Overview
- Councilmember Barb Warwick formally introduced a 30% real-estate tax increase projected to raise about $41 million to close a roughly $30 million gap and bolster core services.
- City Controller Rachael Heisler says council can only add a 2% increase now, and Council President Daniel Lavelle says the law department is reviewing what is permitted.
- Lavelle directed departments to propose 5% cuts by Friday, with a first council vote set for Dec. 18 and the first public hearing scheduled for Dec. 20.
- Council asked Allegheny County to reassess property values, but the county executive’s office said any reassessment would be revenue-neutral for local governments.
- Opposition centers on the size and timing of the hike, with recent county tax increases and a possible school-district hike in view; Warwick estimates about $20 more per month per $100,000 in assessed value, while the deputy mayor questions the need for a 30% change.