Democracy Just Doesn't Work

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Priceless, man, priceless. Steel trap analysis and probing insight of those Kennywood scoundrels who are at the root of so many of our social problems today.

And why should that West Mifflin brain trust stop at the municipal borders? You’re telling me Kennywood’s idea of “justice” is entirely unrelated to the increase in the state’s uninsured, the Pittsburgh Zoo’s fiscal challenges and declining SAT scores?

Not even a windbag like myself believes that!
Prof. Windbag - December 20, 2007

Some other things that did not contribute to the tax increase:

Closing of local industries.
Absorbing of surrounding school districts Whitaker, Duquesne, etc.
A population dominated by retirees.
The Dude from West Mifflin - December 21, 2007

Correct, WMDude, except for (2.), because we’re talking about borough taxes, not school taxes.

Here’s another —- the county’s property tax assessment freeze, which prevents property values from going up (or down) with the market.
Webmaster - December 21, 2007

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”

In more serious postings, you’ve written about the bad effects of multitudinous municipalities with self-serving agendas. Local communities struggle just to maintain the status quo.

Imagine Kennywood Park being managed by West Mifflin Council President W.W. Junior, to whom The Daily News credits the “Senor Olasz, El Champion” of Kennywood remark. Add to his staff Councilman Richard Olasz, the former State Representative who, in a 1992 plea bargain with the PA State Ethics Commission, admitted to twice misusing PA House automobile leasing funds on cars for his family members. Fill out the park supervisory staff with their Council colleagues.

Move the Kennywood management team into 3000 Lebanon Church Road and give them fiscal and operational authority over West Mifflin. Expect them to use their acquisition skills to lead a reunification of the municipalities that made up the original Mifflin Township. Their ability to continually innovate while capitalizing on the area’s historical heritage would draw international attention and investment.

Is Mencken correct? Is such a reversal implausible?
Strisi - December 21, 2007

Well, I’d certainly like to see how my fearless leaders here in West Mifflin will handle the additional burden of taxation, but alas —- the assessments of their properties can no longer be readily found on the Allegheny County Website. At least these political hacks could all agree on something —- how to cover their tracks.

Better to screw Kennywood than to screw me, I say. They can give themselves a net profit way faster than I can give myself.

Sergeant Mike
Mike Mauer - December 21, 2007

Interesting comments all the way around.

Mike, I don’t mind ‘em taxin’ Kennywood, either.

But I think Kennywood minds the fact they were the only ones being taxed, which is like the West Mifflin police only enforcing speed limits for red cars, or the West Mifflin building inspector only enforcing zoning laws for houses with odd-numbered addresses.

If they’re going to levy a tax on amusement enterprises, the law is very clear —- they need to tax movie tickets, bowling alleys, concerts, dances, etc. It’s not an amusement “park” tax.

As the City of Pittsburgh defines it, for instance, amusement tax “is levied on the gross admissions of patrons of any type of event that offers entertainment or allows the patrons to engage in the entertainment.”

Strisi, I suspect a reconstituted Mifflin Township —- incorporating the Waterfront complex, Century III Mall, Homestead, Munhall, Whitaker, West Mifflin and Duquesne —- would be a formidable municipality with a wide range of taxable properties. It might also attract some better office-seekers.

At the very least, there would be a larger population to choose from. (I haven’t looked at the numbers, but between West Mifflin’s 22,000 people, Munhall’s 12,000 people, and the other communities, it seems to me you’d approach 50,000 residents, which would wield some influence in Harrisburg and on the county level.)

Of course, a community incorporating all of those people would have some big challenges, too. But no opportunities come without challenges.

Good grief, I sound like a fortune cookie all of a sudden ….
Webmaster - December 22, 2007

I don’t want to talk politics over the Holidays but…...

WM Council did the pooch when they maxed out KW’s taxes without giving the ownership a heads up. Kennywood ate the new taxes andwent to work with the legilature to return the favor.

People complain about Mr. O and call him names. He is the only councilman who made any sense during this entire fiasco.

I suspect the next Council election in WM will see SUBSTANTIAL turn-over. Or it won’t, and the citizens will get more of the same.

Jason and your readers,

Have a blessed Christmas.

Peace on Earth…. N@

-Paul
Paul Shelly (URL) - December 23, 2007

Well,just to keep all folks updated,our borough taxes were raised to 1 mil in 2008. So we got Kennywood back to paying the 2 1/2 % tax,therefore shouldn’t we be rolling back the borough tax? According to West Mifflin council,that’s a NO ! Again another ploy to raise borough taxes. Guess everyone will have to bite the bullet in the borough until the economy stabilizes,perhaps laying off police officers,borough workers,and put a ceiling on expenditures for legal fees. Ahh ! but that makes too much sense. But then again it’s West Mifflin politics at it’s finest! :o)
pepsi - December 29, 2008

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