Well you can’t take two steps downtown without running smack into a luxury living construction site. Hell, stupid luxury living construction site went and blocked my view of the baseball games at PNC Park. Now how will I direct my evil eye to Kevin McClatchy high atop my evil lair?

Today, the Trib delves into the fact that downtown living is currently only affordable to the filty stinkin’ rich. But fear ye not middle class masses of the Burgh. Taxation will once again save the day:

That second phase of the revitalization — making it affordable to live Downtown — may cost taxpayers who only visit or work there.

“The way to do that is to subsidize,” said Patty Burk, vice president of housing and economic development for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Taxpayers will have to cover “20 to 30 percent of the costs for working professionals and college grads,” she said.

Ravenstahl has said he supports subsidies for affordable housing and tax breaks for those who move Downtown.

But it’s a thought that doesn’t sit well with some city residents who already feel overtaxed.

“I pay for my house. Why should I pay for someone to live here?” said Dan Johnson, 36, of Bloomfield, as he walked to work Downtown. “I don’t think that will fly here.”

Um … WORD.

That will fly like a penguin.

Category: Downtown happenings | January 4, 2007 | | ShareThis