Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The other side of budgeting

The complement to cost cutting is revenue raising. It will be more difficult, but it would be great if community members could come up with even a short list of ways to raise revenue.

10 comments:

Questioner said...

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"We are more likely to witness the "Rapture" than any hard hitting journalism by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The PPG's real estate is woefully underassessed and they are easily kept in line PPS not taking them to appeal.

Follow the money or in this case, the lack of tax dollars."

- While an overall reassessment of all properties would have the effect of a tax increase, perhaps other "woefully underassessed" properties could be evaluated.

Anonymous said...

Reassessing will have the overall effect of a tax increase indeed. During any discussion of property taxes you may hear someone say, "County Taxes? Heck I would pay twice that amount to the county if something could be done to lower my City and School Taxes." Pittsburgh Promise and accolades from rating sources notwithstanding, the city is less attractive to those from within at times.

Anonymous said...

During any discussion of property taxes you may hear someone say, "County Taxes? Heck I would pay twice that amount to the county if something could be done to lower my City and School Taxes."

Who are you hanging out with? They just want to swap city and school taxes for county? Seems an odd choice. If everyone were merging things into countywide structures, that's one thing, but I'm not sure what this would even mean if the tax burden remains the same!

We have FAR fewer students than we have had. There should not be a need to raise taxes to serve so many fewer students. There should be deep cuts in positions that don't directly affect students however. Cut those until you notice a change for the worse and only add back in what's necessary.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to have attempted a little levity with the illustration to point out the big difference of how much county vs. city/school taxes cost a property owner.

Anonymous said...

12:08 - YES!

"There should be deep cuts in positions that don't directly affect students however. Cut those until you notice a change for the worse and only add back in what's necessary."

Your comment is the single, most sensible and strategic suggestion made yet!

Anonymous said...

Today's "Right to Know" Special Guest: Mark Roosevelt ??????? Is this a mistake on the PPS website??????

http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/pps/icalsw/calendar.asp

Pittsburgh Local Task Force on the Right to Education
Special Guest: Mark Roosevelt Superintendent
Location:
Achieva 711 Bingham St. (South Side)
Contact Information:
Contact: Special Education Help Line
Email: ltf2pgh@gmail.com
Phone: 412-323-3990

Anonymous said...

Sorry, the 1:06 post was addressed to 10:39

Questioner said...

Must be a mistake- maybe the wrong year entered into the computer at some point, or scheduled b/f he announced he was leaving. Also the announcement would have said former superintendent. Somehow it doesn't seem likely that he'll be found in Pittsburgh any time soon.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Training Academies for Pittsburgh Teachers won't open

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_739974.html

A budget crisis or a crisis of leadership?