Proposed legislation would tax mechanical, skill games to boost Pittsburgh revenue
PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FOUR STARTS NOW. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FOUR. I’M MIKE CLARK IN FOR ANDREW STOCKEY. AND I’M KELLY SASSO. HERE’S A LOOK AT WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON, STARTING WITH YOUR TOP FOUR STORIES. AT 4:00. IT BEGINS AGAIN WITH THE WEATHER. WE WANT TO BRING YOU A LIVE LOOK AT THE RADAR. SOME OF US ARE DEALING WITH EVEN MORE RAIN TODAY. A FLOOD ADVISORY HAS JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED. IN FACT, FOR THE POINT. NOW, FORTUNATELY, THIS DOES APPEAR TO BE THE ABSOLUTE LAST OF IT, AS WE ARE ABOUT TO WELCOME A DRY STRETCH, MORE THAN $30,000 STOLEN FROM A LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. POLICE SAY THE FORMER TREASURER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST 46 YEAR OLD JOSEPH MASSARO AND AN EXPLOSION ROCKED A DAIRY PLANT IN LAWRENCE COUNTY. FOUR WORKERS WERE HURT AT THE DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA PLANT IN WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP. OFFICIALS SAY THAT BLAST WAS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE, BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE STILL INVESTIGATING THE EXACT CAUSE. ANOTHER ANCHOR STORE IS CLOSING AT ROSS PARK MALL. JCPENNEY CONFIRMING THE PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. THAT STORE WILL CLOSE IN THE FALL. OFFICIAL SITE ISSUES WITH TERMS OF THE LEASE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANOTHER LOCATION NEARBY. AND THOSE RIGHT THERE ARE YOUR TOP FOUR STORIES ON THIS WEDNESDAY. TIME NOW FOR PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WEATHER METEOROLOGIST BRIAN HUTTON JUNIOR IS HERE WITH THE FORECAST. SOME OF OUR SOUTHERN COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY REALLY JUST GOT HAMMERED WITH RAIN. YEAH. AND IT’S STILL RAINING SOUTH OF PITTSBURGH. THE GOOD NEWS THOUGH, WE ARE SEEING OUR FLOOD WATCH BEING TRIMMED AS OUR RAIN CONTINUES PUSHING SOUTH. SO WE’RE ON THE BACK EDGE. IT’S BEEN A DAY, BUT WE ARE ON THE BACK EDGE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SOUTH OF PITTSBURGH, WASHINGTON, GREENE AND FAYETTE COUNTIES HAVE BEEN DROPPED FROM THE FLOOD WATCH. IT IS STILL UP, THOUGH, FOR THE I 68 CORRIDOR. MONONGALIA, PRESTON AND GARRETT COUNTIES. THAT GOES UNTIL 10:00 THIS EVENING. AND AGAIN, THE ONLY RAIN YOU’RE FINDING IS PRETTY MUCH NOW ALONG I 68 WHERE IT IS RAINING. THERE ARE POCKETS OF HEAVIER DOWNPOURS. WE’RE WATCHING THAT. AND ALL OF THAT RAIN HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE AND IS EXPECTED NOW TO WORK NORTH ALONG THE MARNE AND YORK RIVERS. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, A FLOOD ADVISORY IS UP FOR THE POINT. THE OHIO RIVER AT PITTSBURGH IS EXPECTED TO CREST AT 19FT, WHICH WOULD FLOOD THE MON WHARF AND THE NORTH SHORE RIVERWALK. THAT IS LIKELY EXPECTED TO START TOMORROW. SO WE’LL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW, AS WELL AS, AGAIN, ALL THAT RAIN HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE. THE GOOD NEWS THOUGH, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE RAIN TONIGHT BY ABOUT 10:00, THAT’S A LOT OF SUNNY ICONS. THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY. HOPE YOU’RE NOT TIRED OF THEM. YOU SEE MORE OF THOSE NEXT WEEK AS WELL. TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE 70S. GREAT NEWS. WE DO FINALLY DRY OUT. PERHAPS BEST NEWS NO. FRIDAYS. A LOT OF GRADUATIONS ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SO GRADUATIONS AND GRADUATION PARTIES THIS WEEKEND. YOU’RE GOOD TO GO. SUNNY ICONS, LIKE WE SAID, LIKE THE LAST, LAST, LAST, LAST, LAST BEFORE WE GET TO THE STRETCH BECAUSE IT JUST FEELS LIKE IT KEEPS COMING. THE RAIN. YES. AFTER THIS WE MAY NOT SEE RAIN FOR A WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF. PERHAPS AFTER WE’RE DONE TONIGHT. OKAY, THAT’S A STRETCH. BRIAN, THANKS SO MUCH. AND AS ALWAYS, RAIN OR SHINE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE OUR FREE WTAE APP DOWNLOADED. YOU CAN USE THAT TO THE LIVE RADAR TO TRACK CONDITIONS WHEREVER YOU ARE. THAT’S ALSO WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR PUSH ALERTS TO GET IMPORTANT WEATHER ADVISORIES. AS SOON AS THEY’RE ISSUED. ALL RIGHT. WANT TO TURN THIS NOW? ONLY ON FOUR. WE ARE HEARING FROM THE FATHER OF THE MAN. POLICE SAY STOLE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. POLICE SAY HE TOOK NEARLY $37,000 OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY WITH THAT FATHER. SHE’S LIVE NOW IN CLAIRTON WITH OUR STORY. MARCI, FIRST OF ALL, BRING US UP TO SPEED ON THE CASE. WELL, MIKE, INVESTIGATORS WITH THE DAS OFFICE HAVE CHARGED JOSEPH MASSARO. THEY SAY HE WAS THE TREASURER HERE AT THE CLAIRTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHEN THEY SAY HE STOLE NEARLY $37,000, THEY SAY THAT HE USED THAT MONEY TO PURCHASE PERSONAL ITEMS AT AMAZON, HOME DEPOT, EVEN RENT HEAVY EQUIPMENT FOR HIS SOMERSET CAMP. AND POLICE SAY HE ALSO TOOK CASH WITHDRAWALS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT’S ACCOUNT. ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, OFFICIALS SAY THE MISSING MONEY WAS SPOTTED AFTER MASSARO STOPPED GOING TO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETINGS AND ACTING AS THE TREASURER. YET MONEY WAS STILL BEING WITHDRAWN, ACCORDING TO POLICE. MASSARO NOT ONLY OPENLY USED THE DEPARTMENT’S MONEY. THEY SAY HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH ACCESS TO THE ACCOUNTS AND THAT HE BOUGHT THE ITEMS AND HAD THEM DELIVERED TO HIS HOME AND HIS CAMP IN SOMERSET COUNTY. ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, MASSARO ADMITTED TO SOME OF THE THEFT, SAYING HIS FAMILY NEEDED FINANCIAL HELP. SO I WENT TO HIS HOME TO ASK ABOUT THAT. MASSARO WASN’T HOME, BUT I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIS FATHER. THIS SAYS THAT YOUR SON ADMITTED TO USING THE MONEY, THAT HE WAS HAVING SOME FINANCIAL TROUBLE TRYING TO HELP WITH MEDICAL STUFF. I DON’T KNOW. I HAVE NO CLUE. YOU KNOW, THIS JUST HIT ME LIKE A BRICK WALL. SO. BUT I LEAVE IT IN GOD’S HANDS. THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS COME OUT. MARCI, DID POLICE SAY EXACTLY HOW LONG THEY THINK THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON AND HOW EXACTLY THIS CAME TO THEIR ATTENTION IN THE FIRST PLACE. YEAH. KELLY, THEY SAY THIS WAS GOING ON BETWEEN 2018 AND 2025, AND THEY SAY IT WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT NOTICED THE MISSING MONEY AND BROUGHT THAT TO THEIR ATTENTION. NOW, I DID REACH OUT TO OFFICIALS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY TELL ME BECAUSE THIS IS AN ACTIVE CRIMINAL CASE, THEY WILL HAVE NO COMMENT AT THIS POINT. JOSEPH MASSARO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THEFT, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND MISAPPROPRIATION OF ENTRUSTED PROPERTY. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY FROM CLAIRTON, MARCIE CIPRIANI. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. OKAY. MORE TO COME ON THAT MARCI. THANK YOU. WELL, WE NOW KNOW WHO IT WAS. POLICE IN WILKINSBURG SHOT AND KILLED YESTERDAY. THEY SAY HE APPROACHED THEM WITH A GUN. NOW, ACCORDING TO THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE, HE WAS 38 YEAR OLD JONATHAN SIMMONS. OFFICIALS SAY A WILKINSBURG POLICE OFFICER SAW HIM ON ROSS AVENUE CARRYING A GUN. WITNESSES SAY SIMMONS APPROACHED THE POLICE CAR WITH THAT HANDGUN. THE OFFICER TOLD HIM TO DROP IT, AND WHEN HE DID NOT, THE OFFICER SHOT SIMMONS. HE DIED AT THE HOSPITAL LAST NIGHT AS POLICE ANNOUNCED CHARGES IN HIT AND RUN THAT SENT A WOMAN TO THE HOSPITAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION. POLICE SAY 22 YEAR OLD PATRICK BODY STRUCK THE WOMAN ON THE 400 BLOCK OF BROADWAY BOULEVARD IN PITCAIRN LAST THURSDAY NIGHT. THEY SAY SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HELP THEM TO IDENTIFY PATRICK BODY AS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE INVOLVED. POLICE ARE NOW ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN LOCATING HIM. MEANTIME, THREE PEOPLE, INCLUDING A YOUNG BOY, ARE RECOVERING FROM BEING SHOT IN TURTLE CREEK. LAST NIGHT HAPPENED ON MAPLE STREET, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN OUR VIDEO, OUR CREWS WERE ABLE TO FIND TWO ADDITIONAL SCENES, ONE ON MERCER STREET, ANOTHER RIGHT OUTSIDE THE 7-ELEVEN CONVENIENCE STORE ON JAMES STREET. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THE TWO WERE ARGUING WITH ANOTHER PERSON IN THE STREET WHEN THAT PERSON STARTED SHOOTING. DETECTIVES ARE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THAT SHOOTING TO GIVE THEM A CALL. COVERING LAURENS COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON. MULTIPLE WORKERS WERE HURT TODAY IN AN EXPLOSION AT THE DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA PLANT IN WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP. FIRST CALL FOR THIS CAME IN JUST AFTER 10:00 THIS MORNING. OFFICIALS SAY THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ARC FLASH. AND IN THAT, ONE PERSON HAD TO BE FLOWN TO A PITTSBURGH HOSPITAL. ANOTHER WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE. TWO OTHERS WERE TREATED THERE ON SCENE. IN A STATEMENT, THE DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA SAID, AT DFA, WE TAKE SAFETY VERY SERIOUSLY. THE SITUATION HAS BEEN CONTAINED AND WE ARE INVESTIGATING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS INCIDENT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH APPROPRIATE LOCAL EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND OUTSIDE EXPERTS AS WE CONTINUE EFFORTS TO SAFELY RESUME OPERATIONS AT THE PLANT. STAYING IN LAWRENCE COUNTY NOW A 25 YEAR OLD MAN IS DEAD AFTER A CRASH INVOLVING AN E-BIKE ON THE STREETS OF NEW CASTLE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER YASMIN RODRIGUEZ IS COVERING LAWRENCE COUNTY FOR US THIS AFTERNOON. YASMIN, WHAT ARE POLICE TELLING YOU ABOUT THIS? WELL, KELLY, NEW CASTLE POLICE CHIEF DAVID COUMO TELLS ME THAT RIGHT NOW, IT’S UNKNOWN IF SPEED WAS A FACTOR IN THIS CRASH. A PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE RECONSTRUCTION UNIT HAS BEEN CALLED TO INVESTIGATE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, HE IS REMINDING EVERYONE OF SAFETY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO E-BIKES. SO THIS CRASH THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AT AROUND 630, WHEN OFFICERS CAME HERE TO THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH WALNUT STREET AND COUNTY LINE STREET FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN E-BIKE AND A BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE VEHICLE. THE MAN OPERATING THE E-BIKE, 25 YEAR OLD JACOB HEASLEY, WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIED. AND AS SUMMER IS RAMPING UP AND MORE PEOPLE WILL SEEMINGLY BE OUT ON THEIR E-BIKES, CHIEF COUMO IS REMINDING EVERYONE OF THIS. IF THEY’RE GOING TO BE ON THE ROADWAY TO USE CAUTION AND JUST ACT LIKE YOU’RE DRIVING A REGULAR VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE LOSS. YASMIN, WERE THERE ANY CAMERAS? DO WE KNOW IN THAT AREA OR ANY WITNESSES WHO MAY HAVE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED? SO, KELLY, NO, THERE WERE NO CAMERAS IN THE AREA AND NO WITNESSES ACTUALLY SAW WHAT HAPPENED. BUT WE DID GET TO SPEAK TO ONE NEIGHBOR IN THE AREA. SHE TELLS US SHE HEARD WHAT HAPPENED THAT DREW HER OUTSIDE, AND SHE SAW JUST A TERRIBLY UNFORTUNATE SCENE. BUT WE’LL HEAR MORE ABOUT HER CONVERSATION COMING UP AT FIVE, COVERING LAWRENCE COUNTY IN NEW CASTLE. YASMIN RODRIGUEZ, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. YASMIN, THANK YOU. WANT TO TAKE YOU TO ETNA WHERE A PIZZA SHOP IS NOW IN NEED OF EXTENSIVE REPAIRS AFTER TWO CARS CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF IT. BOTH TRUCKS HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY AND ONE PERSON WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THIS HAPPENED AT RISING CRUST PIZZERIA, WHICH IS ON BUTLER STREET AT ABOUT 7:00 LAST NIGHT.
Proposed legislation would tax mechanical, skill games to boost Pittsburgh revenue
Updated: 7:01 PM EDT May 27, 2026
Pittsburgh Councilperson Anthony Coghill has introduced legislation to tax games found in bars, restaurants, and small businesses, such as pinball machines and skill games, to help add revenue sources for the city.VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 “It’s clear to me that we need to find additional revenue sources for the city of Pittsburgh, where last year we finished in a deficit. This year, our first quarter projects that we’re on our way to finishing another deficit,” Coghill said. The city is facing a more than $20 million deficit in the first quarter, according to Coghill.While the proposed tax could generate $2-3 million annually, Coghill emphasized that it would help increase revenue without placing additional financial burdens on property owners. “Moving forward, you know, the more we attach taxes to our property taxes, the less young people and young families will be, you know, subject to wanting to move into the city of Pittsburgh,” Coghill said. The legislation outlines a tiered tax structure for game units. Coghill explained, “If you have, just, say two dart boards and a bowling machine, at the minimum, is a $10 fee or tax a year for the least, you know, most common games that we see everywhere. Then there’s a middle ground of $100 per unit, which will be put on, you know, the claw games, and then the steepest is the skills games, which will be $1,000 a year per unit.” Casinos would be exempt from the tax. “My plan is to hold it for six weeks for a public hearing. During such time, I will, you know, have the conversations with council, with the administration, and with law, and with PLI as to how we’re going to enforce it, and, you know, the different rates … We came up with our own rate, which we think is good, but, you know, that’s subject to change or be amended moving forward,” Coghill said. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has reached out to businesses that offer these games and is continuing to reach out in order to gather their perspectives on the proposed legislation.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
Pittsburgh Councilperson Anthony Coghill has introduced legislation to tax games found in bars, restaurants, and small businesses, such as pinball machines and skill games, to help add revenue sources for the city.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4
“It’s clear to me that we need to find additional revenue sources for the city of Pittsburgh, where last year we finished in a deficit. This year, our first quarter projects that we’re on our way to finishing another deficit,” Coghill said.
The city is facing a more than $20 million deficit in the first quarter, according to Coghill.
While the proposed tax could generate $2-3 million annually, Coghill emphasized that it would help increase revenue without placing additional financial burdens on property owners.
“Moving forward, you know, the more we attach taxes to our property taxes, the less young people and young families will be, you know, subject to wanting to move into the city of Pittsburgh,” Coghill said.
The legislation outlines a tiered tax structure for game units. Coghill explained, “If you have, just, say two dart boards and a bowling machine, at the minimum, is a $10 fee or tax a year for the least, you know, most common games that we see everywhere. Then there’s a middle ground of $100 per unit, which will be put on, you know, the claw games, and then the steepest is the skills games, which will be $1,000 a year per unit.”
Casinos would be exempt from the tax.
“My plan is to hold it for six weeks for a public hearing. During such time, I will, you know, have the conversations with council, with the administration, and with law, and with PLI as to how we’re going to enforce it, and, you know, the different rates … We came up with our own rate, which we think is good, but, you know, that’s subject to change or be amended moving forward,” Coghill said.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has reached out to businesses that offer these games and is continuing to reach out in order to gather their perspectives on the proposed legislation.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.