We've finally gotten an action by a District 2 Council Representative on behalf of the will of the overwhelming majority of the residential property owners.

(Daniel Deasy and Samuel Berninger are candidates for the full Council term in the November General Election.)

Just over a year after City Council and the Mayor acted to terminate
the WE-HAV operation, Resolution 591-2005 has come into law,
providing for the return of the full $20 per residential unit to those who paid the illegitimate WE-HAV tax.

<click here to see the Resolution as sent from the City Clerk's Office>

I Note a few things:

- Mayor Murphy did not sign the Resolution.

- There has been no mention that I know of regarding requiring
  a public disclosure of the West Pittsburgh Partnership's WE-HAV bookkeeping,
  nor any investigation thereof.
(the 'Partnership was involved in John Peth's lawsuit when it permitted the spending of approximately $15,000 of the illegitimately-collected WE-HAV tax funds.)

- There has been no mention that I know of regarding holding accountable for    re-imbursement, the persons and entities responsible for the short-fall of the tax    funds,
  --instead, other public funds are apparently being used to make up the difference
(this seems to me like using public money to repay someone who has been swindled, while letting the swindlers off the hook.)

What kind of message does this send to those who are looking to pull a fast one on the public? try, try again?

- No City Council member that I’m aware of has ever publicly spoken to
  -- the matter of the passing of Bill No.5-2002,
      in defiance of the NID Act procedures, in July 2002;
  -- the matter of the blatant unanimous persistence of Council through
     May 2005, blindly(?) following Mr. Hertzberg's lead, desires,
     and stubbornness in ignoring the details of the State NID Act,
     the opposition of the unquestionable majority of the targeted District 2 residential      property owners, and outright trampling of the due process rights of those owners.

- No one that I’m aware of has ever publicly questioned the motives behind the   irresponsible and reckless hell-bent-for-leather attempt by the Mayor,
  Mr. Hertzberg, and Council to perpetuate the exposed illegitimate WE-HAV scheme   through 2002-2004.

Does the mentality of trying to get away with whatever gets past the people continue as usual until “next time”?

It is only the dense grassroots opposition of most of those District 2 owners that protected the rest of the neighborhoods of the entire City of Pittsburgh from their own WE-HAV schemes.

It's not over until everyone gets their full refund....

--paul--