Mayor Ravenstahl’s “office” released a response to candidate Mark DeSantis who called for a certain degree of relevancy and realism in the upcoming mayoral election. The complete Ravenstahl response with snarky Pist-Gazette commentary can be read below. A slight word of hope to PG readers who have a sensitivity to the butchering of the English language: Mayor Ravenstahl’s tortured sentence structure in this instance is not nearly as dreadful as in past communiqués.
Mayor Ravenstahl:
“It is our hope and desire that this campaign can be about the issues, rather than just election year campaign tactics. The Mayor is very disheartened by what we’ve seen from our opponent thus far.
“What they’ve seen”? Unless it pertains to drinking, partying, golfing or celebrity stalking, Ravenstahl is never in the vicinity to see much of anything.
“If our opponent does not know, the City of Pittsburgh is required under Act 47 and Act 11, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, to have a five year budget and recovery plan. We have that already. The major difference between our opponent and Mayor Ravenstahl is that the Mayor has already been a part of making that plan and bringing it into existence.”
The City’s Act 47 status and accompanying “distressed city” five year plan was enacted and approved when Ravenstahl was a city councilman. Ravenstahl “vigorously” fought both the distressed status and the five year plan, even going so far as to vote against both knowing that official bankruptcy would be the immediate repercussion of his negative vote.
“Mayor Ravenstahl is the first Mayor in years to implement a structurally balanced budget. Mayor Ravenstahl has cooperated with the ICA, Act 47 and Pittsburgh City Council to put forth a plan to balance the City’s budget. Our opponent has not.”
Re-read our previous comments. Ravenstahl has implemented a balanced budget which has been MANDATED by Act 47’s five year plan. Ravenstahl’s contribution to this five year plan was to vote against it. His cooperation with Act 47 and ICA is a requirement of law and not an option as he has inferred.
“With regard to our opponent attempting to offer a policy that differs from the existing law relative to the City Ethics Code, Mayor Ravenstahl complies fully with the existing law and will continue to do so. No amount of election year antics will change that.”
This is a superb example of why Ravenstahl is so hated. Nothing contained in the above comment is true. DeSantis wants the mayor to adhere to the EXISTING Ethics Code, a code which Mayor Ravenstahl has habitually trampled even before becoming mayor. There are no election year antics involved in an appeal for ethical behavior. But ooops, we are in error. There is one bit of truth imbedded in the mayor’s comment. He will undoubtedly persist in unethical behavior as he's told us he “will continue to do so.”
“Mayor Ravenstahl has served for over ten months now. He has demonstrated that he always treats the voters and residents of the City with the highest degree of respect. In fact, he has stood election twice before and has always done so. Our opponent has not.”
“He stood election twice before and has always done so.” ??? 2PJ takes that one on better than I am able.
“Our opponent exclaimed in his announcement that no candidates should misrepresent his own or his opponent’s past business or political experience. On this we can agree.”
My goodness, Luke, you are the embodiment of misrepresentation. Business, political, personal ….. you name it, you misrepresent it.
“Finally, our opponent asks now, in the form of his pledges, to call on the candidates to agree to debate. Our opponent should be reminded that on June 20th, Mayor Ravenstahl was the first candidate to call for and offer specific debates. To date, our opponent has not responded to our offers. Now our opponent is using campaign tactics to rewrite history. Mayor Ravenstahl looks forward to debating his opponent vigorously.”
Yes, Ravenstahl has responded that he will debate DeSantis IF he has time, IF high schoolers ask the questions, IF, IF, IF. But take heart readers, there is a “forum” scheduled. At least a few “area residents” will get to hear the mayor’s thoughts at that invitation-only event.
