I am hoping beyond hope that the journalists who attend the Brady and Fattah events today remind both of those candidates about the numbers laid out by the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (or PICA) in this report (or if you prefer, in flash Power Point form here.)
Just a reminder that within the first 3 years of the next mayor's first term, assuming that he is able to negotiate new contracts with the city worker unions that keep things roughly where they are, pension costs and health benefits for current and retired city workers will consume roughly 1 out of every 4 dollars of the taxes that you and I pay the city. This, friends, is the 800-pound gorilla riding on the back of the giant white elephant in the room.
Maybe we need a local equivalent of the "Fiscal Wake-up Tour" being led by the Comptroller General of the United States.
Anyway, let's all remember these facts when Congressmen Fattah and Brady announce plans to spend more money on programs, that while admirable, may not be possible.