In the Spring, Tonya Payne (illegally) used a fake political committee, “Sensible Constituents of District 6,” to distribute some negative materials.  This Fall, she was at it again.  See below for a flyer that she passed out (again, illegally using another fake political committee — “Neighbors Against Dirty Politics”).

She also had the flyers below–which accuse City Councilmember Bill Peduto of racism–distributed in his district.

The Neighbors Against Dirty Politics also sent around the following email:

From: neighbors against dirty politics 2
Date: Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Subject: IS TRUMP FINANCING LAVELLE?

IS TRUMP FINANCING LAVELLE?

Is Trump financing Robert Daniel Lavelle’s campaign in District 6? No, not really,  but I am confused where Lavelle received his money to add “extra” bonuses to his campaign workers.  I know if I truly believe in a candidate I do not have to be paid!  Why would he have to pay 130 workers $100.00 each?  Why would he have to pay workers breakfast, lunch, and dinner?  Who paid for his Rent A Cars? Who paid for his color brochures?  Who paid for his postage?  Who paid for his color postcards? Who paid for his t-shirts? Who paid for his parties? Why did he not put these expenses on his campaign report? Why did he drop his first name and change his campaign name now to Daniel instead of Robert.  Wasn’t his father, Robert,  fired from The Dwelling House Bank and under FBI investigation?

The Post Gazette’s article stated

the following about the bank;

“it suffered a severe blow to its stability late last year when federal auditors discovered that about $3 million had been drained out of its capital account and the bank..  Pittsburgh police and FBI agents are investigating the case.”

“Former Dwelling House president and CEO Robert M. Lavelle, who was fired in November by order of the OTS, also was fined $5,000 last week for his role in the gross negligence that ultimately brought down the bank.”

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09227/991047-28.stm

Where is this money? Robert “Daniel” now flip flops his name so people will not put two and two together. Call him Daniel now, not Robert .Does he think we are stupid?  Is this where the money comes from for his campaign?   The apple does not fall far from the tree.  I would “write in” TonyaPayne, her workers do not have to be paid to campaign for her!

She does not change her name to hide. Our group Neighbors Against Dirty Politics are starting an official “write in” campaign for Tonya Payne!  When you go to the polls just go to the “write in”section and write her name in the spot.

ON NOVEMBER 3, 2009

ELECTION DAY

“Write In”
Tonya Payne
Don’t Write Her Off!

District 6 City Councilwoman

“Let justice remain in your district!”

“Keep her REAL name in your decisions.”

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
NEIGHBORS AGAINST DIRTY POLITICS

Finally, if you still have any question about who the “Neighbors Against Dirty Politics” actually are, there’s a facebook group called “URGENT!! WRITE IN Tonya Payne for City Council District 6″.  The administrator and creator of the page?  Tonya Payne.

Of course, this election is history.  So why does it matter?  Two reasons:

1. To date, Jim Burn, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, is turning a blind eye to the City Chair staging a campaign against the duly nominated Democratic nominee for office.
2. It’s really not clear what Tonya Payne was hoping to gain from these hijinks, but she is rumored to be preparing for a run against Jake Wheatley for State Representative next year.  Even her most staunch supporters must be turned off by her embarrassing behavior.

BikePgh asked each of the Mayoral candidates to discuss the status quo with respect to making Pittsburgh as bike friendly as possible, and asked them as well to what each of them would seek to do as Mayor to further cycling as a viable mode of transportation citywide.  The resultant questionnaire, which each candidate completed at some length, informs not only the cycling issues at hand, but also the candidates’ respective visions for Pittsburgh generally.  An excellent and illuminating read. 

And while you’re at it, why don’t you donate while you’re over there.  If I’m not mistaken, thanks to a generous benefactor, donations this summer will be matched one to one.  You’ll get to feel twice as good about supporting one of the most effective advocacy organizations in the city.

Dowd Statement on this Morning’s Water Main Break in Northside.

May 14, 2009 – PITTSBURGH -     In response to this morning’s water main break on Chateau Street and the similar incident earlier this week on Liberty Avenue, PWSA Board Member and Mayoral Candidate Patrick Dowd issued the following statement:

    ”This morning’s water main break and sewer collapse on Chateau Street

    present another example of the havoc wreaked by the Mayor’s poor

    judgment.  Just last week, the PWSA board voted to shift $46 million

    away from critical maintenance projects protecting our water system

    and to what end?  Covering potential losses on a risky bond deal this

    Mayor championed – the same kind of bond deal that bankrupted Jefferson

    County, Alabama.

    ”Conveniently, and after repeated calls to more thoroughly review this

    deal,  this bond issue will finally be the topic of an Executive Board meeting

    the week immediately following the election.  Unfortunately for

    Pittsburghers, the Mayor is playing games with our infrastructure, and

    the citizens never win.   Who is he kidding by forcing us to wait until after the

    election to figure out how much this deal is going to cost the taxpayers?

“We can’t afford another four more years of Mayor Ravenstahl’s reckless quick fixes.  

We need responsible decision-making about basic public services.  This is not a good way to 

run our city. This is a good way to run our city into the ground.”

###

There is a near showdown happening in Braddock around the mayor’s race.  The current Mayor John Fetterman is facing a challenge from a candidate who is supported by some of the Braddock council members.

Here is the Post-Gazette article on the race: Braddock Mayor Has His Critics

Here is a letter to the editor froma  Forest Hill’s resident in support of John Fetterman: 

Your Monday piece about Braddock Mayor John Fetterman was timely considering the upcoming primary (“Braddock Mayor Has His Critics,” May 4). As a council member of a neighboring municipality I would like to report on some changes I have noticed in Braddock since Mayor Fetterman’s arrival.

Obvious aesthetic changes include: basketball courts, murals, re-paved roads, trees, an urban garden, UPMC additions, new housing and several revitalized buildings on historic Library Street. Practical additions have included a stronger youth program, a jobs center, a vegetable-based fuel business, a district art show, a farmer’s market, creative artists space and the return of the annual street fair.

While it is true that many people have worked to keep Braddock viable since the loss of the steel industry and no one disputes that, Mayor Fetterman’s unique character and dedication have created a buzz that has generated grants for the town, politicians’ attention and movement on the much-delayed neighboring Carrie Furnace development and Rankin bridge repairs next to the popular Waterfront.

The residents of Braddock would be well-served to embrace the change that their mayor has helped them realize and work with him to continue to move their neighborhood forward.

STEVE KARAS
Forest Hills

Some more blog reading about Braddock…

• Rebuilding America’s Ghost Towns (oxdown.firedoglake.com)
• Artists from University of Wisconsin and Beyond Light Up Braddock this Weekend (iheartpgh.com)
• Revitalizing A Rusty Old Town (cbsnews.com)
• Steel town trying to rebound from bottom (cnn.com)
• a view of a grim economic future: Braddock (bripblap.com)

Exhibit A:  At least one elderly woman was reportedly harassed at her door for telling a Coghill-canvasser that she was suppoorting Natalia Rudiak in the District 4 City Council race.  After telling the canvasser repeatedly that she would be supporting Natalia, the woman had to then ask the canvasser multiple times to leave her alone.  No–she wouldn’t take her sign down, no–there was nothing that the person could do to make her vote for Coghill, no–she didn’t care who else was supporting Anthony and “needed” her to vote for him, and “how many times do I have to ask you to leave?”

Also–suspiciously–nearly all Rudiak for Council signs disappeared from one section of Beechview the same night that the Coghill signs appeared.

According to the Trib piece about the hundreds of signs in Coghill’s own yard, he is in violation of city zoning laws.

It’s unclear exactly how much support a campaign should expect to be able to pick up in a district through intimidation and theft, but you may remember that we have a history of seeing desperate, illegal campaign tactics punished at the polls on Election Day.

Well it is a busy day in Pittsburgh politics.  Here is a press release from the Dowd Campaign…

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dowd calls for sweeping reform: ‘cut waste to fund cops, youth programs, and jobs.’

Touts record on School Board increasing accountability and raising test scores.

Councilman Patrick Dowd today addressed his record as a reformer, and called for broad changes in order to fund a variety of city services that will improve the quality of life for Pittsburghers.

“In this economy, we can’t afford to have any waste and mismanagement. We need a new approach that saves tax dollars and focuses on our priorities, like public safety, youth programs, and economic development,” said Dowd.

“I’m proud of my record of reform on the School Board and the Council.  That’s why I’m running for Mayor – to put our money where it’s needed, professionalization of city services, growing the job base of the city, reducing violence and improving the quality of life for all.”

As a member of the Board of Education, Patrick did not avoid making tough decisions and being held accountable for them.  Whether it was decisions involving leadership of the district, closing of schools, redesigning departments, or allocating scarce resources, Patrick was willing to take a stand and be held accountable.  Patrick believes that elected officials have a limited time to serve, and the people put him there to make the tough decisions, not avoid them.

Dowd’s record of reform on the School Board:

Greater Accountability

• Wrote a performance-based contract for the Superintendent that improved delivery of services in Pittsburgh schools.
• Members of the executive team as well as principals have also signed contracts with specific achievement targets and were held accountable for reaching them if they wanted to receive yearly raises.
• Now, with the help of A+ Schools, even the Board of Education is being graded as a result of a culture of accountability that Dowd helped bring to the Board of Education.

Greater Focus on Academic Performance

• The Board redesigned elementary and middle schools to be create the optimal learning environment for kids.
• In order to put needed funds back into the classroom, Dowd led the “right-sizing” of the Pittsburgh Public Schools and helped close more buildings than any district in America.
• The Board implemented a High School reform agenda (“Excel. 9-12″ and “9^th Grade Nation”) to get students prepared for college.
• The Board redesigned entire curriculum to improve achievement and performance.
• The Board made sure EVERY child had his/her own textbook. The most basic thing our schools should do wasn’t happening – it is now.
• Principals and administration are now fully accountable for student achievement. 

Greater Fiscal Responsibility

• Even as City took $20 million from the schools, the Board did not raise taxes but found inefficiencies in the districts operations.
• Directed additional resources to classroom.
• Opposed and blocked property tax increases.
• Foundation and state support to district has increased.  Now, the District is competing for money from large national foundations.

As a result of these reforms the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency or above in 3^rd grade Reading rose by 15.3% from 48.7% to 64% over three years ending in 2008 and the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency or above in 8^th grade Reading rose by 12.7% from 53.5% to 66.2% over the same three year period.

Dowd, a longtime resident of Highland Park, was first elected to the School Board in 2003, defeating incumbent Darlene Harris in a grassroots campaign. In 2007, Dowd joined the City Council representing District 7 after defeating incumbent Len Bodack.

###

From their announcement:

P2PAC develops, supports, and helps to elect candidates who demonstrate vision, progressive values, and electability… 

These endorsements represent four races where a group of dedicated citizens can make a MAJOR impact on the race…

• Natalia Rudiak, City Council District 4, nataliarudiak.com 
  • Click Here to Donate to Friends of Natalia Rudiak
  • Click Here to Volunteer
• Robert Daniel Lavelle, City Council District 6, lavelleforcouncil.com
  • Click Here to Donate to Citizens for Daniel Lavelle
  • Click Here to Volunteer
• Susan Banahasky, Magisterial District Judge 5-3-10, susanformagistrate.com 
  • Click Here to Donate to Friends for Susan Banahasky
  • Click Here to Volunteer
• Hugh McGough, Court of Common Pleas, mcgough4judge.com 
  • Click Here to Donate to McGough for Judge
  • Click Here to Volunteer

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