Thursday, October 6, 2011

Tea Party Mathematics: How Would Raja Propose To Replace Drink Tax Revenue?

Raja has approximate 15 minutes to devise a proposal for replacing roughly $45 million in Allegheny County revenue that would be lost consequent to elimination of the drink tax. He should probably refrain from consulting the financial advisers who overlooked the Regional Asset District tax when declaring that imposition of the drink tax -- a mistake for which Rich Fitzgerald is accountable -- had effected the largest tax increase in Allegheny County history.

Infytune: Loan Me A Dime, Boz Scaggs

11 comments:

Speaking of accountable said...

You went all in on Raja coming out against the drink tax this morning, for your sake he better be making that announcement right about now

James said...

You mean like this?

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11279/1180169-100.stm

Conservative Mountaineer said...

Fitzgerald said this would result in eleimination of 500-1,000 County positions.

And, this is a bad thing, why?

How?
1. Start with the County Police.
2. Replace property tax with an income tax and eliminate anyone associated with the assessment office and real estate taxes.
3. Eliminate a good part of the County roads crew, especially the group who paves County roads (e.g., the recent paving in Settlers Cabin Park.. poor job.)

Those are a start.

Infinonymous said...

What does the county police department do?

Anonymous said...

What exactly if I may ask was the purpose of advance speculation about D. Raja's announcement? I believe it is very bad taste. Why not show some respect and let the candidate make the announcement. Then respond as you would like as a member of the press. I feel the press should report on news and not try to become the news. Is it because he is a conservative, I wonder would you treat Mr. Fitzgerald with such disrespect or this is saved for the Republican? I urge all voters to examine D. Raja's record and positions and bring a responsible person to county government.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Infy, how dare you put news out there without permission?

Infinonymous said...

The jumping-the-gun situation may be even worse than you thought, Anonymous 9:27.

That link might, however, defuse some of your favoritism concerns.

On second thought, probably not.

Conservative Mountaineer said...

@Infi.. You said "What does the county police department do?"

Well, they, uh, uh.. OH! They patrol the airport departure/arrival zones.. something a minumum wage rent-a-cop do.

But, they do look god in their super-tight uniforms with their hats secured by an over-tight chin strap.

Infinonymous said...

An argument is more persuasive when founded upon knowledge.

Or, as Emil Faber phrased it: Knowledge Is Good.

James said...

According to the county website, the county cops investigate "all criminal activity which occurs on county-owned property, while providing assistance to local police departments and criminal justice agencies."

There are 130 municipalities in Allegheny County. They don't all have an A/V forensic unit, a bomb squad, or a SWAT team. Some of them don't even have police departments, but they can all call on the county for support when needed.

Gene Coon's other leg said...

The County Police provide major crimes/homicide investigative services to suburban municipalities that cannot/will not provide those services themselves.
City of Pittsburgh residents pay for their own police force, and through their county taxes pay help pay for a police force whose primary reason to exist is to serve the suburbs.

Don't even get me started on how many deputy sheriffs we have, why they are certified as municipal police (even thought the other 66 county sheriffs in this state are not classified as police), and why they make so much more than so many other certified police in Allegheny county...