| abstract
| - More than 500 City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County employees get a perk other Downtown commuters can only dream about. Almost 200 City of Pittsburgh workers pay $70 a month -- and about 340 Allegheny County employees pay $60 a month -- to park in some surface lots and garages Downtown, government records show. That translates to about $3.50 a day for city workers and $3 for county employees. Private-sector workers pay as much as five times more. "They're public servants. They shouldn't get that kind of perk," said Sean Reid, 64, of the South Side, who pays $225 a month, or about $11.25 a day, to park near his job Downtown. "My taxes shouldn't be going toward subsidizing their parking." What's more, city workers with preferential parking don't pay the city's 40 percent parking tax. County workers with discounted parking do. "I have to pay more than ($60) just to park my car at home," said Ashley Walters, 26, of Shadyside. "It's kind of insulting." City officials defended the preferential parking passes. Finance Director Scott Kunka said lower parking costs offset employees' "low" salaries. The average city worker makes $44,000 a year, according to city records. The estimated median household income in Pittsburgh was about $31,800 in 2006, according to U.S. Census figures. "These are the people who do the work of the citizens," said Kunka, who has a pass. "The pay of city employees is traditionally behind the private sector so we feel this is something we can offer to some of our employees." Kunka said no formal process exists to determine who gets parking permits, but seniority and job title play a factor. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl makes the final decision, spokeswoman Alecia Sirk said. "There are no hard-and-fast rules," Kunka said. "Some are long-serving employees, senior staff or top aides to council." As of January 3,227 City of Pittsburgh and 3,389 Allegheny County workers -- roughly half of the total county payrolls -- work Downtown. Twelve of 17 staffers at the mayor's office get preferential parking, as do all City Council members, according to city records. Thirty-five other employees are on a waiting list. County department directors determine which employees get parking passes, said Kevin Evanto, spokesman for Chief Executive Dan Onorato. "In general, these are people who need access in and out during the day," Evanto said. Ravenstahl and Onorato get the discounted parking permits, too. Susan Hansen, a politics professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said reduced or even free parking isn't out of the ordinary for government workers. "The salaries aren't that good, contrary to popular belief, and the people can make piles of more money in the private sector," Hansen said. "If you want to get good employees, you need to offer them something." Charles King, 54, of Upper St. Clair said government employees should get a discounted rate, but thought $60 and $70 was too low. "I pay nearly $300 a month to park a few blocks from where I work (Downtown)," said King, who declined to identify where he works. "Maybe they should pay less. But they should probably be paying about the same as everyone else."
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