Town vs. gown in 'da Burgh
Posted by tom | Dec 16, 2009On Wednesday, the City Council is expected to give preliminary approval to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s proposal for a 1 percent tuition tax on students attending college in Pittsburgh, which he says will raise $16.2 million in annual revenue that is needed to pay pensions for retired city employees. Final Council action will be on Monday.
The tax would be the first of its kind in the nation, and other cities are watching closely as they try to find ways to close their own budget gaps. -- Pittsburgh Sets Vote on Adding Tax on Tuition (Ian Urbina, NY Times, December 15, 2009)
Praying for the town/gown relationship in 'da Burgh and for its impact upon many other institutions/localities. I'm sure the legislature and/or the courts will have something to say before the end of this controversy. Whatever the outcome, local government and institutions of higher education are facing complex budget concerns as they care for their populations and fiscal solvency.
Note: Also read Ravenstahl pushes vote on tuition tax (Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, December 15, 2009)
