Lance: To the Murphy administration. It can't seem to get its financial house in order, but it has the time and money to generate forms to issue to city-based employers that would document commuter wage tax collections should the state Legislature authorize such a tax. Yet more proof that Murphy & Co., ever licking its chops for more of your money, isn't serious about fiscal responsibility.
Lance: To Pittsburgh City Council. Bowing to pressure from the indignant legislative body that put the freeze on all legislative action, the Murphy administration has agreed to restore $7.7 million -- that it really can't afford to give up -- to community groups. Ha, what a knee-slapper! A council that did nothing to stave off the city's slow train to insolvency does a little more nothing and wins a concession from a do-nothing mayor. How precious!
Laurel: To the state Supreme Court. It has agreed to hear the long-running Garden Theater case. Pittsburgh officials have been trying to seize the North Side adult theater for the Federal North redevelopment project. The owner claims it's a free speech issue: Restrictive zoning regulations mean there's no place for him to move. We see it as an abuse of eminent domain, too. The theater has thus far lost in Common Pleas and Commonwealth courts. Here's hoping the Supreme Court gets it right.
Lance: To Ed Rendell. The governor does things big, eating and taxing chief among them. Now it turns out Mr. Rendell also likes the fast life -- in his state police-chauffeured car. The Daily News of Philadelphia says state police have clocked "Executive One," the governor's Cadillac Seville, rocketing along the turnpike at 100 mph more than nine times since last November. No tickets, of course; it's the Gov. Troopers say they're worried for the governor's safety should he crash. We're more worried about the safety of the poor schmuck Fast Eddie might hit.
Laurel: To Charles Moffatt. Since taking office in February, the Allegheny County Police superintendent has reduced by half -- from 75 to 37 -- the number of employees with take-home privileges for county cars. And county Manager Jim Flynn has ordered a review of the 142 employees who have county cars to determine if those privileges are indeed warranted. This is the kind of thing we like to hear.
Lance: To the anti-gun violence coalition. The newly formed Pittsburgh group, which has the National Rifle Association in its cross hairs, says the 2003 death of letter carrier Clayton J. Smith -- shot by a then-9-year-old boy who found a gun illegally owned by his convicted felon mother -- shows why legislation is needed to require adults to be responsible gun owners. Don't you just love this kind of "logic"â¢
