It's Greek Food Festival time again in Pittsburgh!

Date Night

By Sarah Klingler |

Date Night - Holy Cross Greek Food Festival

It's Greek Food Festival time again in Pittsburgh!

It's been a hectic week with the end of the school year and my upcoming teacher exchange trip to Upper St. Clair's sister school in Leverkusen, Germany, but Jeremy and I found a sliver of time last night to visit the Greek Food Festival at Holy Cross Church, and we're so glad that we did.
The festival runs through Saturday, June 18 and offers eat-in and take-out options, as well as an outdoor a-la-carte food area and a buffet-style dining area indoors.
The buffet features traditional favorites like stuffed grape leaves, souvlaki, pastitsio, Greek salad, and rice pudding, while the outdoor area has gyro and souvlaki stations as well as a pastery and dessert table.
The church is open for visitors and a number of books about the Greek Orthodox religion and Greek history are on sale in the lobby.
Greek jewelry and trinkets are on sale near the buffet dining room.
Sit downstairs to enjoy live Greek music and dancing—stay late and join in!
Don't skip out on the baklava sundae—vanilla ice cream with baklava crumbles, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry. If the weather stays nice, take it outside and watch the sun set over the beautiful exterior of the church.

Date Night - Holy Cross Greek Food Festival

I wasn't going to say anything.

At Tuesday evening's Commission meeting, I was the first citizen to comment. I asked when my commissioner, Joe DeIuliis, was going to pay his 2010 taxes. He claimed to have paid his taxes and then went on to say that I was disingenuous and that is why I lost the election. 06 14 11 Commission citizen comment Another resident got up to speak about his taxes and also complained that a sitting commissioner had been delinquent on his taxes. At that point, Joe DeIuliis threatened him with a [civil] lawsuit. Comment and threat Again, Joe DeIuliis went after me.
The next morning, I went to the tax office and received two copies of this 2010 and 2011 tax inquiry.  I hand delivered one to Steve Feller and the other was scanned and emailed to Joe and all of the commissioners as documentation to back up what I had said the previous evening.  I have heard nothing.  I wasn't going to say anything, but since the meeting is being broadcast, my reputation is being tarnished, and I am being ignored, I thought I would provide the documentation here.  I have asked for a public apology.

Tax relief reminder for senior citizens

Pennsylvanians 65 or older (widows or widowers 50 or older) may be eligible for tax or rent relief this summer.  There are rebate programs in place to help senior citizens depending upon income.  For more information visit:
http://www.lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Tax_Rent_Relief.html or
http://citizensvoice.com/news/rebate-program-targets-senior-property-taxes-1.1160908#axzz1PIrMyhjQ

Why We Fail

The following letter was submitted by resident, Steve Diaz, to the School Board this morning.  It is being reprinted here with his permission.

Members of the School Board:  I have taken a couple of days to reflect on the worst commencement speech ever given.  In stark contrast to the brilliant and eloquent valedictory remarks that were flawlessly delivered by one of our graduates, your president rose to offer the most narrow-minded, provincial, anti-intellectual and anti-democratic utterance ever heard on academic ground.  Josephine Posti actually told our graduates that they should surround themselves only with sycophants and "walk away" from voices not completely consistent with their own.  Really?  Is that sound advice to rising university students who are about to embark on the greatest period of intellectual discovery for them since they left their cribs?  Actually, and unfortunately, it is an accurate statement of Ms. Posti's own state of mind--and a reflection of the very reason this school board has failed to inspire this community to a common rallying point.  Can such nonsense truly reflect the official education policy of the Mt. Lebanon School Board?  

President Posti's remarks were written (she even told us herself what great writer she is), and I encourage her to publish the full and exact, unedited, text of her commencement remarks for the whole community to read - and judge - for themselves.  Beyond droll (which may only reflect her lack of public speaking ability)--her remarks were banal, uninspired, and even thoughtless.  The policy content -- to avoid dissenting voices -- was unworthy of academic tradition and unacceptable coming from an elected official.  I doubt she will publish her full remarks on the local blogs (all of them, I suggest) because she is probably ashamed of what she said in the cold light of the "morning after."  I trust that each of you is equally embarrassed by such a misguided theme.  

I call upon the school board to adopt a resolution separating itself and the policy of this school district from the remarks of President Posti.  You are on record, whether you vote or not, as endorsing what she said if you do not condemn it, or of shared responsibility for her parochial polemic by actively approving it.  Either way, unless you formally reject the unfortunate commencement "advice" of your president, you reveal yourselves.  One thing to be said about President Posti's remarks is that they were entirely consistent with the conduct of the school board during the Act 34 process, which you mocked exactly by following her advice to the graduates, totally ignoring all voices not your own or supportive of your preconceived notions (and we all know how that turned out).  It is time for our school district to change course: stand up for respect for differing opinions; stand up for the open-minded exchange of ideas; stand up for the democratic principle; and, stand up for the power of genuine intellectual inquiry in the search for truth (and it is a search because we must always admit the possibility that any of us could be wrong on any issue).  Therefore, I call on you to act in the face of the overt threat of anti-intellectualism and anti-democratic tendencies on our elected school board.

Respectfully.  Steve Diaz

Architect's Update

Just a quick post to say that last night's Architect Update was 2.5 hours long.  The podcast is on Lebo Citizens and the first run is airing on TV as I type.

Six items were presented by Tom Celli where he is asking for direction so that they can proceed and have construction documents for September 2.  Board members are asked to decide by June 17.  A few SB members felt as though they are being rushed to make major decisions.

Briefly, the six points presented by Tom Celli include:
1. Approval of new layouts of G Building and the lower level of the Athletic Building
2. Agree to final list of alternates
3. Size and weight of elevator and loading dock
4. Multiple vs. Single Prime Contractors
5. Major mechanical systems used
6. Security system (number of cameras - yet, they don't know how many floors will be in the final plan. )

One board member feels that to reduce costs, items are being categorized as soft costs.  This does not reduce the cost of the project.  They are just being shifted from one column to the other.  She wants to know what the REAL costs will be.

Changes include removing 33,000 square feet from the project.  Also 197 options were presented to remove from the project and could reduce the project by $14 million.

Opa!

Wednesday marks the beginning of the 39th Annual Holy Cross Village Festival.  Lunch is available from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Dinner is available from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
Festival Menu

Takeout orders can be phoned in (412.854.6001) or faxed (412.833.0982)  Fax Order Form 11:30 - 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and can be picked up in the lower level of the Community Center. 

For more information, visit http://www.holycrosspgh.org/festival.htm

Kali Orexi!
(Bon Appetit or Good Appetite)

Pittsburgh Symphony musicians' salaries cut

The Pittsburgh Symphony and its musicians reached an agreement three months ahead of schedule. Not good news for some Mt. Lebanon residents. 

The contract, ratified Saturday night, calls for a 9.7-percent across-the-board cut in musicians' salary in its first and second years -- one of the biggest wage reductions in orchestra's history. Annual base salary will be $100,110, down from $110,764 this season, but musicians paid above scale will give back more.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11163/1153286-388.stm

Is Your Charitable Organization Listed?

The IRS has started publishing a list of organizations that have had their federal tax-exempt status automatically revoked for failing to file an annual information return or notice with the IRS for three consecutive years. Contributions to these organizations will no longer be deductible and taxpayers could face penalties if they mistakenly claim deductions.
PA Automatic Revocation of Exemption List is sorted by zip code. There are several with Mt. Lebanon zip codes.

A disconnect between the school board and taxpayers?

I have been following House Bill 1326 and see that it is up for second consideration on Monday, June 13, 2011. House Calendar  In the article, Amid budget cuts, Pa. public school districts also may see their taxing authority curtailed, I had to laugh.

Dave Davare, director of research services for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said boards are usually reluctant to raise taxes. He argues they have become the focus of the debate because schools get about 70 percent of property taxes, with counties and local municipalities splitting the rest.
"We can put out information, districts have websites, but to what extent are people looking at it, using it and understanding it?" Davare said. "You go to a lot of school board meetings, and you'll find a lot of times very few people in attendance, unless you're talking about hiring a new football coach or firing a football coach."

The School Board majority had no problem raising our taxes 10.5% last year, and turn around and say that they are holding the line this year. Could it mean that they took too much from us last year? Or is it because it is an election year?  Or is it that it is the calm before the storm waiting for that second bond? 

I had to laugh because a director for the PSBA was quoted as saying that school districts put out information on their websites, but are people looking at it and using it?  It is pretty clear to me that Kindergarten parents, thankfully, weren't reading it yesterday.  Dismissal was uneventful.

The representative from the PSBA also went on to say that few people attend school board meetings unless it is about hiring or firing football coaches. Where are all those people now when they were insisiting that we "absolutely" must have the sports complex? I find that happening right here on this blog.  I have been asking for candidates or "Key Communicators"  to record public meetings that would not be public otherwise, and I get no response except from one KC who was asked to record a meeting.  We are still in search for someone to record the architect's update.  It is sad that only three people have come forward admitting that they are on the superintendent's task force to communicate.  Two of the three mention it on their campaign websites.  We don't know who belongs to the committee, never hear anything from them, and only two from last year's list signed the infamous petition to cap the high school project.  We get the link to the Harris survey indirectly from the School District.  We have Policy meetings scheduled at inopportune times, forecasts disappear, and audit and finance committees vanish. Is that how the District is putting out information as the PSBA claims?

Governor Corbett's education secretary, Ron Tomalis said that,

if the exceptions are eliminated, he expects tax increase referendums to become far more common. And if they continue to fail, he said, that would reflect a disconnect between the school board and taxpayers.
"Would it mean more work on the part of school district officials? Yes, but that work would entail, first and foremost, controlling costs, and second, communication with the citizens of the district about exactly where the money is going, what it's being used for," Tomalis said.

A disconnect between the school board and taxpayers?  Here? Communication with the citizens of the district about our tax dollars?  I hope these bills pass, for our sakes. 

What about Spring Break?

I was talking with a parent this morning about the High School Renovation.  This mom was disappointed that the groundbreaking (one word) ceremony had to be postponed.  Her next statement was, "If the groundbreaking was postponed, then give us back Spring Break." Since I have no more kids in school, I checked the 2011-2012 School Calendar. According to the calendar, the School Board approved the calendar on December 20, 2010. I am sure that the School Board has no plans to revisit the 2011-2012 School Calendar, but the mom raises a good point. 

Confusion over Kindergarten Dismissal today

On the District website:

Last Day of School: New Dismissal Time for Elementary Students
All elementary students, K-5, will now be dismissed at noon on the last day of school, June 10, 2011. This is a change from what is listed in the school calendar. Now all students, K-12, will be dismissed at noon on the last day of school.

I don't know if it is like this at all elementary schools, but at Foster School, the parents and teachers were told that the Kindergarten class will be dismissed at 11:15, as usual.

Update 1:45 PM:  Kindergarten was dismissed at 11:15 at Foster School.  Fortunately, no one read the District website.  Thank you, Dr. Steinhauer, for showing up at Foster to make sure that all went well.

An honest mistake

According to this morning's Post Gazette, Raja mistakenly had two Homestead Exclusions on his homes in Virginia Manor. 

His campaign said the error was the result of a miscommunication with his accountant and construction problems that had delayed his moving plans. His accountant filed the papers with the county to remove the homestead exclusion from one of his residences on Tuesday, said Mark Harris, Mr. Raja's campaign strategist.

Mr. Raja also paid part of the tax difference owed to the county on Tuesday and planned to pay the rest today.

The article went on to say

The program reduced school district taxes in Mt. Lebanon by $185.23 this year, Mt. Lebanon finance director Janice Klein said. The reduction varies slightly each year.

Mr. Harris said Mr. Raja planned to deliver a check to Mt. Lebanon today for the amount owed on school district taxes in 2010-11.

The remainder of the $4,806.52 Mr. Raja owed in county property taxes on the two houses he owns in Mt. Lebanon and the condominium he owns in Scott have been paid, although he paid them a month late, so the total amount included late penalties and interest.

Mr. Harris said Mr. Raja paid his county taxes late this year because he had not seen the bill before it was due. Mr. Harris said Mr. Raja paid the bill once he saw it was overdue.

Mr. Raja submitted his property taxes to the county on checks dated June 3.

Yesterday, I paid my (Mt. Lebanon) real estate taxes.  My school district taxes won't be paid until closer to the end of next month.  While I was there, I asked about my commissioner's overdue taxes.  The 2010 taxes still have not been paid and also, have not been liened.  I was assured that when the property sells, all taxes will be deducted first.  When the property sells? What if it doesn't? At least he doesn't have a Homestead Exclusion on his house.  Maybe he gave it to Raja.  And I am the one who gets criticized, running a blog as a private citizen. 
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11159/1152093-455-0.stm

Progress with the bid review process

The Mt. Lebanon School District's home page reports that there "will be an Architect Update on Monday, June 13, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. in the High School Library prior to the School Board meeting. The architects from Celli-Flynn Brennan and the construction managers from P.J. Dick Corp. will report to the School Board on their progress with the bid review process."   Again, I am asking for a volunteer to record the meeting. Presently, 37 countries have visited Lebo Citizens. There is definitely a need for these meetings to be available online, instead of just the cable channels. I have reached out to School Board candidates with no luck, and now I am asking the Key Communicators for help.  Unfortunately, my list of Key Communicators is over a year old (not well communicated), so maybe one of these people would volunteer.

Al Frioni

Andy Rhodes

Betsy Dillon

Bill Cooper

Blaise Larotonda

Corey Polena

Dan Goff

Dave Reese

Deb Smit

Diane Wainwright

Elaine LaBalme

Elizabeth Glantz

Frank Baker

Frank Hines

Gail Sieg

Hugh Beal

Joe Polk

John Schrott

Kim Ressler

Kristen Linfante

Larry Lebowitz

Mary Ellen Schmidt

Rob Gardner

Rob Papke

Ruth Foltz

Sheldon Campbell

Sue Fretterd

Sue Simmons

Tom Moertel

If you are willing to help, please contact me at EGillen476@aol.com, and I will make arrangements to get a recorder to and from you.  Thanks in advance!

Update 9:54 am It occurred to me that there may be some readers who are not aware of the Key Communicator group.  Through a Google search, I found this explanation on the Plano Independent School District website. http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/key.communicators/index.shtml I also found references to Dr. Steinhauer's group at a local level. http://voteccl.com/about_bill , http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-board-member-appointed.html and http://votelinfante.com/content/candidate-profile-kristen-linfante.

On the table for tomorrow

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTM

The house bill is now on the table for tomorrow.  Nothing on the Senate calendar just yet.  Should be an interesting few weeks.

There is still time to write to Senator Pippy and Representative Smith, if you haven't already.

To email Senator Pippy, go to http://www.senatorpippy.com/contact.htm
To email Representative Smith, go to http://www.pahouse.com/msmith/contact.asp

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2011/06/write-to-senator-pippy-and-rep-smith.html

Talk about touching a nerve...

Someone sent me a link to an organization that our school board isn't going to like.  It is called StudentsFirst.org.  Digging deeper into the site, I came across this policy.

Spend Taxpayer Resources Wisely to Get Better Results for Students

Districts should use resources efficiently to ensure sustainable spending that puts students first. Districts should be managed through structures that ensure a focus on student results rather than adult interests.

 

This organization also has a blog.  I found this article, which is timely. A Call for Civilty A local shop owner closed their doors recently.  This person spoke against the outrageous cost of the high school project, and was later harassed by members of special interest groups.  

Another article, How to Reform School Boards had this to say:

School board members in America range from those with doctorates to those that have not even completed high school. Almost all come onto school boards (more than 90 percent of them through elections; the rest are appointed) with little or no preparation for the specific tasks that await them. Some outstanding people serve on school boards and some have no business on these boards, given their temperament and ignorance.
If more school boards were appointed, and consideration were given only to candidates who have been interviewed and vetted by panels of leading citizens who do not represent special interest groups, this could make for better boards. Moreover, the criteria for consideration might go beyond the basics—citizenship and residence.

Me thinks this is occuring in the Ward 3 Commissioner race.  Sorry.  Just my opinion.

To read all 25 pages of Students First Agenda, go to A Challenge to States and Districts: Policies That Put Students First

After all, it's for the children.