http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com Reform Pittsburgh NOW! Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:43:29 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [youtube]0adgEdCdWvA[/youtube] OK, folks – this is it. Because of your e-mails, phone calls and letters, Pittsburgh City Council is poised to approve Campaign Finance Reform. Please be certain, we still need one final push to thank those Council members who gave it preliminary support and ask those who did ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/05/31/campaign-finance-reform-%e2%80%93-last-call/ Last month, Pittsburgh joined the ranks of North American cities that have opted to test the installation of LED street lights. A two-block corridor of Walnut Street, from Aiken to Bellefonte, in Shadyside, was fitted with new LED light panels. Immediately, pedestrians and motorists were able to tell ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/05/31/let-there-be-light/ On Thursday, April 24, 2008 Council will vote on campaign finance legislation. These are the basic points, which we are open to amending: Limits the amount any individual can donate to a candidate to $2,500 per year Limits the amount any Political Action Committee can donate to a candidate to $5,000 ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/04/22/giving-power-back-to-the-people/ This week will be busy, and it will help to define what type of city Pittsburgh will be. Is Pittsburgh a reform-minded city that supports an efficient government? Does it want to be a leader in progressive policies that could help redefine it as a green city? ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/04/08/the-heart-of-our-city/ Today, April 7, Council will hold a Post Agenda meeting on my Campaign Finance Reform (CFR) legislation. Experts Barry Kauffman, of Common Cause and Tim Potts of Democracy Rising, will be on hand to relay their experience with cities that have implemented CFR. [youtube]F6xD3EBKMIo[/youtube] Philly to Pittsburgh: We Dare You. Last ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/04/07/mad-cash-disease/ Denying the Public Their Voice – We Don’t Need No Badges! [youtube]VqomZQMZQCQ[/youtube] (h/t The Burgher) Within the past week we have learned of the parking Authority’s decision to install a large electronic billboard on the new garage at Liberty Avenue and Grant Street. Recent articles have been critical of the apparent lack ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/02/19/badges-we-ain%e2%80%99t-got-no-badges/ The Return of the M-F Toll Road and the So. B. Much has been said on this blog about creating a transportation system that is suited for the land use, and economic development of our region for the 21st Century. The idea that we need to implement a “fix it ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/02/12/through-the-looking-glass/ Three Public Hearings Three Chances to be Heard During the month of February, City Council will be holding Public Hearings on three important issues. This is your opportunity to have your voice heard. To be scheduled to speak at any of these Hearings, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/02/12/3-public-meetings-3-chances-to-be-heard/ Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech December 10, 1964, Oslo, Norway: I accept the Nobel Prize for Peace at a moment when twenty-two million Negroes of the United States of America are engaged in a creative battle to end the long night of racial injustice. I accept this award in behalf of a civil ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/01/21/mlk/ Today, I will introduce legislation to limit campaign contributions in an attempt to end the “pay to play” system. My legislation will limit the amount any individual can donate to a candidate to $2,500 per year, and any Political Action Committee donations to $5,000 per year. In accordance with Supreme ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/01/15/local-campaign-finance-reform/ And......We're Back! Happy 2008 to all our RPNers. As the new City Council meets this morning, the opportunity to address the fiscal uncertainity of our city's budget will become a primary issue. As Chair of the City's Finance Committee, my goal for the year is to create a new ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2008/01/15/planning-our-fiscal-future/ Governing by Laws The recent debate in City Council over UPMC’s generous gift to contribute to the Pittsburgh Promise wasn't about UPMC or the Pittsburgh Promise. It is a debate over the powers of local government. Namely, does local government have the authority to grant certain individuals or organizations ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/12/27/governing-by-law/ On Monday, City Council will vote on an amendment to the budget to allocate $10,000 to the Ethics Board. The funds will be used to provide minimal administrative functions and independent legal counsel. In 2006, I had the pleasure to work with Mayor O’Connor on reactivating the long ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/12/14/creating-an-identity-for-the-ethics-board/ Regional Equity '08: The Third National Summit on Equitable Development, Social Justice, and Smart Growth is less than four months away and our roster of inspiring and influential speakers keeps growing. Register now and plan to: Meet and mingle with Tavis Smiley, whose book The Covenant in Action, was cited in Giving, ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/12/12/regional-equity-08-summit-buzz-and-brochure/ On Tuesday, the Administration will send legislation to Council to authorize the Mayor to submit a grant application to the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in order to create an aggressive tree planting program in Pittsburgh. The Tree Vitalize program follows nearly a decade of environmental activism ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/12/10/tree-vitalize/ Tuesday Update – Final Action - The Good and The Bad Officer Involved Domestic Violence City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on an ordinance that details department actions when a Police officer is involved in a domestic violence incident. The ordinance set standards for actions to be taken ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/12/02/council-update/ Solutions To Old Problems Do you live in the city? Did you ever move your car on street cleaning day and never see the truck? Did you ever have service, but the cars that did not move were not cited? Chances are, if you said yes to the ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/12/02/street-cleaning-reform/ [youtube]_hYpAYWqiwo[/youtube] Council will begin the official start of “Buck Season” on Wednesday as the public budget process begins and several tax items are up for a vote. It will also be discussing whether the city is ready to be taken out of oversight status. No Longer the Only City to Tax ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/11/26/taxes-and-act-47/ Green Day Today is a historic day in the City of Pittsburgh. At 10:00 AM, I introduced legislation in City Council that requires all new construction and renovations of City owned property to receive at least LEED Silver certification. The legislation also requires any new construction or renovation project that receives ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/11/19/investing-in-green/ It’s Big Monday, Baby! As you know, Thanksgiving Day is Thursday and Council holds its Regular and Committee meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. So, to avoid some sort of holiday conflict both meetings have been rescheduled for Monday. Yeah, I don’t get it either, but there is plenty of ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/11/19/big-monday/ Several Key Issues before City Council this Week A Professional Management System for Street Resurfacing Last week, Council gave a negative recommendation to an ordinance that would have established a paving management system based on best practice models implemented in all most every other city. Other cities like New York have ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/11/13/a-busy-week/ Tuesday: City Council Final Action Click To Play play_blip_movie_360164(); Professional Management System for Street Resurfacing This Ordinance will establish guidelines to modernize the way we decide which street get paved. Last week it failed with two votes for (Peduto, Shields), three votes against (Bodack, Koch, Motznik) and the rest (Carlisle, Deasy, Harris and ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/11/13/this-week-in-council/ Council will be voting on Monday afternoon on an ordinance which would create a Professional Management System to determine which streets get repaved. Click To Play play_blip_movie_360164(); The bill is a strong termed text on good government. It creates a 3–5 year paving plan for the city that uses technology to analyze ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/11/05/action-alert-professional-management-system/ In June, the Pittsburgh Police promoted three officers with a history of domestic violence. As a result of the lack of any appropriate guidelines on how to deal with domestic violence within the Bureau of Police, Councilman Doug Shields introduced this ordinance to City Council. Last week, I circulated ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/10/28/domestic-abuse-policy-for-the-bureau-of-police/ Deon Gates of Tacoma, Washington produced the following videos. He has been involved in law enforcement domestic violence policy since the murder of Crystal Brame [youtube]mg3uDbVjUQw[/youtube] Over the course of the past several months, several family members whose loved ones were killed by domestic violence involving a law enforcement ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/10/28/action-alert-domestic-abuse-policy-for-the-bureau-of-police/ Ladies and Gentlemen: Start your Engines In the next few weeks, City Council will be debating four issues that will have a direct bearing on the type of government we wish to represent us. RPN will be providing background information on the issues and a call to action from you ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/10/23/four-issues/ Once upon a time we had a system On Tuesday, City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss the idea of implementing a Professional Management System to determine which streets get resurfaced. Back in the 1990s, the city invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to analyze every street in ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/10/16/taking-politics-out-of-paving/ How the Arts Shape our Economy Hey Folks, I’m back! Sorry for not posting this past week, but I was in Philadelphia for a few days at a conference devoted to the impact of “Anchor” developments. We studied best practice models of positive urban redevelopment around such institutions as ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/10/11/arts-as-an-economic-engine/ Community Based Development Urban Planners have always struggled between the necessity of change and the opportunity for progress. Back in 1787, Russian Minister Grigori Potemkin launched an impressive urban renewal program for his boss Catherine II. As you probably know, there wasn’t much behind his development, nor was his ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/10/01/the-balance-of-real-revitalization/ Click To Play What role are cultural institutions playing in redevelopment of neighborhoods in Pittsburgh? How do art, culture, and history combine to create experiences that are unique to our city? Watch as Bill and iJustine visit several museums on Pittsburgh's North Side. In part 1, watch an interview with Barbara ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/27/the-north-side-part-1-of-2/ We must have strong cities to have a strong America. This week I will be traveling to Chicago to participate in CEOs for Cities National Membership meeting. They understand the importance of creating a new urban agenda: In today’s world, innovation is the new imperative for urban leaders. That includes addressing the ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/24/ceos-for-cities/ A New Tool for Tech and Beyond Tuesday evening, I had the opportunity to join in the launch of an interesting new enterprise. Helpstartups.com is a new single point of access for any and all types of entrepreneurial support. Although it is geared to the tech community, entrepreneurs with ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/20/a-new-tool-for-tech-and-beyond/ Taking a Break from Tech Later this week, I will post more about ideas and studies that show ways Pittsburgh can meet its incredible potential to be a global leader in several tech fields. But before we continue that conversation, I have to take a moment to get something off ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/17/hope-springs-eternal/ Click To Play The New Mon Valley Part 2 of 2 Click To Play In part 1, iJustine meets with Don Marinelli of Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center. In part 2, iJustine speaks with a roundtable of life science executives and visits the Pittsburgh Technology Council. Pittsburgh's old industrial economy was ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/12/mon-valley-part-1-of-2/ Pittsburgh is a post-industrial city. I really don’t remember when it happened, but it has. Our economy has shifted and is dominated by the medical and technology industries. In our latest episode we visit “The New Mon Valley”, the Pittsburgh Technology Center along Second Avenue. We ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/12/innovation-through-technology-to-transform-a-city/ A Penny for your Thoughts (or $50,000) In celebration of the region’s 250th anniversary, Community Connections will be providing $1 million in grants to community developed and driven projects that "celebrate the pride and progress of our region." Grants are available for projects that will have a lasting impact on the ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/07/50000-question/ Well it seems the debate over the Mon-Fayette Toll Road expansion is growing. Recent articles have brought the issue of funding priority back to the front burner. As one of the largest proposed transportation projects in the country and with $4 billion in unknown revenue, it is critical ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/09/04/our-transportation-priorities/ The city of Pittsburgh is requesting ideas on establishing a citywide Wi-Fi system. Interested parties are asked to submit their ideas by August 31, 2007. For more information, please visit Wireless Broadband RFI. Last May, the city entered a contract with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership to provide Wi-Fi services ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/08/29/citywide-wi-fi/ The Pittsburgh Green Government Task Force was created this past spring, to study ideas for government, businesses, residents and institutions to lessen the amount of greenhouse gases. You may have read recent articles in the Post-Gazette and Tribune-Review on how you can get involved by suggesting recommendations. The Pittsburgh Climate ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/08/25/think-globally-act-locally/ Click To Play Justine rides the bus with Port Authority CEO Steve Bland and sits down with Jim Hassinger, President and CEO of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. What could the future of transit look like for Pittsburgh and how will transit affect our region's growth? Watch the video above ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/08/24/public-transit/ We have put together a team of creative individuals who bring different skills and backgrounds to this project: John Carman is the owner of Avenue Design Studios in Bloomfield, a graphic communications and new media consulting firm. As a board member of the Bloomfield Business Association, John has worked with Bill ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/08/21/meet-the-team/ Upcoming Episodes Transit: Aug 23 The New Mon Valley: Sept 12 North Side Cultural Development: Sept 26 http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/08/17/reform-pittsburgh-now/ Ok, so what happens when you mix local government reform with social media?  We are about to find out.  To me, it only makes sense that we can create a more transparent government, provide direct interaction with the public and share information to build better policies by combining the two.  ... http://www.reformpittsburghnow.com/2007/08/17/test-bills-blog-post/