Hospitality Political Action Committee of Western Pennsylvania

Help Re-Elect Allegheny County Councilman Matt Drozd

tompaine — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:08:10 +0000

Join us as we help County Councilman Matt Drozd in his run for re-election. Matt is an ardent supporter of Allegheny County’s Hospitality Industry and HosPAC and all of our efforts to eliminate unfair taxation (mostly notably the 10% Drink Tax) targeting one industry.

WHERE: Pittsburgh’s Grand Hall ,
614 Pressley Street, Deutschtown, North Side , Pittsburgh, PA 15212

WHEN: Wednesday, May 13, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

DETAILS: Special Admission for HosPAC Supporters is $50, Click here to RSVP or call 412.323.9394.

If you cannot attend our fundraising event, please remember to VOTE “YES” FOR MATT DROZD
FOR DISTRICT ONE ON TUESDAY, MAY 19!

As a North Hills resident and former resident of of Pittsburgh, Matt Drozd is familiar with the unique characteristics of Allegheny County and clearly understands our needs. While serving on the North Hills School Board, he worked tirelessly against tax increases and never voted for one.

Your next governor?

tompaine — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:23:12 +0000

Here he is folks. Click on this link to see your next governor. http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyesawfoto/2692011345/page2/

(Thanks to Nonac, whose flickr file provided this image)

Dan Booed, Part II

tompaine — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:11:40 +0000

Crowd to Dan: “BOOOOOOO!!!!!!!”

Spotlight hogger Dan the Dictator was also booed as he rode in a car down the route for the Steelers victory parade a few days after the Super Bowl. Steeler Fans clearly do not love Dan.

Dan Booed Again!!!

tompaine — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:01:51 +0000

“BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”

Tom Paine finds it a little pathetic when politicians jump in front of the camera to try to get a little undeserved glory when a local sports team does well.

Dan the Dictator found out the hard way that this ungracious act can have unanticipated negative consequences.

At the pre-Super Bowl pep rally at Heinz Field, the County Diminutive was introduced to address the crowd, some 30,000 strong. He was loudly and vociferously booed. This occurred some 13 months after the Drink Tax was imposed and a month after he claimed, to an out of town reporter, that the Drink Tax was a non-issue in Allegheny County.

The booing was so vicious that Tom Paine’s correspondent, an ardent anti-Drink Taxer, confessed that she was “embarrassed” for him.

Paging Milton Friedman!

tompaine — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:43:44 +0000

“Dan, it’s called the law of supply and demand . . . . Let me explain.”

We all know that Dan the Dictator is a CPA and an attorney, as well as the smartest guy in any room not occupied by Barack Obama. Now we also know know definitively that the County Diminutive is no economist.

Dan the Dictator has continually claimed that the Drink Tax has had no negative economic impact in Allegheny County. While a ridiculous claim on its face, it is made more ridiculous by figures released by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

The LCB has released its wholesale purchase figures to licensees from 2008. The figures show that licensee purchases of beer and wine in Allegheny County were down in 2008 were down 4.2% from 2007 — thats $1,973,596 less than the previous year. In the meantime, licensees in the five counties surrounding Allegheny purchses 4.2% more wine and liquor than the previous year. Statewide, licensee purchases were up by .5%.

Put another way, the increase in sales in the five surrounding counties accounted for 59% of the overall state increase.

Wholesale wine and liquor are the raw materials in a restaurant and tavern’s final product, the retail drink. If wholesale sales are down, so are retails sales. The long and the short: patrons are manifestly choosing to frequent restaurants and taverns in neighboring counties to Allegheny rather than in Allegheny County itself.

Milton Friedman, we beseech you. Come to Pittsburgh and give a lesson or two in Econ 101 to our County Diminutive.

A New Beginning . . .

tompaine — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:45:15 +0000

“Dan - it’s time for change. Lower the Drink Tax now!”

L. A. Times on Trade Downs and Stay Homes

tompaine — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:04:41 +0000

The L. A. Times ran a recent story on how, in down economies, consumers will trade down premium liquors, wines and beers for economy versions, or will just stay home. But the hospitality industry is not hurting, right Dan? http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-happy10-2009jan10,0,3884861.story?page=2

Canucks on the Toast of Presidents

tompaine — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:01:08 +0000

Off the topic, an article in the Toronto Globe & Mail talks about the Portuguese wine Madiera being the toast of choice of presidents historically (appropos to our new President being inaugurated in a few days). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090114.wdecanter14/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home

Dan can toast himself with Madiera during his victory celebration in Harrisburg in 2010. In his dreams.

Nation’s Restaurant News

tompaine — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:56:04 +0000

Nation’s Restaurant News ran a recent story noting that this is the most challenging time in history in the restaurant industry, and sharing survival strategies of national operators.

http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=362108&menu_id=1368

Dictator Dan, Comped to the Big Game

tompaine — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:33:10 +0000

“Hey Dan - be sure to throw one down for me on Sunday!!!”

The County Diminutive, according to various talk radio sources, including Marty Griffin, is attending Sunday’s AFC Championship game as the guest of the Sports and Exhibition Authority.

One can only hope that Dan the Dictator takes the opportunity to politely request that Aramark drop the price of its beer at Heinz Field now that the Drink Tax has been dropped to 7%.

Hey, it could happen. Dan frequently stands up to his big time corporate benefactors, if only to be consistent with his criticism of small businesspeople.

It could happen. It could also happen that Tom Paine gets a date with Scarlett Johannsen.