Governor Rendell Helped Pittsburgh's Financial Woes

Todd Eachus stated publicly that he would not pass legislation "specifically" for Hazleton. Governor Rendell and Todd Eachus had no problem passing not just one but a package of bills specifically for the City of Pittsburgh.

November 2004

Governor Edward G. Rendell today signed a package of bills that will help restore Pittsburgh to fiscal health and provide it with stable sources of funding. The bills include reforms to the city’s business taxes, a phased reduction in the city parking tax, an increase in the city’s occupational privilege tax and an increase in the earned-income tax on visiting athletes.

Those bills contained taxation issues while Eachus claims finding a fix for the City's(Hazleton) problem right now is impractical. Evidently it wasn't impractical for Pittsburgh.

IssuesPA has a great article highlighting the problems faced by Pittsburgh. One of the problems detailed. The largest single factor in its rising debt service payments has been the city's bonding of unfunded pension liability. Annual expenditures for pension costs, benefits and debt service are expected to have increased $119 million between 1993 to 2005. Most cities in this Commonwealth are in the same boat defined in a report submitted by James McAneny of the Public Employees Retirement Commission..

It is no secret that Todd Eachus is using unprecedented legislative tactics for inexcusable political retribution. His use of scare tactics with the police and fire unions in Hazleton over unfunded pension liability is wagging the dog. The unfunded pension liability is due to losses in the stock market that every pension faced in the current financial meltdown. It is time Eachus remembers who put him in office. Arrogance that the office will always be his blinds him to the realities of mankind. Be kind and kindness will be a reward. Being arrogant lulls one into a false sense of competence and entitlement.