On today’s episode of The Confluence:
Parks tax does not go far enough, according to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
(0:00 - 6:12)
Three years ago, through a ballot referendum, Pittsburgh voters approved a tax increase on property owners in the city, taxing them $50 for every $100,000 their property is worth.
The intention was raising revenues to rehabilitate neglected neighborhood parks. Local nonprofit Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and some city leaders are questioning how Mayor Ed Gainey’s proposed budget is spending this revenue.
“[The Conservancy is] concerned that too much of this money is going to go toward equipment that would be used by the Department of Public Works,” says Kiley Koscinski, WESA’s city government reporter. “They're also critical that the city did not grant them $2.9 million. They had proposed an allocation for the Conservancy in the budget that they did not receive.”
This is the second year these funds have been allocated for specific parks investments. City council is currently holding budget hearings, and provisions to tweak the budget could come up.
Black families say they have to make compromises on their children’s education in Pittsburgh
(6:17 - 16:26)
Parents are often thinking about how to provide the best opportunities for their children. For Black families in Pittsburgh, that may mean having to choose between schools with a rigorous academic program, and schools that have more diversity, but less rigor.
New research conducted by local nonprofits and the University of Pittsburgh interviewed 50 families about their concerns for both public and private schools. Among the systemic disparities Black families face, cost of tuition was a pressing issue for families enrolling in private education.
“If you don't have the money, you don't have the money. So, how do we as a community provide educational options to everyone?” says Esther Mellinger Stief, executive director of Crossroads Foundation, a member of the Pittsburgh College Access Alliance. “The answer’s in us all coming together and making sure there's equitable distribution of resources.”
Dr. Anthony Williams, head of school at the Neighborhood Academy, says in order to address the broader systemic disparities Black families are facing, both parents and students need support.
“Once we ensure that parents are empowered to be successful, not only within the lives of their children, but also within their own lives as well, we can then begin to make generational change and impact which will far exceed all of our days,” says Williams.
The National Aviary gets new glass to reduce bird collisions, what you can do in your own home
(16:34 - 22:30)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates as many as a billion birds collide with buildings every year in the U.S., resulting in hundreds of millions dying. Most of the fatalities from these strikes happen on buildings less than four stories tall.
The National Aviary in Pittsburgh is trying to prevent such incidents for both the birds outside its facility, and for those within, by installing “bird-safe” glass at the facility.
Robert Mulvihill, ornithologist with the National Aviary, says birds are not perceptive to glass.
“There's so many solutions, and there are a wide variety that can be tailored to every situation. I will say that there is a need to break up the reflection and in specific ways that have been studied to be most effective,” says Mulvihill.
If a bird does strike a window, Mulvihill recommends monitoring the bird, as it’s likely stunned, and placing it in a paper bag or soft cloth bag. If it regains consciousness and flutters, he says it’s safe to release it.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
