Thanks to Rich Fitzgerald, Businesses Shut Their Doors

Under Fitzgerald’s watch as Allegheny County Council President, iconic department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue have fled Pittsburgh’s downtown.

Harrisburg, PA – The Republican Party of Pennsylvania issued the following statement regarding Saks Fifth Avenue’s recent decision to close down its store in downtown Pittsburgh:

“Take one look at President Obama’s failed record and it’s not hard to see how tax-and-spend policies have driven our economy into the ground. The same holds true in Allegheny County. When iconic businesses like Saks Fifth Avenue leave downtown Pittsburgh to pursue more business-friendly climates elsewhere, we know we have a problem with Rich Fitzgerald’s disastrous leadership as president of Allegheny County Council.  Rich Fitzgerald’s failed record as County Council President proves he is the wrong kind of leader for Allegheny County,” spokeswoman Valerie Caras said.

“Voters have a clear choice. In this tough economy we can’t afford politicians like Rich Fitzgerald who have no idea how to create and keep jobs. The contrast between Raja, who has owned and operated a thriving business that employed over 300 people, and Rich Fitzgerald, who has allowed Allegheny County unemployment to nearly double under his watch,  couldn’t be clearer. To get Allegheny County moving again, voters should ditch Rich and vote for D. Raja for County Executive in November.”

Saks Shuts Its Doors After Reaching Deadlock With City Officials

“Saks Fifth Avenue is closing its Downtown store after negotiations over $10 million in improvements failed to produce an agreement.

“Julia Bentley, a Saks spokeswoman, confirmed today that the store, which has had a presence Downtown for more than 60 years, will close, but said the date has yet to be determined. The tony retailer’s lease expires on Sept. 21, 2012, but employees were told this morning that the closing could occur as early as spring.

“The decision deals a blow to the Downtown retail core, leaving Macy’s as the only department store remaining. As little as seven years ago, there were four department stores Downtown.

In a statement, Ms. Bentley tied the closing to the inability to reach an agreement with the landlord and city officials over $10 million in improvements it sought to upgrade the store and counter declining sales.

“There have been major competitive shifts in the Pittsburgh marketplace in the last several years that have reduced our revenues and continue to challenge our business which prompted our monetary request. Unfortunately, during the negotiation period, our situation has worsened,” she said.”

(Belko, Mark. “Saks Fifth Avenue to Close Downtown Store.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette. October 5, 2011.

Fitzgerald advocated taxing non-profits; taking funds from universities and hospitals to pad county coffers.

By taxing nonprofits, the county would not aim to punish them or portray them in a bad light. On the contrary, our universities, colleges and health-care facilities are great economic generators that provide many jobs for our citizens. The University of Pittsburgh’s 27,000 students and millions of dollars in research grants creates an enormous amount of wealth for the region. Carnegie Mellon University’s worldwide reputation for excellence brings many companies to our region that look to utilize its tremendous resources.

Likewise, they should pay for the services of the county government. If they don’t, a bigger burden is left on property owners, and county taxpayers need relief.

(Fitzgerald, Rich. “Tax the nonprofits.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette. November 18, 2009.)

Despite resounding disapproval from Allegheny residents, Rich Fitzgerald supported a 10% drink tax.

“Isn’t it amazing that on the one hand the politicians spend millions of our tax dollars to promote the hospitality industry and tourism in Allegheny County,” a woman says in the ad. “Then with the other hand they want to give Allegheny County the power to slap us with a new 10-percent hospitality tax. “I’m a waitress, not an economist, but that doesn’t make good business sense to me.”

The ad goes on to say that 500 hospitality jobs could be lost in the Pittsburgh area if the threatened alcoholic beverage tax is passed.

Allegheny County Council president Rich Fitzgerald indicated, however, that even if the tax were enacted in the fall, it might not be as high as 10 percent, and he promised that there would be public hearings.

(Frumkin, Paul. “Proposed drink tax in Pennsylvania stirs controversy over excise levies.” Nation’s Restaurant News, July 29, 2007.)

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