Alumni Association asks members to oppose tuition tax

By Kay Oyegun / Senior Staff Writer

published: Wed, 18 Nov, 2009

The Pitt Alumni Association urged alumni to oppose Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s proposed tax on college tuition.

The association sent an e-mail to its members yesterday on behalf of Pitt’s Governmental Relations Office. The message urged alumni to contact their city council representatives and demand that they veto Ravenstahl’s 1 percent tax on college tuition.

Members of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority — the governing body created by Gov. Ed Rendell responsible for finding solutions to Pittsburgh’s financial issues — unanimously rejected Ravenstahl’s budget yesterday, saying that the $16.2 million he hopes to get from the proposed tuition tax doesn’t comply with state law.

The e-mail included information directing alumni to the government relations website where a large red text box reads in capitalized letters, “Take Action Now.” The message on the site informs people of the details of Ravensthal’s legislation, urges people to contact council members and gives them a sample template of a letter to a city council member.

“There are also articles and updated news on the site,” Nicci Urti, who works in the Governmental Relations Office, said. “We also posted student tax talking points because we want council members to understand why this legislation should not be passed.”

Underneath the tab that reads “resources to take action,” there is a city of Pittsburgh district map. Urti said the map is for students who are interested in attending city council meetings.

“Council meetings are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m.,” Urti said. “There is a public hearing there where folks can go Downtown and voice their opinions.”

For those who do not know who their city council members are, the site also lists the names and contact information of each representative. Clicking on the council members’ names brings up an e-mail screen through which students and alumni can contact their representatives.