The future of Pittsburgh - Allegheny County?
The MetroVisions Special Report of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is an interesting series of articles on municipal government fragmentation, mergers and tax and services sharing. Considering the duplication of services which exists in Allegheny County, with 130 municipalities, and the financial crisis much of the region is experiencing, the future of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County must be mapped out if our region is to get back on the track to prosperity.
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on Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 1:52 AM.
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2 Comments:
The Tribune-Review several years ago pioneered the stories the P-G discovered recently (without going to Canada to make a point). The Trib's stories were tougher and ultimately more interesting. Why? I don't think it's because the Trib has a conservative editorial page.
Rather, I think it's because the P-G stands to lose a lot of money through classified ad revenues if municipality consolidation goes through. By law, contracts, hiring standards, etc., must be printed in a paper of record. The P-G, with its close (read, incestuous) ties to the Democratic machine in most of these communities gets rewarded financially for maintaining the status quo.
The P-G will advise mild reforms, but not take on the whole issue of a fragmented government because that won't pay the bills. As it has been widely reported, the newspaper already has lost more than $20 million since Blade Communications bought The Press, and every statutory payment to the family-run shop helps a lot with the bottom line.
If the P-G didn't have all these disparate municipalities buying ad space, as required by law, in the paper, it's unlikely Blade would continue to publish it here.
Sure, the PG is behind the curve. But, how much are we talking about with the ad money from various municipalities? I venture a guess it's milk money. Peanuts?
The PG stands to shrink as Pittsburgh and its region shrinks. Lower readership as we're half of what we were. Half of the subscribers, half of the advertisers, half of the bird cages that need to be carpeted.
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