Going to a game in 2007?

Expect to pay more if you ride the bus.. $2.00 now.

That is, if you can get *on* the bus.

Then there is the timing.. it will take you 90 minutes to get to the stadium from New Kensington, another 90 minutes back, 180 minutes at the game, and next thing you know you just spent 6 hours to watch a baseball game..

.. from the suburbs of Pittsburgh.

All thanks to the Port Authority and Allegheny County officials.

You have to wonder if the Pirates had been a better team the last 5 years and ridership had been higher how bad the proposed cuts would be this year.

Or the fare.

Well, if you plan to drive to the game you can be sure you will be paying higher prices next year to park. Alco says $10 per game right now in many lots.. we'll see if they jack their prices up now too. Or you can use the Park-n-Ride system and risk being mugged, of course.

Or perhaps the PA legislature could implement a new non-resident tax on owners of baseball teams and then apply it to the Port Authority shortfall? I mean, they are taxing the players - why not the owners?

Hey - why stop there?

How about a non-competitive tax too? If the team spends less than the minimum player payroll guidelines put forth by the MLB Commissioner's Office, tax the team $500k for every loss under the MLB median.. EVERY YEAR. Call it an economic hardship tax.

Sounds nifty to me.