Pittsburgh Council squabbles over prevailing wage bill
A Pittsburgh City Council special meeting today on proposed new development rules, which would require that some workers on subsidized projects earn prevailing wages, veered into an argument over procedure and minutiae in which council members and guests frequently interrupted each other.
At issue is legislation with potentially significant impact on development. A coalition of labor unions, environmental groups, community organization and religious leaders wants large, subsidized development projects of the future to ensure that hotel, cafeteria, grocery and building service workers earn wages that match the average private-sector wages of their peers.
Mark Minnerly, real estate director for Mosites Construction Co., said that open-ended requirements on post-construction wages could scare off potential tenants. Jeff Fleming, from an Oregon-based consulting firm called Amazing Hospitality Group, later said he didn't think the legislation would hurt efforts to lure hotels, noting that those that pay decent wages have lower employee turnover, which reduces costs.
As has been the case in recent council meetings, long periods of time were devoted to squabbling.
Councilman Patrick Dowd, who chaired the meeting, and Council President Doug Shields sparred over which guests should speak first -- those brought in by the legislation's backers, or development professionals who are skeptical of its impact. They argued over the meaning of various phrases in the legislation, whether its requirements would apply to development that happens to be near a sewer line repair, and, most of all, manners.
Shortly after Mr. Shields told Urban Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Rob Stephany that he "has brought nothing to the table on this except innuendo, guesses, and [concerns] that aren't even relevant to the bill," Mr. Dowd broke into his questioning time.
"This is not your opportunity to grill a person," Mr. Dowd said. "This is an opportunity for us, as a collective group, to learn about this bill."
Later, Mr. Dowd again sought to stop Mr. Shields from talking.
"Council president Shields," he said, "your ad hominem attacks, for two years, I've weathered them."
"Okay, we're all automatons," Mr. Shields replied. "We'll do what we're told."
When Mr. Dowd zeroed in on language in the bill and compared it in difficulty to anthropological tracts he has read in German, Mr. Shields questioned his literacy.
"It's quite easy to read," said Mr. Shields. "I suppose you know how to."
Later, Mr. Shields implied that Mr. Stephany, Mr. Minnerly and Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group board member Aggie Brose were being directed by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's administration to oppose the bill.
"The insinuation that the folks we have at the table are not experts is insufferable," Mr. Dowd countered. "I'll call an end to this meeting if you continue to behave in this manner."
He did not take that step.
"I just have never seen a post-agenda [council meeting] quite like this one," said Councilwoman Darlene Harris.
"Cranky old Council President Shields is at his crankiest today," Mr. Shields said much later, two and half hours into the meeting, while critiquing the "early" exits from Council Chamber of Mr. Dowd and Mr. Stephany.
A public hearing on the subject is set for 2:30 p.m. today. Council could vote tentatively on the legislation as early as Wednesday.
At issue is legislation with potentially significant impact on development. A coalition of labor unions, environmental groups, community organization and religious leaders wants large, subsidized development projects of the future to ensure that hotel, cafeteria, grocery and building service workers earn wages that match the average private-sector wages of their peers.
Mark Minnerly, real estate director for Mosites Construction Co., said that open-ended requirements on post-construction wages could scare off potential tenants. Jeff Fleming, from an Oregon-based consulting firm called Amazing Hospitality Group, later said he didn't think the legislation would hurt efforts to lure hotels, noting that those that pay decent wages have lower employee turnover, which reduces costs.
As has been the case in recent council meetings, long periods of time were devoted to squabbling.
Councilman Patrick Dowd, who chaired the meeting, and Council President Doug Shields sparred over which guests should speak first -- those brought in by the legislation's backers, or development professionals who are skeptical of its impact. They argued over the meaning of various phrases in the legislation, whether its requirements would apply to development that happens to be near a sewer line repair, and, most of all, manners.
Shortly after Mr. Shields told Urban Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Rob Stephany that he "has brought nothing to the table on this except innuendo, guesses, and [concerns] that aren't even relevant to the bill," Mr. Dowd broke into his questioning time.
"This is not your opportunity to grill a person," Mr. Dowd said. "This is an opportunity for us, as a collective group, to learn about this bill."
Later, Mr. Dowd again sought to stop Mr. Shields from talking.
"Council president Shields," he said, "your ad hominem attacks, for two years, I've weathered them."
"Okay, we're all automatons," Mr. Shields replied. "We'll do what we're told."
When Mr. Dowd zeroed in on language in the bill and compared it in difficulty to anthropological tracts he has read in German, Mr. Shields questioned his literacy.
"It's quite easy to read," said Mr. Shields. "I suppose you know how to."
Later, Mr. Shields implied that Mr. Stephany, Mr. Minnerly and Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group board member Aggie Brose were being directed by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's administration to oppose the bill.
"The insinuation that the folks we have at the table are not experts is insufferable," Mr. Dowd countered. "I'll call an end to this meeting if you continue to behave in this manner."
He did not take that step.
"I just have never seen a post-agenda [council meeting] quite like this one," said Councilwoman Darlene Harris.
"Cranky old Council President Shields is at his crankiest today," Mr. Shields said much later, two and half hours into the meeting, while critiquing the "early" exits from Council Chamber of Mr. Dowd and Mr. Stephany.
A public hearing on the subject is set for 2:30 p.m. today. Council could vote tentatively on the legislation as early as Wednesday.