I'm getting tired of learning how the privileged and elite and laptop fortified employees of Downtown are preparing for a few days without their Starbucks fix.

City council offices to close during G-20

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

By Liyun Jin, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

City Council will adjust its calendar for the G-20 summit, President Doug Shields announced in a press release today.

During the week of the G-20, City Council will move both its Tuesday legislative meeting and its Wednesday standing committee meeting forward by one day, and City Council offices will be closed Sept. 23, 24 and 25 in anticipation of transportation difficulties.

"The magnitude and nature of the G-20 event and its security requirements will make it very difficult to maneuver the streets and public buildings of Downtown Pittsburgh," said Mr. Shields in the press release.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09230/991665-100.stm#ixzz0OaCC8VDS

What about the rest of City employees?  The ones making $24,000/year who need to conserve their PTO for their kids sicks days?  What about the non-unionized service employees?  What about the people who live Downtown (and not just in the penthouses)?

Yes, yes, I know.  The City has little information.  I saw a press conference snippet of Joanna Doven practically shaking her finger admonishing people to reschedule their medical appointments.  She fails to explain how the small business optometrist is going to weather the enforced closure of his practice for a few days.  Who pays the "inconvenienced" staff salaries? 

Sigh.

Protests on the Northside between the stadiums makes a weird sort of sense, even though I know there is no way on earth on I will be able to leave my home tucked a mile away from that locale.  I've been told from friends that they were able to listen to the entire Stones concert at the stadium from outside the Convention Center. 

What are your thoughts?

Mayoral Candidate calls on Mayor to protect protesters' civil rights for G20

Mayoral Candidate Franco ?Dok? Harris calls on the mayor and city council to guarantee basic constitutional rights to both Pittsburghers and visitors alike during next month?s G20. This can be done without interfering with security, and must be done to make sure that all voices are heard.

?The world will be looking at Pittsburgh in September, and we can?t rely on the old politics of NO and limit participation in this historic event. We have to find a way to accommodate peaceful protesters from here at home and from around the world,? said the candidate.

This is in response to the refusal to grant permits to protesters, including State Senator Jim Ferlo, to use Point State Park or any venue near to the summit. Senator Ferlo?s has been an eloquent and outspoken advocate for this issue.

?Just because we face certain restrictions set by the federal government doesn?t mean we should throw up our hands and give up. If we don?t do the right thing and provide a good venue for peaceful protests, we risk escalating the anger and frustration of participants which can lead to violence and property destruction. Not only is it the right thing to do, it?s the smart thing to do.?

Harris agrees with Sen. Ferlo that the city needs to take leadership here and would like to see permits granted for large scale protests in areas accessible to downtown but out of the security perimeter, such as the space between the stadiums on the Northside, or the large surface lots in the Strip district. There are also some suitable spots on the Southside. ?The Northside space is a particularly strong candidate as it is within view of the convention center and downtown but should meet security standards and has few local businesses to be impacted by the activity,? offered Harris. ?The key thing we need is for the city to be proactive in finding solutions that work.?

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