 61 series enables commuters to bike Downtown, then have bus service back up the Forbes corridor to the East End, where the most number of potential bicycle-bus commuters are located.

So why does the Port Authority guarantee "rack 'n roll" bus service to Perrysville and Chartiers City, where apparently few bicycle riders use the service, but not the Forbes corridor to the East End, where there is a large concentration of bicycle riders? The East End is where there are more potential people willing to ride Downtown and bus back up the hills, especially if it were well-promoted.

MARC YERGIN
Squirrel Hill

Pa. belt-tightening

I read Jeffery J. Jackson's comments in the Saturday PG with interest ("It's Time for Pa. to Seriously Tighten Its Belt," June 27 letters). He makes several valid points about keeping the Pennsylvania budget within reasonable bounds by eliminating many frivolous expenses, unjustifiable since they are at the taxpayers' expense and serve to benefit isolated groups who should be paying their own way.

In addition, PG columnist Brian O'Neill's repeated suggestion about reducing the size of our overpopulated Legislature needs to be taken seriously.

Trying to extract additional tax revenues from citizens who are already stretched incredibly thin financially is not the answer.

CATHERINE S. HUBER
Swissvale

Dangerous cuts

Many individuals are unaware that both budgets before Pennsylvania's Legislature will result in significant, dangerous cuts to community mental health and substance abuse services.

While I acknowledge the challenges of addressing the state's budget deficit, the economic consequences of these changes will be felt by persons with mental illness as well as every employer, taxpayer, hospital and county government. Our community treatment infrastructure is so thread-bare that further cuts will produce more tragic outcomes and "sentinel events" that Gov. Ed Rendell's deputies will refuse to accept as consequences of their financially based decisions.

Reliable research has shown that cutting mental-health funding only raises costs to county governments, hospitals, employers, criminal justice systems and taxpayers. These cuts are more concerning because Gov. Rendell will be reneging on his promise to expand community services and supports in light of the Mayview State Hospital closure.

Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Individuals who want adequate care for our seriously disabled citizens as well as people who do not want to pay for the cuts with higher costs elsewhere should call their state legislators and protest. Don't stand idly by while Gov. Rendell proceeds with his agenda to dismantle instead of fix mental-health care in our region. He isn't finished yet.

SUZANNE VOGEL-SCIBILIA, M.D.
Beaver County Psychiatric Services
Beaver

The long-term fix

While Mayor Luke Ravenstahl continues to search for tax increases and aid from Harrisburg to place a bandage on the multimillion-dollar city pension fund deficit, he never mentions the remedy for fixing the problem long-term. That is, freezing the pension fund now and placing all new city employees in 401(k)-like defined contribution plans.

Almost no one in the private sector has a traditional defined benefit plan anymore because private employers cannot sustain the cost -- nor can the city. Anything short of a major overhaul will only be short-term.

I can only assume that Mayor Ravenstahl does not pursue true pension reform because he fears upsetting the unions. This young man needs to move into the 21st century when it comes to the city pension problem.

PATRICK WARD
Whitehall

World War I champs

Regarding the June 24 letter by David Palmer (" 'Champions' Change"): I'm just as impressed with the "City of Champions" as everyone else, but ...

I can only hope that Mr. Palmer is just kidding about renaming the Boulevard of the Allies as the "Boulevard of Champions." He is, isn't he? If not, someone please explain to him the significance of the roadway's name.

Um, you do know why it's called Boulevard of the Allies, don't you?

TOM OROS
Aliquippa

Social Security owes me

I'm really getting tired of hearing local (and sometimes national) radio spin merchants complain about people on Social Security getting a "free ride." The other day I even heard a radio ad by a local money manager huckster refer to Social Security as "charity," so I decided to review what that program owes me. That's right, owes me.

I worked for Mellon Bank for 40 years, and during that time, I saved every pay statement that I ever received.

Last week, I took all of those statements and itemized, using an Excel spreadsheet, all of the money I paid into Social Security and Medicare over that 40 years. I totaled the FICA, Medicare and other retirement deductions that were taken from my salary without discussion or agreement from me. I felt that these deductions should have at least earned 5 percent interest compounded monthly during this time. I know, they were actually spending it as fast as they took it from me, but if they hadn't taken it from me, and I had saved it on my own, I figure this is at least what I would have by now.

Over my 40 years at Mellon Bank, I paid $107,753.65 in direct payroll Social Security deductions. The interest accrued over that period, at 5 percent compounded monthly, added $101,587.19 -- for a total of $209,340.84 after rounding (this figure doesn't even include the required matching contributions from my employer). Subtracting my current monthly Social Security payment of $1,549.50 starting at my retirement date of Dec. 1, 2003, I finally run out of money on April 1, 2022 -- assuming the principle continues to earn interest on the declining balance, although the payroll "contributions" stop.

Therefore, I figure I have a while to go before my payments become "charity."

WAYNE CLIFTON
Mount Washington

Let's see leadership, not self-preservation

The PG reports many oppose Gov. Ed Rendell's tax hike proposal ("Opponents Lining Up Against Pa. Tax Increase," June 19). As a fiscal conservative, I can sympathize, but I am troubled by the politics of it all.

Much of the underlying tone of the article suggests many elected officials would not support a tax increase for fear of losing their seats in the upcoming election. This is a disgrace and suggests many of our elected officials do not possess the leadership ability required for their positions. As a citizen of Pennsylvania, I expect my elected officials to do what is best for the state and not their self-interest.

It is easy to be a leader in good times; true leadership is demonstrated through making difficult decisions. Pennsylvania is in a difficult position right now, and I am interested to see if our elected officials are up for the challenge.

Martin Luther King Jr. observed that leadership is about molding consensus. Regardless of whether taxes are increased, the solutions to our state's problems will be uncomfortable for some; officials will have to mold consensus. Pennsylvania needs elected officials more sensitive to the state's best interest than their own.

RYAN STOKES
Lawrenceville

Don't cut off people from necessary services

The Pennsylvania Legislature faces a daunting task in balancing our state budget for the coming year. While deliberating over their difficult decisions and trying to best represent their constituents, it is imperative that our representatives maintain funding for programs for those who need them most: people with disabilities.

While interning at the Consumer Health Coalition, I found that the organization has focused on the proposed state budget cuts that attempt to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable. Programs for people with disabilities remain severely threatened in this difficult budget year. Among proposed cuts are decreases to mental health, mental retardation, autism, aging and substance abuse treatment services, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and attendant care and independent living supports. Still harsher, these cuts will remove some consumers from services they already are receiving, in addition to curtailing new openings in existing programs. Services for some conditions, such as epilepsy, risk even more stringent cuts. While true that some programs must experience cuts, these services are necessary to the welfare of those who receive them and for the overall welfare of the commonwealth.

In a time when we so adamantly encourage treatment for substance abuse and value living independently, cuts to these programs would be immensely shortsighted. Pennsylvanians should contact their representatives and demand that funding remain intact for programs for those with disabilities. As consumers shouted at the CHC budget rally, we are better than this!

ANGELA M. KOWALSKI
Oakland

Fighting the stigma of lung cancer

Thank you to Mark Roth for his recent articles on lung cancer ("Does Lung Cancer Get Short Shrift?" June 21; "Lung Cancer Patient Takes Aggressive Tack," June 22). So few people even know that lung cancer is the nation's top cancer killer that stories such as this do a great service to the women and men affected by the disease. Thank you also for discussing the stigma surrounding the disease; this stigma can keep patients from getting the treatment they deserve and the emotional support they need.

That is why we developed the Free to Breathe 5K race series for lung cancer, with it's inaugural event in Philadelphia. Last year, 1,300 people attended the Philadelphia event to publicly declare their care and compassion for lung cancer patients, survivors and the families of those lost to the disease. With the money that was raised, we were able to fund research that we hope will ultimately help patients live longer and better lives.

Due to the successes of that event, the Pennsylvania Lung Cancer Partnership, the second state chapter of the National Lung Cancer Partnership, was formed. If you want to fight the stigma of lung cancer, the Pennsylvania Lung Cancer Partnership is here for you.

REGINA VIDAVER
Executive Director
National Lung Cancer Partnership
Madison, Wis.

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