An observation: The on-again, off-again Allegheny County smoking ban now is off again, at least in bars and restaurants; Commonwealth Court has agreed to hear an appeal. The illogic of the ban and the continuing machinations surrounding its implementation are a textbook study in both government ineptness and hubris. Employing the same logic, look next for the county to ban drinking in bars and restaurants. That likely will be followed in short order by a county ban on short-order food, butter in restaurants and snacks deemed “unhealthful” by “the state.” And let’s not forget those dastardly motor vehicles. Perhaps the county could ban them, too, citing the harm to all from secondhand exhaust. Our contentions are silly• Perhaps. But no less silly than government that, in general, does a very poor job of serving the people with the money it conscripts from them while attempting to micromanage the personal habits of the populace. A laurel & a lance: To Pittsburgh’s finances. An audit shows an $80 million budget surplus. That’s the good news, short term. The bad news is that, long term, budget trouble looms and virtually nothing has been done to address the city’s massive debt and pension crisis. The city’s debt is more than $800 million and pensions are woefully underfunded. Anyone who uses the term “solvent” to describe city finances is delusional. Lance: To Pitt and the state: Construction problems and cost overruns at the school’s Petersen Events Center were so problematic that a state audit recommends the state rework how it manages and pays for such projects. Actually, what the audit proves is that when “free” money is handed out, things get sloppy and that the government is a lousy business manager. Rest assured, the audit will be ignored and this nonsense will have multiple lousy encores. Come clean: Kevin Acklin. The Republican Allegheny County Council candidate says he’s a big fan of transparency. That’s great. We ask him to practice what he preaches and tell the public what role he had in bringing to light questions surrounding Chuck McCullough, his former rival for an at-large seat. After all, partial transparency is an oxymoron. Two questions:

The Pittsburgh Planning Commission is forcing operators of the new North Shore slots casino to do a more detailed traffic study to placate, primarily, the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, will the planning commission require the Steelers, who already hold the title to the city’s biggest traffic messer-upper, do the same in regard to its proposed North Shore amphitheater? Mary Conturo continues as director of the Sports & Exhibition Authority. Why• She failed to notify superiors when expansion joint failures caused the collapse of a section of floor at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in 2005. A more catastrophic failure, caused by the same flaw, happened this year. Again, why does she still have a job?

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