Topic
City Council
Today, the city can sign some big contracts without a council vote. That's how a $6.5 million deal with ShotSpotter went through last year. On Oct. 21, a bill requiring council approval for such multi-year contracts over $30,000 failed. It advanced, however, after the limit was raised to $1 million.
City Council
Young college graduates leave Pittsburgh for more diverse cities, a council member said. In a 5-4 vote on Oct. 21, council reversed course and advanced renewing the city's $50,000 yearly Vibrant Pgh membership. Last month, the committee had recommended against it. The council president said a diverse workforce is vital to the city's success.
City Council
Last November, council learned of $13 million in unaccounted-for city water bills. In April, it heard the city had pulled $10 million from two trust funds for general expenses. On Oct. 13, two council members introduced five finance reform bills to end such surprises. One would train members to read a budget, and another would put quarterly finance meetings into law.
City Council
Right now, the city has no uniform way to weigh poor vendor work before renewing a contract. For example, a council member said one contractor installed the wrong door at the Oliver Bath House. Council advanced a no-cost agreement with a nonprofit to help build a review system for city vendors. A budget official said clear performance criteria would tell vendors what's expected.
City Council
The city wants 96 vendors on call through $340 million in service contracts. On Oct. 7, council advanced them, though they don't say which departments will use them or why. A budget staffer said she could provide those details, and a final vote is set for Oct. 13. However, extra details sent to council typically don't make the public record.
County Council
Allegheny County's employee pension fund is nearly $1.5 billion short. A Sept. 3 court opinion said the governor and state lawmakers will likely need to give the county more funding tools. Then on Sept. 22, county council voted to ask the court to let its lawyer join the case as a neutral party. Next, the court will hold a hearing on that request.
City Council
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.
City Council
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.
City Council
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.
City Council
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.
County Council
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.
County Council
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.
City Council
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.
City Council
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.
City Council
Pittsburgh ran a $44.7 million deficit in 2025 and expects another this year. Three years of deficits would put city finances under state control. This week, the controller emailed council arguing against the proposed Downtown TRID, citing that financial strain. She warned the city could owe over $3 million in 2027 without money set aside for early debt payments.
County Council
Allegheny County has been awarded $2.15 million in state money for alternatives to incarceration. On July 9, a council committee voted to move forward with accepting it. The grant would pay for two probation officers, a hearing officer, staff training, and equipment. Council's final vote is set for July 14.
County Council
Paying taxes, buying pool passes, and requesting public records each take a separate login in Allegheny County. On July 9, a council committee advanced a non-binding resolution calling for a study of one online system for county services. If council passes it on July 14, three county departments would have 180 days to report back.
County Council
Allegheny County Jail Warden Trevor Wingard leaves at the end of July after 18 months. Now, it's up to the county executive and the Jail Oversight Board to find his replacement. The county executive will name an interim warden before he leaves. A search for a permanent warden begins within a few months, a council member said.
City Council
The city's IT department is working to run Pittsburgh's computer network in-house. Now, council has agreed to move forward with a $95,440 one-year contract with an outside firm to help with that shift. Council also advanced a $58,283 interest payment the budget missed on a Dell lease-to-own deal. That would finish buying over 2,000 Dell devices.
County Council
Allegheny County Council doesn't vet appointees to county boards and authorities, one council member said. On June 23, some members said council needs more than its three shared staff members. Council then voted 9-6 to ask voters in November to remove its budget cap. Still, another member said staff told him nothing needed doing that wasn't being done.