New York City unveiled a new hi-tech outhouse Thursday. We showed it off on channel 4 Action News this morning. It's a self-cleaning toilet which is available for just 25 cents. For that coin, you get 15 minutes inside the facility to do your business.

After 12 minutes, you receive a 3 minute warning before the door opens. Once 15 minutes have expired you had better be out of the outhouse because the doors then close and the automatic cleaning system kicks in. That means an impromptu shower if you are still inside. 20 are slated to be installed all around Manhattan.

While we did joke about the concept that seems "a-head" of it's time ( pardon the pun ), it did have some merits which may benefit us here in Pittsburgh. OK, stay with me here but the city of New York anticipates the 20 toilets will generate $1 billion in revenue over the next 20 years!

Imagine if we had a similar system in Pittsburgh? Install ten of those toilets and let's say they did half the business the New York potties do. That's still a quarter million dollars and that's revenue that could be used to replace some of the taxes we currently pay. Money that could be used for the Port Authority instead of 10% drink tax. Money that could hold the line on property tax increases. Money that could be used to keep the city and country from instituting other taxes.

OK, maybe I'm dreaming here ... but it's that kind of creative thinking that will bring an extra billion to New York City every year. Who knows what you might be able to come up with when you spend a few quiet moments inside a commode ... public or otherwise.