Topic
City Council
ShotSpotter sensors alert Pittsburgh police to gunfire without waiting for a 911 call. Council is still weighing whether to renew the $1.2 million yearly contract. A city audit found ShotSpotter got police to possible gunfire about five minutes faster than 911 calls. Still, critics say the system leads to over-policing in marginalized areas.
Westmoreland County
Commissioners approved an agreement to purchase paper ballots to supplement electronic voting at a rate of $0.215 per ballot, plus $0.03 for a window in the outer return envelope. Residents will vote by marking the paper ballots by hand. The ballots will then be scanned and counted in much the same manner as electronic ballots.
Forward Township
The board voted 2-0 to hire Mark Stewart as a part-time road crew employee, with Levdansky abstaining.
City Council
For seven years, Pittsburgh police have paid for cell phone surveillance software. On Feb. 12, a council member flagged a $2,754 invoice for the software, called CellHawk. She said the administration told her police request data only with a search warrant. So far, the contract doesn't appear to be publicly available.
City Council
On Jan. 28, acting police chief Jason Lando told council the city won't assist federal immigration enforcement. He spoke under oath in a four-hour interview, as council moves toward installing a new chief. He committed to working with leaders, the city's attorney, and affected residents on a plan. Lando also wants to bring in an in-house clinician for officer mental health.
County Council
Allegheny County's charter limits the executive to three terms in a row, but doesn't bar a return after a break. Five county council members want voters to close that gap with a May ballot question capping the job at three terms total. The ordinance calls that ambiguity undesirable. Next, the bill goes to the government reform committee.
City Council
Council has to approve the mayor's pick for police chief, plus eight of his other appointments. That pick is Jason Lando, a former Pittsburgh officer who now leads police in Frederick, Maryland. Other appointees who need council's OK include the city solicitor. Lando is scheduled to meet with council on Jan. 28.
City Council
The city charter requires public hearing notices in a newspaper, but the Post-Gazette plans to stop publishing in May. On Jan. 13, council's president proposed May ballot questions to allow online notices and change the budget process. However, the Trib announced Jan. 14 that it will resume a weekend print edition in May. Both proposals go to public hearings Jan. 27.
County Council
Back in 2021, voters approved limits on solitary confinement and some uses of force at the county jail. A jail employees' union argued the limits should be subject to bargaining. A labor board and two lower courts ruled against it, so the union has appealed to the state Supreme Court. This week, county council voted to have its solicitor decide whether to file a brief.
City Council
Next year's city budget adds $10 million for vehicles and equipment and $8 million for EMS and fire overtime. Council passed it at $693.2 million, about $15 million more than the mayor proposed. Still, it stays open five weeks after the new mayor is sworn in. Council expects to revisit it with the new administration after Jan. 5.
City Council
Homeowners may see city property taxes rise 20%, or $161 a year per $100,000 in value. Council voted six to three for the increase, the city's first since 2014. It would mostly cover expected shortfalls in utility costs, overtime pay, and fleet maintenance. Now, the mayor has until Dec. 30 to veto it, and council needs only six votes to override.
City Council
Out-of-state companies can buy city property at auction, and council wants a way to stop that. On Dec. 17, council denied four tax sales to buyers from Florida, Virginia, and Texas. A council member called mass buying by such companies the biggest threat to affordable housing. Bidding has no residency limits, but council can reject any sale for any reason.
City Council
So far, $4 million of $6 million in consulting contracts for the city's comprehensive plan has been spent. Now, council has given preliminary approval to end them, which the bill says would save more than $2 million. However, the Planning Department disputed council's authority, saying termination rests with the mayor. The final vote is set for Dec. 22.
County Council
About 20 people died in Allegheny County Jail custody from 2020 to 2025, TribLive reported. Now, county council has unanimously passed legislation requiring the medical examiner to prioritize investigating those deaths. Reports must reach the warden, the Jail Oversight Board, and the county manager within three business days of completion. Still, it doesn't address public access to autopsy reports.
City Council
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust wants the city to give it part of 8th Street for an outdoor venue. A council member raised concerns about giving up public riverfront property and suggested a lease instead. For now, council didn't send the bill to a vote. Members want to explore options such as an extended lease and ensuring public passage.
City Council
This year, the city approved police drone use in the field, and the bureau has now bought nine. The acting chief said they'll help officers gauge incidents, aid search and rescue, and document crime scenes. The money came from a trust fund that can only be used for unique purchases. Meanwhile, the mounted unit has eight new part-time riders.
City Council
For $1, Pittsburgh Water is ready to buy the city's water and sewer systems. That option came with the 1995 lease, so council can't block the sale. The deputy mayor said the bill of sale includes a charter amendment restricting any private sale. Council agreed to take up the bill at a legislative session.
City Council
City police still hand-write traffic tickets, and a police commander said manual entry causes a lot of errors. So the Department of Public Safety has asked council to let it use free ticketing software from state police. He said it would also ease reporting of traffic stop data, which a state law passed last year will require.
City Council
A plan to simplify the city code's language on protected classes isn't final yet. Council held off on its final vote after the legal department advised waiting for technical changes, a council member said. Those changes weren't named. For now, council will discuss the legislation again at its next committee meeting.
City Council
Residents' protections against discrimination could be gathered into one master list in city code. Now, council has moved that bill out of committee, sending it to a vote at a legislative session. It covers housing, employment, and public accommodations. It would also preserve the civil rights agency's power to act against policies that seem neutral but have a discriminatory impact.