Many cities have successfully used hospitality taxes such as Allegheny County's 10 percent drink tax as a way to collect revenues from visitors as well as residents.

I have seen those taxes added to my bill for rental cars, hotel rooms and other travel services in areas ranging from Key West to Seattle. Hospitality taxes ease the burden on local residents. Property taxes put the burden solely on local residents.

I would like to see the Post-Gazette publish a list of the restaurateurs and bar owners who are part of Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation, the group lobbying to eliminate the drink tax ("Tax Revolt May Be Sobering for Onorato," May 19). I have read only about Kevin Joyce of The Carlton restaurant leading the opposition to the drink tax, and it would be unfair to avoid only that establishment.

ROBERT KUNKLE
Ross

It's ironic that an article labeled "Tax Revolt May Be Sobering for Onorato" (May 19) appeared in the same edition of the PG that had six pages of sheriff's sales listed.

As a senior who appreciates all that Dan, the No-Tax Man, has done and is attempting to do for us, I want to reassure Mr. Onorato that I am one senior who appreciates his efforts in doing what he can for us. More property taxes will only mean 12 pages of sheriffs sales, rather than the present six.

There are many of us who do appreciate his efforts, and I for one will do my utmost in publicly supporting and working for him in any political arena he seeks. Having served 26 years as a Highlands school board member, I know how difficult it is to attempt to keep taxes as low as possible for everyone, not only we seniors.

Perhaps Mr. Onorato should consider being a talk show host and replace the likes of Kevin Miller and Marty Griffin. I'll drink to that.

W. JOHN STANOSKI
Harrison

I was out of town when Kiski School Headmaster Jack Pidgeon passed away, thus this late letter ("Jack Pidgeon, Revered Kiski School Headmaster, Dies at 83," May 14).

I had a baseball camp at Kiski because of Jack. I tried to run it in a fashion that Jack would feel good about. I also tried to soak up as much as I could the way that Jack Pidgeon dealt not only with his students but everyone he came in contact with.

I have never met a more consistent, principled man in my life. I also have never met a man who enjoyed a good laugh or a good story more than he did.

Jack Pidgeon touched my life and I am better because of it. I think I speak for a lot of people.

STEVE BLASS
Pittsburgh Pirates
North Shore

I have no sympathy for Justin Jackson, the man shot by police after pulling his weapon and shooting a K-9 dog ("Officer Kills Man During Run-in With K-9," May 7). Only the stupidest among us would do such a thing. Were the remaining officers expected to give Mr. Jackson the benefit of the doubt that they wouldn't be next?

The reaction of the neighbors, if true as reported, casts a horrible picture of them. They value the life of a thug more than the lives of those who are there to protect them. No wonder crime is so high in some areas.

I have a message for our lawmakers: We have serious criminal issues in this country that don't pertain to who is sleeping with whom, or how the county coroner conducted his business. This so-called "great" country is awash in moral sickness where there is torture of people and their animals, home invasions and sexual predation upon women and children. All violent offenders should be imprisoned for life, without the possibility of parole. To those who would be concerned about the cost of this, I ask what is the value of securing safety for the innocent?

Perhaps our schools could enlighten students as to the consequences when there is lack of self-control that leads to crime. Lives might be saved. Some parents try their best to instill values in their children. Unfortunately, other parents aren't worth their weight in spit.

MICHAEL J. GOODMAN
Ross

Regarding Rob Rogers' May 20 cartoon: I do not understand the meaning intended, but I am appalled at the lack of sensitivity for our veterans. Please show some respect and not print things showing a quadruple amputee lying in bed and another character saying, "I know how you feel ... Iraq forced me to give up golf too."

THEODORE J. FAUTH
Plum

Do the people who were offended by Rob Rogers' May 20 cartoon believe that "giving up golf" is a sacrifice?

During an interview with the Politico on May 13, President Bush said, "I didn't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf. I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal."

If anyone actually thinks this is not an insult to those in the military and their families, I suggest that they immediately enlist or encourage a loved one to enlist. After enlisting, please volunteer to be deployed to the Middle East or one of the military hospitals treating those whose lives and bodies have been shattered by this war. After a couple of months in Iraq or Afghanistan, please let us all know what you think of "giving up golf" as a sacrifice.

NORMAJEAN GRAYBILL
Mt. Lebanon

Thank you, Rob Rogers, for your cartoon on Tuesday. It's an "in your face" editorial cartoon, as it should be. I'm sure the PG is going to receive a lot of flack about it, but at least it should get people's attention.

The sacrifices of our soldiers and their families for this needless war are insulted by the words of Mr. Bush and what he has "given up" for the war. Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney and this administration have done such damage to this country for the past 71/2 years that it will take years to undo that damage and restore our country and our reputation.

It's best if Mr. Bush just keeps his mouth closed and fades away quickly. This war has to end, and we need to heal.

GRETCHEN K. WINGERT
Sligo

I am tired of hearing all the reasons why oil prices are up. The newest explanation is that they are not finding that many new oil fields.

Somehow with a full embargo from 1990 to 1996 and a limited one from then on against Iraq, the prices were kept low. How is it that the prices have jumped when this oil-rich country is more stabilized under a democracy than when it was controlled by a dictator who kept it in a state of war for more than 10 years before the oil embargo?

GARY W. BONACCI
Collier

It is almost unbelievable that 35 years have passed since the city of Pittsburgh established a home-rule government. Since then quite a number of other substantial revisions "in the way we do government" have taken place. We created the Regional Asset District, which is an extraordinarily unique method of guaranteed funding for our civic and cultural institutions, which can so easily fall victim to neglect when budgets are tightened. We also passed home-rule government for Allegheny County. And to the surprise of some and the delight of most, we were also able to reduce the number of elected offices of the county. These were positions that needed professional, not political, management.

With this established record of willingness to overcome political considerations to improve our government, it is time to home in on what will be the most contentious and at the same time most meaningful reform of our local government. It is time to face the need to streamline decision making and provide strong leadership and a clear approach to public services. We should not be limited by political boundaries established more than a century ago when the population of this entire region was concentrated in the 55 square miles that define Pittsburgh.

It is time to open a new chapter in the history of making this area great. We need new tools to deal with the dispersion in population and employment that has ensued since the end of World War II. In order to encourage business investment, jobs for our children and, who knows, perhaps even a reversal of the decline in population, it's time to face up to the need for consolidation of the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. We all know that it is the right thing to do. Now let's do it.

RICHARD F. BERDIK
Chief Financial Officer
The Dietrich Charitable Trusts
Downtown

Recently the Penguins codified their commitment to the Hill District and its residents. Score!

The Penguins also plan to collaborate with the Pittsburgh Technology Council and local companies to future-proof the new arena with high-tech services -- imagine from-your-seat food ordering ("The Future Is Now for Technology at Penguins' New Arena," May 13). Score!

Why not go for a hat trick? Building a truly future-proof arena -- a clean, green arena would benefit the Penguins' profitability in the long run, the region's reputation for innovation and the community's quality of life.

The Washington Nationals new HOK-designed ballpark is the first green stadium. And the Pirates are environmental leaders using corn-based cups, recycled paper, soy-based inks for game-day programs and flex-fuel cars for their scouts. Pittsburgh has made the playoffs when it comes to Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings including our Convention Center, PNC Firstside, the Children's Museum (learn more from the Green Building Alliance at gbapgh.org). But we need to bring home the green building trophy.

I realize I'm raising this point late in the third period of arena design, but many a game's been won with less time on the clock. And both HOK and the Penguins' management team have the talent needed to be champions in the green building arena. I'm urging the Penguins' leadership to make that game-winning push for a truly visionary collaboration.

Get an assist from Pittsburgh's green building community. Go for the hat trick! Go green! Go Pens!

JOHN INSERRA
Mt. Lebanon

After reading the May 8 Web letter "My Conscience Won't Allow My Paying for War," I realized that I am in a similar situation. I have now realized that my income taxes are being used to pay for things like drug-addicted people's groceries. The money that they, the government, force me to pay is going for things like pork-barrel projects! I cannot, in good conscience, continue to give my money to a government that would rather take that money and give it to people who did not earn, and do not deserve it.

At what point is one of our representatives going to start concerning themselves about the money they waste every day? To letter writer Timothy A. Pearce: At least the government is supposed to use money for war, but it is not mandated by the Constitution to hand it out to people who make their living sitting on the couch.

THOMAS STUMP
Beaver Falls

PG, how can you be so right one time and so wrong the next time!

You are like a bulldog, correctly so, in pursuing the scandal at West Virginia University regarding Heather Bresch and the phony degree, but you ridicule Sen. Arlen Specter's effort to shed some light on the cheating by the New England Patriots organization ("Game Over," May 17 editorial). You blow that off as sort of a laughing matter and that we have more important matters to which to attend.

Well, the same argument could be made in regard to your WVU scandal campaign. You did not accept WVU's flimsy explanation regarding the supposed records errors, but you are perfectly willing to accept the National Football League's flimsy explanation of, just a minor event, no real harm and, "oh, by the way, we destroyed the evidence so no one else could benefit."

The real problem here is that huge amounts of money are gambled on these games and especially the post-season and the Super Bowl. Cheating brings the integrity of these games into question, and any investigation could expose some unpleasant facts that the NFL would much rather dismiss as just minor infractions that the commissioner's office took care of.

The whole affair -- with the destruction of evidence, the public downplaying, the attacks on former Patriots employee Matt Walsh -- has a smell to it. For one of the few times, I agree with Sen. Specter and support his efforts in this matter, and the PG should be doing the same.

HENRY W. JONES
Moon

Sen. John McCain and other Republicans have denounced Sen. Barack Obama for advocating unconditional talks with Iran. The Bush administration has insisted that Iran cease uranium enrichment before any talks. However, as Sen. Arlen Specter said to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at a Senate hearing in April: Since the object of the talks would be to stop this enrichment, "how can we insist on their agreeing to the object that we want as a precondition to having the talks?"

While the president of Iran makes some wild and crazy remarks, it is important to understand that the real power in Iran lies in the more realistic Council of Guardians. Honest diplomacy that takes into account the interest of all countries can succeed. The major problem is that the Bush administration believes only in military threats and not in real diplomacy.

Vice President Cheney and his neo-con friends want a war with Iran just as they plotted to get us into a war with Iraq. The consequences of such a war would be extremely disastrous for the United States and for the world.

It is essential that we heed the wisdom of Obama and Specter and not fall prey to the arrogance of Cheney and McCain.

LINCOLN WOLFENSTEIN
Squirrel Hill

Once again we have to bear a conservative (letter writer Harry Choder) deigning to explain the market to us, the ignorant public ("Econ 101 for Leaders," May 19 letters). If we only understood the intricacies of the market and the fairness of the invisible hand that regulates it, we would surely capitulate to his free-market way of seeing things.

Well, I haven't spent a lifetime worshiping the market, but I have had Econ 101 and from that humble perspective I would like to ask Mr. Choder a few questions that might even require the expertise of Micro 201 to answer. What would be the effect of adding another 3 percent world market capacity by opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Please take into account, Mr. Choder, the oil market is fungible and the United States would receive only a small share of that resource from the international oil companies that would develop it. Consider that other producers might simply reduce their supply proportionately as a counter to keep prices high.

Here's an even tougher question that might require an advanced degree in the dismal science: What is the effect of speculation and market futures on the present price of oil? How much oil is being held off the market or hoarded on speculation of future prices and how much is that free-market activity increasing price? (I've heard that it may be as much as 30 percent.)

Perhaps Mr.Choder should go back to the economic modeling board and try to confront these questions in light of the complex political realities that we face in a world market that we can no longer dominate and control before he lectures us again.

THOMAS AMMONS
Hampton

I think it is disturbing how the Post-Gazette has paid more attention to the police dog that was recently killed than the man who was killed in the same incident ("Officer Kills Man During Run-in With K-9," May 7). This has nothing to do with the fact that the shooting was probably justified (pull out a gun in the presence of police and you can pretty much expect to get shot at).

Nevertheless, to give so much attention to a dog over a person is symptomatic of our sick society and its twisted values.

Dogs of the wealthy get plastic surgery while many people die for a lack of medical care. The family of the man who was shot must be deeply insulted.

JOHN LIPCHIK
Indiana, Pa.

Isn't it amazing to hear Laura Bush denounce incompetent political leaders who botch disaster relief and put political ideology ahead of human life ("Myanmar Cyclone Toll May Reach 10,000")?

Mrs. Bush said, "The response to the cyclone is the most recent failure of the regime to meet its people's basic needs." She also said, "If they don't accept aid from the United States and from all the rest of the international community that want to help the people of Burma, it's just another way that the military regime looks so cut off and so unaware of what the real needs of their people are."

Has she forgotten how her husband's regime failed to meet the basic needs of the people of New Orleans after Katrina struck? Does she remember how Mr. Bush rejected the immediate delivery of 1,600 medics, field hospitals and 83 tons of medical supplies from a nearby neighbor with extensive experience in hurricane relief ? because the offer came from Cuba?

Mrs. Bush says she can't understand why the government of Burma would refuse to allow U.S. government disaster relief workers into their country. Perhaps she should ask the people of New Orleans.

JAY LYNCH
Upper St. Clair

We welcome your letters. Please include your name, address and phone number, and send to Letters to the Editor, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222. E-mail letters to letters@post-gazette.com or fax to 412-263-2014. Letters should be 250 words or less, original and exclusive to the Post-Gazette. All letters are subject to editing for length, clarity and accuracy and will be verified before being published.

First Published: May 22, 2008, 4:00 a.m.