Jonathan B. Robison

TRANSPORTATION OVERVIEW July 20, 2006

To summarize: I propose a Tomorrow’s Transportation Campaign: light rail to Oakland and beyond, NO Mon-Fayette, and state transportation funding that is dedicated, predictable, and adequate.

These are my views on a variety of issues in transit in the Pittsburgh region, especially public transportation. It includes ideas I have heard as chairperson of the Long Range Planning Committee of the Allegheny County Transit Council, and elsewhere. All credit should be shared with them; all blame is mine. All comments are welcome via mail, e-mail, and phone.

A. Transit Funding

The sine qua non of any rational transportation planning is state operating funds for public transportation - adequate, predictable, dedicated funding.
This is essential for PAT, SEPTA, the smaller transit systems, the people dependant on public transportation, for sustainable development, for the environment, and for energy conservation. Back in May, 1993, I drafted a memo for ACTC warning of the “death spiral” of trying to solve the financial crisis with service cuts and fare increases.
In 2005, Governor Rendell formed the “Pennsylvania Funding and Reform Commission,” charged with proposing a solution to this crisis. Originally the commission was to report Nov. 25, 2006, right after the election. The legislators most supportive of transit funding said that there was no possibility of the necessary legislative action until the Commission made a recommendation. I said at the Commission hearing Jan. 26 of this year that such a schedule would mean disaster. Governor Rendell’s flex funding transfer had fended off service cuts, including (for PAT and ACCESS) NO service on Sunday and NO service after 9 p.m. But the flex funds run out at the end of this year, and the Governor promised to not even ask for any more flex funds. The Legislature’s term ends Nov. 30, and there is no possibility that major legislation could get passed that quickly.
The Port Authority of Allegheny County, which is on a fiscal year ending June 30, passed a “contingent budget” for the current year, which requires an additional $31 million in transit funding. Without more funding, PAT will run out of money in early 2007 and have to shut down.
I strongly support this drastic but necessary decision. We simply cannot keep cutting out legs off piecemeal. In fact, I and Save Our Transit proposed this action in early 2004, which we called the “doomsday budget.” At that time, Governor Rendell came to the rescue with a short-term temporary solution, transferring or “flexing” highway funds,
Now, the Commission chair, Allen Beihler, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, has asked his commission to issue a report, or at least a draft, this summer. I hope this will be a solution which we can take to legislators this fall. The employees and employers that depend on public transit do not need the suspense of not knowing if they will have service the next week. I hope we will get a recommendation for a “clean” bill, without a mandate for privatization or other union-busting, and without tolling I-80 or some other scheme to fund the Mon Fayette turnpike.
Al Biehler and the Governor should be supported and encouraged to propose a solution to the funding crisis this summer. The nine-member statewide commission includes State Senator Barry Stout of Washington County, Alex Sciulli of the Mellon Financial Corporation, and former Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey.
I have been told that the draft probably will NOT engender a solution this fall, but the commission will recommend ANOTHER interim solution at least through PAT’s budget. I don’t like this, and nobody else will. But we must be prepared to support it actively.
What else can we do? Save the date of OCT. 26. There will be a major rally sponsored by groups led by PIIN - the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network. The paln is a couple of THOUSAND people asking political leaders for committments on transit funding, as well as single payer health care, job dcevelopment, and immigration. Join us.

B. County Executive Onorato is developing a 6 Point Transportation Action Plan. The DRAFT elements are:
1. Downtown to Oakland Rapid Transit.
2. Airport to Downtown Rapid Transit.
3. Economic Development & Transportation Planning.
4. Existing Rail Corridors.
5. A Regional Transportation Authority.
6. Commercial Use of the Busways.
Below is MY articulation of the current draft of the 6 points. The order of the six points is mine. I have added notes and comments from members of the ACTC Long Range Planning Committee and from others. The Onorato transportation points should be out in mid-September. It is to be an action agenda, not another plan for further studies.

1. Downtown to Oakland Rapid Transit.
This is the project that could make benefit this region for generations to come.
I think the logical mode is light rail, especially since PAT already is operating such a system.
I think that the logical corridors are either Fifth Ave. or Centre Ave, then under Oak Hill to the hospital complex and Pitt/CMU.
Note that while these corridors would have to be underground, because the land is heavily used, such lines could be extended to Greenfield, Hazelwood, and Homestead, with relatively inexpensive construction at grade.
Other possible corridors include Second Avenue, then north to Pitt/CMU, and the Martin Luther King Busway and Neville Ramp. Both these alternatives have, I think, less benefit to Oakland, and no benefit to the hospital complex. Second Avenue has less travel time reduction to Pitt/CMU. I think the busway right-of-way is too narrow in spots for both the busway and a light rail line, and I’d rather not get the Oakland link entangled with the technical and political problems of converting the whole busway to light rail.
The Centre Avenue corridor would bring development to an area with deteriorated buildings and vacant land. It would have to be deep tunnel rather than cut-and-cover. A Centre Avenue route would be a long-overdue direct, quality transit service from the Hill to Oakland. (The 84A connects Oakland and the Hill, but it is not a good route for daily commuters,)
An east corridor decision would have an interesting interaction with another public decision due in six months or a year. Apparently. Pittsburgh is going to get a big casino. One of the leading contenders, Isle of Capri, would build the casino right on Fifth Avenue. It also proposes to pay for a new arena, for the Penguins and events next door, between Fifth Ave. and Epiphany Church. A light rail line with a station serving the casino and the arena would benefit those working at both places, as well as hockey fans and gamblers. The mess on Fifth Avenue during construction could serve two purposes.

Ideally, the light rail line should go not only to Oakland, but through Oakland. The plurality of the traffic to Oakland comers from and east and south.
The light rail could be run to Greenfield, Hazelwood and Homestead. Between Hays and Homestead there are rights-of-way that had room for four train lines. Eventually, the light rail could go beyond Homestead to a park-and-ride garage at the terminus of construction of the Mon-Fayette – possibly at Duquesne. That would be a decade or more away and expensive – but construction of any Mon-Fayette would take at least as much time and money. And experience elsewhere shows that a light rail terminus would do far more for economic development in Duquesne than cars and trucks flying by on their way to Monroeville or Oakland.
An alternative beyond Oakland would be a line through Hazelwood to Braddock. Again, there are existing rail rights of way, making possible relatively inexpensive at grade construction.
An east light rail could eventually run underground through Market Square. This.would make more sense than getting rid of the buses on Forbes. (and the people who ride them??)

SPC’s most recent study seems to lay planning groundwork for an east corridor light rail line. My understanding is that if such a line is declared by SPC to be a “locally preferred alternative,” we can go ahead and ask for federal funding for a “Alternatives Analysis” and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, including a final selection of the corridor.

As I have repeatedly said, downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland are the second and third largest trip generators in the state. A rail link connecting downtown and Oakland was first proposed in 1908. Let’s do it.

2. Airport to Downtown Rapid Transit.
Sure, we should have light rail to the airport, although the 28X bus is pretty quick. But I think that this should be done AFTER we do, or at least get going, on an east corridor line. Many more people will use a line downtown through Oakland, even if the big shots go to the Airport.
Many of us in Oakland are still bitter about what happened with the proposed Spine Line through Oakland. First, we were told, “Let’s combine the Spine Line with light rail to the Pirates, Steelers, and North Shore. I and others were suspicious, but we went along. All of sudden there wasn’t enough money for both, and Oakland got postponed indefinitely, again. Assuming the federal government will not fund both the east line and an airport line, we should do the east line first.

3. Economic Development & Transportation Planning.
Again, sure a major transportation project will encourage development. We can plan on it and for it. (Consider what the Metro has done for Washington, D.C.) But planning be done first, and should be separate from economic development. The goals can be contradictory. Don’t do a transit project because some developers can make a buck, replacing farms and forests in a “greenfield” area.. (The Mon-Fayette is a horrible example of this. Build it and they will come – or at least, the developer will come. Another horrible example is the scheme to get rid of buses on Forbes and Fifth, which is hostile to transit riders and stinks of racism.)
To plan intelligently, we really need to bring back the Allegheny County Planning Department, which was folded into Economic Development by Dunn and Cranmer.

4. Existing Rail Corridors.
This won’t be quick, especially since the railroads are so hostile to passenger transportation. But someone – PennDOT, SPC, whoever, should buy the rights-of-way when they come on the market. They should bank the rights-of-way until we can use them. The danger, to me, is that companies that own the railroads will sell of pieces to boost profits for their next quarterly report, and we lose the right-of-way.

5. Regional Transportation Authority.
A regional transportation authority is a popular idea among “civic leaders.” (What’s the difference between a civic leader and a community leader? About $200,000 a year.)
But there are serious difficulties. The outlying counties won’t permit system run by Allegheny County and Pittsburgh. And we won’t – and shouldn’t – put up with a system in which Butler County and Armstrong County can outvote Allegheny County. True, SPC is run that way. and it in theory controls federal money. But it’s wrong, there, too. Maybe a regional transportation authority needs a dual voting system on its board.
Motions would need two majority votes. In one vote, each county and the City of Pittsburgh would have equal voting power. In the other, voting strength would be proportional to the population, or better yet, the number of transit riders. Of course, there should also be a citizen participation structure, like PAT’s Allegheny County Transit Council.
Before creating this complex structure, we should ask, “Why?”
Individual counties. such as Beaver as well as Allegheny, have shown that a county can rum a transit agency. What could a regional transportation authority do which SPC isn’t already doing, or supposed to do? A regional transportation authority might have bond authority, but that is not likely to rally public support.

6. Commercial Use of the Busways.
I think that commercial use of the busways is a lousy idea. I expect major objections will come from PAT, and from the FTA if that idea gets that far.

C. The T Extension to the North Shore.

Should we go ahead with the plan to extend the T to serve the Pirates and Steelers and some of the North Shore, via a tunnel under the river? Or is it too late to reconsider this decision, especially since the Federal Transit Administration apparently will sign a “full funding agreement for $348 million of the currently estimated $435 million cost and PAT today voted to start..
Some people, even ones who don’t like the plans, say that the Federal Transit Administration approved our plans and the funding, even though the funding now appears to be insufficient. They say that if we do not go ahead with the plans, FTA won’t consider any proposal from us for years.
Others say that a frank reassessment, local support behind a more realistic plan, with more united local support than the current plan commands, might be welcomed by the FTA.
I personally would have built a line to Oakland first, and I wouldn’t use tunnels in the city of bridges. The east line still should be the highest priority. The question is whether reconsideration of the North Shore plans would enable us to move ahead with an east line sooner, pr whether it might delay everything. We need a discreet, reliable, inquiry at a very high level in the federal government.

However, this issue seems to have been decided, when the Port Authority Board voted in favor of contracts to begin construction. I only hope we do not allow this project to delay the higher priority of a light rqild to and through Oakland.

D. The Mon-Fayette Turnpike.

I will not here reiterate the many reasons why the Mon-Fayette Turnpike would be a disaster for Pittsburgh and Oakland. There are two new issues.
One is energy conservation. As gasoline prices go to $5 a gallon and over, the Mon-Fayette Turnpike will make less and less sense, (Why am I sure about the price trend? Simply because no one is pumping oil into the ground.)
The other emerging fact is that the money = $4billion or more – just isn’t there. Anyone who still believes the Turnpike Commission can see the report by Consad for the Urban Land Institute, “The Mon-Fayette Turnpike - In the Money There?“
More important and more interesting is the question of what we do once SPC and our leaders face reality. The east light rail line through Oakland is the solution. It is a real solution to the transportation needs of the East Corridor. It would save energy, protect the environment, and encourage sustainable development – what the SPC calls “Focused Growth.”
Three cheers for Mayor John Fetterman, who is holding a Good-by Party 8 pm Friday July for the Mon-Fayette at his home, 416 Library St., Braddock, opposite Carnegie Lib

E. I will mention several other improvements are in our public transportation system.
The Braddock area was blighted even before it became a target of the Mon-Fayette. With no Mon-Fayette, there should be either an extention of the Oakland light rail to Braddock or an extension of the Martin Luther King Busway.
Many public transportation systems are working on new means of fare collection, and PAT is making plans. One question is should it be a pre-paid “swipe card” or a card with a chip? The latter would be more expensive to install, but would be broadly useful. For that matter, Stu Strickland and others, as well as PAT, have developed important ides for better information systems generally, making the transit system more useable to people who are not habitual users.
Planners at the Allegheny Conference have developed idea for a “personal rapid transit system. with automated vehicles “driven” by the user, taking people short distances quickly and without waiting. This might complement a light rail system in Oakland and downtown. It would enable people to go quickly without a car from, e.g., Second Avenue to the top of Cardiac Hill.

These are my views on transportation, especially public transportation, for the Pittsburgh Region. Let us work for tomorrow’s transportation: light rail to Oakland and beyond, NO Mon-Fayette, and state transportation funding that is dedicated, predictable, and adequate.

Dear Friend,
This year I will do something which I have never done in over a hundred political campaigns. I am supporting a candidate who is openly opposed to a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion.
Why? In one word – Santorum. Not to belabor the obvious, Santorum is a fascist. Casey is bad on reproductive rights, but the incumbent is much worse. Casey is wishy-washy on Iraq – but the incumbent is pro-war. Casey is not solid in support of single-payer health care, but the incumbent is opposed. I am sore at Casey’s backers for pushing Barbara Hafer out of the race, but the incumbent is the leader of the gang that runs Congress.
In World War II, we had to make some unpleasant alliances to defeat fascism. I’m not comparing Santorum to Hitler — Mussolini, maybe — Francisco Franco definitely. The government makes the rich richer and the poor poorer, war continues, our Constitution is trashed, the environment is trashed, and so on and so on.
I appreciate single-issue politics, especially on abortion rights. Before Roe v. Wade, one-third of all the beds at Magee Hospital were occupied by women with problems with illegal abortions – and that did not count the women who could go to Sweden, the women who could go to a good doctor willing to break the law, and the women who went straight to the morgue. But this year at the polls, we must defeat fascism.
How? The old-fashioned way is one method: block by block, apartment building by apartment building. Your area may be safely Democratic – but can you increase Casey’s margin, to help him carry the state ? On your block or in your building, #201 may be solid Democrats, #203 a hopeless Republican and #207 will vote with us. But who’s in #205? Get them registered. Don’t just give them forms – the forms will get left on the TV set. Get them to sign the forms and give them back. That way, you can be sure they get registered, and followup to make sure that they vote.
Ideally, you can do this with friends, or with your ward or municipal Democratic committee. But you don’t have to wait for anybody; you can do it alone. The only essential tool is a list of your registered voters. If you don’t have one and can’t easily get one, contact me – 412-683-0237.
How else can you help? You can bring people to events, rallies, and such. You can give a house party. To be more high-tech, send e-mails to friends. You can share this memo.
Of course, you can sign up to volunteer at the Casey headquarters. The W.Pa. office is 3 Parkway Center, Suite 325, 875 Greentree Road Pgh 15220. The phone is 444-0171 and the website is www.bobcasey.com. But don’t expect too much. Generally, in campaigns, the headquarters is not where much happens; it’s mostly people talking to each other.
Of course, the campaign needs and will solicit money. But your money can travel. What little money I have will go to strong pro-choice Democrats, especially women. I plan to give through Emily’s List, an excellent organization which identifies and helps to fund strong pro-choice women Democrats all over the country. Check out their website, www.emilyslist.org.
I did not run for election to a full term as 4th Ward chair because of my worsening MS, but I am still committeeperson, working with our new chair, Eileen Conroy. Working for Casey is still necessary, but I can do it along with work for reproductive rights, lesbian and gay rights, and peace.
There are weekly one-hour vigils against the war in Iraq, including every Saturday noon at Forbes and Braddock and every Saturday at 1 at Penn at the East Liberty Presbyterian Church. I’m usually at one or the other – join us.
We will win – because we must win.
Please contact Jon with commens, questions, or to volunteer
Jonathan and Mary Robison
154 N. Bellefield Av. #66 Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-683-0237 jon@jonrobison.org
Love and Peace,
Jonathan Robison

Table of Contents

Georgia Berner — A real Democrat to challenge Hart for Congress
Re-elect Congressman Mike Doyle
Also Chad Kluko or Tom Kovach to challenge Tim Murphy
Will Valerie McDonald Roberts be Gov. Ed Rendell’s running mate for Lieutenant Governor?
Alan Sandals and Chuck Pennacchio – Two pro-choice challengers for the U.S. Senate.
Legislative races
No Primary Contests for Oakland Legislators: Jake Wheatley and Dan Frankel, Jim Ferlo and Wayne Fontana.
Other Allegheny County State House districts have contests.
Democratic State Committee
Democratic Ward Officers including the 4th Ward Chairperson – I’m running for election to a full term.

A Look Ahead –
Allegheny County Democratic Committee – County Chair Election June 11, following Ward Chair Elections
A Judicial Appointment for Wrenna Watson?
City Controller next year

But HOW will we vote? New Electronic Voting Machines
Changes to the registration form.
Recent Victories – Judge Hens Greco, Senator Fontana, City Councilman Peduto, and recently, Rep. Shawn Flaherty

Transportation Issues:
More Questions and No Money for the Mon-Fayette Expressway
Transit Funding – PAT and SEPTA face disaster.
IRAQ – NOW WHAT? Vigils every Saturday to bring our troops home.
Single Payer Health – Community Hearing May 21. I’ll talk about MY experience in the “donut hole.”
Are They Wiretapping ME? I’m going to ask, by submitting a FOIA
Personal Note: MS Walk Sunday Apr. 23 - my scooter and I will there.
About This Newsletter

GEORGIA BERNER FOR CONGRESS
Possibly the most important race in Allegheny County is Georgia Berner for Congress in the 4th Congressional District.
This district is northern Allegheny County, nearly all of Beaver County, Lawrence County, and parts of Butler, Westmoreland and Mercer counties. The current congressman is Bush loyalist Melissa Hart.
Georgia Berner is owner and C.E.O. of a small manufacturing company in New Castle. She is a long-time volunteer and a co-founder of the Volunteers Against Abuse Center (VAAC) in Butler County.
On health care, she says, “I will fight for all Americans to have full access to universal health care with a single payer system. As a business owner, I have made quality health care available to my employees and their families for the past 22 years. I have found a way to put health care in my company’s budget. I believe the greatest nation in the world can find a way to put it in the Federal Budget.”
Georgia Berner is also a solid supporter of reproductive rights. lesbian and gay rights, and peace. Her primary opponent is an establishment male positioning himself as a moderate. For example, he tries to straddle the fence on abortion. She has campaign offices in New Castle and Bridgewater. For further information or to volunteer, or to donate, go to http://www.georgiaberner.com, Or call 724-766-8027

RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN MIKE DOYLE
This is an easy choice in an easy race, with a good incumbent and a good newcomer. Mike Doyle in the 14th Congressional District combines solid constituent services with increasingly progressive positions on issues. He now supports reproductive rights and lesbian and gay rights, as well as all the Democratic economic and environmental issues, although he is not supporting federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment.
Doyle’s opponent in the primary is Mike Isaac, who will also be a new committeeperson in the 14th Ward and is solidly in support of reproductive rights and lesbian and gay rights. No Republican candidate filed. The Gertrude Stein Political Club, which supports reproductive rights as well as lesbian and gay rights. gave both candidates “honorable mention” for the Gertrude Stein Club slate
Mike Doyle’s website is www.house.gov/doyle; Mike Isaac’s is www.isaacforcongress.org

Another Republican incumbent will be challenged in the absurdly gerrymandered 18th District. There are two Democrats running in the primary, Chad Kluko and Tom Kovach.

Valerie McDonald Roberts For Lieutenant Governor
Gov. Ed Rendell is unopposed in the primary, but there is a contest to select who will be his running-mate in the fall. Valerie McDonald Roberts, who was elected Recorder of Deeds in Allegheny County, is challenging the incumbent, long-time party veteran Catherine Baker Knoll. As you probably know, the governor and lieutenant governor are chosen separately in the primary. The winners then run as a team in the general election.
Many people support Valerie because she is a fresh face as well as a representative of the African-American community with serious experience in government. She is someone who could be seriously imagined as governor if, for example, the next president of the U.S. taps Gov. Rendell for a cabinet post. Valerie, like most Democratic leaders, supports the Roe v. Wade decision, while Knoll is anti-abortion. We agree with people who think that Valerie would be a stronger running-mate for Governor Rendell. Her website http:/valerieforpa.com
The 4th Ward Committee, meeting Mar. 29, voted to suggest a vote for Valerie.. This was NOT an endorsement – no local Democratic committee has that power. The Democratic State Committee, which among other things, permits proxy voting, subsequently endorsed incumbent Catherine Baker Knoll.

U.S. SENATE
We have two good, progressive pro-choice candidates in the Democratic primary. Of the two, we prefer Atty. Alan Sandals over Chuck Pennacchio, a college history professor. The party-endorsed candidate, Bob Casey is currently state Auditor General. He is supported by Gov. Ed Rendell and the party establishment. He is a mainstream moderate Democrat. He is opposed to a woman’s right to choose abortion. However, he is not a fanatic on the issue like his late father. Both Pennacchio and Sandals are both good on reproductive rights and gay and lesbian rights. Both want to leave Iraq; Casey apparently wants to stay two more years. Both are stronger than the party-endorsed candidate on traditional Democratic economic issues. Neither of the two more liberal candidates is in double digits in the polls.
The Gertrude Stein Political Club, of which we both are charter members, voted to endorse Alan Sandals while voting an “honorable mention” for Chuck Pennacchio. The GSPC website is http://www.gertrudesteinclub.org
Assuming Bob Casey is the nominee, after the primary we will work as hard as we can for the nominee against Rick Santorum. The contest for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania is one of the most important in the country. The incumbent, Rick Santorum, claims to be a conservative. He is not. Like the rest of the Bush gang, he is dedicated to making the rich and powerful more rich and powerful. If we Democrats are to gain a majority in the Senate, we must win this one
My goal as 4th Ward Democratic Chairperson will be to bring in the 4th Ward by the biggest margin a Democratic Senate candidate ever got in the ward. In 2004, we brought in John Kerry by a bigger margin than Johnson over Goldwater. Casey may be a conservative Democrat and anti-choice. But Santorum is a dedicated, consistent fascist. After all, in World War II we had to ally ourselves with some pretty ugly characters to defeat fascism.
The two challengers are progressive activists on issues such as Iraq, the rights of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities, separation of church and state, a living wage, and workers’ rights. Anyone who wishes details can go to their websites, http://www.alansandals.com and http://www.chuck2006.com/
Some friends think that Casey would be the strongest candidate against Santorum. Other friends think that Sandals and Pennacchio are saying things that need said, things that we have been saying.

Legislative Races
Oakland is divided between two house districts and three State Senate districts – and none of the incumbents have primary contests.
In the 19th District, St. Rep. Jake Wheatley is a hard worker and a stalwart on progressive issues. Mark Brently, a somewhat flaky and unpredictable member of the Pittsburgh School Board, withdrew from the Democratic primary to run in the fall as a Republican. Bill Robinson filed, then withdrew, deciding keep his County Council seat to which he narrowly won re-election. In the 23rd, Dan Frankel is considered one of the intellectual and political leaders in Harrisburg. No one of either party filed against him. State Senator Jim Ferlo is unopposed on the ballot in his ridiculously gerrymandered 38th State Senate District. Jim recently published a newspaper advertisement with hundreds of co-signers calling for the impeachment of George Bush. In the 42nd Wayne Fontana, winner in a tough special election last year, likewise has no one from either party filed against him. Oakland also has part of the 43rd District, but odd numbered State Senate districts are not up for election this year.
Other Allegheny County State House districts have primary contests. One hot one will be the 24th District in Homewood, East Liberty, and Wilkinsburg. Ed Gainey got the Democratic Party endorsement over incumbent Joe Preston. Some community activists and committeepeople apparently feel that Gainey will work harder and more closely with them. The GSPC endorsed incumbent Preston, while giving Gainey an honorable mention. In the 27th, incumbent Tom Petrone won party endorsement over Mike Galovich, by a two-vote margin that some committeepeople blame on flaws in the voting process. Dan Cindric is also running, with significant backing of community activists, and with the endorsement of the GSPC and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In what some consider to be Mon Valley spitting contests, Clerk of Courts George Matta won endorsement rather than incumbent Marc Gergely in the 35th and C.L. Jabbour won endorsement rather than incumbent Kenneth Ruffing in the 38th. There may be an interesting primary race in Beaver County, in the 14th District, with Jay Paisley challenging Mike Veon.. Veon is a politically entrenched leader of the Democratic minority in the state house. He was forceful in getting approval of the legislative pay raise, which was later repealed.
There are challenges against incumbents Don Walko in the 20th, Frank Pistella in the 21st, Paul Costa in the 34th, and David Levdansky in the 39th. Several are worthy candidates. In the 21st, the GSPC endorsed Frank Pistella while giving Atty. Lisa Bennington an honorable mention, Two newcomers are unopposed in the primary; This May 11, Shawn Flaherty won a special election in the 30th District. This seat has not been held by a Democrat for many years. This victory is important to those working to gain a Democratic majority in the Pennsylvania House this fall. And Chelsea Wagner is unopposed in the primary in the 22nd, the seat now occupied by turncoat Diven.

[click here to go back to the table of contents.]

Democratic State Committee
We have a number of friends running for the Democratic State Committee. They include Ellen Harrison, Matt Arena, and Brenda Frazier in the 38th State Senate District, Robert Frank in the 42nd district, Barbara Daly Danko, Rich Fitzgerald, Tara Reynolds, Barbara Ernsberger and Marvin Leibowitz in the 43rd, and Carmella Mullen in the 45th. In the 43rd, there are seven candidates filed for seven seats, so all will win.

A Look Ahead – ACDC Chair Election Meeting June 11
June 11 is being set as the date for the reorganization election for the Allegheny County Democratic Committee – sometimes referred to as the ACDC. It will be in the Teamsters’ Temple, 4701 Butler St. There will be a period of several hours during which ACDC members may vote.
There are apparently four candidates so far. The incumbent chair, former Jury Commissioner Jean Milko, says that she is running for re-election.. Vice-chairperson Ben Woods, determined to bring back the good old days for the party, said that he would not run against incumbent Jean Milko, and is now running hard. Atty. Jim Burn, a member of the Allegheny County Council, mayor of Millvale, and an appointee of Dan Onorato on the Port Authority board and on Dan’s new Transportation Action Team, is running. So, apparently, is Dennis Simon, Democratic chair in East Pittsburgh. Stay tuned.

Judicial Appointment Coming Up
There is a vacancy on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, because of the retirement of Judge Walter Little, and people are recommending Wrenna Watson. We agree with Democratic Party leaders who are saying that it’s “her turn” after her previous candidacy. We urge her appointment by Gov. Rendell. She was rated “Recommended” by the ACBA, and was recently appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the City Planning Commission by Mayor O’Connor. She has extensive experience actually adjudicating cases as a hearing officer in mental health commitments and for the state Liquor Control Board.

City Controller will be a Hot Fight Next Year
City Controller is up in 2007, and it’s a good bet that the incumbent Tony Pokora will face serious challengers. Tony became acting City Controller when Tom Flaherty was elected judge. We were personally involved in Tony’s start in politics. In 1972 I was legislative district coordinator for George McGovern. Tony was still in high school, but he was bright and energetic, and I asked him to serve as deputy director of the South Side McGovern office on E. Carson Street.
Several well-known names have been mentioned. They include Rev. Jim Simms who was formerly president of the Allegheny County Council, and Prothonotary Michael Lamb.

Electronic Voting Machines to Face Us in the Primary
We will vote in the primary May 16 – but HOW?
Our old reliable lever voting machines are being replaced by electronic touch-screen machines. County officials were pressured to move faster than they wanted, by the new federal HAVA – the Help America Vote Act. The federal government is picking up the cost of the new machines – some $12 million for Allegheny County – if the county acts promptly.
The primary will be a test. Unless the challenge in Federal Court succeeds, we should have at least two of the new machines from ES&S at each polling place for the primary.
Questions remain. Can we have confidence in the results without a voter verifiable paper record for any recount? State law may mandate this for the fall. Can the voters – and the election boards – adjust to the new machines, which work much like the ATMs you use? Most important, will the new machines work? We’ll see.

Changes to Registration Forms
By the way, when you register voters, use the new forms from Allegheny County, which have a box in the upper right corner for either your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. This is now required for voters new to Allegheny County The Republicans claim that more voter identification is necessary, and deny that it is another tool to discourage some of the poor people from voting.

Recent Victories – Kathryn Hens-Greco, Wayne Fontana, Bill Peduto on City Council, and most recently, State Rep. Shawn Flaherty
This year we have important work. But we should celebrate some recent victories.
One is certainly the judgeship won last fall by Kathryn Hens-Greco. The victory came from a host of volunteers and good campaign management by her husband Sam Hens-Greco. By the way, Sam is now running the congressional campaign of Georgia Berner – see above.
Another victory was Wayne Fontana for State Senate in the 42nd District over turncoat Diven. Fontana must run for a full term this year, but he is unopposed.
We also celebrate the re-election of our own city councilmember, Bill Peduto. He won the Democratic primary last year despite losing the endorsement. (He was simultaneously running in the primary for mayor, which was won by Bob O’Connor.) He remains a very bright, very hard-working independent Democratic voice on City Council.
Very recently – on May 11 - Shawn Flaherty won the special election in the 30th Legislative District, As we discussed above, this is important for Democrats statewide..

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Transportation Issues
There are more questions and doubts about the Mon-Fayette Expressway into Oakland – but still no construction money for the parts north of Duquesne.
The Turnpike Commission is still planning and buying property for the Mon-Fayette toll road into Oakland, a $4 billion lunacy to subsidize more cars driving to Oakland, using Bates Street as the on-off ramp. The best news is that no one will give the Turnpike Commission the money to actually build anything north of the city of Duquesne. So the Turnpike Commission came up with the wombat plan – get some outfit in Australia to buy the unbuilt highway, build it, and pocket the tolls.
We can do better, with the Citizens’ Plan, put together by community groups convened by Penn Future. The Citizens’ Plan strategy is fix it first. Use our scarce dollars to do necessary repairs on our roads and bridges – before any more bridges fall down. The plan also includes the long-discussed light rail line, underground through Oakland, then at grade to Hazelwood and Homestead, Please see the attached memo from more details.
Meanwhile, the State Legislature still hasn’t provided any dedicated, predictable, and adequate source of operating funds for the Port Authority. (Under federal law, capital funds for construction are kept separate.) Last year Governor Rendell provided temporary funds to keep the public transit systems running until the end of this year The failure of the Legislature to act will mean disaster for PAT in Allegheny County, SEPTA in the Philadelphia region, and ACCESS. Not only will there be fare increases, but also drastic service cuts, probably including elimination of all service Sundays, most service Saturdays, and service after 9 pm everyday. What about people who need transit to get to work on weekends? Without state action, too bad.

IRAQ – NOW WHAT?
Now what? More and more politicians are agreeing that it’s time to bring our troops home. You can act.
There are one-hour peace vigils every Saturday at noon at Forbes and Braddock, and 1 pm at Penn and Highland in East Liberty. I’m at one or the other almost every weekend; please join me. Often there is also a vigil at the military recruiting station on Forbes and Oakland Ave.
Perhaps most important is counter-recruitment. Can we encourage our young people not to believe the sales pitches from the military recruiters? Can we talk with people who got signed up, and are now being sent to Iraq – some of them for a second or third time? Can we tell them that it’s not too late to apply for conscientious objector status?
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Single Payer Health Community Hearing
Sunday, May 21, 1:30 p.m., at Temple Sinai, 5505 Forbes Ave.
At the community hearing Sunday, May 21, I’m going to talk about MY OWN personal experience caught in the “donut hole” of Part D Medicare. You won’t believe what I’m now being forced to pay for the medicine to try to control my multiple sclerosis. Neighbors will be sharing their views at the Citizens Hearing on Health Care Reform, 1:30 Sunday May 21 at Temple Sinai, 5505 Forbes Ave., sponsored by the Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Health Care. For more information, call Sandy Fox at 412-421-8233, or e-mail her at sm2fox@yahoo.com
The “system” of paying for health care in our country is a disgrace. Let’s do something about it.

Are They Wiretapping ME?
This administration doesn’t pay attention to anything we say. But they sure want to listen to us – without bothering with getting a court order before they wiretap. Well, I’m curious – what have they got on file about me? I’m going to ask. Like hundreds of others in Pittsburgh, I’m going to submit a request under the Freedom Of Information Act. – a FOIA. For further information, contact the Pittsburgh ACLU, Pittsburgh ACLU, http://www.pgh.aclu.org

M.S. WALK SUNDAY MORNING APR. 23 –
PLEASE JOIN ME OR CONTRIBUTE
On a personal note: I will be on the MS Walk Sunday Apr. 23 – on my scooter, of course. You are invited to join me, or join in contributing to the MS Society to help support medical research into a cure for MS. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
Because the “Dear Friends” letter is a political tool, it is sent out free. Mary and I send it to about 2000 people in advance of the primary and general elections.
Some of our friends contribute to help support the newsletter, and we are very grateful. If you would like to help with the costs, you are invited to send a check to Robison Political Action Committee, 154 N. Bellefield Ave., #66, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
This newsletter extensively uses hyperlinks to websites and to different articles in the newsletter. We hope that they work. If your email system allows hyperlinks, use them by clicking the link with the mouse. The newsletter should also be up on our website in a few days. Also, please tell us if you want OFF our e-mail list for ANY REASON.
Of course, if you have a friend or a list you would like to share this with, please do.

Love and Peace,
Jonathan and Mary Robison

A STEP TOWARDS GOOD TRANSPORTATION - Meeting MONDAY
Transportation in Oakland and the East Corridor
The Oakland Community Council will meet Monday, Feb. 13, 6 pm, in AlunmiHall, 4227 Fifth Ave., Oakland.
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COMPUTERIZED VOTING MACHINES
What is to be done? A MAY/NOVEMBER OPTION to act NOW to comply with both federal and state law - and protect our elections

Feb. 10, 2006
We won Round 4 in the fight to protect our elections – apparently.
The Allegheny County Elections Board – the County Executive and the two at-large County Council members - had its third meeting Feb. 7 to decide what to do about computerized voting machines for the May primary. Both County council members do NOT want to buy Diebold machines to replace all our lever machines for the May primary.
Finally, they voted to adjourn.
Another meeting may be called this week. The possibility also was raised that County Executive Dan Onorato might act on his own authority to purchase the Diebold machines, as if he were purchasing new dump trucks. He is concerned about state interpretation of federal requirements, and concerned that we might lose some $12 million in federal funds.

Many of us want open source codes and voter verification. We are concerned about usability by persons with disabilities. And we are dubious about Diebold Inc, and its record, in Ohio and elsewhere. The state government is apparently insisting that we should buy all new machines for the May primary, even though apparently only Diebold, Inc. could supply the necessary 5,000 in time for the primary. Meanwhile, citizens in Westmoreland County are in state court in Harrisburg stating that the Pennsylvania Constitution and state law require a referendum before any electronic voting system is adopted.

There is one possible middle way to comply with both state and federal law, and protect the integrity of our election process. We might call it the May/November option.
In the May/November option, Allegheny and possibly others in the 20-county consortium would get machines from several vendors, and try them in 15 or 20 districts each. This could include AccuPoll machine which many people like, at least one optical scan machine which Councilman Dave Fawcett prefers, and even a Diebold machine. The ballots could be voter verifiable, as Councilman John DeFazio and a County Council resolution urge.
After the primary, we can see the performance and problems of each system and what computer bugs each had. The state and the federal government can do their certification processes, which are both seriously late. We can consider the cost of purchase, supplies, and maintenance. The County can pick the best, negotiate modifications with the company, do our necessary preparation and training, and have an election we can trust for November. (This is based on a suggestion at the meeting Tuesday by Sue Broughton of the League of Women Voters.)
The May/November option makes a referendum possible. State law permits “experimental” use of electronic voting machines without a referendum. (There might still be a problem with the state Constitution.) The experimental machines would be a good faith effort to bring Pennsylvania into compliance with the Help America Vote Act.

The May/November option does not mean “doing nothing.” On the contrary, much must be done, now as well as after May.
The county Election Division must set a deadline for machines to be DELIVERED if we are going to distribute them to chosen election districts and train the poll workers. The County must negotiate terms for the vendors to make available machines for a May trial run. The hard-working Elections Division will have to prepare and train its staff to compile results from different machines in the regional reporting centers. And if there is to be a referendum to approve electronic voting machines, county legislation is needed.
Explicit standards should be developed for evaluation of the machines including voter verification with privacy. We must, under HAVA, have a system that can be used by persons with various different disabilities – but should we articulate what that means? Many want “open source coding” to be sure that the system isn’t rigged – but what does that mean? A task force should develop these standards. The three meetings of the County Elections Board showed that the citizens have a wealth of expertise that should be involved.

We urge our elected officials to help protect our elections. We must make changes to bring our voting system will comply with HAVA but let’s DO IT RIGHT.
EVERYONE, from Dan Onorato on down, should lobby the state and federal government not to take away the federal funds earmarked for compliance. And we should lobby our legislature to pass H.B. 2000 and S.B. 977 which require voter verification and open source coding.
The Westmoreland County lawsuit, now in Commonwealth Court, will probably be appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court this week. We can also urge the Court, through an amicus brief, to comply with HAVA, comply with state law, and protect the integrity of our election.

ss/ Atty. Jonathan Robison, 154 N. Bellefield Av. #66 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412-683-0237 jon@jonrobison.org
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Feb. 5, 2006

WHO OWNS OUR ELECTIONS? (Round 3)
Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.

Again, we won a battle last Tuesday morning, Jan. 31, but the struggle continues.
The Allegheny County Election Board recessed until 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, in Conference Room 1, Court House. They postponed for another week a decision whether to buy Diebold, Inc. voting machines to replace all our lever machines. Over thirty people showed up on short notice, with questions and objections to buying Diebold’s machines and its “proprietary” computer programs.
There are several problems with the Diebold system.
The biggest, in my opinion, is the lack of “open source” coding. The computer code is “proprietary,” meaning that it is private property. If we buy the system, we don’t buy the right to analyze the code. We can’t tell whether the computers have been told to reduce the vote totals for certain candidates. The limited but informative article in today’s Post-Gazette Region Section revealed an additional complication. The Diebold system partially relies on Microsoft Windows, with its own limitations on what can be looked at by the public. This could means that even if we found out that the voting results had been jiggered, we wouldn’t know which company did it.
Another problem is the lack of any paper records of the vote totals, so that the computers’ totals can be audited. This is mandated by several states, but not by Pennsylvania – yet.
There are also problems with accessibility for persons with handicaps, including the blind and persons who have to use a wheelchair. Under the federal Help America Vote Act, HAVA, the voting systems must enable people to vote in privacy, without another person assisting them. Supposedly, the Diebold system does this, but advocates doubt this.
The county is under pressure to get new machines in time to use them in the May primary. But it is not clear whether the pressure is coming from the state government, particularly the Pennsylvania Secretary of State, or from the federal government. There is also pressure from Diebold. Diebold offers us major discount if we buy its machines, and extended that deadline again, until Feb. 7. The state has funds available, but apparently only if we get machines in time for the May primary. The feds require us to have machines this year that comply with HAVA, but it is not clear that we lose the federal money if we don’t contract to have the machines in place for the primary.
Diebold’s discount may not save taxpayer money after the initial purchase. With Diebold, all their equipment and supplies are also “proprietary” - so if we need replacements, we have to buy from them.
People don’t trust Diebold. The former head of Diebold, after they provided the voting machines for Ohio, boasted in a letter that he would help deliver Ohio to George Bush.
Buying a new system for Allegheny County and training people, including the election boards, will take weeks. It does seem that if want machines for May, we will have to buy Diebold’s system. If we don’t buy from Diebold, we will have to put pressure on the state to continue the availability of the money as long as we work diligently. Deciding not to contact with Diebold Tuesday will give us time for new legislation on standards for voting machines.
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The Allegheny County Administrative Services and the Allegheny County Election Board will meet at 2 pm Tuesday Feb. 7, in Conference Room 1, Court House. The meeting is open to the public. Either we buy Diebold electronic voting machines for every poll in Allegheny County, or we use our lever machines this May, and reason with the state.
The decision to delay new machines until the fall may be taken out of the hands of the Election Board. To my surprise, there is a provision in the Pennsylvania Constitution, Article VII, Section 6, implemented by 25 P.S. Sec. 3031.2 ff., requiring a referendum on electronic voting machines. I plan to be among the plaintiffs if such a suit is filed. I hope this suit helps our hard working Elections Division with their awesome responsibilities. It we have do buy new voting machines, let’s do it right.

Come to the public meeting at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Demand machines with “OPEN SOURCE” codes — computer codes which can be reviewed by the public. Why should we have elections if Diebold can control the results?
CALL the three members of the Election Board Monday - that’s County Executive Dan Onorato, 350-6500, and the two at-large members of County Council, John DeFazio (D), 350-6516, and Dave Fawcett (R), 350-6520. Or e-mail them at executive@county.allegheny.pa.us, dfawcett@county.allegheny.pa.us and jdefazio@county.allegheny.pa.us.
Let’s do it right - including “open source” coding.
More information about this danger to our elections can be seen on the web at www.votergate.tv
Love and Peace, Jonathan Robison
154 N. Bellefield Av. #66 Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-683-0237 jon@jonrobison.org

A STEP TOWARDS GOOD TRANSPORTATION
in Oakland and the East Corridor
The Oakland Community Council will meet Monday, Feb. 13, 6 pm, at the ConnelleyBallroom in AlunmiHall, 4227 Fifth Ave., Oakland.
Oakland Community Council Land Use & Transportation Committee, Jon Robison Chair

Our communities deserve transportation plans that meet the needs of Oakland, the East Corridor, and our Pittsburgh region.
This means starting with the Citizens’ Plan supported by Penn Future, including a rapid transit line through Oakland – NOT the Mon-Fayette toll road.
Oakland and the East Corridor need a major public transit improvement, such as a light rail line. It could be underground to Oakland, then at grade to Greenfield, Hazelwood, and Homestead, possibly meeting the Mon-Fayette with a park-and-ride garage in Jefferson Borough. There would be stations at the medical complex and at Pitt/CMU. Ideally, there would be stations for the Hill, Oak Hill, and the arena/casino if one were built at the Civic Arena site. This would be a major step forward for the Pittsburgh region.
The Citizens’ Plan was developed by citizens as a rational alternative to the Turnpike Commission’s plan for a Mon-Fayette toll road to Oakland and Pittsburgh. All the versions of the Mon-Fayette that have been put forward would increase air pollution, energy consumption, noise, blight, and congestion in Oakland. If, somehow, the proposed toll road were ever funded, it would be an enormous subsidy for urban sprawl. It would cause homes and jobs to move out of Pittsburgh and existing communities.
The Citizens’ Plan, including a major public transportation improvement, would actually lessen congestion, as well as reduce pollution and energy consumption. The Citizens’ Plan would be a powerful engine of sustainable development in Oakland and all along the line. Its “Fix-it-first” program and its urban boulevards would both increase mobility and beautify Pittsburgh and the neighboring communities.
The Citizens’ Plan, including a light rail line, will not be cheap or quick. But together with a light rail line, it would deal with our real and immediate needs – before the deferred maintenance on our roads and bridges causes a disaster. With design, engineering, and planning with the affected communities, a light rail line would take about ten years. But after over ten years of press releases and consultants, the Mon-Fayette toll road has no money for construction to Pittsburgh. The toll road needs over $3 billion more – we can’t afford it. Moreover, the needs of the communities have changed to make the Mon-Fayette an even less desirable project.
We appreciate the work of the Design Advisory Teams and the design improvements that were made in response to the communities’ needs. We will continue work with the D.A.T.s to minimize the detrimental effects on our communities if the toll road is funded and built.
This is only an overview of an alternative for Oakland and the East Corridor. Join with organizations working for rational transportation, such as the Oakland Community Council, Penn Future, and Citizens for Alternatives to New Toll Roads. For the OCC, contact Ruth Feathers, 687-8568, 235 Atwood St. 15213, oakland_community_council@hotmail.com or Jonathan Robison, 412-683-0237, jon@jonrobison.org. For Penn Future, contact Heather Sage, 258-6681, Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Ave, # 2770, Pittsburgh 15222, sage@pennfuture.org. For CANTR, contact Dave McGuirk, 384-0378, 115 Providence Dr., Jefferson Hills 15025, dll3939@aol.com
To view a copy of the Citizens’ Plan, visit PennFuture’s web site at www.pennfuture.org and click on the Toll Road campaign button at the left on the home page.
Please come to the Oakland Community Council will meet Monday, Feb. 13, 6 pm, at the ConnelleyBallroom, AlunmiHall, 4227 Fifth Ave., Oakland. There will be a presentation of the Turnpike Commission’s plans. Let’s move forward with ration planning.

Well, we won a battle 8am Friday, but the struggle continues.
The Allegheny County Election Board recessed until 8:30 am Tuesday morning, in Conference Room 1, Court House. They postponed until then a decision whether to buy Diebold voting machines to replace all our lever machines. Over a dozen people showed up on less than 24 hours notice, and asked questions to which Allegheny County Administrative Services didn’t have definite answers.
So the Election Board recessed until Tuesday.
Will we choose voting machines which give Diebold the power to
determine the results in Allegheny County in any election? Maybe!
Why is this decision being made in such haste? Friday we heard a lot of vague talk about state and national deadlines - and we need to contract for new machines in a matter of wee4ks. But the Jan. 31 deadline is DIEBOLD’S. That is the expiration of THEIR option to buy machines at a discount.
Is this savings real? With Diebold, all their equipment and supplies are “proprietary” - so if we need a replacement, we have to buy from them.
Much worse, the computer code is “proprietary,” so nobody can review it. We have no way to know if the computer has been programmed to reduce a candidate’s vote totals in every district by 5%or 10%. We have to trust Diebold’s integrity.
There is also no paper record that can be audited if there is a challenge.
The Allegheny County Administrative Services and the Allegheny County Election Board will meet at 8:30 am Tuesday Jan 31, in Conference Room 1, Court House. The meeting is open to the public. The agenda is a final decision on
selection of new electronic voting machines for every poll in Allegheny
County. As of Friday, there were only two companies under consideration -
Diebold and ES&S.
Diebold made all the machines in Ohio, and the head of Diebold
openly boasted that he would deliver Ohio to George Bush. (He is also
a major financial contributor.) ES&S is owned by his brother.
The computer codes for both companies’ machines are “proprietary,” meaning no one can review the codes. That means that there is no way to tell if the
machines, or some of them, are programmed to reduce the vote count of
certain candidates by five or ten per cent.
Come to the public meeting 8:30 am Tuesday and demand machines with “OPEN SOURCE” codes — computer codes which can be reviewed by the public. Why should we have elections if Diebold can control the results?
CALL members the three members of the Eldction Board Monday - that’s County Executive Dan Onorato, 350-6500, and the two at-large members of County Council, John DeFazio (D), 350-6516, and Dave Fawcett (R), 350-6520. Or e-mail at dfawcett@county.allegheny.pa.us
jdefazio@county.allegheny.pa.us
executive@county.allegheny.pa.us
Demand “Open Source” coding.
More information about this danger to our elections can be seen on the web at www.votergate.tv
I’m sorry about this late notice. The decision to meet Tudsday was made Friday morning.
Love and Peace,
Jonathan Robison