Economy Archives - PublicSource | News for a better Pittsburgh

DEVELOP PGH

Who is ‘the community?’ Penn Plaza group challenges early stages of East Liberty URA project

By Tom Lisi | September 27, 2019

The Urban Redevelopment Authority [URA] presented three potential designs Thursday night for an East Liberty development meant in part to bring some former residents of the demolished Penn Plaza back to their neighborhood. But some attendees raised pointed questions about the community input process, which they felt excluded them. “The problem is ‘the community’ is the Village Collaborative,” said Celeste Scott, housing organizer at Pittsburgh United, referring to a community group that has had early involvement in the URA’s vetting process. “That is the problem that they’re not giving an answer to.”

A group of former Penn Plaza residents and community activists questioned why the URA had chosen Village Collaborative, a community group unveiled last year by the HELP Initiative. The collaborative is made up of faith leaders in the East End.

DEVELOP PGH

New white flight and suburban displacement: Study looks beyond gentrification in the Pittsburgh region

By Tom Lisi | June 12, 2019

A national study of recent census data sheds light on changes in populations on the neighborhood level, and how the suburbs are central to the discussion.

AMAZON HQ2

The parallel pursuit of Amazon HQ2 and an equitable ‘city for all.’ Can they co-exist?

By Mark Kramer | October 9, 2017

So such a concerted and costly effort to attract a tech giant to Pittsburgh raises questions about what kind of development project would in fact be suitable for all Pittsburghers.

MONEY & POLITICS

Explore Pittsburgh’s 2016 city salaries

By J. Dale Shoemaker and Natasha Vicens | March 7, 2017

When you think of how a city spends your tax dollars, what do you think of? The snow plows that clear the streets? The asphalt to pave the roads? Actually, much of it goes to the men and women who do those jobs every day. Roughly 37 percent of the city’s 2016 budget went to paying the salaries of its employees.

HEALTH

When would it make economic sense to cross state lines for cigarettes?

By Eric Holmberg | August 3, 2016

There’s a fear that Pennsylvania’s recent cigarette tax increase will drive smokers to buy cigarettes in neighboring states at a lower cost. On Monday, a $1 per pack tax increase on cigarettes went into effect, bringing the total state cigarette tax to $2.60 per pack.

DEVELOP PGH

This change is going to affect a lot of people on food stamps

By Eric Holmberg | May 26, 2016

Employment Roughly 33,000 Pennsylvanians will face new limits on the amount of time they can receive food stamp benefits due to a rule change.

DATA

Pittsburgh’s streak of gaining residents has come to an end

By Eric Holmberg | May 19, 2016

Pittsburgh’s population decreased by an estimated 1,374 people to 304,391 people from July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2015, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

It was the second consecutive year of population decreases for the city after three rare years of population increases.

Those three years from 2011 to 2013 were the city’s only recent yearly population increases.

Economy

City permits director gives advice on blight

By Elizabeth Lepro | April 6, 2016

Pittston Mayor Mike Lombardo arranged for Maura Kennedy to speak with officials from Luzerne County’s three cities: Wilkes-Barre, Pittston and Nanticoke at the Pittston Memorial Library on Tuesday.

On the beat

Millennials saving for extensive retirement funds

By Sabrina Bodon | March 29, 2016

The latest studies say Millennials looking to retire someday will need anywhere from $1.8 million to $2.5 million saved to maintain a standard of living, and the nation’s largest generation is taking notice.

As the price of retirement skyrockets, Millennials have adapted their financial habits to account for this growth.

EDUCATION

Legislative roundup: The budget saga, university funding and medical marijuana

By Abigail Lind | March 17, 2016

An onslaught of legislative activity, an emerald-hued State Capitol and bureaucratic bickering flooded Wednesday’s headlines. Here’s a breakdown of the day’s most important events.