I like the "believes in high density urban living" filter. It makes me fantasize about a mayor who takes the bus, who goes to the Carnegie Museum, not just for glitterati events, and who likes walking down the streets of Bloomfield, Brookline, Squirrel Hill, etc.
Of course, the corollary (sp) is someone who won't try to turn Downtown into a giant shopping mall and actually trusts the free market to do its job once in a while.
The problem is that Murphy is a symptom of a mentality that has taken hold of this region for decades. It's the idea that we can trust Grant Street, our unions and our corporate leaders to take care of us. And as a fellow Democrat, Fester, I'm afraid that one-party rule is a big part of the problem. That won't change overnight, of course.
Jonathan, no dispute on one party rule, competition would be a good thing, and for me, party loyalty is pretty damm low on the list of decision criteria, the 9th marginal decider, below "not batshit crazy," but the Democratic machine is what it is here in Pittsburgh, so the May primary is the election.
You forgot Frankel, Walko, Flaherty, and Lamb. Ricciardi may run, although he is probably more likely to run again for his council seat. Hertzberg, it seems, is more interested in becoming judge than mayor.
[There's another guy out there who's name escapes me: has run a couple of times and lost every one of them. This guy falls under the "batshit insane" category, and will probably be ignored again.]
O'Connor has the inside track with Flaherty close behind. The rest of the feild is open at this point.
I'm obviously not overly enthusiastic about the current challengers; big ideas, but a lot of small minds. [Does anyone really think that either O'Connor or Flaherty can be "reformers" or "visionaries" if they've spent their careers as a cog in the machine? Not, that I'm dissing the machine, mind you...]
Bill Peduto may be surprised that the voters in the Hill are different than those in Shadyside. And for Sala, vice versa.
In any event, because of t
[I seem to be verbose]
As I was saying, in any event, because of the nature of the City, I doubt that you'll find a candidate that will fully capture or even be able to execute your (and my) ideals.
I should have put my criteria in a numerical list with the statement that the higher the number, the higher the priority that criteria is, and I will only move down the list if there are multiple candidates who meet all of the high priority criteria are surviving. My first filter was not Murphy, which is now fulfilled, so everyone else is being evaluated against #2 right now (viable chance of winning) and then #3, there is no single solution to all problems criteria. I doubt that I'll even make it to #4 much less #9
Flaherty will no doubt be in the wings trying to influence the candidates. (I couldn't see him running this time, or ever.) The problem is is that as long as he has influence, then the cancer that was once known as the Democratic Machine will continue to mobilize to fight any efforts at reform within the city. AND it will also see the mayor's office as a bully pulpit from which to oppose Onorato's efforts to shrink the the number of row offices from 10 to 2. God help the next mayor. Help him in a Blue State kinda way, of course. ;)
Unless you find a mayor who has the testicular fortitude to tax people who need to be taxed, reduce or eliminate taxes on people who don't need to be taxed (non-city residents), and provide incentive for business to thrive in Pittsburgh, the great sucking sound will continue. There are literally square miles of real estate, some very close to downtown, that could be nuked from space and actually provide some benefit to the general population.
Taxes work just like business revenue. Reduce the price and you generate more revenue, not less. That's why Kaufmann's doesn't jack prices to bring customers in...they lower prices.
Mark, the last paragraph of yours is an empirical question with a thoroughly discredited past if you take it to a logical extreme. Kaufmans would move a lot of polo shirts if they were giving them away for free, but at no profit, hell at a loss. The relevant question that you are most likely trying to ask, is the following: what is the lowest tax rate that generates the sufficient level of revenue to pay for needed services. Now that is an honest question, and I have no clue what that answer region is.
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