Outgoing Pittsburgh mayor Ed Gainey said he will let the city’s budget pass unsigned, citing multiple concerns, including a 20% tax increase passed by the council. In a letter to Council President Lavelle, Gainey wrote that he isn’t opposed to tax increases, however the “20% increase is greater than current fiscal circumstances warrant…”He goes on to say that residents will not be able to support the increase due to current economic conditions like the rising cost of living and reductions of federal support programs. In addition to the tax increase, Gainey said he worries about the decision not to include increases to the Homestead Exclusion and Senior Citizen Property Tax Discount programs.”These programs provide vital offsets to the regressive nature of property taxes as a source of government revenue, and the failure to incorporate increases to these programs will further shift the burden of Council’s adopted increase onto our most vulnerable property owners,” Gainey wrote. In addition to the tax increase, Gainey said he was “troubled” by the $5 million reduction to the Stop the Violence Fund.”I cannot support a proposal that takes resources away from this work,” Gainey wrote. Gainey said the violence prevention programs have been essential to the “massive reduction in violence” during his term. When Council passed their budget on Sunday, Councilwoman Barb Warwick was asked about the Stop the Violence Fund. She said, “So I want to be very, very clear about the Stop the Violence fund. So, there were funds remaining in the Stop the Violence account from this year. And so, the fund was not cut, but it was reduced to $5 million allotment this year. So that will ensure that all of the programing that is covered by Stop the Violence is also covered in 2026 by the existing dollars that were remaining from ’25, plus the additional $5 million. So, Stop the Violence Fund remains, and in 2027, we will go back up to the $10 million allotment.”

PITTSBURGH —

Outgoing Pittsburgh mayor Ed Gainey said he will let the city’s budget pass unsigned, citing multiple concerns, including a 20% tax increase passed by the council.

In a letter to Council President Lavelle, Gainey wrote that he isn’t opposed to tax increases, however the “20% increase is greater than current fiscal circumstances warrant…”

He goes on to say that residents will not be able to support the increase due to current economic conditions like the rising cost of living and reductions of federal support programs.

In addition to the tax increase, Gainey said he worries about the decision not to include increases to the Homestead Exclusion and Senior Citizen Property Tax Discount programs.

“These programs provide vital offsets to the regressive nature of property taxes as a source of government revenue, and the failure to incorporate increases to these programs will further shift the burden of Council’s adopted increase onto our most vulnerable property owners,” Gainey wrote.

In addition to the tax increase, Gainey said he was “troubled” by the $5 million reduction to the Stop the Violence Fund.

“I cannot support a proposal that takes resources away from this work,” Gainey wrote. Gainey said the violence prevention programs have been essential to the “massive reduction in violence” during his term.

When Council passed their budget on Sunday, Councilwoman Barb Warwick was asked about the Stop the Violence Fund.

She said, “So I want to be very, very clear about the Stop the Violence fund. So, there were funds remaining in the Stop the Violence account from this year. And so, the fund was not cut, but it was reduced to $5 million allotment this year. So that will ensure that all of the programing that is covered by Stop the Violence is also covered in 2026 by the existing dollars that were remaining from ’25, plus the additional $5 million. So, Stop the Violence Fund remains, and in 2027, we will go back up to the $10 million allotment.”