Anti-Consolidation Editorial:

[Death To Johnstown]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05120/496856.stm

[M. Brown]

I think it would be awesome.

[PghUSA]

^^ DTJ what's the source of this article. Link?

Also note to all posters please don't cut and paste whole articles, just the first few paragraphs at most (there is some concern about copyright protections).

I am a big proponent of consolidation (it basically won in 1927 and then got reversed on a technicality). Interesting points on that, I'm chewing on them.

[mjcatl2]

I think the anti folks are short sighted. No, not all problems are solved, but it certainly removes duplicated government functions and can centralize critical decision making - on matters of significance to job creation/company expansion, road infrastructure, building planning, and other regional issues.

it also - and this is what scares suburbanites most, makes the city's tax burden reflect the city's real area- an area much larger than 55square miles.

[Kasper]

I am 100% behind consolidation. It would make Pittsburgh immediately one of the largest metros in the country - a good PR move (although not uber-important obviously).

What is most important though is that we will stop competing against each other for business. After consolidation all of our resources can be pooled to attract businesses to W.Pa. Right now with all the competition between counties we are just hurting the region's chances of bringing in business.

[PghUSA]

After actually reading it and not just skimming it the FIRST thing that I smell wrong with this article is that they keep looking at Philadelphia's consolidation. Philadelphia did indeed consolidate with the county, but it is not nearly as big as the 770 some sq. miles of Allegheny County. Philadelphia is just a bit larger then the city of Pittsburgh in relative metro terms.

If you gave Philadelphia 770 sq. miles or for a metro their size whatever ratio would be even to the 770 sq. miles for Allegheny County in Pittsburgh's metro -- then you would be comparing true data.

Just my first impression

It will be a good debate but hopefully we can consolidate.