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From YouTube: Pittsburgh City Council Public Hearing - 10/23/19
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A
Hello
and
welcome
to
Pittsburgh
City
Council's
public
hearing
for
Wednesday
October
23rd
2019.
My
name
is
Kim
Clark,
Baskin
and
I'm
the
deputy
city
clerk
with
us.
Today
we
have
our
sign
language
interpreter
John,
Velasco.
The
following
is
a
referendum
question
proposed
for
the
2019
general
elections
ballot.
B
Good
evening,
everyone
and
thank
you
for
being
present
at
this
City
Council
cablecast
public
hearing
for
today,
Wednesday
October,
23rd,
2019,
I'm,
councilman,
Krause
I
will
be
chairing
this
evenings
public
hearing
we
are
joined
by
councilmembers
gross
Harris,
Strassburger
and
O'connor
I
believe
other
members
will
be
joining
us
as
their
schedules
permit.
We
always
begin
the
public
hearing
by
reading
the
purpose
of
the
bill,
but
I
need
to
perhaps
maybe
clarify
some
misunderstandings.
That
council
has
a
role
in
voting
on
this.
B
This
is
actually
a
proposed
ballot
question
which
was
organized
through
a
democratic
process
put
on
the
ballot
for
your
consideration
and
for
your
vote.
It
will
not.
It
did
not
originate
on
the
council
table.
It
will
not
be
voted
by
council,
so
we
have,
since
we
called
for
this
public
hearing
to
hear
from
you.
There
has
been
some
communication
to
offices
that
somehow
council
is
going
to
have
a
role
and
actually
take
a
vote
on
this
and
I
want
to
make
certain
that
I
clarify
any
misunderstanding
that
could
be
out
there.
B
This
is
going
to
be
your
initiative,
your
decision,
so
it
is
up
to
you
to
read
to
educate
yourself,
to
talk
to
your
neighbors,
to
make
certain
that
you
understand
and
have
full
clarity
on
what
you
will
be
asked
to
vote
on.
Come
November,
the
5th.
So
with
that
we
are
going
to
read
the
proposed
ballot
question,
though
it
is
not
a
bill
before
City
Council.
C
Park
Conservancy
tax
referendum
on
the
2019
general
elections,
ballot
proposed
ballot
question
shall
the
Pittsburgh
Home
Rule
Charter
be
amended
to
establish
a
dedicated
park.
Trust
fund,
beginning
in
2020
to
improve,
maintain,
create
and
operate
public
parks,
improve
parks,
safety,
equitable
fine
parks
and
underserved
neighborhoods
throughout
Pittsburgh
be
funded
with
an
additional
point.
Five
mill
levy,
which
is
$50
on
each
$100,000
of
assessed,
real
estate
value,
secure
matching
funds
and
services
from
a
charitable
city
parks,
Conservancy
and
assure
citizens,
participation
in
full
public
disclosure
of
spending.
Okay,.
B
Madam
clerk,
thank
you
very
much
so
with
that
I
am
going
to
read
our
basic
ground
rules.
If
you
will
for
how
we
are
going
to
conduct
this
public
hearing,
we
will
accept
register.
We
will
accept.
Excuse
me
testimony
from
registered
speakers,
of
which
we
have
about
21
and
1233
registered
speakers.
We
ask
that
when
you
come
to
the
podium,
you
begin
by
giving
your
name
and
the
neighborhood
in
which
you
reside
for
our
public
record.
The
green
light
will
indicate
the
start
of
your
three
minutes
when
the
yellow
light
comes
on.
B
You'll
have
one
minute
to
collect
your
thoughts
and
summarize,
when
the
red
light
comes
on,
your
time
will
have
expired.
We
ask
that
you
would
please
relinquish
the
podium,
because
we
want
to
be
mindful
of
everyone
that
has
taken
time
to
come
here
this
evening
to
speak
before
City
Council
after
we
have
exhausted
the
list
of
registered
speakers,
anyone
that
is
here
in
the
audience
that
did
not
register
but
wishes
to
register
comment.
B
D
Good
evening
and
thank
you
for
this
opportunity-
my
name
is
Frederick
von
C
I'm,
a
resident
of
the
Point
Breeze
neighborhood
lavond,
Ellis,
Avenue
I'm,
also
a
landscape
architect
and
an
urban
designer
who
has
worked
on
Park
related
projects
across
the
country.
My
firm
did
work
on
the
2000
regional
parks,
master
plan,
along
with
its
2015
update
and
that
showcased
what
a
great
resource
we
have
in
our
parks,
but
it
also
showed
the
investment
that
we
needed
to
bring
our
parks
to
meet
the
current
needs
of
our
residents.
D
Our
parks,
both
regional
and
national,
are
in
desperate
need
of
investment
for
both
capital
and
maintenance
projects.
It
is
estimated-
and
some
of
you
know
this-
that
there's
a
backlog
of
four
hundred
million
dollars
in
capital
improvement
projects
and
a
shortfall
of
up
to
thirteen
million
dollars
a
year
in
maintenance.
D
The
Pittsburgh
Park
Conservancy,
along
with
the
city,
has
raised
over
a
hundred
and
twenty
two
million
dollars
since
that
first
master
plan
to
improve
our
parks,
natural
systems
and
do
capital
projects
or
legacy
foundations
have
published
almost
half
of
that
I'm
sorry
funded
almost
half
of
that.
The
introduction
of
rad
dollars
has
helped
raise
additional
support,
but
is
earmarks
solely
for
our
regional
parks
and
not
our
neighborhood
parks.
With
all
of
this
success,
we
are
still
losing
ground
to
enhance
our
parks
for
every
resident.
D
We
are
woefully
short
on
dollars
for
both
capital
improvements
and
maintenance,
comparing
Pittsburgh
to
other
cities
of
similar
size
and
population.
Cincinnati
has
a
park
budget
of
for
these
forty
seven
point:
four
million
dollars
equivalent
one
hundred
and
fifty
three
dollars
per
person
spent
on
parks.
Cleveland
has
a
budget
of
thirty
nine
point
two
and
spends
a
hundred
and
two
dollars.
Pittsburgh
has
a
budget
of
twenty
five
million
or
so
and
spends
eighty
three
dollars:
twenty-five
percent
less
than
Cleveland
a
city
similar
to
our
size.
D
You
can
also
look
at
Minneapolis,
a
city
defined
by
its
Park
System,
and
it's
a
number
one
park
system
in
the
country.
Their
budget
is
a
hundred
and
forty
four
million
three
hundred
and
forty
seven
dollars
per
person,
and
if
you
ask
people
there,
that
is
one
reason
that
they
do
not
mind
paying.
The
tax
is
because
of
the
quality
of
their
parks.
We
need
to
reach
higher
these
much
benchmark.
Cities
are
our
competition
for
growth,
for
attracting
new
business
and
new
jobs.
D
Part
today
parks
today
are
an
integral
economic
development
strategy
for
most
cities
and
Pittsburgh
must
join
them.
Great
parks
are
a
great
foundation
for
cities.
They
build
communities,
they
are
proving
economic,
economic
stimulators,
they
create
jobs
and
improve
health
and
healing
they
are
means
to
educate
and
connect
us
to
nature,
and,
most
importantly,
they
are
welcoming
for
all.
Thank
you
very
much.
B
I
was
remiss
in
saying
if
you
have
brought
written
remarks
and
you
wish
to
register
them
with
the
clerk.
You
are
welcome
to
leave
them,
we
will
receive
them
and
we
will
distribute
them
to
all
members
so
that
they
have
them
for
the
record.
Our
next
speaker
is
Rick
Noor
and
you
will
be
followed
by
Michelle
trafficante
Rick
good
evening.
Welcome.
E
Good
evening,
council
members
and
fellow
Pittsburghers,
my
name
is
Rick
Noor
and
I
am
from
Brookline.
I
have
never
found
it
necessary
to
speak
in
front
of
City
Council
until
now.
The
reason
for
this
is
the
parks
tax
ballot
question
being
discussed
here
tonight.
As
a
person
who
uses
our
parks
daily,
I
must
say
that
well-maintained
parks
are
a
benefit
to
all
of
our
city
residents
and
visitors,
but
we
must
also
consider
other
factors
when
asking
our
property
owners
for
a
tax
increase.
The
example.
E
There
are
also
other
things
that
need
to
be
considered,
which
I
think
are
more
pressing,
such
as
vital
infrastructure
improvements
that
have
been
neglected
for
a
long
time,
such
as
road
repairs,
the
need
to
remove
hundreds
of
abandoned
homes
and
clean
up
the
city's
blighted
properties,
the
need
to
replace
toxic
water
lines.
The
list
of
vital
needs
goes
on
and
on.
This
tax
increase
fails
to
address
any
of
these
important
issues.
So
why
are
the
parks
a
top
priority?
E
One
needs
to
look
no
further
than
the
deep
political
relationship
between
the
mayor's
office
and
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
can
as
a
paid
public
servant.
The
mayor
should
be
first
working
in
the
interest
of
all
citizens
of
Pittsburg,
not
just
the
narrow
interests
of
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy.
With
this
in
mind,
I
would
like
to
move
on
to
what
is
not
being
mentioned
in
the
ballot
question,
but
is
very
relevant
to
this
discussion.
E
Most
important
I
believe
is
the
creation
of
the
parks,
trust
fund
board.
That
will
be
given
the
task
to
dispense
funds
as
they
see
fit.
The
trust
fund
board
will
be
selected,
not
elected
and
will
be
dominated,
I
believe
by
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy.
Also,
what
is
not
known
about
the
Parks
Trust
Fund
board.
Are
the
rules
that
govern
this
body,
such
as?
How
will
the
members
be
selected?
How
many
members
will
be
on
this
board?
What
are
the
bylaws,
and
why
do
we
need
a
board
in
the
first
place?
E
Why
would
people
be
asked
to
vote
on
this
issue
without
the
rules
of
this
board?
First
being
firmly
established?
There
are
too
many
questions
and
not
enough
answers.
That's
why
I
will
be
voting
no
on
November
5th
this
election
day
in
closing,
I
would
like
to
say
to
mayor
Peduto
I
implore.
You
please
first
get
back
to
the
basics,
clean
up
our
neighborhoods
and
fix
the
roads.
F
My
name
is
Michelle
Trafficante
and
I
reside
in
Brookline
33
years
ago,
when
I
first
spoke
in
this
chamber,
33%
of
the
land
area
in
Pittsburgh
was
tax
exempt
because
of
nonprofit
status.
Today
it
is
45%
of
Pittsburgh
property
is
tax
exempt.
Does
it's
not
trouble
you?
It
truly
should,
instead
of
going
to
the
larger
nonprofits
and
asking
for
money
in
lieu
of
taxes,
as
was
the
practice
and
past
administrations,
you
have
chosen
to
come
back
to
the
well
the
property
tax,
paying
citizens.
F
The
city
ballot
question
for
the
November
5th
election
is
a
backdoor
tax
on
the
same
group
of
people
you
always
dump
on
while
parks
are
an
important
part
of
our
city,
not
as
important
as
the
bike
lanes.
Of
course,
they
are
not
exclusively
used
by
city
residents.
Maybe
you
should
consider
a
user
fee.
If
that
does
not
appeal
to
you,
then
consider
asking
to
have
the
7
point:
7
million
that
comes
to
the
parts
from
the
county,
rad
tax
reassess
to
be
used
for
all
parks
instead
of
justified
and
one
more
option.
F
Let's
ask
the
mayor
to
use
the
60
million
dollar
surplus
from
the
upcoming
budget
to
fund
the
parks
in
his
preliminary
budget.
He
professed
there
would
not
be
a
tax
increase.
This
is
just
not
true.
This
parks
tax
placed
on
the
November
5th
elected
day,
Election
Day
ballot,
is
in
fact
a
tax
increase.
I
have
made
four
suggestions:
ask
the
nonprofit's
for
money
charge
a
user's
fee,
reassess
the
rad
tax
or
use
the
budget
surplus.
F
And,
finally,
you
should
take
a
look
at
this
underhanded
campaign
that
has
been
conducted
by
the
mayor
and
the
parks
Conservancy.
Where
did
all
the
money
come
from
to
promote
the
parks
tact
agenda
that
includes
TV,
ads
radio
and
Direct
Mail?
This
deceptive
marketing
effort
never
mentions
there
will
be
a
permanent
forever
tax
increase
on
the
55%
of
us
that
pay
property
tax.
Please
vote
no.
On
this
backdoor
tax
on
November
5th,
it
could
be
the
most
important
reason
for
you
to
vote.
Thank
you.
G
H
I
Good
evening,
thank
you,
I'm
Heather
sage,
I
reside
in
Lawrenceville
I
do
work
at
the
parks
Conservancy,
but
tonight
I'm
here
to
reflect
my
own
views
as
a
Pittsburgh
resident
and
as
a
voter
and
as
a
parent
and
as
a
neighbor
and
as
someone
who
has
enjoyed
the
benefits
of
Pittsburgh's,
large
and
varied
system.
When
I
was
a
kid,
my
family
struggled
to
make
ends
meet.
I
We
never
went
on
a
family
vacation,
but
our
free
time
was
nearly
always
spent
outdoors
at
playgrounds
and
at
parks
and
at
an
amazing
Arboretum
that
was
close
to
the
place
where
I
grew
up.
When
we
got
together
with
our
extended
family,
we
often
celebrated
birthdays
or
anniversaries
in
parts
as
I
scan
back
over
my
childhood.
My
memories
are
filled
with
time
spent,
exploring
playing
eating
and
enjoying
time
and
Parks
and
as
I
scan
my
life.
I
It's
very
difficult
for
me
to
find
too
many
places,
I've
lived,
visited
or
spent
time
that
didn't
include
parks
and
I'll,
admit.
I
took
parks
for
granted
almost
entirely.
It
wasn't
until
much
later
in
life.
That
I
came
to
understand
how
complex
and
challenging
parks
are
to
plan.
For
design
construct
and
the
hardest
of
all
to
maintain,
it
was
also
much
later
in
life
that
I
came
to
understand
how
privileged
I
was
and
am
in
countless
ways.
I
find
as
I
traveled
with
a
keener
eye
and
a
deeper
set
of
experiences.
I
I
saw
that
there
are
stark
differences
between
the
haves
and
have-nots,
particularly
here
in
Pittsburgh,
and
this
is
very
clear
in
our
parks
and
recreation
system.
The
facts
are
that
half
of
our
treasured
park
system
is
in
fair
or
poor
condition
and
that
half
is
overwhelmingly
in
Pittsburgh's,
predominantly
black
neighborhoods,
and
it's
not
okay
for
my
daughter
to
have
a
good,
safe
and
inviting
park
where
she
can
enjoy
herself
and
make
memories
and
for
someone
else's
daughter
to
not
have
that
experience
unless
she
goes
way
outside
of
her
own
neighborhood.
I
Kids
can
enjoy
a
good
park
or
a
rec
facility
and
I
say
yes,
so
that
the
hard-working
people
of
the
city's
Department
of
Public,
Works
and
Parks
and
Recreation
have
the
resources
in
the
equipment
and
the
training
that
they
need
and
deserve
to
give
Pittsburghers
the
maintenance
and
programming
we
deserve
and
I
say
yes
to
dedicating
dollars
for
Parks
and
Recreation
in
its
own
fund,
so
that
shifting
political
winds
don't
leave
kids
seniors
or
anyone
without
the
public
assets
in
good
shape.
I'm
proud
to
vote
YES
on
November
5th
to
support
Pittsburgh
parks
for
all.
B
J
Evening,
thank
you
for
the
opportunity.
I'm
an
aspen,
mall
resident,
but
I
live
within
two
blocks
of
your
water
treatment
plant,
but
tonight
I'm
here
to
speak
on
behalf
of
the
the
Negley
Ron
watershed
Task
Force,
which
has
active
participation
from
the
six
or
seven
neighborhoods
of
the-
Ron
watershed
and
on
behalf
of
its
community
leaders.
Group
I
am
here
to
underscore
the
critical
role
of
parks,
funding
and
sustaining
quality
urban
communities.
Negly
run
itself
flows
down
through
Highland
Park.
J
Most
people
know
it
is
Washington
Boulevard,
but
the
area
remains
very
much
a
stream
valley
and
public
space.
In
fact,
community
plans
are
beginning
to
capture
the
opportunity
to
expand
the
woodland
space
of
Highland
Park
with
fingers
of
green
or
blue
Lorrimer,
in
fact
has
a
continuous
green
space
vision
reaching
to
within
a
block
of
the
busway
via
the
new
Liberty
Green
Park.
J
But
there
are
also
numerous
public
parks
in
the
watershed:
chadwick
baxter
parklet
Holmwood
field,
Westinghouse,
Mellon
Larmour
each
has
a
role
to
play
in
the
neighborhood
and
with
investment
each
can
bring
social,
cultural,
economic
and
environmental
benefits
to
these
urbanized
neighborhoods.
But
without
adequate
baseline
funding
for
upkeep
were
more
funding
dedicated
for
park
improvements.
These
multiple
co-benefits
will
never
be
realized
as
a
watershed.
J
Our
favorite
example
of
a
co
benefit
of
quality
parks
is
that
each
of
these
parks
and
parklets
can
collect
and
convey
rainwater
toward
Allegheny
River
and
keep
the
water
at
waste
water
out
of
our
sewers.
There
is
no
way
this
will
be
done
by
parks,
funding
alone,
there's
no
way.
This
will
be
done
by
the
city
alone,
but
these
are
these
visions
require
investments
from
all
different
sources.
J
There's
a
role
for
PWSA
for
al-qassam,
for
PennDOT,
for
the
Army
cores
for
the
state
for
all
for
many
other
potential
partners
to
members
to
list,
but
without
a
reliable
source
of
funding
for
baseline
stewardship.
These
other
investors
will
be
discouraged
away.
So
I
just
encourage
the
city
and
its
voters
to
consider
having
a
good
baseline,
credible
source
of
funding
for
its
open
space.
So
they
could
provide
all
the
services.
But
thank.
K
Evening
I
am
Brenda
Smith
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
the
9
mile
run
watershed
association.
As
you
know,
the
9
mile
run
stream
in
Frick
Park
was
the
site
of
a
nearly
eight
million
dollar
100-plus,
acre
restoration
that
was
managed
by
the
US
Army
Corps
of
Engineers
and
completed
in
2006
13
years
later,
the
Army
Corps
considers
it
their
most
successful
urban
stream
and
wetland
restoration
in
partnership
with
the
city's
Department
of
Public
Works
and
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy.
K
Our
organization
has
monitored
and
stewarded
the
restoration
since
its
completion
every
year
through
a
variety
of
events
and
classes,
we
educate
more
than
500
children
and
adults
about
watershed,
ecology,
native
species,
water
quality
monitoring
and
so
on.
Our
volunteers
regularly
remove
trash
and
invasive
species
from
the
stream
and
surrounding
areas
and
continue
to
plant
native
species,
because
the
restored
stream
is
in
an
urban
area.
It
suffers
from
the
ill
effects
of
excessive
stormwater
runoff,
including
both
resulting
sewer
overflows
and
the
extreme
volume
and
velocity
of
stormwater
flows
during
every
major
rain
event.
Over
time.
K
This
has
resulted
in
serious
damage
to
some
portions
of
the
restored
area
in
2009
and
again
between
2015
and
2018.
The
watershed
Association
raised
more
than
$50,000
each
time
to
complete
needed
repairs.
There's
no
doubt
that
future
repairs
will
be
needed,
the
increase
in
the
amount
and
intensity
of
rain.
We
are
experiencing
guarantees
that,
and
just
as
another
example
right
now,
the
installation
of
a
new
bridge
to
dock
Hollow
is
causing
construction
damage
to
the
stream
that
will
have
to
be
fixed.
K
An
urban
stream
is
never
going
to
be
something
you
can
walk
away
from
and
considered
finished,
and
it's
more
difficult
to
raise
funds
to
do
these
kinds
of
repairs
each
time,
but
we
believe
it's
worth
the
continued
effort
and
financial
investment,
because
this
large
area
of
the
park
has
been
transformed
from
a
dangerous
eyesore
into
a
beautiful
oasis
that
is
frequented
by
dog,
walkers,
photographers
and
all
manner
of
nature
lovers.
It's
a
rare
example
of
a
huge
scale
native
habitat
in
the
Greater
Pittsburgh
area.
K
So
this
is
just
one
example,
among
hundreds
in
the
city's
park
system
of
ongoing
needs
that
are
not
met
by
the
amount
that
city
that
the
city
is
currently
able
to
budget
for
park,
maintenance
and
capital
projects.
For
this
reason,
we
are
in
support
of
the
campaign
to
pass
a
ballot
initiative
to
secure
an
ongoing
stream
of
funding
to
maintain
and
improve
our
parks.
I've
been
extremely
impressed
by
the
level
of
research
and
analysis
that
has
gone
into
this
effort.
It's
a
very
data-driven
process.
K
The
Conservancy
has
detailed
information
about
the
needs
and
an
impressive
set
of
metrics
to
help
prioritize
how
and
where
the
funds
raised
will
be
spent
so
that
they're
spent
equitably
fundamentally
we're
being
offered
a
choice.
Do
we
want
to
have
a
first-class
park
system
that
improves
the
quality
of
life
for
all
Pittsburghers?
If
so,
we
need
to
find
a
way
to
pay
for
it.
Thank
you
enjoy.
B
L
First
of
all,
there
are
currently
too
many
Pittsburgh
residents
who
are
struggling
to
pay
their
current
bills
and
mortgages
about
one-third
of
Pittsburgh's
populations,
live
at
or
near
poverty
level
and
are
living
on
an
annual
household
income
of
50,000
or
less,
and
that's
for
a
family
of
four.
These
families
are
just
one
step
away
from
a
financial
disaster
and
losing
their
home.
The
majority
of
city
city
residents
just
cannot
afford
to
pay
another
tax.
L
Recently
I
had
a
letter
published
in
the
Pittsburgh
post-gazette,
expressing
my
concerns
about
how
a
majority
of
our
165
perks
are
in
such
disrepair
and
how
it
brings
sorrow
to
my
soul
in
recent
years.
Many
of
our
perks,
especially
those
in
the
lower-income
areas,
have
been
severely
neglected
and
not
properly
maintained,
and
this
is
unacceptable.
L
L
Does
the
city
perk
system
need
additional
funding?
Yes
and
I
strongly
agree
that
there
is
definitely
a
need
for
this
additional
funding
to
ensure
that
future
generations
can
enjoy
the
same
experiences
that
I
had
the
opportunity
to.
However,
I
am
against
homeowners
having
to
pay
an
additional
tax
to
fund
this.
L
L
Do
you
know
that
approximately
40
to
50
percent
of
the
assessed
City
properties
fall
into
the
tax-exempt
category?
If
these
organizations
can
afford
to
pay
their
CEOs
millions
of
dollars
each
year,
I
am
quite
sure
that
they
can
afford
to
pay
an
annual
agreed-upon
payment
each
year
to
help
fund
our
city
parks.
Now
is
the
time
us
voters
can
make
these
large
nonprofit
organizations
pay
their
fair
share
and
funding
of
our
parks
to
be
the
first
of
it
our
perks.
Are
it.
B
M
Hi
yeah,
my
name
is
barb
Warwick,
my
live
in
four
mile
run
so
anyway.
Let
me
just
open
by
saying
that
I
am
a
big
lover
of
our
parks.
I'm,
a
daily
Walker
for
young
kids
I
use
the
parks
every
day.
I'm
also,
you
know
the
work
that
the
Parks
Conservancy
does
is
good
I'm,
a
Girl
Scout
leader.
We
do
the
you
know:
Frick
Environmental
Center.
Were
there
all
the
time?
So
you
know
good
work
to
them.
I
have
seen
quite
a
few
of
the
conservancies
plans
to
improve
the
parks.
M
Some
are
interesting,
good
ideas,
lots
of
potential,
but
there's
one
plan
that
causes
me
great
concern
and
that's
why
I'm
here?
That
is,
the
restoration
of
the
four
mile
run
and
Panther
Hollow
watersheds
in
and
of
itself.
This
plan
is
vital.
It
aims
to
reduce
stormwater
entering
into
our
city's
overburdened
sewer
systems,
which
is
caused
and
continues
to
cause
horrific
flooding
in
the
Four
Mile
Run
neighborhood,
where
I
live
run.
M
Residents
have
been
begging
the
city
for
years
to
fix
this
flooding
problem,
so
I
commend
the
efforts
to
start
working
on
it
now,
as
stated
on,
the
Conservancy
website
quote
this
long-term
restoration
project
aims
not
only
to
alleviate
the
storm
water
issue,
but
to
improve
the
health
and
aesthetics
of
Schenley
Park.
So
why,
then,
is
this
project
tied
to
a
department
of
mobility
and
infrastructure
project
to
run
a
two-lane
paved
roadway
through
Schenley
Park?
Now,
if
you're
not
familiar
with
this
project,
it's
called
the
Mon
Oakland
connector
I'd
suggest
everyone
here.
M
Looking
up,
the
idea
is
to
run
shuttle
buses
through
the
park
in
order
to
ease
access
to
and
from
Oakland
for
people
in
Hazelwood
and
Greenfield
addition
to
cutting
through
the
park.
This
roadway
will
eliminate
our
activity
field
next
to
big
gyms
in
the
run
and
also
our
basketball
court.
So
I
have
this
binder
I'd
like
to
pass
around
to
you
first
and
then
anyone
else
who'd
like
to
see
it
just
quickly.
These
are
existing
transit
routes
that
we
already
have
that
we
could
improve
and
use
instead
of
the
park,
which
is
right
here.
M
B
M
N
B
O
You
good
evening
and
thank
you
for
having
this
public
hearing
this
evening
and
thank
you
for
all
the
residents
who
showed
up
to
speak.
The
intent
of
this
is
that
this
really
is
about
a
democratic
process
and
the
residents
of
Pittsburgh
speaking
about
how
they
feel
about
parks
so
Parks.
How
important
are
they?
Some
people
will
say:
they're
not
as
important
as
police,
fire,
roads
or
transportation.
I,
disagree
and
I
think
many
others
do.
Parks
truly
are
the
foundation
events
of
any
city.
O
There
are
no
public
assets
that
provide
as
much
to
a
community
and
especially
to
a
city
as
parks.
They
fuel
the
economy.
They
make
us
healthier,
they
clean
and
cool
the
air.
They
manage
storm
water,
they
renew
our
spirit,
they
create
community,
they
are
free
to
everyone,
they
are
for
everyone,
they
transform
cities
and
they
are
our
most
democratic
spaces
in
any
community.
O
3/4
of
homeowners
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh
will
pay
less
than
sixty
six
dollars
per
year
or
a
dollar
in
twenty
six
a
week.
If
the
referendum
is
successful,
continuing
to
defer
park
maintenance
will
increase
the
cost
to
our
children
and
grandchildren.
The
referendum,
if
successful,
will
allocate
thirty
three
point:
six
million
dollars
to
maintenance
and
rehabilitation
projects
just
in
the
first
six
years.
National
experience
suggests
that
if
that
work
is
deferred,
the
cost
will
become
a
hundred
and
sixty
eight
million
dollars.
The
fivefold
increase
and
also
in
the
first
six
years.
O
Eighteen
neighborhood
parks
across
fifteen
neighborhoods
will
be
transformed
through
capital
projects,
and
the
referendum
will
raise
19
million
dollars
for
programming
and
facility
improvements.
Thirty
one
percent
of
the
families
in
those
15
neighborhoods
live
below
the
poverty
line
compared
to
sip
15
percent
citywide.
O
70
percent
of
the
residents
in
these
neighborhoods
are
non-white
compared
to
thirty
four
percent
citywide.
These
neighborhoods
have
also
41
percent
obesity
rates
and
17
percent
diabetes
rates
compared
to
30
percent
and
10
percent
citywide.
These
capital
investments
serve
neighborhoods
with
the
greatest
needs.
The
referendum
will
also
provide
over
forty
four
million
dollars
and
resources
that
can
support
green
infrastructure
to
reduce
carbon
emissions,
to
mitigate
mitigate
stormwater
runoff
and
to
to
four
of
the
highest
priority
sewer
sheds
in
the
city
and,
lastly,
and
mostly
importantly,
this
effort
and
this
referendum
is
not
about
me.
O
P
Evening,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
the
council,
my
name,
is
Carl
Sutter
I
reside
in
Westwood.
It's
amazing
that
I
follow
the
director
because
it's
just
on
their
first
page
of
their
990s.
In
2018
they
had
seven
million
seven
hundred
and
sixty
thousand
some
odd
dollars
in
revenue
from
various
entities
throughout
the
city,
but
they
also
paid
out
thirty
three
point:
almost
three
million
dollars
is
what
they
paid
out,
which
is
roughly
50
percent.
Most
nonprofits
fees
are
between
15
and
20
percent,
not
50
percent.
They
also
employ
74
employees.
P
G
G
P
Q
My
name
is
you
Barnett
Brown
I
live
in
the
Hill
District
I
was
the
main
reason
why
I
come
I
came
is
because
I
was
told
by
elderly
white
man.
That
said
now,
the
mayor
is
letting
like
the
Penguins
invest
in
making
the
park.
What
was
that?
Maybe
thirty
thousand
million
for
this
park
to
over
our
roadway
but
he's
gonna,
put
a
tax
on
us
for
the
parks
that
we
already
have
I.
Q
Am
really
is
I
am
disappointed
in
the
mayor
and
I'm.
So
glad
the
young
lady
spoke
about
the
road
that
they
could
all
that
cement.
They
don't
have
to
use
think
about
how
much
that
is.
Plus
I
live
at
the
top
of
the
hill
Katie,
where
ervice.
In
order
for
us
seniors
to
get
to
Mercy
Hospital,
we
must
take
two
buses
so,
instead
of
him
making
mayor
instead
of
you,
take
it
and
use,
that's
it
that
money
for
the
cement
get
in
sir
bus.
Q
It
could
be
even
if
even
if
it's
a
shuttle
down
to
Mercy
Hospital
do
you
understand.
Kaylee
will
overs
fight
to
build
that
for
the
seniors
poor
seniors.
But
in
order
to
go
to
the
hospital
we're
at
the
top
of
the
hill,
we
must
go
through
town
and
get
another
bus
to
come
out
of
town.
So
I'm
not
I'm
gonna
vote.
No,
and
everybody
else
should.
Q
Q
I
was
on
the
bus,
because
I
was
coming
from
City
Council
to
white
man
and
one
he
was
sense,
so
much
pain
and
you
could
see
it
and
his
friend
kept
on
saying
you
gonna
make
it
man
you
gonna,
make
it
he
has
to
go
to
hospital
on
the
bus
and
a
lot
of
pain.
So
people
say:
oh
wait
a
minute.
You
have
the
tickets,
you
have.
We
have
the
I
can't
think
of
a
book,
but
we
have
to
pay
tickets.
I
can
ride
the
bus
I
can
ride.
The
bus.
Q
I
can
make
it,
but
there's
some
that
can't.
We
must
consider
the
elders
tell
the
mayor,
no
cement,
Road,
Road
I'm,
so
glad
she
said
that
cuz
I
know
it's
wrong,
but
there's
also,
they
said
the
one
man
said:
if
the
if
we
would
put
a
policeman
right
board
out
of
town
where
all
these
roads
are
you'll
catch
the
trucks
that
are
bearing
down
on
us.
He
said
the
mayor
want
to
make
money
put
a
policeman
there.
They
would
catch
the
trucks
that
are
bearing
down
and
blowing
their
horn
all
day
long.
Q
B
R
Thanks
sick
city
council
for
providing
this
opportunity
to
speak
about
such
an
important
ballot
issue,
and
thank
you
to
our
city,
employees,
who
work
so
hard
to
ensure
that
their
limited
resources
to
manage
and
steward
our
parks
can
go
as
far
as
possible,
and
thank
you
also
to
the
pittsburgh
parks
Conservancy
for
doing
all
that
they
do
to
expand
these
resources.
My
name
is
ELISA
Mann,
speiser,
I'm,
a
resident
homeowner
and
taxpayer
of
the
city
of
Pittsburgh
and
I'm.
R
Also,
the
executive
director
of
land
force
a
nonprofit
located
at
201,
North,
Braddock,
Avenue,
Pittsburgh
land
force
combines
workforce
readiness
and
land
stewardship
for
people
with
barriers
to
employment.
What
this
means
is
that
we
hire
people
who
may
be
returning
home
from
incarceration
or
struggling
with
addiction,
homelessness
or
generational
poverty.
We
provide
training
to
prepare
people
to
be
successful.
R
Employees
pay
them
$15
an
hour
to
work
on
environmental
restoration
projects
like
habitat,
restoration,
trail,
construction,
vacant
lot,
improvements
and
green
infrastructure
projects
all
across
Allegheny
County,
often
in
parks
themselves,
and
ultimately
support
their
transition
to
family,
sustaining
jobs.
Since
our
first
season
in
2016,
we
have
hired
72
people
and
provided
more
than
30,000
hours
of
direct
stewardship
on
more
than
a
hundred
projects
that
have
improved
our
shared
environment.
R
Seventy-Five
percent
of
crew
members
complete
their
tenure
with
us
95%
of
our
finishers
interview
for
other
jobs,
and
eighty-three
percent
have
job
offers
by
the
end
of
the
season
at
land
forests.
We
share
many
of
the
values
in
this
value
ballot
issue.
We
acknowledge
that
we
live
in
a
city
where
long
term
disinvestment
means
that
many
neighborhoods
are
left
without
a
safe
place
for
children
to
play.
R
We
envision
a
city
where
every
child,
an
adult,
lived
within
walking
distance
of
a
well
maintained
and
safe
park,
where
parks
can
provide
all
neighborhoods
a
host
of
environmental
services
like
flood
mitigation
and
air
quality
improvements.
We
have
seen
firsthand
how
spending
a
day
in
one
of
our
beautiful
arts
can
contribute
to
physical
and
mental
health.
B
H
My
name
is
Alison
Keating
I
live
in
Manchester.
I
would
like
to
start
by
acknowledging
that
Pittsburgh
is
situated
on
a
land
that
was
claimed
by
way
of
two
treaties.
The
1768
and
1784
treaties
of
Fort
Stanwix
both
were
agreements
with
the
Houghton
deshone
II,
also
known
as
the
Iroquois,
but
this
land
was
inhabited
and
used
by
numerous
tribes
that
were
not
at
those
negotiating
tables,
including,
but
certainly
not
limited,
to
limited
to
the
Lenape
Seneca
Shawnee.
H
A
question
for
today
could
be
who
has
been
left
out
of
these
discussions,
that
created
this
petition
by
design
or
by
other
systemic
structural
barriers.
In
the
spirit
of
the
recent
hearing
on
reparations,
I'd
like
to
acknowledge
the
historical
violence
that
mostly
black
people
have
faced
in
our
parks,
I
live
on
the
north
side
and
I
often
explain
to
people
that
Lake,
Elizabeth
and
Allegheny
Commons
Park
was
actually
used
as
a
pool
for
quite
some
time
in
the
20th
century.
Back
then
black
ship,
but
then
black
children
wanted
to
go
swimming
too
soon
enough.
H
When
the
United
States
joined
the
Second
World
War,
the
city
saw
an
opportunity
to
close
the
pool,
use
it
as
use
it
to
collect,
scrap
metals
it
never
reopened
as
a
pool.
That
fact
was
somehow
left
out
of
the
national
historic
nomination
that
was
written
several
years
ago
for
the
park
by
the
Allegheny
Commons
initiative.
The
parks
Conservancy
has
tried
to
align
this
tax
with
the
incredibly
popular
library
tax,
and
this
is
a
wrong
comparison.
H
That
tax
wasn't
a
charter
amendment
that
tax
didn't
create,
yet
another
board
for
citizens
to
oversee
the
library,
isn't
perfect
and
they
just
like
the
Department
of
Public
Works
and
the
Parks
Conservancy
continue
to
struggle
to
hire
staff.
That
looks
like
the
population
they
serve,
but
we
have
faith
in
them
because
we
know
a
fundamental
aspect
of
the
library
profession
is
to
not
silence
anyone,
even
if
you
don't
agree
with
them.
H
In
addition,
the
library
is
a
member
of
the
Allegany
County
Library
Association,
meaning
that
city
residents
can
request
books
owned
by
other
member
libraries
for
free
and
a
few
other
municipalities
also
have
library
taxes.
This
proposed
tax
provides
no
mechanism
for
non
city
residents
to
pay
their
fair
share,
as
they
too
frequent
our
parks
that
aren't
funded
through
the
regional
aspect.
District
between
the
library,
DPW
and
the
park
comes
Parks
Conservancy.
Only
the
parks
Conservancy
is
non-union.
A
recent
report
from
the
Institute
on
taxation
and
economic
policy
Pennsylvania
has
the
seventh
worst
tax
inequality.
H
This
tax
will
exacerbate
that
for
Pittsburg
resident,
especially
especially
renters,
who
are
now
the
majority
of
households
in
Pittsburgh.
We
can't
control
Harrisburg
where
changes
most
needed,
but
we
can
create
a
Pittsburgh
that
doesn't
make
things
worse
for
its
most
vulnerable
residents.
Renters
aren't
able
to
take
advantage
of
the
homestead
exemption,
which
saves
home
owners
$120
on
their
city,
property
taxes
with
a
hundred
thousand
dollar
property,
a
renter
will
pay
$50
and
a
homeowner
will
pay
just
$42.50.
H
The
City
Council
could
remove
this
asperity
and
increase
70s
city
revenue.
By
what
I
asked
Tomatoes
eight
million
dollars,
the
new
realty
transfer
tax
will
will
take
in
about
15
million
dollars
a
year
when
fully
implemented
next
year.
Yet
only
ten
million
is
dedicated
to
the
Housing
Opportunity
Fund
city
revenue
is
increasing,
though
the
population
is
still
decreasing.
B
S
S
Twenty
years
ago,
I
got
my
start
in
the
local
environmental
community
when
I
organized
a
trash
cleanup
under
the
tenth
Street
bridge
in
the
Southside
I
was
inspired
by
elected
officials
at
the
time
making
bold
moves
to
secure
land
and
easements
for
public
access
to
the
rivers
and
greenways
network.
They
fostered
public-private
partnerships
to
invest
in
the
future
of
our
parks,
our
zoo,
our
conservatory
and
our
urban
forests.
We
became
known
as
a
phoenix
rising.
Our
city's
reputation
shifted
from
an
old
dingy.
Industrial
has
been
to
a
vibrant,
green
city,
with
a
growing
tax
base.
S
Those
bold
decisions
made
in
the
90s
and
2000's
we're
not
always
popular
as
many
of
you
remember,
but
now
we
easily
recognize
just
how
forward-thinking
they
were.
We
have
the
privilege
of
reaping
the
benefits
of
those
decisions
today.
Unfortunately,
while
we've
come
a
long
way,
our
city
still
has
a
long
way
to
go.
Our
air
is
bad.
Our
sewage
regularly
flows
into
our
rivers
and
the
quality
and
accessibility
of
our
park
system
is
not
equal
across
all
neighborhoods.
The
park
started
throughout
the
city
are
in
dire
need
of
investment.
S
To
me,
this
referendum
will
again
be
a
defining
moment
for
the
city
and,
as
you
said
in
the
beginning,
it's
not
all
of
you
voting.
This
is
not
a
so
move.
This
is
us.
This
is
the
city
citizenry
of
this
city,
saying
we're
taking
control
of
this
and
I
think
we
should
still
go
after
the
nonprofit's
that
owe
tax
right
residents.
S
Have
the
opportunity
to
choose
to
make
an
investment
in
our
public
park
system
prioritizing
those
neighborhoods
with
greatest
need,
and
if
you
listen
closely
to
the
plan,
that
is
how
it's
going
to
go
down
the
maintenance
in
the
parks,
the
tree
planting.
That
will
happen
in
the
parks.
This
will
all
help
to
clean
our
air
and
protect
our
waterways
and
ease
our
stressed-out
minds
that
we
we
suffer
in
this
hectic
world.
I
have
one
important
request
of
this
council.
S
T
My
name
is
Meg
Cheever,
I'm,
retired
I'm,
a
taxpayer
and
a
resident
of
Council
District.
Eight
I
founded
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy
parks
are
not
a
frill
parks.
Are
a
healthful
place
for
free
exercise.
The
tree
population
in
our
parks,
cools
and
cleans.
The
air
marks
are
beautiful,
people
want
to
live
in
a
beautiful
place.
If
you
have
a
house
and
you
let
the
yard
go
the
grass
and
the
weeds
grow
tall.
The
front
gate
is
off
its
hinges.
You
aren't
proud
of
your
house.
No
one
wants
to
buy
it.
T
No
one
wants
to
visit
you
and
it
might
even
be
dangerous.
Well
if
our
parks
are
all
broken
down
and
horrible,
it's
a
reflection
on
our
community
and
people
won't
want
to
live
here.
That
was
the
situation
24
years
ago
when
the
Parks
Conservancy
formed.
This
is
Schenley
Park.
At
that
time,
the
city
had
total
control
of
the
parks,
but
no
money.
The
building
had
been
boarded
up
for
ten
years
and
the
park
was
almost
impassable
working
with
the
city.
T
The
Conservancy
helped
turn
the
tide
raising
a
hundred
and
twenty
million
dollars
in
completing
20
capital
projects,
but
there
remains
a
400
million
backlog
of
overdue
repairs
in
the
hundred
and
sixty-five
park
system,
and
the
needs
are
too
big
for
a
private
group
to
raise
the
funds
alone.
The
regional
asset
district
only
gives
money
to
Pittsburgh's,
5
largest
parks
parks
like
Sheridan,
McKinley,
Mellon
square
downtown
and
a
hundred
and
fifty-seven
more
are
left
out.
T
Parks
are
the
most
democratic
spaces
in
society,
they're
the
places
where
we
build
community
they're
there
for
our
family
reunions,
our
soccer
games,
our
cross-country
races,
they're,
the
places
where
we
go
to
be
in
nature
when
we
need
solace
or
alone
time,
they're
the
places
where
everyone
can
come
together,
regardless
of
age,
race,
social
position,
income,
here's
Highland
Park
before
we
invested
almost
three
million
dollars
now
that
it's
restored
and
maintained
the
entry
garden
is
a
magnet
for
people
from
all
over
mm-hmm.
The
time
for
increased
public
investment
in
the
parks
is
now.
T
Some
people
have
mentioned
alternate
funding
schemes,
but
that's
a
false
choice,
because
those
other
schemes,
if
they
ever
happen
at
all,
are
likely
years
away
and
in
the
meantime
our
parks
will
deteriorate.
More
and
momentum
will
be
lost,
and
if
this
parks
trust
fund
is
established
in
the
city
finds
extra
money,
you
can
lower
other
taxes.
The
choice
for
Pittsburgh
is
whether
we
want
a
great
park
system
for
every
person
in
every
neighborhood
in
our
city,
or
do
we
want
to
have
a
few
nice
parks
in
better
neighborhoods
and
inequity
everywhere
else?
T
B
R
P
B
U
Walk
I
wanted
to
share
our
summer
with
Council,
because
without
the
park
we
couldn't
have
done
what
we
did.
We've
seen
more
than
800
young
people
through
the
parks
was
the
fishing
program
no
cost
to
them,
and
we
were
told
that
we
could
not
actually
restore
the
lakes
Carnegie
Lake
in
Highland
Park,
because
it
was
too
expensive.
Well
with
volunteer
effort.
We
got
all
that
done.
We
got
all
that
done
and
we're
looking
to
move
forward.
U
I
want
to
stress
the
fact
that,
regardless
of
how
much
money
we
think
we
have
what
we
don't
have,
we
will
never
be
able
to
come
up
with
enough
to
to
stop
our
families
and
the
the
crime
that
we're
seeing
in
the
in
the
community.
Fishing
has
allowed
us
to
minister
to
these
kids.
We
can
talk
to
them.
We
have
opportunity
to
encourage
the
families,
so
you
know
we.
We
need
be
very
careful
about
the
things
that
we
cut
back
on
and
we
need
the
parks
we
really
do.
U
V
My
name
is
Rodney,
Jackson
and
I.
If
anyone
hasn't
been
to
Holland
Park
lately
take
a
ride
up.
We
have
a
beautiful
park
there.
Now
they
have
a
dog
park
and
they
also
have
volleyball
facilities
as
well
as
the
pool,
but
we
have
a
lake
that
has
been
underutilized
over
the
years
I
fished
here
50
years
ago,
I
started
fishing
over
the
years.
V
So
our
usually,
when
you
think
of
urban,
you
think
of
blacks.
Only
but
I
don't
think
these
are
black
families
only.
We
had
Chinese
families,
other
Asian
groups.
We
had
middle
Easterns.
We
had
a
number
of
different
families
from
different
ethnic
groups
that
came
up
and
fish
some
never
fish
and
never
knew
this
lake
even
exists
and
they
came
in
week
after
week
after
week.
Thank
you
very
much
hey.
Thank
you
very
much.
B
W
Evening,
members
of
City
Council,
thank
you
for
calling
this
hearing
tonight
and
for
the
opportunity
speak.
My
name
is
Brian
McGee
I'm,
a
resident
of
Baldwin
Borough,
but
I'm
here
tonight,
as
a
CEO
of
pump,
the
largest
network
of
under
40
crowd
here
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh,
primary
primarily
between
the
ages
of
25
and
35.
We've
got
nearly
10,000
members,
the
vast
majority
upwards
tonight,
90
percent,
lived
within
the
city
limits.
I
speak
tonight
to
express
our
enthusiastic
support
for
the
Pittsburgh
Park
sprawl
referendum.
W
W
This
is
one
of
the
core
ideals
that
young
Pittsburghers
shared
with
us
again
and
again
during
our
community
planning
process
that
resulted
in
our
advocacy
and
public
policy
agenda
that
was
released
about
a
year
and
a
half
ago,
as
the
largest
permit
user
within
the
city's
park
system
through
our
Pittsburgh
sports
league
program
pump,
has
a
unique
and
broad
advantage
point
of
the
needs
our
park
system.
We
work
closely
with
City
Public
Works
staff.
W
Every
day
they
are
true
professionals,
given
what
I'm
sure
seems
to
them
at
times
a
truly
impossible
task,
caring
for
the
parks.
We
frequently
work
with
many
of
you
as
well,
and
we
thank
you
for
for
your
support
of
young
people.
It
is
true
that
safe
places
to
recreation
space
is
essential
to
retaining
and
attracting
young
people
on
any
given
night.
Throughout
most
of
the
year,
you
can
find
thousands
of
members
and
PSL
participants
gathering
in
parks
and
facilities
across
the
city,
recreation
and
connecting
through
sport
and
play.
W
W
We
paid
seventy
thousand
dollars
in
city
permits
several
years
ago,
we're
now
down
to
fifty
thousand
dollars
a
year.
That's
because
the
opportunities
are
vanishing
this
year.
For
the
first
time
ever,
we
have
actually
declined
available
permits
because
the
field
conditions
were
so
poor
in
some
cases.
We
don't
see
this
turning
around.
W
No
city
can
be
great
or
most
livable
if
it
leaves
people
behind
in
many
of
our
neighborhoods.
We
are
left
with
nostalgic
memories
of
our
parks
about
what
once
was,
rather
than
what
is,
if
we
are
become
prepared
to
become
a
city
for
all.
This
needs
to
change
this
comprehensive
and
community
parks
driven
plan
does
just
that.
Thank.
B
X
I'm
Millie
Meyers
I
live
in
the
Squirrel
Hill,
but
I
grew
up
in
Highland,
Park
and
I
still
swim
in
the
Highland
Park
pools
each
summer.
To
me,
the
Highland
Park
pool
is
living
proof.
That
parks
are
our
most
democratic
spaces.
People
interact
there
who
would
never
otherwise
cross
paths,
people
of
different
races
and
ethnicities
and
ages
and
professions.
I'm
a
Carnegie
Mellon
faculty
member
in
conversations
with
a
young
lifeguard
a
few
years
ago,
I
was
able
to
steer
him
toward
educational
opportunities.
He
wouldn't
have
discovered
otherwise.
X
Just
last
weekend,
I
had
a
wonderful
encounter
in
the
Giant
Eagle,
with
the
woman
who
staffs
the
pool
gate
every
day.
She
somehow
recognized
me
in
clothes
and
dry
and
and
we
had
a
great
conversation
that
was
great,
because
each
of
us
realized
that
our
lives
intersect
in
ways
that
we
wouldn't
normally
think
of
all
because
of
a
city
swimming
pool
in
that
pool,
I
see
little
kids
eyeing
each
other's
toys
and
circling
and
talking
to
each
other,
and
then
their
mothers
start
talking
to
each
other
and
the
next
day
those
two
groups-
family
groups.
X
Maybe
it's
one
white
one
black.
Maybe
it's
one
white
one
Hispanic
they're
sitting
next
to
each
other
and
they're
talking
and
their
kids
are
playing
together.
Only
in
our
public
parks
do
these
kinds
of
interactions
occur.
Naturally,
now
Highland
Park
is
a
rad
supported
part,
but
160
of
our
165
Pittsburgh
parks
don't
get
rad
funding.
Those
parks
are
dependent
on
the
city.
As
a
member
of
the
parks,
Conservancy
board
I
was
involved
in
the
restoration
of
Cliffside
parks.
X
The
parks
plan
that
will
be
implemented
if
this
referendum
passes
will
focus
on
restoring
the
neighborhood
parks
that
most
need
it,
the
ones
the
city
hasn't
been
able
to
keep
up
the
ones
that
don't
get
rad
funding
I
know
of
no
other
community
resource
that
brings
democracy
and
equity
to
every
Pittsburgher.
The
way
that
our
city
parks
can
do
that
I
support
this
plan,
because
I
want
Pittsburgh
as
a
city
to
become
the
community
that
the
Highland
Park
Pool
creates
among
those
of
us
who
swim
there
each
summer.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
Y
Thank
you
good
evening.
I'm
Jeremy,
Feinstein
I'm
from
Squirrel
Hill
I,
am
a
member
of
the
board
of
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy
been
there
for
nine
years,
but
that's
really
not.
Why
I'm
here
speaking
tonight,
I'm
speaking
as
a
resident
and
person
raising
a
family
in
the
city
and
it's
a
little
hard
batting
this
deep
in
the
batting
order
to
come
up
with
new
and
original
things
to
say
so.
Y
I'm
just
gonna
dig
deeply
on
one
point
that
to
me
is
the
most
compelling
reason
why
every
taxpayer
in
the
city
should
support
this
initiative,
and
that
is
equity.
The
initiative
is
the
best
hope
that
we
have
to
ensure
that
every
resident
of
the
city
in
every
neighborhood
gets
fair
access
and
fair
funding
for
nearby
parks
based
on
real
community
needs.
It's
just
a
bit
of
background.
Y
I
live
about
exactly
equidistant
between
Frick
and
Shanley
parks
and
I'm
walkable
to
both
those
parks
have
enriched
the
lives
of
my
family
and
friends
and
neighbors
in
so
many
ways
it's
hard
to
list
them
all.
My
kids
and
I
have
played,
by
my
count
at
least
10
different,
organized
sports
and
Pittsburgh
parks.
At
least,
if
we
consider
a
lawn
bowling
us
or
not,
to
mention
spending
a
huge
amount
of
time
on
the
beautiful
trails
and
biking
and
sledding,
and
so
many
other
activities
I
even
proposed
my
life
in
a
Pittsburgh
Park.
Y
The
restoring
Pittsburgh
parks
plan
would
be
supported
that
would
be
supported
by
this
referendum.
Sets
forth
a
simple
and
transparent
formula
for
determining
the
communities
and
parks
that
we'll
get
that
will
get
the
funding
based
on
the
greatest
needs
and
it
allocates
the
funding
to
the
parks
with
greatest
needs.
The
projects
that
will
be
done
with
the
funds
are
published
publicly
on
there,
storing
Pittsburgh
Parks
website
for
everyone
to
see
in
ranked
order,
and
yes,
even
to
criticize
and
to
question.
That's
the
whole
point.
Y
Y
What's
so
great
about
this
referendum,
the
sites
and
the
communities
that
the
greatest
needs
are
gonna
get
the
parks,
investment
that
they've
been
waiting
for
for
years,
take
a
look
at
even
just
the
top
dozen
or
so
parks
on
that
list
and
you'll
see
how
the
initiative
will
do
great
things
across
so
many
council
districts,
Spring
Hill
Park
in
district
1,
West
End
Park
in
district
2,
McKinley
Park
in
district
4
I
could
keep
going.
You
can
see
almost
all
of
them.
There.
Y
The
rad
funding
that
makes
it
possible
to
do
capital
improvements
and
major
and
major
maintenance
projects
and
Frick
shanley,
Highland
and
Riverview
gives
them
a
leg
up
on
other
city
parks
and
the
incredible
positive
impact
of
that
funding
is
obvious
to
anyone
who
visits
any
of
them.
The
real
magic
of
this
initiative
and
the
real
reason
why
both
council
and
everyone
else
should
support
it
is
the
equity.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
Z
Good
evening
my
name
is
Aaron:
Copland
I
live
in
Highland
Park
at
14-14,
North,
st.
Clair,
Street
and
I
do
work
for
the
parks,
Conservancy
I'm,
the
senior
restoration,
ecologist
there
and
I'm
voting
YES
on
the
parks,
trust
fund.
There
are
many
reasons.
My
local
park
is
Highland
Park
and
someone
from
my
family
is
there
almost
every
day
and
although
the
DPW
tries
their
hardest
to
keep
everything
in
good
working
order,
there
just
isn't
enough
baseline
funding
to
go
around
just
one.
Z
Small
example
is
that,
on
our
walk
to
the
pool
this
past
summer,
that
Milly
spoke
about
so
kindly
and
then
I
agree
with
wholeheartedly.
My
niece
fell
on
some
steps
original
to
the
park,
a
historic
resource
that
are
just
beautiful
but
they're
being
eroded
away,
and
this
is
a
rad
Park,
so
they
get.
It
gets
extra
funding.
Think
about
the
other
small
community
parks
and
neighborhood
parks
that
don't
and
I
know
that
the
staff
there
sees
that
it
needs
to
be
fixed.
But
there's
not
really
enough.
Z
Z
So
we
desperately
need
this
natural
kind
of
infrastructure,
pittsburgh's
parks,
this
specifically
the
trees
and
shrubs
and
other
vegetation,
they're
good
at
cleaning,
air
and
soaking
up
water
keeping
our
human
community
healthy
with
climate
change
impacts
already
being
felt,
such
as
increased
precipitation,
increased
landslides,
not
just
seven
at
Riverview,
but
across
the
whole
system.
Additional
funding
is
needed
to
plant
new
trees
care
for
the
old
trees,
install
green
stormwater
infrastructure.
B
AA
AA
But
it's
expensive:
our
parks
are
free
and
they're
available
to
everybody
and
others
have
mentioned
the
democracy
of
it.
But
it's
the
kind
of
thing
that
has
made
me
weep
on
occasion.
I'll
just
tell
you
one
story:
I
won't
tell
you
all
the
times,
I've
wept.
One
story
is
we
came
as
tennis
players
and
in
the
early
70s,
when
we
were
students
and
tennis
players.
Tennis
was
very
popular
here
and
you
could
probably
attest
to
that.
We
knew
that
we
would
spend
half
the
day
waiting.
AA
So
when
you
went
to
the
tennis
court,
you
take
a
blanket,
you
take
a
lunch,
you
take
your
homework
your
books
and
sit
there
for
a
very
long
time
and
get
to
see
all
the
people
coming
and
going
the
way
we
got.
A
court
suddenly
only
had
a
big
half
a
dozen
courts,
then
as
you'd
sign
up,
and
it
was
the
honor
system.
You'd
sign
up,
you'd
go
in
order
and
everybody
gone
off
the
court
in
one
hour
and
before
dark.
AA
Most
people
who
wanted
to
play
got
to
play
that
day,
but
we
also
saw
a
lot
of
other
things
going
on
in
the
park
and
my
favorite
day
perhaps
was
a
day.
We
were
sitting
around
waiting
waiting
and
we
hear
a
lot
of
ruckus
from
the
road
and
a
sea
of
kids,
some
in
orange
shirts
and
some
in
yellow
shirts
running
up
the
steps
running
right,
past
us
and
into
the
circle
turns
out.
AA
AB
AB
V
B
AC
You
I'm
Leon
de
Cicco
and
I
live
in
Allentown.
B
AC
You
counsel,
I
am
in
favor
of
establishing
a
dedicated
parks,
trust
fund
for
three
reasons.
First,
I
am
a
pediatrician,
so
I
will
speak
on
behalf
of
my
patient
population.
Our
children
are
facing
tremendous
obstacles
to
their
health
and
well-being,
obesity,
high
blood
pressure,
depression,
anxiety,
social
isolation.
These
are
all
the
new
scourge
as
we
face
and
unlike
polio,
and
unlike
pertussis,
these
have
no
vaccines.
No
quick
preventable
measure
our
children
are
also
set
to
inherit.
A
planet
is
becoming
increasingly
broken.
AC
It
is
time
for
us,
as
their
adults,
to
collectively
step
up
and
show
them
that
their
health
matters
that
their
planet
matters
our
children
need
safe,
clean,
well-maintained
parks.
My
colleagues
worked
with
the
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy
to
establish
the
prescription
for
parks
program
in
2018,
and
passage
of
this
fund
would
ensure
that
it,
like
our
children,
have
the
tools
needed
to
thrive.
AC
This
is
all
of
the
garbage
I've
picked
up
from
Grand
View
Park,
since
May
Granby
Park
is
eight
acres.
Less
than
half
a
percent
of
the
total
park
area
in
the
city,
I
have
read
about
the
former
caretaker
of
Grand
View
Park
Don
Piniella,
who
tended
to
it
for
more
than
30
years.
His
position
was
eliminated
by
the
city
upon
his
retirement
several
years
ago.
AC
We
are
therefore
incredibly
fortunate
so
that
she
chose
to
move
here
in
2018
to
lead
the
Pittsburgh's
Parks
Conservancy.
This
fund,
part
of
Jane's
strategy,
has
already
proven
to
be
effective
in
Minneapolis.
I
hope
that
the
voters
of
Pittsburg
will
recognize
the
winning
game
plan
when
it
appears
with
Pittsburg
average
home
price
of
one
hundred
and
thirty
thousand
dollars.
This
tax
proposal
would
equal,
18
cents
per
day.
I
found
a
dollar
on
my
trash
rounds
in
Grandview
Park
on
Monday,
so
the
next
five
days
is
on
the
house.
Thank
you.
B
AD
And
thanks
very
much
for
the
opportunity.
My
name
is
Gavin
white
I'm,
a
proud
Hazelwood,
homeowner,
I'm,
proud,
Pittsburgher
and
I
am
a
proud
parks.
Conservancy
employee.
You
may
balk
at
that,
but
I
think
the
number
of
us
here
really
speaks
to
how
much
we
care
about
this
work.
I
really
want
to
speak
about.
AD
You
know,
I
work,
also
on
the
Hazelwood
initiative
board
and
and
I
really
believe
in
this
idea
of
development
without
this
placement
that
we've
just
submitted
as
part
of
our
neighborhood
plan,
so
I
recognize
some
of
these
other
concerns
that
we've
heard
tonight.
You
know
about
affordable
housing,
about
the
roads,
about
the
bridges
yeah.
We
got
a
lot
of
problems
to
deal
with
and
and
the
reality
is
that
we're
a
city
punching
above
our
weight.
AD
We
are
a
city
of
300
thousand
people
that
happens
to
also
have
the
most
bridges
in
the
world
like
how
does
that
it
doesn't
make
sense.
We
need
to
be
able
to
invest
in
the
massive
but
beautiful
infrastructure
that
we
have.
So
it
was
a
shame
to
me
to
think
that
we
have
to
sacrifice
parks
for
roads
or
sacrifice
bridges
for
affordable
housing.
We
need
to
as
Democrats
as
people
who
believe
in
our
city
stand
up
and
say
that
we
can
have
all
of
these
things.
AD
So
I
am
proud
to
vote
YES
for
the
tax
referendum
I'm,
proud
to
help
anyone
who
thinks
that
there
are
people
who
that
will
displace.
If
that
is
an
issue,
please
like
reach
out
to
me
really.
My
email
is
G
white
at
Pittsburg
parks,
org
and
I'd
be
happy
to
help
support
those
issues,
because
it's
not
a
one
or
the
other
kind
of
solution.
Parks,
as
everybody
has
said
tonight,
are
super
critical.
They
do
all
of
these
amazing
things,
and
on
top
of
that
we
can
improve
our
other
issues
as
well.
AE
Hey
thank
you
and
thanks
to
the
council
here,
I'm
glad
to
see.
There's
seven
out
of
nine
members
appreciate
that
I'm
supporting
the
tax
on
Chris
or
Oskie
I
live
in
Squirrel
Hill,
and
one
of
the
things
I've
been
thinking
about
is
that
this
is
more
of
a
populist
tax
than
a
kind
of
an
elitist
tax,
and
we
could
take
back
a
lot
of
control
of
our
parks
with
this
tax.
This
is
putting
the
power
back
into
the
people's
hands
the
city
residents
hands.
AE
AE
So
it's
a
populist
tax.
It's
a
way
to
shift
the
focus
away
from
the
river
fronts
away
from
the
nonprofit's,
and
it's
also
a
piece
of
leverage
for
council
to
use
to
get
back
in
the
game
have
a
say
over
what
happens
to
the
parks
put
pressure
on
the
nonprofit's
to
pay
their
share,
show
them
that
the
people
of
Pittsburgh
care
about
the
parks
and
are
willing
to
pay
for
them
and
shame
them
into
helping
us.
AE
You
know
back
up
some
of
the
observations
about
traveling
I've
traveled.
Quite
a
bit
in
my
life
and
been
thinking
about
it,
the
places
I
remember
most
and
most
enjoyed
are
the
places
with
the
great
parks
and
the
great
nature
right
someplace
like
Hayes
woods
that
could
be
world-class.
The
views
up
there,
the
eagles
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh,
a
nice
building
up
there,
some
access
that
could
be
a
world-class
tourist
attraction.
AE
You
know
Bruce
in
Allentown,
my
grandparents
lived
there
I
know
it
quite
well,
st.
George's
as
their
church.
There's
that
parking
lot
between
Warrington
Avenue
and
st.
George's
great
big
ground
parking
lot
that
is
crying
out
for
a
park,
that's
begging
for
a
park
there.
What
a
way
to
knit
the
neighborhood
together
sell
that
sell
that
to
the
people
in
Allentown
tell
them
that
that's
what
they
can
get
with
this.
AE
Of
course,
I'm
here
from
Squirrel
Hill
and
Schenley
Park
I
just
started
the
show-me
Park
Tennis
Association
this
year,
I
take
care
of
a
little
patch
of
Schenley
Park
myself
and
I
pick
up
trash
constantly
I
need
help,
I
think
the
parks
Conservancy
did
a
survey
and
the
number
one
concern
of
people
answering.
That
survey
was
trash
in
the
parks.
The
city
can
hire
people
to
clean
up
the
parks.
That's
a
simple
job
and
an
important
job,
and
everybody
wants
that
done.
AE
I
had
a
laundry
list
of
problems
with
shutting
the
park,
you
know
it's
it's
it's
a
park,
that's
under
extreme
pressure
from
Carnegie
Mellon's
expansion
too
much
traffic.
The
shuttle
bus
through
the
run
from
CMU
down
to
I,
forget
where
the
person
is
from
the
run
now
from
CMU
down
to
Hazelwood.
Every
side
is
under
pressure
and
we
need
to
preserve
the
parks
and
we
need
to
protect
them
and
I
would
really
appreciate
everybody
getting
on
board
with
that.
Thank
you.
N
Thank
you
for
Jaron,
my
name
is
David
demco
I'm,
the
assistant
director
of
scenic
Pittsburgh,
I,
live
on
the
north
side
on
Boyle
Street,
it's
a
chance
for
alley.
Central
Allegheny
City,
now
I
live
one
block
from
Allegheny
Commons.
Frankly,
I'm
surprised
that
the
council
hasn't
given
this
full-throated
support
to
this
referendum.
No
one
is
more
familiar
with
the
budget
than
than
you
and
you
understand
how
hard
it
is
to
find
money
for
anything.
N
As
the
anti-tax
people
pointed
out
here
we
have
a
lot
of
needs
as
sewage
roads
and,
as
you
look
at
these
things
and
you
and
you
were
away
well,
there
do
I
pay
for
sewage,
I
pay
for
Park.
It
gets
harder
and
harder
to
find
money
to
pay
for
the
parks
I'm
on
the
steering
committee
for
the
Allegheny
Commons
and
our
goal
is
to
return
the
park
to
its
original
glory.
It's
maintenance
lost
a
lot
of
things,
a
lot
of
features
over
the
years
and
our
goal
is
to
restore
the
estimate
to
restore
it.
N
50
million
dollars.
Is
anyone
here,
gonna
find
50
million
dollars
in
the
budget.
For
me
how
about
5
million
a
year?
How
about
a
million
for
50
years?
No,
it's
not
going
to
happen.
Is
it
I
think
the
way
you
have
to
look
at
this?
You
know
it's
it's.
What
surprises
me
is
that
in
1867
we
were
able
to
build
this
park,
but
nowadays
we
can't
afford
to
maintain
it.
N
It's
a
matter
of
what
our
values
are
on,
what
we
consider
import
in
this
city
and
and
to
the
anti-tax
people
I
would
like
to
say
what
you
need
to
look
at
this,
as
you
need
to
look
at
this
as
an
investment,
not
as
a
tax.
There's
three
reasons
why
it's
an
investment.
First
of
all,
it
appreciates
the
value
of
our
houses.
There
are
studies,
many
many
studies
that
show
that
approximate
or
park
increases
the
value
of
your
house
by
investing
in
our
parks.
N
N
You
know
making
your
home
more
valuable,
there's
nothing
wrong
with
considering
your
self-interest
in
in
weighing
the
value
of
this
tax
and
having
more
valuable
property.
Is
it
everybody's
self-interest
in
property
out
of
self-interest?
The
second
thing
about
this
is:
is
parks
are
good
for
your
health.
N
Take
a
walk,
get
some
exercise,
relax,
it's
good
for
your
health,
it's
good
for
your
kids
health,
it's
good
for
your
dog's
health,
it's
good
for
the
health
of
the
planet
too,
because
the
plants
and
the
soil
clean,
the
water
and
they
clean
the
air
and
third
of
all,
you
know.
Great
cities
have
great
parks
and
Pittsburg
deserves
great
parks,
we're
a
great
city.
We
want
to
be
a
world-class
city.
We
deserve
great
parks.
N
B
AF
You
and
good
evening
my
name
is
Ryan
McWilliams
I
come
from
Swiss
helm,
Park
I'm,
a
homeowner
there
I
want
to
thank
everybody,
the
council
for
the
opportunity
to
speak,
and
everybody
here
that
are
participating.
This
very
democratic
event
is
the
first
time
for
me
and
I'm
honored.
So
I
am
a
proponent
of
the
referendum.
Here.
AF
My
background
is
in
ecology
and,
as
an
environmental
consultant,
I
see
the
need
to
restore
and
conserve
the
resources
that
we
have
not
only
for
the
public's
use
and
enjoyment,
but
also
for
the
ecologic
health
of
the
environment
and
of
the
world.
I
came
here
about
six
years
ago,
five
or
six
years
ago
and
was
just
a
student
out
of
school.
AF
The
arts
and
the
music
that
were
discussed
earlier,
so
the
parks
bring
a
lot
of
value,
and
this
is
this
is
a
resource
just
like
the
roads
and
bridges
they
need
to
be
invested
in
and
if
they
are
not
invested
in
regularly,
they
will
just
cost
more
and
more
and
more
and
we'll
be
kicking
ourselves.
In
ten
years
when
we
haven't
taken
care
of
this
now,
the
parks
investment
helps
the
human
environment.
AF
This
helps
have
an
opportunity
for
people
that
may
not
be
as
fortunate
to
bring
their
children
to
learn
more
about
the
environment,
to
exercise,
and
hopefully
it
inspires
some
young
people
to
get
involved
with
the
environment,
to
learn
about
it
and
maybe
be
better
stewards
when
they're
adults
also
investing
in
the
parks
is
better
for
the
environment.
In
general,
I
know
we
discussed
briefly
about
stormwater
being
an
issue.
AF
That's
something
I'm
particular
interested
in
passionate
and
the
city
has
a
very
significant
issue
with
storm
water,
as
you
all
know,
and
working
to
invest
in
the
parks
here
to
restore
streams
and
divert
water
that
would
otherwise
be
going
into
our
sewage
system
is
extremely
important.
So
I
hope
that
you
will
all
consider
this
I.
Thank
you
all
for
your
remarks
on
both
sides.
I
think
I.
AF
B
Doug,
are
you
here,
okay,
that
exhausts
the
list
of
registered
speakers?
If
there
is
anyone
that
came
to
the
public
hearing
this
evening,
that
did
not
register
that
wishes
to
register
comment.
You
are
welcome
to
come
to
the
podium
again
begin
by
giving
your
name,
the
neighborhood
of
which
you
reside
you'll,
be
given
one
minute
and
I
must
caution
you.
It
goes
very
fast.
Welcome.
AG
Hi,
my
name
is
Ziggy
Edwards
I
live
in
the
run,
hello
again,
I
decided
to
speak
today
after
finding
this.
In
my
mailbox,
it's
the
second
or
third
direct
mailing
I've
received
telling
me
to
vote.
Yes,
we
owe
it
to
our
children.
I,
don't
appreciate
the
expensive
full-color
printed
paper
that
ends
up
in
my
recycling
bin
and
I.
Don't
appreciate
this
deceptive
marketing
campaign
directed
at
Pittsburghers.
No
one
is
arguing
against
funding
parks.
AG
The
issue
is
how
I
have
major
concerns
about
this
proposed
fund
and
that
doesn't
make
me
a
child
hater
or
a
park
hater
I'm
concerned,
because
I
live
in
four
mile
run
and
have
first-hand
knowledge
of
the
situation.
Barb
described
that
I
don't
have
time
to
get
into
the
details
of
I
also
know
that
our
mayor,
who
was
a
driving
force
behind
the
Mon
Oakland
connector,
has
a
seat
on
the
PPC
board.
At
best,
it's
a
bad
look,
adding
the
phrases,
citizen,
participation
and
full
public
disclosure
to
your
ballot
question
doesn't
make
them
reality.
AG
AE
AH
AH
AH
Also,
the
cost
increase
is
not
just
going
to
hurt
homeowners,
it's
going
to
hurt
renters
too,
because
then
it
will
be
put
back
on
us,
and
this
city
has
really
not
the
best
plans
for
dealing
with
displacement
and
then
the
equity
language,
I'm,
hearing
a
lot
of
equity
language
for
this
project,
specifically,
but
I
wasn't
hearing
that
equity
language
in
the
past
when
it
came
to
talking
about
our
parts.
So
why
are
you
talking
about
equity?
Now
you
want
the
public
to
talk.
AI
AE
AI
Clay
Terra's
reside
in
beach
view.
I
just
want
to
speak
very
quickly
about
three
things:
tax
priorities.
If
we
want
to
talk
about
doing
a
tax
to
fund
parks,
if
we
want
to
talk
about
priorities
in
our
budgeting
system,
we
should
budget
them
within
the
democratically
elected
council
who
has
control
rather
than
putting
it
in
an
outside
source,
to
good
government
kind
of
feeds
into
the
same
thing.
AI
D
B
G
I
want
to
thank
you
all
for
being
here.
I
actually
did
call
for
the
public
hearing,
and
it
was
because
we
had
residents
that
wanted
to
be
heard
both
for
and
against,
and
those
just
who
just
want
to
make
some
comment,
and
during
this
time,
waiting
for
this
public
hearing
it.
We
did
a
lot
of
research
ourselves
and
seeing
some
of
the
articles,
I'm
gonna
share
with
you
shortly.
I
I
just
want
to
say
that
I
appreciate
people
coming
down.
G
G
Everybody
talks
about
our
parks
that
make
cheaper.
You
have
done
an
amazing
job
in
our
parks,
and
so
I
want
to
thank
you
for
that.
But
I
also
want
to
thank
Aaron
Tobin,
who
does
work
in
our
district
tremendously.
She
does
a
lot
of
work
and
she
works
for
Pittsburgh,
Parks
Conservancy,
but
I
want
to
say
even
that.
Well
I
appreciate
all
that
you've
done.
I
don't
buy
this
argument
that
we
need
to
raise
our
tax
rate
now,
especially
when
you
have
an
article
on
your
page
about
how
Pittsburgh
was
voted.
G
G
For
me,
when
you're
talking
about
what
you're
going
to
do,
you've
had
20
years
to
do
some
of
the
things
that
you're
saying
that
we
need
to
have
done
20
years
and
if
those
things
were
so
important
to
you.
If
a
West,
End
Park
was
so
important
to
you.
We
just
had
the
first
visit
from
Pittsburgh
Parks
Conservancy,
probably
about
two
years
ago,
in
a
West,
End
Park,
and
that
was
with
Aaron
Tobin
and
and
doing
some
work
up
there.
G
But
I
can
look
at
all
the
nonprofits
that
are
here
tonight
and
a
lot
of
you
do
work
in
the
city.
So
you
know
as
much
as
I
appreciate
all
that
you
do
in
the
city.
I
think
the
the
reality
is
that
a
lot
of
you
depend
on
we're
doing
on
the
city
and
the
support
of
the
administration
to
do
some
of
the
work
that
you're
doing
and
I
think
the
in
theory.
G
G
So
I
don't
know.
Why
do
we
give
additional
responsibility?
I
think
that
we
do
have
to
have
a
conversation
about
what
we
do
and
how
we
take
care
of
our
parks.
I.
Think
that
that's
something
that
you
you
know
we
all
should
have
probably
talked
about
before
it
got
to
this
point
as
soon
as
we
realized
that
there
was
an
issue
and
with
our
Foundation's
fund
a
lot
of
stuff
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh
and
so
to
expect
them
to
fund
this
nonprofit
or
other
nonprofits
for
a
long
time.
G
It's
probably
not
reasonable
I
mean
because
they
were
asking
them
to
do
more
and
more
in
the
city
and
I
think.
Maybe
what
we
ought
to
be
doing
is
sitting
down
having
a
conversation,
how
what
are
our
priorities
and
how
we
can
keep
some
of
the
nonprofit's
float
that
really
really
are
benefiting
our
city
and
Pittsburgh.
Parks
Conservancy
has
benefited
our
city
in
many
ways.
I'm
not
saying
it's
been
a
perfect
job
at
a
perfect
situation,
but
they
have
been
at
or
benefited
our
city
in
many
ways.
G
I
also
think
that
a
lot
of
nonprofits
benefit
from
the
city
too,
so
I
think
that
it's
a
conversation
that
we
have
to
have
on
what
our
priorities
are.
We
also
have
a
lot
of
trees
that
need
cut.
We
have
a
lot
of
equipment
that
needs
to
replace
I,
don't
know
that
raising
this
tax
tomorrow
or
next
week
or
what
Election
Day
I,
don't
know
that
that's
going
to
get
us
the
funding
we
need
in
my
lifetime.
G
So
I'd
really
like
to
have
the
conversation
about
what
needs
to
occur
and
how
we
can
find
the
funding
in
other
ways
without
impeding
upon
our
residence
one
more
time,
because
I
think
that
our
residents
as
people
have
talked
they're,
struggling,
they've
been
struggling,
and
we
just
continue
to
put
additional
burdens
on
them
and
so
I'd
like
to
make
sure
that
we're
sitting
down
having
that
conversation.
But
thank
you
for
being
here.
B
AJ
H
AJ
Always
say
when
we
have
a
public
hearing
like
this
I
come
in
with
one
opinion
and
I,
listen
to
everybody,
and
you
know
it
helps
it
helps,
shape
and
move.
My
opinion,
however,
in
this
case,
I
still
have
the
same
opinion
that
I
came
in
with
I
am
mainly
adamantly.
You
know
opposed
attacks.
I
really
do
okay.
For,
for
a
number
of
reasons,
first
I
want
to
talk
about
the
process.
Okay
and
I
hear
a
lot
today.
All
the
pro-park
speakers
we're
talking
about
this
most
democratic
space
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh
I.
AJ
Agree
with
that.
But
the
process
to
raise
these
taxes
was
not
democratic.
We
don't
have
an
opposition.
Okay,
we
have
the
parks
Conservancy
spending
their
money
and
lots
of
it.
I
would
love
to
get
an
amount
of
that
money
Jane
if
you're
still
here,
I
don't
know,
but
I
would
love
to
get
an
amount
of
the
money
that
they
spent
in
campaigning
for
this
process,
there
is
no
voice
to
oppose
it.
Thank
God.
You
know
the
Councilwoman
Achilles
Smith
called
this
meeting
tonight
and
I'm
grateful
for
that.
At
least.
AJ
We
get
some
a
different
view,
other
than
just
the
parks
Conservancy
view,
so
the
process
to
me
just
was
not
right
from
the
beginning.
That
million
and
a
half
dollars
I'm
guessing
because
I
have
yet
to
get
a
straight
answer
from
the
Conservancy
I'm
gonna
guess
so
I
mean
I
got
you
know,
ZD
held
them
up.
I
got
seven
eight
of
these
honest,
okay.
Seven
eight
of
these
we
all
saw
the
commercials
or
beautiful
commercials.
AJ
I
know
what
it
costs
to
run
a
good
ad,
okay
and
they're
on
oh
they're,
on
24
hours
a
day
I
feel
like
so
so.
The
process
to
me
was
not
fair:
okay,
the
million
and
a
half
dollars
I'm
again
I'm.
Not
don't
quote
me
on
that,
but
the
million
and
half
dollars
that
the
Conservancy
I
feel
put
into
this
campaign.
It's
a
campaign
is
what
it's
a
political
campaign
I
could
have.
AJ
All
my
parks
in
my
district
could
have
been
improved
to
the
point
where
we're
just
fine
the
same
parks,
I
grew
up
and
I
grew
up
in
these
parks.
I
know
how
important
they
are.
I
agree
with
everybody
who
supports
the
facts.
I
do
but
the
same
parks
I
grew
up
in
look
the
same
today
as
I
was
as
a
kid
honestly
and
yeah.
There
are
improvements
to
be
made
and
I
will
tell
you
as
a
contractor.
AJ
I
can
go
into
any
park
anywhere
in
any
city
in
this
country,
and
I
could
drum
up
fifty
million
dollars
worth
of
improvements
just
by
new
wall
new
road
new
bridge.
It's
easy
to
do.
We
all
have
needs
all
these
parks
have
needs.
I
understand
that
so
the
process
to
me
just
was
not
right.
I
feel
like
we
don't
have
opposition
to
this.
We
don't
have
a
voice,
nobody's
willing
to
put
a
million
and
a
half
dollars
into
saying.
Hey.
AJ
We
don't
want
this
taxi,
but
I'm
gonna
say
you
know:
I,
don't
want
this
as
a
tax.
I
love
our
parks.
Our
parks
are
great.
We
need
them.
I
agree
for
wholeheartedly
with
everybody
here
that
says
you
know
how
important
they
are
to
child
development
to
our
community,
to
everything.
That's
absolutely
true,
but
I
want
you
to
just
look
at
my
perspective:
okay,
I'm,
a
guy.
You
know:
I
live
on
the
border,
Dormont
Beach
view,
okay,
Dormont
being
a
suburb;
okay,
it
now
costs
less
to
live
in
Dormont
in
taxes.
N
AJ
Saying
to
live
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh:
now
we
have
a
great
I'm,
a
product
of
Pittsburgh
School,
District,
okay,
my
chief
of
staff,
more
kalida,
there's
a
school
board
member.
They
do
a
great
job,
but
the
fact
is:
Pittsburgh
Public,
Schools
underperform
compared
to
say
Keystone
Oaks,
my
neighborhood
okay.
So,
for
what
reasons
you
know,
I'm,
not
sure.
AJ
That's
not
our
responsibility
on
council,
but
I
will
say
it's
harder
and
harder
for
me
to
I
feel
like
a
real
estate
agent
for
my
district
in
many
ways,
I
say
trying
to
promote
whether
it
be
young
families
whomever
to
start
businesses
buy
homes,
be
there
you
know
and
and
give
them
a
good
reason
to
move
to
my
neighborhood.
Well
now,
I
just
got
one
less
reason
to
you
know:
try
to
support
and
try
to
promote
my
neighborhood,
it's
just
another
tax
and
don't
get
me
wrong.
It's
to
a
good
good
cause.
AJ
I
love
the
parks.
Everybody
knows
the
importance
of
the
parks,
but
I'll
say
this
you're
driving
people
out
of
the
city.
It's
making
it
harder
for
me
to
sell
my
district
to
people
who
want
to
buy
a
home
because
they're
gonna
pay
more
in
taxes.
There's
the
school
district.
They
will
argue
all
day
long
with
you
is
not
as
well,
and
you
know
so
when
incentive
can
I
again
and
now
my
districts
might
might
this
particular
neighborhood
a
beach
for
you.
AJ
Many
of
you
are
familiar
with
I
see
Phyllis
back
there
we're
struggling
there,
we've
been
struggling
for
years
and
years.
Our
parks
have
not
changed.
You
know
I'm,
not
saying
they're
in
desperate
need
of
repair
I'm,
not
saying
that
they're
not
they've,
always
been
in
desperate
need
of
repair.
Most
parks
have
been
so
I'm
adamantly
against
raising
taxes.
We
have
enough
taxes
in
this
city.
We're
taxing
people
out
of
the
city.
At
this
point
you
know
I
understand
you
know
Jane.
You
know,
I
love
what
she
does.
AJ
I
know
she's
an
expert
in
the
field
and
when
she
came
to
town
she
stressed
you
know:
she's
gonna
raise
twenty
million
dollars
in
ten
years.
This
is
what
she
told
me
versus
ten
million
dollars
in
the
last
twenty
years
before
she
came
here,
but
I
didn't
know
she
was
going
to
do
that
through
tax
payers.
That's
a
no-go
for
me.
I
hope
and
I
plead
to
anybody
living
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh,
not
to
vote
for
this
tax.
AJ
It's
gonna
me
as
a
real
estate
agent,
councilman,
whatever
you
want
to
call
it
and
trying
to
promote
my
neighborhood.
That's
you
know,
give
us
the
reason
to
live
here
and
another
reason
to
walk
out.
So
that's
just
my
thoughts
on
it.
I've
been
against
this
from
the
beginning.
I
feel
like
we're
taxed
to
death.
Last
thing
we
need
is
another
tax.
AJ
It's
just
you
know.
If
the
parks,
you
know
don't
get
me
wrong.
I
love
the
parks,
but
if
there
are
not
this
much
of
disrepair,
so
be
it
that's
what
I
say
you
know:
I
mean
we
cannot
make
the
more
expensive
living
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh
when
their
choice
is
right.
Next
door
to
me
and
I
have
a
declining
population.
Pittsburgh
has
a
declining
population,
and
why
is
it?
Because
you
know
it's
not
attractive
to
move
here
and
the
more
we
tax
them?
The
more
their
design
see
you
later
so
yeah.
H
AJ
That
I
want
to
thank
you
all
for
coming.
I
appreciate,
I
respect
your
positions
on
it.
I
really
do
I
just
feel
it's
better
not
to
raise
taxes
on
this,
and
one
final
thing
I
want
to
say
if
this
were
city
controlled
thing,
this
is
a
this
is
a
non-profit.
This
is
something
that
the
us
as
City
Council
members,
are
not
going
to
have
say-so
in
how
these
taxpayers
dollars
are
spent.
Nick
Jane
could
say
so.
She's
blue
in
the
face
and
we're
gonna
have
a
board
member
and
we're
gonna
make
sure.
AJ
I
can't
do
it
when
we're
raising
taxes
for
the
parks,
that's
out
of
my
control
and
we
have
no
say-so
over,
and
you
know
what
until
Jane
puts
a
solid
on
every
Park,
what
she's
gonna
do
and
the
improvements
are
gonna
be
made
and
if
they're
gonna
be
made
immediately,
then
maybe
we
could
talk
but
just
to
have
faith
and
trust
in
a
in
a
nonprofit
that
they're
going
to
take
care
of
the
five
or
six
parks
in
my
neighborhood.
It's
not
good
enough
for
me.
So
thanks
for
coming
here
appreciate
all
your
opinions.
Okay,.
AH
AB
I'm
still
no
vote
after
listening
to
you
today,
everyone's
leaving,
because
they
don't
want
to
hear
what
you
have
to
say
if
it's
a
nova
hope
what
we
should
do
with
this
is
maybe
anyone
making
$100,000
a
year
pay
5%
of
their
Peh,
have
their
hundred
per
hundred
thousand
to
the
city
to
put
into
a
fund
for
our
parks,
because
the
people
that
are
living
on
nine
thousand
dollars,
twelve
thousand
dollars
twenty
five
thousand
dollars
a
year,
can't
afford
it
matter
of
fact
they
can't
even
get
a
babysitter
to
be
here.
The
same
thing.
AB
The
ones
that
make
the
money
are
getting
their
neighborhoods
done.
I
mean
seven
point:
six
million
dollars
a
year
for
four
parks.
Only
when
did
yours
come
on
Teresa
this
year
last
year
last
year.
Okay,
that's
what
we
had
seven
point:
maybe
seven
million
dollars
between
for
parks,
Schenley
looks,
terrific
Frick
looks
terrific,
Highland
Park
was
getting
there.
AB
AB
H
AB
It's
not
fair.
This
tax
isn't
fair,
there's
people
that
own
our
house
and
they
shouldn't
have
a
back
tort
backdoor
tax
coming
in
that
they
don't
even
realize,
is
coming
with
a
bunch
of
yes
papers
coming
in
to
mail
and,
of
course,
Shore.
What
every
half
hour
coming
on
saying
you
want
your
parks,
beautiful
I,
love
parks.
AB
But
you
know
time
and
time
again,
you
can
talk
about
how
you
want
to
do
for
the
poor
communities
and
help
those
children
to
have
a
park
and
yet
again
go
look
and
squirrel
a
little
Channel
a
park
again.
Look
at
Frick
Park,
it's
not
fair,
it's
not
fair
and
it's
not
going
to
be
fair,
I,
don't
care
what
you
say,
because
we've
done
as
we
did
this
with
Doug
shields
wrote
around
and
looked
at
in
each
other's
neighborhoods,
and
it's
worse
now
with
this
administration
than
ever
before.
AB
AB
J
H
AB
R
AB
C
AB
How
about
we
got
the
soccer
field
and
had
1.6
million
dollars
left
and
money
was
supposed
to
be
added
to
that
to
build
a
building,
so
Boy
Scouts
Girl,
Scouts
clubs
could
go
there.
Senior
citizens
could
exercise
there
and
Mayor
Peduto
decided
he
was
taking
that
off
of
the
north
side.
So
there's
zero
money
there.
No
by
the
way.
That's
that's
in
Riverview
Park
again.
AB
The
pediatrician
talked
about
what
we
got
to
do:
our
kids
blood
pressure,
obesity
distress,
you
know
what
we're
neighborhood
schools,
they
walk
to.
Schools
and
those
kids
didn't
have
blood
pressure.
Problem
was
an
obesity
very
few.
It
or
stress
that
was
all
left
off
by
walking
back
and
forth.
I
did
it
and
so
have
many
a
you
walk
back
and
forth
to
school
matter.
Of
fact,
there
is
still
one
Municipality,
that's
still
an
accounting,
so
walks
back
and
forth
to
school.
AB
AB
AB
Q
AB
Say
that
all
the
Pittsburgh
Public
Schools
are
bad
Obama
Obama
was
the
Schenley
and
what
the
Roosevelt
and
it's
Obama.
Now
that's
a
great
school
and
older
days.
His
son
has
been
a
good
school
Whittier,
a
great
school.
What
do
they
do
there?
Now
they
decide
to
take
the
principal
at
midterm
and
move
him
around
what
so
we
lose
more
people
in
the
city
of
Pittsburgh,
but
in
closing
I.
G
AB
You
to
know
I
love,
Parks
jános
on
the
parks.
Anybody
in
that
district
knows
I
love
parks,
I
love
the
outdoors
I
have
raised
so
many
wild
animals
and
I
live
with
them.
I
have
woods
all
around
me:
I!
Don't
live
on
a
concrete
Street,
but
this
is
a
terrible
thing
to
do
to
the
poor
communities
and
people
can
sit
there
and
they
can
laugh
cuz
to
make
the
big
bucks.
AB
But
a
lot
of
our
neighborhoods
don't
make
the
big
bucks.
This
is
going
to
be
a
hardship
and
it's
wrong.
If
you
want
to
do
something
again,
you
know
get
on
get
on
all
these
nonprofits
that
aren't
paying
anything
and
let
them
give
for
these
parks.
They
have
a
dig
yet
I've
talked
to
some
of
them
and
they're
waiting
for
one
of
the
biggest
ones
to
start
giving
first,
so
I
will
be.
M
AB
AK
Thank
you,
I
always
want
to
say
thank
you
and
we
have
a
public
hearing,
because
I
know
that
it
takes
time
and
effort
and
energy
to
come
down,
and
it
was
so
valuable
for
council
members
to
be
able
to
hear
your
voices
directly
and
altogether
right
so
that
we
are
hearing
also
from
other
people's
districts,
because
we
don't
often
get
to
do
that.
And
it's
also,
of
course,
in
the
legislative
record
and
it's
available
to
the
public
to
hear
your
voices
as
well.
I
have
had
some
concerns.
AK
I
think
that
I
voiced
earlier
at
the
post
agenda
that
we
had
about
a
month
ago
that
comes
from
and
Smith
I
think
also
motion
for,
isn't,
right
and
chaired,
and
about
some
of
the
questions
that
were
councilman.
Coghill
has
questions
because
he
wasn't
able
to
attend
that
post
agenda
about
the
financing
of
the
campaign
and
whether
in
out
the
public
can
find
out
about
those
funds,
whether
it's
being
reported,
which
funds
are
being
reported
on
the
nonprofit
accounts
and
which
funds
are
being
reported
on
campaign
finance
accounts.
AK
So
we
had
that
discussion
and
again
the
public
can
look
that
up
on
our
city
council
website
on
ledges
star
and
that
post
agenda
is
on
the
record
there.
There
are
also
some
questions
I
think
about
following
up
on
this
notion
about
how
these
funds
would
be
managed
were
the
referendum
to
succeed
and
the
oversight
and
accountability.
They
think
we
heard
some
testimony
about
tonight.
What
surprised
me
tonight
is
I
kept
track
of
the
proponents
and
the
opponents,
and
this
is
what
I
did
not
expect,
that
of
the
opponent.
AK
The
proponents
who
are
here
tonight
were
mainly
affiliated
directly
with
the
parks,
Conservancy
or
the
board
or
other
nonprofits
that
they
worked
with,
but
also
that
80%
were
from
the
East
End
and
predominantly
talked
about
the
desire
to
invest
funds
in
non
East.
End,
neighborhoods
and
lower-income
neighborhoods
and
of
the
opponents
80%
are
from
those
low
and
moderate
income.
Neighborhoods,
not
East,
End,
neighborhoods,
Brookline,
Westwood
observatory,
hill
beach
view
Manchester,
and
that
gives
me
pause
right.
AK
B
Okay
yeah,
thank
you.
I
I,
too,
would
like
to
just
take
the
opportunity
to
thank
you.
This
is
democracy
in
action.
This
is
I,
say
this.
Every
public
hearing
but
I
say
because
they
truly
mean
it.
It's
the
favorite
thing
that
we
get
to
do
here
is
to
interact
directly
with
the
public.
Have
you
come
down
speak
to
us
directly
about
your?
You
know
your
concerns,
your
you
know
your
thoughts,
your
desires
again.
I
will
stress
that
this
referendum
does
not
originate
at
the
council
table
the
this
is
again
democracy
in
action.
B
B
You
know
the
Councilwoman
brings
a
good
point.
You
most
likely
we're
looking
at
a
nine
to
eleven
percent
turnout
in
this
upcoming
general
election.
It
gives
me
great
pause
in
consistently
stressing
how
very
important
it
is
to
be
a
part
of
the
process
to
be
engaged
and
come
out
and
let
your
voice
be
heard.
So
with
that
may
have
a
motion
to
adjourn
the
public.