Support for Pitt shouldn’t even be an issue
As pointed out in the PostGazette editorial “Don’t Dare Defund Pitt: The State-Related Schools Cannot Be Budget Victims” (Oct. 11), the University of Pittsburgh is an asset of inestimable value to the city and to the state.
As Amazon is considering sites for a new second headquarters, it is not awed by professional sports stadiums or the shale gas industry (both of which benefit greatly from state subsidies). Rather, it sees the massive value of local educational institutions, including Pitt, to conduct research and train the workforce of the future. As such, the contribution of the University of Pittsburgh to the community and the need for continued state support should not even be an issue.
A hundred years ago, the Steelers did not exist and gas from shale was at best a remote idea. The University of Pittsburgh, however, had already been serving the community for a hundred years. It is hard to say if the Steelers (or pro football) will be here a hundred years from now, or if shale gas extraction will be just a footnote in the extraction of fossil fuels. But I’m betting that Pitt will be here and will continue to be a bedrock institution in Western Pennsylvania and beyond. Pitt needs continued state support, and it deserves it. JOSEPH PAWLAK
Brentwood for re-election.
It was no coincidence that about two hours after Mr. Murphy’s first announcement (about not seeking re-election) state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler announced his intention to run for the 18th Congressional District seat (“Reschenthaler Announces Bid for Murphy’s Seat,” Oct. 4 post-gazette.com). It would seem just a little too coincidental that that sequence of events took place without any coordination between the two parties or a middleman. After all, Mr. Reschenthaler is occupying Tim Murphy’s old state Senate seat.
Metaphoricallyspeaking, the political body of Tim Murphy wasn’t even cold yet before Mr. Reschenthaler, who is now running for his third different office in four years, had made his announcement.
I don’t think it’s good for candidates to “be handed” positions from their predecessors; it makes for a lack of independence and a continuation of the same old. Mr. Reschenthaler is entitled to run, but I don’t agree with the backroom planning that became so painfully obvious. The people should decide who represents this district, not disgraced congressman Tim Murphy or his handlers. DAVE FRYE Monongahela
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In Trumpworld, the priorities are repealing or undoing the Affordable Care Act and building the wall. In the real world, the American people have spoken in favor of keeping the ACA and realized the stupid wastefulness in building a wall across our southern border.
Mr. Saccone has obviously chosen to ignore the will (and welfare) of the people and follow the lead of his “fearless leader.” The people in the 18th District deserve better representation than the Republican Party and in particular Rick Saccone. GORDON A. MARSHALL
Rostraver