Friday, October 31, 2003

By Bill Toland, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

At a town meeting to discuss the question of whether Pittsburgh and surrounding communities ought to explore a merger to rescue the struggling region, panelists answered with an emphatic maybe.

The panelists share perspectives on regionalizing government. From left, Tom Waseleski, Susan G. Hockenberry, Christopher Lochner, Doris Carson Williams and John G. Craig Jr. (Lake Fong, Post-Gazette) Click photo for larger image. Listen In Follow last night's dialog with MP3 audio excerpts: Tom Waseleski The historic incentives early businessmen and common citizens had to create small boroughs on the fringe of Pittsburgh (877K MP3) This process was accelerated by the Pittsburgh land grabs. Allegheny County has 130 municipalities today. (937K MP3) Susan G. Hockenberry Tools exist now for greater cooperation between city and suburbs (1MB MP3) Regional cooperation needs to start small and build. For example, with firefighters (1MB MP3) Christopher Lochner Suburbs don't oppose regionalism, it is happening now (1.4MB MP3) Defining regionalism as a solution to a financial dilemma, that's the wrong approach (506K MP3) Why government structure is a roadblock (1.2MB MP3) Antiquated government structure has been a question too long (964K MP3) Suburban communities have to initiate regional cooperation because it's the right thing to do, not a bailout (612K MP3) Doris Carson Williams Pittsburgh's hands are tied because it doesn't have the authority to enact taxes (738K MP3) Growing regions have commuter taxes (1.3MB MP3) John G. Craig Jr. The debate on regionalism is diminished by a lack of information (1.1MB MP3) The region needs to celebrate successes and not scare people financially (1.8MB MP3) METROVISIONS series index page

All panelists agreed that Pittsburgh must focus on regional goals, but none ventured that the only -- or best -- way to save the financially strapped urban core is to merge with neighboring governments.

Christopher Lochner, manager and finance director of Hampton, said voters and politicians ought to tread carefully around the idea of regionalism, and suggested that the suburbs will go along with the idea of urban cost-sharing and consolidated services only if there's something in it for them.

"We do nothing unless it's convenient," Lochner said. Proponents of a regional approach to government have to do a better job of offering incentives to the suburbs, he said.

That, it seemed, was the most vexing question of the evening: How to convince wealthy municipalities that it's in their best interest to prop up struggling neighbors?

Whatever the answer is, Lochner said, Pittsburgh must get its own house in order before merging with neighbors, or with Allegheny County.

Otherwise, "Pittsburgh is going to end up becoming a city-county where nobody wants to live," he said.

The town meeting -- organized by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, sponsored by Duquesne Light Co. and titled "Is merger the answer to our struggling region?" -- was held before an audience of about 250 at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland.

It was the first of what will be several town meetings on the subjects of regionalism and municipal consolidation.

Panelists were Lochner; Susan Hockenberry, director of the Local Government Academy; Doris Carson Williams, CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania; Tom Waseleski, the Post-Gazette's editorial page editor; and John G. Craig Jr., the paper's former editor.

David Shribman, the Post-Gazette's executive editor, moderated the discussion.

Offering historical context on the issue, Hockenberry noted that many of Allegheny County's 130 municipalities were created in the first place to counteract the rapid growth of Pittsburgh, which made a habit of annexing smaller neighbors into the early 1900s.

The chronic conflict between city and suburbs is coming to a head now, and Hockenberry said this financial crisis may be Pittsburgh's best chance to become a model urban government.

"Is the crisis in our urban core the opportunity we have been waiting for?" she asked.

Williams and other panelists cited the Regional Asset District, which provides funding to museums, zoos, and stadiums through a 1 percent sales tax, as a relatively painless way of distributing big expenses across a broad tax base.

Visionary leadership, Williams said, is a requirement of devising new methods of tax-base sharing. "A viable city core has strong leadership," she said.

Bill Toland can be reached atbtoland@post-gazette.com or 1-717-787-2141.

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