Good points. I'd add that both the Pitt medical researchers and the CMU professors have a choice of what city to set up their start-up companies in. If the city wants to get a reputation of playing rough, no problem...another strike against setting up a business in one of the least business-friendly places around. And, professors have a choice of where to do research. CMU and Pitt medical are always battling to get the best, and Ravenstahl's attitude will be noticed by job candidates (and current CMU/Pitt researchers) immediately.
One point that has not been discussed much: $15 million of the $16 million the tax is expected to raise is earmarked by the mayor for the city pension plan (that according to the local paper this morning has been "questionably managed" - that is putting it mildly). Translation: tax the students and alienate the job-creating researchers to pay the bloated pensions of the cops who loved beating the students last month.
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Good points. I'd add that both the Pitt medical researchers and the CMU professors have a choice of what city to set up their start-up companies in. If the city wants to get a reputation of playing rough, no problem...another strike against setting up a business in one of the least business-friendly places around. And, professors have a choice of where to do research. CMU and Pitt medical are always battling to get the best, and Ravenstahl's attitude will be noticed by job candidates (and current CMU/Pitt researchers) immediately. One point that has not been discussed much: $15 million of the $16 million the tax is expected to raise is earmarked by the mayor for the city pension plan (that according to the local paper this morning has been "questionably managed" - that is putting it mildly). Translation: tax the students and alienate the job-creating researchers to pay the bloated pensions of the cops who loved beating the students last month.