Join the Campaign!
The Hill District Consensus Group has launched a Community Improvement Fund Campaign. The parking lots on and around the Mellon Arena are owned by the public – you and me – but the Pittsburgh Penguins collect all the revenue. The Penguins make $14,000 every day parking cars. We want the Pittsburgh Penguins to contribute $1 dollar for every car to create the Hill Community Improvement fund. This would provide approximately $600,000 a year for Hill District Community Improvement efforts. During our community meetings, residents and neighborhood organizations have discussed many needs the community fund would help to address.
Transportation – We need transportation for residents (especially seniors) in the Upper and Middle Hill to get to the Centre Avenue Business Corridor.
Home Repair – Money could be used in the form of grants and/or low interest loans to help residents who live in their homes keep them from falling into disrepair.
Image and Identity – This would include beautification of our business and travel corridors: Centre Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Herron Avenue.
Children and Youth – Funds would be used to improve the quality of life for our children improving play areas and sport fields, increasing quality after-school and cultural arts programming
Coverage of the Campaign in the Pittsburgh City Paper
DECEMBER 9, 2010
Parking Fee
BY CHRIS YOUNG
Every time a car is parked in a Mellon Arena lot, the Pittsburgh Penguins get a little richer. Some neighborhood leaders say the community should get a cut of the action, too.
The Penguins currently operate roughly 2,500 parking spaces in lots surrounding Mellon Arena -- and more could be on the way. Day or night, the team takes in anywhere from $7-15 per parking space. But Carl Redwood, head of the Hill District Consensus Group, says his organization wants the team to allocate $1 per car for a community fund to help support the neighborhood.
"It's very reasonable," says Redwood. "Why should the Pens get $7 a car and the community get nothing?"
Read more: http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A88851
Where is the Community Benefit in this deal???
The Hill District Consensus Group supports the redevelopment of the Lower Hill District. We also maintain that development in the Hill District should provide benefits for Hill District residents.
The Hill District Community is very clear. The Civic Arena must be torn down!
Our community development principles specify that “Land use and development plans for the Lower Hill will preserve no physical remnant of Civic Arena/Mellon Arena and the resulting displacement of 8,000+ Hill Residents and businesses.”
But there are larger issues hidden behind this discussion that we are conveniently avoiding.
Public subsidy should require public benefit.
Where is the community benefit in this deal?
Are the Penguins going to pay for the cost of tearing down the Civic Arena and site prep?
NO!!!
The Penguins expect the public – you and me – to pay for the demolition and site prep and then turn the land over to them to collect all parking revenue and future revenue. Even today, we own the parking lots and they collect all the parking revenue. The Penguins Corporation makes $14,000 per day parking cars on Lower Hill lots owned by the public.
Where is the community benefit in this deal?
On a larger scale the Penguins are receiving One Billion dollars in public subsidy from the taxpayers of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. In return they have offered One Million Dollars to support the Hill super market. Where is the other $999 million? Where is the other $999 million?
It is $999 million in profit for the rich people in the Penguins Corporation.
The rich people in the Penguins Corporation who make more than $250,000 a year do not pay one penny in Pittsburgh wage tax. The highest paid hockey players in the Penguins Corporation who make more than $1 million do not pay one penny in Pittsburgh wage tax.
Where is the community benefit in this deal?
The $999 million given to the rich people within the Penguins Corporation must be repaid. The public subsidy provided to the rich people within the Penguins Corporation must be seen as a strategic investment not as a gift.
Where is the community benefit in this deal?
The Hill District Consensus Group requires that $1 per car from Penguins Corporation parking revenue be used to create a Hill District Community Improvement Fund. These contributions would be made every year for the length of the lease for the new Arena. This would be a small portion of the $999 million public investment given to the rich people within the Penguins Corporation. This is one small payment on their $999 million loan from the public. We need City Council support for this effort.
Where is the community benefit in this deal?
As City Council persons, you must insure that the city and other public entities are strategic investors in this deal. The Penguins threatened your predecessors with leaving Pittsburgh to get this Billion Dollar public subsidy.
You must make sure there is a public return on any future investment in the Penguins Corporation.
Ask yourself, who will pay to tear it down?
Ask yourself, Why?
And ask yourself
Where is the community benefit in this deal?
Public subsidy must require public benefit!!
A Dollar A Car for the Hill District!
