What do you think of Murphy's comments? Did he go too far or did he bring an important topic to the surface? Do you think suburban racism is a roadblock to a potential city-county merger?

You can e-mail your comments to the newsroom@thepittsburghchannel.com. Please include your first name and your hometown in the e-mail. Some of your responses could be used on Channel 4 Action News or on ThePittsburghChannel.com.

Mayor Murphy Responds To Remarks

Here is what your neighbors are saying:

The Mayor has chosen to fire a shot that will be heard through out the suburbs. A very cheap shot at that. (Maybe Mr. Murphy needs to get some new friends.) I am one suburbanite that has worked in the city of Pittsburgh for over 30 years. If I did not feel safe, I certainly wouldn't have continued to do so all of these years. Contrary to the Mayor's opinion, this is one suburbanite who between parking fees and restaurant tabs leaves over $5,000 in downtown Pittsburgh every year, so don't accuse us of using city services and the city not getting anything in return. I hope city residents will see through the Mayor's diversionary tactics and elect a responsible leader in the next election. -Jill, Bethel Park

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The best thing for Pittsburgh/Allegheny to do is to Consolidate into one large city, come visit Jackonville, Florida That was the only way for us to grow and help eliminate bigotry, by classes of people, more so than by race. I wish the best for my old home town.

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If Tom Murphy was expecting suburbanites to help the city with its financial problems, he just lost any support he may have had. Most did not support his efforts to begin with, and now they're offended into the bargain. How dare Murphy paint the suburbs with such a broad-based brush! He uses the same generalized stereotypes he accuses others of using. If anyone is a racist in this story, it's Tom Murphy. -Scott, Mt. Lebanon

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You don't have to live in the city to be a drug addict. What a joke, the city residents probably think all suburbanites either have a house with a white picket fence and 2.5 children, or wear overalls and have bad teeth. Will we never learn not to stereotype? No wonder everyone is leaving Pittsburgh - businesses and employees. - Amy, a rural suburb

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Talk about an asinine comment to make! Murphy is (hopefully) on his last political legs in the city of Pittsburgh, so one could possibly expect desperation measures, especially from someone who has been entirely ineffective as a mayor of a large city. But this comment was so off the wall as to be completely ludicrous! Grow up, Mayor Murphy! Concentrate on your job in your final days in it, not on something as ridiculous as this was! You should be embarrassed and apologize to suburbanites. -Mary

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I do not live in the city but I do feel the mayor did a poor job with the cities money. But why should people who live out side of the city pay for his mistakes? I pay the taxes to my town and in return I want a balanced budget as should the people of Pittsburgh. Also the mayor is playing a dangerous game trying to create problems with city and suburb people. - Melinda

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In regards to Mayor Murphy's ridiculous comments about suburban population being racist! First, I certainly hope the local media does not let him get away with these outrageous comments, just because he is a Democrat.

People who live in the suburbs did not create this mess. We did not pass a city budget that was $45 million short. We did not approve of tax-free dollars to failing department stores in the city. We did not decide to waste millions of dollars to destroy and rebuild a 20-year-old convention center with a new one that is failing. And finally, we did not elect a city council that is ineffective in making logical decisions regarding cost cutting and wasteful spending. This is a problem that the Mayor and other elected officials of the City of Pittsburgh are responsible for. As former Democratic President Harry Truman said, "The Buck Stops Here!", which means your office Mayor Smurf?!

Second thought. Why is it when Democrats locally and nationally, has a problem that they created, they always have to bring up the race card against others? (Example: the most recent mayor's race in Philadelphia.) What does race have to do with a prior proposal for a methadone clinic in Hampton Township? The Mayor states that it was turned down because it might draw heroin users from the city. What does he mean might? What else does a methadone clinic draw attendance for, . . . people with the common cold? I think the people of Hampton Township just did not want folks on Heroin roaming their neighborhood, near their children, which is their right! Also, where is it stated that race is an issue regarding people with a drug problem? Isn't the Mayor making an insinuating racist comment regarding people with a heroin drug problem?

I say this to the Mayor and the other City of Pittsburgh elected officials, if you are looking for help from the residence who live outside of the city, I find it better for you not to insult us with your rhetoric, but to talk with us in a civil manner to help get the issues of the city's finances solved. -Tom, Dormont

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What Mr. Murphy said regarding race was totally out of context. It's not like all the suburbanites homes will suddenly be closer to the "dreaded" city in which they work. I live in the city and work in the suburbs, and I pay all the taxes Mr. Murphy can dream up. I don't think taxing suburbanites commuters is too much to ask considering the dilemma we are all facing. Back in the "old days" a community coming together wasn't such a rare or terrible thing. If the county is doing so much better than the city then I am for a merger. And if there really is a city where racism does not exist, then we should all model that city. Unfortunately though we are all here with this desperate little man scrambling to fix his fiscal mistakes. -Tracey G, City Dweller

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I am sick of hearing about racism. I believe the everyone should be treated equal. No special treatment because someone might scream racism instead we will keep them happy and hope that this doesn't happen. This is where we went wrong with society, we let this happen in the first place. I'm not saying that racism never happens, but I think people carry to far and that is what needs to be stopped. Thank you, Annette, Westmoreland City

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Mayor Murphy's political philosophy is to distract attention from the fact that he can't accomplish anything and place the blame on someone else. If he can get his constituents fired up by calling suburbanites racists, then maybe they will forget that he is the cause of most of the city's problems. The racial demographics of many communities in Allegheny County are similar to the City's. Why, because many of the city's residents now reside in the suburbs. I bet most city residents don't want a methadone clinic in their neighborhood or want to visit the Mayor at his home for that fact. By the way, is there a methadone clinic in Murphy's backyard? And...if the city residents did pay the Mayor a house call, he would be the first one to seek police protection. Mayor Murphy's political tactics are the same with the city's budget problem. He blames the suburbanites who, in his opinion, don't pay their fair share for city services. How many city residents travel to the suburbs and don't pay a cent for the local services they use. -Rich, Coraopolis

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This, coming from the same guy who has the city in shambles right now. This rediculous comment just goes to show how out of touch this joke of a Mayor is. Did he not expect any resistance with putting up a methodone clinic? Give me a break. People resist when a shopping center goes up in their neighborhood, let alone a drug clinic. It has nothing to do with the suburbs, he is just trying to pass the buck as usual, do to his poor job performance. It's appauling that he painted the black community in Pittsburgh as rapists, thieves, and demons. That comment, which came from his own mouth, and was thought up in his own mind, should tell everyone just what the Mayor himself thinks about the black community. He did not make that comment quoting anyone, he thought that comment up all on his own, from his little brain. The fact that those describing words came from his mouth did hit the nail on the head. It's the Mayor that is the racist. No one the suburbs made those associations to the black community, the Mayor himself did. I hope the NAACP jumps all over him for this one! Apparently Mayor Murphy is not aware that there are successful, thriving, law abiding black citizens living, working and going to college in the city of Pittsburgh. -Jennifer, Lawrence, PA

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I do not live in the city because I so not want to have a mayor like Tom Murphy mismanaging my tax dollars. I enjoy the benefits of suburban living because I know my small municipal council is more responsive to my familes' needs and will be accessable to me. I do not want weak, whiney people like Tom Murphy having any part of my life. People like myself pay hard earned money to live away from slums, traffic and city life. We do not want to share the burden of their poor spending habits and inability to attract new business. This is America, if you are not happy with your circumstance, you have the ability to create the opportunity to get away from the situation. Government cannot solve every problem every time for everybody. Get out and work, clean up your own neighborhood, make businesses want to come to you. As far as the executive office of Mayor.........Why would I want to go into business with someone who can't run their own affairs? The answer is, I would not. I do not want to start suburban welfare systems for cities either. -D.L. Plum Borough

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Mayor Murphy's comments are not acceptable. If his friends are afraid of the "black" youths in his neighborhood then what kind of people is he friends with? I'm personally a little fearful of any larger group of persons, especially ones hanging out on the street, at night. Besides the comments, who WOULD want a methadone clinic in their neighborhood? Any the people using that clinic probably are the most likely ones to rob their houses. This fear is not unfounded. -Leslie

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Murphy has been so enamored with the idea of going down in history as the man who turned Pittsburgh into a business cultural centerpiece. However, there has always been a major flaw in this man's vision. He has never included the people. He has succeeded in building 2 beautiful stadiums and rebuilding the convension center against the voting public's wishes. But he doesn't think twice about closing senior centers, neighborhood parks and swimming pools. He doesn't think twice about laying off police officers, firemen and emergency medical technicians.

I moved to Ohio several years ago. The things we were concerned with when we made of our move are all of the things that Murphy is taking away from the community. Most of the suburbs in Allegheny County provide these things for their residents. It has nothing to do with racism. The kids in the suburbs have places to go and things to do to keep them out of trouble. Murphy has taken all of these things away from the kids in the City. Where are they supposed to go? What are they supposed to do? What are their parent's taxes paying for?????

Most people can't afford to go to the stadiums to see a game. They were built to benefit the business community. If they were built for the city residents who are paying for them through their taxes, the ticket and concession prices would be affordable. I live near Akron and they built a wonderful stadium for their minor league team. The tickets and food are affordable. The entire community has benefited greatly.

Murphy brought this all on himself and is using racism as a lame excuse for his mistakes and this is about as low as you can go. Murphy has created an environment of fear. Does this mean that he spends most of his time at his real home in the suburbs. Is he the one that is afraid to live in his house in the city????

If he wants to sell the City, he should learn a little bit about marketing. He should be praising and bragging about the good things the City has to offer. Not making up seriously damaging remarks that are hard to erase. Nobody wants a Methadone clinic on a corner in their neighborhood, be it in the City or in the suburbs. Not all people who use a meth clinic are black. I've seen quite a few white folks walking in and out of those places and they aren't the employees. The black community should be outraged with this statement. Is he not also aware of the growing drug problems that the suburbs are having?

In conclusion, Mr. Murphy has lost his ever lovin mind in an effort to absolve himself of blame and is giving absolutely no reason for anyone ("ME") to move back to a community I used to love. Living happy in Ohio, Carole

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I think Mayor Murphy will say whatever it takes to get the attention away from the matter that, "he put he city of Pittsburgh into bankruptcy" and if us so called "suburbanites" were able to vote for city officials, he would have been voted out long ago. He is afraid to deal with the suburbanites so he, like usual, turns the table to place the blame elsewhere. Sincerely, Michele

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I just moved to Lawrenceville from Ross Township. I have found that the people who I pass on the street walking to and from work have spoken to me, a total stranger. And for the most part, those people are people of color. Tell Mayor Murphy, I'm waiting for him to come for tea since I did him the favor by moving into the City. - Virginia

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As a resident of the city of Pittsburgh most of my life I am now living in a suburb. I think what many people fail to see is that alot of the same things are happening in there communities too. The suburban communities are very good at hiding these things from the general public and that is why the city appears to be so bad. - Michele

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I feel that Allegheny County is one of the most bigoted places in which I have ever resided. I am originally from Philadelphia where I grew up interacting with whites, blacks, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, gay, and straight. In the 12 years that I have lived here that the only regular interaction I seem to see of people from different background are among the college students; and usually only those that grew up outside of Allegheny County.

I recall traveling to Robinson Township to look at apartments with a friend who was considering moving out there. We stopped in a restaurant in the complex for lunch; I was stared at like I had two heads, as if the people there had never witnessed a black female in person before. I could spout off a laundry-list of bigoted comments I have encountered from both blacks and whites in this section of the state, but who has the time. (But really, who uses the word "colored" anymore?)

I personally believe that Allegheny County is more infested with unapologetic bigots, who are merely uninformed, than racists. But any way you slice it, it is not a place that will move forward if the leaders only pay lip service to the problem, if they bother to acknowledge it at all. I often tell people that I will not turn forty in this town and that I would never want to raise a child in this area of the state- I would feel like an irresponsible parent for subjecting children to such bigotry. There are far more positive environments in which a black or biracial child can grow up. - R., Mt. Washington

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Murphy is the reason there is not a city-county merger, not the suburbanites. Murphy is a power-hungry, egotistical, wanna-be dictator. It's his way or no way. He didn't learn history with Russia and East Germany, but he's trying to dictate the city of Pittsburgh. If the people of this city and county aren't already angry at the position Murphy put this city in, then these racist thoughts should make people of this region really think "Do we want this man around anymore?" If people let it go, then this region deserves what it gets. - Kim

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I agree with the Mayor, He has hit the nail right on the head.I can't understand why his statement has caused such a uproar. One of the most difficult parts of racism is nobody wants to "fess up" to what has been quite obvious for generations.I suppose "white flight" is just someones imagination. - Jeff

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Why was the statement considered 'racial'? Are blacks perceived to be the high percentage of opiate addicts? That's just not true. I'm sure there are just as many city residents who don't want the methadone clinics in their neighborhood--yet, AA meetings are quite acceptable with a lower rate of success for opiate addiction. Apparently people would rather turn a blind eye to the addict living in the neighborhood who is much more likely to rob them. - Beth, Pittsburgh

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I live in the suburbs, and work/play in the city. The only thing I'm afraid of is that the mismanagement of city funds will be catching! I don't know how Mayor Murphy thinks that raising my occupation tax will help the city---he cut services such as salt/plows so that I will probably not be able to make it to work more often during the winter to PAY for the increase. - Mary

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I think Mayor Murphy is up against the wall, so he's "playing the race card" as a last resort. - Patricia

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I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR, IT IS ALRIGHT THAT WE HAVE CLINICS IN OUR NEIGHORHOOD. HOW MANY SUBURBAN RESIDENTS USE THESE ? - Valerie

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Now I know why so many companies move out of Pittsburgh, Tom Murphy - Barb and Sam

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