Makes me sad to read of the economic condition of Pittsburgh.
You're right,they need leaders with vision and very business friendly tax incentives.
A friend of my daughter's lived in Pittsburgh for several years,returning back here to Massachusetts about a year ago. She loved the city so it must have lots going for it also.
I don't know exactly where they lived but money wasn't a problem for them.
That often makes all the difference,doesn't it?
Pittsburgh has HUGE Plusses IMHO... its just got city and county leaders stuck in the past and a state that is very business unfriendly.
The only reason jobs moving here is the tax base, and the generally poor running of things by local governments.
You have a top 3 university, CMU you have 2 nationally ranked business schools CMU's GSIA and KATTS School of Business (U of PITT). You have a very low cost of living and housing, and a very long history of solid workers and educated work base.
You could open a business here paying employees $10-$20 an hour plus benefits and have quality applicants around the block waiting for jobs... yet due to the insane 9.9% corporate income tax at the State level, and rediculous other taxes and malfeasance at the local level... the area gets passed over again and again and again.
You can raise a family on 30k a year here.. you honestly can. Hell the median household income is around 38 or so. Its just sad that the leaders of the region and the state have their heads so far up their collective butts.