I enjoyed reading Tanya Panizzi’s article “Author Barbara Burstin details legacy of the late Sophie Masloff, Pittsburgh’s 1st female, 1st Jewish mayor” (Sept. 3, TribLive). It brings back a memory of me meeting her on the steps of Mellon One.

It also brings back the memory of her and the late County Council member Tom Forrester imposing a 1% tax on all of Allegheny County to fund their Regional Asset District, which as the article states, has pilfered $1 billion from Allegheny County residents.

I remember, too, a photograph of Forrester flipping a security camera the bird, which the late radio host Jim Quinn said was Forrester sticking it up the region’s asset district.

One last thing if I recall correctly is that Masloff was the victim of a burglary at her Squirrell Hill home after she retired.

Thanks, Tawnya, for the memories.

John Pierce

Cocoa Beach, Fla.

The writer is formerly of Monroeville.

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