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  • County Council

    EMS providers get a faster path to $1 million in opioid settlement relief.

    Opioid settlement money set aside for emergency medical services providers has sat unspent since last December. On Sept. 22, county council approved changes that widen how the $1 million can be used and simplify applications. Payments can begin as soon as the county executive signs the legislation. So far, the county has spent almost half of its overall opioid settlement funds.

    Survey

    Which areas should Allegheny County prioritize with its remaining opioid settlement funds?

  • City Council

    City closes North Side space that provided drop-in support for unhoused residents.

    North Side unhoused residents have lost a drop-in spot that helped with housing and paperwork. The ROOTS drop-in location closed for good on Oct. 2 after the city didn't renew its lease. The mayor's proposed 2027 budget adds money for ROOTS staff but none for rent. For now, council can approve a new lease only if the administration presents one.

    Survey

    The city's 2027 budget should include funding for a physical drop-in location for ROOTS..

  • City Council

    A will of council urges county lawmakers to require paid parental leave.

    A county proposal would make businesses with 15 or more eligible employees give new parents at least 12 weeks of paid leave. Now that the Board of Health has unanimously recommended it, county council will decide. On Sept. 29, a city council member introduced a measure urging county council and the state to act. County council next meets Oct. 6.

    Survey

    If the county does not require paid parental leave, what should the city do on its own?

  • City Council

    Speakers warn that surveillance technology threatens civil rights.

    Council is studying how governments use surveillance tools, including the city's license plate readers and police cameras. On Sept. 21, speakers warned that surveillance technology can threaten civil rights. An Austin council member said his city struggled to regulate it and canceled its license plate reader contracts. A Carnegie Mellon expert said the city's report felt incomplete because it skips independent agencies like the schools.

    Survey

    City departments should need council approval before buying or expanding any surveillance technology.

  • City Council

    Golden Horizons would bring a 55+ community with pickleball to Banksville.

    Banksville's Marian Manor, a care facility for almost 70 years, closed in 2024 after continual financial losses. Now, council is set to rezone the 26-acre site for a housing community for people 55 and older. The plan includes 124 townhomes, a community center, pickleball courts, and a pool. Last month, the Planning Commission recommended the rezoning after two hearings.

    Survey

    What type of housing does your neighborhood need most?

  • City Council

    Paving becomes the quickest way to use up unspent pandemic aid.

    More of Pittsburgh's leftover pandemic aid is headed to street paving. On Sept. 23, council advanced moving $346,683 from streetlight and mobile toilet projects to paving. If it isn't spent by the end of 2026, a budget official said, it'll likely go back to the federal government. She said shifting unspent money to paving is the only quick way to get it out the door.

    Survey

    How should the city decide which streets get paved first?

  • City Council

    Controller audit reveals city-owned properties break code rules but face no fines.

    The city isn't subject to fines for code violations on property it owns. On Sept. 15, council took up a controller's audit that found 4,330 code investigations of city-owned properties from 2021 through 2023. An audit official said there's no cohesive process for dealing with them. He said that sends taxpayer money toward notices that just end up in a bin.

    Survey

    Since the city can't fine itself, how would you like to see the city manage code violations on their own properties?

  • City Council

    Council pauses a $50,000 Vibrant Pittsburgh membership renewal to ask what it delivers.

    Since 2023, the city has paid $50,000 a year for a Vibrant Pittsburgh membership. On Sept. 16, three council members questioned the cost and asked how well it works. A city finance official said she didn't have that information, and council held the renewal for one week. One member suggested the administration list all city memberships and training services.

    Survey

    The city should show measurable results before renewing a paid membership with an outside organization.

  • County Council

    Campaign materials built with generative AI could need a clear disclosure starting next year.

    AI-made material is getting harder to tell from reality, a proposed county law says. On Sept. 8, county council introduced the bill, which would require disclosures on AI-made campaign materials for county office. Skipping one could bring a fine of up to $300, a 30-day jail sentence, or both. If passed, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

    Survey

    What should happen to a candidate who does not disclose AI use in campaign materials?

  • County Council

    Proposal would soften a 2021 ban on shackling incarcerated individuals during medical care.

    Medical emergencies at the Allegheny County Jail are climbing, and the jail is short on staff. On Sept. 8, three county council members proposed letting sheriff's deputies use leg shackles during medical transport and care. That would soften a 2021 ban on shackling people held at the jail. For now, the proposal sits with council's public safety committee.

    Survey

    If county council permits leg shackles again, in which situations should they be allowed? Select all that apply.

  • City Council

    Love Your Block returns after a two-year pause with $20,000 for 17 neighborhood groups.

    Neighborhood groups can again get paid back for projects that fight blight or create art. On Sept. 9, council advanced $20,000 for 17 groups through Love Your Block, which is back after a two-year pause. Still, two council districts got no money, one because no groups applied. A city official said his office is helping groups prepare for next year.

    Survey

    What would make it easier for a group in your neighborhood to take part next year in Love Your Block?

  • City Council

    Verra Mobility’s red light cameras land on a list of 37 surveillance tools up for review.

    As Pittsburgh readies more red light cameras, council wants to know more about their surveillance abilities. The city's transportation director said the cameras capture only license plates. He said the city owns the data and destroys it within 30 days after a case ends. On Sept. 9, council also advanced a bill letting drivers pay tickets online and request hearings by phone or internet.

    Survey

    Which privacy protections would need to be in place for you to be comfortable with red light cameras in Pittsburgh?

  • City Council

    Permit change aims to end no parking signs that linger for weeks with no work.

    Many no parking signs go up with no construction in sight. On Aug. 31, a city transportation official told council a 2025 permit process replaced a one-size-fits-all approach to no parking. She also said aging pipes can break from paving vibrations, so newly repaved streets sometimes get dug up again. Still, she said better coordinating street closures would take more staff.

    Survey

    Which construction-related problem has affected you most in the past year?

  • City Council

    Projected year-end deficit grows to $30.2 million as revenues fall short.

    Pittsburgh's finances slipped further in the second quarter. On Sept. 1, a budget official told council the projected year-end deficit has grown to $30.2 million from $24.4 million. Finance staff said the NFL Draft likely cost the city at least $1 million. Still, the budget official was more hesitant than in June to say the outlook would improve.

    Survey

    How confident are you that City Council can correct the city's budget problems before they get worse?

  • City Council

    Nearly $60,000 would buy a dozen trailers for snow and lawn crews.

    A South Side council member said his district looks like a jungle this year, largely because crews lack trailers. On Sept. 2, council agreed to move forward with buying 12 new landscaping trailers for nearly $60,000. Crews have only two now to haul lawn and snow equipment. The acting fleet manager said a dozen is the minimum to work efficiently.

    Survey

    How well does the city keep up with each of the following in your neighborhood?

  • County Council

    Proposed ban would keep data centers off county-owned property.

    Most Allegheny County Council members don't want data centers on county-owned land. Legislation introduced Aug. 25 would ban them there, as members cite worries about soaring water and electricity use. However, it would cover only county property, since state law leaves zoning to municipalities. For now, the proposal sits with council's sustainability committee.

    Survey

    The county should not allow data centers to be built on land it owns.

  • County Council

    Reports of deplorable apartments prompt a Sept. 24 hearing on senior housing.

    Residents keep reporting unsafe, even deplorable, conditions in some of Allegheny County's federally assisted housing for seniors and disabled people. Now, a county council member has called for a public hearing on Sept. 24. He said county council can't fix it alone, and it will take city, county, state, and federal resources. Written testimony will be accepted through Oct. 1.

    Survey

    Which of these problems have you seen in senior housing near you?

  • County Council

    County banks $100,000 by switching to digital paystubs, part of a zero-carbon goal.

    Allegheny County employees no longer get paper paystubs, and the switch saved $100,000 in the past year. On July 15, the sustainability director told a council committee it's part of the county's zero-carbon goal. Her other priorities include more efficient county buildings, park trees, greener employee commutes, and sustainable purchasing. Still, she said the work will need upfront funding.

    Survey

    Which of these climate focus areas should the county prioritize first?

  • City Council

    Closing a bike lane loophole could also destroy the case for parking on sidewalks.

    City rules let drivers park in bike lanes and other banned spots if it protects people and the vehicle. On July 29, council agreed to move forward with a bill dropping vehicle safety as an exception. That could also take away a justification drivers use to park on sidewalks. However, council remained conflicted about sidewalk parking.

    Survey

    When cars park partly on the sidewalk, it helps with tight parking but leaves less room to walk. On your street, which is the bigger problem?

  • City Council

    Ballfield lights could go remote with a $73,050 software upgrade.

    With a tap on their phones, city park superintendents may soon run ballfield lights. On July 29, council agreed to move forward with a $73,050 payment for the remote-control software. The system can time lights to a field permit and adjust their brightness. Residents can still switch on lights by hand at spots like basketball courts that aren't under a permit.

    Survey

    When it comes to the city's parks and ballfields near you, what would make you use them more?