Keep shoveling snow or you may be fined. That is what they are telling everyone. The snow has really been a problem this winter, not knowing when it is going to stop. The city ordinance requires tenants and property owners to clear their sidewalks within 24 hours of snowfall, but it was suspended in February, when several storms dumped record-breaking amounts of snow, paralyzing the city for days. This made it hard to do anything, and was a big job to dig out.

A tuition tax is one of the last things I want to heir about being a student myself. The city of Pittsburgh is facing a budget shortfall, and is looking to the students who benefit from “the privilege of studying in Pittsburgh” to fill the gap this year and into the future. Legislation has been proposed to tax their tuition at the full listed price in order to cover “city services they use but do not pay for.” This means that we are going to have to pay more than anyone else. Most of us work in the city so we are already getting taxed for that. This is just one more thing that they want to do so they can get more money.

The potholes in the city and all around are some of the worse that I have every seen since I have been driving. Anybody who has done a fair amount of driving in recent weeks should be well aware by now, this is the season for potholes. The combination of freeze-thaw temperatures and above average rainfall thus far could not create a better recipe for unraveling asphalt on main highways that have not been paved for some time, and a whole bunch of secondary roads. I hate driving anymore because the roads are so bad anymore. There is so much that needs to be fixed. So when cracked asphalt and crumbling concrete team up to jar loose hubcaps, bend aluminum wheels, blow out tires and batter ball joints. This means someone else is making money. I take care of my cars and this makes it hard for me to try and avoid of the potholes as a drive.