1435 Navahoe Drive

Pittsburgh, PA 15228

March 31, 2010

Dr. Timothy J. Steinhauer

Superintendent
Mt. Lebanon School District
7 Horsman Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
Re: The Difference
Dr. Steinhauer:
For years generations our Community has proudly supported the education of our youth. What
may be different today is that folks are feeling the limit of their own means. My sense is that
many residents do not believe the District feels the same of itself. Some of the frustration stems
from the realization that real estate taxes are outpacing earned incomes. Some of it is the
times.
Residents have seen holes in their net worth big enough to drive through several years of
secure retirement or college education. The only meaningful limit the Board has seemed to
recognize is a budget limit that would require the District to ask voters for the OK to proceed.
My observation is that projects get done in both good and bad times because elected and
appointed officials are no different than anyone else, they want to make a difference in other
peoples’ lives. What is different is that they make the difference with other peoples’ money.
Contemporaneous with the District tantalizing the Community with statements like “The cost of
the project is still fluid … and does not take into account that bids on recent school construction
projects came in at 17% to 25% below their original estimates”, the Master Design Team was
looking for potential project deletions to manage the budget, if necessary. A very legitimate
exercise, however the palpable possibility that bids could come in high was absent from the
District’s FAQs!
The very same day you signed the Zoning Variance application, the Master Design Team,
including yourself, “agreed that one of the auxiliary gyms was reasonable” as a possible
deletion. It is worth noting, deleting the second auxiliary gym would not only save a couple
million dollars, but also reduce the zoning modification required. This appears to possibly be at
odds with assertions1 contained in the zoning application.
Let me be clear, myself and many (if not most) residents believe we need to do a project. But --
If there are things we don’t need because we can’t afford them, we don’t need them if we can.
There is really no difference, especially if it is other peoples’ money.
Respectfully,

William R. Matthews III

cc: MTLSD School Board
MTL

1
“The variance, if authorized, will represent the minimum variance that will afford relief and will
represent the least modification possible.”
Dr. Timothy J. Steinhauer
Superintendent
Mt. Lebanon School District

March 31, 2010