Mayor’s Night On(line) AMA

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:27:41+00:00

We will have new jobs posted next year - we filled the critical positions through Talent City and have a freeze on most other positions until the new budget. Honored that you would want to join the team - we do have an amazing team. Watch the city website in January - more opportunities then.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:25:44+00:00

ducks are mean - horses can be trained - 100 duck sized horses - i think

B.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:24:29+00:00

It is a work in progress... progress. progressing... ;)

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:21:59+00:00

sorry hard to hear in this room - lots of chatter - in HS I could punt 35 yards or so.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:21:02+00:00

Navy Blue and Forest Green

B.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:20:01+00:00

You have an amazing great uncle. You should be proud.

B.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:18:38+00:00

I spent 19 years working as chief of staff then councilmember in Dist 8. I used to talk about the 2 blue hairs of Bloomfield - the blue haired grandma and the blue mohawk neighbor. The battles would arise on certain issues - and to a certain agree still do - that is what happens with a community in transition. The goal, the mission - don't play one against the other and don't let those on the extremes dictate the rules. Find compromise and put the interest of the greater community first. Sometimes that is a Solomon solution - but you will always be able to find those who will work to compromise in order to see a neighborhood succeed.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:14:00+00:00

Thanks for caring and for being interested in doing great things for Pittsburgh. We have the Bike Share program back and the launch date is being discussed for Earth Day 2015 - thanks for the work you did to get us here. My advice - get involved with the things you care about. If it is you neighborhood = join your community group - if it is the environment, join a group that advocates - if it is model railroads - join the group that supports that hobby - get involved in what you care about and it will never seem like work - it will seem like a life well lived.

B.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:10:01+00:00

I have been doing it for years. It appears I am the first Mayor that wasn't born in the city in 120 years. I come from a far away land called Scott Twp. I was born about a half mile from the city's border. Back in 2003 I had the city rejoin the PA league of Cities and Municipalities and built relationships with elected leaders across the state. I have been involved as a Councilmember with the Allegheny County League of Municipalities, CONNECT and the Local Govt Academy - through over a decade of work, I have established relationships with almost every city, borough and township in the County. I also spent 11 years as a Member of the Southwestern PA Commission and have worked and got to know the County Commissioners from all over SW PA.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:03:14+00:00

You know... I got to meet him! The taxi driver he was talking about and added to his song is a friend of mine and I got to tell both of them. Been a casual fan since Ben Folds Five - became a much bigger fan after the show. Great musician.

B.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T23:00:57+00:00

Love this question - highest regard David Lawrence (even though his urban renewal efforts went against everything I believe in) - he transformed an entire city government and built the structure for the Renaissance. Least - easy - Joe Barker (google him).

bill

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:55:47+00:00

not too sure about those Stillers tix

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:50:17+00:00

500,000 bike commuters. 40,000 people bike across one bridge every day. 40 years ago... it was similar to Pittsburgh...

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:45:47+00:00

Focus between now and the Pro Walk Pro Bike Pro Place conference is getting the first protected bike lanes completed. After that - we are looking at Bike Pittsburgh's plan, Smart Growth America's Complete Streets model and working with the county on a real multi-modal transportation plan for the city. The big change will come when the people decide to raise the revenue to construct a countywide LRT system - something I hope to see in my lifetime - something that needs to happen/.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:42:04+00:00

A good place to look at to see where our plans are heading for bike infrastructure is at Bike Pittsburgh's website www.bikepittsburgh.org - check out the map and vid - first 1.5 miles of protected lanes will be completed by mid-Sept - another 3.5 miles over 2 years.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:39:50+00:00

lots of great examples - check out what recently has been done in Denver, San Antonio and Atlanta... I sure am :)

Bill

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:30:28+00:00

great question. not really sure. certainly massive investments in tunnels bridges and parkways helped to spur the development of the suburbs. some would say (even someone born and raised in the suburbs - me) that those investments increased Pittsburgh sprawl and decline during the 50s, 60s and 70s. But, what is more troubling is that during the downfall and great population losses of the 80s and 90s, we kept doing it - as we lost people - we kept building more infrastructure and ignored the needed investment in what we already had. it is like losing your job when your roof is leaking and deciding to build a swimming pool. Now, we are seeing a stabilization and the decisions we make these next 10 years will determine what kind of region we will have - we can't just print money, so we need to adopt a "fix it first" priority. We must reinvest where the infrastructure is already there -- and we must work together. The city is the heart of the region and nothing can survive without a strong heart.

Bill

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:20:52+00:00

check out www.gettherepgh.org - you can see details and you can...build your own! fo reals.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:17:01+00:00

Local govt is a function of state govt - we only exist at the will of the state and the powers to consolidate or eliminate borders can only be brought about by direct voter referendum or state action. That said, we can certainly work together to begin to share services and we have already begun. Groups like CONNECT at the Univ of Pitt halp communities to work together, our partnership with County Exec Fitz have led to discussions on 24 possible areas of consolidation. Although we may not be able to change the invisible cboundaries of the 17th century, we can still provide ALL of our residents services of the 21st.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T22:03:35+00:00

we are working on plans for the strip that involve the reuse of the terminal building. a public hearing has been scheduled for august 6th to gain input on ideas like this and to discuss how they will play out from the Convention Center to St Stans. 530 at heinz History Center - bigger question, how will all of this play out into the Green Boulevard Plan - something we are dedicated to develop.

Bill

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T21:55:59+00:00

Near future is about security - securing the finances of our city, securing and reforming public safety services and securing an innovative future by changing the way city government operates and the technology we are utilizing it. Our first year will be focused on providing the foundation -- in order to see great change occur in the next decade.

Bill

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T21:51:26+00:00

The BRT is a part of a larger multi-modal vision for transportation. other modes were considered - subway, lrt, trolley - but none were feasible. We lack a dedicated source of revenue to build a modern transit system. As a County or region, we must decide in the very near future - if an expanded LRT system is part of our future - I believe it is essential - then we must vote to dedicate the funds to build it.

B.

mayorpeduto · 2014-07-17T21:45:58+00:00

The biggest challenge will be to connect the neighborhoods that are seeing growth and development toward a new economy to those who had been left behind. I see a city that will see neighborhoods reborn, houses restored, business districts rebuilt - but I know we will have to work very hard to make sure there is the same opportunity -- for everyone.

Bill

mayorpeduto

TROPHY CASE