Asked whether cutting taxes, like canceling the windfall, would necessitate layoffs or terminations, Philbin says Roddey declines comment. One council Republican says Roddey may be thawing to Fitzgerald's proposal, though, and one possible scenario has Roddey forgoing the windfall, nipping taxes an additional 5 percent, and calling it a 10 percent cut. Regardless, council Democrats know that nixing the windfall makes it much tougher for Roddey to pull off a clean 10 percent millage slash next year. They also know that when January comes and taxes start bouncing around like a Josh Miller punt, voters will be looking for a hero. Whether it's Roddey with a tax cut or council Democrats with an anti-windfall provision, the eventual savior will put points on the scoreboard in a year when six councilors four Dems and two Republicans face reelection.
Some politicos stand to win or lose more than others.
When new property values take effect in January, residents of communities that have long been underassessed will see their tax bills skyrocket, while others might see theirs dip. He says that at the top of the list of neighborhoods in which assessments were kept artificially low, and in which they will likely jump in January, are Squirrel Hill and Shadyside the heart of Fitzgerald's district. Still, he doubts he'll win big with constituents facing whopping assessment jumps. A 5 percent anti-windfall provision is probably not going to do much to help them. The Score Fitzgerald gets a touchdown for a proposal that might ease the pain in his own district, plus a field goal for potentially robbing Roddey of the chance to fulfill his promised tax cut.