Thursday, April 25, 2013
County officials unveiled the first two compressed natural gas trucks put into service for their public works department at an Earth Day press conference on Monday.
To most Dormont and Brookline residents, the new, white Allegheny County trucks that they might pass on the roadways won't appear to be anything extraordinary. But they are a first step in the county going green with a cleaner-burning fuel for fleet vehicles. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and other officials unveiled the county's first two compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles at a press conference on Monday. Each vehicle cost $35,285. The Silverado 2500HD, four-wheel drive, extended cab pickup trucks contain specially designed 6.0-litre Vortec V8 engines and have a gross vehicle weight of 9,500 pounds. The trucks are factory-built with hardened valves and seals, which are critical for CNG vehicles, according to a news release…
Monday, March 18, 2013
The deadline to file an appeal is April 1.
Dormont and Brookline property owners have another chance to challenge their new assessments, but time is running out. County executive Rich Fitzgerald signed legislation that allows property owners, and taxing bodies, to appeal new real estate values. According to a statement posted on the Allegheny County web site: The Executive and Council recognized that having property owners go through the Court-ordered reassessment has been difficult for everyone. Acknowledging that, and recognizing that there are those who may not have had an opportunity to appeal, did not get the result they had hoped for, or didn’t understand what their assessment may mean to their taxes, this appeal period allows property owners another chance to work to have …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
State Rep. Erin Molchany will co-chair a public meeting on the issue today.
Friday, January 25, 2013
County Controller Chelsa Wagner said Thursday the amount could be about $50 for the average household.
An analysis by Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner has revealed that the county could be on track to overcharge the average household by $50 in property taxes in 2013. “There is a strong possibility, from the data we have analyzed, that the county is on track to gain a windfall of as much as $38 million," Wagner said in a statement issued on Thursday. “I am calling on the administration to publicize every detail of their millage calculation to assure all taxpayers that no windfall will occur. No resident of Allegheny County should be overcharged one cent or $1, let alone $50 or more for the county’s failure to act.” She also expressed concern over the lack of transparency and available information surrounding the county’s current, …
Monday, September 10, 2012
Due to increasing costs and declining sponsorship, Allegheny County will not hold the Celebration of Lights at Hartwood Acres this year.
The holiday season will lack a bit of light in Pittsburgh this year. Allegheny County officials said Monday that the annual Celebration of Lights at Hartwood Acres Park will be suspended this year. Increasing costs and declining sponsorships, particularly in light of the county's limited financial resources, are to blame. “This is not a decision that we made lightly. The Celebration of Lights has been a great holiday tradition since 1991. We have been proud to partner with the Salvation Army and WTAE TV 4 for the past twenty years on this and are gratified that we have helped to generate $3.7 million in revenues for Project Bundle-Up and other local charities during that time,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, in a statement released…
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Both Republicans and Democrats came out to support the Allegheny County Music Festival Fund at a fundraiser featuring politicians and hopefuls yukking it up for a the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
Usually, the audiences at the Improv are laughing at the politicians, but, at the Candidates’ Comedy Night, the audience was laughing with them. The fundraiser for the Allegheny County Music Festival Fund had politicians reaching across the aisles so that the constituents could roll in them. State Sen. Jay Costa Jr., state Treasurer Robert McCord, Washington County commissioners Diana Irey Vaughan and Larry Maggi, Congressman Tim Murphy, state Senate candidate D. Raja, state Rep. Matt Smith, Congressional candidate Dr. Hans Lessmann, Congressman Mike Doyle, Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Kane, U.S. Senator Bob Casey and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald took to the Waterfront stage at the Improv, telling jokes, performing …
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Have you checked out the #PittsburghBands hashtag on Twitter?
If you were naming a band that could only be found in Pittsburgh, what would you call it? Some creative Pittsburgh minds have taken to Twitter, and are using the hashtag #PittsburghBands to share their ideas for Pittsburgh-themed musical acts—all spinoffs of current band names and famous Pittsburgh places. The hashtag has been trending for the past day or so, and it's continuing to pick up steam. You might recognize some of the people making suggestions. Randy Baumann of WDVE—@DVERandy to you Twitter followers—suggested some great ones, including "The Whitehall Stripes," and one of my personal favorites: "ParkWaylon Jennings." Nearest to Dormont and Brookline so far, Ken Rice of KDKA (@kenricekdka) suggested "Carrick Clapton," and …
Monday, July 30, 2012
State and federal funding prevent the cuts from happening for at least another year.
Hold the phone. Devastating cuts facing ACCESS riders will not occur in September thanks to a special funding arrangement made possible by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and two federal programs that benefit transit riders with disabilities, according to a news release from Port Authority of Allegheny County. Port Authority's Board of Directors on Friday unanimously voted to accept the funding and rescind plans that would have reduced ACCESS service hours and service area starting on Sept. 2. Meanwhile, conversation focused on resolving broader transportation funding issues and the 35-percent Port Authority service reduction scheduled for September are ongoing and involve officials from the state, county, Port Authority and …
Thursday, July 5, 2012
KDKA reports that a new deal is in the works that could stop Port Authority cuts this fall.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Erin Faulk
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Thursday, July 5, 2012
A deal is in the works to avoid cuts to Port Authority service this fall, according to a report by KDKA. According to the report, negotiations between state, county and union officials are underway to avoid a one-third cut in service on Sept. 2. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald told KDKA that if the union, management, and county can come up with about $30 million, Gov. Tom Corbett will match that amount and restore service. Local groups in Dormont and Castle Shannon have started petitions to save local T-Line stops, and Beechview residents protested recent cuts in June. For the full report from KDKA, click here. Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook and Twitter. For more news, sign up for our email Newsletter.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today on efforts to block the law.
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and county controller Chelsa Wagner are among the officials planning a challenge to the Voter ID law, which was signed by Gov. Tom Corbett in March. Sponsored by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, the law requires voters to show photo identification before they vote at the polls. After a dry run in the May primary, it is scheduled to take effect for the Nov. 6 general election. Wagner argues the law violates the Pennsylvania Constitution and federal laws guaranteeing free and equal access to the polls while placing an unfunded mandate on county taxpayers. “No elected official in our democracy should prevent citizens from voting,” Wagner said in a statement on the Allegheny County website. “We will …
Carol Ann
4:39 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Pennsylvania's legislature is being re-introduced to HB/SB76 - which abolishes your school board's authority to seize your home and eliminates the School Property Tax, lowering your monthly household expenses by an average of $300./month!! It’s time to get to work on our first task of the new legislative session. Co-sponsorship memos have been posted for both the House and Senate versions of the … more ›